#i have ideas for characters and creatures and landscapes and animations

[that-one-loz-nerd]

Not being good at art is the most frustrating thing in the world

[autistichalsin]

The world we live in right now is not particularly kind to caring about things, particularly in the online environment. Think about the increasingly popular online persona of someone who is above it all, doesn't care about anything, is just there to laugh at everyone. Think about the trends of incredibly cruel TikTok pranks, where the entire punchline is to emotionally devastate people and then further humiliate them for their reactions, or where animals are subject to incredibly harmful practices (coating reptiles in butter, etc) for people's amusement.

There is an entire movement, propelled by online personas, that sets to demonize the entire notion of caring- about anyone and anything- which is then followed by increasingly sadistic genres of posts that capitalize on this disconnect. Once caring is uncool, then basic decency will become uncool very soon after.

Needless to say, kindness isn't something that's particularly rewarded in this landscape. People who are kind will get mocked, accused of disingenuity, and more. The idea of open kindness makes people uncomfortable and people don't know how to deal with that.

So characters like Halsin are, to me, more important than ever, because not only is he kind, but he cares about everything, to the point of pain. He finds meaning in everything. There is no "just a tree" to Halsin; that tree has meaning. The tree has a story. It's endured storms and grown stress wood from it, it's housed birds, it's seen the changes of seasons. Animals are much the same; they are living creatures with emotions and needs, and a capacity for fear and pain, and that is to be respected.

All living things are worthy of that consideration in Halsin's eyes.

And in this world we live in, where kindness is punished, where even the vague notion of caring about something is mocked, Halsin is important. He is the antidote to all those bullying TikToks; he is there to show that other living beings have needs too, and are worthy of respect. He is a giant middle finger to Andrew Tate and similar figures; he is there to say: you can love deeply, you can put others above yourself, and still be a real man.

Halsin is a counter to the increasing emotional numbing being pushed on people today. He's like a flashing neon sign that says no! caring about something, anything is what makes you who you are. Look who and what you can be if you don't close your heart off, even when you suffer.

And I just think that's a really beautiful thing, honestly. It resonates so much with me, and inspires me to find the meaning in things that are easy to write off as meaningless.

[noodle-is-unstable]

The JJK Characters as cryptids

(Drabbles)

Ft ~ Satoru Gojo, Suguru Geto, Kento Nanami, Toji Fushiguro, Ryoumen Sukuna, Choso, Takuma Ino, Shiu Kong, Uraume, Yuki Tsukumo, Shoko Ieiri, Mahito

Synopsis ~ The JJK Characters if they were cryptids. Could be Kinktober because if you squint hard enough it looks a little like monster fucking

Content Warning ~ 18+, spooky cryptid folklore things, Idk adult stuff

Gojo ~

Á Bao A Qu

the A Bao A Qu lives on the steps of the Tower of Victory in Chitor, from the top of which one can see "the loveliest landscape in the world". The A Bao A Qu waits on the first step for a man brave enough to try to climb up. Until that point, it lies sleeping, shapeless and translucent, until someone passes. Then, when a man starts climbing, the creature wakes, and follows close behind. As it progresses further and further up, it begins to become clearer and more colorful. It gives off a blue light which increases as it ascends. But it only reaches perfection when the climber reaches the top, and achieves Nirvana, so his acts don't cast any shadows. But almost all the time, the climber cannot reach the top, for they are not perfect. When the A Bao A Qu realizes this, it hangs back, losing color and visibility, and tumbles back down the staircase until it reaches the bottom, once more dormant and shapeless. In doing so, it gives a small cry, so soft that it sounds similar to the rustling of silk. When touched, it feels like the fuzz on the skin of a peach. Only once in its everlasting life has the A Bao A Qu reached its destination at the top of the tower.

This reminds me of Gojo because he was always living up to other people's expectations while never picking his own path. He wanted his students to surpass him so he would follow and watch to see if they could do it. Following his students lead him to fight Sukuna, freeing him and allowing him to achieve his true nirvana

Geto ~

Atmospheric Beasts

Atmospheric Beasts are the strangest of the flying monsters from ufology, cryptozoology and astrobiology. According to eyewitness reports, these beings are, apparently, living creatures, but they break all the usual rules that the biologists apply to living organisms. They appear to be able to levitate without any need for wings; as well as their bodies are even depicted in a semi-solid, often partially invisible, state.

I like the idea that these Atmospheric Beasts were actually just Geto flying around with his curses. He too was floating and flying above everyone. Breaking the laws of physics by simply existing

Nanami ~

Domovoy

The Domovoy a Slavic household Guardian shape-shifter spirit of a given ancestry a spirit who lives in the fireplace or behind stoves. Root word Dom meaning house is from Slavic folklore that lives in the home and protects the family from harm in all ways especially the children and animals. They have a troll-like appearance they have the power to shape-shift into anything but most likely cats, dogs, bears and horses. The Domovoy is said to be able to predict the future, however if enraged the Domovoy will lash out or in sometimes even leave the kin. The Domovoy even has a female counterpart called the Domania. The domovoy is believed to be coexisting with the house. The kin of the domovoy can give gifts and offerings to him.

Nanami would absolutely protect his house and everyone in it with all his power. He is very protective of those younger than him already. I dunno, he just gave me the vibes

Toji ~

Fear Liath Moor

Am Fear Liath Mór, or Big Grey Man or The Grey Man of Ben MacDhui is known to stalk the people who climb the mountain Ben Macdhui, the second highest peak in Scotland. Because of the high levels of fog there, not many people have seen it. Some believe the Grey Man to be a guardian of the mountain, but others believe him to be the guardian of a gate to other dimensions. The grey man is reported to be very tall humanoid, at least 8 feet high (Although sometimes as high as 30 feet). It is covered in short, gray hair, hence the name. Many times the witnesses didn't even see it, but still could hear it due to the loud footsteps. Many believe the Gray Man is a relative to sasquatch/bigfoot. It normally stalks its victims until they realize that it is following them, and then it chases them. This is a common pattern. It walks on two legs, and walks (and runs) like a normal person.

Toji feels like the gateway between the normal and curse knowing world so it seems fitting he would guard it. It is also an interesting parallel because it was of great note when Gojo perceived Toji. It was the first time he said someone actually saw him and he didn't like it

Sukuna ~

Achiyalabopa

Achiyalabopa was a huge bird god of the Pueblo people. He is described as being of extraordinary size and having rainbow-colored feathers as sharp as knives. It was considered a celestial creature and may have once been attributed to the whole of creation.

Sukuna is almost a pseudo god with his reputation and skill. Wings as sharp as knives paralleling his technique. Obviously not attributed for creation but could be argued he was the best showing of what sorcery could truly be and therefor the creator of true curse prowess

Choso ~

Horned Cat

Horned demon cats or Horned cats are the phenomenon of felines with various kinds of "horns" on their head or on their body. These cats or mostly of an occult origin however there are accounts of biological animals and mutations.

The idea the Horned Cat is from occult origins and Choso was born from curse, human experimentation. A creation that was never meant to be of this world but was still created. He also gives cat vibes

Ino ~

Manitou

Manitou is a term used to designate spirit beings among many Algonquian groups of Native Americans. It refers to the concept of one aspect of the interconnection and balance of nature/life, similar to the East Asian concept of qi or the Hindu concept of Brahman; in simpler terms it can refer to a spirit (compare to the Japanese concept of kami). This spirit is seen as a (contactable) person as well as a concept. Everything has its own manitou - every plant, every stone, even every machine.

Ino's technique being Auspicious Beasts Summon allowing him to be a spititual medium it feels fitting. He connects to beast souls and embodies them for his technique, living as a balance between human and spirit beast

Shiu ~

Pale Crawlers

Pale Crawlers are a phenomenon, usually enigmatic entities that appear at night. They are humanoid creatures described as thin and pale, with long limbs with claws and large black eyes. They are known to be incredibly fast, stealthy, and smart. While unconfirmed it is likely that pale crawlers are hyper aggressive.

Shiu is someone that works from the shadows, smart, stealthy and doesn't do his own dirty work. Though unconfirmed it's most likely when backed into a corner Shiu would have no problem being aggressive and even kill

Uraume ~

Abatwa

The Abatwa of Africa are a legendary race of minuscule hunters originally told of by the Zulus as being a menace in their territories; but in the past few decades the tales told of these beings in English language media has greatly changed.

Uraume is the definition of small but deadly. Tiny and likely to go unnoticed but an absolute menace. Uraume could take out people ten times their size and decimate populations

Yuki ~

Siren

In Greek mythology, sirens are female humanlike beings with alluring voices. They are always around locations surrounded by cliffs and rocks. Sirens continued to be used as a symbol for the dangerous temptation embodied by women. "Siren" can also be used as a slang term for a woman considered both very attractive and dangerous.

