#I guess its because they are so different from most fantasy races

[marchioness-of-the-flowers]

Misc Altmer fashion headcanons cause the piss elves are on my mind

Makeup is divisive, some see it as an expression of artistic ability, while others see it as lying.

Defects are to be covered. For example, an Altmer who loses their eye in battle often chooses to cover their injury with their hair.

Considered very logical, as it covers up a negative physical trait (the lost eye) with a positive physical trait (one’s hair) (the Altmer would take extra care in the future to make sure their hair was well maintained.)

It’s a whole school of thought, canceling out undesired physical traits with desired ones.

No literally, there are mathematical equations.

Hygiene and grooming is considered important in Altmer society, however it is considered deeply shallow to waste time on the self in ways that could have been spent more productively. (The Altmer basically invent the “everything shower” in response to this, taking care of certain grooming needs for the week in one swoop.)

Altmer dress is typically very light and flowing, layers of whisper-thin gossamer fabrics worn over one another.

Hems are often decorated with incredibly ornate tiny rows of embroidery. The most painstaking pieces take years to complete and are passed down through generations.

also in the keep reading section I’ve added some hairstyles that I think the Altmer would find bitchin

[alatismeni-theitsa]

I'm not sure how much you keep up with Percy Jackson and its spin-offs, personally I like the series, but my G-d it is NOT an accurate portrayal of Greek mythology whatsoever, as I'm sure you're aware! Did you know that Rick Riordan set it in the USA because of how great western civilization is and how Western countries are more relevant to modern society? I'm not even joking or exaggerating.

Honestly, I do think that putting the gods in US America can be justified for the right reasons. I don't think there's anything inherently offensive about the Underworld being under LA or Olympus being above NYC. Especially with the demigod camp being on Long Island, like, okay, you wanna keep the gods close by. It's a story about an American middle-school boy, so yeah, it'll be very American. That's fair.

But the reason the author gives for it is so offensive! If this was a story about, say, the Egyptian gods, more people would understand why "west is best" is an offensive thing to say, but I guess it doesn't matter when the gods/culture being adapted is white passing enough or whatever the fuck.

(Tbfh even if he'd said that about, say, the Norse gods, or something else that is undeniably white, it'd still be disrespectful as hell. America-centricism is so fucking exhausting!)

It's actually disappointing bc, even though the books aren't true to Greek myth (don't even get me started on how badly they portray Hades and literally blame him for WWII and imply Hitler is his son), they've gotten so many kids interested in greek mythology. Oh sure, there's some weirdos who read the books and claim to worship whoever their "godly parent" would be, but there's even more people who truly got so much knowledge and respect for actual mythology from the books! And as terrible as the Greek representation is, the other representation is done really well, especially in neurodivergency/disability. I obviously wish he'd handled race/ethnicity (and religion) better, but for all the 'offensive' stuff that exists in the books there's also so many great things. So many different portrayals of love and friendship and bravery.

It's honestly no wonder the books are still a comfort series even for those who have outgrown them, and it makes the offensive stuff even worse, almost like a betrayal in some way. It's not like Rick Riordan is going out of his way to be a fatphobic antisemitic TERF like some other YA fantasy authors out there. He's someone who seems to actually care about representation in his work, which makes it all the times more hurtful when he *doesn't* care or when he writes stuff like that.

ooooh yeaah I unfortunately know all this and have posted about this 4-5 times already 😂 An extremely imperialistic view, this author has. But in this USAmericanized world, people need to do some deconstruction to see the fucked up aspects of these books. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing the Greek gods in other countries in general but the reason they went to the US is very problematic - and I don't throw this word around easily.

As you said the series has good stuff too and it has brought joy to many kids worldwide (me included), so anyone who likes PJO don't think that I'm shitting on it too much 😄 But there are definitely some things to be addressed there and that we should discuss. Like how the attitude of the writer only continued the sense of entitlement and ownership the West has over Greek figures. And because Riordan usually cares, it's sad that he let his cultural biases define his most popular series.

[alexanderwales]

Game Review: Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Let me lead with a score: 7/10.

I overall enjoyed the core gameplay and thought that the story was completely mid, which normally would result in a better overall impression of a game. Unfortunately, the core gameplay was a lot weaker than it should have been owing to some of the game design decisions, and I have to knock the story points for taking far too much time and being sluggish to get through.

The idea of Echoes of Wisdom is that you collect "echoes" of objects you find and then use them to get through the game. You get the echo of a bed and use two of them to cross a gap. You use the bed to make a ladder to get to higher places. You use the bed to make a bridge, which is really just crossing a gap again. You use the bed to press a switch to open a door. You learn "old bed" very early on, and in my case, it felt like the solution to far too many problems.

The biggest issue is just game design: they didn't do enough of it. In theory from a game mechanics standpoint there should have been ~10 echoes that are mechanically orthogonal to each other, fulfilling different roles. In practice, there are 127 echoes, the menu for accessing them is a mess, and the vast majority of them are redundant. Even the ones that are technically distinct don't have much mechanical distance from each other: you use fire to light torches and lightning to light up green crystals, and this really felt, while playing, like a lazy reskin.

It kind of reminded me of the Green Lantern having the power to make "anything he can imagine" and then 90% of the time using it to make a fist.

Included in those 127 echoes are "combat" echoes, which you get from defeating enemies. They fight for you, and some of them can do other things, but mostly it's the fighting. In most circumstances, you just use the most powerful guy you can, with the exceptions being flying enemies and very rarely needing some kind of elemental counter or the bomb fish.

Some of this is surely driven by game design principles, namely "don't let the player get stuck because they didn't pick up the right echoes along the way". I sympathize with this, but it also kind of sucks, because it makes everything feel bland. There's surely a "minimum echoes" category, just like Mario Odyssey has "minimum captures", and my guess is that you'd only need around 10, and that of those 10, there's just not that much that they actually do differently.

This is especially a shame when compared to Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, where the tools are wildly different. Magnesis, Bomb, Ice Block, Time Stop? Those four together have more mechanical variety and combinatorial possibility than all 127 echoes in Echoes of Wisdom. And Tears of the Kingdom was amazing, one of those times when I would sit back and marvel at how much variety and complexity there was, how many challenges were brought forth by really good game design. That doesn't exist here.

So the game mechanical premise is cool, but they don't do too much with it. How's the story?

Told in a different way, I probably would have found it fine. Instead, the heaps of dialogue, slow animations between pieces of dialogue, minimal quality of those animations, and cutsceneitis made me repeatedly roll my eyes. The fact that it was the same locations as other Zelda games also detracted from it, which is something they're going to run into if they keep having the same fantasy races over and over and over.

I think the older I get, the more I hate being stopped in the middle of a game to read a bunch of text, and this is especially true when the gameplay disconnects itself from its story. So if they had snappy responses to me pressing the "yes, I have read this" button, and animation skips that have been present in the vast majority of games for the last five to ten years, I would have liked it better. Instead, I was fighting annoyance with how slow they made everything, particularly the animations for nodding and looking surprised and all these other things. You can have these animations while the text box is being read! We have the technology!

The mute protagonist also doesn't help, and I don't really understand why they used it here except for legacy reasons. Zelda is the character we're spending the most time with, she definitely has a history and perspective, and instead we get very little of her thoughts and feelings. If the intent was to help me project myself into her shoes, it did not work.

So I think this is going to be my last Nintendo game, at least for a while. This game as an 86 on Metacritic, and I'm going to take my overall dislike of many aspects of it as a sign that it's just not for me. I was giving Mario & Luigi: Brothership an appraising look, but this is the game that convinced me that I just don't like the slow, clunky interface to formulaic surface-level stories. I would look past that for good, mechanically rich gameplay, but now it's seeming more hit and miss.

[an-aura-about-you]

wait. why are you sexy gengar

Oh, so this is some kinda story! And I guess now y'all are gonna hear it.

The truth is I've been holding out on most of you because back on my birthday @zerozeroren gifted me with an incredible piece of art that is going to require a bit of explanation.

So here we go.

Being a lover of So Bad It's Good Media and a watcher of Booktube videos, it was inevitable that I would hear about the supposedly spicy, supposedly deadly fantasy trainwreck that is Lightlark by Alex Aster. For anyone who might not have seen the liveblogging I did of that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book for a bunch of reasons Aster never intended and had to pause listening to the audiobook several times because I had to stop and laugh at the ridiculously poorly thought out shit going on. For anyone who's the sort to indulge in So Bad It's Good media, it gets my recommendation. (The sequel Nightbane does not; that was both utterly stupid AND horrifying in its unintentional implications. But I digress.)

