#i get to see such a wide range of designs and get to learn a little bit about each one and it's really amazing i can't take that for grante

[orokay]

I think one of my faaaavorite parts of doing commissions is seeing all of the art the commissioner sends for references. SO MUCH incredible gorgeous art that they've received from past commissions or drawn themselves and it's really amazing!! And seeing their characters interpreted in different styles!! I love it so much!!

[choochooboss]

Sketch dump! Vol. 5

September 2022 (Part 1/2)

The first piece on top summarised my cosplay rush for Tracon 2022! The second is an old idea for a charm.

"SURPRISE!!"

Back in 2022 I hosted an art raffle for reaching 777 followers on Twitter! The winner would get their submas themed idea realised (which was their friends throwing a surprise party for the twins!). I wanted to make a little comic and have the bosses walk in their office where depot agents, Elesa, Drayden, Skyla, Clay etc. would be waiting with decorations and treats and games.

Emmet is all smiles of course while Ingo gets so emotional he could only whisper a "super bravo".

Not really headcanons anymore but still funny ideas.

1. Emmet gets clumsy when off-rhythm! He starts walking in curves if there is nobody else around to match his rhythm with.

2. Emmet spaces out/forgets to say things aloud when someone speaks too long or when things go off-script! His thinking gets interrupted easily.

3. Ingo sometimes bumps into doors because he is too used to automatic doors!

4. When things go off-script Ingo speaks too much and rushes in straight lines"

Also my little inexpensive sketchbook & my trusty tools! Mechanical pencil and eraser pen are life when scribbling my skrimblos smaller than a postage stamp!

More Ingo~ I utilise a wide range of sources for references, including CSP's poseable 3D models, they can come really handy with perspectives and proportions!

The second piece is my very first attempt at cosplay in Tracon 2022: Blingo! I walked in with a sequin hat, leather jacket, leather pants and high heel patent leather boots.

The hardest part of cosplaying Ingo is remembering NOT to smile ahaha!

Some hairstyle tests

I drew these for a huge submas art collaboration over Twitter hosted by @/mimizukeii!! It was technically my first art collab before I started arranging them myself with Aggie/Magma.

While looking for train related songs I found this cute nursery rhyme to go with the marching:

"Over the mountains,

Over the plains,

Over the rivers,

Here come the trains.

Carrying passengers,

Carrying mail,

Bringing their precious loads In without fail"

I wanted to compare these silly twins, planning to do something more silly with them later. Also a sketch of @/fukurow's butler designs I never finished.. The capes compliment them so well, I love them!!

Prequel to this piece! Emmet is so confident in himself he thinks Pierce wants to learn from him but is invited for a duet on the stage instead!!

Emmet has really great voice actors in Pokemas! I especially love how his english VA gives him that bri'ish/posh/sophisticated vibe while also soft and melodic! I know for SURE this VA/Emmet can sing, I can show you later!

One of my favourite sketches!! I wanted to add a bunch of characters in the BG reacting to this sonic blast of emotion over a performance!

Heyyy it's the smile buddies comic!! I really hope Ingo gets to interact with Marnie in Pokemas one day!!

I feel Ingo's eyes in the mirror panel is a little off in the final comic, I meant to keep it softer like in the sketch!

It's Nimbasa trio!! Idea inspired by submas EX uniform colors. Might continue this later!

Some BG tests for this piece! Compositing is hard but absolutely worth the effort, it can make a huge difference in the appeal of your piece!!

Practise piece drawing over a photo I thought was cool! I want to get more experimental with lighting and perspective!

'How's it hanging bro?' Who hung him up there anyway??

Sketch for this arguing scene! Something REALLY BAD needs to happen for them to end up that tense! Even if I want to present them close to the canon material I still want to put them in really challenging situations to see how far I can push their emotions!

Thank you so much for coming all the way down here!! This set was pretty loaded, I hope you enjoyed scrolling through all this ahah!

Previous posts:

Sketch dump Vol. 1: April-June 2022

Sketch dump Vol. 2: July 2022

Sketch dump Vol. 3: August 2022

Sketch dump Vol. 4: July 2022 Part 2

[moon-buggg]

Here's my lovely science edutainment bot Sun! I'm not. going to be focusing on this au until after Halloween at least, but I am in love with it

you know the drill more details under the cut!

The Pizzaplex is now a Kids Science Centre! Chock full of fun, interactive, learn-through-play exhibits designed to get kids interested in science! With their main sponsor being Fazco, they have a pretty big emphasis on robotics and computers, though they have a wide range of exhibits to appeal to interests of all kinds of interests

Each main exhibit has its own animatronic mascot, with Freddy being the main mascot of the whole centre. I haven't decided on specifics for the glamrocks just yet-

As for the boys, Moon runs shows in the planetarium while Sun does science experiment demonstrations like elephant tooth paste. Since they're mostly for shows and demonstrations, the boys don't interact with guests nearly as much as the glamrocks do.

Either they both used to run the planetarium (possibly in one body? I haven't decided) until the higher ups decided to replace the humans running the experiment shows with an animatronic, OR it was always like this I'm still deciding because it WILL change how I characterize them

Anyways I have the most info about Sun because he was just going to be an oc before this au was revealed to me in a vision so-

He has a bit of a stutter problem after an ill-advised tesla coil demonstration fried his circuits just a touch. It's not bad enough to be fixed but he is self conscious about it.

He makes his demonstrations into performances! Telling little stories about how he used to work at a zoo and really DID need to make elephant toothpaste while mixing everything together to draw out the big fun expansion of foam, before going into an age appropriate explanation of the chemistry involved. If asked to explain some science thing that isn't part of his scripts, he can struggle with keeping it child-friendly, going into too far much detail. He's just full of information!

the 'glass' part of his glasses are actually screens! Allowing his eyes to move around and emote. the little dots in the corners are the cameras he sees out of.

He's mildly less distressed by mess than his canon counterpart. As long as its part of the show (and doesn't get on HIM), messes are part of the fun! Extremely sensitive to his things being moved, however. It stems from his safety protocol, some of the chemicals he works with are legitimately dangerous, like liquid nitrogen, and so it could be bad news if somethings out of its place!

[ladykailitha]

Sir Steve, Knight Protectorate Part 3

Here we are at the last chapter. Thank you for everyone who liked, commented and reblogged, especially those that left lovely comments in their tags.

This isn't the last we'll see of this universe, as the next one I want to do is Christmas. Steve talking to Jonathan about the camera and not just saying it was joint present from him and Nancy.

In this we have some people who just never learn, Eddie getting heart-eyes non-stop now, and the basketball game of the century.

Part 1 Part 2

~

Larry Wiggins learned nothing from getting decked in the face by Eddie Munson, Steve decided. He had been the worst of the “accidental” bullies.

If there was a massive collusion of some poor bastards, you could make a pretty safe bet that Larry was seen leaving the area. The teachers turned a blind eye to it because and he quotes, “You have no proof he’s doing anything wrong, besides as captain of the basketball team, he’s afforded a little grace because he’s under soooo much pressure.”

Steve was pretty sure he threw up a little in his mouth when he heard that from the principal, the vice principal, the basketball coach, and at least three other teachers despite him doing it right in front of them multiple times.

So just before the winter break it all came to a head and if Steve was honest, he wasn’t surprised when he saw the victim was one of Eddie’s own sheep.

Steve had really needed to pee in history class. It was horrible, but Mrs. Click adored him and let him go to the bathroom, then immediately turned around and told a girl that is she wasn’t on the rag, she had no need to use the bathroom until after class.

He felt bad about that one, because unlike students, Steve couldn’t do jack shit about the teachers. Not without losing whatever status he actually had.

He pushed open the doors to the boys’ bathroom and instantly sagged against the doorway. There cowering in the corner was one of Eddie’s freaks. He had curly brown hair and blue eyes, though one was shut from a reddening welt that no doubt would turn into a black eye later.

Then the bell rang and students came flooding out of their classes, just in time to see Steve dragging Larry out of the bathroom and throwing him against the lockers across from the bathroom.

Before anyone could protest Steve’s over-reaction, the little freshman came limping out of the bathroom.

“Gareth!” Eddie called out and Steve was distracted for a moment by the sound, let Larry out of his grasp.

But instead of taking off like what would have been the smart thing, Larry pushed Steve off of him.

“You would take the side of the little pervert, Harrington,” he sneered. “I caught this little freak checking under the bathroom stalls. No doubt he’s a fag looking for dick to ogle.”

Gareth opened his mouth to protest, but Steve held up his hand.

“Or, he could be,” Steve scoffed, “and get this, looking to make sure no one was in the stalls so he go into the one he wanted? Like a normal person?”

Eddie and Gareth both snorted at the ‘normal’ description, but wisely kept their mouths shut.

Larry rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. “You think you’re so hot, don’t you? You’re not even a senior but everyone around here walks around here kissing your ass and why? Because Daddy’s money. If you were as poor as these chucklefucks, the only kiss you’d be getting is mouth to mouth when someone finally put you down like the dog you are!”

Gareth threw back his head and laughed. Just started laughing and laughing, doubling over from the laughter, tears streaming down his face.

Larry raised an eyebrow. “What the fuck is his problem?”

“His dad owns three of this town’s car dealerships, dude,” Steve said raising both eyebrows. “Like he lives in Loch Nora.”

Larry’s eyes go wide. “What the fuck? Then why is he dressed like trailer trash?”

“Hey!” Eddie growled and moved to take a swing at the guy, but again Steve held up his hand.

“Dude is in designer jeans and high tops and you have to ask that?” he shook his head. “You really are stupid. How did you become captain of the basketball team again?”

Steve tapped his lip for a moment, his other hand on his hip. Then he snapped his fingers. “Oh, that’s right, you mom blew the coach!”

Larry lunged forward to take a swing at Steve but Tommy and one of the other guys on the team managed to pull him back.

“You want to put your money where your mouth is punk?!” Larry shouted, trying to get out of his restraints.

Steve looked him up and down. “You’re on. One on one in the outdoor basketball court. First one to twenty points wins. We need an unbiased ref...” he looked around until he found a black sophomore standing off the side. “You, you tried out for JV this year, right?”

The kid pointed to himself and looked around but Steve nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I didn’t make it, but yeah I play.”

Steve turned to Larry. “That okay with you?”

Larry nodded. “If I win, you quit the team and stop this fucking crusade you’re on.”

The crowd oohed and ahhed.

“And if I win,” Steve said with a knowing smirk, “you step down as captain and make me captain instead. And if you lay a single finger on anyone again, and you know what I mean, I’ll be sure to spill every dirty secret you ever uttered in the locker room. Don’t think that I won’t.”

Larry gulped heavily. The sound loud in the now dead silent hallway.

Steve stuck out his hand and Larry eyed it for a moment. He looked up into Steve’s steely gaze, then at the gathered crowd. He shook the offered hand and pumped it once.

