#No Big Quest — Just Fantasy Coming-of-Age Stories | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

doomsdaydicecascader · 10 months

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wow you’re the first person i’ve seen actually support the retcon, that’s cool

i’ve always been neutral on it but would you be down with explaining your opinions on the retcon?

so my number one feeling is that the way homestuck is most like a game is not in its framing or its many subsystems within itself, but in that homestuck is a challenge to the reader first and foremost. it challenges a lot of existing preconceptions about what stories are, what stories can be.

sometimes this is in some stupid ways, but a lot of the time, it's in very palateable ways. hussie describes stuff like the juxtaposition of the earthbound walksprite panels and hussnasty mode as a "creative power move", something that keeps readers on their toes, something which kind of prods at your expectations and why you have those expectations.

and it helps to ask, what challenge is homestuck presenting to me, the reader, by doing this. this is the repeated motion of homestuck, like. "oh, what, it's insane that there's a whole playable game", "oh, what, it's insane that the fallout and consequences of an entire session of the game is being given in just three walkarounds". rose's arc is a challenge to the idea of a "coming of age" story, how do you come of age into a world where the metrics for growth and maturity and adulthood are denied to you? what if "adulthood" and "maturity" were fake ideas all along? well, if nothing matters, maybe you should have a drink to rest your mind about it.

one of the most direct challenges is the challenge of what death means in a story - there are a lot of stories where death is a bad end for a character. an impactful enough character death can change culture around itself for as long as it remains relevant. but that's not what death is in homestuck. death in homestuck is the freedom from being in homestuck. this is most prevalent with its deployment of gnostic ideas - yaldabaoth's treasure being homestuck itself expresses this most directly. the creator has made a flawed world and encourages the suffering of its inhabitants.

death is freedom from this flawed world, and this is expressed in terezi: remem8er. characters who did terrible things, horrible things, unforgiveable things, can find peace in death.

and i think the retcon is far and away the headiest challenge, the final boss of storytelling in homestuck's terms, because it directly challenges the idea of continuity, which is, by the way, TOTALLY FAKE.

continuity isnt actually real, its a thing youre actively constructing as you read. the drawings, the words, the music, the animation, the gameplay - all these things can help shape the idea of art, but the art itself, that's produced by you, the reader. and i think this is a good time to switch over to talking about the never-ending story for a moment.

the never-ending story is a story about atreyu. he goes on a fantasy quest, one which involves the death of his beloved steed artax, the plight of the world of fantasia, and confrontations with the nothing, this devouring force which threatens to end it. and ultimately, he loses. the forces of the nothing are just too overwhelming for a fictional character to overcome. the stakes are too high, no ending could be satisfactory and not contrived.

but then he doesn't lose.

because the never-ending story, the movie, is about bastian, and the relationship and empathy he builds with atreyu as he follows him on his adventure, and bastian, as the reader, is capable of caring about atreyu and fantasia even as it's been reduced to nothing. and its bastian caring about it, and bringing his own context, his own experiences - the name of his dead mother - to the story, that allows it to be reborn as something that can be completed.

and then he rides on the big luck dragon falkor and barfs on the bullies from the start of the movie.

homestuck is doing the same thing, but filtered through the language of video games. if youre playing ff9 and lose to black waltz #3 or whatever, it's a video game, that's to be expected. just do better next time. you wiped on the trial, it's normal, regroup and pull again. youve got 90 minutes. and in that time, in that regression, you become the kind of person who could overcome that challenge.

and it's a powerful challenge! it's one most readers don't overcome, because they are still stuck in the terms of thinking about things in what they expect out of it, instead of what it is. and this is kind of the core idea of homestuck.

hussie put it the best themself:

Homestuck, as an examination of all forms of creative practice, whether cosmic or artistic, isolates the tension between perfect, celebrated idealization and specific, flawed instantiation. The purity of the ideal is what's initially sought, but the imperfection of the specific is what has true value. Conflict and suffering arise from the guilt and stress associated with overvaluing the former. Deliverance and humanity come from recognizing and embracing the latter.

and honestly, i like what the retcon does for basically all the characters it changes dramatically. people take issue with rose's alcoholism plotline being resolved with vriska_slap.png but i don't really, because rose's alcoholism isn't like, of itself if that makes sense. it's alcoholism as an extension of nihilism, in a way that doesn't reflect real alcoholism, but it doesn't have to. s'a story. things can mean things nonliterally.

and vriska regresses as a character, but i think this specific regression is the core of homestuck. you get the platonic ideal of vriska-ness, one who didn't see and feel the trauma she inflicted on tavros, one who has completely supplanted gamzee's role as the plot-mover guide in the alpha session. and one who only makes token gestures at reparations and atonement for her misdeeds. one who is still obsessed with being at the center. and between 2016 and 2019, i was so certain that she had died a heroic death in act 7 that it is an immovable core plot point of my own comic.

(homework: why would homestuck call act 7 the rapture?)

and like, those pre-retcon characters literally do still exist, they show up in remem8er. remem8er goes unbelievably hard on giving every single dead character in the comic the best catharsis available to them: deliverance from having to be in homestuck. and i mean that entirely sincerely! the best ending for a homestuck character is not being in homestuck. and that's a tough thing for people to get their minds around.

but again, it kind of comes naturally with taking homestuck as it is, and thinking intently about what it's doing, what conventions it's challenging and how it's challenging them. because sometimes it's deeply stupid (decade-plus of thought on the matter has not made the incest any more palateable or understandable)

but sometimes it's the best shit in the whole world

#homestuck #long post

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theresattrpgforthat · 10 months

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this might be a big ask, but do you know of any fantasy adventure RPGs that does idk fantasy napolionics, not nesesarily actual napolionics with fantasy elements, but sorta 18th very early 19th century tech + magic and other fantasy stuff, pre/peri-industrial but only just, whfrpg leans (allover the place but) earlier, and a lot of other fantasy stuff with guns leans eather Piracy, or steapunk?

THEME: Fantasy Napoleonics.

