#camouflage monk

[chroniclesofnadia111]

Top 5 favorite producers ?

Good question🔥 Currently or All-Time?

My faves currently :

Knxwledge

Conductor Williams

Camouflage Monk

Alchemist

Nicholas Craven

My All-Time Faves :

Dilla

Madlib

9th Wonder

Neptunes

Alchemist

Tough doing a top 5 cause there’s so many others I fw with heavy for different reasons. Roc Marciano , DOOM, Nujabes, DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Hi-Tek, Timbaland, Q-Tip, Damu The Fudgemunk, Harry Fraud, Metro Booming, DJ Muggs etc….. you already know this could turn into a whole ass conversation lmao.

[kelocitta]

the colors on fess's tail...... 🤨

am i missing something or are you asking what its about... If its the latter, in a hypothetical situation where she exists, she can sense predators like vultures or lizards in the next room over/incoming- which is indicated by the tail turning red as a visual cue for danger. If its the former i uh... don't know what you might be hinting at. I just picked those colors as a semi-alright transition from green to red

[asmuchasidliketo]

#hyrax #pika #viscacha #gundi #in that order #if you were curious #blurb #rock cavy #degu #i will add more as people name more but only in pairs. its important they gaze upon eachother in pairs tags by OP

When I'm a small prey mammal and I've evolved to survive the barren rocky landscape by optimizing into a tan egg

[shkika]

THERE WE HAVE IT! Scugified all of the local group by putting them in the same situation as Sliver or Straw more or less!

These are mostly for fun so I haven't sat down to ponder them too hard hehe hoho

Explanation on their designs below the cut:

The Martyr (LTTM) - He's very tough, more cold resistant and capable of surviving one or two lizard bites even due to his sheer size, which makes him very slow. In addition, kind of like Saint, he is completely passive and cannot kill creatures.

The Prodigy (FP) - Very quick and also fully carnivorous! Her fur is very light so she has to use her food pips in order to glow and warm herself up. Can maul like Artificer while having the strength of Monk. You'll mostly be chasing bat flies with her.

The Sage (SRS) - They are completely blind so you navigate the world and map using your hearing and other senses. It looks like you are in pitch darkness in shaded with the iggy effect when it shows you the surrounding area. You can see every creature on the map that's in the room with you or the next one. She can also make pearls using rocks!

The Nomad (NSH) - Always moving from one area to the next, you can’t rest in the same shelter twice, unless you exit the area and come back. She can also camouflage kind of like white lizards do and crouch move while camouflaged.

The Judge (GW) - The Judge doesn’t ascend every creature. He’s relatively fast and has strong spear throws. If you are killed with the Judge, next cycle the creature will be marked for you on the map at all times. If you ignore the mark The Judge loses karma and vice versa gains one karma if you commit to the kill.

The Acolyte (UI) - He’s small and emits light with which he can befriend certain creatures and gain protection from them! He crawls slower than average and can only carry one item ar a time, because of his missing hand, but jumps higher.

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the day octopus!

The day octopus, also known as the big blue octopus, and scientific name Octopus cyanea is a well known Indopacific cephalopod. Found in the Indian and Pacific ocean, this octopus can be found as far North as Hawaii to as far South as the Solomon islands, and found from the Hawaiian islands to as far East as the Red Sea and East coast of Africa. These octopi in particular are known for their color changing abilities. The name big blue comes from this color changing ability in fact, as sacs of pigments under the skin can be contracted at will to better match the surrounding environment for camouflage, and courting of mates. This color changing can also be used for communication between octopi, transmitting information of predators and prey nearby.

The diet of the octopus is made up of fish, crabs, and mollusks. This octopus in particular is diurnal, spending its time awake and active during the day, as opposed to the majority of other cephalopods of which are nocturnal. Small prey is eaten immediately when hunting, but larger prey ,such as adult crabs, must be taken back to the den of the octopi. The prey taken to this den are then killed, with crabs being killed with a  single venomous bite, and mollusks being killed by strategic drilling into their shells. These shells and hard carapaces are then discarded around the mouth of the den. These dens are regularly constructed and abandoned, with each octopus spending only around 35 days in each den before moving to find another. This is due to the fact that these octopi are heavily predated on by seals (especially monk seals!), whales, eels, and sharks. To protect from these predators, other than the creation and moving of dens, these octopi have the ability to squirt ink at hunters. Concealing the water so they can get away, along with rare cases of them attacking with their sharp beaks.

Breeding and reproduction can take place year round in the day octopus. Once they reach their sexual maturity, at a size of 8cm, with females larger than males, these octopi will search out another octopus. Males will mate with multiple females at a time, attempting to avoid the females cannibalistic tendencies as long as possible. After the mating however, the sucker on the male octopus begins expanding, continuing to do so as the octopi declines and eventually dies. The female however will survive a few months longer, remaining beside her eggs no matter what. She will slowly die for lack of food and exhaustion as she guards over her eggs until they hatch. These eggs hatch into planktonic larvae, which float in the current unable to swim for the first few weeks of their lives. After that they'll survive anywhere from 12-15 months, able to reach a maximum size of 22cm, and living through only one mating season.

