#this form is too restricting. i would like to shapeshift

[lgbtqtext]

Requested by aroace-anomaly

[fantasygerard2000]

Fandom's Rigid Standards

In my previous post about issues I have towards the Starboy craze, I briefly discussed about how most human Star designs tend to just stick with the Jack Frost "inspired" design over creating their own original designs for him.

Most fan designs try to stay loyal to the rather infamous piece of concept art.

While they made changes based on their own preferences, they kept major core elements like the glowing gold hair, floating, cape, and being white. However, what they neglected, or rather leave out is that this early version of Star can also shapeshift like Genie and Maui. Also, another factor is that this version Star was her grandfather's spirit as an early version of the story has him passing away instead of her father.

The reason why most people didn't know about these early ideas was because they only heard about the Starboy and Villain Couple ones from the more vocally outraged fangirls who cried about "being robbed".

This tweet in particular only adding fuel to the dying fire as most people would just express disappointment to the film, but this only give them an excuse to dislike it even more. Majority of people are so anti-Disney that they would even fact check from official sources from the people who made the film and only listened to the ones who have seen it and have totally not biased opinions on it.

Anyway, even with info about the actual early version of the film being out, most of them just stick with the love story idea. An idea that was the result from the lack of context and spite from said lack of context.

Coming back to the topic of human Star just being Jack Frost but yellow, that also brought up about how fandom has this awful habit of only caring about characters if they are attractive and white. We literally see this behavior with Magnifico and that this is also happening towards a character that doesn't exist says a lot. The fact that most human Star designs just colored Jack Frost yellow is proof of this.

Hell, back then, Disney themselves considered making a non conventionally looking love interest back when Tangled was in early production. Bastion was made to be your non standard prince.

Heck, an even early version of Tangled had the "prince" look like this.

There are people who genuinely like non conventionally looking characters for their looks. Beast is literally known for making people prefer his animal form than human form for crying out loud. You literally have zero restrictions to design a human or even monster Star. But instead, y'all ironically did this meme.

Y'all accuse Disney for not going with this early alternative design for Asha for "not being conventionally Disney".

But y'all also thought this ain't too pretty so you "borrowed' from the most conventionally good looking character from a different film.

Now, this is the part where I focus on the issue regarding Asha and her "romance". Well, lack there of.

Someone once said that people only like a work for the tropes they like being present over how they were executed, comparing how ads are recommending you to buy a book that lists off tropes you're into. L To fandom, the presence of tropes only matter.

When you think of Disney romances, you might thought of the princesses. And ONLY the princesses because their films have romance as a major factor. However, romances in Disney is notoriously bad, especially in their older films. It's not until in the later films that we got a more proper romance with Naveen and Flynn/Eugene. Romance requires both characters to be equally treated. In regards to the "potential" romance he has with Asha, there's this underlying feeling that Asha is treated like a vector for the reader/writer to insert themselves as.

Most romances, especially ones made for women, always centered on the main lead with the "protagonist" being in situations to ensure they get together. Majority of romances are made to be like a dating sim. There's nothing bad about going on fictional dates with a fictional partner but the issue here is that how the protagonist is barely a character of their own right. They are made to be relatable so the reader can insert themselves into, with any personality they have being treated as traits and quirks. Even with examples where both the protagonist and the love interest are both main leads, there's likely more emphasis is put onto the love interest.

And Asha is being somewhat unintentionally treated like this, especially in fiction where Starboy is the focal character is really upsetting. I get that Asha wasn't a great character but she shouldn't be treated like this. Or any character at all.

Asha being rewritten to be a completely different character to the point of being given a different name is just so jarring. That isn't Asha anymore. Just like the concept art above, she's small core traces of what was her there, but it's mostly all fan interpretation.

And this, to me at least, are the vibes I'm getting from. Wish being "remade" into something that it isn't. Being made to cater to a niche demographic whose tastes are just plain bad. I'm not one to judge people's preferences but disregarding the concept of a deceased family member who became magical shapeshifting creature from space for a more generic love story where you could self insert yourself into?

This isn't to say to giving Asha a love interest or making Star a human aren't bad ideas. I do in fact find the early concept interesting and I was initially neutral towards Starboy until that's what most of this "fandom" consists of.

This isn't the Wish fandom. This is the Starboy fandom.

[darkmagenugget]

for the furry hrt universe thing

shapeshifter hrt, how would that work?

Several of our friends are either doing some form of Shapeshifter HRT, or unknown, or really anything. How it works is up to interpretation, but I will leave the questions we've answered before here about shapeshifting regulations in Hyper City as well.

"Oh! That reminds me that I wanted to ask about the shapeshifting regulations, if y'all have any thoughts already."

"Right now we have it to where shapeshifters need to be registered with the city and are often kept on watch depending on level of shapeshifting. (Which is why the mayor doesn't like us too much, as we are often causing problems and slipping from their watch."

"I mostly just curious what registration entailed and if there was any restrictions 'nd stuff"

A form that asks basic questions like "can you shapeshift?" "Can you do so at will?" "If not, what triggers the shift?" "Are the forms stable or unstable?" "Ability changes?" Etc.

Shifters are then given a card with the specifications. And are required to carry it. Sort of like a state ID.

"Is the shapeshifting license needed for just those who live in Hyper City, or would visitors who have such abilities also need a license?"

"What are the consequences of shapeshifting without a license?"

It can be obtained same-day for frequent visitors to the city. Usually obtained near the entrance to the city. Will go through the registration process on the spot if caught shapeshifting without one as a 1 time visitor. (Emphasis on if caught). As for caught without one, sort of like anything else, separate charge if registration refused. Sort of like resisting arrest.

[disappointedcreeper]

A handful of shapeshifter questions:

- What are you when NOT shifted into something? Does your shapeshifter self have any base form independent of other theriotypes?

