#which is also why i wish you could be poly in game

[trashwithvariety]

this might be a controversial take but I think Lucanis and Neve are cute together

romancing Emmrich and letting them fumble around each other was arguably more rewarding than Lucanis' romance

which obviously is frustrating for Lucanis-mancers (also me) but I was giggling at their little scenes and dialogue

[moonbiscuitsims]

SIMDEW VALLEY SET 🍄👩🏿‍🌾🐷🐴🐄🧙🏿‍♂️🌻🌽

Stardew Valley Pixel Art Floors/Walls/Deco (TS4) Download Below

Aside from a couple most of these pics are just the demo pics showing what's included, more CC in game pics can be seen here

🍄Misc Large Decals

In order: Junimo huts + large Junimos, Holdiay Decor and "sky decor", furniture items, rarecrows, plants.

🍄Wall Decals Paintings and Banners:

🍄Wall Decals Misc small:

Adventure stuff and boots, small junimos, random furniture items slime monsters different expressions

🍄Wall decals Gems and Minerals:

I didn't do them all, just some that I liked.

🍄Wall decals farm animals

🍄Wall decals Fishing

Again just the fish I wanted to do, not all:

🍄Wall decals Harvestables, Crops, Products:

Here's a random in game pic (see more in links provided at top or bottom of post), all decals show through glass too!

🍄Stardew Valley Villagers (yes the bear is a villager I refuse to accept otherwise) portraits

The portraits are the only item with actual dimension, I recoloured a base game framed painting, so these are not flat like the rest of decals. (they look a bit orange but that's just my mood lighting)

🍄Walls and Flooring (indoor and outdoor flooring)

I did all the ones you see here:

For the floors I made a large and small version of all:

🍄You can see more CC in game pics in my wip post here

Are you sick and tired of those smooth graphics from Sims 4? Do you wish you could replace those pesky curves and detailed HQ textures with nothing but square pixel heaven and flat colours? To be finally rid of all those 3D bump/light effects and replace them with volume-less cardboard cut-out illusion and imagination? Do you want your build/game to look just like Stardew Valley? Or do you simply think that if the sims team are gonna give us low poly and low quality meshes and textures might as well do it properly? Fear not! The solution is here! I made a new Stardew Valley save (why I need yet another save that I'll never have time to complete I don't know) and tried my first build, the recreation of my current (and only) farm. It was ok but I got frustrated at how "Sims 4" everything looked, and checked for stardew valley cc conversions, art, decor but only find people making it using sims 4 stuff, which is probably the most logical thing but not for me! So I made this as there are plenty of game assets from Stardew Valley available online and however tedious and time-consuming resizing the tiniest of pixel art images is to fit Sims 4, it is fairly easy and doable, so I did it. I did skip some items in each category as there are way too many and just did the ones I like, sorry if there was one I didn't include. Also there are some floors in the game or icons that I couldn't find. Some Junimos were taken from the internet but most are individually resized game assets. INFO: all decals in wall deco, all are zero simoleons, and the portraits are 10. You can find my stuff typing "moonbiscuitsims" or "stardew". All have correct colour filter tags and removed "talk to object (insane)" and "can be struck by lightning" (these things annoy me or could cause more distractions for my sims, sorry if you like this though I'm sure there are plenty of objects to talk to/ lightning strikable objects). I don't know if this has an effect. All the portraits are just tagged as brown. All are resizable to your liking. Forgot to mention the floors i think are in wood flooring and outdoor flooring; and I think the walls in panelling. REQUIREMENTS: Nada, nothing. Just base game. (though I did accidentally make one item from a get to work decal by mistake, I remade it to fix it and I've play tested everything, but let me know if something doesn't show up.

PLEASE READ AND RESPECT MY TOU AND DO NOT ❌❌❌: - ❌ Reupload - ❌ Include in sim downloads - ❌ Put behind paywall of any kind no matter what. - ❌ Claim as yours. If you wanna use the texture files to make other different original content that is fine as long as it is different from mine and NO PAYWALLS and no reuploading my stuff. The images are from Stardew Valley, but I spent ages editing every single one to fit the sims, and this took me days to do. All my stuff is free. I don't care about conversions to ts2 or ts3 but NO PAYWALLS and please tag and credit me. If used for screenshots please tag me too, I'd love to see <3 🍄DOWNLOAD (including a pick and choose or a merged file with everything, don't get both) 🍄ALT DOWNLOAD PATREON Enjoy! Happy Simming/Farming

🌵🥥🌴NEW!! Calico Desert Addon🌴🥥🌵

Stardew Valley fav music playlist 🎵🎵🎵

[astracora]

A Mandated Holiday Break - Chapter 5

Characters: Sylus x gn!mc (poly lads)

Warnings: Loose spoilers for 'Mischief' anecdote and Sylus Myth.

Word Count: 1275

Written: 21st December 2024

Notes: Post-relationship Sylus/MC-centric but poly LADs, with my personal pov of the game and lil headcanons littered in.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Masterlist

You've passed out, midway through some movie about a man in green visiting some city in search of his father. Sometime during your movie marathon with Sylus, he'd noticed you'd stopped caring what you'd put on. He'd gotten too invested in Die Hard (a Christmas movie, you swore), and had been more than horrified that the inaccuracies didn't bother you.

At that point you'd stopped showing him movies you really loved, instead giggling with glee at making him watch some of the worst or silliest things you could find. To see his nose scrunch, and what you'd (incorrectly) called his snobby rich boy taste.

Of all the movies you could watch, he refused to understand why toilet humour had entertained you so.

It hadn't, he thinks, his inability to not roll his eyes, had been your goal.

Still, the laughter had been worth it. He would do anything to hear it forever, so perhaps he'd let you play terrible movies for the end of time.

As you murmured in your sleep, at which he'd lowered his head to try to make words out. (Something about a farmers market, and a duck?) He'd left your side, reluctant but knowing you needed to eat. Something other than cookies. You'd at least drank the water he made sure was at your side, if he left you alone he thinks you'd subsist off caffeine.

When he untangles himself from you, carefully, so carefully because while he'd love to bring you with him, the bags under your eyes demand more sleep than you've been getting. He checks you over once more, tugging the soft pink blanket over you. (It doesn't match the decor but you'd said pink suited him. He'd given you a look of disbelief... but he hadn't stopped using it since. Despite running a higher temperature than anyone you knew.)

He met the twins in the kitchen, stuffing sugar cookies into their mouths, as soon as they heard the door open. Two pairs of guilty, wide eyes shot to stare.

He's seen raccoons before, digging through food in the bins. He won't compare them, out loud, but the look is similar. "You better hope the doctor doesn't count those." Luke gulps, Kieran fidgets.

There was little the doctor was protective over, or possessive over. Sugar, and the kitten curled up on his sofa, were the two that mattered. He'd also been informed of their presence, waiting for him.

Sylus knows no matter what, even the N109 zone wouldn't keep the good doctor away from either of those things, especially in the same room.

With a smug, little self satisfied purr, he stuffs one of the fresh baked cookies into his mouth.

Food was always better shared, than alone, as he'd learned over the years.

"Is it dinner time?" Luke asks, swinging his legs as he jumps back up on the counter. Watching Sylus grab things from around the room, pulling his phone out to find a recipe he'd been sent by the prince.

'I want to make this.'

'I'm not letting you make it in my kitchen.'

'They'll like it.'

'They won't like the base being set on fire.'

In the end he'd promised to make it instead. If only to save everyone from the prince's electronic based curse.

