#battle tendency kin

[silver-focus-lining]

This version of Lisa Lisa I redrew based on the illustration from Jorge Joestar.

(EDIT: DARN YOU QUALITY)

[heartscooper]

A Silly CaeJose's sketch 😺

[glassguillotine]

My long awaited preview for WANNABE! - a y2k themed all parts JJBA zine!

This zine is a labor of love and cirque team worked very hard on bringing this project to life! Our preorders have been open for a few days, please check us out!

>> Link <<

[thelonewarriorprince]

I've been considering making this blog primarily Dragon Ball centric but adding a few muses that aren't from Dragon Ball here. Like for example, im considering adding this these characters to my list:

Batman/Bruce Wayne: Since Bruce Wayne has several portrayls with varying personalities, I'll specify the verses. I can do the Batman from THE HARLEY QUINN SHOW, WAYNE FAMILY ADVENTURES and from JUSTICE LEAGUE & JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED| BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES.

The Joker: Okay, so with him, massive trigger warning because my depiction of him is extremely brutal, savage, violent, and is totally unredeemable as a person. My depiction is the type of character that makes you reconsider the lines between being human and being inhuman, as even the worst kinds of people, retain a semblance of humanity in some form. My Joker is as far away from human as he can get, after all, with no strings tying him down, he's free to have his fun without personal consequences. Its one big joke to him with this grandiose punchline.

Harley Quinn: Similarly to Batman, different versions of her have altered personalities and the uncierses I can muse her in are from THE HARLEY QUINN SHOW and BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES.

Tim Drake: He's also a very selective muse. I'll only muse him from BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES or WAYNE FAMILY ADVENTURES

Starfire: This muse is specific to the early 2000’s Teen Titans show and its movie, Trouble in Tokyo.

There is more I'm considering, like Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar, just to add more selection but HDKDJDID

[dailycharacteroption]

Roleplaying Races 16: Rougarou

(art by koutanagamori on DeviantArt)

Well, it’s finally time. Time to do one last week special on the 1st edition ancestries. After this, we’ll have finally covered them all. The end an era on the blog…

…all of which is to say that I’ll probably be doubling up on the Starfinder 1E counterpart to this special for a bit before doing Pathfinder 2E ancestries, probably at a somewhat slower pace, or not. Depends on how I feel.

But we’re not done yet, so let’s talk about these last few entries, starting with the Rougarou!

So, the Rougarou. Humanoid wolves, able to shapeshift into a mundane wolf form, get a bit testy when compared to lycanthropes…

…and yeah, that’s about where the lore dries up with them, as they are yet another case of an ancestry that was introduced in a later bestiary but wasn’t lucky enough to get their lore expanded on later on.

They do, however, have a folkloric origin in the real world, however, being associated with French folklore and the French diaspora in the USA. The name Rougarou is an alternate pronunciation/spelling of loup garou… which is essentially the French word for werewolf. Go figure.

But the Rougarou does branch out a little, being used somewhat as a boogeyman to keep young Catholic cajuns in line and following the practice of Lent, as well as a variant where they drink blood or transfer their curse by bite, the original becoming a normal human while the bit-ee becomes a monster.

And what does that have anything to do with the Pathfinder version? Very little indeed, but it is interesting, and elements of it do exist here and there, such as them being native to wetlands in Arcadia, a reference to their Louisiana origins.

Additionally, they also have elements of the Werewolf of Livonia, which was a case in the 1600’s where a man named Thiess claimed under oath that he transformed into a wolf three nights a year, where he and other werewolves would venture into Hell itself and do battle with the Devil and his servants. This is reflected in the rougarou’s tendency as monster hunters, particularly of evil lycanthropes.

No information about Rougarou origins is given, though I’d imagine it might be similar to catfolk and ratfolk being divine creations made to protect and guard young world in it’s early days. But that’s just speculation on my part.

Unsurprisingly, Rougarou resemble humanoid bipedal wolves, though unlike werewolves, they are naturally in this state and do not feature any elements of a true ancestry being twisted into lycanthropic form. Naturally, their wolf form resembles their humanoid form, making them easy to recognize between the two.

Not much is known of their society either, but we do no they are not very widespread on Golarion, and live in close-nit, orderly and civilized societies, and are very protective of their friends and family. If they are anything like real wolf packs, they are probably led by the elders of a settlement, with possibly the parents of individual families having some say in things under these wizened members.

Rougarou are strong and wise, but their rigid society doesn’t promote innovation.

True to their wolf kin, they sport enhanced night vision and a strong sense of smell.

They also sport the ability to take the form of a true wolf, though usually only once a day before reverting to their true form.

Even in humanoid form, however, they maintain strong jaws which they can put to deadly use in combat.

With their strength and wisdom, Rougarou can fill a lot of roles and classes, everything from rangers and hunters making use of both of those stat boosts, to other combat classes such as fighter and paladin while having a slightly higher than average wisdom score. Combat focused clerics or druids are also a fun option. Being able to transform into a wolf does mean you get a little buff as well, bolstering natural attack builds quite nicely… but it is hampered by the fact that their shapeshifting replicates the effect of beast shape I, meaning that they don’t get the free trip attempts with their bite through this method, which honestly makes the wolf form better as a disguise with some builds, albeit a limited one with the general reaction to wolves in many civilizations being what is was historically. However, their only true weakness is that intelligence penalty, which makes skill builds and certain mages slightly harder, but not impossible to overcome.

