#That depends on audience poll results

[cardhamine]

I wanted to do art for Easter and TDoV, but this is what came out instead. Anyway, never pull on a rabbit's ears; it's very rude and bad for their hearing.

[kitkat-the-muffin]

Tis a niche of its own

Sorry there is only two female characters, I kinda pulled these off the top of my head and probably missed a ton of other candidates. Reblog with an addition if you have one!

Edit: I forgot to make this poll a week long! Once this poll ends I'll remake it with new additions depending on the results (the characters with the fewest results will be replaced with suggested characters from the notes so be sure to suggest some!) in the meantime tho plz reblog to increase sample size

This follows my own definition of what "Comic Relief" means: A character that is used as a conduit for comedy in a piece of media

Through character studies I have determined that there are 5 types of comic relief: the Character Relief, the Audience Relief, the Tone Shifter, the Butt of the Joke, and the Slapstick. Characters that identify as "Comic Relief" usually fall into one or more of these categories

Further explanation under the cut

The Character Relief refers to a character who actively makes jokes to be funny in-universe through conscious humor. Examples from this poll would be Sans and Rayla, who go out of their way to make their friends laugh

The Audience Relief refers to a character who makes the audience laugh regardless of their impact on the story. Examples from this poll would be Lapis and Gus, who are often involved in comedic bits meant for audience entertainment that aren't acknowledged by the narrative as anything unprecedented

The Tone Shifter refers to a character who makes jokes to relieve tension and shift the tone of a scene, either consciously or unconsciously. Examples from this poll would be Jay and Leo, as they both consciously make jokes about grim situations to help their friends or family feel better. Additionally, Jay would do this unconsciously before his trauma made him start doing it on purpose

The Butt of the Joke refers to a character who is made fun of by other characters in-universe, whether endearingly or not. Examples from this poll would be Dewey and Lance, who are often met with insults whenever they do something wrong or silly. The insults are usually meant to be endearing and comedic, but they can still feed into the character's possible inferiority complex. This also applies whenever a villain hits them with a sick burn*

The Slapstick refers to a character who is made fun of by the narrative and the audience like a punching bag. Examples from this poll would be Sokka and Yusuke, who are sometimes put in troubling and awkward situations as a gag for the audience's entertainment alone. These gags are not fun for the characters yet delightful to watch

Most comic relief characters can be characterized as multiples of these. For example, Jar-Jar from Star Wars is both Slapstick and Audience Relief, and even if you don't find his jokes funny that doesn't change the fact that they were written with your entertainment in mind

If you're curious how a "The Narrative's Favorite (derogatory)" character would fit into this chart, they're likely both a Butt of the Joke and a Slapstick character, making their life absolute hell. To be honest, MK from Monkie Kid is an example of a character who fits all 5 categories, but he isn't blue so he isn't in this poll

*Ok if you've ever seen Phineas and Ferb Mission Marvel let me just say MODOK is a total Butt of the Joke and my favorite line in that special is when a TV announcer calls him a "Giant Chicken Egg with a Face" and I just had to mention that omg

[ardentpoop]

I feel that when people talk about the “most beloved character,” they’re often referring only to that part of the audience that enjoys unofficial ships and, in general, the fanon version of the show. But that doesn’t represent the entire audience.

For me, as a viewer, I’ve always understood Sam to be the one who truly represents change among the brothers. He’s someone who seeks more from life and refuses to settle for an imposed fate—whether it’s his relationship with hunting, the family dynamic, or even his own curse of having demon blood. We see him struggle, make mistakes, learn, and ultimately achieve what he’s always longed for.

Dean, on the other hand, has always felt like a character who goes in circles. He’s content with the life he has and doesn’t try to break out of it. Yes, he wants to save people, but I’ve never seen that drive as something rooted in deep conviction—it just comes with the job. I say this because of the times he’s shown no hesitation in letting the world fall apart if Sam isn’t there. He fights for Sam and with Sam when Sam wants to change things that disrupt what he sees as “normal”: hunting and their life together. To me, Dean’s storyline depends too heavily on Sam. Without Sam, I don’t think there’s much of an interesting story to tell about Dean, because his arc constantly revolves around him. That’s why I never saw Dean as the main character (for himself), and why I didn’t find his storylines particularly compelling when the show tried to focus on him—they always circled back to Sam.

When you say that the show favored Dean in certain seasons, I get it, and I can see why you’d say that. But from my perspective, we as viewers are meant to understand the motivations of all the characters—not just one. Letting yourself be carried away by one character’s narrative without critically engaging with what we’re shown is a disservice to the experience. It shows a lack of perspective. Without objectivity or critical thinking, the viewer ends up blindly following one storyline without putting it in context—and that, in itself, is a flaw. Supernatural is not that hard to understand. If a part of the audience needs it explained with pictures and colors to grasp it, then frankly, they’re missing the point.

Sorry for the long message, but I often notice that fans with dedicated accounts tend to be very one-dimensional. They get caught up in just one part of the story, despite having seen all of it and being capable of drawing a more nuanced conclusion. Maybe it’s because they’re more fans of a specific character (or the idea of a pairing) than of the show as a whole.

not sure if you’re talking To Me or to some of the audience through me tbh (sounds like a bit of both). I agree that supernatural is not hard to understand in terms of what it wants you to take away, however the fact remains that I very often disagree with these takeaways bc of what they say abt the cultural era(s) they were born in and the politics of its creators, and the fact remains that a huge swath of the audience overlooks - intentionally or not - the show’s explicitly stated ideas. both of which end up creating boundless opportunities for analysis and subversion, which I enjoy doing. I look at the fanon alongside the canon because of how incredibly pervasive it is and how it generally replicates or (often) worsens the problems with the canon.

to be frank this message made me stall a bit bc it reads like you’re assuming I know a lot less about the basics of the show than I actually do. I have to assume you haven’t followed me very long if at all. btw I don’t think connecting more deeply with one particular character automatically makes you “one-dimensional” - everyone does that. where we run into trouble as fans is when people start collectively rewriting the character with more broad appeal (objectively dean - this is not something I will debate you on because it is incredibly apparent if you look at fandom poll results or read the fic or the fan wikis or literally anything else; every segment of the audience prefers dean overall and this is reflected in all mainstream discussions of supernatural as a project. it is quantifiable.) because they are not thinking about why they prefer him in the first place and are taking defining traits from other characters and applying them to him, without first understanding the character dynamics as presented canonically.

sure the show is simple in terms of its writing, which only got weaker and weaker as time went on. but the relationship between the show and its audience is complex, and the relationship between its overt messaging and its covert messaging is complex, and the relationship between its Valid (subjective) versus Invalid (also subjective) fan interpretations is complex. if you’re passionate about something there is literally no end to the yap fodder you can find.