Anyway, this piece of art came about from talking to Ren about some of the characters, particularly our main character Isla Crown and her love interest Oro.

There's been a lot of confusion on how to say Isla's given name. Before I listened to the audiobook, I would have assumed it would have had a pronunciation similar to island with a silent s. But no, according to the audiobook narration, her name is pronounced Ice-la. Upon hearing this, Ren declared that a "Pokemon-ass sounding name." And that's when I realized that Isla is implied to be humanoid but it's never actually specified. The people of Lightlark are divided into six different types of beings, and Isla is a Wildling. But the only actual descriptions we get of her are that she's got brown hair and she looks like her mother. So in defiance of the obvious setup to picture her looking like an ice-type Pokemon, I chose to picture her looking like my favorite purple ghosty boy Gengar.

But that's only the part of the picture I've been using for my icon. I haven't shown most of you the other part of the picture that has Oro. Oro is a Sunling. (I swear these names are killing me.) The big conflict of Lightlark is that all of these fantasy races have been cursed and they're trying to complete a ritual according to a prophecy in order to undo them. Sunlings in particular are cursed by being harmed by the sun, the very thing that would normally give them power. Oro is also something called an Origin, meaning he has powers from the other fantasy races, though the primary one we see him use besides his own power is the Skyling ability to fly. Between being harmed by sunlight, the implied nocturnal existence that comes with that, and his ability to fly, Ren and I decided he was basically a vampire. And I was like, "We need to pick a dorky vampire to represent him. I know! He should look like Alucard! Not sexy new Castlevania animation Alucard but like what Alucard looks like in Captain N: The Game Master!" (For the record, they are technically the same character. Alucard in Captain N is the same Alucard from the Castlevania series. But the character designs in Captain N: The Game Master are...questionable.)

And that led to this:

Take it in. It is a thing of cracktastic beauty. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present. What else can I say but Ren has done it again.

[real-british-empire]

Hello! Requesting an info dump.

Can you give me a general overview of the setting for age of sigmaur?

Ok, so I’m not the most well versed in this but I’ll try.

We need to start in the old world aka the warhammer fantasy.

So you have the skaven who are evil rats who worship the great horned rat and use warp stone for almost everything from machines to making flesh abominations.

One day they decide to take over the world because they hate everyone (and probably for other reasons), and this is called vermintide.

During vermintide they blow up the moon and everything goes to shit and the world ends.

After all this the realms sort of reform I guess (I don’t know anything about the forming on the realms) but some powerful figures survive the old world and go on to shape the world I think (these include Sigmar and Nagash who became gods as well as arkhan the black who went on to be one of nagash’s mortarchs)

From here the realms were formed with their different realmstones, of which there are:

Shysh, realm of death with its gravesand.

Azyr, realm of heavens with its celestium

Hysh, realm of light with its aetherstone

Ulgu, realm of shadows with its falsestone

Ghur, realm of beasts with its amberstone

Aqshy, realm of fire with its emberstone

Chamon, realm of metal with its chamonite

Ghyran, realm of life with its cyclestone

Connecting all of these are realmgates which are scattered across the lands and connect from one realm to another. There are some special realmgates, known as all-gates, to a place called the eightpoints, which has its own realmstone called varanite.

There is also the realms of chaos which I don’t understand too much which has warpstone.

Each realm has unique properties and things such as the nadir of Shysh (result of Nagash fucking around and finding out) and some interact with others.

There’s also the aetheric void which I am only aware of.

I’ll also explain the gist of all of the armies.

Stormcast externals are the poster boys of AoS (age of Sigmar) and are the personal enforcers of Sigmars will, made from the souls of fallen champions and lightning.

Cities of Sigmar is just the generic boring people.

Lumineth are stupid fucking high aelves.

Idoneth deepkin are an interesting lot though. Tormented by slaanesh, they hid in the oceans and stole souls from beneath nagash (god of death)‘s nose to keep themselves alive until the skaven drained all the water from where they were hiding and Nagash found out where all those souls went (he was not happy)

Syvaneth are wood aelves.

Seraphon are an ancient race of lizardfolk and frog dudes who are theorised to have created the realmgates but are a fraction of their former glory.

Fyreslayers are fire dwarves

Kharadon overlords are dwarves who discovered a very floaty gas and are now airborne.

Daughters of Khaine are murder aelves and medusae.

These are all in one big alliance and are the order factions.

Then there’s the death factions which are very fun.

Soulblight gravelords are generic vampires and also general undead with zombies and skeletons. ( most boring one). They also have the mortarchs of night and blood.

The flesheater courts are a group of nobles led by Ushoran who loves Nagash and caused his noble followers and their knight and serfs to go become delusional and view the world as though they are being very good people while devouring a family of 4. Many kill themselves if they are freed from their curse of delusion. Ushoran is the mortarch of delusion.

Then there’s the nighthaunt who are an army of ghosts with cruel punishments, such as blinded assassins who will never know who they kill, or the souls of the drowned, stuck in their last moments of flailing forever as they madly swing their swords. They are led by Lady Olynder, mortarch of grief.

Finally for death, the ossiarch bonereapers (my army). Using sorceries to shape bones and the ideal parts of souls (eg, a knights swordsmanship) trapped in gems made of Grave sand from their home realm of Shysh Nagash forged the ossiarch legions. During the peacetime when the pantheon of gods (Sigmar, Nagash, Khaine and others) were all chill, Nagash built cities for his allies, but underneath were vaults containing sealed legions of the ossiarchs to be deployed should they turn on Nagash. Their weapons are forged from nadirite, a material found around the Nadir that Nagash made on accident while trying to do something, I forgot what exactly but that also created endless spells and some other shit, anyways, nadirite can sap the soul of its victims as it strikes making it a very powerful weapon. Anyways, Sigmar was a bitch and turned on Nagash and started stealing his souls for his stormcast bitches so Nagash unleashed the ossiarchs, and their leaders, Arkhan the black, mortarch of sacrament, and katakros, mortarch of the necropolis. Katakros served Nagash in life and his soul continued after death. His will was so powerful, Sigmar had to seal him in a vault to keep him from wreaking havoc with his amazing skill and intellect (yes I’m hyping him up he’s cool), and he was then saved by Lady Olynder. He’s considered a demigod of war tho he’s cool af. Anyways, Nagash unleashed his prized creations upon the world who quickly started expanding due to coming up from within cities, however not everyone got the wake-up call so sometimes the legions have to be freed. Anyways, they posses tactics that are unusual for the dead, such as letting settler groups build a settlement in their territory before using it as essentially a bone farm and forcing a tithe upon all occupied settlements and bordering regions. These are used to make more and more ossiarchs. Also, the bone they’re made from are very important, as during the age of beasts (previous period of time) the beasts of Ghur were powered up by realmstone in their bones which caused some legions to go mad and become violent and dangerous due to their more durable bones, but the ivory host (legion) figured out how to stop it. That’s all for the ossiarchs, they’re my favorite c:

Next we have the destruction armies who all worship an aspect of Gorkamorka (sometimes 2 separate entities of Gork and Mork which may be familiar for 40K fans).

The Gloomspite gitz worship the Bad Moon, a moon of which it is said gorkamorka took a bite out of (stories vary due to goblin shit) which retains some of its power. It’s presence empowers the gitz to a fiendish frenzy and causes them to go into a git WAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH (a form of war waged by gitz, orks and orruks where they’re whipped up into a frenzy) where instead of becomeing violent maniacs they begin spiteful tricks and ploys. There’s also the spider fangs and spider god but I don’t know too much about that. They’re also always tripping their minds out on shrooms, and don’t ask what the loonking’a staff does, trust me, it’s fucked up.

Then there’s the orruk warclans. I don’t know them well.

Then there’s the ogor mawtribes which you may recognise from old world/fantasy. They worship the great maw which I can’t remember the origin but is thought to be Gorkamorka related. They show support by eating as much as possible and getting fat as well as making sacrifices of food to the great maw. The ogors hunger makes them violent and brutish but also considerably fast. Ask my friend @ogor-tyrant if you want to know more.

Then there’s the sons of Behemat. I don’t know anything about them either aside from that they’re mercenaries and also giants.

Finally, we have chaos. I’ll only really cover skaven because the others are already explained enough but I’ll give a brief overview. Even then I don’t know much about skaven.

