#predecession

[greensaplinggrace]

im going insane btw jon was literally right. tim's so angry at him for how he acted paranoid out of his mind and like. i get it. but jon was right. sasha was a doppleganger!! his boss is a manipulative cunt that is trying to end the world! people are quite literally out to fucking get him!! like tim i get it i get it but are you aware of the genre you're in im alskdjflk

[necessarypretext]

i know by now everyone knows i keep notebook/journal/sketchbooks so im thinking if i should read them all (there are 5 i think) and take a big black marker and redact parts???

[rustinged]

interesting how a contagious and deadly virus coming on its third year has also coincided with the making of probably hundreds of podcasts about death

[anemonet]

oh my god thats so sweet of you!!!! thank you :DD also super sorry for deleting your ask btw

To get down to business well uh iterators huh, so I can tell you have read some of my ramblings before (very fun) and I will say in general I stand by those ideas - model differences and stuff - with some smaller changes here and there, for instance I made pebbles antennas stupidly long cause I think it looks funny - plus tons of tiny refinements, but generally I dont have too much to add unless theres something specific your wondering about - so I wont focus to much on that. Instead I'm gonna chat a bit about the other stuff you mentioned (NSH and wire headwear) ^-^ so heres the guys! (I'm gonna expand a bit on their design designs)

Ok so you have actully managed to point out something I really hoped no one would notice, which is that I never draw No Significant Harrasment (NSH) - who I hope you meant when you asked about sig, if not then dont look at me - and that is because I despise him with my whole heart. Or well, his design, the character is fine but I cannot draw this guy, I hate his colour scheme and his stupid little cape and why is his head symbols green on green - who allowed this - and in general we are not friends, which is a pity because I have alot of headcanons about him. But as you can see above I have semi settled on a design for him (note the semi, I am not super happy about it) and I do have some toughts and explanations.

So first of, I put NSH as being from the same model generation as suns - so predecessing moon and pebs by a bit - with older designs that have a larger focus on "religious stuff" combined with the anchients overall bonkers fashion sense - more is more - if you wanna read more about that its in this post about suns.

- I would also, this is a side note btw, like to mention I think having them being older models gives room to have some key differences between the oldies (NSH and suns) and the youngsters-ish (moon and pebs) in that one, they have older machinery and also early machinery which means both rougher quality and more wear and tear - which I like to think give them both the idea of slugcats as messangers earlier than most, as they knew their easily damaged functions (broadcast masts for example) would not last forever, which gives them a reason to want to solve it (by breeding scugs I guess) and added onto that I - and this is pure headcanon and speculation - like to imagine a lot of the "taboos" that pebbles and moon have - or well that I speculate they have, the no killing yourself or harming citizens taboo is confirmed canon, but I dont think its farfetched to asume they have other restrictions programmed - something that would most likely be added in later modles, but would be absent in the earlier ones like suns and NSH (not the earliest models but early) which theoreticly would give them a bit more leeway and "creative freedom", which ok why am I talking about this back to why NSH looks like that. -

Back to that, so suns and NSH will share design similarities: lack of face (to represent a lack of ego), lots of robes and layers, which leads us into the slightly more relevant sidenote of iterator clotheing:

So fashion comes and goes in cycles, your mom rebeled against her grandmothers clothing choises and is horrified when that fashion comes back via her daughter who think it looks cool again (20 year old rule or whatever) and that also applies to iterator design (look at that old suns ask for more info on this). So while I have talked about general trends a little, now I wanna talk about waistlines - in robes, because I have wanted an exscuse to talk about it, I be brief promise!

: so like you probably havent noticed all my iterators have different waistlines, or at least the ones from different generations - ignore moon, I'm a no robe for moon beliver, I like to draw joints and wires to much to give her robes - and I will sadly report I have not looked to closely at actual anchient fashion for the choises I made, but well cant have everything. So the most notable is probably pebbles, where I, ok Imostly fell for temptation of a modern highwaist cut, which while moslty being about my own tatse, also is an atempt to convey some form of "modernity" because while its a bright orange robe on a robot, it has a similar cut to highwaisted jeans. Which gives the silhoute from a couple years ago with a big bulky upper body and stick legs. But pebbles isnt intresting in that way, no its because every other design is a resistence against that.