He nods at the question, and as he watches the two out the corner of his eye, he realises he has no idea when they started living here.

He's aware of the time they've been working for him, he remembers the day he met them vividly. He's deeply familiar with how he felt watching them struggle against Ever's bonds.

The crystals gouged out of skin, the pain, the yearning. It had twisted parts of his chest, and torn at old memories he wished he could forget.

It was never easy to separate from the past, it stayed a part of you even if you desperately wished it wouldn't.

Still, he has no recollection for when they went from visiting for work, to staying, always present unless they wanted to explore together. Talking to him with candour... no, formality was never the twin's forte.

Something had changed, however, and he wasn't sure when.

He follows steps as he muses, though doesn't share his thinking out loud, after all, they seem content to just watch. Sticking leftover crumbs in their mouths, and chattering to each other.

Sylus doesn't really know when making meals for others became like this, he started because it made you happy, he continued because he liked doing it. A simple task, but it garnered praise, and joy. Food was not something he'd needed before, now, however, it was a gift to be shared.

It was simply just as easy to prepare for four (five, as he makes enough to save a plate for the prince), as it was for two.

Kieran hums the song that you were playing earlier, still out of tune, and he has to bite back his laugh, but finds himself joining in. He doesn't remember the words yet he's never discontent for his mind to remember you in every song he ever hears.

"Hey Hunter!"

"Morning!"

You enter the room, rubbing at your eyes, and he finds himself smiling at you easily. It's more a quirk of the lips, and garnet eyes melting, but you smile back as though he's beaming.

Perhaps in his way, he is. He's still unpracticed with joy. With emotions.

Showing them is hard, so he speaks them and he places them into your hands (for your heart to keep) in actions.

He refuses to let you think he is not earnest. Never to lie, never to flatter. You will never doubt his affections, he promises.

As you yawn and pull yourself up onto the kitchen counter, and he wonders why he bothered to buy stools for the bar. None of you seem to use them, content to hover too close. Comment and talk and titter away.

When he'd asked, you'd shrugged. "I like to be tall." You'd teased, kissing his forehead at the height the counter allowed you.

His cheeks had flamed and he'd blinked. Surprised and confused. Until the feeling settled into a burning need. So hungry and desperate and clawing, he'd pulled you in by the back of your neck and bitten, kissed and licked his way up your throat.

Your laughter and sighs had stuck in his head for weeks after.

He found himself wishing you'd do it again, every single time you sat on the counter to watch him cook.

Instead of the twins singing, though you seem to find it entertaining to watch them relax, you reconnect your phone to the sound system he installed in the kitchen.

For you, ever since he visited your own place to see your speakers hooked up on the wall, humming away as you baked bread. Told him music made any task better, even the ones you hated.

Sylus has been so used to solitude his entire life. Before the abyss, after the abyss. He's spent longer alone, than he has with others. Even when he built Onychinus, ground up, clawing and scratching to his makeshift throne, nothing had touched that solitude.

His time in the clouds had been short in comparison. A blip.

A torn out moment as close to bliss as he could ever have thought to get.

This. Here. A low chuckle in his throat, songs in the air, and warmth in his joined heart... he could not bear to trade or lose.

Even when one of the twins, pointing at each other when whirled on, throws a slice of carrot at his head.

[viridianv0id]

Can I ask about the soldiers and schisms? I've always had a softspot for the two modified by hell cyborg sinners

MY GOD YES

(refrains from making a joke about the name schism)

okay so. ill actually just start with soldiers bc they also really interest me and were very much an inspiration for my oc !!

Seeing just how modified a Soldier is is really cool, to see how they improved upon the typical Stray form - to enhance the power they already had as a Stray - which actually in turn gives Strays a lot more intelligence than i think they're afforded (both in game and the fandom)

but Soldiers take it another level methinks

with their augments they have better control and the machine parts of them even slightly enhance the power of their energy - because when they get these enhancements they're suddenly a greater husk instead of a lesser husk like the stray - which is a BIG jump for a husk by the looks of it - at least comparing to other husks that is

Soldiers even end up ditching whatever instinct is in them to move *away* from V1, whatever these augments do it also instills a confidence in them seen in no other Stray, since they aren't afraid to deal a pretty harsh kick now they have sweet new metal kicks (pun intended lol)

I also like to think that the stray is more flimsy than it appears, and thats also maybe why the soldier has the stance it does (holding its primary arm canon over the front of its body - almost shielding it) and why there is specifically a piece of metal on its face, to protect its head a lot better as well as just generally supporting their frail build (bc lets be real, Strays are weak asf and if push comes to shove would not survive an attack from a SINGLE fucking Filth)

Schisms are also cool for the fact of being a conjoined soul - i actually like to think many schisms are lovers - with their love running so deep and wishing to remain in the afterlife together as they had in their lives - their sheer willpower allowed their souls to form in the exact same location

a show of being one with the other, being whole and fulfilled with your existence right by the side of the person you cared about the most

and id like to think this isnt just the case for monogamous couples, i really think poly couples have done the same and there are schisms out there that are made up of more than two souls

now there also very much could be accidental schisms - ones who truly did just happen to form and manifest in the exact same location but i feel like thats such a rare occurrence to happen

i think any modifications and augments the schism has are often just to help support the literal weight of two people in one, shared body - looking at the model the most obvious additions looks to be a support/ spinal upgrade as well as their blaster arm

[just-a-carrot]

Hello Carrot!

Ok so I was the anonymous poly asker but since I wanna draw some of the Au’s I yapped about I don’t see a reason to ask anonymously anymore.

that and I was originally soo terrified of asking a question cause I’ve been in many many toxic fandoms (I had to be hyped up to even originally ask my question )

First of all, this fandom has been one of the nicest and most respectful fan bases I’ve ever encountered.

Second, Ow was one of the first media’s to ever make me shed a tear I honestly loved everything about Ow (I also developed I mini obsession with Jerry, that and I sounded like an absolute crazy person playing the game while on call with friends and during arc 5 I out of nowhere yelled “NO MOTHER JERRY”)

But the reason I wrote Is because I got an Au idea and ist been plaguing my mind all day.

Basically at the end of every arc Iggy wished for smt and the two that stuck with me where the wish he never existed and the wanting to make his friends happy one.

And in the Au that popped up he kinda gets that wish with everyone waking up back at home with like a déjà vu feeling and since I think bucks ended up there too ig the reason she goes to wonderland is to save their kid.

They all end up in Wonderland at the same time with the feeling of wanting to find smt and end up hearing a conversation of one of the bunny soldiers scolding someone for exploring all by himself and that dinner would be soon.

Fast forward and their at the town and find the younger versions of Bucks and Gidget and they offer to take them “home” witch is similar to Gidget’s house in arc 5 but with the downstairs area being filled with toys and plushies with caretaker bunnies running around and the upstairs being more nicer and put together kinda like an apartment

They they end up meeting Iggy who’s like also kind of a caretaker with him occasionally joining the kids for dinner or to play games with them on their request (which refers slightly back to the wanting to make all his friends happy wish)

But the others want him back of course, which would lead to like a minor conflict of him not wanting to leave the kids but also wanting to make Wonderland safer because it was not safe when he first entered etc.

I’d dunno how I’d end it might make a comic about it cause I feel like there’s some potential in the Au I’ll have to see.

BTW SOO SORRY IT BECAME THIS LONG !!