Blades of Khorne are worshippers of Khorne, the god of blood, war and skulls. They REALLY hate sorcery. Their number is 8

Disciples of Tzeench, worship Tzeench, god of trickery and magic and definitely the smartest of the gods who totally knew what they were doing when they chucked one of their best servants into a giant magic hole and totally won’t turn you into a chaos spawn for funsies. They REALLY love sorceries. Their number is 9

Maggotkin of nurgle, worship nurgle, god of plagues and disease, very chill guys actually (except festus, stay away from festus). Their magic is magical plagues. Their number is 7

Hedonites of slaanesh, worship Slaanesh, horiest god and god of excess. I really fucking hate Slaanesh, fucking bitch. Not even gonna say the number cuz I fucking hate them so much (/silly)

Skaven, worshipers of the great horned rats. They snort their realmstone (warpstone) and are the most advanced race aside from the dwarves using warpstone for everything. They have their own unique way of speak-talk (example) and are very silly guys whose abilities regularly involve killing themselves for more buffs. Best number of any chaos god with 13 (chaos god’s numbers are used for things like aura effects as well as other silly things like lore so bigger number is better but it’s like how 666 is the devils number or something I’m not religious). They’re split into clans, the general masterclan (basic and generic), clan Eshin which is sneaky assassins, clan skyre who make the mechanical machinery, clan moldur who makes the flesh abominations, clan verminus who are the war wagers and very violent and clan pestilens who like to be nasty and spread plagues (good friends of nurgle).

There’s also slaves to darkness. They’re the neutral chaos faction. No number because they’re neutral.

Beast men are going to cease to exist and I don’t know anything about them but rip to the beast men players

That’s all I can really remember, I may have misremembered in some areas and I’m not the most well versed in the lore of factions my friends don’t play. Thanks for the opportunity to infodump!!!

If anyone else reading this has any corrections feel free to mention them and I’ll rectify them.

[gorekissed]

[  .⠀.⠀.  ] ❛ so...  maybe,  just  maybe,  I  planned  for  us  to  have  a  romantic  trip  overseas  ❜ , @thstrongest   said.

❛ Really?! ❜ Sayuri’s eyes lit up with excitement, a sudden spark of almost childlike joy dancing within them — far from the cold aloofness and controlled demeanor she typically presented to the world. She almost looked younger, the harsh lines etched by experience softening, the shadow of wariness that usually clung to her features and darkened the expression in her eyes receding, all thanks to the image her beloved’s words conjured in her mind: a carefree getaway, a plunge into foreign cultures and views so immaculate she had never, even in her wildest dreams, imagined she might one day get to experience them. 

Leaning forward with a smile so bright it seemed to dare the sun to compete, Sayuri’s eyes flitted quickly over Satoru’s features — a blink-and-you'll-miss-it assessment to gauge the seriousness of his words (after all, she could never be too sure around him). She was convinced, after all, that he wasn’t suicidal — given the high probability that she would end up trying to smother him with a pillow in his sleep should she discover he was actually just pulling an enormous prank on her, that was vitally important. 

❛ Where will we be going?! Wait, wait — let me guess! ❜ Her inner playfulness was on full display as she raised a finger to her chin, tapping it in contemplation as her face continued to gleam. Her thoughts drifted off to far-away places, to locations rich in extraordinary food, luxurious clothing and breathtaking sights so strikingly different from the familiar landscape of her hometown that she was sure it would make her heart swoon.

❛ Paris! We’ll have real romantic dinners under the stars every night, and I’ll dramatically pretend I’m in a perfume commercial every time the wind blows through my hair, ❜ she began, her voice trailing an octave higher than usual due to her sheer, bubbling excitement. However, she quickly discarded this thought, another, even more appealing vision already taking its place. ❛ No, no. We’ll be going to the Maldives, and spend our entire time sun-basking on the beach, right? I'll wear a different designer bikini every single day, and you’ll feed me grapes while I sunbathe like a goddess. ❜ Another moment passed — another idea taking hold. ❛ Or we’re going full fantasy — Lapland! I want to see the Northern Lights while wrapped in cashmere and sipping hot cocoa. And I’ll push you into the snow if you annoy me. You’ll get to cuddle me a lot, because I’ll be cold. ❜

She continued on and on like this, possibilities over possibilities drawn out before them. ❛ Or Seoul! Shopping, street food, maybe a K-drama kiss scene reenactment or two — except better, because it’s us and I’m hotter. ❜ Or maybe... ❛ Bali? We'll find one of those villas in the jungle with an outdoor shower, and you’ll carry me across a bamboo bridge because I’ll definitely refuse to walk it in heels. ❜ The list went on, each destination vibrant, alluring, and more pricey than the prior, until she eventually ran out of places she knew — and out of breath, thanks to the sheer barrage of words that had overcome her and the way her heart was racing in anticipation.  

This childlike glee was unlike everything she usually displayed — it seemed to serve as an unexpected insight into her innermost self, the part of herself that hadn’t been completely extinguished and overthrown by the harshness of the world and the unfortunate circumstances that had dictated most of her life. It almost conveyed an image of what had once been — of a girl, innocent and jaunty, with something akin to hope shimmering in her eyes and a genuine smile gracing her lips, seeing the world as a place that promised more, full of opportunities and joys instead of bitterness and hardship. She was definitely deserving of a little self-indulgence, or at least so she was convinced — after everything life had thrown at her, it seemed to be about damn time that she got to experience some lovey-dovey sweetness, a taste of a happiness so profound and real, something she had always deemed out of her reach.

[mermaidsirennikita]

What’s your opinion on the kind of pop, anachronistic period drama trend?

It’s obviously not new (e.g. Coppola’s Marie Antoinette), but I feel like, post Bridgerton, nearly every new period or costume drama series has a contemporary soundtrack and heavy-handed anachronisms (dialogue, behavior, etc.).

In the past few months, there’s been The Buccaneers and My Lady Jane, with uber spunky, plucky heroines and imo both shows feel so dated and banal now, very 2010s feminism. Like I can’t believe Apple TV adapted Edith Wharton and had her characters twerking at a ball?

I do like it in some cases—The Great works for me in a way My Lady Jane hasn’t, despite both being comedies. And I do like that all the aforementioned shows have done diverse casting. I like that The Great does “color-blind” casting like in theater; I appreciate Bridgerton’s “post-racism” alt-history approach much less. Weirdly, The Buccaneers kind of straddles both, acknowledging race and racism but also not making a big deal of it—why mention it at all then?

I’d love to see a Joe Wright-esque period drama with actors of color and some thoughtful anachronisms (like how Elizabeth wears her hair down), but an original score instead of Olivia Rodrigo. I guess there’s Sandition and Tom Jones, but PBS is so low budget compared to the streamers.

I love it! The majority of the shows (and movies) that have done it I enjoy. Honestly, I wouldn't say that the current trend has much to do with Sofia's Marie Antoinette because it's been so long and because, while I enjoy that movie for what it is, it is very... aesthetic without a lot of interest in the characters and personality. Sofia had very little to say, besides "Marie Antoinette normal teenage girl hence the contemporary references" which even back then was little... Yeah girl. We know?

Whereas I feel these works are often very heavy on referential dialogue, wacky characters, etc.

You could say that something like The Tudors is influential because it presented itself as very modern in its marketing, it didn't truly care about *looking* period (I'd say that My Lady Jane looks more period out of context at points)... But it didn't actively say "I don't give a fuck, we are consciously folding the 21st century in". Which is what makes things different now.

Honestly, to me the clear predecessor to the big trend now is Reign. And I'm not saying that's because the show was this massive hit (it wasn't lol), obviously. But you don't have to be a massive hit to forecast a trend. You just have to be seen by the right people, who may not even like your show! They just like your concept enough to pick from it. Reign incorporated the instrumental covers of modern songs first, Reign didn't give a fuck about period-accurate costumes at ALL (and often compensated by pulling from designers like Alexander McQueen), Reign snarked about history while gleefully doing its own thing.

