#Autism Puzzle Artwork

[noisycowboyglitter]

Classic Tuxedo Bowtie: The Epitome of Formal Style

The tuxedo bowtie: a timeless symbol of sophistication and formal attire. More than just a scrap of fabric, it's a carefully chosen element that can elevate your tuxedo and add a touch of personality.

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Classic Elegance:

The quintessential tuxedo bowtie is crafted from black satin or silk. This smooth, luxurious material catches the light beautifully and pairs perfectly with the crisp lines of a tuxedo. A black bowtie exudes timeless elegance, making it perfect for black-tie events, galas, and weddings.

Beyond Black:

While black reigns supreme, the world of tuxedo bowties extends beyond the classic. For a touch of individuality, consider a colored bowtie. Midnight blue or burgundy offer a sophisticated alternative, while bolder colors like emerald green or maroon can make a real statement. Just ensure the chosen color complements your overall look.

Material Matters:

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The material of your bowtie plays a significant role in its look and feel. Silk and satin, as mentioned, offer a classic sheen. For a more textured look, consider a woven silk or even a velvet bowtie, which adds a touch of old-world charm. Cotton bowties can be a great option for summer events, providing a lighter and more breathable feel.

Pre-Tied or Self-Tie?

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Completing the Look:

The perfect tuxedo bowtie doesn't exist in isolation. Consider pairing it with a pocket square in a complementary color or pattern. A well-chosen cufflink set can further elevate your ensemble. Remember, the key is to maintain a sense of balance and avoid overwhelming the eye with too many contrasting elements.

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The puzzle piece, a familiar symbol for autism, has a complex history within the autistic community.

Originally intended to represent the mystery and complexities of autism, some autistic individuals find it dismissive of their lived experiences. It can imply a need to be "fixed" or completed, which isn't how autism works.

Today, the multicolored puzzle piece aims to reflect the diversity of the autism spectrum. However, a growing movement within the autistic community advocates for alternative symbols. One example is the rainbow infinity loop, celebrating neurodiversity and the strengths autistic people bring to the world.

Autism awareness is crucial for creating a more inclusive world for autistic individuals. Here's why it matters:

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Understanding and Acceptance: Awareness breaks down stereotypes and fosters a deeper understanding of autism. This can lead to greater acceptance and empathy towards autistic people.

Building Inclusive Environments: When communities are aware of autism, they can create more inclusive spaces. This might involve modifying lighting, noise levels, or communication styles to be more sensory-friendly.

Early Intervention: Increased awareness can help identify autism spectrum disorder (ASD) earlier, leading to earlier intervention and support. This can significantly improve outcomes for autistic children.

Celebrating Neurodiversity: Autism awareness paves the way for celebrating neurodiversity. It highlights the unique strengths and perspectives autistic people bring to society.

[the-lion-guard-88]

[zoobiefish]

So, I nearly missed out on Auctober again, whoops! I am now 9 days behind, woohoo 😂😅 I’m an Autistic university student, so I may not always have the spoons to commit to this daily challenge, or at the very least I may not be able to draw something for each prompt…I may have to just write a little blurb about what that day’s prompt means to me lol But ideally I would like to contribute as many pieces of art to this challenge as I can! For now though, to catch up on all I’ve missed, I’m going to make individual short blurbs for the prompts I’ve missed thus far:

Day 1: Autism Plus

For myself, in addition to being Autistic, I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, EDNOS, and generalized anxiety. I also suspect I may have hEDS (hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome). Fun stuff!

Day 2: Infinite

The most popular symbol for Autism Spectrum Disorder to my knowledge is a golden infinity ♾ symbol (sometimes I see a rainbow-coloured one in use as well, though my understanding is that the rainbow infinity symbol is used for neurodiversity as a whole). For a long time, the infamous puzzle piece 🧩 symbol was used to represent ASD—but most Autistics HATE this symbol!! I recognize that I don’t speak for all Autistic people, but this is the common opinion on the puzzle piece symbol and the one I share as well: The puzzle piece symbol is problematic because it suggests that Autistic people are inherently “missing a piece” or that we are “a puzzle to be solved.” Plus, this symbol is used by the evil corporation Autism Speaks. I would prefer not to go on a rant right now about why they’re evil; if anyone is curious, I would recommend doing research on why Autistic people HATE Autism Speaks. But the short version is that they support eugenicist policies around Autism and seek to eradicate us from existence. They treat us as non-humans under the guise of doing “charity work”—they are absolutely NOT a charity. Do NOT support Autism Speaks under any circumstances—any supporter of Autism Speaks (or as most of us spell it, “Autism $peaks”), is NO friend of mine!

Day 3: AuDHD

This is a fun little term I’ve seen in the Autism and ADHD communities! It’s a portmanteau of “Autism” and “ADHD” in case it wasn’t obvious heh! I myself do have AuDHD; it’s a very common comorbidity! It’s certainly…an interesting experience because the two often conflict with each other, as if I have 2 wolves fighting within my brain 🤪

Day 4: Music

Music is one of my favourite coping mechanisms. If I’m understimulated or need inspiration (especially for art or writing), I’ll put on some fun, energetic music to get the juices flowing and will dance and/or pace around the room to get the energy out of my system! If I’m overstimulated, relaxing videogame soundtracks are often my go-to—especially music from The Legend of Zelda, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing etc. Another aspect of my being on the spectrum is that my thoughts are very vivid and visual. Often times when I hear music, I can’t help but see colours, shapes, images, and even stories with characters and whatnot going along to the music. It gives me great ideas for animatics and artwork! I love this fun little bonus feature in my brain haha 😛

Day 5: Verbose

This one is rather interesting for me. I find when I feel safe around a person or I have just TOO much energy to control myself, I WILL talk—and talk—and talk—etc. I feel so bad for those who fall victim to my “infodump sessions”—but just know that if I do that to you, it’s my way of showing affection. If I talk and never seem to shut up around you…I probably really like you (platonically) 😁 Other times however, I am dead silent. This is usually around people I’m uncertain of, don’t know well enough, or I may just be burntout/too tired to talk 😅

Day 6: Individuals

As the saying goes: If you’ve met ONE (1) Autistic person, then you’ve met ONE (1) Autistic person! We are NOT a hivemind, people!! Just because I’m not like your “friend’s cousin’s aunt’s 3-year-old stepson” doesn’t mean I’m “not Autistic.” The stereotype with Autism is a white cishet dude—but we are just as diverse a population as any other demographic. We all have our differences and similarities, but we are unified in our shared diagnosis—and that’s it!

Day 7: Neuroscope

Ah yes, the “superpower” Autistic people seem to have in which we can all “sense each other” 😂😂😂 I find this to be scarily accurate actually—the majority of the people I’ve become friends with at uni turned out to be Autistic, and long before they mentioned they were on the spectrum I was able to tell. The funniest part though is that they all the said same thing about me! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Day 8: Non-Speaking

So of course Autism is a spectrum, and among the ways in which Autistic people can differ from one another is whether we possess the ability to verbally speak or not. I do not want to talk in length about what being “non-speaking” means as I am not non-speaking myself and don’t wish to talk over those who are. What I do know though is that some of us are unable to verbally speak and may use alternative methods to communicate (whether through the use of sign language, AAC devices, or other means), which are equally valid methods of communication that deserve to be respected. Once again, I must iterate that I am fully capable of verbal speech and I am in no way non-speaking myself. That being said, sometimes I do have a reduced capacity to speak or feel it takes far more physical effort to speak when I am tired, stressed, overwhelmed, in sensory overload, or in the midst of a shutdown. This does NOT mean I am non-speaking—that label is exclusively for Autistic individuals who cannot verbally speak at all. I’m not sure what the proper terminology is for my specific situation (if anyone knows of it, I’d appreciate if you let me know in the comments!) but because of these situations, I am currently trying to learn ASL so I can still communicate in some way during these episodes.

And that’s it for now! I am hoping to have a drawing done by the end of today for Day 9, but we shall see! In the meantime, check out @autiebiographical on Tumblr! They are the one who started Auctober in the first place to my knowledge and they create amazing comics and other content that educates people on Autism Spectrum Disorder! Happy Auctober y’all!

