#clay || visage

[divxne-calcmity]

// Lookit this lad, he just got a compliment and is blushing something fierce!

Off topic but should I add this soft man to the roster here?

[moralpuppet]

NATURE PART 1 & 2 . A compilation of Orel just being soft & gentle while nothing but trauma happens around him.

[wolfofwinchester]

❄️

[rocxyoulikeahurricane]

Hey! So I did a lil sketchy of your Adam at the Blood Ball, hope that's okay. <3

hgggfgts OMG you beautiful person, Thank you so much!!! @sashybash

[petitmonsieur1]

Green clay

[zanmor]

Skull portraiture is amazing and it's a real shame that hasn't stuck around as a wide cultural practice.

Check out this amazing art from 9000 years ago:

More than 4000 years before the dynasties of Egypt, people were treating the dead in truly reverent and beautiful ways. It leaves me with little wonder that so many religious beliefs professed life's creation from clay. A skilled neolithic artist could keep a loved one with them for years after death by use of clay.

Would that your face looked that good 9000 years after death.

[void-multimuse]

Celestial Primate ! MK

[One of the Alternate Universes that can be requested for people who like alt-first meetings!]

tldr; What if MK was born in his demon form and never met Sun Wukong or trained under him.

(Kinda half-headcanon on MK's origins, half-what if scenario.)

His Celestial Primate name is Zodiac Clay Monkey /Shengxiao Ni'hou although I don't know any chinese so it is up to be changed, I wanted to keep the four character naming scheme the other Celestial Primates have.

He still answers to MK, as it is his preferred name, but Celestial Primates are kind of a big deal, and suddenly finding out a fifth one has been living among those the mortal realm is also, kind of a big deal.

MK hasn't been properly trained, nor does he have Monkey King's staff, unless someone goads him into picking it up and releasing DBK. He fights a bit more feral, tooth and nail, and uses his electric and technomancy powers to do most of his scrapping, but he's not one to pick fights.

He wants to be a regular noodle delivery boy for his Dadsy like in canon, but its kind of hard when your one of only five of your kind and people keep giving you weird looks or trying to kidnap you and drain your power.

Shengxiao was carved using clay from Flower Fruit Mountain, with fragments of Sun Wukong's stone mixed into the mud, along with other creatures based on the Zodiac and other constellations like Ursa Major. Shengxiao is the only figure to come to life. This gives him access to the same powers as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, though they're mostly dormant.

Before he was finished being created, the celestial realm attempted to destroy him, causing him to be incomplete and fractured spiritually. This storm also knocked him off Flower Fruit Mountain and sent him to the mainland, where Pigsy took the still underdeveloped monkey demon in and raised him as his own.

[selfshippinglover]

Holy Visage Screenshots 1

[mcnstersvsaliens]

" Once again, monsters save the world. "

[missmonstermel]

AVAILABLE NOW! This faux metal Lucky Maw House Howler is in the sh op right now! ( link in bi o ) This 10” wide wall sculpture was originally sculpted in wax clay and has been cast in urethane. It is hand painted and mounted on laser cut board. A silk cord allows it to be hung and brass bells decorate the howling visage! #missmonster #missmonstermel #luckymawhousehowler #lion #dragon #wallplaque #sculpture #foodog #shisa

[moralpuppet]

The frames here and to be honest this scene is probably one of the smoothest most animated scenes in the show and it's so small and beautiful and I love it just look at how expressive Orel is here.

Bonus ( here it is in motion ) :

[wolfofwinchester]

Portrait.

[ryobasknife]

The first time we met/Ryoba Aishi meets her female darling

You could try knocking on Ryoba Aishi's head, but you'd get no response. No one's home, and no one ever has been. Simply put, she hasn't felt emotions unless you count emptiness.

Ryoba knows that's not normal, but what could she do about it? All around her, her classmates express themselves. Anger, sadness, happiness, it's apparent on their faces and in their voices. Ryoba could do nothing, but mimic. Hours spent looking in the mirror at her visage, morphing the corners of her lips upward into a pleasant smile. All while wondering why she was like this.

It's uncomfortable and foreign, but if Ryoba was unlike the others, least she could do was pretend. She became the potter with a lump of smooth clay to disturb and press ridges into. So many different people she could become, from the valedictorian to the delinquent. Who would Ryoba Aishi become?

Pleasant, I want to be pleasant.

That word would be exactly what her classmates and friends would describe her as. In the halls, she would greet everyone so candidly, with her warm smile.

Underneath it all, nobody would suspect that the amicable air about her was all a fabrication, several years in the making. Ryoba didn't want it to be a facade, and there was only one thing she could think of that would make it all real.

