#note that this is not necessarily natural empathy

[grison-in-space]

Listening to Artificial Condition again, it strikes me how much Murderbot uses empathy reflexively as a survival skill. Look at this bit.

Upon meeting it, ART allows it on board and then announces that it knows that Murderbot is rogue. Then ART threatens to destroy it if it hacks ART's own systems. Murderbot is immediately terrified and shuts down all inputs, gives serious thought to spending the entire three month journey unconscious, and then considers the potential avenues of damage from ART's drones. ART, not realizing why Murderbot had suddenly gone silent, tells it to quit sulking, which understandably pisses off the still-terrified Murderbot. It dumps a bunch of memories of coercive treatment into ART's feed, and ART goes silent.

Then this happens:

Then it said, I’m sorry I frightened you. Okay, well. If you think I trusted that apology, you don’t know Murderbot. Most likely it was playing a game with me. I said, “I don’t want anything from you. I just want to ride to your next destination.” I’d explained that earlier, before it opened the hatch for me, but it was worth repeating. I felt it withdraw back behind its wall. I waited, and let my circulatory system purge the fear-generated chemicals. More time crawled by, and I started to get bored. Sitting here like this was too much like waiting in a cubicle after I’d been activated, waiting for the new clients to take delivery, for the next boring contract. If it was going to destroy me, at least I could get some media in before that happened. I started the new show again, but I was still too upset to enjoy it, so I stopped it and started rewatching an old episode of Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon. After three episodes, I was calmer and reluctantly beginning to see the transport’s perspective. A SecUnit could cause it a lot of internal damage if it wasn’t careful, and rogue SecUnits were not exactly known for lying low and avoiding trouble. I hadn’t hurt the last transport I had taken a ride on, but it didn’t know that. I didn’t understand why it had let me aboard, if it really didn’t want to hurt me. I wouldn’t have trusted me, if I was a transport. Maybe it was like me, and it had taken an opportunity because it was there, not because it knew what it wanted.

The thing about Murderbot's survival is that it clearly involves quite a bit of negotiating with other constructs and bots. That's how it talks its way onto cargo hauler bots in the first place. It uses empathy--envisioning the emotional and cognitive context of the individuals it encounters--to work out what different kinds of people want, so that it can offer them fair trades. It also uses empathy to consider what humans might be looking for, so it can practice blending in and hide.

Murderbot would never have survived so long if it wasn't capable of assessing the individual desires of the people--human, bot, and construct--around it. It thinks about ART's probable fears and motivations so that it can consider whether ART is inherently an ongoing threat or a potential ally.

When your survival depends on evading detection, you get really good at assessing perceptual biases so that you can shape yourself to fit into them. People talk about murderbot being radically empathetic as a choice it makes, or as a feature of its personality that makes it a good person. But I think murderbot would be the the first person to tell you that this empathy is part of its threat assessment suite, a skill that was developed out of necessity in order to allow you to survive.

It is also a trait that makes murderbot a good person, of course: it chooses very carefully to try to survive by doing as little harm as possible and by offering things, like media, that buy it access to things it needs. But it started as a survival skill. It's part of hypervigilance.

I think one of the strengths of this series is that so many of the things we love about SecUnit are traits developed for survival in an inherently threatening world. The shape of its mind and heart have been changed by the trauma of its origin--but they don't make murderbot less good for being altered, even if that skill was developed in a traumatic context.

I like that.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Word List: Psychology

psychological concepts as reference for your poem/story (pt. 2)

Learned helplessness - Animals (including humans), when subjected to unpleasant and inescapable circumstances, often become passive and accepting of their situation, in effect learning to be helpless. Researchers surmised that if people were in an unpleasant or painful situation, they would attempt to change the situation. However, if repeated attempts to change the situation failed, they would resign themselves to being helpless. Then, even if the situation did improve so that they could escape the discomfort, they would continue to act helpless.

Machiavellianism - A manipulative strategy of social interaction referring to the tendency to use other people as tools for personal gain. “High Mach” persons tend to tell people what they want to hear, use flattery to get what they want, and rely heavily on lying and deception to achieve their own ends.

Narcissistic paradox - The fact that, although narcissistic people appear to have high self-esteem, they actually have doubts about their self-worth. While they appear to have a grandiose sense of self-importance, narcissists are nevertheless very fragile and vulnerable to blows to their self-esteem and cannot handle criticism well. They need constant praise, reassurance, and attention from others, whereas a person with truly high self-esteem would not need such constant praise and attention from others.

Ought self - A person’s understanding of what others want them to be.

Possible selves - The notion of possible selves can be viewed in a number of ways, but two are especially important. The first pertains to the desired self—the person we wish to become. The second pertains to our feared self—the sort of person we do not wish to become.

Responsibility training - Life experiences that provide opportunities to learn to behave responsibly, such as having younger siblings to take care of while growing up. Moderates the gender difference in impulsive behaviors associated with need for power.

Subliminal perception - Perception that bypasses conscious awareness, usually achieved through very brief exposure times, typically less than 30 milliseconds.

Tender-mindedness - A nurturant proclivity, having empathy for others, and being sympathetic with those who are downtrodden.

Unconditional positive regard - The receipt of affection, love, or respect without having done anything to earn it. For example, a parent’s love for a child should be unconditional.

Xenophobia - The fear of strangers. Characteristics that were probably adaptive in ancestral environments, such as xenophobia, are not necessarily adaptive in modern environments. Some of the personality traits that make up human nature may be vestigial adaptations to an ancestral environment that no longer exists.

Source ⚜ More: On Psychology ⚜ Word Lists ⚜ Notes & References

[bookwormjust]

Nesta harsh words (established relationship with Cassian, you feel vulnerable for once)

You had always approached Nesta with kindness and empathy, understanding that her tough exterior was a shield she used to protect herself. That didn’t make it any easier when she directed one of her harsh comments at you, particularly when you were in a vulnerable state.

The evening had been going well—a quiet gathering with the family, a rare moment of togetherness. You had been chatting with Feyre and Elain, laughing softly at some lighthearted story, when Nesta’s voice cut through the conversation. 

“Not everyone can be a perfect little angel all the time,” Nesta said sharply, her eyes fixed on you. “Sometimes it’s okay to be a bit more real.”

The comment was direct, and while you understood that it wasn’t necessarily aimed to hurt, the sting was unmistakable. It felt as though her words were a personal attack, even if that wasn’t her intention. You managed to keep your smile in place, though it faltered slightly. Your heart sank, and you tried to shrug it off, reminding yourself that Nesta’s barbed remarks were more about her own struggles than about you.

Cassian, who had been chatting with the others across the room, immediately picked up on the shift in your demeanor. His gaze, sharp and protective, flicked between you and Nesta, his eyes darkening with concern.

“Hey, Nesta,” Cassian’s voice came out low and firm, a warning note in his tone. “That wasn’t called for.”

You placed a calming hand on his arm, giving him a gentle squeeze. “It’s alright, Cassian,” you said softly, trying to defuse the situation before it escalated. “I’m fine. Really.”

Nesta’s eyes widened slightly, her expression shifting from defensive to puzzled, though she didn’t apologize. “I didn’t mean to upset you,” she muttered, though her tone was still blunt.

You offered her a small, forgiving smile. “I understand. It’s okay.”

Cassian’s protective nature was evident, but he respected your attempt to handle the situation with grace. He gave you a reassuring squeeze before turning back to Nesta, his expression softening as he tried to bridge the gap between them. 

