#plus i love moomin

[bread-is-my-life]

Here's what I can offer to y'all on the first day of 2024. Happy New year!

[canisalbus]

hi sorry in advance if this is weird but i couldn't for the life of me figure out who machete was reminding me of and just now i figured it out - surku the dog from the moomins. can't remember enough to tell how accurate that is personality wise but something about the image of a distressed pointy-nosed dog shivering in a coat... plus ne on molemmat ahdistuneita queer ikoneita

I love Surku! Surku must be protected at all costs.

If you ask me, he's even more distressed in the comics.

I keep him on my fridge door as well.

But now that we're on the topic of Moomin characters, I must add that I see Machete in various Fillyjonks a lot. The short story Fillyjonk who believed in disasters is one of my favorite pieces of literature ever, when I first read it it shook me to my core, I still revisit it on yearly basis. For someone who seemed so wild and free spirited by nature, Tove Jansson did remarkable job at catching and depicting the essence of anxiety, uncertainty, vague sadness and irrational fears. At least in my opinion.

[liamlawsonlesbian]

what book I would give each current formula one driver to introduce them to the joy of reading

an intellectual exercise no one* asked for

Max Verstappen: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond - if you are nd and have read this book, you may understand me. otherwise just trust me. the impetus for this post

Checo Perez: The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White - this is an excellent read-aloud book for Sergio Jr.'s age, and there is nothing as wonderful as reading a compelling book to a kid you love, imho

Charles Leclerc: The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman - he is on the record as a Potter enjoyer. also, I think he would enjoy having a little animal friend

Carlos Sainz: Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood - okay yes this is partially a joke about the title, but this is a hilarious and wonderful memoir, about weird families and Catholicism, and I think Carlos would enjoy it.

Lando Norris: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett - in my mind Lando is a little bit like @bright-and-burning but less cool, so this fits. also, the combination of high number of jokes/page + action/mystery seems like a good fit

Oscar Piastri: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie - this book has the kind of mystery that really draws you in, plus I think Oscar would dig the questions about AI it digs into. I choose to believe with zero evidence that he would be interested in the funky gender stuff

Fernando Alonso: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell - look me in the eye and tell me this book wasn't written for Fernando Alonso

Lance Stroll: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - yeah

Lewis Hamilton: Die Trying by Lee Child - Lewis deserves to read mildly trashy thrillers <3 plus there's a Tom Cruise movie

George Russell: Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith - as a proud Brit, George should be reading one of the premiere English authors of the 21st century. her first book of essays is a fun and readable place to start

Yuki Tsunoda: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - I don't have a Yuki-lore explanation, I just want to give him one of my favorite books

Daniel Ricciardo: The Gunslinger by Steven King - The Dark Tower series is Lord of the Rings-esque in scope but Western-inflected in aesthetic and written by The Horror Guy, I think DR would enjoy

Alex Albon: The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee - I say this with so much love in my heart, but Alex wants to be seen as smart. this book is brilliantly written pop science

Logan Sargeant: Bloomability by Sharon Creech - yes this is a book for tween girls, but it's about boarding school in Switzerland, and Sharon Creech is a genius. if I could convince him to read it, I think he would love it

Valtteri Bottas: The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien - what are hobbits if not humanoid moomins?

Zhou Guanyu: Piranesi by Susannah Clarke - a fun, exciting, stylishly written book for a stylish guy

Kevin Magnussen: Watership Down by Richard Adams - rabbit warfare <3

Nico Hulkenberg: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - Hulk SEEMS like a Dad Who Reads Historical Fiction, even if he isn't yet

Pierre Gasly: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - I almost said A Game of Thrones but I don't think that would be good for him. so, Six of Crows. he likes heists!

Esteban Ocon: City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty - a superhero origin story of sorts for Mr. Spiderman

Bonus: Liam Lawson: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - lesbian from New Zealand. let me have this

*ro asked for it, take it up with them @oscarpiastriwdc

[readbyred]

I've read that some characters from the moomins like Snufkin, little my and their mother and their sisters are not really humans. So how would Snufkin, Moonin and the other characters react when they meet s/o who is a girl human that one day appeared in moonmin Valley?

