#but artistic liberties and whatnot

[dueliz]

"And what defines an arcanist, someone capable of magic, is that he or she can see these other realities and let parts of them come true."

Or

Whoops! I couldn't stop thinking about Rory in my recent playthrough of Enderal and started taking it way too seriously!

[mosspapi]

My problem with university is pretty much everything except the learning actually. I'm not cut out for this shit

[haedia]

Man, I was gonna write the whole thing but then I got a headache so I had to stop. Here's part of a one-shot that has some fluff in it (the bulk of the fluff was gonna be during the visit to their Clan but ANYWAY).

Pairing: Rook (Kiore Aldwir) x Lucanis When: Late Act 2, before the beginning of Act 3, after all Treviso quests are done.

Notes: There will be Spite at some point but the bit below is only them.

And: Kiore is a pretty staunchly gender-apathetic agender person, though they were AFAB. I flip flop on pronouns when I write them because they don't really care. Though the bit below is using they/them.

A Trip Home

(or, at least some of the bits leading up to it)

The Antaam invasion into Antiva and Rivain had disrupted the lives of countless people and, when their push inland had reached the Green Dales, it had forced Rook's clan to abandon their traditional migratory path along the Minanter River. They moved south of the river, into the Free Marches and closer to the Vimmark Mountains in search of safety. 

Rook had joined the Veil Jumpers not long before the relocation so their familiarity with their clan's new (hopefully temporary) territory wasn't very strong. But they had returned to the clan to visit once or twice since then so they at least knew the general area and where they were meant to be, in what season. 

So, when a new Crossroads island path opened up, leading to an eluvian that connected to an elven ruin at the northern base of the foothills of the Vimmark Mountains, Rook was thrilled. It meant they could, possibly, far more easily see their clan again. 

That excitement increased tenfold when, on a scouting excursion through the eluvian with Harding and Bellara, Rook discovered that their clan was settled for the season, less than a two day's walk from the foothills’ ruin. While getting the lay of the land in the vicinity of the ruin – to check for hazards and other threats – the group encountered two Aldwir hunters who, after being shown the three visitors were not only friendly but that their own Kiore was among them, had gladly shared the location of the Clan and information on how to reach it. 

Rook did not know the two hunters personally, though they looked familiar. But they did recognize the harts they were mounted on. 

The Aldwir Clan raised silver dapple harts, an elusive hart from the forests found along the rivers of the Green Dales. Their father was one of the hart tenders for the Clan and Rook had helped raise the two mounts years ago. Thoughts of the imposing beasts as young, knobby-kneed fawns, frolicking with the occasional wobble came unbidden to the forefront of their mind and Rook was flooded with an intense, but brief, wave of homesickness and nostalgia.

“I’ll be sure to pass on your greeting to your family, Kior– oh, wait, it’s Rook now, right?” one of the men asked, the question shattering the memory and bringing Rook back to the present. 

Than and Vel, came a faint recollection from the depths of their mind. Than, with his long raven black hair pulled back from his face, the few braids lacing through the rest – studded with carved turquoise and wood beads – was the taller of the two hunters and the one who had asked Rook the question. Vel, in comparison, was a stockier elf, with a tangle of wild dark, brassy curls kept out of his face by an embroidered headband that tied at the back of his neck. 

“Uh–. Oh!” Rook blinked the remnants of the memory away, “Yes. I do go by Rook but you can call me either, honestly. And, I thank you for offering to let my family know I was nearby.” 

“Any other things they should know?” the other, Vel, followed-up. Rook considered for a moment before asking a question of their own, as an idea began to form.

“That depends. Is the clan in a position to host a couple of guests for a few days?” 

The two men looked at each other, Than’s face turned thoughtful while Vel jutted out his lip. 

“Hunting has been good lately. Food stores are more than adequate, so far as I know.” Vel offered, glancing back to them  “And we’re settled in for a few weeks at least, so we’re not going anywhere.”

“You two looked a little uncertain there. Is there anything I need to know?” Rook asked. 

“Oh, it’s nothing terrible. Just that I’m not certain what the situation is in regards to available space in any of the aravels, is all.” Than elaborated. “For the first time in a while, we’re comfortable in a lot of ways.” he glanced at Vel when he spoke up. “There are many things to be grateful for, it’s true” 

“Yes. We’ve had an influx of new clanmates, too. But the new numbers means accommodations may be, well, a bit lacking.” Than looked a bit sheepish at that last admission.

“I’ve been with the Veil Jumpers most of the time I’ve been away and when I left them, I was traveling a lot. So, since I left the clan, I’ve spent probably more time sleeping outside than I have on a bed inside anything.” Rook said with a laugh and shared a knowing look with Harding. “Well, since you’re alright with possibly having to sleep in a tent or something, then it should be fine to visit.” Vel said and the hunters returned Rook’s smile. “I’ll make sure the Clan knows you may make an appearance.”

-----

The walk back to the ruins housing the eluvian was mostly uneventful aside from a few stumbles thanks to the uneven terrain and rock-studded trail leading up into the hills. 

But there was a tentative, bubbling excitement growing in Rook’s chest – one that increased with each step they took until they crossed the eluvian’s threshold back into the Lighthouse.

After the events of Lucanis’ unexpected promotion to First Talon and the ousting of the forces that “leashed Treviso”, Rook felt he could use a change of scenery. Something away from Treviso. Away from anything that could remind them of what was looming. There was precious little space for indulgence with everything going on but it felt like they were in the calm before the storm – and Rook was determined to make the best of it.

It was possibly the last time they would even be able to enjoy such little pleasures. 

Though excited, they were also nervous to approach Lucanis with their idea – afraid that he'd be more than simply uninterested. So, instead of seeking him out immediately, they returned to their quarters and busied themselves with unpacking their scouting gear and changing out of their armor. 

Finally back into comfortable clothes, Rook let out a shaky breath they didn’t realize they’d been holding and rubbed their temples. It grounded them and helped ease their nerves.

