#and the balance of human to reptile

[emacrow]

"Hey, can you move your Lantern Corp away from my Grave? Your blocking the view."

"What?" Hal said startled as he noticed a floating white hair teen with green eyes looking annoyed.

It would've be common event if it weren't for the fact that they in the middle of space near Mar.

"Could you please move the lantern Corp away from my grave, it's blocking the my view of the stars." The boy said pointing back at mars then back at Green lantern Corps.

"This is the second time this happen and I would like to just rest in peace."

The more Hal look at the floating boy, the more he realized how humaniod and alien like he began to look, the clear white hair with sparks of stars dust in it, the freckled covering his face look a splatter of dwarf stars, the toxic green eyes, and the odd looking clothes that look barely human like with the kind of reptile skulls on his shoulders.

Oh

OH

Oh..

"I'll tell them to move it from your view.." Hal said paling a bit as later on he went closer to Mars where that floating alien child has pointed then disappeared.

Only to see a makeshift grave made from unknown mineral in the red dirt that looked ancient and beyond dusty level that almost made him sneeze.

Hal move the dust away from the tombstone like made of extinct like mineral, with a name that took his lantern green 3 hours to translate which static and glitch.

"Danny phantom

Brother

Planet Savior

Hero

Clockwork's apprentice

Forever King of balance

May he sleep peacefully."

[hxney-lemcn]

When You Nerd Out (Biology Edition) — Overblots x gn! reader

summery: the overblots find out you're more of a nerd than they realized...

tw: mentions of bugs (not really but I digress), mentions of arachnids (literally just the name of one lol), mentions of reptiles (idk maybe people are scared of them), mentions of snakes.

a/n: a reptile show is happening soon and I've been looking into so many reptiles/invertebrates/amphibians I had to get this out of my system somehow. What better way then to ramble to fictional characters? (Help me)

wc: 1.2k (~180 per character)

Master List

❥ Riddle Roseheart

When Riddle first met you, you were downtrodden, having just been thrown into a new world filled with magic and flair that yours didn’t. Your grades weren’t the best (but far from the worst), and you always seemed tired no matter what. So when your eyes lit up when he showed you the flamingo and hedgehog cages/pens he was surprised at the amount of facts that spilled from your lips. From how flamingos get their color to how hedgehogs are carnivores. Or how you could even ramble on about flowers and plants, like how tea garden roses are the most short lived species. From then on, Riddle would come to you for even the smallest of things. Did you want to feed the animals with him? This rose bush is wilting, are there any tips to bring it back? Do you know the meaning behind the colors of roses? No particular reason for that last question…just don’t question the bouquet of white and red roses mixed with baby’s breath that show up on your doorstep the next day.

❥ Leona Kingscholar

It was hard not to notice when you seemed to be on the brink of exploding. How you’d stare at awe in Leona’s presence, as you should. But your eyes would always wander to his ears, teeth, tail, nails. It got to a point that he felt like you were mentally dissecting him. It was his downfall to growl out a short “what”, as you started to pile on questions to the beastman prince. “Are your nails sharper than a humans?”, “How much better can you hear?”, “Does your tail help you balance?” All Leona could do was stare at you with boredom. Who knew his herbivore was a nerd? He supposes he could humor you for a little bit. Press his sharp nails lightly into your skin, a teasing smile as he asks if you’d like a test. Perhaps a nibble to show you how well his canines work? It all goes awry when you start taking interest in other beastmen, who cares about the cheetah or leopard bestmen when you have a lion prince right here?

❥ Azul Ashengrotto

Azul never thought twice about where he’s come from. He’s seen many kinds of merpeople, many kinds of fish or crustaceans or sharks. But he knew land dwellers didn’t have that, which is why he has the giant aquarium in his lounge. He got used to the awed expressions as well, more focused on swindling the poor souls. So when your jaw dropped and how you clearly restrained yourself from running up to the giant aquarium, Azul felt giddy. He could offer you something most couldn’t. He’d watch as you’d point out a fish or ray that you saw and explain how much you loved the color or how magnificent it looked. When you brought up how smart you thought octopi are, it was over. His heart couldn’t take it. You know he was an octopus merperson right? You were basically complimenting him without realizing it. He couldn’t get over how you stared in wonder at the blue ringed octopus that was waving back at you. And oh sevens you were giggling at it? He wasn’t getting jealous over another octopus, no way…

❥ Jamil Viper

Jamil noticed the excited look in your eyes when you learned his last name was Viper, but nothing had happened at the time. It wasn’t until Kalim had you rambling about animals did Jamil realize just how much you seemed to love snakes. How you named your favorite in a heartbeat to how you scrutinized the ones you looked into as pets. It wasn’t until Kalim started to offer to buy you all those snakes and more did he have to step in. Yet Jamil felt flustered when your gaze landed on him, your eyes that had been filled with fondness while rambling about snakes had only seemed to get brighter when looking at him. Reluctantly, Jamil let you drag him to a reptile show, something Kalim had pushed him to do. For his own sanity, Jamil ignored the giant pouch of money Kalim tried to stealthily hand you, instead, focusing on your awed expression at the variety of animals. He couldn’t help but watch the snakes in awe with you, and when you asked him if he wanted to help you set up an enclosure for one…who was he to say no?

❥ Vil Schoenheit

Vil is a busy man. With photo and movie shoots to interviews to taking care of himself, there isn’t much time to stop and smell the roses. But with you, he tries to make time, and it's like a breath of fresh air every time. It was nice to sit outside and bask in the sun (with sunscreen of course) and talk with you. Something had clearly caught your eye when you dropped from the bench to scoop something off the ground. Vil thought he knew you well enough…apparently not. He hadn’t expected to see you shove a rolly polly, pill bug, potato bug, whatever you want to call them into his face…okay maybe he’s exaggerating. You held the little thing far enough away that it wasn’t all too startling. He swore he never saw you so excited about something, or how you rambled that they weren’t bugs, but crustaceans that live on land. The way you gently held the critter to how fondly you looked at the curled up thing made Vil’s heart flutter. You always seemed to find beauty in things most would shudder at. How odd.

❥ Idia Shroud

Idia had no idea how you managed, but you had convinced him to get a plant. You had called it a zz plant, and thought it would be perfect to liven his room up as it didn’t need direct sunlight. He watched the plant as it sat next to a grow light, it needed something since he didn’t have any windows. The dark purple leaves were pretty, you were right. As much as he tried to keep up with watering, he would forget, but Ortho seemed to have it covered. When little leaves started sprouting, Idia felt proud, a weird feeling he wasn’t used to. When you came over and saw how well it was doing you beamed. That stupid fluttery feeling filled him as you praised him, not to mention it mixing with feeling proud. Not a good combo, as now he was thinking of asking you if there’s any other plant you may recommend, just to get you rambling once more about different plants that could thrive in his little cave of a room.

❥ Malleus Draconia

Although Malleus loves to hear your voice, you always seem content to hear him ramble. The way your eyes watched intently, trying to find what he was pointing out on a gargoyle, or how you’d ask questions about the differences of a gargoyle and grotesque. At first, he was concerned when you gasped, had you gotten hurt somehow? Yet he found you excitedly pointing out a house gecko that stood near the gargoyle he was talking about. He watched you in awe as your eyes glittered, and how you were basically jumping up and down. Then you started going on about geckos, reptiles, and all sorts of odd things people keep as pets. The way you basically swooned at the thought of owning a crested gecko or a crocodile skink, Malleus was ready to hand you all the money you needed. He is the best and worst, as he’ll never tell you no and fund your hobby till your heart’s content. Just make sure to pay attention to him too, yeah? Unlike skinks or tarantula’s, he likes your affection. Plus, he’s the best reptile of them all, no? He’d gladly show you his dragon form.

