what-the-flux

[what-the-flux]

At long last, I can post the finished art! I had been sitting on it for some weeks, waiting for the inspiration to hit to write a short piece to accompany it. Definitely recommend full viewing.

oOo ----------------------------------------------------- oOo

Glittering motes of dust hung suspended in waning late afternoon light shining through the skylights. The upper levels of the City-Beneath-The-Cube were lighter and airier than outsiders realized, but the walls, planters and walkways of planed and etched stone that went down many stories made the whole of the place feel like some kind of precision-wrought canyon dotted with workshops, passages and arcades where the locals and laborers bustled.

(continued under the cut)

Lorr still knew this place well, despite the many years separating his former life and younger self from his current one. It hadn’t changed much, the smells and the noise were the same but he noted that there were new, more effective safety railings in the Public Commons and that the local favorite dive, Pi’s had updated their signage (finally).

The bounty hunter rubbed a hand across his face, closing his eyes momentarily as he let his ears take over, picking up all the sounds surrounding him. He would need to move further away from the Commons to better filter the urban background static. Lorr had just sent out his hawk Deputy to scope out the area in case they got lucky and found their mark momentarily out in the open. Both he and Deputy were already familiar with her, so that wouldn’t be difficult. Problem was, it also meant she’d immediately recognize the hawk for who he was and what it meant as well. A part of Lorr secretly hoped she’d get tipped off early.

Why did I agree to this? It wasn’t the money, not this time. Am I trying to make a point? She nearly got us killed and then ran for it. But I know her. Knew her. I can’t just erase all this history just because of one incident, one indiscretion can I? Maybe this is how I have to get through to her.

He sighed inwardly and braced against his spear as he rose from a crouch, the movement preternaturally smooth and deliberate, like a predatory animal. He looked down from his high vantage as he faced the section of the Undercube that was known to the denizens as the Plexus. It was a network of tunnels, access ‘ports, antechambers, quarries and dwellings that confounded natural senses of direction. Less public-facing, much more closed in and easier to hide. Or lose a pursuer.

The slim asura made his way down the ledge he was using to survey, walking along a catwalk only just wide enough to admit a mid-sized labor golem at most. His ears twitched and he sniffed, feeling the minute air currents of a service tunnel cleverly tucked behind a cleft in the worked stone. Still not certain this was were his mark had proceeded but knowing it would get him into the center of the Plexus quicker, he decided to go for it anyway. Forced to stow his spear in such close quarters, he kept a hand on his dagger as he stalked forward into the passage, the inside only dimly lit by a track of dim yellow quartz-lights along the floor.

Infrared imaging on his monocle made it easy for him to get an idea of the topography of the inner workings of the maze of service tunnels he found himself in, but he was careful to not rely on it solely. He stopped every so often, using his eyes and ears but also a generous amount of intuition to pick the correct course. Chambers became somewhat larger and more spacious as he passed golem foundries, making his way steadily downward. He was becoming more aware that he knew where he was going, it was like retracing steps from his childhood back to the colorful yet rundown living warrens and slums that he grew up in.

She wouldn’t go all the way back there, would she? Lorr was starting to think it wasn’t just him that was trying to make some kind of point.

The smells and noise were subtly changing and it wasn’t long before he found himself in the center of the Plexus. Part bazaar, part manufactory, it acted as the working class nerve center and was a riot of activity, industrial clamor and smells.

He was certain of where he was going now. He didn’t know why exactly she came all the way down here where they had all met in the early days before the nonsense with the Whispers and fighting dragons happened, but he was determined to find where this chase ended. He’d get answers, and if it meant having to fail his mission and come back to his current boss empty handed, then so be it.

#GW2 #Guild Wars 2 #guildwars2 fanart #gw2 fan submission #Asura #traditional art #my art #my writing #my characters #Lorr the Hawk #self reblog

[what-the-flux]

For the Inquest ask game! For Zobrex, #4 What would the final straw that would convince them to (attempt to) leave? and #11 What are/were their long-term goals in regards to being a part of the Inquest? Becoming an Overseer? Performing an otherwise banned experiment? Or just surviving?

And for Door, #6 What would they be doing if they had never joined?