TL;DR I think you’re oversimplifying it. lol 😅 if you want to have a conversation about what I mean when I say the show favored dean give me a specific example I can expand on for you so I don’t exhaust myself looking at the whole picture.

also while you’re here shoutout sam character of all time forever

[wanderinghedgehog]

By now, y’all might be familiar with that poll I posted awhile ago about different actor’s interpretations of a certain line in the Les Mis musical. Well, now I’m gonna talk about it. Hooray!

”Forgive me, sir. I would not dare” is such a fascinating line to me partially because of how it takes the place of an entire series of monologues from a chapter in the novel. For time’s sake, the musical condenses the runaway cart incident, Javert voicing his suspicions about the mayor, and the result of his suspicions into one scene which puts it in a different context. Instead of reporting Madeleine and then gaining information about Valjean’s lookalike as he does in the novel, Javert instead finds himself suspicious of Madeleine despite already knowing that “Jean Valjean” has been recaptured. Surprisingly, this doesn’t significantly change Javert’s motivation for taking such an apologetic tone. In both cases, he chided himself not for being suspicious of the mayor, but for being so in a way that trusted his own feelings more than that of the law. “Forgive me, sir. I would not dare” is not only a fumbled apology, but a testament to how rare it is for him to disregard his superiors. It’s a moment to understand his philosophy pre-Stars. Not only that, but it provides different information than Stars. It shows how the strictness of Javert’s moral code doesn’t only make him seem authoritative, but can also degrade him.

But an apology is not inherently degrading. So why is it in this case? This is where actor interpretation becomes important. The effect comes from the tone, not the words.

I’ve noticed a few different ways actors tend to portray this line. The first involves more of the pleading present in the novel. This interpretation comes across as somewhat panicked, trying to convey a plea for forgiveness and being appalled by his own actions simultaneously. This is beneficial in the way that it can clearly draw the audience’s attention to the difference between this line and the more composed lines surrounding it. Additionally, this particular version of the line tends to split into two subcategories. One is more reserved, contrasted with the previous, more confident lines and effectively communicates abashment. The other is more distressed and makes the apology seems urgent. Both subcategories serve the same purpose though.

The second interpretation is much more even-toned than the first. With this one, Javert maintains his composure and the apology rarely comes across as anything other than the result of a momentary lapse in judgment. This version of Javert tends to prioritize professionalism over any kind of charisma. My opinion of this interpretation varies depending on the actor.

The third interpretation is probably my least favorite. It has little to no sincerity and makes it clear that Javert is still quite suspicious of the mayor, but simply doesn’t want to alarm him. The apology has absolutely none of its original meaning. This interpretation irks me because it takes away an aspect of this character I find very interesting (the fact that Javert is a bootlicker in the most genuine way possible).

Anyway, I’m not sure how to end this. I’m might‘ve not really had a point here, but that’s okay. I just really like this line.

[top-pleng]

I keep seeing people say LMSY dethroned the other GL couples in terms of love scenes haha. And they definitely knocked it out of the park! But it made me curious to see who audiences think actually are the best pair when it comes to intimate scenes such as kissing and sex.

I won't be doing all Thai GL couples because I'm not familiar with all of them and I feel like most people are also not familiar with all of them. Which lends itself to people voting for their personal favorite even if they have no idea what Couple Z's love scenes are like, so I am restricting this poll to only three pairings: LMSY, FreenBecky, and FayeYoko.

Because those are my top three favorites personally and I feel like three is a good number. Please only vote if you are familiar with all three pairings from their respective works together. I will include a Show Results option for those of you who cannot decide or who may only be familiar with one or two of the couples but not all three.

I'd also like to add that this is just for fun. I don't see any need to pit any of these Love Teams against each other since they're all great pairings in their own right and I think all have really phenomenonal actresses with compelling chemistry. I am so glad that we have reached a point where we can argue and debate about which couple has the best love scene because there are so many options and so many different types of love scenes.

I'd also like to add that while I personally enjoy an intense love scene. Not all shows need them and I don't think a GL pairing needs to have a long, "sexy" love scene to be successful. It depends on the couple and what the purpose of the love scene is.

But anyway now that I got all those pesky disclaimers out of the way... please reblog the poll to spread to a wider audience. And please do not be antagonist to other people this is just for fun y'all.

