#also not a character ive introduced yet as of making this post

[embracetheremarkable]

at first i lol'd. but then i serious'd

help

[cripplecharacters]

hi, i want to write about/draw/generally create post-canon content for a character. specifically, a character who survived being lit on fire right before the end of the book (as in, we dont see how the fire effected him in the longterm, as the story is cut off pretty much as soon as it is put out). however, of note is that hes the main antagonist of the story (a spree killer to be specific). ive seen a lot of discussion from burn survivors and other people with fds that you shouldnt be writing evil characters with burn scars or other fds due to the harmful messages that perpetuates, and i want to know if that applies here as well? should i not portray him with scars from the fire, since he is never portrayed with them in the original material? or should i give him scars, as it is the very likely result of him surviving the fire (although not explicitly stated, the way hes described immediately after the fire is put out indicates that he probably has 3rd degree burns over most of his body)? thank you for your time

Hello,

in this situation you have essentially 4 options;

Don't portray him with the scars. Yes, realistically speaking, he would have scars. Obviously. But 95% of action characters should also have some sort of permanent disability from getting hit on the head over and over, and yet they don't. Characters will get brought back from the dead after getting crushed to pieces and still be able-bodied, I really wouldn't get hanged up on whether an injury's outcome is realistic.

He initially has scars but they heal up. Again, realism doesn't really matter. Just throw some first degrees on him and call it a day.

Give him the scars and have the only burn survivor be the most offensive stereotype that's out there. It is what it is, you can't write your way out of a burned spree killer.

Give him scars and introduce another character who's not a murderer (or other big stereotype). If the character survives his burns, he's visiting a burn unit (burns are a life-threatening injury, he's not going to just go home after this). That's where new burn survivors are stored and 99.9% of them are normal people. I don't know whether you will be adding new characters, but even just adding a regular ass person who happens to be a burn survivor would make it better. If you don't want to add anything then I guess it's more complicated, maybe the (presumably good/less evil?) canon character who lit him on fire/put out the fire also got caught in it and got burnt too?

As you can guess, option three is the worst. If you decide to do that one, I'd consider not acknowledging the character as a burn survivor in the meta context. I wouldn't go anywhere near something tagged as "#burn survivor rep" if I saw a spree killer mention anywhere. It's just not what anyone is looking for when trying to find stuff featuring burn survivors. Spare us.

There's no one good convenient way out of this I think, you have to sacrifice something to make it work - either realism, potential disabled readers, or plan for the story. The advice above is just my take on what you could do here.

Hope this helps,

mod Sasza

[snowiwyvern]

a shitty guide to tumblr for people who have never been on this godforsaken website

yeah so ive been thinking about making one of these posts, because tumblr is pretty unlike a lot of popular social media today and because i lost the ones that used to be making rounds. this is mostly for my own use so i dont have to reexplain tumblr every time i try to introduce people to this website, and i can just send this post to them instead

this is more to help you get started with no context of how tumblr operates, its not really a strict guide for you to follow fyi. you could ignore this completely if you want, this is generally for people who are confused, lost, and need somewhere to start. this post also mostly expects you to know what the buttons do, or at least be able to figure out what they mean

quick table of contents for this post: 1. setting up your blog 2. how to use tags 3. tumblr algorithm 4. tumblr etiquette [as of this post] 5. common lingo [also as of this post]

1. setting up your blog

okay, so. tumblr has a hugeeeee bot problem. these bots typically have default pfps, nonsensical or overly average urls, no personalization to their blog with everything as the default, no reblogs/posts or very few of them. i, and many others, tend to block these. however, if youve just gotten tumblr and havent customized your blog yet, you might be confused for a bot. so the first thing you should do is something to show that youre a real person, like changing your banner, pfp, or blog title. people also tend to hide their following and likes, but thats up to you if you want them hidden

if youd like to add more information about yourself, such as having an introduction to your blog that doesnt fit in your bio, put it in an intro post and pin it to your blog to make it your pinned post [if you arent sure how to do that, press the three dots on the top right of the post and then press pin post]. ofc your pinned post could be some other post you really really like, such as a pinned reblog of a funny post, a post you made that you thought was a banger and encapsulates your blog, whatever. but keep in mind it will usually be what introduces people to your blog.

for me, my blog introduction has a short introduction to me, what i post, my main tags [ill get into that later], and masterposts. masterposts are posts that you use to link to other posts, typically for posts that are all connected in some way. some examples would be for an art challenge, an au, or a story that spans across posts. it just helps compile and keep track of things.

and ive seen that one repost of that tiktok post. you dont have to prep like its professional or smth [unless you want to ofc]. youre fine, tumblr is informal as hell. just be kind and respectful of others and you should be fine. also, random thing i didnt know where to put elsewhere. go into your settings. you can put stuff like a theme for your blog, add timestamps to posts (which i highly reccommend, keeps you from reblogging warnings that are out of date n such), and whatever else you can find in there.

in addition, you can make side blogs! side blogs are attached to your main blog, and are used for a variety of things. some examples include: gimmick blogs [a blog whos whole purpose is to do one specific thing], ask blogs [a blog where you rp as a character and answer asks as if you were them], au/story/comic blogs [just to keep all of it in one place, if you dont want to use tags], fandom blogs [to split up your blogs by the fandom they post about], and more!

2. how to use tags

people here on tumblr can be veryyyy particular on tags. if you misuse them badly enough, you will likely find out the hard way. so, to prevent that from happening, here a quick crash course in tumblr tags!

dont spam unrelated tags if you make a post about blorbo and tag bingus, despite him not being in the post, that is using an unrelated tag and people will probably get annoyed or mad at you. you tag what is in the post. im looking at you instagram users. you tag the character[s] featured in the post, the fandom/story theyre from, and as [fandom] fanart, [fandom] fanfiction, or whatever it is. [pssstt fyi instead of fandom in brackets you put the fandom the character is from!]

dont main tag vagueposts a vague post is when you talk about someone, without naming them. this is typically done to shit talk the person its about. if you reallyyyy need to talk shit about someone that badly, dont tag it with the main tags you both interact through. ngl i think its just petty and shitty to make vagueposts in the first place, but you do you.

dont main tag critique/hate of people, ships, or characters lets say, for example, you really hate a ship in your fandom, and it bothers you to the point you feel the need to make this dislike known. you do NOT tag it with the name of that ship. people go into that tag to see people talking about how much they like that ship. that is a quick way to get a lot of hate. if you really need to, use that tag with crit slapped onto the end of it. generally, dont walk into someones house, shit talk it, and be surprised when they punch you in the face.

dont censor tags youre not going to get murdered by staff if you say suicide in your tags. if you put tags using censored terms like sewerslide or suc1d3, that only makes it so people who have those terms blocked will get those posts on their dashes. tag that shit and dont censor it, for the sake of the people around you.

now that thats out of the way, heres the other cool thing about tumblr tags! as i mentioned in the third to last paragraph of the previous section, you might want to put your main tags in your pinned post. tumblr allows you to search blogs by tag, so if someone wants to search for all of your posts that are tagged #blorbo, they can!

as an example i have 5 main tags listed in my pinned post that i use, the tag with all my art, the tag with all my writing, my tag for random textposts i make, my tag of reblogs, and my mutuals tag so i can look back and be like yayyyyy i love my moots :3. and while i dont have one, people tend to have an ask tag, where they can put all the asks they answer

3. tumblr algorithm

hate to break it to you pookie, but tumblr doesnt really have an algorithm like other social media. i lied. im sorry. im stealing your spleen. the for you page is... there. but no one uses it most of the time. tumblr operates more like websites used to, and you have to go hunt your posts down in the wild.

here on tumblr, we have the dashboard! it shows the posts from the people you follow in reverse chronological order. this means that, as a tumblr newbie, your dash will be empty. so, go into the tags and follow people who post and reblog things you like. however, that is step one in the circle of life here. you can stop there, of course, but you must keep something in mind.

if you like a post and want to share it with your followers, reblog it. a like will not get it onto their dash. a like is more like telling the original poster you thought the post was neat or that you saw it; this would be more like vent posts, posts about their private life, stuff like that. if its a post youd like to share with your followers, you reblog it; this is usually someone spitting facts you want to show your followers you agree with, a post you thought was funny, cool art, and whatever else you might want to have on your blog.

fyi, when i reblog i typically leave a like. it lets me know that i have interacted with this post before, and helps me so if im looking through a mutuals or someones blog and theres an awesome post left unliked, i know i didnt reblog it. however, thats just how i like to do it

4. tumblr etiquette

tumblr is a very old website, and that comes with a lot of unspoken rules the community has learned over time. heres a quick list of some rules you might need to keep in mind!

dont repost/steal posts a common thing i see on instagram and twitter is people reposting art, animation, or copying posts they thought were clever to farm likes. here on tumblr, we have reblogs! if you want that art on your blog, just reblog it. for example, if you run a gimmick blog that focuses on posting about one character, dont repost someone elses art [especially without credit]. just go reblog the original post, and let them know how much their contribution to the fandom is appreciated in the tags.

dont derail/hijack a post if you see a post thats completely unrelated to blorbo and about a different character completely and go, wow this is so blorbo coded! talk about it in the tags, or go make your own post. we build posts together here, we dont tear them down.

blocking you dont like seeing someone on your dash or when youre looking through tags? dont go and yell at them or something, or make a vaguepost. block their ass. how dare you interpret blorbo in that way. explode. get out of my sight. block tags you dont like. block keywords you dont like. block people you dont like. curate your online experience.