X3c Thank you for sending me some asks! Zobrex would leave if the Inquest interfered with his relationship with Quinn. If they attempted to manipulate or harm her in any way, including but not restricted to stealing from or damaging her library, there would be hell to pay. He's dedicated his life to the Inquest, if they attempted to rob him of anything he's earned or worked for, all bets are off. His long term goals within the Inquest would be perhaps to move to head of security. He has some ideas. The Inquest just are not safe enough. He has seen atrocities far beyond what people believe the Inquest are guilty of, perpetrated against weaponless interns, and pencil pushing scientists. What indeed would Mister Door be doing with himself, if he had never joined the employ of Director Jaanos? Mister Door enjoys hurting people, sometimes if they ask nicely, but mostly if they beg him not to. He would likely still be doing mercenary work but he'd definitely be a little less disciplined in his work. He'd get greedy and sloppy and likely end up dead himself, or in jail.

#GW2 #Guild Wars 2 #Inquest #other people's characters #my gf's characters #love that these two are just on the opposite end of the spectrum in every way #Quinn slowly but surely having more and more of an affect on Zobby lol #Jaanos didn't so much make Door a better person as he made him into a better weapon

[what-the-flux]

Inquest ask time! Gimme those deets!

Seeker Warpp~ #6 and #9 ; > Captain Vitrixxa~ #4 and #11

Hell yeah, two of my less-developed characters so this gives me an opportunity to really think about them! For Seeker Warpp: #6: Funnily enough, he started as an Aetherblade pirate first, this was what got him interested in Inquest tech so if he hadn't transferred he may have either gotten stuck in the Mists with the rest of the armada or if he had gotten away, would have sold his services as a shadow magic specialist to help smuggling operations, especially if this involved airship shipping lanes. #9: Having to navigate the convoluted bureaucracy. Though Warpp isn't a total moron, he doesn't have the patience for that aspect of the job. The extent of his scheming involves pranking coworkers or eavesdropping and snooping with his shadow magic. This does mean he is a surprisingly deep repository of gossip that he just keeps to himself unless someone asks (or bribes, or threatens) for it, but he otherwise almost never gets involved in the high level plotting and backstabbing of his superiors and he likes it that way. For Captain Vitrixxa: #4: It would have to be something absolutely devastating. But in what capacity? I'd imagine something that would shake that steely self-confidence and code of honor enough, something like a betrayal from the inside from her superiors or in her own squad, like leaving her for dead or intentional sabotage. Then in her turning from her position as golem pilot captain it would be an act of revenge and she'd probably be leaving the Inquest with a trail of bodies behind her.

#11: She did somewhat accomplish a long term goal in that she has her own squad of elite golem pilots. She is mostly content where she is right now though she'd love to transfer and work under a more effective Overseer or Director, but at the moment who knows what could change for her in the future?

#GW2 #Guild Wars 2 #Inquest #character asks #character discussion #my characters #Seeker Warpp #Captain Vitrixxa #these two don't have nearly as much development but it was nice feeling some of this stuff out

[what-the-flux]

Hello! May I ask for Inquest Asks 1, 2 ,3 for Jaanos?

Very good, excellent choice! (I am biased in that he's one of my favorite Inquest characters) #1: Jaanos' official title is Director. He is responsible for multiple sub-krewes, some more static than others, some rotate depending on what sort of projects he's overseeing. He is a particularly high-ranking veteran within the Inquest so he's also is involved with working with Inquisitors and will sometimes be present for major lab inspections to ensure compliance (he has very exacting standards so this could be a terrifying prospect to staff inside said lab). #2: For most of his colleagues and coworkers it's a bit of a mixed bag, depending on who you are in the hierarchy and whether you're directly employed with him or more indirectly. As a whole he's known as being a bit foppish and eccentric, but no one would ever make fun of him to his face because of how great his track record is for being an effective overseer, and his equally infamous temper. But if you're a professional equal or directly under him, he's an excellent coworker or boss, treating you with equanimity, politeness and impeccable standards (but this also means he has high standards for you as well). As a more indirect coworker or lower in the ranks he'll tend to leave you alone, though still treat you fairly as long as you have good manners or are an effective worker. When he's in for an inspection as I mentioned above though, he goes from being aloof and somewhat approachable to ruthlessly critical and exacting about everything. He tolerates 0 sloppiness or laxness in his sub-krewes. If he's coming in for an inspection, you best believe that entire lab is scrambling to get everything in order. for #3 I did just answer this particular question right here in this post!