“Saturday 10am,” Steve said with a grin. Larry nodded and Steve walked over to the kid who was going to be their ref and slung an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, kid, what’s your name?”

“Patrick,” the kid mumbled shyly.

“Well, Patrick,” he said, leading him away from the crowd, “the team will be down one player regardless of what happens, you should try out again.”

Everyone is left staring in shock as the two boys walk away talking about basketball.

Nancy, who had been watching the whole thing turned to Tina, “So that was hot, right?”

Tina just nodded, her mouth open and her eyes wide. She fanned herself with her hand and shook her head. “Girl, you fucked up when you let that one get away.”

Nancy bit her lip, but privately agreed. It had been a month, and Jonathan still wasn’t biting. Perhaps...

Perhaps she might have another, tastier option.

~

The bullying full on stopped as the whole school held their breath. Even the teacher had noticed the whispering in the hall, but time and time again, students would refuse to say why. The nerds sided with Eddie and his club, the popular kids sided with Steve, and everyone one else but the bullies wanted to keep out of it.

When the teachers finally reached out to the kids who were doing the bullying, therefore proving to the whole school the teachers knew, but didn’t care, the bullies had been forced into silence or admit to the bullying.

The morning dawn bright and clear. The frost clung to the windows of the school and a couple of the basketball teammates arrived at nine to shovel the outdoor court as it had snowed the night before.

Steve showed up with longjohns under his shorts and a sweat shirt with the team logo on the front. He stood there, basketball propped on his hip as he waited for Larry to arrive. He was wearing sweats and a t-shirt, headband over his eyes.

10:01am.

Patrick came running up the court waving a whistle. “Sorry I’m late! I couldn’t find my whistle and had to go to the store to get another one.”

Larry grumbled, but Steve just threw Patrick the ball.

Larry and Steve stepped up to the middle line and Patrick stood between them with the ball. The two players shook hands and then Patrick threw it in the air.

Larry got the ball first, but in the end didn’t even matter.

Steve was far and away the better player. Whether Larry’s mom had done favors for the coach to make him captain was irrelevant. Because it soon became clear that he had only gotten the post due to some kind of favoritism.

Steve outmatched him on defense and was the better shot, making more of his shots than he missed.

Larry started panting halfway through as Steve outmatched in a different and just as vital way. Stamina.

Kids from all the cliques were pressed against the fence. Nancy in the front, cheering loudly for Steve along side all of his friends.

Tommy H. was shouting obscenities and Carol was calling Larry names.

But there was the silent section who had come out to watch. The one whose very lives depended on the outcome of the game.

You could call it hyperbole, but Eddie didn’t. It was apt. In those few scant weeks of not having his friends bullied, his grades actually fucking went up. Because he could concentrate on homework, instead of if tomorrow was going to be the day one of the bullies went too far and he lost one of sheep.

He still called out the bullying when he saw it, but now knowing that there were other people watching his sheep too? He could actually rest.

And if that was happening to him? He couldn’t dare to image what it was like for the kids who were being actively bullied. That first breath of relief knowing it wasn’t just a one time thing. That it was going to keep happening. That they were going to be able to just function. Must have felt like a god damned miracle.

Steve moved past Larry and slamdunked his final two points making it to twenty.

Larry sank to his knees as Patrick ran out on the court. “With a score of twenty to fourteen, Steve Harrington wins!”

He raised Steve’s hand over his head like a prize fighter. The gathered crowd roared to life, even those who had been watching silently at the other end of the court. The ones who didn’t understand what a layup was or how fouling worked. They began cheering too.

Steve walked over to Larry and got down on one knee, draping his arm over the other knee. “Some people are bullies because their home life is shit, some people are bullies because they don’t know how to be anything else. And some people just like you who are just fucking assholes who like make others miserable. Get the fuck off my court.”

He stood back up and waved at the crowd.

~

Steve managed to find an unlocked door and slipped into the locker room for a well earned shower. He still would have to put his gross clothes back on but at least he wouldn’t be dripping in sweat.

He heard the door open and close but decided to ignore it. Whether it was a well wisher or one of Larry’s ilk, he didn’t give a shit. He just wanted to be clean.

“Steve?” a warm and very welcome voice echoed through the empty chamber.

“Eddie?” he called back, poking his head out the shower stall to see him.

Eddie grinned. “There you are, big boy.”

Steve was grateful for the steam already painting his cheeks red so that Eddie wouldn’t see him blush.

“Hey,” he muttered softly.

Eddie came bounding up to him with a big grin on his face. “I went home and brought my PE clothes for ya so you didn’t have to put that sweaty shit back on.” He held up his bag. “We’re about the same size in everything but thighs, so this should get you home at the very least.”

“Oh you’re a lifesaver!” he breathed. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know, I wanted to.”

Steve pointed down at his sudsy body. “Just let me finish washing down and I’ll be with you in a moment.”

A few minutes later he shut off the water and called out, “Hey can you grab me a towel?”

“I could...” Eddie teased, “but then I’d miss the show of you waddling naked to grab one yourself.”

Steve’s eyebrows went up. “I wasn’t sure you’d be interested, after all the ball was in your court after your impromptu marriage proposal.”

Eddie licked his lips slowly and stalked over the low wall that separated the showers from the rest of the locker room. He looked Steve up and down, noting the high blush on his cheeks that had nothing to due with the heat. Or at least not the heat of the shower. Steve pushed his hair back and looked Eddie right in the eye.

Eddie smiled and reached out with one finger to trace a water droplet that had slid off of Steve’s collar bone to run for his belly button. Steve’s breath hitched as Eddie licked the water off his finger.

“I’m more than interested,” he murmured, leaning in close. “Just wasn’t sure if the offer was made in jest or if you were serious.”

Steve closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. Then he opened them slowly to see Eddie with his eyes wide and expression hopeful. Steve leaned in and pressed his lips to the other boy’s. It was soft and it was sweet.

Eddie leaned back, blinking. “So yeah, definitely serious then. So how about this, sweetheart, why don’t you get dressed in the things I brought you and you go home and get changed. Then I pick you up around, say... five for dinner at the diner?”

Steve’s face transformed with his smile. “I’d say that sounds like a date.” He kissed him again. Just as soft and just as sweet as the one before.

“I’m going to get cavities if you keep that up,” Eddie teased, walking away.

“Where are you going?” Steve asked tilting his head in confusion.

Eddie came back to locker room. “Getting you a towel, obviously. As much as I wouldn’t mind a sneaky peek, I think I’d rather wait to see you naked, spread out underneath me.”

Steve’s jaw worked up and down but no words came out.

“Catch you later, big boy!” Eddie called out over his shoulder after handing the towel to him.

As he was leaving he bumped into Nancy.

“Oh sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t see you there.”

Nancy chewed on her bottom lip. “Is Steve in there? I couldn’t find him after the game.”

“Yep!” he replied popping the P. “I brought him some clothes he could change into.”

Her eyes went wide. “Oh!”

“Catch you around, Wheeler,” Eddie said giving her a salute.

As the door swung shut, she could see Steve in there happily singing a love song as he got dressed.

Nancy looked back at Eddie’s retreating form and then back at the now closed door. She sighed. She had a feeling that she was too late in getting Steve back.

He had moved on.

She blushed and ducked her head. Maybe it was a good thing. She needed to work on herself and Steve needed someone who was with him because they wanted to be and not just because he was the current available option.

By the time Steve came back out, she was gone.

~

Tag List: COMPLETED

1-@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @cryptid-system

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

9- @gringa-rae-jepsen @bluelightsinthevoid @mamafaithful @allmyworldsendwithtears @xxbottlecapx

10- @sadisticaltarts @yeahhhh-suga @ohimamarigold @imamixofeverthing @samsoble

[urautismdiagnosis]

Peso

Peso my lil Habibi <3 <3 <3

hes just a top tier character

my Hispanic coded son, mylil guy who's learning how to believe in himself

i just I lovepeso guys he's so pure and supportive and caring and lighthearted and silly and he's really doing his best??

he could probably cure my mentally illness with a bandage I'm sure

imgonna be so real I think he has game tho, like I'm 300% he could pull any maiden

he can become friends with like any sea creature too probably

hes my hero and my son and I think he low-key judges everyone internally

cuz like idk if y'all have met people who refuse to swear out loud verbally and hate confrontation, but the internal dialogue omg

i just know one of these days if he gets pushed too far hes gonna threaten someone with his slappity flippers

like y'all know the look birds do where they just sideye you??

that glance???

i think he does that whenever people do things that are stupid

like he loves them all dearly but shellington why would you touch The THing That Will Hurt you, no shellington you cant eat that for science-

Also I think he and dashi would listen to music together i think they might spend evenings relaxing together. I mean their rooms are right next to eachother so like I'm sure they've had some lovely little evening conversations and stuff 🥰 i can just imagine dashi tryna teach peso yoga and like 😩🙏his penguin body wasn't built for it but he still slays

Hes like the little sibling but in the actually I am the most mature way???

I think its cuz he looks up to alot of the other members (altho he's definitely gotten alot more confident as the show has progressed) but he also like..

He gives me the vibes of the oldest sibling of not just the siblings but of all the cousins??? This might just be me projecting but like why did u even become a medic for such a wide range of medical creatures and sign up to join the newly formed highly experimental water nasa???

I think he probably had alot of high expectations on himself because everyone just always believed he could do anything. And that sounds super supportive in theory but when ur like tryna be the oldest and first one to support ur family and everyone is always looking at u because like.. most other people in ur family are younger or ehatever.. that pressure and extra attention can cause alot of perfectionism and high self standards

That mixed with being The Caretaker in your family especially as a child is a pretty good recipe for getting anxious about any big goal in your life and how others perceive you. I think he tried to like humble himself by saying oh no I'm not really capable of all those amazing things so pls don't have those huge expectations hahaha but then it just turned into not believing in himself as much???

Also we slay genuinely caring and kind people having alot of pent up frustration they never show because they love everyone too much. It still hurts inside tho.

Anyways uhhhhhhhhhhh this totally ain't me projectin or anythin.

also hes like a mixed kid, but he's mostly gentoo penguin id say based on my own design

speaking of penguins I think that their homes would be actually made of stone lol. Their homes would have like different smaller homes for privacy around like communal areas.. they still gotta deal with predstors like albatross or ehstever tho. But their albatross for example might work in groups or even be larger.

Friendly reminder my lore for the octonauts is a bit different than the Canon. Sure People People being like hunted is wayyyy less common than irl but They're basically still playing their evolutionary roles kinda like how we see with sea otters in the show.

I'm gonna make the post for their social norms and etc on this within the next few days actually lol but back to peso

Do u guys ever think peso wouldve jumpscared the crew by being like "oh no the shelf is too tall!" And then busting out the "hey did you know that penguin legs are just folded and much horrifically longer than ud think they are?" On them 😩🙏

"Wh- why would ye show me this??"