I disagree with you quite a bit on My Lady Jane. I don't personally find the feminism of the show very OTT--while Jane wants to be an independent and free spirit and not get confined to a specific role, that's really pretty typical for young historical and fantasy heroines. She has to have SOMETHING to fight against. The show has zero issue with creating female characters who are pretty fucked and dimensional, which I think is one of the first signs that a series isn't straw feminist. Mary is a fucking LUNATIC and a horrible person, and though the show makes it clear that most of this really is because of the abuse she suffered at her father's hands, it doesn't excuse her behavior. Jane's mom is delightfully self-centered and avaricious... and she also cares for her daughters, though she's still happy to sacrifice them. And she gets a fun little... semi-romance? He's in love and she likes to fuck, I guess? ADORED her, and it's a really unique role for a middle-aged female character. This is also really the show I've seen present Elizabeth I in the least YOU GO GIRL kind of way. She hasn't had a ton of limelight just yet, but as of now she's kind of... just a girl.

The Buccaneers is very boring and largely about female suffering in the guise of feminism, but I find it sits more on the Bridgerton end of things, in which it dips its toes in anachronism (heavily) without wanting to really get into the fun of it. It's a hook, but it's not something the show really has a lot of wholehearted joy in it, which I found Reign did, as well as The Great, and to a much lesser extent The Serpent Queen. Plus something like Rosaline, a movie that really gets overlooked but has a lot, tonally, in common with My Lady Jane (if not in terms of fantasy).

To me, I like the full-hearted, balls to the wall swing nine times out of ten. I want the contemporary music, and a lot of the time, I'd prefer it to be the actual track itself versus a strings version at this point. I want the snark, I want the asides, I want the good time. The Great has PROBABLY done it best for me at this point. And I will say, to me the music is a big part of it? So an original score without any more modern music wouldn't work for me here. I also don't really need it to be a Joe Wright-esque vibe; if I want that vibe, I would often prefer full sweeping romance.

[cctinsleybaxter]

2023 in Books

I need to stop bragging that I’ve got this reading thing all figured out, because man if 2023 wasn’t a year of terrible books. I liked less than half of the 37 I read and nothing quite gripped me in the way it has in years past… but to put it more optimistically I liked a full third of what I read, and the ones I liked best were a fascinating and unexpected silver lining. Without further ado:

Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, trans. Brian Hooker

Tell this all to the world- and then to me. Say very softly that… she loves you not.

I read a couple of plays this year for the first time since college and liked them fine, but there’s a reason this has been adapted five million times. Everyone go watch Megamind right now.

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

Of all the found footage-inspired horror fiction I’ve read this one makes the best case for existing in its chosen medium, as a 70s UK folk rock band are interviewed about the summer they spent recording what would become their final album [thunder crashes.] It reminded me of a Tana French mystery in its language and ability to make space feel lived-in; the character writing is so strong I realized that at some point I had stopped checking the interview headings to know who was speaking. Hand unfortunately distrusts her audience to read between the lines at a few crucial moments (and ruins what would have been a perfect ending and a deeply affecting scare by gilding the lily, or, in this case, photograph), but I love that she went from seemingly by-the-numbers American YA fiction to a meticulously-researched and truly unique horror novella. Puts other writers working in the genre to shame.

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

Reminiscent of the best kind of TCM suspense thriller (and was adapted into one), but could only exist as a book for the kind of narrative tactics it employs. Levin is brilliant at setting and character; I think any one of his contemporaries would have leaned into archetypes for this sort of story, and he instead distinguishes his proper nouns in subtle, clever ways that lend them the weight a noir needs. Can’t wait to read more of his stuff!

All the Names They Used for God by Anjali Sachdeva

I’d like to know why this anthology got hit with what a friend has termed a pottery barn throw pillow cover + a ‘the tiny things we know to be small’ title, because the eponymous story isn’t even called that! It’s just The Names They Used for God, and is, appropriately, about two women kidnapped by a religious extremist group. High risk-high reward; I think taken at their base premise the stories could have been insufferable and are instead strange, compelling, and fantastical. There’s a methodicalness and, I don't know, lack of whimsy? to them that’s unusual for fantasy, but also an absence of any one goal or moral in the way Le Guin speaks so highly of. It made me feel the way I did reading and adoring Kelly Link in middle school, and Sachdeva has a much different style that I guess works all the better on adults. My favorite was Robert Greenman and the Mermaid.

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Lauren Hillenbrand

Someone recommended this to me via Tumblr anon over five years ago, so let me start by saying if that was you I’d like to thank you properly! This book rules! It was written in ‘99 so falls prey to a very specific kind of jingoism, but the mechanics of that are interesting in and of themself. Seabiscuit the animal is a lens through which to view turn-of-the-20th-century America written from the precipice of the 21st; his story told through the expertly-researched biographies of his owner, trainer, and jockey. Hillenbrand is not only a good pop nonfiction historian, but has been a sports writer since the 80s and I never imagined the genre could be so thrilling as I did reading her work. Horse racing is insane and no one should be riding these things btw.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

It was one of the great livery-stableman’s most masterly intuitions to have discovered that Americans want to get away from amusement even more quickly than they want to get to it.

Wharton came from old money New York*, was deeply disillusioned with it and pined for rational (i.e., even more insane) social and political scenes, had myriad thoughts about women and gender relations, and held a love for interior design. I learned all of this after reading but it’s apparent on every page; deeply funny and perceptive, fantastic use of language, the moments where it lost me completely nothing if not interesting. What sticks with me the most are a flair for the operatic and an ability to voice both the feeling and consequences of losing oneself to imagined scenarios. Read the pink parasol scene.

*Ancient Money New York; the saying ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ is apocryphally attributed to her father’s side of the family

Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl by Jonathan S. Slaght

We’d return to our camp to huddle in the freezing tent and wait for our owls in silence, like suitors agonizing over a phone that never rings.

One of the better pieces of science writing I’ve read in a long time, as Slaght frames rural communities as a quintessential part of ecology rather than a barrier to it. His style is amiable and matter-of-fact (sometimes overly so; the amount of metric GIS directions, help), but he's super engaging and clearly holds just as much compassion for people and history as he does animals and natural landscapes. The Blakiston’s fish owls he’s studying are described as unreal, with hoots so low and quiet it sounds like someone has thrown them under a blanket. You can listen to them here.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Took my breath away and surprised me in a way a book hasn’t in years. I'd read Clarke’s 2004 novel when I was maybe fourteen and had vaguely positive but mostly neutral memories of it, and Piranesi being sci-fi-fantasy that came recommended by Tiktok had me very dubious. I ended up devouring it in the way I haven’t read books since I was fourteen; more of a mystery than the suspected high fantasy, with characters I would do disservice to in trying to describe in brief. While the mystery isn’t difficult to ��solve’ (I’d argue the book also skews young!), the story ends in a way that’s both deeply unexpected and in the only way it could have.

Honorable mentions

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, trans. Peter Washington

[Jigsaw voice] Every man has a devouring passion in his heart as every fruit has its worm.

I spent so much time running my mouth about this one on Tumblr there’s really not much left to say. I think it’s a work of genius that was physically exhausting to read, and I’m sticking it with the honorable mentions mostly because I remember The Three Musketeers being the better book. If you want to read Dumas- and you should- start with that one.

Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

I would’ve liked this more had I read it in my late teens/early 20s, but I still think it’s pretty good and would absolutely recommend to anyone in that age bracket. Things that normally annoy me about philosophical first-person lit fic didn’t matter under the weight of Jon’s narratorial voice. He reminded me a little of Lynda Barry’s Maybonne in his understanding and depictions of community and family; his stream of consciousness letting contradictions sit rather than trying to explain them away (Whitehead also makes sex very prosaic and pretty-sounding while still being frank and gross about it, which is a rare talent!)

The Seeds of Life: From Aristotle to da Vinci, from Sharks' Teeth to Frogs' Pants, the Long and Strange Quest to Discover Where Babies Come From by Edward Dolnik

This one fell in the rankings because the writing isn’t my favorite (think early days Vulture article rather than NYT), but I cannot stop referencing it in conversation. I want to read the whole thing to people and make them understand how truly unfathomable it is not only that every one of us is the product of 1 sperm and 1 egg, but that anyone ever figured out how that process works. When Western Europeans first started using microscopes they studied water; there were gross little bugs in there to watch and enjoy, so when semen was revealed to have its own bugs no one was shocked, but they also weren’t impressed. We would not see one enter an egg until EIGHTEEN SEVENTY-FIVE.  

Killer Dolphin by Ngaio Marsh

The Malaise of First Night Nerves had gripped Peregrine, not tragically and aesthetically by the throat but, as is its habit, shamefully in the guts.

Has made it into my top 5 favorite Inspector Alleyn mysteries. I’m not keen on Marsh’s theater settings (and there are a LOT of them), but a convoluted setup made this one all the more rewarding. The final revelation as to a point of blackmail is visceral and bizarre in a way I haven’t seen from her before.

