#shapeling arts

[world-of-advice]

[sleeplessoccultist]

So, can someone who knows the Rubbery lore, clarify to me: do Shapeling Arts always require use of molten Amber? Rubberies use it to transform bones into... other bones, but weirder, and we used vats with heated amber to transform volunteers during the Horticultural Invasion. However, I fail to see any mention of Amber use in Godfall pilgrimages and Moulin expeditions where PC can make some drastic changes to the body seemingly on a whim — like rubberizing the spine and limbs to go through a gravity anomaly or growing flesh over the eyes to ward off hordes of Sorrow-Spiders (and, presumably, returning that flesh back where it belongs afterwards)

[thegreatyin]

in a fascinating bit of accidental gameplay and story integration the scoundrel routinely sucks absolute balls at mithridacy checks. like every single time they run into one it's a fight for their life against a 40% basic check to lie effectively. they're so comically bad at it. and yes admittedly this is very much because i still haven't actually trained the skill properly but also at this point i think them sucking is kind of a feature?

[thedeafprophet]

also Alex is still like. vaguely nonbinary but in a way where he is not. fully aware of the concept.

he first start presenting as a guy back on the surface and just kinda. stuck with it. he knows he's not a girl and he feels comfortable as he is and never put much thought into it otherwise

but if you asked him if he's a man he'd probably shrug if you were a friend, and eye you sucpiciously otherwise.

he's just vibing

[violant-apologia]

dislike for shapeling arts defeated by one (1) flattery

[capn-twitchery]

i'm going to send grace back out and feed him to the fluke on purpose if he doesn't stop failing every single helicon house check

boy get it TOGETHER these are all 70% checks!!!! you were at scandal ONE when we started!!!

[peliginspeaks]

Ok I'm making this a different post than the disability month one so I can ramble because I don't think most players (and Failbetter tbh) appreciate how much kataleptic toxicology would fuck up your digestive system With A Vengeance. Like, if you're ingesting poisons on a regular basis that's wreaking havoc on your liver and kidneys of course, but I'd imagine it'd also damage your intestines and stomach lining in the same way Celiac or an inflammatory bowel disease would.

A character who specializes in KT would (barring healing in Parabola or Shapeling Arts intervention) probably end up with nutrient absorption problems long-term, if not chronic pain and/or bleeding from inflammation and scarring. The only reason Hallowrove's been getting away with their level of routine poison-chugging is that their Rubbery friend who likes to homoerotically vivisect them sometimes (Scaleflats) just replaces or repairs whatever's damaged and shores up whatever needs to work more efficiently. I am holding an invisible gun on this guy 24/7 and that gun is labeled Consequences Of Your Actions and the only thing stopping me from pulling the trigger (other than not wanting to project even more than I already am lol) is this squid.

[the-ardent-dilettante]

WHY DOES THE LAB TAKE SO MUCH TIME

[the-insouciant-scientist]

pros of having a tailor character: ough the potential for so many interesting and fancy outfits cons of having a tailor character: h. how do i. how do i figure out a "basic" outfit here

[lunieloon]

WAIT PEEPS I DON'T THINK I EVER POSTED THE HOWARD AND DEWEY LORE/CONCEPTS HERE LEMME FIX THAT-

BASICALLY-

Howard Y'Doin and Dewey D.S. (Decimal System) met when they were kids in their home city of Crimson Point. Most people ignored triangles there, but Howard was taught from a young age that a person's worth isn't determined by their shape.

Howard was born to a star and a triangle shapeling. His dad- the star shapeling- left them both to pursue the life of fame all star shapelings were destined for. Leaving him to look out for them both. His mother was always sick, and she was always preparing him for the worst despite his insistence that she would recover if she kept her hopes up. Howard managed to get a guitar when he was 10 and took to performing on the streets for cash as a kid. That's where he met Dewey.

Dewey was born to a rectangle and a square shapeling who were leaving him behind in Crimson Point to have a "fresh start" in Cyber Square. He knew something was wrong with him. He could feel it in the way his wings and chest ached every time he flew. Because of this, he would walk everywhere. He was fending for himself near the ground level of the city when he heard the strumming of a guitar.

There was another Shapeling on the ground, playing for the people that flew by without even looking at him. Dewey got closer and the star smiled at him.

From then on, the two were inseparable, and Howard vowed to find a way to save him and his mom from the early deaths all triangles were destined for.

But street performing could only get him so far, and as time went on, his mother's condition worsened. By the time he was 14, she was gone.

Dewey knew he would follow sooner rather than later, he saw how much Howard was doing for the both of them, and he didn't want him to waste his destiny as a star watching over him of all people.

So he suggested they run away to Cerulean Circle- where there was a better chance for someone to notice Howard's talents so he could live a good life.

But Howard saw this as his chance to get enough money to save Dewey.

