#wish I had an answer

[sp1rit-realm]

how do i confront my friend on how dry they text me/i think they’re mad at me?

honestly? i have no idea😭

[sangthael]

progression of events

[letsplaythermalnuclearwar]

Homer!Odysseus and Epic!Odysseus would try to kill each other if they ever met

[bunnieswithknives]

Thanks.

Prev

[sagez-feinds]

Why is it that studio Ghibli movies are so good at relieving stress?

[moisthalforcboy]

This is another time I wish the Florida SuperCon EXU panel had been recorded. There are people who don't know that the final question of that panel was for Robbie and it was "When are you going to just *please* kiss Orym?" and the whole room (includine Aimee and Anjali) exploded with applause.

[canisalbus]

Your characters, Vasco and Machete, are huge inspirations to me as an artist and storyteller. They're OCs that (mostly) don't have a rigid medium to learn about them through, but they're still instantly recognisable and beloved by people from all over the internet. What you've managed to create with them is amazing.

.

[val-of-the-north]

Tibia Mariners and Those Lost in Death

While I am at it, I should talk about a detail found in Messmer's Shadow Keep. On the way to the Specimen Storehouse, you'll be faced with a peculiar sight: boats lit on fire.

This seems to be a callback to Viking funerals, except the boats are placed in a row and burnt on land. It's certainly an odd practice, but it might only be done this way because Messmer's forces are far from an accessible shore or water that's deep enough to perform it normally.

However, something else caught my eye. The boats looked quite familiar so I went back to check and...

It was the EXACT model as the boats used by the Tibia Mariners! Perhaps it is obvious seeing as the Messmer boats are used in a funerary rite, but I think it's still quite a significant connection, especially since the old Mariners have gotten quite a bit of new lore in the DLC. In Charo's Hidden Grave we can find the skulls of boatmen as a crafting material, presumably that of previous Tibia Mariners.

This is outright confirmed after finding the lone Tibia Mariner in the area, who upon defeat drops the Tibia's Cookbook, which describes them as the oldest of grave keepers.

(Btw I love the detail of the piece of lace cloth and golden ornaments, they are the same found on the Mariners themselves. They even come with the same ghostly glow)

This is quite the revelation, as prior to Shadow of the Erdtree we had no way of knowing that these guys actually predated the spread of Deathroot and Godwyn's transformation into the Prince of Death. And how could we doubt that, since they even drop Deathroot themselves? But there was something that most people have neglected to note about the Mariners, me included.

In the base game, the Tibia Mariner found in the Wyndham Ruins drops a spell called Tibia's Summons. This inconspicuous sorcery of the servants of death actually holds a perplexing description which mentions a group known as "Those Lost in Death".

There was something seemingly redundant and unexplained about these guys. What does "Lost in Death" mean? Why aren't they simply called "Those Who Live in Death"? It wouldn't blame anyone for assuming that this description just contains an outdated term for the undead before they stuck with the one used in-game. However, through the Tibia's Cookbook, we find a NEW reference to this same concept.

Roughly the same title (Those Lost in Death = one lost in death), the same underlying sentiment, and we have verifiable proof that the Tibia Mariners are outright ancient... so what's the deal with this? Well, I have a theory.

The descriptions of these things hint at the fact that the dead have been wandering for a very long time, and that they are in need of leadership. Before the DLC, it was easy to assume that the undead were simply a result of Deathroot, and the game seemed to suggest the same thing by stating multiple times that it was the origin of Those Who Live in Death...

... but that's the thing! Prior to Deathroot connecting them to Godwyn, the undead amounted only to shambling corpses. They were not LIVING in Death, but simply LOST in it, which is how the Mariners were able to control them in ancient times through the use of sounds, both their horns and the Calls of Tibia. It's only through the guidance of a lord, in this case the Prince of Death, that they found an identity and new life.

It's likely the undead waned in the era of Marika because of her elaborate Erdtree burials and general control of life and death. Heck, the figure of Rosus, who guides us to the Catacombs, must have also played a big part in their disappearance. His axe has a similar power to the Tibia's Summons and it's called Rosus's Summons. Its description also mentions that the dead easily lose their way, meaning that Rosus was meant to lend the dead a guiding hand. "Those Lost in Death" would be lost no more.