" because no one will ever believe you"

Hes very sweet but I think he deserves to be a little bit of a sneaky sht

If uve made it this far thanks for reading the brainrot I hope it was comprehensible pls lmk ur headcanons about him cuz I need more ngl

[dailymonraszkic]

Inlicitus desiderium -

2. Initium Amoris

Hanno’s grip tightened on the sword as he entered the training grounds, his heart beating with cold determination. The air was thick with sweat and the sharp tang of iron. Around him, gladiators of all shapes and sizes sparred, their grunts and the clash of weapons echoing in the open space. Hanno, however, was not here to train for sport. He was here to kill.

His thoughts briefly wandered to Arishat—the woman he had loved, the warrior who had fallen beside him in Numidia. Her death had torn something deep within him, and it was that same fury that kept him alive now. In the chaos of battle, he often thought he might join her in the afterlife, but not yet. He still had unfinished business.

“Numidian!” A voice rang out, cutting through his thoughts. Marcinus, draped in his gleaming red and gold robes, approached with his arms spread wide, his grin as false as his cheer. “I hear you’ve been putting on quite the show in training. Three gladiators down in a single session? Now that’s something impressive!”

Hanno ignored him, his eyes fixed on the other gladiators as they sparred. He didn’t need to answer Marcinus’s taunts. The man’s words were empty, designed only to provoke or flatter depending on his whims. Hanno had learned long ago not to trust anyone—especially men like Marcinus, who thrived on the suffering of others.

“You told me to train. I did,” Hanno said flatly, his voice low but resolute. “The rules are simple: kill or be killed.”

Marcinus laughed, clapping Hanno on the back in a mocking gesture. “Yes, yes. Here, we fight to survive, or we die so others can live. That’s the only rule. You’re getting it, I see.”

Without waiting for a response, Marcinus turned and walked away, his laughter still echoing in the yard. Hanno’s attention shifted back to two gladiators in the corner—a pair of tall, muscular men sparring with swords. He watched closely, waiting for the right moment.

The taller gladiator swung his sword in a wide, wild arc, missing his opponent by inches. The smaller fighter, faster on his feet, ducked low and brought his blade up, landing a punch to the first gladiator’s chest.

It was then that Hanno moved, swift as a shadow. The tall gladiator, still recovering from his missed swing, left himself open. Hanno closed the distance and brought the sword down hard across the man’s neck. The gladiator crumpled to the ground with a grunt, his body going limp.

The second gladiator, startled by the sudden attack, turned with his sword raised, but Hanno was already on him. With a brutal twist, he disarmed the man, sending the sword flying. The gladiator staggered back, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Please,” the man gasped, his hands raised in a silent plea for mercy.

Before he could finish his sentence, Hanno struck, flipping him onto his back with a well-executed maneuver. The gladiator’s breath caught, and he collapsed in the dirt, defeated.

For a moment, Hanno stood over him, watching as the fight drained from the gladiator’s eyes. He had done what needed to be done, but there was no satisfaction in the victory.

The yard fell silent. Hanno wiped the blood from his face and turned away without a word. Marcinus’s eyes followed him, but Hanno didn’t look back.

“Impressive,” Marcinus finally called out, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and amusement. “You’re as ruthless as they say. A true champion.”

Hanno didn’t reply. The champions he respected were those who had fallen in battle, like Arishat—not men like Marcinus, who profited from the bloodshed of others.

With one last glance at the fallen gladiators, Hanno left the field, his mind already focused on the next fight. The arena would come soon enough, and when it did, he would be ready.

Later that evening, after the sun dipped below the horizon, the gladiators were locked in their cells. Hanno sat on his bed, his eyes closed and breathing steady. To the casual observer, he seemed asleep, but he was waiting. Florian, a fisherman from his childhood, had taught him patience. The Informa he had sent to the general would soon return to him, and then he could proceed with his plan. His mother, meanwhile, thrived in Rome, enjoying her life as the wife of the Emperor and sister to the other Emperor, while Hanno fought for survival.

As the night deepened, footsteps echoed down the corridor. They were soft, deliberate, careful not to draw attention. Hanno opened his eyes just enough to see a figure standing outside his cell, a hooded cloak obscuring much of their features. Instantly, his senses sharpened.

The figure stepped forward, and Hanno’s gaze fixed on him. It was Acacius, the ever-watchful former general who had become a shadow in this brutal world.

"I trust you’re ready for what’s next?" Acacius asked, his voice low, laced with subtle menace. He leaned against the bars of the cell, glancing at Hanno with an unsettling calm.

Hanno said nothing at first. He studied Acacius with narrowed eyes. The man wasn’t here for small talk. He had a purpose, and Hanno suspected it had something to do with his next move.

"Is it Prince Lucius you’re after?" Hanno growled. "Or redemption for Rome?"

Acacius raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a thin smile. “Lucius. So you know more than you let on.”

Hanno hesitated. “I’ve heard rumors,” he said slowly. “That he might be hiding near the southern border. I don’t know more than that. But you’re not here for rumors, are you?”

Acacius chuckled softly. “No. I’m here to get the truth.” He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “Lucius is a threat to Emperor Commodus. But I believe you know where he is.”

Hanno straightened, his voice colder now. “I’ve been looking for him for my own reasons. I don’t know where he is. But if you’re asking for help, you should know one thing.” His lips curled into a predatory smile. “If the boy’s still alive, he’s probably become a possession of some rich man.”

Acacius paused, his eyes narrowing. He was used to men who thought they knew everything, especially someone like Hanno—a gladiator, a pawn in the deadly game of power. But there was something about this man that intrigued him. Hanno had fire that couldn’t be easily extinguished.

“I see,” Acacius replied, his voice calm again. “You want revenge. Fair enough. But you’re in no position to negotiate. You’re a gladiator. Your options are limited.”

Hanno’s eyes narrowed. “And yet, you’re still here, talking to me. So, it seems I do have something you want. You can’t just kill me or throw me in a pit. Not yet.”

Acacius straightened, his smile faltering into a cold stare. “True. You are useful—for now. If you help me find Lucius, we may find a way to get you out of this place. Maybe even give you the means to exact your revenge.”

Hanno’s heart quickened at the mention of revenge—of Arishat. He had nothing left to lose.

“Fine,” Hanno murmured. “But if you lie to me, Acacius, I will make you regret it.”

Acacius inclined his head slightly. “I never lie, Hanno. I only bend the truth when it suits me.”

Before Hanno could respond, the guards’ footsteps echoed down the hall. Acacius gave a final glance at Hanno. “Remember, time is not on our side. We’ll speak again soon.”

With that, Acacius disappeared into the shadows, leaving Hanno to wrestle with the decision he had just made. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind, but it was quickly overshadowed by the burning need for revenge. Lucius would pay for Arishat’s death and whatever role he had played in Hanno’s fall from grace.

The game was about to change.

As the sun rose over Rome, its golden rays bathed the city, casting a gentle glow on the ancient stones and guiding Acacius through the lively streets. The sounds of merchants peddling their goods mingled with the laughter of children, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in his chest. With each step, the weight of his mission grew heavier, the stakes clearer: the hope of a mother, the legacy of an empire, and the ambition-laden shadows that hung over Rome.

The Senate loomed ahead, its grandeur commanding Acacius’ attention. It symbolized power, authority—but also danger. He was well aware that the political landscape was shifting under Commodus’ reign. His motives remained shrouded in mystery, and whispers of paranoia and secrecy tainted the air. Acacius needed to tread carefully; in such an environment, an ally could quickly become an enemy.

Inside the Senate hall, murmurs echoed against the marble columns, creating an undercurrent of unease. Senators huddled in small groups, their expressions betraying their concern. The recent victory over the Numidians had done little to unite the factions; instead, it had reignited old rivalries and ambitions. Acacius's eyes fell on Senator Gaius, a man renowned for his wisdom and tactical insight.

"Marcus," Gaius greeted him in a low voice, guiding him to a secluded corner. "I heard you visited the Colosseum. What did you uncover?"

Acacius paused before replying, careful with his words. "A gladiator mentioned Lucius. It seems there’s a chance he survived the attack on his village and went into hiding. But we must act quickly—before Commodus catches wind of our inquiry."

Gaius’ brow furrowed. "You know as well as I that Commodus will not tolerate anyone probing into the truth of his rival, especially one who might be a potential heir. He sees enemies where there are none."

"Then perhaps we should create our own light," Acacius replied, his resolve firming. "If we confirm Lucius's survival, we could use that knowledge to challenge Commodus. Rome needs a symbol of hope to rally behind."

Later that day, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the city in a warm glow, Acacius found himself in a darker part of Rome—its air thick with smoke and the stench of the streets. He approached a tavern known for being a hub of information and a gathering place for mercenaries.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense, filled with rough laughter and the clink of mugs. Acacius spotted a familiar face—a former soldier turned mercenary, Lucan. This was a man who had seen the darkest sides of war and lived to tell the tale.

"Excuse me, is this the way to Lucan’s room?" Acacius asked, his voice steady as he made his way through the room.

Lucan looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes before recognition set in. "General Acacius," he said, leaning back in his chair, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "I didn’t expect a visit from you. A man of your stature doesn’t frequent places like this without a purpose."

"Information," Acacius replied, his tone serious. "I need to know about the clan that attacked the village where Lucius Verus Aurelius was hidden. I need to find him."

Lucan raised an eyebrow. "Ah, the lost prince. That’s a dangerous pursuit. The clan you're after is not to be taken lightly. They've made enemies of many—including some of my old comrades. But for the right price, I might be able to help."

Acacius nodded. The mercenary’s smile was enough of an answer.

Later, Acacius met with Senator Faunus. As soon as Acacius entered, the senator dismissed his staff and locked the door behind them, checking twice for any sign of eavesdropping. They both knew the stakes were high.

Faunus gave a brief, affirmative nod. "I can try to rally support among the Senate. With the right backing, we might challenge Commodus. But we’ll need to be discreet."

Acacius' thoughts briefly wandered to Senator Gaius, who was conspicuously absent. He suspected that Gaius would be informed of their plan soon enough. His own absence, however, was concerning—Commodus often sought private meetings to test the loyalty of his senators.

As Acacius prepared to leave, his thoughts turned to the gladiator’s words. The mention of soldiers searching for the prince was too important to ignore. Lucius’s survival seemed increasingly likely, but he would have to dig deeper—into the more shadowed corners of Rome—to find those who could help him locate the lost prince.

Just as Acacius was about to turn into the street leading to the barracks to check on his legion, he froze. Standing near the medicus' house were Marcinus and Hanno. The gladiator had his right hand bandaged, his face contorted in pain. Acacius narrowed his eyes at the sight of Hanno—no other injuries, but his pride seemed wounded. Marcinus was scowling, though his expression softened as he spotted Acacius.