As the evening continued, you did your best to appear unaffected, engaging in conversations and laughter as if nothing had happened. Inside, however, you were struggling to push aside the hurt. You wrapped your arms around yourself, more out of instinct than for warmth, and focused on the comforting presence of Cassian nearby.

Later, when the gathering had dwindled and everyone had started to disperse, Cassian’s hand found yours, his touch warm and grounding. He led you to a quieter corner, away from the others, his expression a mix of concern and tenderness.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice gentle but filled with worry. “You seemed really hurt by what Nesta said.”

You met his gaze, doing your best to smile reassuringly. “I’m okay, Cassian. I really am. I know how Nesta can be, and I’m used to it.”

Cassian’s frown deepened, his protective instincts clearly at odds with his understanding of the situation. “You shouldn’t have to just accept her harshness. You’re too kind for that.”

You squeezed his hand, appreciating his concern even as you tried to downplay the incident. “It’s alright. I’d rather not make a fuss about it. She’s going through a lot, too. I just want to be there for everyone.”

Cassian’s gaze softened, though a trace of frustration remained in his eyes. He pulled you close, wrapping his arms around you in a comforting embrace. “Just remember, you don’t have to take it all on yourself. I’m here for you, always.”

You nestled against him, letting his warmth and strength ease the lingering sting of Nesta’s words. “Thank you,” you murmured, your voice soft and filled with gratitude. “I know you are. And that means everything to me.”

He held you a little tighter, his touch conveying both his love and his frustration at not being able to shield you from every hurt. “We’ll get through this,” he said quietly, his voice a steady reassurance.

You nodded against his chest, feeling the comfort of his presence. “Yes, we will.”

The night continued, but the pain from Nesta’s comment slowly faded, softened by Cassian’s unwavering support and the love that surrounded you. You knew that with him by your side, you could face any harshness, and that no matter what, he would always be there to protect and support you.

[kaisaniku]

I finally finished the second chapter of this doodle comic!

Basically from a translation machine:

It's called notes, but it's really bullshit time:

(I didn't put any asterisks in the "text" in order to make the picture cleaner and not make this little comic seem too serious)

①WX says that their body "doesn't have any of those really advanced things" and that "the concept is just bionic", which might make you wonder how WX can agree with their own shortcomings when they are always been so confident in their own machine body. This is kind of a guess: WX's comments in the wiki about Wagstaff being "afraid of progress" and "short-sighted", combined with WX's usual machine-worshiping and violent tendencies, such as their comments about Maxwell "He has that kind of power but he doesn't go out and destroy human". So it's an offense to them, but they actually agree that even though they claim to be superior, I guess WX would like to see their bodies more advanced and even more radical.

② Yes, this WX has acceleration circuits installed.

③ Gnome get✓ Do you guys remember the line where WX checks the Gnome

④ "You're not as kind as you look", how should I put this one, because the Wilson I understand is more or less with a little bit of darkness in his mind, he's someone who is full of emotions but often restrains them with reason, he fears and hates the negative impulses and instincts within himself. And this trait I think probably comes from his good nature, his education and survival experiences and the influence of the Shadow Throne. (But honestly after suffering in CONSTANT for so long, it's normal for whoever it is to be a little psychologically unhinged, not to mention the SANITY setting.) And after WX's soulwalking, they easily have some "psychic empathy" with Wilson... ...... Well, how did that happen Wilson?

⑤ Well I know the reasoning of the empathy module episode is weird ...... In fact, it's mainly because when I drew this plot I didn't have a good understanding of the empathy module, and simply thought of it as something like "emotional deficiency", so this episode was supposed to be Wilson saying "why do I still feel emotional ups and downs blabla" and then WX explaining that it's because of "memories of emotional experiences", which would have made a lot more sense.

⑥I guess it's my own personal setting: although the game doesn't make a distinction, I don't think WX as a robot would have a "headache and blurred vision due to lack of sanity". The system will be affected, sure, but the physiology won't necessarily feel it. It's hard to go from luxury to frugality, and since there is no experience in the eternal realm in the human era, WX can't adapt to the negative impacts of sanity reduction at all.

⑦Wilson's curiosity and desire to explore and then equipped with WX's hardware strength is simply ON FIRE. and "adapting to the human body so quickly" this conclusion mainly comes from the last chapter when the two people just transformed the body, Wilson's side is very difficult, while the WX on the contrary, it seems to be very easy. Even when they suddenly possessed internal organs, blood, light weight and so on, there was no adverse reaction. Wilson, who loves to observe, has always had suspicions (sorry however I didn't draw this clue out)

⑧ on the one hand, just learned a shocking secret, excited and energetic Wilson, on the other hand is the history of the exposure, and is also experiencing unprecedented headache WX. so the two temperament is not quite the same as usual.

⑨ "Wiped of most of their human memories" from the game's credits: "Suddenly recalling the memories of his past life, WX-78 soon decides to change his fate on his own."

⑩ Those of you who have fought Shadow creatures online might know that the only way a teammate's Shadow creature will have hatred for you is if you've forcibly attacked them. What happened here is that WX forced an attack on Wilson's Shadow Creature (except that Wilson was still relying on his headache of empirical judgment and didn't realize that his SANITY was too low), and then WX's own shadow creatures that were looming all showed up as well, which is why it became so much more. I don't have a very comprehensive understanding of this mechanic online though, and it doesn't seem to be very rigorous, so that's probably what it is anyway.

I accidentally added a lot more, mainly because of the limited ability to express the drawing ... Hope you enjoy!

[inthefightgarden]

so umm i just finished mother of learning in like 5 days, and my brain is now full of wriggling squiggling worms. i'm also just starting a re-read with the audiobook and it is already giving me even more questions and ideas! so here i am to share my wormy burden ^_^

anyway, here's something chapter 1 started me thinking about...

do you think zorian's mother knows about their bloodline? (also her name is cikan. i had to look it up, so saying it here incase anyone else needed reminding)

we know that cikan really hated being associated with zorian's grandmother, but she was still immersed in witch culture at least somewhat in her home life. we don't really know how old she was when she first started to reject those practices, so it's hard to judge how much she would have learned before she went out of her way to avoid it, and we also just don't have enough context about the witches' traditions for raising their kids to make guesses about her knowlege level.

we do see later on in the series (what comes to mind is the confrontation in koth) that cikan doesn't have much knowlege about magic as zorian knows it (eg. what you can expect from certain spells used for travel), but given that the witches are an separate spellcasting tradition from the ikosians that doesn't necessarily tell us loads about what she might have picked up from her mother.

also, knowing you have a bloodline is pretty important information to have, so even with the antagonism you'd think zorian's grandmother would've at least made sure cikan knew about that... if SHE knew, anyway, cause that's also not something we can really take for granted is it? there are a few ways i can picture it being

option 1. most of what we see in the series is not typical from an empathy bloodline. archmage zorian is an outlier and should not be counted. and even daimen, the more "normal" natural mind mage is still a whole magical prodigy, which isn't exactly baseline for most people with empathy either. so yeah... zorian's grandmother may not have known that she had a empathy in her family in the first place.

option 2. we do hear (i don't remember when or who from. maybe one of the teachers? was it ilsa? idk) that empathy is a pretty common form of natural magical ability, and it's kind of a mild plot twist that it's a bloodline thing if i remember correctly. so even if zorian's grandmother knew about an empath in her family history she might not have known that meant it could pass down.

option 3. part of the reason in world that empathy isn't usually thought of as a bloodline thing (again, if i'm remembering right) is because it's so comparatively common, so it's entirely possible that empathy bloodlines (and possibly to a lesser extent bloodlines in general) are just quite common for witches to the extent that it's not really something that needs to be said explicitly, or at least wouldn't have been if cikan hadn't done so much to assimilate with the dominant culture and distance herself from witch tradition and knowlege

BUT, those options are thinking about the reasons cikan might NOT know about their bloodline... so again, does she know? even if she doesn't think of it as a bloodline she might be aware that her family has a history of empathy. so now for some thoughts on what the situation might be if she IS aware of the family history.

