#ianthina.

[wikipediapictures]

Nudibranch

[celestdraws]

Free WTA/DTA adopts for my CS. :3

[rannadylin]

Ranna in Middle-earth...*frequently* in Middle-earth

After that poll with the "over 300 hours logged on a video game" bit I got curious about my LOTRO play time so I did the /played check on the ones I play the most...

That's on Evernight Lennidhren, who's at level 140. (There's also Landroval Lennidhren, who was around...85-ish, maybe, last time I played on that server?) If my math is correct that comes to almost 1393 hours logged in on my elven librarian lore-master.

Alts under the cut as this could get long...

Up next is Corbous, level 112 Hobbit Brawler:

So that should be about 286 hours of punching things. :-D (Also, he's that close to level cap and less than a quarter of the time it took Lenni to get there? Brawlers, man. Although of course I've been spending less time on underlevel quests with him and just moving on when quests in a zone turn grey because I've seen them before on Lenni anyway, after all. And I haven't done any festivals and such on him yet either, just zooming to Mordor.

Next highest leveled is Ianthina, level 53 high elf Runekeeper, the LOTRO incarnation of my Pillars of Eternity inquisitor past-life of Watcher Violet (as Corbous is the LOTRO incarnation of Vi's older brother Corbus Itzli...). Note how she's, you know, less than half of Corbs' level? Note how long it took her to get there:

Brawlers, man. In 286 hours he gets to level 112, and in over 330 hours my Runekeeper is just up to 53?

Let's take one more example...my high elf minstrel Fjiola (LOTRO incarnation of Fjóla Reinert who's a Pillars chanter/cipher for a PoE ttrpg we...may or may not ever get around to actually playing, but it's been a while since I first started making her) got to level 35 before I discovered the magic of speed-leveling a Brawler and abandoned her until Corbous, like, single-handedly punches Sauron or something:

So a bit over 31 hours...For a total of over 2000 hours logged in just to the four characters I've played the most overall and recently on one server. I should probably revisit my Landroval and Crickhollow (formerly of Nimrodel...er...I think Crickhollow was where that server got merged to long ago?) and see what their play time was like, too, but anyway. It's a lot. I've been playing since about half a year after LOTRO launched except for a few years when I burnt out on Landroval and didn't play until more recently on Evernight. I guess this does confirm that I chose wisely to buy my lifetime subscription to this game back when they still offered those...I think I've gotten my money's worth after more than 2000 hours! :-D

[vivianwrite]

Big update on A Summer with the Immortal…

I finally, FINALLY finished the penultimate edits! 🥳🎉🎊 The only thing that’s left now is some final minor copy-editing (mostly for sentence flow)!

To celebrate, here’s a short snippet. This is from before Taryn and Florence start dating; here, they meet up at a restaurant and talk about a bunch of things - including sensory sensitivities (they are both autistic).

“A lot of foods you can’t tolerate, you say?” Florence laughed. “I’m the same way. For example, I can’t stand fruit. Any fruit.” “You’re drinking fruit juice right now,” Taryn said in disbelief. She couldn’t imagine how it was possible for someone to not like any fruit. “Juice is fine, just not solid fruit. I can’t really explain it. It’s something about the texture and the juice when it’s still in the flesh.” Taryn could understand that, actually. Many of her own food-repulsions worked in similar ways, following guidelines which seemed strange to most people. Thankfully, her family had always believed her about what she could and couldn’t eat, even if they didn’t fully understand. “When I was travelling with my grandpa, he would always bring some foods from home,” she said. “He also brought my blanket and pillow from home, just in case the pillows or blankets in the hotel had a bad texture.” “Your grandpa sounds awesome. Wait, what do you want to eat? The waiter’s probably coming any minute now.” “Oh! Fish and chips.” Taryn didn’t even need to look at the menu. She remembered from her first visit how good the fish and chips were here. Besides, it wasn’t as if there were that many options she could eat.

Short tag list (no pressure, tell me if you don’t want to be tagged): @ashen-crest @magic-is-something-we-create @writeblrfantasy

[shrimply-dive-pics]

I forgot about this account lol

Here’s some sea slugs from my stay with Marine Conservation Philippines in *cough* 2022 for your amusement

What I think these blorbos are (please educate me if I’m wrong XD):

A chromodoris nudibranch maybe? Like glossodoris? Help

*cries* I don’t knowww

Nembrotha lineolata

Chromodorid nudibranch (Goniobranchus kuniei?)

