#Expanded Worldbuilding

[thegodcyclecomic]

Welcome!

This is the official blog for the webcomic, The God Cycle, a Greek Mythology retelling that focuses on Ares and Athena as the main characters in a military-horror plot. This comic deals with dark themes unsuitable for a young audience such as discussions of war crimes, sexual assault, abuse, cannibalism, mental illness, and disturbing imagery.

Synopsis:

The God Cycle is an all-consuming madness. The goddess of war, Athena, marches unflinchingly through history's battles, stuck in a spiral of bloodshed and violence. The Fire of Olympus is fading, flickering until its embers turn to ash. She must find a way to rekindle it once more, even if it means working together with her sworn enemy, Ares. The turning of the cycle may mean the end of the Age of Gods— and their entire pantheon.

Disclaimer: The God Cycle is a webcomic based on Greek Mythology and the works of Homer, Hesiod, Euripides, and others. While most elements are intended to stay true to the original, there are intentional changes intended to serve the theme of the story.

Link to read comic: [WEBTOON]

[filurig]

some stuff involving non sapient creatures in pareidolia, first image is some animals that tomtar have domesticated, second is a remake of gloson, which is a vätte but is, contrary to most other ones ive made, not a sophont and is instead domesticated by trolls. more info below the cut...

ive already talked about the tomteget in another post, so i wont go into detail about them here, but the one shown in the picture is gullmar's goat (and he is there as well as ucan see). tomtar also keep a domesticated breed of wolverine and ermine, used for some different purposes - wolverines more as guarding/herding animals and ermines to hunt. tomtar don't actually tend to hunt a lot of large prey at all, and what they do hunt is sort of limited as a lot of game birds are sacred to them due to folklore (basically ptarmigans, corvids, grouses, capercailles and things in those veins..). therefore despite how small ermines are they can hunt most of the quarry they prefer such as hares, ducks etc - especially bcs the tomte variety of ermine is bred to be a bit larger and more robust. they can also just be kept as companion animals for many tomtar. wolverines meanwhile serve well as guarding and herding animals due to their size and strength. there is a notable regiment of wolverine fighters in the midlands front - where interested tomtar are trained for combat utilizing the power of the wolverine - the one pictured though is a regular herding/guarding animal though. there are probably some smaller tomte hunting groups that try to go for bigger game with them such as wolves etc. but its definitely pretty unusual. tomteget goats are basically universal across tomte cultures, but the tomte wolverines and ermines are a bit more limited, more occuring in northern cultures historically. although as time goes on they have been spread further south, especially as the midlands front was established and increased the communicative network between different disparate tomte societies. 2. this is just a remake of the gloson from that older post bcs i wasnt really happy with the design - its a laaaaarge animal but didnt really feel like it proportionally bcs i stuck too closely to the normal eu swine proportions... things are mostly the same about them though. the orange parts of the horns glow!

[thepersonperson]

Since Sukuna still has that final finger. Maybe that’s where we’ll get an afterlife scene or even a backstory? Yuji basically confirmed Sukuna is only like this because of circumstances. So…I would like to be shown those circumstances.

I’m ok with Sukuna dying and all the students surviving. But the execution of that has been so poorly paced and unsatisfying. Can I please get a proper grieving scene? Megumi and Nobara being all smiles at the Gojo letters is...weird.

I think there’s something to say about a manga where overwork/exploitation kills people having its mangaka rush the ending because of overwork/exploitation.

[extrajigs]

In the post about Octavia it said that she got smote for eating the residents of her abby, but in a previous dragon post it mentioned Maria was different than other dragons in that she prefers to not eat human flesh, which seems like it's implying that the other dragons do eat human flesh and that's considered the norm.

So what was different about Octavia's situation that angered the gods?

Astute observation! You shall be REWARDED!

Basically issue is that the word 'human' has a very loose definition in this setting. The core factor is that the Gods and all those imbued with their power have this gnarly corruption that compels one to munch on humans. Anything that sates this hunger is therefore considered 'human'. Which includes regular folks, mutilated beasties, dragons, abbies, or even the blood ocean itself! Most dragons hunt the monsters around their Abattoirs, but of course regular unaltered humans in the abbies are the choicest of options.

Abattoir people are off the table for the dragons for most of the year, though when the gods slither over for their yearly feast you can always ask for some scraps. Usually they'll cough up a few if asked. But once the gods became MIA then those within are off the table entirely. Unless you're Octavia!

She crossed pretty much every line, briefly interrupting the circle holding the Abattoirs dome to let herself inside, letting her presence be known to those living within, reinstating the yearly feast, and eating her fill of divine worm food. Until the delayed reaction of the Gods saw the end of her, her Abattoir, and all those within.

