#three of hearts (splatband)

[cephalopodyuri]

Three of Hearts!

the freshest first-wave Octopunk band!! they only made music for 5 years but have had decades long impacts on both music and the world around them. shaping the Octopunk subculture, and the way octolings approach protesting against oppression.

Pacifica is the eldest sister, she is the heart of the band. she plays bass and does the community work.

Calypso is the second oldest, she is the body of the band. she sings, plays tambourine, dances, and hypes the crowd up

Abyssa is the youngest sister, she is the mind of the band. she write lyrics, plays drums, and manages finances/promotion.

aside from their high energy punk sound that makes you want to get up and jump around, their most famous or infamous legacy came from the way they would organize music festivals with fellow bands to educate the masses. they had ton of these Octopunk festivals and they were a massive success, unfortunately the most well known festivals ended in tragedy when the venue was raided by octarian army. no more festivals, just safe basement shows where nothing on that scale could ever happen again.

their lasting influence is the new wave of Octopunk, lead by the generation who was raised on the first wave. they now live in a better world that the OG Octopunks worked hard for, and still there is much room for improvement. the new wave has influences from other alternative genres such as Batfish and Seamo for a new generation with new problems

rock on as always

[nephilimbrute]

Do you have any advice for spicing up my cephalopods? (Markings, scars, etc)

EEP!!!

hmmm hmmm....markings.... i draw deep cut with markings of their ink color, as well as 8 and some other ocs... i think markings are cool :3 i usually opt for gill shapes or anything that can be related to sea critters

experiment with shapes!!! eye shapes, tentacle styles, whatever! having nice colors and a sense of fashion are cool, but shape language also contribute to a character in general. here's some examples i have of my own ocs' eyes v

if you need inspo for tentacle styles, there's a Ton of unused concepts in the splatoon artbooks. here's a drive link to a compilation of them

you can also change the shape of their suckers or the spots on their tentacles! stars or hearts would be a cute idea... another thing is changing the color of the underside of the tentacles

i'm p sure inklings can also have skin that isn't...usal skin tones, example is that these three are all inklings

splatbands themself have amazing diversity in design, for (another) example, cephalopods in yatgb. yoko has a mutation that causes her tentacles to all be separate colors

idk much about clothing...i just go to inkipedia and scroll through the lists to see what fits my oc lol

i always struggle with designing a character...but even if they look a little bland, their personality is what keeps me hooked :D i'd say the most difficult part of designing a character is choosing their ink color tbh... even then, color palettes can help with that! this blog has really nice palettes and updates twice a day

[surveillance-0011]

My Splatband ideas

TBN: Experimental Electronic/Pop

Three-piece band based in Octo Canyon, with a Blanket Octopus Octoling (Synth+Mixing and Vocals), a very small octotrooper (Bongos, kazoo and other assorted instruments) , and a runaway salmonid (Banjo + Ukulele) .Their music takes notes from both the Octarian and Salmonid music scenes, and their music can be pretty varied. Most, however, is synth pop and electronic with that “weirder” edge to it. The sound is kinda like Pomplamoose, Rednex and a lil bit of TOP blended into... something.

All But Ready: Alt rock, emo?

An inkling duo making their name with lively guitar riffs and heart wrenching lyrics. Dark blue and cherry red ink. One has spiky hair that looks like a cross between Noiji/Clash and Mizo(le) ‘s hair

Metronomad: Alternative, Folk Rock/Americana

A quartet (maybe quintet later on) of sea folk with a strong connection to the past (they’re all fish and critters that existed in prehistoric times). In touch with their heritage and even times before sentience, this band tries to invoke the feeling of a “pervious life”, using natural sounds and old recordings in their work. They sound like a cross of Cosmo Sheldrake, Imogen Heap (esp her most recent endeavor) and maybe a hint of OMAM and/or The Lumineers

Nautilus, Coelacanth, Wobbegong Shark, Sturgeon and/or Alligator Gar.

Six Feet Underwater: Electronic, experimental

The first musical endeavor of ω-3’s DJ. Extremely dreary and intense. They’ve been on a semi-hiatus since joining ω-3, but released some music around 2020-21, which caught the attention of a much larger audience than their first works under the title. This project is under heavy scrutiny and theorization of curious inkfish, trying to unravel the “mystery”. Yknow the type. Currently the popular theory/rumor is that they’re some depressed octoling hidden away in some apartment who may or may not have killed someone or died somehow. People debate whether the latest album is telling a fictional story or is one last cry for help.