[cheerfullycatholic]

Hi I’m about to type out quite a lot probably so I’m sorry I’m advance but I can’t believe how sad, emotional and kind of envious I feel right now because I haven’t felt this way for SUCH a long time.

One of my friends growing up moved away a while ago and honestly we don’t really keep in contact much. We just kind of went our separate ways but still follow each other on social media. She’s not a Christian and used to be kind of wild and I definitely had my fair share of coming away from Christ moments during these times but anyway, I found out recently that she’s expecting a baby with her boyfriend and they’re not married but for some reason it made me feel like I was kind of jealous of the life they have together in some way? Even though I’m not and wouldn’t want a child yet anyhow. I then come across her instagram page where it was full of ‘luxurious’ type vibes of her and her boyfriend, the best fashion, this almost bougie looking life focused on looking good, getting the best pics and eating at the best places and whilst I know how fake part of this can be, I suddenly felt this urge to cry like I’m a faliiure etc and it’s made worse by the fact that my recent job contract ended and I found out that I have autism ; the reason why I’m constantly burned out and struggling more and I know how she used to basically call me weird (in the nicest way possible) but yeah, I think I just feel overrun with sad emotions like I’ll never be this person who she is and what she has in the sense that it feels like a tragic failing on my end.

I’m desperate for others advice btw if anyone has any too and prayer

I think mourning the person you want to be but can't be is something a lot of people do, especially during these times where everyone puts all of the best and most exciting parts of their lives on social media. And I think that's important. Mourning helps us to eventually let go and find some peace in our identities. Saying "I can't have this life and that makes me sad" will eventually lead to "God, what life can I have? What will make me happy?" We were all built different, so one way of living won't work for everyone, and sometimes, that one way of living isn't healthy for us, either. Maybe log off of social media for awhile. Try just a week, and take that time to focus on what you think God is asking of you, and what you think His plan for your life is. I don't know how much it would help you and it's geared towards younger teens so sometimes reading it as an adult is kinda eh (though idk your age) but I think Decision Point by Matthew Kelly might be of a little help to you. It's a workbook I was given in my Catechism class when I was being Confirmed into the Church, and although I didn't appreciate it at the time, I've really grown to like and understand the messages in it. You can buy it here if you'd like, or I could always type up the chapters on here for you and anyone else who may be interested. I don't know how much trouble I'd get into for that 😅 and I wouldn't be able to include everything in it because there's some cool artwork and crossword puzzles and stuff like that, but I'd be willing to put the rest on here

And of course, you're in my prayers 🖤

[thelowerdecker]

Against The Puzzle

This is part of a campaign against the unethical actions taken by Autism Speaks! An infamous hate organisation who are strongly against the Neurodiverse Community.

As a Neurodivergent Individual, I find the existence of Autism Speaks highly risky and worrisome!

This artwork represents a lightning bolt striking the logo of Autism Speaks and what it represents.

Spread The Word with the hashtag: #AgainstThePuzzle

[roseartsandfics]

Autism Awareness Month 2023

Here is an artwork of a heart puzzle, for the Autism Awareness Month that has started for the people with autism ^^

With autism and a special needs person myself, I have what it takes to be inspired to draw and write, special needs or not special needs people inspire me a lot, especially artists I know :3

Puzzle pieces was hard to draw, and I am bad at lol

What y'all think?

Artwork ©SuperShadowSilver

Used: Sketchbook app from iPad

[justadragonn]

this is gonna be rough im on mobile and copy/paste doesnt work here

Name? kaida

Pronouns and gender? she/her and a secret third thing that is indistinguishable from a trans woman

Sexuality? lesbian

Country? united states

Top 5 fandoms? i guess theyre a bit unconventional for 'fandoms' but speedrunning, the cosmere books, magic the gathering, legend of zelda, and super mario

What is your most forbidden snack? fiberglass insulation just looks so fucking good

Would you pet a bug? absolutely not, i will observe them from a distance

Share a weird fact/story about yourself with the class. i hoard lots of different collections of stuff (books, 3d puzzles, stuffies/squishmallows, magic the gathering cards, board games, artwork, coffee mugs, dice, lotion, sex toys)

What does the colour blue taste like? blue powerade

What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? sunset over the rocky mountains peaking on LSD

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done? jumped off a waterfall at 15 and destroyed my knees and back

Stupidest thing you've seen/heard someone else do/say? my brother's 34 year old ex girlfriend did not understand how the moon worked so i had to explain it to her

Hyperfixation song? the entire album Deliverance by Culprate

Is there any meaning behind your profile picture and/or username? please be patient i have autism and i am a dragongirl

Dream career as a child? pilot

Dream career as an adult? all my dreams are dead i just wanna focus on not joining them

Thoughts on cilantro? tastes like soap no thank you

Have you ever been banned from a location and if so, why? yes i was banned from a walmart because my friends and i got really high and started fucking around with the toys and exercise equipment

What is your cursed food combination? im extremely food sensitive so i only eat like really basic shit

Trans rights? ye

@pakalologoddess2 @b-uwu-nny @sarah-is-sad-af @autogynocrat @remebee @hesperocyon-lesbian @glittergothgirlie @joyrahgraalsol @thealleycat @possiblyatransgirl

“I just came from r/196” ask game

Saw another post. I think I should invite y'all to one of our longstanding traditions. Answer the questions then tag 10 (or more) people. I'll go first.

Name? Frankie

Pronouns and gender? he/they/it, transmasc

Sexuality? Lesbian

Country? USA

Top 5 fandoms? Bungou Stray Dogs, Cosmere, All for the Game, Fundiesnark (not a series but I'm too deep in it to not consider it a fandom), .....the tornado fandom? (they're my special interest)

What is your Most forbidden snack? The preserved bones at the Atlanta Bodies Exhibition. They looked so crunchy...

Would you pet a bug? If it's big enough, it is pettable.

Share a weird fact/story about yourself with the class. I like to drive around rural areas and photograph old, sometimes abandoned locations in the dead of night. I have been literally chased out of towns by foot and by car on two separate occasions. The second time this happened, "See You Again" by Miley Cyrus came up on shuffle and that's the soundtrack my friend and I tore out of town to. Also every "guy" I've dated except for my most recent ex (who has big egg energy) is a lesbian now.

What does the color blue taste like? Creme brulee

What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? The appalachian mountains of Tennessee in the middle of summer. There's kudzu everywhere. On the backroads, there were several old, dilapidated Baptist churches barely hanging to the side of the mountain. I wonder how many of them were still in use.

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done? Short version: my friend's house almost got broken into by this dude who'd been stalking us for months while we were home alone. Instead of calling the cops, we decided to confront him with a bow and arrow (me), a hatchet, and a baseball bat (him). The plan was that if it went badly, we would simply throw his corpse into one of the many lakes in the neighborhood and let the alligators eat his remains (this was Florida). Why? Because we were afraid of having our home-alone privileges revoked. Luckily for us all, the guy fucked off and we never saw him again.

Stupidest thing you've seen/heard someone else do/say? My ex thought that Jackalopes were real. Also, a nurse I was doing rotations with apparently thought that "Witness Protection" was for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Hyperfixation song? Young Enough + Bleach by Charly Bliss

Is there any meaning behind your profile picture and/or username? Profile pic; I'm transmasc and I'm currently obsessed with TriStamp. Username; It was my fake internet name when I was like 13. I won't change it because I want my mutuals to recognize me, and because I do have a viral post associated with this name.

Dream career as a child? Doctor (funnily enough I'm now in nursing school)

Dream career as an adult? Professional Jester. Not a comedian. I just want to be some weird little guy who dresses silly and you can hire me to roast your boss at work parties.

Thoughts on cilantro? Delicious

Have you ever been banned from a location and if so, why? I honestly can't remember? Probably... but in recent memory I've mainly banned people from places.

What is your cursed food combination? Pineapple on a hotdog with grilled onions. It Slaps.