- When you take a form, are you the form in entirety, or is it purely cosmetic (more like a mask or costume)?

- Do you have any instincts related to being a shapeshifter?

- Do you have favorite forms to shift into? Why? Are there any forms you dislike?

- Do you have any size or material restrictions on shapeshifting?

- Can you mix and match pieces of forms (e.g. dog ears, rabbit tail, and frog legs), or only shift into one thing at a time?

- Are you fundamentally a physical creature, or no?

- What should your shapeshifting look like?

- Does this identity interact with other identities in meaningful ways (not just alterhuman, but otherwise as well)?

dhdfiens tyysmmm for the questions ^w^

When I'm not shifted into something I'd probably be a fox (unsure if this is due to my fox theriotype interfering but it doesn't really matter if it is)

I'd say it is somewhere between fully being something and being purely cosmetic, however leaning towards fully being the thing I take the form of (most of the time, I can do it cosmetically I think? at the very least that can happen [somewhat] against my will due to masking, specifically when I'm around a lot of humans id probably take that form without wanting to/controlling it)

I am not aware of any instincts other than the fact staying in one form for extended periods of time feels very wrong. (I don't know how to explain how it feels) (extended periods of time means probably a day or two, maaaybe longer? kinda unsure on the specific timing)

Yeah, some favorite forms include my two kintypes (red fox and dragon) as well as crow, and probably ferret (there would absolutely be more it's just kinda hard for me to judge how much I'd like a form, as the best way I have is through dreaming which is not very common.) The only form I know I dislike is human, which is mostly because staying in one form for extended periods of time feels wrong.

I can only become animals, and there are size restrictions but I'm unsure the specifics. Unsure what you specifically mean by material restrictions, but hopefully the first part of the answer answers that.

Yeah, I can take certain aspects and mix and match if I wanted (would mostly use this to be able to do some stuff without having to fully take on a human form, and possibly to mess with people who I know/goof off) There might be some limitation to this but I am unsure

I am unsure what you mean by a physical creature? If you could specify what you mean that would be great!

Changing forms is kinda fluid I guess? (I would say fluid is a decent way to describe it) It takes like probably a few seconds, and happens too fast to really see the specifics (which I don't exactly know X3)

as I've said previous answers yeah! like for example my 'true form' is a red fox (and possibly dragon? can something have multiple true forms? haven't thought about that much yet) I think my (lack of) gender identity has some effect on it (and/or vica versa possibly)

again, if you could specify what you mean by a physical creature that would be great!!

[elithilanor]

The Unfinished Drafts

Aka my thoughts on gender and elves isn't super concrete anyone and here's an exploratory draft I had going in themes of forcing myself to write more and get over my imposter syndrome and also it's pride

Aka Haldir is having Thoughts about Gender and Elrond is everyone's dad

Unfinished drafts are things I probably won't complete due to some reason. In this case, my stances on elvish gender have changed so it's not really relevant anymore to my thought process. But it also makes me happy so here it is.

Haldir had spent the better part of a year ruminating over this conversation and yet he found the words still wouldn’t come to him.

“I cannot Shapeshift.” He finds himself blurting out.

“No. I wouldn’t have supposed you could.” Lord Elrond responds, a small tilt of his head as he assesses the Warden. “That is a fairly restricted gift of lineage.”

“Yes, correct. But are there -“ Haldir pauses, his heart pounding in his chest. His hands flutter before he smooths them down at his side.

“Haldir.” Lord Elrond says gently, kindly. He is always gentle and kind; surely he would not think less of him even if it were not possible.

Elven gender is not like the race of Men; they are much more fluid. But he wasn’t changing his role in society or the wardrobe he wore. He was changing the very foundation of his gifts from Illuvitar.

“I - are there ways to change the body's form? Without shifting one’s body? Perhaps… permanently?” He focuses on the roses below the balcony. He finds himself unable to look at the Peredhel Healer.

He’s sure his brothers have guessed, maybe others, perhaps the Lady Galadriel even knows. She has had that mischievous look in her eyes for the past three weeks and his finding Lord Elrond without any additional guests at his side had been surprisingly easy for how busy he was.

But it’s different to say it out loud.

Different to say it out loud and mean it. Different to change things as they are. To change things to what they should be.

He hears Lord Elronds robes brush his legs as he walks away and Haldir’s heart drops. He closes his eyes. Perhaps the whole notion had been ridiculous. He supposes he could try himself, but it truly was a bit too ridiculous to contemplate. Battlefield medic he was, not an elf with the gifts of his Lady.

“There are more than you might think.” Elrond says warmly, squeezing Haldir’s shoulder reassuringly as he appears back in his line of site. Elrond presses a goblet into Haldir’s hand and firmly guides him to the settee. His legs are much less sturdy than he had thought they were. He finds the hand Elrond has on his shoulder the only point of grounding; he feels as light as air.

“Shifting one’s form magically is rare, which means that for ages, others have had to find other means to do. Usually surgically as magic is not precise enough and can cause a host of negative effects. To name a few who have undergone a form of transition to their bodies: Maeglin, Caranthir, King Fingon, Círdan. Elves who farm, and hunt, and clean the floors, and sew garments. Elves who prefer staying in the background; elves who rise in the ranks of the Galadhrim. Elves of all genders changing to what matches their feäs.”

Haldir nods, mind racing. He wasn’t alone. He wasn’t alone.

“I can reach out to some of the others for you? They often like to meet the new and assist with recovery afterwards.” Haldir nods again, eyes wide.

“Please.” He whispers, feä scrubbed raw.

Elrond hums softly and wraps an arm around the younger elf’s shoulders. Some of the tension seeps out of Haldir’s chest.