That's the day octopus, everyone! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

[failed-inspection]

Hii hii, this is my first post on this sideblog so here's some scug designs! I should note I almost never stick to one design for one slugcat and love to make multiple designs (in fact I have like 7 spearmaster designs alone lol) these are more of a specific design set? If that makes sense?

Some design notes!

The mark of communication appears as a physical marking, usually one that matches the sigal of the iterator who gave the marking! Think warrior cats getting leader markings, in a sense.

Spearmaster:

yellow parts, including spears, whisker tips, and whiskers appear florescent depending on certain lighting.

They got the mark of communication from moon on the way to visit Pebbles during their campaign!

Their sun marking got scarred over after the pearl was ripped out, making it look like a solar eclipse

Artificer:

'fur' on their tail is like sandpaper and is meant to aid in kickstarting explosive jumps! Their Pups also have it, its a trait of their subspecies!

Hunter:

I wanted to make them look like they were made from various scraps patched together and such since I headcanon NSH did the iterator equivalent of grabbing whatever he could from the kitchen and slapping it together in his rush to help Moon, (it's also how/why they got rot, oops!)

Gourmand:

Heehoo bread

Survivor and Monk

They have matching patches on the side of their faces that when put together, form a heart!

Rivulet:

I like to imagine they got their MOC from Chasing Wind, for no other reason than I enjoy the idea of Chasing Wind having a smidge more relevance lol

Clownfish moment

Saint:

Saint's coat is partially white to camouflage with the snow, however on max karma there isn't really a need for that I think, so instead the white parts turn black with gold specks , honestly that also works better for blending in inside Rubicon

[rw-repurposed]

Scavenger Chieftains

They are the chieftains who served their people within Chasing Wind's facility ground. For more of their tribe lore, you can check Chasing Wind's log regarding the tribes.

Recorded Broadcast #004 - 1700.115 - Chasing Wind

Each of these chieftains is regarded highly within their tribes.

Sama-Sama is the KING of the Megakarta Kingdom. He leads his people well and wise. He is a long relative to Kami-Kami, the chieftain of the Urbaningrum Tribe.

Kami-Kami is the chieftain of Urbaningrum Tribe. Urbaningrum was the old city of CW's ancients before they moved up to Megakarta, now it's inhabited by Kami-Kami's tribe.

Kaya-Kaya is the greedy chieftain of the Old Mine Tribe. This tribe is the richest of all scavenger tribes- living within old mine vaults filled with pearls and minerals stored tightly by their elites.

Rawa-Rawa is the elusive Chieftain of the Swampland Tribe. He was a young Chieftain for a scavenger, but he leads the Swamp Tribe fairly and hunts food in the swamp alongside them- making him popular amongst the tribe.

Baja-Baja is the cruel leader of the Scavenger Pirates that dwell within the Garbage Disposal Region. These pirates are outcasts from the 10 scavenger tribes that formed into Pirates under Baja-Baja that steal resources and kidnap younglings from the other tribes to grow as their own. They are violent and hostile toward anything.

Poho-Poho is the fearless leader of the Giant Forest Tribe. The tribe lives in the dense giant forest filled with the most dangerous creatures in the facility ground. Which is why they are the most athletic and combat-trained tribe of all. Their outfits are all camouflaged and they used Grapple Worms and tamed Cyan Lizards to swing and boost from branches to branches.

Tani-Tani is the Agriculture Complex Chieftess with the choir of an angel. The Farmers (As they called themselves) Are experts in musical instruments, controlling the plants to their will using the sound of music. This is how they overcame the carnivorous plants all over the complex.

Buki-Buki is the wise chieftain of the Upstream Tribe. She led the tribe over cliffs and waterfalls of the freezing cold Upstream, where they insulated themselves with their natural fur and warm fur cloaks they shaved from the Wool Deers.

Jaga-Jaga is the Elder Monk of Mt.Everhigh Scavenger Monks. The Mountain Monks are a secretive group of Scavengers that live on the peak of Mt.Everhigh, there, they praise and pray to the Echoes. Self-immolating their limbs and wearing Echo Masks and were enlightened by the presence of Echoes. They are the only tribe that practices the religion of the ancients of the past.

Huta-Huta is the Guardian of the Sanctuary Protectors of the Green Sanctuary. The Sanctuary Protectors are a group of Scavengers that were engineered and trained to protect the Green Sanctuary by CW's admin, Stains of Shadow Over a Realm's Sorrow. The sanctuary keeps all kinds of creatures and plants that over time spread throughout the facility ground, and the Protectors must keep it balanced.

[M.I.A]

Aku-Aku is the brutal Commando of Chasing Wind's Skyvenger. He serves CW as his Commando of the Skyvenger troops patrolling the Facility Ground, Defending their outposts, and quenching any attacks from the other Scavenger tribes. The attached wings and limbs gave the Skyvenger advantages over the other Scavengers.