Chromodoris annae

Nembrotha kubaryana

Pleurobranch (Pleurobranchus forskalii)

Blue dragon nudibranch (Pteraeolidia ianthina. Not glaucus lol)

Dotted/funeral nudibranchs (Jorunna funebris)

[sleepyfins]

Fishtober Day 19 - Blue Dragon

Check out the creator! ^ [@/fishiscrazy]

Blue Dragon Sea Slug! Todays fish isn't actually a fish but they're still pretty cool.

As gastropods, they're a type of mollusc/mollusk. More specifically, they're Nudibranchs, which are marine molluscs that lose their shells past their larval stage! And their Genus contains 5 different species.

They're a little confusing because the two most well known species - Glaucus atlanticus and Glaucus marginatus - are both called Blue Dragon. But so are Pteraeolidia ianthina, another species of sea slug in the same sub-order!

They're also venomous, so don't try to pick one up. Even though they do look quite cute... they sting. Ouch!

[drhoz]

#2287 - Lycaena boldenarum - North Island Boulder Copper

Male above, female below. I must have spent an hour trying to photograph these - everytime I got close they'd either take off or be chased off by a ravenous Tiger Beetle.

AKA pepe para riki. Described by the Scottish entomologist Adam White in honour of his first wife, Helen and her sister Frances, nee Bolden. There are three subspecies - boldenarum, caerulea, and ianthina. The latter is critically endangered.

Despite the common name, found on North AND South Island, and actually more widespread on the South Island. It's found in open habitats including grassland, shingle, sand dunes and braided rivers.

The caterpillars feed on Muehlenbeckia axillaris and seem to be gaurded by Monomorium ants.

Rangipo Desert, North island Volcanic Plateau, New Zealand

[someverygaymoth]

CFK!AU Geno(Stacius) and Reaper(Scylla) and of course, baby Goth(Ianthina)

[parakaryote]

I’d love to do this!

Incomplete list of OCs I’ve talked about on this blog (for ideas):

Tappani Æmber: The world’s only paleonecromancer (he talks to prehistoric animals).

Taryn Viato: Biology student in a world where new species appear on the daily (courtesy of a mysterious mutagenic energy).

Florence Ianthina: A photographer-in-training and Taryn’s girlfriend.

Acacia: Ex-architect, currently living in a mansion he bought. Biologically immortal — over 100 years old.

Ash Carme: Werecat (snow leopard) with severe self-trust issues.

Sebastian Nikolaou: Tsavo lion shapeshifter. Loner who prefers to act more feline than human.

Daphne Archer: Ash’s roommate (for a time). Never quite got out of her goth phase.

Taigex: Alien who invented gloves for her species’ prehensile tongues. Lives in their Stone Age.

Darby Chedanta: A psychic who ran away from her family because her powers were being exploited. Currently lives in an apartment by the ocean.

Consicor Chedanta: Darby’s fashion designer sister. More perceptive than she lets on.

emojis oc ask game! These are unabashedly just the questions *I* want to ask about y’all’s ocs. Feel free to copy the entire question into the ask box, because this list is hefty and I wouldn’t mind not searching through it, hahaha. Remember to specify which oc(s) you’re asking about!

🌈 - Do you associate any colors with them?

👁️ - How do other people perceive this oc? How close do their first assumptions come to the truth?

💝 - How much effort do they put into appearances? Do they have a favorite article of clothing?

⚠️ - If this oc came with a warning sign, what would it be?

🌨️ - If this oc had a day free from all their responsibilities, how would they spend it?

💙 - Describe their bedroom! Is it personalized, unchanged? Messy, neat?

👖 - Coffee shop or high school AU, your choice: tell me their role.

☕ - What is their preferred beverage(s)?

🧁 - When is their birthday? How do they celebrate it, if at all?

🧠 - What is their stress response: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn?

💭 - How is their mental health? Do they struggle with guilt or shame?

💔 - Does forgiveness come easily or with difficulty to this oc? Can they forgive others? What about themselves?

❗- What are the highest priorities to this oc (at a point in their life of your choosing)?

⚔️ - How does this oc handle conflict?

🌍 - What are this oc’s religious views?

🌊 - Does this oc have a secret or repressed desire?

✨ - Tell something that makes this oc feel happy!

🧶 - Do they do any arts, crafts, or creative hobbies?

🍪 - What are their favorite scents?

☔ - How does this oc feel about rain?

🌲 - Do they have a favorite location to hang out in?

⚡ - Does this oc have any unusual or “irrational” fears?

🗡️ - Does this oc have a signature object, accessory, or weapon?

💛 - Are they ‘good with children’, or more awkward?

🧡 - Physical touch: good or bad for this oc?

👁️‍🗨️ - Eye contact: good or bad for this oc?

🐺 - How does this oc deal with solitude?

🔅 - How does this oc deal with physical pain?