You added other characters and I will absolutely use it to push more Sniff content on you! Also yeah. Considering moomins are canonically REALLY damn tiny, the humanoid looking characters would be like fairies or sth. But I will make them human sized bc I think it's easier to write (if you want more accuracy, sent me a message and I'll do one more)

Snufkin is pretty unfazed compared to others. He’s been travelling enough to have come across humans at some point. Pretty surprised to find out that his upbringing is something so strange (I mean, im pretty sure he was allowed to wander around before he would be considered old enough to do so by human standards). Sometimes, when he’s feeling a bit silly he makes stuff up about his kind to trick you. Says it in the most chill voice too so the only way to fact check him is to ask his half-sister. Little My calls him out every time just to be a menace, in true older sister fashion

And when it comes to Little My, she treats you like one of the group regardless. But that doesn't mean she’s not going to complain about your long human legs and so on. Will absolutely use you to get the things she wants off of high shelves. And will laugh if you bang your head on something. I mean, the creatures you come across come in different sizes so it’s not uncommon to find homes and structured built for them. But it's sweet sometimes too (as sweet as she can be) when she calls you her human. And maybe, sometimes (since having humans around isn't something most residents are used to) she’ll drag you around to some events with the neighbors to see their reaction (and maybe to brag about her gf, but she won't tell you that-)

On the other hand Snorkmaiden is so curious! Asks you about human culture and fashion. Sometimes the others joke that she’s turning into her brother. Begs you to take her to a human village, though that would either require crazy high stealth or some magic. Since you just showed up in the Moominvalley, she’s very open to show you all the kinds of wonders that were ordinary to her before. Being with you made her see them as more special, she loves that part of your relationship a lot. Plus, if you compliment her ability to change colour (not sure if that's a part of the show, but she can do that in the books) she’ll flush and turn all colours of the rainbow

Okay, Sniff is a funny one because this guy’s afraid of so much but also wants to seem so brave and cool in front of you. Of course, he insists that he was totally not terrified when you two first met. And he thinks being human makes you kind of special (I mean, in Moominvalley it actually does) so he’ll always emphasize that he’s your favourite. Yeah, that's right guys, he has a human girlfriend and she likes him best. Right? You do like him best, yes? Overall, he’s pretty silly and will exaggerate everyday things just to see the shine of wonder in your eyes (and because he feels like he has to give you something special so you stay with him). Still terrified that you just found your way into the valley though, what if bad humans come too 😰😰

Moomin is a lot more carefree about the idea. He’s so happy to be with you and show you around though he tends to forget that the things that might be ordinary to him are totally new to you. Obsessed with any type of human trinket you have on you. And if he could he’d stay up all night just to hear you talk about your life before coming to live with them. Honestly, he asks a lot of questions and some of them might be a little intrusive, but he doesn't get upset if you don't want to answer them. Oh, and he might have forgotten to mention the hibernation thing to you. Oops

As expected, Snork would ask a ton of questions. Ready to answer any you might have too, but be prepared for a lengthy rant every time you ask. Though to be fair, if he’s your significant other, then you might not find that too dreadful. He’s more of a theory guy though, so half the time when you all go on your adventures, you’re not much more prepared than when you first joined the group. Still, he truly does find your world interesting and will listen, no matter what you choose to tell him

And for the bonus character that nobody asked for - Stinky! To be fair, I think it would be funny for a normal human girl to appear in that magical world and just go like, yeah, I like this mean creature the best. I don't think he would be nice about you being a human, but that's kind of on brand. He would be interested in your human possessions and stories. Even if it's hard to tell that he’s genuinely interested. Later he would add to the stories you told him and scare other creatures with them. You’re free to join at any time if you wish to contribute to the chaos

[calimastarnight]

Moominvalley season 4 is breaking me. I still need to watch the season finale, but-

Honestly, I had gotten my hopes up for something (something) more…

I actually enjoyed the episodes so far, tho! Even if I hate those damn seahorses… but at least Moomin didn’t deal much with them this time around (the lighthouse arc in season two destroyed me. If I wasn’t so in-love with the franchise, I would have stopped right there-. Plus, I wanted my Snufmin (Snufmin) content… the things I endure for those two idiots).

Apart from them, I can’t think of much I haven’t enjoyed. Many things didn’t go as I thought they would, but they were still pretty great!

BUT.

I ONLY NEEDED TWO THINGS, AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN CONTENT WITH JUST ONE. For Snufkin and Jockster to meet, and for Snufmin (Snufmin) to take at least one more step forward in their relationship. Instead, it feels like it took a step back.

I dunno… I just had a huge rant about it, so I don’t feel like repeating myself, and now I just feel a bit sad. I feel so stupid for getting my hopes up, but with everything that has been going on in the world lately, having Moominvalley destroy my hopes, too, was not what I needed, personally u-u.

I’m so sleep deprived, I might delete this tomorrow when I remember writing it.

Or maybe not.

(I should stop worrying so much about expressing myself 7.7 … the government will never catch me anyways. This is Tumblr, land of the free).

[neon-asylum]

Profic Party Day 8: Any character or ship, themed after your favorite season - Joxter (Moomins)

While he definitely would be the lazy cat enjoying the warmth of the summer, he'd appreciate the change of autumn and the nipping of coming cold that would have him finding somewhere to hibernate for a bit. Plus, I love autumn. When it starts to cool down and the air is fresh, putting on a jacket to go out for a bit is heavenly.