[sparrow-in-boots]

amanda the adventurer and fairies (if you even care)

imo we're too focused on christian mythos with all the demons and sacrificial lambs, and forgetting the very pointed celtic mythology cues in this narrative and I'm here to be the change I wanna see in the world, so let's go!

game spoilers below, you know the deal uwu

I think the biggest hint that we should not get hung up on Christian mythology, is the fact that in the very introduction with the letter by Aunt Kate, she pointed says "by the gods." Not "by God", gods plurals. We're to take a polytheistic angle with this, but which exactly is nebulous at first.

Behind the Catching Up With Colton news clipping, there's news about a Celtic relic, the crown of the stag, being stolen, and suspicion of a gang called the Demons. This was pointed out as an easter egg from another game, but I feel there's more to it.

For the most obvious lead, there's the Pied Piper theory for Hameln entertainment, which is a fairytale. In the Coffee Break tape, we see how Sam wanted to "show the world is a magical place" which I do believe he meant as just that, being optimistic as he's characterized, but that's also a lot of settings in fairytales. There's the known world and the fantastical, magical world. And to expand on that, the setting of the story being limited to a single city and community instead of being something with a broader reach matches the usual setting of a fairytale being restricted to a single village or town. Not that unlike the Pied Piper story itself, set in the city of Hamelin.

If you really want to squint at it, things such as baking and sending cookies as a form of thanks, while pretty common daily life things are also linked to rituals to pacify the fey and offer thanks to magical beings. Cookies and pies are also incredibly common baked goods in fairytales, and for instance, the tale of Hansel and Gretel has a house of candies that lure them inside, to a witch who would fatten them up and eat them. While sweets are present in the tapes, they are often exchanged for pieces of meat and organs, almost as if they are interchangeable.

Bringing it back to the Celtic Relic clipping, there's a long explanation that the crown was given as a peace promise between the Fey and the human kings. As such, let's take a look at Celtic mythology.

Foxes in myth are messengers between worlds and are often connected to the afterlife. Also, foxes are often portrayed as fey-aligned creatures, due to their mischievous and cunning nature. Also to go broader than that, there are the myths of Reynard the Fox, a trickster spirit in folktales across Europe that often coexists with Isengrim the Wolf. It's also a common trope that foxes can shapeshift.

Picking a fox to die in a hidden bear trap is quite symbolic in itself. The fairytale character who outwits all and escapes the most difficult situations has been bested, not only defeated but killed. "Silly Mr. Fox" can not only be a display that there is no clever way out of this trap, but also that traveling between worlds is impossible or will kill you.

Now to the "Lonely Kitten", she's clearly representative of Rebecca, caught in a trap as well and without help in sight. When you try to help her, you end up as one more hanging piece of meat. Cats however are more deeply connected to fairies than foxes, with myths like the Cat-sìth which steal souls from the deceased and can curse folks who won't pacify them. One is even described as "the king of cats." While these cats are described as big as dogs, and black with a spot of white on their chests, choosing a cat is quite the artistic choice.

As for Wooly, sheep have in christian mythos the symbolism of the sacrificial lamb and so on, but let's take a look at Celtic tradition.

In Irish myth, the goddess Brigid (associated with wisdom, poetry, healing, protection, smithing and domesticated animals) was the owner of Cirb, a castrated ram who was king of all the rams and sheep of Ireland. Brigid was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a group of gods that became the Aen Seidhe. The fairies.

Furthermore, Cirb rules even over the seven sheep that belong to Manannán, a warrior god and ruler of the Otherworld, a realm of gods and the dead. He's responsible for keeping it hidden with a veil of invisibility, and it has been pointed out that at least two of the demons Rebecca is made to recite the names of are also granters of invisibility. Not only that, these sheep were fabled to produce enough wool to clothe every man, woman, and child the world over.

In a crossroads of christian and pagan, there's a myth that animals gain the power of speech after the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, including sheep. On most stories, it can only happen when they are observed and are unknowingly overheard by humans. There's also the common trope that children can hear the voice of animals while adults cannot, as a show of the magic of innocence.

I can't quite especulate much beyond this, but I think there's something to chew on here.

[rwde-rewrites]

This might be a controversial opinion, but I personally like the idea of magic existing alongside Aura and Semblances. I think the idea of a story having multiple distinct magic systems, especially if one is more powerful and mysterious than the other, is really neat.

But the key word here is "Distinct". In order for this idea to work, the differences between magic and Aura need to be clear. But, there are no rules for what semblances can do (Except not turning you into a bird. That is the sole rule of semblances), and there are no rules for what magic can do either. In fact, it seems like semblances can actually do more than magic in RWBY.

Semblances let people:

Enhance their physical and mental capabilities

Manipulate Luck

Create all different kinds of Illusions

Summon eidolons

Shrink objects

Turn objects into gold (Yes, really)

Telekinetically manipulate objects

Shapeshift into rose petals or iron (Only bird related shapeshifting is banned, apparently)

Absorb various types of energy to become stronger

Teleport

Turn invincible for 60 seconds (This is the weirdest one to me)

Fly

Mess with people's minds in various ways

Steal or copy other people's Semblances

And other stuff I'm probably forgetting

Meanwhile, magic lets you:

Fly

Shapeshift into birds (and presumably other forms, but we literally never see that)

Manipulate the weather

Shoot fire, lightning, and ice.

Create, lock, and unlock weird doors

Obviously, this is doesn't work. Semblances can do practically everything magic can and more. Meaning that magic doesn't feel different or special in any way.

So, what would need to be changed? The most obvious route would be to restrict Semblances.

One way to do this is just create a list of things Semblances cannot do. Such as:

Semblances cannot physically change their user's body. While we're at it, let's also add that Semblances cannot physically transmute other objects either so no shrinking or turning shit into gold.

Semblances cannot create fire, earth, ice, lightning, etc., only Dust can do that (God, I haven't brought up Dust yet). And anything that a Semblance does create is just an Aura construct that will vanish like Weiss's Summons or Sun's Clones.

