#even if its a completely different setting

[prokopetz]

Fantasy setting with magic neatly organised into elemental spheres, except each magic-using culture disagrees with all the others about what the primordial elements are, what their associations and correspondences are, and even how many of them there are. Spells always interact with other spells from the same magic system as though its elemental theory is complete, consistent, and correct, but when spells from two different magic systems come into contact it all goes a bit sideways, often in ways that require flowcharts to explain. Like, you think Ground Type vs. Rock Type is bad? There are five separate, mutually exclusive spheres of magic all called "Fire". The Sylvan Confederacy's "Water" magic explodes on contact with the Empire of the Five Pillars' "Water" magic and nobody knows why.

[norristrii]

THAT’S NOT HER, CHAT!

You and Lando had been keeping your relationship hidden from the public eye. But all it took was one accidental appearance on his stream to change everything. After that, there was no going back.

pairing. Lando Norris x Verstappen! fem! reader.

warnings. chaos, fluff, comedy.

DATING LANDO HAD BEEN EXCITING, exhilarating even, but it also came with its fair share of complications—ones you had been aware of from the start.

Two months in, things still felt new, still carried that fresh spark of discovery, of late-night conversations and shared laughter that felt just a little more intimate now. The way he looked at you, the way he reached for your hand absentmindedly, like it was second nature—those moments were yours, tucked away, safe from the outside world. But while the relationship itself was thriving behind closed doors, taking it online was an entirely different story.

You had your reasons—solid, unshakable ones that kept you cautious.

First, you were Max Verstappen’s sister. That alone made things complicated. The championship fight had put your family in the center of attention in ways that went beyond just racing, and adding your relationship into the mix? It would inevitably fuel speculation, opinions, and unwanted scrutiny. People would have theories, analyze dynamics, question loyalties—none of which you wanted to deal with.

Second—well, Lando’s fans were intense. Not all of them, obviously, but enough to make you wary of putting too much of your personal life on display. You had seen how they dissected his every move, how they speculated about things that didn’t even exist, how quickly narratives could spiral out of control. The thought of people analyzing every interaction, every glance, every post—it was exhausting. You loved him, but you weren’t sure if you could handle what came with loving him publicly.

For now, the secrecy wasn’t a burden—it was a protection. A way to preserve something that felt fragile, something you weren’t ready to hand over to the chaos of the internet.

You spent so much time at Lando’s place that, at this point, it felt less like visiting and more like home. Your things had slowly integrated into his space—your clothes hung in his closet, your favorite snacks filled his kitchen cabinets, and the couch had practically molded itself to fit your preferred spot.

And you adored every bit of it.

The quiet mornings where the two of you lazily made breakfast, the way he’d pull you into his antics without hesitation, the soft moments where words weren’t needed—just existing together was enough.

But there was one unspoken rule.

When Lando was streaming, you knew not to walk into his room. Not because he didn’t want you there—quite the opposite. But because the two of you had made a choice, a silent agreement to keep your relationship yours for now. Away from the internet, away from prying eyes and endless speculation.

He was too quiet. So quiet that you had convinced yourself he wasn’t streaming, that you could casually walk in and drop off the food without a second thought.

So, naturally, without hesitation, you pushed open the door, plate in hand, ready to deliver his food like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

And that’s when the panic set in.

“I’m streaming, I’m streaming, wait!” Lando practically jumped in his chair, hands flying up in frantic urgency, his voice tight with alarm.

You froze in place, gripping the plate a little tighter, your heart immediately racing. Your mind scrambled—had the camera caught you? Had his chat noticed? Had you just completely blown your cover?

Lando’s eyes flicked towards his monitor, then back at you, a whirlwind of chaos flashing across his face. He exhaled sharply, his fingers moving quickly as he hit pause on the stream, momentarily shutting out the thousands of people currently watching.

Only then did he turn back to you, his expression softening, his lips curling into something between amusement and exasperation.

“You can come now,” he said, his tone lighter, like he was trying not to laugh.

You let out the breath you didn’t even realize you were holding, the tension in your shoulders easing ever so slightly as you stepped fully inside, setting the plate down on his desk.

“Thank you, baby,” Lando said softly, leaning in to press a light kiss to your cheek. His tone was casual, affectionate, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

But you? You were frozen. Your eyes locked onto the chat, still rolling at an alarming speed, messages flooding in faster than you could even process.

Is that Y/n Verstappen? Y/n and Lando confirmed? Baby? Omg. NO WAYY SO THE RUMORS WERE TRUE!?? MAX’S SISTER?

Your stomach dropped as realization hit you like a freight train. Slowly, you turned to Lando, your voice careful, almost hesitant. “You didn’t pause it?”

His eyes widened, panic flashing across his face as he whipped back to his monitor. “Oh, shit!” he exclaimed, scrambling to mute the stream. But instead of fixing the situation, he leaned into the chaos, laughing as he turned back to the camera.

“Chat, this is not Y/n Verstappen!” he shouted, his voice filled with mock urgency, his hand flying up to cover your face as you tried—and failed—to stifle your laughter.