[reallyromealone]

Title: little god

Fandom: jjk

Characters: Gojo, Geto

Fic type: fluff

Pairings: -/-

Warnings: male reader, reader insert, dragon reader, child reader, fluff, god reader

Notes: uwuwuwuwu

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

(Name) Stretched his bones as he sunbathed in a garden he found, the dragon stretched out and his scales glimmered in the sunlight.

The lawn was soft, fancy grass that felt wonderful against his scales as he huffed sleepily, eyes blinking lazily and without a worry in the world as the ribbons in his little horns swished in the gentle breeze, the gold accessories on his head and horns jingling slightly with the wind chimes in the engawa a few feet away.

Dragons couldn't be seen by normal humans so (name) often made his way into gardens or sleeping on couches or chairs... Basically the little mythical reptile did as he pleased as he scratched his little whiskered face and sneezed a little and a flower bloomed where the golden dust hit, a single orchid grew up.

"Well you aren't a cursed spirit" a voice broke out and (name) looked up to see blue eyes and immediately the small cat sized dragon jumped up startled and ran behind a decorative rock "I take it you're the little one leaving tiny paw prints in my sand garden" the man was crouched as he smiled at the dragon who glared and grumbled at him, a little baby hiss.

Who was this?

Why was he seeing him?

(Name) Was only a toddler in human years, running on instinct as he got ready for a fight.

But the human seemed unphased.

Gojo cooed at the little guy, he knew there was something living in his garden but he never thought it would be a fortune god or a baby one at that "where's your mama little one" he asked sweetly and sat down as he grabbed the pieces of chicken he grabbed when he saw the little one lounging "want some chicken?" That got the little guys attention as he chirped, the sound of little chimes could be heard as he carefully walked towards the good smelling food and before Gojo could even blink the dragon took it and ran back behind the tree.

(Name) Sniffed the chicken he took and deemed it safe and began munching on the chicken, glancing at the human periodically to make sure he didn't take it.

"You're the one whose been sneaking around eating birds, probably the one eating my koi" he teased as he watched the dragon eat the chicken happily before coming back for more, batting his snoot against his hand "I got plenty of chicken and even some salmon inside if you want some" he offered the dragon who let himself be lifted up as he ate more chicken from the white haired human, very food driven indeed.

Gojo noticed a gold charm on the dragons forehead, (name), inscribed on it and the man hummed as they got more food for the little guy.

He loved watching (name), he was absolutely hilarious and precious!

(Name) Liked to do his own little thing, mainly fight his own shadow and chase bugs but he did his own thing regardless.

He had to show Geto!

"So you found a dragon..." Geto said as they watched (name) eat his new balanced diet, little face messy "you know he won't be a dragon fully forever right?" He said and Gojo shrugged "I'm his dad now, currently he eats raw chicken hearts and salmon but when he's bigger he can have tempura and rice" he said simply as (name) blinked up at them before trotting off "he does his own thing" Gojo said simply and Geto worried for Gojos... Could it even be seen as parenting?

He definitely had to keep an eye on this situation.

The following days went daily smooth as Gojo took time off to be with his new son, (name) having morning zoomies in the yard before breakfast and a nap, the sorcerer doing some work from home as the dragon slept in his lap, imprinting hard on him.

But the dragon would often wonder off, vanishing for periods of time before eventually returning and Gojo decided to follow him.

(Name) Was weirdly interested in under Gojos bed, the man had no clue why though until he looked under to find things from his jewelry to coins to soft blankets, all on top of the fluffy dog bed Gojo got his little buddy "there's my Rolex..." Gojo grumbled but let the little guy keep it, clearly he was very happy with it all.

Something Gojo noticed as well was he would have random coins in his pockets in pants, better hair days and he was feeling better and it wasn't until he saw his little... Son? Yeah son! Drop coins in his shoes and pockets and golden dust sprinkled on his mask after the dragon finished cuddling it "do you do have a bit of magic in ya" gojo lifted the dragon up whose hind legs curled up and his long tail curled between his legs, little head tilt before sneezing gold dust on his face.

"Gross"

Bling!

Setting (name) down he checked his phone to see that meeting he was planning on being late too was cancelled "why thank you, son" Gojo pet the dragons little head and chuckled when he aggressively kicked his leg and leaned in to the touch.

Gojo did his research, Jujutsu sorcerer's kept documentation on God's and such, wasn't the first time they saw one and won't be the last and realized he would need to be ready for when he stopped being a little dragon full time and quickly grabbed his laptop and ordered away.

Gojo set up a bedroom for his adoptive dragon son, a toddler bed and toys that the little one played with kind of.

The room had everything he could need and even got pull-ups in case the kid couldn't figure out toilets.

Should he get a nanny?

Maybe he should look into that... And a tutor... His kid was not cut for public education.

It wasn't until four months in that he got woken to a tiny little hand, eyes snapping open to see a tiny face with big (color) eyes and scales that framed bits of his cheeks and forehead "papa, breakfast!" He said impatiently and gojo realized that this random child was the dragon he took in, the tiny tail swishing at the boy wore traditional clothes lined with gold "yeah? And what does my son want today?" He teased as he got up and lifted the boy into his arms, blessed energy radiating off him like an eclipse "hot dog!"

"A hot dog for breakfast? Thats not breakfast!" It was weird how easy he fell into the role of dad, making his son eggs and hot dogs as compromise and the boy devoured it happily.

Gojo was thankful he had the forethought to get the boy more clothes though the tot leaned towards more traditional robes than anything and Gojo assumed it had something to do with being a god.

"Fancy clothes for my fancy son" he said as he had the seamstress he typically went to put together a bunch of robes for the boy, his little one was so cute!

Geto came by frequently, (name) plenty used to him as the boy ate fancy chicken nuggets as his tail swished lazily "why is he dressed like royalty?"

"Why do you dress like a monk?"

"Touche"

"You know you can't hide him from the elders forever right?" Geto worried for the boy, the elders were assholes who would exploit the fact that the little one was the literal god of fortune, having done some research to find that (name) goes through "rebirth" periods, once he gets too old he just reverses his age and starts new, he wondered if he retained his memories....

"I would love for them to try" Gojo said coldly, a smile on his face as he pat his sons head fondly, the boy grinning at his dad and offering him some of his half eaten nugget "papas full, little man" he rejected kindly and (name) resumed eating as the adults spoke.

(Name) Was just happy to have more meat, Gojo always having the best food especially for the literal only other Gojo family member (if you try to tell him (name) wasn't you would be turned to a fine mist by the blue eyed man) who looked at him like he hung the stars and painted the moon.

"Oh? What's up?" Gojo asked and Geto looked confused as (name) suddenly handed him a few coins "he just has those" Gojo shrugged and Geto raised an eyebrow "he keeps using his magic to summon coins, he keeps giving them to the fridge though..." (Name) Practically worshipped the fridge, the tiny god hugging it often and mumbling "chicken..." Happily as Gojo took pictures of the little goober.

"Though he has granted a wish" Gojo said softly as Geto looked shocked, looking back at the tot who was full and sleepy, a soggy nugget in his hand "what did he grant?" He asked curiously and Gojo sipped his tea "he saw something on tv, I was watching the news and there was a report on a missing dog and the man looked distressed" setting his cup down and taking off his glasses as he continued '(name) touched the tv and poof, the dog was running to his owner" Geto still couldn't grasp the fact that he was sitting before a literal god, the god of fortune no less.

A being that could completely alter reality but all he wanted was chicken and getting to chase birds.

Eventually Geto left and Gojo brought his son for his afternoon nap, a stuffed lucky cat in his arms as he snoozed.

It was weird for Gojo to sit and think about the fact he was a dad... To a fucking dragon god!

But it was worth it because (name) was odd yes, but he looked at Gojo like he was his dad.

It's why he used his standing to put together papers so (name) would be a Gojo legally.

Now he just had to make sure the Zenin clan didn't go near him.

[ravensvalley]

#Wolves

I need to say a few words here about Wolves and their role in biodiversity. Because I like them, but most of all, they're a must in the wilderness.

Like every time we are standing on the edge of a hiking trail of a National Park, a protected territory, we all must beware of the consequences.