Semblances cannot grant flight. A bit pedantic, but the scene of Amber first using her Maiden powers by floating into the air would hit harder if flying isn't something normally attainable in RWBY.

While I would like to add more stuff to the list of cannots, when defining a power system based on what is can't do, it's best to keep the list of restrictions short.

Another way to limit Semblances create specific categories that Semblances fall into and have each Semblance be some variation based on their category. For example:

Enhancement: These Semblances enhance the user's pre-existing capabilities in some way when used. This would cover stuff like Harriet's, Neon's, and Ruby's speed (And Ruby's would stay speed, none of that pseudo-teleport stuff), Ironwood's super willpower, Maria's preflexes, Hazel's pain tolerance or fast Aura regeneration (Pick one), and maybe Tock's 60 seconds of invincibility (though I still think that's dumb).

Absorption: These Semblances can absorb damage to make the user stronger. This would cover stuff like Yang taking damage and then getting a limit break, Nora absorbing specifically electricity, and Adam storing damage in his weapon and then returning it.

Manipulation: These Semblances allow their users to manipulate objects around them. This would cover Pyrrha's polarity, Glynda's telekinesis, and Neptune's hydrokinesis (which only exists in the books).

Constructs: These Semblances allow for the creation of constructs made of Aura. These constructs aren't permanent and disappear after time or if the user's Aura breaks. This would cover Weiss's glyphs and summons (though, I personally think these two powers are too different to be a single Semblance), Sun and Flynt's clones, Neo's illusions, Blake's after images, Vine's whips, and Elm's sticky feet.

Mind: These Semblances allow for the manipulation of the minds of other beings. This would cover Emerald's illusions, Ren's emotion suppression (In canon, it only masks your negative emotions from Grimm, but here, it would actually dampen your feelings while used), Fox's telepathy, Yatsuhashi's memory erasure, Marrow's freeze (here, it would be mental manipulation, rather than however the hell it works in canon), and Robyn's handshake of truth.

Any other Semblances in the show would be altered to fit one of these categories or cut entirely.

Finally, another option would be to cut Semblances completely. Instead, have Aura techniques that characters can use by manipulating their Aura in special ways:

Sending out sword beams of condensed Aura from their weapon swings to attack from a distance. THIS IS A CANON TECHINQUE. I want to stress this, Aura techniques are already a thing. Blake shots a sword beam at Roman in V2, and Qrow does the same to Winter in V3.

Leaving behind a physical shadow made of Aura to take a hit. At higher skill levels, these clones can even more and attack on their own, like what Adam did with his shadow clones in the fight against Yang in V6 (Which means that this is also a canon Aura technique, I guess?)

By expending a some Aura, people can temporarily increase their speed or strength in short bursts. Stuff like Ruby's speed would be handled with this.

Aura normally covers the body like, well, an aura, but it can be extended and manipulated. This allows for the creation of Aura whips from the hand or Aura anchors from the feat to duplicate affects similar to Vine's and Elm's Semblances in canon.

Aura can be used to activate dust (this comes from the Dust WoR video, which seems to be noncanon now) and manipulate its effects. This allows for technics like Weiss's Glyphs or that funky glass stuff that Cinder used in V2.

And finally, a secret technique passed down through the Schnee family allows the creation of an Aura construct that mimics a foe the summoner has bested (A mental requirement more than anything). While powerful, it is incredibly taxing on the summoner's Aura.

Here, Aura itself becomes the main power system akin to something like Ki from Dragon Ball or Hamon from JoJo. After awhile, the audience would get a feel for what it can do, but the writers would still have some freedom to introduce new techniques so long as they aren't too out of line with what's already been shown. Obviously, this would limit the collective abilities of Hunters more than any other option (and require the most changes to canon), but in doing so, it would could magic even more notable.

[she-who-fights-and-writes]

WIP Questionnaire ±2

I was tagged by @rjcopeseethemald! I haven't done one of these in a while and really enjoyed the questions here, so I decided I'd give it a go for my wip: Wings of Faith!

Original from @illarian-rambling.

If you want to know more about Wings of Faith, check out my post here!

RULES: 1. Answer as few or as many of the following questions as you’d like! 2. In passing the tag along to others, you can add one question of your own, or replace an existing question.

This art is a bit old but it's the last time I've drawn everyone all together haha

1. What was the first part of your wip that you created?

Surprisingly enough, Emmie (a main character, but not the protagonist) is the first part of my wip that I created (See the red girl on the top left). She was the protagonist of the very first book I wrote in fifth grade, and I wanted to pay homage to that work by including her. However, she's changed a LOT since then (even her name!), and the only remaining carry-over is the red streak in her hair.

2. If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

Intro song: "Run to the Devil" by Dragonwyck or "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. Outro song: "It Will Come Back" or "Francesca" by Hozier Instrumental: "Dragonlord Placidusax" from the Elden Ring Soundtrack or "Danse Macabre" by The Oh Hellos

3. Who are your favorite characters you’ve made? Why?

Andrew, my protagonist, is by far my favorite character. Writing from the POV of an incredibly sensitive, incredibly traumatized person (who feels things very deeply), while outwardly projecting a cruel and defensive facade is... *chef's kiss* Otherwise, I'd have to say Emmie. She is a very layered and multifaceted character with an incredibly important role to play in the story, and her kindness is refreshing amid a mostly hardened cast of characters.

4. What other pieces of media do you think would share a fan base for your story?

Six of Crows fans

Dante's Inferno fans who don't mind me bending the lore a bit

Fellow ex-Catholics

Fans of Hozier's "Unreal Unearth" album

Supernatural fans into the "corrupted angel x man struggling for redemption" dynamic

5. What has been your biggest struggle with your wip?

Keeping the facts straight. This has been a 10+ year project and sometimes I forget the revisions I've made, and accidentally cut out important details...

6. Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

Yes! Rimfaxe is a wraith, aka a shapeshifting shadow monster that takes the form of the things he's killed and eaten. (See the top left of the art above!) Emmie stole him from the government and now he's basically her kid.

