#spectres rules

[perfectpizzacoffee]

And I got bored, again. No big deal here. But I also discovered the app to do ai art during my scroll in app store.

So, I decided to put myself in a challenge. Each day, one character by IA. 2 tries at max and post the probably comic results.

Day 1 Radamanthys wyvern.

How he is// what I got

[sir-dahlia]

slay the princess drawing that i don't have the energy to finish

i was going to call it "the end of the path" but y'know. it's "the end of my motivation"

[spectrearia]

going down the Vocaloid rabbit hole again and I stumbled across this cover of Ghost Rule that uses a version of Miku I've never heard before:

I am?? in LOVE??? this song has been a favorite of mine for a while now and this is genuinely one of the best covers I've heard, wow. the vocal runs?? the cries?? the GROWLS??? aaaAaaaa its so good 😭

[midydoof]

Request fills part 7

It took nearly two years, but I finally made enough Drawthread deliveries for another compilation

[cessmaga]

demiromantic gay hal jordan is real cuz you can't make a romantic connection until you finally get lovestruck to your best friend who actually understands you and cares about you now you have no idea what to do

[curtvilescomic]

triple threat: Spider-Man rule 63 cosplay Spider-Gwen/Ghost Spider cosplay and Venom Black Cat cosplay by Sarah Spectre

[polycraftory]

Another week, another book haul! These are the books we received between 9/17/24 and 9/23/24. Where did this week go? I feel like I misplaced it somehow.

On the bright side, we've got some stuff in here that I am incredibly excited for. For all of you polyamory lovers, we've been working hard to acquire and review as many books with polyam rep as possible. Out of this week's haul, Darker By Four by June CL Tan, Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton, and the SPECTR series by Jordan L. Hawk should all feature polyamorous relationships. Gabe read the first half of the SPECTR series a long time ago and is really looking forward to diving back into it. Nic also got Gabe The Twisted Ones by @tkingfisher because Gabe is feral about every single one of her books.

We got this lovely version of Dragon Falls (How to Tame a Husband) by Davis Lavender from the @rainbowcrate Cozy Fantasy box. I read it in two sittings and it was exactly the sweet gay romcom I needed as a pick me up after a hard week. Check out @ edgybutfemme on Storygraph for a full review of this funny dragon riding isekai romance. Also, the main character is demisexual & demiromantic, and I've never actually found a book with that rep before!

I'm going to start actually moving some of our written reviews for books from Storygraph (and video reviews from our TikTok, I've been a hot mess) over to Tumblr soon so stay tuned for that!

[robocops-a-christ-allegory]

I do think uncritically accepting Spectre for what he is is actually pretty fucked up and Spectre 2001 was like the clear direction to take the character if you wanted to keep him around without having him remain like reactionary at best. Like it is extremely funny theres a guy on the JSA who is a ghost that tortures people but I dont know if its worth it.

[bumblingbabooshka]

Watching ‘The Cloud’ VOY and Harry Kim is so right about everything

[belligerentbagel]

#I blame calarts #not the school really. but an unfortunate side effect of the application process #calarts requires your 'sketchbook' to be kind of an art piece #as per tradition people post videos of their calarts sketchbooks whether its accepted or rejected #but since we live in Video Media Land now those videos get really popular. cause they're cool and pretty! #but now there's tons of videos all over instagram of people trying to meet this presentable standard #and it's lead to people thinking that's what ALL sketchbooks should look like (x)

"It took me TWO years to finish this sketch book!" Well that's cuz you're not fuckin sketching. Those are fully painted pieces dawg that's a renderedbook. I've gone through four sketchbooks in my off time this year alone I just draw stupid faces and shit for fun. pussy up like the rest of us and start drawing stick figures with guns

[skullmoss]

no offense to ashley, kaidan and liara but running into and recruiting garrus, wrex and tali in ME1 is like reuniting with old friends after 10 years.

[prokopetz]

Something that pops up in my notes from time to time is folks thinking I'm being excessively kind in my criticisms of Dungeons & Dragons, and I'm going to spin this off into a separate thread to address that without putting anyone on the spot.

First, if your own critique of Dungeons & Dragons is rooted in the idea that it's the Worst Game Ever, that speaks more to the limits of your experience than it does to anything else. Dungeons & Dragons in any of its iterations is far from the worst the tabletop roleplaying hobby has to offer – like, you have no fucking idea!

Second, I tend to be even-handed in my discussion of D&D's rules because, fundamentally, the rules are not the problem – or, at least, not the principal cause of the problem.