Trans rights? TRANS RIGHTS

Tagging: @rocket-mankoi @mostlymarco @atleast8courics @jazzlike39 @gemsweater72 @limbobilbo @ameliaaltare @redcrane112 @theoneofwhomisblue @twinkenjoyer @theultimatecarp and anyone else who wants to jump on

[kingspadille]

Reasons to read my Supernatural Fanfic (even If you don't like Supernatural)

- Mental illness; none of the main cast is neurotypical. Sam for example has CPTSD. The others are hinted at, from ADHD to autism. Hours of research was put into making sure the symptoms are correct (as well as being an autistic man with ADHD)

- good writing for Women; I know how to write a badass for a woman since I was born one! None of the woman in this fic are seen as anything but human, just as the men are. Though sexism is touched upon it's not a focus. (No offense Supernatural, but y'all sometimes don't know whatcha doin' with woman hah hah!)

- Gender; the main character is a symbolism of Jesus and is transgender. He is open about this! I also have a handful of other trans, non-binary, and gender fluid characters. I am trans myself, so writing for them was so much fun

- The Judas to my 'Jesus' is a corrupted doctor that was loosely based off Norman Bates, he's got a shadow that's incredible powerful and uses a golf club as a weapon.

- Weapons; most of the main cast have normal household objects for weapons. The main character has a baseball bat with iron nails, another uses a wrench, etc etc guns are used occasionally but they're not the focus.

- The internet; Let's be honest, the internet is a big thing! The main two characters have to make a Twitter in an attempt to dismiss whatever videos, pictures and clips people get of them/the paranormal as well as trying to help people however they're able. That is, until it becomes too much.

- The Supernatural; all the monsters, people and creatures of the Supernatural are beefed up heavily. A darkness is eating away the planet and making everything incredibly powerful. Now the paranormal can grow wings, tails, claws, etc in the overworld making it harder and harder to fight them.

- The angels; all the angels sport real names from all sorts of different texts. They are real angels, they do not appear in the original show! I made sure of that. The main character is Chamuel, for example, who's the archangel of love and war. This being said, the darkness also makes the angels more powerful. Giving them huge wings, letting them use their grace as though it's a superpower. Only downside? The darkness weakens their ability to heal, teleport, etc the longer they stay on Earth.

- the demons; just like the angels the demons are more powerful. Horns, claws, tails, they use them all to their advantage. The demons also misgender/dead name the main character as a way to break him down and steal his soul.

-Dean x Cas; though Dean is dead he returns (though he's still dead) and is "married" in a sense to Castiel. This is insanely important to the plot. He watched Abel (his AFAB son) through the "water of life" and is incredibly frustrated with his inability to help.

-LGBTQ+ ; Abel, the main, is transgender. Chamuel is gay. The rest of the cast are also LGBT in some ways, ace, pan, bi, etc etc these are only touched upon if mentioned as well. I want to stress that its very natural

- Research; I've put hours and hours into this, from learning everything I can about demons, angels, etc etc, to talking with people from different cultures I made sure things are as accurate and appropriate as possible.

- POC; I try to keep the cast diverse and make sure that culture isn't ignored. Again, hours went into these characters!

- Main characters are very gay for each other

- artwork: I've been drawing the characters, scenes and covers for everything!

- Cryptids; they in it! Why they're not in the show is puzzling but they're definitely in this. From ones we all know (Jersey devil for example) to more unknown one's (Ozark Howler) I love them and had to include them!

- IM A GOOD WRITER; this isn't to toot my own horn or say anyone is a bad writer but I'm a good writer, I keep things interesting! Im also very open to critism, comments, questions and concerns.

-please read my fanfic I'm insanely proud of it and all I've done for it! People commenting on it makes my entire day!

There's plenty more!

Please consider making my entire life by reading and reacting to my fic. It's my life!

Can be found here:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13829833/1/Supernatural-Dark-Rapture

[xsunandstarzx]

April is Autism Awareness Month and April 2nd is specifically World Autism Awareness Day. So I’ve decided to make this post today.

(Artwork Credit: Carissa Paccerelli)

“I’m a person, not a puzzle.” This is a sentiment shared by many within the Autistic community, myself included.

The symbol for autism that most people are familiar with is the puzzle piece/puzzle piece ribbon. And while the original designer of the symbol had not intended for the implication of the symbol to be negative. Now, to those within the autistic community, it holds many negative connotations.

The puzzle piece symbol conveys that people with autism are puzzles or mysteries that neurotypical people have to figure it.

Autistic people are not puzzles; we do not need to be ‘solved’, we are complex and unique individuals who are different from one another. There is not one type of autistic person just as there is not one type of neurotypical person.

But we are also not neurotypical, our brains do not work in the same way, there are things that are very different and much more difficult.

This rainbow infinity symbol is a new favourite within the ASD community. (At least what I’ve seen). Please use this one instead.

My advice to those individuals without autism would be educate yourselves, research autism, from credible sources. And talk to an autistic person, learn from them what you can do to help, raise awareness, or simply support them.

Autism can be difficult to live with, but it can also become easier with support, love, and acceptance. Autism is still a widely misunderstood disorder, with tons of misinformation still being spread. We can stop this by educating ourselves on the topic and listening to autistic people.

And don’t support Autism Speaks, they are an awful organisation that demonise autistic people and spread blatantly wrong information.

Anyway, Happy World Autism Awareness Day. ♾🌈💙💜❤️🧡💛💚

[noisycowboyglitter]

Puzzle Heartbeat: A Unique Gift for the Health-Conscious

"Puzzle Heartbeat" can refer to a few intriguing possibilities:

Buy now:19.95$

A Themed Jigsaw Puzzle: Unwind and challenge yourself with a jigsaw puzzle featuring a vibrant heartbeat design. These puzzles come in various difficulty levels, with hundreds or even thousands of pieces. The completed image could showcase a classic medical illustration of a heart with its characteristic rhythm, or perhaps a more artistic interpretation with swirling colors and textures.

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A Video Game with a Twist: "Heart Beat Clue" is an existing game that blends detective puzzles with romantic storylines. Imagine putting on your detective hat and wielding a magnifying glass, but with a dash of potential love interests thrown into the mix. Each solved puzzle could unlock not just clues in the case, but also a deeper connection with a captivating character.

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A Metaphorical Challenge: Perhaps "Puzzle Heartbeat" is a more metaphorical concept. Life itself can feel like a puzzle, with challenges and mysteries waiting to be unraveled. The steady rhythm of a heartbeat could represent our constant drive and determination to keep piecing things together, even when faced with obstacles.

Buy now

Choosing a gift for an autistic adult can be tricky, but thoughtful. Here are some ideas to consider, focusing on items that cater to sensory needs or provide a relaxing and stimulating experience:

Sensory Items: Fidget toys, noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets , or squishy stress balls can all be helpful for self-regulation.

Organizational Tools: Timers, planners, and visual schedule charts can be beneficial for managing time and daily routines.

[dejectedturnip]

I’m proud of myself! I actually went in and asked my local library director about if we can do something for April being Autism Awareness/Acceptence month!! She said that they had something last year that we can do again and I thought it was really cool! They reach out to all the schools around and encourage students on the spectrum to share artwork, which they then place on “The Autism Wall.” :D

I did also gently ask if we stay away from A$, should there be any organizations brought up, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask the director to not use puzzle piece symbols about, because besides the obvious single blue one, I don’t mind seeing puzzle pieces as a symbol for autism.

I mean I know it seems to look juvenile for an adult like me, but I honestly like the idea of using red puzzle pieces(notice I said pieces plural.) for Red Instead, but that’s just me, and I know this probably isn’t wildly shared heh whoops.

Anyroad, I just wanted to share what I felt like was an accomplishment for me!

[qm-vox]

So You Want To Play A Wizened

(Artwork depicting the fuckmothering Rook  provided by cantankerousAquarius, character provided by me. Meet him in New Avalon.)

Previous article: So You Want To Play A Beast.

Chaos reigns in the kingdoms of Man, and the kingdoms of Arcadia are no different. There is an inherent unfairness in trauma and abuse, and in the depredations of evil. They can happen to anyone at all, for any reason, for no reason. It’s not the victims’ fault, and not in the victims’ control, and sadly of the vast collection of Anyone At All it can happen to, Not Many can call themselves survivors.