Hosted by @profiction-edits!

���� 🍂 🍁 | 🍂 🍁 | 🍂 🍁 🍂

[mislamicpearl]

Finn Family Moomin

Originally posted on DeviantArt Dec 7, 2019

I originally just wanted to draw the five main kids plus Alicia 'cause I adore her, and then wanted to add Stinky (yeah he's a jerk but, still kind of cute in his own way? He's like the Randall Weems of Moomin Valley), but there was still lots of room so I just put the whole family in there. Because that's what they are really, and they're adorable and I love each and every one of them.

DO NOT REPOST

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

Using phylogeny to horribly warp the definition of a fish, my favourite fish is probably the binturong (Although all procyonids are also incredible). There's just something great about a mid-sized feliform with a semi-prehensile tail and a smell of popcorn about it. Plus they sometimes look like haggard old men and it's fantastic. Using fish to mean things people classically refer to as fish, I love polypterids (Bichir) etc. I love the fact some of them can move around on land, I love how basal they are to all the other ray finned fish (Nothing against other ray finned fish, there's just something charming about lonely branches on the tree of life to me), I love their shapes, I love the fact reedfish/ropefish look like they're smiling. I love the fact they (and everyone walking past) will side eye me if I baby talk them at my nearest aquarist. A tier fish, one day I will live in a place large enough to have one.

Fine tetrapod and true fish choices! Bichirs are cool fish indeed, I don’t think I appreciate them enough for just how cool they are; they even have lungs!! I’ll need to research them a bit more, it’s clear, and spread bichir joy in the world.

Binturong joy, too. Unappreciated animals deserve recognition! Plus they literally look like this:

If the Muskrat from the Moomins wasn’t already a, you know, muskrat…. He should’ve been this. 100%. Perfect nihilistic philosopher.

[writers-in-moominvalley]

Sometimes I think about Mrs. Fillyjonk's character and my mind always wanders back to these series of panels and I always go a little insane over them.

What does it MEAN for her character, exactly?

Moomin Winter is a story about a family and some strangers coming together for the winter and having a small child stick his nose up everybody's business until the beans are spilled and everyone realizes just how silly their secrets actually are. At least 2 of the new strangers, Miss Fluffins and Mr. Gromf (who are not related to eachother in any way, I think I should clarify), have secrets they don't want getting out because it breaks their facade of gender performativity.

Fluffins has a facade of a demure and overly polite vaguely old woman who wears frills and "totally would" help Moominmamma, but she doesn't want to get in the way of her business. Fluffins' secret is that she loves playing war with tin toy soldiers, and loves smoking cigars and drinking hard whiskey.

Gromf holds himself as a very picky and strong-willed man, when in actuality he's just very sensitive and his secret is that he loves making doilies.

These two secrets are very much based on subversion of gendered expectations, even if it isn't gawked at outright because of their genders.

Miss Fluffins pretends she doesn't want to intrude on Moominmamma's housework, when in actuality she literally doesn't know how to do housework, which is a very unwomanly thing for her to do. And Mr. Gromf masks his nature as a very picky eater by having a gruff attitude about it.

In Moominmamma's search for someone to take care of the very inconvenient Nibling in her stead, she first visits Mrs. Fillyjonk because of her status as a proper mother — but before we get to that, we must fully contextualize this encounter by talking about the second encounter; that of the Inspector.

Moominmamma's second choice for a caretaker for the Nibling is the Inspector, who she probably thinks is a fine choice because he has prison cells for Nibling to sleep in and he probably has experience watching over people in prison, I guess...? The problem here however is that the Inspector highly dislikes children, or atleast taking care of children because they might ruin his roses. Inspector's secret that Nibling sniffs out here is that he keeps candy in his pocket and hides holes in his socks by doing the old "coloring the feet where the holes are" trick.

What's interesting about this is that this scene gets paralleled shortly after Moominmamma comes back home by having the Nibling pickpocket Gromf in a similar way and Gromf denying his ownership of the doily in his pocket just like Inspector does with the candy.

Plus, Inspector returns later in the story by playing poker with Moominpappa and being part of the crowd who gets their beans spilled and everyone is wondering why they were hiding those secrets in the first place, because they seem silly to hide in retrospect. You know who isn't part of that crowd despite having a similar screentime to Inspector? Mrs. Fillyjonk.

She doesn't come back to have her secret revealed.

Now, why is that? Well, we must further contextualize this contextualization of the scene by looking at Inspector's character compared to Mrs. Fillyjonk.

Despite his rough and nearly unrecognizable start in Moomin and the Martians, once he obtains his scarf in Club Life in Moomin Valley we see glimpses of what will evolve into the policeman with effeminate sensibilities that Lars apparently really really liked, which I explained in more detail in this post. The short of it is that Inspector is a more candidly queer character, a subversion of gender norms and the idea of a bumbling police character in general.

