#Dendrons

[lunar-rotation]

11 Sept 2023

Whoops, more Dessa and K.flay. But also The Coup, and The Interrupters and more!

This week’s playlist:

The Magic Clap by The Coup

Plan B by The Impossibles

Fun by Elliot Lee

Fuck Everything by Hairy Soul Man

Superhuman by Party Favor & K.Flay

Get What's Coming by Black Pines

High in the Circle K by Dendrons

Masochist by Mourners

Hurricane Party by Dessa

Take Back the Power by The Interrupters

Lunar Rotation Weekly by Winifred Yost

[bonefall]

a while ago you said that Starclan cats design kittens and customize them with patterns and colors from their parents genes. So, do the clan cats raise any eyebrows when it comes to people who know cat genetics? Is there a geneticist who is holding their head wondering how these two cats have this colored kit while their starclan designer was just playing around? Or do the Starclan designers still have to stay within the rules?

Basically, do the humans notice that some of these clan cats are sparkle cats lol

I try to not get too "lost in the weeds" since the humans aren't the focus of the story, just taking care that they DO have real motivations behind their actions rather than construction crews materializing out of nowhere to Do A Chaos, but...

First, the genetics of cats in Albion are different than humans in equivalent Great Britain.

Partially, this is because I honestly just don't really enjoy learning about in-depth genetics or applying them realistically. I like drawing anime characters and writing anime battles, so they have anime genetics. But more than that, off-screen, the intelligence of cats has altered the timeline of this world.

If cats really were capable of higher thinking, that totally would have had some butterfly effects. I like dropping crazy alt-history and then not elaborating on it, because it's funny. Archimedes' cat helped him invent a death ray, btw.

On that note of genetics though, you guessed right. StarClan designers DO have to work with what they have. Whatever the genetics of this alternate universe of cats are, every kit born still abides by the laws of nature.

Which brings me to...

Second, the researchers do notice that the Clan cats are special. In fact, there is a "study of magic" in this universe-- Thaumatology. "The science of wonder."

(There's no world where magic actually factually exists that science isn't all over it lmao)

Thaumatology facts I haven't shared so far since it's all offscreen and just Bonus Worldbuilding;

It is a "soft science," not a hard one.

It has a LOT of problems with replicability. Thaumatologists and Quantum Physicists have a lot of in-jokes.

The most well known (to the point of being a cliche) is "magic and quantum particles both hate being watched."

Magic is highly variable based on a bajillion very personal factors, like emotion, environment, culture, personal background, etc, so it's severely difficult to re-create it in controlled environments.

Thaumatology has a lot of overlap with sociology, archeology, and theology, so people from these fields work together a lot.

There was absolutely not a dedicated Thaumatologist working in the Research Team early on, sadly.

It was probably discovered when the Battle of the True Eclipse blew out a bunch of field cameras.

It's pretty common that photography equipment fritzes out a bit during "supernatural" times like eclipses, but the damage was extensive enough to be noteworty

The Clan cats were initially notable just for the fact they had advanced culture.

Cats are usually comparable to crows and monkeys, in this universe. So cats with fire and a crude writing system were enough to SHAKE the field of zoology.

The fact they're cats helped a lot. The public loves cats, enough that since their discovery after Speckletail attacked a bulldozer, massive outcry has secretly helped the Clans several times.

The discovery that the culture also has Thaumatological elements is more of a goldmine for a scientist than the public, though.

It's common knowledge that "animals are magic," because humanity projects traits onto them. "Of course they do, they're cats...?"

The Thaumatologist is freaking out because "THE CAT IS PROVABLY DOING ITS OWN THAUMATURGY"

Most people don't know the difference between Thaumaturgy (the functional work it does on the world) and Thaumology (the study of that as a whole), so this particular scientist is going to have a hard time explaining WHY this distinction is so special.

(And possibly even offensive to certain groups, who would insist only humans are capable of this)

In any case, eventually there would be Thaumatological interest in the Clan cats, but they weren't there in the mid to late 2010s when BB!ASC takes place.

[fullbodycringe]

Fans of carcinization should know: there is no such thing as a "tree", at least in terms of inheritance. You see, completely unrelated plants just keep deciding they want to go... up. Some have changed their mind, gone back to being low and soft, then gone back to being "trees" again, with distinct branches and leaves and trunks and bark.

Except that means wood just happens to all look similar, at least to us humans. It's really just a bunch of different plants' ideas of something strong to hold themselves up closer to the sun while transporting nutrients and water up from the ground. Why does it tend to have rings? I don't know why so many species do that, I'm not a biologist. It is mostly made of the same stuff across species, just in different ratios. Next time you're near a palm stump, though, go take a look- it's full of fibers and can have visible tubes for moving water around (and is clearly something "other" when you're used to normal trees).

I've seen the tendency to turn into trees called "dendronization" , and apparently the number of times "trees" (tall woody long lived things with leaves) have evolved independently is just ridiculous. It's probably way in excess of the number of species that have been crabs.

This is seriously the most interesting thing I know.

In summary, maybe if you try hard enough, you can grow a daisy tree.

[dendrons-6]

Humpback whale Mind which I somehow managed to finish on my birthday (happy birthday me) (yes I know it looks nothing like him.)

Originally I wanted to draw Heart and Soul too but I didn’t have enough time 💔 Perhaps some other day

Anyway SCREW YOU!!! *Marine mammals your Mind*

Constructive criticism open and uuuuuh it’s currently 10:30 PM and I should probably go to sleep. Goodnight.

Also you should really listen to Wild Wet World by Cosmo Sheldrake 🔥

[neerdowellnarrator]

I am noticing a theme

[duck-hell-woo-oo]

I’ve been working on a redesign for Rhoda for awhile now and I think she’s done! She’s now a hummingbird, cause I think having a hummingbird botanist is a missed opportunity.

[thedispute]

“Dendron” - The Hotelier

~my photo & edit~

[jerichomere]

Happy birthday to the world's worst secretary. Never change, Rhoda

[mmkin]

One of these little 15-minute doodles I do at work when I don't feel like reading on my break. Bushroot/Rhoda Dendron, could be considered a follow up of my first Bushroot/Dendron doodle. Enjoy!

Rhoda's supposed to look more relaxed, but she looks anxious to me because I didn't draw the eyes quite right. Oh well, these tiny little things can be a real bitch to draw sometimes ;_;

[noodelak]

Bugs in love

[moonbells-draws]

plant lady NPC for a Scum & Villainy game!

her design is loosely based on poison ivy

8.13.2023

[20th-century-railroading]

Dendron NC Sunday October 20th 1985 1445EDT by bill hooper Via Flickr: An eastbound loaded coal train descends the Carolina Blue Ridge west of Old Fort on the Asheville Salisbury line. The upper level of the loop can be seen in upper middle.

[st-highwind]

Which should I write first? Note, these are all short-form fiction w a focus on Hale & Kain (~4k words). If not interested, just pick your favorite trope.

[human-space-heater]

sooooo what have I been doing? Well ive been working on a more personal piece but its prob gonna take more time to complete. What else? Well Ive been reading the heartstopper and muted webtoon as well as catching up on my lovely not even bones webtoon. Yes I have issues. Yes I need to stop hyper fixating..

[dendrons-6]

Woah hey I finished it!!

Eye contact, mild horror, and slight eyestrain warning

+some badly taken practice drawings i did last night beforehand because why not

[heartattackkidd]

cut off my arm at the bone in solidarity. capital teaches that there’s less when you share