[silverskye13]

how do you create helsmets? like, are they *opposites* or just personifications of negative traits?

A little bit of both! A little more of one in some and the other in the rest. [Wibble wobbles my hand back and forth] it's an art not a science I think!

Normally I start with two questions: What do I think makes most logical sense as a bad trait/fatal flaw? What do I think best matches that flaw that comes from the source.

So Fwhip/Flipside, since he's new.

Fwhip is a chaos-causer. A lot of his empires characters involve a strong personality built around a strong aesthetic, that then commits to a story and uses that story to stir the pot. As a goblin with his goblands, he spends his time digging beneath his friends' houses and stealing their stuff. When he's a prince(?) of the grimlands, he takes petty slights against him and amplifies them and throws them back on Jimmy and Sausage. On his single player worlds, he is building a kingdom, and he is deeply entrenched in the idea of making a cohesive world that makes sense.

As a character [on the whole], Fwhip's strongest traits are: Putting places to order, finding cohesion, and breaking cohesion [for the fun of it, to inform his previously established order and cohesion, to tell a story].

For Flipside, I decided making someone the complete opposite in a literal way [someone chaotic, who intentionally breaks or meddles in other people's story to rob them of stability, someone who prioritizes the individual] wouldn't be interesting. He would be a villain character, which wasn't what I needed. Instead I focused on what things a person who prioritizes order and story would fear, what would be a flaw? And I decided a flaw in that kind of person would be a deep need for security, and a tendency to build their personality off of that sense of security.

Flipside then, is a nervous character who is trying really hard to define himself, and so far has only gotten close by putting himself into the most stable and defined place in hels: The First Church. It's time consuming, it helps him run away from his listlessness and lack of identity, and it gives him a sense of purpose he desperately needs. As a helsmet, he is the personification of Fwhip's need for a story to feel "safe" in the worlds he's a part of, and reflects that Fwhip has a fear that he has no real sense of self or personality.

Meanwhile the one quick cameo of MythicalSausage basically amounted to: Sausage has an established evil character, that character is already a subversion of a lot of his personal character tropes [caring, secure in himself, selfless, kind], so I will keep his EvilSona as his helsmet. If I want to find [or build] depth into that, I can, but his basic building block is as he is now.

Hopefully? This helps?

[tootditoot]

I like the concept of travelling merchants that just sell obscure news and gossip and only appear at random lounges

[oddthesungod]

The Weeping God, Kinar. God of the Seas, the Moon, Lovers and Healing. 🌙🌊

Some worldbuilding art! Kinar is one of the main deities of my homebrew dnd setting, and one of the things associated with him is a rock called Lunestone! Which are essentially pieces of the moon that fell to earth and are quite valuable, and this is a statue in world made p much entirely of it. Lunestone is vry sought after by enchanters because its magical properties help cut down on the material cost of enchanting, and its also sought for high end expensive crafts as a status symbol! For Kinar worshippers, Lunestone is considered holy and a symbol of their god's fallen lover the moon 🌙

[iguanodont]

how birgs bathe? what are their hygienic tools (brushes, toothbrushes, skincare, sanitizer analogs, etc) like? do they have different washing systems, like how we have baths vs showers? is there any culture/religion specific forms of bathing/cleaning?

Birgs have a variety of options for hygiene, and almost none of them involve water! Sand or dust baths are the most common choice, some indoor baths even have heated floors to keep them warm on cold nights :) often fragrant herbs are mixed in with the sand to give the bather a pleasant aromas well as to help repel parasites.

Finer powders may be rubbed into the skin without the need of a whole-body bath; sometimes these powders are tinted to enhance color, or contain mica flakes to make the fur literally sparkle. Certain oils for skin and fur health are used by southern cultures, but the Twowi swear by dust alone.

Birgs use brushes of all sorts, dancing in size from handheld to big enough to run your whole body against. Body brushes are typically made of a wood or metal frame and set with stiff plastic fibers. These are especially popular during shedding time, as a birg’s hair is not separate from the cuticle and comes off along with the entire outer layer of skin. It gets itchy!

I’ve already covered oral hygiene in this post

[plaguethewaters]

"Hey mike, don't you think you're maybe a little too old for this?"

"nah, what makes you say so."

i have had this teen, emo michael_b design for basically forever, and it was honestly a crime i'd never drawn him properly - so here he is! miniserie of him growing with cbee, with the tubbo part coming. probablu tomorrow.

small little closeups!