Lucanis was a man raised in a home saturated in wealth and comfort. Wealth beyond anything Rook could comprehend, really. They’d known that Lucanis was from a powerful family but seeing it, having it solidified into an undeniable reality was something that left Rook speechless. They’d scrambled at the time, deflecting with humor as they tended to do. But it was intimidating to see – knowing that the lavish and imposing manor was his childhood home. That it was normal for him.

Sure, he followed Rook’s lead into all manner of chaotic and nightmarish scenarios with little complaint and acclimated to all environments with seemingly endless ease and grace. But this was different. 

Rook would be asking him to leave his comforts behind to go visit their family and clan. Deep in the woods. That would probably mean asking him to sleep in a tent, and, given the time of year, they’d likely get rained on. 

Rook wouldn’t even be mad if he said he didn’t want to go. Not really, anyway. Disappointed, sure. Maybe a little bit. But they would understand. 

“I’m not ashamed” they said aloud, to the empty room, in an attempt to dispel a particularly ugly thought. It felt true. Rook wasn’t ashamed of being Dalish. Even with all the revelations they’d come upon through Solas’ regrets and memories. 

But there was a weighty, dark emotion slinking about on the heels of those thoughts. One Rook couldn’t really name. 

“Okay. Enough stalling.”

-----

Unsurprisingly, Rook found Lucanis in the kitchen nook of the dining hall. He was busy cleaning up from what was probably dinner. The passing of time was hard to tell in the Lighthouse and Rook had only had middling success talking to the Caretaker about if there was anything that could be done to adjust that. But they’d left the Vimmark foothills a little before sundown so it was likely dinner.

“Dinner was pretty light this evening.” Lucanis said without looking up from his task as he scrubbed away at one of the baking sheets in the wash tub. 

He pushed a few flyaway strands out of his eyes with the back of one of his wrists then glanced at Rook over his shoulder. “We had some Ferelden herb and cheese biscuits with some of the sliced cured ham and such. Nothing too fancy. If you’re hungry, though,” he gestured with a sudsy hand toward the covered tray on the dining table, “the remaining biscuits are under that cloche.” 

“Of course you would just know what that thing is called.” Rook said with a soft chuckle as they crossed the room to the kitchen nook. Their bare feet padded softly on the stone tile floor as they went. 

“There’s nothing wrong with using the right terms for servingware,” Lucanis said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He finished washing the metal sheet to his satisfaction and switched to drying it with the towel that had been draped over his shoulder. He turned to face them and leaned his hip against the counter while his hands worked. 

Rook couldn’t help themselves. 

“Sure. There’s nothing wrong with it.” They came to stand before him, comfortably in his space and pressed a finger to his chest. “But it makes you sound like, Iunno, a stuffy headmaster at one of those politeness places nobles sometimes send their kids to.”  

“Politeness pla— A finishing school?” He cocked an eyebrow at them, as the smile spread.

“Yeah! That! People that go to finishing schools know what a cloche is. Well, that or they’re Orlesian, I guess.” Rook looked to the side, a thought passing through their gaze “At least, cloche feels Orlesianish.” 

Lucanis snorted and Rook reached past him for a plate on the clean stack set behind him, their arm caging him by the counter.

“And what would you call it, then?” he tilted his head back some to regard them and their reaching arm, his lips still quirked in that lopsided smile of his. 

“Food dome.” Rook said immediately.  Rook met his amused gaze and, with a playful roll of their eyes, finished their thought. “Obviously” 

With a chuckle, Lucanis leaned forward and whispered beside their ear. “You know, you could have asked me to get a plate for you or to move. You did not have to reach so.” He put the tray aside on the counter with one hand and with the other, he directed their reaching arm to encircle his waist. 

“No fair. I was so close.” Rook gave him an exaggerated pout and made a grabby motion with their ensnared wrist but didn’t move their hand from where he ended up placing it. 

“So close that you could have grabbed a plate several times over by now.” He reached for their other hand, “Now, I wonder why you would do such a thing” and guided it around his waist as well. 

Rook linked their fingers behind him, low on his back, bringing them chest to chest. Lucanis trailed his hands up their arms to rest on them on their shoulders. His smile had ebbed into a softer expression, still present but sweeter and more intimate. He slipped one hand over to cup the back of their neck. His thumb stroked their cheek as he held their gaze. The rich brown of his eyes held a well of emotion that nearly took Rook’s breath away. 

Then the moment passed, and he leaned forward to touch his forehead to theirs.

“I missed you.” he said softly. Rook hummed in response. 

They nosed against him and, taking the hint, he obliged. Lucanis tilted his head just right so Rook could capture his lips in a tender, gentle kiss. As the kiss deepened, Rook's mouth yielded to his exploration.

When they broke apart, it was Rook’s turn to give him a lopsided smile – eyes shining and a pink flush across their cheeks. “It couldn’t have been that bad. I was only gone for a few hours.”

How’s a fluffy Friday sound? Give me some fluff. Give me something cute. Give me something that makes me want to floss. Head canons or snippets or one shots or whatever you got!

[beeisokay]

Quirrel

been a hot minute since I posted anything but I’m back with some more hollow knight art. Miiight be the last HK thing for a while since I’m currently in a Rain World mood.

Took some artistic liberties with this one, such as the scarf and whatnot. Quirrel is such a wonderful character and I sincerely hope he is not dead.

[sideblogforweirdshit]

Whump Reference Post for Fingernail Removal Torture

 Hi whump writers of Tumblr! I recently made a little introduction post in which I said I’d be making reference posts. This is one I already had typed up, because for some reason this was the first thing I thought of.

There are no images attached, but I’m putting the rest of the post under a readmore since the majority of the content is semi-graphic written description of the how-to’s and wherefore’s and such of fingernail removal torture.

To be clear: I will be going into as much depth as I possibly can without using images. The content of this post will be purely academic. There will be no artistic liberties taken. This post is meant to be as accurate to (and descriptive of) a real-life situation as possible.

I hope some part of this post eventually winds up being a helpful resource for someone!