“That’s not her, chat!” he repeated, his grin widening as he glanced at you, clearly enjoying the absurdity of the moment.

You couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head as you buried your face in your hands. The damage was done. The chat was already in full meltdown mode, and there was no undoing it now.

Lando, of course, was having the time of his life. And despite the chaos, you couldn’t help but laugh along with him. Because, really, what else could you do?

You couldn’t help but laugh, the entire situation spiraling into chaos before your eyes, and instead of trying to salvage it—you leaned right into it. There was no fixing this, no smooth way out, no denying the very obvious slip-up that Lando had just handed his viewers on a silver platter.

So instead of panicking, instead of shrinking away from the inevitable, you grinned and played along.

“He’s lying, chat!” you exclaimed, stepping fully into frame now, amusement bubbling in your voice as you pointed at him accusingly. “That’s me! Y/n!”

And that was it. The chat detonated all over again.

I love whatever this is. Y/N AND LANDO HARD LAUNCH BEFORE GTA6??? They’re so cute stopp

The messages flooded the screen at an alarming rate, the reactions coming in so fast it was impossible to keep up. Text flew by in all caps, people spamming emotes, sending chaos into overdrive.

Meanwhile, Lando whipped his head toward you, jaw dropping, eyes wide in sheer disbelief as if you had somehow betrayed him in the most dramatic way possible.

“Hey!” he gasped, his voice filled with exaggerated betrayal, throwing his hands up. “You’re supposed to lie along with me!”

You laughed harder, shaking your head, still grinning at him. “Oh, no, you absolutely dug your own grave with that ‘baby’ comment,” you teased, nudging him playfully. “This is your fault, Norris.”

Lando groaned dramatically, dragging his hands down his face, shoulders shaking as he tried—and failed—to suppress his laughter. He turned back to the screen, exhaling a long, exaggerated sigh before finally giving in.

Lando leaned back in his chair, dramatically throwing his hands up in surrender, accepting his fate with a grin that only made the chat more unhinged. He knew he had lost this battle before it even started, and at this point, there was no turning back.

“Okay, okay,” he said, dragging out the words for effect, voice dripping with exaggerated exasperation as he finally relented. “So chat, this is my precious girlfriend, Y/n Verstappen.”

He gestured toward you with both hands, as if he were presenting some kind of grand reveal, his mischievous expression making it clear he was fully leaning into the moment now. The fact that this wasn’t how he planned on announcing your relationship didn’t seem to bother him anymore—if anything, he was thriving in the chaos.

The chat exploded instantly.

Messages were flying so fast it was almost impossible to process them, the flood of reactions coming at an overwhelming speed. There was no stopping it now, no undoing it. You had gone from a quiet, private relationship to a full-blown hard launch in the span of seconds—and the internet was eating it up.

PRECIOUS?! What is going on!? THE WAY HE SAYS IT SO PROUDLY?? PLEASE. MAX IS ABOUT TO THROW HANDS. She’s precious, smart and beautiful… and yeah he’s also here.

You blinked at him, raising an eyebrow, arms crossing over your chest as you tilted your head slightly in mock amusement. “Oh wow, precious, huh?” you teased, a slow smirk tugging at your lips. “Didn’t know I ranked that high.”

Lando scoffed, turning to you with a playful glint in his eye. “Obviously. You should feel honored,” he shot back with an air of complete confidence, leaning closer like he was about to let you in on some grand secret. “Chat, she’s lucky I didn’t say queen.”

You rolled your eyes, shaking your head, but the warmth bubbling in your chest betrayed the sarcasm in your expression.

You grinned, shaking your head slightly as you leaned into frame, playing along without hesitation.

“And that’s my Lando,” you added with a smile, eyes flickering toward him as he dramatically placed a hand over his heart, pretending to be touched by your words.

This is hard launch of the century. I JUST CAN IMAGINE MAX WATCHING THIS. THEY’RE SO IN LOVE OMGG. This stream changed me as a person.

Lando laughed, shaking his head at the chaos unraveling on his screen. “Oh, now they’re losing it,” he mused, reading the messages aloud. “Max is definitely gonna kill me.”

You grinned, resting your chin on your hand as you eyed him playfully. “Yeah, you might wanna start practicing your apology now,” you teased.

Lando exhaled heavily, straightening up and dramatically addressing the camera like he was preparing for a speech. “Alright, alright—if Max Verstappen is watching this,” he started, clearing his throat. “Just know that I am deeply, deeply sorry for exposing this relationship like an absolute idiot on stream.”

You snorted, shaking your head at him. “Wow, strong start,” you mused, crossing your arms.

Lando ignored you, pressing on. “Max, please, I beg of you—do not throw me into a wall the next time you see me,” he continued, still fully committed to the dramatics.

You shrugged innocently, crossing your arms. “Yeah, probably will,” you teased, lips twitching with amusement. “But hey, truth is, it was your mistake, not mine.”