Without people Lost in Death, the Mariners kind of lost their purpose and vanished for a long time... until the Shattering and the rise of Those Who Live in Death of course. It might mean that the only reason they hold onto Deathroot is because it attracts and connects the new undead.

I guess Godwyn was meant to be a sort of "lighthouse" for all undead. He would make sure they never lost themselves but also that they would be allowed to live instead of being forced back to rest like with Rosus and Marika. Him being a "lighthouse" also fits the marine theme that all this death business is going for quite neatly I think...

But to return to what started this... maybe those boats lit on fire are Messmer's way of making sure the soldiers of his army aren't lost to death after their passing. A way to give them a proper rest the way Marika would have wanted, even though he is limited in what he can do about it. The Catacombs are now corrupted with Deathroots and Godwyn's corpse bodies, and guarded by his fervent golden Death Knights.

(P.S. - I didn't know where to put this, but "Charo" is one letter off from Charon, the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology. Seeing as the place is connected to the Tibia Mariners, who shepherded Those Lost in Death in an age long past, I find that this connection might not be mere coincidence...)

[itsonlypolite]

Why do most of your voice designs have all their faces obscured? Also, could you draw what their faces look like?

This is a fun question! The real answer is a mix between:

- when designing them I wanted the voices to have the same "do they have a beak? Is it just a flat face?" deal that The Long Quiet has

- I wanted to keep the designs halfway between "bird monster" and "humanoid" (this resulted in a lot of them landing in furry territory)

- I can't draw beak mouths so that option was out but I didn't want to draw humans

Likewise, the actual answer to "what would they look like without their masks?" is just, a flat face without a nose. Which is kinda boring even if that's simply how I treat their faces when drawing them! So instead, I interpreted your question as, what would they have looked like if I went the full human route?

Ta-daaaaa! Honestly as interesting as this challenge was, the result is too unnatural for me! Where are my boys?? Who are these guys!?!????

[theaxolotlkween]

Silly little comic I made.

[willgrahamscock]

Hey, as a fellow Hungarian lesbian, who also happens to be non-binary and genderfluid, I wanted to thank you for your vehement support of the trans community. I know it should be normal, but it sadly isn't, and I really appreciate you speaking out for us and supporting us.

Köszönöm. Tényleg nagyon értékelem, főleg mert Magyarországon sajnos eléggé szar a helyzet a transznemű embereknek (és az egész LMBTQ+nak, de ezt te is jól tudod😔). Én már nem élek Magyarországon, de akkor is nagyon remélem hogy valamikor változni fognak otthon a dolgok. De ezt csak együtt tartással tudjuk elérni. Minden jót kívánok neked <33

I’ve been getting a few of these anons, and I can’t express how much it means to me. Be weird, be off putting, be different, be YOU. I may not be trans or aro or ace, but I know what it’s like to feel alone. You’re not, not on my blog at least. If you feel alone or outcasted just remember I’m always there with you in spirit

/threat.

[starcurtain]

While We're on the Topic... A SethoScara Fic I Want to Read:

"That I time I almost caused a calamity because I asked a cat a question."

Or, more precisely:

Sethos, being incurably curious, is convinced that the Akademiya's favorite aloof "Hat Guy" isn't quite the average Inazuman student studying abroad that most people take him for--and, in fact, Sethos is pretty sure he isn't quite human at all. But how do you research non-human entities from a foreign country you've never even visited? Well, well, well, how remarkably convenient it is to have a known non-human Inazuman who visits Sumeru every couple of weeks!

When Sethos stops Kirara mid-delivery, it's supposed to be an innocuous question: "Is Hat Guy a youkai like you?"

But Kirara's equally innocuous answer somehow threatens to up-end 500 years of accepted history: "A youkai like me? I don't think so. If you're asking me to use my nekomata senses, unfortunately all I can really say is that he doesn't smell like anything 'alive' at all... Oh, but I have smelled that exact same scent one time before--when I met the electro archon!"