The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon

We all have dirty hands; we are all soiling them in the swamps of our country and in the terrifying emptiness of our brains. Every onlooker is either a coward or a traitor.

Best read in conversation with other writers, I wouldn’t recommend Fanon as the end-all-be-all introduction to communist and socialist thinking (the fact that he inadvertently describes what was going wrong with the USSR at time of writing is fascinating), but he explicitly invites that conversation and the value and impact of his work really can’t be overstated. Our points of disagreement tend to be in regard to nationalism, not his condonation of violence.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Fascinating to see how Austen was thinking about relationships near the end of her short life. I laughed to see the idea of preferring your brother-in-law’s family to your own was back in full force from my own favorite Emma, as well as an eleventh-hour ‘maybe I should ship the villains??’ My biggest issue is that, like Emma, Persuasion is written in third person limited narration, but Anne is fundamentally Good™ so doesn’t need to learn anything about herself or the world; critic Bob Irvine points out that she and her dashing, misogynistic sailor are beset rather than changed by it. That said I love a people being beset by people (concussed temptresses) places (Bath) and things (cars), and Austen's writing style is really firing on all cylinders here.

[quailxcrossing]

hello again!! if only tumblr let you answer asks twice

✨ - What makes your OCs heart race? Is it fear or love or something deeper?  you picked two guys who their hearts are constantly racing, constantly on the brink of getting sick from stress or so happy they could cry, REALLY good selection for these two.

RUSEEE MY BELOVED i think...i will go with something happy for her. i need to see her awkward little smile she's got plenty of things that set off her alarms but she deserves some joy too what gets her heart racing the most in a way she enjoys is dancing :3 she wuvvs music she loves concerts she loves music so loud it makes her head hurt and ears ring and she can feel the bass through every inch of her body. its a full sensory experience for her she cannot get enough of, it thrills her and panics her juuuust enough where she feels so vulnerable yet completely safe in a concert or venue environment. she never really had the chance to experience this before, she never did things that were just fun for the sake of being fun!

she was pretty terrified before going. the first time Cradle and Twilight convinced her to come to a show with them, perhaps they seemed a bit too concerned the loud noises would frighten her. they just wanted her to get out of the house and experience something new, and they figured if she was uncomfortable they'd get her out of there asap- and they were sO lucky it worked. now concerts and dancing is like her favorite thing. she loves dressing up all nice...she loves the fun fruity drinks they serve, she loves how its kinda scary but doesn't feel Dangerous. that is important to her

and she just stands there like 😐 while her brain and heart are going ⭐‼️🚨☀️🩵🌈💃🎶🪩

her eye sparkle is so big

Maiceo (hii maiceo) i think ill do something negative but also positive but most negative okay so you know that post thats like

this is maiceo but not just growing up, this is maiceo forever

and like unfortunately being Found Out of just like being a person with quirks and inconsistencies and homosexual tendencies could be really bad for them ! i really think the job of a Hierophant in Tuesday is fucked up, every Hierophant I write is bizarrely fucked up and isolated. one of them is so isolated to his work that he forgot his given name and just goes by Hierophant. Maiceo at least youre not at that point yet.

so yes. maiceo's poor little heart. it goes crazy whenever Maiceo gets a moment to see their best friend Georgiana, who at first they tried to veil their relationship as perfectly normal business acquaintances as Georgiana worked for the King and Maiceo also technically works for the King so hey if we see each other sometimes, that's okay, right?? but Maiceo's heart is beating too loudly. it's beating so loudly they know everyone around them can hear it and they know Georgiana is different than being a best friend. maiceo hates themself for even indulging any fantasy for even a second and putting themselves in danger of losing their position (you do noT just leave your card-given position) ohhh quite a tricky little situation you're in maiceo because you cannot make yourself stop caring despite how badly you want to. youre always afraid of being found out, just your whole self, i guess

[trans-soapberry]

the thingw the orcs in dunmeshi is sth i skirt around bc like u said it is. not a great modern take on orcs. obv not the worst it could be and kui at least did engage w trying to write a more involved lore on them rather than just having this be the same “orcs are big uncivilized brutes” version 8000000 but that element is still there. and i do think “its not the worst” is hardly what i would want to set my highest expectations to jdhdgksgd

tumblrs being a bitch n not letting me put images in so I'll just paste the text from the other ask

Nodding. ty for the info on the ways halfling racism can be compared to irl examples in “the middle east” like that rly is such a close comparison i wonder if it was at all intentional… AND FR on the whole . wishing we knew what they called themselves bc the “halfling” “half foot” thing i rly cant help but think abt how it feels like irl examples of certain groups being denigrated to category slurs its like. LOL. dunmeshi makinh me feel party to fictional racism and microaggressions against my will...

Idk Abt skirting around bc I think it's smthn we should face head on, but at the same time I'm not in a place where I can really add onto the discussion wrt orcs as a white/East Asian person. IIRC ppl have said tolkiens orcs are black and/or central Asian (Mongolian I believe) coded, which is meaningful cause he's influenced so much of modern fantasy, and thats. Y'know. Not great. Also the orcs in dungeon Meshi are essentially an indigenous group from what I remember so that's also a whole mess. Again, my opinions arent very meaningful when it comes to this, but I feel like it's incredibly disappointing to see an author who's clearly capable of nuanced and interesting commentary on racism in the context of real life and fiction (even if it's not always great it's clear she's thinking about it in some depth) really just. Fall back on tropes. Bc for the other races - human is a wider category than usual, tall men aren't always the Everyman, elves are long lived but that doesn't make them wiser, and halflings are mature, worldly and resourceful, which I feel like does a lot to break free of typical fantasy pigeon holeing. But the orcs are just sorta... The Bad Guy but Not That Bad I guess? Theoretically it's a departure from the "super evil forever no exceptions" idea of the but it's still so far behind what needs to be done to make it less of a lazy, racist trope.

Yeah, again I'm not west Asian or Arab like I said, but between reading stuff ppl online write n talking to my Iraqi friend + rereading dungeon Meshi and really trying to analyze it, it kinda stood out to me. I will say I was a little unconfident posting about it bc it's 3 things (4 if you count the name note) but theyre still really notable at least to me. The hand/foot cutting is I feel the most explicit? Because that's such a fucked up stereotype it just stands out immediately. I don't necessarily know if the half foot/middle east connection was intentional, because I assume Japan/Asia in general has a different relationship with West Asia (since they are the "far east" in comparison, so "Middle East" wouldnt really make sense?), but it could be one of those things that colonialism managed to spread. I'm not very knowledgeable about that, but even if it wasn't intentional I think it's a very interesting parallel in how language can be used to categorize people as "normal/other". So i can't say if its intentional or not, but it's definitely an interesting lens to consider the story thru. Id also say I believe halflings are said to be native to a place that's east from where the story takes place, but not the eastern continent (which is p much easy Asia). I've seen some ppl take this to mean eastern Europe, and I don't think that's wrong, but I think u could also think of it as west Asia? Idk if we ever got much info on it in story, so I might be missing some details. (Honestly I'd personally HC that halflings are generally mixed Eastern European/West Asian- not to conflate the two, but rather Im imaging the majority of them are in a kinda blended culture).

[sarahtheconjurer]

@ghosttmachine tagged me in a get to know you meme thing (tyyy!!)! So. Here i am posting for oncce lez goooo

Last song:

Technical answer is post traumatic blues by corey taylor, bc ive been using the spotify dj thing and it keeps giving me metal that i o ly kinda like. The funner answer was rhe barbie movie ost since me and my friends literally just got back from it n my friend mariana had me play it in the car. Not rlly my thing was catchy (barbie movie was good btw! Posts abt it being like. Not the deepest critique of social issues and the like are correct but it was a fun time w a lot of heart + rlly great production value + honestly. Very funny. And i watched it w two of my best friends so :})

Currently reading:

For books:

When the Angels Left the Old Country

I haven't touched it in a hot sec, but its a queer, historical fantasy ya book based in jewish folklorex about an angel and a demon that leave europe, after a girl goes missing from the village they've set up shop in. It's very light and whimsical which is not my usual fare, but I'm enjoying it! Its very heartfelt and the two main leads have very good chemistry. And its always cool to see angel/demon lore outside the usual christian sphere.