Lando groaned, tossing his head back like he had just accepted his doomed fate. “You could have helped me cover it up, you know,” he pointed out, smirking at you.

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh, please—you called me baby and precious on stream, Norris,” you countered, shaking your head. “This was never staying a secret after that.”

Lando exhaled heavily, dragging a hand down his face, feigning defeat. “Guess we’re official now,” he muttered, laughing to himself.

You leaned in slightly, nudging his arm. “Guess we are,” you echoed, grinning.

And just like that—the world knew.

Messy, unplanned, very public—exactly the way it was always going to happen with Lando.

And honestly? You wouldn’t change a single thing.

Even if Max did come for his life later.

It would absolutely be worth it.

Every second of it.

@haniette <3

[inkedinshadows]

The Prince and the Pauper

Pairing: Eris x f!reader

Summary: The Heir of the Autumn Court should court a Lady, or at least a High Fae. He's not supposed to mingle with lesser faeries and low-borns. Right?

Warnings: none

Word count: 2.9k

Main Masterlist | Week Masterlist | Eris Masterlist | AO3

@sjmxreaderweek

The hallways of the Forest House had finally grown quiet after music flooded them during the ball. Held to celebrate the Heir’s birthday, it lasted hours, dragging on from the early afternoon until dinner.

You had been so jealous of the guests. They got to dance and enjoy a rich meal, wear fine gowns and expensive makeup, looking as if they had stepped out of a child's storybook.

Well, you assumed that for people with so much money, even fictional stories could turn into reality if they were just willing to pay for it.

But you—you had to bring the heavy trays of food from the kitchen up to the banquet hall, using the hidden passages for the servants. Cauldron forbid someone saw you.

The delicious smell of the food made your mouth water as you carried it upstairs. That was all you were allowed to do, really—breathe it in and wish you could at least take a bite. So much of it would be wasted anyway, but the High Lord would rather throw away the leftovers than give them to commoners.

With a sigh, you stopped in front of the doors to the Heir's chambers and knocked twice, the sound breaking the silence of the hallway.

“Come in.”

His voice was sharp and clear even from behind the wooden door. Authority dripped from those two simple words.

You turned the knob and pushed the door open, closing it behind you after you walked in, your eyes scanning the room in search of the Heir.

Your breath caught when you saw him.

Eris Vanserra had always been beautiful, but tonight the word wasn't enough to describe him.

He was clad in a long burgundy tunic embroidered with golden threads, his long hair a cascade of fire down his shoulders. The dark brown pants completed the outfit, making him look every bit the regal Heir of the Autumn Court.

“You called for me, Your Highness?” you finally asked.

Eris let out a low chuckle and stalked toward you. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?”

“You look like a prince,” you countered. “It's only right I address you as one.”

He shook his head, but you didn't miss the small smile on his lips as he wrapped his arms around you.

“I missed you tonight,” he murmured. “I wish you could have been there.”

Warmth spread through your chest, but you just lifted a brow. “I was there, you know,” you pointed out, looping your arms around his neck. “I kept sneaking in to bring fresh food for you fancy people.”

Eris's lips quirked up at the corner. He'd once told you it was one of the things that had made him fall in love with you—more than just your witty humor, it was how you'd never treated him as the Heir everybody had to fear and respect, but as a normal person. As if he were no different from you. Of course, you both knew it was just an illusion.

If there really hadn't been any difference between you and him, he wouldn't have been forced to keep his love for you a secret from everyone. Especially his father.

“You know that's not what I meant,” Eris said. His hands roamed over your back, as if having you close wasn't enough for him. “I wish you could have been by my side.”

You left a trail of kisses along his jaw. “Well, I'm here now.” Your lips brushed his. “Let's make the most of this time.”

Eris claimed your mouth in the kiss you didn't give him, but he soon pulled back.

“Later,” he murmured. He let you go and took a step back, pointing to the table set against the wall. “I brought you something.”

Your gaze followed to where he was pointing. A tray was set there, a dome lid hiding its contents.

Eris took your hand and gently guided you to the table. “My lady,” he offered, pulling out the chair for you.

You lifted a brow but sat with a smile. “I'm not your lady.”

A flicker of sadness passed through his eyes. “No,” he conceded. “But I wish you could be.”

You squeezed his hand, ready to tell him that just because you joked about it, it didn’t mean you didn’t wish the same.

But Eris smiled again. “Let me treat you as one while I can.”

He removed the lid from the tray, revealing small portions of at least five different dishes and a glass of sparkling red wine.

Your eyes widened, and your nose filled with the same enticing smells as just a few hours ago. Your mouth watered, and your heart swelled.

“I didn't know what you'd like,” Eris said. “So I took a few different things, just to be sure.”

Tugging on his hand, you pulled him down until he was at eye level with you.

“Thank you, Eris,” you murmured. Any hint of playfulness had disappeared, and only gratitude now laced your words. “This means a lot to me.”

You kissed him with all the passion you could, trying to convey with one simple kiss the depth of your love. But just like words weren't enough, neither were your touches or kisses—and maybe they never would be.