It had to do with the dream she's been having for as long as she remembers. Ryoba falls asleep every night and wakes up, staring up at a cherry tree on top of a hill. Faintly, she could see the outline of someone admiring the tree on the hill. Ryoba's heart skips a beat, something unfamiliar swelling with impossible heat in her chest.

She wanted to run faster than she's ever ran before, to the person.

Ryoba never saw anything more than their silhouette, but deep inside, the only thing she was sure of was that that person would change her life.

They would fall in love and Ryoba would come alive.

Ryoba had pictured the day in her head, but it was all muddled. She would spend hours watching romance movies, anticipating the moment her world would change. The perfect mix of everything that was supposed to be romantic, a bright, sunny day and a sweet floral scent in the air.

It was nothing like that.

Ryoba made sure to shake loose water drops clinging to her black umbrella before putting it gently into the umbrella rack. She made her way over to her locker to switch to her inside shoes. All around Ryoba, the students complained about the weather. The athletes, sour at the prospect of practice switching to the gym, grumbled the loudest. Some hopefuls tried to cheer everyone up by suggesting that the rain will clear before the end of the day.

Ryoba didn’t care, she never had an actual opinion on weather or anything.

Maintaining her smile, Ryoba set about on her daily “chores”. Some may call it socializing or keeping up with your friends, but it was purely for show and for reputation sake. Ryoba didn’t care as she wandered the halls and greeted the people.

Afterwards, it would be time to go to class. Ryoba normally would get there right on time with the rest of the students, but today she was early.

Ryoba could see the back of a girl outside of 2-1 classroom, which happened to be hers. The girl wore white tights, paired with a red ribbon on her polished Mary Jane’s.. There was a small matching bow clipped on her hair

The girl turned around, and Ryoba couldn’t describe the sensation that hit her so hard, it felt like she died and took her very first breath at the same time. Like a snake shedding their skin, or a caterpillar puncturing their cocoon, or a bear waking up from its hibernation; Ryoba could think of a million comparisons that she never understood before. She felt like she changed the entirety of who she was.

Is this what girls describe as butterflies? A fluttering, kicking feeling in her stomach that raised up into her chest (Ba-dum! Ba-dum!). Was she going into cardiac arrest? Ryoba never thought it was possible for her heart to beat so fast. It threatened to escape its cage, her chest.

The feeling was terrifying and so addicting, a genuine giggle wanting to work its way out of her throat.

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you!” The girl bowed respectfully to Ryoba, whose legs began to shake.

The girl raised her hand towards her, “I’m sorry, my Japanese isn’t very good yet… I just got to Japan a few days ago.”

Ryoba couldn’t talk, seems like the expression “cat got your tongue” was an accurate statement. It felt like her vocal cords were turned off, and even her mind couldn’t think of what to say if she could talk. Ryoba just stared at her outstretched hand and couldn’t stop a smile so wide her face hurt from plastering itself on her face.

She wanted to touch her, to hold her hand and feel that electric shock that her mom had told her about. It would be like resuscitation, pulling her from nothingness to everything that she has ever wanted.

Ryoba immediately grabbed her hand, “Ryoba Aishi, it’s lovely to finally meet you…”

[skrunksthatwunk]

actually i'm still thinking about the moral orel finale.

he has a cross on his wall. do you know how much i think about that bc it's a lot.

a lot of stories ((auto)biographical or fictional) centering escape from abusive/fundamentalist christianity result in the lead characters leaving behind christianity entirely. and that makes complete sense! people often grow disillusioned with the associated systems and beliefs, and when it was something used to hurt them or something so inseparable from their abuse that they can't engage with it without hurting, it makes total sense that they would disengage entirely. and sometimes they just figure out that they don't really believe in god/a christian god/etc. a healthy deconstruction process can sometimes look like becoming an atheist or converting to another religion. it's all case by case. (note: i'm sure this happens with other religions as well, i'm just most familiar with christian versions of this phenomenon).

but in orel's case, his faith was one of the few things that actually brought him comfort and joy. he loved god, y'know? genuinely. and he felt loved by god and supported by him when he had no one else. and the abuses he faced were in how the people in his life twisted religion to control others, to run away from themselves, to shield them from others, etc. and often, orel's conflicts with how they acted out christianity come as a direct result of his purer understanding of god/jesus/whatever ("aren't we supposed to be like this/do that?" met with an adult's excuse for their own behavior or the fastest way they could think of to get orel to leave them alone (i.e. orel saying i thought we weren't supposed to lie? and clay saying uhhh it doesn't count if you're lying to yourself)). the little guy played catch with god instead of his dad, like.. his faith was real, and his love was real. and i think it's a good choice to have orel maintain something that was so important to him and such a grounding, comforting force in the midst of. All That Stuff Moralton Was Up To/Put Him Through. being all about jesus was not the problem, in orel's case.