(note. i'm pretty damn sure cikan herself isn't an empath. zorian would be able to tell if she was "open", and she just doesn't have that understanding of how other people feel. but if you think otherwise, or just want to think about a "what if", i'd love to hear about it ^-^)

(oh and same goes for kiri and fortov)

cikan might know that there's a family history, but not really know what that means in practise. as i mentioned earlier she doesn't seem very knowlegable on magic, so she might not have any clue about the signs and how it typically presents.

she also might be in denial about the possibility that her kids inherited something like that from her, given what we've seen of how she thinks about her heritage. or she might have focused any concern about the possibility onto kirielle, who seems to be where much of her trauma goes, and not considered that the boys might get it. especially considering the witches' beliefs about sex and magical lineage.

but she also might know or suspect that zorian and/or daimen is an empath. which if nothing else is certainly the option with the most potential drama.

personally, i doubt she knows that daimen is an empath. he put a lot of work into hiding it, and i feel like it would probably affect how he sees him. given how much baggage she has about her witch heritage i just can't see that knowlege not somewhat tainting her golden boy, you know? like i know she's fine with him being a mage and really proud of his prodigy status, but i just can't envision her seeing empathy the same way, and i think it would come through in a slightly colder attitude to daimen. especially given the cultural stigma against mind magic when she's worked so hard to become socially acceptable.

but i'm just not sure whether she knows about zorian or not! on the one hand i could totally see her just being oblivious, in denial, not having the right context, whatever, but I can also kind of see the way she treats him (specifically in relation to him socialising and stuff), through the lense of knowing he's an empath.

like he straight up told her as a child that crowds caused him physical pain. he had tp stop going to church because it made him actually pass out! that is some pretty intense stuff to just ignore... we're never told that he saw a doctor or anything about this via his parents (as far as i remember, please let me know if i'm missimg something!) so did she have some idea about what was going on or was it just plain neglect?

and if she did have some understanding of the situation, how did that affect her behaviour? did she think if she ignored it he'd just adjust and never find out? did she just not want it to be associated with her family history if/when he did find out? did she think that if she forced him into triggering situations he'd eventually realise? or that he'd learn to control it subconciously? or did it just not matter how he felt as long as he was still functional when it came to his political use? did she hide it more out of personal shame, or a legitimate conviction that she was protecting him like with kiri?

like i said, i'm not sure what my headcannon is, but the topic fascinates me. as you can probably tell from how long and rambly this got. sorry ^_^'

but yeah, i'd love to hear what other people think!

[naturalorderofallthings]

Rio is a little bit feral. Being a part of Nature itself, she will often present animal behaviors, sometimes on purpose, but most of the time it's almost unconscious. She purrs like an actual feline and also hisses and growls.

On that note, she may growl like a person and just do a grr, but if she actually wants to scare someone off, it will sound like an actual animal growls and her teeth will grow a bit sharper.

She can also have retractable claws, when she wants to.

She usually prefers sitting on the floor rather than chairs or beds (unless she can sit on Agatha's lap, instead).

Rio doesn't need to eat or sleep or drink. But she can eat and drink and she does it for pleasure. Her body will turn anything she consumes into cosmic dust.

As for sleeping, the closest to it she can do to it is "turn herself off". Meaning, Rio Vidal will lose a bit of her conscience for a while and be but the concept of Death for a while. It is something she can do voluntarily, however, and it's not necessarily rest, but it may help her conscious part that is Rio do something similar to resting.

She can also do the opposite and tone down her connection to Everything, which allows her to feel the closest to human she could ever feel. When she does that, she will feel everything almost like a human can. This is normally only reserved for intimate moments with Agatha.

But it does not make her completely vulnerable. She is Death and thus she is never powerless. She cannot be, for that would disrupt the Sacred Balance.

She's always had a heart, but it didn't actually beat before Agatha. Nicky used to be able to make it beat as well. And no one else.

However, she does feel empathy towards humans. She just doesn't let that get to her too much or she would be completely unable to fulfill her purpose.

As Nature itself, Rio loves all creatures, but she has a soft spot for the rejected ones that humans don't usually like such as snakes and spiders. You will often see her holding little critters.

On that note, she has a tarantula that usually hides inside her clothes, her name is Café (coffee in Spanish) because of her black color.

Animals do not fear her like humans do. They are way more in tune with the cycle of life and understand that Rio is both Life and Death at the same time. They find her presence comforting and will often end up orbiting her.

She can bloom anything she wants from any part of her body, not just her hands and has total control over plant life.

As for animals (which includes humans), though, she cannot kill, she only takes. These are just some general headcanons about my Rio! I wanna make a separated post with the Pantheon I've created for her and how her powers work so stay tuned if you're interested :)

[outofangband]



Working on some longer xenobiology/speculative biology posts so in the meantime here are some more random thoughts

Updated edition a year later! I hope these are ok!!

These are more jotting down ideas, please please feel free to give me any to elaborate on!

Also not all of these I necessarily consider my Headcanons, they’re just fun to play around with

Location edition

1. Tapetum lucidum or, eyes that can glow in the dark. (similar to the eyes of cats and raccoons) This is not limited to the Caliquendi and so is not directly related to Treelight.

Related to this is the potential ability to see infrared or other light spectrums like certain animals. I do like the idea that elven vision in the dark is more complicated than simply being able to see through the dark.

They navigate in unique ways, using the earth, trees, and even rocks to orient themselves. (I’m basing this in part of Legolas’s words about the elves of Hollin where he appears to draw sense memories from flora and stones) This also fits into my ideas for some ways elves are disoriented and controlled within Angband.

When elves are kept away from the natural world, in monotonous environments, without access to plant life or even a variety of geological information, they can enter a sort of stupor. Even in Angband which of course does contain rocks and life in the form of fungi, algae and even some plants, Cyanobacteria and certain creatures, much of the mines and dungeons are deliberately kept barren, lifeless and separated enough from the caverns and tunnels. What information they receive is never comforting. On that note, Ecological empathy taken to an extreme. Elves becoming depressed from ecological destruction, feeling the changes to landscapes on an innate level. Hence again why Angband is so damaging

Ears that express a wide range of emotions like how eyebrows do with humans. Elven ears will flatten, perk up, twitch, and even fold at times.

. I talked about phosphorescence here which actually has roots in canon!

Being able to navigate on all fours with ease, particularly while climbing and on a similar note, advanced balance.

For some of them, partially webbed feet and possibly even gill like structures on their chests for the sea elves.

On that note I think evolution works obviously differently for elves. Traits adapt and spread at different rates.

Pressure to areas of their body causes them to fall still, like with puppies and kittens. They have very sensitive areas in the backs of their necks and behind their ears. I've talked about this on my states of consciousness and sleep posts!

They do not have fingerprints though the skin on their hands will sometimes absorb and take in the colors of the things they touch, regardless of skin tone though skin tone does effect how clearly these show. For example, if an elven child spends some time playing in grass or clay, they may come back home with the skin up to their forearms that color.