α-5 (name tentative): uh Salmon

Another salmonid band. 5 piece, but I may change my mind for 6. Their sound is a lot more noisy, possibly even cluttered, and high-energy. If ω-3 is panic, dread and stress, then α-5 is rage, spite, and the determination to go out with a bang. They do not play around with time signatures as much and are more symphonic, instead staying very intense and loud. I’m not quite sure abt the exacts of instruments but I’d say guitar and drums are both a part. I think their sound would bring Igorrr and Ridiculon to mind, mixed with some songs from the Pikmin games. They’re all girls or fem aligned save for maybe one. They get along better than ω-3.

One of their members is a mudmouth with weird iridescent muck. She provides odd noises by shifting around in her mud form and can form pseudopods of sorts to multitask. Basically fills in misc instruments.

Another is a Flipper Flopper who adores cute things, even collecting inkling/mainland trinkets that wash up. The other members are worried her own preferences will bleed into the sound, which contrasts heavily. She has a separate project or persona that delves into the cuteness she desires. Drummer?

Tidal Bore: basically 100 gecs in splatoon if the ska-ish bits of stupid horse were in more of their songs . Musical duo? Trio?? Warabi might be a part of it but this is more of a concept and idk abt the actual members. Whale Shark and an Inkfish? Octoling?? Maybe a Cuttle-ling?

[cephalopodyuri]

Calypso O'Teuthis iconic moments from the start of Three of Hearts to the end

(age 23) at the start of their first album, Abyssa wrote a song called "Running Start" about how revolution cant happen if you dont move. it was a high tempo rock song where Pacifica and Calypso would jog in place with the beat of Abyssa's drums. during rehearsal, Abyssa had a hard time doing her drum solo without her older sisters doing something, so Pacifica would dance and hype up the crowd. when deciding what to do, Calypso just improvised and sprinted around the perimeter of the stage and then ran the perimeter of the pit in front of the stage. Abyssa found that hilarious so that just became the routine whenever they played Running Start. she would use her carbon roller and mark out her path and tell the audience to be mindful where they stand, quote "if you've been here before, you know, and if not; you're about to find out". this routine was a huge hit with the fans and became a right of passage to stand in the back so you would get the chance to high-five her as the runs past.

thanks to the pay from their first show, Calypso got a tambourine from the local music supply store. her new tambourine was a way to keep on beat along side Abyssa, and she used her highschool cheer experience to choreograph their shows. Three of Hearts started collaborating with fellow Octopunk band and close personal friends, Tentakillers. they would plan their shows and jam together.

(adding a divider here, content warning for mentions of death, brutality, and pregnancy. Calypso's story is not a happy one)

(age 25) this iconic outfit is from their last show before going on a year long hiatus, and their biggest and most well known shows. Tentakillers and Coral Riff opened, which was the prototype for the upcoming Octopalooza festivals. dozens of photos were taken during this concert and many recordings exist, including an official concert recording by Abyssa. what many didn't know at the time right until the end of the show when Calypso announced it herself, but she was pregnant and the reason for the hiatus was maternity leave. some of the newer fans were sad to not get any shows or new music for a year, but older fans were happy and supportive. incubating for octoling mothers is an extremely difficult process, which is why the maternal mortality rate was so high in the past, so she really cannot work or even move much. the egg that is now an octoling named Grim took 2 months to hatch, and it took several months for her to regain full strength and health.

(age 27) after the hiatus, Three of Hearts were ready to rock! the pride of being back at full health after her pregnancy and having a healthy baby, she was thrilled to get back to performing. Octopalooza is in full effect, this is the third one. there's bands, vendors, artists with booths selling their work, and mutual aid resources. these were so popular that roughly 20% of the octoling soldiers stationed in Hadalburgh began to defect after going to the shows. Dj Octavio was made aware of an uprising happening in the deep sea domes and sent elite soldiers and dozens of troopers to Hadalburgh to shut down the festival, but nobody was willing to go down without a fight which lead to the Octarians attempting control through violence. the bands performing stopped to tell everyone to evacuate as quickly as possible, and they would show the way. Three of Hearts finished their set earlier so theyre just relaxing and getting something to eat when they see the commotion. Calypso knew what she had to do, it was coded into her genes, she had to sacrifice herself to save her family. she held Grim for the last time and told her sisters to get home fast. Calypso, Bobbie Sepiolida from Tentakillers, and Nelle Boreo from Coral Riff got their weapons and fought back. they successfully took out many Octarian soldiers but Nelle and Calypso were caught and taken by the army. Nelle managed to escape but Calypso was taken and sanitized which was her worst fear. several days later, a solider arrived to the O'Teuthis apartment with the sanitized body of Calypso, she was as alive as she could be in such a state but her body shut down and passed away days later. an octo mother's life is one of sacrifice and tragedy.