youve dicovered youre blocked oh no! someway, somehow, youve discovered youre blocked! oh the woe. dont make a vaguepost about it. dont go and make a hate mob because of it. it was likely nothing personal. maybe they just didnt like the way you typed. who literally cares. move on.

mutuals whenever you make a mutual, you often get bonded through blood together. i may be be posting about dogs and youre posting about taylor swift now, but through whatever led us to become mutuals, we are forever intertwined through our experience. the dash needs some diversity anyways. however, if this mutual has, for example, spontaneously started reblogging and posting about heinous shit you hate? block. begone. curate your online experience

someone posts something you dont like so you dont like what someones posting? what should you do? nothing. just leave them alone. dont send an ask, dont leave hate in their replies/reblogs. just block them if you need to, and move on

replying to reblogs you want to reply to someone in your reblogs, but you dont want to make a whole reblog or separate post? @ them in the replies of that post and chat with them there, or go to their dms and talk there

5. common lingo

heres some common terms youre likely to run into on tumblr! ofc this can vary from fandom to fandom, but from my experience these tend to span across fandoms.

op - original poster. the origin. the person who made the first post youre reblogging

moot/mutual - a person who you follow and they follow you back

<- prev - used in tags, to denote tags taken from the previous reblog. this can stack, to denote prev prev prev, but just screenshot the tags and add them in a reblog at that point

<- ops tags - used similarly to prev, but specifically for ops tags

blorbo - a term to describe the character that has taken over your mind like a parasite

scrimblo (and its variations) - a term similar to blorbo, but with more of a scraggly tinge to it

tumblrina - a gender neutral term for tumblr users. its not used all that commonly anymore, but i felt it was worth mentioning

yuri - term for a ship between girls

yaoi - term for a ship between boys

headcanon/hc - an interpretation of a character that is not canon. usually is a trait that falls in line with their canon portrayal, but not always

id/alt text - an image description. it describes an image in text, so that if the image is not loading or someone is blind, they can still know what it is/what it says. heres a helpful image for how to write one

asks - when you open your askbox, something you have to do through your settings, it allows people to send you messages that when you answer it posts as a whole tumblr post on your blog. you can also customize your askbox, only by changing the text from 'ask me anything!' to whatever you want. also, it might just be a me thing, but i like to tag who sent the anon in by their url or anonymous if theyre on anon

anon/anonymous - what we use to refer to people who are sending you an ask while on anonymous. some people have them off, because many people dont have the balls to send... unsavory asks on main. this is also why when people are getting hate, anon is turned off

queue - something ive actually neglected to mention! when you add things to your queue, it will post a certain amount of posts over time at the rate you set it to, during the time range you set it to

communities - tumblr communities are a more recent thing that was added to tumblr! you can go join them if youd like. quick warning though, communities that are open tend to get the occasional porn bot posting links in it. report it to a community moderator. this also means that communities that you have to be accepted into likely arent going to reject you. its probably just there to help prevent bots from getting in

porn bots - bots that post links to porn. they spam tags, communities, and spam follow people. report the porn as spam or sexual content, block, and move on

of course, there are way more terms used on this website than this, especially fandom specific ones. i couldnt possibly include them all, but this should be enough so you can understand what people are saying most of the time

in conclusion...

thanks for reading! i hope you enjoyed this post, or found it helpful. make sure to be kind to people around you, stay respectful--even of things you might think are a little odd, cringe culture is dead--, and most of all, have fun!

happy blogging :3

[pssstttt hey tumblr users, if theres anything major you think i missed, let me know in the replies or a reblog and ill add it.]

[moonyflesh]

PETER STRAHM character analysis/fanon + canon comparing - (as someone who’s rewatching the SAW films again).

- [timestamps included!) • SPOILERS!

- warning: i go full autistic here. there’s a lot of yapping.

Peter Strahm, introduced in Saw IV and continuing through Saw V and Saw VI, is an obsessive and determined FBI special agent with a relentless need for answers. His arc is one of the most intense in the franchise, characterized by his razor-sharp intuition and a growing descent into paranoia as he uncovers Jigsaw’s legacy. Played by Scott Patterson, Strahm quickly became a fan-favorite character due to his intelligence and defiance, but fanon interpretations of his character often add layers that aren’t entirely supported by canon.

—

Peter Strahm’s introduction in Saw IV establishes him as an efficient, no-nonsense FBI agent, deeply invested in solving the Jigsaw case. Unlike other law enforcement characters, he refuses to let anything stand in his way, even when it means breaking protocol or putting himself at personal risk. He’s sharp, aggressive, and uncompromising.

• Saw IV (00:35:12): “I’m not leaving here until I know what’s behind that door.” – This line perfectly illustrates Strahm’s refusal to back down, even in dangerous situations. It foreshadows his downfall, as his inability to relinquish control leads to his undoing.

In Saw V, Strahm’s arc deepens as he becomes increasingly isolated. He begins piecing together the connections between Jigsaw, Detective Mark Hoffman*, and the series of traps. What makes his character compelling is his growing paranoia—yet, at the same time, his deductions are mostly correct. His downfall isn’t that he’s wrong but that he’s playing a game he doesn’t fully understand.

• Saw V (00:49:23): “If you’re good at anticipating the human mind, it leaves nothing to chance.” – Strahm directly quotes Jigsaw here, signaling his complete immersion in the case. He begins to think like the killer, which ironically seals his fate.

—

Strahm’s biggest strength—his refusal to stop—also becomes his biggest weakness. In Saw V, he becomes so consumed by his need to expose Hoffman that he falls into a trap of his own making. The iconic glass box trap is the ultimate representation of Strahm’s failure to trust anyone but himself. While Hoffman locks himself safely inside the box, Strahm refuses to consider that stepping into it could be his only means of survival.

• Saw V (1:14:56): “You think you’re smarter than me?” – This final exchange with Hoffman is drenched in irony. Strahm’s belief that he has outmaneuvered Hoffman is shattered in moments when the walls close in on him, literally crushing his stubbornness and ego.

Fanon often portrays Strahm as a tragic antihero or, in some cases, an alternate version of Jigsaw himself—a man who could have followed in John Kramer’s footsteps had things played out differently. While there’s little concrete evidence to support this, the idea has gained traction due to Strahm’s obsession and his tendency to operate outside the law.

—

Fanon Theory 1: Strahm as a “Reverse Jigsaw”

• Evidence For: His deep understanding of Jigsaw’s philosophy, his sharp mind, and his instinctive ability to predict people’s actions could align him with the moral complexity of Jigsaw.

• Evidence Against: Strahm’s morality remains intact, despite his obsessive tendencies. He never justifies the traps or sees them as a form of justice, unlike John Kramer.

Fanon Theory 2: Strahm Survived (Post-Saw V)

• Evidence For: Some fans speculate that Strahm could have survived the crushing walls trap, considering we never get a completely clear view of his death.

• Evidence Against: Interviews with the writers and directors confirm that Strahm’s death was definitive. The Saw VI opening scene depicts his corpse being disposed of by Hoffman, cementing his fate.

—

One of the most fascinating aspects of Strahm’s character is his descent into isolation. As he gets closer to the truth, everyone around him becomes a potential threat. He trusts no one, not even his partner, Agent Perez.

• Saw V (00:32:45): “They’re all in on it.” – This line shows how deeply paranoid Strahm has become. He’s correct about Hoffman, but his belief that the conspiracy is larger than it is ultimately works against him.

The fanon interpretation of Strahm as a man driven to the brink by his obsession is consistent with his portrayal in the films. However, some fan theories take this further, suggesting that Strahm may have orchestrated certain traps himself or had a deeper connection to Jigsaw. These ideas are fun to explore but fall apart when closely examined against canon material.

—

Strahm’s character stands out in the Saw franchise because of his complexity. He isn’t just another cop trying to stop Jigsaw; he’s a man caught in a web of his own making. His sharp instincts, paranoia, and refusal to back down make him one of the most compelling characters in the series.

While fanon expands his story in fascinating ways, canon firmly positions him as a tragic figure—a man who got too close to the truth and paid the ultimate price for it. His final moments in Saw V are a haunting reminder that, in Jigsaw’s world, survival often requires more than intelligence; it requires the ability to trust, adapt, and let go.

[ * = other post can be found on my SAW MASTERLIST]

[garmrheim]

🎄Santaphale Au collection🎄

Hello! ive had this in my draft forever now and its DUE TIME to make this and post it since ive gotten questions about the au and while i make art theres amazing other creators that has helped built it up in the sandbox and while i make art theres (as of now) three fics from the same universe posted on Ao3 that follows Aziraphale and Crowley in different points in their life. ------

For those that are wondering- the short introduction to it is that the Santaphale universe began over on discord with a handfull of friends that banded together to spin up an elaborate and extensive story featuring Crowley (she/they) around her late 30s in the beginning of the story and down the line she stops aging around her late 40s/early 50s and becomes immortal along with Aziraphale (he/him) , who (looks to be) around 50. He is of half human/elfin nature that makes him a cryptid of his own right with the power he weilds as The Spirit of Hope Through Darkness, Guardian of Childhood Wishes, the God of Winter Gifts, king of the northern elves, also called Sinterklaas or Santa Clause (Thank you salt for that perfect row of titles ) They met on a Christmas night when Aziraphale visits Crowley’s home while delivering presents and after a passionate night, departs after giving her a silver bell with summoning magic to ring if she wants to see him again. Crowley goes to bed, then wakes up thinking it was all a dream til she meets a familiar face a few months later and cue a lovely romance! They later come to live in the North Pole for the second half of every year, and eventually they end up having a small bunch kids that they love and adore and the art and fic follows this entire journey and so much more.