Character List

[everlastingdreams]

The Weeping Monk x Fem!Reader : Forged Of Fire Chapter 22

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Story Summary: Raised under the tiranny of your own family, and forced to steal to earn your keep, you struggle to survive. Born from a Fey mother, and a Manblood father who wanted only sons, you are forced to hide your Fey side. When you are ordered to steal from Father Carden by your half-brother, Cassian, your life spirals out of control and you find yourself at the mercy of the Weeping Monk. The life you knew changes drastically when Cassian betrays you in the cruelest of ways. A trade is made, a promise is broken, and a debt must be paid.

Chapter Title: Forged Of Fire

Notes: 👀 Again, scared to let this chapter loose.

Warnings: Angst. Hurt. Trauma bonding. Intrafamily violence. Depression. Self-harm. Suicidal thoughts. Violence. Torture. Gore. Pining. Trauma. Self-Flagellation. Manipulation. Strong Language. Blood. Misogyny. PTSD. Spicy and smut parts. Slight redemption arc. Lima/Stockholm syndrom-ish. Childhood trauma.

Other warnings: Jealousy. Forced Marriage. Forbidden Love. Romance. Slow-burn. Found Familly-ish. Comfort. Fluff. !SMUT and SPICE!

Word count of this fic: +250K

Chapter:  22/47

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As you tried to find your way through the forest, you regretted not having been able to take Bear. Even if you had managed to take him, they would have seen you leave on horseback. From traveling on the wagon, you knew that there were two villages not so far away, but it would still take hours to reach one. You walked as fast as you could without trying to tire yourself out, it wouldn’t be long before the paladins would figure out that you were gone. A plan was needed, but you would be glad already if you managed to reach a village for shelter. That valuable ring hanging on a cord around your neck would offer you aid now, surely it must be worth enough to pay for an inn for a while?

You heard galloping horses behind you and hurried to hide in a shallow incline of the ground between some trees.

“Halt!” The familiar voice of the Monk rang from close-by, the group of horses came to a halt. “We search on foot from here. She cannot have gotten far.”

It had not taken him long to go and search for the weapon he had been forging, his dear Father Carden would not be pleased to know that you were escaping. Had he already caught your scent in the air? You thought of a way to mask it, using a handful of soil to rub over your jacket. The soil would offer some camouflage of your Fey scent, at least you hoped so. If he hadn’t been so close to you so often, you doubted he would recognize the scent so easily now, he knew it too well. You heard them walk around, getting closer and closer to where you were hiding, then he seemed to stop. Those horses they were walking next to… you could use one of them, but getting one would prove difficult. By waiting and listening, you tried to determine if one of them was a little further away from the group. When they had passed by, you peeked around from behind the trees and saw that one of them was walking a little more off to the side near you. The Monk is who you didn’t see, he must have walked a little further up ahead to lead them. Quickly you hurried over to your target, dagger in hand to threaten the paladin if he would try and stop you from taking his horse, you would cut his hand if he didn’t let go of the reins. The paladin looked the other way and you moved out of the incline. The first tree you passed and you caught something dark from the corner of your eye. It was too late to react, you were grabbed and pushed against a willow with your back.

Relief. Anger. Despair. All of it was to be found in the eyes of the Monk who held you pinned to a tree with your upper arms.

“Stay as you are!” he loudly commanded the paladins who were about to approach.

He needed them to stay at a distance for he did not want them to overhear what would be said.

You tried to grab your dagger but he prevented it by pinning your wrist down against the tree. He was far too close, using his body to keep you trapped between himself and the tree.

“Let me go!” you spat out.

“Calm down.” he tried to hush you.

In response to that you tried to knee him in the groin, it was a futile attempt, he was standing too close. You tried to turn in his hold but he had years of experience on how to keep someone under control. The Monk was going to let you tire yourself out, you knew it. You needed time to think of the best way to handle this situation and get free from his hold, you forced yourself to calm down just enough. The Monk looked past your shoulder, making sure that his red brothers stayed at a distance.

He grew more alarmed by the second. “Why are you doing this? Why now?”

You parroted what Father Carden had said to him. “Here to ‘reap your reward’ ?”

His eyes changed, finally seeming to understand the dire situation. “What-”

“I heard you.” you sneered, finally looking into his questioning eyes. “I asked you why Father Carden was interested in Fey Fire, and you lied to me! Because telling me the truth would have ruined the plan you had. You knew all along what my magic is capable of!”

He spoke your name, his voice betraying his alarm.

You would not be persuaded into falling for his deceit again. “I heard you. I heard Father Carden praise you for manipulating me into thinking that I can trust you! I am nothing more to you than a weapon you were meant to forge and present to Father Carden. I will never use my magic to forge you weapons!”

He recoiled a little at the absolute harshness in your tone. “I -”

Your fury was not to be tamed. “Everything you did… everything you said to me… none of it was real!”

The Monk tried to stay calm. “That is not true.”

It was awful to hear him lie again, “Oh really?! Do you truly think that I am foolish enough to believe that it was never your intention to do exactly what Father Carden wanted from you? You will do anything to please him!”

Panic set in his eyes. “Not this!”