[webcomic-character-tournament]

are you tired of how many character tournaments just become a popularity contest?

how regardless of seeding, even high contenders can almost arbitrarily be knocked out early on, leaving you with nothing to root for?

if you're feeling that, and if you like any webcomics, you should participate in the webcomic character tournament!

the primary goals of this tournament are:

to celebrate the medium of webcomics as a whole

to find new webcomics to read, and to recommend your own favorites

to highlight indie creators and help them build a wider audience

to have fun rooting for and celebrating your favorite characters!

in order to accomplish these goals, instead of a single elimination bracket, i will be using a mcmahon system inspired tournament structure!

this means that no character will be eliminated, and you can participate in polls rooting for your favorite character throughout all the rounds. characters will also be roughly matched up based on a system that determines how well known their work is, so most rounds should be relatively evenly matched, allowing people to fight for their favorites on their own merits

more details about how the mcmahon tournament will work can be found under the cut!

submit as many characters as you would like to here! the deadline is tentatively next saturday, june 3rd, at 4pm EDT

tagging some other tournaments i like whose participants i think might be interested :) @wlw-webcomic-bracket @obscurewebcomictournament @gaywebcomicsshowdown @autisticgirliesbracket @yuribracket @secretthirdthingtournament @nonyanderepoll @funkylittlebaldcharapoll @divorced-tournament

no submission is specifically banned, but try to keep in mind the spirit of this tournament when deciding what to submit.

under the cut after my more detailed description of the tournament structure, i also ramble in a lot more detail about my philosophy regarding submission eligibility, but it's not necessary to read all that before submitting characters

mcmahon tournament details:

matchups will be decided based off of a survey sent out after submissions are over gauging participants' familiarity with all of the competing characters' source materials. each character will be assigned points based off of how known their source material is, and each character will go up against a character with a similar popularity score for the first round

characters will be awarded points based off of if they lose, win, or tie their match and have that added to their total score, and then they will again be paired against a character with a similar updated score

depending on how many characters are participating, this process can continue either until there is a definitive ranking of all characters, or until just a few top winners are clear

i haven't entirely decided on specifics such as whether points will be awarded by a simple 0 for a loss, 0.5 for a tie, 1 for a win or by percentage of the vote, and if initial popularity points will be counted in the final ranking, or if i will try to rank winners from within their initial popularity categories, but i hope that won't matter too much, because in my opinion the main fun of this isn't the final results, it's for people to have fun in the individual rounds seeing their favorite character's points go up!

submission guidelines:

if you are submitting characters from extremely popular webcomics, try to limit yourself to just characters that are among your top favorites of all time, and maybe try to submit stuff from lesser known works as well

similar goes for webcomics that are more widely known for adaptations into other media forms (one punch man, tower of god, heartstopper, etc.)

i'm not specifically banning any comic for having bigoted content or its creator being a bad person, there's a wide scale of stuff i could decide to include in that definition or not. in the goal of celebrating favorite characters, obviously a lot of people love characters despite flaws in the work they're from, but also keep in mind the goals of recommending works to other people, and helping uplift and promote creators you like, and try to find a reasonable balance from there

what counts as a webcomic:

physically published works that you can find pirated or scanlated online probably don't count

comics whose publication is centered around physical releases, who also have simultaneous online releases by their publishers (comics on manga plus or comixology, newspaper strips with online sites, etc.) probably don't count

comics published through traditional publishers that are exclusively online (such as shōnen jump+ comics) still probably don't count

comics published online through companies that exclusively publish online (such as lezhin) are still discouraged

stuff like line webtoon or tapas official comics are more acceptable, as there are a lot of free comics from independent creators around them and many of these comics started out that way themselves, so they exist within a culture of webcomics more so than the aforementioned comic categories

stuff that is paywalled beyond just having an early release system is discouraged

comics that are no longer online but accessible through archives are fine though, especially in the wake of sites like smackjeeves being deleted there's a lot of stuff in webcomic history that can only be found that way now!

webtoon style comics absolutely count as webcomics, they're an exciting way of fully making use of webcomics' digital format! simultaneously however, i feel like with the rise of mobile webtoon apps, there are many people who read webtoon style comics but who dont further engage with webcomics, so i'd definitely encourage submitting a variety of styles of webcomic!

none of these rules are set! feel free to submit whatever you want, i just list them so you can try to find a balance between the different goals of this tournament when submitting stuff.

anyone can submit as many characters as you want, but just maybe if you find that a lot of your submission ideas are from comics in some of the more discouraged categories, limit yourself in how many you submit from those categories and only submit characters if they're absolute favorites of yours you want the opportunity to celebrate, and maybe try to also submit a character from something that isn't in a discouraged category too!

theres no penalty for not going with this, but i think because choosing characters by number of nominees doesn't really align with my intentions for this, depending on how easy it is to sort submissions i might just go off of vibes, so you might just be less likely to have a character make it to the tournament if their comic is in more heavily discouraged categories is all

[wolf-tools]

The Wolf Tools

Before we get too deep into analysis, let me establish the system we’re analyzing on here—that is, The Wolf Tools.

They’re a series of symbolic categories that define, in broad terms, what makes a werewolf a werewolf. Some of the tools are traits that move beyond just the werewolf, but in combination, they define the werewolf as something unique.

In short, we’re looking at the following:

The Moon - transformation

The Beast - monstrous form

The Bite - infection/initiation

The Bane - weakness

The World- narrative surroundings

For longer descriptions of the tools, read on, my friends

Disclaimer: there are many stories out there that lie on the fringes of “werewolf”—especially when we emerge into monster stories of other cultures. The lines can blur, but I’m not really here to have the argument of “could you classify a skinwalker as a form of werewolf?”. Maybe you can, maybe you can’t. That’s not what wolf tools are built for.

My focus is on the tools, how designing a werewolf with certain traits or details can shape a narrative’s tone, and how these stories reflect the wider world they exist within.

All that said, let’s dive in:

The Moon

The Moon represents the act of transformation. Despite the name of this tool, not all werewolves transform by the light of the full moon. Mostly, it sounds poetic.

Common questions that the moon asks of a werewolf story:

What causes the act of transformation?

How much control does the werewolf have over this act?

What is the physical process of transforming? How is it described? How is it shown to the audience?

The Beast

“the beast” represents the actual, physical, monstrous form of the werewolf. If the Moon is the initiation and process of transforming, the beast is the end result. Depending on the story’s greater purpose and the era of generation, you’ll see some interesting variations here.

What does the beast look like? How lupine is it?

What is the mind of the monster? How much conscious control does the human within have?

The Bite

The bite concerns itself with transmission. It’s a more common trope among monsters—we see bites among vampires, among zombies—and it lends a certain universality to their horror. Not only is this thing terrifying… but you could be, too.