1) Not as painful as it’s made out to be

-It's painful, but definitely not to the extent it’s shown in movies or whatnot. A lot of the "pain" comes from the shock factor of seeing your body without something it’s always had, as well as the inherent "wrongness" that comes with experiencing a part of your body being removed.

2) There is very very thin film of skin between the fingernail and the finger.

-If one is careful in removing the fingernail by peeling it back slowly, one can preserve this thin piece of skin. -If one pulls the fingernail back quickly and without taking care, this thin film will rip, and the nail will pull away with bits of flesh attached.

3) The flesh under the nail will be vertically striated.

-If one uses the peel-back method, and is careful to not let the thin film of skin between the nail and the flesh rip, the skin/flesh underneath the nail will be as visibly striated as the fingernail itself. If you look closely at your fingernail right now, you’ll see that there are many tiny grooves from the tip of your nail to the base. This is true for all human fingernails. If the nail is peeled back with sufficient care, those striations will be echoed on the skin underneath the nail.

4) The  “peel entirely off” method versus the  "peel back and then stop" method versus the "pull out entirely" method.

-The “peel entirely off” method is how I will refer to the method of grasping firmly the tip of the fingernail in some sort of vice (usually pliers) and then peeling it backwards, moving the pliers from the nail at the tip of the finger towards the hand itself. Using this method, the nail will remain firmly grasped in the pliers the entire time. The movement of the pliers only stops when the base of the nail is ripped entirely out of the finger. This will necessarily result in ripping out a fair bit of skin past the cuticles, as the technical base of the nail (aka “nail matrix”) is generally around half a centimeter hand-wards past the cuticles (and follows the curve of the nail, so is deeper than the cuticles as well). Due to the nature of skin, I would expect a tear reminiscent of an extremely deep hangnail that goes from the base of the cuticles to at least halfway between the first and second knuckle (and at most goes to the second knuckle). In this case, it is not guaranteed that the nail will grow back. There is a chance it’ll come back, but there is also a chance that the nail matrix is permanently damaged and will not be able to grow a new nail. Since every human is different, there’s not an exact science to determining where a person’s nail matrix is before it’s ripped out. A (very) general rule of thumb is to follow the curve of the existing fingernail, and draw a point on that curve before it hits bone. Obviously, this is extremely subjective.

-The “peel back and then stop” method is how I will refer to what is essentially the previous method, but one stops before the nail-ripping goes past the cuticle and snips off the peeled part, leaving a milimeter or so of fingernail existing on the nailbed. In this case, it is assured that the nail matrix is undisturbed, and the fingernail will grow back. This is the method I will assume is taken for the future steps

-The “pull out entirely” method is how I will refer to the situation where one grasps the protruding part of the nail firmly, and applies force away from the hand and in the direction the finger points. In this case, there’s a large chance that the nail will rip. This depends largely on the care taken with the pulling object (pliers, usually) to grab the nail exactly parallel with the sides of the pliers. If any part of the pliers digs into the nail at a singular location, this will create a point at which pressure will build up, and the nail will likely rip at this location. The strength of the individual’s nails also affects the ripping. The individual’s nail strength can vary based on nourishment as well as on a general person-to-person basis. Personally, I do not recommend this method.

-If one wants to make the removal definitely permanent, there’s the possibility of peeling it back all the way down and out, and then chemically burning where one assumes the nail matrix is. (Some serious irl hikers do this to their toenails on purpose, to reduce the chances of getting ingrown toenails from being laced into hiking boots for days on end.) Removing the nail permanently will obviously reduce the opportunity to peel it off again, but will give a permanent Horrific Aspect to the victim.

5) For the first three days, the exposed flesh will be painful.

-The entire tip of the finger will be a constant deep and throbbing pain. Any deviation from this norm will be an increase in pain, never a decrease (save medication or an ice-bath-for-full-minutes immersion to the point of numbness).

-Any contact with the exposed nailbed will increase the pain. Knocking the exposed flesh against anything, even extremely gently, will result in a visible bright red welt under the thin layer of skin (bright red on light skin only! on darker skin, the welt will still be visible, but will show as a dark red-brown). It is a visual similar to an extremely tiny, non-protruding blood blister. Knocking the nailbed against something less gently will result in fully scraping off that delicate outer layer of skin.

-Using the finger for anything will be painful (though not unbearably so), and it may even be painful to bend the finger at all.

-Any moisture on the exposed flesh (including anything from regular water to antibiotic ointment) will hurt a lot. This will intensify the throbbing at least twofold across the entire nailbed, and will also result in an amount of stinging as if one had just realized one had been stung by a bee.

6) For treatment and healing thereof (if quick healing is desired)

For those first three days, any bandaid application is inadvisable -The exposed flesh will be so tender and vulnerable that any bandaid (even the non-stick kind) will stick to the exposed flesh and rip it upon removal. I can only assume this is in part due to the curvature of the finger, which means that any wrapping-around type bandaid will inherently put pressure on the nailbed, resulting in sticking.

-To promote healing, the first three days should be without any sort of covering on the wound.

After the first three days, a scab will form. -At this point, the pain will be much less. it might be uncomfortable to bump the nailbed into objects, but it will not be the same pain as in the first three days.

-The wound will also be much less sensitive to moisture.

-When the scab starts to crack (usually a vertical crack), one should apply antibiotic ointment and a bandaid. At this point in the proess, it is desired for the scab to remain as consistently moist as possibly. This will help the scab fall off when it is ready to do so.

-At this point, the finger can be used normally (within reason) without much (if any) pain.

After two or three days with the bandaid covering, the scab will start to fall off.

-One may expedite this process if one is careful.

-At this point, the skin on the nailbed is sensitive to the touch, but not to the point of pain.

-There will be some dry, loose skin around the edges of the nailbed.

-The previously visible striation will no longer be there.

-Pressure on the exposed nailbed will not be necessarily painful, but it will feel decidedly Odd. Though not painful, It will be an extremely sensitive area.

-The nailbed will be a delicate pinkish color.

Around a week after the initial scab falls off, there will appear to be another scab. It will be a relatively thin layer of dry, dead skin.