Au contrary to what most people may think of its surface, no matter how large it might be, isn't big enough to sustain a healthy Wolf population over a long term. This large Predator requires a massive home range to find the prey it needs to survive. Studies have shown that all the Wolf packs in Parks must travel outside its boundaries to meet their needs. And these large Canids are also victims of habitat degradation and fragmentation, not to mention deaths of human origin.

And for people who don't know, Wolves are considered as an umbrella species. Which means that efforts to protect it benefit the entire ecosystem, since the Wolf's territory encompasses the territories of many other species with a similar home range.

As for being an apex Predators, Wolves play an important role in biodiversity. Yes, their presence has been scientifically proven to increase the abundance and diversity of plants, mamal's Birds, Amphibiants, and Reptiles. Wolves help to control the amount of Prey on their territory; this prevents an overpopulation of herbivores, which could be detrimental to plant regrowth. Wolves also give a boost to several other animal species by leaving their partially carcasses for scavengers to feed on. Through its influence on the entire food chain and by curbing excessive grazing. So yes, the Wolf is a key species needed to preserve the balance of Ecosystem.

To conclude; Wolves are very wary and will run away from any human they detect through their remarkable senses of hearing and smell - they can sniff out their Prey from more than 2kms away. Several studies have shown that Wolves will try to avoid humans at all costs and flee when approached.

Just to say that all citizens have a responsibility to protect the Wolves.

[inferno-0]

Frame

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You just need the shots.

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Sorry for the English.

Titans have always defeated their enemies. For millennia, if not more, they have fought for balance and peace on this planet. They were all strong in their own way. Even those same pests had some potential, but decided to go the other way, with poor results in the process. Victory has always been on the side of good. It had to be. Any way. Especially for creatures like Kaiju, who are truly majestic.

They had their own zest, and maybe even several.

Some people liked them

And some preferred to run far away, the main thing was not to look at them and save their lives. But that's what life is for, to preserve it and make that remnant richer than being eaten or trampled by the Titan. But do the Titans really need to do anything to humans? Their work is done.

There was no enemy and there was no point in doing anything else.

It's just people who are like that. Their size was really poorly chosen by nature and therefore you have to somehow survive and turn on instincts for advancement.

It's no one's fault that half of humanity actively avoids all these Kaiju.

It's just a smart decision of nature, or maybe fate itself, that gave all these Titans the ability.

The ability that people liked, who are not afraid of them and consider them something beautiful and attractive.

Especially you. A simple girl, an ordinary resident in the city,

Just a creature with a destiny to follow.

But this fate was difficult and you didn't know what to do and how to decide.

For some reason, your ego can't get enough of all these shots from the news on TV. You've always wanted something more, and you didn't know what it was. Even photographs that were accidentally photographed by people were kept for themselves. Everything that had to do with the Titans, you put aside for yourself. All the information that kept you afloat was yours.

You were obsessed.

Especially from the moment He arrived.

You've seen this fight and watched it several times. The Lizard fought other Titans unknown to you. You couldn't find an animal that matched these looks, but they all looked mysterious and beautiful in their own way. But there was a bad intention behind this beauty. You have heard and understood that these two Titans were parasites. That is why the one who fell into your soul mercilessly destroyed them. The one you've always liked and the one that sticks in your head to this day.

It's been many years since you've seen it. You didn't know where he was going or what he was doing. But perhaps he, like all animals, slept somewhere and accumulated strength for the next fight.

You've always been following the information about this Titan. Especially when he came back a couple of years later.

You've seen this fierce battle once again. But it's more terrible with the enemy. Their struggle was serious and decided the future fate of the planet. Two alphas and two kings.

But you've always been in favor of the former, and for good reason.

He won again and left again. And you were left sitting in your room and looking at the photos, which were added a few years later. And again. Struggle.

No matter how many years pass, no matter how many times you learn everything in your life. Your brain couldn't get it out of your head. So much time has passed, and you're still into it. Any ordinary person would call you crazy and frivolous, a person with a childish imagination and inspiration in the next book with Dinosaurs.

Or maybe it was.

For these people.

For you, this was the first step to destiny. Yes, it all started with simple reptiles and dinosaurs, and then the Titans, which seductively torment your soul. But you don't mind. You just need to shorten the distance to them.

And to him.

The one that ate up your brain and all the unnecessary thoughts every day.

You couldn't help but think about him. For you, it has become something ordinary.

It's already familiar.

A habit that only gives you a step forward.

And off you went.

The next struggle that was in front of your eyes. The Four Titans. Two by two, and Odin died. You didn't understand how you managed to survive in such a deadly situation. Buildings collapsed step by step, you desperately ran where your feet led. Where my instinct led me. The loud screams of people, the growls coming from somewhere above, made you close your eyes and ears and squeeze into yourself like a child in a corner.

It wasn't like what you saw on TV.

It was scarier.

It was worse.

But for some reason, you didn't run where the rest of the people who were saving themselves were running. You ran to him.

To Godzilla.

Its spikes were visible between the buildings and you took advantage of this by speeding up your run. The closer you were, the scarier it became from the size you gradually notice in front of you. You knew you could die, but you went anyway.

You've been dreaming for so long and couldn't miss this moment.

You don't care if you're going to die.

It's like someone steps on you.

You want and move forward, crawling through broken roofs and structures. Yes, it was difficult, but you walked.

They were practically near you, but not yet completely. They won't see you. Much less will He see.

A couple of meters left. You've already noticed the big ape that was called Kong. You recalled the struggle that took place a few years ago. It was him. The only thing that distinguished him from that image was a large and yellow metal glove, which seemed to increase his strength.

But it doesn't matter, what matters is that the one you admired, or even loved, has also become different. You walked to the last tall building that could withstand such storms and looked up.

Your favorite.

A creature that has sunk into your little heart from the very beginning. That has become something mundane in your head. He was in front of you. The changes that touched him excited your mind even more. His breath was pink, and his spikes became sharper and more curved. The legs have clearly become longer.

So beautiful and so attractive.

You watched in amazement as the Titan shot its beam into the sky, pulling apart the cold clouds, letting the sun into the world. It was perfect. It was so beautiful that we didn't notice how we pulled out the phone for another photo. This picture will be truly sensational. The most beloved in my entire life.

A smile immediately enveloped your face, you slowly picked up your phone and looked across the screen at Godzilla, who was unaware of anything. But he's unlikely to notice.

The finger cautiously approached the mug through which your life would sing again for a few days.

Squinting your eyes, you gasped for air.

"Click"

"Oops" You pursed your lips into a thin line and carefully moved the lens away from you. Okay, that wasn't the plan. It was ridiculous. A failure and a mistake that will probably ruin your life right now.

Reaching for your pocket, you put your phone back in and took a step back.

I don't think the sound reached them because of the difference in size, you just need to quietly step back from this fuss.

Slowly turning your back on the Titans, you took another step away from them. The quieter the step, the stronger the crunch of stones under your feet, which was a problem.

"Everything is fine. All.. Good.." You could barely hold back a sigh.

"Everything is wonderful..."

A huge shadow immediately loomed over you, right over your pathetic body. Your shoulders stiffened. You remembered how you came here without fear, but with a suspicion of death.

And here she comes.

That is, He came.

Warm air enveloped your shoulders. A rhythmic growl followed you, as if interested. You didn't dare turn your head, but you can't run away either.

Two options and two different answers.

How could you not hear this colossus approaching you?

Absurdly.

You swallowed, praying you wouldn't be in any danger. Just like yard dogs, they will smell it and move on. But not everyone does that.

Making a different decision, you jerked away from the Titan, jumping off a collapsed chunk of the building until you stopped again with a furious scream at your back. Out of your fear, another one sounded, but this time another, more rude. And it didn't seem to be aimed at you.

With tension, you turned all the way.

The two Titans growled at each other as if to say something, but it was not yet known what it was. Very strange. But you silently thanked the monkey for not letting you offend, to put it mildly.