[ruthlesslistener]

happy 4/20 here's some headcanons about the shit bugs used to get elevated

Alcohol: good 'ol alcohol. Found everywhere in every tribe of Hallownest, brewed in pretty much every way possible. Unregulated in trade by pretty much all tribes except for the stuff the Pale King consumes, which is often strong enough to give an entire room alcohol poisoning (wyrms are resistant to pretty much all toxins). Even the Hive have fermented honey and nectar, though they are much stricter about who indulges; it's more often exported for trade than consumed. Among the tribes, limitations only exist among the beetles and mantises, as both have violent tendencies and are liable to pick a fight when drunk; mantises regulate it to festivals and mating season, when sparring is likely to happen anyways, while drunk beetles outside homes and bars are often picked up and stuffed into trash cans to sober them up (and hopefully teach them a lesson in the meanwhile)

Gulka venom: an intoxicating substance with mildly hallucinogenic effects. Unregulated in trade, though that's mostly because there is no trade- the Mosskin refuse to collect it for other tribes, going out of their way only for the snail shamans (who are herb-masters with great healing knowledge) You'll have to harvest it yourself if you want to indulge, and that means there's a bit of a black market for it in Hallownest

Shamanistic Death-Herbs: a blend of relatively common herbs that, when dried together in a certain way, creates an extremely toxic blend if consumed or inhaled (when burned). Typically used to give those suffering a peaceful, painless death, it has powerful hallucinogenic effect under its killing threshold, and is one of the few toxins that can affect void creatures in any way (it puts them to sleep/makes them high). The fear of the void worshipers using them in battle against her moths was one of the excuses the Radiance used for her genocide against the snail tribe, though the shamans themselves have strict oaths to use them only for healing, and have never broken those oaths or used them against another tribe (at least, as far as the few who remember the age of dark can recall)

Bitterroot: an anti-contraceptive and abortion drug that can have an intoxicating-but dangerous- effect if too much of it is chewed. Grows primarily in the Crossroad region, and is heavily regulated in Hallownest- it is easily attainable and available to all, but herbalists are required by law to cut it and sell it in specific portion sizes for different species of bug, to prevent fatalistic overdosing. Tribes with overlap of the growing range tend to follow this rule, though it is not as strictly monitored as in the City (where many different species of bugs congregate, and thus require different doses to be effective)

Lifeblood: A life-boosting substance with magical roots that invigorates the self, at the risk of overestimating limitations and causing irreversible harm to the body when infused with it. This risk, while minimal with supervision, was what the Pale King used as an excuse to ban it, when in reality the main reason for the ban is because it is directly tied to an unascended abyssal god (the Lifeblood creature). Pretty heavily regulated in the Pale King's realm, but is used pretty regularly outside of his lands because nobody outside the most religious of the Beetle Tribe gives a shit

Brightpede poison: an extremely bitter, cyanide-based toxin that, like the death-herbs, can get one high if consumed in extremely small amounts. Secreted by pink and yellow-banded millipedes in the Deepnest region, used most commonly to kill political enemies or ease the passing of mortally wounded individuals. Harmlessly intoxicating to wyrms and their kin

Smokeweed: marijuana. It grows pretty much everywhere in Hallownest where greenery thrives, and is used both recreationally and medicinally, though the extent of it varies from culture to culture. Among the mantises, it's reserved only for strong warriors, to ease pain, battle-rage, and battle-lust. In the City of Tears, use is limited to smokehouses to prevent air contamination in close quarters, but is perfectly legal in private quarters, cheap to buy, and is typically recreational or therapeutic (there is, however, more variation in strains and expensive variants available to those of higher social rank, with the blooms grown in the White Lady's gardens going for the highest). In Deepnest, it's technically limited from the working castes to prevent injury, but is allowed during times of leisure and is unlimited to the injured or sick (if trade allows it). The Mosskin, Snails, and the Moths typically used it for religious reasons. Only the Hive have strict regulations against it (as they do with everything else). 

Shrooms: Several species of mushrooms in Deepnest and the Fungal Wastes offer a variety of intoxicating and hallucinogenic effects, with a variety of different toxicity/fatality levels. Really only the Mantids know how to correctly harvest and identify each species responsible for each effect, a secret they hold closely guarded within their own tribe, but that doesn't stop certain individuals from different tribes to come in and sample the shrooms (and, if overdosed, become a fun little treat for the mantises)

The sap and nectar of the White Lady: really only attainable if you go praying to her for reproductive help, as it is an intense healing agent and potent aphrodisiac. Momentarily cures infertility, and brings about a high, but also induces heat. Tea can be made from her bark with similar (but less potent) effects, but again it must be provided from her willingly, and such examples are rare. Technically intoxicating, but only given to those struggling with infertility, miscarriages, suffering from injuries related to childbearing or birth, etc

[cacti-are-like-flamingos]

MY FAVORITE FLAMINGO-CACTI HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?! I MISSED YOU! I HOPE YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF WELL! IF NOT I'M BURSTING THROUGH THE SCREEN FOR YOU! Okay, can I ask for a headcannon on how Marco would fall in love with someone on the crew? Like would he be in love with how they act or how they fight? Like have you seen 15 year old Marco? THAT GUY WAS ADORABLE!

Marco the Phoenix x GN!Reader

It's actually been a while since I've read or seen anything related to One Piece so I had to go back and re-watch things involving Marco since I always want to give a rather realistic scenario of the character. I don't do OOC stuff (no, I am not dragging other authors who do that. I'll still read their works and am happy with it, I just prefer to make my OWN stuff realistic)

Anyways, let's move on forward

Marco is not one for a quick-burn nor a slow-burn of a love story but rather, an evenly paced-burn. It wouldn't take him years nor days. Months to properly fall in love yet years to confess, that seems about right.