Elves rarely have freckles but those that do will notice that they change colors and shades. Sometimes russet, sometimes even silvery, gold, or blueish. This is also true with birthmarks and even some scars. As they predate the sun their freckles are more similar to spots for camouflage and most words for them translates something to spots or foilage.

Elves can imitate sounds of animals very easily, especially bird and insect songs. While being able to communicate with animals is a rare gift among them, most can speak basic warnings and declarations, such as being able to warn sparrows that there is a hawk around. They can also pick up song very easily, often feeling the rhythm of even very gentle music in their hands.

I have a lot of thoughts on elves and synesthesia. I think most stimuli and input for elves is experienced through multiple senses for example being able to feel sound (obviously humans can to through vibrations but elves are more attuned to this). Synesthesia of the kind humans experience is somewhat more common in elves and other kinds unique to them also exist. (I have a whole post about this here!)

I talked about snow blindness and elves’ unique experiences with winter here!

I headcanon that elves have a specific sense for growth; they can hear and feel for lack of a better phrasing, shoots of grass growing, flowers blooming, roots expanding out. Not all are equally attuned to it or aware of it and some can become extremely overwhelmed by it if their ability to process is affected.

[forestsofcernutis]

This is the thing I was playing for the last three months.

It's a very short (under 1k words oracles included) solo game that uses PbtA core mechanics. It is intended to be suitable for adventure plots in any setting. Naturally, it means that you have to adjust it for your setting, but it is playable from the box.

Full text:

Make your move: a solo adventure game

Character creation:

Attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Anima, Combat, Proficiency.

Strength represents power and endurance; Dexterity - agility and balance; Intelligence - knowledge and reasoning; Anima - "heart", willpower, perception and empathy; Combat - martial skills; Proficiency represents skills that rely more on experience and shrewdness than on physical or mental power (such as stealth, lockpicking, craft).

(Note: Anima is named like this and not "Soul" to allow you to represent all attributes with a single letter)

Roll 2d6 for each. If the roll result is 6-, it's 0, if 7-9 it's +1, if 10-11 it's +2, if 12 it's +3. Alternatively, assign these results: +2, +2, +1, +1, 0, 0.

Pick three aspects - two strengths and one flaw. Aspects can be personality traits, professions, skills, special abilities, whatever. They may provide modifiers or special moves in game, but more importantly - they define who is your character as a person.

Hit protection = 3+dexterity+d3

Mind power = 3+anima+d3

If you wish, you can start with more experienced character by adding HP, MP and aspects.

Skill checks and combat:

Base mechanic is 2d6+relevant attribute. 6- is failure, 7-9 is partial success, 10+ is full success. Decide conditions of each before every skill check. Partial success doesn't necessarily mean losing something tangible or doing worse than expected - you can achieve compromise by adding one detail to a story that is inconvenient for your PC, or other "karmic" options.

Depending on situation, modifiers from -2 to +2 may apply.

There will be situations when you are not sure what attributes to use. In these cases, pick the one attribute that feels the most appropriate narratively and use it.

Combat is resolved as a skill check using combat attribute. Full success means that your character deals damage to enemy, partial success means that they do so but take damage in return, failure means that they only take damage.

Physical damage lowers HP. Short rest restores all HP. If your HP drops beyound zero, roll 2d6+con. On 10+, you continue fighting with no more hit protection, on 7-9 you faint and receive an injury, on 6- you die.

Damage out of combat, such as poisoning or stabbing or radiation exposure, is resolved as a strength check. HP is just abstracted combat capability, not "meat".

Mind power is used for overcoming physical limits by willpower, for track of fatigue and for spells and psychic powers. Mind power can't drop below zero. Several hours of rest restore all MP.

Your character gains 1 experience point in every dramatic moment when the plot moves or when you perform a notorious task. It is used for advancing characters.

5XP can be spent to buy additional aspect, 10XP allow you to add 1d6 to HP or MP, 40XP allow you to raise one of your attributes by one up to +3.

Equipment:

Light weapon (d6)

Medium weapon (d6+1)

Heavy weapon (d6+2)

Light armour (2)

Medium armour (3)

Heavy armour (5)

Shield (+1)

Armour absorbs damage from attacks.

Money is measured in wealth. 1W is enough to feed one person for a week. Other prices are estimated based on this.

Oracles (all use d6):

Yes or no questions: 4+ means yes for most questions. Use 3+ when yes is likely and 5+ when it's unlikely

Extent:

1. Minuscule

2. Less than expected

3-4. Average

5. More than expected

6. Enormous

Random event focus:

1. Faction

2. NPC

3. PC positive

4. PC negative

5. Environment

6. Plot

Action focus:

1. Loss

2. Revelation

3. Change

4. Offense

5. Help

6. Creation

Topic focus:

1. Past

2. Future

3. Community

4. Resource

5. Recent events

6. Faction

When talking to NPCs, roll topic focus to set topic for conversation, and yes/no to move forward. Otherwise use oracles as you find fitting.

Appendix: Magic

Magic system is not included, feel free to make up your own if you need it. It's solo game, so balance is up to you either way. I use system of magic from Interstitial.

To cast magic, roll 2d6+intelligence. On 10+, choose three options. On 7-9, choose one.

- The Magic reveals something

- The Magic deals d6 damage

- The Magic heals an illness or an injury

- The Magic hits more than one entity

- The Magic has no unintended consequences

- The Magic creates an illusion

- The magic inflicts a semi-permanent condition

- The Magic bypasses defenses

Appendix: Foes

Foes have aspects, HP and MP. Average person has 6HP and 6MP. To make up foe statistics, imagine how many times are they more powerful in every given aspect than average person and multiply this number by 6. Average gladiator is as strong in combat as 3 people, so they have 18HP. Average Bogbint from Kepler-442b is not a good warrior and has only 6HP, but their willpower is 15 times stronger than mine, so they have 80MP.

(Works used: "Identity System" by @krakenoid, "World of Dungeons" by John Harper, "Oracle" by perplexing ruins)

[pagesfromthevoid]

Glitch | k.h. | 2

Kakashi Hatake x fem!reader

Word Count: 1.6k

Warnings: Angst, flashback

Author’s Notes: If you’re not picking up on it, this series is more interconnected moments that reader and Kakashi share. They’re not necessarily in any specific order, nor do they really need to be read together to make sense. The idea is that, as Kakashi and her go through life, they seem to find themselves back together.

Talk to me! | Series Masterlist | AO3

Five Years Following Rin's Death

The rain poured relentlessly, an unending torrent that seemed to wash away the world's sins. Each droplet that landed on Kakashi's skin felt like a cleansing judgment, as if nature itself condemned him for the choices he had made. He knelt by Rin's grave, the cold moisture seeping through his clothes, chilling him to the bone. No amount of rain would wash away his sins; no downpour could cleanse the stain of blood from his past. The moniker of “Friend Killer Kakashi” echoed in his mind, a reminder of the darkest moment in his life. But as the rain fell upon him, he didn't mind the discomfort. It was a fitting reflection of the storm raging within him, the tempest of guilt and sorrow that had been his constant companion since that fateful day five years ago.

With trembling fingers, he traced the etched characters on the cold stone marker. Each stroke was an act of penance, a silent prayer to a friend he had failed to protect. His touch was gentle, as if he could somehow impart warmth and life to the lifeless stone. The rain-slicked surface mirrored his own tear-streaked face, and for a brief, fleeting moment, he hoped to find some solace or answer in the weathered engravings.