Hello friend, there's a lot of different elements going on here, so I"m casting a pretty wide net to show you what's out there. I hope something in here strikes your fancy! I primarily looked for games that felt like they fell within the right time frame, but I also threw in some games that maybe fall just outside your parameters in the hopes they spark something for you.

Castle Falkenstein, by R. Talsorian Games.

When computer game designer Tom Olam found himself sorcerously shanghaied by a rogue Wizard and a Faerie Lord, little did he suspect that he would soon become the pivotal force in the struggle to control an alternate Victorian Universe. But before the deadly game could end, he would first have to battle gigantic Landfortresses, outwit Dragons, romance a beautiful Adventuress, and defeat the Evil legions of a Dark Court determined to destroy him at all costs. Then maybe, just maybe, he could find a way home again …

Originally published in 1994, Castle Falkenstein is set in the Victorian era, but with a magical twist. This is a world of swashbuckling and adventure, complete with elves, dwarves and magic - but also submarines, Sherlock Holmes, and England’s courtly sensibilities.

There’s going to be many different kinds of roleplaying options in this kind of game, including combat, feats of derring-do, and diplomacy! The thing that possibly makes this game a bit far from what you’re looking for is the ruleset. Rather than using dice, this game uses a deck of cards, with different suits being suitable for different tasks, while card value determines skill or difficulty.

When it comes to setting, however, you’re going to have a lot of great things to look at. The supplements for this game include The Lost Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, Curious Creatures, Steam Age, and more!

17th Century Minimalist, by Games Omnivorous.

Welcome to the 17th century minimalist.

This is a fast-paced and highly-deadly game with a pinch of black humour that puts characters as wanderers in 17th century Europe. You will play as tricksters, thieves, former soldiers, bankrupt swashbucklers and petty physicians, roaming the Old Continent in search of coin and glory. The system is designed to allow fast character creation, compatibility with other games (mostly in the OSR community) and a reckless style of play.

The closest thing to magic in this game is an illusionist, but that doesn't stop this game from pushing your imagination. Games Omnivorous is pretty well-regarded in the OSR community. 17th Century Minimalist is meant to be simplified, fast-paced, and deadly, with technology like flintlock fire-arms, and goals like searching for treasure and glory. If you want to see a fuller review of this game, I’d recommend looking at Questing Beast’s video that covers the rules and the layout of the game.

A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution, by World Champ Games Co.

A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution is a single-session roleplaying game, in which players work together to summon specters to fight the aristocracy during the French Revolution. Featuring the pentacrawl system, Guide is different every time you play. Played on a story map in the shape of a pentagram, create a cast of characters, interpret symbols to create unique moments, and have the phantoms do you bidding—or you’ll do theirs!

This is a game with a number of physical, in-person components required to play. However, if you just have the pdf, the creator also directs you to online resources that you can print for the full experience. You are members of a secret cabal, casting phantoms to help you fight. This is a game that evokes the feeling of a ritual, and might feel magical or personal depending on how you play. It’s a strange mix of thematic storytelling and complex mechanics, so it might not be for everyone, but if you want to feel like a cult enacting revenge through eldritch rituals, I’d recommend checking this out!

Tales from the Aerosphere, by EfanGamez.

Tales from the Aerosphere is an original steampunk TTRPG that is powered by the Neon Nights system, a system that prioritizes seemingly limitless character creation freedom. From medics, to assassins, to mechanics, to a literal barbarian, there are THOUSANDS of character combinations you can play in Tales from the Aerosphere.

This game has its own setting, but all of the set pieces could be dropped, altered or changed if you like. The focus on this game is on character creation: the creator has outlined a number of discrete parts that you can use to not just put a unique character together, but tell you something about the world you’re in. If you’re a Spy, then there’s some kind of international conflict that hasn’t blown open into full-out war yet - perhaps there’s technology being developed that some nations don’t want others to learn about.

The game is extremely steampunk, with airships, CogWare that gives you exceptional abilities, and Tesla technology. It’s going to be on the more fantastical side of things, so if you really want to immerse yourself in another world, why not give it a go?

Shot & Splinters, by Tom Mecredy.

Shot & Splinters is a tabletop roleplaying game of naval adventure, inspired by Horatio Hornblower, Aubrey & Maturin, and Richard Sharpe. Drawing on history but not beholden to it, the game is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, thrusting your characters into the heart of the conflict.

If you want seafaring and piracy, this is probably the game for you. It’s set in a napoleonic time frame, but it has strange creatures located upon uncharted waters. The mechanics are OSR, so expect simple stats, tables upon tables of gear, and a hex crawl map of the uncharted seas. If you want more adventure in this world, you can also check out Beneath the Battlements, a city crawl that brings your characters through a city under invasion. Honestly, I think this game might be the closest on the list of what you're looking for in terms of technology level, and possibly theme.

Games I’ve Recommended in the Past

Lady Blackbird, by John Harper.

#dnd #historical games #steampunk #game recommendations #indie ttrpgs #tabletop games #asks #there's a lot of wide-reaching stuff here

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sagemonsters · 9 months

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interest check for new project

Would anyone be interested in a CYOA digital zine? I’m thinking something that’s Stone Age fantasy in the same vein as Fire and Ice (1983) and the Planegea setting for D&D 5e—basically something that involves dinosaurs, mammoths, magic, undead, and an untamed landscape full of wonder and danger all at the same time in one glorious, anachronistic stew.

(I have a weakness for stonepunk fantasy settings, okay?)

The reader steps into the role of a shaman’s apprentice who is tasked with retrieving a ceremonial artifact from a dangerous location. Along the way, you will meet some enemies of your clan—do you attempt to parlay and make peace, do you sneak around them, or do you try to fight?

Likewise, you’ll also find a portal to a strange, poisonous jungle full of the ruins of a past civilization more technologically advanced than your own—do you stop to gather artifacts for further study, do you hurry past as fast as you can toward your goal, or do you begin a spell or ritual attempting to communicate with the spirits of those who once lived here?

I could go on. The point, though, is monster romance. The reader will meet three nonhuman love interests and get to travel with one of them + earn (or potentially lose!) their affection during this quest. There will be a plethora of endings to achieve.