And he's obviously not one to fall in love with the superficial, although it is an added bonus.

He doesn't just fall in love with the way you act, neither the way you fight

Marco falls in love with the way you interact with the world.

Your honeyed words when speaking to people, the way you tend to sit in the middle of a crowded plaza, happily people-watching in silence. The way you're a cynic through and through yet enjoy romanticizing what can be romanticized, sometimes you're harsh with your words, other times poetic.

It's plain to see when the world has won the battle against you. But never the war, that you are determined to win. And he adores that about you.

He adores how you seem to fight with style (if that's even possible), your eyes in a slightly caving under the wight of their mischief. Your lips pursed to taunt and tease whilst you gracefully dance across the battlefield.

Thats not to say, you haven't had your clumsy moment in the heat of battle. Usually, you'll catch yourself in time, making it look as though nothing happened but you're humiliation will be plain to see (at least in his eyes). Your brow has a tendency of twitching when embarrassed.

He loves watching your interactions with the crew and Pops --- Whitebeard had taken you in upon finding your sickly body aboard some small boat drifting lost at see. Turns out, you had a illness eerily similar to his, or so, the ship's doctor said. Pops had immediately felt some kind of kin-ship and had opted to take you in

You were in a coma for until sometime, upon awaking the doctors and nurses struggled to hold you back --- so stubborn even when at the frailest of states. You demanded to see the Captain of the ship. And you did. You stood before the entire crew (they had been in a meeting) and Whitebeard, your gaze sharp as you profusely thanked him as well as scolded him for wasting such precious resources on you. You even yelled at the man, who had gone to protest your words, that you will simply ignore his words because you were just that stubborn. (you literally said that too!)

"You're stuck with me now, so don't even bother entertaining the idea of dropping me off on some island!"

The scene was absolutely hilarious but it was his first introduction to the type of person you were, the first time his heart lightly fluttered with something more.

After that day, he'd see you helping around the ship. You took to the crew like a fish took to water --- there was just this charm about you that drew people in.

And the fact that you wouldn't allow your illness to hold you back from exploring emotions, relationships, the world --- hell, he once scolded you for singing at the top of your lungs when you fell ill with pneumonia.

You were just that kind of person.

The sort who loved to bring joy to other people's hearts, even if that meant experiencing a little pain on your part.

And in return for all these things you've been making him feel, he'll reward you with subtle touches. Marco is more of an acts of services and subtly physical affections. Hands on the small of your back as they guide through a crowded room, him both reserving a seat during meal-time while also having already grabbed you a plate of your favorite foods before they could run out, standing in front of you to block out the hot sun, reminding you to drink water after a hard day's work, neatening your strays after having had the wind blow your hairs.

To Marco, actions speak louder than words. (The other Division Commanders definitely noticed it but surprisingly kept their mouths shut, except for Pops)

Whenever Whitebeard caught you and Marco within his field of vision, instantly he'd make a comment about how he couldn't wait for the day you got married, hoping that it'd be on his ship and with a specific blonde in mind. But that's one of his more subtle hints. His more bold ones were a bit more crude --- whenever Marco spoke to you, Pops would cry out for you guys to get a room. Amongst others things.

Pops expects a grandchild soon and the baby better resemble a pineapple

To be honest, for all the jagged edges of your persona, you readily turned into a teddy bear when you deemed it necessary. And by jagged edges, Marco refers to your various attempts of shying away when people get a little too close to you.

He noticed how great displays of emotions seem to scare you away; however, he loved how you would subtly adapt to these types of situations. When someone cried in your presence, you'd lightly caress them before looking for someone who could more effectively comfort them. Or when Ace gets a little over excited, a word or two and he'll be running in the direction of a possible victim with your guidance.

You're like him --- mellowed out.

A quiet day sitting where the wind could catch you just right was all it took for you to consider it a good day. Just like him.

It seems like you realized this because not long after, he found you constantly seeking out his presence. It started with you approaching him for some medical supplies or treatments for minor wounds, which soon ended up with you hanging about his office, reading a book. Just overall content to be in his presence.

There also came a time where you felt as though you were pestering him with your preference for his presence. So you took it upon yourself to put a stop to it. Opting to avoid seeking him out so much. For a whole week everyone, who knew whim well, could plainly see his irritation.

For the first time, he found himself hating one particular aspect about you --- your non-confrontational nature.

You were good for confronting injustices, stupidity, amongst others. But emotions? Nah.

It took Thatch luring you into the kitchen with the promise of dessert for him to corner you into your worst nightmare. The confrontation of feelings.

Had the situation not been heavy with tension, he'd have laughed at the comically horrified look on your face as you ate your dessert.

You could seriously be cute at the worst of moments.

But shit, this was you we're talking about. Beautifully stubborn you.

It took him all night to pry your walls down, and even then he still hadn't gotten to the core of your. So he used his secret weapon.

He confessed.

You quite literally fell out of the chair.

After that, the two of you obviously ended up together. Well, at least, after you worked out some of your traumas. Either way, let's just say that when the two of you made it officially, groans and cheers from the crew could be heard around as bags of money were passed around. With Pop's earning most of the bags as he grinned smugly.

It took you guys a year and a half to finally get together.

____________________________________________

(A/N): You're too sweet and undeserving of my sudden abandonment, cries out of guilt. NGL I saw this in my inbox when you sent it out and it both brought me so much joy and so much guilt 😭

Hope you enjoyed!

[probablyfunrpgideas]

The Graveyard Book

Shout out to Divinity: Original Sin 2 for having a graveyard that contains different burial practices for the different cultures. What a neat way to show off the depth of your worldbuilding! And each one also has things for the player character to interact with, so they're fairly memorable.