But at least you were trying.

“I love you,” you added when you leaned back.

“I love you too,” he replied with a smile. He sat next to you, then gestured to the tray. “But you'd better eat now, my darling. That heating spell won't last forever.”

You didn't need to be told twice.

Without wasting any more time, you picked up the fork and dove in.

Eris had summoned you to his chambers shortly after the celebration was over, so you'd come here immediately without eating first and you were hungry enough to finish it all in just a few minutes.

But you forced yourself to eat slowly. It wasn't every day that you got to eat such food—normally, servants would have bland, simple meals—and you intended to enjoy every second of this rare occasion.

Under Eris’ gaze, you took the first bite.

A low moan slipped past your lips as flavor exploded on your tongue.

Eris chuckled. “I'm usually the one getting that sound out of you,” he quipped. “Should I be jealous?”

“Yes,” you answered immediately, already taking another mouthful. “This is delicious. The best thing I've ever had.”

Not that the bar was high, anyway.

He had been careful in his selection of dishes. There was smoked beef and roasted pork, grilled fish and buttery buns, plus different types of vegetables. Each bite tasted better than the last one, and the wine… gods, the wine was sweet and fruity, cleansing your mouth with every sip. So different from the watered-down grape juice you sometimes drank in the kitchens.

Eris watched in silence as you savored your meal. Amusement lined his sharp features, but you were too busy eating to ask him what he found so entertaining.

Probably your enthusiasm—or the little noises you let out with every new flavor.

Once you were done and the dishes looked like they had been thoroughly cleaned, you set the knife and fork down and leaned back against the chair.

You didn’t know how you could go back to eating normal food after such a fancy meal, but you definitely knew you would never forget it.

Your eyes settled on Eris, who was still looking at you.

“Thank you,” you said with a smile. “It feels like Winter Solstice, but months in advance.”

Eris grinned. “Then you’ll be happy to know your presents are not done yet.”

He rose from his seat and extended a hand. You accepted it, letting him help you to your feet.

“There’s more?” you asked, scanning the room as if expecting to see a wrapped box somewhere.

“That depends on you, actually.”

Frowning, you turned back to him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Eris let go of your hand and walked up to the empty fireplace. He picked up a small, shiny sphere from the mantel.

“Darling,” he said slowly, glancing from the sphere to you, “do you know how to dance?”

You grew more curious and confused with each passing second, but you still shook your head. “No,” you answered. “No one ever taught me.”

“Well, that’s a real pity.”

As you approached him, Eris quickly tapped the smooth surface of the sphere twice. The light within seemed to shift, and then slow music began to play.

One of the sweet melodies you’d heard during his birthday celebration now filled the room, echoing crystal clear against the walls—without any of the crowd noise that had previously ruined it.

You gasped softly when you realized exactly what the sphere was.

“A Symphonia,” you murmured in awe.

You had heard about them, but you had never seen one before. It was a luxury you could never afford. The only music you could listen to was the kind played during balls or parties— or, if you were lucky, by some wandering minstrel down in the village on your day off. Sometimes, you could even catch echoes of the Lady playing the piano or the transverse flute in her rooms—though it happened less and less frequently ever since Lucien had left the Court.

Eris positioned the device back onto the black marble mantel, a crescendo of strings now flowing from it.

“I’ve had to dance with many people today,” he said when he turned to face you again. “But not with the only person I wanted to.”

Your heart skipped a beat as he offered you his hand.

“Can I have the honor of this dance, my lady?” he asked. He even bowed slightly, his fiery hair spilling over his shoulders.

“I already told you I don’t know how to dance,” you replied, yet you took his hand and let him pull you close.

His arms wrapped around you, pulling you flush against him. His scent of twinkling embers and nutmeg flooded your senses, and you rested your head against his chest, breathing it in and letting it soothe you.

“It doesn’t matter,” he reassured you, placing a kiss on your hair. “We can enjoy it anyway.”

And so, you did.

Instead of the waltzing dance the music probably called for, you just swayed softly to the rhythm, holding each other and enjoying the moment in silence.

You were aware of how it must have looked like from the outside. Eris Vanserra, the Heir to the Autumn Court, dressed in his fancy, expensive clothes, dancing with a servant wearing only a simple tunic. It was laughable, really.

If the High Lord found out, you knew your punishment wouldn’t be limited to being sent away from the Forest House and losing your job.

But you refused to think about it. Especially not now.

Right now, you were here with Eris. And he was just that.

Not the Heir to his father’s title.

Not the General of the armies.

Just Eris.

The same Eris who had once seen you tending to his mother and had taken an interest in you. The same Eris who had never treated you as an inferior but as his equal, who had gone to lengths to prove to you that he wasn’t just looking for a quick fling with a girl he could forget an hour later before you would consider accepting his attention.

Dancing with him now, just you and him and no one else, with your belly full with exquisite food, was the closest you would get to feeling like you belonged to the high class.