Yuki will always ask "What's your type?" hoping the answer is her. She has been shown to get agitated when not answered. Her words have often left people in danger or injured. (Leading Geto to become a curse user, leading Todo in training that left him scarred)

Shoko ~

Akkorokamui

According to Shinto mythology, the creature is human-like and contains a bright red color. The Akkorokamui is also characteristically described with the ability to self-amputate, like several octopus species, and regenerate limbs. This characteristic manifests in the belief in Shinto that Akkorokamui has healing powers. Consequently, it is believed among followers that giving offerings to Akkorokamui will heal ailments of the body, in particular, disfigurements and broken limbs.

Shoko's reverse curse technique parallels the healing ability of the Akkorokamui. Though she isn't as destructive she is willing to help those close to her

Mahito ~

Nixie

The Nixie, are humanoid, and often shapeshifting water-spirits in Germanic mythology and folklore. The enthralling music of the Nøkk was most dangerous to women and children, especially pregnant women and unbaptised children. He was thought to be most active during Midsummer's Night, on Christmas Eve, and on Thursdays. However, these superstitions do not necessarily relate to all the versions listed here. Many, if not all of them, developed after the Christianizing of the northern countries, as was the case with similar stories of faeries and other entities in other areas. When malicious Nøkker attempted to carry people off, they could be defeated by calling their name; this was believed to cause their death.

Mahito is known to be a shapeshifter of sorts. Very whimsical and joyful, almost childlike. Dancing, playing, general glee but very dangerous. He lured Junpei to the sewers and is still a curse after all. Though whimsical he would take, torture, experiment and kill people

[artist-issues]

Have you ever watched Emperor's New Groove? If so, what did you think of it? I think it's a really good, unique, highly entertaining movie, but I'm curious what your thoughts are! :D (Since everyone is asking you stuff lately XD)

(They are, it's been a fun couple months) I love the Emperor's New Groove! Who doesn't? Liars. Liars don't love that movie.

I think The Emperor's New Groove is first and foremost a comedy, and then a story, and that's okay. I love the groove thing—I love that Kuzco has a "rhythm in which he lives his life," and he forces everybody else to dance to it or else get defenestrated, but then that groove's total lack of care about other people gets turned on him, when he's in a position where nobody cares about him or what happens to him—and so that forces him to change.

I love that the movie takes the whole "Aztec sun" imagery and makes that the palace, like the idea is that everything revolves around Kuzco. He's the sun. Just like the song says. It's upon top of a mountain, totally isolated. But then as the movie goes on, he's down in this full, cool-colored, rich forest landscape that's busy with creatures and other people and townsfolk. And he's transformed into a llama, a herd animal. I liked all that.

Kronk is the best character in the movie. He just spends the whole movie blooming wherever he's planted and I love him.

It has some of the best line delivery and voice acting in any movie, ever. The only other animated comedies I quote as often are Surf's Up and Fantastic Mr. Fox

Sorry if you were hoping for more; I haven't really analyzed that one yet!

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

When I’m trying to create new characters, I often find questionnaires that have questions like “what is your character’s favorite movie?” Or “What is their favorite social media app and why?” However, these questions do not work for creating fantasy characters (like I am). Do you have any ideas for questions to help writers create fantasy characters?

This is a fantastic question, especially for fantasy writers. There aren't many resources dedicated to the creation and development of fantasy characters. I highly recommend exploring Dungeons & Dragons (DND) questions; they can offer valuable insights like this one.

On that note, if you'd be interested in a customized workbook solely focused on fantasy character creation, just give me a heads-up! Meanwhile, I've crafted a concise yet distinctive short questionnaire to get you started. (With unique questions, not the basics.)

Magical Essence 🌟✨:

Source of Power: 🌀💫 What magical abilities or powers does your character possess? How did they acquire or inherit these powers?

Magical Affinity: 🌊🔥 Describe their connection to elemental forces or magical domains. Are they aligned with specific elements or forces of nature?

Otherworldly Origin 🌌🔮:

Realm of Origin: 🏰🌌 Where does your character come from? Describe their homeland or origin realm—its landscapes, cultures, and inhabitants.

Mythical Lineage: 👑🌟 Does your character hail from a line of legendary beings, gods, or creatures of ancient lore? How does this lineage influence their identity?

Legendary Quests and Adventures 🗡️🛡️:

Heroic Exploits: 🏹⚔️ What legendary quests or adventures has your character undertaken? Describe their valorous deeds and encounters with mythical creatures or foes.

Artifacts and Relics: 🏆🔮 Have they encountered or possess legendary artifacts or relics? How do these items influence or aid their journey?

Creatures and Companions 🐉🦄:

Familiar or Animal Companion: 🐾🔍 Does your character have a magical creature companion or a familiar? Describe this bond and its significance.

Encounters with Mythical Beings: 🧜‍♀️👻 Have they interacted with beings like dragons, spirits, or mythical entities? Describe these encounters and their impact.

Destiny and Prophecies 🌟🔮:

Foretold Prophecies: 🔍📜 Is there a prophecy or destiny foretold about your character? How do they perceive and react to this prophecy?

Chosen One or Fate's Hand: 👑🌌 Is your character considered a chosen one or fated to fulfill a significant role in the world's destiny? How do they handle this responsibility?

Interactions with Magic and Society 🤝🔮:

Attitude Towards Magic: 🧙‍♂️🔑 How does your character view magic in their world? Are they a skeptic, a practitioner, or a scholar of magic?

Relationship with Magical Societies: 🏰🌐 Are they part of magical societies, guilds, or orders? How do these affiliations shape their actions and beliefs?

Struggles and Sacrifices 💔🌪️:

Internal Conflict: 🤔💔 What inner struggles or conflicts does your character face? Are there conflicts between their desires, duties, or moral beliefs?

Sacrifices Made: ⚖️💔 Have they made sacrifices or endured hardships in their journey? What are these sacrifices, and how do they impact their character development?

Fate and Free Will 🎭🌌:

Control Over Destiny: 🌟🔗 Do they believe in free will, or do they feel their destiny is preordained? How does this belief affect their actions and decisions?

Choices and Consequences: 🤷‍♀️🔮 How do their choices influence the world around them? Describe instances where their decisions had profound consequences.

I hope these questions help you start thinking about your story and your character. I mentioned things like dragons and magic to give you a place to begin, but you can totally explore other ideas beyond typical fantasy themes. Use these questions to spark new thoughts for your plot and character development, leading you to create a story that's unique and goes beyond the usual fantasy clichés.

[viviseawrites]

our project for the @strangerthingsreversebigbang is now fully live! i had the distinct honor of writing for @ent-is-indecisive, and the amazing artwork inspired something a little outside of my usual wheelhouse. i'm so glad i got to work with ent and i hope i did this work justice!

Title: they gave you life, and in return, you gave them hell written by @viviseawrites with art by @ent-is-indecisive 

Art: view on Tumblr Fic: read on AO3

rated E | ~13,300 words Summary:

Eddie Munson died in the Upside Down during the spring break from hell. Steve knows that all too well. But when Steve is captured by Vecna’s forces, a familiar face reintroduces himself as Kas. And Kas’s mission? Interrogate Steve for details on the party’s plan to face Vecna. 

Still, Steve can’t help but see Eddie somewhere under the magical new powers and blank eyes. He just has no idea how to reach him.

tags and a peek at the first scene under the cut!

Fic Tags: Post-Stranger Things 4 Vol. 2, Eddie Munson Lives, Eddie Munson as Kas the Betrayer (Dungeons & Dragons), Eddie Munson Has Powers, Captive Steve Harrington, Captor Eddie Munson, Power Imbalance, MagicCanon-Typical Violence, Possession, Horror, Torture, Sacrifice, Temporary Character Death, Exes to Lovers, Love Confessions, Getting Back Together, Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Dom/Sub Dynamics, Dom Bottom Eddie Munson, Sub Top Steve Harrington, Offscreen Kink Negotiation, Kissing, Blow Jobs, Oral Sex, Face-Fucking, Praise Kink, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Daddy Kink (very light!), Angst with a Happy Ending

Archive Warnings: None.

Pairing: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson

Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Vecna, El, Robin Buckley

The forest of Hawkins sounds different than it used to. When Steve was a kid, birdsong filled the air and leaves crackled as small creatures scurried underfoot while he and Tommy raced for his tree house. But right now, he hears only his own heartbeat, pounding in his head; his breathing, too fast and too loud; and a familiar, dreadful high-pitched screeching accompanied by the flapping of many leathery wings. The demobats chitter excitedly as they search for him. 

Steve flexes his hands. His back is pressed to the bark of a sturdy oak tree, stripped of its greenery like so many of Vecna’s other victims as his influence eats away at the natural landscape. The blight creeps out from the center of Hawkins a little more each day. Dustin’s theory is that Venca needs to consume life force to maintain his power, especially considering all the sacrifices. He never misses one of Lucas’s scouting reports as he attempts to track the decay and its relationship to Vecna’s abilities.

