#saffronique

[clangenrising]

I think it's really cool how you've managed to give Oddstripe a physical transition in your art without relying on the "eyelashes for female cats, no lashes for male cats" art trope (which I myself am guilty of at times lol). I'm sure a developing artstyle and changes in design over time have contributed to it, but that's certainly not the whole story. Your cats have never looked like, vastly different based on sex alone (save for the stud jowels on intact toms) which I've always really appreciated, so I think it's cool that Oddstripe has still gotten a visual transition from where he started. I can even see a bit of a difference from his last official art! It's not all in the jowels, either, though that's certainly the most noticeable change.

I (and most other comments I've seen) focus largely on your writing when it comes to discussion posts, and to be clear it IS your fantastic writing that has made RisingClan what it is, but the visual storytelling in Oddstripe's physical transition is a really nice touch that just adds to the overall experience of reading RisingClan!

Aww, thank you! That's such a compliment, I'm flattered. I think probably the reason people mostly talk about my writing is because I haven't drawn a lot lately so it's mostly been writing that people have to look at.

But yeah, I am really happy with how drawing Oddstripe has changed (and not just the redesign being a lot better in my opinion). I really do think I've gotten better at drawing cats over this last year after taking a long break from drawing them after highschool.

[rippleclan]

Posts that make me think of the Witch Hunters

THE CROWS!

[cosmerelists]

Would Cosmere Characters Drive the Speed Limit?

You know, if cars and speed limits existed for them. (Potentially necessary context: I am a USAmerican)

For a different but hilarious take on Stormlight Characters driving, please check out this @saffronique post, which I spent forever looking for because I vaguely remembered someone else doing a driving post and wanted to make sure I hadn't copied them! Anyway it's funny; go read it: https://www.tumblr.com/saffronique/719947907049127936/was-just-struck-by-the-overwhelming-urge-to-rate?source=share

But now for a much more limited question: just, do they go the speed limit?

1. Nale: Yes but also no

As Mr. Beholden-to-All-Laws-of-the-Realm, Nale would of course drive exactly the speed limit! Except that he would also go immediately to the local jurisdiction, get deputized or whatever, and then obtain permission to speed all the time so as to Apprehend Criminals. So he'd actually be almost exclusively speeding but, like, legally.

2. Vivenna: Only at first

Vivenna does drive the speed limit when she first gets her license, because she wants to Follow the Law and be a Good Example for Siri. But, like, everyone is always so mad, and eventually she starts going just like 5 miles over the speed limit, which isn't even breaking the law, really. It's going with traffic! And then maybe 10 miles over, just occasionally 15 but only on a highway when it's safe! 

3. Siri: No

Like, going a bit faster is not a big deal, especially if all the other cars are doing the same thing. It's actually safer to go with the flow of traffic! 

4. Elend: Depends on who's in the car

Elend drives moderately above the speed limit like most people except if his dad is in the car and then he drives under the speed limit just to piss him off.

5. Vin: No

Vroom, vroom to be honest. Vin doesn't do things slow.

6. Dalinar: Yes

As a young man, Dalinar's speed demon ways led to the deaths of many people. So now he does drive the speed limit and insists that his sons do as well, whether they're in company cars or not.

7. Kelsier: No

Kelsier? Follow a law? I don't think so. He taught Vin to drive, you know.

8. Adolin: Not anymore

When his dad was really into Car Laws, Adolin did drive the speed limit per his dad's instructions. But he's since loosened up a bit. He figures he needs to find his own way to drive!

9. Shallan: No

Shallan drives the speed she needs to drive. Veil definitely drives the fastest, and Radiant is most likely to follow the speed limit. But on average...not so much.

10. Navani: No

Adolin can still remember being in the car with his aunt for the first time and being SHOCKED that she speeds. (In my head this is related to Adolin being shocked when he sees Navani wearing a glove rather than a full sleeve. This may not make sense to anyone else but it feels right to me).

11. Moash: No

Moash always wants to get to his destination as fast as possible. Also I just can't imagine him trying to follow the speed limit. 

12. Wax: Depends on the geographic location

Wax drives the speed limit in the Roughs but not in Polite Society (except in dense urban areas where he wishes to avoid, like, killing children).