Those haunting whispers filled his ears. Scolding him coldly for still denying it.

His voice had cracked and your stomach twisted, he had lied just now and he knew that you knew. A small flicker of his conscience had risen to the surface and betrayed his guilt. You had not expected to see the response, as if for the first time he truly let himself see what evil he had done.

Your tone was cold as you demanded the truth from him, “Can it heal?”

He opened his mouth but the words were stuck in his throat. The voices that had haunted his sleep for weeks over this were plaguing him now, the only word they spoke was ‘liar’ over and over again. And they sounded far from happy.

“Can it?!?” you snapped.

The Monk’s answer was a whisper, “No.”

Realization hit you. “You were hoping to have it all. Me, and Father Carden.” you shook your head in disbelief. “Is that what this was?”

His eyes could not meet yours, it was a silent confession. He had tried to please both you and Father Carden, lying to both, because he could not choose between his heritage and the path he was walking. It made it even worse, to know that there was perhaps good in him but that he still chose Father Carden. So desperate for the love of a father who had turned him into a weapon, and who had left the child and the man that he was inside in ruins.

A last sprinkle of hope to reach through the darkness crawled under your skin. It was so hard to accept that this betrayal had happened and that the dream you had was truly lost. Your voice got softer, “Let me go, Lancelot. You promised I would have my freedom.”

His eyes were locked on yours for a moment, then he averted them. “I cannot.”

Your voice broke, your eyes got watery, “Because Carden would never forgive you for losing a weapon like me.”

He did not even deny it anymore, shame washed over his expression. “You must give me time to arrange matters, to plan. Not like this.”

Time… the longer you stayed, the closer you came to being their weapon. Time had run out. “I gave you enough time to tell me the truth, but you knew I would never stay if I knew the true purpose that Father Carden had for my magic. I never would have let myself trust you.”

The look in his eyes betrayed him, your assumption was correct and he had not the courage to deny it any longer.

“A thief to my brother, wares to my father, and a weapon to you… Tell me, did you enjoy it when I believed your lies? Or when I was stupid enough to sleep next to you? I was such a fool…” Tears betrayed you by escaping their restraints. “What sort of monster takes advantages of someone’s emotions to make a weapon out of them-…” You paused, realization set in. “You’re just like Father Carden. You are doing to me what he did to you!”

He reacted sharp to that, “This is Father’s plan for you, not mine!”

You did not believe that he would not do everything he could to please the priest. Your voice grew loud, “But you hid it from me and partook in it! He was praising you for getting me to trust you, for making me grow to be an obedient person to use! Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?!”

He feared others would overhear this if it got any louder. “Lower your voice. They will hear.”

You seethed at him. “I know you will go far to earn Father Carden’s respect, manipulating me is nothing compared to what you’ve already done for him. I can’t trust you anymore. You’ll always be with him, you will always follow his command. I was such a fool to believe-”

He was still trying to get control over the situation. “It is unwise to leave without my help. Father will send us to search for you and have you hunted down.”

He’d only let you leave once Father Carden had what he wanted, if his beloved Father did not choose to have you cleansed afterwards.

You leaned in close to him, hissing the words in his face through your fury, “I don’t want your help, I don’t want anything of you!”

His gaze washed over your face and stranded on your eyes. “I will not have my wife running off into the woods and risk herself being killed by wolves.”

It had sounded much like a warning. You were so close that you could feel his breath on your face. “The only wolves that threaten me are right here. Just like Gareth had tried to warn me for.”

At the mention of the knight’s name, his eyes went cold. “We will speak of this back at camp. When we are in my tent you may unleash your fury on me as much as you’d like.”

“You will have to drag me, Monk. It is time we stop pretending that we are friendly. I was never more than a prisoner.” You hissed the words at him.

“Brother!” A paladin shouted, holding up a rope. “Do you need rope?”

That glare you gave him… If he had been close enough to Brother Ulric, he would have struck him.

“Last chance, Monk.” you warned. “Let. Me. Go.”

He could not deny that he was not intrigued by the threat. “Come. We can talk in private back at camp.”

You scoffed. He was so desperate to keep both you and Father Carden in his life, but you could not stay with someone who was loyal to the man who wanted to abuse your magic to kill innocent people. The Monk pulled you away from the tree by the arm, a little too certain that you would not try to escape when a group was present. You tried to punch him. He caught your arm and turned it so fast that you ended with your back against his chest. He kept your arm blocked behind your back but did not use enough force to harm. Being held under control fueled your rage further, a frustrated sound escaped you.

He tried to hush that fury, “Shhh…”

It shouldn’t have had the effect on you that it did to hear him shush you so close to your ear. For just one second it made you forget why you were even angry, and when that second was over it felt so much worse. It hurt so much to know he could not be trusted.

He had noticed the brief change in your temper, sounding far too calm and even intrigued by the fiery response, “All will be well.”

You felt him brush a hand over your free arm to sooth. “I hate you.”

His actions halted immediately. The tone with which you had spoken was not to be mistaken. Quiet and with raw emotion. Hearing it made him sick to the stomach. He had broken what had been between you.