But in spite of his general honesty (and something I didn't really touch upon in my post), he still doesn't like people knowing that he likes eating candy for whatever reason, like in Moomin Christmas where Snorkmaiden admires his big box of chocolates but he dismisses it as a doctor's prescription for his blood pressure. I suppose his obsession with flora is fine for people to know and offering candy to his prisoners is great but he draws the line at people knowing he likes eating it himself, I guess. There's some ordinary embarrassment to be had in his mind about it.

So with all that outside context, let's bring the conversation back to Mrs. Fillyjonk, and add context to her character to see why this feels significant to me.

Mrs. Fillyjonk was first introduced in Moominmamma's Maid as the mother equivalent to that new jock neighbor who moved into town and is making your dad feel bad about his own withering masculinity. Mrs. Fillyjonk is the proper Woman's Woman, the trad mom without a husband, she is quite canonically one of those mothers who post pictures of their overly tidy and neutral grey-colored children's room on Instagram and Pinterest. She isn't necessarily a feminist but she is heavily involved in organizations involving women, like the Women's Committee, or the sewing circle, or the Moomin Valley S.P.C.A. (Society to Prevent Cruelty to Animals) which is "coincidentally" only made up of women. She also organizes social events like bazaars and parties for painters, and takes invitations to games of bridge very seriously because, quote, "In society, invitations are sacred".

And yet, despite her credentials as a Woman among Women, she apparently doesn't know how women work (according to her maid, Mabel, in Mymble's Diamond), nor do any of her friendships have any sense of sincerity outside of amicable business-like rapport with her fellow women in gathering events like tea parties, and she could barely keep any of her painter guests happy in the party she threw just for them. She is a sad imitation of a socialite, caught up in the glamor of being a perfect housewife in spite of her husband's absence (according to an alleged response by Tove to a fan letter he was an explorer who went missing in Borneo) and yet totally incapable of bearing any actual charisma. The only thread of sincerity for her is with her own maid and ironically the Moomins, who invite her to things like colonizing an island or bridge despite Moominmamma's general distaste for Mrs. Fillyjonk.

I can't even say much about her relationship with her kids because their characterization amounts to Huey, Dewey and Louie pre-2017 reboot if they didn't have names, color coding, or that boyish rebellious streak. They're just vaguely well-educated, ambiguously gendered and boring children who follow their mom around and call to her when something happens and have a pretty okay relationship with her. Any expression of boredom or sense of rebellion and interactions with the main kids in a playful environment the adaptations gave them are just additions to their characters that give them even the vaguest hint of interest.

Mrs. Fillyjonk... Is a really big weirdo who hates weirdos. And the fact that she owns a pair of pants that she's embarrassed of is a revelation about her character that I believe is just too glossed over, but also the fact that it's glossed over speaks to the emotional tragedy of her character.

The funny-looking trousers bring up many questions; Did those belong to her husband? Why are they stuffed away in a drawer in what seems to be a living room? Is she embarrassed because they look weird/ugly or because she doesn't want people knowing she owns pants at all? Does she wear them? Why do her kids seem angry at Nibling to finding them? Do they know? Do they know that their mom is a cross-dresser who likes dancing in her little trousers while nobody is looking because she feels desperate in the confines of her gender expression?

Okay, maybe that last one is a stretch, but it's not a farfetched conclusion because we know so little about her. She apparently owns a rifle and atleast 12 different ashtrays and a smoking jacket, why does she have those? Why so many ashtrays in particular? Does she smoke? We never see her smoke even under the influence of Spring Fever where she loses all her inhibitions, what gives? Did any of that belong to her husband or does she just have those lying around for enigmatic reasons?

The fact that the pants were revealed after she makes a comment on Snorkmaiden being too fat "for a girl" is also very telling. It's like a response to her, it's the narrative saying "If you're really so concerned about what's proper for a girl, then why do you have this?", she's so shocked from Nibling finding them she drops her cup and goes up to stuff it back in the drawer where it belongs, and she's never seen in the comic again despite her words reaching Snorkmaiden through Nibling and influencing her facet of the plot. Moominmamma just excuses herself after such a breach in privacy and it's never acknowledged again, even indirectly.

What is this? It's so... It makes me feel so confused about her character but at the same time it makes her social awkwardness feel more complete. She's so superficial in her social circle not just because she's a superficial person herself but also because she doesn't want anyone to know some things about her, she's so ashamed of herself and stubborn about that shame that the narrative doesn't give her a chance to redeem herself in the end of the story like the Inspector. There's something so compelling about the idea that her relationship with gender or even just men is so thoroughly tangled that it's hard to make out for even herself.

