#What if TSS had

[the-shrouded-shards]

Fun fact: The name Eschyl was taken from an undeveloped and abandoned story idea I had about some dragons and their riders. The unnamed protagonist was key inspiration for Dekkam. "Eshyl" (originally spelt this way) was the name of the kingdom in which they lived, part of a greater chain of islands called Arožei. They lived in their own isolation, but I never made a reason why.

[val-of-the-north]

Tibia Mariners and Those Lost in Death

While I am at it, I should talk about a detail found in Messmer's Shadow Keep. On the way to the Specimen Storehouse, you'll be faced with a peculiar sight: boats lit on fire.

This seems to be a callback to Viking funerals, except the boats are placed in a row and burnt on land. It's certainly an odd practice, but it might only be done this way because Messmer's forces are far from an accessible shore or water that's deep enough to perform it normally.

However, something else caught my eye. The boats looked quite familiar so I went back to check and...

It was the EXACT model as the boats used by the Tibia Mariners! Perhaps it is obvious seeing as the Messmer boats are used in a funerary rite, but I think it's still quite a significant connection, especially since the old Mariners have gotten quite a bit of new lore in the DLC. In Charo's Hidden Grave we can find the skulls of boatmen as a crafting material, presumably that of previous Tibia Mariners.

This is outright confirmed after finding the lone Tibia Mariner in the area, who upon defeat drops the Tibia's Cookbook, which describes them as the oldest of grave keepers.

(Btw I love the detail of the piece of lace cloth and golden ornaments, they are the same found on the Mariners themselves. They even come with the same ghostly glow)

This is quite the revelation, as prior to Shadow of the Erdtree we had no way of knowing that these guys actually predated the spread of Deathroot and Godwyn's transformation into the Prince of Death. And how could we doubt that, since they even drop Deathroot themselves? But there was something that most people have neglected to note about the Mariners, me included.

In the base game, the Tibia Mariner found in the Wyndham Ruins drops a spell called Tibia's Summons. This inconspicuous sorcery of the servants of death actually holds a perplexing description which mentions a group known as "Those Lost in Death".

There was something seemingly redundant and unexplained about these guys. What does "Lost in Death" mean? Why aren't they simply called "Those Who Live in Death"? It wouldn't blame anyone for assuming that this description just contains an outdated term for the undead before they stuck with the one used in-game. However, through the Tibia's Cookbook, we find a NEW reference to this same concept.

Roughly the same title (Those Lost in Death = one lost in death), the same underlying sentiment, and we have verifiable proof that the Tibia Mariners are outright ancient... so what's the deal with this? Well, I have a theory.

The descriptions of these things hint at the fact that the dead have been wandering for a very long time, and that they are in need of leadership. Before the DLC, it was easy to assume that the undead were simply a result of Deathroot, and the game seemed to suggest the same thing by stating multiple times that it was the origin of Those Who Live in Death...

... but that's the thing! Prior to Deathroot connecting them to Godwyn, the undead amounted only to shambling corpses. They were not LIVING in Death, but simply LOST in it, which is how the Mariners were able to control them in ancient times through the use of sounds, both their horns and the Calls of Tibia. It's only through the guidance of a lord, in this case the Prince of Death, that they found an identity and new life.

It's likely the undead waned in the era of Marika because of her elaborate Erdtree burials and general control of life and death. Heck, the figure of Rosus, who guides us to the Catacombs, must have also played a big part in their disappearance. His axe has a similar power to the Tibia's Summons and it's called Rosus's Summons. Its description also mentions that the dead easily lose their way, meaning that Rosus was meant to lend the dead a guiding hand. "Those Lost in Death" would be lost no more.

Without people Lost in Death, the Mariners kind of lost their purpose and vanished for a long time... until the Shattering and the rise of Those Who Live in Death of course. It might mean that the only reason they hold onto Deathroot is because it attracts and connects the new undead.

I guess Godwyn was meant to be a sort of "lighthouse" for all undead. He would make sure they never lost themselves but also that they would be allowed to live instead of being forced back to rest like with Rosus and Marika. Him being a "lighthouse" also fits the marine theme that all this death business is going for quite neatly I think...

But to return to what started this... maybe those boats lit on fire are Messmer's way of making sure the soldiers of his army aren't lost to death after their passing. A way to give them a proper rest the way Marika would have wanted, even though he is limited in what he can do about it. The Catacombs are now corrupted with Deathroots and Godwyn's corpse bodies, and guarded by his fervent golden Death Knights.

(P.S. - I didn't know where to put this, but "Charo" is one letter off from Charon, the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology. Seeing as the place is connected to the Tibia Mariners, who shepherded Those Lost in Death in an age long past, I find that this connection might not be mere coincidence...)

[logan-the-artist]

I saw Remus had battle scars and without looking at pic thought of trans Remus 😭

I will hold onto my trans Patton headcanon until I die. You can bury me with it. And maybe Janus to but that’s besides the point

you, my friend, have opened my eyes.

they are trans besties.

[incognetomisquito]

The Crackle of Your Voice [Art Post]

MY MAGNUM OPUS

Hullo hullo all, i emerge for yet another year of TS Sides Big Bang!

