#if marine bio tumblr wants to help that would be fantastic

[scriptdogtor]

Let’s talk territory. If this adaptation wants to remain true to the original, mermaids have predators like sharks.

What about orcas?

So like, how do they keep safe? Do sharks recognize territories like mammals do?

Also, if we are to assume merpeople get high, are there any underwater equivalents of weed?

Oooh, these are interesting! I'll try to break these down since there's a lot to elaborate on for each, but I might expand upon these bits if anyone has additional thoughts/questions.

First thing's first, from an ethology perspective:

We tend to interpret animal behavior from a human lens.

This is a natural, normal thing to do. We see a dog behaving a certain way and we attach a label (dominant/jealous/needy/etc.) to it. This gives us shorthand to communicate, but it can perpetuate myths or even miscolor our interpretations of what animals do. So when we talk about behavior, it's important to start with what we can see in the field vs. how we interpret it first.

Animals respect territorial boundaries becomes this species keeps to a defined, measurable range. Animals mark along the edges of this range.

Merfolk & Shark Predation

I've seen stories that have merfolk diets all over the place and that's great for storytelling potential. I know what you mean by the OG tales featuring shark attacks, but I'm not sure that means a shark would choose a merperson over easier prey.

I'll focus on sharks adapted to pursue larger prey. Think Great Whites, maybe Threshers, or Tiger Sharks. These sharks tend to be opportunistic feeders and are drawn to particular types of movement. They have preferred prey and it's not humanlike.

Thresher shark hunting (which gives me ideas for predatory merfolk):

Great White hunting patterns discovered by dorsal fin cameras (overdramatized but good info)

Merfolk have a size and likely social advantage to seals. For prey of opportunistic animals, it pays to be faster, smarter, or more difficult to catch than the prey next to you.

Love this practical breakdown of film shark attacks, and one of the most important things about this is that most shark "attacks" are curiosity rather than predation. Lots of good info about adaptations, too!

Orcas as Apex Predators

Orcas are efficient predators. That doesn't make them universally dangerous to humans or humanlike creatures, but our perception of their behavior has a lot to do with culture. They're also large enough that non-predatory behavior could seriously injure a creature our size.

I have been shoved by a cow and stepped on by draft horses, but I have not been shoved by an animal who swims better than I do and is 13,000 lbs.

Ultimately, a seal is going to make a more efficient meal for an orca, but there are so many regional differences in orca populations that maybe they might be a danger to some merfolk? Mer do have the advantage of not needing to go to the surface to breathe, so they could simply wait them out.

Also, shoutout to the Little Mermaid series because we all love Spot. You can tell where the animators referenced male and female orcas by how they shaped his dorsal fin.

Note on Sharks & Territorial Range:

I'm not actually sure what we know about sharks having defined ranges or not. I don't think they do? At least not in the way humans think about territories, which comes from our culture of defined, strict, labelled nation boundaries.

A lot of predators will stick around a certain range if they've got prey (see: some orcas sticking to food-rich areas in ranges as small as a few miles) but I don't know of any behaviors that maintain that range.

Any marine bio friends have any insights?

Merfolk Defenses

Even if they aren't a primary food source, merfolk can deliberately keep themselves safe. We can infer defenses from our similar anatomy and pull from what we know about marine life, too.

Likely defenses:

Social grouping. Your friends can watch your back.

Intelligence. Coordination means you're much more difficult to catch and much more dangerous.

Endurance. Humans aren't physically the best at much, but we were originally meant to tire out our prey.

Applying camouflage. You have the issue of both skin and scales/fins, but humans have been applying camouflage to themselves since the beginning of time. Merfolk can probably do the same.

Tools & weapons. Think of all the glass that gets littered in the ocean. Ouch.

Some cool adaptations for your stories:

Fin shape adapted for fast, efficient movement. I'm interested because 2023 Ariel's fin shape implies she moves more slowly than a few of her sisters.

Spiny fins. Careful your spines don't injure your merfriend's skin, though.

Echolocation or lateral line sensation. Perception equals better awareness of your surroundings before a predator can catch up.

Marine Recreational Substances - Tetrodotoxin

I had no idea what to title this. So you get this one!