7. How do your characters get around? (ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

They mostly walk (or fly on Rimfaxe)! Because Hell has a ceiling, the authorities restrict car transport to government officials ONLY to keep down emissions.

8. What part of your wip are you working on rn?

A giant, chapter-long fight scene that I've been working on for a literal year. It's TORTURE. Can't explain much else because of spoilers haha.

9. What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in?

The main romance is an mlm enemies-to-friends-to-lovers angel x demon pairing! (Angel x demon pairings where they're both assholes>>>>>) Also I feel like there's been a void in lore-focused media dealing with angels and demons, and I'm hoping Wings of Faith will fill that void!

10. What are your hopes for your wip?

That I get it done after 10+ years... and that people will like it :')

11. (Added by rjcopeseethemald) What pieces of media have been the most inspiring to you for this wip?

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Hozier's "Unreal Unearth" album

Adding a Question 12: Is there a part of your wip you wish that you could change, but it's too late to go back now?

I don't want to bother anyone by tagging them directly, so I tag anyone who sees this post and wants to do it! Blanks below.

What was the first part of your wip that you created?

If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

Who are your favourite characters you’ve made? Why?

What other pieces of media do you think would share a fan base for your story?

What has been your biggest struggle with your wip?

Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

How do your characters get around? (ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

What part of your wip are you working on rn?

What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in?

What are your hopes for your wip?

What pieces of media have been the most inspiring to you for this WIP?

[sonicasura]

Whenever I think about Transformers' holoforms, I can't help but imagine a scenario where they bump into someone also disguising as a human. Like other extraterrestrials who have alternate ways to hide their true nature and magic folk such as yokai who use a glamour spell.

Out of everyone bot in the cast, I see Optimus Prime being the most likely victim to such shenanigans. Even the somber iteration as a practical demigod can't avoid getting dragged into something whacky. Plus boss bot might not really notice it sooner like Soundwave. He'd also have issues adjusting since this would happen to someone like Bumblebee or Bulkhead, not him.

It's hard to expect the unexpected when you aren't the universe's favorite target for otherworldly insanity. Funnily enough, I got a few ideas how this would happen and a few OCs to provide such examples. Those will be for a different post since I want to go over some shared headcanons from a conversation with @cf8wrk4u-us about the thing.

It involves around glamour and Cybertronian scans. For those who don't know, glamour is a type of magical shapeshifting. It's usually used to hide one's true appearance so they can blend in with others like humans. Although some use glamour for more predatory means since human flesh is often on the table.

Huge example being Journey To The West as various yaoguai (Chinese Spirits/Demons) disguise themselves as people in distress or wandering folk to eat the Tang Monk Tripitaka. (It doesn't work on everyone in the group since the Monkey King Sun Wukong can see through such illusions with his magical all seeing eyes or "Eyes of Truth".)

To the normal eye and physical touch, no one would think the person running a bakery is actually a demon or their office coworker being a dragon. Some glamour spells allow the individual to use their physical strength and even powers while some restrictions. Fewer can conceal their true size since some mythological beings are much bigger.

If I have to give an example, the closet would be Saiyuki Journey West's iteration of Sun Wukong. The trickster god's true form here being a giant Great Ape probably around 20 ft in size. The Monkey King is capable of disguising himself as a human although some features are notable like his monkey ears.

Now normal technology can't see through such a facade. Cybertronians are a bit different. If they do a scan such as heat or X-Ray on a glamour disguised individual there's gonna be...errors. Some would be blurry, some too bright and even things out of place like missing bones to extra limbs. Basically a scrambled mess that is guarantee to make your eyes' sore.

Every scan will be different with each retake so it's never the same. Medical oriented bots such as Ratchet or Seekers like Starscream have a better time at seeing through some of the glamour. Since Energon is Primus' life blood, whose a god, it felt natural that a Cybertronian can see through a magical disguise since the substance would have some magic properties.

What do you guys think? I can see all sorts of shenanigans occurring when two disguised parties bump into each other. Can't forget the worldbuilding either!

[howtofightwrite]

how would one go about fighting with a shapeshifting axe? (the forms change but they're still classified as an axe)

Classified by whom?

Let's start with the simple end of this. Fundamentally, axes function by getting a wedge of metal moving at high speed and then let that inertia cleave through your foe. So any axe combat is going to focus on building momentum and delivering that to your opponent.

However, when your weapon can change shape mid strike, things can get pretty weird. Such as changing the length of the haft to accelerate the swing, or even increasing the mass of the head after it's gotten up to speed. Meaning someone could potentially flick a baton, only for it to transform into a massive axe head once it's already going at full force.

But, what do you mean, “still classified as an axe?” A poleaxe is, according to its own name, an axe, but it's actually polearm, similar to a glave or halberd. And of course there are plenty of fantasy axes with massive protruding toes (the upper edge of the blade) that could be used to stab someone.

To be honest, if you have a shapeshifting weapon, you can probably transform it into a wide variety of different weapons with relatively minor changes. I can understand the impulse to say, “I want my character to use an axe, because I don't want another character who uses a sword,” and that impulse is fine, but in a situation like this, it would probably be more accurate to view it as a character decision, rather than a limitation of the weapon itself. With that character forming their weapon to be able to use it like an axe, rather than being that restricted form.

With shapeshifting weapons, you probably want to consider (in advance) how much can be done to modify the weapon. Whether it can shift forms in combat, or even mid-strike, or if this is something that requires too much time and concentration to use in the heat of battle. If the transformation must respect mass. Normally, increasing or decreasing the mass of an object is a bit of a pain. Now, obviously, that doesn't need to apply when dealing with magic, but if you can change the mass of the object, that opens up all kinds of flexibility for what you can do with transformations. How the weapon handles damage is another factor. Is it simply indestructible, or does it suffer damage during use? Is that damage removed when it shifts, or does the damage distort and transfer onto its new form? There's a lot of things to play around with to give it a unique identity and to set up limits that will help you fit it into your world. However, this is all things you probably want to work out in advance, before working on scenes with it.