-----

This will be updated if and when new stuff is added just because i like having it all in one place and id like if you that are introduced to the au with my art has a way to get more! as of right now (december 2024) theres 3 fics published that belongs to this au and i will post their links and information below! i can highly recommend it as they are made by two of the most talented people i know and dear friends that im so happy to share this Santaphale sandbox with along with all the pals in our server hello! i adore you too! Any art that relates to Santaphale that ive done can be found on Bluesky now since i moved completely from twitter. its over on my Family oriented acc called VanadisHeim (that IS 18+ because theres also adult content there) the occasional Santaphale can also be found on my main account called GarmrHeim and any additional art made by my fellow cocreators that is published will also be added here! ✨ Have fun and enjoy! 🎄✨

''Silver bells'' @vaguely-demonic (Vaguelydemonic on Ao3) silver bells (5938 words) by vaguelydemonic Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Good Omens (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens) Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Magic, First Meetings, Crush at First Sight, She/Her and They/Them Pronouns for Crowley (Good Omens), She/Her Pronouns for Crowley (Good Omens), They/Them Pronouns for Crowley (Good Omens), He/Him Pronouns For Aziraphale (Good Omens), Aziraphale (Good Omens) as Santa Claus, Bottom Crowley (Good Omens), Santa Kink, Cunnilingus, Vaginal Fingering, Crowley Has A Vulva (Good Omens), Aziraphale Has a Penis (Good Omens), Squirting and Vaginal Ejaculation, Coming Untouched, Coming In Pants, Mildly Dubious Consent, (previous tag clarified in author's note!), Crowley is vision impaired, Oral Sex, Christmas Smut Summary: It was Christmastime in the city and Mx. Antonia J. Crowley had resigned herself to yet another Christmas spent alone. Like everyone else, all she wanted was to live in a fairy tale world where she could just have her deepest desire purely because she wanted it: a nice big house somewhere quiet and far from the city, a partner to live out her days with, a happy family that loved her as much as she loved them. She'd come to the conclusion many, many failed relationships ago that what she wanted simply wasn't in the cards for her. Instead, her Christmas plans would once again be her, her ragged tabletop tree with a single ornament, and a bottle of wine to help her find sleep… Until there arose such a clatter and Crowley stirred from the sofa to see what was the matter. With a welcome so calm, collected, and pleasant, Crowley finds someone there in her living room, seeking to deliver a present. ------------------------------------------------- '' A Gift to us both '' @definitionsfading (Blackeyedblonde on ao3)

a gift to us both (7376 words) by blackeyedblonde Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens) Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Magic, Christmas, Aziraphale (Good Omens) as Santa Claus, Christmas Smut, Established Relationship, Developing Relationship, Domestic, He/Him Pronouns For Aziraphale (Good Omens), She/Her Pronouns for Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale Has a Penis (Good Omens), Crowley Has A Vulva (Good Omens), Age Difference, Romance, Kissing, Cunnilingus, Oral Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Breeding, Impregnation, Knotting, Crying, Confessions, Come Inflation, Mating Press, Pet Names, Tenderness, Aziraphale Has a Large Penis (Good Omens), Size Difference, Bearded Aziraphale (Good Omens), Babymaking, Soulmates, POV Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Femme Crowley (Good Omens), Lingerie, Fluff and Smut, Ineffable Spouses, Cervix Penetration, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Sex Magic

Summary: “When you say Christmas ‘wish,’ does that mean a five thousand pound gift voucher to the Liberty store in London, or something more in the abstract?” Crowley asks, lightly tweaking the curl of Aziraphale’s mustache. “I need to know the technical parameters of what you’re offering, here.” Aziraphale hums around a little laugh but goes quiet for a few moments to consider the seriousness of what he’s proposing. “You are a passionate person with a good heart and boundless optimism despite the struggles you’ve faced in your life,” he says, stating it matter-of-factly because he considers it to be true. “I’m an unusual figure in the position to grant wishes where I’m able, whether they be material or miraculous. But I suppose what I wanted to hear, if you’d indulge me, was something closer to your heart’s most ardent desire.” Crowley opens her mouth and then closes it again. Azirapahle watches the line of her slender throat as she swallows. “You’re yanking my chain,” she says, laughing as she shakes her head. “Taking the full piss.” “I can assure you I’m not,” Aziraphale says. ______________________________________________________

''Merry&Bright'' @vaguely-demonic (Vaguelydemonic on Ao3)

merry & bright (6814 words) by vaguelydemonic Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Good Omens (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens) Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens), Original Child(ren) of Aziraphale and Crowley (Good Omens) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Magic, Aziraphale (Good Omens) as Santa Claus, Established Relationship, He/Him Pronouns For Aziraphale (Good Omens), She/Her Pronouns for Crowley (Good Omens), They/Them Pronouns for Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Ineffable Spouses, Childbirth, Mild Blood, Bodily Fluids, it's childbirth okay there's gonna be some amniotic fluid, Pregnancy, Chestfeeding, Breastfeeding, Premature Birth, Less than ideal birthing conditions, Christmas, Christmas Party, Family Fluff, ineffable parents, Pregnant Crowley (Good Omens) Summary: When Aziraphale returned to the North Pole at the end of another successful run of delivering toys to the children of the world, the comfort of home was calling his name. A fire crackling away in the hearth. The promise of his beautiful family coming together for their grand holiday celebration later that evening. Crowley waiting sleepily for his late night return so he could slip into bed beside her and rest his palm over her belly, where their newest baby was nearly ready to join them. Truly, there was nothing more he could ever ask to come home to. Crowley and the baby had other ideas. Aziraphale had spent all night delivering gifts to others. It was Crowley's turn to deliver their own Christmas gift, away in a manger.

---

TO BE CONTINUED ✨

🎅🤶 👦👧👩🧒🧒👧👧🧒 🎄🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🎄

[deeply-unserious-fellow]

Things in Zombies Re-Animated that I can't stop thinking about/just stuck out to me Idk part 2, Electric Boogaloo:

The moonies are just werewolf periods

Like. They're literally just werewolf periods Idk what to tell you-

That's not like, a BAD thing, I just think fucking werewolf periods is a wild thing to introduce to the lore of this series lmao

On a similar note, I made a whole separate post abt this but I'm very confused by werewolf family dynamics I want more lore for that

WYATT'S A RACCOON NOW DON'T GET CLOSE HE'LL BITE

Bucky's very slight redesign in the Halloween special is so funny to me- he looks. So so tired. And yet he's wearing hot pink wolf ears. That dichotomy is very funny to me-

I keep getting the song Ashley was singing along to in Teeny Witch stuck in my head smh

Probably bcuz I keep rewatching Teeny Witch for the Dae content...

Guys I love Dae she's so silly

She's one of the first characters I've ever seen who's actively described by the promotional team as "shy and quirky" who isn't the most annoying person on the face of planet

And her dynamic with Bucky is so fun- genuinely amazing choice to pair them up

Wyatt has so much more personality in the show than he does in the movies. I think he's one of the characters that's def benefited the most from the tv show format

The gag about Addison being obsessed with label makers is so funny omfg

I also liked it when Addison went insane in the woods in the Halloween special that was really funny

Basically I just like that Addison keeps randomly losing her mind in this show I think its a good recurring bit

BACK ON THE SUBJECT OF THE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL- I think the writers forgot why the wolves were mad in the movies

"Sick of living in the woods" GIRL YOUR LIFE SOURCE IS LITERALLY DRAINING AS WE SPEAK I THINK THERE ARE BIGGER PROBLEMS AT HAND HERE

I'm also kinda disappointed that they're retconning Bucky being from Missy's side of the family. I think the idea of Bucky having some alien in him has a lot of potential, and I wish Re-Animated would capitalize on that.

The whole Paint it Blech episode was a fuckin MOOD

Also you can tell Meg Donelly was having so much fun voicing the lil stick figure guy lmao

I absolutely LOVE that we got a whole episode dedicated to Bree, Addison and Bucky omfg- we never actually got to see them working as a trio in the movies, since Bucky was like. The main antagonist in the first 2 and fucked off to hang out with the wolves in the 3rd. So I'm glad we're getting some of that here!

And since we ALSO got an episode dedicated to just the wolves, I hope we get one for the zombie trio in the future, too. We've gotten more of the 3 of them hanging out than we have of the main 3 cheerleaders, but it'd still be cool to get an episode on them :)

Unfortunately I don't think there's gonna be an alien trio episode... unless they decide to bring A-li and A-lan in for one episode and then send them back to the void with the 'aceys?

Which SPEAKING OF- I'm disappointed they fully replaced the 'aceys with just one guy...

Like I think I know WHY they aren't coming back, probably some combo of the writers not wanting to juggle 3 more recurring characters & the person in charge of budgeting not wanting to pay 3 more VAs, but it's still dissappointing

BRING BACK THE POLYCULE PLS I BEG

Also not to go into conspiracy theory mode... but Singular Acey seems really down bad for Bucky, and given that he's meant to fill the role of the aceys...