"General Acacius, the hero of Rome," Marcinus greeted with a poisonous smile. "Not our first meeting, I believe."

"I’m here to discuss the chief of the Numidians," Acacius said evenly, his gaze fixed on the gladiator. "We talked with his men about the future of their city after Rome takes charge."

"The chief didn’t do well in the arena, did he?" Acacius continued, his voice pleasant but cutting. "First to die, I believe."

Hanno’s eyes narrowed, the anger bubbling just below the surface. Acacius could see the tension in his clenched, bandaged hand.

Marcinus’s smile faltered before returning, though it lacked its former confidence. "Not everyone is suited for the games, General. Some are better suited for strategy."

"Perhaps," Acacius replied sharply, "but those who send others to fight their battles rarely have the same appetite for combat themselves."

Acacius's gaze flicked to Hanno's bandaged hand. His voice grew colder. "Funny. The chief, also injured, didn’t survive. I can’t help but wonder if the same fate is intended for Hanno."

Marcinus's face reddened, but he quickly masked it with a tight smirk. "I trust my medicus knows what he’s doing."

"I hope so," Acacius said icily, then turned on his heel. "After all, they’re part of Rome now. It is also surprising he was not seen by Ravi, he usually can handle such injuries in no time - even far better than any medicus I had unfortunate pleasure of seeing."

Hanno did not say a word out loud but his quiet chuckle and smirk on his face told Acacius enough - Marcinus did not take him to Ravi because Ravi by law needed to report the injury.

That night, as the city slept, Acacius slipped through the quiet corridors of the gladiators’ quarters. His steps were deliberate, his mind focused on the path ahead. He reached Hanno's cell and knocked softly. The door creaked open, and Hanno appeared, his expression a mixture of surprise and unease.

"General," Hanno said cautiously. "This is unexpected."

"I need to speak with you," Acacius replied quietly, his tone firm yet low. "Away from prying eyes."

Hanno crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Is this about Marcinius? Or your endless search for Prince Lucius?"

Acacius's face hardened. "Both. Marcinius is reckless. He puts lives at risk, and I won’t stand by while he undermines Rome’s strength."

Hanno raised an eyebrow. "And the prince?"

The General's voice dropped slightly. "The prince remains my mission. But sometimes I wonder if I’m chasing shadows. You know more about him than you’re letting on."

Hanno’s expression remained guarded, his eyes narrowing. "Perhaps I do. Or perhaps I’m just a gladiator trying to survive."

"Surviving doesn’t mean staying silent," Acacius pressed, stepping closer. "If you know something, anything about Lucius, you owe it to Rome to speak."

"To Rome?" Hanno’s voice was sharp. "Or to you?"

The silence stretched between them, thick with tension. Finally, Hanno spoke again, his tone softer but still guarded. "What if the prince doesn’t want to be found? What if he’s seen enough of Rome’s ‘glory’ to know he’s better off lost?"

Acacius’s jaw tightened. "Then he’s denying his duty. His family needs him. Rome needs him."

Hanno looked away, his hand flexing involuntarily. "Duty isn’t always enough to heal old wounds," he murmured. "Sometimes it’s the reason they’re still bleeding."

Acacius watched him closely, his resolve wavering for a moment. "If you were the prince," he asked slowly, "what would you do?"

Hanno’s gaze met his, unreadable. "I’d make sure Rome understood what it truly needed. And I’d make damn sure I was the one to decide when and how I’d return."

Acacius nodded, respect growing for the gladiator, though his suspicions deepened. "Fair enough," he said quietly. "But know this—if you ever need someone to trust, someone to stand by you… I’m here."

Hanno’s lips twitched into a faint, rueful smile. "I’ll keep that in mind, General."

As Acacius turned to leave, the dim light from the oil lamp cast long shadows on the stone walls. Hanno watched him go, lost in thought.

The general the entire Rome loves. He heard about someone like that once. His father whom he knew for only seven weeks before he was sent away. His mother told him tales about his father’s bravery and goodness of heart. He believed that man to be Lucius Verus, his mother’s husband. After his eleventh birthday, he started to pay attention to the rumours that surrounded his mother’s marriage. Apparently Lucius Verus was never seen in female company - therefore he couldn’t father a child, even by Emperor’s order.

“You speak fluently in our language, know the history, and have astonishingly anti-critical views of life in an Empire,” a deep voice from the shadows made Hanno turn around quickly, his guard up.

An older man stepped closer to the cell bars and watched Hanno with interest in his dark eyes.

“You’re the warrior Acacius spoke about,” the man continued. “But you do not come from Numidia. The accent, the knowledge—not even a Roman captain could know the things you know or have thought the way you speak of. Where is your home, and what is your name?”

Hanno blinked and watched the man as he spoke. He held himself in high regard; that much was evident by the way he stood—his shoulders straight, his eyes focused. He had slightly longer hair, dark eyes, and a stoic face that revealed little of his thoughts.

“As the general once summarized—I am a part of Rome now.”

The guard standing behind the man suddenly took a step forward from the line.

“My Emperor, we should go back.”

Hanno froze, his gaze snapping back to the man. His eyes narrowed as he studied the face before him.

“Well then,” the Emperor said, his tone quiet but cutting, his gaze lingering on Hanno. “We shall see you fight, Numidian. I have learned that the thirst for revenge often makes the best gladiators in the area.”

The sight of Commodus—a face etched from his childhood and the darker tales whispered in exile—sent a cascade of emotions crashing through Hanno's mind. Bitterness, long dormant but never extinguished, flared as he saw the man who now sat atop the empire that had razed his city and stolen his future. Commodus’ features were older now, heavier with the weight of years and decadence, yet still carried that self-assured cruelty. But beneath the seething hatred, a strange unease slithered in. This was his uncle, the brother of the mother he had barely known, and whatever bond of blood they shared felt both a mockery and a shadow of something he could never claim. Was this reunion a mere spectacle or fate’s twisted humour? Could it be that Commodus, in his own self-serving way, cared to seek him out? The nephew he had lost due to his own nature? The thought disgusted Hanno more than it consoled him. He clung to his hatred like a shield, though doubt gnawed at the edges of his resolve.

And then there was Acacius.

The General’s piercing eyes had lingered in Hanno's thoughts far longer than he cared to admit. How could he feel this stirring of... something for the man who had wielded the sword of Rome against his people, who had followed orders to destroy what he once called home? Who gave the order that killed his beloved wife, the only family he had? And yet, Acacius' strength, his resolute demeanour, held a gravity that Hanno could not deny.

It was maddening. Was it simply curiosity, some twisted fascination with the man who sought to unravel his identity, or something more dangerous—a yearning for connection in a life bereft of it? The contradict

[quiet-admirer]

I dislike the vast, vast majority of fat anatomy tutorials that get passed around on social media because, while learning from other artists is great because it means you don't have to reinvent the wheel yourself, those posts usually end up being "use these 2-3 categories of shapes to draw these 3-4 body types" that functionally aren't that different from those "how to draw a cartoon dog" step-by-steps for children.

All you're learning is the approach that artist uses to draw the body types they typically draw in their style, which doesn't tell you what techniques and practice habits the artist used to arrive to their approaches and shortcuts. It's like being given 3 soup recipes that you can follow, but if you don't learn the basics of what makes a soup a soup, you might be able to riff off of what you know, but it's going to be really hard to make your own meals that reflect your self-expression and tastes.

This is an inherent problem for anatomy tutorials in general, but it's amplified even more for guides on how to draw fat and fat bodies. Any connoisseur of fat can tell you that there is no possible way to make a succinct guide to drawing what fat bodies look like. There is a whole range of hardness to softness, and within each incremental degree of softness there is a wide range of where fat gets distributed on the body, and within that, there are variations in what that distribution looks like proportionally given the person's height and the size of their frame. Where rolls and folds happen varies widely. Where stretch marks happen and to what degree varies widely. Whether there's cellulite in different areas or not.

This is so cool! There are so many options to mix and match and so much fun stuff to learn when drawing fat people. And so much room for expressive character design, too!

But the problem with the kinds of fat drawing tutorials in circulation isn't that fat people are just too varied or too complicated or difficult to learn outside of some specialized studio drawing class. It's because these tutorials talk about literally anything but actually looking at a fat body to learn how to draw one!

It's a hard pill to swallow perhaps, because we all want easy drawing shortcuts, but the way you learn how to draw realistic variation in body types is through real-life references! The tutorials you'll get the most out of are going to be life-drawing tutorials: how to train your eye to see what it's actually seeing and how to translate that to the page. The same exact *skills* that you use to learn how to draw thin and muscular body types are the ones that will get you to learn how to draw fat body types.

"How do I draw double chins?" Idk man, how did you learn how to draw sharp jawlines? Look at many examples of double chins and practice drawing them until you have a good idea of a lot of common shapes out there and adapt and recreate what you're seeing into your own personal artistic style, be that hyperrealism or simple cartoons.

"But where? Artist photo references are all of thin and muscular people, and there's no control over whether studio life drawing models are fat!"

Draw your fat friends with their permission!

Draw yourself if you're lucky enough to be your own fat photo or life reference!

It's a very common practice for artists to life sketch at places like parks and coffee shops, so as long as you are respectful and not oggling and leering at strangers, you may see a fat person in the wild if you go outside with a sketchbook for some people watching.

Live drawing is always going to be more valuable than drawing from a reference that's already 2D, but you can image search fat public figures, like musicians or actors, or redraw movie or music video stills with fat musicians or actors.

fatphotoref.com/

Ok now hear me out on this, but: a great place to find nude photo reference for fat men, (especially if you want practice drawing steamy gay fat sex and intimacy) is amateur porn videos using search terms like 'bear' and 'chub'. Many artists talk about having difficulty finding fat photo references where fat bodies are not portrayed with the themes and aesthetics common in fat fetish and feedism kinks, and I'm not trying to minimize that at all, but unlike the "BBW" category of porn, Bear and chub/chaser amateur porn is way more often just, like, some big guys making a sex tape together. And with amateur porn you often get a lot of footage of people walking around to change positions or camera angles, moving to a chair, reaching for the lube, taking clothes off, lying in bed - liminal space with naked fat bodies just existing and doing stuff, which makes it an underrated resource for figure drawing practice in my opinion.

Also, I have to add, there isn't anything wrong with using photos and videos by fat fetishists, even those with fat fetish aesthetics, for figure drawing practice. These are images fat people are creating of our own bodies, presenting themselves in a way that is gratifying or desirable for them. That is part of the fat experience too; that is a way for fat bodies to be represented, and just because something is a kinky way of portraying fat bodies doesn't mean the kinds of angles and movements and poses that are actively avoided outside of kink spaces have nothing of artistic value to contribute to creating vanilla art or learning figure drawing.