But none of that matters to Steve, not right now. The trees are dead and the animals are gone and the demobats are hungry. But El is in danger, so here Steve is.

One of the demobats finally breaks through the bare branches above. Steve holds himself still and silent, fingers wrapped around the handle of his bat; the democreatures don’t have eyes, but their sense of smell is strong enough to make them dangerous anyway. He can hold his own against a single monster, but as soon as he spills its blood, the rest will be on him. 

Better on him than El, though. Steve firms his resolve at the thought. 

The demobat lands on the forest floor, turning its head this way and that as it tries to pin him down. He takes in a quiet, stabilizing breath. When he darts forward, it swings around to face him just in time for his nailbat to crunch down onto its skull. The cry it releases echoes shrilly around him before it abruptly cuts off. But the damage is done.

read the rest on ao3

[writingwithfolklore]

Conventions of Genre

                I think tropes often get a really bad rap amongst the online writing communities. We liken it back to unoriginal stories or outdated characters and concepts. While there are some outdated tropes in contemporary genre, on the whole there is nothing wrong with tropes and conventions of genre. In fact, genre allows readers to find what they’re interested in (and if your story would align with that), give a general idea on what the story will be like, and allows us as writers to explore new concepts without having to reinvent the wheel.

                In order to utilize genre and tropes effectively you need to first know which genre (or hybrid) you are writing or want to write, acknowledge the tropes that already exist in that genre, and then choose which tropes you want to follow, and which you want to subvert.

                Consider the movie Enchanted. It takes the classic fairy-tale genre—true love’s kiss, princess and the prince charming, talking animals—but subverts it by bringing it to modern-day New York.

                We still know we’re getting into a fantasy romance movie (you get what you came for, we’re happy) but we’re also surprised enough that it feels fresh and interesting.

                So here’s some classic genre conventions you can either follow or subvert. Even combining two surprising genres (horror and fable, mystery-fantasy) can create something new. Try it out!

Fantasy

Elves, orcs, goblins, dwarves, trolls, humanoids etc.

Dragons, unicorns, other creatures

Magic. Wizards, sorcerers, witches

Takes place in a world that more closely resembles the past than the present

Castles and villages, focus on setting

Natural landscapes

Fable

Talking animals

Moral/lesson

Short

Magic

Child or animal protagonist

Adventure

Hero/Villain

Forest, jungle, desert setting (extreme weather)

Danger—man vs. nature

Evil organization

Treasure

Small group of explorers – protagonist

Race against time

Mystery

Detective

Murder

Small group of suspects

Gritty/realistic

Mansion/train/small town

Dark tone

Foreshadowing

Big twist

YA – Dystopian

Evil government and “False utopia”

Protagonist aged 15-20

Love triangle

City setting—technology take-over, devastation of natural world

Class divide

Resistance group

Set in future

[jacksonthereaper]

🥳HAPPY 2024🥳

Thank you all for the kind words on the last post, this past year has been kicking my ass with school, family, emotions, etc. but hopefully 2024 will be a new start for me and i'll manage to (at least somewhat) turn things around mental health-wise. Thanks to everyone who stuck with me and helped me out through these tough times. I appreciate you all. I really do 😊😊

But anyway, LET'S GET TO THE MAIN EVENT

I have two big announcements regarding future projects:

First, about the Daily Bestiary: I'm just gonna be straightforward here, cause real talk, i've lost pretty much all interest in mythology and folklore, i tried to reignite that passion but after pretty much half a year of having it as an interest, it's just not something i'm into anymore. This is all essentially to say that Daily Bestiary is pretty much dead. I'm thinking of maybe having people send on their own posts and submitting them for me to post (with credit given of course) but that's just an idea for now.

NOW ONTO THE REAL BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

My current interests are general fiction (particularly manga and anime), fantasy and sci fi, as well as character creation and world-building. With this, i've been working on the basis for a fantasy/sci-fi story i've been putting together for a while now. And that story is called:

WONDERBOUND

Wonderbound will center around three teenagers living in NYC: 15 year old Eddie McKlee, 16 year old Akio Murasawa (born and raised in Japan, later moved to the states) and 15 year old Marta da Costa (born and raised in Brazil before later moving to New York). They discover and end up traveling to another planet known as Golfraeym, a magical planet filled with strange creatures, fantastical landscapes and colorful people. They now must spend their every day switching between their regular school life during the day and their duties with the Nozh Ved'my, a division of the legendary organization known as Svyataya Sila, in Golfraeym during the night

On this journey they will discover different planets with their species, cultures, languages and learn the great secrets of a universe full of mystery and wonder

From here on out i'll mostly be sharing details about Wonderbound through not just written posts, but also asks you guys send. There's a lot of stuff that still needs more time in the hoven but feel free to ask away and i'll answer you to the best of my abilities

So ye i hope you're interested in what Wonderbound has to offer and feel free to ask me anything abt, i've been working p hard to put this world together so i hope you are all as interested in hearing about Wonderbound as much as i am in creating it

Have a good one! ✌️

[desultory-novice]

Welcome back!! Also, I’d LOVE to hear that pitch idea 👀

To get this out of the way first, when it comes to hypoethetical Kirby movie ideas, I often hear things like "Return to Dream Land would be the best game to adapt to a movie!"

I...disagree.

It's a really nice story, with an intriguing beginning, middle, and an infamous last act twist. But you actually need to understand what kind of character Kirby et al are, their world, and Kirby's themes before you can really understand what makes RtDL's (and Magolor's) story effective. Because of that, it's not a good introduction.

So, which game would I adapt?

Ah, see, here's the thing. I think the best way to handle it would be to combine several plots together! For this, I'm loosely adapting Kirby's Dream Land 2/3, Kirby Super Star, AND Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. That's right! All of 'em!

Let's dive in!

--

We open on a colorful storybook-esque backdrop, with a young girl narrating to us about the peaceful Planet Pop Star and the story of "Kirby of the Stars", a mysterious traveler from afar with even more mysterious abilities!

...The camera pans back to show us an excited Adeleine showing off her notebook full of idea sketches to curious Kirby, who speaks (yes, speaks - all throughout the movie, in fact) that they're not certain why, exactly, they're being made out to be the hero of this story Adeleine is conceptualizing in the first place. Adeline points out that Kirby is fascinating and exciting (and lovable! :cheek squish:) and that more people should know about them!

Kirby replies that they're happy with the life they have right now, panning out to show Kirby's house in Whispy Wood’s forest, as well as the rest of the animal friends. Also, "...isn't it lunch time?"

But lunch is put on hold as Coo points out some suspicious activity in the sky. We switch POVs to Ribbon, frantically clutching her crystal while being chased by vague shadow resembling Dark Matter Swordsman and a handful of Dark Matters in tow. In desperation she attempts to activate the crystal as they near in, causing a sonic boom type effect that rocks the land below, sending bits of light and dark debris everywhere. Ribbon goes flying too.

Kirby and the gang find her, where she wakes up to explain to them all in a panic that "...Zero is coming!" and their whole planet is in grave danger. She answers only few brief questions about where she came from and who Zero is before demanding directions to the ruler of their kingdom. She can't waste time here. She needs a hero!

They (some of them swallowing their doubts) point her in the direction of Castle Dedede and she flies off before they can even ask if she wants anyone to "...accompany her?" (Kirby offers to go after her anyway, but everyone kind of groans at the idea of actually, you know, TALKING to Dedede and puts forward they idea they should get back to lunch, something that immediately wins Kirby over.)

A bat-like shadow flies out from the trees just as something gooey that had fallen from the sky in that explosion begins to rattle from the inside of one of Adeleine's paint buckets.

We follow the shadow of the bat-like creature across the landscape of Dream Land till he swoops in for a landing in front of Castle Dedede... revealing himself as Meta Knight.

He's given a friendly but harried greeting by a certain Waddle Dee. Meta Knight is interrupted from asking about the current status of things in the castle by the appearance of Marx, the king's jester, who cracks a few jokes at Meta's expense. Meta shows some anger at Marx who plays at being threatened right as King Dedede arrives on scene. Dedede looks for all intents to be the villainous foil, self-absorbed, egotistical (easily manipulated) and agreeing without thinking too hard about it to everything Marx says. (Even when that thing is mocking himself.) Meta interrupts to remind them all that there are more important matters at hand. That's when either Ribbon arrives at the castle or - we hear that she's already arrived.

Back in the forest, lunch turns into comical hijinks as the group discovers the weird life-form in Adeleine's paints. It hops out, spooks everyone badly, including itself, until Kirby tries inhaling it to stop it from running - only to immediately spit it out. "It tastes...Gooey." (Gooey repeats the word, finding in it a descriptor...and, a name?)

The gang wonder if this weird creature could be the Dark Matter Ribbon spoke of, or even Zero itself! Gooey can't provide any answers about who or what they are (and is still learning the concept of speech) but the forest denizens are able to put off their suspicions thanks to their positive experiences with Kirby, who was also an outsider once. Kirby and Gooey bond quickly over that, with Kirby showing Gooey that just because they don't know what they are, that doesn't make them so strange. Kirby has strange abilities too - showing off a few Copy Abilities too, like using Fire to cook up some baked yams for everyone.