You looked at the two kaiju one more time before pulling out your phone again.

Turning on the camera and adjusting the lens, you pointed your gadget at one cute Titan on the left. You didn't notice it right away, but when you caught your eye, you decided to take a picture and capture it as a complement to your passions.

Squinting your eyes and adjusting for an angle, you finally clicked.

"Click"

"Damn" You banged your head on the screen, bumping your forehead right at that button, where there was another click in the direction of the Titan. "What's the matter... "

The three of them stared at you.

The three mighty Titans fell abruptly silent. The one in white was just looking at you curiously, bowing his head slightly while the other two looked at each other. Although Godzilla still had a quiet growl in the direction of Kong, who just turned away with a frown, not wanting to start a fight again.

Now you're in their sight.

Here it is, embarrassment in front of an idol.

You raised your eyebrows, looking back. If you say something, they are unlikely to understand.

Lifting the camera again, you brought your finger closer to the button once more.

"Click"

With a shake in your hands, you brought the screen closer to you, staring at the photo in the hope that the second attempt would not come. You breathed a sigh of relief. All three of them looked at you peacefully, without screaming and without anything that could ruin the shot. Even Godzilla silently stared at you, even though it was scary. But you didn't mind.

All that's left to do is reach out, poke your hand on that muzzle, and feel the texture of the scales.

But it will only be in dreams.

So far.

And now.. Enjoy a bunch of beautiful Titans that flaunt in your lens. After all, it's not for nothing that you stepped on that very step as a child.

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[talonabraxas]

The Dance of the Dualities: In the dawn of time, the gender twins were created as two aspects of the one soul. They were given polarity gifts and weaknesss to balance one another. This was the divine design.

This law of gender and its secret mysteries have been woven throughout the universe in every aspect of every living thing.

The living library of divine codes that is woven into the fabric of reality has been under heavy attack by extremely nepharious forces. Threatening the divine blueprint of all that is creation. This has all been orchestrated partially to separate the twin flames , as they are the key to the entire human experience.

Decoding the ancient cosmic mysteries requires the adepts to first merge in the highest realms so that they can unlock cosmic portals that take them into superhuman capacities.

You can see how this would threaten those who wish to enslave you? Can it be possible that in the garden of eden , something went very very wrong, causing these celestial partners to be ripped away from each other ? Is it possible that something sinister occured? Who was the reptile that accessed the divine feminine?

As the twin flames who have connected in the celestial realms, have come together in dimensional union , they are doing work on the many dimensions to correct the timeline rips and restore time through the galexies. They are repairing the dna damage and mutations that have been done to tear them apart.

This process is the work of the Gods. As it is a sacred work done through the heavens and then onto earth to assist the human collective to return to innocence.

Without duality between them, there would be no third energy. Which is what is created through the union. A perpetual push forward to cause ascending evolution from human into Superhuman.

The celestial lovers who have ascended beyond the time matrix are now, the galactic heroes of the multiverses. They have done what none have before. The ultimate separation from one another for millennia. The decent Into darkness for the sake of the whole of humanity. The return to the source again. And finally, the decent back to earth, to assist the human collective.

All glory to the most high,

Divine honor to all ascended masters who have achieved this magnificent state of evolution. We know what it means for humanity. As the galexies cheer for those who graduate the paradox.

Ellen Redd/Author Twin Flame Oracle

[memelordotherblog]

I have a weird question what animals in disney comic universe you have a hard time seeing as anthropomorphic, like they are just normal animals to you- for me as some who is usually pretty open to anthropomorphic designs, they are as follows

-anthropomorphic reptiles and amphibians, they always been weird to make anthropomorphic talepspin and amphibia get a past for obvious reasons

-Giraffes, there either too animalistic or too human, they can't ever find the right balance.

-Any sort of sea animal or Crustacean, making them anthropomorphic like is just making a mermaid with extra steps.

[thecreaturecodex]

The Great Game

The galaxy is sick, and has been for so long that even most of the gods have forgotten what it was like when it was healthy. If a cosmology is like an ecosystem, Golarion and its surrounding worlds have too many predators, not enough prey, too much competition, not enough mutualism. The Material Plane is a little too similar to a chaotic, evil world—like the Abyss specifically. On Golarion, it’s kill or be killed.

The reason is Lamashtu. In ages past, the Mother of Monsters ambushed Curchanus, stripping from him the portfolio of Animals and leaving him for dead. He survived long enough to pass his domain of Travel to his protégé, Desna, but Lamashtu was able to use that surge of power to claim divinity for herself and become the Queen of Demons. Since then, Lamashtu has done as she willed, fighting and fucking her way across reality and leaving thousands of new species of horrors in her wake.

But Lamashtu is a neglectful mother. Because of her influence, animals in the Material Plane are overly hostile, too aggressive, liable to pick fights that they can’t win. Animals are liable to view humanoids as prey, which leads to savage reprisals and environmental catastrophe. The species created by Lamashtu and her followers, both demonic and mortal, are born without a niche, and their shoving into the world around them leads to disruption and devastation. It’s not a coincidence that crazed wizards and misguided druids have brought so many new monsters into existence, and that one-off horrors are liable to mutate and become entire species.

But this has not gone unnoticed.

Deep within the First World lives a goddess. A Goddess of Predators, although she is only quasi-divine. For now. Mormo, the First Medusa, Goddess of Predators, has been alive since before the Age of Serpents, since before the birth of mammals. She is a primordial entity, a Great Old One, although more benevolent than most. She and Yig call each other Brother and Sister, although this may or may not represent a genetic linkage. She retreated from the Material Plane as humanity became a growing power, disgusted by the callousness of the Azlanti and the machinations of the aboleths.

But now she has chanced to gaze upon the Material again. And is horrified to see how much things have gotten worse in her absence. Mormo wants to help. And to help the best way she knows how. By killing and eating something. Someone. Lamashtu.

Mormo’s ultimate goal is to do to Lamashtu what Lamashtu did to Curchanus. Weaken her to the point where she can be fought, strip the domain of Animals from her, and ideally kill her for good. Leave the demons without a Queen, so they can go back to clawing at each other’s throats for a while. Restore the ecological balance of Golarion and allow the biological exuberance of the First World back onto the Material Plane.

But she needs help. And Lamashtu may be confident, but she’s not complacent. She knows that Mormo is gunning for her. And is bringing together allies of her own.

This is the Great Game, the cosmological underpinnings of the Age of Monsters. Gods, demigods and other entities are picking sides, or choosing to remain neutral, or remaining neutral on the surface but shoring up their favorites in secret. The teams are not defined by alignment. There are those of all alignments, of all of the planar power groups, who support Team Lamashtu or Team Mormo, in large ways or small. Any conflict where Desna and Pazuzu both have the same enemy is bound to get complicated, after all. Further articles will be posted throughout the year, tagged with The Great Game, discussing who is on who’s side, and why.

Full statistics for Mormo are forthcoming—those are likely going to be the capstone of Monster Girl Summer, posted in August. Mormo is a N great old one, with the portfolio of reptiles, terror and ecology. Her domains are Knowledge, Scalykind, Strength and Trickery, and her subdomains are Competition, Fear (modifying Trickery), Thought and Venom.

[zarvasace]

So Prompts. Feel free to pick one or just ignore this ask.

Mirage from Counter balance bonding with one of the darks.

Or Wind experiencing Autumn for the first time

Or pick a word. Belonging, Xenial, abandoned

700 words of Mirage and Nothing being weird!!! No warnings :)

Boring, boring, boring. The sunny days were so very boring. Mirage moved from shady spot to shady spot, experimenting today with humanoid forms, colored correctly. Little reptiles and his own Link were the easiest forms to take, but Mirage was interested in how far he could take it.