-Starke

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[adeliethevilsimp]

So like this started out as my self-insert and my want of a male yandere character and it just spiralled out of control

So if you want to hear my nerd it out then be my guest xD

I start out designing my yuu from the line Rook said to you when you max his affection levels. It was something like he felt such a thrill with yuu because it was such a comfortable space he wanted to spill everything. he likes the danger so much that he wants to keep coming back

From what I also always know about the MC I felt about MC I feel like he would be someone very open-minded and accommodating. Also because Rook like calling Yuu a trickster(I think you can see which one of the two people is my favs) I also did some research on trickster archetype and i decided my Yuu will also be a shapeshifting human because i can but he cannot use magic otherwise. Since he can really shape shift into anything he really does not care about the society restricted mind set on a lot of things and norms. Also it will play into the dichotomy of his personality. Also i do like to play into the idea in the game story Vil is like a beast tamer some sort by beating all the non human students up(they started it tho) and they just listened to him

but you know i also want him to be a freak

(I just like to read up on biology so i may be totally wrong)

He usually appear as a pigeon or an owl.

The pigeon and the owl is the dichotomy of his character. Pigeon is one of the first avian species to be domesticated by human. sweet and loving and gentle. Until your especially male pigeon imprinted on you then they sometimes get aggressive. The owl is the silent killer of the night. Some people have kept them as pets but tbh they are never really tamed. Like crows and other wild birds. Sometimes people see them as source of knowledge and wisdom and I thought it will go quite well with the theme he like to know things and he is very curious. Owl sometimes can imitate other sounds too

He would be very gentle and affirmative with people. He will forever be there if you want to talk to him if you want to. He will never judge you. However without you knowing he will remember all the interaction and the secret you tell him as well. He will be confidential always until he has some reason to threaten you with or he has some ulterior motive.

LIke you dont touch his hidden Vil stash without his permission that will give him reason to torment you psychologically

His demeanour is very genuine. One thing he do is he will not lie to you but he will speak of half truths. He likes the bond forged but he just like his knowledge better until he have someone he really really really likes. Then the curiosity almost blend with the need to be with them and create an obsession. He will occasionally stalk people in his animal forms to study them.

Rook will always know if the animal is just a shapeshift Yuu always with some weird creepy reason like everytime you transformed into the pigeon the length of the feather stays the same. I think Yuu will be fascinated by this man and they will be stalking buddies in my head canon. Rook will be holding a telescope or something to his eyes while Yuu speed draws and write down everything he sees.

He will be really obedient to the people he like too. He will do anything Rook and Vil asked of him. Even if he gets reprimanded by Vil he will have this happy aura around him. His obedience is not infinite and he is not above betraying the one he loves as long as they can be together. Again, his current obedience does not mean he is really tamed. The two aspects of his personality coexist in him in a very weird way. He is the person who has both

"I am happy he like me so much." and

"It is great he see me this way. It is good to have his trust so I can use that in the future to get even closer to him" these types of manipulative thoughts in his mind in the same time.

I thought he will implement advice from Vil to make himself more presentable. He would even put on heels to impress him (just to have Vil say he should find his own identity or something i think) but he does also enjoy heels in some way. like he does not have to look up so much to Vil if he is in his heels. He can admire him more easily like this.

He have a Vil stash with all the drawings he drew of Vil. Some when Vil is sleeping. He drew those when he is on the tree outside of his window.

I do have headcanon he will transform into a white pigeon just to appear in front of Vil's window in the morning. At first he will just admire him quietly because he want Vil to like him. Once Vil start petting the bird he will start to knock on his window very politely to let him in for chest rubs and pets. Vil will not know that was Yuu. but he gets confused sometimes why Yuu show up the morning run with bruises on his forehead(because he sometimes accidentally bump into the window because he was distracted by his queen's beauty. Yes he is a simp like that)

I thought he will also wear gloves all the times like Jade and Rook because in a subtle way he keeps the distance and he want the touch with the person he loves and the stash to be special. He only touch them and the stash with his bare hands. It is always a thing very intimate to him. He also likes feet and heels very much. He also is quite sadistic on the inside and he likes bondage. All these things are only known if you are really really really close with him

All of his nails are perfectly manicured and pedicured just because of Vil's off hand comment about Grim. His talent is speed draw(and i guess shape shift). There is a ongoing joke on the campus, the XYZ animal you see is Yuu. He does not mind people know he can do that but he will hide vulnerable information like if he gets injured in any form he is in he has to stay like that for a while for the injury to heal before he can use the shapeshift thing again. He likes to read, observe, learn, and research about anything but mostly biology and people. He is definitely in the science club but he will help out anything Vil ask him to too. He likes meat and grains as his food and he does not like vegetables too much. He is quite smart but only above mediocre in any lessons because he spent majority of his time stalking and studying about other things. Rather than entirely focusing on his work. He stalks Rook and Vil the most obviously because they are his favourite people.

I kind give him a long hair so one day when his relationship with Vil grew and he asked Vil for a makeover and let Vil cut it short

Overall I like this guy very much and he kind of is too cool for me to self-insert into now but I still like him

[tzeenneth]

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - Slaaneshi vs Tzeentchians

Slaaneshi and Tzeentchian daemons are by far the most protean of the Chaos Daemons in regards to their physical shape. This is a consequence of their nature; Tzeentch is a God of Change and neither he or his children hold a shape for long, for they loath order and constancy. I would go so far as say they do not even have default forms, nor default names; the only thing consistent about a Change-Daemon is it's true-name and these are among the most difficult to acquire of the kinds of Daemons.