This happy meet-and-greet is interspersed with scenes of Ribbon now catching the Castle Gang up on her story. That "Zero" is a force of pure negativity that has threatened countless planets, most recently consuming her home of Ripple Star, its queen, and all of her friends. She alone escaped with Ripple Star's treasure, the Crystal of the Ancients. The Queen told her to seek out heroes who could unlock its power and stop Zero but... King Dedede stops her there. She was right in coming to see him. The greatest, toughest, bravest "hero" in all of Pop Star. (Dee, Marx, and even Meta Knight all share an eye roll at this declaration.) Let Zero come! The Great King Dedede will stop them in their tracks! (...And get all the fame!)

...Ahem, to start summarize things a little faster (so that this doesn't turn into an hour and a half long read) Ribbon very quickly starts to have her doubts about King Dedede's fitness as a hero (and her choice to come to him for help) as he blatantly ignores her actual warnings to focus on the celebration when he finishes saving the day. The rest of the Castle gang sympathize with her doubts and all agree that this is pretty classic Dedede. Marx and Waddle Dee especially have their gripes with the King's rule, except that we begin to see more and more that Marx, who plays the adorable, long-suffering jester of an idiotic, despotic king when anyone's eyes are on him, is snide to Waddle Dee in the shadows and has been manipulating Dedede into making himself even more of a big useless oaf that no one respects. (Not that Dedede is without flaws, Waddle Dee confesses, but he buys into Marx's false praise too much and doesn't realize he's become something of a laughing stock.)

Ribbon's mention that Zero's agents chased her here end up leading to Gooey being considered a dangerous target to be arrested on sight, just as Kirby and Adeleine take Gooey into town to show them around/teach them more about Dream Land/maybe stir some memories or just good experiences?

Meta Knight, who is sent on this task, catches them in town, despite Adeleine and Kirbys' attempts to disguise Gooey, and the Forest Group and the Castle Group end up clashing, as Dedede wants to splat "the evil Zero" with his hammer in front of everyone, but Kirby insists that Gooey isn't Zero, Gooey is a friend and wouldn't hurt anyone. The only way to solve this argument...?

...Set up a giant arena in front of Castle Dedede and challenge Kirby to a big public tournament for the right to keep Gooey! Poor unprepared Waddle Dee is sent in first, providing a few moments of future friendship bonding for the pair. Next is Meta Knight, who uses this mostly as an exercise to test finally Kirby in combat, giving him several grim warnings during the fight.

Despite Meta seemingly outmatching our puff in every way, Kirby surprises him, inhaling Meta's sword and landing a shocking blow that cracks his mask. Kirby is ever so briefly surprised to see that Meta Knight...looks just like they do. Meta quickly vanishes before a shocked audience can see. (Marx grins.) A stunned Dedede, who didn't expect Meta to lose, quickly recovers to face Kirby in the final round for possession of Gooey and the right to the title of Dream Land's hero.

Ribbon, who has been watching Kirby closely throughout the tournament, and remembering their offers of assistance from the very beginning, has realized they're the one who fits her ideals of a hero. (And the Crystal begins to glow...)

King Dedede, for all that he fails to impress as a king, is one heck of a fighter and proves a pretty even match for Kirby! Refusing to be outdone, he manages to use his build to his advantage to mimic Kirby's own unique abilities. (This is partly because he's giving it his all, unlike Meta Knight, who was holding back.) But a shriek mid-way through the fight alerts both combatants to trouble and brings the duel to a sudden close.

You guessed it! Marx has turned on everyone. With Meta Knight out of the picture temporarily, he's caged Ribbon and snagged the crystal for himself. He gives a stunned Dedede a verbal kick in the ego, pointing out every one of his flaws that everyone was too dull to call him out on till he showed up and says Zero can have this planet. 

"...For now!"

Its time for the gang to regroup to chase after Marx and get Ribbon back! Alas, King Dedede is feeling defeated after that verbal smackdown until Waddle Dee steps up to give him a much needed reality check / pep talk. Its true, King Dedede wasn't the best king till now. Marx was kind of right about that - if unnecessarily mean about it. But he's still THEIR king. And if he tries, Dedede can still be a "Great" King! Kirby chimes in too. They had a really good time with that fight, if only they weren't fighting over possession of one of Kirby's friends...Okay, NOW Dedede's motivated and on board!

...Which is good because an army of Dark Matter has begun to flood the skies above! There's no time left! Zero approaches! A freshly-masked Meta Knight returns to unite the frightened, under-trained Dees in the defense of Dream Land against the Dark Matter forces - something our main Dee helps rally them for - while Kirby and the others go to rescue Ribbon!

(At a certain point in the battle with the Dark Matter, our main Waddle Dee takes an injury protecting another Dee. Meta Knight compliments the Dee's bravery and maybe giving him some combat pointers, all while bandaging him up with a scrap of blue cloth.)

The rest of the group catches up to Marx as he's in the middle of trying to use the crystal for...something mysterious. There's some sequel tease dialogue there that Marx refuses to elaborate on to "...a couple of idiots." Kirby and Dedede team up to fight him as Adeleine and Gooey work to rescue Ribbon in the background, away from Marx's attention. Kirby and Marx have a mid-battle chat, Marx chiding Kirby's naive ideals after Kirby affirms that there's nothing weird about befriending Dark Matter and that they'd even be friends with someone like Marx. Marx reacts with disgust at this. At Ribbon's suggestion, Kirby copies Mirror from a broken bit of Marx's wings Dedede cracked earlier and tricks the trickster, allowing Dedede to smack him so hard, he sends him flying off into the stars.

That's all done with but they still have Zero to contend with. Dedede announces he has to return to the front to help Meta Knight and the Dees as "...That's what a true king ought to do. Right?" Adeleine goes with him to help with the evacuation. Leaving Kirby and Ribbon (and Gooey too, who, after hearing Kirby's speech about friendship to Marx, is able to reveal their mock matter form before Ribbon) to face Zero with the  reawakened and fully charged (Huh. Did Marx prove...useful?) Ancient Crystal.

Zero (with traits of both Zero Two and some oblique references to Void) is unlike anyone Kirby and co has ever faced. They do not talk, for one thing, leaving Kirby's greatest strength, their empathy and willingness to reach a hand out to anyone, all seem meaningless in the face of pure negative emotion.

Plus, fighting them brings both Kirby and Gooey face to face with their fears (or un-asked questions, till now) as to just what they are. But a pep talk from Ribbon ("I KNOW what you are! I've seen you help everyone you come across. No matter whether they've done anything to earn it or not!") and Meta Knight's wise words the tournament comes back to Kirby at a key point in the fight.

In the end, the battle of "where you come from" vs "what your actions say about you" ends in a victory for our heroes. Zero is defeated, the day is saved, Gooey is considered a welcome resident of Dream Land by all, Kirby has some new friends, Dedede is taking steps down the road to real leadership (and won't stop hounding Kirby to a rematch to find out who really is the strongest) and Ripple Star and the fairies are freed from the darkness!

There are questions, of course. Still mysteries to be had. But food, friendship, and nap time are most important, for right now.

The post-credits stinger? ...Marx's unconscious body floating through space. Up until he bumps up against the hull of a very familiar looking ship that is. (1)

---

Anyway, that's basically the idea!

My goal was to try and introduce as many familiar Kirby characters and conflicts as possible, even if that meant reworking the context they originally appeared in, while also trying hard to avoid an overdone "origin story" movie feel.

King Dedede doesn't steal all the food (although there could be a line about him doing that) but we see that he is too self-obsessed to be a good king atm. Except that he has a heroic enough streak deep down that he DOES know the difference between right and wrong.

Marx is still a tricky traitor who knows more than he lets on but is more concerned about selfishly getting his way than the damage to others his ambitions could cause. Zero is still a frightening, unfathomable, otherworldly evil with vague connections to Kirby. 

Adeleine and the animal friends play the role of Kirby's supportive family and represent everything that's good and comfy about Planet Pop Star. Ribbon is an at-times heroine-in-distress who still knows what she needs and can also hold her own when the chips are down. 

Gooey is the cute, wanna-protect-them fish-out-of-water character for us to examine/learn about both Kirby and Pop Star with. (Bandanna) Waddle Dee still has their sassy attitude while beginning an arc that would grow with each successive appearance. Meta Knight is cool, intelligent, tactical, but always mysterious.

Now...

I know that not a lot happens TO Kirby directly in this pitch but...Kirby is a character who stays pretty consistent throughout the series. We don't really have a strong ground for saying "In the early days, Kirby was more like this..." (outside of things like their rash decision to blame Dedede in Adventure and Squeak Squad) so I freely admit... Kirby does not have a character arc here. Which could be considered a major flaw, where this to be a real film. Kirby could be considered a "boring, infallible hero." And I don't really have a rebuttal for that except that I personally wasn't that interested in using this experiment to deeply examine Kirby's flaws via the template journey ten thousand movie heroes have gone through (and Kirby has so few flaws anyway) as much as I was interested in exploring how Kirby's steadfastness manages to (positively) affect the those they meet and the world around them.