He sat beneath a tree in Madness's shape, doing his best to keep his flesh from rolling and dripping. He didn't know why Madness liked to sit like this, with legs crossed awkwardly, but Mirage at least could fake it. "Psst. Mirage." In idle curiosity, Mirage turned his head around to look in the direction of Nothing's voice. He didn't move the rest of his body, still focusing on keeping it solid. His eyes adjusted quickly to the gloom in the trees. Nothing blinked, then grinned. "Freaky. Come on, I need your help." Hm, now that was unusual. Mirage dropped Madness's form for something with four legs so he could better follow Nothing through the dense trees. Both of them avoided the sunny spots formed by a lack of leaf cover. As they crept along, Mirage detected a distinct taste in the air. There was human, which was only to be expected due to their proximity to a village, and bread, which made sense. Mirage didn't know why people liked the stuff, it was far too dry and airy for him. But the other taste was… sweet, and spicy somehow, too. Nothing stopped on top of the stone wall that surrounded the village and held back some dirt at this end, where the humans had excavated the hillside to build their houses. He hid in the shadow of a fern and pointed. "See that?" Mirage dropped his reptile skin in favor of the one he never had to think about, the one that looked like Link. Or like him, more like, because Link didn't have coloring or morphs like this. "An open window." "And the thing on the windowsill…?" "Bread?" Mirage guessed, but he caught the taste in the air again and saw a flash of memory in his mind's eye. "Apple pie." "Distract the lady inside while I take it, and you can have some of it." Mirage himself had never tasted pie, but he knew it was a favorite of Link's. Might as well see what the fuss was about. "I won't be very hungry after I eat her." Nothing snorted. "You don't need to eat her, just… scare her, or something. Try not to look purple like you usually do, we want to keep the Lights from getting any clues about where we are." "Hm. Okay." Mirage liquified and flowed down the wall, barely keeping a grip in the direct sunlight. He landed on the grass and rolled into a rope to slither through the gardens. Humans were scared by a lot of things, he remembered, so this should be easy. The woman didn't get very scared of the snake, though she did scream loud enough to bring several others running. Her broom smacked Mirage's side uncomfortably. Attracting other humans was not in the plan, but Mirage kept an eye on the pie, distracting them with a variety of forms that seemed to scare humans or the other Darks before. It sort of worked. When someone approached with a jar, Mirage fled between the floorboards and blindly made his way out of the house. He did not want to be trapped in one of those again. When he found Nothing again, a fair distance away from the searching humans, the boy had eaten half the pie already. He grinned when Mirage took on his easy form again to sit there. "A promise is a promise. Here's a piece." Nothing carved out a handful of pie and offered it to Mirage. Mirage was careful to not hurt Nothing's hand as he took the pie. He dissolved it slowly, mulling over the taste, long enough that Nothing finished the rest of it. "So what do you think?" Nothing asked, wiping crumbs from his mouth. "I think it was delicious." "I like it better than bread," Mirage admitted. "Are you going to eat the glass?" "I can't." Nothing gestured to the empty pie pan. "Go ahead." Mirage really enjoyed the pan with all the crumbs and apple goop leftover inside. Nothing noticed. "I'll let you have the pan every time," he promised with a laugh.

[talon-dragonbeast]

Can I ask abt your dragon lore? lol. I mean like. more about your species? can they talk, are they sapient, behaviors, temperament, biology, etc. If u want to share! I just thought it would be fun to ask and I love learning abt how others experience dragonness. I was also curious abt how u awakened as a dragon? I’m questioning currently

yes!! sorry for taking so long to answer, but to be fair its a question which required a pretty in-depth answer lol. so here we go!

my species of dragon has similarities to both reptiles and birds (and a little bit of mammal too). im a reptile because im cold-blooded, have scales over most of my body, spines running from head to tail, big shield plates on my neck and chest, eyes with sliced pupils, a long strong tail, and my claws and teeth are similar to those of crocodiles. im similar to a bird cause i have feathers on my wings, my mouth resembles a beak in shape, i have bird behaviors like nesting, and my body is built for flying and thus pretty aerodynamic. and finally, i say im a bit mammalian bc ive got ears and horns, and bc of the general shape of my body, being quadrupedal and semi-digitigrade (my front legs are plantigrade, while my back ones are digitigrade), with long limbs and strong bones, and because i can make sounds like growls or roars that sound a bit like those of big cats.

i cant talk as a dragon and my species doesnt have a language, cant use tools and cant understand human words. im basically a very intelligent animal, like a crow. my species does have a society, but we're very solitary beings so its pretty rudimentary. we raise our young communally, and once they reach maturity they are encouraged to leave the nest and find their own territory. we have Roles which are our version of genders in humans, but instead of tied to a biological sex theyre more about your place in society. so for example, there are Protectors (who have a territory that they guard, typically associated to more solitary dragons like myself), Providers (primarily hunters, they bring resources for their mate or dragonets; very nomadic) and Carers (theyre by far the most social role; as the name implies, they are the primary carers of our young, but they also keep balance in a community). sex or gender arent that important to my species, but we do mate for life.

im an omnivore, my diet consists mainly on meat, fish, and fruits, but i can eat functionally anything (except straight-up leaves, which i cant digest). im primarily a predator and a hunter, but i also forage a lot of my food. im agressive as a dragon, so that combined with being very intelligent makes me pretty dangerous to both humans and other animals.

hmm, what else... oh! i can breathe fire! its not like in most depictions of dragons though, in which theyre used as a perfectly functional flamethrower; i cant really project it or aim it at anything, it only goes as far as i can blow it. i dont exactly know how it works, but from the way my instincts tell me to just blow in a specific way to produce it, i can guess its like a gland or something that contains very flammable gas, that when it comes in contact with oxygen it catches fire.

as for how i awakened as a dragon, i realized first that i was nonhuman in some way (like i viewed myself as not human, but wasnt sure what species i was yet) because i felt wings on my back since i was very young. first i googled "phantom wings on your back?" and came across the word otherkin in a very old blog run by a spiritual dragonkin. upon seeing that there were others like me who felt phantom limbs and saw themselves as not human, i began questioning my species. i thought i was a crow at first because of the wings, but i tried on the label and it felt just wrong, so i thought i wasnt nonhuman after all. i basically dropped everything entirely for a few months, but the wings i felt on my back were getting stronger and stronger, and on top of that i also started feeling other things like claws and sharp teeth. so for the entire summer i tried on different species to see what fit: avian (bc of the wings), angelkin (i immediately dropped this one bc religion makes me very uncomfortable lmao), harpy (bc of the combination of wings+claws+teeth, but it wasnt quite right), monsterkin (felt weird to call myself a monster), and finally in a fit of inspiration i had a random thought: "what if im a dragon?"

i immediately got a rush of euphoria from the thought alone. this hadnt happened with any of the other labels, so i decided to start exploring it a bit more. the phantom limbs i felt matched those of a dragon (though the feathered wings threw me off a bit), i had very draconic behaviors like hoarding, liking shiny objects, flying urges, instincts get to high places, etc. and most importantly, it felt so good to call myself a dragon. like i could see myself as a dragon perfectly, i could imagine what i would be like as a dragon, i could do dragon behaviors almost effortlessly. being a dragon never felt like i was acting or putting on a mask, it didnt feel like i was "forcing" myself to be that way; it just felt natural, like i was always this way. thats what finally made me start identifying as dragonkin i think: the easiness of it all.

good luck on your questioning journey! i know it can be hard to find out what species you are, but remember to not overthink it too much! it can be tempting to start analyzing absolutely everything about yourself in hopes of finding your species, but overdoing it can cause you to lose yourself in the process. take it easy and remember to follow what feels right to you, without worrying about what others might say or do. this is your journey, not anyone else's!

[hrodvitnon]

Regarding that one ask, I heavily disagree with it and I dare say that person is completely wrong about Godzilla's intentions. Based on what these pages from Godzilla Dominion shows, as a well as Mike Dougherty's own tweet regarding this fic, it's nowhere near as one-sided as some people think it is, and as you can see, Godzilla himself remembers Serizawa's sacrifice as well as the time he lived alongside humans, seeing as his definition of home is a place where he lived with humans that loved and worshipped him.