And lastly, there are also more and more videos and channels out there with some sort of niche related to fatness like fat fashion or fat yoga that can also make great photo references.

You learn to draw by looking at real life and drawing it. You learn how to draw fat people by looking at real fat people and drawing them. Look at actual fat people!

[historical-fashion-polls]

Hey, I'm not the original anon, and I think it's unfortunate that their ask has had such a negative impact, but I do kinda get where they're coming from and thought I might be able to add some insight. I've been following this blog for a bit and I do definitely think I'm developing a "feel" for which outfit will be in the lead (often strong, deep colors, silhouette that's attractive by modern standards). That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I don't think it called for a grumpy ask, but I can see anon's point, especially in the context of frustration with costuming in period productions, which often goes for a "historical vibe without being too weird for modern viewers" approach. But these polls aren't a competition, and it's fun to play fashion judge with them. Anyway, thanks for all the great work you do, have a good day!

hi dear anon! 💕

thank you for your thoughts on this, and I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying the blog! ☺️☺️

in the time since this was sent, I have heard from the original anon again, so I will link that response here, as my response to them is similar to what I would respond here!

as I mentioned, it's definitely worth having a conversation about attention to historical detail in media! 💕💕 but I do fear it often comes down to factors like money and time, since – from what I've seen and heard – costume designers are often massively underpaid and underfunded, and frequently given insufficient time to complete the kind of work that historical detail requires

I don't doubt that some aspects of the skimping on historical details are down to making things more approachable to modern audiences, but also I think it's not a phenomenon that's particularly new. for example, check out this "1830" costume from 1910 or even a well-known film like It's a Wonderful Life where I'm always jolted from the dance scene that ostensibly takes place in the 1920s by the aggressively 1940s style of the dresses and hair (not a dropped waist in sight lmao) 😆😆

as I mentioned, I do truly hope that the blog might help people gain a better understanding of historical fashion, even if it is mostly for fun! and even if responses do trend toward more "modern" looking garments, I'm hoping folks still enjoy the exposure to a wide range of historical styles! ☺️💕 I'm still nowhere near an expert, but I can say that I myself have learned a ton since starting the blog! ☺️☺️

anyway, suffice it to say that this is a definitely a complex topic that is worth analyzing, so thank you for sending in your thoughts on it! 🥰🥰

[kirkwallguy]

do you have recommendations for rpgs? i have only played bg3, dragon age, and mass effect. also nothing is more important than romance to me sorry to serious people

yess! this post from the other day is a good starting point (and i think op has some similar lists on their blog) but here are a few that would be good to get started with if you want to branch out:

(btw, these are only games i've played - there are a few i see recced a lot that i haven't gotten around to yet lol)

divinity: original sin 2 - you've probably heard of this if you're into bg3, but it's worth trying. the gameplay is very similar, except it doesn't use a d&d ruleset or have any animated cutscenes. there are romancable companions, but they work differently to bg3 in the sense that you have to choose your party composition early in the game and stick with it, which is fun for replayability imo. i don't think the companions are as interesting as the ones in bg3 either but they all have interesting stories that run parallel to the main plot

pathfinder: wrath of the righteous - wotr is another crpg, imo it can be a little hard to wrap your head around at first compared to bg3, but once you're past the learning curve it's really fun. the writing and companions are all really interesting and it's great for letting you roleplay as a wide range of characters and moralities - some of the romances go deep into sicko territory which is great for me personally. there's a ton of reactivity as well, each "path" (your specialisation) has its own set of quests and will affect your relationships with companions. nobody will love you if you become a lich :( . the main issue with the game tho is it's bloated and long (i've literally never finished a run because i get distracted 80 hours in) but it's worth the time you put into it imo

baldurs gate 1 & 2 - these games are kind of dated but if you can handle dao, you can probably manage them? it took me a few tries to get a feel for the first one, but once i got into it i played through both games without stopping lol. they're real time with pause like origins and only the second one has romance (though the ee version adds romancable companions that appear in both games which is fun).

pillars of eternity 1 & 2 - honestly, i'm not super into these games but other people really like them and i understand why. they're a really good modernisation of the original baldurs gate / infinity engine games with a narrative that lots of people are into. the first game has no romance and is real time with pause, while the second game will let you romance characters (some of them reappear from the first game, so i guess you can treat it like a realllly slow burn) and play either real time with pause or turn based.

disco elysium - okay, there's technically no romance but it's so good that i'll rec it anyway. it's a crpg but has no actual combat, the writing and story are really unique and it's just a great experience to have.

enderal: forgotten stories special edition - this game is really hard to recommend because it makes me sound crazy but please hear me out. this skyrim mod is maybe one of the best games i've ever played. if you have skyrim special edition you can download and run it for free, mechanically it runs pretty much like skyrim but the writing and story are insane. the romances are also good, there are only two main ones but they're very tied to the plot.

skyrim...?: if you haven't already played skyrim and you want to get it for enderal then it's also worth playing anyway. it's my horrible wife that poisons me whenever i try to divorce her but it's a fun experience. the romance is pretty shit but there are some good mods with romancable companions (i like gore, he reminds me of marcus lol). it has a lot of the same issues in its writing as dai does, but the world is designed so well that i can play for hundreds of hours just doing my own thing and ignoring the main quest

there are LOADS more but these are just a fun starting point based on liking bioware and bg3, hope you enjoy!

[ammo-knights-official]

Since the musical classic Shellendorf has now been out for about a decade, I have a request for a weapon spotlight: The Bamboozeler! I’d love to learn about the history of it and its strategies.

Ask and you shall receive!

Weapon Spotlight: Bamboozler 14 Mk I and Bamboozler 14 Mk II

That's right: for the anniversary of Shellendorf: the Musical, we're covering two kits in one! The Bamboozler is a unique and versatile charger weapon with a design that's held up for over 100 years! The model we sell today remains as faithful to what you'd see back in the days of the Great Turf War as possible while still remaining within the Turf War Association's guidelines.

About a year into the Great Turf War, the Octarian army secured much of Inkadia's resources to build their Great Octoweapons, an impressive series of technological advancements whose details I'll save for another post ;), leaving Inklings practically defenseless. Desperate to secure a victory, the Inkadian government drafted countless Inklings, but there weren't enough materials to properly arm them. Back then, sardinium was the main component of Inkling weaponry and artillery, and at that point, the Octarians controlled all the Sardinium mines.

That is until none other than my grandpappy, Ammoses Shellendorf (pictured on the far left in the photo above), came up with the idea to use Inkadia's wide stretches of bamboo forests to the squids' advantage, and he designed a rudimentary, but flexible weapon that any sea creature could easily make with just a little bamboo!

With Grandpappy's ingenuity, Cap'n Craig Cuttlefish's leadership, and a stroke of luck, the Squidbeak Splatoon and the rest of the Inkling militia was able to outnumber and out-tentacle the Octarian army, claiming Inkadia for the Inklings and their allies! Shellendorf goes into more detail about the events leading up to the invention of the Bamboozler, all backed up by Grandpappy's notes from the war (though the dance numbers are a creative liberty, I'll admit!)

And did you know that the Bamboozler, in addition to being the weapon that saved the Squidbeak Splatoon, was the first and most popular weapon that Ammoses sold when he first founded Ammo Knights? The squids of early Inkopolis were greatly inspired by Cap'n Cuttlefish's heroics on the battlefield, so naturally, the weapon he and the rest of the Squidbeak Splatoon used were the coolest thing on the market.

Nowadays, the Bamboozler remains a mainstay in the Ammo Knights lineup, and for good reason, too! There's no charger quite like it (except for maybe the Classic Squiffer, but we'll save that for another spotlight post) as its comparitively weaker damage output and inability to store charges or pierce opponents is made up for with an incredible charge rate, mobility, and paint output for a charger. It's not the easiest weapon to pick up in modern day Turf War games, but those who can master it can dominate a match as the weapon lends well to creating devastating combos with its consistent range no matter how long you spend charging it (which is almost no time at all!) Whether you're on the offensive, sneaking and sniping, or supporting your team, the Bamboozler can handle any situation!

Like I said at the beginning of the post, we'll be going over two Bamboozler kits: the 14 Mk I and the 14 Mk II. The Mk I comes with Autobombs and Killer Wail 5.1. The Autobomb is a sub weapon that focuses on displacement: if your opponent can't outrun it, they get splatted or take enough damage for you to splat with your main weapon, and even if they do, you can easily chase them out of hiding! And with the Killer Wail 5.1, you can amass even more chip damage and combo potential and chase opponents away from the objective!

The Mk II, meanwhile, comes with a kit that focuses more on ink coverage with Fizzy Bombs and Super Chumps. With a Fizzy Bomb, you can create a reliable ink trail for movement, and if you take the time to shake it before throwing, you can cause a chain of explosions that can easily catch opponents off guard! You have the lethality and chip damage the Autobomb provides, but even more so. And the Super Chumps special is also pretty handy as it makes many bursts of ink and covers a lot of turf, and anyone caught in the explosions will find themselves vulnerable to—you guessed it—a combo with the Bamboozler!

It takes a good bit of skill to bring out the Bamboozler's full potential, but when you do, you can turn a match into a warzone and show your opponents exactly why this weapon has survived the test of time!

Pro tip: Just about any combination of shots from a Bamboozler can splat an opponent, whether it be two partial shots, a fully charged shot and a tap shot, a charged shot and a sub weapon's splash damage, or one of your shots with one of someone else's. Use whatever opportunity works best in the current fight!

Feel free to suggest more weapon kits for us to showcase!

[snobgoblin]

What was your favorite piece of art you drew last year?

What is something you think you improved on?

GASP oh god okay... I think i cooked with this one still to be honest

as for what I've improved on...

i think getting a feel for how to draw faces from different angles, as well as learning how to portray a wide range of features comfortably. learning how to properly proportion faces to my tastes. I think you can see this pretty clearly with Danny? all these are two months apart with the first being the first official drawing of him

i feel like I'm getting more of a feel for how things work. and a better grasp on costume design! I'm also developing a bit of patience so I can do details a bit more which is exciting! because I've always enjoyed that sort of 1900s style of illustration and never had the patience to replicate it. but I feel like I'm working my way up there and am excited to improve and have the privilege of cringing at my current art in 2 months

[journalsouppe]

I started and beat this within like 4 days in July 2023, and I just completely forgot to take photos of this spread T-T.

BUT I loved Tunic so much, one of my all time favorite games I've ever played. If this was a Zelda game, it might've been my favorite Zelda game. This was only beat out by Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice bc my aa brainrot is that bad hfjdkal.

All of the stickers come with ordering the physical version of the game on fangamer!! There's also a freebie fox sticker I got from TheLittleBirdeeCo thats below keep reading.

My writing is typed below as well as my game notes. I will not type out my game notes and I also don't recommend looking at them unless you have played the game.