He changed his hold on you, grabbing you by the elbow again. “It will be better if Father sees you return of your own free will, not bound by ropes.”

Of your own free will… or they would drag you back. This was not a choice, it never was. You weren’t thinking clear when you stole the longsword from where it sat at his hip.

He held his hand up to the paladins who threatened to intervene, barking the command. “Hold!”

You hated how you still hesitated to attack him, even if it was just for a second, it gave him the advantage. You swung at him, he moved quick enough to avoid it.

“Stop this.” he sounded as calm as he could manage.

You swung again, it was infuriating how quick he was, and he disarmed you, sending you stumbling past him and falling to your knees on the grass. There was a sigh from him, a brief few seconds where both processed the situation. He took hold of the fabric of your jacket at the shoulder to get you up to your feet.

You warned him against it. “Don’t.”

Another few seconds passed, he decided to place his hand on your shoulder instead. Fury and sorrow made for a dangerous blend inside, the tears that fell betrayed only one of them. He tried to touch your cheek but you turned your head away. If you had been alone, you would have broken down on the spot, but now you tried to fight how much your mouth quivered to hold back a sob.

He did not sound like himself, “Come.”

There was no escaping him as long as your fury was not under control. You had to make him think, even just for one moment, that you were going to go with him willingly again. And it was awful.

A paladin called out to him. “Brother, let us help you.”

His answer was firm. “No.”

“Am I a plaything to you?” you asked him quietly, not willing to meet his eyes. “All this time. Everything… you want it all. My magic is your key to his love. And I am what? A reward for you?”

The Monk reached for you again, hand cupping and stroking the back of your head. “Come with me.”

‘Please’ is what he did not say. Not when his red brothers could possibly hear and question his loyalty later.

You forced your emotions to silence, they were a weakness you could not afford now. Still, you could not prevent your hand from shaking when holding it out for him. It was ridiculously confusing how gentle he was when taking hold of it after you had attacked him. He helped you up on your feet, seeing how you refused to meet his eyes. It all felt so wrong, so unreal. He held on to your elbow, brushing the soil and grass from your clothes.

You couldn’t even look at his face anymore. And it felt like he was distancing himself in his mind from the situation. You were done partaking in this cruel maze of manipulation. The one advantage that you had was knowing that the Monk needed you alive. When he walked you towards Goliath you stepped on his boot, and with one firm push to his side you send him to the ground. You ran away immediately, managing to dodge two of the paladins. It was the third that caught you by the arm, the force of it send a shooting pain up your arm. The paladin pulled just as the pain surged through you, and he was so rough that you fell, your knee hit a rock on the ground. So many things crashed into your being, rage, pain, fear… it was the fuel needed to unleash what had been buried for so long. The Hidden had decided to come to your aid in order to protect their own kind. An eruption of green flames seperated you and the paladin, the paladin stumbled back and fell, his hand was scorched. You could not control it, not when you were not in control of yourself by the state you were in. You could barely see them anymore when the flames grew.

The Monk was back on his feet and tried to approach the flames. He could not stand the heat of them. The Hidden’s furious whispers let their disappointment in him be known.

“Fall back!” he shouted the command to the paladins who were shouting and screaming in terror at the threatening flames.

Through the flames, he could see the marks of the Ash Folk glow red. Your marks. What had he done…

A horse was on your side of the fire and you slowly approached it, making yourself not look like a threat to the animal. Perhaps it was the Fey blood in you because the horse was not frightened when you took the reins and got into the saddle. One last look over the flames and you met the eyes of the Monk, he had seen in your eyes that you were going to flee. You turned the horse and darted out of there, hearing your name be shouted in despair.