13. Wayne: Does not have his driver's license

I feel this in my soul. 

14. Lirin: Yes

I think Lirin would argue that "getting to your destination thirty seconds faster is no reason to speed and put everyone else on the road in danger! Drive safe - arrive safe! That's what matters!" And then he would go exactly one mile under the speed limit at all times while everyone behind him honks. 

15. Kaladin: No

Kaladin spends three months driving very slowly after his dad shows him videos of horrific car crashes but eventually he just can't do it. He NEEDS to get there faster! People are DEPENDING on him! And he likes to feel the WIND in his HAIR as he cruises down the open highway! 

(Kaladin and his dad cannot drive together.)

[clangenrising]

If Jo has a million fans I am one of them. If Jo has 10 fans I am one of them. If Jo has one fan then that is me. If Jo has no fans, then that means I am no longer on this earth. If the world is against Jo, then I am against the world.

Literally already an icon. Jo you will always be famous.

Damn right! Jo is such a great character, I really hope we have more time to explore her in the story cause I adore her. I have a feeling she'll be tied to Ghost's upcoming arc so maybe we'll see her that way.

[clangenrising]

I share your love of stories of redemption and growth (that you mentioned in another ask), and I really appreciate what you are doing with Ghost. It is never, ever too late to choose to change, regardless of the things you've done in the past. Being genuinely sorry for what you have done is not always enough for the people you have hurt. Sometimes nothing is. But if you truly regret your actions you change anyways, not because you expect to be forgiven, but because YOU want to be different. Ghost's experience feels real right now, especially his sense of uncertainty and discomfort and even reluctance at some points. Change isnt easy. Behavior and thought patterns are hard to shift, even when you can recognize they're wrong. And it is much, much easier to give up than it is to do the uncomfortable work of changing, especially when you come face to face with the people that you have hurt. Especially when you're confronted by someone who has been deeply affected by your actions. Having Fogpaw ask Ghost why he would do the things he did is such a simple but effective confrontation. She doesnt understand the complexity of the situation, but for someone like Ghost I actually think that kind of point blank question can be useful, in small doses. I think it's historically been easy for him to make lots of excuses to himself and others for his actions, but being confronted by his own (very direct) daughter puts him in a hard position where he actually has to think about it. She is someone he doesn't seem to want to lie to, but being honest with her means he needs to examine his own actions more thoroughly. Why DID he do those things? There's a lot to unpack there, and all of it is tangled up with his own personal fears and the sexist society he was raised in. To have a good relationship with his daughters, especially with those daughters living in a society that has very different views on gender and sexuality than his own, he is going to have to confront some of his own biases. So I think that knowing them is going to be a vitally important part of his growth. Whatever happens specifically, you've done a fantastic job setting up characters with complex feelings about one another who are going to be deeply affected by each other's words and actions. There are so many ways it could go, all of which would be interesting. Can't wait to see more!

I'll end this with a quote from my favorite book series (which is also about growth and redemption and change) that I wish I could share with Ghost right now: "If we stop, if we accept the person we are when we fall, the journey ends. That failure becomes our destination. To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one."

Very well said, so well said I don't have much to add. 50 RisingBucks <3

That's such a lovely quote (From Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson, I believe, if anyone was wondering) and I think it would be comforting to Ghost. It wouldn't fix everything but it would probably make him feel less alone and that's a powerful thing.

[clangenrising]

June Featured Follower Post!

Congratulations to this month’s featured follower, @duskstar727! She has been leaving so many long, thoughtful, delightful comments recently and it's clear that they understand my characters very well.

The OC they asked me to highlight is Slatestar, a future character for her own ClanGen blog, @taleofturtleclan! I don't want to spoil too much of her story but this beautiful baby has so much on her shoulders and I adore her. I've heard that the blog is on an unofficial hiatus but you all should check it out and follow the blog to make sure you don't miss it when they stop posting again.

Next month I’ll pick another follower! I’ll be trying to pick people who reblog and comment so if you’re interested in being considered, that’s the way to get my attention. Please do not message me or ask to be featured.