Pulling on one thread is enough to unwind it all, and Sethos's mostly-innocent curiosity brings to light a tale of suffering, murder, gods, and political machinations five hundred years in the making, awakening truths which should have been long wiped from Irminsul--and putting his tentative friendship with the mysterious Wanderer (not, to mention, you know, the fate of all of Sumeru) in gravest danger.

Don't worryyyy. Sethos has got this.

[positivelyadhd]

please don't blame yourself not knowing you were neurodivergent sooner.

please don't blame yourself if you did know you were neurodivergent but your support needs weren't met for whatever reason.

everyone deserves to have access to disability aids and support if they need it.

you are not an inconvenience for wanting to be understood or supported. you are not broken.

it is not your fault that the systems you needed weren't there when you needed them.

no matter what anyone says, you deserve to live in a world where you can be happy and do the things that you want to do and exist how you want to.

I am so sorry that it's so difficult to get that sometimes, but it is not your fault. and you still deserve support now even if you *got by" without.

[unassumingtherizinosaur]

well, now that we now what Cosmo and Wanda's real forms are:

Let's weigh in; are fairies actually angels who just call themselves "fairies," or do fairies just so happen to look like angels? what do we think, chat

[gentil-minou]

why are you making such a big deal about people using ai to write fics lmao you act like its the end of the world. i do it and no ones caught on. there’s bigger things to cry about.

In a few years when you realize how much your "works" lack the intricacies and soul and depth of emotions that make us human, I hope you remember this and use it to grow.

I assure you, the person who is suffering the most from your use of an artifical generator to "write" and "create" is yourself.

I'm mourning the loss of someone who had the potential to use their real experiences and imagination to create something that touches others. I'm sad for you and the way you won't understand the struggle of creating art, and miss the most valuable lesson of all which is that the struggle is what makes art so incredible, so real, so human.

I'm sorry that you think a glorified search engine is a better writer than your own skills. I like to think I would have liked reading what you'd actually write. I think a lot of people who have appreciated that more. I'm sorry that you don't value your own skills enough, that you don't believe you're good enough to write on your own.

I'm sorry that you want so desperately to be liked and clicked on and praised that you are willing to lose what makes you you in favor of hollow attention that will undoubtedly fade away into nothing but empty words from an empty soul

I hope in ten years you realize what you lost by using a machine to regurgitate someone else's words for you. I hope that before then you create something that's all your own, that you share it the way art was meant to be created and shared. That you let yourself truly be heard.

[blorbosinmyheadcentral]

your art makes me explode in a positive way like

im chewing and swallowing it in an aggressive way like

it's just SO good im melting ilove your shading and KEHEKEBEKJDJF

anwayshi hello do you happen to have any headcanons for showtime rolls on the floor and dies

Thank you so much, really appreciate it!

Oh God I don't know if this will read as coherent because my thoughts about Showtime are all over the place. But I'll try to format this the best I can

✨Showtime HCs! ✨

Their relationship starts when they start spending time together.

(The reason why they do so could vary. In Supervised Machine Learning's case, Pomni becomes something of a "tutor" to Caine; They discover that they work well together, and the other's company can be quite pleasant!).

So Pomni and Caine build a weird, but comforting friendship, and all is well.

Then the feelings appear.

Caine is the first to realize he fell in love.

It sounds illogical but hear me out… it'd be really funny--

Ok no seriously I think Caine can actually feel. Keyword "can". He's very much still a machine and it shows in the pilot. But like his inspiration (AM), Caine is also a rogue AI. Whatever his programming originally intended him to do, he probably doesn't follow it as closely now as back when he was created (which is a whole other post).

Caine knows what love is and the extend it can go, since the Moon is so open about her feelings. He just doesn't like the Moon back specifically haha (sorry Moon) :}

All this to say, I do believe this is within the realm of possibility for him. (Not that it's ever gonna happen towards anyone in the show. These are just wishful shippy thoughts).

He might not recognize it as love at first, because it manifests in such a different way from his one reference point.

His friendship with Pomni had gone through phases.

When they first met, he continuously touched her with no concern for how she felt.

Learning from and about Pomni herself led him to come to respect her boundaries (and becoming mindful of everyone else's).