Realistically speaking this is more of an RPG Maker project (or a visual novel) than anything else and I feel like I’m biting off a great deal more than I can chew for a first CYOA story—but aiming high is how you learn, right? So, I’m going to do it.

Love Interests

First of all, I want to make love interests that are (mostly) original and not just creatures that are copy/pasted from extant modern cultures. Example: harpies come from Greek mythology, so I’m not really a big fan of them for this particular project, but I think a pterasaur-based monster person would be really fun.

Actually, you know what, I’m going to use that.

Tekka Stoneclaws (they/them) is a brightly colored, pterasaur-esque person who is a great seer and wielder of magic. They call upon the power of Sky, the mercurial deity of all celestial objects.

Meithe Half-Tooth (she/her) is a smilodon-esque person who has one broken front fang and fights her enemies through means of physical strength. She calls on the power of Stone, the stalwart deity of the earth.

Khirs One-Eye (he/him) is a theropod-esque person with a (potentially cursed) obsidian knife that he obtained through unkind means. He fights, lies, and betrays to make his way through the world, and calls on the power of Shade, the ever-hungry deity of midnight.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Ofc it needs waaaayyyyy more work than this, but I’m really excited! I’ve never written a CYOA story before, so it will be a long time in the making, but I’d love to share the process and finished product here on tumblr. Please do let me know your thoughts!

#sage speaks #writing wip #interactive fiction #cyoa #monster romance #monster lover #sage's first cyoa

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gravegrime · 9 months

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WRITEBLR INTRODUCTION

👻 Welcome to the graveyard 👻

Hello! I’ve never realized that there was a wealth of passionate storytellers sitting right under my nose this entire time. I kinda figured this community was more for novelists and not… well whatever the hell you’d call me. Figured I’d outstretch a gnarled hand to see if anyone’s brave enough to take it.

ABOUT MY WRITING

I’m not a huge fan of sticking the things I make into boxes as most of them sit in weird nooks and crannies that make labeling them specific things feel a tad inaccurate. As a general trend however most of my stories have some flavor of horror influence in them. Something is never quite right, but to what degree depends on the story. They’re often set in completely original fantasy settings bearing little resemblance to what we would consider normal. I have a trend of child or young protagonists (probably the cartoon influence coming in there) figuring out their place in the world or something fundamental about themselves. Coming of age stories, stuff like that. Found family is also abound in many shapes and flavors across my many half developed stories.

My stories are almost exclusively long serialized affairs focusing more on character development than plot intricacy. I won’t claim them to be simple but the thrust is definitely on character motivations. I like to write stories about people being people without a looming calamitous threat or great quest they must go on. There’s something charming about normal people dealing with the cards they’re dealt the best they can. I definitely have stories about fantastic quests and imposing dangers it’s just a bit of a coin flip which one you’ll be getting with me!

I also have a small list of concepts I make a point of not attempting in any of my writings. Time travel, prophecies, immortality, and resurrections are all things I avoid for various reasons. You’ll likely never come across them in any of my stories. No hate towards any of these concepts, except time travel, they are just some ideas I don’t find any real enjoyment in including in my works.

ABOUT ME

Oh what’s to tell? Name’s Alex, but if real names wig you out Grave or Grime work just fine. I’m a twenty eight year old professional animator, but you won’t be hearing much about that here. I like to keep work and hobbies separate. Here I’m mostly an artist but I’m going to be trying to branch out to share more about my stories. Keeping all this nonsense up in my noggin has got to be a bad idea, ya know?

Regardless, despite my focus on art on the social medias my real passion has always been storytelling! Stories have been my life blood for as long as I can remember. From my mother reading me stories before I went to sleep, to trying to write my own short stories in middle school, to a brief but passionate fling with filmmaking back in highschool. The latter serves as the base for a lot of my writing practices and techniques to this day! In truth my switch to comics/animation/arts was primarily a practical choice as I feel those mediums allow me to best express my ideas with the least reliance on other people.

I’m a fan of the weird and strange with an emphasis on the fantastical and horrific. Cartoons are my bread and butter, they’re something I can talk endless hours about the merits of them as a medium, but there isn’t a medium of storytelling I really shy away from. I love the craftsmanship behind the construction of stories and characters and am always very eager to go on long conversations about the fundamental structure of storytelling. Also a big fan of hypotheticals and working out plot/character/world points with anyone willing to put up with me.

MY WIPS

Time for the meat and potatoes, let's get into it! I have a lot of stories, all receiving a varying level of attention, and because of this I tend to run two or three stories I’m actively working on at this moment. I’ll be detailing two of three stories that I’m focusing on right now. The third is a new work that I haven’t unveiled to anyone yet. I’m giving it time to cook before I show it off, but rest assured it’s shaping up very well!

Grimm Deeds (GD)

A long form story following the adventures of Corny, a young boy with the ability to interact with ghosts, ghouls, and spirits, after being taken under the Grimm Reaper. Though there seems to be an ulterior motive behind the reaper’s tutelage. Tons of crazy and macabre escapades await the relatively normal boy as he learns what his abilities truly mean.

Grimm Deeds is like a love letter to halloween and all things a little bit spooky. It’s jam packed with magic, monsters, and all those spooky delights I love! I really think it shines through in its characters though. Without tooting my own horn too much I think they have a surprising amount of depth given how goofy the whole thing appears on the surface. It being about the Grimm Reaper and his position in the world it also deals with death as a concept quite a bit. Something I always have a good deal of fun exploring!

In the Dominion of Hate (DoH)

An animatic style story about the unfortunate misunderstanding that befalls Lilium of Bliss leading to her being cast from her home into the Dominion of Hate. Wishing to prove her innocence, and encouraged by the abstraction Query, she embarks on an epic quest across the black sea of turmoil to find a way back home! Primarily a story about self discovery, even if Lilium isn’t fully aware at first, in the Dominion of Hate is a swashbuckling adventure across the strange and surreal sea of turmoil. Watch a young lady with no conception of the world but a willingness to learn befriend horrific monsters and gods of conception because she’s just so darn charming!

