#unconventional storytelling

[ask-zerotrio]

Epilogue/Author’s final note

Idk if anyone’s been paying attention to how the blog has been transforming over the course of the story, both in answers + meta blog layer, but I hope it’s been a fun ride! I wanted to thank you those who wrote really nice words again ;u; it means a lot, especially when I poured a lot into this blog (Probably more than I should lol.)

Anyway, I really wanted to do a full write up of the blog’s plot/timeline... A summary of the vision, if you will.

Arc 1: An idyllic universe

I’d be lying if I had this plot from the beginning, but the whole of it certainly came in a rush. Anyway, the beginning of this story was very much an AU where Sada and Turo did leave the crater, reuniting with Clavell and Arven before dying. It’s a universe where everything is perfect, and certainly one that Clavell of every universe dreams of, regardless of whether he’s romantically involved with anyone.

Arven gets to have his parents, Clavell gets to have his childhood friends by his side, Sada and Turo see that Paradise was never something found in the past and future.

Arc 2: A crumbling dream

Then, a desire to explore zerotrio “canon” overcame me, and I thought it might be fun to pursue a change in direction via story, as opposed to usual ask blog announcements/retcons. So... upon the mention of harm coming to the trio, Clavell assures himself that Sada and Turo are fine.

Thus begins the crumbling of this ideal world, with Clavell becoming sickly and grieving for something he doesn’t know... But Sada and Turo do. Throughout these few asks, whoever’s responsible for this dream is implied... and I think I’ll leave that for you to guess :)

Reality is rushing back at Clavell, and eventually time runs out for him. Sada and Turo know this, and I hoped I made it clear how apologetic they are (Love these complex, problematic, but fiercely loving professors lol. Their personalities are so intense, Clavell always in the crossfire)...

Arc 3: Zero Lab era

Suddenly, Clavell was no longer available to respond... as per his injury. Instead we have the Zero Lab Search queries: An opportunity for people to investigate what truly happened between the trio historically. No better certainty in happenings than real video footage, no?

An added plus was to show the trio’s early relationship together during the Tera Orb research eras... Fluffy filler between the grimness of what becomes of them.

Although the “footage” isn’t posted in chronological order, they are all still roughly dated to show a coherent-ish timeline of Sada +Turo and Clavell beginning to have different priorities for Arven’s sake. Arguments had and never truly resolved... logs of Sada and Turo’s absence in Arven’s young life... so forth.

Peppered amidst all these were little clues, as well as puzzles. I attempted to throw a red herring, wanting to keep Sada and Turo’s deaths a not so secret for longer.

Eventually however, we reach present day, with lots of footage locked or damaged. Clavell, Sada and Turo are never shown, but their impacts of their action are. (These poor poor wild Scream Tails haha.)

Arc 4: Present day

We finally arrive at the true present day... with Clavell facing off Protocol Sada and Turo on his own.

The reveal isn’t a crazy twist, nor did I really want it to. But the build up had been for a tragedy we already knew/are familiar with: that Sada and Turo died for their dreams....

But in these final moments where Clavell woke from a vision that felt too real, Protocol Sada and Turo weren’t immune to it either.

Zero Lab queries no longer function as they used to, and asking about the past hurts. Sada and Turo’s conscious speaks through the logs. (Its true workings I leave to your imagination, but I liked the thought of the AI and Protocol representing the two parts of a whole Professor.) We see the final moments of Sada and Turo in what is a death-defying retrospective.

What next... complicated/messy resolutions. Clavell saved, Sada and Turo “alive” but different. It’s more open ended than I intended, but I think it’s also alright to leave things to the imagination... 

The trio have always been in search of their respective treasures, and though it takes a long and rough journey...

... lost treasure can always be found.