Slaanesh, too, is a God who craves variety and his daemons as well as he himself are given to trying on different forms and sloughing them off as if they were simple clothing. While Tzeentchians do it for deception, the Slaaneshi also do it for pleasure, finding certain forms more comfortable and stimulating than others. Also unlike Tzeentchians, a Slaaneshi does have a "default" or at the very least "preferred" form.

However, where the differences truly show is in the quality of the distraction. Certaintly, both Slaaneshi and Tzeentchians can fool mortal eyes with about the same level of success, but Tzeentchian guises are perfect. Slaaneshi shape-changing has a tendency to flaw, with one feature marring an otherwise perfect disguise, even for someone as powerful as N'kari, Slaanesh's most powerful Keeper of Secrets. Often, this comes in the form of small horns or something more obvious, like hooves; things that are easily hidden but flaws nonetheless.

Tzeentchians can hold their forms for longer, as well, tuning to magic instantly while even something as powerful as Keeper of Secrets must adjust themselves to rules and restrictions of a world and it's magics before trying anything too adventurous. Meanwhile, Tzeentchian lords have been known to hold guises for decades if need be.

Finally, a Slaaneshi shapeshifting can fool most other daemons, aside from it's kin and it's Tzeentchian rivals. However, a Tzeentchian Daemons guise is so perfect that it could potentially fool even another Tzeentchian Daemon.

This is likely due to the relative "solidity" of Slaaneshi daemons, more beholding a reality's rules, than the Tzeentchian daemons who are notable to be more tenuously connected to a plane of reality compared to other daemons (with Daemons of Nurgle being the most solid of the daemons) and living mayfly short existences as a result.

[amarantine-amirite]

Costume Day

I was always a weird kid.

When I was small, I rarely responded to people talking to me. I resisted physical affection. I had trouble expressing how I felt. I'd cry without any explanation. I would stubbornly resist when the adults tried to tell me to do things.

you probably knew someone who acted the way I did. They probably had it way worse than I did. On top of the problems I have, they'd also be too rigid or too floppy or unable to speak, sometimes both. Those familiar with mythical creatures would say I just described a changeling. I actually described autism.

Don't feel stupid. The reason changelings and autistic people are so similar are that people had a very poor understanding of autism at the time myths about the fae were commonplace. People used to believe that autistic children were fake babies to replace the real ones that the fae had kidnapped. somehow, fairies stealing babies and replacing them with a mythical being made more sense than the baby's brain functioning on a different operating system.

I never believed changelings were real, thus, I never believed that I was a changeling.

That is until this happened.

This came up on the eve of my second-grade class's costume parade. There was a contest with two big prizes: one for Coolest Costume, and another for "Independent Work". Winning the prize for "Independent Work" means you had no help from your parents. I planned to win both awards.

I had my work cut out for me. The contest had a lot of restrictions on the costumes you could wear. you couldn't dress as a superhero because it was considered ableist. you couldn't dress as a princess because it was considered objectifying. Anything with a weapon was too violent, and nonhuman primates were considered racist.

Changelings have some pretty awesome powers, namely shifting between forms. I discovered shapeshifting by accident. It started when I was watching TV and saw a commercial with a baby with human legs, a monkey torso, and a pug head. someone

broke into the house. He would have hurt me for being a witness to his ill deeds, but he ran away once he saw me.

Once I looked in the mirror, I saw why he ran off. I had shapeshifted to the MonkeyPugBaby thing I had seen on TV. I can't remember how I transfigured, but I have been able to shapeshift ever since.

Not long after this, I quickly formulated my plan to win this costume contest. instead of making a costume, I would shape-shift into MonkeyPugBaby during the contest. I'd be a lock to win. shapeshifting beats any disguise, and I did it all myself. not even my choice of form broke the rules. the rules say no primates, but MonkeyPugBaby isn't a whole primate, just the torso.

On the day of the costume contest, I came to school in my regular clothes. Before the contest, I shapeshifted into the form of MonkeyPugBaby. I came back just in time to hear Ms. Atkins say, "Everybody come with me to the gym, we'll walk down the centre line and show off our costumes."

I lined up with the rest of the class, and we went to the gym. I saw the other second-grade classes, Mx. Kola, and Mrs. Primeau.

We went down the centre line in the following order: Kola's class went first, then us, and finally Primeau's class. I felt special walking down the middle of the gym with my classmates. Most of the other kids dressed up as the same thing: a Dalmatian. Usually, the girls would dress as princesses and the boys would dress as superheroes, but because those costumes were off-limits, everyone had to settle for the next best thing. Somehow, everybody decided that the next best thing was a Dalmatian.

There were a handful of kids beside me that broke this mould. Gilles Hsu dressed up as a fish for some reason. Mary Lemon dressed up as "Idaho", and her costume was literally notebook paper with the word "Idaho" written on it taped to her chest. Sally Smith came dressed as what she insisted was Florida but looked more like something abstract with oranges and palm fronds. Mary and Sally didn't have any help from their parents.

Nobody had the same costume I had. Nobody else dressed like MonkeyPugBaby. I took home the first prize in both the Coolest Costume and Independent Work categories.

None of them knew I shapeshifted. Mary Lemon thought I cheated. She was probably jealous because her costume was a pathetic piece of notebook paper.

"That's not fair!" Mary screamed, "Her parents helped her!"

"No, trust me, they didn't," I replied. I'm not kidding, neither Mom nor Dad was on board with the MonkeyPugBaby.

Mary wasn't having it. "you're lying! Ruth's lying to the class! Ruth is lying to the class!" she shouted repeatedly, almost like she was a broken record.

"Can somebody hit Mary? She's stuck" I joked. Everybody laughed. Even the teachers found it funny.

Mary then ran out of the gym like a centipede missing 98 of its legs. Mx. Kola stayed with us while Mrs. Primeau and Ms. Atkins chased her down.