Are the pants a representation of the grief for her husband she stuffs down under the surface or are they a representation of that shameful side of her gender expression she doesn't want anyone to find out because it ruins her image as a Proper Woman? It feels so.... I can't even conceive of this as something to be taken at face value because her entire character is in opposition to Moominmamma's impropriety, yet here we are! She's ashamed of having pants! What does this mean, Tove and/or Lars!!!

And don't get me started on her and her children's fear of loud fireworks because that's another rabbit hole I-

[kinachowx2]

First anime moomin redesign and... Rewritten?

Why not? What if the first anime adaptation had a remake in the late 70s, a little closer to the original characters, but keeping the innovations that I like (and plus add a little of my own, but that's a small thing). Like, maybe I’ll make a fanfic for fun.Moomin is the same, but maybe a little braver than in Shin mumin.The Snork Maiden is the same age as Moomitroll. She is a smart, modest girl, but she can be cheeky sometimes. Plays the piano.Sniff. The youngest of the company. A cowardly, profit-loving and money-loving boy.Snufkin is three years older than Moomintroll. Perhaps a slightly more pronounced dislike for prohibitory signs, houses and park rangers (they were not present in the anime, even in the lost episodes). Tireless adventurer.Little My is several months older than Snufkin, so she is the oldest in the company. She is extremely malicious, sarcastic and cunning.Mymble the younger - The girl is serious and straightforward. Loves herself and her luxurious hair. Elegant, quite friendly and responsive. Very romantic. At the age of 16, she ran away to Moominvalley with My (by chance, with her, her sister was 8 years old.)The rest of the character may not change much. Now look at the publication date.

And bonus. (Sorry for such an April Fool's joke.)

[nickeverdeen]

Hi! I didn't see anything saying you weren't taking match ups, so I was wondering if you would make me a harry potter match up!

I'm a demifem, they/her, I'm a lesbian, intp. I'm very emotional, thinking about becoming a therapist. I don't cry a lot, but I get teary eyed from time to time. I talk to myself alot. like, ALOT.

music is a big part of my life, I like Alice Pheobe Lou, Clairo, Girl in Red, and Dreamer Isioma. I love oldies, (Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Lesley Gore) listen to most music, depending on my mood.

I wear Gremlincore[cottagecore but grunge, worms, mushrooms, bones], dark academia, chaotic academia, or outfits inspired by the 1920s-1970s. I have brown fluffy hair, layered pixie thing with bangs. I'm plus size, and 5'3, but wear old doc martens and boots.

I love nature, and make art. I do leather and wood pyrography, beadwork, and watercolor the most. I love moomin (fave: smufkin), Harry potter, studio ghibli(howls moving castle). I spend most of my money at estate sales and local resale stores.

I'm not super comfortable with touch, except for my partner. my romantic love languages are touch, words of affection, and time. my favorite plant is mossy weeping willows. I also love reading fantasy, mystery, and mythology(Celtic, Asian, Gaelic)

Your Harry Potter match is…

Luna Lovegood

Luna would love taking you on quiet walks through the Forbidden Forest or the Hogwarts grounds, pointing out magical creatures and plants

You both share a deep connection to the natural world, and she appreciates your knowledge of different plants, especially your love for mossy weeping willows

Luna would be fascinated by your leather and wood pyrography and beadwork

Luna would adore your Gremlincore and dark academia style, often borrowing elements from your wardrobe or gifting you odd trinkets she finds, thinking they’d suit your aesthetic perfectly

She might even introduce you to some of her eccentric accessories

Despite her usual dreamy demeanor, Luna has a way of understanding and supporting your emotions

When you're feeling down or teary-eyed, she offers a comforting presence, knowing just when to speak and when to let the silence heal

Luna enjoys your diverse music taste, especially when you introduce her to oldies like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

Sometimes, you both sit by the fireplace in the Ravenclaw common room, listening to music together, with Luna occasionally humming along

Estate sales and resale stores are your shared paradise

Luna has an eye for unusual and unique items, and she loves how you can transform old finds into something beautiful through your art

Luna would join you in reading fantasy, mystery, and mythology books

She’s especially intrigued by mythology, often drawing parallels between ancient myths and magical creatures

You both spend hours lost in books, sharing theories and insights

Luna understands your discomfort with touch around others but loves how you seek out her embrace

Whether it's holding hands, resting your head on her shoulder, or gentle caresses, Luna cherishes these moments of connection with you

"Howl’s Moving Castle" would be a favorite film for both of you

Luna loves the whimsical nature of the Studio Ghibli world, and you bond over the beauty and depth of the films

She often compares you to Howl, seeing a kindred spirit in your creativity and depth

Luna encourages you to pursue your goal of becoming a therapist, often reminding you of your natural empathy and ability to understand others

You and Luna often talk late into the night, discussing your day, your dreams, or just random thoughts