BACEY'S IS CANON IT'S CANON THEY'RE ALL DATING WOOOOOOO FUCK YEAH I WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I am Delusional I am going Insane)

Bucky is unfortunately a mood-

I, too, am desperate for attention, annoying abt color theory to the point Ive gotten into fights about it, a lover of cool frogs, and won't stfu abt my pets

Wynter is also a mood but that's just cuz I have ADHD and she DEF has ADHD are you KIDDING ME-

Eliza making a version of the z-band to help Wynter focus actually really lends itself to the reading of z-bands as disability aids...

I think it's neat that Zed clearly still has strong oppinions abt the MLP rip off he watched as a kid. That is also a mood.

I'm starting to think that maybe everybody in this show is just a fuckin mood...

The depictions of siblings in this show, while not really a main focus, are really accurate lmfao

Also YES IM COUNTING ADDISON AND BUCKY FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

The interactions between Willa and Bucky in these episodes were all golden(even if they only interacted in like 2 of them-). I will never shut up abt how much I love them being friends.

It's funny how borderline photo realistic the Shrimpy model is

Okay that's it :)

[fleouriarts]

sketchbook duuuuump :3 nothing to do in this town AND my stylus isn't working its a perfect storm for filling this thang up

descriptions and such below

feel like the fursona ones are self explanatory. the rileys are basically all inspired by this person's compilations... if you havent seen the clip that the bottom corner drawing is from please do yourself a favor

this was all development shit for the zakharovs who i posted last week. sergei is igor's former childhood friend who i have not come up with much about yet... all i know is he is also a fashion designer (who makes winter clothes specifically) and he has an illegitimate son named nikolai who is an arctic fox (and who i have not drawn yet)

omg okay so if anyone remembers my last sketchbook dump i introduced this character andre in there (and her name was andres but i changed it to andre bc i like it more for whatever reason). anyway ive been drawing him OBSESSIVELYYYYY and have decided that him and null get together at some point after argyle and jamie make up (i desperately need to make a jamie and co timeline post)... but it lasts like one semester and thats it. andre is too vain and too know-it-all for null's tastes even though shes like super hot and nice otherwise. anyway this is just a bunch of drawings of him. i really like how the one of him in my INSANE hat turned out

santiago and null's joint slay... both of them LOVE to gossip with each other and its instrumental to how jamie and argyle make up (will go into detail when i finally figure out all the actual events of that). also andre and null on a hike bc andre is a biology major. i actually drew that while i was on a hike in red rock canyon heres proof

5. mostly just scribbling trying to get better at drawing santiago including more of him and null and his prime Jamie Comforting Tactic of just letting him chill between his wool and sweater. also two drawings of jamie just 4 fun i draw him and his stupid big eyes whenever im out of ideas

6. idk this is just silly stuff. i draw johnny manhandling jamie a lot and i promise you jamie LOVES being treated like a stuffed animal he thinks its SO FUN to be spun around and wiggled and shit. ferret adjacent. him and johnny have been friends since they were in like elementary school because of this. btw santiago does not usually look like that (only having wool on his head) he just has to shear his wool in the summer because having full wool in the flurrida heat is AWFUL

7. comic i drew at the laundromat LOL. takes place either shortly before OR shortly after andre and null get together. johnny mostly hates andre for being with null (shes jealous) (she wants null all to herself even though shes super noncommittal) (johnny get your shit together) BUT ALSO andre being kinda pretentious makes her want to chokeslam him. andre is talking about bird farming specifically because johnny's family are chicken farmers... ive had a lore post about everyone's families in my drafts for months but i cant finish it til my stylus is fixed TT

8. more nonsense. top left corner is a continuation of johnny being a hater. bottom drawings are just mindless jamie doodles. top right is argyle and jamie during their relationship, i cant decide if jamie had REALLY short hair during it or hair like this that's basically just his current hair without the yellow dye and tiny ponytail. whatever

[cupcakeslushie]

Okay. I've been tip-toeing around this AU for a while now, but I just got caught up, and now I think I have a (decent) grasp on what's going on. So I wanna go over everything I know so far to see if I'm right or wrong on anything. Don't know if you'd be willing to correct me or not. Either way, I hope my mistakes can help you understand what to clarify to other fans like me. But, I also have some questions. You probably won't be able to answer most of them, but it's at least worth a shot.

First, where's Venus? Like, why is she not in your comics that are (sort of) separate frome the canon now story. The ones that skip to the future way after all the turtles reunite. Did she die? Did she escape? Is it because she wasn't introduced yet when you made those comics?

Two, why do you keep on making references to the future timeline? I know you're planning on possibly making your own stuff leading up to the events of the movie. It just gives me a jumpscare when I see certain...imagery in those comics. I guess you're hinting at what your version of the future apocalypse would look like, but it just hurts to see. Specifically in the comic explaining both the events and aftermath of the movie and the bad future timeline. It's starting to really confuse my brain as to where this story is headed. What's meant to be the main focus? The Hamto's reuniting? The aftermath? Or the future?

Third, did you make all those min-comics before you started the actual AU? Or did you do them during?

Fourth, are any of those mini-comics relevant to the actual story now? Or have you changed your mind on a few things? It's just that everything is so all over the place, I don't really know whether to trust if they're accurate. I know most of them are just there for funzies, but the longer ones concern me. I guess I'm just not used to the storyteller doing sequel, start, prequel, start, sequel, prequel, prequel, sequel, and then end. Or maybe it's just me, and I'm sleep deprived.

My little observation speech is gonna take a while for me to get out in your asks because when I get theoretical, my speech gets long, and my proper English goes down the drain. So I'll be back. I appreciate your work very much. Despite the pain it causes me, it's still amazing.

I’ll try my best to clear up what confusion I can!

1. As far as Venus. The answer is kind of a mix of, I was still figuring out her design and backstory while coming out with some of those early comics, and then, once I had that down, I wanted the boys to grow strong bonds as a main cast. That’s why a lot of the side characters are only making small appearances in the Sep!AU Life stories, as those are mainly for the boys reconnecting. (Usagi shows up the most because I love him and am totally biased towards him).

This maybe hasn’t been stated outright, but I wasn’t really expecting so many ppl to like Vee as much as they do, and now im trying not to spoil too much of her story. It’ll unfortunately just take us a while to get to the meat of it. Since the boys reconnecting takes up a lot of the early s1s2 story, Im trying to follow the familiar Rise blueprint of Draxum, Shredder, Krang, and then in s3 we’ll have crazy fun new stories with the extra characters.

Ive also decided to take this little nugget from one of the Q&As, and use it for Venus instead of Jennika. It was a much needed bit of inspiration to explain why Venus sorta disappears for a while and will go through some major physical changes (not yet revealed) before the family can figure out a way to reach her.

2. I’m not sure if you mean jump scared in a bad/triggering or neutral way, but if you need me to tag anything on those posts please let me know!

The glimpses of the future timeline, are being scattered throughout wherever they parallel the present story in little ways, but that’s only for now. As we get closer to the movie plot, bigger chunks of the future will be revealed, because the future versions of the boys will have a larger role to play in the present timeline. So we will need more backstory than what the canon got. And also I just enjoy drawing my future versions so sometimes I don’t think too hard on a reason. I just like throwing them at ppl with no warning or reason.

When s2 ends, I plan on collecting all the future related stuff that’s been released, and recapping it for easier reading. Right now, it’s just little sprinkles of foreshadowing to give ppl an idea that, ‘oh crap. The doomed timeline is a bummer’. In my mind, I guess i thought it’d be kinda like a fun scavenger hunt for clues, but maybe ppl don’t like that 😅

3. All of the side-stories were written as the main comic was/is being released. A lot of them resulted from asks that just spawned the need to expand on certain ideas, or a desire to give all the turtles their time to shine.

For instance, when I was doing Donnie’s section of the main comic, it was a good few months where we hardly saw anyone but him and Venus. I wanted to just mix it up, and give Raph some love with his ‘Raph Time’ short. When Leo was front and center in the main, we hardly saw the others, so Mikey and Donnie got their little ‘Secrets’ short (and it was also I fun thank you for EW making it so far in the tmnt sep competition).

4. Anything that has been reworked/revised or just plain dropped should have an ‘Edit’ note because yes—I have gone back and changed some things, but more so from the asks i got in the early days, and some movie idea drafts.

All the short comics done in the last year, especially the ones that are listed in my pinned post, are canon and fall somewhere in the timeline. They’re like supplemental reading though—extra meat to give the world and the characters more personality. They do have particular backstory plot and important info in them, but nothing that shouldn’t eventually be re-visited/repeated in the main story.

um I hope that cleared up some things! I know it’s kind of a crazy amount of lore. I’ve tried my best to organize it in the pinned post, huge timeline, and search bar tags, but I know it’s getting harder and harder for newer ppl to jump in as it just get bigger. Thanks for reading regardless!

[softness-and-shattering]

Ok the latest episode of dungeon meshi is gory as fuck.

Major episode 11 SPOILERS

Given that the episode is dragon part one, I assumed they would fight the dragon, mostly fail, cliffhanger, and the next episode would be defeating it.

I did NOT expect them to kill it, root around its insides, and find Falins fucking bones!!

The foot comes down on Senshi and he immediately vomits blood? Chilchuk knocked out by bricks to the head, Laios loses his leg?! (Nitpick but. If the leg was disconnected what was keeping him from falling out the dragons mouth? Anime rule of cool physics?)

And then. Chilchuk and Senshi is heaps of pain and Laios' leg is just itchy? Its a good joke, but I think there's more. Those heals were too easy after that amount of unprecedented violent gore.