In many ways, the indie RPG sphere has never escaped the spectre of Ron Edwards, sternly pronouncing that the mechanical process of playing traditional RPGs causes actual, physical brain damage, and that this brain damage is responsible for the bad behaviour we often observe at the table. We don't say it that way anymore, but on some level a lot of us indie RPG designers still kind of believe it.

This is understandable. As game designers, we're naturally inclined to think of problems at the table as game design problems. When we see a problematic culture of play, our impulse is to frame it as something which emerges from the text of the game, and which can therefore be mitigated by repairing the text of the game.

Confronted with the obvious toxicity of certain facets of D&D's culture of play, we go combing through its text, looking for something – some formalism, some structure, some piece of rules technology – which we can point to and say: "this is it; this is where the brain-worms live."

The trouble is, this is not in fact where the brain-worms live. Certainly, the text of a game, particularly a very popular one, can have some influence on the game's surrounding culture of play, but that text is in turn a reflection of the culture of play in which it was written. The Player's Handbook isn't an SCP object, spewing infectious infohazards everywhere when you crack open the cover – hell, I'd go so far as to say that many of the problems of D&D's culture of play operate in spite of the game's text, not because of it!

Basically, what I'm saying is that I don't see any contradiction between being the sort of pretentious knob who writes one-page indie RPGs about gay catgirls talking about their feelings (which I am), and speaking favourably about this or that piece of rules tech from whatever flavour of Dungeons & Dragons is in favour this week (which I do), because I recognise that you can't game-design your way out of a problem you didn't game-design your way into.

The fact that one of the biggest problems facing the tabletop roleplaying hobby is something that can't be repaired by fucking around with dice-rolling procedures is a bitter pill to swallow for a lot of indie game designers, and I won't say I wasn't resistant to it myself, but it's something that's both useful and necessary to accept.

(None of this means that the text of Dungeons & Dragons in any of its incarnations is beyond criticism on other grounds, of course, and I've never been shy about highlighting those criticisms where they're warranted. The only way you're gonna arrive at the conclusion that I'm some sort of D&D apologist is if you're starting from the presumption that The Real Problem Is The Rules.)

[spectrewatch]

RULES ·˚ *

general rules

↱ ♡₊˚. ┊ dni with any of my not safe for work content if you are a minor . | ⊱┊dni if you fit the basic criteria : transphobia , homophobia , racism , etc . | ⊱┊hate messages will be ignored, blocked, and so on . | ⊱┊ everyone is to be respectful and kind to each other . ↳ ♡₊˚. ┊ my writing is not to be copied , reposted , used for ai , or translated anywhere .

request rules

↱ ♡₊˚. ┊ be patient in regards to your requests , I have a life and you must respect that . | ⊱┊I have the right to not write something if it makes me uncomfortable . | ⊱┊I will write for all gender readers such as fem , masc , and nb . | ⊱┊you can request angst , fluff , smut , and other things . | ⊱┊ I do not write for sexual dark content ( incest , pedo , step , non-con , violent/disturbing things , etc ) , extremities , as well as anything inappropriate . requesting such will lead to a block . | ⊱┊I can and will writer darker themes within respectful limits of my comfort . | ⊱┊I write mainly with a female reader in mind so most posts will be like so , especially if not requested . ↳ ♡₊˚. ┊ when requesting please do full details on what you want in your request so I have more to work with <3

what I can write

↱ ♡₊˚. ┊ fluff , angst , found family , enemies to lovers , smut , friendships , alternate universes , etc . | ⊱┊fic , drabbles , headcanons , song fics/drabbles , etc . ↳ ♡₊˚. ┊ canon x canon , canon x reader , canon x insert , etc .

[a-god-in-crime-alley]

Spectre Hal is sooooo good and very much waisted potential. All so they could take things back to the status quo. She should get to be a doting mom.

Also, Gender Fluid Hal would work so well. Especially with the power of the GL ring. It’s been shown that a Lantern can fully change their appearance with the ring. So why can’t Hal present as any gender? Why can’t we have Hal with any body type? The possibilities are endless!

I’ve been reading a lot of DP x DC fic again lately and I’m very disappointed to not see more people using Hal Jordan’s time as The Specter to full effect. Especially because The Specter could, dubiously, be considered an Ancient. So Hal has a good reference for scenarios where Clockwork is looking for a guardian for Danny. The Specter could recommend Hal!!!

Not to mention the missed opportunity to use Gender-fluid Hal as both Mom and Dad to a TransBoy Danny.

Come on, please? This could work so well!

