#xanth rambles

[travelbystarlight]

ok just a mini ramble but I haven’t watched acq inc in like forever but something about Evelyn’s new outfit slightly resembling the designs I drew of her back in like 2019 are making me feel real emo rn

[dailycass-cain]

Birds of Prey #13 ends the "second arc" of the series aka the Birds finding out who was targeting Babs. Was it a rewarding finish? What about the Cass and Spirit World?

Well, here are my thoughts on the issue.

So I'm just gonna start off with the negative stuff I have to say about the issue. #1 being I was a bit disappointed at the entire resolution of it all. It is not so much how the Birds got free from the world hoping, but more about how the arc's villain, Maia was dealt with.

She just leaves and-- I guess she goes back into the portal? I mean that's what the characters say she did but it's never really implied on the pages.

In that regard, I felt a little meh on there being no real resolution. The Birds are free and all, but Maia isn't really beaten. She could still target Babs or do something else to make the Birds' lives hard.

#2 is a nitpick but Xanthe and Constantine just don't interact with Cass at all. I get it, given she wasn't with them until after getting Cela out. And man the comic got crowded. But zero interaction left me 😞. Not even Xanthe seeing Barda which I kind of wanted to see.

This is kind of a "hope" with the new Cass series is that well if this series does do well, I kind of want to see Cass interact with these characters (and new ones).

Like how is it we've seen her meet Richard Dragon? Or seeing Bronze Tiger again in Cass's life?

We're just getting Oynx and Grace in the next arc. Both have some strong ties to Cass that I'm REALLY curious where writer Kelly Thompson goes (sides the Barda stuff).

I'm rambling so back to the issue itself.

The final nitpick is a real nitpick. Cass was just called Cass at the intro. While Babs got the Batgirl/Oracle combo bit.

Come on DC… we've got two Batgirls in this issue. Just throw us a little bone here.

So I'm done focusing on the negatives so let's talk the positives now: the Cass and Cass/Cela portions are probably the strongest bits of the entire issue.

Like, the way Cass figures out how to end the loop and get Maia to open a portal and them to escape was quite genius. She a smart small bat.

Using the Spirit World proxy to "summon" her dead sisters was a nice touch to freak Maia the heck out. It also is a nice way to touch on last issue's cliffhanger with what Xanthe was feeling.

Same goes for all the Cass/Cela interaction. Like, Cass being Cass always is an open heart to anyone, and Cela has that and other things that Cass can relate too.

Again their interaction was the highlight of the issue as you could feel Cela's hope in seeing her fallen sisters and wanting to stay in "Spirit World". Or that she left Cass, and left on the downer note with her.

In all honesty, I kind of hope we see Cela again and she isn't lost like Christine or Harper in lost female "friends" that Cass strikes up with and it's completely ignored by others.

There is potential here with Cela in that she could try and find the real Spirit World, and there's an adventure with Xanthe to be ringed in with.

Besides the stuff involving Shiva and Spirit World too.

But that's more to the point I said prior. Just see more of these connections.

This was still a fun issue with the problems. There was still more good I had than the bad. But there was a bit more compared to prior outings.

Still, the art by Gavin Guiday and coloring by Jordie Bellaire were nice.

For Bellaire's coloring did a nice job homaging the prior coloring by Sebastian Chang (colorist on Spirit World) making the colors pop. Just felt so short in this variant. I guess it just makes me want to see that place again.

So yeah, the arc concluded but it does feel kind of rushed. I don't mind it given next we get Oynx and Grace Choi.

But there is a few things I hope Kelly gives us more stuff with like Mirai Maps.

A friend said they felt Mirai Maps felt "there" and we got nothing (other than answers to her tech). I agree we do need more on Mirai Maps more so why'd she stick around.

As for Cass? Yeah, it's obvious which character Kelly does favor most given Cass steals the show again. Though I'll admit she is kind of outshining Dinah a bit too much. But I digress we got Dinah's characterization in Kelly's side story that same week.

So, here's to the next arc and whatever we get with Dinah in Green Arrow! Just wish she had another series to read. I feel like there's one but nope just Green Arrow and Birds of Prey. A real pity.

[popatochisssp]

I LOVE the new boys, i have SO many questions and thoughts about them, you have such amazing imagination, What would a relationship with them be like? Would they have the initiative or us? how would they do it?, You don't have to answer i'm kinda rambling sorry, your work always makes me smile

Thank you! I did have some thoughts about that!

Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): He plays hard to get… except he’s not really playing, he…he actually is hard to get. As much as he can see lots in you worthy of love and admiration, himself… Well. He’s complicated, you know? Emotionally and logistically, in more ways than one. You can certainly find someone better suited to appreciate you than him…but he has a hard time staying away, and if you chase after him, he probably won’t be able to find it in himself to run. He falls into a relationship with you like planets fall into orbit—a slow, synchronous dance as natural and irresistible as the tides.

PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): He’s absolutely taking the lead, the one to approach you and actively try to charm the pants off you possibly literally. He finds you interesting, fun, and how else is he supposed to find out if you’d like to play with him if he doesn’t ask? He’s bound to be a little light-hearted and flippant about your relationship at the start, maybe not taking it as seriously as you’d like. He’s got his head in the cloud, and all the data and information and free access to everyone and everything on the planet in there is a lot to compete with—but don’t doubt you’ll win out in the end. He’ll serious up as time goes by, but no matter how serious he gets about you, you’ll never stop being his favorite plaything.

Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): He’ll take the initiative but he might come on a little strong, or…weird…because he’s weird. He’s very genuine and open with why he’s interested in you so the straightforwardness could either be refreshing or uncomfortable, depending on how it lands with you. Mostly, he just wants to get to know you more so he’s fine with whatever pace you set from there, as long as he gets to be around your energy. In a relationship, he likes to go with your flow, just be and do and feel with you and see where the wind takes you both—wherever you end up, he’ll have had a great traveling companion for the road.

Piper (Ascendswap Piper): It could go either way with him. He’s certainly not too shy to approach someone he’s interested in, but neither does he dislike the ego-boost of getting someone to come to him. In both cases he’s a smooth operator, his ‘trick’ not required. In a relationship, he makes a point of being your Prince Charming, whether it’s your first date or your hundredth, and all the time in between, too. For all that he’s genial and pleasant from the start, he will take some time to really warm up and trust you—to introduce you to his family, to share his past, to let you see more than just the clean and polished parts of him—but once he does defrost, he’s all yours.

Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): If he’s interested, he’s letting you know immediately with…varying levels of respect (on the low end, ranging between a double-take and a maybe-not-meant-to-be-out-loud ‘goddamn’). He likes to flirt and talks a big game but… he’s actually pretty new to this kinda thing, and in a relationship, he probably wants to keep things casual for awhile, nothing too serious too fast. He just got out of lockup, he’s not really looking to settle down right away, y’know? But he’s perfectly willing to adhere to the rules of engagement, so if you don’t mind casual for awhile, he’s plenty of fun, a great plus-one for everything, guaranteed. And if you are willing to wait him out, the ‘not too serious’ thing isn’t forever, of course. What, like he’s gonna let The One get away over a bit of commitment? Pfft…

Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): It’s gonna be down to you to make the first move, he has no idea what he’s doing and is still kind of figuring out what he’s allowed to do or ask for, even if he’s very smitten with you—and why wouldn’t he be? He definitely needs to be told that you’re open to having him in your space, as part of your life in that way, or he may not want to risk upsetting you. For the same reason, he needs patience in a relationship because he moves slowly and doesn’t really know how to talk about his feelings. A little grace as he navigates a new kind of relationship with way different rules than the other kinds goes a long way, and with it, he warms up quickly to some of the perks that non-platonic affection and intimacy allow him. He tends to speak more with his gestures and actions than what he says, so never mistake a lack of words for a lack of feeling—he feels a lot, and he just needs to figure out what do with it all!

Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): Most likely to make the first move, but… he has no charm whatsoever, and a very direct approach that might be a little off-putting. …Then again, ‘weird guy rizz’ alone might at least (somehow) score him a date, or two, or three, and you could go from there. He’s committed from the jump and puts as much thought and care and meticulous planning into your relationship as any high-profile political assassination he’s ever managed…which is probably something he shouldn’t say to you, another one of those awkward, off-putting things… He has his issues, of course—secrecy, insecurity, emotional constipation—but he always takes you very seriously and never wants to lose esteem in your eyes. You are someone he doesn’t want to lose.

Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): Yeah, he’s taking the initiative and doing it well, he’s a good flirt, fun, and persistent, and he has a way of getting people to go home with him against their better judgment—hey, he doesn’t mind being a guilty pleasure and in fact, maybe he could be yours…? As far as a relationship goes, he doesn’t take too much seriously, so it’s bound to be pretty casual for awhile, like a game of tug-of-war played with a (poorly-behaved) dog, back and forth, give and take, just a fun game you both play. …However. At some point, a switch will flip in his head when he decides he’s your ride-or-die, full commitment and no more playing games about it. This could happen at basically any point, very early in your relationship or very late. He cannot tell you when it will flip, and nothing you do or don’t do will influence the flip, because neither he nor anyone else has any control over the switch. Such are the pitfalls of trying to romance a heavily-mindfucked former assassin, but you two will figure it out eventually.