Laios had a btw-line about of the dragon and is mating and then dismissed the thought with no given reason. So I think next episode theres gonna be a second Red dragon. ( Its possible part 2 will be next season, but following more common episode title namings, red dragon 1 and 2 will be the season finale. )

And theres the unanswered question of the whole season, why is the dragon more active, why is the ecosystem of the dungeon off-balance. I think next episode will be our big clue.

Re Falin, its no coinicidence we were introduced to the racist rich guy who assures us that souls dont leave bodies in the dungeon. That was confusing up till the last episode because the characters sure act like death is possible, and we've seen dead people and heard about body-retrieval. Then Namari goes to revivals to ask about Falin and there are bodies stored behind the desk guy. Which puts the pieces together, bodies that can be retrieved are retrieved, and the people can be revived. If someone cares to, and presumably pays for it. Someones gotta pay for retrievals.

Its also no accident that our warm-fuzzy sibling scene before finding Falins skull is about a ghost who is trapped with his body, and Falins intuition/ability with ghost magic. Can she be revived, will she stick around as a ghost, remains to be seen. (Remains.)

As someone who hasnt yet read the manga, Im also curious about long term story. Ive gotten the impression that theres significant story to go, possibly probably they reach the end of the dungeon? But Ive not seen Falin present in any of the art, and for the story to continue they need motivation to keep going.

So Im guessing that Falin ends up as a ghost, or unreviveable, and they have to get to the bottom to find the mad mage, work out what stops people from crossing over post-death (does that include monsters, orcs, humanoid mermaids or fish-oid[???]mermen), and only then can they bring Falin back to life.

That or they revive her and theres some other plot hook, but my guess is what I just described.

(Another silly nitpick, the fire is blocked by the adamantium but the heat isnt a problem until after the fire is done? "WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO EXHAUST ALL ITS FUEL" THAT WOULDVE LEFT FALIN BEYOND ALL HOPE!!!!!!)

And its funny re Senshi's knife, ooh its mithril it can cut through anything, well of course! he's used it to cut every single monster theyve eaten! And we never wondered how! Foreshadowing by cookware, its ridiculous and I love it.

Last point is it just me or are...is it Kaka and Kiki? Theyre discount Vex and Vax, right?

[sebthechosenone]

Nightmare

mini comic+Lore+updates

Explanation if you need one lol. It’s mostly just backstory ab Lark, or ‘Knight’ as she’s called since the characters don’t know each other yet.

Lark is a knight, or was, since she retired from knight/hero hood around 6 years ago, when she was 32. Before that, she fought Ganondorf when she was 18, sealing him away, and later when she was 25 when he broke said seal. She is very opposed to being a hero, since it had basically ruined her life, and was not enthusiastic to wake up in a totally new era with two random ‘heroes’ she’d never even heard of.

Lark is currently 38. She became a knight when she was 14, when, after she was dared to try by her cousins, she drew the master sword. The king, taking her drawing the sword as a sign, immediately made her a knight. Lark is from a family of knights, where all the men become royal guards or soldiers, so her becoming a knight was a totally new thing. Her uncle saw it as a sign of bad luck since she was the first woman in the bloodline to become a knight.

SPOILER KINDA MAYBE? ITS NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL BUT WHATEVER

I won’t say how, but, she is VERY VERY VERY distantly related to the Hero of Time, although not by blood….. may you speculate…..

it will be explained later in the comic series. Like way later lol.

ALSO SIDE NOTE STUFF IF YOUVE READ THIS FAR

ima try to post a comic at least once every day

each chapter will have ten parts

my asks are open I’m pretty sure I made sure they work, so if u follow me or are just interested in anything, ask me through there and I’ll see it lol.

SI’m almost done introducing the main five in the comic. I have one character to go. You will learn their names soon lol in like the next two comics I think.

i will post mini comics like this a lot prob to explain lore

i know I’m not popular enough to say this yet obviously, but just in case I do get to that point: If you are gonna make art of the goobers, pls keep it appropriate. No NSFW. And no shipping pls. Not yet at least. IVE OBVIOUSLY HAD NO ONE MAKE ART OR ASK TO, AND I KNOW I AM NOT THAT POPULAR YET SO IGNORE THIS IG

THANKS FOR READING THIS FAR

things may be slow on the comic for a bit since testing is starting but idk het

[genshinnrambles]

Archon Quest Chapter V Notes - Act I and Act II

“The victors will burn bright, while the losers must turn to ash.”

Just wanted to do some review before the finale and organize all of the ideas presented so far in each act. Each act’s themes, introduced concepts, main plot, and sub plots as I saw them are summarized, with some denoted speculations. This post contains all AQ content from version 5.0, or Act I and Act II. Noted from versions 5.1 and 5.2 are here.

Spoilers: Well, it’s in the title. You’ve been warned!

Act I: Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn

“Flowers” are frequently used as a metaphor for lives in Genshin (“Flower of Life” artifacts, “The Song Burning in the Embers,” the gardener metaphor from Shadows Amidst Snowstorms)

"Our forebearers carved 'miracles' into obsidian rock, yet future bearers looked upon them and saw 'strength.'" The miracles of the past become the motivations of the present. The limitations of the past become the breakthroughs of today... “

Themes: “No one fights alone”*, legacy, memory, and forgetting*, the meaning of strength, mutualism and partnership between humans and “nature,” the cruelty of war and the Abyss

(My favorite motif of “no one fights alone” is the generosity characters exhibit with food and drinks. C: )

*These themes are overarching to all of Chapter V, but are more prominent in some acts and less in others. 

Concepts Introduced:

Ancient Names: A name gifted by the Wayob of an individual tribe to a tribe member. Not everyone gets to be an Ancient Name bearer, and they are essential to the Pilgrimage. Ancient Names are also not unique to each individual, but rather “legacies” that are passed down through generations of Natlanese. Each Ancient Name bearer also holds a feather-shaped obsidian stone, with their Ancient Name (sans vowels) written on it in the Abyss script. It preserves their accomplishments as memories. Ancient Names perish with their bearer if they fall in the Night Warden Wars.

A “flower of life” and her “plume of death.”

The clear analogue to this concept is Vision bearers, who enjoy a certain amount of privilege respective to “ordinary people” in society, though having a Vision can be seen as a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask:

Paimon: ...Then, you're saying this stone doesn't have any actual power? Like, it's not gonna make Paimon super strong or smart? Pacal: None at all, and that is precisely how it exercises its unique value. Kachina: Think of it this way... If you become a hero because the heavens granted you strength, are your triumphs earned or given?

Uthabiti (Resilience): Kachina’s Ancient Name.

Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame: A tournament to determine the strongest warriors of the present to fight in the Night Warden Wars. Participation is restricted to Natlanese and consists of two stages, a team stage and an individual stage. In other words, Natlan values both team and individual strength, seeing both as essential to victory.

Night Warden Wars: A battle between the strongest Ancient Name bearers of the Pilgrimage and the advancing Abyss, which Natlan is constantly at war with due to the special circumstance of their Ley Lines.

Saurian companions: Each tribe has a special relationship with a specific Saurian type, and humans live alongside Saurians in Natlan. Saurians are also partners in combat for some Natlanese.

Wayob: The “will” of each tribe that dwells in the Night Kingdom, symbolized by the obsidian totem. 

Pyro Archon: In Natlan, humans ascend to this role due to the rules Xbalanque wrote for the nation. Mavuika was also the Archon during the Cataclysm.

Kachina: I do know this, though — even after becoming the Pyro Archon, the person in the position still grows old and requires rest.

Phlogiston: Primordial elemental energy (formally stated in Act IV). 

The Sacred Flame: Provides Natlan with protection from the Abyss, fueled by Contending Fire collected from battles during the Pilgrimage. Outlander participation in the Pilgrimage does not generate Contending Fire, hence their being barred from the tournament.

If Ancient Name bearers are analogous to Vision bearers, then are Outlanders in the context of the Pilgrimage analogous to people from outside of Teyvat? If so, could the analog to the Pilgrimage tell us something about the nature of Teyvat? Personally, I think the underlying mechanism of the Vision system and the boon it provides to Celestia lies in this story.

The Ode of Resurrection: A song with the power to resurrect fallen Ancient Name bearers in the Night Warden Wars, provided there is at least one survivor to return from the Night Kingdom. The Pyro Archon steps into the Sacred Flame to retrieve them.

The Night Kingdom: The liminal space between body and mind, life and death. Comparable to the space below the Celestial Nail in “Perilous Trail.” In other words, it’s not quite the Abyss, but rather the “boundary” between the Abyss and Teyvat. In other words, it’s the Ley Lines of Natlan.

Abyssal corrosion/wounds: Technically corrosion is a pretty old concept by now, but in this context we learn about it as a potential cost in Natlan’s war against the Abyss. Corrosion stays in the body and restricts an individual’s ability to participate in things they used to do with ease, let alone participate in the Pilgrimage again.

Here, Abyssal corrosion is a metaphor for injury in the line of battle, which can leave both physical and emotional scars. 

Abyssal Pylon: A gate between the Night Kingdom and Teyvat that allows Abyssal creatures to pass into Teyvat.

Main Plot:

This act establishes several key concepts and largely serves as a worldbuilding and set up act. We learn about the shared traditions and customs between the six tribes, which center on the Wayob, Ancient Names, the Night Kingdom, and the meaning behind the “nation of war.” 

The Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame is being held in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame to collect Contending Fire and send another wave of warriors to the frontlines against the Abyss. Kachina of the Children of Echoes learns to value her will and achieves her dream of winning the tournament; her reward is to fight alongside the strongest warriors in the Night Warden Wars. While she’s away, the Traveler goes with Mualani to the People of the Springs and meets Atea, who sustained an injury from the Abyss in a past Night Warden War. Mualani, the Traveler, Marokau and Hikueru plan a party for Atea at the old hot springs she frequented before her injury and work together to renovate it, but the Abyss attacks the People of the Springs overnight. After finding Atea injured at the old hot springs, the Traveler remembers way back in Mondstadt when they purified Dvalin’s tears and tries that super cool power out again on Atea’s festering injury. Atea reveals to the Traveler and Mualani that her fate is sealed, and she only has a few days left; she leaves them with a “relic” to give to Mavuika, which “embodies fond memories and [her] strength of will.”

“Life is a journey in which there’s no turning back, so forge ahead and don’t hold back.”

Subplots:

Kachina’s struggle to assert her will (strength), which culminates in her defeating Mualani in the tournament

Kachina: "The key to winning is in the strength of the team captain," that's what everyone says. But, uh... the difference in strength between bearers can practically be night and day. Kachina: Mualani, I... I really want to win this time. I want to win this Pilgrimage and become a true warrior!

Phlogiston and the unique position Natlan occupies in relation to the rest of Teyvat.

The price of the endless war against the Abyss. Though it’s the greatest honor in Natlan to participate in the Night Warden Wars and emerge victorious in the Pilgrimage, the cost is cases like Atea’s or the erasure of an entire legacy if an Ancient Name bearer falls. The ultimate cost, then, is the erasure of all of Natlan if they ever fail in the war.

The weight of legacy and the importance of memory is central to Mavuika’s character. The ultimate cost of the war is unacceptable to her.

Act II: Black Stone Under A White Stone

Here, “Black Stone” refers to the Obsidian in the Night Kingdom.

Themes: Sacrifice, regret, “the shape of time” (another name for legacy), ideals vs. the real, fate

Concepts Introduced:

Abyssal cunning: another concept that isn’t quite new if you’re familiar with “Perilous Trail,” but since that’s optional content it counts. The Abyss can take on a form specific to each land’s memories to bring about destruction - this matches the Traveler’s past encounters with the Abyss, such as the Withering of Sumeru, the miasma of Chenyu Vale, the poisoned waters of Erinnyes, and the tumor beneath the Sacred Sakura.

Malipo (Turnfire): Kinich’s Ancient Name, once held by Burkina (Cataclysm era) and Yupanqui (Xbalanque era).

The Sea of Souls: The “unity” in the Ley Lines of all memories and emotions held by each individual on the land. Where individuality goes to die.

Spiritspeaker Stone: An artifact Citlali created to commune with the Wayob.

Wayna: As you probably know, your intended destination is completely different from the real world. The Night Kingdom is like a river flowing with "concepts," and the Ancient Name you seek is like a tiny fish swimming downstream. In that sense, the Stone is like a fishing boat drifting down the river.

“Concepts” (lol): fundamental ideas underlying a physical thing. The Night Kingdom is a realm of “concepts,” which is why it’s typically only visited through one’s consciousness. This is also why all descriptions of the Night Kingdom rely so heavily on analogy. These “ideas” need physical vessels to ground them in the real world.

Mualani: Wait, are you saying you're going to use a real net to "catch" Kachina's Ancient Name? How does that work when one's tangible and one's not? Vichama: By creating something tangible in our world — like a net — we can create a connection to a corresponding "concept" in the Night Kingdom. Basically, I'm going to use the "concept of a net" to catch something equally intangible — an Ancient Name.

Talismans/relics: Items that hold the memories and will of each of their owners, a symbol of the “legacy” theme. 

Mavuika: Most people perceive time as a linear concept, almost like a straight line that can only move forward. We cannot change the past or predict the future. But, there's also a different theory, one that I believe to be closer to the truth. Namely, that the "past," "present," and "future" all exist at once. [...] Mavuika: Let's say your journey ended right now. Thinking back on your experience in each nation, which one would you say was the most important? Traveler: I'd have to say all of them. Mavuika: Exactly. Even at the end of your journey, the things you experienced along the way don't cease to exist. They become part of who you are. Take out a portion of that journey, and you would likely make very different decisions, and eventually arrive at a very different destination. The future is the same way. It exists even though it has yet to come to pass. We just lack the means to perceive it. Of course, there are those with the power to foresee the future. They simply call it by a different name — "fate." You're quite familiar with that concept, I would imagine…

See also, all of the personal item stories in each playable character’s story page.

Umoja (Unity): Mualani’s Ancient Name, previously held by Tupac (Cataclysm Era).

Main Plot:

This act raises the Chapter’s stakes, creates suspense regarding the two unawakened heroes, and sets up future conflict between Mavuika and Capitano. It also establishes Mavuika’s greatest personal strengths (patience, empathy, humility, and long-term thinking) and hints at her fatal flaws (enormous sense of responsibility, tendency for self-sacrifice).

The Traveler and Mualani learn Kachina fell in battle, so they head to the stadium to partake in the Rite of Resurrection. However, something goes wrong and Kachina’s Ancient Name is lost in the Night Kingdom. Mavuika gathers an investigation team in the Speaker’s Chamber and lays out the stakes of the failed Rite of Resurrection, specifically the doubt it sowed in people’s hearts of the Pilgrimmage’s value. 

“[The Abyss’s] goal isn’t to break the rules that make the Ode of Resurrection work. It’s to destroy the people’s faith in them.”

In the presence of two of her awakened heroes, Mavuika discloses her plan to sacrifice her power to fuel the Sacred Flame a little longer. But before she can do that, Capitano shows up with a cryptic message about her plan and fights her for the Gnosis. After he flees, she sacrifices her remaining power to the flame. After she does this, a similar visual effect is produced as was seen in the Ignition teaser:

(I expect to see this effect again in Act V and learn its meaning, for now I can only speculate its related to one’s sense of self)

The Traveler, Mualani, and Chasca use the Spiritspeaker Stone, a net, and obsidian to salvage Kachina’s Ancient Name from the Night Kingdom with Vichama’s help. Vichama had hoped to salvage his own fallen friend’s Ancient Name as well, but the Spiritspeaker Stone is overwhelmed by the Abyss and Chasca destroys it. They return to Mavuika with Kachina’s Ancient Name to pinpoint her location in the Night Kingdom. When they conjure her image, she reveals that the reason the Rite of Resurrection failed is because the Wayob is being affected by the Abyss. They head to the Night Kingdom in their physical forms and discover ruins of the ancient dragon civilization on the way. 

Side note, this looks eerily similar to the “wheel” in Bottle Land, which um. Yeah. Loom of Fate, anyone?

(Also, there’s a leitmotif here from the room with the Celestial Nail in the Chasm)

They find a rift entrance and make their way through the hostile Sea of Souls under the protection of Vichama’s lost friend, Mallko. After finding Kachina, she leads them to the corroded Wayob’s totem to purify it. A pyro Abyss Lector intercepts them and talks a bunch of shit undermines the ideals they value to sow doubt and distract them from the totem, but Mualani concedes that while the ideals themselves may be meaningless, the actions that uphold them aren’t. Mualani awakens to her Ancient Name’s will and inherits Tupac’s memories.

The Abyss’s cunning is why it feels uncanny.

After purifying the Wayob, the rift out of the Night Kingdom closes and Mavuika’s consciousness saves them at the cost of every relic she kept in the Speaker’s Chamber. She discloses the truth that Natlan’s destruction is imminent, and that the events of the present were set in motion 500 years in the past. The price of their victory then was their faith in the customs used to fight back the Abyss. The first part of Mavuika’s plan, then, was to reunite the tribes and rebuild the Wayob’s strength, after which a “hero” would be selected from each tribe. Mavuika’s plan as it currently stands does not guarantee that each hero will awaken their Name - that is left up to fate.

Mavuika pays her own visit to a realm of consciousness and revisits several conversations with past figures, seemingly ruminating on the weight of her plan. “Voices of the Past” speak to her in a non-corporeal form, implying that these are past Pyro Archons.

(Acts shocked that this is exactly what she did to herself).

It concludes with a cliffhanger where Capitano speaks to someone who is out of frame, ostensibly his co-conspirator from the Masters of the Night Wind. Capitano believes this person will be useful for his own plan to counter Natlan's crisis.

Subplots:

Mualani’s survivor’s guilt, which is juxtaposed with Vichama’s survivor’s guilt. In Vichama’s case, his guilt was a symptom of his obsession with Mallko’s death and the delusion that he could ever bring him back, which is why the plan to rescue Kachina appealed to him so much.

Vichama: If I could do it all over again, I would have followed Mallko to the frontlines no matter what. Even with an injured leg, there were still things I could have done. That way... even if the outcome stayed the same, I still would have fought alongside him to the end. There are critical junctures in life, and if you don't seize the chance to act, there's no going back.

This brings to mind something Acheron said in Honkai: Star Rail:

“But you said, ‘Sleep is the rehearsal of death,’ so why does life slumber? Because we are not ready for the final rest. So you can definitely understand why we want to be prepared. Even if the ending has been predetermined, that's fine. There are countless things that humans cannot change. But before the end, there are many things that humans can do while on their journey. And because of this, the ‘end’ will thus reveal a completely different meaning.”

What Vichama is getting at is that fate had no bearing on his will, it didn’t matter if it couldn’t be changed because the journey to that end would still be different, and for him, more meaningful. This revelation empowers Mualani to move forward.

Mavuika’s connection to the Sacred Flame and Natlan’s memories.