Luna loves planning impromptu picnics for the two of you, often in secluded spots like near a hidden grove of willow trees or a quiet corner of the Hogwarts grounds

She packs quirky snacks and brings along some of her odd trinkets to show you

Luna is fiercely protective of you in her own gentle way

She doesn’t let anyone dismiss your emotions or belittle your thoughts

While she might seem aloof, she’s quick to step in when someone tries to hurt you

Luna frequently whispers sweet nothings or words of affection when you're together, especially when you're in your shared bubble of comfort

Luna would love to help you care for a small collection of magical plants, perhaps even finding some magical moss for you to add to your favorite plant collection

Luna loves watching you do pyrography, often fascinated by the intricate designs you create

Christmas with Luna is always magical

She’s as enthusiastic about the holiday as you are, often crafting homemade decorations and filling the air with a sense of wonder and joy

You two create your own little world during the holiday season, complete with traditions that are uniquely yours

Luna absolutely loves your fondness for Moomin, especially Snufkin

Luna loves your adventurous spirit and is always eager to join you in exploring new places

Whether it's wandering through the woods or discovering hidden corners of Hogwarts, every journey with you feels like a magical adventure

You and Luna find comfort in shared silences, often sitting together without the need for words

Whether you’re both engrossed in a book or simply enjoying each other’s presence, the silence between you is never awkward but filled with unspoken understanding

Your artistic talents inspire Luna in her own way, and she often weaves stories or creates little charms based on the designs you make

You both feed off each other’s creativity, making your bond even stronger and more magical

[sqxishyslime]

By the Booble, I'm bad at comics. I still want to show you guys though:

Snorkmaiden found herself a new bestie. One that loves having her around and appreciates her kind-heart and flower crowns. But what the heck is she?

Meet Huntress. My Moomin Valley OC. She hunts various monsters and creatures and is a woman of few words. But how did this human get here? What's her true intentions? And why does Snorkmaiden and Moomintroll think she's a guy? 《Not that she minds being mistaken for a guy》 So many questions. Tune in for the next part of the comic.

Note; Sorry the last speech bubble has small text. I hope you all can see it. I tried my best to make it all fit. (;_;) Plus I HC trolls being alot smaller than humans. Which is why she's so huge but she's really 5'8.

[astralprisms]

Close up of illithid!Xa'rok (art by @/greseadraws) because I love them. I'm going to give a run down of their vibes/visuals/transformation mainly for my own purposes but in case anyone else is interested, read on!

I've drawn them myself a couple times before but haven't ever really been satisfied with the results yet. (First image below was my first attempt, shamelessly based on the hobgoblin from the Moomins, except instead of a flying space panther, Xa'rok gets an astral gravity-defying displacer beast. Second attempt was me trying to figure out their outfit design with base and chibi by @theastralprism)

(Chibis also by @/theastralprism)

I've tweaked their outfit here and there but ultimately keep coming back to the same influences: a silver, gem-studded illithid style mantle with a split cape back and a open front. I really want to incorporate the guardian collar spikes into their outfit as a repurposed sort of necklace or belt but I keep not liking the results. But I like the idea of them with a heavy chain across the shoulders - it feels official and status-given and as their endgame career path is "interplanar ambassador" it feels like a nice distinction.

Some outfit inspiration I've settled on:

Mantle and skirt similar to this outfit, though the skirt isn't quite so skimpy. The close-fitting half-jacket and necklace bodice feels very gith and also satisfied my desire for "give them a necklace of chains" plus the openness of the rest of the look accentuates their physique while showing off. Yes they're an interplanar ambassador with a fancy self-given title. Yes their metaphorical tits are out. They can co-exist.

Left is the most recent attempt at nailing down their outfit but it's still a little rough. I think I like the idea of the half-jacket with leather sleeves in place of bracers because it looks a lot like the undersuit of the mindflayer armor, but I also like keeping the residual spots on display. Toying with the idea of a circlet as they always wore one in game and it was a psionic boosting one which wouldn't be out of place on an illithid, but I haven't settled on the design or color yet. I was thinking something between the circle of psionic revenge and the design for the necklace on the elaborate robe which, as per all of the Emperor's clothes, has a bit of a tentacle motif going on. The gem in Xa'rok's Canon circlet is purple but the gems in their armor and their camp robe are a bloody garnet red, so I'm torn on the color there, too.

More rambling and story lore under the cut

Ultimately little has changed from their initial concept design to the current one beyond deciding their bottom layer should be a skirt instead of pants - more freeing and feels more adaptable to both illithid and gith influence in design, and I want them to be a visual mix of the two despite now being fully illithid. They may have left their gith body behind but they carry the history and the legacy of their former life with pride and a renewed hope of mitigating centuries of bloody conflict as a member of both species. (They also default to their gith form when they need a disguise in the Material Plane, though they keep the astral tadpole veins and continue to wear them without shame).