And this again leads into the cycles of fashion. Because we know iterators were built under many cycles - however long those are - so we can asume it will be kinda like how fashion has changed from the 11th centrury to now. Which gives to reason that iterators have been dressed differently too. This added with that - from what I understood - different iterator cities (colonies) had different cultures (boradcast, red, in sky islands) all this then makes me kinda figure that the iterators should have different robes. Yes that was a long winded way to say that characters look different.

So back to waistlines and how their all anti pebbles robes - the most notable difference is of course suns, who has no waistline. They are not only without to create a bigger difference between them and pebbles, but to also lean a bit on - and this might not be the same for every culture - but on the general idea that older clothes were more "modest" or in this case, there are more layers and any hints of there being a body under there is desperatly covered. and that "modern clothes" have less layers and have show more skin - not that pebble is showing skin, but hes wearing one robe instead of seven. So with that the idea that suns is older is conveyed a little bit at least, and the same then applies to NSH. NSH while also having lots of layers, is different from suns by having an empire waistline, mostly because I think their cute and need them to look different, but also to give a hint that they have different city fashion cultures and also because when I see empire waists i think old paintins and old paintings=old.

-also while I'm on the subject of cultural differences between iterator facilities. Can we talk about how we only really get to see anchient society as its presented in moon and pebbles (shared?) facility. So really its very possible the whole aestetic is complelty different like five local groups away. Food for thought. -

So faceless and robe-rich is a similarity between suns and NSH, and I could mention many more, but I'm gonna restrain myself and only talk about headphones. As you can tell I - and most fanartist here - like to draw their antennas differently for all of them! which is also canon, but I also ignored canon so were gonna talk about it. Mostly the antennas give room for some fun mini details, like how moons look like wings or fins while suns are just sunbeams.

Anyhow so most people make NSH bald, me included, mostly because the super cool official art of him gives him no antennas (sad). I asume that means he works via bluetooth.

(I was about to start speculating about their headphones but that got to boring even for me so sorry if your super intrested in why iterators probably have headphones)

But I had a ulterior motive with bringing up the headphones - and not only to be able to point out moons antenna, which I delight in drawing - but also so that I can transition into the second part of this way to long response! itertors hairdos... wire-dos? basicly this \/

(im reusing my wip because these are a pain to draw so we use what we have - I coloured them in a bit for better oversight.)

(also I was gonna start talking about if iterators would actully do personalisations like this - as we can argue about if they concepulize themself as their puppets and see a meaning to decorating them - I would argue yes but also its complicated- and also explain how iterators have different prefernces, which I realised most people probably already asume so I didnt need to explain that - anyhow so that got to long so I'm not gonna get into it. Instead were gonna go into this section with the assumptions that they do fun things with their wires. and also that the wires connect to their nape and backhead instead of their back or spine.)

So to me th biggest thing to remember when we talk about potetial wire headwear is that:

- iterators live 24/7 without gravity and because of that cannot be bothered by to heavy headwear, therefore theres rooms for them and anchients (and me) to get funky with it without having to concider gravity.

-anchients wore absurdly many decorations - and while giving iterators flashy decorations does take away from my earlier statement that they were based on more humble monk stuff, we are going to asume they used the fancy headwear for cermonies and festivals (which we also know anchients did) and that it was used for showcasing and fun. If some iterators preffered to keep them afterwards is another query.

So with that in mind lets break these headwear thingies down!! :D

so as you can (hopefully) tell there three components in the headwear. The headphones that are different depending on iterator and are not removable (or as unremovable a computer part can be). Then theres the actual headpieces that keeps the wires togheter. These can be switched out and changed depending on whats preffered - also I drew them in gold but any material works, if were being closer to canon they would probably be made of some purposed organism and maybe be neon pink - theres also pearls dangling from them because its a perfect opertunity. Third theres probably the part I think is the most fun which is the actual wires. They obviously go through the headpieces and then are set free via wiretassles (that also comes in different forms) and after that is where my own speculations about wires comes in. Which is really simple in that iterators can most probably move the wires at will - they can control their arm thing, pearls and other objects in their chambers, reasonably they can move the wires - and I think its fun if different iterators move them differently. Like suns keeps them straight and neat, or pebbles moves them in syncronized formations or moon who just lets them hang, so many oppertunities ok ( you can see the general idea in the drawing). The wires then connect to their movement arms and connect to the mainframe.