The other thing of course is that it’s not a very lore heavy treatment. Plenty of classic, even iconic stuff gets left out. Outside of the food-stealing thing, Dedede never gets possessed. They never go off planet. There’s no Galactic Nova outside a few easter eggs in the fight with Marx. No Star Rod or Fountain of Dreams. No Kracko, Kabula, or other bosses and enemies as anything more than background cameos. I mention adapting Super Star, but Dyna Blade and Wham Bam don't really play a part, so it's really just Milky Way Wishes. A movie with less ground to cover would have plenty of room for these individual elements to breathe, but when I first started thinking of this, I set myself a personal goal of seeing covering as much "Kirby" as I could in just three movies.

Other thoughts of mine...

I only hinted at Dark Matter Blade's appearance in the beginning summary without having a full role for them in the story. That's because... I couldn't decide. ^^; I did want to tie them to Gooey, but I also wanted Gooey there for the fight with Zero, when Dark Matter Blade would likely be leading the invasion of Pop Star. (And thus, probably have an awesome duel with Meta Knight??)

The whole thing is also a little jam-packed. But I honestly don't think these 3 (+) stories are as discordant as they might seem! Especially since putting them all together allows us to have a fuller cast with a nice spread of flaws, goals, skill sets, and attitudes. And yes, I ditch Adventure (even though I love Nightmare) but I think the stuff with the Fountain of Dreams could always be used as a flashback sequence in a sequel movie. Maybe to tie off the trilogy?

Anyway, for getting through all that, have a bonus sketch of what a potential movie poster might look like!

---

(1) Speaking of trilogies / as for the stinger...

Not to go too much into it here, but the general plan in this hypothetical would be to try and get as many mainline stories into three (?) movies as possible. While I haven't QUITE worked out how to mix Planet Robobot, Adventure, Star Allies, and Forgotten Land cohesively (the science vs magic aspect of having Haltmann and Hyness as dual villains was intriguing though, and its possible to twist the HWC stuff to fit with the Beast Pack's activities while making Eflilis into Hyness's desired form of revenge was a bit poetic) but I did figure out much of the structure of movie two, which combines Squeak Squad, Return to Dream Land, and Triple Deluxe. (With a sprinkling of Amazing Mirror and Canvas Curse.)

Here, the Lor Starcutter crashes on Pop Star as per usual, only Magolor AND Taranza emerge from it. Magolor is an antiques dealer now ("ANCIENT" artifacts especially) and he and his ship were hired by Taranza as transport on a very important delivery mission for the "glorious" Queen Sectonia when they were attacked by the inter-galactic band of thieves known as The Squeaks, who stole their extremely important cargo! They require Kirby and the gang's help to get the ship fixed and put everything in order.

It's treachery left and right though, as the stolen cargo WASN'T the Dimensional Mirror, like Taranza had been told by Sectonia. Furthermore, the framed Squeak's were originally hired BY the queen (through Magolor!!) to steal the real treasure, the Master Crown, so she could claim it to secure her rule. But, say it with me now, everyone then gets triple crossed by Magolor, who steals the stolen Master Crown for himself. Because of course he does.

(And by this point, we know enough about Kirby and their feelings on friendship and forgiveness to know that they would of course be willing to try and help save Magolor, even after being betrayed, when Magolor's plan goes all sorts of wrong. ...You also get some call backs as Magolor's frightening transformation into Dark Matter can pull on some trauma of Kirby's for not being able to reach out and communicate with Zero. There's actual stakes now as Kirby needs to save him before he, too, falls beyond his reach!)

[organ-market]

Unsung Beauty: Caves in Fictional Media

Hang Son Doong, Vietnam

Around a year ago, I started obsessing over cave tragedy videos on YouTube. Videos about tragedies in Sand Cave, Nutty Putty, or any other deep hole in the ground where something goes wrong were formulaic, repetitive, and worst of all the guy I was watching used the exact same music in every video, but despite it all those videos inspired an infatuation with all things deep within the depths of the Earth. I soon stopped watching "caving gone wrong!" videos in pursuit of something with a little more taste and love. I read about Hang Son Doong's expansive size and gargantuan formations, Mammoth Cave's rich history and winding chambers, and countless more fascinating oddities of our natural world. My infatuation with caves deeply burrowed into my everyday as I spent hours reading about caves all across the world. I had no idea such an interesting and diverse world existed beneath my feet! I found that there is an unsung beauty deep within the natural splendor in the twisting caverns below us all.

To complement my newfound obsession I sought out movies, television shows, and games that involved caves but my search turned into a desperate scavenge as media that revered caves the way I did was beyond scarce. Apart from scholarly articles and the odd documentary, caves were widely known but as an interest they were somewhat niche. The only fiction I could find fascinated with caves to any degree was solely horror in genre. While disappointed I could see why this was the case; caves are dark, damp, and play on a litany of common human fears, but writing off caves exclusively as a vehicle of horror is an egregious waste of enormous potential!

Neil Marshall's The Descent, 2005

As much as I enjoy movies like The Descent and In Darkness We Fall, where its titular characters underestimate the depths and labyrinthine chambers of the caverns that eventually entomb them, there needs to be more diversity in cave fiction that explores the majesty and wonder of caves, the rich history some of these caves have that could make for compelling narratives, or the captivating creatures that call caves home. I would kill for a show about speleologists (Scientists who specialize in caves.) who explore and discover fascinating species of troglobites, (Animals that strictly live within caves.) and find incredible rock formations worthy of a name. I would love to see a historical drama about The Kentucky Cave Wars during the 1920’s when private cave owners used malicious tactics to gain a competitive advantage. The closest thing I have to the latter is the musical, Floyd Collins, based on the real man who was trapped in Sand Cave a almost a full century ago.

Far too often are caves relegated to being obtuse holes in mountains that have nothing to offer in our collective narratives. The portrayal of caves in these movies are incredibly bland! (Although I did enjoy how the humanoid creatures in The Descent bear close resemblance to real world troglobites!) Caves can be lush or barren, dry or wet, claustrophobically tight or breathtakingly large. If caves were ever one thing it is that every one is a unique little snowflake forged in different ways over a timespan inconceivable by our human minds. The caves featured in popular media are largely interchangeable with one another, we could place the lead characters of In Darkness We Fall in any old hole! Caves are products of geological history and their defining landscapes shape how they turn out. Hardly do media about caves explore this uniqueness and that's a genuine shame.

Cave of the Crystals, Mexico

There is a severe drought of cave fiction that borrows the beauty of caves. I want to see a setting inspired by the otherworldly wonder of the ginormous Hang Son Doong in Vietnam, the largest cave in the world, so large, in fact, it can form clouds within it. I need to see the towering crystals present in Mexico’s Cave of the Crystals, a cave adorned with enormous gypsum crystals which make the curious scientists seem so tiny. I demand to see set pieces in movies inspired by the fantastical Waitomo Glowworm Caves in New Zealand which resemble the night sky. I write all of this hoping to push back against the narrative that the sole function of a cavern in stories is for a protagonist to get lodged under a rock, or consumed by its depths, I hope to encourage others to see how diverse and unique caves are.

Mojang Studio's Minecraft, Caves and Cliff Update, 2021

Thankfully, for you and me but particularly me, I’ve recently seen an influx of gorgeous caves reminiscent of my natural darlings. Although these appear to be notable exceptions, the colorful world of video games have delivered to my doorstep some magnificent offerings of unparalleled beauty. While somewhat few and far between, games like Minecraft and Elden Ring spoil a cave enthusiast like me to take part in exploring the depths I daydream about on the daily. The new swallowing expanses of hollowed chunks of rock in Minecraft were directly inspired by Hang Son Doong! I was delighted to see the inclusion of pale, blind cave fish inspired by the real world fish that lack pigment and eyes due to evolving in an environment where those features were no longer necessary.

Although I haven’t gotten very far in FromSoftware’s Elden Ring, the opening cave had me absolutely overjoyed. The careful attention to detail with an opening in the cave ceiling allowing light shrubbery to grow did not go unappreciated! A screenshot of ginormous glowing crystals looming above Tarnished gazing upon them torch in hand, left me thinking back on the real world Cave of the Crystals. The interactivity of video games lends itself well to being able to bask in the glory of these digital recreations of the caves I’ve grown to love. Being able to meander in these physical spaces is just so special and an unbelievable gift.