Capitano's relationship to Natlan and personal motivations for seeking the Pyro Gnosis.

Chasca and Chuychu’s apparent difficulty communicating with each other and ability to understand one another. “Apparent” being the key word.

Also, Chasca’s survivor’s guilt.

Kachina's struggle to assert her own will to life, not as something that must match the legacy of her Ancient Name, but as a continuation of its story that belongs only to her.

[the-blossica-fan]

Greetings!

I've been cooking stuff in the back (otherwise uni and drawing/ building ocs to cope).

There lemme introduce you to this fun trio!

From left to right:

Weiss: A haunted mask, a beyond with a love of theatre and dramaturgy (all the world's a stage). A trickster and enigmatic character who strikes contracts with people shes "interested" in. Formerly a Manus member until captured in mask form by the Foundation.

Juniper/ nicknamed Chip: the TV head was originally a human researcher at Laplace, now working in the Arcanum Containment Department. One of the victims of the incomplete Storm Immunity incantation she was reduced to wires, and formed a contract with the accidentally released Weiss, and later repaired with a new body by the joint efforts of Watts and Madam Lucy.

Watts: (the idiot whos kinda the scrunkly mascot of my blog) is an Awakened light bulb from the Steam Age, works as a repairman of mainly Laplace with affiliations with the ACD. Their arcane skill is Illumination, enables their transfer of light sources from one place to another. Close "friends" with Juni, with Weiss being the awkward third wheeler (currently) in this fun trio.

All currently work as part of the Arcanum Containment Department.

Idk to end this but yeah, heres the fun sponges Ive been making lore for!

They're so cunty.

Weiss is not an Awakened, in that case? A former Manus Member now helping the foundation reminds me of Mesmer's anecdote, at least this one ends well 😞

Makes deals with people... Curious, curious. Chip's curse is quite curious, like Ulrich's but it seems pretty similar to the 1990 storm FMN described.

Close "friends" 🤔🇮🇹?

(I meant the 🏳️‍🌈 flag and realized mid post, I decided not to change it)

Hopefully you won't mind me rambling about the designs, I tend to do this with things that catch my eye.

I love these sillies so much. Design wise, the way they look and their colors really stand out from one another. Weiss' blue design certainly hints at the Manus Vindictae past, yet incredibly subtle. She also looks really mysterious once you see her for the first time.

Her design is really outstanding and eye catching, especially the mask, the eyes really stand out to me. I wish I could speak about details but I cannot see (I mean I cannot make out details so I can't see the eyes very well, hating my vision frfr)

Juniper's colors are a lot more bright than the others, my eyes go immediately to her. She is an immediate 10/10 in my book because damn. The green is very limited in her palette aside from the TV head, the extra additions of green I can make out really soften the green, and the color is not oversaturated, mixed with the brighter color palette, it's actually a welcomed addition which I LOVE.

The pose? Cunty. I did not overlook those boots, damnnn

Watts mentioned and I LOVE them so much. They looks so chill and relaxed. An awakened doesn't need clothes yet the way they wear their clothes is pretty cool, their pose actually speaks a lot about them.

I love seeing them around, the silly. Red is most predominant in their design yet the blue doesn't stand out as much, which is a good thing. And that huge scarf (I believe)? Awesome.

[whumble-beeee]

hiiiiiii bee

im so fucling curious what the backstory is behind deeby and lana omg. meant to send a more coherent ask but post work braincel decrease is hitting me hard. also the dutch petname thing scared tge fuck out of me the first time.

ps this is also thw first time ive anon named myself

love - 🌿🚫 anon

God, mood about the post-work braincells. Also, I mean this with so much love, but it means so much to me that I managed to scare the shit out of you with that lol. He gets. Just so much worse. Let's just say everyone in my discord servers I introduce him to universally hate him with a passion. Get ready.

ALSO technically parts of Declan and Lana's backstory are giant spoilers, including what will be one of the bigger plot twists, so I can't tell you just yet. HOWEVER, what I can do is reiterate and highlight things I've already said in-story, plus what's gonna be revealed soon when I actually upload her character profile lol. All that under the cut.

So the first time you really first start hearing about Lana is in Chapter 7, where we also meet Vaughn for the first time. In that, we learn that 1. Declan and Lana are ex boyfriend and girlfriend. As in they actually used to date. 2. Lana is Declan's boss now in some capacity (and was the one to order Stan's kidnapping), and 3, Declan fkn hates Lana. So much more than he hates Vaughn.

In Chapter 8, we learn that 4. Vaughn and Lana are currently dating. That's not really too relevant, but it's really funny to me because their relationship is... something. I'm sure you can imagine. It's very mutually manipulative and they both know it, its awesome.

Anyway, then in Ch. 9, through Stan and Deeby's yelling match, you learn that Declan and Lana's relationship is complicated and he refuses to talk about it, but 5. he's kinda obligated to do whatever Lana says or face unspecified consequences.

Skip to Chapters 11 and 12, the ones with Marcus at the convenience store getting harassed, where we first meet Lana in person. We learn a lot about her, mainly that she 6. acts pretty bubbly and ditzy but is actually pretty smart, 7. is completely fine with SA, 8. is manipulative as hell, 9. feels safe enough to fuck with Declan's plans because despite how much we know Deeby to exert his will over others, he wont do shit to stop her. and 10. The big one: she was the one to give Declan his burn scars (with acid btw. everyone in the story has a weapon of choice, bc superhero lol. Lana is injectable poisons, gasses, acids, etc.). This is mostly just something you could assume, but when she gave him that burn scar, that was the turning point when Lana started manipulating Deeby.

Chapter 15, it's mostly just more of the same, Lana telling Deeby to keep Stan for longer, and Deeby can't argue back, he hates Lana but he has to do what she says, whatever.

So, to put it all together for you: Lana has Deeby under her thumb for some reason. She acts fake, she's manipulative, she's relatively smart, and she dated Declan which means she would get to know some of the more intimate details about him that she could blackmail him with. Also something happened between them where she literally burned him with acid, and now she is his boss (she's the CEO of Supramed Corp. actually, which would be revealed whenever I get around to posting her character profile lol) and makes him do bounty hunting jobs as well as basically whatever she wants. That's what we know so far.

You'll learn more about Lana as a person as well as the nature of their relationship as time goes on, and a lot of Declan's behavior has been partially shaped because of her. There's a lot more to her that hasn't been uncovered yet, although the context clues are all there in the story. I just pointed out the specific ones that relate to Deccy.

Also, one last thing to leave you with. I focus a lot on eye color in this story, it's always very important, it tells you a lot. Lana has bright blue, sky blue type eyes. Can you maybe think of another time I've described a character with eyes like that?

(also if you have any questions feel free to ask in another ask or the comments lol, idk if any of this is even comprehensible)

[zeravmeta]

Super Sankta 2 Exu sounds like an excellent idea Zerav. For maximum meme, she's a John Wick style Guard- just uses guns to bash in people's skulls.

Super Sankta 2 Exu whose going John Wick style on people is funny but my concept for Exia Alter was always based on like, the concept that Skadi Alter first introduced that we all thought at the time was gonna be the standard fare for alters

My Ultimate Sankta vs Exia 3 concept was based around the idea of a "Bad End" Exia the way Skadi Alter is, where Exia would be further mechanized ala Executor and become an emotionless seraphim-type unit who would essentially be the ultimate Sankta weapon. This would happen as the result of Laterano having some kind of big event that would cause them to pull all remaining Sankta from all corners of Terra for their promised day of ascension where they would leave Terra and all its problems behind, with certain Sankta (Like Exia) essentially being the vanguards and protectors of these people (I essentially just took the idea of the Rapture and assigned it to the Sankta), with the event concept in question being Penguin Logistics invading this holy land to save their girl.

So like. you can imagine how hard ive been popping off with all the new lore reveals we've gotten over the past 2 years. That said, this concept is a little outdated, and just leaving it at that would be no fun

So here's my pitch for how Exia Alter 4: The Quest For Peace would go with modern foresight (added read more because reasons)

The Popes basement computer in Zwillingsturme just let out a directive that they need to gather their best Sankta to fight against the end of the world. This is in conjunction with the last few events squarely tying together Iberia's Seaborn plotline with both Laterano and Siracusa and their dividing faiths. Now, all of this is in conjunction with the hints we've been getting that Penguin Logistics is going to split up (Lappland and Mostima have already flown the coop, and currently the rest are in Siracusa helping Texas the Amogus, but that will likely not last especially bc Exia's own anniversary line all but majorly hints at this split happening because they all got different stuff going on)

If Penguin Logistics splits, Exia will well and truly be left without a support system.

Now, Exia has always been kind of off as far as Sankta go, because for all intents and purposes she shouldn't be out of place: We see just how Sankta tend to act in Guide Ahead, and Exia didn't really seem all that different. Yet, when we look at her history and actions (she was basically kicked out, she was super accident prone which made other Sankta hate her, as part of Penguin Logistics shes constantly drunk, Texas herself says that Exia being an optimist makes her different, etc), she's actually Really different.

Almost like she has an abnormality compared to other Sankta. Me and a few others (check out @annierosaart post here) have speculated on her being different, but we also don't really know WHY: Even if she was suddenly disconnected from the Sankta empathy powers, we don't see any indication of how, and unlike Ezell we don't have any sort of 'wake-up' moment for her.