And thats kinda about it? I dont have like anything super intresting to say about just the hairdos other than that I think its very fun and also that everyone is sleeping on wire customizations I am obbsessed with the idea send help.

Ok I think I'm done chatting!! Hope your still here and that this wasnt insufferable to read. Uh, thanks for the ask :D

(NSH for your enjoyment)

[prumanoenjoyer]

I wonder what they talk about on dates, half the time it's probably Prussia info dumping about some random thing in one of their histories and Romano staring like starry eyed both forgetting what activity they impulsively decided to do, idk where I'm going with this but I hope your projects go well 🙏

Aww thanks!

And to me it's a LOT of bickering and teasing (primarily from Gilbert), then of course him bragging/telling Lovino about something that he knows maybe a little about at best. Lovino argues back with him but they are both weirdly content and happy this way and none of it is ever a serious argument. Besides, it gets really quiet and boring when Gilbert isn't around to drive him mad, so Lovino Totally doesn't miss him once he leaves. Totally. Not at All

As for conversation topics I imagine discussing their annoying younger brothers who are so cringe (in love and comfortable with showing it), world meeting reviews, nostalgia/lore dump usually by Gilbert with Lovino reluctantly caring a bit too much because he's infatuated with knighthood and all things related to that, new modern trends, developments and inventions and comparing them to the predecessing ones, Gilbird (yes he's a topic of conversation) etc etc. A lot of it somehow turns into Lovino being rightfully pissed off by Gilberts smug and overly confident attitude about things and them driving each other up the wall. Then they kiss or something because they got TOO worked up

I love prumano I hate prumano it's all a neverending loop in my mind

[humanforthis]

@impercre (IRULAN)

It was another stretch of sleeplessness. His mind had been running, thinking over any and every little thing that needed done that day ( and well into the night.). He overthought every little mistake, too.

He hadn't slept the night before that and only rested his eyes for a few hours the night that predecessed the former, but he did not submit to anything of substantial worthwhile sleep.

It was always worse when he was anxious like this. With the duties of the Barony added to that, it only made things worse.

But when Irulan said come, he went, his arm offered so that her hand might wrap around it. When she said sit he sat. And now found himself in the comfortable position to lie beside her.

She'd tricked him into this, he wasn't blind. A moment of safety in her arms was worth the tricking. Slowly, like a cat trying to slink it's way into a warm lap, he snaked an arm around her waist.

( it was not close enough, if he had had the gut and the gall, he'd be skin to skin with her instead of holding the folds of fabric around her, buried in her hair and finally close enough. But he knew his hands would stain and those marks would never come off. He wasn't brave enough to ask, he wasn't worthy enough, either.)

He liked the soft nature of her voice as she read aloud. It didn't matter if it was someone else had written those word or if she had herself, as long as she cared enough to share it with him he was content and happy to listen.

Slowly, so slowly, he let his eyes sag. He didn't like to sleep, he couldn't let it take him. he tried to stay awake, despite how relaxed he felt. He couldn't fight in his sleep, he couldn't-- that was when he felt her fingers through his hair and in that near sleep could only conjure a different set of hands that had done such a thousand times... and he felt all the horrors that came after them.

His eyes shot open, forcefully pushing himself up and away--pushing her away-- before he'd made contact with the floor with the propulsion of his own force.

Quick as he could, he sat up, trying to get to his feet as his own hands went to his head, trying to shake the sensation out of his hair.

He sat back down on the floor, a hand still in his hair looking around for those horrid hands. All at once he felt himself quite younger than he was and sore afraid of everything around him. It had been his own mistake. He'd been foolish enough to fall asleep.