Game notes^ Plus a little blurb after rewatching a playthrough that I won't type out either since these are more just for fun.

Rating: 9.5 Played: Su 2023 Port: Nintendo Switch Favorite? Y Replayable? Y Recommend? Y

Comments

similar opening to links awakening

the start screen is gorgeous

THE POT SHARDS ARE MOVEABLE - i love the clay feel

tons of hidden paths and secrets

oooo you find the instruction booklet in the game

I KILLED MYSELF?

GIANT SKELETON SHOPKEEPER SCARED ME T-T he's chill tho

oooo you can hear the wind chimes

LOVE the mechanics of the draw bridge

what are the small tuner/bells for

i am apparently really good at finding hidden chests

i love that the fairies are stone versions of the oot/mm fairies

ENEMIES CAN FOLLOW YOU INTO NEW ROOMS?

it's hard to get acclimated since I'm so used to 2d zelda strategies and patterns

the statues of the hero perfectly encapsulate my view of oot link, i really love the design

the garden boss is hard T-T

the bell towers are so pretty

THE POTIONS REGENERATE? WISH I KNEW THAT

the west garden is so pretty omg

I FINALLY DID IT T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-

IM SO TINY T^T

idrk what to do at the heros grave

the librarian fight reminds me of the links awakening nightmare fight

frogs domain music reminds me of the forest temple

A GUN?

who am i?

why is the cathedral filled with ... me?

the boss rush was fun but hard

I DONT LIKE THAT ELEVATOR WHERE DID THE CRUCIFIED THING GO

i don't think there's a set order to do "dungeons" so i'm not locked to doing only the siege engine

i thought cat man was pissing

why do i have the power to activate the boxes?

librarian's ghost?

COLOR CHANGE?

was the heir me?

Game Notes:

beautiful 3D animation and modeling - very pleasing

wide attacking range - don't just attack straight forward

incredible environmental design and path making

two endings - exploration and collection for good end

diverse attack patterns and learning curve + boss rush

Summary

What a phenomenal game. I loved playing this game so much. It was challenging and I wasn't used to the souls mechanics, but I learned fast and had so much fun fighting the bosses. I love the two endings. The Bad where you replace your former self as the heir, continuing the cruel cycle. The Good where you free the Heir and find out it's you, older, someone who is no longer stuck in the cycle, and you get to be friends together. The music is absolutely gorgeous. I listened to it while falling asleep and was just sobbing from it. I love how mysterious the lore is and how everything still hasn't been answered. I love the designs of the environments and enemies and how the game can go from nice and serene to dark and creepy. I loved how this game was a perfect blend of 2D zelda plus monument valley plus a souls game, it forced me to think outside of the box and use my journal to takes notes on all the little secrets and surprises. I can def see myself play this game again, it's such a charming game that has a lot of nostalgia despite being a fairly new game. I am so happy I bought the deluxe edition, I truly cherish this game so much and love the stickers and artbooks I received. I highly recommend this game to anyone, it is such an incredible journey to go through. I'm gonna be spending a lot of time watching and reading about the lore and digging deeper into this game. Truly what a phenomenal game with such a cute yet tragic main character, ough i love tunic.

[wandafiction]

The Row - Just Us Chapter 52

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2888

Series List | Chapter 51 | Chapter 53

================================

I pull Wanda into the shop, her body moving closer to mine as we enter so I unlink our arms and move mine around her shoulders keeping her close to my left side. Her right hand moves up across her chest, to grab my hand that is relaxed near her left collar bone. She grabs onto it, linking our fingers together as she leans more of her body into me. 

"Do you remember where you saw the suit?" 

"I think it was called The Row." 

"Very good taste." I look down to Wanda, who is looking at the list of all the designers here. Let me tell you it's a lot. "Are you doing okay?" 

"Yeah, I feel a little out of place in my mom jeans and your shirt but I'm doing okay." 

"Well let's head to the section with The Row and we will be in and out of here as quick as you need."

"Thank you baby." 

"Of course princess."

I pull Wanda around SAKS leading us where we need to be, but also taking my time so she can have a look around and decide if she wants to look at something else. It seems like she is only here to look at the suit though, as she looks around but shows no interest letting me walk us where we need to be. When Wanda sees the sign for The Row her eyes light up and she bounces on her toes in excitement, practically pulling me into the section. I can see her eyes searching for what I can only assume to be the suit, a look of disappointment spreads across her face when she doesn't see it.

"Hi, how can I help you two lovely ladies today?" The sales assistant, a young short blonde puts on her best customer service smile as she walks over to us.

"Uh, hi. So I saw something online that I liked and hoped you would have it here but can't seem to see it." Wanda's eyes keep darting around looking at the range of clothes they have.

"That's no problem. I have some catalogues here with everything in it. Just tell me what you saw and I can sort something out for you." We follow the woman to the counter as she brings out a few small laminated clothing catalogues, one labelled dresses, on labelled suits, one labelled day wear and the final one is shoes and accessories.

"It was this red velvet suit sort of thing." 

"The jacket and pants right?" The lady flicks through the catalogue pulling up the page with the suit on, my eyes go wide already anticipating how fucking hot she is going to be wearing it.

"That's the one there yeah." 

"So we don't stock it in our shop, but if I get your measurements we can have it ready for you by Friday, as I can put a priority on this thing if you need me to." 

Wanda looks up at me then back down to the picture of the suit. I can tell she is having an internal battle with herself, I know she wants it but I also know she doesn't like the idea of me spending money on her. I lift her chin with my finger, as she bites her lip nervously but I simply use my thumb to pull it out.

"We can get it if you want it?" 

"I really want it but…"

"Then let me get it for you." From the corner of my eye, the lady silently 'ohs' in understanding leaving to tend to another shopper while me and Wanda have this conversation. "Okay I know we made a deal but what about this. You choose three outfits today of your choice, I will get them for you today and you can get measured for it all. So when I say outfit it means shoes and accessories too. Then that will be it. You will have three outfits from The Row and I never have to buy you expensive clothes again."

"I like that idea better, because it won't always be in the back of my mind that you will be spending ridiculous amounts of money one me." 

"Money comes easy to me Wanda, but we can learn and work together. You at getting better at accepting that I want to spend my money on you and I will hold back on the spending too much until you are comfortable. And if you aren't ever comfortable then that is fine too, I just want you to be comfortable with the fact that in my life right now it comes easily to me." 

"I will try."

"That's all I ask." She stands on her tiptoes to give my lips a peck. "So what do you want to do?"

"Can we do the three outfits thing?" 

"Of course we can." Wanda stands in front of me, pushing her arms under my coat as she wraps them around my body, locking her hands together at the bottom of my back. Her chin resting on my chest as she puckers her lips up at me, I bend down giving her a few gentle pecks. We break apart with a smile when the lady makes her way back to the counter, now finished with the other customer. Wanda let's go of me turning around to face the lady, her back pressed to my front and I gently rest my hands on her waist as I rest my chin on the top of her head.

"So have you ladies decided on what to go for?" Once again a winning customer service smile on her face.

"So I would like to go for the suit, then maybe look at some different things you have." 

"That's perfect, are we getting you measured today?" 

"Yes please. Am I able to browse the catalogues as you do so?" 

"Of course. Your girlfriend can join us in the back if that makes it easier for you two." She looks between me and Wanda, I'm starting to think that the smile isn't that fake.

"Yes please. Baby?" 

"Of course I will grab the catalogues while you and the lady get settled. Sorry what's your name so I don't have to keep calling you lady?" She huffs out a laugh holding her hand out which I shake.

"The names Paula. You two are."

"I'm Y/n and this my Wanda."

"Very nice to meet you both. Wanda if you would like to follow me though to the back, Y/n join us when you're ready. Also would either of you like a drink at all? Tea? Coffee?"

"I will take a tea please." Wanda says following the lady as I grab the catalogues.

"Water is fine for me thanks "

"Perfect. Why don't you two surf the catalogues while I make them for you." She disappears into another side room while me and Wanda take a seat opening up the dress catalogue first.

Wanda flicks through the pages, asking for my input on certain things as she hums a random tune out. She suddenly stops flicking her hand resting on the page, as her finger brushes over the picture of the dress she has seen. I know it's the one the moment she sets her eyes on it, a soft smile makes its way onto her lips as her eyes scan the dress up and down. Her finger traces the outline of the dress, before resting her hand flat against it.

"This one is perfect." Wanda turns to look at me, tilting the catalogue so I can see what she is one about and I bite my lip when I see the dress.

"What shoes and accessories are you going for?" 

"Just some heels and maybe earrings. Nothing too in your face." 

"Any more dresses you're looking at."

"No, I think I want to get another suit though, and er, maybe a coat?" She mumbles the last bit, but I catch it.

"So another suit, and a coat. And then just shoes and accessories to go with each." I state, so she knows I'm okay with it.

"Yeah so it would be one dress, 2 suits and a coat. Are you sure it's okay baby?" 

"I am perfectly sure princess. I want to spoil you rotten." She quickly pecks my lips and starts scanning the other catalogue as Paula returns. 

"Okay so here is the tea and the water. Wanda if you could come and stand up here. Y/n you can stand next to her, to help her browse but you might have to do some shuffling around while I measure."

"Okay. Ready princess?" 

"Ready." 

I stand up from my chair, placing the catalogues on my seat and hold out my hand palm up for Wanda to take. She gently places her palm in mine, my fingers wrap around her hand as I hoist her up from the chair. I bend down to grab the catalogues in my other hand, wrapping my arm around Wanda's shoulder while her arm remains in front of her, our hands still holding one another. We walk up to the small stand, that's about half a foot of the ground; and surrounded by 3 or 4 mirrors. I let go of Wanda's hand holding mine out palm up again. She rests her hand in mine as she steps up on the stand getting herself situated.

"Such a gentlewoman. Sometimes I wish I was gay." Me and Wanda share a confused look at Paula as we both laugh. "I just mean the most my boyfriend does is buy me flowers on my birthday." 

"Oh yeah, men are imbeciles. Been there, done that, never again though." Wanda remarks, laughing as the lady gives an impressed smile and nod. 

"So is it as good as they say? You know being with a woman compared to a man?" I try to ignore the conversation as I start looking through the suit catalogue for ideas. 

"Mhmm, one thousand percent better." I quirk a brow. "You my dear are missing out on a good time. Dump that lazy ass boyfriend of yours and get yourself a lady." 

"Maybe I will. So how long have you two been together." The lady starts up a conversation as she starts to measure Wanda's legs with a small hand held tape measure. 

"What's the date today baby?" I open my phone to double check.

"It's the 5th lyubov." 

"Okay so that puts us at 3 weeks 4 days. Okay wow, I didn't realise it hadn't been not that long. I swear it feels like we have been together for months." I quickly do the maths in my head and my jaw drops.

"Oh wow, yeah you're right." I just shrug. "We are just being your stereotypical useless lesbians."