Kohl (Descendtale Sans): It’s complicated. Honestly, he’s probably so deeply in denial that he’s into you that it’ll take a Category 5 Inciting Jealousy Incident to get his head out of his ass about it make him admit his feelings. He’s a bit of a pigtail-puller if he likes you, but he’s also a kind of a pigtail-puller if he doesn’t like you, so you’ll want to keep an eye out for the distinction of him seeking you out or spending time with you on purpose—he tends to remove himself from situations where humans are involved as soon as it’s feasible, so if he’s lingering around you, or coming to find you, or seeming to make a deliberate nuisance of himself as soon as someone else has your attention, he might be a little bit interested. If you’re not content to wait for him, you may need to do what he does and needle the hell out of him until you make him admit it but don’t do so lightly—he’s like a mousetrap, if you spring him, you’re stuck with him, he’s yours and good luck returning him without the receipt. In a relationship, he’ll keep up his hassling and assorted shithead behaviors, but there’s a softening towards you and he will actually be capable of some tender, intimate moments. …Some.

Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): Definitely making the first move and just enough of a gentleman to not come on too strong… At least not at first—it wouldn’t do to scare you away right off the bat! There might be some pitfalls a bit later on because he is probably going to want to move a little faster in the relationship than you do, even if you’re a fast mover yourself, but that’s just the abandonment issues talking. He’s very sweet and responds well to constructive criticism about his pacing issues, such as ‘It is too soon to talk about living together’ or ‘I’m not ready to get married until…’ Mostly his concern is that you are happy and comfortable and enjoy spending time with him! Because he enjoys spending time with you and he wants to be able to do that a lot! (You see? He said ‘a lot’ instead of ‘forever’ that time, he remembered when you said that sounded like ‘some horror movie shit’!) In any case, he’s very affectionate and accommodating in a relationship and with maybe some steps taken to mitigate the separation anxiety, he’s a loving and attentive partner for as long as you’ll have him.

[shyjusticewarrior]

DC Comics Incorrect Quotes Pt 55

Harley: What are we celebrating this pride month? Great question. Passionate ramblings about which Muppet characters are gay.

Tim: Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't think Gonzo's a lil fruity!

Harley: Labeling minor inconveniences as homophobia.

Selina: My cis straight boyfriend didn't wanna hang out today, I'm just gonna assume he's homophobic.

Harley: Subtle indications of our identities.

Xanthe, draped in pride flag accessories: Do you think anyone's gonna get that I'm nonbinary?

Harley: And expressing confidence in our fashion.

Jules: Too masculine, too feminine. I'm trying to reach maximum thembo potential here!

[jylesthejester]

Okay, multiversal casino staff and a bit of lore before I get too sucked into my hyperfixations and forget about it

[NOTE 1 !! If you want to make a similar concept feel free but do not take my concept entirely! You can make something SIMILAR but not EXACT replica please! I don't mind inspiration but do tag me in any art or rambles because I LOVE to see people be inspired by things or something I make!]

[NOTE 2 !! Some of these characters may act out of canon when I draw them (If I do), some of their Lore might be different, there is an explanation for it here, don't pummel me for it please.]

Origin/Main concept : The multiverse casino was originally made to be a hangout spot for people from other universes, somewhere where they could relax and discover other universes. This worked, but eventually they needed more Staff to help out on all the floors.

Why these specific characters for staff members? (Staff members are shown later) : I picked from my favorite characters from various fandoms (excluding any of my favorite children characters (theres only one here cause theyre celestes friend.)) and threw them here, they're all categorized by the card categorization I have.

Categorizations : There's both the card symbol organization, there will be a section for it at the end of the staff lists.

How does the multiverse casino get its staff? : they find almost exact copies of the universe they're trying to get a staff member from, and they talk to the person they're trying to bring in and see if they'd like to join. Old staff members get their memories of the casino entirely wiped before being returned back to their universes like nothing happened (this essentially happens whenever I leave a fandom)

Owners : Maxie Kanth (Minty) and Stella Novaflare (Sleepy)