#GW2 #Guild Wars 2 #Inquest #character asks #character discussion #my characters #Director Jaanos #thank you SO much for the ask <3

[what-the-flux]

For Jaanos : 3. How and why did they join in the first place? 4. What would the final straw be to convince them to (attempt to) leave? Euphix : 5. How do they feel about the morally questionable things going on in the Inquest?

For Jaanos: #3: It was a direct pipeline from the Arcane Eye to the Inquest. He in fact had a couple of colleagues that happened to already be in the Inquest and considering all of the connections he had amassed from his years in the Eye, the professional transition was pretty smooth. He worked his way up the megakrewe fairly quick because of his ambition and charisma so by the time he became a Director he was pretty entrenched. The why? Even in the Eye he utilized his specialties in neurology and genetics to make effective forms of interrogation and also more reliable sleeper agents (a very high security project that spanned some years, most of his fellow researchers that were part of this operation went into hiding or changed identities). But he always did it with the belief that he was doing this to minimize civilian casualties and strife when trying to combat threats. This sort of thinking carried over when he became Inquest. He was interested in the megakrewe's vast network and resources to realize his own passions of "tapping into the untapped potential of all sentients." As well as trying to find cures for chronic ailments and disabilities. But of course over time his ambition and ideas have gotten considerably darker and more convoluted. #4: The final straw for him would only be due to wanting to go independent. As a Director he has some freedom with his projects and IPs but still, due to the Inquest's social and professional structure he occasionally has to work around contracts, inspections and sometimes has to get specific requests green-lit first. As it stands right now he's in a good position, but he has been in fact building up assets elsewhere in case this becomes a favorable option. For Euphix:

#5: Euphix functions first and foremost in the belief that what he does and the missions he carries out are for the good of the collective and in extension, the good of his people in general. Though, despite being an absolutely terrifying opponent who does not hesitate to exterminate an enemy on sight if they get in the way of the success of his mission, Euphix is not cruel for cruelty's sake. He does not believe in collateral damage, is not motivated by things like spite, he has no axe to grind and nothing to prove, he cares about results. He has been known to turn on or simply leave colleagues that exhibit higher-than-average levels of sadism or destructive behaviors in a mission or professional setting, especially if this jeopardizes said mission's success or compromises their effectiveness as a unit. You could say Euphix's high standards of conduct and precision partly quantifies his moral code.

#GW2 #character asks #character discussion #Inquest #Asura #my characters #Director Jaanos #Sonosmith Euphix #thank you for asking about two of my favorite characters <3

[what-the-flux]

Inquest (or former Inquest) ask game 🐀

For our more morally dubious little rats (feel free to swap is with was for former members)

What is their title and what are their responsibilities?

How well do they get along with their coworkers and superiors?

How and why did they join in the first place?

What would the final straw that would convince them to (attempt to) leave?

How do they feel about the morally questionable goings-on in the Inquest?

What would they be doing if they had never joined?

Assuming they had the necessary approval, what experiment or project would they work on?

How valuable (/replaceable) of an employee are they?

Current Inquest agents: Their least favorite aspect of their job. Former agents: Parts they miss.

What do they do outside of work?

What are/were their long-term goals in regards to being a part of the Inquest? Becoming an Overseer? Performing an otherwise banned experiment? Or just surviving?

How do they feel about the Commander and the whole Elder Dragon thing?

#!! #hell yeah pls send asks about my Inquest peeps #Here I have many to choose from: #Sonosmith Euphix #Director Jaanos #Captain Vitrixxa #Seeker Warpp #Fluxmagus Skorr

[what-the-flux]

#Pretty much all of my asura intersect two or more of these #sassy diva and annoying genius gets you Jaanos #except for Oort he's just pure Angry Gremlin

[what-the-flux]

At long last, I can post the finished art! I had been sitting on it for some weeks, waiting for the inspiration to hit to write a short piece to accompany it. Definitely recommend full viewing.

oOo ----------------------------------------------------- oOo

Glittering motes of dust hung suspended in waning late afternoon light shining through the skylights. The upper levels of the City-Beneath-The-Cube were lighter and airier than outsiders realized, but the walls, planters and walkways of planed and etched stone that went down many stories made the whole of the place feel like some kind of precision-wrought canyon dotted with workshops, passages and arcades where the locals and laborers bustled.