As he knelt there, lost in his thoughts and the steady patter of raindrops, Kakashi's solitude was interrupted by the soft sound of footsteps. The earth squelched beneath the weight of approaching shoes, and the footsteps drew nearer with a sense of purpose that Kakashi hadn't expected. He didn't bother to turn around; his heart had grown heavy with the weight of mourners who had come and gone, offering their silent condolences to the departed. Their condolences couldn't change the past, couldn't bring Rin back.

Yet, this time was different. The footsteps were unhurried but determined, and they carried with them an unspoken empathy that Kakashi couldn't ignore. They were not the hesitant shuffles of the curious or the obligatory trudges of those paying their respects. These steps held a purpose, a quiet strength that piqued his curiosity. Kakashi remained still, his wet hair clinging to his forehead, his eye hidden behind his headband. Glancing over his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of a young girl walking the path to the memorial stone.

Her footsteps were steady, each precise step cutting through the torrential downpour as if she were determined to defy the very elements themselves. Her black leather boots sank slightly into the soft mud, leaving behind impressions that spoke of her unwavering commitment to her cause. The rain, falling in thick, heavy sheets, did nothing to deter her.

Her observant eyes caught sight of Kakashi from a distance, hunched over by Rin's grave. His silhouette, obscured by the curtain of rain, was a figure lost in the relentless downpour. As she drew closer, her heart ached at the sight of his isolation. While she and Kakashi had not interacted in the time since she became a shinobi, she knew about him; it was hard for people to not know about him. The Copy Ninja; the friend killer; the son of the White Fang. Kakashi was known for many things at such a young age –of course she knew about him. 

But seeing him there, drenched to the bone, paying respects to those he supposedly killed –broke her heart for him. From observation alone, she knew that Kakashi Hatake was not the cold hearted ninja that the village made him out to be. With the rain that had drenched him, his silver hair plastered to his forehead, his clothes clinging to him, he was nothing more than a teenager with so much loss surrounding him. He seemed oblivious to the world around him, lost in a realm of memories and regrets. 

Without a word, she continued her deliberate approach. She moved with a grace that belied her youth, her movements fluid and purposeful. Her gloved hand held the bright pink umbrella high –her mother’s favorite one, because of how happy it was –its canopy a stark contrast against the bleakness of the storm. Raindrops danced upon the fabric like shimmering diamonds, a stark juxtaposition to the solemnity of the cemetery.

When she finally stood beside Kakashi, she extended the umbrella, its surface glistening with droplets, forming a protective barrier between him and the relentless rain. The canopy's edge barely brushed against her shoulder, as she positioned herself to ensure he received the most shelter. In that moment, without a single word passing between them, she offered solace to a grieving soul, bridging the chasm of loneliness that had haunted Kakashi since Rin's death.

Kakashi finally looked up, his single visible eye meeting her warm, understanding gaze. Raindrops clung to his lashes, each one a testament to the tempest within him. He couldn't help but feel unworthy of her kindness, of the simple act of shelter she offered, as if the very heavens wept for his redemption. His usually pristine silver hair was now a disheveled, tangled mess, plastered to his forehead and cheeks by the rain that refused to let up. The mask that veiled his emotions was soaked and clung to his skin like a second skin; she wondered if he felt like he was drowning with how wet it was against his cheeks and nose.

For the first time in years, someone had seen past his stoic façade; someone had reached out to him without expecting anything in return. Kakashi's hands trembled at this unexpected act of kindness, clenched in his lap as he considered how to react to her. It was a fragile moment of vulnerability, a crack in the armor he had meticulously built over the years. He wanted to say something, to tell her to leave –go away, and leave him to mourn. But when he caught her eye as he looked up at her properly, she offered him a soft smile and Kakashi couldn’t bring himself to push her off.

“You’ll catch your death out here,” she murmured, stepping slightly closer so that she was also shielded by her umbrella. 

Kakashi simply shrugged, returning his gaze back to the memorial stone.

She hummed some, trying not to be put off by his lack of response. “I came to visit my mother’s grave,” she explained, even though he hadn’t asked. “She loved the rain; I try to visit her when the clouds roll in.”

“I don’t care.”

“I know you don’t,” she immediately replied, refusing to let him push her around. “But I think Kushina-sensei would be mad if I didn’t try to help her husband’s student.”

Kakashi looked back up at her, his single visible eye narrowing in a moment of realization. Raindrops clung to his eyelashes like crystal tears, mirroring the storm of memories that swept through his mind. It suddenly struck him why he knew the young woman who stood above him; Minato-sensei had introduced his team to Kushina-sensei’s team shortly after Kakashi had become a jonin. It had been one of those rare occasions when they decided to step away from their duties as ninja and celebrate, if only briefly. Kushina had just become the leader of her own team, a group of enthusiastic genin who were brimming with excitement about their future as ninja. Kakashi had, at the time, brushed off the whole ordeal, finding it all tedious and unnecessary.

What he’d give for those times back.

Hesitating for a moment, Kakashi sighed, his breath misting in the chilly rain, and then pushed himself up from the ground. He towered over her now, the height difference accentuated by the uneven terrain beneath them. Instead of flinching back or shrinking away at his sudden closeness, she simply stood her ground, her gaze unwavering as she met his eye. 

Kakashi finally spoke, his voice soft but laced with gratitude when he said her name. “It’s been a while since I last saw you. You’re taller.”

She looked aside, as if she was thinking back to their first meeting. Raindrops clung to her eyelashes, and her hair was now a dark, wet curtain framing her face. “I suppose I can’t stay the size of an eleven-year-old forever.”

“No, I don’t suppose you can,” Kakashi replied with a faint hint of a smile behind his mask before it disappeared. She looked rather proud of herself for eliciting the reaction.

Silence fell between them as the rain continued to fall around them, each raindrop tracing a delicate path down from the heavens. Finally, Kakashi took the umbrella from her, his gloved fingers brushing against hers in a fleeting touch, before he held it between them. She looked up at him curiously, her brow raised in a silent question. With a nod towards the path that led away from the cemetery, Kakashi began to walk back towards the village. The umbrella shielded them both from the relentless rain, its canopy forming a cocoon of temporary respite. The rain drummed softly on the fabric, creating a soothing background melody to their footsteps.

She didn't hesitate to follow, quickening her pace to keep up with him. The rain-soaked earth squelched beneath their feet, and the world around them seemed to blur as they walked. In that shared moment under the umbrella, amidst the storm and the memories, Kakashi and her found a connection that offered a glimmer of hope in their otherwise somber lives.

They didn’t know it, but this sudden breakdown in Kakashi’s system –this glitch in his self-loathing –was only the first in many for the two.

[sacrificialarrow]

Headcanon: Spirits and Evolution.

Spirits are a fascinating subject, because they're vastly more complex than most of Thedas give them credit for -- but in fairness, Nevarrans aren't in that group, bc they so routinely and without prejudice interact with spirits that they've learned a great deal about them. As echoes of the real world, spirits are usually born of strong emotions mirrored in places or people.

That said, 'demon' isn't really an applicable term until you get into the ideation of intent. Spirits are inclined to mirror in action the emotion they're born of, but the actions themselves may still be neutral in nature. A spirit of grief may linger at burial sites and imbue passers by with the feeling of mourning for a lost loved one just as easily as it might be inclined towards actively trying to incite genuine grief in the mortals it comes across. It all depends upon personality and experiences, and thus, even the same types of spirits are nearly as different and varied as people are.