I’ll most likely take a brake of asking questions (and also learn to yapp less) to focus more on drawing Ow stuff until I get a good grip on how to draw everyone.

Again soo sorry for yapping this much 

ahhhhhh i'm sorry you felt nervous!! i get it though it's really hard for me too to reach out or message someone / send in an ask, etc.

i never mind long asks! though i don't always know how to respond very well all the time lkdjfad so you'll have to sometimes forgive me. and hahaha i'm really glad you liked jerry!!

that sounds really interesting. like an AU where somehow the kid versions of them are also there in wonderland or something?? unless i'm misunderstanding. admittedly the "make my friends happy" wish was the wish he made AS a kid (and why he's now stuck in loops trying to make them all happy, except that he can't), but i could see like, some interesting possibilities where it somehow becomes even more morphed and convoluted with the different versions or something, perhaps if like, there just get to be too many different timelines so they all start to converge perhaps. i've never thought about something like that before

a version of wonderland that's NOT all messed up even when they're adults would be particularly interesting to explore. well, i suppose that's what bucks, gidget, and orlam experienced at first when they first went in LOL

[irrealisms]

Game Over. Try Again? liner notes

fic here if you haven't read it!

first thing i want to say is: this fic is heavily inspired by Samsara / 輪迴 by ForgivenMemes. if you're an mdzs fan and can handle the content warnings, go check it out.

some Actual Time Loop (rather than time travel) concepts that didn't get written: zam's last week of the server, from bedrock box to the wormhole. vitalasy on two birds/deliverance day.

however i did a lot of thinking about, like, who or what is causing the time loop? why? how can they break out? and eventually came to an answer: they're the ones causing the time loop, because they just keep trying and trying to make this work, long after it has become obvious that it can't work, because they love each other. so i wrote this instead. i could have given it a happier ending where vitalasy eventually breaks the time loop by Letting Go and Moving On to Season Five but this is thematically speaking ... the story we already got in s4? in canon, at the finale, vitalasy is able to let go of zam and move on to s5. so i wanted to make him a bit worse. also im obsessed with [cycles you cannot break and are trapped in forever].

it had to be vitalasy or zam because subz, after like two loops, would Simply Not Invite Zam. tbh. and out of vitalasy and zam, one of them already has Miscellaneous Glitch Powers, so.

relatedly: you don't get to see much of this in the fic but spoke (a) does not know what, exactly, vitalasy is doing to the server (b) does know that he's doing something. spoke would NOT be happy about the time travel. he worked so hard on the apocalypse!!!! it's the END of season four not the "okay now time to go back a few months". come on vitalasy where's the narrative catharsis

another fun fact from planning: if it had been a time loop proper and not time travel as controlled by vitalasy, they would've suspected spoke as behind it, but it absolutely would not have been spoke. spoke does not care enough about eclipse poly drama to put you in a time loop about it sorry guys

vitalasy paces a lot in this fic. that's a pretty common stressed/trapped animal thing. you see foxes do it a lot, in fur farms or pseudo-sanctuaries or generally abusive living conditions.

he also spins! that's just a vitalasy trait. watch any vod with vitalasy in it from a non-vitalasy pov and note how much he spins. it's a good trait. i wish i had included more of him spinning but i couldn't find a ton of good spots for it so he only spins once.

you know the thing life series fans say. "[character] never left [location]." none of eclipse federation ever left eclipse federation. now you may say, zam did very much leave eclipse federation, it was kind of a big deal that zam left eclipse federation? which is true! however. in the life series sense, none of them left eclipse federation, in that none of them are at all over it.

i think a lot about post-betrayal s4 eclipse federation. they're still hanging onto it. they hang onto it after and despite zam's betrayal, long after it's clear that it can't exist again like it did before. they keep trying and trying and trying even as it only becomes more and more apparent that the trying doesn't help. because they love each other. and that's what this fic is about.

sparrow called this out in the comments but. the multiple meanings of 'zam made their bed'. zam made their bed (physically, he placed it and designed it.) zam made their bed (physically, he made the covers nicer.) zam made their bed (he made this relationship what it was, you can't get rid of him without getting rid of that.) zam made their bed (now lie in it.)

i like the note of vitalasy putting his hearts in a chest for them at the end. he doesn't even know if subz and zam will keep existing in this timeline! and he didn't label it 'for subz'. zam is planning on betraying him that day and he still left the hearts for him, too. man!

also it's in glowing dyed ink to be a little reminiscent of All The Sign Rooms. my beta kelardry added that detail :3

here's a secret: i can, actually, imagine possibilities that went differently and ended up happier for eclipse. (most of them are "vitalasy replays subz's suicide enough that he successfully finds a way to get subz to agree to stay alive".) however, at that point, the fic would become canon divergence rather than time loop, so instead i made subz's suicide more of a fixed point. sorry vitalasy!

[spacenintendogs]

5, 6, 1 for the ask game? If it’s not too much trouble ^^

1. Which part of the series was your introduction to HTTYD? How old were you when you first became a fan?

i rmr it pretty well. i was abt 11 years old & my mom found the first movie on comcast on demand & wanted to find a movie for us we (my siblings & i) hadn't seen so she chose it. i rmr the year prior with all the commercials on tv & stuff & was like hey!! i rmr wanting to see this! cool!! and i rlly liked the movie!!!!! my full obsession, however, didn't start until abt a year later when she brought home this pack of the first 6 books (that's all that was available at the time!) & reading through them i rewatched the movie & we had it on dvd by that point and that was it. the rest is history

5. What type of dragon do you think best matches your personality?

oh gosh. the impulse to say my fave but whispering deaths don't rlly "match" me personality wise. tbh a gronckle, me thinks. with a personality like meatlug or shattermaster. :') they're such goofy goobers but they're also rlly sweet & i am so soft for that LOL. they remind me of the dog i grew up with with how snorty they are & the way they wag their tails :'))

6. What are your favourite ships in the fandom and why?

haaaa.

snotstrid... IDK their chemistry is just??? i love how they constantly bicker & snotlout is just a piece of shit & it causes astrid to retaliate & treat him like that even when he's not actively being a piece of shit which pisses him off & yet they always somehow end up by each other or saving each other much to astrid's chagrin half the time & then snotlout's confusion UGH ESP SNOTLOUT'S ANGELS the nose flick & then astrid admitting she doesn't hate him & his FACE HIS FUCKING FACE he's so got a genuine crush on her but doesn't know how to Behave & i love them getting together & then breaking up & for astrid it's smth she looks back on fondly but never wants to go back to while snotlout is stuck adding her to his list of ppl being the one that got away & yearning..... they're also so funny together & i feel like if they're ever on the same page they're so powerful & it's scary LOL

fishlout used to be my fave & i still love it. rtte spent more time building their relationship to each other than either of them with ruffnut & we all saw the potential of what could have been :') it can easily fall into the jock x nerd thing but it's more than that to me bc while fishlegs is anxious he doesn't take snotlout's shit lying on his back (esp after gem of a different color) & by rtte fishlegs is rolling his eyes & quipping back & it's just forever this contest of who comes out on top & then u have thw whole thor bonecrusher thing & it can so easily be an exploration in snotlout's bisexuality (and fishlegs'!) esp after return of thor bonecrusher when snotlout is just SO happy fishlegs is back to the point where he gives him a hug (and was like :D woah when fishlegs bodied a dude to protect him) & they def had a brief stint after that. they don't talk abt it. it's only between them... snotlout yearns so badly...

i'm realizing my fave ship is anything that'll make snotlout yearn & wish he could have someone as all of his friends find their ppl or are comfortable with themselves enough to not need a romantic partner LMAO

i like a lot more ships than i talk abt tbh!! i just like taking characters like they're my dolls and making them kiss lol. heathstrid, ruffther, hiccstrid, heathlegs, rufflout, rufflegs, tufflegs, eretlout, etc!! i like the art & fics ppl make abt tufflout but it's just not my thing (if that makes sense!!) i also like lot of the poly ships, too! literally i just thrive off making this group of teens who probably spend too much time together but don't rlly have anyone else to spend time with have relationship drama LOL

[wordsandrobots]

002 for Shino please 🙏

For this ask game. Major spoilers herein

How I feel about this character: 

What a perfect dummy.