With any substance, the dose makes the poison and the dose makes the high. My first thought is obviously tetrodotoxin, or the venom found in pufferfish. It's a sodium-channel blocker and can interfere with nerve/muscle communication.

Other sodium-channel blockers include lidocaine and cannabidiol. I'm not experienced enough in pharmacology to tell you how different these might be, but drugs that have the same mechanisms of action can have vastly different effects. Some drugs are more specific than others and have more narrow margins of safety. Still...it's interesting to think about.

I'll have to look into other venoms to see how they work, too.

[lesbian-octoling]

The After FAQ

Q: I’m not 18, but I’m going to be very soon! Can I still sign up?

A: You have to be 18+ at the time of submitting your form. If you are 18: you can submit a form! If you’re 17, you can’t. If you’re going to be 18 a few months after the start date, you’re welcome to join as a spectator, but it will be too late to join in as a player. Apologies :(

Q: When will spectators be allowed to join?

A: We’re not sure when or how we’re going to open it up to spectators, but it will happen! It’s gonna be a lot less intensive than player apps- basically ‘are you 18 and can you send a social media to verify it’. It WILL be before we start though, and unlike player apps, spectator apps will never close!

Q: What are you looking for in terms of RP quality and length?

A: Answered in detail here! TLDR, we’re looking for quality over quantity. We are still looking for high-quality roleplayers… though high quality doesn’t always mean super active or super long/fancy responses each time- quality means 'fun to roleplay with’!

Q: How many people will you be accepting?

A: This depends on several factors, including if I have a lot of people playing 2 characters vs 1 character, what characters I think could mesh well, and also my mental state whenever the application accepting times rolls around (it's easier to manage less people, though more can be potentially more fun). I'm shooting for around 10-15 people max, and about 20-30 characters max. I'm just gonna eyeball it when the time comes.

Q: How will characters be chosen, and will there be any preference/bias?

A: Players will be chosen on a lot of factors, mostly on their passion for their characters, quality of writing, and if their character is already taken or not. There is no purposeful bias towards OCs, canon characters, etc.

Q: How ‘close do canon’ do my interpretations of canon characters have to be? Can I deviate from canon?

A: Yes, you can deviate from canon! I go into more detail here, but TLDR: Characters are 100% open to player interpretation and even redesigns. The only 'limit' is that they have to be recognizable as their original character to some extent. Otherwise, go crazy go stupid!

Q: Help! I messed something up on my form!

A: That’s ok! You can edit it.

Q: You mentioned these inklings will be partially xeno/bio-based- what exactly is the anatomy here?

A: Yep! The setting is semi-xeno, but not extreme. There’s a visual guide here if you’d like, but I recommend reading the rest of this anyway. Some of the details include the fact that ALL inkfish (inklings, octolings, and any other cepahlopods) are:

Humanoid (no mantles or oddly shaped limbs)

Have (usually white) beaks, not teeth

Often have freckles/colored splotches, and small glowing freckles/spots

Have white ‘meat’ and blue blood, but are supported by pressurized ink in place of bones

Clean water does not kill them- but they have very porous, fragile skin that means they can absorb dirty water/mutagen quickly to make them sick, and their skin can be torn by enough of a pressurized blast of water (think a power washer or high-power hose).

The main differences between inklings and octolings (aside form the obvious like ears and masks) are:

Inklings have purely round/circular pupils, while octolings have pupils that can widen/contract between horizontal and round

Inklings have thin, catlike retractable claws/’hooks’, while octolings have thicker claws that are more of a hard extension of the finger

Inkling hair is NOT prehensile- it’s mostly made of fat. It cannot feel pain, and only bleeds a little bit. This makes them better at storing nutrients. However, octoling tentacles ARE prehensile, can feel pain, and will bleed heavily if cut- but they have little fat storage on them.

For non-inkfish characters, just about anything is up for grabs (within reason).

Q: What if my characters have a feature that isn’t supported by these headcanons?

A: This is sort of a case-by-case basis. Generally, your base character will have to fit the qualifications above just for consistency’s sake across all players. If your character has a unique feature- IE, strangely shaped pupils, tail, etc- that you want to keep, there’s a possibility that they could be already partially mutated, but managed to keep their sanity.