The Lost know the Not Many, and call them the Wizened. They did nothing to deserve this, not even by the arcane laws of the Fae and the twisting treacheries of the Wyrd, but it happened to them, and they became one of the rare few to survive and see their Homecoming. It’s rarely the joyous moment they were looking for. The Wizened that comes back is not the Anyone At All who left.

This article draws primarily on Changeling: the Lost, as well as Winter Masques and Swords at Dawn. It discusses some content from Rites of Spring. It requires Content Warnings for depictions of torture, maiming, and abuse.

The Invisible People - Wizened Overview

Wizened is the very last Seeming presented in Changeling: the Lost, and joins Beast as one of the most commonly represented in the writing and worldbuilding, if not necessarily in terms of characters with statistics (but check out Auntie Ally and Jack o’ the Lantern in Night Horrors: Grim Fears). The Wizened were taken for spite, tormented for spite’s sake, and turned loose to rebuild something like a life when spite grew cold - and the legacy of that spite has made them twisted and small. More than many other Lost, to be Wizened is to know that you suffered a great loss, that you have been robbed and cheated of some piece of your humanity, and to try and live a life that can compensate for that loss. For almost all of them, the trades and skills that became their salvation first from torment, and then from Arcadia, become part of who they are and one of the bright and shining points in their lives. It cuts both ways: in identifying so strongly with their functions, all too many Wizened are reduced to those functions by their fellow Lost.

 Jack and Jill Went Up The Hill - Homecoming As A Wizened

Far, far more people will experience the opening stages of their transformation into Wizened than will survive those transformations, and more will change than will make it home. The fact that Wizened tend to be intelligent, clever, good with their hands, and fast on the draw is less about what kind of people become Wizened - anyone could become Wizened, for no reason at all - and more about the qualities needed to survive and outwit the captivity to which Wizened are subjected. The grim truth of it is, those who are too slow, too incurious, or too afraid of pain and death die, and they never make it home.

The Durance of a Wizened can generally be divided into two stages: torture and apprenticeship. Those who will one day be Wizened are subject to the terrible, unfurled glory of Fae malice and Fae cruelty without limit or relief. The things done to them beggar belief: in one Domain, human captives are crucified to trees of moonsilver that leech out their living blood and replace it with boiling acid. In caverns beneath the tainted earth, kidnapped children flee screaming from spider-wolves that lay their eggs in the warm and living bodies of humans, humans that do not die when the filthy things erupt in a shower of gore and broken bone. Long-limbed Greys perform surgeries with advanced machines and not a drop of painkiller, sustaining their victims with magic as they are turned from something human into something like the Greys themselves; a sinister Whistling Witch maintains an elaborate diorama of her domain, using the poppets that represent her slaves to wrack their living bodies with a million kinds of agony. Fae magic sustains the would-be Wizened far past human limits when normally their bodies would give them the mercy of unconsciousness or the peace of death. Some never leave this stage - they are discarded into worse, permanent tortures meant to serve as decorations or warnings - and others are killed when they grow boring to their abusers. But some survive.

Those who, by chance or by the intervention of their fellow captives, escape the tortures they are condemned to are put to work in the Domain of their Keeper. This is only rarely in a trade the person knew before being kidnapped (and when that does happen it’s likely complete coincidence); the Fae decides they need someone to clean floors, cook food, crack the whip against their other slaves, build the bodies of Fetches, construct elaborate golems of stained glass, or whatever else their Keeper can think of. The Wizened are only rarely directly trained in this new skill by their Keepers, instead being left to the management of their fellow slaves and goblin taskmasters. After a living eternity of torture and trauma, even glass-tipped whips are almost mild by comparison, and the Wizened learn to do their jobs, keep their heads down, and excel without being noticed. Their trade becomes how they relate to Arcadia, encouraging the Wizened to pay attention to their environment, to learn more about their physical space and its properties, to see the beauty and wonder amidst the horror and fear. There are worse coping mechanisms; this focus on their work and the way their work can help them relate to the world around them isn’t just the key to a Wizened’s escape, it’s the instinct that helps them find beauty in hidden places and utility in disregarded things back in the Iron Lands.

Wizened generally don’t have a problem with wanting to escape. After enduring the unendurable and then being consigned to slave labor, rare is the formerly mortal person whose first and brightest desire is not to be Anywhere But Here. The escapes themselves can be elaborate and dramatic, and the tail end of a Wizened’s tattered recollections of Arcadia can be full of memories of crashing space ships, revolutions in cities of chrome towers, or riding roughshod over hobgoblin soldiers from the back of the wolf-spiders that once tormented her. Wizened are among those Lost most likely to collaborate with their fellow captives to escape, either because their clever plans require it or because someone else’s clever plan requires the Wizened. Memories of the friends and allies that helped them make it to their Homecoming fade along with everything else when the Wizened get back home, but for those who acquire such memories again as their Wyrd rises reconnecting with their former fellows can be a powerful event.

A lot of Wizened were in the wrong place at the wrong time when they were Taken. No one (least of all the Wizened themselves) likes to talk about it, but many of those who achieve their Homecoming were isolated before they were Taken, existing a half-step out of their own social circles with few friends. Memories of those friendships and those special places in the new Wizened’s life can be enough to call them home, but what happens after isn’t always a joyous reunion. Wizened are among those Lost with a high incidence of abandoning the traces of their former mortal life entirely, either because the idea of trying to fit in with mortals whose respect they crave is too terrifying, or because hindsight has made them realize that those connections were not what they once thought they were. Left to their own devices, some Wizened associate exclusively with other Lost, and they can be overlooked enough for others to just let that happen. In healthier Freeholds, though, their friends (or monarchs, if need be) drag the Wizened out and about to at least some public events, often those that match the Wizened’s hobbies and trades.

Every Man Jack - Wizened Kiths

The magical bonds which Wizened have in common show a curious contrast between being very subtle and very obvious. Wizened can’t ‘flare’ the way many other Seemings can; there are no skills or attributes which they can spend Glamour on, but all Wizened can enhance their Dexterity for great lengths of time for only a single point of Glamour - they offer up a token shard of power and become faster, more nimble, more agile, for anything such grace can buy them. When it comes to dipping out of a bad scene there’s few that can match the Wizened for sheer “fuck this shit I’m out”, and those same talents are also great in a kitchen, on the operating table, or when picking locks and solving puzzles. Their ability to enhance their Dodge is similar in nature, though not in execution thanks to the vicissitudes of how World of Darkness handles its combat.

On the flip side, the curse of the Wizened is quite obvious. Their lack of Presence and their penalty to untrained social skills manifests as a sort of diminishing. Some of it is magical, but much of it is a reaction to trauma. Too often, Wizened associate attention with pain, fear, and torture, so they do their best not to draw that attention - they keep their heads down, speak softly or not at all, wear neutral colors, lose themselves in their work. Physical touches, eye contact, and invasions of the Wizened’s personal space are often too emotionally ‘loud’ for them, sparking a fearful response that might turn violent if they can’t retreat or the person bothering them won’t back off. To put it bluntly, Wizened suffer from many of the classic outward symptoms of autism, PTSD, or both, symptoms that may not have been part of their life before their Durance. The fallout is far-reaching; society is not always or even often kind to the ways Wizened try to feel comfortable or manage their fears.

The end result is that at times Wizened look like they have much more of their shit together than they actually do because they structure their day (and their life, for that matter) to carefully husband their spoons. Those who catch a Wizened standing in a corner at a formal event like the Spring Revel didn’t get to see him working up the courage to go in the first place at home, carefully leaving at the optimal time to avoid traffic and crowds as best he could, stagger into the bathroom to change clothes (and steal a nip of whiskey to settle his nerves), pray for the peace of death in front of the mirror and then finally arrive. Even when Wizened deliberately seek attention - such as when they’re trying to intimidate someone, or make their voice heard - the fear and discomfort shine through, stealing the thunder from their words, cracking their voices, making their bodies shake like leaves. Quite a few Wizened end up joining Summer or Winter not because they can’t live without the structures those Courts provide, but because those structures and the strict rules involved let them be part of a society on their own terms, without having to constantly try to leave their comfort zones only to be derided as being stupid, callous, or unpleasant.