and i know i'm mostly assuming that orel ended up in a healthier, less rigid version of christianity, but i feel like that's something that was hinted at a lot through the series, that that's the direction he'd go. when he meditates during the prayer bee and accepts stephanie's different way to communicate, incorporating elements of buddhism into his faith; when he has his I AM A CHURCH breakdown (removing himself from the institution and realizing he can be like,, the center of his own faith? taking a more individualistic approach? but Truly Going Through It at the same time), his acceptance (...sometimes) of those who are different from him and condemned by the adults of moralton (stephanie (lesbian icon stephanie my beloved), christina (who's like. just a slightly different form of fundie protestant from him), dr chosenberg (the jewish doctor from otherton in holy visage)). his track record on this isn't perfect, but it gets better as orel starts maturing and picking up on what an absolute shitfest moralton is. it's all ways of questioning the things he's been taught, and it makes sense that it would lead to a bigger questioning as he puts those pieces together more. anyway i think part of his growth is weeding out all the lost commandments of his upbringing and focusing on what faith means to him, and what he thinks it should mean. how he wants to see the world and how he wants to treat people and what he thinks is okay and right, and looking to religion for guidance in that, not as like. a way to justify hurting those he's afraid or resentful of, as his role models did.

he's coming to his own conclusions rather than obediently, unquestioningly taking in what others say. but he's still listening to pick out the parts that make sense to him. (edit/note: and it's his compassion and his faith that are the primary motivations for this questioning and revisal process, both of individual cases and, eventually, the final boss that is christianity.) it makes perfect sense as the conclusion to his character arc and it fits the overall approach of the show far better. it's good is what i'm saying.

and i think it's important to show that kind of ending, because that's a pretty common and equally valid result of deconstruction. and i think it cements the show's treatment of christianity as something that's often (and maybe even easily) exploited, but not something inherently bad. something that can be very positive, even. guys he even has a dog he's not afraid of loving anymore. he's not afraid of loving anyone more than jesus and i don't think it's because he loves this dog less than bartholomew (though he was probably far more desperate for healthy affection and companionship when he was younger). i think it's because he figures god would want him to love that dog. he's choosing to believe that god would want him to love and to be happy and to be kind. he's not afraid of loving in the wrong way do you know how cool that is he's taking back control he's taking back something he loves from his abusers im so normal

[catcas22]

Hi Cat!

I was wondering if you have any thoughts on the description of the Lamenter's Mask!

A stone mask twisted into an expression of rapturous grief. Use while disrobed to transform into a lamenter.

The change cannot be undone except by death. Using this mask while already transformed causes the head to swell in size.

This transformation tallies with the state of a denizen of paradise, but the people of the tower denied and hid it from the world. In their foolishness, they viewed true bliss with deep fear.

I think this could have some interesting implications for the Age of the Crucible. It's also rather curious that the Hornsent ("people of the tower") would "deny and hide" the Crucible transformation.

As an aside, what do you make of the Lamenters in general? They have the skin/horns/scars of Omens, but their humanlike proportions are what throws me. With the exception of Morgott and Mohg (who are demigods and therefore probably not good type specimens), Omens have this barrel-chested, stubby, ogrelike physique. The implication that Lamenters are made, not born, and the ways in which their appearance differs from the Omen are super interesting to me.

Hi Bri, thanks for the ask!

This one kept me up all night :P I think I actually found a plausible answer! Let me start by laying out what we know of the Lamenter at face value.

Lamenter's Mask

A stone mask twisted into an expression of rapturous grief. Use while disrobed to transform into a lamenter.

The change cannot be undone except by death. Using this mask while already transformed causes the head to swell in size.

This transformation tallies with the state of a denizen of paradise, but the people of the tower denied and hid it from the world. In their foolishness, they viewed true bliss with deep fear.

Lamenting Visage

A stone lantern carved to resemble a lamenting human head, the eyes vacantly beaming out light. Can be raised up when equipped in the left hand, illuminating more of the surrounding area. The unusual expression somehow imparts a sense of contentment. The languid ease of one who needs not sight.

Prattling Pate "Lamentation"

Twisted clay sculpt in the shape of a human head. Emits a blissful "Lamentation".

The voice resounds, seeping into the brain.

Weeping, weeping, weeping. Ever weeping.

Other important points -- all of these items (and the Lamenter himself) are found in the Lamenter's Gaol, one of three gaols where those who will become jar innards are held and tortured before being processed. Additionally, the Lamenter seems to have horns curling back into both his eye sockets.

I see a common thread between these three descriptions. Despite all evidence, we are told that the grieving individual is actually perfectly content. The grief is "rapturous," the blinded Lamenter is experiencing "true bliss," his expression is actually one of "contentment" because he doesn't really need his eyes. Despite the Pate "weeping, weeping, weeping, ever weeping," we are told that this lamentation is "blissful." I don't buy it... And apparently, neither did the Tower Folk. Instead they viewed their creation with fear.