[joncronshawauthor]

How Fantasy Writers Can Draw Inspiration from Red Dwarf

In the boundless realm of fantasy literature, where authors conjure tales from the depths of their imagination, inspiration can emerge from a myriad of sources, including the world of science fiction comedy. “Red Dwarf,” a beloved sci-fi sitcom known for its unique blend of humour, character-driven stories, and speculative science, offers a wealth of creative insights for fantasy authors. Let’s…

[autisticbritishcowboy]

The New York Times

6/12/1855

Dwarf inventions might result in countless casualties

A dwarf artificer who wishes to remain anonymous has created a new invention with potential military uses that could result in thousands of casualties and leads to the creation of an effective hell on Earth. The device in question is called a land ship. The original intent behind its creation was to act as a cargo ship but functioning over vast amounts of land instead of Ocean. The device which is essentially a Square metal box on train wheels linked together with rubber known as a caterpillar track designed with the intention that it would carry large amounts of goods and people across the American west abeling them to travel from the East to as far west as California without the need for railroads. Although several railroad companies and age coach companies are looking into it the likelihood of its adoption is rare however. certain militant abolitionist groups most prominently dwarf lead abolition group known as The Hammers of freedom have expressed various interest in this and journalists working for the New York Times have discovered that people within the faction intends to weaponize it turning it into a walking fortress. They plan to use this both as part of their underground railroad network if violence are upset but also to use it as an above ground combat vehicle should a civil war break out. How's the slavery question grows ever more present on the Minds of Americans the question is will this erupt into Nationwide fighting like has been seen in Kansas. or will it ultimately fizzle out with compromise or something else.

Writers notes

Stats still in the fantasy wild west I've just decided to use a different format. Also sorry if the lack of punctuation is confusing. If you like this kind of format then let me know and I'll probably write some more in there I'm also planning to do maybe like a series of short form content like on tiktok for YouTube shorts set in this world so let me know if that's something you'll be interested in because I honestly don't know if I'm going to do it. Also to people who are following my account sorry I haven't been posting in a while I just haven't really had the energy. I am still working on the fantasy World West but I just haven't had the energy to post it or do anything on here in a while and honestly I'm considering getting off Tumblr I will still be doing this project and sharing my art and stuff but it'll mostly be on Instagram or short form content or something like that.

[ancientroyalblood]

Exploring Non-Linear Narratives: Writing Out of Sequence

In the realm of storytelling, the traditional sequence is but one path to follow, a well-trodden road where events unfurl one after another, much like dominos carefully aligned, ready to fall. Yet, in the shadows, there exists another path, a web of narratives intertwined, where each word, each sentence, is a piece of a puzzle not yet complete. This exploration seeks to dissect the notions of…

[fiendishartist2]

me when queer love prevails even in a tragedy

[canismajors]

<- they are watching another ballet

[frootbyethefoot]

dbd askblog in the style of zarina interviewing survivors and killers...

[xxhe-m]

Arabia in Blue, Ж

ibuprofen dust, ebony ink, blue ink, torn up birthday card, unnamed arabic quote book and acrylic paint on found print board

Oct 2023

From the Series “Sharps”

Name Your Price 🪸

[stegosaurus-enjoyer]

reblogging cause i need the whole world to see this. absolutely went insane for it but ESPECIALLY question 17??hwat the fuck this is a masterpiece

all the cool kids are thinking about quizzes as another medium for storytelling btw. and also about frankenstein. anyway who wants to wake up in the laboratory

[lohstandfound]

spores & symbiotic my beloved,,,,,,,

[joncronshawauthor]

The Impact of The Prince of Thorns on Fantasy Literature

When Mark Lawrence unleashed “The Prince of Thorns” upon the unsuspecting world, it was like dropping a ravenous wolf into a pen of fluffy sheep. Fantasy literature would never be the same. In a genre often adorned with noble quests and honourable heroes, Lawrence’s grimdark tale stormed in with blood, vengeance, and a protagonist who makes Joffrey Baratheon look like a choirboy. Let’s take a…

[itsme-addapearle]

If I could add, consider Theatre 🎭

It is a fabulous medium of storytelling, creativity, and unconventional/riotous/anarchist thinking.

Make your own community troupes or find ones near you.

Learn basic set construction and lighting and sound and costumes and scenic painting. Learn learn learn! There are TONS of books and workshops and YouTube videos to learn from, and you don’t need all the expensive, professional level gear to get started.

YouTube channels:

American Theatre Wing

Simple Stagecraft

Sydney Opera House

JN Group

These are professionals here to teach viewers the basics of stagecraft and design. There are also plenty of DIY how-to videos as well in both stage theatre and at home video production. LEARN!

Art. Can. Die.

This is my battle cry in the face of the silent extinguishing of an entire generation of artists by AI.

And you know what? We can't let that happen. It's not about fighting the future, it's about shaping it on our terms. If you think this is worth fighting for, please share this post. Let's make this debate go viral - because we need to take action NOW.