With werewolves, the Bite broadens beyond a physical, disease-like “transmission”, and in certain cases, there is overlap between the Bite and the Moon (where a transmission or bestowing of Werewolf-ism immediately triggers a transformation. We see this a lot in curse stories)

What causes transmission?

Typically the answers to this question fall into three main categories:

Physical interaction (eg a bite, scratch, lovemaking, exchange of blood or saliva)

Birth (born to a werewolf parent)

Magic (placed under a curse, given a magical ring)

The Bane

The Bane encompasses the werewolf’s weakness. What renders a werewolf vulnerable? In some cases, this may be what makes it killable, what pierces its thick hide; in other cases, this is a question of what forces, or hinders a transformation.

What is the material, object, location, or action, that triggers the weakness?

How does it affect the wolf?

The World

Finally! Last but not least, this is a broad category that explores how the werewolf navigates the world, how the world perceives the wolf, and the general back and forth relationship between the monster and its surroundings.

How easy is it for the wolf to navigate in the world?

How much of the world knows of the werewolf’s existence?

What is the world’s opinion of the wolf

How intertwined is the wolf’s story and experience with the structure of the wider world?

[wip]

Hello!

For A/B tests, has the thought of rolling out a simple pop-up survey after the "settling in" phase(one that can let users know they're in a testing group, what the test is, and ask them to rate their satisfaction with the change), been thrown around at all?

Satisfaction surveys for features being tested are industry standard, and other than WIP here(only open one day a week) or Feedback tickets(which VERY few people know about or have the desire to do), there doesn't seem to be ANY way for staff to measure quantitative CSAT!

C'mon, Tumblr users LOVE polls!

Answer: Hello, @ebay-taxidermy!

We actually do qualitative surveys like that from time to time—but this is a process separate from the quantitative work of an A/B test. We often don’t want to do a survey during an actual A/B test because it may influence the result, depending on the size of the audience in the test.

As it is, we already get a huge amount of useful feedback from Support tickets, and we are on the platform reading what y’all are saying! Thanks again for your feedback—it is much appreciated, and it all helps.

Have a lovely day.

Best,

—Marina

[arenabreadandbiscuits]

INCOMING COMIC?! - ZODIAN

So, kinda working on a comic. I say kinda because constant support is gonna be a great way to push me to actually do it but my posts don't get much attention so it depends ^^''

Anyway the comic is based around Zodiac signs and considering I'm an Aries I drew them first. He/them pronouns for my boy because yes he's pretty like a girl but he's not one. (Though...I'm so totally down to make a female version for the comic as well. Which I'll probably do for everyone is this blows up like I'm begging to the Gods for it to do lol)

Arian - The Ram, The Shepherd.

I have many ideas for this comic since I've been thinking about it on and off for years so PLEASE interact guys!

Here he is, as well as his time lapse. Also VOTE IN THE POLL TO CHOOSE WHO I DRAW NEXT! Of course whoever has the highest votes wins.

I'm happy to share info on the story to come and share my thoughts on what may or may not happen. Ask in my askbox if curious about the possible lore!

For context I think I want it to be a rather interesting depth story in a world of competitions and battling over space and territory. Please ask me so I can brainstorm ÙwÚ

Honestly this is a project to keep my mental safe as I continue to heal from my GBS, I just want an audience and one that pushes me just a little to get these things done so I feel better about my situation. Please vote, whoever wins this vote I'll draw next for sure. And I'll draw both 'male' and 'female' though I enjoy making my characters look androgynous at times hahah

I look forward to seeing the results!

[michanvalentine]

Don't say anything—I got carried away, but more than that, I really got a taste for it! ^^''' And as per the poll results, here it is: the interview with Wyll, I know you were all waiting for it with bated breath and burning excitement! xD But the surprises don’t end here—stay tuned! ✨💥

🗡️ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH WYLL (Prince. Warlock. Dancing disaster with a heart of gold.) 👑🔥 “Heroism is 80% confidence, 10% swordplay, and 10% not tripping over your own cape.”

Fangs & Fame – the undead cinema magazine

REPORTER: Wyll! Such an honor to have you with us. Let’s get right into it: Blooderella is driving audiences wild in anticipation. What was it like to play the Prince?

WYLL (with the perfect toothpaste commercial smile): An honor, of course! Even though... let’s be honest: my character pales next to Blooderella’s charisma. But I gave it my all. And my left pinky. It never recovered after the acrobatic waltz scene, but hey, that’s the risk of the trade. I refuse to let a stuntman handle my action scenes – the Blade of the Frontier never backs down from danger!

REPORTER: How did you prepare for the role? Any classic fairy tale references?

WYLL: Absolutely! Preparation is everything! So I watched Cinderella three times. Then Shrek 2, my ultimate fairy tale reference. I also did an intensive course on salon bows and proper fairy tale prince etiquette, naturally. Unfortunately, I pulled a muscle on the third bow and have walked with a slight tilt to the right ever since. But I did learn how to say "my lady" in six dramatically different tones, so it was worth it.

REPORTER: And your outfit? Opinions are split on the shiny leather suit and glitter cape.

WYLL (seriously): It’s the most shameful and glorious thing I’ve ever worn. I looked like a cross between a dragon tamer and a Cirque du Soleil host. But the truth is... I like it. Sure, not even Remove Curse can get the glitter off me now, but the audience wants a show. And we deliver it with a smile.

REPORTER: Let’s talk Blooderella. You worked closely with Astarion. How was that?

WYLL (with a perplexed grin): Astarion? Once, I caught him talking to himself, staring into space. He was muttering, "Why would he pick me? Me, of all people? This is just another punishment, isn’t it? I’m not an actor—I’m a victim. A. VICT-IM." Then he looked up, stared straight into my eyes, and whispered, "I know he’s watching. And laughing. I know it." And I just... nodded. Slowly. Another time, I found him yelling at a poster in the dressing room: "YOU! YOU TURNED ME INTO BLOODERELLA, YOU SADISTIC BASTARD!" I said, "Astarion, that’s the promo banner..." He replied, "I KNOW."