FromSoftware's Elden Ring, 2022

I haven’t delved into the portrayal of caves in literary fiction but from a glance it seems just as filled with horror as other mediums, but I’m sure there’s some gems in there waiting to be found. As it stands I remain starved for passionate, loving portrayals of my beloved caves in the media I consume and I continue to curse myself for obsessing over such a niche little thing. I will admit however that every little unique depiction of caves that sings about their beauty has me jumping for joy because their rarity makes them feel all the more special. Like a gift on an otherwise ordinary day, it’s always such a pleasant surprise. If you’ve watched, played, or read something that constructed a narrative surrounding caves that called on their natural majesty, PLEASE I beg of you to let me know about it! I hope to see more and more diverse representations of what caves can be in all forms of popular media in the years to come! Keep it real y'all <3

 -Ghost Emoji 👻

[honourablejester]

Thoughts on Druids in Urban Environments

“Purple lichens grow on the bare, blasted rocks of frozen tundras. Fish swim in lightless depths that have never seen the sun. Life grows, and should be encouraged to grow, everywhere. This manufactured landscape is no different.”

“Do you think we have no place here? We are the rats in your walls and the starlings in your eaves and the rain in your gutters. Did you think you could just build a wall and keep nature itself out?”

“Beavers build dams, dragons build lairs, and mortals build cities. It is the way of things. To every creature their dwelling. But all dwellings are fragile, all dwell at the mercy of the forces that surround them. The cities, no less than any other habitat, require guidance and sheltering. And, occasionally, clearing.”

So I’ve been noodling around these sorts of thoughts previously with my homebrew urban druid subclass and thoughts on a green dragon trying to greenify a city. I just really enjoy urban fantasy, in the literal sense of fantasy in urban environments, as well as the noir-influenced genre sense. You can see this in stories like Cityside Fairytale, the idea of nature spirits interacting with the city. I grew up in a river town, you don’t get to avoid nature just because you live in an urban environment.

So. I like the idea of D&D druids being integrated even in the more urban areas of their worlds. Not even as specialist urban druids, but just in general. Quite a few of a baseline druid’s abilities and spells fit very well into a city environment, and some of them have very interesting worldbuilding implications if you tease them out the right way. Heh.

I’m going to be talking about this mostly from a worldbuilding, DM, NPC sort of direction, but there’s maybe inspiration here for player characters as well. Just. Some thoughts, character concepts,  worldbuilding ideas:

Spymaster

Well. Spymasters, spies, city watch, urban infiltrators. Because three things. Wildshape. Speak with Animals. Pass Without Trace. This is a city. Every rat, sparrow, rook and crow are now your eyes and ears. Or you. You can go almost anywhere. You can see almost anything. Magics like nondetection that protect against divination don’t do shit against the 2 million beady eyes watching people come and go. A druid spymaster in a city milieu would nearly be terrifying. Small wildlife is everywhere. And, yes, a druid can only take one shape at a time, and only talk to so many creatures. But the paranoia fuel is exceptional, just from the idea. A druid that’s strategic about it, that has creatures they regularly talk to watching particular hotspots, could cover a lot of a city. A network of druids, a whole spy network, could cover … a lot.

Just. Picture a city, in your world, where the rats are always watching. Sorry. The Pied Piper of Hamelin is one of my favourite fairytales. The rats and the city, and the magic figure at the heart of it. A druid spymaster, a small, grubby figure behind the throne, their eyes and ears spread chittering out across the city. In the gutters, in the streets. Behind the skirting boards. Under your bed. In your eaves, eavesdropping. There are ten rats for every person in the city, and they can talk to all of them. The bats, the starlings, the sparrows too.

And on a smaller scale, this does work for things like investigators, spies, criminal gangs. You’re a city watchman and almost none of your informants are humanoid. You’re a thief who can climb up any drainpipe, hide behind the skirting boards, pull a cloak of shadows around yourself and blend into the brickwork. Why a druid? Because the rats taught you. The shadows hide you. You’re one with the world around you, this habitat build by animals who think they’re smarter than maybe they really are. Dirt, nature, gets everywhere. You thought it was a good lesson to learn.

Beggar Lord/Street Gang/Urchin Leader

Again, inspired mostly by a single spell. Goodberry. Imagine Goodberry in an urban slum. Imagine the implications of being able to feed someone for a day on one berry.

Imagine trading favours on it.

Swing it for good or ill. Feeding the hungry, or extorting them. But a druid has a lot to offer in densely packed, poverty stricken areas. Food and water from the area. Purifying water. Healing. Granted, a cleric has a lot of the same merits. But Goodberry. Goodberry in particular. As I mentioned with Ylin Dos, my villainous druid, it’s such a fascinating spell for implications. You can give a street kid a berry that’ll feed them for a day. What do you charge them for it? (Might link back up to spymaster, above, there).

It can be villainous, extortion. But there’s also room for camaraderie. Support. Beggar networks. If they want to starve us out, we’ll bloom to spite them. If they want to deny us everything, we’ll just make it. Druids have such a theme of growth and survival, and that’s interesting in a city. Weeds growing where they’re not wanted, not supposed to be, and thriving despite anyone’s best efforts. There’s a sort of a theme of urban anarchy and urban support there. You can’t keep nature out. You can’t decide what you want to grow where. Weeds get in. Weeds are supposed to get in. The only thing ‘weed’ means is a plant where you don’t want it to be, but you’re not the only one who gets to decide that. Put some urban druids down at the bottom of urban society, in the cracks in the pavement. People are starving, but nature provides. Even when it isn’t wanted to.

(Seriously, on a worldbuilding level, druids have so many spells that are interesting in urban environments. Purify food and drink. Create or destroy water. Protection from Poison. Lesser Restoration. Detect poison and disease. Think about things like cholera epidemics. Sewage. River water. If you’re in a highly urbanised fantasy world, an extremely developed magical society, city health inspectors. Your entire health department could be druids. Huge chunks of your civic planning departments. Magical CDC. There’s so many options …)

Harbour Master/Dock Master/River Master

This does go back to Carla James in Cityside Fairytale for me, but the epitome of a high-ranking civic position for a druid in a city is Harbour Master, River Master, something similar. Because cities run on rivers, harbours, water, trade. Access to water is a primary consideration for a city, and usually one of the defining factors that determine where they locate and grow. How many of our worlds cities are defined by their relationship to their waterways? And the river giveth, but the river also taketh away. It gives trade, water, access, control, and it costs lives, damage, a steady force eating at the base of everything you build. Water moves, water flows, water floods, water erodes. Cities sink slowly into their lagoons, silt clogs the harbours, waves flood the levees and drown districts whole. Whoever controls the water, in some very real ways, controls the city.

And what class, in D&D, controls the water more?

If you want to give a druid an office in a city. If you want them to be a fundamental, powerful city figure, an overt power in their own right. Harbour Master. River Master. A high ranking, powerful magic user. And, underneath them, whole departments, organisations. (Circles). They protect the city from floods, from waves, from erosion. They direct the currents that guide trade. They defend the harbour from foreign ships. Your ship tries to sneak in or out? Control Water is bringing it right back. They patrol the harbour, the docks. Your water police, your city watch, your river patrol. Some of them can walk on water. Some of them can pretend to be seagulls. Some of them can pick your whole damn smuggler ship up and sit it on the dock next to the Harbour Master’s office.

And, to go back up to the previous point, do consider sewage. Sewers. Cholera epidemics. Flood defenses. Sea defenses. Buried rivers. Storm drains. Consider harbour dredging. Large scale water purification (perhaps even water purification festivals). Cisterns and water storage. Aqueducts, aquifers. Enough drinking water to support the population of a city, where is it brought from, how is it brought, how is stored, how is it accessed? Cities are built around water. As well as, often, in defiance of it. Which can create a certain tension.

Consider the relationship between the river, the city, and the sea. And, thus, between the druids and the government. Cities are fragile, especially when set against raw elemental might. How much power does this River Master hold, and how happy are people about it? How happy are they about it? How they view the city, how does the city view them?

Honestly, you see all these fantasy cities with powerful wizards, because intellect and magic and construction, but you could do so much with a city druid. A city official, in their brown-and-silver robes, their gull-shaped badge of office fixed to their shoulder. Several of them, even. The Harbour Master, the River Master, the Sewer Master. The River Patrol, the City Health Department. And, yes, the Spymaster. Druids are considered the antithesis of the city, the forces of the wilderness in stark contrast to the artifice and civilisation of the city, but honestly druids could run a city. They could keep it alive, keep it afloat. A habitat as delicate as any other, a challenge as harsh as any other.

Nature doesn’t stop at the wall, no matter how much we like to pretend. Maybe druids shouldn’t either. I don’t know, I just really like the idea of urban druids. I like the worldbuilding potential of so many of a druid’s abilities and spells. I like how they meld and contrast with an urban environment. In some ways, a city only gives a druid advantages. Narrow streets and alleyways, for a class that excel at area of effect. A fragile, artificial environment, in the hands of a class that wields raw elemental wrath. A city full of eyes and ears, packed solid with bodies, for a class that can change shape, and that deals with poison and healing in equal measure.