[txttletale]

ai generated "art" 🤢

yes, roborosewater is generative art! it encourages onlookers both familiar and unfamiliar with magic the gathering's rules to think about how they approach and interpret rules text, how a game's design sets expectations and why some things break those expectations -- what a game piece says about the game it's a part of and how we form meaning through play. the generativity is crucial to it, because the AI understanding (roughly) the syntax of rules text but not the meaning is what allows it to generate rules text like "fight target player" or "each player votes for death goblin" -- absurdities which are sidesplittingly funny but also make apparent interesting nuance in the expectations we have of the games we play.

like, why is "each player votes for death goblin" so funny? because we expect a voting mechanic in a card game to give you choices, right, to open up different possibilities in play space -- the comically blunt assertion that you will vote for death goblin renders the voting inert, nonfunctional, in a way that illuminates the functions you expect game mechanics to have! it's rather like katerina kamprani's the uncomfortable in that way, except while kamprani's objects call forth the spectre of an impish, even malevolent designer, the clear unintentionality that roborosewater's cards display instead make them feel uncanny and dreamlike.

i'm also green with envy about not having created this masterpiece, but i'm not sure why you accidentally put some quotation marks in your ask--might want to get your keyboard checked out!

[hisui-dreamer]

Hi, congratulations on 1k followers! I love your writing a lot and I was hoping you could do Villainess AUs with Malleus? Like isekai manhwa style? Thank you!!

the gazelle's sweet briar

Pairing: Malleus Draconia x f!reader

Synopsis: your first objective was to avoid the main characters, but it's not easy when you only have the memories of your friend's ramblings to work off of

Tags: cliché isekai plot, reincarnation, fluff, arranged marriage, tw (mentioned): bad parenting, patriarchal society, death

Word count: 1.6k+

Notes: @coralinnii has an amazing series based on isekai villainesses, so i definitely recommend you check out her work too! im so in love with it (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

Masterlist

Once upon a time, there lived a villainess of exceptional allure, her visage as enchanting as a moonlit night. However, this bewitching beauty concealed a heart blackened by a singular obsession with appearances.

From the earliest days of her upbringing, her mother, a woman who had managed to step into aristocracy by charming a noble, had instilled in her a cruel belief: that those who were not blessed with physical perfection were destined for lives of relentless mockery and eternal solitude. This twisted ideology consumed the villainess' every thought, blinding her to the virtues of education and morality. She became nothing more than a porcelain doll, admired solely for her aesthetic charm.

The King arranged a marriage between her and Duke Draconia, the enigmatic descendant of the dragons who ruled the northern lands, believing that such a striking bride would surely please the reclusive Duke.

However, the King remained oblivious to the swirling rumours that pervaded the courtly circles. Whispers spoke of the Duke as a hideous man who had never once revealed his face, perpetually concealed behind a forbidding black mask. When the rumours reached the villainess' ears, she threw tantrum after tantrum, vehemently refusing to wed a man whose appearance couldn't possibly match her own.

Yet, a royal decree could not be denied. Reluctantly, the villainess embarked on her journey to the northern realm in bitter acceptance. It had rained the moment she arrived, the castle dark and uninviting, with thorns crawling onto the obsidian walls. The Duke, an oblivious and shy man, did not greet her at the grand entrance. Instead, she was met by the Duke's advisor, a man with a curiously boyish features.

Humiliation welled up within the villainess' heart, for she felt as if she were being played the fool by the entire duchy. On the eve of her arrival, anxiety gnawed at her like a relentless spectre.

As night descended, the Duke, mustering his courage, attempted to approach the vexed lady.

But when the villainess beheld his masked face, terror seized her like a vice. "Stay back! You hideous beast!" she cried out, her voice trembling with fear, and she recoiled, her steps faltering as she retreated from him.

The Duke, wounded by her cruel words, attempted to console her, his outstretched hand beseeching understanding. Yet, her irrational dread overcame her, and she continued her backward retreat until, with a heart-stopping scream, she slipped from an open window.

That was how the villainess' life ended.

you hadn't actually read the book, but it wasn't difficult identifying who you got reincarnated as

especially with how your best friend obsessed over this villainess because, and i quote, "if pretty, why evil, huh???"