Norba Shino is the living embodiment of why we care about Tekkadan. Because they are, despite their profession, just as capable of warmth, enthusiasm, care and love as any other bunch of kids. And of being idiots, of being horny, of committing all the mistakes and stupid arguments you'd expect from teenagers.

Which is why it's the right move for him to be the first major casualty as season 2 races towards its inevitable conclusion. All those things -- all that humanity -- leads to Shino's rash attempt to kill Rustal Elion, to him throwing his life away on something that serves very little purpose beyond making everyone feel better about having tried. It's prideful, stupid and reckless, driven by a desperate need to be taken seriously. Everything that makes Tekkadan what it is.

Also he's bi as hell. I adore the great big jug-eared lunk.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: 

Hmm. See, sexually, I could ship Shino with practically anyone. My man is not fussy and he has the kind of personality that could mesh well with most of the cast, frankly. But romance . . . I dunno. I don't actually think, at the point he is in the show itself, Shino is very much capable of romance.

Regardless, current run down of slash-pairings I have written/may write:

Yamagi/Shino = 'I finally got a clue and also PTSD'

Yamagi/Shino/Eugene = 'hey, did you know I'm allowed to sleep with my friends?'

Yamagi/Chad/Shino = 'my partner's boyfriend is having a bad day'

598/Yamagi/Shino = 'that kid we met once grew up hench as fuck and just blurted out 'you're really pretty' at Yamagi while half-drunk - let's go!'

My non-romantic OTP for this character: 

Shino and Eugene are best buddies for life. Poly-shipping aside, I see those two as joined at the hip forever, with their friendship long predating Orga and Mika's arrival at the CGS.

And yes, Shino's been winding Eugene all the time they've known each other but 1) Eugene needs people to call him on his ego and 2) the way he's still prepared to be vulnerable around Shino anyway means something, you know?

My unpopular opinion about this character: 

OK, I don't know if this is unpopular, but I stand by the idea Shino is not actually a fundamentally nice person. That is to say, for all he's an unabashed cheerleader for his friends, a walking bear-hug of a personality, and generally quite sweet in his ignorance, he's also completely at home with violent behaviour. Of all the mecha pilots on Tekkadan's side, Shino is the one who most readily gives the impression of *enjoying* the fights. He's eager for it, wants to prove he's capable of winning, and readily lashes out when he's angry. He is, to my mind, very much a product of being socialised in a military setting and has absolutely no issues with solving problems via beating the tar out of them. A hell of a friend to have at your back but you do *not* want to be on his bad side.

Though obviously my actual unpopular opinion is it 100% took him that long to notice Yamagi was into him and didn't consciously consider being attracted to the guy until then. The pining was *never* mutual.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

*stares at the 600,000 words of fanfic predicated on him surviving his suicide run against the Arianrhod Fleet*

Funny you should ask.

No but seriously though, I would have liked his bisexuality to have been referenced outside the context of Yamagi. Like, it is pretty definitively text that Shino *is* bi, I just think it'd have been funny to establish that, no, he's capable of being attracted to other guys, he just genuinely had it fixed in his head that because Tekkadan were family, sex between them was off the table.

my OTP:

I mean it's not like I'm *not* a total sucker for the doomed in-canon pairing, is it?

What I think it is, is that it's established very quickly that Shino sees Yamagi as a friend and respects his abilities. To an extent, he even thinks Yamagi is really cool! Which, well, he thinks that about all his friends, but it establishes Yamagi isn't pining for nothing. This isn't a 'barely knows I exist' kind of crush, it's a 'I cannot spit out what I actually feel despite the fact the other guy likes hanging around with me and is never less than friendly and complementary'. It feels very 'normal teenager' in a way that, similar to Mika/Atra/Kudelia, contrasts poignantly with the situation everyone is in.

But there are also layers to it, or at least enough attendant details that allow for the possibility of layers. Shino has moments suggesting a fatal lack of self-confidence, for all his bigging up Tekkadan as a whole. He doesn't congratulate *himself* much and he reacts really badly to his skills being doubted, and to letting everybody else down. He's also not a pushy person which sits a little strangely with his otherwise loud, extroverted personality: despite having basically had Eugene confirm Yamagi is into him, he still makes space for the whole 'drinking the night away' thing to be an invitation rather than an assumption.

Yamagi, meanwhile, is blatantly not a shy person in general. He explores ideas off his own bat and presents them to Yukinojo, he's in his element ordering Dane and Hush around, and he gets to be a sarcastic little jerk more often than he pours oil on the troubled waters that are Takaki and Ride. Furthermore, while he lets his crush on Shino show blatantly when it can't be seen, his go-to reaction when observed is to become quite curt and cold. Shino jokes that Yamagi is 'scary' and it's clear the kid knows how to make his displeasure known. Plus, of course, Yamagi rejects -- off his own initiative -- a yearning to have died alongside Shino in favour of picking up where he left off, protecting Tekkadan.

There are angles there, is my point, to explore their similarities and to have their differences run counter to assumptions about who they are based on first appearances. I'm too deep into writing my version of this to be be objective any more but I really do think it's interesting to posit that Yamagi has the more durable personality and Shino a far more vulnerable one, ill-equipped to deal with, say, thinking his failure caused all his friends to die.

In the show, they're a could-have-been. They don't get their chance to be together and if they had, and things had generally gone better, it might not actually have lasted. I don't know how well Shino would have done in a first-time relationship after years of growing up too fast, and I don't know if Yamagi would have gotten what he was looking for out of it.

But give it a few years of Yamagi trying to live up to a Shino-shaped hole in the world and of Shino trying (failing) to live with himself over what happened and they become this wonderful, spiky ball of love, trauma and an enthusiastic openness about sex that comes of learning the cost of taking things too slow.

my cross over ship:

I'm semi-allergic to crossovers (they're just usually not my thing) so I really don't know . . .

a headcanon fact:

I already posted the one about how the thing he wanted to shut Zack up about was getting turned on by a dominatrix so let's go with . . .

Shino is from a big family. Like, over half a dozen kids stuck in one household with over-worked/struggling/absentee parents. That's why he tends to gravitate towards sharing space with the younger boys: it's what he's used to, since he's played the roll of an additional care-giver from the age of too-flipping-young-to-have-that-kind-of-responsibility. He is *really* good with kids, albeit more in a 'on their wavelength' kind of way than actually being anything like a responsible adult.

This is not the tragic part, at least not dramatically so since this is probably the case for a not- insignificant fraction of the Third Group. No, the kicker is that one day Shino's family upped and disappeared and he has absolutely no idea what happened to them. He was off earning money at the CGS and then the next time he went home, the building had been entirely cleared out.

He never talks about it.