He had lost the weapon he had forged.

  ~~~♡~~~♡~~~♤~~~♡~~~♡~~~

  The Monk had to return to camp alone. And after telling Father of the danger you had posed to him and his red brothers, he send himself to the scourge. A bigger search party would be noticed by the Abbot, Father had commanded for this to be delayed until the Abbot and the Trinity Guard had left. He had gone to his tent beforehand, and when the person he saw as the reason to even sleep there at all wasn’t there, he had shattered. The leather cut through his skin, over and over again, and it brought him no solace. The pain was all he had and he tried to distract himself from the mental torment with it.

A wife who hated him. A child about to be tortured. The sight of your tears, that look of disappointment, how he had felt you tremble… it made him feel ill. That fear in the eyes of a child who had showed more courage than he had shown in years.

Father Carden, who had send two paladins to summon him, came to find the Monk in the tent of prayers. “You ignore my summons.”

He was kneeling before the altar, his eyes had not left the form of the cross he had been praying in front of. His bloodied back faced the eyes of the one he called Father. Voicing the distance he felt between himself and the faith felt like as an impossible task. “His grace. I cannot feel it.” He took in a breath to steady his trembling voice. “I call out to him… I reach out and there is only darkness.”

Father walked past him, going to stand behind the altar to look at the Monk. “You are the avenging sword of light in pitched battle against the Lord of Darkness. Did you think you could escape his touch? His corruption? The beast does not tear the flesh, it tears the soul.”

His breath shook heavily. “Do you love me, Father?”

The priest’s answer was delayed, he watched his Weeping Monk tremble, “Of course I do.”

“Even if I am damned?” he dared to ask the question that continued to haunt him through his nights and days.

“Those are dangerous words.” Father scolded him. If others heard him, they would question why the Monk considered himself damned. He moved around the alter, taking seat on the small stool just next to it. “We will speak of this one last time. You were demon-born. An abomination in the eyes of God. But I spared you from the fire because you could sense your own kind. I gave you scripture. I gave you discipline. I forged you into one of our sharpest blades. I turned you against your Maker. And I laid the first brick on your road to salvation.” He leaned closer. “But I cannot walk the road for you, my son. I cannot save you from the flames. You have to have the will to do what is necessary.”

Why did it feel like Father was telling him that he too would be cleansed one day? That it was the end of his journey to gain salvation… His words had not brought comfort, they had kicked up dust in the ruins of his soul.

“Do you have the will, my son?” Father asked him.

He tried to keep his voice steady and calm. “Yes, Father.”

Father walked towards the exit of the tent. “The Lady of Ravenwick has turned against us. The influence of evil has her in it’s hold. Not even a half-blood is safe from evil’s corruption. When the Abbot is gone, you will search for her. You will find her and return our weapon before it can fall in the hands of the Fey. This is what must be done.”

He did not answer him, he could not. He wanted nothing more than to have you near again, but it was a selfish wish. Father would turn you into what you never wanted to become.

Father continued, “When she returns, she will be kept bound and in a guarded tent. I should not have put this task on you, I see how her presence has affected you, my son. You have made mistakes I had not expected of you.”

At this he spoke. “I want her with me, Father.”

He wanted to make Father proud. He wanted you with him. It was true what you had told him, he wanted it all and now was left with nothing.

“You cannot let her taint your path to salvation. I thought I had driven the weakness out of you.” Father disapproved of the idea. “She is not raised with the scriptures. Her Feyblood still calls to her.”

He tilted his head down, fixing his eyes on the floor. The priest did not speak to him again, he left the Monk alone in the tent. The moment Father left the tent, the Monk’s body began to tremble again.

There, on his knees, he realized that the only person he wished to speak to about how it felt to lose you, was you. No one else would understand, they would not care. But you had cared, you had shown him kindness in his darkest days. That was gone now, trust was broken and shattered into pieces that would not fit together again. He could not get you out of his mind. The way your arms had once embraced him, your concern for his being, the sound of your voice… all of it was gone. Lost because he was torn between duty and the person he never wanted to lose. You had looked at him like he was a monster, and he was. A child would be tortured and he stood aside to let it happen. He had never felt more like a coward.

Brother Salt was not a man who worked fast and he often took a pause to rest. It would be dark by the time he began with the Fey child, especially with how hard the Green Knight was to crack under the torture. The punishment for helping the child would be severe, but the guilt would suffocate him beyond the limits of death if he did not at least try.

He did not want to be a monster.

Taglist:

@ourlazydetectivekitten ​​  @the-great-adventures-of-me   @linkpk88   @fxrchxldws @elenaoftheturks ​​  @slytherlight   @beananacake ​​     @crystallizedtime ​​ @moonlightaura03 @angrygardendeer @have-aheart   @5am-cigarette   @arcanenature @thewinterskywalker @notyourwildestdream   @coloursforyourportrait   @koressecretidentity   @nike90   @n1ghtlux ​​  @rachlovesactors ​​  @luckyzipperscissorsbat   @morena-doing-stuff   @the-fangirl-diaries ​​  @gipsydanger17   @heavenly1927 ​​ @phantasmalbeiing @labyrinthonmymind @asarcastic-thiamstan @rainyv-skies     @stclairesplace   @​​katjusja @isla-bell-blog   @beebeerockknot   @sahvlren @lancedoncrimsonwings @weird123abc @elizabeth-holland24 @kissingandromeda

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed from the taglist of this story. Using this old list from the previous fic.

[jolynarts]

I'm unsure if I'll ever line / finish these but have my slugcat designs!