So the two ran off and crossed a whole ocean to make it. When they saw the shimmering lights of the blue city, they were 18 years old. Dewey was holding up surprisingly well. Howard saw it as a sign he would be able to save him. The two carved out a place for themselves. Dewey was hesitant to put a label on their relationship (he still believed he would die soon) but Howard would always remember him as his soulmate (platonically and romantically)

Howard began attending auditions, and did find success in performing. But he never took the bigger jobs that required him to move a lot, because he didn't want to leave Dewey.

But the world was catching wind of Howard Y'Doin, and when auditions for the Generational Big 3 came around, his fans wanted him to try out.

So he asked Dewey if he should.

Dewey said he would never forgive him if he didn't take this chance, since this was his dream since they were kids. So Howard agreed to audition. (On the condition that Dewey came to support him) ((That's also where THIS image happened!))

Of course, the world fell in love with him almost as much as Dewey had. But nothing good could last forever, and Dewey knew his aching wings were only getting worse.

He held on as long as he could for Howard's sake.

[theramblingvoid]

Number 6, for Hallowrove!

Okay this is the fun one I'd hoped someone would pick because the thing is it's happened so many times in canon already that there's just NO question about the answer

Hallowrove's List Of Who She'd Go To If Badly Injured, by preference:

- Fluorine Scaleflats, a Rubbery friend with a great skill and interest in Shapeling Arts who can be relied on to piece her back together in (mostly) (if asked nicely) the right order

- Haarsink, who also knows shapeling arts and can probably apply them in a much less biologically creative manner in a medical setting, but is second on the list because showing up bleeding at his place would stress him the hell out (ask me how I know lol)

- Oversol, who although being a deeply trusted safe place to go has no particular medical knowledge or skills and will probably just call a very expensive doctor and/or pick Hallowrove up and sprint her to a hospital, while being VERY stressed either way

Hallowrove's List Of Who He'd Go To If Badly Injured, by what inevitably actually ends up happening:

- Oversol

- Haarsink that one time

- But other than that it's always Oversol

- Good lord Hallowrove you are going to put this poor man into heart failure we have got to stop letting this happen so often -

[detective-and-dreamer]

speaking of red honey. what

[jokerlennon]

why is raising glasswork so absurdly easy compared to shapeling arts or kataleptic toxicology will i unlock further options for those in the future or...

[thegreatyin]

What is the Scoundrel thinking about as they go through in this ship? Did they get down to the lowest level yet.

...did they find the thing that is in the deck. Admist the wax?

it isn't thinking anything, really. it's just- moving. quickly. no it's not breathing frantically that's just how its chest works. no its hands aren't trembling they just happen to feel a bit chilly today. if they pick on the (now thoroughly blood-soaked) bandages on their arms, well, that's their business!! it doesn't mean they're scared. they're perfectly calm. look at them!!! they're smiling!!!!! they're having a Delightful time!!!!!!!!

now where was that pesky-

oh.

oh, they need to get the hell out of here.

[viric-dreams]

🌅⚔️🦑💀 for ockham??👀

🌅 — Do they miss the Surface? What was their life like up there?

Everything pales in comparison to that extended viric dream, so there are far better things to miss. But if that were for some reason no longer in hishertheir memory and completely out of the picture then heshethey would miss the comfort of hishertheir old life (before being pressganged, at least). That life wasn't easy or particularly pleasant, but it was an honest day's work, and familiar. But the Surface has changed over a century. Maybe it was a Dream, maybe a memory, but Ockham's stood on familiar streets, on rain-reflected cobblestones watching the steam-powered machines pass. The port is familiar, but not the name of the place it belongs to. Returning would be impossible now anyway. And for what? Anyone from that life would've been long dead.

⚔️ — Do they have a particular fighting style/signature weapon?

Ockham tends to carry a couple of knives (and occasionally a pistol, should the situation call for it--they've become much easier to wield and more accurate since herhertheir time on the surface) and hishertheir fighting strategy generally consists of "hit as hard and fast as possible to end the fight as quickly as you can by any means necessary, before it can turn south". It's a strategy that's kept himherthem alive thus far, and no reason to fix what isn't broken.

🦑 — Would they kiss a Rubbery Man?

I'm absolutely positive that Ockham has, and it's contributed to getting himherthem sent to the Tomb Colonies at some point. Ockham tends to get on with the Rubbery Men, both of them feeling slightly out of place in London.

💀 — What's their relationship with the Boatman like?

Ockham likes the Boatman. They've only met a small handful of times. The Boatman doesn't seem particularly demanding, doesn't speak much, and always willing to play a game or two. And when he does speak, language doesn't seem to be an issue, making him one of the few conversation partners Ockham has in hishertheir native tongue.

[bizarrebazaar13]

maybe shapeling arts would fix me