🌱 - Share one of this oc’s early memories.

🐰 - How huggable is this oc?

🍁 - What is this oc’s favorite season?

🌕 - If this oc was an animal, what kind would they be?

🦷 - Would this oc ever bite someone?

🐉 - Very serious question… are they more like a dragon, or a unicorn?

🐸 - What’s this oc’s sense of humor like?

🚷 - Tell one difference between yourself and this oc!

📓 - Do you associate any quotes or lyrics with this oc?

[celestdraws]

at last! the final secret santa. this one was for enchiron too. :D

[rannadylin]

Today's tea: Teaquisitor, a blend for Ianthina, my Watcher's past life in Pillars of Eternity. Strong black tea, just a bit fruity & floral.

Today's knit: So I haven't had tea-and-knit pics for the past few days as I've been stuck in a short row Groundhog's Day of sorts... XD Yesterday I finished the button band and shawl collar, which are worked all in one piece, with short rows back and forth forming the longer section for the collar. So for most of that time that whole long edge was all on one needle while the live stitches from the bottom ribbing were on a second needle as a holder. Working back and forth meant I couldn't separate the ends of the needle cable to lay the work flat for a picture, and until I finished the short rows it all just looked like a big blue wooly blob. Now that I have that part off the needles, it turned out pretty cool!

Closeups:

An I-cord bind-off edging finishes the button bands, collar, and bottom ribbing very neatly.

The nice thing about the I-cord edging is that it looks identical from both sides of the fabric, so that the shawl collar folds down without looking like it's on the wrong side.

All we need now is a couple of sleeves!

(Maleme Cardigan in Knit Picks City Tweed DK, Jacquard colorway)

[parakaryote]

A very simplified diagram of Florence’s mother’s house, and a peaceful childhood moment. Not pictured: doors, sinks, lighting, plumbing and other internal workings, the grating covering the nature room. The animals in the nature room are also drawn larger than they actually are.

“Pelagic” is the name used in Kenor for any semi-aquatic, specifically marine, human variety. They can resemble many different kinds of marine animals (Florence and her mother are a nudibranch-like type), but they never have gills even if they resemble gilled animals. Their lungs function like those of marine mammals, allowing them to hold their breath for long periods of time but always needing to come back up for air. Because of this, their dwellings are only partially underwater, and bedrooms in particular are almost always above water (they can technically sleep underwater, whale-style, but most don’t feel comfortable with it).

Florence’s mother likes sleeping on futons. Florence likes listening to the waves lap against the bottom of the floor.

The arches in the underwater living room are furniture that you can wrap your legs or arms around in order to stay in place. On the side is a window into the nature room.

“Nature rooms” are basically aquariums that consist of a large hole in the side of the house. The holes in the grating are large enough to let some medium-sized animals through, but the grating ultimately prevents any large animals from setting up home there. The inhabitants of the house can then watch a mini-ecosystem develop.

[xenia-reblogs]

YOU’RE SO RIGHT!!!!

Here’s some extra ideas ig cuz I’m a hopeless sea nerd XD

Dragonets (mandarin fish, scooter blennies, etc.)

The OTHER blue dragon nudibranchs (pteraeolidia ianthina)

Dragonfish (funky deep-sea guys)

Dragonface pipefish (silly noodles)

Dragon Moray Eels (angy)

Dragon Wrasse (this is a juvenile cuz the babies look cooler lmao)

Really hope we get some Xadian Ocean dragons based on real animals with “dragon” in the name.

Blue sea dragon

Leafy sea dragons

[vivianwrite]

Aesthetics for the 3 main players in A Summer with the Immortal: Taryn (biology student on a mission), Florence (her photographer girlfriend), and Acacia (the titular immortal).

I did Florence’s earlier than the other two, and kind of gave up on the “having nine evenly-sized pictures” thing after that.

All photographs are taken from Unsplash.

Very short tag list (hope it’s fine, tell me if you don’t want to be tagged): @ashen-crest @chayscribbles @writeblrfantasy

[setsuntamew]

Welcome back to "Icon Making With Killian: An Intro to the 'Lost' Art of LiveJournal Icons"

aka, you didn't think I was one and done, right?

This tutorial was written in Photoshop 2020, but you can probably recreate it in as far back as CS2-ish (since I still use the same sort of techniques I've been using since then, lmao). It also assumes basic understanding of the software, though I've tried to be as clear as possible throughout.

I was possessed with a need to both make an icon of Madara's new event card and then write a tutorial, so let's all be proud that I busted it out before Halloween 💪

I started with the bloomed art of Madara from The Howling Forest★Lupine Halloween event (image from the Halloween 2024 campaign announcement, because the event hasn't started yet).