In my world of Tephra, humans usually are cremated while family and friends tell stories of their life. Usually, they ask for their remains to be buried on the site of a new endeavor - beneath their granddaughter's first shop, or scattered in the orchard their best friend is planting. Orcs are buried facing east, into the sunrise. If they die of natural causes, they are are buried with a weapon so their spirit will not be defenseless. In Estier, the grave goods may include a protective magic amulet made from quartz, while the orcs of Dorend prefer to leave a bone flute or whistle. The burial practices of the gnomes could fill a dozen books, but for simplicity's sake, family ties are paramount. A gnome's body must be returned to someone who knew them or was a relative (through blood, marriage, or choice) so that they can be remembered on special days of the year at the family shrine. For the sake of hygiene, this means skeletal remains are kept in almost every gnomish home, though some wealthy families have the means to keep up magical preservation spells in a mausoleum of some sort.

Halflings are buried at liminal spaces, the edge of a grove or a crossroad or a shoreline. In the south of Estier, they usually plant a tree where the body lies, and discern the age of a village by the size of their grave-forest. In the northlands, there's a tendency to make reference to the local earth spirits in an epitaph or ceremony. Some outsiders say that dwarves value the community more than the individual, but a dwarven cemetery is a testament against that. Some outsiders also say that dwarves turn into stone when they die, and this is a more understandable mistake. For in that peaceful cavern or quiet field, life-sized statues stand over each grave. The sculptors who work on these are usually masters of their craft, capturing facial features and showing the subject's role and personality. Rare is the Elf who leaves anyone behind to think of their burial. They are so solitary and long-lived that most end up returning to the life cycle of the Forest. One famous exception is the Lavender Flame, a magical knight-errant who asked her noble paramour to build a splendid tower when she finally fell in battle. This tomb still stands in the town of Flamerest, where the steppe rises into the Shield Mountains.

Goblins seem to decompose very rapidly, and it is unclear whether their kin on the airships have a meaningful ceremony for the remains. They claim to be unconcerned with death, but avoid it as much as anyone else does. Shoalsali (or Lizardfolk) keep written records of all the family and apprentices who have been part of their tribe, but they leave the bodies for birds or fish.

[molagboop]

You've shown a lot about Mawkin culture and how important and sacred they view battle. While we know the Thoha to be less peaceful, Gray Voice shows us that the Thoha were not exempt from a warrior's past. I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on differences between how Thoha, be it modern or of a time long past, might view battle compared to the Mawkin

I'll cover this first with a brief prelude discussing the Thoha in a general sense and comparing them to the Mawkin, then getting into the meat of the warrior stuff. This is a good opportunity for me to explore the general differences, which would further highlight the contrast between their warrior cultures.

Quick Overview of Tribal Specialties

The warriors and their technology are what we know the Chozo for best, but they were by no means a monolith: there are many tribes, all with their own values and way of living.

The Thoha were always a tribe that valued ingenuity and bright thinkers above all else. They invented some things simply because they could, but they also put great emphasis on considering where the resources to make their weapons came from, how best to extract them without harming the environment, etc. Very much a thoughtful people who value using knowledge to solve problems, wielding the skills amassed over the course of their long lives to plan ahead and consider the consequences of their actions, especially when harvesting resources from planets that are not their own (on SR388, they attempted to extract aeion in a manner that would least harm the local ecosystem).

Their tendency to cultivate shrewd academics and clever inventors is by no means an indicator that they were poor warriors: the Mawkin also have a powerful academic body. The educated soldier is offered more opportunities, both in leadership roles (military and general community) and a general sense (where are you going to be stationed, are you going to get the chance to study ancient marine lifeforms during your post in Burenia, etc).

The Mawkin also foster a sense of curiosity in their tribesmen from the egg to the grave. Raven Beak has like eight bird PhDs, and he never stopped learning new skills and engaging in different fields of study until the moment he died. The difference here is that the Thoha are known best by their peers for their ingenuity and academic splendor, (particularly in the field of bioengineering), while the Mawkin's reputation hinges primarily on the quality and sheer volume of warriors they produced.

Both tribes have a degree of reverence for the ways of the Warrior, and both encourage engagement in academic study. But when the Hotu need warriors, they would ask the Mawkin first, and when the Ishtal desire outside guidance on how best to engineer their favored dray-beasts for hard labor off-world, they seek the assistance of Thoha scientists before all else.

On to the warrior stuff!

Principles

The Way of the Warrior is a set of principles to guide Chozo warriors on the path of martial greatness and spiritual enlightenment. Adherence to this philosophy is a means to strengthen the body and spirit. Physical aptitude is maintained to defend kith and kin, but also to grant the warrior endurance. Endurance allows one to weather the hardships of life. The ability to overcome great challenges contributes to one's overall moral character, gives the individual the confidence to contribute to solutions, fosters a drive to help others, so on and so forth.

I'll spare you the lecture on the full breadth of Chozo spirituality, but the important part is that the Way of the Warrior espouses moral and practical virtues.

The Thoha saw the ways of the Warrior through the lens of philosophy: by building character through diligent honing of the mind and body, their enlightened warriors will have the strength to lead their people, the swiftness to avoid unnecessary conflict, and a hardened emotional shell.

That last one is important: warriors aren't just guardians, they're also mediators. Not in a sense that they're cops; the warrior's purpose is not to enforce law and order. No, the warrior has potential to serve as an unbiased third party in conflict resolution. This is just one example of why emotional balance and the ability to weigh one's personal feelings against the needs of the community is a core feature of Thoha warrior philosophy.