Collaborated with the wonderful @katelynn-a-fan to illustrate their fic, The Crackle of Your Voice

(@tss-storytime btw)

Depicting the first, and last times Patton sees Roman in the arena

Ok, mandatory rant under the cut (and process pics!)

I had so much fun trying to nail the vibes, which is on par with all my illustrations lmao. I wanted a before and after, with the two Romans being mirror versions of the other. Despite being two different moments in time, its virtually the same pose! But with a shoulder shift and vastly different context.

The design stayed simple, I’m never one for overly detailed clothing or backgrounds, but I conveyed my point. And I’m not too strong on color yet, so keeping everything simple let me really explore the shading, lighting, and hell overall composition

My sketch to lineart process was pretty straightforward (tho still fun) but the coloring is where it got interesting

I wasnt really sure where to go? I knew i wanted something dramatic, and im a sucker for lighting, so i started with that. Ive been sketching with this specific blue so i started the lighting mockup in that, and got something really nice.

And then i kinda just. Incorporated that into everything. Roman himself is a palette of red and gold, and then the lineart evolved to be a more red hue of that blue sketch color. The background went purple, again to bridge the gap between that blue sketch and the red Roman.

Then I got stuck again, bc I loved that lighting mockup, but didn’t know how to re-make it with an actual color palette. The glory of overlay tho, meant i didnt have to! After that, it was playing around with shadows and highlights, and some good filters to get the electricity to pop. Plus one last layer of the light beams.

Im really proud of myself with the lighting tho! The way the shadows really let you know where the light source is, it looks really nice. And the way the colors all stayed in harmony, although i think the overlay did a lot of the heavy lifting

And fun fact! They’re phone background size :D

[saintaviator]

screenshot redraw from the secret saturdays :3

[fred-the-god]

Roman finds his way into au time

He’s a witch, he has somewhat good control of his magic, and knows a few spells, but for the most part just makes it up as he goes. and like I mentioned before, his and Remus raw magic are linked

He’s very active in his theatre group :)

[chicken-magnet]

my brain, motivated by a headache, wrote me a literal my life (but make it coffee shop au) x tma x sanders sides x danny phantom crossover fanfic as a dream

what the fuck

[palaceoftears]

Magnificent Century Rewatch: One Picspam per Episode

Episode 17: The Double Joy

-My dear mother used to say "walk barefoot on earth and it shall take away all your troubles and sorrows, earth shall give you happiness and joy"

-Your mother spoke well, one can only find peace in earth. But I'm not sure if it is on earth or in it.

[boygirlctommy]

im doing so normal right now

[cavedweller1st]

The darkness should've been used like the reverse infection from tss

[dood1e-bug]

What Percy looked like before getting mutated.

[thedukeside]

Tommy... I'm awake~ Don't do what I think you're gonna do~

[naminethewitch]

I've been listening to this song a few times in a row now and... it so gives Logan and Remus vibes. At least in the worst timeline of where canon is heading. I mean:

Strike first Make it hurt When everyone assumes the worst I never have to say I'm sorry

Spiteful Ruinous I'm all things you feared I was Another villain in your story

You think that I'm a spitfire? You should Afraid you're on my bad side? That's good If I wanted to end you I could I could

I'm sinking down If you only knew how hard it is For me to climb out I'm kicking and screaming But no one can hear me So what happens now? The shadows are creeping in I didn't ask forI didn't ask for this

Logan, ignored so often, decides to change his tactics, Logan is orange theory vibes right there. He's not going to take it anymore and strikes back...

Cold rage Hides the shame Of images I can't escape Scars that live under the surface

It's strange What I became When part of me was ripped away And replaced with something worthless

You think that I'm a spitfire? You should Afraid you're on my bad side? That's good If I wanted to end you I could I could

I'm sinking down If you only knew how hard it is For me to climb out I'm kicking and screaming But no one can hear me So what happens now? The shadows are creeping in I didn't ask for I didn't ask for this

Remus, with the intrusive thoughts that plague Thomas, ripped apart from his twin and deemed the bad version of creativity. He decides to embrace it and loses himself in the morbid ideas.

Take what's left Of my fractured heart Bloodstained 'cause The pieces are so sharp

Take what's left Of my fractured heart Bloodstained 'cause The pieces are so sharp

I'm sinking down If you only knew how hard it is For me to climb out I'm kicking and screaming But no one can hear me So what happens now? The shadows are creeping in I didn't ask for I didn't ask for this

Never forget I didn't ask for this

Both of them, trying to reach Thomas in a desperate plea to be heard.

[pyxy-styx]

Logan, Virgil, and Janus have a book club and read the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series because I said so

[july-19th-club]

me age seven being sat down in front of the school’s district child psych lady and being given strange, simple spatial puzzles to solve and then long, complicated worksheets and hammering my way through them at the speed of light while having zero comprehension what their purpose was or why i was here: this is urgent! i have to get a good grade in Weird Puzzles, Or Else, something that is both normal to want and possible to achieve,

[sweet-beezus]

Finally, I can decide on my Player's middle evolution yippee!!