[whoredmode]

kinda going back to what i was talking about the other day but i would kill for a sr1/sr2 remaster w dedicated side quests alongside the activities and diversions. as in like, quests that don’t necessarily impact the main story but are just fun worldbuilding, character development, and/or reward opportunities. like idk. actually playing skeeball w shaundi. going out to get a drink w troy. picking out and buying disguises for aisha. sneaking into specific strongholds or buildings and stealing something. helping johnny w a date. stuff that is ultimately maybe kinda inconsequential in the grander scheme of things, but that allow for more slower paced moments and times to really feel like you’re part of stilwater itself

[alchemicaladarna]

Demon Royalty au part 1

This was supposed to be a simple vampire!Bagi/demon princess!Tina au but I got carried away while researching the nether biomes so here we are lmaoo

Ironmouse- Queen of the Underworld

Castle resides in the Nether Wastes region

Oversees all the Nether capitals/kingdoms/demon kind

And business concerning the Overworld's access to the Nether

Tina- Princess of the Seven Capital Vices

Castle resides in Warped Forest region

7 deadly sins reflect the Seven Capital Vices (regions) and are named: Avaritia, Luxuria, Invidia, Gula, Ira, Acedia, Vanagloria

Helps Mouse with matters concerning demon kind/the kingdom's subjects

Bad- Prince of Death (Grim Reaper)

Castle resides in the Soulsand Valley

Also has connections and access over ancient cities/deep dark

Mostly rules over matters concerning dead mortals/making sure souls pass properly

Bad's role is like Hades' in greek mythology basically

Yangdding- Highest ranking demon general

Main fortress resides in the Crimson Forests

Leads Mouse's armies

Has a lot of experience exploring the different biomes, fighting, and resolving conflicts between demons

Still a part of demon nobility but doesn't "rule" over anything, so no royal title

Basically a brief summary of how the Nether Kingdom works:

Demons are still looked down upon by many people from the Overworld, but that's mainly due to the many millenia of tyrannical demon rulers and the power they abused to instill fear into the people of the Overworld. Eventually, the Nether Kingdom became impoverished because of the corrupt governing, until IronMouse- a "lowly demon" stepped in to try to change things. A civil war ensued, but the rebellion led by Mouse, Bad, and Tina won and Mouse took the throne as the new Demon Queen.

She changed a lot of things including how long a ruler should stay in power, since technically, one crowned demon can rule forever. Mouse declared that demon rulers can stay in power for 1000 years maximum before they must eventually find a successor to take their place. Mouse's dynasty has just reached its 650th year when the story takes place. Ironmouse wants to establish peace with the people of the Overworld, and they mainly stay out of Overworld wars. That is, until the ancient conflict between demons and vampires arises and escalates once more...

I want to go over the vampires and Bagi's role, but I think that requires a separate post XD

[paperbag34]

You could say I'm. I'm explaining the uh. The art of the deal.

So, since this post is helping me get off my ass and actually try to write again, I'd thought I'd outline the main answer in this AU to the obvious question of "Why does Alastor care enough about sinners to do this?"

so, I contrived this (lol). tell me your thoughts, y'all.

I stated that it was because he wanted to do something his mom would be proud of, and while true, that's the catalyst. Why would he start caring now about doing something his mother would approve of after decades in Hell?

Simple. The Deal with Vaggie!

How Deals work here in this AU:

It's common knowledge in Hell that a Deal is a form of soul magic. how else would it be able to have real, physical consequences on those who break it? Thing is, what's not common knowledge, is why Dealmakers gain power from making more Deals.

A being's magical power is linked to the strength of their soul. When they die, the weight of their sins or the light of their good deeds for sinners and Angels respectively, come together to form the strength of their soul. This is why even new sinners can be more powerful than Hellborn sometimes, though not often. It takes someone like Alastor, serial killer of 49 people, to pull something like that off.

A Deal is the only known way to directly and safely increase the strength of your soul. When a Deal is made, the participants' magic intermingles. Most assume that this s what makes sinners more powerful, that somehow the magic mixing strengthens them.

What they don't know, is that when a Deal is made, a small piece of each of the souls of the participants breaks off and merges, into a sort of indistinguishable soul-mass. The magic poured into the Deal then does something that is seen in no other process; it mixes with the soul-mass, and grows it. In this way, when the soul-mass splits itself evenly between the participants of the Deal, their total soul-size actually increases, which is the real reason why demons (and angels too, if they participated!) can gain power from this process.

The soul-mass splits off, the magic and terms of the Deal engraved into it, enforcing the Deal. This isn't well-known, only those rare few with soul-sight or access to it know about this.