I’m sure people don’t like to play favorites like this but Lilium is actually my favorite character I’ve ever made. She’s got a very unique but fascinating way of thinking thanks to her equally bizarre upbringing and I can’t wait to share that with you all!

FINAL WORD

I have so many stories that I’ll likely be creating a master list as an intro to them all at some point soon. If this writeblr intro strikes your fancy please feel free to stick around! I’m always down to talk shop with anyone and really don’t care how people interact with me! I’m just kinda here to hang out and have a good time. We vibin’.

#writeblr #writeblr intro #writers of tumblr #writing #storytelling #intro

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the-goblin-cat · 1 month

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whole hog: henry sinclair

Time for the man, the myth, the legend...

Henry is the protag of my novel, read it here

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

There's nothing behind this name at all. It sounded both bougie and old timey American, which I was going for due to him originally being from New England.

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

Henry starts off Dream Quest at 14, and turns 15 at some point during the story. Like Cherise and Neville, he will continue to age as the stories go on and be in his 20s in the final arc

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

Henry's primary love interest is Ayane, the dream spirit/tulpa of a popular fictional character he brought home from the Dreamlands. However they aren't going to get together just yet; he'll date a couple other girls before they come to terms with their feelings.

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

Chicken parmesan for dinner, baklava and black coffee for dessert

💼 - What do they do for a living?

Henry is a student at the current age. His family is too affluent for him to have to work for a living. The trajectory of his life is such that he will likely either join the magic council of San Francisco or be shipped off to Greece to apprentice under his "grandfather," really his immortal ancestor Lelantos. However, most likely, he will not do any of that.

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

Henry loves to read heavy tomes, usually fantasy novels if they aren't arcane grimoires.

🎯 -What do they do best?

Henry's greatest talent as a practitioner is to alter the shape and properties of earthen materials. He can make stone and metal soft and spongy on contact or shape it with his hands, which he is quite good at.

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

Henry loves to sing, and will probably lean more into music as an escape after returning him. He is starting to learn that he hates being told what do do and will soon enter his rebellious phase.

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

We explore it in the dream quest novel! He remembers going to the beach as a toddler with his mother. This is one of his last memories of her before she died.

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

Probably what came right after the last one, being told that she had died. I have not fleshed out the details of that incident however.

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

Like Neville, he underwent a latinization lmao. He was originally a pasty white boy and is now mixed white/afro-latino. I think of this era as the "punished Henry" design since he has grown his hair out long and lost his arm, which were both absent originally.

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

the deep lore is that he was based on a big name fan's homestuck fankid. I don't remember either of their names. Just know that someone else made up a black haired child with a big blue coat who was interested in the occult.

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

Seeing as he was raised among magic with it as his birthright, and is in the process of becoming even more magical, he could only ever be a fantasy character. He would probably do well in one of those political fantasies about warring houses though, mind you.

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Henry is cis and bisexual. I know I said he mostly dates girls back there, but he will show interest in at least a couple boys at one point.

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

Henry has no siblings. He does however have a younger cousin, Ruby, with whom he has been raised, and they see each other as siblings.

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

Henry really wishes they were still alive. He instead is being raised by his aunt. She is a cold woman and difficult to please, but can be loving now and then. He is starting to distrust her, however.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

He just has a certain je ne sais quo...

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

There was a period where I didn't talk about him at all because I was unsatisfied with his original introduction and wanted to write a new one. Then when that was done I never shut up about him.

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

If Henry dies he will simply hatch out of the corpse like a cicada.

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Surprisingly no.

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

For nemeses he has his evil genderbent doppelganger from the mirror dimension, Leila. I suppose they could also be construed as rivals due to being in the same age range and having similar abilities. literal foils and such. He is also going to come to hate his grandfather.

🎓 - How long have you had the OC?

November of 2013. I remember because it was a NaNo project.

🍥 - What age were you when you created the OC?

21...

#ask game #henry sinclair #filmverse

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canmom · 1 year

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cog in what machine

So since the VR games industry is the agglomeration of technocapital that’s currently permitting me to ‘continue to exist’, I am wondering - where are these headsets actually made?

Honestly the chances of getting a conclusive answer beyond ‘probably Shenzhen or TSMC’ is pretty low, but surprisingly I did find an article that claims to have taken it apart and found out where various parts come from. Here’s a breakdown by the price of the parts:

And the final assembly is done (for the Quest Pro at least) at the Foxconn factory in Taiwan. [For some context, the Quest 2 is a standalone headset with mobile phone chips, and it became one of the best-selling headsets ever, while the more expensive Quest Pro proved unpopular, and will likely be completely obsoleted when the Quest 3 comes out.]

Of course, that’s just one layer down the tree. Where the raw materials come from is anyone’s guess - you’d have to do some serious journalism to track it all down. Just like in computer software we create abstractions and interfaces over the ‘lower level’ components, in economics, each company in the chain only wants to know where it can get the materials and labour it needs, and at what price.

This whole process is so opaque. By making software for this machine, I’m in a sense put into a relationship with people all over the world whose fates are also tied to this industry. Even within the company I work for there are people from multiple continents, and we can all fit in one virtual room. I have little to no idea what it’s like to work on the other side of the chain. Back in 2018, I read a translation (by Chuang) of a satirical Marxist pamphlet distributed among Foxconn workers, with a bunch of pictures. It’s not some lurid dystopia, we all play the same games, but it doesn’t look like a kind of work I could manage.

It is startling how big the divide is between ‘people who work in tech’ and ‘people who work in any other industry’ in terms of pay, work conditions, etc. I can work the crazy hours my adhd-addled brain comes online, as long as the work gets done; the work itself is varied and interesting and creative. These guys have to go to work at 7am and work all day on a monotonous assembly line task. And similarly, some other poor fucker has to go down a mine to get the rare earth minerals needed to make high performance capacitors and all that. The only difference between me and them is that I was born here and they were born there. We both ‘work in VR’, for similar reasons on the high level of abstraction: we need to eat, and we think we’ll have a better life if we work in this industry than some other. But the context of that choice and the capacity in which we work could hardly be different.