------

Well that was probably an unnecessarily sad note to end on. But I really enjoyed writing this! I think I like this ask game :)

[chameleontea]

Disenchanted MCs

Hey guys, I’m back with another installment of ‘I Have Way Too Many OCs’! And what I mean by that is that today I will be sharing my MCs from @disenchantedif‘s game! It’s super good and has a really interesting concept, so be sure to check it out!

Now, if you know me then you’ll know that I like to make different MCs for different routes. So for Disenchanted I have 7 MCs for each species available and to romance the different ROs. 

I can’t draw sadly, so I’ve used @elena-illustration‘s picrew! Anyways, I apologize for the rambling that’s bound to happen. And maybe I’ll share more OCs in the future if I can get over my crippling social anxiety :).

Sabina “Bibi” Fotiou

Gender/Pronouns: Nonbinary, They/Them

Species: Siren (They can transform in water with a deep purple tail, and they only have gills when in the water)

Personality: Bibi has always enjoyed being around people and used to be quite outgoing, but after being unchosen and cast aside by Luci, they've become much more closed off. They still deeply crave people's love and acceptance, but they've grown into an anxious mess that can barely hold a conversation without things turning awkward. They hate how much they've changed and wish that they could get themself back to where they were before, but instead they continue to stick their head in the sand in an attempt to avoid even more rejection.

ROs: Vik/Luci Poly (Viktor has been their greatest source of comfort and support after everything that happened, and they love him dearly. However, they’ve also never been able to fully let go of Lucien...)

Catalina “Lina” Montes-Romero

Gender/Pronouns: Transwoman, She/Her

Species: Banshee

Personality: Lina most likely isn't what people would expect a Banshee to be like. She's super outgoing and perpetually cheerful, always acting kind to people even though she knows that they talk badly about her behind her back. She always tries to stay positive, which isn't something that's easy to do when you can foretell death. But the truth is, the positive attitude is something that she uses to try to help her get through the day. Because she buries all of the negative emotions that come with her premonitions and with her unchosen status deep down inside. She can always feel it lurking inside of her, but she refuses to let it show. Lina is scared of that darkness inside of her taking over one day, so she keeps using her sunny smile to try to keep it at bay. Let's hope that it lasts.

RO: Harlow (Some of these ROs may be switched around, but for now I feel like the two banshees would be a good match since they can understand each other. They’ll probably make me cry though)

Ash Mulligan

Gender/Pronouns: Cis Woman, She/Her

Species: Sorcerer 

Personality: Ash has always been strong. She tries not to take things too personally, so maybe that's why she prefers to try to just move on with her life and forge a new path rather than hold grudges and dwell on what could have been. She's always been more laid-back and go with the flow, so she's going to do what's best for her and not let other people's opinions get in her way. She's never afraid to stand up for herself, but she also has a kind heart for those who make attempts to get to know her without judgment. And if you do end up becoming close to her, be prepared for her affectionate teasing and sarcasm.

ROs: Theo/Cam Poly (I could have made things easier on myself and just gone with the Theo/Vik poly, but I guess that I just like the rivals to lovers drama too much. At least Ash can hopefully stop Theodora from breaking Cameron’s kneecaps too many times...)

Lkhagvasuren “Suren” Munkbat

Gender/Pronouns: Transman, He/Him

Species: Nephilim (His wings are actually blue like a raven’s)

Personality: Suren was always shy and introverted, but he became even more reclusive after the events of his past. Even after the years that have passed, he can't help but feel heavy and weak with grief. Even when he does make a rare public appearance, it's unusual to see him actually speak to anyone other than Viktor and Theo, and the lost expression on his face really speaks for itself.

RO: ??? (Why on earth would I give the most depressed character the Wraith as an RO? I have no clue... but here we are) 

*I wanted to give Suren a Mongolian heritage, so I tried to reflect that in his name. I don’t know too much about Mongolian names though, so if I messed up please let me know and I will correct it! :)*

Levi Dorokhov

Gender/Pronouns: Cis Man, He/Him

Species: Basilisk

Personality: Levi has been stoic ever since he was a child, so it's hard to tell if he's always been so emotionless or if the trauma of his past caused him to lock away his emotions even tighter. There just seems to be numbness inside of him most of the time. Sure, he loves his friends and he enjoys things like reading and napping in the sun, but verbally and physically expressing his emotions is something that he just doesn't know how to do currently. If he tries to think about his emotions and their meaning for too long his brain just begins to short circuit. So it's easier to just float through life and not question the strange emptiness inside of him.

ROs: Charlie/Avery Poly (I have no clue how this will work out seeing as both Levi and Avery are emotionally constipated. At least Charles is good with expressing emotions, but it seems like he’s also not the best at recognizing romantic feelings, so really it’s just going to be a mess. But a fun mess hopefully)  

Aziz Khan

Gender/Pronouns: Agender, Xe/Xem

Species: Draca (Xyr scales are supposed to be a deep green color)

Personality: Aziz could be described as materialistic and self-absorbed, which is definitely a stereotype that xyr species knows well. But really, at this point, xe doesn't care anymore. People have been talking bad about xem and tarnishing xyr name for so long that xe can't even be bothered to try to prove them wrong. In xyr mind people will never see them in a positive light anyways, so why spend any energy trying to convince them? No, instead Aziz does whatever xe wants whenever xe wants. It may not be the best tactic to make friends with, but xe was never much of a people person anyways. Xe doesn't have the energy to care anymore.

RO: Penelope (She seems like a ride or die, and Aziz definitely could use more of that in xyr life. Also, I think that xe would get heart eyes if xe saw her get into a fight with someone or chew them out)

Mika Eskelinen

Gender/Pronouns: Genderfluid, Any Pronouns

Species: Cambion (They do not have wings)

Personality: Mika may have some anger issues... but after everything that they've been through can you really blame them? All of Mika's emotions are explosive, whether they're throwing a punch or shrieking in delight. And the one thing they do better than anything else is hold a grudge. They've always been rebellious and mischievous, and that certainly hasn't stopped now. You better always keep an eye out for their next scheme, or else their next victim may just be you.

RO: Ami (Someone please stop them, they are out of control. Imagine the chaos these two could get into together. Also, imagining the absolute breakdown that Amrita’s parents would have after finding out that their daughter is dating a cambion makes me smile) 

------

So that’s all for now! Maybe if I have more to say about them in the future then I’ll make another post. For now I’ll just sit here and feel bad about all the different ways I made their trauma affect them. Hopefully you guys like them though. I love my children, and I’m excited to see where the story takes them. 

Also, I did not proof-read this. So apologies if there are any mistakes lol. 

[lostyesterday]

for the character ask game: tuvok or frodo baggins, maybe? :)

Thank you!! <3

Tuvok:

How I feel about this character: I love him! I’m always happy when he’s a part of a scene in Voyager because his interactions with the other characters are basically always enjoyable.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: I ship Tuvok with both Chakotay and Janeway, either separately or as a poly ship. I also ship Tuvok/Neelix (especially in later seasons of Voyager).

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Kes!!! I love Tuvok and Kes’s relationship so much and how much they mean to each other. I also love his relationship with Seven (I know you haven’t met her yet), and his relationship with Harry – even though they don’t have a lot of scenes together, I think they have a really interesting friendship. And while I do ship Janeway/Tuvok, I probably love their canon platonic relationship even more.