Remember that even in the darkest of times, creativity always finds a way.

To unleash our true potential, we need first to dive deep into our darkest fears.

So let's do this together:

By the end of 2025, most traditional artist jobs will be gone, replaced by a handful of AI-augmented art directors. Right now, around 5 out of 6 concept art jobs are being eliminated, and it's even more brutal for illustrators. This isn't speculation: it's happening right now, in real-time, across studios worldwide.

At this point, dogmatic thinking is our worst enemy. If we want to survive the AI tsunami of 2025, we need to prepare for a brutal cyberpunk reality that isn’t waiting for permission to arrive. This isn't sci-fi or catastrophism. This is a clear-eyed recognition of the exponential impact AI will have on society, hitting a hockey stick inflection point around April-May this year. By July, February will already feel like a decade ago. This also means that we have a narrow window to adapt, to evolve, and to build something new.

Let me make five predictions for the end of 2025 to nail this out:

Every major film company will have its first 100% AI-generated blockbuster in production or on screen.

Next-gen smartphones will run GPT-4o-level reasoning AI locally.

The first full AI game engine will generate infinite, custom-made worlds tailored to individual profiles and desires.

Unique art objects will reach industrial scale: entire production chains will mass-produce one-of-a-kind pieces. Uniqueness will be the new mass market.

Synthetic AI-generated data will exceed the sum total of all epistemic data (true knowledge) created by humanity throughout recorded history. We will be drowning in a sea of artificial ‘truths’.

For us artists, this means a stark choice: adapt to real-world craftsmanship or high-level creative thinking roles, because mid-level art skills will be replaced by cheaper, AI-augmented computing power.

But this is not the end. This is just another challenge to tackle.

Many will say we need legal solutions. They're not wrong, but they're missing the bigger picture: Do you think China, Pakistan, or North Korea will suddenly play nice with Western copyright laws? Will a "legal" dataset somehow magically protect our jobs? And most crucially, what happens when AI becomes just another tool of control?

Here's the thing - boycotting AI feels right, I get it. But it sounds like punks refusing to learn power chords because guitars are electrified by corporations. The systemic shift at stake doesn't care if we stay "pure", it will only change if we hack it.

Now, the empowerment part: artists have always been hackers of narratives.

This is what we do best: we break into the symbolic fabric of the world, weaving meaning from signs, emotions, and ideas. We've always taken tools never meant for art and turned them into instruments of creativity. We've always found ways to carve out meaning in systems designed to erase it.

This isn't just about survival. This is about hacking the future itself.

We, artists, are the pirates of the collective imaginary. It’s time to set sail and raise the black flag.

I don't come with a ready-made solution.

I don't come with a FOR or AGAINST. That would be like being against the wood axe because it can crush skulls.

I come with a battle cry: let’s flood the internet with debate, creative thinking, and unconventional wisdom. Let’s dream impossible futures. Let’s build stories of resilience - where humanity remains free from the technological guardianship of AI or synthetic superintelligence. Let’s hack the very fabric of what is deemed ‘possible’. And let’s do it together.

It is time to fight back.

Let us be the HumaNet.

Let’s show tech enthusiasts, engineers, and investors that we are not just assets, but the neurons of the most powerful superintelligence ever created: the artist community.

Let's outsmart the machine.

Stéphane Wootha Richard

P.S: This isn't just a message to read and forget. This is a memetic payload that needs to spread.

Send this to every artist in your network.

Copy/paste the full text anywhere you can.

Spread it across your social channels.

Start conversations in your creative communities.

No social platform? Great! That's exactly why this needs to spread through every possible channel, official and underground.

Let's flood the datasphere with our collective debate.