This has a lot of pros and cons- pros include unique features and potentially abilities (tail for balance, good vision, extra long claws, quills)... but it also means they’re only one tiny accident away from becoming fully mutated, while other players have that health buffer. If that happens, you lose control of your character for the duration they’re mutated. This isn’t even bringing up the potential discrimination they may face IC, as many people are wary of partial mutants.

If you want to do this, or aren’t sure, feel free to message me with the details.

Q: Can I play a non-inkling/octoling species?

A: Yes! You can play as any species that fits into the settings of splatoon! Most marine animals are fair game, including marine invertibrates and fishes. Sapient marine mammals are iffy, as they’re technically canon by a one-off line. I will accept fully marine mammals such as dolphins and narwals, but not semi-aquatic animals, such as sea otters. Some ideas of accepted species includes: shrimps, jellies, nudibranches, eels, any saltwater fishes, urchins, salmonids, etc.

I also will not be allowing sapient reptiles, birds, land/semi-aquatic mammals, or land invertebrates. Also, I won’t be accepting ‘magical’ (Ghosts, cryptids, etc) or unrealistic hybrid creatures (An eel/inkling hybrid born naturally, salmonlings), as this is a slightly more realistic as opposed to fantastic setting.

Q: But if I play a non-cephalopod character, how will they fight with ink?

A: Good news! Ink isn’t the main weapon here.

Ink is used as a weapon still, but less offensively and more tactically. Having a small ink gun on hand is useful for making quick getaways, distracting/stalling mutants, and even spraying it in their face as a distraction, deterrent, or to blind them if you do go to attack. For most mutants, however, ink will not kill or ‘splat’ them, as not all mutants are inklings mutants. Plus, it would be unfair to non-inkfish characters.

Physical weapons such as bats, knives, and guns (and even some weirder stuff like swords, bows, etc)  are going to be your go-to, like any apocalypse, though ink weaponry in addition can be a big boon in a battle.

This is also a good time to mention that while we don’t have specific stats or anything, your character’s species will affect how they fight and are impacted by fights.

Inkfish are very fast and can jump very high, are extremely resistant to blunt force trauma, and can use ink... but are very weak to slicing/piercing things and chemicals/mutagen because of their thin skin. Urchins can’t use ink and may be slow, but have potentially toxic spines and hard skin that resists piercing damage. Shrimp might have a fragile exoskeleton and not a lot of natural weapons, but it makes them very resistant to chemical and mutagen splashes. It’s all good stuff to keep in mind!

Q: Can I know more about the mutants?

A: Yes, to an extent! There’s some info on the mutants here.

Q: Can I know more about the mutagen?

A: Yes, to an extent! There’s some more info on mutagen here.

Q: There’s a lot of questionable/offensive/weird content in Coroika. Will this be allowed/what elements of coroika will there be?

A: The short answer is ‘only some minor elements will be taken, and all weird/offensive stuff MUST be retconned or addressed’. We’re mostly going to be supporting the game’s canon, NOT the comic’s canon. I go into this more detail here, which I suggest you read if you plan on playing a Coroika character.

Q: Who are the mods?

A: Myself and @bubblegum-spaceboy​ are the main two mods who will be doing the bulk of the important NPC/world stuff!

However, we have two sub-mods who helped create the server/concepts, and will also be there to help out with little stuff if neither of us are available, and play some minor NPCs. These two are @bombcollar​, and my friend Emmy who doesn’t really use tumblr lol.

Help! My question isn’t answered here!

Feel free to send in an ask or a message, and I’ll respond as best I can :D

[forfansbyfans]

Vastness of Art: A FFBF Artist Interview

FFBF Artist, Xissor, has recently released a whole series of Homestuck zodiac-themed designs. We sat down to discuss their art history with them and get to know them better as an artist.

Tell us a little bit about your history with Homestuck! How long have you been reading it and how has it impacted your artwork?

I’d known about it for a long time I actually only got into it fairly recently! I first started reading it right after Anime Expo 2017 because my partner and I were doing matching cosplays each of the days and for one of the days we did homestuck because he had been into it for years! I went as Dave and he was Karkat. I thought it would be fun because we both kinda already looked like the characters, lol. After that I decided I was basically required by law to read the actual comic since I had cosplayed one of the characters.