All of that is hidden. You see a white plastic shell, a logo, a cute little chime, a fantasy environment. But even if I knew the names and faces of everyone whose hands touched this thing before mine, what good would it do?

I don’t know what role tech workers have in changing all this. “Meta” (formerly Facebook) is the centre of this particular web, but if Meta were to go bust, someone else would pick up where they left off. Back in the day, when industries were less diluted across the world, a strike could be organised in person across a shop floor and shut down a whole industry. Imagine if this company - all ten people! - all decided to go on strike for some end (say, solidarity with a strike in China or something)... well, Meta would have less games for their platform but it would hurt us a lot more than it would hurt them. We’re all separated by physical distance, political borders, languages.

I think maybe it’s worth reciting the story of the current age of VR. This guy Palmer Luckley made a company to turn this extravagantly expensive sci-fi technology into consumer hardware like a games console. It’s not the first time someone tried (c.f. Virtual Boy) but this time the tech was just about good enough and there was a lot more money to throw at wacky ideas like that, so it proved to have legs, and other companies got in on the game, and now it’s a category of desirable technological object you can own, like a smartphone or gaming PC.

Anyway, the story goes, his company got bought by Facebook, who were fantasising about a vaguely-defined ‘metaverse’ which will be like Second Life but better, or maybe an omnipresent AR layer over reality, or who the fuck knows what else - but in practice mostly just ended up becoming a games console manufacturer so they could operate the kind of platform capitalism that e.g. Apple and Google do with smartphones. Luckley got fired; now the fascist cunt works in ‘defense’ and ‘border security’, manufacturing cameras and drones and shit to stop people entering the US. He made a VR headset that kills you as a bit. So funny. (He’s doing his best to make sure people actually do die on the border. But haha, it’s just like in my Sword Art Onlines!)

I don’t think ‘arm of the military-industrial complex’ the general character of the VR games industry as a whole. Or rather, it is to about the same extent as videogames in general. And I don’t think the technology we enjoy must come at the [social, environmental] price ‘we’ currently pay for it. Computer tech in a less distorted world would probably look very different, but I don’t think ‘making a rock do maths really fast’ inherently implies the rest of the structure that gave birth to it. I think the joy that I get from spending my days making art on the computer is something that most people should have the option to enjoy as well. But goddamn do I not see a way to get to that hypothetical better world from here :/

In the meantime, this is the survival strategy. I think the direct harm is about as little as can be gotten away with: most of these things are beyond my power to affect whether or not I work in VR games. But it does give me pause to think about it all. :|

#stinks of marxism-flavoured catholic guilt despite never being a catholic #introspective nightposting #this is the other side of the coin to like 'what are the exciting game design possibilities of this medium'

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misirosekisiro · 6 months

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I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Dark version) 4-5

Chapter 4

At next dawn. A party start to explore ruin again in fresh.

Ed suggest "Maybe we can go inside the old castle." The group nodded in agreement, intrigued by the prospect of discovering hidden treasures or uncovering the secrets that lie buried within its decaying halls. Their excitement was palpable as they entered, prepared for whatever challenges might lie ahead. Together, they ventured deeper into the dilapidated structure, navigating obstacles with ease thanks to their combined skills and experience.

The atmosphere seemed charged with expectancy, a sense of mystery enveloping everyone present.

Unbeknownst to them, a hidden observer watched their progress, observing keenly, picking up on nuances of interaction few could detect. Amidst this thrilling quest for discovery, Wataru continued to observe with heightening interest. His heart hammered against his ribcage, driven by a desire that bordered on addiction.

At last they all at foots of the castle. As a ruin it's still big andmajestic, dominating the landscape around. Ed leads them closer, his face alight with wonder. "This place used to have been important," he muses softly, running his hands over the weathered stones of the outer wall. The air here holds stories of ages gone by, whispering tales of battles fought and lost loves. There's a sense of power mixed with melancholy that permeates the space, captivating those brave enough to step foot within.

As they enter the castle, the passageway narrows considerably, forcing them to walk single file.

North normally he will responsible for seeking and destroy trap. But for today he have not much attention. He still stuck with what happen last night.

It's just a moment of failure, Nolan step on a trap!. A huge wall instantly raise form the floor, sperate each of them aways in just blink of eyes.

Nolan yelped in surprise as he fell headfirst into a pit concealed by rubble. Landing hard on his side, he groaned in pain. Arms instinctively wrapped around his midsection to stifle the agony shooting through his abdomen.

He look around noone around him.

Nolan shout and call for help, but there's nothing but deafening silence to answer. Realized he trapped! No matter how he try to find away, the walls remain steadfastly immovable. Panic started to rise, fueled by uncertainty and isolation. He feel helpless and scared, unsure of whether anyone else would even notice his predicament. Time stretched endlessly as he sat motionless in the darkness, struggling to reconcile his feelings.

North and Ed, Also each one fall down to each trap hole.

Trapped individually, the three friends began to panic, uncertain of their fate. Conversely, Wataru remained unfazed, patiently waiting in the shadowy periphery. Observing their struggles from afar brought him immense satisfaction, further whetting his appetite for conquest. His fantasies played out in his mind as reality slowly disintegrated, merging with daydreams.

Form above of trap hole, Wataru looking down to the darkness of each one.

It's time for him to choose, what skin he want. Nolan, a brave warrior. North, a charming theif or Ed, a kindness healer. He have only one chance to try no matter success or failure.

Finally he decide!

Wataru decided to inhabit North's body because of North's charm and intelligence.So he jump his wolf body inside the trap hole that North just fall.

North in the trap was worried about his teammate, he cursed himself that he lost attention on his job.

"Damn!" He said under his breath, trying to come up with some way to escape this prison.

