#mazdak

[oonaluna-art]

"I look like my brother."

I was inspired by my friend @geist19's drawing of his old tournament protagonist, and I realized I hadn't drawn Esta Shohreh Mazdak in a while. Here she is! The little winner of Dreamwoods OCT.

—

[My Ko-Fi] [Patreon]

[icebrooding]

a scribble based on that one... dark comedy buddy road-trip idea I had about Riannoc and Mazdak

[bettyweir]

sorry mr. g talking about natives Like That in halloweird ruined all potential charm for him. like 'pretty scary stuff' dude.

[sleepy-sunnys]

LITERALLY SCRATCHING AT THE WALLS.... 

another arted fight!! this time for @sleepy-sunnys >:)

[lady-quen]

On Mael and the Dream - lore exploration

I've been hanging around the Grove and listening to NPC dialogue which got me thinking about sylvari and the Dream (though, to be honest, when am I not thinking about that lately..)

As a Soundless not by choice ever since his revival, Mael misses the connection quite a bit - thankfully Aurene fills some of that void with the Champion-Scion bond. Essentially, going from Dreamer to suddenly and traumatically severed, Mael feels like a part of his own ability to feel emotion was ripped away, and struggles with friendship, seeing that "missing piece" everywhere and as though none of his relationships can truly feel "right" anymore. He describes the visions he sees in his sleep as "being submerged in dark water with chain and weight at his feet" - knowing there are voices calling out to him but being unable to hear them.

Coupled with the loss of Trahearne, he feels like he might genuinely be unable to feel love again, and becomes extremely emotionally secluded behind his mask of snarky humor. The overwhelming absence of the Dream tricks him into thinking that relationships with other races cannot ever be as "deep and true" as those between sylvari, leading to quite the mental crisis as he learns to adjust to the abrupt change with the help of the party, the Soundless community, and Aurene.

He seeks out an audience with the Pale Tree as soon as his duties afford him the time, but is ultimately told he cannot be helped, since the Dream is a part of the magic domain of Mind and Mael's own innate magic was replaced along with his life force. The Mother herself was unable to see anything beyond the point of his death, and initially believed him tragically deceased.

Mael then confesses he no longer feels worthy of Caladbolg, especially now when he is closer to a lich than sylvari - some form of cruel joke considering Mazdak the Accursed's role in the death of Riannoc, as well as the lich's eventual demise at Mael's own hands. Having ended two between Mazdak and Joko, the Lichslayer had now become the very monster he once hunted - the original harbinger of death to the sylvari. The Pale Tree however only responds that though she may no longer see him, she would always love him, and that death was as much a part of life as anything - that there was a reason why events had gone the way they had, and how she ultimately still trusts him as her child, no matter how changed. Though still struggling, he promises to hold onto the sword until a new Knight of the Thorn rises, a full circle from originally recovering the blade.

In a sense, fearing his own corruption through his twisted magic, he is glad his experiences could not affect the rest of the sylvari. As for Caladbolg itself - despite how much he feels giving it up to be the right thing to do, it's the only connection to Trahearne he still has, and so he decides he would only process the grief of parting with it once again if the Mother called for it. For now, it remained his to safekeep, just like his dearheart's memory.

During his own personal journey of self-reflection, the Soundless of the Weeping Isle play a notable role. At first, Maelmordha expresses how he finds it difficult to fathom why one might choose to separate oneself from the Dream willingly, which comes across as highly offensive to the Isle's villagers - a rare fumble from the usually open-minded Dawnborn. Still, a total separation is unheard of among sylvari, even those who had deliberately meditated years to quieten the connection - having it happen so suddenly and so wholly nearly broke the Commander's already troubled mind. Spending time learning about the Soundless' reasoning and ways of life with Eona as his mentor was an important step in improving the Commander's mental health.

It takes time, but he learns to open up again and accept the fact his emotions aren't broken, he just needs time to relearn them and accept himself as he is.

[direwombat]

tagged variously by @corvosattano, @inafieldofdaisies, @carlosoliveiraa, and @socially-awkward-skeleton to do these picrews (picrew 1 | picrew 2 | picrew 3) and some uquizzes (linked below)

deputy sybille la roux (fc5) | paola orsini (uncharted) | saoirse monaghan (c*d)

How Fandom Would See You If You Were A Fictional Character

tragic. You're the sympathetic villain who does not-quite-bad-enough-stuff-to-be-hated for a very good reason. And you're redeemed by dying. Everyone's angry about it, you could have had an amazing redemption arc if you lived.

well, fortunately for syb's fictional fanbase, i know how dissatisfying the "redemption via death" is and it's exactly why she lives (despite her best efforts) and reaches that healing arc where she starts facing her sins and making amends rather than wallowing in misery.

which philosophical view are you? 

cynicism (ca. 4th century bc). you feel alone; a sickening loneliness that is stuck in your bones. you are proud to be alone, to be the dog. they don't understand you, they never have, you are one of a kind. you yearn to be touched and to be loved, but you do not let yourself have it; if you love, you risk losing it. and you are tired of losing.