Their illithid form has gith spots because at least in my headcanon, the gith were engineered during their enslavement to become better vessels for ceremorphosis, and as they adapted their psionic abilities in response to this genetic tampering and grew more and more biologically like their oppressors, they were steadily being engineered so that the next ""natural"" step in their evolution was to become mindflayers. And this manifests in the modern gith form - already so alike visually to the shape and stature of mindflayers with their similarly ridged spines and prominent veins, their long limbs and skulls and torsos; the shape of their hips and the longer philtrum between their nose and mouth, where at least in the in-game models, look like a place tentacles would fit perfectly. The wiki already posits that illithid tampering led to the development of gith's psionic abilities and suggests it is also responsible for the reason they asexually reproduce and lay eggs, it only makes sense where such experiments were heading.

All of which to say, these things mean Xa'rok took to Ceremorphosis exceedingly well in body and form, though interference of the astral tadpole and the Emperor's suspended stasis meant their mind remained intact upon transforming, and as a result their new body houses echoes of the old in the ridges around their prominent first set of tentacles, like the creases around the gith's mouth; in the spots that stain their skin and the colors they bear, very close to their old form with additions here and there from the Astral tadpole (in the deepening purple at the tips of their tentacles and the darker purple mask around their eyes).

But though their body succeeded in transforming admirably well, their mind handled it...less so. Partialism was a gift, though as Xa'rok slowly came to terms with their new form, they realized too why it was so often cited as a fault in a healthy mindflayer. There were undeniable limitations. Sentiment and feeling, old attachments that caused new grievances.

They had adapted so well to being half-illithid they had forgotten that it was merely a fraction of true transformation. That to transform fully they would in essence cease to be and become something, someone, else entirely.

What does it mean to become someone else while still remaining yourself?

The transition was long, and difficult, and adjustment was an arduous and painful process, physically, mentally and emotionally. They took solace in illusion, often donning the guise of their former self as a way of self-soothing. They hadn't realized, for instance, just how important the ability to actually play music meant until they could no longer do it. They could play other instruments, yes, but the flute was an extension of themself, as much a part of their own body as their hand or foot. They were attuned to its sounds and moods, knew how to coax what music and magic they needed from it without effort, like breathing.

Losing it was like losing a limb. Illithids in general are not arcane-saavy, their souls untouched by the divine magic that also governed the Weave, magical cat's cradle of the gods, but the spells Xa'rok would often cast in their old guise were most often psionic in nature and to be cut off from magic as a whole without an instrument to channel it, they grew morose and agitated. In addition, being half-illithid within their old skin was a whole other world of sensation and experience than being full illithid in another body entirely. They had to relearn the world anew, without their favored crutch, while reckoning with the lifestyle changes that came with being illithid. The sun was a nuisance at best and an acute pain at worst in full light; the hunger of course was a worrying adjustment. They were ultimately not much bigger as a mindflayer than they had been as a gith, which was both blessing and curse. Less to readjust to on top of everything else, but something else that set them apart, othered them, weakened them.

They spent a long several months relearning how to exist in the world, and a few more before they could take pleasure in it. They had made the choice willingly, without hesitation, ignoring the Emperor's surprised caution at their decision. They did not regret it, but it takes them a long while to be at peace with it fully.

Eventually, they return to the world and their task. Ambassadorship in a new guise, with a new perspective. They begin composing music instead of playing it, mental symphonies (mostly) for their metaphorical ears alone. They hone their craft and their newfound abilities and marry them to their old in new ways, in the service of their work and their continued existence as living proof of their mission made flesh. Coexistence is possible. They hope to see it through.

They establish an Astral chapter of the Society of Brilliance, to continue the work among their home territory, aiming to mend the rifts between their former people and eventually, hopefully, tentatively reach cooperative agreement with their new people. But in the absence of willing, enthusiastic cooperation, they will accept a simple and definitive end to the continued hostilities. They continue to work towards this progress with set determination and no small amount of optimism.

Sometimes the Emperor accompanies them, when he can be coaxed away from the world of political pantomime in Baldur's Gate, where the Dead Three's bid for domination left a significant vacuum in upper city and ducal leadership. As an accomplice he provides additional proof of Xa'rok's theories along with moral support. It's nice to travel with someone again, though most of Xa'rok's work is largely solitary. They return to Baldur's Gate through a stable portal in the Astral chapter of the SoB's headquarters when they get the chance to rest and miss the company of others. The Emperor is always pleased to see them.