-If the nail is allowed to grow normally, it is likely that it will cover this second scab before it has the chance to fall off.

-If the stub of the fingernail is trimmed routinely, it is possible for the scab to fall off, leaving only relatively smooth unblemished skin where the nailbed is. This skin will be roughly the same color and texture as the skin on the tip of the finger. 

7) The rate at which fingernails grow back is extremely slow

-The average growth rate is about 3.5 milimeters per month. There are several factors that can cause this to vary:

-Fingernails on the dominant hand grow back faster than the nails on the non-dominant hand.

-Fingernails grow back faster than toenails.

-Nails grow back faster in warm weather than in cold weather.

-Depending on the nail and the aforementioned conditions, one can expect a total regrowth time of anywhere from three to six months (or more).

8) Life Without Fingernails

-Fingernails affect a large part of our everyday lives. We mostly use them when we’re manipulating objects with our hands, and we use them to scratch. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s a lot. It’s hard to explain just how weird it is to not have fingernails to someone who’s never experienced it, but here goes:

-Fingernails are the Hard Backs used to brace our fingers against a hard shell when we manipulate something with our hands. If you pinch your fingers together right now, you’ll see a white band along the top of your fingernail. This is where the pressure from the pinching goes; it’s braced against your nail.

-Picking something up without fingernails feels extremely odd the first few hundred times you do it. It takes a long time to get used to it.

-Writing is even worse. Without the hard shell backing your fingers, the pencil tends to slip out of your grip more often. If you usually have long enough fingernails that you balance your pen/pencil on them, you’re extremely likely to have the pencil completely slip out of your grip multiple times a sentence.

-You don’t realize how much you unconsciously scratch itchy parts of your body until you no longer have the ability to do so. If you’re only missing a few nails, you have to consciously adjust your hand so that you can scratch with the existing ones. If you’re missing all of them, you have to actively find an external object to alleviate the itch.

Some places on the body one can scratch with their teeth, but for most places, one needs to either find an “itch stick,” or rub that part of their body on something scratchy. A lot of clothing is scratchy enough to work for this. One needs to learn how to vary the pressure so that one can alleviate the itch without tearing through the skin or scratching themselves.

Pros:

-Body horror

Fingernail removal is a more mentally significant mutilation than cuts or burns, if only because it draws on the "that was there and now it's not" aspect of body horror.

-Can be inflicted more than once

Since fingernails grow back, they can be removed again and again and again. Though it may take some time for the nails to regrow, it isn't even close to the type of permanent that’s chopping off a finger or a toe.

-Helplessness

Since it takes a few days for the nailbeds to heal enough to be able to use one's fingers, a complete removal of all fingernails will take away one's ability to use their hands. Even after this initial period of extreme sensitivity, the lack of fingernails is something most people aren’t prepared for. The previous section explaining how fingernails affect daily life is significant here.

 Cons:

-Can’t repeat often.

Once a fingernail is off, it's not coming back for at least three months (likely longer). It doesn't have the relatively quick reset time that burns or cuts do.

-Relatively short amount of time in pain

All of the pain is in the first few days. It is inconvenient afterwards, but there is little to no pain at this time.

-Amount of care needed

One needs to be relatively careful inflicting this. Fingernails are not as resilient as you'd think, and the likelihood of them ripping before you can finish ripping them off is fairly large if you're not being careful.

If you have a short-tempered or impatient whumper, this might not be their particular wheelhouse.

 Conclusion

Overall, I’d say that the effectiveness depends entirely on the desired result. The time it takes for the fingernails to regrow versus the amount of time in which the subject is in pain is not a very productive ratio, so if you’d want your whumper doing a particular torture regularly, I wouldn’t recommend this.

However, if the whumper’s goal is to appeal to the body horror aspect without permanent damage, this is a great option. The fact that it takes nails so long to regrow gives the victim a sense of horrified freakishness. It also has the added benefit of reducing the victim’s maneuverability far after the fact.

The semi-visible nature of this method of torture can be effective if one wishes to horrify characters outside the whumper/whumpee relationship. You don’t immediately look at other people’s hands when you meet them, and as such it might take a while for outside characters to notice the lack of fingernails (especially if they’re past the three day mark). But once they notice, it will be hard to look away.

[sleetkissed]

# 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 , an independent , selective   &   crossover friendly RP blog for Dark Urge 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈  —   a frost sorceress  &  artist from Baldur's Gate 3 , Mun   &   Muse +21 , composed by Fungi [ she/her; they/them ]  , heavy topics, gore, potential nsfw warning  ,  personals DNI

𝗕𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋: @bloodyarn , @yourfavoritetiefling , @swarmcall 𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐒: @zalimbane , @bloodtwin

𝐈. 𝐑𝐏 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒    𝐈𝐈. 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑    𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋   𝐈𝐕. 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄

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𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒  &  𝐀𝗕𝐎𝐔𝐓 :

[ Hey, I'm Fungi [she/her], 25 years old and living in Germany. [GMT+1] ]

❅ Mun ≠ Muse ; I think that much is clear. Any statements that come up ic are not specifically my own. ❅ No God modding ; Small liberties like change of scene and such are totally fine and do not have to be discussed. You can hurt her, shove her or whatever, just keep in mind that my muse will react accordingly. Do not assume reactions and write my muses actions. ❅ Feel free to continue asks! I will be the last one turning one down. ♥ ❅ You can always message me for plotting or headcanons if we are mutuals. ; However, I prefer if things play out naturally. We do not necesarrily have to plot out every thread till the end. I am more than happy writing and see how things develop. ❅ You can always send a starter, no need to ask! ; Again, if we are mutuals. Same goes for sending me rp prompts to my inbox, memes or whatnot. You are also free to tag me in dashgames! ❅ OC - and Tav friendly of course. Just be sure to have a little bit of information ready and visible on your blog so I can look it up before we interact. We stan OCs in this household. ❅ Post trimming. ; I use XKit Rewritten to trim my posts. It is not a MUST but I would be thankful if you have a way to trim your posts. Just to keep it nice and clean on the dash. Other than that, I use the usual small text, double space, cursive and bold text edits. You do not have to match my writing or editing style, as soon as everything is nicely readable. ❅ I won’t write NSFW with minors. Mun or muse. Please make sure to have the age somewhere on your blog before interacting. If smut happens, it will be tagged and under 'keep reading'. ❅ Shipping: I am a huge sucker for ships. If said thing happens, keep in mind Esteri is multiship, means that every ship takes place in its own universe. I do have to see chemistry between muses tho, let it be through rp or just nerding about them. ❅ No racism, homophobia, transphobia and so on. Don’t be an ass. I can definitely tolerate ic biased opinions on that in threads, just don't bring it into the real world.