(continued under the cut)

Lorr still knew this place well, despite the many years separating his former life and younger self from his current one. It hadn’t changed much, the smells and the noise were the same but he noted that there were new, more effective safety railings in the Public Commons and that the local favorite dive, Pi’s had updated their signage (finally).

The bounty hunter rubbed a hand across his face, closing his eyes momentarily as he let his ears take over, picking up all the sounds surrounding him. He would need to move further away from the Commons to better filter the urban background static. Lorr had just sent out his hawk Deputy to scope out the area in case they got lucky and found their mark momentarily out in the open. Both he and Deputy were already familiar with her, so that wouldn’t be difficult. Problem was, it also meant she’d immediately recognize the hawk for who he was and what it meant as well. A part of Lorr secretly hoped she’d get tipped off early.

Why did I agree to this? It wasn’t the money, not this time. Am I trying to make a point? She nearly got us killed and then ran for it. But I know her. Knew her. I can’t just erase all this history just because of one incident, one indiscretion can I? Maybe this is how I have to get through to her.

He sighed inwardly and braced against his spear as he rose from a crouch, the movement preternaturally smooth and deliberate, like a predatory animal. He looked down from his high vantage as he faced the section of the Undercube that was known to the denizens as the Plexus. It was a network of tunnels, access ‘ports, antechambers, quarries and dwellings that confounded natural senses of direction. Less public-facing, much more closed in and easier to hide. Or lose a pursuer.

The slim asura made his way down the ledge he was using to survey, walking along a catwalk only just wide enough to admit a mid-sized labor golem at most. His ears twitched and he sniffed, feeling the minute air currents of a service tunnel cleverly tucked behind a cleft in the worked stone. Still not certain this was were his mark had proceeded but knowing it would get him into the center of the Plexus quicker, he decided to go for it anyway. Forced to stow his spear in such close quarters, he kept a hand on his dagger as he stalked forward into the passage, the inside only dimly lit by a track of dim yellow quartz-lights along the floor.

Infrared imaging on his monocle made it easy for him to get an idea of the topography of the inner workings of the maze of service tunnels he found himself in, but he was careful to not rely on it solely. He stopped every so often, using his eyes and ears but also a generous amount of intuition to pick the correct course. Chambers became somewhat larger and more spacious as he passed golem foundries, making his way steadily downward. He was becoming more aware that he knew where he was going, it was like retracing steps from his childhood back to the colorful yet rundown living warrens and slums that he grew up in.

She wouldn’t go all the way back there, would she? Lorr was starting to think it wasn’t just him that was trying to make some kind of point.

The smells and noise were subtly changing and it wasn’t long before he found himself in the center of the Plexus. Part bazaar, part manufactory, it acted as the working class nerve center and was a riot of activity, industrial clamor and smells.

He was certain of where he was going now. He didn’t know why exactly she came all the way down here where they had all met in the early days before the nonsense with the Whispers and fighting dragons happened, but he was determined to find where this chase ended. He’d get answers, and if it meant having to fail his mission and come back to his current boss empty handed, then so be it.

#GW2 #Guild Wars 2 #Asura #guildwars2 fanart #traditional art #my art #my writing #my characters #Lorr the Hawk #May or may not continue this story thread #depending if I get ideas for it and if people would actually be inclined to read it #but for now enjoy the art a little bit of fun if mysterious insight into Lorr

[what-the-flux]

I think people are a bit too hard with Phlunt. He is a terribly flawed character, indeed, but I think he gets undeserved hate: here is my unnecessary advocacy! >:D

First, let's eliminate the obvious critic: his look and age. According to many, he is ugly and too old to be in activity, which would be a valid reason to hate him. This kind of arguments are really weak, and seem to be just simple insults on disguise. I am sure we can do better than staying at this level. Without forgetting that councillor Flax is probably older than him and no one ever questioned his ability to lead to arcane council, there is no showing of any dementia or even physical issues that would makes him unable to do his work. Quite on the contrary, he seems to be really in good shape, not hesitating to move by himself when he is needed, in Cantha or in the middle of the Jungle. His fighting move is actually a the Kick skill, which is not an easy movement to throw in a fight, showing his perfect physical state. Of course, time did not go easy on him, and his face is now filled with wrinkles. And? If it was a valid reason to despise him, we should be coherent and do the same with every elderly person, like Snaff for instance. It is obviously an absurd argument. In this lab, we do not allow this kind of ad hominem attacks.