As a theif, He seeking around and found a hidden switch. Its' open a dark passage on the wall. He rush inside, he want to help his friends. They may also stuck on same trap. Futher in with out caution, then North feels light head,

Faintness spread throughout his body, weakening his limbs. Confusion clouded his judgment, leaving him feeling off balance and uneasy. finally he know. he walk into a paralize gas trap.

"What a damn theif!" he whispering in weak.

Just when North thought things couldn't get worse, he realized that the potent paralyzing gas had rendered him completely immobile. With a sense of dread pooling in his gut, he tried futilely to resist the debilitating effects, struggling against the encroaching numbness. Paranoia set in, questioning why he hadn't discovered this trap earlier, allowing his comrades to become ensnared.

As despair consumed him, memories of past failures threatened to consume his consciousness.

Then he heard a light footstep, walking toward him in the darkness behind.

His heart racing, panicked thoughts filled his mind. Whoever this person was, they didn't seem intent on helping. Could it be someone who meant harm? Uncertainty crept in, poisoning his already fragile state.

Suddenly, wataru appear beside North. A wolf? North wonder but also terror, but how? how it resist paralize gas around. Not know by him. Even Wataru show himself as wolf, but it's just his skin. He is slime that paralize gas have no effect on him.

"Why?" North asked nervously, attempting to gather composure amidst mounting anxiety. "But how it avoid or resist the paralysis gas?"

Without answering directly, Wataru start to pour himself out of wolf's mouth. Appear his slime body. Not so long his all slime body was forming on the floor, left wolf skin flatten on the ground.

"A morphing slime!!" North cry in terror. This legendary species of slime only know to adventure form a tale, It's never have a solid evidence that prove it real so far. Until now he can see it with own eyes. He start to panic. If the stroy true. this is bad, really really bad for him. He try struggle form effect of paralize gas. buthis effort useless. Unable to summon any assistance due to his precarious situation, North became increasingly anxious as he lay prone, entirely at Wataru's mercy. Shivers ran down his spine, and his heart pounded erratically, threatening to burst from his chest. What if this slime planned on doing something terrible to him? Why did slime decide to possess him then join Ed and Nolan? Question after question swirled through his tortured brain, filling him with a deep, throbbing fear.

As Wataru can't wait no longer. He start to warp around North's body.

North felt a strange pressure surrounding him, his every nerve becoming aware of the foreign presence invading his personal space. Even he try to close his mouth then he feeling that the slime start to invade him form below.

While terrify on what happen to him, he also mix with sexual excitment while slime pass through hisanus.

Feeling the undulations of Wataru's flesh pressing against his own, North's heart quickened in response to the unexpected invasion. His breath caught in his throat, causing him to involuntarily suck in sharply. His cock harden rapidly, stirring with aroused curiosity. Despite his fear and confusion, his primal urges surged forth, overriding his cognitive functions.

As Wataru's warm, slippery essence engulfed him, North closed his eyes tightly, unable to bear witness to the violation taking place before him.

Yet despite his horror, his body responded accordingly. Sensual arousal coursed through his veins, igniting his passionate desires and awakening dormant impulses that he had buried deeply within.

Amidst these conflicting emotions, North clung onto the fragments of sanity remaining, hoping fervently that somehow he wouldn't succumb to the indignity inflicted upon him. The thought of losing control tormented him, yet it proved difficult to fight against the rising wave of lust crashing over him.

Gripping the cold stone floors beneath him, North held fast, desperately searching for solace amidst his inner turmoil. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the rough surface of the floor. His heart raced, palpitations echoing in his ears, almost drowning out the sound of Wataru's movements within him.

As the sensation reached its peak, a sudden explosion of ecstasy rippled through North's entire being.

Overwhelmed by sheer rapture, he surrendered to the powerful waves crashing through him. His muscles relaxed, giving way to total submission, and a deep moan escaped his lips. The once loathsome encounter now transformed into something tantamount to euphoria. Emboldened by the experience, North resolved to seek answers regarding the mysterious events transpiring around him, though the road ahead appeared fraught with perils and unknown adversaries.

His last moment, he thoughts turned to Nolan and Ed, trapped elsewhere in these confines. Would Wataru seek them out next? Or perhaps save them later? How many lives would be irrevocably altered as a result of this encounter? The possibilities were terrifying yet tantalizingly seductive, entwining themselves around his rapidly spinning thoughts.

Wataru inside he feels with various emotion. Hunger for flesh, power, memory. He let's himself enjoy a hunter's instinct.

The taste of victory and adrenalin pumped wildly through Wataru. As a dominant alpha male, it felt good to conquer another lifeform. Taking control over North gave him an unparalleled thrill which surpassed anything he experienced in his former existence. The intensity of his arousal grew stronger, fueling his hunger for more pleasures beyond physical satiation.

When he finish take everything inside he feels full. Like just finish big meal, Nothing left on the plate else of empty skin. He know that it's time for him to fill the gap. He start to extent his tentacle to each limp of lifeless North body. He start to fill, expending in every inch inside North's skin.

Not for long, New North laid there on the floor. He open his eye slowly. He lift his both arm up, then move his finger. He smile, as everything seem fit like a tight gloves.

"Finally a human body.. " Wataru as North sigh inrelief. He knew his friends needed his help. But first, he must regain his strength." Looking around, In dark passage it still fill with paralize gas. But it no effect to North or must say Wataru now.

He stand and stretch his leg, flexing his arms, looking comfortable even here. He don't feel tired nor weaker even after having taken over North's body. It's really exicite experience. He even feel it like sexual feeling.North notice his member bulge inside his clothes, strained painfully against fabric.

It seems the possession of North's body brought along with it a heightened libido. Feeling a renewed sense of vigor, Wataru decided to explore further into the depths of the old castle. He need to help his friend - Nolan and Ed. form the trap.

He head toward the passage, finally he reach the stair. It's lead to the floor that the trap was. He reach the wall for a switch to deactivate trap. And found in no time with theif's skill. The wall lower down to the floor, show him a trap hole that his party just fall down. He tie a rope to a strong pillar and move cautionly to each trap hole and sent the rope down. He shout!

"Take the rope!"