[autisticbritishcowboy]

30/9/23

It's hard to think I've been in the hotel for almost a month now. It's strange that this place full of demons Eldridge Horrors and mysterious magics has become homely it's infinite twisting labyrinths feel comforting and reinsuring. I went to the Gardens today showed up to the Archery Club I had previously seen a flyer for. In total there were about 4 other people there including the instructor. The various different anomalies and anomalous people that occupada hotel aren't something I particularly noticed anymore I have grown used to them. Which is just as well because the vast majority are actually good people you wouldn't think about it but one of my closest friends is a suit wearing demon and he's a total legend. My other friend is a half giant from 1910 and he's also a pretty chill dude who just spends most of his time playing video games. I even met the Eldridge creature in the top hat who plays piano. I didn't talk to him very long but he seemed like a nice guy. I'm talking to more people here than I probably did back in the normal world. Most of the people here seem more friendly as well. Plus they aren't constantly making up stupid neurotypical rules. Most of the people there were just normal looking humans most of the people in the hotel were and their anomalous abilities were not obvious many of them being wizards. The outstand however was the instructor he was a centaur. I had not seen one of those before and greeted him. Chiron welcome to me openly and went through the safety stuff quickly after I told him that I had done archery before what might turn out to be my Canon event. I shot a couple of arrows with him and got to know the people there who I quickly made friends with. They remind me of some of my old archery and non-archery friends back in the normal world. I spent most of the afternoon with them in the grounds of the hotel near near a patch of Woods but overshadowed by the outside of the hotel itself. Soon after that I came back to Charlie's room and played Mario games after that I went to my own room and are now preparing to go to sleep.

[melancholiaenthroned]

finally reading brainwyrms its so fucking good... the curious cat chapter is so.

[astrologydray]

Your Ascendant through the degrees 🧍🏾

The degree of the Ascendant (ASC) in the natal chart adds extra nuance to how a person expresses their outward identity, first impressions, and approach to life. Since the Ascendant represents the mask we wear to the world, its degree can show additional personality traits, strengths, challenges, and even fated themes.

0° – A raw and unfiltered expression of the sign. This person embodies their rising sign in the most direct way, often making a striking first impression. Can be a “pioneer” in how they present themselves.

1° – Strong individuality and presence. This person may have a unique or unconventional appearance, standing out naturally in a crowd.

2° – A balance between confidence and self-awareness. Can have a calm but magnetic presence.

3° – Communicative and expressive. This degree often gives a natural charm or an ability to engage with others easily.

4° – A solid and grounded presence. This person might appear more serious, reliable, or mature beyond their years.

5° – Creative, playful, and attention-grabbing. Can have an artistic or theatrical way of presenting themselves.

6° – Often highly intuitive and empathetic. This degree may indicate a strong emotional depth behind the initial impression.

7° – Mysterious, enigmatic, or hard to read. People may find them intriguing but difficult to truly understand.

8° – Powerful and magnetic. This person exudes confidence and may naturally draw attention without trying.

9° – A visionary or idealist. They come across as deeply philosophical or strongly tied to their beliefs.

10° – Disciplined and composed. May have a mature, professional, or responsible demeanor.

11° – Makes them a natural leader or innovator. People look to them for inspiration.

12° – Highly adaptable and open-minded. May have an easygoing, yet unpredictable, presence.

13° – A deeply transformative energy. This degree can make a person mysterious or constantly evolving in how they present themselves.

14° – Often charming and persuasive. Has a social or diplomatic way of interacting with others.

15° – A balanced and harmonious energy. People may see them as approachable, well-rounded, or naturally attractive.

16° – Can appear rebellious or unconventional. Often challenges societal norms in their personal style or behavior.

17° – Magnetic and influential. This person may be naturally authoritative or respected in social settings.

18° – A deeply intuitive and possibly spiritual energy. People might feel like they have an “old soul” presence.

19° – A mix of independence and charisma. They can come across as both friendly and distant.

20° – Often has a strong presence, commanding attention without trying. May have an air of authority.

21° – A social butterfly. This degree often makes a person naturally popular or well-liked.

22° – A degree giving them a sense of purpose and ambition that others notice immediately.

23° – Unpredictable and unconventional. Can be a trendsetter or someone who defies expectations.

24° – A mix of warmth and intensity. May appear inviting but also have an air of mystery.

25° – A natural performer or storyteller. This person may have a theatrical or larger-than-life presence.

26° – Highly independent and strong-willed. Others see them as fearless or determined.

27° – A deep thinker. People may feel they are constantly analyzing or observing their surroundings.

28° – A unique mix of wisdom and eccentricity. This degree often carries a “genius” energy in how they express themselves.

29° – The Ascendant at 29° makes someone intensely embody their rising sign while also feeling a sense of urgency about their identity. They may undergo major changes in self-expression throughout life and feel fated to fulfill a specific personal mission.