But when the song ended, the spell broke, and the illusion that you could be anything more than what you were dissolved like the last notes of the melody. And though another one began playing shortly after, those few seconds of silence in between weighed heavily on you.

You were exhausted after being up since dawn to help prepare for the ball. Your feet hurt from climbing up and down the stairs while carrying heavy trays. And—as you were finding out just now—eating more than what you were used to hadn’t helped. You felt stuffed.

Reluctantly, you stepped back from Eris’ embrace.

“It’s late,” you sighed. “I should probably go.”

Eris looked disappointed. “Why? You could stay.”

You tilted your head to the side. “You know why. Someone might notice it if I don’t return to my room.”

He shook his head. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, as if weighing his words. Then he reached out and tapped the Symphonia again, and the music faded into silence.

He turned back to you, his expression almost pleading.

“Stay with me tonight,” he murmured. “Just tonight, my love.”

The Cauldron knew how much you wanted to say yes. Even after months, you had never spent the whole night with him. It was too dangerous. One of the other servants might grow suspicious. It hadn’t happened yet, and the few times somebody had asked questions, you’d been quick to come up with a believable lie. But it didn’t mean you should take too many risks.

“It’s my birthday,” Eris added with a smirk. “You can’t say no to me on my birthday.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle. “That’s a good point. But still, I don’t think—”

“No one will notice,” he insisted. “They never have.”

That was also true. And every night after a big event, you and the other members of the household staff usually collapsed into your cots and slept soundly till the next morning. So maybe, just this once, it was the perfect occasion to stay with him…

“Eris, I’m very tired,” you argued one last time—mostly so you could tell yourself you had tried everything to change his mind.

“That’s alright, I have a bed,” he replied instantly. His smirk widened, and before you could protest, he picked you up.

You laughed, arms looping around his neck as he carried you to his bedroom.

“Alright, you win,” you conceded. “But if someone scolds me tomorrow morning, I’ll make sure to tell them it’s your fault.”

“Deal.”

He pushed the door open with his foot, then set you down on the large bed in the center of the room.

A bed that was apparently already occupied.

You raised an eyebrow. “You let her sleep on your bed?”

Eris shrugged. “She cries if I leave her with the others.”

You rolled your eyes playfully at him, then reached out to scratch the hound behind her ears.

Noora lifted her head to look at you. She sniffed your hand for a few seconds and—probably recognizing you—licked it once. Then she yawned and tucked her snout back between her paws.

“You spoil her,” you chuckled. “And then you say you don’t have favorites.”

He laughed with you. “Don’t tell the others. They don’t know it’s a lie.”

You shook your head, but your attention soon shifted from the sleeping dog.

Eris started undressing, deft fingers making quick work of the buttons on his tunic. A small part of you was sad to see him discard such a handsome outfit, but it wasn’t as if you could complain about his physique.

Lean and tall, yet not lacking muscle. Especially that wonderful V-line disappearing just below the hem of his underwear—a line that made you want to pull the fabric off him in seconds.

“I thought you said you were tired.”

His voice cut through your thoughts, amusement lacing his tone.

“Are you suddenly awake?” he teased.

“Oh, I could definitely give up sleep for that,” you replied, pointing directly at that inviting line of muscle. “But alas, you let your dog sleep here.”

Eris arched a brow. “I could make her leave. It’s just one night.”

“No, it’s fine.” You sighed, then stood to take off your tunic. “Jokes aside, I really am tired.”

He pulled back the covers and slipped into bed, patting the mattress beside him. “Then come here.”

Wearing only your undergarments, you climbed into bed next to him. There was enough space for you, him, and Noora—and at least three more of Eris’ hounds. But you snuggled close to him, and he wrapped you in his arms, pulling you back against him until you were pressed against his chest.

“You can sleep as much as you need,” he murmured. His breath was warm against your neck. “I’ll make sure you don’t get into trouble tomorrow.”

Even if he couldn’t see it, you smiled. Your hand found his and you intertwined your fingers, lifting it to your mouth. You brushed your lips against the back of his hand.

“I love you,” you whispered, eyes already drifting closed.

He kissed your shoulder. “I love you too, darling.”

It was the first—and probably the last—time you got to sleep in his arms, to wake up in the morning and have him next to you, still holding you close. And maybe you should take advantage of it and try to stay awake a little bit longer just to savor it for a few more moments.

But the peace and safety you felt in his arms were too strong to fight against, and you were soon drifting off to sleep.

And for just that one night, you could be two normal people who loved each other, regardless of status or titles.

*lovely divider by @slytherin-pen

Taglist: @mrsjna @navyblue-eternity @paintedbyshadows @highladyandromeda @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @azrielsmate3 @mollygetssherlockcoffee @mirandasidefics @tinystarfishgalaxy @cynthiesjmxazrielslover @anarchiii @readinggeeklmao @anneas11 @lilah-asteria @lorosette @azrielsrealmate @pey2618 @mellowmusings @k8r123-blog @daughterofthemoons-stuff @minnieoo @saltedcoffeescotch @georgiadixon @quiet-because-it-is-a-secret @ivy-34 @yesiamthatwierd @lreadsstuff @littlest-w01f

[moosemann404]

Fuck you Ena-fies your Doug Ratttman (click for better quality)

Here are the sides. Originally, one side (painter) was going to have a beard, but my beards already look horrible, and half of one looked even worse. That other foot was also going to be like… a full foot, before I gave up and now it’s just shapes.