REPORTER: So?

WYLL (sighs, chuckling): Astarion is... complicated. Charming, but complicated—like a rose full of thorns. Gorgeous, clever, sharp... and with more daddy issues than I can count on one hand. I mean, I’ve got a rocky relationship with my father too, but at least mine wouldn’t dig a grave and throw me in it for flubbing a line, you know what I mean? And those slippers… brrrr… Sometimes it feels like Astarion is still performing to please Lord Cazador. Or to defy him. Or to get revenge in style. I honestly can’t tell. Whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it with one eyebrow raised and a razor-sharp comeback locked and loaded. And a nervous breakdown or two between takes. Maybe that’s what makes him dangerous. Or wonderful. Depends on how he’s looking at you—and what he’s planning to do next. Anyway, he still calls me "Little Prince" off set. I don’t know if it’s an insult, a flirt, or dissociative trauma. Maybe all three.

REPORTER: We’ve talked about the role, the costume, and even a bit of Astarion... but now tell us: how was filming the romantic scenes with Blooderella?

WYLL (blushing slightly): Ah... those. Well, there’s always some tension when you have to... stare into someone’s eyes for more than thirty seconds without laughing or making faces. Let’s just say we needed multiple takes. Not my fault. Not entirely, at least. Ahem. The director wanted "spark". I think I gave "wildfire."

REPORTER: Rumor has it there was more chemistry on set than the script required. Care to comment?

WYLL (laughs, then gets theatrical): Let the gossip speak for itself. We actors... we’re like empty mugs. We fill our roles. And if a hand lingers too long on a shoulder, or a smile stretches a few seconds too far, well, what can I say? That’s movie magic. Astarion and I understood each other in our own way. I mean, I’m aware I’m a lot to handle—people says I'm charming, heroic, polite to a fault, with a smile that could probably qualify as divine intervention. Apparently, that’s “an affront to all that is unholy.” His words. Between takes, he’d look at me like I’d personally spit in his goblet and mutter things like, “Stop smiling like that, Wyll. It’s indecent. It’s radiant. It’s... smug.” And I’d just offer him a muffin. He even threatened me with foundation powder, saying my "natural glow disturbed him." But you know, I think it’s not that he hates it. I think it’s that he doesn’t—and that’s what really drives him mad. It's cute. He’s got more internal conflict than a paladin at a brothel.

REPORTER: Let’s talk about the midnight ball scene. How did that go?

WYLL (sighs): A glorious disaster. The floor was slippery, the cape kept getting in my way, and Astarion wouldn’t stop winking at me... but I’ve never been so graceful while collapsing spectacularly in the middle of the ballroom. I think they edited the fall and replaced it with a CGI bat lifting me up. Movie magic, right? My hip still complains a little, but I manage...

REPORTER: Wyll, let’s be honest. Word is, you were incredibly convincing in the prince role. Ever thought you might be trying to... impress your father?

WYLL (laughs, but with a half-sarcastic, half-tender grin): Oh come on... me? Seeking approval? Never. Absolutely not. The idea that I might have thrown myself into a glitter-drenched vampire fairytale just to earn a reluctant “well done” from my emotionally constipated father is absurd.

Pause.

...Okay, maybe not that absurd. Let’s just say that when your father is a battle-hardened general who considers “dramatic flair” a tactical mistake and “grace and elegance” a form of treason, it’s not exactly easy to score points for artistic merit. He once told me stage combat was for people who couldn’t handle real combat — and that glitter was a substance invented by demons to sabotage stealth missions. So no, he didn’t exactly burst into tears of joy when I told him I’d been cast. But he grunted and said, “Interesting career choice, son.” Which, from him, is basically a standing ovation. I half-expected a slow, nearly imperceptible nod. Or at least a blink of pride. Still, deep down, I think he was proud. Or horrified. Or both. It’s always hard to tell with dads. But I like to think that somewhere, behind that cold military exterior, he was picturing me twirling across the ballroom in a leather doublet and glitter cape and thinking: “That’s my boy.”

REPORTER: We heard Cazador himself gave you some "directorial tips" on set. Can you confirm?

WYLL (raises an eyebrow): Oh yes. Our beloved terror stepmother never stopped giving advice. Things like: "A true prince doesn’t trip, he kills the floor beneath him." Or: "Remember, if the audience doesn’t kneel voluntarily, you can always break their legs. Elegant, practical, and efficient." Very... instructive.

REPORTER: Back to your father... did you get to watch the film with him?

WYLL (guiltily laughing): Let’s just say I mailed it to him… in script form. With annotations. I may or may not have highlighted every scene where I look especially heroic, charming, or tall—especially the ones with dramatic lighting and wind in my hair. I also added a few sticky notes like “Look, Dad—emotional range!” and “This is where I rescue someone with my heart.” He replied with a note that simply said, “Too many capes. Not enough dragons.” Which, honestly, is the nicest thing he’s said about my career since I told him I wanted to be more than just a sword and a title. But hey, he’s still more excited than when I made a pact with a cambion to save the city and accidentally grew horns. That earned me a thirty-minute monologue on “choices,” “consequences,” and “why warlocks are just a subcategory of wizards with contractual issues.” So yeah—baby steps. He didn’t declare me a disgrace to the family name or challenge me to a duel, so I’m calling it a win.

REPORTER: Let’s go back to the cast. What was it like working with the stepsisters... Petras and Dalyria?

WYLL (takes a deep breath): An educational experience. Like when you stick your fingers in a socket as a kid "to see what happens." Petras is... interesting, apart from his pyromania. Really, his comic timing is amazing and he can scream "that shoe is mine" for seven minutes straight. Impressive. Dalyria, on the other hand, is the only person who can weaponize silence. On set we called it "the Dalyria effect." She said five words during the entire shoot: "None of this is real." And once left a glittery shoe in Petras’ duffel bag with a note: "This looks better on your face."