For manga: steel ball run (part 7 of jojos bizarre adventure) its. A story about a cross continental horse race to find the body parts of jesus. Which is the most coherent way i can put it. Im rereading it w two of my friends rn and im enjoying it! It isnt my favorite part, but its up there, and features some of the best stuff in the series. This is. Also a story featuring a pair of ride or die protagonists with a very strong dynamic and chemistry (honestly, best 'set' of protags in the series) and so much comes from their bond. Its at the point in the series where it started getting a monthly release and it shows, w some rlly gorgeous art. Gyro and Diego are highlights artwise because the former doesnt have a stand he just. Has these steel balls he spins and throws around, so you get very dynamic shots of him just. Chucking them that the author uses in super creative ways to lead the eye and compose panels and the latter. Can turn himself and other things into dinosaurs. Have you ever seen a dinosaur ride a horse? Its fucking sick. It also has some interesting themes of american imperialism and christianity, of all things, which i think are done, well in some respects, esp given the authors track record. IT ALSO HAS SOME OF THE WORST STUFF IN THE SERIES THAT MAKES ME WANT TO KILL HIM W HAMMERS.

Currently watching:

Nothing in particular, but ive got a p big to watch list (Trigun, mob psycho, etc) and i just watched the barbie movie, like i said.

Current obsession:

Guess. Take a guess.

Jfc jojos bizarre adventure is holding me at gunpoint. Its not good its not bad (besides when it is) it its own tier of media. I forgot how much 15 year old me was obsessed w it and so i foolishly rewatched it thinking id be. Normal. I was wrong. God. I've never seen anything like it! It's so clearly a passion project from someone who's very eccentric and so it goes from absurd and stupid and comedic to circling right back to being very human and poignant. Like, it's about love! And familial trauma! And prevailing in the face of great tragedy! And also killing the president because jesus told you so! It's got a myriad of flaws from technical writing issues to genuinely tasteless/bigoted content, so its not some untouchable media, but ive been enjoying it a lot.

Part 5 and 8 are my favorites for very different reasons.

Part 5, Golden Wind, is abt a bunch of weird mobsters on a roadtrip through italy to kill their boss. It has a very charming supporting cast who are a sort of found family of societal rejects, brought together by this guy named Bruno who acts as a leader + mentor + sort of dad? To them. They're all surprisingly fleshed out characters, esp for this early on in the series, and their group dynamic, combined w some of the best fights in the entire show, really sell this part. The main character and main villain are. Not good. Sans a few aspects. Tho. Like i forget giorno is there half the time. (Giorno is my beloved stale cracker of a character but hes MY stale cracke, tho)

Part 8, Jojolion, is uh. Hm. It follows this amnesiac dude who wakes up in the dirt, as he tries to piece together the person he was. It's set in an au version of the town from part 4, w some characters being spins on old ones. Its the most recent part, and it shows. Its a lot better structured, paced, and developed compared to earlier parts. The mystery running through it has a lot of fun twists and turns, the themes are coherent, and the pace is slow, but not meandering. The supporting cast is fun (the lead's romantic interest is an actually decent jojo woman and they have a very cute relationship, and the family the main character is sort of adopted into are all fucking insane) but the real draw for me was the main character. Josuke (the second. Theres another josuke from an alternate universe in part 4, anyway) is probably my favorite jojo. I could go on about him, but compared to the others, he feels the most real? Theres this very grounded sense of frustration abt him as he tries and fails to piece together who he is, while everyone around him seems to have somethimg they need from him, or an idea of who he SHOULD be. He isnt a hero, he isnt even all that noble, hes just trying to find himself and if anyone out there loves him. He's blunt, one track minded, and is doing the jojo equivalent of spamming x to skip through all the dialogue bc hes not here for anyones shit beside his own. Jojolion somehow captures the feeling of being a weird, displaced pseudo adult trying to piece yourself together, while everything Keeps Fucking Happening. I love it so much. But by god does the ending suck hoooooly shit oh my god dude jesus christ. Fucking. I hate tohru i hate tohru i hate tohru fjcjendnxzlzm. Anyway jobin sweep

OTHER OBSESSIONS INCLUDE OCS AND DND.

Im currently running a csm tabletop n curse of strahd game, and am in a ravenloft game. They're all very different but i love them all.

Ravenloft game is a sort of sequel to the curse of strahd game i was in a while bsck

I play pageturn (kenku paladin) and coda (changeling flavored as fallen angel, bard). Ones a 13 year old w a kill drive going through a double crisis of faith while somehow being the heart of the group and the others a shapeshifting corrupted celestial, whos trying to find themself. we are currently exploring the fomain the latter was imprisoned in and have found the eye of vecna and. I am. Excited and concerned for what our wonderful dm has cooked up.

Chainsaw Man game is a high stakes office drama following the worst group of devil hunters youve ever seen. Its more episodic and light than my other games which is a nice change of pace, and i rlly like the energy our group brings to the table. I am always horrified and surprised by whatever new government supplied human rights violation they commit next! Every character is uniquely sad, while still maintaining the token csm dark comedy abt them. We are currently revisiting a mystery allll the way back from our first session and im stoked for some stuff i have planned.

Sippy Crew (curse of strahd game) is drawing to a close and ahh i could make a whole post abt how much these guys mean to me. Its been a joy dming for this group of freaks and watching as they come together not into a found family, but a group of distinctly doomed, but fiercely loyal individuals. They've had two pc deaths, even more close calls, and have lost so much, but they're pushing through like dandelions in concrete. Its genuinely the most emotionally invested ive been in a ttrpg, and am so excited, to see their journey come to a close, and will miss them dearly.

Both jojo and ttrrpgs have been a way to reconnect with friends i dont usually talk to as much, and strengthen the bonds of the friends that i do, which is why theyve hit so hard, haha.

anwyaY this turned out way longer than it needed to be bUt.

@turtleslothart @500sunstone you. Do this.

[edgy-ella]

Ok I’ve been seeing this post make the rounds and I wasn’t gonna say anything but now I’ve been pinged so my hand is forced.

I’m sorry but I think this theory is kinda stupid. While we tend to associate the word with furries, “anthro” means human…so you’re saying he’s a human human. Like, I guess I get it, but…it’s just kind of stupid in my opinion.

The smoking gun disproving that Eggman is meant to be “different” is Sonic 06, which aimed to have a semi-realistic (but still anime influenced) art style in the vein of games like Final Fantasy X, particularly with its humans. This included Eggman too, and he was redesigned to fit this new art style. If Eggman was ever intended to truly be “different” compared to the other humans in the series, he wouldn’t have changed art styles here.

Eggman still looks weird here next to everyone else, but that’s more so because of his stylized outfit and mustache than his body proportions.

The reason no other humans show up in some other games (particularly the classic games) is because humans tend to stay on the larger continents of the sonic world while furries/Mobians tend to stay on the islands that the classic games take place on. This was confirmed in TailsTube #1. The reason GUN doesn’t show up in either Forces or the IDW comics is because of Sega’s stupid mandates Eggman offscreened GUN prior to the main events of Sonic Forces, as confirmed in TailsTube #2.

Another reason that Eggman tends to be the only human in a lot of games is because of one of the series’ overarching themes. Sonic and Eggman represent environmentalism vs industrialism. Eggman is the human that tears down forests and darkens the sky with smog from his factories for selfish gain. Sonic, a hedgehog, an animal, represents nature fighting back. Having other humans on both sides throws off that dynamic a bit. This is more so true for classic than modern Sonic, but since Sonic Team took a “back to basics” approach throughout most of the 2010s in the aftermath of 06, these themes ended up coming back with a vengeance.

As far as pre-reboot Archie Sonic goes, though, OP is technically right about the whole “human squared” thing…but only because everyone is “human squared” in that continuity. Exclusively in Archie Sonic, an alien race known as the Xorda gene bombed Earth several thousands of years ago, reverting all sentient life back to a primordial slush. Out of that slush emerged Overlanders, “humans” like Eggman and his family, and Mobians, furries like Sonic and friends. So in that series, and only that series, Mobius is a post apocalyptic Earth, and all of the dominant species are some degree of mutated human.

Back to the games though, I think Eggman “standing out” is more a failure on Sonic Team’s part for not having a consistent art style for their humans. Every new game with human NPCs (with the exception of Shadow, which is an evolution of the style in SA2) drastically shakes up the art style for these humans. Compare the low poly anime girls of SA1 to the attempted realism in 06 to the Pixar knockoffs in Unleashed. The problem is that these new humans never seemed to be designed with Eggman in mind, which is why he looks so out of place next to them.