As already alluded to, Wizened Kiths and their function are the same. It can be easy to surmise that this means that a Wizened’s Kith is not part of their nature the way a Beast’s or Elemental’s is, but that line of thinking is wrong; for weal or for woe, a Wizened’s trade is bound to them not just by education or by joy, but by the Wyrd. It is forged into their fate. As a result, Wizened tend to be defined by their Kiths almost as much as by Seeming; Kithless Wizened are rare (and should be nonexistent since Drudge got printed in Winter Masques, y’all got no excuse).

Some expanded thoughts on individual Wizened Kiths follow.

Artist - The big swinging dick of Wizened Kiths and the one that several other Kiths are arguably “this, but worse”. It’s not just the fact that World of Darkness has a relationship to the Craft skill that is strange at best (strictly speaking dots in Crafts can be applied to all kinds of crafting at all times, something you’d think the writers might not have been aware of if they didn’t explicitly talk about this being why Freeholds are so fucking erect for Artists in Swords at Dawn), though that’s certainly a factor, it’s that Kiths like Smith and Brewer that are also supposed to be about the act of creation are so much better represented here. Artist’s Blessing can take some creativity to use as a PC, but with how broad it is and how many concept it’s applicable to you might as well consider it for any given Wizened character you’re intending to make. Dual Kith may be your friend here if you feel the need to focus down further.

Brewer - Speak of the devil. Have you ever thought to yourself, “Gee, I’d like to be a Venombite, but I’d also like to eat shit and die every time I try to use my Kith Blessing. How can I do that?” Then Brewer might be for you! For the rest of us this is honestly one of the game’s most frustrating Kiths, especially after Winter Masques gave it hints of alchemical themeing that it’s just not capable of following through on. It gets somewhat better at higher Wyrd, but Brewer never stops being incredibly niche and gated at multiple points of failure. Grit your teeth and make an Artist.

Chatelaine - The social Wizened Kith. No, really. No, really. Wizened represent servants and laborers to the Fae, and in that context, Chatelaines are the butlers and key-keepers, the creepy manservants, and the enforcers of social etiquette. This Kith is notably different from its closest peer (Riddleseeker Beasts) in that it’s genuinely potent in its social role in a broad variety of situations; Chatelaines can genuinely compete with Fairest and Beasts in matters of protocol, formality, and the gatherings that consider those important. Additionally, they can boost their Presence and Manipulation dice pools, making them capable of attempting firm social interaction even outside of that context. Wanna play a loyal second-in-command or an evil vizier? Enjoy super dramatic parties? Consider this Kith.

Chirurgeon - Voted Most Likely To Not Be Recognized By Your Spellcheck ten years running, Chirurgeons are a prized skill set that can, in themselves, shift Freehold politics by the bare fact of existing. Lost often have to turn to street doctors (where and when they exist, that is) to get lifesaving treatment or even normal medical care, but a sawbones with Hedge scars doesn’t just understand the supernatural injuries the Lost can bring home, they won’t feel obligated to report gunshots or stabbings to the police. Having the loyalty of such a doctor can make for a powerful tool for whichever Court she chooses to call home, and she’ll rarely lack for work. In terms of the aesthetic, while Chirurgeons trend towards the ‘alien abductions’ end of the Lost experience, there’s some strong arguments to be made for Igor-like figures, spindly goblin cutters with gimlet eyes, or even slasher-like figures who slipped through the shadows of murderous Fae, stealing the organs they needed to survive just one more day.

Oracle - Common Sense is a god-awful Merit, which is a shame because the concept of Oracles is both classically Wizened and a powerful archetype in itself. Oracles, as noted in Winter Masques, are rarely made on purpose: they steal, learn, or trade for the power of panomancy and utilize it to escape. Unfortunately I can’t really suggest this in good conscience. Invest in Hearth and Omen and play a Drudge.

Smith - Our second “this is Artist” Kith. Smith’s blessing is, well, it’s bad. It’s not Brewer bad, but it has a significant cost in time and Resources (since it can only be used three times ever on something you end up cycling through things) and eats up your Kith slot without really paying back what those things cost. The imagery of the Kith is cool, but ultimately “makes things with their hands” is what Artist is and Smith can’t compete in that niche.

Soldier - In some ways Soldier is the opposite of Smith and the brother to Chatelaine; made into the faceless ranks of Fae armies, soldiers embody the trauma of battle, the madness of war, and the long road home that does not end simply because one has arrived where home is. Unfortunately their Blessing, Blade Lore, is both lackluster and strangely counterinuitive; Blade Lore doesn’t stack with any other specialization, which means that Soldiers are penalized for investing in Weaponry in a way that others aren’t. Blade Lore lets them use unusual weapons without penalty, but unusual weapons also mean unusual attention. Talk to your Storyteller about the Soldier blessing and see if you can’t work it in another direction (personally, I feel like this Kith could have been Wizened’s Truefriend or Playmate).

Woodwalker - Compared to its closest peers (Woodblood and Farwalker), Woodwalker’s Blessing is niche and harder to make dramatically relevant, but when you need to roll Survival you’re probably going to succeed - and anyone who’s watched The Princess Bride has at least some ideas on how to make use of being immune to plant-based poisons. The broader issue is that while Woodwalkers sorta represent gardeners and wood-dwelling hermits in a way Artist struggles to, their niche is done a lot better by those same peers, and as a result Woodwalker concepts can feel awkward and overshadowed.

Author - Though on the weaker end of Kith blessings, Authors have the distinction of clarifying the skill used for writing endeavors and also for being surprisingly good at in-demand skills such as the creation or decoding of ciphers and translating mortal languages. An Author’s mere existence might get them the attention of the Winter Court and offers of work (and/or bribes and threats to stay out of Winter’s business), and in a roundabout way they can serve as an indirect translator and interpreter for the Freehold as well, presuming their clients know how to read and write.

Drudge - The reason Kithless Wizened no longer exist; Drudges are Wizened sentenced to menial labor who do not learn a fairy trade. In terms of folklore, they inherit the place of brownies, domovoi, and the like, and in the game they’re sorta “Wizened does Darkling”. Drudge is somewhat redundant, since the Brownie’s Boon merit exists, but the 9-again on Stealth (especially if you can combine it with the Wizened blessing to get down to 8-again) is real nice, and saving the dots on Brownie’s Boon might be worth it for another Merit that fits your concept better. Drudge is a Kith I have a lot of personal fondness for, and in a way its nature makes it the quintessential Wizened experience.

Gameplayer - My absolute favorite Wizened Kith, Gameplayers are people who, you know, play games. Its Blessing, the Grandmaster’s Strategem, is highly situational but incredibly potent in that context. The sheer aesthetics of being a game piece or a grandmaster player are amazing, and thematically they’re great in a lot of places; Wizened as odd loners, Wizened as schemers and manipulators, even Wizened as sorcerers (their Blessing ties directly into Contracts of the Board in a really useful way). Just keep in mind that you’re going to have to be pro-active about that Blessing if you wanna see it do its work.

Miner - Wizened does Whisperwisp. Miner is kinda in the same boat as Gameplayer in that their Blessing is situational but handy in that situation, and the sheer range on it is amazing. Still, though, you can probably represent this with Drudge and call it a day.

Cut-Price Magic And Bargain Bin Deals - Wizened Contracts

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Hey Vox, why didn’t Beast have a Contracts section?” I’ll tell you why: Wizened got fucked twice with no lube before White Wolf finally, three supplements in, gave them a real god damn Contract (Contracts of the Forge, in Rites of Spring, one of the coolest and most thematic Contracts ever printed for Lost) so now we have to talk about this.