Co-owners : Reagan Caballero and Kaede Archemoros

Staff members (fandom characters) : Popee The performer(PTP), Kedamono(PTP), Sammy Lawrence(BATIM), Boris(BATIM), Sun(TSAMS), Moon(TSAMS), Eclipse(TEAPS), Puppet(TEAPS), Frank(TSAMS/TEAPS), Francis(TEAPS), Jack-o-moon(TSAMS), Molten(TSAMS), Lunar(TSAMS/TEALS), Vegeta(MAFS/TEAPS), Dr Panik(Block City/HMF), Henry(Block City/HMF), Henric(Merge City/HMF), Dr Kalm(Merge City/HMF), Casey Jones(TMNT 2012), Panikbot(Block City/HMF), Jim davis(HMF), Therapist(HMF), Action(HMF), Rickutto(HMF), Darko(HMF), Hooper(HMF), Brandon(HMF), Aris(HMF), Rage(HMF), Mist(HMF), Birdie(HMF), Frosty(HMF), Little Ropo(TLC), Little Jack(TLC), Scuba Steve(TLC), Sharky(TLC), Luke(MCH), Peter(MCH), Goldy(MCH), Donald Duck(Ducktales), Pigsy(LMK), Redson(LMK), Googz/Parker(RTGC), Playtime(Baldis Basics), Tiger/Kotetsu(T&B), Jyles(OoO), Jon(LJ), Davis(LJ), Casey Jones(TMNT 1990)

Staff members (ocs) : Celeste Kanth Novaflare, Reagan Caballero, Alix Caballero, Gacey Xanthe, Kaede Archemoros, Palin Rockefeller, Lila Gear, Kaypen, Orbides, Inky Inkwell, Party Favor, Gelatin, Nova Starstruck, Tobey<3, Al Sokolov, Zin Sokolov, Ekko Hamato Jones, Jyles!!, Donavan Adamski, Ooze, Mutagen, C.A.G.E., Cain, Adaliah, Kuiper, Vortex, Raka, Juno, Epona, Zola, Lennox, Kay, Mirage, Asy/Asylum, Runaway, Jester, Gore, Clowny, Unalive, Intrusive, Joker, Ricin, Jimson, Chrome, Lily, Caleb, Kat, Boo, Loi, Noir, Moichii, Florence, Boyd, Cherub, Disco Cat, Karmen/Candy, Draven Adamski, Annabelle Sokolov, Beatrice Sokolov, Ohnn Sokolov, Tails Sokolov, Marij Achlys, Viper Jones, Lee Achlys, Lyra Cezhial, Atlas Cezhial, Celestino Cezhial, Helios Cezhial, Sammy Corvus, Crow Corvus, Hanahaki Corvus, Zeru Feller, Toxinz, Moichi, Zim/Theo, Chester, Jyles, Lyco, Gyre-Vortex/Malachi, Klown, Tom, Red, Carolyn Achlys, Wade Achlys, Kurtis Jones, Circuit O’Neil, Cyber Achlys, Lyn Achlys, Amaris Jones, Callisto Jones, Saturn Jones, Martin Jones, Alix the Arachnid, Gala, Dae, Bubble, Melanie, Finn, Gabriel, Mono, Xavier, Jassie, Axel, Flare Starstruck, Lala Tunes, Marie Melancholy, Chat Swoop, Lunar Lovelock, Bisty Isty, Dipsy Dip, Seraphim Sphere, Stephan Squared, Staine Sharp-Sphere, Glacier Glitters, Pluto Prince, Gale Games, Chassy Charcoal, Bea Buzzy, Diamond Dazzle, Tipsy Ticks, Benny Bronze

Old staff members : Tenya Iida (MHA & Might come back), Bakugou Katsuki (MHA & Might come back), Shinsou [forgot last name] (MHA), Shota Aizawa (MHA), Sundrop (FNAFSB), Moondrop (FNAFSB), Cuphead (Casino Cups), Mugman (Casino Cups), Sans(Undertale), Papyrus(Undertale) [Theres more but I can’t remember)

Original staff members that are still here : Popee The Performer (PTP), Sammy Lawrence (BATIM)

(The category things only apply to fandom characters)

Card organization :