Once this first topic eliminated, people usually raise the fact that Phlunt is an unpleasant character, someone who is unbearable. He is indeed not the most soft person to talk with, going straight to the point, and usually not embarrassing himself of smalltalk or other kind of conventional audience charming. Phlunt is a man of science, who has a lot of experience, and does not bother with trivialities. He lacks social intelligence, this is undeniable. But so are a lot of us, without it being a proof that someone is a bad person. It is a flaw, but we should learn to accept that people are flawed, and not to fuel hate with that. A simple question we can ask ourselves is: Does Phlunt want to be mean, unpleasant, makes people uncomfortable, or hurt them? And obviously not. He is probably not even noticing this. This is not an excuse for doing the wrong, but we should have the honesty to admit that Phlunt is not doing it on purpose.

Speaking of this, Phlunt is not evil. He is not plotting in the back like Flaxx, Yahk or Haia. When he shows reluctance to act against Mordremoth during the world submit, he exposes his arguments by clearly stating the safety of asura citizens was his priority, and when presented an argument going against his, he reconsider his position with honesty. Phlunt might even be one of the most reliable of the arcane council.

Another attack against this poor man is that he is stupid, he is not doing anything, and even a thief! That last point is clearly diffamation. The two cases with Taimi are hard, but Phlunt not only had the right to do so, but all the reasons to do so. The waypoint recalibration device he took over was about a very critical issue, and one could easily understand that the arcane council wanted to be as efficient and fast as possible. Phlunt, as the dean of the College of Synergetics, used his right to take the invention because it was a key component in the crisis handling situation that was happening with the waypoints. No one could decently blame him for not trusting a 14yo progeny, and by doing so, he could put other asura on the task. Taimi was working alone, out of Rata Sum, near inquest labs. Of course it was a better solution to take the invention. And as a reminder, Phlunt clearly stated that this would be temporary, until Taimi graduates. For the Rata Novus situation, the same kind of argument can be raised. I would personally not trust a progeny I know very little and that already proved me being irresponsible to direct investigation in a whole underground city. Of course, Phlunt in his role doing what he did. Even more, we can point that he did not delegate the task, preferring coming and directing the investigations himself, which is remarkable.

If we look at what Phlunt does, he is the dean of the Synergetics, so responsible of the education of one third of the asura, and probably some of the most abstract parts of fundamental research. On top of this, he is a very active arcane council member, which is a role that is imposed to him and that the other ward of college describe as a responsibility they would like to be able to avoid. He also gets involved in many efforts made by his college, such as the handling of the waypoint crisis or the researches in Rata Novus. We also know he continues his own researched aside. On top of this, he is responsible of a lot of diplomatic exchanges for the Arcane Council, and usually the most important. This is a lot of responsibility and he never complained about this. And finally, he is a Fashion jury. I would not describe this as "not doing anything". Phlunt is doing more for the asura than anyone else.

The fact that Phlunt is the diplomatic face of the Arcane council is also making a lot of sense. He defends well the interest of the council and Rata Sum, while allowing Flaxx to avoid any public appearance. Flaxx prefers staying in the shadow, and sending the councillor that everyone hates but does the job well instead. And if a problem appear, he can still get rid Phlunt while keeping this hands clean. Phlunt is, to Flaxx, a convenient scarecrow. And by hating him openly, you all are playing his little game!

So why so much hate? Is this just the "this old man is annoying and ugly" effect? Would it be different if he was still young? I think we should reconsider his treatment by the community, and show more kindness to him.

#GW2 #Guild Wars 2 #lore commentary #meant to reblog the original and forgot #will reblog with another valid and interesting take on top #I also hold the opinion that Phlunt isn't really evil #he's just an antagonistic foil for the story in most cases #a great example of an asuran “Old Guard” kind of character #which has to go against the more iconoclastic ideas and execution that the Commander and Co have to employ sometimes #So OF COURSE there's going to be a conflict of philosophy

[what-the-flux]

Thanks everyone who voted on my poll! I kind of suspected that character-specific jobs/professions would be the most popular but this sort of confirms that. I know I speak for myself in that I'm most interested in hearing about what characters actually specialize in at first glance. Also I'm actually taking the plunge and finally making Carrds for my characters. My list is gonna be big so I don't think there will be Carrd profiles for all of them cuz damn that is so much work, but I want to get a decent amount before I publish The List itself.