More information about them under the cut.

Note: Some of these have nicknames! Example being Danger and Milk, they function like Nightcat is for Watcher

Survivor and Monk: Some sort of feathered light fury slugcat hybrid. However due to mutation shenanigans Monk does not have the light fury tail. That or maybe Monk is just too young to have their light fury tail grown yet? Who knows? (He/It for Survivor and She/It for Monk)

Hunter: Not much else to say here except they have green markings on them to signify they belonged to NSH. This version of Hunter does not have rot however. She does have some sort of sickness but it is uncertain what it is or what caused it. A rot parasite however is not it. (She/They/It)

Danger/Artificer: Red lizard hybrid, cannot throw spears or craft explosive ones! Can throw bombs however and have a far more damaging maul to make up for it. Explosive jump is caused by her tail. Due to the lizard hybrid too the explosion did not cause a burn scar, however it did still take out her eye (She/It)

Milk/Rivulet: Lives in the frozen ocean near Moon after delivering the rarefraction cell, the white pelts allow her to camouflage in the snow from predators (Any)

Twitch/Spearmaster: Mostly just a fancy design, however is able to communicate with Suns directly through holograms before Pebbles does the thing (Any)

Nightcat/Watcher: Mole lizard, night fury slugcat hybrid. Relies more on the frills on his face and tail rather than his eyes to understand his surroundings. Can see but poor vision (He/It)

Saint: Echo hybrid as we all know, the black gold ears help him understand echos and Iterators without the mark of communication (He/Echo/It)

Gourmand: May re-do his design to be less white but aside from that, nothing special here, just a fancy design. His pups are also food inspired (He/They/It)

Inv/Enot: Light fury slugcat hybrid. Meant to be twins opposite / the long lost sibling of Watcher. Has heterochromia. (Void/It/neopronouns)

As of now there is no explaination as to why some slugcat are lizard and dragon hybrids while some are not.

[averyghe]

CHAVRONIANS – A species of large mammals from the planet Chavronia, known for their resilience and warlike culture, in which both males and females participate in ritual battles. They possess a unique medical practice called wart-growing. By bathing in the bioactive waters of their planet’s hot springs, Chavronians develop layers of warts that house populations of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. These organisms, through contact with the blood, mutate and act as vaccines when needed. The ancient hot springs are maintained by the Rurig Monks.

XID – A species from the jungle moon of Cleopsys, known for their natural camouflage. The color and texture of their exoskeletons closely resemble the bark of the cork trees in their rainforest habitat. Xid are so adept at blending in that a person could be surrounded by them without realizing it. In addition to their bark-like skin, they possess a conical brain that grants them telepathic abilities, effectively making them invisible to nearby life forms. Though vegetarians by nature, they use this ability as a defense mechanism, particularly when their habitat is threatened by external visitors. This makes Xid some of the galaxy’s most effective guerrilla fighters.

[peasthedumb]

Also a dynamic/point I think needs to be characterised or mentioned more about the scugs

The difference between wild Scugs and purposed organisms (scugs completely born and raised by Iterators)

Spearmaster and Hunter are objectively purposed, Saint is implied purposed, same for Riv though I’m way more unsure with riv. It starts with the mark, but like…what if it had just accidentally met an Iterator before?

The wild ones are Arti, Gourm, Surv and monk.

I always imagine the Purposed Scugs are a bit more…clueless? I imagine they have more confusion and lack of understanding of the environment around them. Yes they’re adapted well for it and can survive, but they have no idea what’s prey or predator or of the environments around them- I mean, they learn quickly but- yeah, this is their first time outdoors.

Wild Scugs are very resilient and robust though- I mean, gourm can craft, (I have no idea why Arti can explode, mini hc she was born from a purposed scug and a wild scug), and Monk and surv are quite…idk, just good at fitting into the environment. They’re all more camouflaged colours too.

So imagine wild scugs having to teach the non-wild ones how to scug?

And it makes FP’s and Artis relationship way more unique cause Arti is a completely wild scug who got taken in by an Iterator later in life rather than ones like Hunter and Spearmaster who were born in a test-tube and raised in the superstructure.

(Btw based on many hc’s but like…c’mon! I love Iterator Scugs being baffled by the outside world and not really having a clue how to really live out there whilst the wild scugs are all jaded and stuff with survival skills n stuff)

[dehydrationcat]

my own personal Slugcat designs

Survivor (top to bottom) - They fell into a pit during what appeared to be a migration. This white slugcat is very average. They appear to be searching for something.

Monk (Left to right) - A small and chubby scug. They appear to hang out with other creatures. Adorable. They followed the white slugcat down the pit.

Hunter (top to bottom) - Appears to be a green neuron fly? What the hell? This slugcat is a purposed organism. It appears to have fallen ill with the rot somehow.

Gourmand - Why are they chonky? I saw them last leading a group of slugcats through a storm.

Artificer (top to bottom) - For mauling? Decorated mask? Where did they get it? How did they obtain a citizen ID drone? This slugcat always appears to be angry. The first time I saw it, they had pups. One of my overseers watched the pups die.

Rivulet (top to bottom) - This thing is literally a wet rat with gills. It has a mark of communication, from an iterator I would presume. I saw it carry a rarefaction cell once, where did they get it? They appear to have adapted to the harsh rain or they are a purposed organism.

Spearmaster (top to bottom) - Uses for sustenance? Appeared to have a pearl and injured the last time I saw them. This slugcat is all skin and bones. It is definitely a purposed organism.