The associated Contracts for Wizened are Artifice, Animation, and Forge. Forge is great and we’re not gonna talk about it because it’s not the problem here. Artifice can be taken down to about three dot (Blessing of Perfection) but two dots is going to be more common; it has high costs, high time requirements, and deeply niche applications. You could leave that as it stands and just only dip into it if you want to use it, or, you can remove Artifice as a Contract entirely and reassign the Contract of Hours to the Wizened as an affinity Contract in its place. Hours does the same things that Artifice’s early Clauses do (but better, since they’re appropriately costed) while having strong links to the thematics of Wizened both as craftspeople and in folklore.

Animation’s issues are more endemic and the Contract itself is essentially useless. Chuck this entirely and instead, share Contracts of Communion with Elementals (similar to how Wild is shared between Elementals and Beasts). Communion fills Animation’s niche entirely. To drive home the thematic difference, give your Wizened odd “elements” for Communion; instead of something like, say, Communion (Wood), try Communion (Portals) - your Wizened can talk to doors and windows. Evoke some of that “sorcerer’s apprentice” feeling.

Find Your Calling - Wizened in the Courts

Wizened define themselves by the professions they’ve become supernaturally skilled at, and those same skills make them resources to their Courts. Controlling access to the skills of an Artist or Chirurgeon can, at times, be the cause of a Hedgefire War (Swords at Dawn), to say nothing of more specific cases like Autumn’s desire to court prophets or Winter’s need to ensure that Authors are not used against them. The skills that a Wizened bring to the table are often essential, especially in the context of the damaged access that the Lost can have to medical care, financial aid, home repair, and proper tools. Who makes the adjustments the Spring Court needs to their bar? Probably a Wizened. Who sweeps and scrubs down the Freehold Commons and decorates it for every event? Probably Wizened. Who builds the flintlocks, repairs the crossbows, sharpens the swords, forges the armor? Wizened do. Every Wizened that can fill an internal role in this way is a service the Freehold doesn’t have to acquire illegally, and thus at risk to themselves or in competition with other, potentially violently criminal, elements.

Though Wizened are valued in these roles, they aren’t often appreciated. Their Seeming Curse can make them come off as rude and unlikable, making interactions with their clients tense and stressful at best for both sides. The nature of Wizened work is that it’s noticed most when it stops, and that can be a frustrating and uneven relationship to have in a Wizened’s life, especially given their great difficulty in asserting themselves and speaking up for themselves. Sometimes, a Wizened ends up in a Court with self-aware leadership, or with the friendship of someone in a position to mitigate these problems, but that’s not all Freeholds or all Wizened, and the resulting trend is notable enough to color how the Wizened are seen, and see their peers in turn.

The Wizened, like Beasts, tend to engage with their Courts on practical terms, though the relationship is not identical. It’s not that Wizened don’t or can’t have an appreciation for the high ideology of their Courts (and with time to calm down and start to come to grips with their new lives, many Wizened will begin to engage on that ideology), but rather that finding their own functions was one of the first positive transformative experiences in the Wizened’s life as one of the Lost. Finding their function was relief from unspeakable torment, and it shapes a function-first worldview that follows the Wizened into the political and religious society that are the Courts. When Summer says “we’re for protecting the Freehold” and Winter says “we’re for making the money” the Wizened take those Courts at their word.

For somewhat obvious reasons, Wizened leaders and officers tend to be rare, though they’re not unheard of, especially in Summer and Winter where the internal culture can de-emphasize sheer Presence in favor of protocol, set social standards, and a chain of command. More commonly, Wizened solve logistics or money problems for their Courts, with a strong side of work in breaking-and-entering, security, and the odd assassination depending on the Court and the Wizened in question. In the overall Freehold, Wizened are often among the first to volunteer as secondary combatants when they aren’t members of Summer and the first to leap to the common defense, as well as participate in rituals such as the Ashen Hunt. For too many, Arcadia was a place of unending pain, and the need to feel as if they will never go back is strong.

Spring - Wizened are not natural joiners of Spring, and almost never join it as their first Court. Spring’s anarchic nature, combined with its strong emphasis on social skills, dramatic expression, and bombastic personalities is a perfect storm of “things Wizened often do not fucking like”. For those that do join, generally after some time to calm their shit in another Court, it’s for Spring’s promise of renewal and growth; Wizened might never quite be movers and shakers in the Emerald Court, rare exceptions aside, but in Spring many can find the peace they’ve been seeking.

Summer - The Court of Wrath offers a lot to the Wizened, and for many it may be their first Court or their second (Wizened, like many freshly escaped Lost, are often early Winter joiners). Its clearly defined chain of command, stated culture of brotherhood, and clarity of purpose - a purpose that helps soothe the fears of recapture that haunt many Wizened - have a powerful appeal, and it isn’t like Summer’s lust for people to handle logistics, draw up tactics, build defensive fortifications, and practice sorcery isn’t equally powerful. Summer is also the Court most likely to initiate violence over access to a Wizened’s talents, which can lead to awkward situations all around, to say nothing of the potential body counts.

Autumn - Autumn is the strident exception to the general rule that Wizened join Courts for practical reasons and relate to them practically, and that can be put down entirely to the promise of Autumn: the power to make peace with your own fears. So much of what the Wizened are and what they do is defined by fears, not just of going back to the Fairest of Lands (but yes, oh yes, very much that), but the fears of the things they remember and so many more they don’t; rare is the Wizened without questions like “why do I break down crying when cats come close to me?” or “why can’t I listen to violin music any more?”. Autumn understands. Autumn has the power to help. And for Wizened with powerful, all-defining fears, the promise of relief from their own terror can be stronger than politics, friendship, or even healing.

Winter - Many Lost dally with Winter for a few months or even a year or two when they first have their Homecoming, and Wizened are hardly an exception. Scared and often not inclined to direct confrontation, Wizened find Winter’s MO and ideals appealing. Why court trouble? Why get involved in breaking shit and making a mess? Though many Lost will leave the Coldest Court, Wizened are among the most likely to stay, in part because their talents are useful in Winter but in main because Winter’s culture is very comfortable and comforting to them. Those among the Wizened who seek to move up in its halls of power do eventually need to learn to cope with social situations and interface with their fellow Courtiers, but even then that’s easier in Winter than it might be elsewhere. Chances are if you find a Wizened with a crown on her head, she belongs to the Silent Arrow.

Broken And Betrayed - Wizened And Changeling’s Themes

In some ways it could be said that Wizened are The Lost Experience, Just More. Ogres are shaped by violence; Wizened, too, are the victims of violence. The Wizened being forced into a trade mirrors how Fairest are made to feel complicit in their own captivity. Darklings lie, sneak, or manipulate as first instincts; so too do Wizened strive to avoid notice and maintain control over their own feelings. Elementals often can’t understand why the people around them do what they do and feel what they feel, and Wizened often can’t articulate their own comprehension of these topics. Even Beasts see themselves reflected in the invisible ranks, as these two Seemings share the quality of being Anyone At All. Everyone sees unsettling reminders of their own Durance in the Wizened, and this constant, uncomfortable presence informs some of the prejudice that Wizened can face when they return to the mortal world and try to build their new lives.

More than other Seemings, Wizened tend to embody shattering, violent traumas for which there can never truly be closure. They may not have known who their Keeper was or why they were taken (if indeed there was any reason at all). Their traumas may not even really have anything to do with their Keeper so much as the horrific systems perpetuated in whatever Domain twisted them and made them small. The hunched-over survivor of a factory the size of a world doesn’t know about its owner; she knows about machines oiled in blood, assembly lines that churn out cursed Tokens and twisted pledges, the horrible agony of dying, mangled, in a mechanism only to come back to life again and again until you are found. Why was she taken? Does it matter?

It doesn’t. Wizened are the victims of faceless, oppressive systems which serve the Fae, strongly mirroring those whose lives are destroyed by similar faceless, oppressive systems in society, with some of the metaphors being so thin that they’re essentially not metaphors at all. The only real difference between a Soldier who comes home with balefire burns and a quicksilver prosthetic and a young man in real life who goes to war to pay for college only to return too broken to cope is the fact that one of them is fictional and the other is probably someone you know. An Artist with needles thrust through her skin and sewn patches of cloth used to replace flesh that’s been flayed away doesn’t know how to sleep properly any more; her bursts of creativity and long bouts of depression and insomnia mirror workers driven to the edge by a need to take on longer hours and accept inconsistent schedules just to survive. The horrific burn scars that mar a Brewer’s flesh might be misunderstood by mortals as an accident with cooking oil, boiling water, or even welding equipment. Wizened stand in for the innocent people whose blood oils the mechanisms of oppressive systems and unjust economics.