[bastardstevie]

New comedic bit idea

Pick a toxic self-appointed Alpha Male to watch a "male centric movie" (action-y shit, superheroes, horror, sci-fi, war dramas; the only movies that men watch when they're trying to prove theyre too manly for romcoms) with and then feign excitement during any scene of your choosing to enthusiastically say "This is just like High School Musical!!!" even though it clearly is Not just like High School Musical.

In order for it to work you have to really sell it, you have to be confident and steadfast in your statement. You have to act like he is the one being ridiculous for not seeing the obvious similarities between Captain America: Civil War and the predecessing High School Musical lyrical masterpiece: Stick to the Status Quo

Once your trap is set there are two (2) typical outcomes

He agrees with you (statistically unlikely but not impossible)

He disagrees with you (yesss bitch, gobble up that bait!)

If he agrees then you win. If he disagrees you also win but you have to work towards the end result which is always more rich and satisfying because then you get to ask very pointedly if he's ever even seen High School Musical. If he says "no" then you get to decide that you are more informed on the matter than he is since at least you've watched the material you're referencing.

And if he says "yes" you get to shift the topic to ask his opinions on High School Musical. "Did you love it? Have you seen the whole trilogy? Which one is your favorite?! Do you ship Chad and Ryan together? You should. How many times do you think Zeke and Sharpay hooked up? Why do you think East High School had such massive fucking posters of the Wildcats basketball team hanging in the cafeteria in High School Musical 3: Senior Year (seen in Troy Bolton's angry solo: Scream) and why was it so easy for him to rip it down? Surely it would have been secured better, right? Do you want to turn on High School Musical instead-"

Hook, line and sinker, bitches.

Go forth and cause emotional turmoil to the toxic men in your life!!! Have each other's backs!!! We're all in this together!!!!!!!!

[sh4tt3rg1rl]

HEY

here’s your excuse to rant about the entires

GO FOR IT

AFIAJWIUFHSAUIF

OK OK so. Dusk’s first thought is WHO TF IS SUN, people hate me, and people are depending on me. Not the greatest way to start out

She goes on to describe sun in “emotionless” detail. She probably described how she left and her addiction. (This is important)

It’s unknown HOW dusk found the bar especially considering its supposed to be well enough hidden for most people to not find it very quickly but i hc that she found it because she followed Sun there at some point or smth. Maybe Sun left something important there and she went to go pick it up for her because she was in distress??? Idk (thats not a hint to Sun Lore ™ just spittin ideas)

She then says that she wants to fall in love with someone and be cared about by someone. HMMMM. I sure do wonder why that is! “Wanted” “cared about” “loved” “lights up the room” she has priorities. I can see that she probably feels overwhelmed by all of the problems she has and wants someone SHE can lean on while everyone else leans on HER. huge oversight, northa and easton, when coding her: if everyone is supposed to depend on her, how can she ever depend on anyone else?? Hm??? 

Jesus christ the next entries. All trauma

I like how it constantly keeps hinting back to something like “hurting themselves” followed/predecessed by something among the lines of “sun got drunk again”

I then ADORE the idea of her being so overwhelmed but finding so much peace in designing her little world :hic: :sob: and then BOOM Sun. Because of course its sun. she cares about sun too much (affectionate) (evil)

“I should not speak of what I have seen today” OOOH It hit right in the heart! /ref

A lot of Sun, a lot of rise in talking about Insanity + Alpen + Sigil (just the whole sun family really) a lot of random people being hurt or hurting themselves or hurting each other. So just another tuesday in the amazing digital circus

OK havent said it yet but OH MY COD i love the fact that her so called ‘gifted’ powers cause her to pretty much notice every little thing about people’s emotions and feelings

And like. My COD the mention of “it hurting too much” when she was in the cellar… I SEE YOU ELSIE. She feels the emotions of everyone there too, doesn’t she. Along with her own emotions from seeing Sun like… that (and Sigil’s AND insanity’s)

And then she finally makes some friends!

Oops, one of them is FUCKED in the head and knows nothing other than work!