A Special Thank You To My Patrons!

A massive, massive thank you to Autum_not_Fall, Daes, Abigalil Warner, and Saffronique! You guys make it possible for me to put more time and effort into RisingClan and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Want your name on these posts? Go check out my Patreon! Patreon members at the Sunrise Tier get their names on my Featured Follower Posts! In addition, all Patrons also get sneak peeks at upcoming pieces and Sunrise members get a unique illustration for every season. I’d love to see you there!

[clangenrising]

Hmmm if Lakepaw needed white added to be genetically accurate that must mean either her parent(s) or her offspring will appear in the story! I'll be watching her closely to discover which it is!

And I'm so excited to see one of the Oddlets get an apprentice. Feels like just yesterday when we were all trying to guess their mentors, and now Floodstrike himself is a mentor! Hopefully he trains her well, seems like they've already got a strong bond and I know he has the excellent teacher trait so I'm hopeful!

Or... it means only cats with white can have blue eyes. Sorry guys, we're probably not getting Lakepaw's parents in the story.

And yeah!! The boy is growing up so fast! Blink again and Lakepaw will have an apprentice of her own!

[clangenrising]

I have a confession to make. When I found this blog (I think it was just after the first or second post), I wasn't a big fan of the real time updates thing. I mean, I certainly thought it was a cool idea, but I figured "it's going to take forever for anything to really happen, and the author will probably lose interest after the first six months." But that's not what happened at all. You've crafted an incredible story that is well paced and exciting, and each of your characters are unique and memorable. This is in large part because the real-time updates allows your readers to really sit with the characters and get to know them, to theorize about their futures. Like I'm more excited for the Oddlets to become warriors than I've been for anything else in any other Clangen blog, because we've watched them grow from kits for almost a year now. It makes everything much more meaningful and exciting. Thank you for crafting such a beautiful story!!

Thank you!!

Yeah, I think there's something to be said for delayed gratification and the way it helps build a story into something more meaningful and memorable. Its like how I ruined my first D&D campaign because I couldn't wait for the fun stuff and then it wasn't as satisfying as it could have been because I rushed it and there's wasn't any build up to pay off.

I'm so glad the story has managed to capture so many people's attention and make them happy. That's all I could have asked for.

[clangenrising]

This might be a weird thing to say and I may have said something similar before (recovering from anesthesia so I'm slightly out of it) but I seriously respect and admire how polite but firm you've been with your boundaries in interacting with us. I feel like 99% of the other Clangen blogs out there (and this is by NO MEANS any hate towards them whatsoever, there are some really fantastic stories being told out there) have the tendency to... not pander, exactly, but let their followers have a pretty high level of involvement in terms of confirming headcanons, answering questions in character, or even just making themselves available for consultation on questions like the one you declined to answer about the fanfic. There's nothing wrong with that, it lends itself to building a different kind of story, one that is more collaborative, but not all stories are designed to be told it has definitely given some well-meaning fans Expectations about how they can interact with other Clangen bloggers, and I admire the way you stand your ground on not running your blog or interacting with us in that way. It gives me hope that we can all choose to tell our own stories and succeed at building an audience without having to do things the same way. My own Clangen blog that has been on (unannounced lol) hiatus for a few months now never took off because I didn't get involved in the constant reblogging of other Clangen blogs to encourage like treatment and increase popularity, and it felt a bit discouraging that I wasn't really able to build an audience without running my blog that way. Not to say I was just creating for the sake of others, but it definitely sucked to spend sometimes hours on an art piece and story only to get like. 14 notes. So it's really nice to see that you have in fact been able to tell your story your way without playing that game, without letting your fans cross boundaries that they assumed due to their other experiences you wouldn't have. You are very much an author and storyteller, not a content creator trying to curate a fan base, and I respect that.

Thank you, that means a lot to me. I'm glad I could be a source of hope for you. I wish you luck and inspiration with your own creative endeavors!

Also, I got another ask being critical of that response that I deleted out of principle because I don't publish hate mail but I think maybe here I can clarify something. When I said I was a public figure, I didn't mean to imply I was famous or overly important or anything, just that you, my audience, don't know me personally and you aren't entitled to my time and energy. I appreciate asks that show interest in my work but I don't want to become beholded to my asks, like the person above describes. I appreciate all of you who understand and respect that.