ABOUT:

Basics:

Name: Esteri Venla Väisänen Nickname/Alias: Ester , The Dark Urge Age: 34 years Date of Birth: 5th december Gender & Pronouns: female, she/her Orientation: demiromantic, pansexual/romantic Race: human Nationality: baldurian Class: sorcerer [ dragonic bloodline - cold ]

Appearance:

Height: 180 cm / 5'11'' Hair: white Eyes: pale red Scars: none visible Other: several beauty marks all over her body, subtle freckles

Personal:

Positive Traits: • honest • creative • patient • mature

Negative Traits: • snobbish  • indifferent • lack of empathy • slightly narcissistic

[niko-jpeg]

hi. merhog silver artist here and sorry for suddenly appearing in your asks but PLEASE feel free infodump about benthic areas in my tags. if you want. no pressure (⁠◕⁠ᴥ⁠◕⁠) (I think learning about the environment/planet is cool) (and i will use this knowledge to think about merhog silver in Situations™️)

MY TIME HAS COME :D!!!! Thank you so much, I would love to talk about the bottom of our oceans. I love mer aus because I have a special interest in the ocean and it’s biosphere, and I’m glad you’re open to my insanity fhskbslauslsj!!!!

So the ‘benthic zone’ is really an umbrella term for the sea floor, or the floor on any body of water. In this case in the Mariana’s Trench, the bottom layer would be below the “Abyss”/abyssopeleagic zone, in a zone called the Hadal Zone. That’s where Challenger deep is!

Deep sea zones are always very full of life, even if it doesn’t look it. Because of the extreme pressure, in a fictional setting Silver would have to spend a lot of time repressurizing and whatnot on the way back to the surface to not accidentally kill himself with the expansion of oxygen in his blood and also his tissue could turn to mush (I mean, take a look at the blowfish). Realistically, an animal that can go that deep probably can’t go to the surface, but since this is a fictional hedgehog mermaid, creative liberties can be taken out the wazoo. So feel free to pick and chose which details you keep and do away with for plot or situations ™ reasons!!

The ecosystem on the benthic areas of a body of water can vary, depending on how deep the water goes. In a No Light zone, as I like to call them, you begin to see animals with bioluminescence, and this luminescence can vary in color, as it serves a different purpose for each animal. Some may have red, which they have developed a special eye to see (as red is the first color to fade when you start to dive. I did a fun little activity showing this off in my marine science class, it turns almost a brownish), or the bioluminescence may be blue, which is the color that sticks around the longest. It depends on the animal and purpose, and for a character like Silver, maybe if he possesses bioluminescent traits (like in his hands, quills, where ever) it’s for warning off anything that may try to eat him. Though, in a real setting, a creature as big as him down there may be the apex.

Speaking of apex predators and whatnot, I’ll talk about the ecosystem! Most food is provided to the animals so deep through marine snow (excess nutrients that have fallen to the floor from the surface) and whale falls, which are when whales die and drift to the bottom. They will then be a source of food for months, and every creature, from the initial fish who get the muscle tissue to the bacteria that eat the bones, everyone benefits from the death! In a fictional setting, there is a chance you could have creatures in the deep terrorizing Silver, or he could be from an are with a lot of hydrothermal vents, which have their own ecosystems as well, though mostly of the krill and plankton variety. But they are EXTREMELY hot.

Silver, by the looks of it, may eat the flesh from the whale falls, other fish, crabs, and scavenge whatever corpses he may find. He also may be a slightly slower mer to begin with (which kind of matches his in game lack of speed in his levels in 06), as energy is a rare and valuable resource. If he continues to have psychokinesis, he may use it to speed boost and defend himself, or not understand the extent of his own abilities until in a photic (light) zone, like in a reef, which I’d imagine is what Green Hill would be. He might make himself sick hunting and eating whatever he can find in a safer environment, because wow! So much food, so much energy.

The deep isn’t quiet either! It has the echos of everything above it, and though the sand may cause a little dampening, it’s certainly not silent. I think he could probably be able to flare his quills too, as well as flatten them to streamline. But it is lonely down there. Animals don’t cross paths too often outside of hunting or going to a whale fall, and Silver may be on his own a lot of the time, which is sad :( hopefully he makes some friends closer to the photic zone. Maybe light may hurt his eyes a little? He’s spent his whole life in the dark with a limited color palette, so it’s a possibility! If you have any questions about anything ocean related, feel free to ask!! I’d love to share. The ocean is a wild and fun place, and mer aus make me so happy because it shows that people are willing to give it a chance, and by extension, spread knowledge and an adoration with the ocean.

Thank you for letting me ramble <3

[liliths-missing-pen]

Idia With Yuu Who Wants To Learn How to Program Games

Not gonna lie this is a very self indulgent piece because my computer programming class is making me want to code but I also want to write 💀 This is my compromise here.

Notes/Warnings: Reader is Yuu, I am in the English server and wish to not know what happens in Book 6 till it comes out so artistic liberties will be taken. Also, Idia might seem a little ooc but when checking the wiki it says he gets excited and talkative when stuff he likes gets brought up so I took it and ran with it. Enjoy!