“Entry 404” YOU LITTLE- /pos

(also this is probably not intentional but 404 in pager codes means "I will always love you". smiles with tears in my eyes)

“Bob is dead” Its so over for her (mental breakdown ensues)

…I have so many more thoughts but they are rotating in my brain and i cant pull them out so this was more of a live reaction than a psychoanalysis but AW_FIJSAUFHIUAWFHIUSJFOIAFOIAFSJ FPAJWUFIHSAO IFAJWOF I LOVE THE WAY YOU WRITE ELSEI GBRAABS YOU

…want me to make a playlist for dusk?

[sleepynegress]

What is this trend of recent romance arcs that are done well being used to boost and uplift lesser predecessers? First, I noticed that w/ IWTV and all the all-white queerbait being weirdly compared... NOW, it's beeing done with Sauron/Galadriel and Reylo...*facepalm* The reason why these recent turns of good tropes in ships have worked, -the reasons why you need their lens to prop up the lessers that came before is because *they worked the tropes well* and those ones before did. not. In IWTV, the ship is not bait. It's not bland yt dudes in proximity that fandom latched onto because they are in proximity and the showrunner decided to bait you some. In ROP, Halbrand actually IS at a compelling stage...which is what made him accessible for Galadriel... He wasn't a weird incel who smashed his stuff when he got mad. He was truly trying to figure out who he was and where to go next after being at his lowest point and doing evil for thousands of years...(i.e. this isn't some spoiled teenager)... Though Galadriel ultimately made the right choice, (and we know will continue to do so)... In other words, their chemistry and maturity makes this iteration of the enemies/strangers/lovers/enemies trope so interesting and good... These are two hot adults... ULTRA-grown. Who come together for grown-ass reasons. It's also so fun to know where she ended up, and having added context for that. Girl WANTED THAT.

And he tempts her with a grown-ass reason. -I see your light...that will temper my shit choices (because he does regret!) and make our ruling over everything better. Hello, compromise. Love isn't enough... in mature relationships. You have to be looking/moving in the same direction. He tempted her with her goal, in compromise, basically. I'll go your direction, you show me... and WE'LL go. Because I appreciate what you can give us.

And then she turns him down for a grown-ass reason...."You killed my brother, you are too far gone and so am I, so far past it... i.e. I have been HUNTING YOU FOR THIS for hundreds of years!! WTF?!" They both played this brilliantly... She didn't go into a rage...She was more hurt by knowing this wasn't possible. A GROWN response. He didn't try to harm her or beg her. He stopped her from hurting him and presented his case straight out. Like this is what I want us to do now, that you're acknowledging that I'm Sauron...Then he took her no, and left... didn't hurt nobody on the way out. These are ancient beings, who are well past most of the experiences of life, jaded beauties who basically had that "oh no...this person is making me feel things..." happen (ironic in a fantasy) who'll always wonder... what if? Not two kids, one evolving idealist, the other spoiled and brash. P.S.

OH SHIT... just remembered one delicious detail. He didn't stop her blade at first, because HE. KNEW. she would stop it herself. But did the second time she did, because yeah... he read correctly that she was serious that time. But again... he never deigned to think fighting her for this was the way.

[ingek73]

Remember this?

well….

[recrewn]

Z, The Last Descendant & Head of the Council

"Is it ignorance you chose?"

Scirende, also known as Enders, are an ancient species of intelligent beings old as humanity itself; they have turned immortal for the cost of reproduction, only way of renewing their bodies a cycle of Akainognosis. Reborn individuals retain knowledge and experiences of their 'body's' predecessors, but as newly introduced to the world, the reborn individual's mind remains a blank slate, with which an era of adaptation begins. Predecessing Enders' voices guide the reborn individual and introduce them to their post, the Scirende Council, and if they are the youngest of all, they are deemed the Head of the Council. A neoarchic system, if you will, to ensure their survival, because the youngest adapt the easiest to new circumstances, while still guided by their predecessors. If one were to reject help of their predecessors or were to directly oppose their advice, a coerced Akainognosis would occur for the betterment of their kind.

For Scirende, no chattel is as valuable as knowledge itself.

"Because if so, We will no longer be of aid."