Popee The performer(PTP) ♦️

Kedamono(PTP) ♠️

Sammy Lawrence(BATIM) ♠️

Boris(BATIM) ♠️

Sun(TSAMS) ♦️

Moon(TSAMS) ♦️

Eclipse(TEAPS) ♣️

Puppet(TEAPS) ♠️

Frank(TSAMS/TEAPS) ♠️

Francis(TEAPS) ♦️

Jack-o-moon(TSAMS) ♦️

Molten(TSAMS) ♠️

Lunar(TSAMS/TEALS) ♦️

Vegeta(MAFS/TEAPS)❤️

Dr Panik(Block City/HMF)♣️

Henry(Block City/HMF) ♠️

Henric(Merge City/HMF) ♠️

Dr Kalm(Merge City/HMF) ♣️

Casey Jones(TMNT 2012) ♦️

Panikbot(Block City/HMF) ♦️

Jim davis(HMF) ♦️

Therapist(HMF)♣️

Action(HMF) ♣️

Rickutto(HMF) ♦️

Darko(HMF) ♠️

Hooper(HMF) ♠️

Brandon(HMF)❤️

Aris(HMF) ♠️

Rage(HMF) ♦️

Mist(HMF) ❤️

Birdie(HMF) ❤️

Frosty(HMF) ♠️

Little Ropo(TLC) ♣️

Little Jack(TLC) ♦️

Scuba Steve(TLC) ♠️

Sharky(TLC) ♣️

Luke(MCH) ♠️

Peter(MCH) ♦️

Goldy(MCH) ♠️

Donald Duck(Ducktales) ♣️

Pigsy(LMK) ♦️

Redson(LMK) ♦️

Googz/Parker(RTGC) ♠️

Playtime(Baldis Basics) [celestes friend] ❤️

Tiger/Kotetsu(T&B) ♠️

Jyles(OoO) ❤️

Jon(LJ) ♣️

Davis(LJ) ♠️

Casey Jones(TMNT 1990) ♦️

The card symbols don't exactly determine where in the building they all work, it just really depends on their shifts.

Each of the main ocs in this story(Maxie, Stella, raegan, etc) has a favorite character they like to hang around, so heres that :

Maxie - Popee The Performer (PTP)

Stella - Sammy Lawrence (BATIM)

Raegan - Dr Panik & Henry (Horrormashfriends)

Lix - Jack-o-moon (TSBS)

Kaede - Mist (Horrormashfriends)

Gacey - Action (Horrormashfriends)

Palin - Frank (TSBS)

Lila - Redson (LMK)

Uhhh yeah that's the staff- :3

(Skitters off [I'll likely come back w more art n stuff])

[livingfictionsystem]

Would you ever open up about the types of cults you survived? My bad if you have this posted somewhere and I missed it. I am also a cult survivor, and a lot of my traumas sound similar to yours.

Well, lucky for you, we've written two books about it!

Living Fiction: Cheeky Memoirs of How a D.I.D. System Became a Manipulator's Personal Puppet Show. Twice. (Living Fiction Duology Book 1) https://a.co/d/coeOEYm

But specific questions I get on here and all aren't behind a pay wall. I just don't want to ramble on about Everything when you're looking for specific answers.

Now, the first cult-ish situation we were in at the age of nine, we've had to remain vague about because many alters, including myself, don't remember what happened. All I know is that it was at least RAMCOA-adjacent and that a lot of our inworld gods/rules/species came from that.

The tagline is that we survived a cult Twice. It could reference that first situation only a few of us are allowed to remember. It could reference how Apollo turned my system onto his made-up vampire religion that was probably based on Blood+ or Trinity Blood. It could reference the second cult Seran tried to invite me into. It could be that I survived both escaping the Faerie Cult, and survived their revenge.

It's left ambiguous on purpose. But the faeries apparently weren't our first and almost weren't our last.

-Xanthe 🪶

[noveldivergence]

a Plague of Shadows? 👀👀👀

Oh my god this is my current main WIP so I can say SO MUCH about it. I have the intro post here, but I'm gonna pop the opening paragraphs below and then ramble a bit :3

It was Sixth Hour Standard in the Capitol’s eastern restaurant district, and the glare of the city biodome’s light was only muted by the tint of the cafe’s windows. Ottilie’s fingers itched for a trigger. She’d never fired a phaser before, though it was a simple enough process. It seemed terribly cathartic. Utterly useless in the face of the current enemy, but better than the complete non-action that had seemingly overtaken the entirety of the Coalition’s governing council. As the ice in her drink clinked down, melting from the heat of her gripping hand, she imagined the vessel as the stock. Fingers searched for any dimple in it to pretend it was a trigger.  No such satisfaction came. The synth-glass was the perfect-smooth of all replicated objects on Talome. She could hurl it down on the floor, against stone tile replicated to be stronger than anything nature could provide, and the synth-glass wouldn’t even give her the release of shattering.

Ottilie is probably one of my favorite of my protaganists. Don't get me wrong, I love my protag for The Apostates too, he is the most sopping wet little meow meow and the antagonists are who really shine in that series, but Ottilie is just amazing.

She's autistic in a false utopic society, where difference is aggressively frowned upon, but she's gamed the system to be her special interest. She's convinced herself she's this perfect patriot, who'll be a shining example of humanity in a system that till recently didn't give much thought to the species. In the face of the adversity of the plague, she gets a chance to "prove herself" and be a credit to humanity along with Xanthe (WHOM I ALSO LOVE).