[cephalopodyuri]

Three of Hearts band logo

pink tentacle represents Calypso

blue tentacle represents Pacifica

purple tentacle represents Abyssa

Marine Snow's logo is coming next

[cephalopodyuri]

EVIL grim be like 'i love propaganda'

LMAOOO

EVIL Three of Hearts be like "we love sanitization"

[surveillance-0011]

Omega 3 fans rise

Anyhoo, since you mentioned AUs, I feel like I have to ask..

You got any AUs where they’re the main focus?

(Also I was the one that asked for angst HCs and now my heart is in pieces thank you)

RISE RISE RISE and you’re welcome :)

I’ve got a couple!!

Doll Au:technically not centered on them but as of now this au is basically just. Open world with many a story to tell. But uh they (and most salmonids?) are rag dolls. At least the Cellist and Timpanist are, maybe the DJ is a different kind or has better material bc Goldie (which isn’t stated canon yet but he has the eyes and the fringy bits and jewelry/piercings so. Probably the case). But they’d all a little roughed up, well loved, mended over and over. They make their music, live their lives, sew each other back up again when needed…somewhere between quaint and chaotic. when I write or draw more for this au it’ll all be vignettes of events, tales that range from whimsical to creepy to heartbreaking. If a little absurd.

Reincarnation AU: also focused on everyone but these guys are in it so the gist with them is that they’ve been in nearly all of each others past lives as rivals or adversaries and continue to be a part of each others next lives as friends. Also since DJ is a Goldie and those live longer he does cross paths with one or two of the other two’s next lives since he ends up outliving them both by a long time.

Inkfish/Turf War AU/hypotheticals: not rlly an au yet but I’ve posted abt what they’d main and how they’d play turf war before so that counts for something? I’ve considered exploring it further in an au where they’re all inkfish (octolings probably) or maybe just outright make a splatband species swap au to explore how that would change their music and whatnot. Hm… Warabi salmonid…

Human designs/Au: In general I like to draw nonhuman characters as human bc it’s a nice creative exercise in translating certain traits (both physical and personality) to something that still gives the same vibe. Uh in an au where everyone is just a modern day human they’d just be like. A “normal” but very experimental band situated/formed in Hokkaido or Okinawa. There’s less animosity between them and inkfish bc Yknow. Human so no gruesome Grizzco war would take place but they still end up with many a rivalry and people they don’t get along with bc of their unique sound often being turned away in favor of the more mainstream musicians and their personalities are just as easy to clash with as in canon.

Putting the last two under a read more bc it’s getting long. And warning for darker content- death, horror, one offhand mention of suicide ahead…

Death/Ghost AU(s): MORE ANGST sorry about your heart. Hopefully this doesn’t grind it to dust. Technically AUs bc there’s like three different hypotheticals here. All involve the same prompt with one of the three dying during a salmon run shift, some sort of freak accident or being too close to the sr stage and getting hit by one of the longer ranged specials (Killer wail, sting ray). But Yknow basically an unexpected undignified death. And then coming back as a ghost and hijinks and angst and low grade nightmare fuel ensue. So basically the 3 outcomes/sub-aus are:

Cellist dies: Very distraught about the dying-and-becoming-a-ghost thing but more so abt having to leave the other two to mourn and pick up the pieces. He haunts his cello, basically clinging onto it and he eventually becomes able to play again (initially he’s very much invisible and intangible but becomes something more along the lines of a poltergeist). But the thing is the other two basically took it home with them bc he’s got got no other living relatives go claim his belongings and they want something to remember him by and can’t bring themselves to part with it so. Haunting ensues. Typical poltergeist happenings and just. They keep hearing him play. It’s horrible to deal with, just a reminder of their own grief. He eventually gains the strength to truly make himself known, able to be seen and communicate more directly… but he appears as he did in his last moments, still bleeding bright pink ink. Still horrific but he’s able to tell them he means no harm. Not to them, at least. He resolves to stay, too stubborn and concerned for the other two to just pass on. So, perma-bleeding ghost here to stay. Yay. While he doesn’t mean to hurt them they rlly don’t like seeing him like this and he becomes prone to bouts of more typical haunting activity that at times becomes aggressive. At one point they do consider exorcising him.