But I kinda forgot about it for a couple months until Hiveswap came out! After we played that I remembered I was going to read Homestuck and actually got around to it! I started doing fanart for it after I finished it and it gave me quite a bit more drive to work on art! I specifically got very into it after the Extended Zodiac was released because I took it’s mere existence as a challenge for whether or not I could make a fantroll for every single sign. I could and did.  Drawing 288 different trolls certainly helped me improve my art quite a bit.

I also do remember I tried to read it waaaay back in middle school. But I’m pretty sure I didn’t know you were supposed to click the buttons that show the chat logs and read stuff so I basically just looked at the pictures, didn't really understand what was going on, got confused, and stopped.

What is your favorite method to share your artwork? Why do you prefer it over others?

I pretty much only use Tumblr for art. Mostly because its convenient! I have a main art blog and a second art blog for just homestuck. I only have the second art blog because I managed to somehow miraculously get a canon hiveswap url. I only post my art in one place generally because I am am very, very bad at remembering to post things in more than one place!

I see you take commissions pretty frequently - what advice would you offer to other artists who are hesitant about opening themselves up to taking commissions?

Please do not undercharge yourselves! I know lower prices might seem like you’ll get more commissions quicker but you deserve to be paid fairly for them! Also take commissions from furries.

Your bio says you prefer Paint Tool Sai and Sai2 when you work digitally - what about Sai do you like over other programs? Do you have any recommended brushes?

I mostly like Sai because its what I’ve been using for years and I tend to be a creature of habit. I started using Sai2 recently though and it's basically got all the old stuff but new features as well! It's still in beta but if you already have a Paint Tool Sai license you can download it from the website and use it for free! It's got a fantastic set of rulers that make drawing backgrounds in perspective way easier!

What is your artistic background? What helped you most grow as an artist?

I’m completely self taught! I’ve never taken a digital art or drawing class before. I actually first started drawing in middle school because I wanted to make L4D fanart. What’s helped me grow has mostly just been drawing whatever I’m interested in at the moment! Whether that be fanart or my own stories, characters, and ideas.

What are your artistic goals?

I hope to someday go to art school! I’ve been interested in art as a hobby for quite a while but recently I’ve found that it seems to be the thing I most enjoy and am capable of!

What other fandoms are you a part of? What would you love to design for but haven’t had the chance?

All sorts of things! I don’t think I could list everything if I tried but I’ve really been wanting to design something for Steven Universe or Bee and Puppycat!

Outside of art, what other types of hobbies do you have?

I absolutely love everything related to tech! I was the president of both the tech and robotics clubs in high school! Writing stories is another one, particularly writing characters and designing worlds. I’m also a huge fan of game design, mostly because its a combination of my love of tech, art, and storytelling. Have yet to actually finish a game though.... But, oh boy do I have a lot of started projects!

When you were little, what did you want be when you grew up? How has that changed (if it has!)?

For quite a while I wanted to be a Marine Biologist! I grew up by the ocean and have always really liked it here. I really liked the sense of vastness and how little we actually know about the ocean and all its inhabitants. As I got older I started to move towards computer science and technology. I really wanted to go into STEM! Particularly into game design or robotic engineering!

Sadly, after I was diagnosed with psychosis I don’t believe it's realistic that I’ll be able to go into any of those fields. But I don’t let it bother me because I’m very passionate about art and am certain that after I get to a better position with my health I’ll be able to work towards a career in that field! Plus, I’ll still be able to build robots and write games in my free time! :D

What kind of experience have you had working with For Fans By Fans? - we hope it’s been good!

It’s been awesome! There’s something just innately cool about the fact that my art is on official merchandise for content I enjoy!

What is the best way people can help support you and your work?

Probably by either buying my designs on FFBF or commissioning me! :D

Follow Xissor--->

Tumblr (main art blog) Tumblr (Homestuck art blog)

Xissor’s For Fans By Fans shop

Interview by Cassie Steensrud

@whatpumpkin @non-corporeal