What’s frustrating is that this isn’t that hard to do! Look at other characters drawn by Naoto Oshima and Yuji Uekawa, Sonic’s character designers. Look at Billy Hatcher. Look at NiGHTS. Look at fucking Balan! They fit in with Sonic and Eggman way more than someone like Elise! Billy Hatcher in particular is the one that gets me. Look at him! Look at his giant hands and feet! Look at his weird little bean body! This is a Sonic character!

I get the need for Doylist and Watsonian answers to things in our favorite pieces of media, but like, c’mon. Eggman being an “anthro human?” Sorry not sorry I think that’s stupid

I've had this thought for a while but only just realized I have a tumblr now so I can actually get that thought to reach ppl who'll share my level of madness.

So Sonic yeah? Pretty much the entire main cast are all anthropomorphic animals, excluding Eggman and his family tree. Across adaptations of Sonic, there's not a lot of consistency on what the general population outside of Sonic and the Gang are composed of. In shows like Boom, Prime, and the IDW comics, it's almost entirely animals, and Eggman's the odd one out:

But in other versions, where there are humans, Eggman still sticks out like a sore thumb:

It's also worth noting that in some Sonic games, there are regular, non-anthropomorphic animals in addition to anthropomorphic versions

(Yes, Vector is a crocodile not an alligator, but they're close enough taxonomically to be significant. You can't convince me that the difference between alligators and crocodiles in this universe is that one swims in freshwater and the other has bills to pay)

So here's my theory: there's cartoonish, anthropomorphic versions and realistic, non-anthropomorphic versions of the animals, right? So why wouldn't this extend to humans? After all, they're mammals just like hedgehogs and foxes are. AND THAT'S WHAT EGGMAN IS. He's an anthropomorphic animal like Sonic, it just happens to be that the animal he's based on is a human.

Eggman is an anthropomorphic human. He's human squared.

Thank you

[that-dinopunk-guy]

So, for some weird reason, I've been thinking lately about how the Democratic Republic of Samaraland, the setting of my smash hit worldwide sensation stories The Lek, The Wall, The Hunter/The Prey, The Isani District, and The Beasts of Kulig County, would be a better place to live than the United States of America. And so for this reason, and because I've had Gondolend on my mind lately since I've been considering publishing all the stories together in a paperback anthology, and because as an indie author I crave the validation of people reading my work even though as a depression-haver I also think it's dogshit, I've decided to eat up some time on one of my days off work by listing all the reasons why Samaraland is a better country than America.

First off they have dinosaurs, which is really all that needs to be said. Also armored land crocodiles the size of rhinos.

Unlike many real-world countries with both "democratic" and "republic" in their names, the Democratic Republic of Samaraland is actually a democratic republic.

It's multicultural as fuck, and while yes, it's not without its share of prejudices due to so many different cultures all with their own belief systems rubbing up against each other, none of them are institutional.

It's right on the equator, so it's nice and hot all year round. If you don't like hot weather I guess you could go south and live up in the mountains or something.

Oh yeah they're also bordered to the south by a mountain range that rivals the Himalayas, to the west by a dense jungle that's never been fully explored, to the east by a wall older than recorded human history, and to the north by a river valley so so wide you can't see the other side of it with its own weird self-contained weather system.

Homelessness isn't really a thing there, because Samaraland has a system where housing is provided free of charge by the state, paid for by taxpayer dollars. There's no cutoff point where you get kicked out if you make above a certain amount, and those living in basic housing only need to pay for food and stuff.

There are no billionaires because taxes on the wealthy are actualy enforced.

Socialized healthcare, including mental health.

In general it's pretty much a democratic socialist paradise.

Do you like guns? Good news, you can have all the guns you want, including NFA items like full-auto, SBRs, and suppressors!

Do you hate guns? Good news, since Samaraland doesn't really have much of a "gun culture" like America does, and what it does have isn't nearly as toxic and bigoted as American gun culture.

Despite all the guns, there isn't a lot of gun violence, due to the basic housing system, healthcare, and other social welfare programs ensuring that a lot of factors that drive people into committing crimes here just don't happen.

Due to their history they also just never developed the same kind of reflexive "us vs. a nebulous them" attitude seen in a lot of US gun owners, so most people who do own guns either need them for protection from the local wildlife, or because they just think they're neat, without any expectation (or fantasies) or using them on other people.

Do you hate white supremacists? You fucking better. Well, that's also not a thing in Samaraland! In fact, Samaraland's "native" white people are all descended from refugees who were allowed to settle there hundreds of years ago, with Samaraland's native cultures all being inspired by sub-Saharan Africa (except for the westernmost region of Carcosa, which is more North Africa flavored), so they never had that "superior race" colonial mindset in their history.

It also has a lot of immigrant populations, what with having a very open and welcoming attitude towards foreigners, with a path to citizenship that's way less painful than the US.

They do have cops but they're not like shitty American cops with no consequences for their actions.

Their technological level is about where we were in the mid to late Nineties, so while they have the internet, it isn't the awful enshittified web 2.0 hellscape that we have to deal with here. Monolithic social media platforms aren't a thing there, and because I'm the author and I can say whatever I want and make it canon, they never will be.

In conclusion, this setting is not for conservative fuckheads thank you and goodbye.

[ooglywooglies]

so heres a debate i have with myself about my vampires

theyre not human, they can shapeshift (kind of slowly, over time) for the purposes of blending in with human society, so they can feed, as you do with vampires. they all typically present as female this is kind of a cultural thing for them for the most part (ive decided their gender preference and hunting techniques vary by region due to the regions cultural biases irt gender) so regardless of the purpose of it on an individual level they generally seek to emulate the popular human cultures beauty trends for women, and so yknow i often make them present as white or kind of ambiguous but in the range of what white people think is attractive at the time. xanthe for example is like, ambiguously tan with platinum blonde/white hair, she has a strong stance of pacifism and refuses to hunt at all (its kind of naive and irresponsible, shes generally pretty ignorant about the state of support structures for vampire welfare) but she still conforms to like the concept of feminine appeal A LOT.

i think theres not an inherent tendency towards like a particular racial appearance in general when it comes to vampires like it may depend on their own personal preferences and what works for them. but its sort of. weird. right? like, they arent any particular race, they are choosing on purpose to look like humans of mostly varying appearances but those appearances have consequences, and i dont really know what the full extent of implications are for a vampires decision to look a certain way. like would it make sense for them all to present as white? yeah, it would make i guess just as much sense for them to switch back and forth or just base their appearance off of an actual individual person, or just do what feels right to them. and they do all do all kinds of different things, but they arent really the races they choose to present as.

my icon mars sort of has a wasian presentation actually, its not obvious because asian racial features are hard to show in a cartoony style like mine i envision him looking like a kpop boy or a final fantasy character like just way too smooth yknow. his adoptive mom completely presents as white and blonde, they differ partly because i think life experience has just as much to do with the decision to present a certain way as something ive established that vampires do in lore which is they have an instinct to like, aggressively copy their family members.

like one way you can sort of tell mars is adopted is his eyes have always been red compared to all his sisters who have their moms silver eyes

mars was adopted when he was like a little baby, like he still looked like a weird little bat koala thing at this point

(i have to revise this at some point but you get it) they named him zaven-saneia (its not really his deadname its just his vampire name, those dont have gender i dont even know what his human deadname is) which means red ocean because he always kept his red eyes which he copied from his original parents so like, some of these traits stick around for like sentimental/emotional reasons, so they can sort of become part of someones identity

its just weird because like, theyre not humans, theyre people but theyre not humans and i sort of feel like theres something about this i have to rectify because it gives me kind of an uncomfortable feeling inside but i dont know how to explain it or what it is really. as a poc myself the idea of an alien like choosing to look like a member of my race feels insulting (especially if the goal is to like get men to talk to them so they can kill them), i think it is inherently on some level kind of insulting in a way. i would definitely resent them for it if they were real, and i guess thats a feature of the concept right its not something that can be easily rectified its not necessarily a flaw with the idea its just a part of it maybe.

like idk i think thats why i have yet to let any of them stray to far from whiteness im just not ready to grapple with that yet, but i suppose i may have to at some point

this is also a reason i just make mauvi blue, i think she genuinely must struggle with this stuff herself, she sort of chooses like a weird alien/demon appearance specifically to "reject" humanity but like theres also a reason i never color her in a human skin tone either it feels too much to racialize her in any particular way even though we have precedent for what she would probably look like if she looked more like a human

[hannahssimblr]

1 5 8 11 16 for jude and 2 7 19 20 for astrid <3

omg thank you! I'm gonna enjoy answering these

Jude

What was the original thought that led to the creation of this character?