Now, why is this the answer to why Alastor cares? Well, the soul-mass is a mix of the two or more souls involved in the process. Which means that some measure of the self of the participants is sent to each other once the Deal goes through. Now, normally this is unnoticable. Sinners making contracts with each other are all, well, in Hell. They're there for a reason. Plus, it's a pretty even split, so usually the change is negligible.

Sure, if Charlie in canon were, under this ruleset, to make Deals with, say, a shit ton of Val's prostitutes, or a shit ton of the Exorcists, you'd start noticing some pretty significant personality drift from all the similar differing worldviews she's taking into herself. But the fact that this requires so many Deals to be made with people of the same or similar self, means that only ancient Dealmakers can really get affected by this, and on the off chance that they do make enough Deals with people with similar selves that it actually shifts their own self, it's chalked up to changing with time. Plus, the original holder's self is also in there, so it heavily offsets the change.

But, what about in Alastor's case? Well, few have made a Deal with a Angel before. Almost none, in fact, given that Lucifer is kind of a recluse. But one thing to remember is that Angelic magic overpowers Demonic magic. It's why demons can actually "die" from Angel attacks. So, when Alastor makes the Deal with Vaggie, what's different from the normal process is that her Angelic soul and magic almost completely overpower what little piece of Alastor is in the soul-mass, so the majority of the self in the bew soul pieces is hers, and despite the violence, she genuinely wants to do good, it's why she was misguided into the Exorcists.

Add to that the fact that Vaggie's never made a Deal before, and Exorcist magic training amounts to "make a big fuckoff laser with it and fire", (yes they can do that in this AU), she puts way, way more magic into it than Alastor does. So while the soul splitting evenly means that Alastor gains a truly immense powerboost from it (and Vaggie too, actually!), it also means his self is strongly affected by Vaggie's. And since Angelic magic overpowers Demonic, a part of his soul is now irrevocably Angelic. It's a really small part, not enough to qualify at all to be any sort of demon-angel hybrid like Charlie, who's half-angel-half-demon, but boy is it there.

Thus, to summarize, TL;DR: Alastor's personality slowly changes to be more chill, and he grows something of a conscience because his soul and a part of Vaggie's merge and his personality was affected.

also also, just a thought completely unrelated to this AU, but what if Charlie has a true demon form where she gets wings! now she can fly with her girlfriend!!

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

I don't mean to be pretentious or anything but that's how i feel about the entre cast of She-Ra, especially Catra

nah, you're not being pretentious. i feel the same. it's so funny how i've seen fanfictions and fan comics that are better written than spop. even the ones made by spop fans, some of them explained the lore and did worldbuilding better than the show itself ever did.

[hermitcraft-shifter]

Currently brainrotting over an unfinished fic I wrote with a friend years ago. Like, I'm not joking. Why did the character motivations and actions have to be that good.

The protagonist is Grian, and you know what? He's not a good person. The antagonist is Doc, and you know what? He's not a good person.

You can see how they become that way. People always saw Grian as a hero. People always saw Doc as a villain. You can see why they did what they did. You can forgive their actions even... or well, understand them. They both pass the reasonable moral horizon. They both do mindless violence just for a point. There's so many parallels between them.

I'm half tempted to reread it and ask said friend if I could edit it and post it.

Edit: It's almost 13k words long. Holy shit. It cut off during the final battle between Grian and Doc too.

Edit again: I forgot it was in first person perspective. This is a conundrum.

Edit once more: Grian is losing it y'all. Just wanted to let you know, if you didn't already. He is also a wet rag of a man and it's amazing. Yes, Grian, bad things happened. Yes, Grian, they are bad. Yes, Grian, this was your fault. What did you think was happening?

Edit from Painville, Deckessee: Wow, that's some inaccurate brain damage right there.

Oh, what's this? Another edit: Alas, we've come to (one of) my favourite parts of the fic. "What is this, some story written by 12 year olds?"

UPDATE: It's available!! Mockingbird.

[lost-technology]

Greaaaat... Because of my idile thoughts on this thread: https://www.tumblr.com/lost-technology/756481775043330048/heh-heh-i-want-to-analyze-this-i-picked-legato I am wondering if I should make another sideblog: "is-the-plant-video-cute" and impersonate Rem Saverem, taking any canonical videos, manga-scans, screenshots and fan-observations by Trigun-fans regarding Plants (both Dependent and Independent) with words as a Plant Research expert on whether or not the Plant-content is "cute" or "harmful" like what people do on here for animals. Should I go ahead with it or not? Would anyone who follows me start sending in stuff and asking "Rem" for her input?

[icyfox17]

i love seeing how different people format their drafts/docs for their stories, it's so lovely seeing the personality on the page sobsobsosbos

people are so cool...