Much of Wizened as a seeming is heavily autistic-coded and/or anxiety-coded; they have great difficulty in social situations, shy away from emotional contact, have trouble coping with overstimulation and physical proximity. This can make them very attractive for portraying an autistic character, but Wizened as a Seeming lacks a certain fundamental trait of the autistic experience: they, generally speaking, have an idea of Why People Do The Thing. Does this mean you can’t or shouldn’t use Wizened to represent an autistic character? Not necessarily, but given how well Elemental’s mechanics mirror the experience (more on them in their own article) that might be a better option for you. What Wizened go through in-setting emphasizes skills like Empathy that are used to survive their circumstances, and on awareness of the people around them.

Wizened are excellent for representing the consequences of extended abuse that makes someone anxious and inclined to retreat, back down, and question themselves. They tend to be among the most self-aware of the Lost; Wizened know what they’re afraid of and why, what their triggers are, and embody the unfortunate truth that self-awareness is not a cure. The flashbacks still come, the shakes and sweats, the dreams of mechanical trees, and knowing why won’t fix that. Wizened can very easily embody the conflict between a desire to be part of society, to have intimate friendships and a sense of belonging, versus the fears that can be triggered by those same desires.

I Owe, I Owe, It’s Off To Work I Go - Coping As A Wizened

The push-pull at the heart of life as a Wizened is finding a way to participate in society without having constant anxiety attacks and nervous breakdowns. Even the most sullen and withdrawn Wizened who genuinely dislikes all other people has a trade they enjoy practicing, after all, and such a trade requires customers - either those willing to come to you in your home, or those willing to come to you at a place of business - to say nothing of needing to semi-regularly travel to and from Freehold gatherings.

A Wizened, then works to structure his life in a way that helps service these needs. The first and most important consideration is the right place to live; Wizened join Fairest in being some of the Lost most likely to live with other people in the same space (such as with roommates, or in a group setting such as an apartment building), but a Wizened needs a safe place to retreat to. The sanctity of a Wizened’s workshop or especially bedroom is absolutely paramount, and they may react poorly, even violently, to those who do not respect that space. The location of the Wizened’s home is also important; is it in a crowded or loud neighborhood, or one with a high influx of strangers or tourists? What’s its distance from the non-home places the Wizened will go to regularly, and what are the travel options to do that? Is it defensible, easily escaped from, or both? Wizened are among those Lost most inclined to dig in and settle long-term, so quite a lot of thought will go into these decisions; it’s not necessarily uncommon to find Wizened living in Winter’s housing for some time, paying appropriate rents while they deliberate and plan.

Once one of the Wizened has established their own space, they tend to maintain control over it. Some of that is just daily ritual; activities keeping their room clean and neat, polishing and maintaining their tools, organizing their entertainments, pre-preparing meals or elements of meals, and decorating can be soothing, especially during times of stress, because they form concrete actions that establish control over one’s own space. Safety and fear factor into it as well - a controlled and organized environment is easier to keep track of, and if something is amiss it’s easier to get ready for whatever is coming. That same tight-ship operation generally extends to the workplace, where the Wizened does their job with exacting standards that they expect out of their peers as well.

Beyond control over their personal environment, Wizened tend to establish routines, again carefully crafted to help husband their spoons and lessen emotional stress. Though most know too well that habits can get a man killed, those same habits also enable them to live their lives at all. Disturbances in those routines can be highly stressful, or even misinterpreted as signs of a threat (or correctly interpreted as signs of a threat...) but in main it’s a positive reaction. Wizened know they can’t control a chaotic world, but they can control themselves, and taking those extra steps can help them as they integrate into their new society. They can’t make what happened to them unhappen, but they can come to terms.

Sample Wizened - Dancin’ Danny Daniels, Winter Miner

Page “Dancin’” Danny Daniels is a youngblood scion of Winter, barely a year into his new life but already promising to go places in the Coldest Court. The magic of his Tappingspeak sees a lot of messenger work pushed Danny’s way, but so do his skills in digging and construction; secret basements, cellar expansions, and clandestine passageways all serve Winter’s interests, and though he can’t always personally supervise the projects (Winter must keep its secrets), his Court pays him well for advice and consultation.

Danny got his nickname from the way he breaks into nervous dancing whenever he hears loud, snapping sounds - gunshots, firecrackers, backed-up cars, it goes off and there Danny goes, feet tapping, breaking out in sweat, terror in his eyes. He can be hard to get a hold of during holiday seasons known for their fireworks (and this public knowledge of his vulnerability is a soft mark on his record in the eyes of Winter), though that’s not the thing people gossip about. No, the talk of the Freehold when it comes to Dancin’ Danny Daniels is this: if he’s so afraid of guns, why does Winter’s up-and-comer carry around a vintage revolver with “D.D” carved into the grip?

As with all of my articles, I welcome questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms. Please, feel free to reblog if you’re feelin’ it! 

Next up: Elementals

[funanimalactivitiesforchild-blog]

Autism activities For kids

Having your personal global. this would probable describe what autism is all about. it's far a very commonplace neural sickness affecting hundreds of thousands of humans everywhere in the global. Social interaction is impaired as well as conversation. studies display that parents typically detect this disease in the first  years of life. it's far critical to apprehend a way to address autistic children for them to have normalcy in their each day habitual. Autism activities for children definitely help dad and mom and caregivers to address this situation. right here are some pointers:

1. Mimicking. Autistic children are fantastic mimickers! that is because they experience repetition. Fun animal activities for children  try to write down extraordinary animals with their corresponding sounds then let the kid say it with you. also strive distinctive transportation sounds inclusive of the ones in trains and ships. you may also go into coaching them moves like brushing the enamel, solving the hair, etc! easy ordinary recurring you could inject inside your amusing sport.

2. singing. due to the fact autistic children are apt at making pretty much any sound, would possibly as well educate them easy songs. this can permit them to make realistic sounds than just shouting. amusing commonplace tones are perfect because it is enjoyable. making a song could be a great way to release anxiety to your baby.

three. artwork and Board games. attempt to teach your baby with doing easy art work. this can assist in lengthening their interest span and help in the calming procedure. easy board games also are recommended to facilitate intellectual development. those also give the kid a feel of achievement if he's in a position to complete and win it! it is essential even though no longer to give them the tough video games as it'd worsen them. attempt giving them first the ones sincerely puzzles or the ones basic building blocks.

4. sports activities. this is one of the autism sports for children that may truely raise his social interaction and self belief. select sports which can be organized and do not always want an excessive amount of sensory arousal. you'll see that a few autistic children can thoroughly exceed in sports activities. it's miles crucial to guide and supervise them at the start because autistic kids have trouble adapting to alternate and developing social interaction.

5. protection. This might be the most critical element amongst all the autism sports for kids. kids suffering from the sickness require extra attention from their parents with regards to safety and protection. include in his every day ordinary the dos and don'ts of going across the residence. Make simple rules that would prevent not unusual accidents. steady acting out and reinforcement will inculcate inside the baby how to be secure.

despite the fact that no longer all autistic youngsters develop approximately living a regular existence, a few simply do. at the least in gaining knowledge of normal workouts which could assist them interact and be impartial. helping them of their early youth will reduce or do away with the negative results of autism. The secret's to train them of their early years. Autism sports for kids are coping units both the dad and mom and the child can benefit from.

[ys405-mdx3writing]

Final Piece: Identity Campaign - Equality Posters: “Equality (Race, Religion, Gender, Class, Sexuality and Disability) Find your Puzzle”

From the beginning of my new assignment the others and I were given a task linked to the previous projects we have done: Walking/City/Space, Identity and Nature/Ecology/Animals to be turned into a political campaign through digital art, animation, models or printmaking. Due to my inspiration of Identity I have decided to create several political posters about acceptance and equality. People who have suffered and faced with inequality and prejudice views because of the appearance your ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender and body imperfections. Especially coming from a lower class background.