#gw2 #rambling about my roster list again

[what-the-flux]

"𝐒𝐨... 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝. 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝." A few days ago I had a chance to meet the wonderful talented Tommy Earl Jenkins. And it was only afterwards I realized he also voiced one of my most memorable GW2 character: Blish. A true hero...

Sponsored by ArenaNet

#GW2 #Guild Wars 2 #guildwars2 fanart #Kralkatorrik #Blish #art reblog #;;

[what-the-flux]

april (na) vsartparty!!!! some of these are from april and some are from past months! 🌸🌸🌸

Rhivaen:

Caï:

Meteorologist Vhexx:

Mordrem Rose: @mordremrose

Nightingale Dragora: @starlightsuncrow

#GW2 #Guildwars2 #guildwars2 fanart #VSartparty #art reblog #other people's characters

[what-the-flux]

So I'm working on getting a roster up and running here but I would like some input from you guys because I'm curious: When looking at a list of characters, be it on a blog or rp profile or whatever, in addition to the characters' names (of course), what sort of info do you also like to have included as an at-a-glance that does a good job of giving a quick bit of insight into the character?

#character development #I certainly have my own preferences that I'll still be considering but I'm genuinely curious to know what people are often drawn to

[what-the-flux]

character art but not that kind

lull is a very practiced artist with a flexible skill-set as her journeys have her taking meticulous notes on flora, fauna, and the general landscape. she always carries a full kit of inks and paint and draws patiently, with fine lines and softly layered colours. her field journals are sturdy, numerous, and packed with information to be refined for the priory archives later. she's delighted to eventually find that kevske has some aptitude for art (not that he'd describe it as such, merely the basic skills required for drafting diagrams and rusty ones at that) and puts him to work encourages him to practice whenever possible.

—in another universe, kevske often includes drawings with his letters to friends and colleagues, having taken an interest in capturing the strange sights commander-ing around gets you.

alga is a lifelong scribbler and doodler, filling notebooks with sketches for spells and magitech and whatever else comes to mind among dense patches of shorthand. they're not particular about tools, as long as it's something that will write real small and won't bleed in the rain. endless supply of random pens and markers. for alga, drawing is more "thinking aloud" than anything to be honed or preserved, so they're not unlikely to toss a filled journal straight into the fire rather than have any potentially sensitive info floating around or look back on past ideas.

iander and threadcutter are united in the joys of adding a bit of artistic flair to everyday life, embellishing gear and picking up new skills and aesthetics wherever they travel. threadcutter is especially prone to whittling and carving leather, and iander (who never met a handicraft he didn't like) has taken to sketching out landscapes with ink or charcoal whenever they have time to enjoy the view.

somehow, tikkitev has allowed herself to get dragged into this nonsense.

#GW2 #guildwars 2 #guildwars2 fanart #art reblog #other people's characters #oh maaaan this is the kind of thing I live for

[what-the-flux]

zo's parents are sweet and i love them and sometimes i sit there and kick my lil feet thinkin' about how they met

#Guild Wars 2 #GW2 #guildwars2 fanart #Asura #art reblog

[what-the-flux]

Old graphic because this is a fast thing. I've got 1-2 slots available with this offer! My usual rate for a painted headshot starts at 150 so it's quite the sale! If you want me to paint you commander, tav, oc or whatever, I'm here 😤

#art reblog #commission boost #commission this artist!

[what-the-flux]

It is pain when I have a huge in-game roster but am trying to narrow down the roster list for here. PROBLEM IS even with how many characters I have, so many of them are actual characters with backstory, personality and most have some ongoing story or hook too. Should I....be more strict with my criteria for them to be on the list or should I just be okay with having a bigass character list here?

#gw2 #I admit I'm leaning towards just having a huge list but #Not sure if peeps are gonna read it #but also I'm kind of doing it for my own organization too #maybe I'll look at my list again later and see how I feel