DJ dies: most… “lighthearted” of the three options! Somehow. They end up haunting the home as well, communicating via technology esp their own computer which they turn on and try to control in an attempt to communicate. Unlike with the Cellist version of this au the other two catch on to exactly what’s going on sooner and the DJ does actually make themselves visible earlier on. But they’re otherwise intangible and weak outside of their controlled tech. So for a haunting it’s relatively low in actual traumatizing events, since they’re more amicable and mischievous than the other two when they die. But while they try to be a nice friendly upbeat ghost they’re still rlly upset abt being dead and not as good at hiding it as they think. So between their attempts at being a ghostly prankster they have these bouts of jealousy and grief that they need to be helped through, not to mention how the other two are technically still mourning. Still this is probably the least scary and upsetting outcome? Also the ink color that they bleed would be the typical orange.

Timpanist dies: on the other hand. Oh boy. This version and the Cellist’s are both more upsetting but while that one is more depressing and tragic I feel like this one would go straight devastating horror. I feel like not passing on normally would fuck with the Timpanist. He would not grasp how he is still around and feels like he’s done something wrong if he’s not in the afterlife yet. Unless someone’s keeping it from him. Or unless this is all there is. Maybe at first he would nobly resolve to protect the other two, any way he can. But he can’t. They don’t sense him. He can’t interact. Totally intangible and invisible. Maybe he’s even bound to the exact spot he died, stuck right on stage. Forever. Forced to watch every performance go on without him. Forced to stay anchored to the scene of his last moments, unable to follow his friends home like he used to. Unable to give or get any comfort. And eventually it just breaks him. There’s nothing he can do… but actually there is: he can possess others. Idk how he figures it out but once he does. Every other day, another Inkfish loses it. Takes off the lifesaver ink tank and runs to the nearest salmonid, or the water, open arms. Those who are held down, stopped right when their eyes go wide and their face pale until the moment passes, report hearing a familiar timpani beat, then just… going blank. It continues for a while. Then he gets the bright idea to possess another salmonid. Maybe one of the other two. Now he can finally reach out again. But he’s… changed. He’s not the same person he was. So desperate, without reason or regard… Having heard and seen what happened, the DJ is well aware of what is going on when the Cellist stops what they’re doing, turns to them with wide eyes, and says hello. Or, when they hear those familiar rhythms, and then that familiar voice, fuzzy but still understandable, right in the back of their mind. But he tries to communicate by possessing one or both of them, basically trying to stick around and act like everything can go back to normal. But it gets to the point where’s he’s just no longer able to connect the same way and basically alternates between wreaking havoc on inkfish and trying to stick with the other two, every bout of possession becoming more terrifying and violent. Eventually it gets to the point where they have to get rid of him before he gets rid of them. Then the two outcomes would be that they exorcise him… or die trying. Oh and the ink is either the new yellow green or lilac.

Monster AU: Cellist as an onyrō or ningyo, Timpanist as either a Yukijin (demons that protect Noboribetsu’s Hell Valley) or Onibi Will-o-Wisp sort of ghost (bc Green Flame) and DJ as a Shachihoko (Tiger-Fish hybrid creature). If I go with the Cellist being an Onyrō I’d mix this with the ghost au concept: he’d be a normal mortal before joining the band but would die sometime between 2 and 3, either in a freak accident like in the normal ghost au or… well… as I mentioned in the last hc post… yeah. But he’d come back as a ghost either way and decide to torment Grizzco’s employees forever… and keep making music, because hey, he’s at least tangible enough to still hold the cello. But in this case he’d be more dangerous and malicious than the base ghost au but not as directed towards the others either!

And then there’s my “Omega 3 as Single Player Bosses” proposal which may eventually become a whole au or DLC pitch. Like Deep Cut they’d be fighting you for reasons only kind of sort of related to the issue at hand but probably a little more direct (bc they want to kick your ass for being an inkfish with possible ties to Grizzco and think you straight up abducted little buddy probablyyyy). I think they also may target you if you’re working with OTH in the DLC bc they remember that those two promoted Grizzco so the rivalry that forms between the two bands is mainly born of that and part of the story would be the two having realized Grizzco sux. Or something. I think Marina already had a hunch and has more respect for salmonids but the network still made them advertise and Pearl would be oblivious bc Inkling Propaganda or just not understanding that Salmonids don’t come back when they die.