[clangenrising]

Hmmm do I sense the potential for a bit of a love triangle developing between Aldertail, Oscar and Oddstripe? Oscar seems very cool, gallant even! Hoping to see more of her in future.

Could be! Who knows, we'll have to see :3c

And yes, I already really like Oscar as a character. Don't worry, we'll see her again.

[clangenrising]

Maaan this piece... this piece. The interaction between Scorch and Fogpaw. Absolutely phenomenal.

I think it's the first time that someone in RisingClan has been willing to interact with Scorch through her own worldview instead of trying to convince her it's wrong, and it seems to be a much more effective way to reach her. Because Goldenstar might be able to say "that's not the way things work here, not everything is a transaction, I give to you without necessarily expecting anything in return, I give to you because I love you for you," and while it's deeply important for Scorch to hear that, I think that right now, part of her is just going to write it off as naivety, as Goldenstar not understanding the way the world "really" is. But then there is Fogpaw. Who has lost much already, but is still innocent in other ways. Fogpaw who is willing and eager to learn from Scorchplume, and who doesn't really understand what Scorch's transactional worldview means when applied broadly, but is willing to speak to Scorch in those terms. So when Scorch says, "hey, I could betray you too," she is trying to teach Fogpaw that NOBODY is safe, not even her, because giving anyone your complete trust lets them have too much control over you. But then there is Fogpaw's reply: "if everything is a transaction, if everyone is just trying to get ahead, then in fact I CAN trust you because you would gain nothing from betraying me. By your own rules you are safe for me to trust because I have nothing to take away. I'm just a kid." (Thats my interpretation at least). It's a reply that so deeply displays Fogpaw's innocence, the fact that she doesn't conceptualize all the ways in which an adult could stand to gain from manipulating a minor, but she is speaking to Scorch in terms that actually get through. It's a much more effective way of telling Scorch "I trust you completely, I know you won't hurt me" than just coming out and saying that. Idk maybe I'm just babbling but it got to me. And think that in training Fogpaw, Scorch is unwittingly beginning another part of her healing that is so, so vital to developing a healthier worldview. I love them and cannot wait to see what is next for them.

50 RisingBucks for a spot on character analysis!

I love how you phrase that, "giving someone your complete trust gives them too much control over you" like Fuck! Thats Scorch in a nutshell! It wasn't really conscious when I was writing it but you're so right, the fact that Fogpaw buys in to Scorchplume’s transactional world view but still says "I have no reason not to trust you" is so much better at reaching her than what Goldie says. Its so interesting, I love it

[clangenrising]

Oof, Scorchplume IMMEDIATELY imparting her transactional worldview on Fogpaw, I see... I mean, I don't think she's entirely wrong, the leaders definitely want to present themselves a certain way and Greyvoice was definitely trying to get gossip, and it's good to be aware of those things, but if you choose to view the world only through that lens, you close yourself off completely to any deeper connections and become incapable (like Scorch) of understanding genuine kindness without selfish motivations. Like yeah, pull your apprentice away from Greyvoice who's being nosy (though probably mostly just for the sake of being nosy, not necessarily to use that information against Fogpaw), but lying about the reason so that Scorch will have the "advantage" next time seems a bit extreme. There's a balance to be struck between naivete and paranoia and I fear Scorch will never accept that, though its very easy to understand why she is the way she is. Viewing all of your interactions in terms of advantages and disadvantages is just. A really heartbreaking way to live and though Scorch is clearly trying to protect her, I hope that Fogpaw doesn't fall entirely into that mindset. Anyways great writing and I am SO curious to watch this apprenticeship evolve.

You can tell that Scorch is trying to help but that means she wants to teach Fogpaw all of her maladaptive coping mechanisms in an attempt to keep her safe. We can only hope that Fogpaw has more positive influences in her life that can temper that mindset.