Masterlist

Before you came to Twisted Wonderland you already known how to code. Mostly just from camps that your family made you do or just out of general interest. Nonetheless you only knew the minimal to basic things, like HTML, CSS, a little bit of Javascript and Python as well C++. So to say the least there wasn’t that much you could do especially as a beginner. You’ve always seen video games or visual novels and wished you’d be able to do something like that one day but yet, you never got around to polishing skills or making yourself actually do anything to get yourself to that goal.

Jump skip to know that you are in Twisted Wonderland. You didn’t know much about this world at all, lots of things were different than your own world. The way things were done, school expectations, slang, magic. So to say, you just expected that anything you knew would be just thrown out the window one way or another. Once you met Idia though you felt more secure in your knowledge. Idia was someone who you can imagine to be the most normal in your world. He was one of those kids in your class at the back of the room, typically not speaking to anyone unless prompted. Now you may wonder, “How did the Ramshackle prefect become associated with the shut-in hermit?” Well like any other instance, Ortho.

Ortho was extremely persistent that once you expressed interest or made an off-handed comment that you knew some code and loved visual novel games, you should meet his brother. Honestly, the issue wasn’t to convince you, it was Idia that needed convincing.

Since it wasn't Idia who invited you to his dorm, he was flipping out when Ortho told him to expect you. He's heard about the notorious Ramshackle prefect who dealt with Overbolts even though they're magicless. He couldn't lie and say that he wasn't interested in you though. Not everyone was able to do that. He just wasn't sure if he could do this right now.

Once you did arrive, Ortho carried most of the conversation. Idia was trying his best to try to make conversation as well but he couldn't bring himself. It was hard to talk to a normie okay?!

Well, that's what he kept thinking after each of his failed attempts. Ortho knew what to do though, he knew his brother would have issues so he hacked into your Magicam account to learn more about you till he ran upon all the gaming and anime accounts you followed. He put to and to together and this was Ortho's plan to make you two talk normally. Once he mentioned a game he knew both you and Idia played it was the start of something great.

Idia's attitude towards you changed completely once you talked about video games and anything else he was into. Which dragged into how the game was coded and whatnot. Once you mentioned how you wanted to program your own game and your vision he was just like an over-excited child he ushered you over to his game, asking how much you knew about code and how fun it would be to create a game.

But basically, once he dragged you in it'll be very hard to leave. Your whole friendship with Idia from then on was built on the game y'all were creating together, anime and gaming. Not that you'd complain it was very to have Idia around. Just that you'd always have to start up the conversion since Idia will always second guess himself

Even once you two finish creating your game Idia would still keep you around. He'd even start being the one to invite you instead of just showing up! After helping you learn and sharpen your skills in programming by working on a game together, you'd start to help him out too! If you know anything about programming, especially C++ you know how picky it is with its writing. Whilst he's off typing quickly you start to point out to him certain things he's missing, like a semicolon on something that'll screw the whole code up.

Wholeheartedly once you make friends with Idiai from one of his special interests it's going to be hard to pull him away from you <3

[kaumedii]

Introduction.

Welcome to Kaumedii (pronounced /ˈkaʊməɾi/ or /ˈkɑməɾi/).

I am Kau, another B-grade artist wandering within this digital hellscape with a handful of not-so-niche fascinations. My official platforms are on Tumblr, Instagram, and TikTok all of which have the same handle.

Original Character Tag — #kxxoc

Ongoing Personal Project(s) Tag(s) — #hitidehavoc

(Attached below are a few notes and disclaimers regarding this account.)

From the Artist.

On Engagement

Before you decide to engage with my platform, I would like for you to first consider the following:

Spontaneity — I am not one to devote my entire life and being to a few interests, though I do not deny the possibility of spontaneous fixation and otherwise.

Communication — I am not a full-time artist nor an internet personality. I am mostly offline, and that unfortunately lends me little time for genuine interactions. That is not to say that I am completely distant. I just cannot promise my complete presence nor attention since my time is mostly occupied with work and other personal whatnots.

Audience — I am aware of my art’s ’charms’. In other words, there are inevitably some aspects of my style or current fascinations that draw in specific audiences. I myself cannot predict this from happening since I mostly draw for my own enjoyment and just care to share, but I would be naive to not at least expect it. That being said, I am not an outright NSFW artist nor am I one that is carefully tailored for a ‘family-friendly’ audience. I am not for kids… nor for any morally fossilized or even morally bankrupt adults.

On Content

As mentioned, my alignment as an artist is painfully grey, so I cannot easily tell you if you should draw near or fend off. Given this, I will provide you with a gist of what I will be offering:

Suggestive Themes — Whether that be characters in revealing attire or them parroting my impulsive thoughts, Tumblr and I will morally get our freak on.

Disturbing Themes — I am an avid fan of the macabre, and that will occasionally bleed into my work, though that is admittedly less than I often hope for since I draw rather cutely.

Interpretation — More often than not, I will take some liberties when it comes to making fan art of established titles. These are definitely done with respect to the original. This includes design tweaks, ships, dynamics, and alternative universes.

As for what I will not offer:

Children — I am incapable of producing them artistically and physically.

NSFW — While I do acknowledge my capabilities, I have withheld such power for the betterment of humanity… behind a paywall of a bajillion dollars (tax exempt).

On Use

I do not allow reposts — Like everyone else, I am unsettled by the unauthorized use of my art, especially if it is for a profit, for artificial image generation, or for personal gain (impersonation). I ask that you consult me directly if you do intend to use my art and that you to respect whatever decision is made during that conversation. Aside from blatant theft, I am not overly possessive of my work, so you are free to reference and take inspiration as you please.

On You

If you actually read through all that and fit the bill, congratulations! I have absolutely nothing to reward you with, but I will praise you for your integrity! Thank you!

Sincerely and certainly not yours,

Kaumedii.