you woke up a week before the villainess would depart for the North, but that week alone was enough to make you understand the way she acted

every day, you were fed portions fitting of a child, had your skin rubbed raw as you were bathed, and not a moment of your mother's nitpicking about a sudden imperfection she found in you

in truth, you were more than glad to leave for the North, even if that's where your life would be on the line

the survival plan was simple: maintain an amicable relationship with the duchy until the night the heroine stumbles in to ask for a night of shelter, to which the heroine would heal the emotional wounds of the Duke, and share with him the beauty of love, bringing warmth into his heart

and so, you arrived at the estate, the castle tall and intimidating with the clouds dark and foreboding

still, you stepped out of your carriage (with wobbly legs) and met the advisor (your friend's favourite character, in fact)

the advisor, lilia, though seemed young, was actually the very man who raised the duke in the absence of his parents

he welcomed you as the lady of the duchy, and led you to your quarters

by nightfall, you were quite comfortable with living in the estate

everyone was polite, the food was delicious (and properly sized), and you had no doubt you'd settle nicely here

as a precaution to the death sequence, you decided to take a stroll in the rose garden after dinner

if you were already on the ground floor, you couldn't fall to your death, right?

but unexpectedly, you encountered a lone figure in the centre of the garden

he was incredibly tall, dressed simply, his emerald eyes fixated on the estate

upon closer inspection, you noticed he had long horns as well, perhaps he was a gazelle beastman?

either way, you were curious about what it was that held his attention so strongly that he couldn't notice your presence

"Excuse me, sir? May I ask what is so interesting about the building?" you timidly break the silence of the night.

The man turns to you, his eyes widening in surprise. "... Do you not know who I am?"

You blinked in confusion at his words. His words filled you with a sense of foreboding. You wondered if this person matched any of the characters your friend had so fervently described, but all you could recall was the beautiful villainess and the enigmatic advisor to the Duke.

"My apologies, I'm afraid I do not... May I know your name, sir?"

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he considered your question. "No... If that is the case, you may call me whatever you wish."

Perplexed by his response, you tried to come up with a suitable name. "Then... May I call you Mr. Gazelle?"

Upon hearing your words, he burst out in laughter. "Hahaha! What an interesting choice. Very well, I accept the name," he said. "In response to your first question, I was observing the gargoyles of the building."

on that night, not only did you learn more about the fascinating functions gargoyles serve, you also made your first friend in this life

strangely enough, you didn't meet the duke at all unlike the novel, which though strange, you greatly welcomed

if you didn't have any ties with him, then it'd be so much easier to just divorce him, get the money, and live a comfortable luxurious life far away from the main characters

though as you say that, you find yourself wanting to spend more and more time with "Mr Gazelle"

despite his intimidating appearance, he turned out to be a very generous person, frequently gifting you little trinkets he's made or bouquets he's arranged

he's started calling you "Briar", after the roses in the garden where he met you

you greatly appreciated the nickname, it felt better to be called that than the name of the villainess, that you could just be yourself and not play the role of a villainess avoiding ruin

you also find that whatever musings you've mentioned to him, they somehow manifest themselves

oh? you wish you could learn about embroidery? the next day there's a basket full of the highest quality threads and fabrics, with a gentle tutor to help you learn

(you still remember how cute "Mr Gazelle" looked when you gave him your first finished product, a handkerchief with an embroidered gargoyle)

what's this? you'd like to try more desserts from the capital you were never allowed to try? say no more! the next day the chef presents you with 10 different choices!

so you assumed he was an advisor of sorts to the Duke, because how else could your requests be granted so easily?

but one day, around two months after you started living in the duchy, "Mr Gazelle" asked you questions about the duke, whether you were afraid of him, would you prefer to meet him, curious questions like that

though surprised by the topic, you answered honestly, saying you don't really believe in the rumours (because you know from your friend he's an ethereal beauty) and yes, you would like to meet your husband

and what do you know? lilia informs you the duke wants to share dinner with you. what a coincidence!! :)

Nervousness held you in its grasp as you stepped into the room. Your gaze remained fixed on the carpet beneath your feet, and your knees bent gracefully as you executed the perfect curtsey.

"Your Grace."

You could hear sounds of shuffling, and then a pair of black boots entered your field of vision. Familiar hands found yours, guiding you to rise and stand upright. "Rise, my Briar," he murmured gently.

With hesitant anticipation, you finally looked up, taking in the obsidian mask that concealed his face. That voice, that nickname, and those enchanting eyes—it was all too familiar.

"Mr Gazelle..." you whispered in disbelief.

His eyes narrowed in mirth as he chuckled. "Although I hold great fondness for that name, I do wish you could call your husband by his name," he said as he began to remove his mask.

"Malleus..." you breathed.

A tender smile graced his lips, and his eyes sparkled with affection as he delicately brushed a stray lock of hair from your face—a gesture he had done countless times before. "My sweet Briar, I implore you to forgive me for deceiving you. I wished nothing more but to know you," he pleaded.

Oh, with how loud your heart was pounding in your chest, you realized that you were irrevocably and hopelessly ensnared in a love story that had deviated far from the original story.

But you didn't feel a single ounce of regret.

Masterlist

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