The more a spirit learns and experiences, the more its mind expands from a more basal form towards full sentience. They're sort of like children in that way, except that you can begin influencing and or teaching a spirit things from the moment it's born, and how quickly they advance is dependent upon how they're taught and what, as well as individual learning curves. Some spirits simply cannot grow beyond a certain point, while others can reach the peaks of mortal intelligence.

Another thing of important note is that spirits are capable of evolving from one emotion to another, and it's not necessarily a linear path. How they change depends upon the circumstances that cause their change in the first place. Given the right circumstances, and depending on the way an individual responds to them, a spirit of valor has the ability to become a spirit of fear, then rage, then perhaps joy. They're sort of like emotional sponges, although they are somewhat less likely to be influenced the more intelligent they are -- though none are ever immune.

In terms of Solas, he began life as a spirit of empathy. Becoming a corporeal person and fighting in the Titan War changed him into a spirit of valor, as reflected by his then classification as a warrior and reaver. His next change was more gradual, and thanks to the way his people were treated, he became a spirit of cunning rebellion, and thus his class became a rogue. ( Mind you, he's used magic the entirety of his life, it's just a matter of what method he prefers to fight with at any given time. ) Over time, he uses magic for his fighting more and more until he doesn't typically use a blade anymore.

His sense of mischief is something that has been a part of his personality all his life, and has really only taken on new facets as he's grown, which does branch out to include deceit as well. As has his pride, which ironically isn't why he was given his name as a young spirit, and has been greatly influenced by learned necessary independence. In his earliest days, he would have been somewhat like a cat, in terms of his pride trait showing.

Solas' life started like most spirits, coming into existence in the forests of what would become Arlathan. His birth came from one of the titans molding the earth around a wolf pack to help them thrive, and so his earliest days were spent among the pack he was born from. ( And for the record, since Elgar'nan likes to boast about his age, Solas isn't any younger than he is. He simply took to an elven body much later. ) As the elves came into existence, his curiosity about them grew, eventually to the point of following them out of the forest and to their village. Incidentally, the leader of this village was Mythal, who came to deal with the mischief the giant wolf spirit was causing. Though she may have wrestled him into submission, he took a liking to her, and kept returning to seek her out. Thus, he eventually becomes one of the spirits that she takes beneath her wing and nurtures into sentience.

Consequently, that's why Solas thinks of her as his mother, and why you will take a -100 friendship buff if you ever so much as imply they were romantically involved.

It is of note, though, that the particular label of their relationship didn't come until much later, when Solas was himself an elf and had spent time among the later generations who had been born as elves. Because before that, any notion of a 'parent' is completely alien to him.

[mothdapple]

hi!! i just finished reading cold bloodlines and am curious to hear more!! answer as many or as little of my questions as you'd like; no pressure!

how did you come up with this story? how has it developed and changed since its inception?

what does the future hold for lizardstrike, dampfang, newtkit/mistkit, &/or pineshade?

do you have any scenes that were scrapped? little fun bits or plotlines you couldn't fit in?

how did you think of the old shadowclan traditions?

any fun bits of trivia you have about the characters?

Thanks so much for reading and for the questions!! I'll try to answer as much as I can :)

(For anyone reading this who hasn't read or finished my Warriors fanfiction Cold Bloodlines, this answer contains various SPOILERS for the entire fic.)

how did you come up with this story?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the very first idea that inspired this story centered on Frostmask and Paledusk's relationship. Basically, I wanted the main antagonist to be the main character's father, who was toxic and manipulative, and the story would end with the main character realizing the truth of his nature and defeating him.

Other key ideas I had from the beginning included Swoopstrike as Frost's mentor, and their improving relationship up until his ultimate death. The Autumn/Frost romance and the family they have together was also in the plans from the get-go to act as a parallel/foil to Frostmask's relationship with Paledusk. (Comparing their healthy and supportive love to Paledusk's conditional and manipulative "love.")

The other really central idea I had starting out was just that I wanted this story to ultimately be about finding a home/community/family.

how has it developed and changed since its inception?

Oof a lot lol. While the core of the story I mentioned above remained intact, so many more ideas grew out of it. For example, characters like Pepper and Salt didn't exist in my very first outline, and other characters like Pineshade had much more minor roles.

Initially, I'd conceived of this fic as being a much shorter story, but I definitely got swept away by these characters, their web of relationships, and all the side plots that built up to the main one. That's how this fic that I'd thought would be less than 100k words turned into a 450k word trilogy.

what does the future hold for lizardstrike, dampfang, newtkit/mistkit, &/or pineshade?

(Note that while these are my thoughts, I don't necessarily consider them "canon" since they aren't written in the fic. So you are more than free to imagine something different if you prefer!)

Lizardstrike has a long and happy life as a warrior, eventually becoming mates with his long-time friend Cedarfur :)

In the days after Dampfang leaves ShadowClan, he is pretty beat-up, which leaves him very injured in the unclaimed land in the space between ShadowClan territory and Highstones. Some kind loners/rogues that live in a barn in the area stumble upon him and pity on him. Despite his hostilities to them, he is too weak to resist their assistance, and their charity ultimately saves his life.

Afterward, Dampfang attempts to live on his own for a bit, but he finds it difficult both for practical reasons and because he'd spent his entire life living with other cats and is lonely. He ends up living with the small loner group. His experience as a rogue/with these rogues forces him to develop some empathy for them, and he slowly lets go of his hatred.

After he goes through this growth, him rejoining ShadowClan at some point down the line isn't completely out of the question, although I doubt it would happen while Sedgestar was still leader.

Newtkit and Mistkit's warrior names are Newtspots and Mistpool, but I honestly don't have a ton of thoughts at this moment about their futures specifically.

Pineshade and Murmurstep do officially become mates, and when Sedgestar loses his last life a few years after the end of the fic, Pineshade becomes Pinestar. Pinestar asks Frostmask if she will be her deputy, and after having spent several years as a normal warrior, Frostmask is ready to take on that responsibility again and support her friend, so she accepts. They make a very good team leading ShadowClan for many more years, but when Frostmask passes, it is ultimately Dawnstar (the leader of ShadowClan when SkyClan is exiled from the forest. She is not born by the time the fic ends) who becomes deputy and succeeds Pinestar.

do you have any scenes that were scrapped? little fun bits or plotlines you couldn't fit in?

Hmm there were several little things that I ended up scrapping, but the thing that is immediately coming to mind is the prophecy/vision given to Clearstream at the very start of the fic.

"I was walking through an unfamiliar forest covered in snow. I could not hear or scent any other cat," Clearstream said. "Suddenly, a large, white owl swooped over my head. I could tell it was hunting, and I was frightened for a moment since I was alone, and it could easily decide I was prey. But then I heard a voice speak 'ShadowClan does not need to fear the snow,’ and suddenly my pelt was warmed. All our clan-mates were clustered around me. We were keeping each other warm and safe, and the owl flew away."

Originally, that was going to be a bigger deal about Frostmask and her role in aiding ShadowClan by defeating Paledusk. The wording of the prophecy used to be more obviously about an individual cat (Frostmask,) saying 'ShadowClan does not need to fear the snow. From the cold, great strength soars.'

But when I decided that I wanted to keep StarClan's involvement in this story to a minimum, the vision became a much more minor plot point that was mostly about ShadowClan supporting each other through this difficult time, with only some vague hints about StarClan approving of ShadowClan accepting Frostmask ("ShadowClan does not need to fear the snow [aka: the frost]".) And, a bit of foreshadowing about Paledusk's threat. (At different points throughout the story, Paledusk is compared in the narration to a white owl, like the owl hunting Clearstream in the vision.)