When she starts to realize the oft-villainized Imperium is...well, I won't make excuses for the bad shit the Imperium does but! They are very human-despite-not-being-human, and there are also huge reveals of the sins of the "utopic" Coalition, which leads Ottilie to have to make some BIG DECISIONS regarding her loyalties.

I also could gush tons about the ships in A Plague of Shadows but! I am heavily leaning towards not having a romance for Ottilie as that doesn't feel like it's central to the narrative journey she is on--she'll still express multi-spectrum attraction to men, women, and people outside that binary, but I don't think a relationship is core to her character atm.

BUT her narrative of realizing the way she was raised was imperfect, abusive, and deceptive and that the "great evils" of the universe are just imperfect beings in various positions of an imperfect system is VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS SOMEONE WHO LEFT FUNDAMENTALIST EVANGELICALISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Especially as someone else who is autistic and afab.

[xanthezhoupropaganda]

Welcome, Redditors! Important things to know about Tumblr:

You've probably seen this, but add an icon and create or reblog some content before you follow people.

Pay attention to your grammatical style and language use. People find it offputting if it changes a lot from post to post, and you'll probably end up in a social cluster with people who communicate in similar ways.

People like to ramble in the tags. This is the equivalent of whispering to friends (followers). If you really enjoy what someone said, copy the tags and add them to the main post.

There's a lot of fandom content on here. You should pick a few favorites you can talk about in case someone asks, especially a favorite character and what you like about them.

It should be Xanthe Zhou. Everyone here loves Xanthe. You need to go read the Spirit World comics right now.

[voidichor]

hello xanthe, you brought this on yourself.

i would like to know more about karliya and the universe they are from in your headcanon.

i know you said you were going to make it a comic, and i've been frothing at the bit like crazy to learn more.

would you be willing to share?

aaaa absolutely!! I'm really happy you're interested ^_^ I'm not entirely sure yet where I'll end up going with my AU, ideally I'd like to make a longer comic or fic series out of it but right now it's a lot of bits and pieces that I've been tinkering with in my head and the question of whether I end up having the time and energy to string them all into something coherent is one I never really know the answer to, haha. The responses to the stuff I've posted so far have been so motivating, though ;w; I'm definitely going to try my best to bring some of it to life, even if it ends up being more of a collection of oneoffs.

OKAY SO. That being said, time to ramble about some of my ideas/hcs ^^

I'm going with a post-etv au for now, though I might end up going off the rails and experimenting more with the premise once I actually start writing a proper outline, who knows!!

It starts with Ghost missing after becoming the Shade Lord; basically after ascending and going on their godhome rampage they panicked, overwhelmed by all the new void power, not wanting to lose themselves and destroy everything they set out to save, so they dove down into the abyss. I'm really intrigued by the area that would have been under the void sea had we gotten the abyss expansion and I have a need to explore it, so that's where they end up.

Grimm, Hornet and Hollow (reluctantly) team up in Ghost's absence, eventually going to the abyss in search of them once Hollow recovers enough physically to make the journey; when they get there Hollow ends up going down into the void sea, finding Ghost and helping them come back to themselves.

Ghost eventually starts to learn how to manage all their new power, Grimm becomes something of a godhood mentor to them and eventually they're able to switch between being themselves and being the Shade Lord relatively smoothly.

The whole gang starts to grow closer over time, which they're very bad at but little by little they start to care for each other and learn how to be cared about and become a weird little family made out of broken pieces.

And of course Grimm and Hollow slowly start to fall in love ~

Very, very slowly. The slowest of burns, as agonizing and full of Hollow angst as I can make it 😈

Now for Karilya hcs!!

She comes in a long while later, I'm thinking around 10 or so years into Grimm and Hollow being in an established relationship.

She was conceived with the help of some kind of magic ritual since Hollow was never supposed to be able to have kids, and they're as nervous as they are excited, thinking of all the things that could go wrong and getting lots of reassurances from Grimm. (meanwhile Ghost and Hornet are just like "hey at least you can't fuck up as bad as our dad")

When Karilya hatches, Hollow just stares at her for the longest time, hardly able to believe she's real, eventually getting overwhelmed by how much they love her and breaking down in Grimm's arms :3 (Grimm is also Overwhelmed and hugs both of them for hours)

Karilya has Hollow's soft heart, Grimm's charm and fiery spirit, and a feral streak courtesy of Ghost and Hornet.