Sometimes the Emperor accompanies Xa'rok in disguise, both of them about the city in the guise of their gith selves (the Emperor takes on the appearance of the githzerai whose face he borrowed to walk in Xa'rok's dreams) and that githyanki/githzerai pairing is in itself its own lesson. Xa'rok may not have intentionally been echoing the teachings of Zerthimon when they were exiled from their creche for treasonous sympathies, but the agree with him all the same. Just as they would see the two halves of their current and former lives arrive at an uneasy but sustainable truce, so too would they encourage the same between the those of the Two Skies.

All in all, their work keeps them busy and sane, and eventually they settle into their role and their new body and look only ever towards the future, as bright as they can make it.

[mayhasopinions]

Why are both these ships so similar but so different

like, I imagine snufkin as alberto and Luca as moomin, but like Alberto is clingy and has a loud peppy personality but Snufkin doesn’t - personality wise Alberto and Snufkin are very different - but Alberto/Snufkin are very adventurous at the same time and are quite accustomed to how the world works (Luca and Moomintroll have very similar personalities tho)

More similarities include Snufkin and Alberto being independent their whole lives and Luca/Moomintroll being very family dependent, and allowing Alberto/Snufkin to break out of their independence a little, and Alberto/Snufkin making Luca/Moomin more adventurous and outgoing. As well as both ships being so queercoded that it’s impossible to deny their existence

Idk why I did this I just love both these ships a lot and wanted to do them justice for each other, plus I’ve gotten back into my Luca obsession as of late ;v;

[mickittotheman]

1, 2, 13! 🖤

1. what song makes you feel better?

Incredibly random but Let's Hear It For the Boy by Deniece Williams. I've never actually watched Footloose but I watched a fan vid during my House MD obsession that used the song and I've loved it ever sense. Plus I like to imagine it's Ian singing about Mickey lol.

2. what’s your feel-good movie?

Not technically a movie but Moomins. Would def recommend watching during a mental crisis (free on youtube)

13. what’s your comfort food?

Mac and cheese! Also most desserts I have a major sweet tooth.

[cheapsweets]

The Vigilant Nadokwak

My response to this week’s BestiaryPosting challenge, from @maniculum

Pencil sketch, then lines in Sailor fude nib fountain pen, using Diamine Sepia ink.

Thought process under the cut…

"Nadokwaks take their name from the sound of their own particular call, or such is the low, muttering sound they make. It is interesting to recall how Nadokwaks organise their journeys. They go to some extent in military formation, and in case the wind should be against them on their way to their chosen land, they eat sand and ballast themselves to a reasonable weight by picking up small stones. Then they fly as high as they can, so that a from higher vantage point they can look out for the lands they seek. As they fly swiftly on their way, they follow one of their number in a V-shaped formation. Confident in its navigation, it leads the group. It scolds the laggards and keeps the formation together with its calls. When it grows hoarse, another takes over. Nadokwaks are united in their concern for those who tire, to such an extent that if any drop out, they all surround the exhausted birds and support them until their strength is restored by this period of rest.

At night Nadokwaks keep careful watch. You can see the sentinels at their posts; while the other members of the group sleep, others do the rounds and check lest they should be ambushed from any quarter; with their tireless energy, they ensure total vigilance. When the Nadokwak’s turn on watch is over and its duty is done, it settles down to sleep, first giving a cry to wake one of those already asleep, whose turn it is to be on duty. The new guard takes up its allotted task willingly, not refusing, as we do, gracelessly, because we want to go on sleeping; instead, rousing itself readily from its resting-place, it takes its turn and repays the service it has received with equal attention to duty. Nadokwaks do not desert the group, because they are devoted by nature. They keep a safe watch, because they do it of their own free will. They divide the watches at night and take them in turns, according to a roster, holding small stones in their claws to ward off sleep. They give a cry when there is cause for alarm. Their colouring shows their age, for as they grow older, it grows darker."

We have a lot of text here, but most if this is about behaviour, not much of a description. What we can glean from this is;

It's a bird - we don't even have to extrapolate to get this one, plus we know that they fly

They get darker as they get older

They can hold rocks in their feet (so probably not a bird with webbed feet - although you do get the occasional species of perching duck, which could probably manage it)

So, we have a slightly generic flocking, flying bird. Not much in the way of distinctive markings (surely these would have been mentioned in the description?). I figured I'd give them a little bit of a neck, mostly because I felt

In terms of style, I've started reading the Moomins books - I love Tove Jannson's illustrations, so I've done a lot of experimenting with a similar style.

I tried to illustrate the main behaviours mentioned, including the Nadokwak on guard, holding a rock in its foot to stay awake while its companions snooze. I considered trying to set out the dozing birds like a military camp, but couldn't find a good way to make that work; they have however camped out in an easily defensible hollow, almost like earthen ramparts around them.

If you look carefully, you can also just make out a V-formation of Nadokwak flying overhead. This wasn't meant to be quite so obscure, but the shading of the sky resulted in having to peer a little to spot them. This does work well with them flying at night, of course!