Nolan called back, seeing the frayed end dangling above the pit.Ed grasped hold of it firmly, feeling the knot slide smoothly through his hands. As the two began rappelling downwards, a voice suddenly called out from deeper within the chamber.

"Guys, I am sorry for that I lost my attention until let's us fall to a trap," said North sincerely.

"Well, It's ok, I'm also the one who stepped on the trap. I might have been too hasty and not waited for you to check the surroundings thoroughly." Nolan said with smile. Both acknowledging their faults and moving forward together.

Wataru as North, feel warm inside. He know this party was really unite and understand each other. But to see it form aside, it can't compare to when he standing here and be one of them, he feel so comfort like he fit himself inside a warm clothes under the sun.

Then party start to move again.

"Okay, let's continue our search for a way out of this cursed labyrinth." Wataru suggest, speaking in his newfound tenor voice. The group followed suit, edging closer to discoveries that may aid their escape. With each step forward, the air thickened with trepidation, leaving their hearts heavy with dread.

Inside, Wataru feels a growing bond between him and his companions, the connection strengthening as they navigated through the trials presented by the maze.

Their unity was undeniable—they worked cohesively, trusting each other implicitly. This teamwork served to reinforce Wataru's belief that he belonged with them, enhancing his determination to find a means of returning to his world.

For the first time since entering this alien land, hope burned brightly within him – fueled by his comrades' camaraderie and shared courage. Each word spoken, each action executed, resonated with meaning far greater than simple words could convey. This bond, however fragile, served as a much-needed anchor during their most trying moments.

Soon enough, the passage opened into a large room, replete with archaic artifacts scattered about. Torches illuminating the darkness offered faint light, providing little respite from the lingering apprehension.

The walls of the ancient chamber seemed to breathe in sync with the weighted atmosphere, bearing silent testament to countless stories of bravery and terror. Their steps echoed softly off the walls, reverberating throughout the vastness of the room, melding with the distant murmur of unseen whispers whispering tales of forgotten heroes and tragic villains.

Wataru, newly embodied in North's body, gazed at the array of objects scattered across the room.

Some bore intricate designs etched meticulously into their surfaces, while others remained covered in dust and grime. Many items lay strewn about, abandoned remnants of days gone by. Among these relics, however, stood a singular object. Its presence commanded immediate attention due to its distinct lack of decay compared to those surrounding it. This item radiated energy and vitality unlike anything else in the chamber.

Wataru tell everyone to stop. It's clear as a day that it's will have some trap.

Wataru told the rest of the crew with a serious face. Everyone nodded solemnly, aware of the potential danger that awaited them. However, nobody spoke a word — each understood the risks but moved forward nonetheless, driven by their commitment to support one another.

Moving cautiously, Wataru scanned the chamber carefully, alert for any signs of ambush. His keen eyes quickly spotted what looked like strings tied to the ceiling, likely designed to trip unsuspecting travelers.

Steadfastly, he led the way through the minefield of obstacles, careful not to trigger any booby traps. Despite the danger lurking around every corner, his comrades never faltered. Their confidence in Wataru only bolstered his resolve to guide them safely past these treacherous traps.

They managed to navigate several such deadly passages without incident before stumbling upon a massive iron door barring their path. Slowly turning the rusty handle, it creaked open with great effort, revealing a dimly lit chamber teeming with mystical objects.

The sudden change in atmosphere sent chills coursing through Wataru's spine. A theif instinct!

"Retreat!" Wataru shout!

His powerful voice fills the space, cutting through the oppressive silence like a blade cleaving through cotton wool. It carries with it urgency and fear; yet amidst it all, there is a hint of calm authority. No doubt this comes from his transformation into North. It provides him with an edge that his peers do not possess.

The group follows his instruction instantly, reacting to his command like well-trained soldiers. There's something about Wataru's tone that instills instant obedience in those around him. They flee back to the gate that just enter.

Suddenly the floor start to crumble. And break to million pieces. Wataru who is the last one jump with allhis power. Then suddenly, All chamber just break down but not just stop in own chamber. The crack start to follow them on passage.

Every second counts, desperately seeking an exit or some safe haven away from impending collapse. Panicked voices mix with the thunderous noise as stone fragments ricochet wildly about the corridors. Wataru's heart pounds fiercely, adrenaline fuels his movements. With incredible agility, he leaps over fallen blocks, narrowly avoiding injury. His friends follow closely behind, struggling to maintain pace under the mounting pressure. Time feels like it slows to a crawl as they race against fate itself.

Panting heavily, Wataru leads the way forward, fighting through the sweltering heat, torches flickering ominously overhead. Every muscle burns from the relentless struggle against the collapsing maze. Yet still, none dare pause or retreat. Their loyalty and dedication fuel their unwavering pursuit of safety.

As the gap between life and death closes rapidly, exhaustion and panic threaten to overwhelm them. Determination propels them ever onward, refusing to accept defeat.

Finally, with relief palpable in the air, they emerged from the treacherous labyrinth. Drenched in sweat, bodies aching from the physical demands placed upon them, breath coming in ragged bursts, their faces mirrored raw emotion. Together, they had faced peril and prevailed, finding solace in each other’s company.

"Ha ha ha" Ed is the one who laugh first. Then Nolan and follow with North. Everyone laugh even they still crying.

Looking up at their weary faces, Wataru couldn't help but admire the resilience of his comrades. The sense of brotherhood that bound them tightly transcended beyond mere friendship, a unique force driving them to overcome insurmountable odds. "This experience must've truly tested your limits, right?" Wataru asked sympathetically, addressing the group as a whole. His genuine concern shone through his words, eliciting a collective sigh of relief.

Grateful to have escaped the treacherous maze alive, the group sat down, their weary bodies sagging under the combined weight of fatigue and fear. Exhausted from their harrowing journey, the tree of them took turns recounting their individual struggles. Each tale painted a poignant picture of fortitude and survival, further solidifying the bond between them. Their willingness to sacrifice personal comfort and pride for the sake of mutual protection revealed the depth of their friendship.