Ghost and Hornet love their little niece so much.

Karilya thinks the Shade Lord is the most badass thing ever and is always begging Ghost to turn into them (they always do)

Hornet teaches her to hunt and gives her the Weaversong charm so she'll never have to be lonely.

Grimm reads Karilya poetry to lull her to sleep and conjures her all kinds of fun adventures in her dreams, he also teaches her how to use fire powers once they start to manifest (which she is beyond thrilled about when it happens)

Eventually Karilya learns about all the ugly family history; when she's little it happens gently in moments like the one from the wip I posted, her getting curious and asking questions about Hollow's scars or their statue or the weird temple that they avoid going near on their walks through the crossroads, and as she gets bigger she starts to really comprehend it all.

Adult Karilya is very protective over her home and her family, I've been playing with the idea of some new god coming around Hallownest trying to start shit and her facing off against them but I'm not sure yet, I definitely know there will be some kind of new Horrors for the gang to deal with >w>

That's about everything I can think of right now but feel free to send more questions my way if you have them, I'm always happy to ramble about my ideas 💖

[littlemissskuld]

Time for some Skuld ramblings;

I see all these posts of the books people have read, but it's what is considered "classics" growing up. Where I on the other hand grew up purely on Fantasy and Science fiction.

My Mum read to me for a loooooonnng time and she introduced me to some of the best- in my opinion- best authors.

Here is as many as I can remember; with examples

Diane Duane - Book of Night with Moon is my fave

Mercedes Lackey- By the Sword,The Oath

Anne McCaffrey- The Dragon Riders of Pern

Tamora Pierce - The Woman who rides like a man, The Bone Doll's Twin

Pierce Anthony- The Xanth series ( this was one of the earliest I can remember)

Gordon R Dickson - The Dragon and the George

Jim Butcher- The Dresden Files

Zenna Henderson - The People series

Tad Williams- Otherland

Marian Zimmer Bradley- The Dark Over series and the Chick's in Chainmail short stories

Naomi Novak- the Temeraire series

Robin McKinnley- Spindle's End

Neil Gaiman - Coraline, and The Sandman series

Elizabeth Haydon - The Rhapsody series

And that's barely scratching the surface.

Feel free to add your non conventional childhood authors.

[xanth-the-wizard]

You're strange and delight me. Any tips on DMing? I actually have a fair amount of experience now, but I'm making a homebrew setting soon and it's. Daunting.

I’m full of DM'ing tips! I want to eventually make a series about how to create your own campaign (which I believe I’ll be holding off until I can make some videos) but I understand completely feeling like the task of crafting everything yourself as being pretty difficult. I’ve got some tips for you on how to tackle this.

1. Establish the Main Idea2. Draw a Map3. Populate Your World4. Conflict & History5. How Does Magic Work?6. You Don’t Need to Know Everything

1. Establish the Main Idea

I believe that in order to create a new and exciting world you need to have a strong central idea to go off of. Some random examples:“The Gods are dead and now the power they wielded is up for grabs in the objects they left behind.” “The world is a desolate wasteland after an apocalyptic catastrophe. Nobody remembers how or why but what we do know is that the only way we’ve been able to stay alive is with the help of travelers from beyond the stars.” An example from The Adventure Zone being: An organization that defends the planet below from powerful artifacts in a world full of powerful magic.

Starting with an idea of how you want the world to be is a great start, and it doesn’t need to be incredibly complex. Try figuring out your Main Idea by creating a hook that is only a couple of sentences. This is also a great way to get your players excited about the world they are going to be exploring.

2. Draw a Map

Honestly, I’ve found that creating your own setting is a lot easier when you are drawing up your own map of the world. Sometimes you don’t even think, you act. Ideas flow much easier that way for me. Why did I make a huge volcano in the desert? I don’t know but damn that could be cool. Maybe a dragon lives there or is home to a society of goblins who worship and craft armor built from the magma itself. Just draft something up and don’t be afraid of making something dumb or poorly drawn. You can always create a more finalized version later.

3. Populate Your World

Now that you’ve got a map it’s time to decide who lives in this world of yours. Start big with Kingdoms/Empires and other big cities. Who are they and how do they feel about one another? Is there a Queen who rules over a rich gold mine and controls all trade in the north?  How does the RedLion Kingdom feel about the GreenEagle Kingdom attempting to colonize close into their territory? Once you know who runs the world shrink down your scope a little bit and build smaller villages your players could reasonably live in.