Since there's a lot of extra text & etc on this, I knew I'd be cropping it pretty close. I started with a blank 100x100 canvas, pasted the original image in, and then resized + rotated it until I liked the composition/crop.

First up, I wanted to get some cobwebs in here (for Halloween!), but didn't want them to overwhelm the whole icon. I used a texture from lookslikerain, set to Lighten, and rotated it a bit before erasing anything covering his face.

Next, I used another texture from lookslikerain and set it to Darken. There's a lot of green in the images for this event and I wanna pull some of that back into the icon, since it most got cropped out.

Time for light textures!!! I used a bunch in this icon~ I started with one from lookslikerain (can you tell I love their resources?), rotated it, and set the layer to Lighten, before deciding that it was too harsh. I used a small, soft brush set to 30% Opacity to erase most of the texture from his face, as well as softening the edges of the light.

The next few light textures are kinda subtle, but overall add to the icon. I'd say sometimes less is more, but I'm a maximalist at heart XD For the next few steps, just assume that the light textures were rotated/resized/moved/etc as I saw fit. I used yet another texture from lookslikerain, set to Lighten, and tucked in the bottom right corner.

This light texture from Sanami276 is also set to Screen. I moved it around to get just a bit of orange in the top left corner- gotta keep those Halloween colors in there!! :D

I wanted some more depth/texture in the upper left corner, so I decided to use part of a texture from Sanami276.

However, it's way to harsh to just throw in there like that...at least not for my purposes. I decided to invert the colors and recolor the black parts orange. My go-to method is with a Gradient Map adjustment layer. The easiest place to find it is in the Adjustments window.

I then used these colors for the gradient itself: #e7b676 at 0% and #ececec at 100%.

And it left the texture looking appropriately orange! I then pasted it into the actual icon, moved it so the rectangles were in the upper left corner, and set the layer to Darken.

Now for more light textures!! I used a couple from ianthinae, set them to Lighten, and went to town. I cut them up, moved them around, rotated them...just about anything to make them fit where I wanted. I love playing with light textures in general, and I find that even when I use similar ones a lot, they can look very different depending on how they're place.

Finally, I used part of a large grunge-y texture that I've unfortunately lost the source to D: I inverted it and set the layer to Multiply, before moving it around a bunch until I found a spot that looked good.

And with that, it's done! You've now got some new skills to make icons with~

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, and I'll answer as best I can- as long as it's not about making icons in other software D: I only know Photoshop (and Paint Shop Pro, but I don't think anyone uses that anymore). If there are any other icons of mine you're interested in seeing tutorials for - or even just specific techniques! - just lemme know. I love helping :D

Also, I'm happy to share where I get icon resources from. I have a whole post dedicated to that on my DW graphics journal, though tbh that's the best place to talk to me about making graphics in general. But I will absolutely answer asks/replies/etc about icons here on tumblr, don't worry!!!!

[vuotristearchive]

"𝚜𝚑𝚎   𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝   𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝   𝚝𝚘   𝚐𝚘   𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑   𝚢𝚘𝚞."   a   blonde   haired   arcturus   says,   and   even   though   his   words   are   threatening   the   smile   on   his   face   is   anything   but.   he   knows   he   can   take   on   whoever   comes   his   way,   so   the   calm   remains   plastered   to   his   face,   even   as   a   younger   ianthina   shakes   her   head   and   assures   him   everything   is   fine.   the   scene   of   them   being   shrugged   off   by   the   perpetrator   replays   once,   twice,   then   they’re   moving   towards   the   convenience   store   across   the   road.   they   look   for   bandages   and   disinfectant   wipes,   the   arcturus   then   is   just   as   relentless   as   the   arcturus   now   in   making   sure   ianthina   is   alright.

the   first   time   they   met.

he   plays   it   back   on   a   loop   for   ian,   who’s   seated   beside   him,   to   see.   they’re   floating   through   space,   encased   in   a   bubble   of   arcturus’   magic.   around   them   are   vivid   memories   taken   from   his   very   own   mind   playing   on   repeat   like   a   compilation   of   movies.   all   around   them   his   memories   float   in   and   out   of   view,   some   from   the   first   body   he   inhabited   when   he’d   met   her   -   blonde,   shorter,   muscular   -   others   from   the   body   he’s   in   now;   slim,   black   hair,   still   short.   (   it’s   harder   to   kiss   her   when   he’s   in   a   taller   vessel   )

“which   ones   your   favourite?”   he   turns   to   her   and   asks,   smiling   wide,   hoping   she’s   as   happy   as   he   is   in   this   very   moment.

@zephyrvm​   !