But wait, there's more! Before certain people come out and say that those aspects have been "retconned", Godzilla is shown to be sleeping peacefully at the Roman Colosseum in GxK, and in the novelization, it flat out says that he sleeps there because misses his old temple at KOTM and that he might still have a soft spot for people. Not to mention in GxK in general, Godzilla clearly has a connection with the Hollow Earth Iwi tribe. Who are, you know, humans.

Also Monarch: Legacy of Monsters further reaffirms that Godzilla is ultimately a benevolent being who's just doing his job keeping titans and humans from harming each other.

If people can accept the idea of a giant apes being benevolent protectors with zero strings attached, then there should be no problems accepting that the giant lizard is exactly like that too, especially because there's been no real evidence to say otherwise (and again, like the examples I've shown and mentioned, they actually further prove that Godzilla is indeed a benevolent protector and that Serizawa / Monarch, as well as other people who similarly trust in him like Shaw, is right to trust in him). And if people say that it can't be the case because "rEpTiLeS cAn'T fEeL fEeLiNgS jUsT LiKe MaMmAlS cAn", well then I am sorry to say, but Mothra disproves that just by existing.

Because hey, if you make a false equivalent between these fictional giant monsters and real life animals they took inspiration from, then by that same logic, Mothra should be an emotionless thing that acts only based on instincts and self-preservation because she's a giant insect. But she doesn't, and she's a genuine protector who also goes out of her way to avoid killing (even sparing those who attack her whenever she can) and in GxK, she even goes out of her way to save humans. Not even Kong did that in the movie btw, and if anything, the movie shows that Kong accidentally kills some humans in Egypt.

But yeah. It's really exhausting how these people just keeps reducing Godzilla's more nuanced character traits. Especially since Godzilla has always been a sympathetic character going as far back as the original 1954 movie (though Heisei era is the best example of that), but for some reason, these people now suddenly have a problem with that just because Godzilla shares screentime with Kong. And in these people's logic, Kong is Good because he's mammal and therefore relatable, while Godzilla is BAD because he's reptile and therefore "not relatable".

If people in real life can compare their pet lizards to dogs and treat them with as much love as they would a dog, we can have Good Guy Godzilla (who is still a big ol' grump willing to put down repeat offenders like Scylla while being nostalgic for humans and being anxious without Mothra's presence). It's okay. We can have a Godzilla who maintains the worldly balance while still being a proud warrior beast who enjoys fighting and when he's not fighting he can even feel lonesome in some way, these are not mutually exclusive.

[useless-catalanfacts]

Information translated from Associació Cetàcea.

Photos taken by David Jara and Abel Tomás in the project "Foto-identificació: Balenes i dofins al litoral català" of Associació Cetàcea, with authorization and support from the government.

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is the most common sea turtle in the Mediterranean sea. It used to be abundant, but nowadays is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

🐢🌊

Loggerhead sea turtles spend most of their lives at sea, but since they're reptiles they need to lay eggs on land. For this reason, females look for calm beaches, without much light nor noise. This is difficult, because humans have occupied almost all the coast.

When the eggs hatch, the newborn turtles are very vulnerable to noise and light, because they depend on them to head towards the sea. A very lit promenade can confuse them and make them go towards the coast instead of towards the sea, with the dangers that this entails.

Climate change can also affect this species. When the eggs are in the sand, the sand's temperature determines the baby's sex. When temperature rises, the usual balance between males and females will shift towards a higher proportion of females. In the long term, this can cause instability in the populations.

Once in the water, dangers continue, because the turtles are susceptible to ingesting floating plastics such as bags or balloons, because they mistake them for their prey: jellyfish. Accidental ingests of plastic are abundant, which cause them intestinal problems and even death. The turtles' risk can also come from main life sources: fishing nets -abandoned or in use- are a deadly trap for these animals.

Protecting sea turtles is in our hands. Let's be careful when we meet these animals, be aware if it's the laying eggs season and avoid ocean pollution.

[quirkwizard]

Dr. Kuse Files: Shuichi Iguchi

Patient: Iguchi, Shuichi

Parent Quirks: Father: Emitter that helped pull himself to objects. Mother: Mutant that gave her the traits of a iguana.

Potential Names: Gecko, Gekkota, Eublepharis

Awakening Incident: Subject was born with the ability, yet it wasn't revealed until later, shown as he was crawling along the walls of his nursery.

Observations: Subject's body has been altered to take on the traits of a reptile. Specifically, a gecko going by the sample and the genealogy of the parents. The only trait he has displayed thus far is the ability to stick to and climb around surfaces. This does not apply to other objects either, and it only functions on larger surfaces like walls. The user's body does seem to be more adaptable in a quadrupedal state for said climbing. These reptilic features are affected by their environment, namely causing the subject to become lethargic in the cold.

What's odd though is the lack of other features from the Quirk. When someone gains an Animal Mutation, the subject the traits of said animal evolve and adapt to suit the human body, with even minor ones becoming of use. Yet he has no greater range of vision, no prehensile tongue, and no tail to speak of. Even the needle wound from the blood sample is still there, something that minor forms of regeneration should have taken care of. The only features gained are related to climbing, such as the subject's greater sense of balance.

I've dealt with my fair share of those with Animal Mutations, including lizards. He should be capable of far more. I believe the patient may be experiencing some form of Quirk defect, leading to a far less potent version of the power. Subject may have also received this from some recessive gene somewhere in his family tree, one that had to do with sticking to surfaces. This could create a case where the patient gained the animal features but only focused on one part of the animal in question, which is sticking to surfaces.

Recommendations: -Any and all climbing practice should be done in more controlled areas, such as jungle gyms or rock climbing walls. -Alter the crib and other frequent areas to prevent any major climbing. We wouldn't want any escape attempts. -Some heavier and thicker clothes should be ordered to help prevent bursts of narcolepsy, especially in the winter. -Do inform me of any further updates with the Quirk. If anything else comes up, it should be studied and documented for the safety of the subject and everyone else.

[ariel-seagull-wings]

IN DEFENSE OF THE ALIEN DESIGNS IN STRANGE WORLD

@themousefromfantasyland @the-blue-fairie @tamisdava2 @minimumheadroom @thealmightyemprex @amalthea9 @angelixgutz @grimoireoffolkloreandfairytales @softlytowardthesun @grimoireoffolkloreandfairytales

So, I read on-line some comentaries saying that it was hard to connect to the titular Strange World because of how out of this world the alien creatures were.

Their designs were considered too strange, to the point of being considered scary by audiences, who expected those creatures to be intimidating monsters, rather than the neutral, if simpathetic beings they were portrayed as.

This characterization apparently didn't correspond to what is expected from their appearance.

And I started to investigate in my memory: why this disconect happened?

Why it was more easy to imagine those beings as villanous monsters, rather than the simple living beings they actually were portrayed as?

So, when it comes to other worldly creatures written in fantasy and science fiction works, since we are humans, it has historically been more easy to connect to alien fictional creatures that are closer to humans, or at least other mammals.

The more distant they looked from humans in appearance, usually closer to reptiles or insects, the more likely they were to be presented as villanous monsters that must be eliminated by the heroes.

In fantasy you have the usual conflicts between heroic and appealing humans, elves, dwarves and halflings against the villanous and grotesque orcs, goblins and trolls.

And in sci fi, the more sympathetic aliens are the ones that look close to humans, while the more far from humans that alien is, the more likely is that they will be the treat to be fought.

In the Lindsay Ellis video "Designing the Other", she brings up the important point on the emphasis on eyes to make audiences form a connection with an alien character.

When they have big, expressive humanoid eyes, they are more likely to win the audience's simpathy:

When their eyes are more insect like, or non existent, then they become mysterious, threatening monsters:

Jack Saint's video "Avatar: Dances with White Saviours" comments that the presentation of the planet Pandora and the native Na'Vi as conventionally beautifull is used as the main argument to make audiences simpathize with it and support its message of echological preservation

While less mainstream literary sci fi would present the message that even the non beautiful, even violent ecossystems and creatures are important for the balance of the enviroment and have the right to be preserved.