But given the weirdness about her and her lines, I think I know what the exact nature of her abnormality may be (and heres my pitch) when looking at the most relevant characters who have abnormalities, namely Executor and Arturia, because I think she falls in line with them (shameless plug to my old exia/executor buddies post):

Executor's abnormality is that his emotions are incredibly muted compared to others. He isn't heartless or emotionless, but more that his heart and mind runs on rationale and logic first and foremost, which almost disqualified him from being canonized had he also not been Laternos single most competent man because saint fedex is entirely disconnected from caring about petty things like being racist.

Arturia's abnormality is that she is receptively empathetic to the point she has nothing within her. She can remove the inhibitions of people, and this is in service to understanding them, because she lacks an understanding of herself: She has a grand dream of an empathy for the world even beyond the Sankta Empathy power, and to accomplish this she draws out the emotions that people hide. As a result, she reflects the emotions of others within herself and thus is incredibly empathetic to the point she's also lacking in emotions and a self.

Exia? I think that her abnormality is that she's too emotional, that the emotions she feels are far more amplified compared to others.

I believe this for a couple of reasons: All the weirdness surrounding her aside, whats the one thing that's always defined Exia? Her Rapid Casting EX. It's always been memed about, but simply firing a single bullet from a gun is akin to casting an Arts attack, with guns serving as a type of wand in these cases. Exia is the only character within the series whose been noted to be so fast with her arts and casting.

This post here does a phenomenal job expanding on this point, but Arts are an expression of the soul, they're influenced by emotions and become stronger with them because they are ultimately expressions of the self, which all characters in and of themselves having a "unique" arts inherent to them. Hell, all of Leithaniens arts are based around using musical expression, while Sarkaz are noted for their arts based on souls and memory, with the literal main heroine of Arknights having an empathy based arts superpower.

Exia, having Super Emotion as her Sankta halo abnormality, could explain why shes so good at gun, even without Oripathy, because said emotions are boosting her casting ability. Remember, anyone can use originum arts, it's just that oripathy is needed for them to be able to do it without a casting device.

This heightened emotion could also possibly explain her crush on Mostima, and even why Mostima is so weird/cruel about her: Mostima was simply a childhood friend alongside her and her sister, and yet when she left for Lungmen, Exia was hot on her trails and then waited 4 YEARS to be beside her and meet her again. She joined Penguin Logistics specifically because of Mostima. It's incredibly likely that Exia might have just had a small crush on her that then spiraled heavily because of this, and Mostima (with her chronic backstory-itis letting her find out that the whole Sankta and halo thing is a scam from her op files and events) might even be aware of this aspect of Exia, and may have wanted her to get over it, always leaving to try and make Exia move on but also always coming back because she needs to look after Exia. After all, if Exia had heightened extreme emotions, what are the chances she could die of grief? She already gets drunks regularly, and despite being cheerful and optimistic, Exia is wearing a mask hiding an incredibly depressed individual.

It could also be possible that the reason why Exia never noticed this is because while it doesn't let other Sankta feel her emotions, she can still feel that of others. She's always confused as to why back in Laterano people always accused her of being disingenuous, because can't they feel her emotions? Well, if she has Super Emotions, it could potentially be overloading her halo, so while she can receive signals, they can't be felt by others. Moreover, this mechanical aspect blends in well with her E2 art, where she is the single operator in the game without an animal/living motiff

Even other Sankta have birds and/or human statues and robotic elements (funnily enough, Executor Sniper only has crosses but even then he is clearly being themed as specifically an angel), but Exia? She has her guns, becoming wings as a ring forms with them. She's literally ascending while her wings become darker.

So what does all this mean?

Well, the Pope's basement bonzi buddy just sent out a directive for the Pope to gather the best Sankta to fight against the end of the world, and who else to recruit but a vulnerable, lonely Sankta who was kicked out for being TOO destructive? Exia's profile does make mention that despite appearances, she is also incredibly pious just like other Sankta, and if the Pope himself came knocking, wanting to give Exia a place back in Laterano, and in a high ranking, respected position no less?

She would jump at the chance, not only to be beside her sister (and possibly Mostima), but also to be accepted back into Laterano society.

Executors own halo has a mechanized element to it, where he also gains more parts to it when he goes from normalest man to saint fedex, so he likely underwent some kind of modification to go along with his promotion, especially because he also now carries an Nier Automata companion cube with him straight from the machine

If Exia is to be canonized, she might be adjusted in a similar way by The Law.

She might even be fully altered into becoming Laterano's perfect weapon to fight against the end of the world. The Witch King himself describes this approaching threat as a void of infinite knowledge which seeks to eliminate them, an unshakeable truth of existence that drives people insane.

The Creator must perish.

What better weapon to fight against such a thing than one who feels her own emotions so strongly she cannot be swayed? Or better yet, an equally as unshakeable, emotionless machine?

[puhpandas]

ive been rethinking the HW2 candy cadet stories because they are confusing but heres some of my thoughts

the story that comes first is the one about the family deal. "a family didnt buy the $49.99 family pizza deal and they missed the greatest opportunity of their lives. then they all died"

the key parts in this story here is 'the family' and 'they missed the greatest opportunity of their lives'. the story is weird but its basically just telling us that a family (3 star fam) didnt do something, and they missed a huge opportunity and it came back to bite them

in the second story, its a bit longer. "a young woman got kidnapped by a witch but escaped with a scar for the rest of her life. she set off for revenge and met a boy at the mouth of the forest. she and the boy were friends and the boy told her to rest before killing the witch. they both went into a small house and the oven door closed. the witch would finally get her meal"

this is another story with a theme of not doing something. the young woman (vanessa) was tired and would kill the witch in the morning. she didnt do it when she should have and the oven door closed on her AND the boy (gregory)

even though a betrayal from the boy was my first thought, its never even implied in the story really. the young boy tells her to rest and she does, and they rest togeher in a small house. then they BOTH get closed inside the oven. theyre both compromised

i think these stories are basically telling us that 3 star fam missed their opportunity to take down vanny/the mimic. vanessa rested before attacking (post 3 star fam just living and getting back on her feet) but she was too late, and something happened to her and gregory because of it

'the witch' is probably for sure vanny because of the female pronouns (the mimic was the monster in ruin), and in hw2 they are heavily implying that Vanny is seperate from vanessa and glitchtrap and is her own virus now. her masks are even being used by fazbear entertainment as technician masks. shes already spreading and taking over

but i still dont exactly know what would happen to gregory and vanessa. i dont think they killed them off at all, so the other option is that something related to the virus happened to them.

this would make sense because even though glitchtrap is dead now, that doesnt matter. theyre telling us that the glitchtrapped alter egos are their own entities now. Vanny was built off of vanessa but shes her own virus now. theres no reason GGY/Dr Rabbit couldnt be the same. so if Vanny is using Cassie as a vessel, maybe Vanny also got to Vanessa and Gregory. or maybe GGY is back in Gregory but Vanessa is free (would give us a protag for the next release)

things are confusing but here are my thoughts. ggy hasnt been explored yet and introducing the concept of the alter egos being seperate from who they were created off of and its less a good and evil side and more using the human as a vessel is so interesting. and also has so much potential for if they choose to introduce ggy to the games. since they dont need to sacrifice one character for their evil side to exist in the same room it opens up so many possibilities

[agirlandherquill]

the troublesome typewriter

introducing rust bucket!

she’s an olympia sm2, and also my summer project, i got her mid-july and ive been working on her for about three hours nearly every day ever since

now when i got her, she was a mess, and i mean a mess - what im assuming is decades worth of grime, dust, rust, and i dread to think what else came off of her - hot soapy water was a life saver in terms of cleaning, then pure white vinegar (not the distilled kind, ive been using the elbow grease brand since that’s all i could find in my local supermarket) to get rid of the rust,

waging a war with rust, im fairly certain its surface rust, has been a nightmare - ive removed as much as i can, it takes a long time with pure white vinegar since its not the strongest thing in the world but since it doesn’t seem to harm the machine itself i don’t mind, its a bit of a trade off rather than risking using harsher chemicals, but of course rust adds character (is that my way of excusing the little bits of rust here and there that i can’t quite get off? yes, yes it is) so i decided to call her rust bucket,

she’s not completely good to go yet, she’s had a bit of an oil and a clean to free up the keys and the carriage because let me tell you, when i first got her, those did not want to move one bit,

then i had to spend a few hours tinkering with the drawband, working out how to adjust the tension and use a wire with a makeshift hook to thread it back to where it’s supposed to be and attach it to the carriage to make it move while typing - which before i sorted it out, it did not do, at all - and i finally managed to sort that issue today!

it’s around 85% working, perfectly fine writing a5 wise since that’s about halfway through the ruled scale, but going past halfway for a4 seems to require me pressing the shift button to give it a bit of a wiggle so to speak so that the carriage shifts on and i can type the next letter, so doing that between letters is the only slightly annoying part, but given the fact that it didn’t even move at all before i started working on it I’m more than happy with how it is,

all i have left to do is give her a final scrub, a bit more sanding down (might do that before the scrub im not too sure), then painting!

i know it’s not the usual stuff i post on writeblr, not at all, but i figured if i’m going to try and write on this thing when it’s all sorted out then it’s worth sharing,

and it’s also a way for me to remember that i actually made this decades old machine work again, and it’s the first time ive ever tried anything like that, so im super happy with how its gone so far!

and considering ive only spent about £20, including the machine itself then with supplies, it’s really going to pay off for future me and future writing (i hope!),

so hopefully in a couple of weeks i’ll be able to show you all rust bucket when she’s all finished!