REPORTER: In your opinion, who’s most likely to win the "Best Off-Set Drama" award?

WYLL (without hesitation): Cazador. Oh, no contest. And the best part? He wasn’t even on set that day. He had already wrapped his scenes as the Evil Stepmother—flawless, terrifying, emotionally scarring—so of course, he had to leave his mark from afar. He sent his children black flowers. Yes, black. Roses dipped in raven ink or something equally theatrical. With handwritten notes, naturally. Astarion’s read: “You are the mistake I keep in my house only to remind myself how overrated mercy truly is.” And Astarion? The thorns pricked his fingers, but he kept holding them—said the pain was “therapeutic.” I offered him a handkerchief. He refused. I couldn’t tell if I should hug him… or book him a therapy session. Petras, on the other hand, framed his note. Swore it was the greatest compliment he’d ever received from their father. Hung it up in his trailer, surrounded by candles like it was some kind of infernal relic. The note literally said: “You disappoint me exactly as usual.” And he was glowing. Absolutely glowing. Dalyria read hers silently, blinked twice, folded it into an origami dagger, and stabbed it into a pear. Didn’t say a word. Just… stared at the fruit like it owed her money.

REPORTER: Speaking of your past heroic exploits… let’s talk about Mizora. Some say she’s your patron, others call her your number one fan. What’s the truth?

WYLL (sighs theatrically, rubbing his temples): Ah yes, Mizora. My number one fan. My biggest supporter. My… demonic stalker! You know how most actors have an agent? I have a cambion with horns, wings, and a dangerously inflated sense of entitlement. She calls herself my “patron,” but honestly, she acts more like a clingy ex who’s convinced every heroic deed I do is somehow a tribute to her. Look, I made one tiny, itsy-bitsy binding pact to save a city, and suddenly she thinks she owns the full creative rights to my biography. She’s like an uncredited producer who crashes every event just to cause a scene. She even tried to “collaborate” on Blooderella. Said the film needed more fire, more horns, and way more skin. I told her it was a fairy tale, not a runway show in Avernus. She rolled her eyes so hard, I think she triggered an earthquake in the Hells. Another time, she tried to rewrite the script so I’d have “a darker arc and more shirtless scenes.” She said it would “strengthen my brand.” I told her my brand was hopeful heroism, courage, and toothpaste-commercial smiles. She just scoffed and said, “Adorable.”

REPORTER: Does she visit often?

WYLL (makes a face): Depends what you mean by “visit.” If you mean “appearing in a cloud of brimstone at three in the morning to critique my manners and ask why I haven’t texted her back,” or throwing compliments like daggers—“Oh, Wyll, you were adequate today”—and then vanishing with maniacal laughter... then yes. Very often. She calls it “mentorship.” I call it “harassment with extra venom.” And look—I’ll admit, a part of me is flattered. I mean, who wouldn’t want a fan who can hurl fireballs and manipulate souls with a single eyelash flutter?

REPORTER: So she’s always watching?

WYLL (sighs deeply): Always. I mean… it’s sweet. In a “please let me have five minutes alone in the bathroom” kind of way. You know it’s bad when your mirror fogs up and suddenly there’s a heart drawn in it… with horns.

REPORTER: Alright Wyll, lightning round: who is the Fairy Godmother?

WYLL (wide-eyed, laughs nervously): Ah! The infamous Fairy. Well, I can’t really say anything—NDA. Wickedly binding. Like, magically and legally. I tried to mention them once in an interview and my mouth filled with glitter. Not metaphorically. Literal glitter. For three days. But I can say this: their entrance? Legendary. In a puff of lavender mist, holding a steaming mug labeled “World’s Most Modest Arcane Genius.” If they were a school of magic, they wouldn’t be Evocation or Enchantment. No. They’d be Evocative Library, all the way. With cantrips like Omniscient Sparkle-Stare and Aggressively Enthusiastic Knowledge Burst. They once ended a conversation by snapping their fingers and turning a footman into a disco ball just because the lighting technician was having issues. And it worked. Mood instantly improved.

REPORTER: And how did you react to their entrance, as the Prince?

WYLL: Well… I was still trying to figure out how a pumpkin with reading glasses and arcane runes carved into the rind ended up in the middle of the ballroom. Or why my socks had suddenly turned a very specific shade of stardust purple and started quoting Elminster when I put them on. And then—they spoke, and—wow. A thesis statement wrapped in silk, sprinkled with starlight, and delivered with the tone of someone who once tutored the gods and found them slightly disappointing. At one point they mentioned my third birthday. The one where I ate six apple pies, spun in circles yelling “I’m a pastry dragon!” and vomited on my father’s ceremonial armor. But they didn’t just mention it—they recited it. In verse. With accurate pie-to-vomit trajectory statistics. And then they described the exact shade of the vomit. And they had that look. That look of someone who’s read your entire emotional backstory, written annotations in the margins, and come prepared to offer gentle mentorship… and twelve alternate endings. Honestly? Kind of comforting. In a "this person definitely keeps star charts on all their friends" kind of way.

REPORTER: Last question, we promise. When you watch Blooderella on the big screen, who will be by your side?

WYLL (smiling, running a hand through his hair): Probably no one. Just to avoid the usual comments like, “Hey, you looked taller,” or “Was that a real bat or Cazador mid-transformation?” But—if Astarion were to “accidentally” sit next to me with two crystal goblets of lukewarm ethically-sourced blood and his trademark look of elegant disdain… I’d accept the company. He claims my “natural radiance is an eyesore” and that I smile like I’m trying to start a musical number. But he always shows up with snacks. And he never misses his scenes on screen. Sometimes he mutters things like, “Disgusting,” while watching the romantic bits. But then he rewinds them. Twice. So… make of that what you will.

🎬 Blooderella: A Bite Before Midnight.✨🎭

[f1zzycan]

It’s poll time.