I discovered being a changeling was pretty awesome.

[indornaga]

Do you mind if I ask about you being a god/deity? What's that like? (sorry if someone's asked this before, haha!) I'm currently grappling with a deity paratype and it is. Well, it's going. >_> - Alex

i dont think i've talked about it on tumblr, yet! hopefully i can help out, but my specifics are different from other deities that i've talked to, though some things like omniscience and omnipresence (even if limited) are somewhat universal.

in my specific type of deityhood, i wasnt a totally omniscient, omnipresent sort, but i had a much more restricted version of it applied to my area of "expertise"--if i can describe it that way. the way that i can comprehend it, (as trying to even think about exactly how BEING a deity worked makes my mortal brain hurt) my type of deityhood "began" at the formation of a power of nature; in my specific case, i was "born" at the time of the formation of a new river, that river being me.

my power, my omniscience and omnipresence, was focused on this specific area, tied to my location, the physical locality of where the waters inhabited--from between the banks, to where my tributaries filtered in, and to the delta where i emptied out. but i was also the water within the location, every last drop. i assume i shared and intermingled with the tributaries and delta, unless i was also those as well? (i'm not entirely sure, i dont identify as those features so i assume not) i was not only the physical waters, but the spirit that ruled over the area, and could manifest in a physical form to interact with others. (i had preferred forms, but i was technically a shapeshifter)

in my sort of deityhood, we're formed from the laws of physics and the rules of nature themselves; we understand down to the finest detail how our existence interplays with others, from how a ripple on the surface of my waters effected a spider's web on the bank, to how much water a local human took would effect next season's migration. i knew how to care for the ecosystem that inhabited my waters (from which rocks sheltered the frogs' eggs and the tiny fish that were prey, to how the algae and aquatic plants would hide the young from too much predation) and how to intercept major catastrophes that might cause a species extinction. (think, a landslide on the bank destroying a small subspecies' last breeding ground) i had no master, no overseeing god/dess, but i did convene with other water deities during the dry season in a well that also functioned as a local temple; i like to think that it's where the last remaining bits of our waters collected during that time. during the time in which the waters were minimal to none, and we followed the last essences of ourselves, we were typically in manifested form, as there was just so little of our physical selves left.

how i understand the deity vs god dichotomy is that all gods are deities, but not all deities are gods. deities are what i am, possessing minimal omniscience and omnipresence and focusing on/understanding only their small section of the laws of nature. god/desses are far more powerful, with multiple understandings of nature and thus far more omniscience and omnipresence. our functionalities are the same, just, on a smaller or wider scale.

[ghostlynimbus]

I feel like this may be delving a little too deep for my silly little stranger things fanfic but! I love thinking about this sort of thing and discussing it so...

How do you think a society of people who can shapeshift into animal forms indistinguishable from the real thing would handle like, safety concerns when it comes to hunting and animal control and stuff?

Like in a society like this, moral questions about hunting and eating meat aside for now, how do you make sure that people are only shooting deer-deer and not what’s his face from down the road on a prance through the woods in his deer form?

Like, a baseline step would probably be regulations restricting where hunting can happen and where shifting can happen, but i’m not really sure that’d be enough, particularly in certain rural areas.

And then you could get into the whole thing of, some people who can shapeshift into predators might want to hunt in their shifted form and how do you handle that?

And how does animal control operate in a society like this? Do they filter calls/reports? How do they sort out the edge cases of like ‘maybe that really is a stray dog roaming a neighborhood and causing problems or maybe Mrs. so and so is just upset that her neighbor’s kid is playing outside in her shifted form’? Do they have to just go and investigate each call?

And what about animals that aren’t like native to the area/pets? Like as animal control you get a call about a tiger in someone’s neighbor’s apartment and maybe your first thought is, like thats definitely this person’s neighbor or a guest just hanging out shifted in their apartment but like... also... it could just be an actual tiger? that doesn’t happen often but it does actually happen sometimes.

What about animal free spaces/pet free apartments? Like “Oh sorry Ma’am you cant bring your dog into the restaurant.” “That’s my son, he’s three and hasn’t quite got the hang of shifting on command yet.”

And you just know some people would lie about that sort of thing, and like sometimes it’d be obvious but not all the time?

The mechanics of this society fascinate me.

[whumpster-fire]

It's also worth noting that for getting a rope into a tree specifically, you don't need to shoot a rope big enough to climb on: you can attach a lighter twine to an arrow and shoot it over the branch you want to anchor to so the arrow falls down the other side and the twine is looped over the branch: then you can use the twine to pull your actual climbing rope over.

I've seen mention of a similar technique being used to get a rope across a gap where you have someone on the other side who can pull the main rope across - e.g. for beginning the construction of suspension bridges across a gorge or river at a point that can't be safely crossed. It's of less use to a fantasy adventuring party, although in the very specific situation where the party didn't have access to flight magic that could let someone carry a rope across a chasm but did have access to short-range teleportation that could get one person across, it could come in handy (e.g. in D&D, if your party has access to Dimension Door via the party spellcaster or a magic item, but nobody prepared a Fly spell).

I'm not sure if there's a way to make this work with a grapple arrow. Maybe if you had something like a screw eye on the arrow and had the middle of a length of twine looped through it? But I don't know if it would be possible to shoot that or pull the main rope through without it getting tangled.

The "grapple arrow with twine too thin to support a person" trick does have another very specific use case in a fantasy setting, though: if your party has someone who can shapeshift into a small animal but can't turn into a bird (e.g. if RPG mechanics restrict turning into a flying creature to higher levels for game balance reasons), someone could turn into a mouse or squirrel, use the thin twine to safely climb across an obstacle, then return to humanoid form on the other side and pull a heavier rope across / tie it to something so it's actually stable.

One of my greatest joys in this life is bringing reality to things that have no right to actually work! And the best way to do that is to understand /why/ they shouldn't work.

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