They believe warriors make good project leaders for the same reasons. Even if the warrior isn't a scientist, having one around to supply their unique perspective and trained practical sense is seen as a good idea. Gray Voice isn't just a warrior, he's also a philosopher and a neurostylus. He's proficient in the science behind programming organic AI-forms, the construction of vessels for artificial consciousness, and integrating these structures with manufactured (non-organic) computers. He's capable of making difficult decisions surrounding the fate of his people without falling prey to his own fears or losing sight of their needs.

Battle: What's it Worth?

A very long time ago, the Thoha army saw frequent use. The tribes weren't always at peace, and everyone had enemies somewhere, Chozo or otherwise. Warrior-scholars were prevalent throughout the folds of their society: sharp minds and sharper blades were highly valued.

To the Thoha warrior, attaining physical and mental equilibrium through the honing of the mind and body in tandem is sublime. Skilled warriors are great, wise scholars are greater, and one who can be both in equal measure has worth that surpasses all else.

Proving this worth on the field of battle while maintaining that balance was a goal for every warrior-scholar to strive for. Fighting strongly is one thing, but a clever warrior is highly valuable: physical prowess means little without tactics and clever thinking. Reacting to opponents on the fly and choosing one's next move wisely was key: that's the greatest show of the mind and body moving in sync.

Thoha warriors excel at paying attention despite the overwhelming stimuli present on the battlefield, predicting their opponents' next move through a variety of factors, including body language, and for some, mathematical probability. There's nothing worse than the feeling of being knocked down during a sparring session by a warrior who tells you that you behaved exactly as they calculated you would. Hearing some nerd rattle off about a percentage chance while you're dusting yourself off is bewildering and a little annoying, ngl, but the warrior math-nerds are hardly wrong, and when they are, they account for it.

Anyways, battle had value in that it provided a chance for warrior-scholars to prove their mettle and hone the mind-body balance in a real conflict. Sparring and ndividual practice are one thing, but lived-in experience is a whole nother animal.

Despite the philosophical benefits of a real fight to the Warrior, bloodshed itself wasn't seen as a wholly positive thing in Thoha warrior philosophy. The Thoha viewed battle as an unavoidable result of heightened tension during conflict. They tried to avoid war if possible, but sometimes that's just how things are gonna go, and their warriors were prepared for it. Bloodshed is inevitable: whether it arrives in two years or two-thousand, it's going to rear its ugly head somehow. Even the most docile zoomer will bite when provoked.

That's why warriors have value to the Thoha: they're necessary.

The Thoha felt they had less of a need for a standing army as a means to protect the people as civilization advanced and inter-tribal conflict became less of a prominent issue. Despite this, they still valued warriors for the lessons their philosophy instilled within them and the strengths such practices afforded an individual. There was also still a need to defend their planet from external forces, so they continued encouraging young warriors to pursue the ghosts of their ancestors.

In the years leading up to the Galactic Federation's founding, the Thoha gravitated increasingly towards the idea of pacifism. A great deal of their number were old and slowing down by that point, and they figured they should invest in a sort of insurance policy for galactic peace: hence the Federation. The Thoha were one of several tribes that were too busy sciencing it up to be bothered with fortifying their numbers, and now there aren't very many younger folk around to help the elders. A good chunk of those younger scientists were stationed on SR388 to work on the Metroid project, and some have taken on projects elsewhere in the galaxy.

Have I talked about fertility issues in the various tribes before? I feel like I've posted about that here before, but I can't remember. Let me know if I still need to post about that or not!

Anyways, the Mawkin approach battle with more of a religious fervor, and always have. Don't get me wrong: warriors from both tribes enjoyed battle, but Thoha warriors don't view their own deaths as an event to look forward to.

When a Thoha warrior falls in battle, the news of their passing is a sting that wounds all. When a Mawkin warrior dies, their sacrifice is an honor to the people, and the breath that was cut so early from their throats is to be repaid thricefold. Thoha warrior funerals are a solemn, mournful event, whereas Mawkin warrior funerals are a celebration of the individual. I covered the Mawkin view of death more in-depth in Volume 2 of Life on ZDR, easily accessible by searching the headcanons tag on my blog. Those interested can click the tag on the bottom of this post and probably won't have to do much scrolling to find it.

Regarding Mawkin fervor: their training and cultural mindset lends a certain savagery to the force of their strikes. Keep in mind that when I say "savage", I'm not at all implying "lesser worth or intelligence", but rather a particular show of brute strength.

The Mawkin are relentless in battle, and do not stop fighting until either they or the opposition lies dead. Cut them, and they only grow fiercer. Knock one down, and five more will descend on you like a flock of petrels.

Chozo Combat Arts

Welcome to off topic! Your question made me think a Lot.

Mawkin combat theory consists of a variety of different schools of thought. Military basic training goes over three of these schools to start: Crashing Wake, Black Claw Lattice, and Falling Star Impact. Theory combining the first two is part of what makes even the lowest Mawkin soldier hit like a goddamned truck.

Crashing Wake is a school of thought encompassing forceful weapon thrusts and swift, gravity-led strikes. The goal is to slam your opponent hard and fast, and perhaps take them unawares, like a sudden slap from the cold, cruel arm of the sea. Techniques with origins in Black Claw Lattice favor talon-blade weapons, but many branches of the school can be applied to a variety of bladed weapons with longer handles. Students of the Lattice strike quickly and often, and subscribe to the theory that if you cut something enough, it'll bleed faster.