"Wait so we said I love you to each other exactly 3 weeks into knowing each other." 

"Wait, wait, wait. You guys have already said 'I love you' to each other?" The lady stops what she is doing to look between the both of us wide eyed.

"Yeah, but I honestly thought we had been together longer. I swear it was longer." I scratch my head slightly confused at how quickly we have actually moved through this relationship.

"Nope." Wanda pops her the P. "We met on the tenth of last month."

"Well fuck me, that's kinda crazy lyubov." Wanda shrugs as she looks at me through the mirror.

"Like you said we are just some good ole useless lesbians." 

"Okay, anyway. So we have the dress, the suit you just need to choose the other suit and coat you want. Any ideas?" 

"Are there any white suits in there?" 

"There is." I start flicking the section with white dresses, while Paula moves around me. I hold the book open in one hand, and Wanda flicks through it herself, her eyes searching every page. Her eyes land on something she likes the look of, as they scan the page.

"What about this one dorogoy?" 

"Well this is for you, so it's your choice." 

"You're no help, I want your opinion. Like if I wore this would you take me to one of the Stark Gala's or not."

"I would love to show you off wearing that princess."

"Correct answer."

"So that one." I point to the suit to make sure she is happy.

"That one."

"Okay guys, as cute as this is Wanda I need your arms up and out for me so I can get those measurements."

Wanda complies, holding her arms out in the air, I move to stand in front of her, drinking her all in. I can't believe she is mine. I open up the catalogue that has the coats and hold the one with accessories in it under my arm, the rest go to the floor So I don't get in the way of Paula. I flick through them myself to gain an idea of what they do and pick out some favourites I think Wanda would like. As Paula moves to behind Wanda I turn the catalogue to face her showing her each of the ones I picked. As I flick the pages she scrunches her nose shaking her head a lot not really feeling any of them, not until the last one.

"Ooo I really like that one baby." Paula peaks out from behind Wanda.

"We keep that one in store since we don't need measurements for it really. You can try it on once I'm done here." 

"Perfect thank you Paula. Are shoes and accessories here or is it easier to order them to come with the made to measure stuff."

"Depends what you would like. We stock some stuff, but it is mostly easier to order it to arrive with the made to measure stuff." Paula finishes up wrapping the tape measure gently over her shoulders. "So what is it we are going for then ladies." 

"The red velvet suit, with a white button up. The shoulder to floor white dress with these earrings and these heels. And then this suit here, and this coat." 

"Perfect I will get it put through the till." Paula walks off to the counter to get it ready for payment as I once again hold my hand out to Wanda as she steps off the stand. She instinctively links our arms together as we both walk on time over to the counter. Paula walks back to us holding the coat in her hands, which Wanda takes putting it on herself. She double checks what she looks like in the mirror, then turns to me for my opinion but when she see my lip between my teeth she knows my answer so turns back to Paula nodding and handing the coat back.

"So which one do you want to wear this Friday princess?"

"Still the red one." I nod as I turn to Paula.

"Can we put a rush on the red suit. We need it for Friday if that's possible? I know it's Tuesday already…."

"We can put a rush on it, it will be ready for Friday morning where you can collect it from us." 

"Perfect." 

"Okay so the three outfits, accessories, shoes and coat all come to a total of…"

"I don't need to know, that's okay, just set up the card machine." Paula's eyes flick between me and Wanda and I can feel Wanda's eyes burning a hole in the side of my head.

"Okay, uh, well it should be ready for you." I swipe and sign and soon enough Paula hands over the receipt which I hand to Wanda. She immediately looks at the total price biting her lip a little. 

"See I didn't want you to know because you might have said no, so now you have 3 new outfits for plenty of occasions and there isn't a thing you can do to stop me." Wanda just nods as her eyes scan the bit of paper over each individual price, while I grab the bag with the coat in it.

"Oh so your a sugar mama. Damn I really should turn to women." Wanda smiles up at Paula and I'm thankful for the topic change.

"You definitely should. It changes everything." 

"Well you two lovely ladies enjoy the rest of your week and I will see you Friday when you come to collect the suit." She holds out her hand and we both give her a handshake before we turn to exit the shop. I wrap my arm around Wanda's sounders pulling her close to me.

"You okay princess?" I check in knowing her brain is going over the amount of money I just spent on her.

"I'm good. I'm okay. It's just something I'm going to have to get used to."

"It will take time, but like I said before you now have three new outfits and we don't have to do this again in a long while if it makes you more comfortable." 

"Thank you Y/n. I mean it. I love you"

"I love you too Princess. Anywhere else you want to go?" I look down at her smirking when I see her lip gently between her teeth her pupils dilated so I change my question. "Yours or mine?"

"Mine."

================================

[rippleclan]

[Image ID: the title of the article is "Clerics & Their Code". Fennelspot sits underneath the words.]

A two-for-one deal, since the cleric description and the code of clerics option both won in the last lore vote. Today we'll be looking at the two main responsibilities of a cleric and the unique set of restrictions that bind them.

Clerics: Healing

The main job of a cleric, the one which most cats can relate to, is to heal sick and injured Clanmates. Their medicine dens are not only places for recovering cats to sleep but act as important stores for medicinal liquids, powders, and other concoctions. Clerics are very picky about who can meddle in their stores, but there are multiple roles that need access to the medicinal goods. Artisans trade certain medicines with other Clans. Mediators sometimes need herbal remedies for the mental afflictions of the Clan. Historians often learn about medicine in their studies. Meanwhile, caretakers and warriors often assist in collecting herbs and turning them into medicine. Other cats can all be recruited to help clerics in times of crisis when they need more paws caring for injuries or are too sick to care for others themselves.

Cleric medicine is a complex enough topic that a cleric spends most of their life devoted to the subject. It's not just about collecting the right leaves and stuffing them onto wounds. In this world, clerics have a wider range of medicinal technology. They harvest herbs and transform them into some of the following;

Infused oils: While WheatClan is the only Clan that produces the ever-useful flaxseed oil, which they trade for use in both food and medicine, clerics and artisans can make a simpler, cruder oil from animal fat (the finished product isn't considered "oil", however, due to its differences from flaxseed oil). Clerics infuse this oil with herbs by mixing the two in one pot, then setting it inside a bigger pot with some water over a fire (clerics have their own fireplace/oven setup that is only used for medicine). The water around the smaller pot infuses the herbs into the oil over the course of an hour. When it's done, they strain the herbs out of the oil and keep the finished product.

Salves/Balms/Ointments: Clerics mix their infused oil with a strong wax (beeswax or tallow) to create a stronger variation of a traditional chewed poultice (although they may add some solid herbs to the finished product). Ointments involve the use of water and are better for skin/fur issues than the stiffer salves and balms.

Concoctions: This includes adding herbs to food for medicinal benefits, boiling herbs for decoctions, mixing herbs with honey, and otherwise mashing them together.

Clerics also use the herbs as we are traditionally familiar with, having patients chew them or eat them whole. A cleric's job also involves a series of non-herbal strategies, which includes the use of leeches, exercise, grooming, rituals to StarClan, and more. Notably, while cobwebs are a great emergency bandage, artisans can craft actual bandages from animal skin and plant fiber. Some of these bandages can be washed out and reused.

Clerics: Connection To StarClan

The other major job of a cleric is to maintain a connection to StarClan and advise their Clan on the opinions and advice of their ancestors. If a StarClan cat needs to speak to a living cat, they will usually go for the cleric. Oftentimes, StarClan only has the strength and knowledge to send vague signs and omens which clerics are trained to identify and interpret. They visit StarClan's Shrine on the half-moon preceding the Gathering in order to reconnect with the ancestors and get more clear-cut advice (while also connecting with fellow clerics on spiritual/medical matters).

Clerics have a wide range of rituals designed to bring strength from StarClan. They can also summon StarClan spirits through a special ritual (which I will explain another time). They can even perform a variant of it to speak to a Dark Forest cat, but this is seen as taboo and would earn ire from StarClan's Judges.

The Code of Clerics Origins: The First Cleric

The first cleric in the impressive records all historians work hard to maintain was known as Hickoryroot. A lot of her story sounds like myth at this point, but historians have worked hard to keep it as true as they could.

It is said she was a SlugClan warrior from the days where roles were not split as they are in the modern Clans. It is said that she learned some of the first medicines from watching a human (a Native American, possibly East Cree) gather herbs and turn them into a medicine for a wounded friend. The stars saw her experimentation and provided the herbs she needed to establish the foundations of Clan medicine. This provincial relationship made the role of the cleric forever connected to StarClan.

The process of preparing medicine was so time consuming that Hickoryroot had no time to help with hunting, kit care, or the other duties of a warrior. As such, the Clans decided her role would be distinct from the others. She would work under a different set of rules. With that, the Code of Clerics began to grow.

The Decrees within the Code of Clerics

A cleric's job is to care for the health of their Clan and connect the worlds of the living and dead. As such, they are not expected to help in other duties in the same way as most of the other roles. In fact, it is the duty of the Clan to support the cleric in whatever they need. They need more bandages? Artisans will make more bandages. They need extra paws to harvest herbs? Caretakers will join them and care for their herb patches/gardens for them. The Clan will protect and feed the cleric so all they have to worry about is their job.

It is forbidden to endanger, harm, or disrupt the work of a cleric. StarClan helps them heal their Clanmates and guide the Clans as a whole. Since clerics are forbidden from combat, to attack one is sacrilegious and will send a cat to trial. Only StarClan can order a cleric not to heal someone in need. If a cleric decides they need to help, no one can stop them.

Hickoryroot established this practice as a social custom, but it was later solidified as code that clerics cannot take a mate or have kits, even as an honor sire. It's not that a cleric would be distracted by their family (they have friends, siblings, and parents, after all), but rather that a cleric is a servant of StarClan and has an elevated position over other cats. They cannot take a mate in an equal relationship and they cannot take the guiding role of a parent without diluting their spiritual connections. It should be noted, however, that this aspect of the code is only a tradition in RippleClan, not a decree. Clerics in RippleClan are allowed to pursue relationships. Whether Fennelspot will take a mate one day remains to be seen...

[whentherewerebicycles]

god ok I had hoped to carve out time to work on these job materials but I had too many other things on my plate today and was too fried at the end of the workday. I think I will probably need to take a day off work if I want to get rough drafts done by the weekend ugh. but what if I don’t use that time wisely and then I’ve wasted some of my extremely limited & precious PTO??

ok. maybe I will think aloud under the cut.