My unpopular opinion about this character: I’m not sure how unpopular of an opinion this is, but he’s actually my favorite Vulcan character in Star Trek. I love a lot of other Vulcan characters too, but I think Tim Russ absolutely nailed his performance, and Tuvok as a character provides such a compassionate perspective on Vulcan logic.

One thing I wish would have happened with this character in canon: I wish that he’d gotten way more focus in later seasons. There are so few episodes that focus on him in seasons 4-7, and he mostly falls into a supporting role for other characters. A lot of Voyager’s characters got this treatment in later seasons (especially the characters of color), but I think Tuvok was the most sidelined in comparison to his role in earlier seasons.

Frodo (based on the movies since I haven’t read the book since I was a kid):

How I feel about this character: He’s probably my favorite Lord of the Rings character! I like him a lot.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: I think I only really ship him with Sam. Sam/Frodo was one of my favorite ships a few years back and I still really love them.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Probably Aragorn – I love every interaction between the two of them. Also Gandalf.

My unpopular opinion about this character: From what I understand, a lot of people don’t like Frodo or think he’s one of the weakest characters in Lord of the Rings, which I don’t agree with at all. Seeing a protagonist deal with an invisible struggle that no one around him can truly comprehend or help him with is meaningful to me as a person with several invisible disabilities. I think that’s probably why I connect to him most of all the Lord of the Rings characters.

One thing I wish would have happened with this character in canon:  I don’t have a lot of critical thoughts about Lord of the Rings to be honest, so I’ve never really thought about how I wish the movies could have been different. When I eventually re-read the book, I’ll probably have more complicated thoughts on what I wish they’d done differently about his character.

[myheartismadeofstars]

Tav character building questions with Clover!!

1: Where in the Faerûn is your Tav from?

Honestly I hadn't really thought about the exact location lol she's from a woodland farm so... somewhere wooded?

2: What is your character's alignment?

I honestly never bothered to assign an alignment to her, under the assumption that it might well change as the story progresses. I do think she is Good aligned, but probably Neutral Good?

3: Race and subclass?

Wood Half elf and Beastmaster Ranger!

4: If your Tav was a companion, where would they be found?

Honestly probably near animals and or children, similar to Wyll. So probably in the Grove.

5: Dark Urge or no?

She's not. But I do include a default Durge as a companion for my fic lol.

6: What companion are you platonically close with?

She really wants to be best friends with Shadowheart, and eventually gets her wish, but by that point Karlach has moved up that ladder.

7: Romantically close with?

In game? Astarion. And Halsin. In my fic? All of them. We poly-ing this party!! Yes, even Minthara and Durge.

8: Who are they suspicious of?

At the beginning? Lae'zel. Which goes to show her bad judgement, as Lae'zel is one of the most honest members!

9: Is your Tav from Baldur's Gate? Why are they travelling there?

She is not! She's never been to a big city before. She's honestly going there because other people suggest going there and hoping she finds her brother at some point, or hoping to find some information.

10: Are they proficient in playing any instruments?

No! Her brother was a bard before he left and tried to teach her but she never caught on. She loves music though (in game she probably gets proficiency from Alfira but in my fic it's actually Durge that gets that honour) her brother played Dulcimer, Lyre, flute and hurdy-gurdy, so she likely would have learned one of those.

11: Weapon of choice?

Bow and arrow! She prefers a longbow to short.

12: What is their orientation?

Sexual/romantic orientation I assume? She's bi. 💙 💜 🩷

13: What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it?

She tries to avoid it if possible, but sees it as a necessary evil sometimes...and then there are some people that she thinks "Need to die" (Cazador, for example lol)

14: What hobbies does your Tav have?

She grew up on a homestead. She loves the work there. I think the one thing she enjoys most would be cooking, baking and brewing she still lets Gale cook at camp, but she helps him when she can. She brings home brewed Mead to the reunion party.

15: What NPC's do they like? Which one's do they dislike?

I'm sorry I'm basic 😔 she likes Rolan. But in fairness she also likes Kar'niss if I can justify saving him in my fic once I get there, he's safe. She dislikes people who are ungrateful or cruel. Wulbren Bongle is both.

16: Do they have a favorite creature in the Faerûn?

She likes all creatures 😂 she's an animal lover through and through. I do have an image of her adopting pretty much any animal she can (and a few she can't in game 👀) but I've always imagined that if she met one she would ADORE a Flumph and befriend them immediately. She also has a stuffed Hollyphant at home.

17: Do they enjoy life as an adventurer?

She does! She loves seeing new places, meeting people and creatures, she gets a bit homesick sometimes but she'd be lying if she said she didn't want to adventure anymore (except in the Shadowlands where she becomes depressed and wishes she could go home, sometimes wishing she never left...)

18: What would your Tav be doing if they weren't kidnapped on the Nautiloid?

Honestly? She got kidnapped right after leaving home to find her brother, so she'd still be doing that! And she still is!

19: How do you think they'll meet they're end?

I'd LIKE for her to die a peaceful death surrounded by loved ones, but more realistically she's going to die from some sort of accident. She's not clumsy or anything, but once she retires she's probably left with those as her most likely death.

She does canonly die to Astarion during Bite Night though so...

20: Would they destroy the elder brain or control it?

Destroy. No one should have this power.

21: What is your Tav's favorite spell?

In game? Speak with animals lol Hunter's Mark is probably her most used spell in combat though. She is also beyond fascinated with prestidigitation (which isn't in the game but you cannot tell me Gale isn't using this literally all the time)

22: What languages is your character fluent in?

Common, Elvish she doesn't really know any languages but what were spoken at home.

23: What do they do after the absolute crisis?

Honestly? Go home. She does find her brother according to my fic (considered her True Canon) learns the truth...and she misses her mom. She mostly retires from being a ranger, only using her skills occasionally. She has no issues travelling to the homes of the others, travelling on foot, horseback or cart, solving any issues that come up on the way to Baldur's Gate or Waterdeep, but she doesn't see herself as a ranger anymore. (Though that will NOT stop her from using magic lol)

24: Does your character believe in the afterlife?

She does! That's what happens when your mother is a faithful cleric!

25: What arcana major best represents your Tav?

There are several that suit her. But I think the one that suits her overall is The Star (though it is important to know that she is very much The Fool in Act 1)

26: What animal best represents your Tav?

Honestly if given a metric fuckton of time I could probably find a better answer but I'm going with: Spaniel. Friendly, loving, cheerful and outdoorsy.

27: What was their life like before the events of BG3?

Honestly? Sheltered. She lived with her Chauntea cleric mother on a homestead. Her father left when she was still little and her brother successfully hid anything unsavoury in their home from her. But she would genuinely describe it as warm and loving

28: Is your character the de facto leader of the party? Or do they consider someone else to be the leader?

She is only the leader because she's the best mediator. If you asked her who the best leader is, she'd probably suggest Gale, or maybe Karlach, though Wyll is only excluded because he was going to kill Karlach. She tries to find balance between everyone's ideas, but won't compromise her beliefs.

29: Does your Tav want to utilize the tadpole powers or not?

No. She doesn't like the idea of controlling others and so on. But at the same time, she doesn't mind her companions doing so if they want. (And she does engage her tadpole occasionally for things like communication) Minthara does end up partial Illithid while Clover watches over her.

30: What's your favorite thing about your Tav?

Honestly? I love her sweet fun personality. She can be naive, but she always is willing to offer kindness. So many people in BG3 need kindness. I even love her descent into depression, because she's so empathic that being in a seemingly hopeless situation genuinely affects her, even when she's faking a smile and trying to help everyone else. I also have made the executive decision that she is tiny and squishy and she wears her hair in braids (though I've been imagining situations where she might end up cutting her hair short) and I just...love that for her!