There are myths among the other tribes about Mawkin "blood-rage": stories about warriors who are empowered by the mere scent of blood, capable of shearing whole legions on their lonesome. Soldiers whose strikes grow swifter and more lethal with every wound they sustain. Many of these stories are ancient, and most of them are, like I said, shrouded in myth. But there's a reason the Mawkin are feared. There's a reason the other tribes try to maintain a somewhat solid friendship with them, and it's not just that they've never (formally***) lost a war.

It's not that their warriors are incompetent by comparison, the Mawkin are just exceedingly formidable foes. Other warrior tribes regularly invite the Mawkin to week or month-long events where both armies jointly convene for military exercises. The Thoha did this every five years until a good few decades before the events of Zero Mission! Gray Voice and Raven Beak have quite the history with each other, and these events were a large part of that.

In ancient times, other tribes had to come up with ways to stay level with the Mawkin: that's how fierce they've always been! One such method is inhaling the aroma of herbs and seeds.

That's right: Zero Mission concept art, baby!

Anyways, those little tubes and the herb pouch they're connected to are not exclusively a Thoha innovation, but they were the first to come up with the idea. Always one step ahead in the realm of blood, the Mawkin were aware of the combat-enhancing capabilities of certain compounds, and the priests would anoint some of their finest warriors just before battle to send them into a righteous fury... but they'd never thought to send warriors into battle with a pouch full of inhalants strapped to their backs.

Nowadays, the most advanced power suits can administer doses of compounds synthesized from these spicy fighting herbs to give a warrior some extra oomph in battle without a cumbersome bit and sack. Only helmeted suits can get the scent experience without a bit, but warriors without a closed-face helm can have the compound absorbed through their skin via the powersuit

Thoha martial theory also covers deadly blows, but they also favor a greater number of schools that deal with disarming or incapacitating the opponent.

I'll go into specific Thoha warrior festivals and the like at a later date: that should paint a more intricate picture of their relationship with war, combat and violence.

I really should end it here because i kind of went off on a tangent. This ask really made me think, and I almost went off about Bird Magic. I hope this flowed somewhat coherently, and if anyone wants me to elaborate on anything or wants me to continue going off about something they want more on or that I didn't cover at all, I will absolutely wall of text you with that information.

[booksofstars]

oooooh wht about rebooted darktail or spiresight :3

Darktail

(Art coming soon)

Darktail, the Leader of the Kin

Darktail is a terrifying force with humble, tragic beginnings. He was not born evil. Upon Onewhisker's rejection of both he and his mother, she takes him to SkyClan. She his sickly, however, and only makes it a few moons more. This festering hatred of the Forest Clans begins here, though Darktail has a strong love for SkyClan.

His mentor is Sharpclaw, a horrible influence on him. His lust for power and control truly comes from him, a sort of Thistleclaw and Tigerclaw situation. Darktail progresses rather quickly, rapidly becoming an excellent Warrior, in spite of his…violent tendencies.

He’s only really close with Sharpclaw and Hawkwing. Not long into being a Warrior, Darktail decides it’s time to enact revenge on Onestar. This is likely spurred on by him catching word that the Forest Four have moved to the lake.

He rallies SkyClanners to support him, but his rebellion is eventually driven out by Leafstar. The only SkyClan cat to join him is Sharpclaw.

Together, they recruit outcasts from all walks of life, promising them anything they want to hear. This is what forms the Kin, and what eventually gets Needletail to join. There is still a mission to SkyClan, but the traveling cats find the camp abandoned.

Before long, Darktail has recruited ShadowClan's youth. He invades ShadowClan, taking over their home and forcing any cat not loyal to him at the time to leave.

Darktail is a huge fan of public execution. As tensions begin to rise throughout the Kin due to cats realizing they'd been tricked, he begins killing off his dissenters one by one, forcing his cats to gather at the lake and watch.

He still invades RiverClan, knowing it will rile up WindClan, and Onestar, even more. He kills several cats or has them killed, most notably Mistystar. She has a life publicly drained from her.

Tensions only rise from here, a large sect of the Kin horrified at Darktail’s actions. Behind the scenes, Needletail and Violetpaw have begun discussions of a coup, to finally remove Darktail from power. Alderheart is the one to prove that they’re trustworthy, and to pressure Bramblestar into stepping in. He had Squirrelflight’s full support early on. Squirrelflight contacts the other Clans, requesting aid in taking down the tyrant. RiverClan refuses, but WindClan agrees to help.

In the first Battle of the Lake, far too few cats are sent from both Clans to defeat the Kin. Neither leader showed up, either, only their deputies, Squirrelflight and Heathertail. Though the mollies are excellent leaders and strategists, the Kin still overpowers them, forcing the Clans to flee, several cats severely wounded or even dead. Needletail tries escaping with Violetpaw, but they’re caught. She’s ordered to kill Violetpaw, her little sister, and she forms a plan. She leaps at the apprentice, tackling her, before screaming at her to run. Then, she launches herself at Darktail, one of the only cats to fight back to viciously against him. For her betrayal, she is mauled and dragged into the middle of the lake to drown.

A second coup brews, helped by the cat that is now Violetshine. Tree shows up, and tells her to gather the Clans. Even RiverClan agrees. They go to the Island, with Tree standing upon the great branches. At once, he makes the ghosts of cats lost appear. Needletail stands next to him, crooning that they haven’t lost yet. SkyClan comes pouring in.

Together, the Clans work to bring Darktail down. They negotiate a meeting at the lake once again, this time with appropriate cats and RiverClan’s aid. Onestar is present this time, alongside a furious Mistystar and a very peeved Squirrelflight. Still no Bramblestar. Upon seeing Onestar, he launches himself at his father, dragging him into the lake. They fight viciously, blood spilling and turning the lake red as it had seasons ago. Darktail lands the killing blow on his father, but Onestar’s grip on him is too strong for him to swim back to the surface. He drowns there, the laughter of his victims who met the same fate loud in his ears. This is the end of AVOS, with Darktail being an arc long villain as he should’ve been.