How Fandom Would See You If You Were A Fictional Character

mentor. You might not be the main character, but you're still very important. You're the older, or at least wiser one, who guides all those little youngins to victory. They may not always listen to you, but at least they respect you. The fandom looks on you as either a MILF/DILF, the lovable cooky old guy, or the one who really, really needs a break. Maybe all three. Probably all three.

i mean. she was literally a university professor and teacher (altho she was also the kind of instructor who has made students cry, but it usually came from a place of "i know you can do better.")

which philosophical view are you? 

mazdakism (late 5th century CE). you are too kind, my friend. too loving, too giving towards people who don't deserve it. at some point you will run out of things to give, and you will start giving pieces of yourself. you wish they would give too; you wish for your selflessness to be repaid, to be acknowledged. but if you never write your name on the card, how will they know the gift came from you?

How Fandom Would See You If You Were A Fictional Character

mom friend. You're the character who carries snacks, who takes care of the rest of the cast. You make sure they eat, stop them from dying, and keep them out of trouble as best you can. and when they do get into trouble, you try your best to get them out of it. Good on you, dude.

*f;lkasjfda;lsdfjkd ok this is a funny result because while saoirse is just as reckless and willing to throw herself into danger as the boys are, she would get mischaracterized by fandom as the mom friend because 1) she is prepared, 2) she's compassionate, and 3) she's a woman. so.

which philosophical view are you? 

british empiricism (17th - 18th century BCE). you feel too much and sense too little. no one is ever around when you break, you keep it to yourself. you think they don't notice, but the pain sticks to you like tar and the smell fills every room you enter. but you would never let them hold you, you're afraid it might be contagious.

tagging back for any picrews/uquizes you haven't done yet, and also tagging: @marivenah, @cassietrn, @trench-rot, @harmonyowl, @fourlittleseedlings, @purplehairsecretlair, @aceghosts, @adelaidedrubman, @finding-comfort-in-rain, @voidika, @locustandwildhoney, @testyfestyenthusiast, @strangefable, @alexxmason, @deputyash, @josephslittledeputy, and anyone else wanting to do any of these! (taglist opt in/out)

[katzenklavierr]

Art fight attacks part one!

Anjing for @aplusod Beet for @eggvlyn-arts Horatio for @hydroflorix Maggie for @pk-real Rowan for 0nyxDragon Mazdak for AlienFromPlanetZorg

Come at me!!

[archesa]

If you think about it... that explains Trahearne.

necro is literally "mom told me to make friends so i did". 8 little guys following you around. maybe more.

[commanderfloppy]

Thanks to Everyone who attended Tyria's Next Top Model! I had a lot of fun!

Beauty shots of the contestants:

Bag Slot Expansion - @commander-winterberry

Winter Wthr - @vampiricsheep

Kittra Curbstomp - @jollycryptid

Orquidea De Nyx - @norn-knot

A shot of our judges!

Atticus Lionheart (She doesn't have a tumblr)

Tyria Banx (me)

Count Lain Marcin @mazdak-the-accursed

and Mozzerella! @little-leaf-man

And some Shots of our finalists!

Congratulations to Winter Wthr! Who is now Tyria's Next Top Model!

[firstaidspray]

OCs as Philosophical Views

Was tagged by @corvosattano to do this interesting uquiz for some of my lil weirdos!! Thank you!!

existentialism (19th - 20th century BCE).

you never think before you act. everything is an instinct, a blinding wave of opportunity that you can't resist. you blame your failures on the people around you because it's easier than trying to change. but i don't blame you, my friend; after all, no one tried to teach you how to.

cynicism (ca. 4th century BCE) you feel alone; a sickening loneliness that is stuck in your bones. you are proud to be alone, to be the dog. they don't understand you, they never have, you are one of a kind. you yearn to be touched and to be loved, but you do not let yourself have it; if you love, you risk losing it. and you are tired of losing.

mazdakism (late 5th century CE). you are too kind, my friend. too loving, too giving towards people who don't deserve it. at some point you will run out of things to give, and you will start giving pieces of yourself. you wish they would give too; you wish for your selflessness to be repaid, to be acknowledged. but if you never write your name on the card, how will they know the gift came from you?