Ultimately, I'm glad that I ended up changing this since like I said, I wanted very little StarClan shenanigans in this story. But, I also didn't want Cold Bloodline's premise to feel too much like Firestar's, with the outsider joining a Clan, along with a prophecy that they will end up saving it.

how did you think of the old shadowclan traditions?

As I mentioned above, it was important to me that ShadowClan felt like a rich, living, tight-knit community, so that's what first prompted me to try to think of more traditions to do that.

The traditions I came up with mostly came from me just trying to dig a little deeper into aspects of Clan culture which already exist in canon. For example, the Clans love having ceremonies about everything, so why shouldn't there be a more structured death ceremony/funeral, rather than simply just a vigil? I also thought a lot about the ShadowClan stereotypes, like being stealthy and independent, and tried to think of traditions that reflected those values. That's how I came up with things like the apprentice's night-time assessment, which is kept a secret from the young cats of the Clan so that it's a genuine surprise/test for them.

any fun bits of trivia you have about the characters?

Bingo, the kittypet who helps Frostmask navigate the twoleg-place, is a tribute to my childhood cat Bingo! The real Bingo was the most patient cat I've ever met in my life. He'd act grumpy, swishing his tail, while my siblings and I as very little kids pet/bothered him, but he never bit or scratched us. I tried to reflect his personality in the fic, with him seeming at times a bit grumpy and reluctant, but still being kind and immensely helpful for Frostmask.

[sassyblazesandwich]

Aggressive ADHD and other disorders.

What is Aggressive ADHD?

Aggressive ADHD, According to understand.org is apart of ADHD in many kids and they are more quick to get angry. Kids with ADHD can feel emotions intensely and can have trouble managing them.

What can cause anger in ADHD?

Impulsivity. Impulsivity is a symptom of ADHD that is often caused by an inability to focus and control behaviors. According to verywellmind.com, "The impulsive nature of ADHD means that if someone feels angry, they communicate it right away. This is often more apparent in children since they haven't yet developed strategies that adults with ADHD develop. More than 50% of preadolescents with ADHD experience impulsive aggression, which is also known as affective aggression, and is characterized by strong, unplanned emotions, usually anger, that often takes place in the heat of the moment."

Could someone with ADHD have other disorders or disabilities to also cause aggression or anger?

Oppositional Defiant Disorder. According to verwellmind.com "Approximately ⅓ of all children with ADHD also have Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Children with ODD display Defiant, hostile behaviors towards authority figures. They often loose their temper, frequently argue with adults, defy rules, blame others, deliberately annoy others, are touchy, easily annoyed and behave in angry resentful ways overall."

What is ODD?

ODD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a psychiatric disorder that typically emerges in childhood, between ages 6 and 8 and can last throughout adulthood. Some common signs and symptoms of ODD include: Being easily annoyed, causing conflict, frequent temper tantrums, Low tolerance for frustration, Lying, Moodiness and unprovoked anger, Noncompliance with even simple requests, No sense of conscience, purposeful irritation of others.

What does ADHD and ODD share in common?

Irritability, such as feeling intense negative emotions about things that you know are not that big of a deal or not a problem at all. Feeling impatient. Interrupting conversations or talking a lot, driven by the feeling that you need to say what you want to say right this second. Impulsive actions, done with little to no thought or planning. In ADHD, this might look like reward seeking impulses like skipping work to go to a party or gorging on junk food. In ODD, it might look more like aggressive impulses, like lashing out at someone with cruel words or physical violence.

What is Autism?

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction, communication, and behavior. It is a spectrum disorder, which means that it can vary in severity and presentation.

What is Narcissism?

Narcissism, is a personality disorder characterized by an inflated sense of self importance, a lack of empathy, and a need for admiration.

Is Narcissism associated with Autism?

"A study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that individuals with autism were more likely to have elevated levels of narcissistic traits than individuals without autism. It's important to note that it does not mean all individuals with autism will show narcissistic traits or that there is a casual relationship between the two conditions. It's also worth noting that while some individuals with autism may display behavior that could be interpreted as self centered, or lacking empathy, this is not necessarily indicative of true narcissistic personality disorder. Rather it may reflect difficulty understanding social cues or interpreting emotions accurately" -Steven Zauderer

My resources used:

[rolandrockover]

Comin' Loud and Lonely

In order to take up the concept of so-called sibling albums today, just as it is often and regularly practiced in certain fan circles, I have decided to take a little look at Asylum from 1985.

This would provide more than a little confirmation that it must also be an album in this category, in my opinion, however, it is much less likely to be a sibling album of Animalize (1984), for example, as it seems to be set in stone in the handbooks of many hardcore fans, but much more likely one of Creatures of the Night (1982) (1).

And to go a small step further, I would even respectfully classify Asylum as a sister album to Creatures of the Night. And by that I don't mean a little sister, as Wendy O. Williams' W.O.W. (1984) , for example, is affectionately known, but a sister of the same age, naturally on a par with its male counterpart. Sometimes more and sometimes less, but I don't necessarily want to split hairs.

If I use key words like dark, aggressive or heavy in the direct context of Creatures of the Night, I'm pretty sure that nobody will try to dispute their accuracy, because these are all attributes that are often credited to a certain masculinity, or rather a male mindset. And men usually love Creatures of the Night unconditionally, don't they?

Well, if I now try to find a few hopefully accurate descriptions for Asylum, the terms colorful, emotional and melodic immediately come to mind without much thought, which doesn't necessarily scream femininity, but in direct comparison to Creatures demands a significantly higher degree of sensitivity and sensibility, which for me would generally still be more feminine than masculine attributes.

And despite the fact that Asylum is still clearly heavy and extremely saturated in terms of production, there is no shortage of male fans who find the album cover of Asylum, which is based on the three primary colors, anything but easy to deal with, which of course also applies to the equally colorful Asylum costumes.

I'll try to illustrate this briefly using the example of the chorus of Who Wants to be Lonely. And what chorus of which testosterone-driven cock song from Creatures of the Night do you think I might have in mind? I mean, what could be a more fitting example than Keep Me Comin' with its screaming, dick-driven foundation, on which Who Wants to be Lonely builds, not exactly quietly and certainly not stealthily, just equipped with a little more… Color, melodic embellishment and empathy in its vocal chorus.

Add to that Who Wants to be Lonley's Ohhhooooh-Ohhhoooohs from the chorus appendage, which are hardly anything other than a more melodious, sensitive version of the hyper-masculine and super-hard Hey-hey-hey Yeaaahs from I Love It Loud.

I guess you can't always be the hardest one walking under the sun, after all, otherwise where would that lead? Anyway, there are still enough male Asylum fans, so not all hope would be in vain. Perhaps they like Asylum so much because it subconsciously reminds them of Creatures of the Night, and maybe even Unmasked (1980) . Who knows?

But of course we must never forget that we're still dealing with Kiss, and that Paul, presumably to compensate for the prominently foregrounded femininity, and therefore on Asylum actually sowed at least the dick lyrics a little more liberally.

Ultimately Kiss are Kiss are Kiss.

Side note:

(1) However, I would also add Rock and Roll Over and Unmasked to Creatures of the Night, but I would be more than happy to talk about this in more detail on another occasion.