He does not go to the Place of No Stars. Rather, he is a lost spirit like Needletail, and is dragged into the DF by Ashfur in TBC rebooted. He still gets killed by Needletail and Violetshine.

[flame-shadow]

OKAY im gonna ramble about Mossy Fool, my beloved. this will not be comprehensive, and some of what i've said about him previously has been adjusted or changed. no big deal. it's good to develop characters and reassess parts that might've been a bit rough in a previous pass. i'll try to include images occasionally but they'll mostly be reused from stuff i've already posted

yahoo here we go!

a few quick facts:

- he was a moss knight devoted to unn. he cared [and still does care] deeply for his god and his kin.

- he has always been prone to violence but not in a malicious way. he is enthusiastic, energetic, strong, and can get carried away easily.

- he took in the Infection willingly to get a size and strength buff while he was in the Colosseum. this also affected his moss cloak.

- he had a name, but he doesn't remember it. he is The Mossy Fool and most people just call him Mossy. he doesn't seem bothered by this. [depending on who he interacts with in the "postgame" and how they bond, he can start to be bothered by this lack of a true name. i have explored this via RPs but i don't know how it would manifest in a no-other-people's-characters version of his story]

- between the Infection, the Colosseum, and head injuries, mossy doesn't remember a lot of his past, and he has a hard time remembering things in the short term either. he's had bugs he teamed up with in the Colosseum, but he doesn't remember them now. he's probably made commitments and promises that he no longer remembers making nor who they were made to. he doesn't remember much of his culture. it is mostly through routine that he has managed to remember unn - after every battle, he repaints his shield, both to cover any scratches and as a calming ritual and reminder.

Sometimes I'm a bit vague on the details of how he's managed to not be consumed by the Colosseum. It's sort of a plot contrivance but whatever. I explain it as Unn calling to him like she does for all her other children based off some of the dream nail dialogue we get in the game.

mossy is a self-indulgent character who sometimes gets special privileges because i like him a lot heehee

okay but what im kinda emo about today is how his life would've been so much different [and arguably better] if things had gone a little bit differently while he was still a moss knight. because if he'd been able to develop better self control earlier, he wouldn't have accidentally killed a fellow knight in a minor scuffle and been sent out. that had been the final straw after many warnings and attempts at helping him and training him to be more careful. if he couldn't keep from harming his kin, then he couldn't be trusted to protect them.

and that's what sends him seeking places to fight where he doesn't have to be as careful and can actually go all out and have fun. he finds that in the Colosseum. oh, he had a lot of fun there...

but! if he'd managed to rein himself in. if he'd managed to control his tendencies a little better...

he was well suited to become a paladin. he's always had strong devotion and connection to unn. he could have become something more than a knight. he wouldn't have let a rank like that get to his head. he'd have been happy and proud of his duties and responsibilities. he'd have had a positive impact on his tribe. his affinity with plants could've developed well and he could've had a less invasive connection.

....also, he could've been a boss fight akin to hive knight guarding vespa. Moss Paladin. he'd have two phases, and the second phase would have vines and thorns and be very cool.

however, because he was kicked out, he had the opportunity to explore more of Hallownest than just Greenpath, he was able to meet other bugs and be exposed to other languages and cultures. he suffered a lot at the Colosseum, but it also fulfilled him in many ways.

and now that he's older, a tiny bit wiser, and a good deal less likely to accidentally kill another person, he can interact and bond with people he never would've had the chance to otherwise.

and although it's awkward for a while, he can visit his home. and once he has shed his fool's armor, he'll be welcomed back. The Infection did a number on the ranks of the moss knights, and having someone who has so much battle experience would be helpful to both protect his home and people and to help build up the ranks again.

i had something else i said, but then tumblr ate it and some of what i had typed just above, so that's cool. i'll just end here before more stuff potentially disappears. bleh

final fun fact! i used to draw moss knights with four eyes, and mossy had two of his injured from a slash which went diagonally across his face. i decided to simplify his design to only one pair of eyes, so now he's only got one eye.

i love this man idk how well this comes through cuz rambling on tumblr feels a little hit and miss on how much my excitement comes through [and fighting with the site to not eat what i write is frustrating] but yeah! here he is! if you wanna read more, here are some old posts where ive also talked about him, and i think most is still accurate

this post where i talk about his cloak and their relationship in more depth

and this one which is sort of an overview of a few things about him plus another depiction of his low health state where the moss takes over self defence [the post also includes stuff on cyra and jerome which is a bonus because i also love them a lot]

[kincalling]

hello, this is Wammu from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, (Battle Tendency). i recently came to the conclusion I kin him and I'm looking for anyone from Part 2 (except for caesar, sorry). you can like this post and I'll dm.

🐛

[silvernyxchariot]

Hi, hello. I'm tossing and turning while staring at the walls in a dark room when I should be asleep yet again. So, here's another late-night headcanon.

Modern AU

Kars would be a bioengineer/biomedical engineer.

Esidisi would be a restaurant owner and 3 Michelin 🌟 chef.

Wamuu would be an anthropology or philosophy professor.

And Santana, although the black sheep, would eventually be a vet tech, veterinarian, or in some way shape or form work with animals.

Reasoning below the cut ⏬️

I know some people like to focus on the Pillarmen's fighting and physical capabilities, they come from the part of JJBA literally called "BATTLE TENDENCY " and subsequently base the Pillarmen's modern au job after that. But what about their overall personalities and interests?