[oonaluna-art]

Inktober Day 6: “Star / The Kingdom”

I sometimes like to mash up different prompt lists for my inspiration! Today is from both Instagram lists #juliasinktober2023 and #archetypeinktober Esta's name means “star,” and she was the princess of the sci-fi-themed Aster Empire in the story I made for her for Dreamwoods-OCT.

The structure to the left was an orbital satellite/castle from her kingdom.

—

[My Ko-Fi] [Patreon]

[icebrooding]

I think part of why I'm getting writer's block on certain scenes in Wildflowers is because there is no real canon reference to base from. Since the earlier chapters are going to have more 'downtime' and quiet moments between Kaushue and Trahearne until things start getting Intense.

And when I think of Trahearne, I think of how you meet this guy, but then right away it's 'help Arlon & Pellam/Carys & Tegwen/Malyck', and then it's 'find out about Caladbolg and defeat Mazdak', and then he's gone until Claw Island. Then everything goes south and it leads to the rest of your time with him spent building and leading the Pact to defeat Zhaitan. You don't see him again until late Season 2, and he's just been busy focusing on Kralkatorrik, and then Mordremoth. And then it's setting up base in the Silverwastes. Then it's defending the Silverwastes. Then it's Heart of Thorns, and...

You get the idea.

Basically, you never really get any kind of 'downtime' with his character. He is always busy planning something or focusing on some task that needs doing right away, or his military work. The only time this guy ever relaxes is when the Commander straight up forces him to.

I don't really know what he is like when not focusing on some bigger picture, because we never get to see that. Which I feel is very...sad, but it speaks to his character; this guy who just never. Stops.

So it's hard to imagine what he'd be like when not only has he 'stopped', but he's had years to acclimatise to being able to rest and not have to focus on this or that constantly. What he's like when the brakes have been put in place and he has to find a way to exist in a normal capacity.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

The observation of an anomalous Hall effect in altermagnetic ruthenium dioxide

The Hall effect is a conduction phenomenon discovered by physicist Edwin Herbert Hall that describes the development of a transverse electric field in solid materials carrying electric current that are placed in a magnetic field perpendicular to this current. In the 1950s, Martin Karplus and Joaquin Mazdak Luttinger showed that an anomalous Hall conductivity could also be observed in ferromagnetic metals with broken time-reversal symmetry.

While ferromagnetic materials have magnetic moments that align parallel to applied magnetic fields, antiferromagnetic materials have antiparallel magnetic moments. Past studies have showed that antiferromagnets do not possess the same magneto-electronic properties as ferromagnets and do not exhibit an anomalous Hall effect. So far, most studies focusing on the anomalous Hall effect were thus conducted on ferromagnets.  

Researchers at Beihang University, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz and Huazhong University of Science and Technology have recently observed an anomalous Hall effect in ruthenium dioxide (RuO2), a material with a classic rutile crystal structure that has recently been found to have an antiparallel magnetic order. Their findings, published in a paper in Nature Electronics, could open interesting possibilities for further research on materials with a so-called compensated antiparallel magnetic order, such as RuO2.

Read more.

[legendary-alliance-stance]

@mazdak-the-accursed

[sleepy-sunnys]

OC WIP

ignore that mazdak is bald rn but ming yun and mazdak my beloveds

[lady-quen]

10 and 13 from vari ask game :3c

Sylvari ask game!

Thank youuuuuu!!! These got long!

10. What are their hobbies and pastimes? Do they have any natural talent or particularly strong interest? Was it something they knew from the Dream or did they develop it once awakened?

While Mael as the Pact Commander doesn't get much downtime, I am experimenting with him sprouting a little earlier than canon, to give him more time to develop in the context of his first Wyld Hunt, aka tracking down Caladbolg and Mazdak. So, as a result of that, I reckon there might be a few hobbies he picked up from the getgo: crafts.

He can't manipulate plant matter well like other sylvari, meaning he's reliant on human armor and clothing. He picks up sewing (I have him ingame as a tailor!) out of a desire to create things on his own, like his peers. He just works a different medium, that's all. Similarly, woodcarving. Making tiny figurines, of creatures and people - a time-consuming hobby, and something he can't as easily do nowadays. Sometimes he starts but his hands begin to shake, and he fumbles the knife. He decides it's no longer worth it - at least until he can properly rest his frayed nerves once I finally finish EoD.