[alicenpai]

hello! i wanted to ask for your thoughts on something (and i understand that this may differ from artist to artist): is it okay to not having a specific composition/pose in mind when commissioning an artist? like, if you just generally want art of a particular character in their style? i know that you risk not being satisfied if you aren't specific, but i completely accept that risk as the commissioner. for the artist, is it an additional hassle or is the freedom appreciated?

hi! it depends - how much creative liberties you give the artist is up to you, as the client (this is likely the case for most artists), and on the other hand other artists might only proceed if there's a pose/idea specified beforehand (to ensure client satisfaction ofc). in the end, it's something you should ask your potential artist yourself if you're unsure. personally i find it difficult to draw if people are going to be nitpicky, i prefer more freedom for commissions. like i've had people who were figuratively breathing over my shoulder as i drew haha... but i also understand bc it's their money. as a client myself, to be honest, i've had my fair share of commissions i didn't think turn out how i wanted but that was also my fault because i wasn't specific :') so it all depends.

a rough chickenscratch stick figure sketch is honestly perfect!!! or a reference photo (try not to use artwork bc it's a kind of gray area with regards to copying and whatnot), some people provide 3d mockups haha i've definitely seen those (not for myself). hope this helps!

[hotlineinput]

Huh, seems I abandoned this page for a good while. Wasn't in the mood, nor could I catch up with all the ideas I had. And of course just like for many of you, life goes in the way.

In fact, I haven't even played much Cyberpunk lately, and lore-wise, I went on the route of putting Siara and Nathan, as well as their stories, into a brand new setting, rather can roleplaying CPRED/CP77.

I even fired up Godot for some game ideas but I'm still super undecided without having an artist for illustrations, resources and whatnot. If any of that changes, I'm definitely intending to use this blog as a devlog also.

For the time being, here's a bunch of shots I made since Phantom Liberty came out. Late arriving spoiler: I loved it.

(of course the main ship is with Nathan, but I had to do Following the River once again, too)

[rocksunderscore]

If you look around a bit there’s actually a TON of variety in hermit designs :D you should look for more artists, cuz there’s a bunch who have really cool unique designs for their characters!! it’s p rare for me to see someone who DOESNT give most hermits non-average bodies and it’s great. you might just be looking in the wrong places my guy :)

yes i agree!! i follow plenty or artists who have diverse and unique designs for the hermits, and perhaps you're right about me lookin in the wrong places; although when im not actively looking, it tends to be how i described it. but i totally do get where you're coming from!! /gen

to address something else in the notes of that post, hermitcraft is definently a community that, as opposed to others, has generally done well when it comes to diversity in designs for characters. i suppose now my main focus is on body diversity, which is something i personally think the community is kind of split on. again, maybe that's just me not looking for it, but i dont think it should have to be looked for y'know? of course, "creative liberties" and whatnot, but seeing a fat cc (more times than not: zed, impulse, cub) shrunken down for creative liberty still feels a bit off to me.

even with art in general, fat bodies are often overlooked and it's something i see with hermitcraft as well (not as often as other communities, but enough to be noticable imo)

more rambles and responses under the cut

@pixie-mage ive seen your replies but need more word space 🫡 what ive already answered explains what im talking about but i still wanna make sure i answer you so you know i see what you're sayin :)

im definently not saying that the hermits are like Elderly age and im not even saying that 20-40 isn't considered young; what i meant in my post was that many people shrink them down which makes them seem much younger than they are. theres a lot of nuance that goes into that statement, but i hope you know generally what i mean </3

as i mentioned, there's plenty of creative liberty to be taken with designs and im not saying they need to look *exactly* like the cc, but it would be nice to see that more often when it comes to general build like you mentioned. again, that could be an issue of what's recommended to me, but i see a fair amount of non-diverse hermits when im not looking for unique designs, which is what i wanted to address.

- all of this is /nm, i know i write a lot but that's just cus i have a lot to say. im not trying to argue :')

[kafus]

Got any rambles on Kaf's eyes stored up?

no but i got a ramble on kafu's eyes close enough

it's so funny how they can't keep kafu's eyes consistent. like okay kaf's eyes have changed in palow's recent art but that's a stylistic decision by him that he made after years of drawing her probably to spice things up. with kafu they haven't been able to keep her consistent since the beginning and it's really funny. all of the following kafu eye depictions are from early on in her existing/not a new development

her official box art:

three rings, very similar to kaf's eyes but ever so slightly different with the pink dot and the pink ring thinning out at the top. still though pretty obvious these are just kaf's eyes with a different splash of paint. personally when i draw kafu i make her eyes look like this because i appreciate the mirror imagery shit she has going on with kaf

her concept art (also by palow):

okay this one may not have made it to the final stage but i'm bringing it up anyways because for reasons you'll see later it may be part of what causes the confusion with official kafu eye depictions. no white, just one inner yellow pupil and a pink highlight on blue. okay

edit: clarifying palow did post this to twitter as a reference sheet but i'm assuming this is an earlier draft of the box art regardless lol

her official 3d model:

lmao i caught her on the most empty brain frame okay they really just took all the creative liberties here and i kinda wonder why because this model is in the style of kaf's model, they could have gone full mirror imagery and just color swapped kaf's eyes but the shape is still the same so whatever. regardless i actually really like these but they aren't like any other official depiction of her eyes?? the pink has been moved to a curve/highlight at the bottom of the iris and they just spawned some neon aqua-y color around the white pupils LIKE okay guys awesome

various other official art (this is from the early isotope 4koma):

these are just straight up kaf's eyes lmao. i do kind of wonder if the yellow being present in kafu's concept art/reference sheet is part of the reason that this has happened multiple times other than simply Well She's Kaf But White Hair. for the record the 4koma draws her with white pupils now like her box art. btw you may have noticed that despite her hair diamond thingies being open in the other eye examples, they're closed here. that's also a thing that changes all the time don't worry about it

honorable mention of the kaf/u cover arts:

this one doesn't really count? it's official art because kamitsubaki hires kisumi rei specifically to illustrate all the art for the kaf/u covers on kaf's channel, but kisumi rei loves to take artistic liberties and also draws kaf's eyes "wrong" for the sake of their art style which always has black pupils. it's worth mentioning though

for the record i just find this all super interesting and my autistic ass likes hoarding information, i'm not bothered by this and in fact them not keeping kafu's eyes consistent could very well be on purpose because of the whole vocaloids are whatever you want them to be thing, even their official artists and whatnot should be able to take creative liberties fuck it go wild