[hirukochan]

hiiiii

18, 27, 28, 30, 40, 42, 43, 49

for writer’s ask game (wanted to ask more but i think that’s it for now :d)

wishing both sides of your pillow will stay cool this summer!

Hi there :D <3

18.  If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be, and what would you write about?

hm, I honestly don't know ._. I'm afraid I'm not a good partner for collaborations. I write in really weird bursts of inspiration and I tend to lose interest as soon as something becomes too tedious. It's why most of my works don't see much editing ( 〃 ．．)

27.  Favourite line/scene

I will take this as a 'favourite thing I've written' because if we where to dive into my favourite stuff from shows/books I'd never shut up (but also it's that one scene in Rings of Power were Adar has been captured and lies down while in shackles ( ’ω’ ))

I am still a huge fan of that scene in chapter 8 of A Servant of Death where Freya goes to a sex club and Snape is there too. I just love the idea xD. Poor mortified Snape but also intrigued enough to stay and watch her :D

28.  Favourite side character

Candy! She is an OC I made for Carrying Atlas. I love the idea of a very bubbly, pink, short and thicc dominatrix. I love even more the picture of her and Snape being friend xD

30.  Favourite idea you haven’t started on yet

I just answered this one here <3

40.  Share some backstory for one of your characters

42.  How do you feel about love triangles?

eh.

If it's a proper triangle and not a love corner I love them. I think we need more poly-relationships in fics. Some healthy throuples :D Like Sev/Freya/Barty :D or Sev/Lucius/Narcissa.

Love corners aren't my thing. They feel like cheap drama. Unless it's Rodolphus/Bellatrix/Rabastan, or generally two brother who are both with the same girl.

Other than that, just make a fucking choice girl (or boy) and stop making those poor lads (or girls) suffer!

43.  What do you do if/when characters don’t follow the outline?

no, kidding xD

My characters basically never do what they are supposed to. I actually quite enjoy it. I just start writing and see where the story takes me, which, most of the time, means a huge 200k+ words long fic :D

49.  Which character would you most want to be friends with, if they were real?

Snape! We'd be Snesties :D

At first he would hate me but I'd slowly worm my way into his life and he'd never admit it but eventually he'd like me too. We have a lot in common! And I'd let him info dump about potions as much as he wants.

[toxicroyjamie]

Ok but. If I may be allowed to ramble a moment, your majesty? Dani has a crush on Jamie almost first thing. Then Jamie leaves. Dani makes friends with Sam instead, Sam is hot and sweet and what can Dani say, his type is: pretty boys. After a game, he winds up making out with Sam like an idiot and they become secret boyfriends. Why secret? Because Dani's a romantic little shit, not because its much of an actual secret. The team knows, the coaches know. Anyway, Jamie comes back. Dani's happy!! Sam is not. Dani is conflicted!! Sam trips jamie and ruffles his hair. This is hot to dani!! And Jamie!! Jamie is confused, his type is I Only Date Girls bc my dad would beat my ass otherwise. Dani decides to make friends with him! Sam does not like this. Jamie is happy with this bc he does like Dani. Except turns out he likes dani...too much!! Wtf? Its just. He is lonely, dani is nice and handsome and has long hair. Also he plays football games with him. So cute.

Anyway. Sam is pissed. He and Dani are low-key fighting. Jamie finds out they're dating and he's like. Of all the stupid ass shit that life could've hit me with rn. This is the dumbest. Dubai air! Sam decides at least Jamie is not the complete cock he was. He apologizes to dani. The boys and Jamie get closer. Its slow but worth it. Cue Wembley break down, Jamie stays at Roy's for a bit and Dani resigns himself to the idea of a Jamie Roy Keeley trouple. Meanwhile, Jamie does not know what trouple means. Sam is realizing there are layers to jamie effing tartt. Lotsa layers. Dani realizes he is crushing hard and comes out as poly to sam, as well as apologizes for not telling him sooner he'd had a crush on Jamie before. Sam is a little insecure. Jamie still does not know what trouple means.Bam! News of possible transfer for sam! Dani assures Sam he loves him. This is the first time he has used the word. Sam loves him back. But is scared he is only saying it bc he's scared of Sam leaving. He says he must think, ominously, like a hallmark white girl.

But then. Jamie and Sam talk. It is an accident and also, bc it would be good for the plot. Sam asks Jamie what he thinks abt him transferring. Jamie blanks replies that he's one of the best players at Richmond so on one hand, him leaving would be really bad for the team. On another hand, he's one of the best guys Jamie knows, so he also wants the best for him, so he'd wish him luck if the transfer is what he wanted. He also asks what Dani thinks of it. Sam says the truth, which is that Dani isn't talking about it bc he doesn't want to influence his decision. (Its also cause he's a dumbaas but whatever) Sam is touched. Dani is panicking. Jamie...still does not know what trouple means. (Sorry that line only gets better each time I use it) long story short, dani comes to Sam's place, confesses that he doesn't want Sam to go, but he loves him, so he'll support it if Sam needs to, he's crying, Sam cries a little, they fuck. Sam turns it down, ofc. They win the game!! Jamie gives dani the ball, Sam thinks maybe he could fall in love with this boy, Dani realizes he already has and that, my friend, is a pre-sam/jamie/dani fic in a nutshell.

It was much shorter in my head before I started writing I down. Sorry lol.

DON'T BE SORRY I LOVE THIS SM

I would absolutely read this if you wrote it in a full fic. You should if you get the chance 💘💘💘

[apparentabstractions]

Some unstructured thoughts

My reaction to the trend of "AI artists" has been pretty viscerally negative—it's a clear off-shoot of the same Silicon Valley tech bro bullshit that gave us NFTs—but I've also been left grappling with the reality that there are very real similarities between much of my APPARENT ABSTRACTIONS work and images generated by AI. The latter involves someone inputting text and hoping for the best. My edited ROM corruption screenshots require similarly little "effort"—ask a program to inject some junk data or alter a few bytes, then wait for the results. In the end, we both have very little control over the actual output. I often make edits to the shape or color to make mine stand out more, but that's not a tall task either.

Furthermore, both are built off the backs of others' work. I think my only real saving grace here is that the "sources" I pull from are commercial, mass-produced products. Of course video games are an art form, and artists worked to create the graphics which I then ask a program to mangle, but at the end of the day I'm pulling from the works of corporations. Fair game for editing? Fair game for collages and sampling? The music enthusiast in me has always felt that way, at least. I wouldn't have a guilty conscience screencapping and editing something from say, Ninja Gaiden—as opposed to trying the same thing from some DeviantArt user's work. One like myself, maybe. I also illustrate as a hobby, and yeah, I don't want my drawings used in AI training datasets. And these days, it's getting harder to trust the websites we host our work on to protect us.

Maybe the big difference between what I'm making and what "AI artists" are doing comes down to ethos. AA is a project that's been going on for four years now. The works have always been released into the public domain. I just think what I'm doing is cool, and I wish more people would do it. It's not really even about the individual pieces but all of them as a unified gallery. I've always viewed AA as one singular ever-expanding art piece. I think it's why I enjoyed making the Tower Unite gallery so much. Very few "AI artists" ever seem actually interested in art. Or at least, they weren't interested in the concept of "art" until they saw that it could be an easy way to make them popular or rich. But you probably know that already.