(first image is NH!Ranboo (Nemesis' hunt) from my book! (i have yet to publish it ehe shhhh)) [Nemesis' hunt is a fantasy/medieval fanfic about young Niki, who is trying her best to survive the ongoing war between humans and hybrids]

(btw my fav part from all of Scirende history is that they were basically the first to come up with an alphabet and a number system, which they then taught humans. meaning centuries later ppl retell the story that "gods" taught them how to write, read and count. while Scirende are watching them from afar and are like bro. bro. smh we're literally here. bro what gods? we did that)

[malvella]

closed starter for prince belyar martell @disfunctie

There was nothing more that Vaelenora loved more than a feast . It was a joy to see so much happiness and laughter in one place , and it seemed to be infectious . Her own excitement was bubbling in her chest , and she could feel the familiar feeling that always predecessed her need to move . Or to at least find an exciting conversation partner . There was one person who was notably much more serious than those surrounding her . The unmoving face of her guard was still trained on her from no more than an arm's length away , and she instinctively gave him a smile in return . "I have a question- , " she asked , her voice full of mirth and elation . " If I were to dance , would you have to follow after me ? Mirror the steps from behind ? " She was only half joking , not actually sure of the answer herself .

[injouable]

I read the novel "Pope Joan", which the musical "Die Päpstin" is based on, to find out what on earth went wrong with the new Fulda production so that it's not possible to logically comprehend.

Despite the book itself being a mess, there is a significant difference in the plot considering the main question of the whole story:

HOW did Johanna become the Pope?

Meanwhile in the musical she gets arrested due to Anastasius' intrigue, and right after this the Pope gets poisoned and Johanna is all of a sudden elected as a new Pope, in the book these events are set TEN years apart. Ten years of Johanna holding a high and honorable clerical position and getting more and more popular among the romans. But the autors of the musical script just crossed out around 100 book pages full of events and story development to fit everything in the timing of a stage show. (Which kind of makes me think that mabye it wasn't the best idea to adapt this story into a musical in the first place, but who knows.)

Many other cuts are actually efficient and justified. What the new musical production did really well compared to the book is

1. Combining the character of brother Rabanus from four different book characters.

2. Making Anastasius and Johanna meet at the beginning, so he could recognize her later.

3. The whole lashing punishment thing in Fulda. (Good idea, poor execution, but it's another topic😔)(Mabye I just have a kink😔😔)

4. Making Johanna escape the Fulda monastery right after her father dies, while in the book it wasn't a big deal and she stayed in Fulda for a couple of years more.

5. Combining two predecessing Popes into one.

6. Making Gerold recognize Johanna by the hydraulic gate mechanism.

But because of the other big cuts most of the plot twists in the musical feel absolutely random and out of blue. Some of the most significant events from the book are completely missing, such as:

1. Saracen attack on Rome, when Johanna calms down the panicking crowds on the streets and becomes people's heroine.

2. Anastasius setting on fire one of the roman districts, when Johanna again gets to be a savior of the injured, and Anastasius gets banished from Rome.

3. A big flood, when Johanna and Gerold are asumed to be dead by everyone, and they plan to use it and escape together.

Not only the episodes from the book were reduced, but also some scenes from the old production which made the show more alive (for example the fair in Saint Dennis). And after cutting nessesary elements the creators added some new stuff which is redundant, I'm sorry😭

Like, the damned pizza sketch??? the fortune teller woman??? a gang of abstract and impersonal corrupt bishops???

the new Marioza's plot line??? Yes, it's definitely great to have another important female character in the story, and it's cool for the tention that Johanna is exposed of being a woman, but where does it all even lead???

And despite all the changes the musical still inherited most of the problems of the book such as two-dimensional characters and a hollow questionable love story.

[take3io]

As the internet evolves, the shift towards Web3 marks a revolutionary change in how we interact with digital platforms. Unlike its predecessors, Web3 focuses on decentralisation, aiming to give users more control and ownership over their data and online experiences. This transformation opens new doors for innovation, but it also presents unique challenges. Enter Web3 consulting—a service designed to guide businesses and individuals through this complex, emerging landscape.

[sordidamok]

Not sure if confusion or lying.