[meraki-yao]

You answered me so kindly that I take the liberty of bothering you again to ask for your opinion. I absolutely don't want to compare rwrb and m&g, they are two such different products, with diametrically opposed themes and messages that it is impossible to even have the thought, for example, of comparing the chemistry that Nicholas naturally had right from the start with Taylor and the one that he instead with tony a more mature man than him (and I won't name the other people he interacted with in the series because they are irrelevant). I see people really confused: in rwrb there is a love story, true, intense, painful but at the same time satisfying and all-encompassing, with an important message of acceptance, respect for sexuality and above all a happy ending, which for the queer community it never happens. Taylor and Nicholas were pure magic, something that you probably can't have with other actors except in a different way and this is demonstrated by the fact that even after months in which they found themselves shooting certain scenes again (and Nicholas had finished a project and was filming the series) the chemistry was not only intact but enhanced. in m&g he plays a boy who ends up using sex to gain power, dirtying his own morals and innocence, and with the character of tony he plays a story that is not love, but affection and possession. so it is clear that in this case we are not talking about chemistry, but about two actors who had to find a balance to credibly stage a story that was in many respects scandalous. so (and here I come to the question and sorry if I've gone on too long...) why do you think people feel the need to always compare everything? and I think it will probably happen with Anne too (with whom I'm sorry to say it, but I didn't see the spark either from the trailer or from other released scenes)... it's the people who aren't able to be objective in their judgments or maybe it's me who didn't focus well?

You're not missing anything! In fact, I really appreciate you being so thorough in your explanation of how the two are impossible to fairly compare.

You're absolutely correct, m&g and rwrb are too different to actually compare. Art and stories are hard to compare to begin with, but when it's in the same genre, let's say for M&G something like The Favourite (2018), a film that is also labelled as a period dark thriller about a monarch and the scheming between their favourites, that's a little more feasible to compare because there are common points in both executions of the genre and the story itself. (Note: The Favourite leans more into fiction while M&G leans more into history, granted both take artistic liberties)

RWRB is fictional, a modern fairy tale about young, kind, monogamous, and true love. There's no deception or competing for interests. It doesn't share anything with M&G other than depicting queer relationships in the British monarchy (and it's not even the same era, there's a 400-year difference) and Nicholas Galitzine.

From what I can think of, part of the reason the two are compared is truly a hateful attempt to put down RWRB and the people involved and deliberately claim it as inferior. Because of stereotypes, industry double standards and whatnot, it's easy to claim a rom-com as artistically inferior to a period drama, even though just as you mentioned, these are two inherently pieces of work that cannot be fairly compared. Using this bias, RWRB will always lose to M&G, even though that is objectively untrue. This is a deliberate attempt to devalue RWRB, which feeds into the disgusting and now proven by the man himself, untrue narrative that Nick is "above" RWRB. Please ignore those people.

The same will go with Anne. And since this time TIOY and RWRB belong to the same category, namely a modern rom-com with high-profile public figures involved, they will use something else to compare it. Don't get me wrong, Anne is lovely, but an excuse that will definitely be used will be Anne's level of status in the industry compared to Taylor's, when in actuality a person's stardom isn't inherently related to chemistry. (Chemistry is such a specific and special thing.) A lot of the time these comparisons are just a way to demean Taylor. (truthfully I'm on the same boat as you when it comes to their chemistry. I'll reserve judgment until the movie is out but definitely didn't hit me the same way Taylor and Nick did for me. Not even close.)

Hope this helps!

[redux-iterum]

You read The Lightning Thief? The Percy Jackson Series The Lighting Thief right? I know no other lightning thief's. Love that series so so much. Thoughts on favorite characters? Least favorite? On how the worldbuilding feels so far? (hopefully these are questions that work even if it is a different book ga;sg)

It was my first time reading it and I enjoyed myself! I would've absolutely loved reading this as a preteen and young teenager. I'll get to the next book soon, but I'm mostly chipping away at The Wheel of Time and The Wingfeather Saga (a series I forgot to mention).

Anyway, back to Percy Jackson. I don't know if I have a favorite character yet, but I did love to hate Percy's stepdad. I was pretty disappointed with... some artistic liberties taken to Greek Mythology—Hades as Satan analogue—and whatnot. It was a competent little novel overall. I'll keep a copy of it available for when my niblings get old enough to read chapter books.

[kmp78]

No we should bring the small kids drag queens to dance in front of them and teach them with books that describe explicit scenes about sex. God the idiocy 🤦🤦🤦🤦 wake up. Don't you see what has happened with children of 2 to 11 years old? And the parents can't do anything. A student male boy filed his official complaint the other day, he says that's what they are teaching us. There is an agenda can't you open your eyes? To sexualise minors.

This? This right here is kind of ignorance that fuels hatred. Fear of what you do not understand. Let me tell you something, I feel safer allowing my 8 year old to go to a drag queen book reading so he can learn to appreciate artistic expression in all it's forms, than I do sending him to Sunday School with a bunch of Christian old white men teaching him how to bow before their alter .

Agenda? How about sexualizing the Statue of David? Which btw has been around since about 1504 and do you know who David was? HE WAS a biblical figure from the very book they claim to love oh so very much! Maybe if they actually read it for the purpose intended instead of spinning it to suit their political narrative...

Fact is fact Michaelangelo carved the Statue why? "The statue soon came to symbolize the defence of civil liberties embodied in the Republic of Florence, an independent city-state threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states and by the hegemony of the Medici family. The eyes of David, with a warning glare, were turned towards Rome."

Because Rome, if you know your history was not following the good word as intended.

I don't think the child was offended. I think the parent was offended when they found out and convinced the child they Should be offended.

Indeed the only reactions to nekkid pics from kids are usually snickers and whatnot.

All that gasping and outrageous'ing always come from the parents who are too puritanical and ashamed to handle their fucking job aka EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN OF THE MOST BASIC THINGS ON THIS PLANET. 🙄