It was 'what kind of boy would an insecure teenage girl ruin her whole life for?' because every character in this universe was created to revolve around Evie. Jude was her ultimate fantasy (on the surface - a mess inside, sadly.)

He was loosely based on a boy I would have ruined my life for when I was between the ages of 15 & 18 so I borrowed some of his traits. Really, the whole of Lucky Girl was me attempting to understand why I let a member of the male species affect my life so intensely lmao. Hopefully I managed to capture that essence.

5. How did you choose their name and why? Was it simply based on vibes or is there any specific meaning behind the name? Are the reasons behind their name different in- and out of universe?

I just really like the name! I wanted something slightly feminine/androgenous and soft sounding, but also unusual enough to differentiate him from his peers. Nobody I knew growing up was called Jude, or anything of that vibe. It was all Shanes and Liams and Connors. I needed the name to be something an American parent would have chosen, and also a signifier of a non-catholic upbringing and wealth.

8. What is the origin of their personality? And let's be honest - how much of it is projecting?

My first love! Many of the things he does in the early parts of Lucky Girl (Lucky Boy 2010) are more or less taken directly from stories I'd heard and things I'd done with him. Crashing the wedding party, crawling through Evie's bedroom window with her, turning the torch off to scare her at the graveyard as a few examples.

Later, yes, I have to admit that some of his inner world is projection. I've gifted him a lot of my anxiety and racing thoughts. You're welcome, Jude bby.

11. Is there any existing character from other media that your character resembles? Was the resemblance intentional or was it a coincidence?

Probably, though not by intention! Any resemblances are purely coincidental lmao.

16. Is there any memes or running jokes associated with the character, both in- and out of universe?

I think the most consistent in-universe joke about Jude is him saying 'I don't smoke' before taking a cigarette. Another is him pretending he hasn't had his first kiss yet/is a virgin. I enjoy his humour a lot.

Out of universe, my friend and I have some jokes about the characters - mainly Liam, honestly lmao but the main one about Jude includes a photograph of a stand we saw at a food market once called 'The Sausage Experience' - we use it to refer to the time Evie finally slept with him. (Spoiler, sorry)

Astrid

2. How long was the process before the character reached its final version? (or a version that would be clearly recognizable as the character?)

It was definitely in the 2011 era. During Lucky Girl she was more of a symbol than a real person, I only knew her as Evie thought of her. She's actually been a highly interesting character to get to know, very complex and with many parts to her. I think I reached full understanding during the Italian arc.

7. What is an aspect of their appearance that you like the most?

Her whole face is so beautiful, idk. Cliché to pick that, maybe, but because she's so inconsistent with her style and look, the only thing I can really choose is her face. Pretty eyes, really nice shape.

19. What is your general favourite thing about the character? What is your least favourite?

My favourite is that she is interesting! She keeps me on my toes as her writer lol. I really have to shift my mindset with her because she does things I never would. I have to try and understand the impulse. She's also fun to style. She always looks fabulous, whatever mask she is wearing.

Ugh! My least favourite is how confusing she is, which I guess is the same as my other answer. She always shuts down lines of open communication, and she's always playing chess in her head. I'd never trust her. Like, ever. With anything.

20. Bonus question: share any additional thoughts, art, favourite scenes, anything you've been waiting for a chance to ramble about

omg okay! There is so much coming with Astrid that I don't want to spoil, but I'm very excited for. There are things that are canon and have to be based on what happened in LG, but there's still a lot of space to play around. Going forward, things will begin to change between her and Jude with the reintroduction of Evie.

I'm looking forward to showing how she handles things, based on what I've already tried to show of her character. I will say that a lot of what we learned in the Roskilde Arc will come up again in new ways. You probably won't be surprised by what goes up in flames and why.

Also, she will be deliberately hurtful to two different characters in the future, using information learned over Christmas, so, watch this space hehe.

[anilec-dragon-art-and-stuff]

Ok so here is just a quick overview of the "stories" and what characters are involved in These. Especially the Main group one might get more characters as time goes on (you know... when i make more dnd characters that i dont get to play so i add them to my adventure group). While both "stories" play in the same World, they rarely overlap. However at some point the characters might meet each other, we'll see. Since These are esentially DnD characters, the World is based on DnD (5e btw). You will Most likely see that in the mention of races and classes. Hoewever magic and other similar abilites i sometimes wrote a bit different or i gave a character abilities that they normally wouldnt have in the game. But thats because i feel like it would make sense or i want them to have it. After all its only BASED on dnd.

The names of These "stories" might still be workshopped. Idk.

I will just give a veeery short description of the characters. A proper one including some backstory stuff will be in separate posts

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The Main group ("A Band of misfits")

Rúnya Calanoré (A light Domain cleric aasimar with "Angel of light" vibes. The only responsible person in the group, trying to keep These chaotic idiots in check. I guess something like the "Camp mom")

Cylieria Esper (High elf rogue. More a con-woman than a thief. Way to overly confident in her ability to talk herself Out of Situations. The youngest one of the group in relativity. Not years because... elves)

Elari Ariessus (High elf monk. On a journey to self acceptance. Go-lucky sunshine character who tries to See the best in every situation)

Mal Trickarii (A human bard. He mainly uses Illusion magic. He chose so because of his passion to play pranks and Tricks on everybody. Hence the last Name. He gave himself that)

Kallista (nope no last name here. Tiefling rogue. Your very basic edgy loner rogue. Would prefer to work alone but somehow got roped into this and is 100% done with everybodys high energy bullshit)

Philana Ventura (High Elf fighter with a bit of a contrast in behavious. Normally she is very shy, timid and obiedient. But when a fight Starts she gets a huge boost of confidence)

These are the main 6 for now. Since they will go on high fantasy adventures you can expect the "normal" content warning for stuff like this to apply to some of their stories (i will ofc tag what is necessary) like description of violence and injury, some fluff, some smut maybe, Angst. All that good stuff. Tho i will try to keep it moderate.

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The second group (Doesnt have a name yet)

I made a few more DnD characters but I am Not sure yet if I want them in the Main group. I know these three travel together tho. So for now they will be written here as a separat entry. The members are:

Larissa Weygot (Human tavernmaid turned bard who is looking for her missing mother but her goldfish attention span makes this a bit difficult)

Progress (Tiefling Artificer, often shy in social situations but can lock in and talk 5h about her hyperfixation, generally happy but has a deep mistrust of clerics and healing magic)

Periwinkle "Peri" (Drow Sorceress, very empathic and emotional, got Sold to the fey and her long time there corrupted her into will magic that surges with her emotions, so now she has to constantly surpress those)

Tags will be similar to "A Band of Misfits"

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"To change your fortune"

This is the other "story" that mainly focuses on one of my characters (an NPC from a campaign) and that would be

Abires Blackwood

Tho because of him being a changeling He does have other Personas that might have a POV written occasionally. But Most of These will be either from his true self or his Blackwood persona

He is a changeling warlock in the pursuit of Power, who doesnt care if others get hurt along the way and manipulates the people around him to get what He wants. In puplic He is incredibly charming. Tho something sinister rests under the surface. Press the wrong Buttons and you will See, that He has some psychopathic tendencies. I feel the need to point Out that He IS NOT a good person or a hero. He isnt even morally grey. He is a WALKING RED FLAG and I believe that some bad guys are allowed to be just bad without being misunderstood and just do bad things.

So please BE CAUTIOUS when reading any of his stories. I will of course tag especially the extreme things but i might miss some of the more subtle things (i try Not to) such as emotional Manipulation, gaslighting or similar. If even These things are an issue for you, then please stay clear of his stories.

Some stories might however even contain some more serious triggers such as murder, description of the act and result of torture, mental and physical abuse and the like.

Some of his stories will have the "Dead Dove. Do Not eat" tag.

Please be mindful of that because if its in the Tags its in there. If you dont like These things please dont read. Thats why i will tag These things, obviously. And again. Dont be mad that i would even write stuff like this.

I dont condone any of These bad thing i write him doing!

However as a person with a black heart, no Moral compass and psychopathic tendencies it makes sense in the context to write him doing this.

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Alright. Thats it for now. Hope that wasnt too much 😅 when I get the time I will post the indiviual characters with pictures and more information. Until then: See ya