Who Wants to be Lonely (1985)

Keep Me Comin' (1982)

I Love It Loud (1982)

[drdt-headcanons]

I feel like posting something that would make those "2020 anime hcs are cringe" people go crazy, so as someone that's literally just David Chiem, yes literally, here's a lot of things my irl disability causes that I believe would apply to him too. Yes I know they're out of character, no I do not care whatsoever

- Has an oddly specific item they take everywhere, in my case it's literally a plushie cat, same thing applies to him

- Probably finds it difficult to actually make friends, even when acting as the positive 'act' he put on in chapter 1

- Doesn't necessarily care for them (as in having empathy/sympathy), however takes comfort in other people being there for him, even if he doesn't show that

- This is a really specific one but I don't tend to drink out of cups if I can help it, only like water bottles or whatever? I don't know, I remembered I do that and it seemed right

- Has like 5 copies of the same outfit and only ever wears them. That, and he doesn't get dressed unless he actually needs to go outside, usually wearing pyjamas or whatever. (Which he wouldn't need to do as you can't go outside in the killing game, which disproves this whole thing, but know what that's why it's a headcanon)

- This is probably the most controversial. Anyway, purely because I do, I'd like to say he secretly acts more 'childish' than he lets on? As in he just isn't how his age would stereotypically act, despite being very very good with words in his speeches and pretty smart

- Terrified of most animals. Especially dogs.

- Eats the same kinds of plain food repetitively (that's actually partly canon, he does prefer meals like that. I once only ate ready make oatmeal every single day for like three months, if that proves anything?)

- Finds it very difficult to sleep for no apparent reason & has a rapidly changing sleep schedule, going from falling asleep at 10pm to 3am in just a couple nights (I'm writing this at 2am if that says anything.)

Also, not autism or me related, however as someone who's looked through the symptoms of every personality disorder, he fits npd pretty well

An extra note on this; sorry if my posts are hard to read, I use the anon feature as an excuse to talk in the way which feels natural to me as my disability affects the way in which I type, which includes me saying a lot more than most people, so it's not worth judging me for as I can't really control it

And if you think it's "cringe" posting completely out of character hcs I literally do not care :3 (not directed at this user, just anyone that reads it /srs)

:)

[inappropriatewenning]

so you said once you felt like MXTX had maybe made JGY a more compelling character than she meant to… I don’t remember if you said that before or after you read Scum Villain, but I wonder if thinking about him in light of things like the Shen Jiu extras and the empathy she has even for her OG scum villain changes that?

good god woman, do you expect me to remember a thought process that i had? i don't even have thought processes i just have thought miasmas

But. Yeah, that was indeed after reading Scum Villain, and thinking particularly about the line about how sometimes it's too much of a hassle when you make villains sympathetic, then everyone gets into arguments about it, etc. etc.

I can never make up my mind about how deliberate a writer I think MXTX is. After reading Scum Villain I gained a lot more respect for her as a writerly writer and not just a fun storyteller: but at the same time it makes me wonder which character beats are things she really cared about and which are conveniences for effect. Is she just throwing in some sympathetic stuff about JGY at the end to make us go "oooh there's a twist" and "right right we should be questioning the values and evaluations of the cultivation world?" Does she care about him like I care about him????

I don't like to give too much weight to the author commentary and snippets of interviews I've seen because I'm missing too much in translation and not really knowing the context--and also because hell I've had a situations where I was writing a serial thing on AO3 and having lively commentators on each chapter and replying to them and sometimes I just said shit off the top of my head, being all giddy from writing and having people read what I wrote, and I wouldn't want to commit to it as Word of God. But, with that disclaimer, the vibe I get when I read things she's said about "Yao-mei" give me the sense that she...is closer to feeling "cool motive, still murder" than I am.

But like.

Writers have weird feelings about their characters, due to the nature of being the person creating them and seeing all the drafts and all the bits you took out or threw in real quick because you wanted to make a deadline and all the bits where you were like "ehhhhh that's not really what I want but I can't think how to put it better." So...all I really meant by that was that my sense is she is less into him than I am, as a reader, but I don't necessarily care.

eta @layzeal brings this to my attention in the comments "the one jgy thing i think might be worth noting is that the original draft had nothing about the brothel flashback, it was added in the revision !she was told that jgy was sympathetic, and instead of making more evil in the revision she made him… more sympathetic?"

okay, mxtx knows what she's doing

[mer-birdman]

Unusual Muse Associations

Tagged by the lovely @quilleth !!!!

Tagging @kinetic-empathy @sunneinsplendor @bibliomatsuri and anyone else who wants to!!

Since Quill answered for Vanora, I’ll go ahead and answer them all for Raven, my sweet bby mapmaker in the same campaign! (If anyone wants to ask about other characters just lmk of course!)

SEASONING: Smoky/umami! Not necessarily a flavor Raven herself gravitates towards, but she’s always been associated with fire and that feels appropriate for her. (She does, however, enjoy a spicy hot chocolate).

WEATHER: Sunny, light breeze! Raven naturally has a very low body heat and gets cold pretty easily, so being out in the sun is always preferred.

COLOR: Blues, especially a very clear sapphire-blue. In recent incarnations, she’s also added gold to her palette — but blue has been her color since version 1.

SKY: A clear night sky, the kind where you can see a million stars.

MAGICAL POWER: Putting aside her sorcerer powers, I’d (jokingly) say her forgetfulness? Her memory is a swiss cheese to an impressive degree. But also yeah she’s got spooky shadow magic and sometimes sets things on fire.

HOUSE PLANT: Having never lived in a set place before, Raven knows nothing about house plants and gardening. While I’d love to say jasmine for the vibes, she should probably start off with something like a snake plant that’s hard to kill.

WEAPON: Daggers. There are Things happening with them, thanks @timelord-in-hogwarts !

SUBJECT: History/anthropology! Raven loves learning about old civilizations. Comes from having a mentor in his fourth century who knows a lot of stories.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Oh jeez, we discussed this as a party once. I think she’d have a travel blog as her main thing, with maybe youtube and/or instagram attached?

MAKEUP PRODUCT: Fun fact, several past iterations of Raven had very distinctive black eyeliner and eyeshadow! Now, though, I’d say maybe a subtle gold shimmer dust.

CANDY: Hm… something really sour, perhaps?

FEAR: Being trapped. Doors and windows must be left open just a crack, no matter where she is.

ICE CUBE SHAPE: Why would Raven ever want to use ice cubes? (Probably the standard very small square ones, simple and no fuss).

METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL: Walking :) (Maybe hitchhiking in a modern AU)

ART STYLE: John Tenniel, Kamome Shirahama, etc… she’s a mapmaker, so her style would be very centered on the use of black ink and lines. Not much by way of color. (Should note that she’s not great at drawing outside of her maps, at least not yet anyways)

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: Hmm… it’s not mythological, but perhaps the Hell Butterflies from Bleach?

PIECE OF STATIONARY: A wax seal-stamp or artist signature stamp. Something that sees repeated professional use. (I wonder if the guild badge serves as this…)

THREE EMOJIS: 🦋🔥💀

CELESTIAL BODY: The stars!! And/or Pluto.

Blanks under the cut!

SEASONING

WEATHER

COLOR

SKY

MAGICAL POWER

HOUSE PLANT

WEAPON

SUBJECT

SOCIAL MEDIA

MAKEUP PRODUCT

CANDY

FEAR

ICE CUBE SHAPE

METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL

ART STYLE

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE

PIECE OF STATIONARY

THREE EMOJIS

CELESTIAL BODY