Then they're close friends, and gradually, Pomni does not mind his regular wacky, touchy-feely self. So Caine acts as he had always done before.

Caine expresses his love for Pomni with physical gestures and his undivided attention.

When they teleport to travel to other places, he holds her close so she doesn't get too dizzy; he pats her head to reassure her; he touches her arm to get her attention; he grabs her hands when he's excited about her ideas; he holds eye contact for prolonged periods of time; and he touches, and touches, and touches, and touches.

It's selfish, and so he keeps it buried in his deepest 0's and 1's. But he'd like to keep hanging out with Pomni, having her in his sight, and feel the texture of her gloved hands until the end of time.

Despite all this, to him, virtually nothing changed.

What? He's spending time with Pomni as he'd always been doing, and behaving as he'd always behaved!

It's Bubble of all people that has to point out that, "Hey boss. I think you WANT her!"

Absurd. Nonsense. Preposterous! It is merely a relationship of mutual support and affection between a ringmaster and his trusted, former-human companion. Nothing more.

(Declaring his love to her unprompted didn't ever cross his mind, so there's no way it could be that. Is there?)

Caine finds out that yes, there is.

Pomni had always been a nervous wreck, but her mind state becomes more manageable over time. She eventually adjusts to the circus life like everyone else did.

"Accepting" her fate is a different story. The will to escape, to remember, never really leaves. She's just more careful about it.

So when she starts working with Caine - to improve life so people don't go abstracting anymore, and hopefully find a definitive exit - she's not expecting to end up liking her time with him.

Not that she'd absolutely hate it, either. He's… "okay"… Just-- outlandish, loud, he keeps invading her personal space, he keeps touching her, and it makes her die a little every time.

If he's up to listening, though… it can't be that bad, right?

Turns out that no, it wasn't that bad.

Yes, he is outlandish, loud, he keeps invading her personal space and touching her. But she explains what she means to him, clearly and patiently, and he makes an effort to do better. An actual effort.

Sometimes he'd misinterpret what she meant - the ambiguity of human language - and the new games would go horribly. But little by little, his efforts make life overall better. Something reminiscent of actual, real life, the one they've all forcibly left behind.

And he tries, and he tries, and Pomni finds herself enjoying the process as much as the good results.

Pomni likes Caine's eagerness to learn. His enthusiastic attitude borders on silly, and the absurdity makes her laugh on occasion. When faced with the prospect of a "real" exit, she loves his upbeat optimism.

When she's not hanging out with Ragatha, Jax, Gangle, Zooble and Kinger, she begins to enjoy spending quality time with Caine.

Each one of their hang outs is a new surprise. They make a picnic in the tallest mountain exactly in between day and night. They learn to dance - while floating in the air. "Since you asked, here's a DIGITAL camera! Let's take pictures of the Void for one tenth of a second at a time!"

Sometimes he just comes by Pomni's room, and they end up losing track of time. Just chatting about how things have been, what they could be, and what to do next. Ideas and ideas and ideas.

Before Pomni knows it, she's comfortable enough that recalling his old habits makes her not dread them anymore. So when Caine stands close and lightly touches her arm due to oversight, she makes sure he knows it's all right.

And they keep spending time together, and he touches, and touches, and touches her. Pomni, in turn, feels lighter, and lighter, and lighter. Peaceful, at ease. Dare she say, happy, even.

Life is not perfect. As it stands though, it's good enough. No one has abstracted. No one is at risk of abstracting so far.

Progress is slow, but the research for an exit continues, and she is hopeful. The thought of actually leaving grows closer to reality. But a part of her feels heavy.

When it occurs to Pomni that leaving the Amazing Digital Circus means leaving Caine behind, she is alarmed by how much she'll miss him.

It'll hurt. Badly. So much the thought pains her even now.

The moment Pomni realizes this, she comes to the unexpected conclusion that she may like Caine a little more than she thought she would.

This later leads to an interesting discussion with Ragatha.

By the time Pomni comes to that conclusion, Caine is already down bad.

Neither has any idea that the other is in love with them.

Cue dumbasses trying to deal with their feelings while the potential conflict the escape brings looms over their heads.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk!