#shiftingpath

[caprichista]

Happy Calibration, @shiftingpath !!

Thanks again for the excuse to draw the Neverborn's favorite deathknight, Flame-Eating Moth, having a peaceful nap.

I had a lot of fun exploring the Labyrinth with them, which I've decided is a place where the colors are made up and the lighting effects don't matter. I was initially looking for a way to hint at their secret back tattoo but by the time I remembered that giant ominous mirrors exist, I'd already committed to the classic 'pyramids of glowing skulls receding into the darkness' background.

[problemsleuth]

(wakes up to see sleuth obliterated) 😦

[full-metal-furies]

me when i bring a moment of joy to the people around me whether they be strangers or lifelong friends:

nothing that takes me so off guard (in a good way) as when im just running my mouth in public and someone nearby bursts out laughing over what i just said

[toxinfox]

THANK YOU SHIFTING PATH!

Happy Calibration/Exalted Secret Santa 2023!

I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm astonished you've been organizing this event (aka herding internet art cats) for so long. I know this nerdy little community looks forward to it every year.

This year, in honor of the milestone, I wanted to acknowledge your efforts in a bigger way, and I got almost all of this year's participants to join in. Thank you to everyone who let me put your artwork in Path's little art gallery there, and thank you extra to the folks who left messages as well!

I hope the new year is treating you all well, but no matter how it's going, at least we've got this little community here, and I think I speak for many of us when I say I value that a great deal. Here's to the next 15 years!

@shiftingpath

@butch-king-frankenstein

@caprichista

@delvesdaily

@eatenbyfaeries

@fiontan

@fourwillows

@frostmantle

@fullmoonspecial

@gforceworks

@grimmjowjaegerjaquez

@hamsandlich

@heedra

@keirangoldenwatch

@kessinder

@maribunart

@mechanicalriddle

@moonstar-mush

@paint-lady

@skarchomp

@sly-works

@sondersonne

@thedashingduke

@theuncrucified

@woolymonster

(Disclaimer: I didn't know until AFTER I drew this that someone else started this and that Path took it over after year one, but I'm still giving Path the credit for *getting* this event to the 15-year mark. That is still one hell of an accomplishment.)

(To fullmoonspecial: I couldn't reach you to get your consent before Path put up the post-event wrap-up, but if you'd like me to add your art to the gallery wall there, I still can.)

[mechanicalriddle]

1st batch comms ^^ for @wepon, @shiftingpath, and @skarchomp respectively

Also I am considering this an official announcement that i will be doing a second run of these (to help cover some unanticipated vet bills!)

You can submit a request here.

Thanks!

[dailydungeondelves]

Here are some of my recent art fights! I'm trying some new things with rougher lines and colours instead of my usual vector look. What do you think?

Characters belong to @starryeyedgrrl, @shiftingpath, @fourwillows and @kessinder

I've been doing some figure drawing sketching using Line of Action, and have put some of the poses I've sketched from their classes into practice here.

[shiftingpath]

Exalted 2024 Secret Santa Confirmed

Our current list for Secret Santa:

@annacory-blog, @artbydungeon, @butch-king-frankenstein, @caprichista, @comedygoldatragedy, @eatenbyfaeries, @fourwillows, @guybitesatgames, @grimmjowjaegerjaquez, @hamsandlich, @hornstusksandmagic, @leodicapricornn, @keirangoldenwatch, @kessinder, @mechanicalriddle, @monstar-mash, @nicodwhw, @no-one-should-have, @paint-lady, @shiftingpath, @skarchomp, @sly-works, @sondersonne-art, @theuncrucified, @toxinfox

if you are not on the list and should be, please let me know. if you are on the list by mistake, please let me know. if you are on the list and haven't finished your journal, you have a day or two's grace while i get assignments put together.

otherwise, this is our list for the event, welcome all, your assignments will be sent over soon. thanks for participating.

-Path.

[fourwillows]

Exalted Secret Santa Post!!! @shiftingpath Hat tip to the host

(The second portrait is by AnnaCory)

Kingfisher is a Sidereal Chosen of Secrets. He's just got the one outfit. Feel free to design new stuff, though, within his color scheme (he's like a kingfisher, duh, a saturated cool deep base color, and maybe variations on the base, with small warm accents.) He likes asymmetrical clothes and showing some skin. You don't work for abs like that and then cover them up. You can check out my inspiration Pinterest board here:

If you'd like to do a combat scene, he practices a martial art that uses the sword or trident, called the Malachite Fangs of the Tide. I didn't do a mechanical writeup for it yet. Visually, think of sea snakes; it's fluttering and coiling, a thrashing ribbon, exploiting flexible weapons and striking with fingers like fangs.

Visual motifs: feathers, wings, the trident and star-disc. Contrast between skintight and drapey clothing; knotted cords.

His anima is a slowly expanding, many-petaled flower, like a lotus constantly opening. At the outer portions, the petals gradually become elongated and feather-like; they split at the margins and become elongated. It acts like ripples of something moving across water; every so often, a lotus opens at his Caste mark and stays in place while he moves past it.

I'd prefer not to see any injury or horror stuff. Demons being weird but not gory/violent are fine. Please notice that all these characters are dark-skinned, not European light.

[hamsandlich]

2024 Exalted Secret Santa Journal

The Seraph of Promised Silence - Midnight Caste Abyssal

@shiftingpath

Ref Sheet:

Doot Doot:

casual sketch:

modern AU sketch:

Backstory

Maya was born into a priestly lineage in a tribal confederation that lived near the wyld, a faeblooded child who was brought up in a temple sanctuary, kept away from violence and conflict to keep her ritually innocent. This sheltered upbringing came to an abrupt end when her community was destroyed by the Realm for rebellion and she was enslaved as a courtesan. Her attempts to break free in a second resistance movement years late cost Maya her infant child when the Realm discovered her involvement. She later contracted sepsis in the satrap’s dungeons, dying alone and forgotten.

As she lay dying, Maya cried out to not let her death be in vain. The Bishop of The Chalcedony Thurible answered, and The Seraph of Promised Silence was born from Maya’s death. It was there, in that sanity blasting moment of clarity, she heard the Whispers of the Neverborn. Now, the Whispers are always with her.

Having lost everything twice over, the Seraph is thoroughly convinced of The Shining Way’s message that life is suffering and that salvation will be found in the reunification of all souls in The Great Devouring. Her motivation is fundamentally compassionate, but twisted by her experiences and the Whispers of the Neverborn into something intense and alien. Her own private heresy is that once the flawed Creation is destroyed a new, better world will eventually emerge from the ashes.

Anima Banner: A mandala of tarnished wings, eyes, and arms

Design Notes

Beauty Mark in the lower left corner of her mouth

Eye pupil shape can change depending on situation

Feel free to experiment with the wardrobe

Top pair of head-wings can be variable in shape and size or removed (painful but they grow back)

Performance Apocalyptic/Supernal

Laughing Monster Stylist + some Albicant Sepulcher of Extinction Style

Enhances unarmed attacks with blood lash (makes it look like her anima wings are attacking)

Necromancer and Illusionist

Primary Color themes: Black, White, Pink/Magenta, Red

Visual Motifs: eyes, black/angelic wings, teeth, labyrinth spirals

Rough Ability Investment

Caste: Integrity, Lore, Performance(Apocalyptic), Presence, Resistance

Favored: Athletics, Awareness, Brawl(Martial Arts), Medicine, Occult

Tertiary Charm Investment: Dodge, Socialize, Stealth, War

Miscellaneous Details

Almost never lies, but will deceive by omitting details or using poetic language.

4 dots in Whispers

Lowkey eccentric mom energy when among close companions

likes goats (considers unicorns a type of goat)

probably definitely ate a guy

Has a bunch of souls inside her, can speak in one or several of their voices

Goes by Seraph or “Sera,” lets close friends call her “Sil” 

Sometimes uses “thy”, “thou”, and “thee."

She's here to "help" do not accept her help

Media Inspirations:

Sister Friede (Dark Souls III)

The Firekeeper (Dark Souls III)

Makima (Chainsaw Man)

Kafka (Honkai Star Rail)

Carmen (Project Moon)

Soulcatcher (The Black Company)

Nyarlathotep (Cthulhu Mythos)

[keirangoldenwatch]

man I haven't done traditional art on this blog in a DECADE

I really wanted to just draw @skarchomp's big beautiful Abyssal, Candor That Draws the Horseman’s Blade, smiling. I don't know why, but I did. It was all I wanted to draw. So here he is with a big ol' grin for @shiftingpath's Secret Santa. <3

Happy Calibration!~

[moonstar-mush]

Happy Calibration to @keirangoldenwatch ! This is their Infernal character Seren. Apparently she’s gonna be taking on the Mask in a big airship, so I’ve given her a subtle costume change (including goggles for both pairs of eyes).

Seren was a really fun character to draw! I’m happy that I got to participate again this year. Thank you to @shiftingpath for organizing everything.

[comedygoldatragedy]

Exalted Secret Santa Journal 2024

@shiftingpath

my entry below the cut

The Boy With the Seven Word Name - Dusk Caste Abyssal

Concept: Endgame Dark Souls boss in the body of a skinny teenager. Adopted son of the First and Forsaken Lion, and certified sword waif. He's a dark skinned black-haired young man with mismatched garnet eyes (one red and one blue) and freckles on his cheeks that gleam like rhinestones. He has two outfits: threadbare rags with a wasteland wanderer's cloak overtop, or undead boy-king with sandals and a laurel crown. He carries a gigantic sword called Varan's Ruin, a gift from his lord father. It's a certifiable surfboard sword, and about two feet taller than he is. Sometimes he hides his sword in sand dunes, and when he calls it to his hand it swims through the earth like a grabboid. He doesn't like fighting, which is a shame since he's probably the greatest swordsman to ever live, die, and live again. Dying and being trained by underworld armsmasters and deathly potentates for three years has done little to combat his social anxiety, and the reclusive young lad hides his awkwardness behind layers of creepy quiet orphic hero. You can see him here. His wears his hair in long dreadlocks which he ties up in a bun. Also included is a fun Exalted-if-it-were-PBtA sheet I wrote for him on a lark.

[problemsleuth]

(death gripping your shoulders) path path path you need to walk this horrific road with me youre thenonly one who will understand the absolute nonsense im firing off i need to know your thoughts on my cultsim au

[fiontan]

Just before due date! Here is my Exalted Secret Santa! I redrew so many parts of this over and over, if it wasn't for that I would have had it done last week lol. I hope you like it @fullmoonspecial I added some details and stuff to make it fancy and I hope you don't mind lol. Also tagging @shiftingpath to make sure they see it.

[toxinfox]

Exalted Secret Santa 2024: Dragonbloods Edition!

Hey everyone! This year I'm offering up my two Dragonbloods for the Exalted Secret Santa. The first is Sayuri (an Air Aspect), and the second is Jaya (a Wood Aspect).

Of the two, Sayuri is far more developed (she even has her own extended bio here), whereas Jaya is much newer and hasn't had as much development yet. However, both have some hard 'must have' details and some soft 'open to interpretation' details.

MUST HAVES:

Sayuri's right arm from shoulder to wrist has scattered tattoos of clouds, butterflies, and cherry blossoms. Her hair is dark blue/nearly black with a dark blue sheen. Her eyes are icy blue, her skin is VERY pale with no freckles or scars, and she prefers cool (and usually dark) colored clothing (purples, blacks, all shades of blue, occasionally white). She is confident and aloof to the point of being a bit bitchy at times.

Jaya has warmer skin than Sayuri, maybe even a bit of a tan, and green freckles. His hair is emerald green and fairly long, and his eyes are a bright spring green. He prefers greens and browns in his clothing, and plant/floral motifs are always appropriate. He is friendly and casual, if a bit prone to getting lost in his own thoughts.

OPEN TO INTERPRETATION:

Sayuri's costume and hairstyle are open to interpretation. She'll usually be in something flowy that moves in the wind, but that she can still run, fight, or otherwise be active in. She prefers her hair long, but various styles of braids and updos are all on the table. I don't typically draw her wearing jewelry, but you're welcome to give her some; she would certainly wear jewelry.

Jaya's costume is entirely open to interpretation, as I haven't really nailed down his 'standard' costume yet. Anything that's not too formal (that he can both fight and garden in) is probably valid. The exact style of his green jade spear is also open, as I think the one shown in the reference image is probably too plain. I sometimes write or describe Jaya as having vines or flowers growing in his hair, and that's also an option!

Thanks all, and I'm looking forward to seeing the art everyone does this year! And thanks again to @shiftingpath for organizing this again.

[mechanicalriddle]

im not gonna let some damn tooth infection get me down !!! HAPPY CALIBRATION TO @thedashingduke and thank you for granting me the honor of drawing a Huge Dude. like, a simply Humungous Dude. his name is Komoh and would you believe that hes a full moon? Because he is.

The second i saw this guy i said "i'm going to draw him elbow dropping a boat" and i did!! this img ft. random navywoman having the worst day of her life. anyways. I hope you LOVE IT, i really just wanted to get this img out of the way so i can finally convalesce in peace.

thank you once again @shiftingpath for another great year of Exalted Secret Santa festivities, and i hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season! peace out yall ✌️