And then there is Strange World

Strange World presents a story where a team goes trough the subterranean to save the plant that is their source of eletricity from creatures that they perceive as an agricultural plague.

The creatures follow the design pattern that we usually associate with monstrous, villanous aliens: far away from humans or other mammals, closer to insects, sea creatures and abstract cells.

We look at their appearance, and feel fear, treating them like abominations who would destroy us.

And the narrative knows that. Is an important discussion in the narrative.

When Jaegger joins the journey with the team, Ethan tries to show him and Searcher the card game Primordial Base, which is about finding peacefull solutions to live in harmony with the enviroment surrounding you, which includes the creatures you consider threatening eldritch abominations.

At first, Jaegger and Searcher fail to understand what Ethan says.

Then, they learn what his words means when they see that the supposed plague that they come to destroy was actually an imune system working to heal the living heart of their world, from Pando, the plant that for years they tought was beneficial.

The saviours of their lives are the beings that they believed to be monsters.

Just because something is not what we perceive as beautiful, doesn't mean its evil.

That is the message that the characters had to learn to be alive.

And by extension, us, as the audience, had to examine our decades of biases on who is good, and who is bad, in the proccess.

Nature is neither good, nor bad. It doesn’t care about us.

It just is. That is enough reason that it needs to be respected and preserved.

[adriansvetozaroff]

When it comes to non-human characters, I always start thinking about biology. So, I decided to write a little about Duros evolution, biology, and culture (speculation and headcanons based on official canon and legend facts) and make an illustration in the spirit of the encyclopedias from my childhood.

On the left you can see the pristine, still green and covered with deep clean oceans planet Duro, as it was at the dawn of sentient life. The reptiloid, which could have been the ancestor of modern Duros, has the external features of a lizard and a frog, but is warm-blooded. It, like most of the fauna on this planet, has green blood based on ferrous oxide. This reptiloid is able to stand on its hind legs and quickly run short distances, has a fairly massive tail for balance. Its skin is tough but scaleless, and it sheds its skin like lizards. Its coloring provides good camouflage, and its large eyes, located on the sides of its head, provide a very wide field of vision. The muzzle is not elongated, since there is no nasal cavity. The vomeronasal organs, responsible for smell, are located under the eyes in the cavity of the cheekbones and open into the soft palate. Accordingly, these reptiles must stick out their tongue and then touch it to the palate if they want to sniff something carefully. The eyes have a full nictitating membrane, which allows them to be moistened, cleaned or protected while maintaining vision.

In my opinion, there are a number of signs indicating that the Duros ancestors were more prey than predators, and at the same time they themselves could have developed omnivory - this is the most advantageous strategy for survival. Small fangs, present in some individuals, do not contradict this at all - this can be seen in the example of Earth primates, even completely herbivorous ones. What you should pay attention to: large eyes with horizontal pupils (in the series, you can also notice that the eyes of the Neimoidians can even rotate so that the pupils remain parallel to the horizon). Such eyes are typical for animals for whom it is important to notice the approach of a predator in time. Another distinctive feature is a predominantly thin build and reduction of toes (there are certainly hints at this in the design of the Neimoidians) - this is typical for animals that have developed the ability to run fast. This, in turn, requires warm-bloodedness, the presence of a bird-type heart and huge lungs. I am sure that Duros have all of this, at least a hint of large lungs can be seen in the description of the physiology of Neimoidians, who have a very noticeable rapid breathing in a stressful situation (in addition, large lungs allow both species to speak and breathe without problems in the absence of a nose). Another sign is oily sweat, which, if an individual feels threatened, is secreted more abundantly and acquires a sharp, repulsive smell. This is a strategy clearly necessary for someone who could become prey. Its presence has become canon for Duros relatively recently, but initially something like this was mentioned for Neimoidians as well. The latter also react to stress or illness by turning their skin pale, up to pink, and I associate this with their ability to see in the infrared spectrum. This fact suggests that other members of the Duro fauna can also see thermal radiation, which would explain the reflex of draining blood from the skin when stressed or ill - this lowers the external body temperature and makes it easier to hide. I believe that the Duros also have this reflex, which originally arose in their ancestors, but the structure of their skin makes it less noticeable.

The next stage of evolution can be conditionally called Duros habilis; these reptiloids had a much more developed brain and had already mastered tools. Their binocular vision became clearer, and the structure of the pelvis changed to provide more perfect bipedality. Since childhood, I remembered the drawings of hypothetical reptiloids from books about dinosaurs, and now I believe that this is the evolutionary path that the Duro reptiles could have taken, so this evolutionary link has a non-random similarity with the dinosauroid. It may seem that it has less muscle mass, but this is actually a change in the ratio of muscle fibers, slightly reducing strength, but increasing endurance.

An upright individual, the closest ancestor of modern Duros, still has rudiments of claws and first and fourth toes, as well as a small tail. The appearance of claws in Duros and Neimoidians is an atavism, while the tail is present in larval stage and disappears during development due to autolysis (in my opinion, the grubs of both species resemble tadpoles adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle, that is, they initially have lungs and durable skin; while Duros have small limbs, the position of which changes as they turn into an adult, Neimoidians are born without limbs, only with a mobile muscular tail). This species could live in nomadic groups, mainly engaged in gathering and avoiding dangerous predatory fauna. Their brains increased significantly, since they needed good memory and orientation in space, they also made various, often multifunctional tools. The individual depicted here holds a spear, which could be used for defense or hunting small animals, as well as for cutting plants and harvesting fruit, or digging. The spear, like the breastplate of this so called Duros erectus, is made from fragments of the chitinous carapace of a giant beetle, and echoes of its use can still be seen thousands years later in the design of clothing (collars and pectorals) or weapons (Neimoidian vibro mace). The clothing of this upright Duros is made from the skin of some other reptile. Cloaks and capes also became traditional clothing early on, as it was important for a species to cover its back in order to avoid being wounded by predators.

The second image shows the planet Duro already damaged by industrialization; and here you can see a noble Duros from the early era of space expansion. The signs of his status are jewelry, especially rings (they were apparently a status symbol for the monarch, too, judging by the decorated hand of the lost king of Duro). While green was initially the most common skin color among Duros, in civilized society there was no vital need for protective coloring, and blue shades were increasingly no longer a rarity - perhaps, on the contrary, they began to be found more attractive due to their unusualness. Modern Duros differ from their closest ancestors in their smoother, longer face and, of course, in brain volume, as well as in the complete absence of a tail in adulthood. Otherwise, the body type remained slim and athletic (and traditional Duros dances are designed to demonstrate the agility and endurance that were so necessary for the survival of their ancestors - they are very energetic, include many jumps and other acrobatic elements). The modern species, apparently, retained the mentality of their ancestors - caution, avoidance of danger, easy-going and a tendency to escape from bad conditions. Therefore, most of them began to leave the polluted planet, and excellent memory, spatial thinking and the ability to quickly navigate and react, laid down genetically, made many Duros gifted navigators and pilots. Their people can also boast a large number of explorers and discoverers.

The colonization of various worlds by the Duros led to the emergence of new species, but so far we only know about one of them - the Neimoidians. And personally, it seems to me that their cultures are much closer than is commonly thought, and in general, the mutual hostility of the two species can be artificially reinforced by propaganda by those who benefit from it. Both Duros and Neimoidian people are enterprising, have business acumen and respect material success, considering the inability to maintain financial stability as a weakness (perhaps the very strict lending traditions of the Duros can be interpreted this way; also, both peoples nominal had a monarchy, when actual power belonged to influential corporations). I left a question mark where I still hope to see other branches of evolution in the future (of course, I can theorize that the Kyuzo and the Roonans also descended from the Duros, but it is not a fact that this will be confirmed).

It could be said that evolution in a galaxy far, far away happens at an unrealistically fast rate, in a time frame that is insufficient for mutations to accumulate and for speciation to occur. In this regard, the emergence of the Neimoidians is a surprisingly realistic story - if you look at their upbringing system, they are, in fact, the result of selection, deliberately organized intraspecific selection. Perhaps Neimoidia was an unsuccessful planet for terraforming, and its colonizers chose a strategy of changing themselves in order to survive. The external differences between the two species are not so expressive. Neimoidians look more robust due to thick bones and pronounced bony protuberances, which may be a consequence of the high gravity. Their large eyes provide better vision, necessary in the foggy atmosphere, and they have a slightly different shape of teeth (but not their number) - the enlargement of the molars is associated with a large amount of mushrooms in their diet. Also, I believe their lungs have become even more capacious, and the fact that their intense breathing under stress is noticeable despite the multi-layered clothing is explained by this, and not only by the fact that they breathe like lizards, using intercostal muscles rather than the diaphragm (the same muscles are used in both species when laughing, which is why their body shakes slightly when they laugh). I don't know about Neimoidia, but Cato Neimoidia should definitely have thin air, and in such conditions, lung capacity matters. The main difference between the two species, which allows us to consider them not just two races, is in reproduction and development. The system of intraspecific selection has also changed the mentality of the Neimoidians, for whom it is still important to avoid troubles, in that they prefer not to take risks searching for better living conditions, but to create them on the spot. Although their priority baceme a sedentary, stable and measured way of life, they inherit those qualities of their ancestors that make many of them quite outstanding captains of spaceships. Their people are more inclined to follow traditions and take pride in their culture, and also believe that they do not repeat the mistakes of the Duros in relation to their worlds. The noble Neimoidian depicted in the right against the background of his home planet has a belt with an image of a sacred beetle. In the formation of the Neimoidian civilization, as once for the civilization of the Duros, giant semi-sentient beetles play a significant role, performing important work in the sphere of food production (fefze may have served a similar role to harvester beetles before planetary pollution damaged their nervous systems).

In the upper right corner is a modern Duros in front of an orbital city, one of twenty located around his home planet, now almost uninhabitable. You can see that over the course of several thousand years, some changes have taken place - the head has become even larger, especially the braincase, and the face has become flatter. Blue coloration has continued to become widespread and acquire quite bright shades that could not originally appear in nature. In my opinion, the Duros, who have a wide variety of shades of blue, lilac and turquoise skin, are colored structurally, like Earth reptiles and birds, so some of them have skin color that may look different depending on the lighting. The Neimoidians, on the other hand, lack blue color completely, which can be easily explained by the different structure of their skin. Modern Duros are not too concerned with tradition and often dress practically, but jewelry in the form of rings remains quite popular.

Full view, please.

[lordsovorn]

Horror of Shapes

I am OBSESSED with borders and angles, with the language of shape and form.

There is nothing quite like the admiration I feel for the art of dissecting and then reassembling the core sensory components of different things.

I do not mean cosmetic coatings or costumes. I do not mean stiching together equally recognisable, pure parts, like a griffin or a furry. No, I mean the shapes and borders, the silhoette, the weight, the sound envelope, the motion, all talking directly with your reptile brain - and saying different things. Using the language of recognisable forms - but mixing them to say something new. And more often than not, something disturbing.

Our brains don't like things between categories. If they are absurd enough, that's funny, that's just a combination of normal things - but if the contradicting parts are interwoven properly, that's just... real. A wrong, stressful kind of real that doesn't contradict itself, but rather, contradicts our deeply ingrained sensory and emotional catergories.

So it's not at all surprising that this kind of shape mixing - successful or not - is especially common in horror media.

One shape speaks human, and the other doesn't. And it is moving in your direction.

...

For example.

...

And that's why we're all here - to talk about the Stalker from Amnesia: The Bunker a bit.

(Medium-heavy spoilers for Amnesia: The Bunker)

(I'm discussing in detail the design of THE monster of the game. You'll hardly get a good look at it normally, and I will also inevitably reference its nature a bit. Without any story or gameplay spoilers)

...

When you think of the Beast and its defining shapes, what comes to mind first?

Long, terrifying claws? Rows of needle-like teeth? A twisted, contorted visage, from which a snarl of unprecedented hate emanates?

I think of its neck. I'm in love with that fucked up neck as a subtle, yet powerful design choice. If you're surprised you've never really noticed it - google its model and marvel at the huge, thick, long neck of the Beast.

And think for a moment what it means in terms of silhoette.

...

The unnatural length of the neck is invisible from the front - the direction you're most likely to *really look* at the creature when you are cornered and have to shoot. When it stands up to howl before dashing, it keeps its inflexible neck behind the head as well - but the head appears disjointed and disproportionate, moving in a way it's not supposed to in a humanoid creature.

The Beast is quite front-heavy - with huge claws and massive head. This is only emphasized by the perspective trick at play - the head looks bigger because it is actually closer to you than you think, thanks to the neck.

From the front it looks humanoid, like a monstrous gorilla, standing on its knuckles. But when you look at it from the side, while it crawls along the half-lit corridors, you see just have elongated it is. The neck ruins the humanoid silhouette, breaks the shoulder line, lowers the head and emphasizes the arched back, creating an image of a predatory, confident beast.

But the two bayonets sticking out of its spine disrupt even this image. Of course, you're unlikely to even distinguish that those are bayonets in normal circumstances - it's just two strange spikes, breaking up the smooth line of the predator.

...

The back is different too - it is the least deformed part of the creature. Its legs are almost... normal, in the proportions at least, and it's from this angle that you clearly see the ragged remains of torn clothing on a disturbingly hunched back.

It kind of makes sense that from the least dangerous angle in the gameplay sense, the Beast looks the least threatening. Almost like a big, awkward, miserable human - more comfortable with this part of itself than with the huge claws in the front, but incapable of balancing itself any other way.

...

The claws deserve attention too, as they are the first thing you see as it reaches out from its burrow. They are grotesque in their absurd size, that suggests something huge is about to emerge from this tiny hole.

They are bigger than they have any reason to be - it is very clear how awkward moving with them is, as the Beast constantly switches between full-palm run, knuckle-walk and standing on its two legs.

It is the claws that disrupt the "beast vs human" duality - no beast needs such unwieldy claws that are good only for killing. No beast prowls constantly and leaves dismembered, not eaten corpses. No beast constantly vocalizes its anger and frustration in uncontained growls and hisses as it hunts.

...

Finally, this contradiction is also true for left vs right, as the right half of its face is torn and twisted into an almost crocodile-like form. This lateral assymetry, visible also in its uneven shoulders, sends a very clear message - sickness.

Nature is symmetrical - this monstrocity isn't. It is distinctly not natural - not even in terms of lore, but in terms of basic shape language.

Normally, the game does an exceptional job of hiding the Beast - even when it kills you. This contradiction of unwieldy mass, dangerous length and terrifying speed; of awkwardly human, confidently bestial and sadistically demonic never goes away - precisely because the Beasts' very proportions read differently from different angles.

...

Devs at Frictional seem to have been searching for this image for quite some time. The contradiction of human and unnaturally demonic is visible in the concept art of The Dark Descent, but, I dare say, not in the game itself, where enemies look like wax torture mannequins.

A Machine for Pigs tried to do it more explicitly, but failed to properly bind together the disparate shapes, and instead created ugly furries. SOMA did monster design wonderfully, utilizing the strengths of the engine and avoiding its weaknesses - but, of course, not in THAT way. While Rebirth put the horror of shapes back a bit, focusing on ramifications and pacing.

The Bunker seems to be the culmination of this search - a rather elegant solution, one that must have taken a lot of time to get just right. And in the end it is not just simple - it is persistently hidden.

It is the culmination for Frictional of the art of hiding the monster, while letting the shapes do their thing - speak terror into your mind in the most basic language possible.