I can build the diversity statement around my past program redesign work I think, which was all focused on first gen persistence/success, and then I can connect that to my current efforts to make experiential learning more accessible by encouraging and supporting integration into the curriculum (most of these efforts have been thwarted by the extreme dysfunction in our office but I do have a couple wins and/or in/progress projects I can highlight). I think the core thesis of the diversity statement will be like… I approach equity and inclusion as structural problems that can most effectively be addressed by structural solutions—ie by designing our programs, courses, assignments, etc in ways that demystify the hidden curriculum, recognize the importance of soft skill development, intentionally cultivate a sense of community and belonging, and provide students with the scaffolded support they need to persist and excel academically. I think they probably also want to hear something about culturally responsive teaching, so I’ll have to think about how to string those ideas together and what examples I can cite there… hmm hmm. I should be sure to balance teaching and administrative work examples here.

cover letter can be straightforward I think… I don’t want to overthink it as I’ll have more space to be creative in the teaching & diversity statements. I want to highlight the wide range of teaching, coaching, mentoring, and higher ed admin work I’ve done… I think the core thesis here is that I am an experienced educator, administrator, and coach with deep knowledge of both the research + applied praxis stuff around student success and student retention in higher ed. I also have a very strong interest in and knowledge of experiential learning and embedding high impact practices into the curriculum, and as a teacher am always looking for ways to help students connect what they’re learning in the classroom to real world contexts that have personal/authentic meaning in their lives. let’s see I also want to highlight that I’ve worked in writing centers or as a writing consultant for a gazillion years and have a lot of experience with mentoring/advising, but will have to figure out how to develop a thesis that weaves together these different ideas so it doesn’t feel too much like a list of things I’ve done. I also want to have a paragraph where I highlight things that are specific to the college, as I genuinely think this college is doing some awesome stuff and would love to work there. hmm ok. I need to map this one out a little more clearly, like just figure out how I want to structure and sequence it, and what I need to include, but I think that I am genuinely like… a highly qualified candidate? and hopefully knowing that that will help me write from a headspace of strength/confidence instead of agonizing over each and every word.

teaching philosophy: this is where I feel like I might have to do the most thinking/writing from scratch, but I should also look at my past materials to see if maybe I’ve done more of this than I think. I am a little hesitant to use my woolf example in case they dismiss me out of hand as someone who mostly wants to teach literature not composition… but the woolf example is so good because it encapsulates so many of my teaching values and so much about the playfulness of my teaching style, and I think I can reframe it slightly so it makes it clear that the lesson was equipping students with the tools to write thoughtfully about a dense text… and I bet I can tweak the description of the assignment a bit too to better fit a writing class. hmm I will have to do the most brainstorming here I think, to really distill my zillions of thoughts about teaching into a core thesis, but I think maybe the basic ideas are that I use a highly collaborative, playful style that is intentionally designed to defuse student anxiety, foster a sense of community and belonging in the classroom, and help students discover their own voices and ideas instead of imitating conventional styles. maybe I can talk about three different areas: what I actually do in the classroom (highly interactive, collaborative activities that get students involved in creating and doing), how I build syllabi and design writing assignments (how I use assignment design to foster student voice, encourage creativity and self-reflection, and connect classroom learning to authentic real world contexts), and how I assess student work (using alternative assessment systems to give students greater autonomy, spark intrinsic motivation, and guide students towards valuing process over product in writing). I don’t want students to learn how to perfectly and uncritically replicate established forms of conventional academic writing… instead, I want to cultivate their understanding of writing as a mode of thinking—an extremely powerful, useful, and rewarding tool or set of tools for making sense of one’s own beliefs and one’s position in the world. but I also gotta balance the feminist theory-inflected stuff with the realities of community college composition courses… so I want to be sure to also convey that I rely a lot on using iterative revision + collaborative peer feedback to help students carve out clearer, more cogent articulations of their ideas… and probably should be sure I am talking somewhere about the way I would teach a developmental writing course. I really want to talk about the feedback cycle liz uses but I haven’t ever implemented it in a class (I’ve just thought a lot about how I WOULD implement it lol) so I feel like maybe I can’t use that. hmm ok. to think further but I actually feel like I have basic building blocks here!!

[falmerbrook]

Clockwork City DLC Thoughts

TLDR: I liked it very much! One of my favorites! The aesthetics were amazing! Lived up to the hype. However, while I overall really liked it, I have some minor worldbuilding gripes and I think it also highlighted some issues I have with ESO's worldbuilding in general.

So first of all, I LOVED the aesthetics and designs of this zone! The music was great and moody and eerie at the right times, and all of the clockwork noises were perfect. I especially loved how whenever you were outside you could hear the groaning and rumbling of the whole city structure softly wherever you went. There are also a lot of little details in the environmental designs that really sell the setting, such as the the interiors of certain laboratories having unique interiors, the way they organize and keep books, the elevators, the factotums, etc. The interiors feel adequately chaotic with all the machinery with large gears and machines in the periphery, and the exteriors feel grand and impressive. I also love the colors and general sunrise/sunset feel of the Radius. The nights are particularly gorgeous with the lights of the structures and stars in the distance.

I also really dig the dystopian utopia vibes where the Clockwork City is built to be a perfect recreation of Nirn, but it also kinda hellish for (some of) the people living there. I actually wish they leaned into that contrast even more. I like that Sotha Sil also get's to have fucked up things going on under his leadership like Almalexia and Vivec.

I enjoyed some of the important characters too, particularly Luciana and Varuni. They (and Divayth) all provide such interesting contrast in the ways people view Sotha Sil and worshipping him, and even beyond them I like the wide range of perspectives we see with the NPCs. Many have a sort of religiosity alongside a traditionally secular mindset and I enjoy seeing those usually conflicting traits paired together.

Other miscellaneous things I liked:

The crows. They were very fun

The Precursor. They were cute and it made me sad when the Apostles were mean to them :(

I liked the factotums. The voice acting on them was great and I liked the way they talked and the phrases they'd say when processing information. It was intriguing then learning that they are like that because (allegedly) Sotha Sil probably used part of his sister's soul (or at least her voice) to make them. THAT'S NUTS!! I love it. That's the kinda fucked up shit I was hoping for from him. (although I do wonder how the hell he did that. like, she'd been dead for at least hundreds, if not thousands, of years by the time he did that)

I liked pretty much all of the side quests. They all provided such interesting worldbuilding

I really liked Sotha Sil's voice and voice acting. It fit him well

Now to the parts I was more critical of (I'm writing a lot, but know that it doesn't mean I had a lot of issues, just that I have a lot to say on them!)

I liked the idea behind Slag Town/the Tarnished, that there is an underclass and a slum of folks who can't advance in the hierarchy of the city (or aren't interested in doing so) that demonstrates the way Sotha Sil and the Apostles neglect the people of the Clockwork City in service of their studies, but I don't think it's executed well because that idea feels too underdeveloped. It feels like a slum we'd see on Tamriel rather than something that would be unique to the culture of the Clockwork City (this is foreshadowing for my biggest issue). It and the prophecy quest focused on it just feel aesthetically and narratively not to fit to me. Like, how did a slum like this come to be? How did the folks there get into that position? Why isn't Sotha Sil or the Apostles doing anything to help them (or get rid of it in a more nefarious way)? Are they people who were born there but couldn't measure up to or didn't want to be apostles, or are they people who just wandered into the city? These questions aren't me criticizing the concept, but rather they are questions I wish were answered or explored. Additionally, the structure of their society has too many normal things like normal cloth clothes and woodworkers and travelling merchants and a stablemaster and other jobs that to me feel like they shouldn't actually be in this setting. I feel like their society would just function differently (and a part of this is that we are stuck in an MMO world and the devs "have to" include those).

This brings me to one of my biggest points about ESO's worldbuilding: it keeps introducing interesting ideas in side quests but not really exploring the conclusions of consequences of them as fully as I'd like. I'm always left with a ton of questions, and not necessarily fun ones, but rather "wait, how does this work? Wouldn’t this change how their society works?" For example in this DLC, how does the food work? I am told everyone eats this nutritional paste for food, but also there is a side quest where you learn about a guy growing actual food and how he distributes it to the people of the Clockwork City once a year. What happens to that food? Is it what's used in the paste? Is it not and the people just want it as a supplemental thing so they aren't stuck with paste? The idea of that side quest is very interesting but I just wished the pushed it a bit farther! These interesting implications of the setting(s) are often introduced but also completely contained with in one side quest. And I feel that way about a lot of little things throughout this game.

Another example is a feel like they are a little wishy washy with how folks get into and if they can get out of the Clockwork City. So people just randomly stumble into it? Is that common or are we, Neramo, and the Vanos siblings an exception? We need a sponsor to become an Apostle or else we are stuck in basically poverty and can never escape but if that is the case why not make it so folks have to have a sponsor to even come to the city in the first place? Why would they waste their resources on people who don't even want to be there? Once again, an interesting concept, but I feel like it didn't get fleshed out enough for me and doesn't make a ton of sense. Can the Apostles leave? If so, in my opinion, that's a little lame. Takes the consequences and stakes out of being in the city in the first place, and if that's the case it feels like it's only there as an excuse for why we, the player, can leave. If they can't, then why can we and the Vanos siblings leave? I know they need to come up with an excuse for why we as the player can leave, but aren't the wayshrines enough? or maybe the fact that we came in with Divayth? Maybe he gave us a secret thing to get in and out like Barilzar's Band? I don't know why this bugged me so much but it did.

Ok on to some more minor nit-picks

Almalexia, oh Almalexia. Why are you thrown to the side so much? I could chalk it up to her just being written shallowly in the base game before the writing got better, and that she has the bias of being the most hate-able Tribune in Morrowind (the game), but while Nerevar, Vivec, and Nall get their own little plaques in the Elegiac Replication, Almalexia doesn't (she appears in the hologram alongside Sil for the battle at Mournhold, but doesn't get her own space) and that bugged me a little. It also highlighted a writing quality gap between how Sil is written in this DLC and how Vivec and Almalexia have been written in ESO (not a criticism of this DLC though, just an observation). Sil is just so obviously written better, which to most of the fanbase makes him a more compelling character when I think it really comes down to the writing quality. This DLC just made me wish the other two had this much love and care put into their dialogue too. He makes them sound half assed by comparison lol

I'm confused by the motivations of the Daedric Princes in this arc. I'm holding off on actually criticizing this because I know there's a whole 'nother chapter to develop this but right now there's 0 explanation as to why they are here. On that note, if the Princes involved are Nocturnal, Clavicus Vile, and Mephala (I've been spoiled on that one), and the folks they're targeting include Sotha Sil and Vivec, wouldn't have been more narratively interesting for Mephala to target Vivec? Once again not an actually criticism, just spit-balling. I don’t know what’s gonna happen in Summerset. They could've also leaned into the whole Mysteries and shadows thing with Sotha Sil and Nocturnal.

Finally, I've mentioned this before, but I think the Fabricants should be weirder.

Anyway, most of this is probably a matter of personal preference rather than actual criticism, but oh well I like getting my thoughts out of my head!

Looking forward to Summerset. It’s commonly called the best Chapter.