Worker was originally called Scientist, but I changed it because it’s supposed to be his ‘work face’ (aka playing nice and holding his tongue and shit. Basically a customer service face). I would have changed painter but I couldn’t think of a descriptor for it proper and ‘passionate’ didn’t feel right. It’s the side that’s more honest and prefers doing things that aren’t work or that he finds fulfilling.

The more extreme faces are extensions of this. Worker getting so worked up that it progresses to full on paranoia, desperate to keep his job + the idea that people are trying to take it away from him in the first place. Catatonic is a state of Painter failing to do its job. Either the creations are no longer fulfilling or there are so many tasks to do to complete them that he shuts down. Or people keep trying to distract him or take him away from what he’s doing.

(Also the raise lower thing on Paranoid is like the Fuzzies from Mario)

And bonus: Concept that was Wheatley!!

…you know at some point

Yeah this doesn’t look much like him but. We ball. I’ve been informed by a friend as well as my brother that sexypedia woulda gone crazy over this.

Originally I was going off the way he was a Big Screen through chapter 8 and part of chapter 9, you know, big old god face. And then something grabbed me by the throat and whispered ‘experiment with your style’ so now we have this thing as a result. I had a lot of fun doing the sort of pseudo-rubber hose style. Close ups below along with some details.

The base design I had. I never had a tv with an antenna (though I have had a thick ass bubble tv) so I looked at a bajillion references. Given that Wheatley is a certified Yapper, I went for a more talk show set background. The style of the furniture is all Retro Future when they used eye bleed orange and had big egg chairs because Aperture had a small bit of that aesthetic in the first underground section (or second??? I struggle to remember timelines). I struggled to find any actual retro future ceiling lamps because the first 30 images were ai generated. Hate to see it. Resorted to looking at eBay.

The dials and buttons are meant to be copper, since most of the TVs I saw had gold accents and it just didn’t really work out when I applied it here. I think I’m just shit at coloring metals. I would have put ‘The Wheatley Show’ on the sign but my handwriting/cursive is too dog water.

The second design I did. I tried some squash and stretch here, and I’m quite proud of it. The antenna are being tugged down, so I know there probably should be a picture but shhh, I can do what I want. I was more interested in making it look like he was pulling his hair.

I couldn’t name this one properly. It’s also closer to a shut down, but things like dread and emotional drain fit too. I debated on doing this whole thing in black and white, as early TVs didn’t have color, but after consulting some people I decided to only do it for certain expressions. He also desaturates when unsure/uncomfortable.

This one was the one I was most excited to get to. The hands can do more than just mess with the antenna, they can change the channel and click the buttons (they’re volume buttons even though I don’t think TVs had those at least not like this). There’s a number of different backgrounds that can pop up when being fiddled with, like a weather broadcast, a nature documentary, a cooking show, pretty much anything, as long as it falls into that 60-70s approach I had.

Oh right yeah there’s a guy in there.

I wanted to make him simultaneously more and less details than the guy in the screen. More detail in the bow tie and the arms, but lacking the suit detail. This one veered closer to doctor Seuss in terms of style I fear. The white side of the face is supposed to look more like a mask, which is why the iris is a different style and the smile doesn’t line up.

Bonus funny

[nixariel]

So I'm not on discord but what I do have are screencaps, educated guesses, and a list of portfolio websites for some of CS2019's background artists.

As a bit of forewarning, I've tried on-and-off to see if there were any visual clues to how exactly the various faculty classrooms work in relation to the building's outside, and the short answer is 'not really'. When it comes to the group faculty room, the best estimate I've been able to make for its location is that it's at the back of the main building on approximately the third floor, mostly based on this shot of Mechie in the doorway of the faculty room with the bottom curve of the school's atrium circle-window visible behind her (see arrow).

Technically that angle for the circle-window should probably line up better with the second floor

but there actually looks to be four floors total

and to have the faculty room on the third floor with a double-high ceiling seemed to be the best compromise between the above view behind Mechie and the fact that it also seems to include the top part of another (presumably the back of the school) circle window.

I did check to see whether the faculty room could somehow be in the topmost section of the atrium circle-window (because it technically wasn't visible in that second screencap), but the most complete image I could capture still did not seem to have anything consistent with setting an entire room up there.

Further confusing the issue are those rectangular side windows with the triangular mullions that apparently extend from the dais all the way to flanking the main door

because that is night sky visible through them in at least two different episodes (S1E01, S01E08, and then a different angle of the faculty room as per S2E06 to compare to the 1st screencap, which was from the same episode), so it's probably not a goof. And while that view could be reasonable behind the faculty seats, and even around the sides to a certain point, I really don't know how that's supposed to work for the windows nearest the doors because this

is the corridor leading up to them. Please note its width, and also the absence of windows of any kind on either side of that door. (Also also the change in doorframe shape, although maybe that's just For The Aesthetic?)