[clangenrising]

Hi! I really love the story you're building with RisingClan, and I'm so excited to see more. I just wanted to say I very much agree with your sentiment about tracing, there's no harm if you're open about it and not making money, and it's a great way to learn and improve. However, I would like to ask you to consider linking the photos you trace at the bottom of each post that uses them, or in a seperate master post that links back to the posts each photograph was used in, both to credit the original photographers and so those who might be interested in doing similarly can see the same poses and original photos! I saw that you said in a previous ask that you'd credit the photographers if they asked, but I feel that credit for their photos shouldn't need to be requested on a case by case basis, rather credit should be part of the baseline process. I feel that photographers often get the short end of the stick when it comes to crediting, even though so many of us artists would be completely lost without their contributions to the artistic world. I hope you will consider this perspective!

That's a really good point and I think I agree. Let me clarify what I meant:

From now on, I'll start linking photo references somehow (I'll have to figure it out since Ive heard that tumblr punishes posts that have external links in them) but posts I've already made will be very difficult to credit since I've since deleted the images I used to make them. I know this isn't a good excuse but I genuinely don't know if I can find them again so in that case if someone contacts me about it I would be happy to link from there.

Does that make sense? ^^;

[clangenrising]

Lakepaw AND Sagetooth? Oh my god this is going to be DEVASTATING for the Clan. Poor Lakepaw... she had so much life ahead of her!! And poor Floodstrike! I hope he doesn't blame himself or anything... waiting with bated breath for the next update.

Yeah, this was a moon event and it felt like a gut punch haha poor baby lakepaw

[clangenrising]

Argh wishing I could go into RisingClan, become a mediator and go tell Mystique that it's OK for her to still feel grief and sadness over the death of her brother EVEN THOUGH he did evil, horrific things. People are complicated and we feel complicated emotions. Realizing someone was an abusive POS, to you and/or others does not necessarily mean you don't feel a sense of grief or longing when they're gone. They were familiar. They were part of your life. That part of your life is gone now, and while that might be for the best, while you might even KNOW it's for the best, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like hell to lose something so familiar. It doesn't make you a monster if part of you still holds love for them, for the person you convinced yourself they were.

And I'm really glad you're covering this topic in your work, because I feel like the warriors fandom in particular frequently lacks the nuance to look at and understand layered, complicated relationships and feelings. We are so, so quick to label characters as innocent or as irredeemable, instead of taking the whole, complicated package. So reading about things like having to confront the fact that someone you loved was truly, deeply horrible, and the subsequent guilt of mourning an abuser (though in this case, its not Mystique's abuser per se) in a warriors context is really, really cool and fresh.

Yeah, human brains aren't actually as logical as we would like to think. It doesn't matter how terrible someone is, if they were important to you, you'll grieve them just as much as someone who was a good soul. It's a real shame there isn't a cat in place to really explain this to Mystique.

And thank you. Telling these kinds of stories is really important to me and it means a lot that people in the community appreciate this kind of nuance.

[clangenrising]

Going off that other ask about Mystique not entirely separating from her kits, I hope they do end up having a relationship with her simply because it will be very, very interesting from a character building perspective on both sides. Mystique doesn't want to be a mother. That is 100% her right and I can't see her ever loving those kits as family. They share blood, but no bond deeper than that. But I could very easily see a situation in the future where either Yellowkit or Bluekit convinces themselves that they'll get the kind of warmth and affection that Russetfrond will probably never give them if only they can find their mother. Surely she must love them? Surely there must be a connection of some sort? And then going to seek her out and a whole lot of interesting opportunities for storytelling and character coming out of there- Mystique having to come face to face with kits she never wanted and would probably rather leave completely in the past, and Yellowkit or Bluekit having to confront that no, they aren't going to get what they're looking for from Mystique.

Not saying that I necessarily think this is what will happen, it's just one way in which I could see things going that would lead to some interesting storytelling opportunities. Very curious about the future of these kitties, whatever direction you take them in! I'm mostly just hoping to follow Mystique as a character for a while longer, after she leaves RisingClan and starts to rebuild her life.

Again, I can't say much about it, but I loved reading this. I like hearing what people think is interesting and what they're excited about. I can't wait for you guys to see the cats Yellowkit and Bluekit grow up to be.