Saint (right to left) - Super fluffy. This creature acts as if they’ve experienced this over and over again. Triple affirmative! Triple affirmative!

The Watcher/Nightcat (left to right) - Can camouflage. I’ve heard others say this slugcat is a celestial being. They appear to just being a scug with different abilities. Pretty tail.

Inv (top to bottom) - What is this? Is it an egg? I saw them once during a precycle with three pups. That’s more than a Slugcat usually has. They looked like a strange scribble.

[abyssalaerlocke]

Lae'zel the Cecaelia

Keeping this super simplified, but I'd love to see its potential, so if anyone wants to try, tag me! It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't even have to be better than me, if you just want to practice, or do a different style

Finished collection and old post with some details and poses on the ones that didn't get finished

I don't think cecaelia are a part of dnd, but they're just too cool to make an aquatic AU without them — so here are my worldbuilding thoughts on them, and Lae'zel specifically:

Cecaelia would definitely feel the most 'alien' to the companions and most aquatic 'humanoids'. Similar to githyanki culture, an octopus never meets their parents, and only a handful survive to adulthood.

They're able to squeeze through tiny spaces, and although cecaelia obviously have more structure, I think it would be flexible cartilage, rather than solid bone.

They also have incredible camouflage, able to change both their colour and texture. I made Lae'zel a Way of Shadow monk, so she particularly takes advantage of her natural stealth, not wearing or wielding any gear. Usually she'd go without the warpaint, but for a something like a ritual spar in the middle of the water, where there aren't surfaces to camouflage to, the black isn't bad. It may even help her further blend into the inky clouds of darkness she can create — which are a useful tool for shadow stepping from anywhere.

Because she doesn't use weapons, her powerful limbs are incredibly useful for hitting, grappling, and throwing.

I haven't decided if the cecaelia would use dragons, but regardless, if Lae'zel holds any reverence for them, Karlach's half-dragon strength would only further cement Lae'zel's admiration for her battle prowess. (They are a bit of star-crossed lovers — Karlach's engine unable to survive in the water, while Lae'zel can't leave it for long).

Shout-out to @spicyraeman's awesome art for putting flat Lae'zel in my brain — it's just what this needed 😁

[outerexpanse]

downpour headcanons + designs :)

Thoughts on each under the cut, some contain direct spoilers. (Lots of writing)

Note for pronouns listed: These are just my HCs, use whatever you prefer or see fit. :)

Gourmand: She/He/They Full of love and oh so happy with life. Simply went out into the world for FUN and to learn more, why not? Respected and highly regarded at the Home Tree as one of the smartest slugcats around. Coming up with ways to make meals more filling is always important with so many slugcats! Gourmand returns with many regions mapped out, and thus gives way to more slugcats to explore as groups and create homes for themselves. Teaches about the taming of lizards, and to take care when doing so. What was an incredible enemy can make a greater ally. All around a very positive, happy-go-lucky slug to me.

Artificer: She/Her I wanted her to design to be .. fire-esque with the markings like flames in a way. Obviously very troubled, so incredibly lonely because of it as well. She's afraid of connections, what if the past repeats? It would hurt too much. That SAID.. she will find her way to Outer Expanse and be welcomed with open arms. Prior, I think she was apart of a small nomadic family of slugcats so the Home Tree is something else entirely new. Arti could, in this scenario, take on the role of a community mother in a way. There's still fear of the past coming back in new ways, but in this she begins to open up more and becomes adoptive mother to slugpups whose parents have been lost in some form. I just think!! She deserves the world!!! She gets to relax. No more Situations.

Rivulet: She/He/They Somewhat based on how some aquatic animals have a whiter tummy to blend in to creatures below them in the water, and a darker upper body to camouflage to those looking down in the water. (A bit difficult with all the pink, I wanted to keep that on her though..) Very kind :) she loves to bring gifts to Moon, and periodically pays visits to 5P for as long as he still lives. I like to think they also lived with Moon until they passed themselves. Spent a ton of time listening to Moon reading the pearls he found out in the world, and exchanging stories (perhaps via writing..??) that they both have. Softanthiel still hangs around, primarily used as a way to gauge the danger of potential threats to the tree.

Spearmaster: It/They/He Definitely Looks like a slugcat but with something Wrong (on the wrong blueprints in a way). It is taller and longer than the average slugcat. Leaning more into the bodyshape it has in game (bowling pin looking ass) I’d say it has a harder time retaining fat through a liquid diet and constant movement as a messenger. Built quite sleek, I’d picture it with an agility somewhere between Artificer and Rivulet. Spearmaster has nasty little "spots" on his tail so why not give him little freckles too? SRS did not give SM a mouth, so, to me I think that he would be taught sign language. ASL (Ancient Sign Language) would no doubt be something stored and memorized on various pearls. Given its time around an Iterator it would also know how to read/write in the Ancient's language. I feel like they'd be quite a bit lonely.

Saint: They/He To me, they are a distant descendant of Monk. Their fur is very soft, almost like downy feathers in a way. Absolutely vital to their survival in the now frigid wasteland. Keen to grooming themself like a cat would! The echoes are old friends, a familiar warmth. Seeing them is like visiting family, of which Saint no longer has now. Definitely nomadic, never stays in a den for longer than three cycles. Lanterns are tucked into fur for ease of travelling with free hands. :) He's round and spotted because I love him so much!!

WHEW ok thats all. feel free to share your thoughts :)

note that i dont mind these designs being used or designs inspired by them but i would like my art to NOT be reposted.