Before we could begin our task for graphic media we were given an exercise brief for Contextual Studies to discuss as we write an introduction on our blogs about the subject we have chosen and what to do, however the structures of the sentence/question did not make it specific clear making myself think to write about the previous projects we have done and what purpose before we could use it for our assignment. It was confusing and I felt embarrassed but it never mattered. Moving on to the next two tasks were to select an artist amongst their artwork, then write about how it relates to the topic we have chosen and what we love about their work; and the second one was to do a reading presentation of a text that we have chosen relating to our project.

Meanwhile I had set up my thumbnails of how the pictures would turn out. The drawings I drew were presented with a hand holding up a piece of a puzzle, indicating that each Equality poster will be introduced with hands holding puzzles above but will be shown in separate images. The first one was LGBT Pride community as the layers of the background had to be multicoloured streaks amongst hand and puzzle but averted the other way round. The second one was women’s equality showing a tattooed symbol of their gender on their arm and puzzle. Therefore the colours of the background had to be pink and purple which represents feminism and their identity. The last was one race. I have not thought about the background colour yet but I know the fact that the character’s appearance: arm and puzzle will be in black and white. The character’s coloured skin is in black, whereas the puzzle is in white until it averts the other way round. Using puzzles to be in the picture was my inspiration of the symbolic puzzle of Autism Awareness across the globe.

During my group presentation everyone was impressed with my ideas for the project until I was advised to do screen print, however I was unsure if I had enough time to do screen print due to the fact that I had other assignments to take care of so I thought about doing some digital art on my painting app, InspirePro to create my posters. I started off drawing by using my own arm and hand with an object or sometimes pretend holding as a reference because it was tricky to draw a person’s hand holding an object; and how it is structured from reality. Suddenly I doubts if I was able to make it on time to create the posters through digital art so I took the advise from my lecturer, Paul to do screen print but I still used InspirePro to make my own templates and have them duplicated multiple times. By adding some different details. Afterwards I took them onto Photoshop to give each of them a title and message. “Equality. (Race, Religion, Gender, Class, Sexuality and Disability) Find your Puzzle” It took a few minutes to figure out a name for the title until I had some support from Paul before making my templates. Then I emailed them off to my printmaking lecturer, Jo so I can do some screen print. There were some messages indicating that she got back to me, whereas some never did. However I already spoken to Jo in the print room as I told her of what my plan was, therefore I was too preoccupied with my other assignments before I could set up my thumbnails. It was a struggle between three projects at a time. Jo managed to see my designs and she liked it. She, also advised me to edit them again into different layers so that I am able to screen print them properly. Jo demonstrated of how the prints would out into four separate layers on one large screen board.

It took weeks for me to understand her point due to being focused on one of my other assignments at a time. Including distractions.

Several weeks or maybe a month later in the aftermath I finally understood Jo's point. Instead of redoing them I made more copies on Photoshop to remove and edit some of the details.

Throughout my journey in the printing room I had my pictures contracted with UV light onto the screen board and set up my stationary to print. It was not the first time that I did screen print before. Three or four years ago I remember doing screen print during the second year of college, therefore I needed a recap in the print room with Jo on how I could use it again before I redoing my templates. Soon I was able to make some prints as I started off doing the LGBT pride one. A few of the first tests were good until the rest of the colours were fading as I tried so hard to press forward and back on the board to release the paint, especially adding a bit more acrylic to prevent the paint from drying and it never worked. A week later I had top redo the LGBT again, then three or a few more tests were a lot better than the first one. Also, when it comes to colours between the character’s appearance and background Jo demonstrated by adding in some streaks. The colours I used for the LGBT community were the symbolic colours of the flag and identity: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. It came out beautifully psychedelic. The next poster was the women’s equality the colours I used were pink, purple and a bit of white. I used white to add a few blots onto the pink to make it lighter. Purple and light pink had to be a streak colour for the background, whereas natural pink had to be the identity of their gender onto the arm and puzzle. When it was coming to the details of the structured lines and the title I used too much black paint. Some came out good, some faded and others were massively blotted. Moving on to the next final poster was race as I managed to find the perfect colour for the background while I searched through the storage of paints until I found the colour of blue. Blue is the most purest colour of all. The background tests came out: blotted, faded, misplaced, dried and others were perfectly done. I, also found some extra paints: brown and peach white for the character and puzzle’s skin colour so I can print them five times and swap the colours around; and repeat five times. Finally I used black paint to print the details. Although some of the printed details were misplaced, whereas others did not but fitted perfectly.

Here are my seven improved posters: two for women’s equality, two for LGBT community and three for race.

After finishing screen print I had to clean everything while waiting for my last designs to dry. I had trouble of removing the rest of the brown tape from the screen board but it has been stuck there since the beginning. I had to use brown tape to remove the remains of the tapes and I did what I could to clean the board. Jo said that I would not have to worry about it as long I have tried my best. She also mentioned that the others were planning clean it after I have finished. I took Jo's advice, then left as my designs were finally dried on time and took them into class. I kept the rest of my tests in my hidden desk after using the printmaking room. I had a look through the rest to see which was the perfect picture to publicly display for the final crit on Friday the 13th of May, therefore I did need more than one poster. I selected seven posters: three for race equality, two for women's gender equality and the last two were the LGBT Pride community. Despite of having very small white gap bits onto two posters about race I thought it was not so bad as the text goes well with the background to blend in. The last task was to trim off the edges neatly and took a picture on my phone.

They came out strong and beautiful. But incredibly amazing and I was so proud of my work.

Overall, it was fun and I enjoyed making my posters about acceptance and respect for people who are different in certain ways. The second one I enjoyed for Contextual Studies was one of the topics of artist research because of the artist I have chosen, amongst his work. Andy Ivanov's May Mermaid of the Lily Lake due to his inspiration of the postponed remake live-action of the original Disney’s animation The Little Mermaid (1989), involving new cast members, Halle Bailey to star as Ariel and to be the first black African- American songwriter, singer and actress to take the role of a Disney Princess character on live-action. She has been faced a lot of discrimination but it does not stop her from taking the role and Jodi Benson, originally voiced as Ariel from the original Disney’s animation The Little Mermaid, came to her defense. Especially, my fascination of mermaids.

The reading presentation was fine but slow to keep up pace with referencing which involves the struggles of writing specifically, depending on what to write about as I have referenced as lot of information. For what I enjoyed was bringing up theories and questioning the difference between fantasy and reality, involving prejudice views throughout my research.

[autistic-answers]

So I was thinking maybe you could help me with a question? My mom and I made a presentation a while ago about autism to educate the family and some teachers because me and 2 of my sisters are diagnosed with it. We used a blue puzzle piece theme, but I recently learned about Autism Speaks and don't want anything to do with them so we want to change the theme. Do you know the correct symbols and colors to represent Autism? And do you know where those colors and symbol originated from? Thank you!

I’m not super knowledgeable about origins and whatnot, but I do know some more positive iconography!

Neurodiversity symbol (a rainbow infinity sign)

Pretty much anything rainbow will suggest neurodiversity

Red for #RedInstead

Autisticat (an up-and-coming thing, a black cat with a neurodiversity bow tie and the tail like a heart)

Now that you know what to look for, a quick image search should help you find pictures related to these. :)

People often associate autism with disease and tragedy, but the truth is that we are ordinary people, and that many autistics are quite nice! So neutral/positive information about autism is something that we need very much, especially to help autistics accept ourselves and be more accepted by society.

I would also like to say that I illustrate a lot of wikiHow’s autism articles, and you can feel free to use my artwork in your presentation, or borrow from ideas there.

I hope this helps! Have a nice day!

[jpopitunes]

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Ibworm – Official puzzle pieces christmas tree autism awareness shirt

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Rashad wanted her donation to go to those most in need. “I decided to link up with the Official puzzle pieces christmas tree autism awareness shirtalso I will do this Food Bank for New York City because I wanted to share my artwork at this time and also use it as a vehicle to facilitate…