We saw it with NFTs, too, though maybe less so percentage-wise—I saw a lot of legitimate artists I admired become grifters. I almost bought a John Karel (jjjjjjjjjjohn, the one with the low-poly skeletons) shirt and now I'm glad I didn't. Mark Vomit, the guy who made that "you are not immune to propaganda" meme, is actually a talented audiovisual producer that I liked a lot. Ironically, he tried making NFTs but threw a fit when no one wanted them and people started making fun of him. I don't think he's tried again since. Probably my biggest disappointment in this field was Osamu Sato—the guy behind LSD: Dream Emulator among a slew of great albums. And don't forget a bunch of musicians who were probably forced to engage with NFTs by their labels. But also, like, 80% of the people making "abstract digital art" like my own started getting into it! I had to unfollow the vast majority of them. At their height, it was so bad that you could just tell someone was probably doing NFTs by looking at their art because it had become so popular with certain cliques—my own included. I started using the "AGAINST CRYPTO / AGAINST NFTS" avatar around that time not just because I wanted to make a bold statement against it, but also because I didn't want people to have to check.

[doctorofmagic]

@prettywitchiusaka​ said:

Part of me fears it’s Clea, ngl. But having re-read parts of this issue, I don’t know. Aggamon wasn’t looking directly at the culprit before he got blown to smitgerines. Plus, after all she went through to get Stephen back, I doubt she’d risk her marriage to get even with Aggamon.

Hmmm...My guess is this is either Dormammu disguising himself as Clea...or this is a manifestation of Clea’s fears from Strange #2, how having too much power could drive her mad if she weren’t careful.

But yeah, based on these preview pics, something tells me Nightmare’s gonna be telling Stephen that his patient is in another dimension. 😁

Regardless, I can’t wait for the next issue!

*Sees comments about Stephen and Tony being totally married* Well, Stephen HAS been implied to be poly in the comics, so why not let him have a Husbando while Clea’s away? It keeps him from being lonely. 😊

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t her. I’ve been trusting Jed ever since DODS and he never disappointed me. Also why going through the trouble of spending more than a year writing about their reunion only to separate them again? It’s too obvious to be her.

For issue #2, since they’re fighting Nightmare, I think that evil!Clea is her own fear of becoming evil like Dormammu and Umar, consumed by conquest and anger. She did lose control once when she was manipulated and Jed took inspo from that to exploit her faltine form. This is super cool imo because it will certainly add more layers to her character. Truly amazing!

And as I always like to put, Stephen can literally hold as many hands as he wishes 🤭

@digicom-online said:

It was strongly spelled out in THE ORDER #3 that Paradox fell during the rebellion against Dormammu.

Yes, but we know comics and how characters hardly stay dead forever, right?

@whitefoxgone said:

I don't know much about the comic version(s) of Stephen, but he's such a dear in Midnight Suns lmao 💕 or maybe I'm just biased 😂 Also you can buy the game and play it in cloud gaming with GeForce Now or similar things. You do need a stable and good internet connection though, and you might have to wait a lot with the free plan (the paid version has a good price imo). I have played MS through it and enjoyed it very much ✨✨

Oh, I too am totally biased but I really believe he’s accurate because 616!Stephen is also a dear when properly written  💜 I wholeheartedly recommend checking out Jed’s holy trinity if you ever feel interested someday :3 and thanks for the tips but even with a solid connection (which I don��t have), I’d still have to get a decent computer to play it. And mine is literally crumbling weiwoeiwo *nervous laughter* Keeping hope alive that I’ll manage to play it this year if money comes my way, amen Vishanti

@junoofthestars said:

That summary reminds me of the 2007 Doctor Strange movie...

It does, right? Except that Dormammu was the villain behind it, and not Nightmare (which was indeed odd). In any case, I’m taking it cause I love Nightmare and I crave to see Jed’s take on him!!

[wee-miss-noone]

For the Choose Violence ask game - Discworld 12, 17, 18, 22

Hello! And thanks fro the ask <3

12. the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

Igor from the Monstrous Regiment. It's not that she's unpopular but she's not as talked about as other Discworld character, which makes sense since she's just a minor character in one novel, but I just wish I could see more of her. Igors are such interesting family/species (are they an idependent species? not sure) but most of the ones which appear in Dicsworl novels are men and it would be very cool to see how female Igors operate. also Igor was such a badass - just sew her own scalp on, can switch her face however she wants - would make for a great undercover agent and I really want to see that kinda story

Also Letitia Keepsake. The girl starts as the stereotypical shallow fiancee of a man Tifanny may or may not fancy but then proves to be such empathetic caring girl with incredible potential to be a witch. She gives a Teddy bear to a wailing ghost! And a pumpkin to a headless rider spectre so he could carry it around instead a head! Her mother is this awful bosy judgy woman and it would be easy for Letitia to be just her mother's brainless lackey and I mean she is under her mother's thumb in a way, but she also does her own things and is curious and kind and brave and frankly a bit too good for Roland but I digress. Anyways I want more of her.

17. there should be more of this type of fic/art

There should be more art of the entire Monstrous Regiment regiment. Most art is of Poly and Maledicta but all regiment members are so cool. Also more Angua fanart.

As for fics I think every fandom should have *insert character that dies in canon* meets Death (or Susan bcs Death is on the vacation) fic, just for fun and to help deal with the trauma

18. it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

I feel like I don't see people talk about the discworld trolls that much. Which I feel is usch a shame because they are such an interesting species… I mean they get stereatyped as being big and dumb but they're actually quite clever only they are constantly in an enviroment which does not allow their intellect to be shown.

Also idk if this counts but I find it said no one is discussing paralels between Lavender Jack the webcomic and Captain Vimes (specifically in Nightwatch). I know it's random and most people do not talk abt it bcs they just have not read the Lavender Jack. still I think it's be cool

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

I'm basic bitch so I don't think I have a bit which only I appreciatte. But as soemone who studies psychology I have great fondness to that one bit where Vimes explains that you cannot deduce someone's entire life from one time you pass him on the street because many things can have different meanings like a tattoo can mean the man spent time with navy or that he made a drunk decision to get tatttoed when he was a teenager. And that's rings so true becuase in psychology there are a lot of symptoms and behavioral patterns hwich can mean certain mental condition... or another condition which is completely different or it can be normal behavior given the right circumstances - and that's why diagnozing is so hard, even though I met a lot of people in my life who think that just because someone acts certain way they have to be *insert diagnosis here*. which is according to these people *bad*. My point is basically that I like the aknowledgement that things are not always striaght cut becuase HUMANS ARE COMPLICATED

Also, but this is more of a language barrier thing and technically not and issue relating canon - something I really love but a lot of people have no chance of experiencing are the joys of czech tranlsation of the books. The translator Jan Kanturek did absolutely masterful job and he often adds his own translator notes to make some interesting comments (not like adding to the Discworld lore, but like to explain certain real world references or highlight soem hilarious parts) and I mean if oyu like disworld footnotes from Sir Terry I can guarantee these ones are also great. (There was this one where he explained the czech/slovak word "kurva" (meaning wh*re) used to be an archaic term to refer to girls in general so about a century ago a proud parent somewhere in Moravia may proclaim something like "we have two little boys and a little wh*re" and idk but I still remember that one to this day and like to quote it on people to show how the language changes)

Also also - unrelated but ever since I read I Shall Wear Midnight my dream wedding ceremony invovles jumping through fire and while the officiant calls me and my significant other profanities XD.