So I began to make a fanfiction, but it’s an AU that I’ve been planning out.

It is currently in the stages of creating drone subtypes and doing world building! Which will be posted throughout the year 🫶🏻

I have done this before, same scenario, but I need a bigger consensus on the title of the fanfic I’m working on.

Here were the results before:

I am generally thinking maybe I can cross-post this fanfic on Ao3 as well as Wattpad so it could reach a larger audience. That is besides the point however.

Sunken Signals would’ve won if I didn’t vote at all, so ignore my tally.

Fanfic Summary/Vague Background:

—[You follow the story through the eyes of Serial Designation R. In the year 3076. You are on a planet that looks nothing like the designated planet you were meant to land on; Copper 9.

—[ You land on a planet surrounded by oceans, woodlands, and tropics. A planet similar to Earth. This planet is soon to be revealed as Poseidon 007 sooner in the story. A place with incredibly toxic water. It is said that humans gave up on trying to populate this planet, so they left in search of a home to replace the one they so horribly fucked up.

—[You meet a very eclectic crew. Drones of a variety of species, the pirate crew that manned Lady Starliner, led by their beloved Captain, Sol or Captain Stars. And the rest of the crew; Yula, Malick, Sprout, and Reggie.

—[After the crash, you, the reader, learn the reasons why humans left this planet and left their technology and “civilizations” behind. Those being environmental factors. Beasts of machines or the beasts that roam the surface of Poseidon.

((This WILL probably be tweaked, but it’s a general outline.))

I did find some new titles to go with as well as putting in older titles for fairness.

(This will have multiple runs with depending on the results.)

This will be getting concept art, trust me. I just need to get a handle on world building.

[mythriteshah]

The Higuri Regalia - proud allies of Abbiocco Fine Dining - is pleased to announce the return of: The Mythril Showcase!

As a refresher to those uninitiated: this fashion show was created during the twilight days of Menphina Madness to provide the frequenters of the Etheirys Blitzball League an opportunity to show off their acumen in style outside of the Blitzsphere. Since then, Thiji Higuri - the merchant-lord and fashion nabob himself - has tested the skill and daring of haute couture hopefuls through various themes.

This time, The Regalia will be teaming up with Abbiocco Fine Dining ( https://abbiocco.carrd.co/ ) to provide an exclusive venue that will open with a sneak-peek of the upcoming clothing line! Select outfits from this arcane collection will be showcased only during this night, and will not be seen or sold anywhere else until the official release of the line. So don't miss out!

(Additional information will be provided closer to the event date!)

With two successful shows now under the Regalia's belt, the deciding of the next theme was opened to the public via poll to give proper closure to this turn; now the results have finally arrived. The theme for the third Mythril Showcase will be: "Kingdoms of the Far East." This inspiration takes from the popularized culture and history of Othard, namely during its warring periods in Hydaelyn's timeline. (TRANSLATION: this cosplay contest is based off the Dynasty Warriors/Samurai Warriors/Warriors Orochi series)

Those who wish to participate are welcome, and will be handsomely rewarded with a glamour weapon of their choosing for their efforts. This time, however, there is a twist: as there were warring factions during ancient times, so, too, will there be specific glamour weapons tailored to them! They are detailed below:

Wei: Knights of the Round/Susano

Wu: Rubellux/Tsukuyomi

Shu: Smaragdine/Shinryu

Jin: Fae's Crown

Other: Warring Triad (Sephirot/Sophia/Zurvan)

Samurai: Four Lords (Seiryu/Suzaku/Byakko)

Orochi: Hades/Seeing Horde

(NOTE: If the faction of the character you are portraying as does not contain your desired glamour weapon, you are allowed to choose from another category. It is advised you do your research beforehand to prevent confusion.)

 The top four winners will receive far more greater prizes:

4th Place Winner: An assortment of Pixie, Archangel, and Statice's Wings!

3rd Place Winner: An Island Adenium Whistle!

2nd Place Winner: A Shishioji Flute!

1st Place Winner: A Voucher of the Higuri!

(Translation: a commission of your character in the desired outfit will be made!)

(Note: Additional prizes may also be given depending on the quantity of participants!)

The event will take place on Friday, December 22nd at 7PM EST (Doors open an hour prior) - the day of the Winter Solstice! The location: Abbiocco Fine Dining in the Goblet, Ward 14, Plot 35 (Diabolos World). Whether you wish to spectate, or show off your own Power in Beauty, all are welcome to attend!

Contestants will be judged based on a variety of categories on a 1-to-10 scale.  For the sake of fairness, these criteria will be made known to all.  They are as follows:

-Emulation: Cosplaying - as accurately as possible - a certain character from a particular source of media (game/show/movie, etc.)

-Adherence: Remaining within the scope of the theme.

-Embellishment: Complimenting your outfit with accessories and other small details.

-Stage Presence: Your ability to “strut your stuff” via actions or emotes.

-Reception: How well you command the audience’s excitement and attention.

*-Innovation: Any additional nuances to your entry (using minions, reciting lines, etc.) for extra points.

(You may request to sign-up to compete by utilizing this form: https://forms.gle/Xty9CFEdD3aVq3wWA. Sign-ups will conclude prior to the contest’s commencement - 30 minutes prior to showtime.)

[art-by-committee]

DECIDE WHAT I DRAW!! (info post)

I've been an artist for 20 years and I'm currently doing a bachelor project where I let tumblr decide what exactly I'm going to create!!

This week, I'm running four simultaneous polls to decide:

Medium/tools

Art style

Colours

Vibe ~

Next week, I will run a tournament bracket to decide what the actual subject should be. Until then, please submit suggestions for subject through asks!

The finished result will be posted by December 10th.

My regular art blog is @harbek. Here's some examples of my range:

SCHEDULE:

November 14th - 21st: Polls on medium/style/colours/vibe.

November 21st: Deadline for subject submissions.

November 22nd: The subject tournament bracket begins!