Also x 3, this is the side view of the academy

and once again, I am not seeing any windows even remotely matching those of the faculty room. Personally, I've been going with Bellum having created some kind of pocket dimension because it makes about as much sense as anything else. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Otherwise, I would suspect that the classrooms/student-access areas are mostly on the second and first floor because both of these scenes

seem to take place on either side of the atrium at about a second-floor level given the shape of the railing both to their left plus above them (left screencap) as well as the crossbars on the windows to Black Sheep's left (right screencap). The third (+/- fourth) floor could then be a faculty-only area (possibly their living quarters), though that would be mostly based on the assumption of a boarding school style set-up rather than any true visual clues.

Last but not least, this is an incomplete list of links to various background artist portfolios that might be helpful:

Johel Rivera Heejin Park Elaine Lee Eastwood Wong Eosong Lee Silvia Liu

This was a bit of a rush job so I'll probably be doing a little polishing as time/internet access allows, but hopefully what's here so far will help!

P.S. I saw someone in the comments wondering about where Black Sheep's pre-Academy room was? Judging from her view of the school's front

she was in the same building as the regular dormitories (possibly the single story section closer to the beach?)

though why she felt the need to make such a production of moving from what was essentially one wing of the building to another, that I cannot say. ;D

anyone wanna help me theorize and map out the inside of vile academy??

cause i have only this pic of the outside and the circled area is where i think the faculty viewing room is

suffice to say i'm not looking forward to mapping out the area by myself XD

[rolandkaros]

caved.

[iphigeniacomplex]

breaking my silence on chess the musical to say that i would literally not give a fuck about this show if i thought it was good or fully successful at what it is saying. SORRY! i love how messy she is. i love how since 1984 and continuing to this very day people with entirely different perceptions of and opinions on the musical have attempted in their own ways to "make it good" by creating all these different versions with like notably different plots, characterization, and song order, and i love how fucking bad the vast majority of these are despite it all. i hope people keep trying to fix chess the musical forever and until the end of time. i hope no one ever figures it out. i want every currently living theatre director in existence to make their own version and for all these versions to come out on broadway at the same time, making that year's musical season entirely comprised of various different versions of the cold war chess musical by tim rice and half of abba. i want not only our greatest minds but also our middlest-of-the-road and worst minds to come up with their own conclusions as to why chess does not entirely work in its original form or any subsequent forms like to really think about it and yes i do want someone to dedicate their entire life to perfecting chess by releasing version after version after version until they die peacefully but still, as always, in the grips of obsession. i want marriages to be broken up. i want mental states to be shattered. i dream of this world

[xxplastic-cubexx]

i’m so glad you brought up that bit in excalibur where magneto’s ideal prison is him getting to be a husband and father again, because it’s so relevant to the idea that the house of m reality isn’t actually everyone’s ideal life, but just wanda’s idea of what everyone’s ideal life would be. all the time i see x-fans condemn magneto for house of m because his ideal world is him becoming exactly like his oppressors, but house of m isn’t actually the life magnus wants! any time magnus gets to become a political leader, he hates it. he hated ruling genosha. he hated ruling krakoa. deep down, he doesn’t want to be superior. he just wants to live in peace with the family he lost.

also, shoutout to magda and anya, who never get to be anything other than magneto’s women in refrigerators. i wish they got to be more important than that. i love it every time we see them in comics, but it’s so rare. and shoutout to magda in particular since she’s been almost completely erased from the narrative by the maximoff retcon. really hope we get a reveal that natalya maximoff was magda all along when we inevitably make wanda and pietro magneto’s mutant children again.

i honestly didnt know excalibur was a predecessor to HoM when i heard about both runs so when i saw that set of panels for the first time it really had me reconsider HoM and the 'ideal reality' bit, im surprised i dont see it mentioned more often

i really wish there were more appearances of mags, magda, and anya; if there are stories focused on them i barely see them talked about... ive heard magda is mags' best-written partner from some but i also very rarely see stories that feature her directly named, so i never get to see her beyond the few fleeting instances i just so happen to catch her. id very much like to see more of her and mags' domestic life....

i think if we find out that natalya was magda all along i'll howl: this family really Can get more complicated contrary to popular belief 💀

[beaulesbian]

Xitra "Rook" Ingellvar

[shakingparadigm]

horrendously sick and twisted btw

[wackywatchdotcom]

i will say im not super invested in the idea of the show giving us too much information on c&a. like itll be super cool if we find out about it! and im sure itll be relevant information if we do but i think the information we get is going to be not super indepth, because im not sure itd match the tone of the show? its less about mystery and like The Lore and more about the characters and examining how different characters respond and have been responding to the environment set up by the show