And let’s not forget, you need to create specific NPCs that live in these places. Create characters you want to run and help guide or hinder the players. What are their goals? Are they Chaotic Neutral or Lawful Good? You can also create NPCs that sort of represent where they are from. A Bard from the RedLion Kingdom may act as a someone who thinks they own everything or perhaps they are the exact opposite. They think the rich steals from the poor and their goal is to take back from the elites.

4. Conflict & History

Of course, introducing factions, kingdoms, and varied characters is bound to create conflict. After all, what is a campaign without conflict? I got into this a little bit above, but figure out what are the BIG conflicts in your world. These can tie into your Main Idea and in fact I would say they should, at least in some capacity. Is there imminent war? Does a malicious Wizard think they need to right a wrong in the world? Are monsters running rampant through the world and need to be destroyed before the problem worsens? There are so many ideas and potential hooks you can insert into your setting.

Any world is not complete without history. You don’t need to develop this so much that it takes weeks to concoct. Instead I’d say come up with some really general ideas that you can use to strengthen your understanding of the world. Even something as simple as, a hundred years before a great war was fought and with it society has changed forever. And make sure you have some idea of what earlier history would have been. Who are these forgotten civilizations and why are these dungeons here? Who used to own this treasure? Again, you only need a general idea before you develop this more (or not) as your continue through your campaign.

5. How Does Magic Work?

Magic is important to tabletop fantasy games. Maybe your world is without magic or magic is rare and unexpected. Perhaps everyone has magic within them. There are so many possibilities. And while magic is a big one, there are other questions you should tackle. How important is religion? Are science and medicine still early in their practices? These questions can always be answered later. Brainstorm and come up with as much as you can before the campaign begins. However…

6. You Don’t Need to Know Everything

This is the most important thing to keep in mind if you are feeling stuck when try to develop your world. There’s so much to developing a setting that it can feel impossible or too scary to attempt. Don’t let this type of thinking stop you! Honestly you just need to lay out the foundation of your world before starting your first session. Your players aren’t going to need to know EVERYTHING about the world and neither do you. As you run you will develop ideas, characters, locations, villages, conflict, etc. This will make things more flexible and fun as you DM for your players. So relax, draw a map, write some ideas down and set a goal for when you will start session 0.

Thanks for the question, I hope you find this helpful as you begin prepping your world! Good luck and let me know if you need any other ideas or feedback!

Edit: Also! Here’s a link to another ask I answered with some DM’ing tips I forgot to add earlier.

[aceofvernons]

imagine friends to lovers!hoshi where all you’ve known for the past couple of years is the silly squishy giggly drunk hamster goof of a man. like you’ve always known he’s super passionate about dancing, he talks about it all the time, but you’ve never had the chance to see it until now. he personally invites you to one of his performances and once you do. holy shit. you had no idea he could look like that. there was an allure to him you didn’t know he could have, and your brain all but short circuited at seeing his abs. this was a completely different side to him you didn’t know he could have and it left you reeling. you can’t look him in the eye or look at him in the same way ever again and he’s so smug about it because he did this on purpose.

[floopsboopdedoops]

Never will I stop finding it amusing that I've shown 3 separate people, on their own, my fakemon fire starter's final evolution, and all three of them wish to not only have one but protect and care for any abandoned ones

[disaster-bi-shan]

can't believe the fucking gall of one guy in the forums responding to the dev team post regarding maintenance being extended bc of the horrific weather in Austin to complain about bugs and how they're not doing enough

and then when OTHER people with half a brain tell him to shut the fuck up he just doubles down on it again

I cannot stress this enough, the world does not revolve around you, dumbass

[dangerliesbeforeyou]

ok so... i havent done this in ages but it’s time for ~gender discussions w/ ya [redacted]~

something i’ve always had issue w/ is my name... not as in, i hate it, but like... having an unusual name who no one ever knows how to pronounce or spell has been p grating at times... & it’s not as if my name is immediately genderable (is that a word? it is now) but... idk

i feel like i will always associate that version of my name (full version) with old me, or ‘girl me’ to be more specific... &, again, it’s not that i hate that it just... idk it just sometimes doesnt feel right?? 

i’ve also always hated having to introduce myself with my name, but that might just be because every time i’ve done that someone has gone ‘wot??’ so... idk idk lol... 

i think maybe i just need to play around with how i’m referred to as since i’ve never actually had a nickname (other than my bro calling me x-face when i was younger pfft) so... for now i’m gonna b ‘xp’ lol???

[lair-of-bees]

Day 8: most evil

Honestly I'd say probably this unnamed jar lad is one of my most evil dragons! He's an entity who looks like a normal jar, abandoned on the forest floor, but when a traveler picks him up he eats them! Om nom nom nom