Kars is presented as a prodigy of the Pillarmen and strives to "overcome the sun and overcome his/the Pillarmen's fears." Not only is he strong and capable, but he also invented and created the stone masks that set the entire series into motion. He strives to better himself and his kin, so why not a bioengineer? I mean a simple Google search yields, "Bioengineers and biomedical engineers typically do the following: Design equipment and devices, such as artificial internal organs, replacements for body parts, and machines for diagnosing medical problems." I think his intelligence is neglected by the fandom in favor of "he's a gigachad that's also kind of a God-complex dick." Definitely does martial arts on the side because he likes to drop kick people. It's good for when he's stressed or angry.

Esidisi is deemed (or self-proclaimed, idrc, I'm too tired) the "Burning King" or "Esidisi of the Flame," but instead of burning people to a crisp, he's in the kitchen. Able to slice apart meats or whole ingredients without damaging a single item. Do you know his nervous system form? Think of it that way; he's good at separating the skin from meat from fat from bone from ligaments and so on. I definitely think he can be a television and social media personality, like Gordon Ramsey and. . . Yeah, that's it, that's all I care to remember. 😂 He's openly condescending, but don't let that fool you. Encouraging father figure in those kid chef shows on FoodNetwork and is really passionate about what he does. He could have denied Wamuu's request to let Joseph live, but he followed along with it and even added his own ✨️spice✨️ to the equation (the ring on Joseph's windpipe).

Someone on this website made a point about how the Pillarmen's culture, stories, and heritage were all wiped out because Kars and Esidisi pulled a near genocide. Due to Wamuu's sense of honor, I think he'd work well in a historical or anthropological career. . . . . . Did I just describe Jonathan?/rh Anyway, trying to help others grasp their past and heritage while also understanding the past himself because he and Santana are adopted by their gay dads 💅. He'd also make a great teacher because he does care. He cared enough to let Joseph live and train so they could battle again.

Santana, still the "guard dog" and the one left behind by fathers that favored his older brother over him, is the "black sheep" in the sense that he never really knew what to do with his future in such a successful family, feeling inferior or overwhelmed living in everyone's shadow. He even found himself in juvenile detention a couple of times. After graduating from school, he kind of just disappeared into the world to travel before coming home and getting his life back together where he eventually decided to work with animals because "humans suck." [insert cheesy ass fuck Hallmark romance movie where the MC falls in love with the buff guy who likes animals, I'm thinking horses specifically for Santana but doggos are good too]

Not to say that they're not BUFF Fucking Gym Rats in modern au. They definitely are, but I wanted to focus on their personalities and overall vibes as characters. And Wamuu is the sweetest boi that will help you with your sets or get you to open up if you're really shy about going to the gym. He also joined a boxing club. Kars tends to scoff at people when they don't know how to use the equipment.

[glassguillotine]

hey guys! i'm the art mod for Studio Cirque, the team behind Cirque du Passione and Midnight Delight and i wanted to share our next project with you guys since our interest check is open until jan 15th!

WANNABE! is a all parts JJBA zine based around y2k aesthetics, if you're interested please give us a follow! we're accepting artists and writers from all platforms 💜

twitter

instagram

interest check

carrd

[mentality-of-wukong-au]

😈:I see, we’ll then that’s you answer azure. The person who has been helping for centuries now was Wukong.

Azure: You protect them but you don’t help them! I’ve seen their suffering up close, the gods just leave a desolate village after a battle with the demons-!

Jade Emperor: This is exactly why your mind is as naive as your ambition!

Jade Emperor: *Sigh*

Jade Emperor:…

Jade Emperor: I know I’ve been closed off to you…ever since Guanyin and my wife have grown a fondness for Wukong…I realized a slight error in our previous interactions…

Jade Emperor:…

Jade Emperor: I lived in the mortal realm as far as the first civilization formed, the first kingdom…born into a family of royals I practiced the Dao, chosen to be the Emperor by the entire universe…

Jade Emperor: I too had that naive mentality…that I could ‘help’ these mortals with my power…but then I realized the cruelty of man…

Jade Emperor: It was then I realized that I will only intervene if absolutely necessary…They call upon the gods to provide rain against drought, I call upon the spirits assigned to that prayer to get things done. They want vengeance on the man from the dead, the Underworld can provide such properties. They wish to be protected from demons, Sun Wukong and several protection warriors are called to protect them.

Jade Emperor: Absolutely necessary…Away from that naive mentality…especially after time and time again the more I gave to the mortal realm, the more they took from me.

Azure: What do you mean? Humans are fragile, they can’t survive on their own.

Jade Emperor: Azure…

Jade Emperor:…

Jade Emperor: Humans are the most fragile of creatures…but they are also the most dangerous…

Jade Emperor: I’ve seen it time and time again before your meager existence…I’ve witnessed cities rise and fall…I’ve seen the world suffer famine, disease and poverty, an eternity of needless pain…all because of mortalkind…

Jade Emperor: What they do in order to survive, what they take in order to achieve their goal, even now the gods look upon the world and see as they take and take and slowly kill it beyond prepare…and the only time they ever considered saving it is when Humankind was bound for destruction…

Azure:…

Jade Emperor: They pollute their air, waters, forests and skies with their ‘technology’ they take and take to provide more and more for themselves…they steal from one another, abuse one another…and worst of all…be the only kind that has ever killed their own kin…

Azure:…

Jade Emperor: You’ve never seen a god nor demon kill one of their own kind do you not? And yet humans have the tendency to do that without any sympathy…

Jade Emperor:…

Jade Emperor: That is why…your ideals are naive…the humans can handle themselves…we need not to intervene…