(One-day polls. Length will depend on number of suggestions.)

PROFIT??? (I work on the art and also my other exams.)

December 8th: Academic deadline for this project!!

December 10th: When the final result will be posted.

MORE DETAILS (FOR THE CURIOUS):

This is a project that's a part of my bachelor degree in Art, at the University of South-Eastern Norway. I'm examining and experimenting with the concept of an artist letting the direction of their work be determined by their audience (such as by communal voting).

Stuff you may find on this blog:

These polls, obviously.

An occasional reblog relevant to this subject?

Other polls asking your opinions on related stuff.

Concept sketches based on random possible combinations of poll results (to have more than one work to show).

ALSO, the art result of my test poll!

If you're an artist (of any level of skill/experience) and you have thoughts on this, please feel free to reach out!

[atlasofthestaars]

Question!

I have about like, 3?? requests sitting in my inbox (sorry for the wait), and I know that most of you are here for New Era, so I wanted to poll something.

I'm not guaranteed to follow the results of the poll, but I do want to know what my general audience wants from me so I can figure out what path I do wanna follow!

I will explain the options a bit more in depth and what it will mean if I go down each path.

New Era will be prioritized, and I will try to get chapters out for that one as soon as possible. This means that requests will take the longest for this one as I typically find myself the most inspired for New Era vs the requests I receive. This means I could take forever to get to them since I will be mainly busy with the main fic.

New Era will be a priority, BUT every 2-4 chapters I will switch focus and try to get a request or two done depending on how many I get. New Era updates may take longer because of this, but the requests do get some time allotted for them to be focused on.

New Era updates will slow down to make time for requests since I will go back and forth.

I the poll up for a week, but honestly my decision will probably take place before it officially ends? Who knows!

Thanks for reading my ramble haha <3

[aoikasaa]

cinderella phenomenon merch update

hi guys !! update on the cindphenon merch: they're coming along really nicely, and i should have previews for them up soon ! :DD

also little faq from the form, future order dates, sales misc etc below the cut:

will they be available internationally? yes ! but as i'm not based in the US, shipping to US and other parts of Asia/the rest of the world starts from around $10usd as i'll be using registered mail;; if you have a few friends in the same region as you, I'm open to group orders to help with shipping costs !

what characters will be available? as of now (and for the foreseeable future lol), it will be Rod, Karma, Rumpel, Fritz, Varg, Waltz, Lucette, Myth, Parfait and Delora based on the original game. all of them will have individual charms except Delora and Parfait, who will come together in the same charm as each other's front/back. Fritz and Varg will be available as both individual and same charm versions.

will Evermore versions be available? unfortunately, i don't think so unless this original batch does extraordinarily well haha// due to the style of the merch, it takes a long time to produce and i simply don't have the time to dedicate to so many characters again;; but if i change the designs...simplify them...hm...but then they wont match the og ver charms hrngh....i dont know haha !! im thinking about it !!! i really am !!! but ultimately this is very much a passion project for me so it is at the whims of my limited time and energy :"))

what about the results of the poll aka the front/back designs of Karma and Waltz? please wait and see when the previews are up! a hint: there were very clear majority winners on what the people wanted between the options :"DD

do previews include irl photos/samples? unfortunately not! i won't be receiving samples until sometime early nov, but you'll be able to see the full designs before then! however, i will be posting pictures of the irl samples when they arrive as well :))

when will they be available for sale ? as long as there's no delays/issues with the sample batch of charms, pre-order sales will open once i confirm the quality of the samples! so the projected timeline would be: - open pre-orders mid/late nov 2023. - to avoid Christmas shipping jams etc, pre-orders will close late dec 2023/early jan 2024 - shipping to begin sometime mid jan 2024 do take note that as this is a projected timeline, things are subjected to change. i will update the timeline accordingly when the ball starts rolling! if you're unable to purchase at that time, i will likely be opening a second sale after may 2024 to sell any leftovers after a local con. however as these will be leftover stock sales, i cannot guarantee that the character you want will still be available then.

i won't be able to pre-order from nov - jan, and i'm worried leftover stock won't include the charm i want. will you open pre-order sales for this set of charms again? maybe not. it depends on how well the sales of this initial batch does, as merch production can get quite expensive...if there's not much demand in this first round of sales and i'm unable to justify the high production+shipping fees, i may not be able to have a second sale. however, i am considering making other cindphenon merch as well (evermore charms, physical fanzines, but mainly Fritz + Varg related merch like a standee)! considering my schedule, these will most likely only be available post-may 2024, but i will keep you all updated on this! i will either reblog this post with any updates or make a new post on updates, so feel free to follow for merch news!

if you have any other questions, go ahead and shoot an ask through the inbox or reply to this post :D i'll get to them as quickly as possible, but take note i will answer all questions publicly for audience sake, so please use the anon feature in asks if you're uncomfortable with that!

[pink-strawberry-kissess]

do you think aeon is the most popular ship in re as a whole??

i always see polls and the winners are always different from the last one 😭

it's gonna vary everywhere

if a poll is done for "most popular ship" and is done by someone who's say - a luis x leon ship, then that one will probably be skewed to that result because of their following (it's like voting in an echo chamber)

there's also just a bias depending on where the answers are actually ordered in a list. sometimes the first option will have more votes, simply because it's the first option. or if you have to pick something and it's in a row, you're more likely to pick the middle one because it's in the middle.

it's never gonna be a concrete answer because people are also not always online, everyone who's not online won't have a say

people doing polls on twitter who don't have a twitter, don't have a say

everything is going to be a sample of a few thousand people and it can be vastly different from countries as well. like one ship being extremely popular in the states, and the exact same ship being disliked or impartial in another country.

the only thing you can MAYBE take note of is ao3 tags since it's the amount of content that's being made. BUT then again, it could be different on another platform because it's for a different audience.

tl;dr unless you can poll the ENTIRE WORLD, you're always going to have skewed results because of the various platforms not available to all and the small voting demographic