Let's back up a bit. We know that via the means of chopping people up and packing them in jars, the hornsent hoped to create "saints," specifically via rebirth.

Bonny Village Spirit

For pity's sake, your place is in the jar. Nigh-sainthood itself awaits you within. For shamans like you, this is your lot. Life were you accorded for this alone.

Greatjar

A greatjar which fits comfortably over the head when upturned. Attire of the shamans who perform their worship at gaols. Increases the power of thrown pots of all sizes. They offer their prayers to the innards of the greatjars, such that they might be reborn one day into sainthood. This is the cycle of death and rebirth, taken into the hands of mortal men.

(Note: In the first quote, "shaman" is translated from the Japanese "Miko," which consistently refers to Marika's people and could be better translated as "shrine maiden." In the second quote, "shaman" is translated from the Japanese "kitoushi" and connotes something more along the lines of a priest or an elder.) Thank you @drenched-in-sunlight!

We also know that the hornsent see horns as a symbol of the divine, the bigger the better.

Fine Crucible Feather Talisman

A talisman fashioned from thin feathers that embody the aspects of various creatures. Said to have grown on the human body long ago. Improves backsteps but increases damage taken at all times. Hornsent view the Crucible as sacred for the refinement wrought through its evolutionary gifts. Most prominently, their tangled horns.

Horned Bairn

Doll of a tanglehorn bairn. Uses FP to summon vengeful spirits around the caster that autonomously chase down foes. Tangled horns are a symbol of spirituality, but most young born bearing the oversized horns meet a frightfully early demise. These fetishes are made to memorialize them.

Looking at omen in the base game, their horns seem much more chaotic and impractical than those of the hornsent. Most hornsent have a very manageable little crown of horns on their heads, and even the Horned Warrior's horns don't seem terribly impractical. Whereas omen horns seem like they would be both painful and extremely cumbersome.

(Sourced from BonfireVN on youtube)

While the standard omen enemies from the base game don't match the physique of the Lamenter, we do see a few examples of omen with lankier builds. Morgott is obviously larger than a common omen, but his proportions are that of a tall, rangy human. The Sanguine Nobles also seem to be omen, as they have horns that do not appear as part of their armor set.

(Sourced from Zullie the Witch on youtube)

The more ogre-like omen seem quite similar in build to the bloodfiends from the DLC.

Also, compare Mohg's build to Morgott's (both images sourced from Bonfire VN)

I wonder if the short, broad stature might be a side effect of glutting oneself on the power of the Formless Mother. We know she tends to choose her vassals from among the oppressed, we know that Esgar Priest of Blood was proselytizing in Leyndell's sewers, and we know from the Sacred Bloody Flesh item that the bloodfiends consume her blood as a standard part of their diet. The Sanguine Nobles seem to break the pattern, but they could be newer recruits, or they could be more judicious in their consumption of blood. Either way, we have a few examples (Morgott and the Sanguine Nobles) of omen with a build similar to the Lamenter.

One more point before I start bringing this to a conclusion -- although we only have visual clues to go on with the omen, with the misbegotten we know for a fact that their Crucible mutations come with health complications and cause them a degree of pain. Perfumer Tricia made it her life's work to treat such cases, and in the main game we see many misbegotten in Leyndell who appear to be seeking treatment from other perfumers.

Back to the Lamenter. I proposed in a previous theory (x) that omen might be the product of the hornsents' attempts to produce a "saint." Via the Dungeater's questline, we know it works in concept. By torturing a person in a specific way and doing unspeakable things to their soul, you can cause them to be reincarnated as an omen. I think that's exactly what the Lamenter is -- an early success. A saint.

The problem being, he's in obvious pain. He has horns growing through both of his eyes, and he's constantly wailing. He is everything that a hornsent raised in that culture would aspire to be, and by that same fact he lives a life of constant pain, darkness, and misery.

Of course they reject him. First they try to convince their followers that his weeping is actually an expression of bliss. He's blind because he's too enlightened to need his eyes (think the way the cultists in Midsommar talk about the disabled oracle). When that doesn't catch on, they lock him away and keep trying. It adds yet another twist of tragedy to the atrocities of the Potentates -- sainthood is not a goal just beyond their reach. They've already found it. And after all the innocent lives that they sacrificed to create that saint, they can't stand to look at him.

Thanks for the ask!

[void-multimuse]

Anyone want a monkie kid? Like for a starter for an MK in "Born From a Clay Imitation" AU

The special still hasn't left my head so I wanna throw my clay monkie at people. Maybe he'll land in a furnace and turn into a ceramic monkie who knows?