(it WOULD be fun to learn more details about c&a and i AM curious i just dont think itd actually enhance much abt the show itself, and as such, i dont think its super important writing wise for the audience to learn about it either)

that SAID i do ascribe to the idea that ALL of the cast members worked for c&a before the ended up in the circus, no exceptions. i dont really know how say gangle or zooble wouldve ended up there, but i feel like they all ended up there one way or another. and i think most of the cast doesnt talk about their life in the real world bc its gone and theres no reason to dredge it up (or theyve forgotten it or most aspects of it), but it does make it fascinating that not even pomni, who has the least reason to avoid these topics at least early on, broached the subject of what in the WORLD is c&a UP to. it literally is never brought up ever as of ep 4. which makes me think the company was probably always super shady in some way to the pt that its employees were kinda desensitized to the idea that its c&as fault that horrible things happen

[skunkes]

yeah ur addition abt brushes mattering is so true, i dont think i really came into my current style until i tried out aliasing for my lineart

exactly! ill never understand brush gatekeeping (other than for certain reasons, like how i wont share brushes that ppl have given me in private bc theyre not mine to share, sometimes ppl wont share them bc they want to sell them etc) or saying it doesnt matter lol.... ppl who do so are always like "um having my brushes wont make u draw exactly like me! 🙄" like yeah, they wont. that's not what anyone expects. but also, if they wont magically make someone draw exactly like you then what exactly is your problem with sharing them lol what are you afraid of !

i've used TONS of brushes from artists who have shared them and i hate most of them because they don't fit my way of working even after editing settings, which is why i know they do matter when you get your hands on brushes that fit your line weight, strokes, style, texture, preferences, etc. if that makes sense....

[astros-arts-inthestars]

aubrey with a metaverse outfit

...I hope you know it took me a month to draw this and it's nOT EVEN BECAUSE IM GAY. Colors are hard man. But i... actually REALLY TOOK THIS REQUEST SERIOUSLY THE MOMENT I SAW IT and am pretty proud of the design- tHE COLORS JUST FUCKED ME OVER MAN

anyways <3 Aubrey as a Phantom Thief!! Without and with a mask <3

Joker (and the others) suggested codenames such as: -Hare -Cottontail -Lucky -Rabid -Burrow

What do you guys think?

[james-stark-the-writer]

just finished Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, and it is a game written by cowards for cowards.

the final twist genuinely ruins the game. it's so stupid as a narrative decision. i hate it so much. it almost makes me understand what the people yelling about The Last Jedi being too subservient to its themes were yelling about (OBVIOUSLY not the ones that were being bigoted and loud and wrong about it, but just the ones who had actual issues with its narrative directions/execution). genuinely, the twist takes what could have been an extremely solid 8.5, maybe a 9/10 game down to a 4/10 game with nothing of interest to say deluding itself into thinking it's saying anything of worth by thoughtlessly repeating patterns as if that's supposed to generate meaning without any real effort of actually committing to that meaning, or seeing the world as anything beyond its basic binary worldview of Good and Bad.

putting that twist in fundamentally cuts the legs out from any actual, interesting and substantive critique it could have leveled at the legal system and our feelings about people on trial and their perceived guilt or innocence, and it just ends up reinforcing it as a power of good that Will Ultimately Prevail In The Search For Truth, as if that is even remotely a thing any legal system is concerned with, especially the one in the game that mostly just stumbles into The Right Choices because it's a game controlled by the player. it's frankly ideologically incoherent to the point of saying nothing because its critique is unfocused and toothless. best it can muster is "maybe some people are corrupt and lying, but if You take Advantage of The System, you can beat them" as if malicious compliance is supposed to change the system. fuck off.

ran out of tags but. i'm serious about this lol, i really hate it as a narrative and ideological choice. the game threatens to say something bold and interesting and then just pulls the rug out from underneath you. it sucks. it's very much like 12 Angry Men in that way, i think, except at least that movie Knows what it's saying and that its basic premise is its ideological downfall, this just doesn't really feel like it says anything much interesting or coherent, ultimately, because the criticism either drowns in the length and comedic nature of it, or just ultimately isn't focused and pointed and nuanced enough to actually say something meaningful. like ik someone's gonna do a "kid's game" thing but hello, kid's shit has always been nuanced and just bc it's "for kids" doesn't mean it has to abide by some binary ass morality that flattens all its interesting critique, especially when you're constantly led, structurally, to the more interesting and nuanced narrative choice only to have a twist completely ruin it and making it all feel like a waste of your time. plenty of things are nuanced and interesting and "for kids" without deflating their themes and messages by writing a stupid twist that undercuts the interesting parts of its arguments.

[hewhobreathesfire]

I'm not afraid to admit I cried a little bit when I was laying on the sidewalk temporarily stunned. and I kept crying while speed walking to the bus stop a few blocks away. that shit hurt so bad, on top of an already miserable morning.

[kaiserouo]

i wanna add rods and holes on the angler company robots how do i even come up with a plot to justify the design

(im just rambling please dont actually help me with this)