Naturally, he's well read, picking up historical material as well as novels which offer insight into the daily lives and culture of people from various epochs. He's quite passionate about preserving the past, especially once he sees how little records remain of the old Cycle. He also journals, and has a strong sense of aesthetics - everything is written in Krytan calligraphy and neatly bound. Needless to say, he's proudly a Magister in the Durmand Priory, haha. Nowadays, it's a distant thought, however - his station offering little opportunity to continue in his studies.

He might even have a little OCD when it comes to books, honestly. Catch him arranging everything in ways that only make sense to him and getting jittery when his order is disturbed.

While a decent deal of his sophisticated persona is layers of masks upon masks, he's genuinely inclined towards academia, and has even devised his very own sealing spells to manage his current condition.

13. How do they feel about death? Does it make them curious or scared? Do they wish to understand it or do they simply accept it?

As a necromancer first and foremost, Mael awakened with a solemn but ultimately comfortable relationship with it, believing it to be sad but perfectly a part of nature, just as everything else. Where life goes, so, too, should you - these are the words he lives and breathes by, and what else that goes always wherever life does but death?

He resolves to follow life, to follow beauty, precisely because it's so fleeting. That it's his duty to witness it, appreciate it, even record it the best he can - a deep love for the world that spurs him ever onward to protect it. He wields his power of death not for the sake of killing the enemy, but protecting whatever is threatened. Though some others yet may fear necromancy, he views his power as a gift, a tool like any other to aid him in his Wyld Hunt.

But hey. That's way too well-adjusted for this man, huh? That's because everything changes horribly courtesy of Balthazar.

Mael has always known he'd die carrying out his campaign, sooner or later. It was just too impossible for a mortal, so he was really just waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially after the tragedy of Maguuma. He would have been at peace with it, except he knew there was no one else available to really step up to his role. It wasn't a matter of his own life, but all of Tyria.

But what he never expected was the way he'd die.

The terror of a body breaking down intensified tenfold by Aurene screeching in his head before she ever found language. The dawning realization that yes, he slipped up, he got ambushed, in exactly the same underhanded way he tended to operate. Karma was here to collect and because of his own arrogance he would die and Aurene would be captured and the entirety of their beloved world would fall prey to a mad god, drunk on power.

The gruesome dance of cat and mouse, wounds piling up, slowing down from blood loss from a gouged side, his right arm being broken as he desperately tried to parry, then his same shoulder cleaved but none of it was enough to kill. Even when he KNEW Balthazar was more than capable of ending him in a single blow - but it wasn't even about him.

He was nothing more than bait and this bastard would take his daughter and there was NOTHING he could do as much as he plead with her not to come rushing by his side.

And then he got thrown on his back, staked into the ground and suddenly he was lost and alone, just another terrified spirit too shell-shocked to even remember his name. A journey just to rediscover who he used to be and then the greatest taboo of necromancy. Take a demon's essence, and let it replace your life.

Rebirth, as a lich, as halfway a demon himself, his one and only soul sold in exchange for making things right. He was a Diabolist.

Mael is not comfortable in his new life, or, rather, undeath. The wounds did close, but they have left behind accursed scars, opening again as terrible mouths of flame. He finds himself Soundless, he can't die to anything mundane, his injuries heal at an impossible rate, and he's reminded of the enemy he tracked all the way back when he first awoke. The lich Mazdak, who could only be killed by Caladbolg.

Some sort of strange creature that is somehow scarier than life or death: unnatural. Ripped from the canvas. Something that belongs nowhere, and it terrifies him.

He wants to belong. Don't leave him behind.

He can take Caladbolg and make himself die but the Judge was clear: the demon would consume his very soul, there would be nothing left and who's to say what might happen if that thing's essence were to possess his body with his own consciousness permanently out of the picture. His final death is something that could open the door to something worse, and so, he attempts to find a cure. Not a medicine, but perhaps an equilibrium, a degree of control over his power that can ensure it doesn't literally devour him like a hungry wolf.

His condition is one not even Grenth himself seems to be able to help with - at least going by what the Judge said - but frankly, he does not care to beseech the aid of gods. He's grateful to the human God of Death, yes, but also resolves to fix himself - and purge the Dragons - without relying on divinity, because the last time a god came down to the land all this shit happened.

Ultimately, he became what he first hunted, his personal image of evil, a defiance in the face of nature, and he has no idea what the real price will be. He keeps his condition a closely guarded secret, with only his trusted party aware of the truth.

He's afraid, he's insecure, he can never be seen with his torso or even neck uncovered. He's not sure he'll ever be able to rest in peace in his current state, so he simply does the second best thing: he keeps going, determined to fix the world, to fulfill his mission and make sure at least everyone else could have peace once the Cycle is over.

And, well, as long as he's alive, he doesn't have to think about whatever comes after.