And there’s thematic push and pull too. Weeds in the cracks. Power and protection. Stealth and solidarity. How much is the habitat worth protecting at the cost of everything around it? Did you think you could keep us out? The river giveth and the river taketh away.

I like it. I like the ideas of it. If you have nature magic in a world, it will exist everywhere, not just the most obviously thematically appropriate places. If people exist who can speak to animals, who can control water, who can cast Spike Growth in the middle of urban warfare and decimate an enemy gang unfortunately crammed into the same alley … Well. Then chances are someone will think to do just those things. Some druid somewhere will walk into a city, to see what it’s like if nothing else. Some urchin somewhere will make a connection to the rats, or the water under the stone, or the scrubby weeds that stubbornly push through the cracks and refuse to die, just like them. So. Why shouldn’t a city have as many druids as anywhere else?

The weeds get everywhere. And the water wears away the stone.

[rackraccartpage]

I admire your art and art style so much. Have you ever made a post on your art process, or what references you use and how?

hii!! and thank you so much. I’m so sorry it took a long time for me to answer, I was making a video to answer this but life happened and sadly I am nowhere near finishing it :’3 but, I’ll try to explain now!

For the references:

You can find many resources on my linktree! For tumblr, it’s located on my pinned post by clicking the tree emoji 🌲. Here, by scrolling to the bottom, you can find my pinterest, second tumblr, a list of art creators, a george bridgman pdf, and anatomy for sculptors’ art station.

Pinterest:

I use this and my 2nd tumblr the most when drawing. On my account I have multiple public boards.

> The drawing board has a TON of (organized!) pins. It’s particularly useful to locate anatomy references, portraits of people to study off of, and tutorials for specific lighting or material.

> The Animal Inspo board I use a lot both for animal drawings and stylization practice for anthros! If I’m creating a monster or hybrid creature, I also use the board to collect inspiration for the design.

> The figure poses board is full of both solo and interaction poses. I keep it mostly to photos that don’t have perspective or any unconventional lenses + angles. This makes it good to practice human proportion, weight, and basic character interaction.

> If you’re looking for photos to study value, color, and composition then the art study board is super helpful! There’s both landscapes and still lifes. I’m going to use this board a lot while building my portfolio for college :’)

Aside from my public boards, I also have many private ones. For character design, I often make a pinterest board dedicated to the character that acts as a mood board.

For example, all three of these boards were for the same project: “create a fighter for a street fighter inspired video game.” Only one of these boards became a character in the world. In character design it’s essential to accept failure, try a variety of designs, and make a character with their role, backstory, and purpose in mind.

2nd tumblr:

My second tumblr is listed next to my pinterest. On this account I repost art that I like and want to reference off, whether it’s the coloring, rendering, stylization etc.

YT list + PDF + Artstation:

> The list of art creators holds creators links and what I know them for! I don’t watch art youtubers often, but for helpful advice or beautiful art those I reccomend.

> George Bridgman is an artist recognized for his stellar anatomy and simplification of the human body, so I linked a free pdf.

> The anatomy for sculptors art page has great 3d models displaying specific muscle parts. It’s both great for learning anatomy and seeing how light looks on the muscles.

How I Use Them + Process !!

I don’t use references every single time I draw, but I’ll describe the instances of when and how I do use them. For a character illustration like this . . .

I referenced (1) my prior sketches of her and her design, (2) a pinterest board I created for her aesthetic, (3) and https://posemy.art for the pose.

I was also trying to replicate the 'splash art' style of popular videogames used to highlight and showcase characters. An important note: While references helped me get closer to my envisioned piece and goal, it didn't secure my success. This piece came out differently than I had in my head, but even then I'm happy with it since I adapted my ideas to better fit my skill level. ------------------------- For character design, I go through multiple renditions before I settle on a design. The references I used to build this character sheet I all gathered from pinterest.

Here's examples:

I also used references of tigers and other artist's animal drawings for the animal body. When drawing, I just either screenshot multiple or copy paste individual photos and paste them to my canvas. I keep them at the sides of my canvas while I draw. ------------------------- I hope this helps!! Again I'm so sorry it took so long to reply :( This whole month has been exhausting due to family issues. I'm hoping to be more active in the upcoming months!

[wendylianmartin]

Hello miss Wendy! Do you have any advice for drawing backgrounds and beasts? Cause I struggle with those the most and have no idea where to start, and your environments and creatures are really creative and super nice to look at

Well thank you! I feel like I struggle with backgrounds too lol.

For beasts: I would just try drawing a bunch of animals using references. Like if you wanna draw a wolf creature- reference a wolf and a bear or any beastly creature that fits the vibe.

For backgrounds: rather than draw a character and then then the background afterwards- I would sketch out the background at the same time as though it is PART of the character. Try to make them compliment each other. That might help you find good balance within the art and come up with interesting compositions.

For instance: rather than drawing a character and then sticking a random tree in the background- draw both the character and the tree in a way that guides the viewers eyes towards the focal points of the image. Like maybe the branches curl inwards towards the character’s face and guide the viewers eyes towards the character’s eyes. Something like that?

But at the same time- backgrounds do not have to be super complicated. Sometimes the simplest landscapes can really elevate a drawing.

I dunno those are some random thoughts, I still need to work on my backgrounds too lol hopefully they help 👍

[arabellameyer]

AN INTRODUCTION TO ME (plus side blogs/other places you can find me)

Hello everyone! How are you? I'm Arabella, and I love to worldbuild, learn about nature, draw, and a bunch of other stuff. If you have any questions about my worlduilding, let me know! Please keep conversations appropriate (no sexting or asking extremely personal questions). Here there will be reblogs of/art of some stuff you might find disturbing (body horror/gore), but I will label it as such (gore, blood, tw, nsfw, etc). It's part of my worldbuilding as you'll see here over time. But it isn't the only part of my worldbuilding, so don't worry about missing out on much. I do not tolerate any porn so none will be here. I've heard too many stories of people dealing with porn addictions and how debilitating it is, so I'm not even going to chance looking at it, lead alone reblogging it.

Filing system down below v

When I reblog stuff, I'll put it in a file system that is similar to my pinterest pinning system (same titles and such). Here's how it'll go...

(btw if any of these tags are of no interest to you, then feel free to block them)

Art:

Animal reference

Animal pose

Animal behavior

Art reference

Human pose

Guide or Art Guide

Landscape

Procreate

Ibispaint

Aesthetic/pattern:

It just looks pretty - I like it because it looks nice :)

Storytelling or Cinematic - the way it sends a message is interesting, and I'd like to use it as inspiration

Worldbuilding:

(BTW level 1 animals are animals found irl)

Level 2 - Like irl animals that have one little thing changed about them, like their color or number of eyes.

Level 3 - Mix of 2 or more animals that is hard to distinguish what the original animal is (like a cat/snake mix, was it originally a cat or originally a snake).

Level 4 - A change in the original species causes a majority of people to fear it, like deep fear it. Creepy

Level 5 - Like levels 2-4, but with a horror aspect to it (like snakes that look like intestines).

I've made guides for my leveling system and I'll post them soon, so don't worry if you're confused ;)

Dragons

Elementals

Hybrid

Scene idea - idea for a plot point or fun story in my world

Characters:

Characters - catch-all

Johann the discoverer

Damien

Mama nova

Void deer

(I'll add more as time goes on)

Memes:

Memes - general tag

Remember - has some relevance to it, whether or not it's a meme (just sorta a catch-all for anything that I want to remember. You'll see what I mean if you search through there.)

Scenario - meme that describes a scene, and I don't know where else to put it

Food for the funnies - this is where I put the stuff I actually laugh at. Not just a breath out of my nose, but a true laugh.

Derpy - •u•

Fever dream - lol those memes that make no sense or come out of left field

And that's how babies are made - I'm not even going to explain this one lol

Stay flexy - exercise ideas

Cute:

Cute - catch-all for anything adorable :3

Cute animal - specifically cute animals

Cute plant - specifically cute plants

Misc:

Recommend or Recommendation - smth I should check out (to buy or look @ again)

Pins or Enamel pins - enamel pins I like the look of.

Watch later - if I like the look of it but don't have the mental energy to completely peruse it, then I'll put it here.

Ok so that is my filing system lol. I know it's pretty long but I plan on using the references and stuff I find here.

I know I said this before, but I love talking (raging extrovert), so if you wanna chat or dump a writing idea or creature idea on me, then go for it! Heck, my commissions are also open (not getting them done immediately, tho) if you're interested (no guarantee on the quality. Just know I am still learning the fundamentals of art). Anyways, if you're reading this far, then you're one of the real ones (also, what's your favorite color? Mine is blue, but I like them all tbh) 💪. Thanks so much for reading this. I'll have a side blog here shortly where I'll post only my art so that you don't have to go through all my reblogs, lol. Anyways, thanks so much, and have a blessed day <3

P.S. this is my art-only side blog and deviantart. Here, have a mouse 🫴🐁

[moonfromearth]

OCS as OBSCURE ASSOCIATIONS TAG

with Corey Altman!

Thank you so much for the tag @simmingonthelow! 😊

I promise I'll have more characters to do these with eventually but for now they are all an excuse to talk about my favorite sim 😅

ANIMAL: Racoon

COLORS: Black, Grey, Orange, Green, and Red (oops those are a lot but they're like his signature colors)

MONTH: July

SONGS: Holiday by Green Day

NUMBER: 7

PLANTS: Chamomile and chrysanthemums

SMELLS: I honestly have no idea 😅

GEMSTONE: Turquoise

TIME OF DAY: Middle of the night

SEASON: Summer

PLACES: Desert landscapes, rundown trailers, campsites in the middle of dense green forests. (i tried to make this sound cool but they're also two totally different places lol)

FOOD: Ramen

DRINKS: I know this is like the sims version of a real thing (based on what I Googled) but in game the EAPA was what he always ordered so that... 😅

ELEMENT: Fire

ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS: Sagittarius

SEASONINGS: Not sure about this one either 😅😅

SKY: Overcast.

WEATHER: Warm summer day.

MAGICAL POWER: Superspeed

WEAPONS: Probably anything nearby lol I doubt he'd plan ahead enough to have one 😆

SOCIAL MEDIA: X/Twitter maybe?

MAKEUP PRODUCT: Black eyeliner pencil.

CANDY: Anything sour.

METHOD OF LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL: Car, walking, or hitchhiking.

ART STYLE: Pencil or Pen Sketches (if you'd even call them that I have idea)

FEAR: Fear of Fire (ironic given his zodiac sign lol)

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: Werewolf.

PIECE OF STATIONARY: Lined notebook, like the type you'd get for school or something.

THREE EMOJIS: 🎸😎🔊

CELESTIAL BODY: Mars

Aaaand I'll tag @minty-plumbob @swiftviolets @windslar @tricoufamily and @rebouks but feel free to ignore if you've already done it/don't want to! 😁

[killdeercheer]

Studio Ghibli Reviews: Tales from Earthsea (2006)

Sigh, so this was one I gave the benefit of the doubt to, even after hearing so much vitriol for it. And honestly, I don't know what's sadder: actually watching it and seeing how rough it was, or learning about its backstory and feeling so bad for everyone involved. Tales from Earthsea was the directorial debut of Gorō Miyazaki, Hayao's son, who had been previously responsible for managing and directing the recently-opened Ghibli Museum. Gorō, a landscaper, had only a passing interest in animation, but his lack of expertize in museum-work seemed to Hayao to be a blessing in disguise. The older Miyazaki wished to adapt Ursula K. Le Guin's 1980s novel series Earthsea, which had heavy fantasy elements and was an inspiration to the filmmaker. But there was a problem: Hayao felt that all the creative juices possible for an Earthsea film were used up in his previous work, and he decided to pass the torch to his son as a sort of experiment. And when I say "pass the torch", I mean he basically threw the project at him and contributed no help whatsoever. Whatever he expected for Gorō, it must have been quite a lot: there's a now famous story of Hayao walking out of the theater halfway through a test-screening to smoke a cigarette, and later commented "I saw my own child. He hasn't become an adult. That's all. It's good that he made one movie. With that, he should stop." With the release of the film, it became apparent to fans of the novels that this Earthsea film was anything but, with a jumbled plot and elements inserted from a completely separate work Shuna's Journey (by Hayao). Le Guin, after much hesitation at the idea of an adaptation to begin with, responded with disappointment. "It is not my book. It is your movie. It is a good movie." But... is it though?

Plot: Earthsea is a fantasy world where humans and dragons shared a common heritage, with the ancestors of the dragons choosing to remain freeborn creatures while the ancestors of humans chose to settle down and own property. With sightings of dragons fighting each other, it becomes apparent to the Kingdom of Enlad that a growing darkness is threatening to swallow the world. After unexpectedly murdering his father the king, the timid and unnerved Prince Arren flees into the wilderness and meets a traveling wizard-in-disguise called Sparrowhawk. The experienced man shows him pity and kindness, and introduces him to the wider world and all its corruptions and slavery. Along the way he encounters a mysterious scarred girl named Therru, on the run from slavedrivers led by the evil warlock Cob. In the middle of all this conflict, Prince Arren has to face the struggle within him and learn to do... something or another. I don't know, this plot was confusing.

- this review will be mainly spoiler-free (if you even care) -

I'm gonna try to keep this brief but fair and honest. I didn't like this one. But it did start out really strong. This mysterious and mythical world is opened up before us with dragons and sailing ships and a very apparent Hellenistic/Roman aesthetic throughout. Those aspects I appreciated, because I'm a bit of an ancient history nerd and I can get invested in a fantasy setting. And I was also ready to be invested in whatever the king and queen and their subjects were discussing, and then out of nowhere the film takes a sharp turn with the killing of the king at the hands of Arren. So, for the remainder of the film, we focus on this character. Prince Arren is not a good character. Throughout the film he is battling with this apparent split-personality complex where one minute he's shy and gentle and the next he wants to kill somebody. During his initial murder, he steals his father's sword and cannot for the life of him unsheathe it. This is eventually explained towards the end of the film, but to be honest I have difficulty remembering the explanation, or whether it truly gets resolved or not. Something about one side of Arren is his "light" or what have you? Honestly, this feels like something I'd understand if I read the books first but I shouldn't have to do that if it's explained well in the film! Ugh. And I hate his design. Studio Ghibli has set a great example for how human characters are portrayed with realistic proportions and expressions but Arren looks so uncanny with his doe-eyed face and weird button-nose.

The other characters don't fare any better. His child co-star Therru is really not given much to do. Half the time of the film she is bitter with Arren for his aid against the slavedrivers, and when she finally opens up to him we get only one moment of positive character interaction before she's captured and tied up by the very same slavers. And that's another thing - I heard in one review that in the film the characters so very easily find each other in this apparently vast magical world and... yeah, it's true! It feels like the whole film could take place in my small localized neighborhood! The villain, Cob, had a lot of promise but he just felt kinda flat? And he reminded me of that Momo Meme lady which was distracting.

I think the only saving grace of a character was Sparrowhawk, and even that's being generous. He disappears for much of the film to go on a sidequest against Cob (they have history, which is conveniently explained only in shouting monologues, ugh). But he was charming and a good foil to Arren's nonsense and I do like wizard characters in these sorts of films so that's a point in his favor. He has this relationship with a woman named Tenar who I think is supposed to be a witch or something? (she raises Therru, who is orphaned) and that was very nice to see, but even that doesn't really go very far plot-wise in the film. But Sparrowhawk was probably the only character I actually liked... Oh! I liked the Cloak Vendor Lady! She was cute.

The English dub was quality, as expected, but that still didn't detract my thoughts of the characters. Timothy Dalton (Sparrowhawk) and Willem Dafoe (Cob) were highlights for me. I don't even know who tf the child actors are. Googles them We have Matt Levin at Arren and Blaire Restaneo as Therru, and the latter is apparently a pop singer? I guess that explains why she has a song in the movie but that part went on for too long and I didn't really care about it so sorry. I was surprised to learn that they got Cheech "sans Chong" Marin to play one of the slavers called Hare... who was just blond Kurotawa and half as good. It made me wish I was watching Nausicaä! smh

Let's see... artistically Tales from Earthsea is pretty competent. The animation is quality for Ghibli, despite some of the character designs, and the background art really stole the show. Again, all those Greco-Roman motifs were neat to see. The world felt lived in and ancient, and that's definitely points in its favor. It's just a shame that all this art went into a film I don't desire to watch again.

Surprisingly, Joe Hisaishi did not compose the score for this one! That ?honor goes to Tamiya Terashima, and from what I remember it was a nice soundtrack. Really utilized the fantasy themes within it, but unfortunately I don't have any recollection of the actual tunes so... uh oh.

Yeah, I think I'm rambling at this point. The long-and-short of it is, Tales from Earthsea is an overly-ambitious film that doesn't take the time to fully explain its lore to the audience, and when it does it's poorly executed. The heart of the main cast is just not there, with Prince Arren being (to quote my friend Trey the Explainer) a "wet blanket" who I could care less for. The number of things I like could be counted on one hand. I feel immense sadness for Le Guin for what happened to her novels, and I feel empathy with the fans who apparently have yet to see a true adaptation that captures the heart and spirit of the books (and actually portrays its brown and black characters as such, yeesh what I wouldn't give to see a black person in a Studio Ghibli film). Overall, I'm glad I at least watched it, if only to be able to say that I've watched all the Ghibli films some day. At the very least, Gorō has made another film that is supposed to be good, From Up on Poppy Hill. We'll see. And we'll see how I fare with Earwig and the Witch, another of Gorō's. If I end up liking the story of that one more than Earthsea despite the quality of its CGI, I'll eat my hat (and I have several to choose from!)