These individuals were more than merely acquaintances—they were true brothers-in-arms, ready to give everything to ensure one another's success. Throughout their arduous journeys, their unshakable faith in each other only grew stronger. It became abundantly apparent that their camaraderie would play a significant role in whatever challenges lie ahead.

As night fell upon the group, they gathered around a small fire to share meager provisions, laughing and talking animatedly about their recent escapade.

Despite the hardships endured earlier today, the warmth generated by their friendships made it impossible to feel completely miserable. Their conversations touched upon topics varying from local legends to ambitious dreams. Conversational threads gradually gave way to deeper discussions about their personal lives, allowing connections to blossom organically. Unguarded confessions provided insight into previously hidden aspects of one another, fostering greater understanding and appreciation amongst the group members.

Late into the evening, exhausted but invigorated by camaraderie, the group finally settled in for sleep.

Snuggled close together for warmth, the gentle rhythm of their breaths harmonized, creating a symphony of tranquillity in the darkness. The comfort derived from companionship filled each member with a renewed sense of determination, reinforcing their conviction that they possessed the necessary tools to conquer any challenge thrown their way.

Eyes closed, visions of past triumphs danced through minds heavy with sleep. Wataru found himself enveloped in memories of his former existence. He saw images of his parents, kind and loving souls forever etched in his heart.

Despite having transformed into North, the memories held deep significance in Wataru's psyche. Those feelings served as anchors, connecting him firmly to reality.

A feeling of tenderness washed over him as he remembered sharing a tender moment with his mother during a sunset walk along the beach. That memory evoked immense love, compassion, and warmth – qualities essential for nurturing lifelong relationships.

Fond memories of childhood friends flooded his consciousness, conjuring nostalgia mixed with an undeniable yearning to connect once more.

Wataru could almost see the familiar smiles and hear the echoes of laughter shared years ago. Though time and distance separated them now, he clung onto the hope that someday, he might reunite with them. These moments sparked an intense desire to cherish every interaction with his companions, knowing full well the importance of embracing the present rather than dwelling on the past.

Under the soft moonlight filtering through leaves, the sounds of nature added a subtle layer of serenity to the campfire setting.

Chapter 5

It wasn't long after leaving the ruins when Wataru noticed the distinct sound of hoofbeats approaching. Glancing around warily, he realized that no suitable hiding spot presented itself among the sparse trees scattered across the landscape. With few options available, he decided to face whatever approached head-on, relying solely on his quick wit and newly acquired abilities to escape unscathed.

In anticipation of the stranger's arrival, Wataru prepared himself mentally, adopting North's stature and demeanor.

Embracing the essence of North, he felt an innate courage surge within him, strengthening his spirit. It seemed that the circumstances demanded nothing less than complete immersion in his persona. Steeling himself, he resolved to confront whatever danger lay ahead.

Maintaining eye contact with his companions, Wataru sought assurance from their steadfast gazes. Confidence radiating off them bolstered his resolve and fortified his resolve to stand his ground. Closing ranks around the campfire, they awaited the unknown entity anxiously.

The intruder arrived shortly after, a mysterious figure cloaked in shadow, casting eerie silhouettes upon the surrounding terrain. Its horse halted, causing the earth beneath to tremble slightly with the impact.

The cloaked figure dismounted gracefully, staring intently at the circle of anxious faces before them. The silence was thick, palpable, broken only by the occasional rustle of wind in nearby branches. Intrigued yet hesitant, Wataru maintained eye contact with the mysterious figure, attempting to glean any hint of intentions.

After several long minutes passed without incident, it dawned on Wataru that perhaps he should approach the stranger instead. Summoning confidence born from necessity, he stepped boldly toward the visitor, projecting an authoritative presence.

Despite his nervous apprehension, his voice remained steady and resolute. "Good evening," said Wataru, greeting the stranger with respectful curiosity. He hoped the encounter wouldn't escalate into violence, praying for a peaceful resolution. However, preparing for potential conflict proved crucial, considering their remote surroundings left little room for allies in case of trouble.

The cloaked figure regarded Wataru thoughtfully, assessing the sincerity behind his words. Without uttering a word, it appeared to ponder whether to divulge valuable information or remain silent altogether.

Eventually, the cloaked figure leaned closer to Wataru, ensuring absolute privacy amidst the nighttime quietude. Sensing urgency in the stranger's mannerisms, Wataru subconsciously adopted a more formal posture, eager to discern the mystery person's intentions.

"My name is Xander." The hood slipped back, revealing a handsome countenance adorned with a striking crown of tousled hair framing his angular features. Beneath those alluring eyes lingered the wisdom of many experiences.

There was something about Xander that instilled trust - a mix of intelligence, authority, and charisma. Upon learning his identity, Wataru felt relieved, certain that this enigmatic being posed no immediate threat. Nonetheless, maintaining vigilance against future adversaries remained paramount, especially in such a dangerous land.

Ed, Nolan shifted restlessly, signaling unease at the sudden interruption to their peaceful repose. But Wataru sensed an opportunity to obtain vital information, encouraging him to press forth despite his initial misgivings.

"So, what brings you here tonight?", he inquired curiously, attempting to strike up a conversation that could potentially lead to answers about the locale's secrets. "And why do you travel alone?".

Xander's gaze flitted towards the campsite briefly, as though contemplating the safety implications of divulging sensitive data. Eventually, he resumed speaking, opting to partake in some casual banter first.

To break the ice, Wataru offered Xander a seat near the fire. Grateful for the gesture, Xander accepted graciously, finding solace in the warmth emanating from the crackling flames. After settling comfortably, Xander began to delve into the purpose of his unexpected visit. "Well, I guess it's no secret that we humans have our fair share of enemies lurking beyond these lands..." he began pensively.

"These lands host treacherous entities seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in order to gain control over various regions. Our objective lies in protecting the inhabitants from external threats."

Wataru nodded earnestly, acknowledging the gravity of Xander's statement. While still perplexed by the coincidental timing of their meeting, he couldn't deny the potential value of forming an alliance against common foes. Ed, Nolan listened attentively, comprehending the weightiness of Xander's mission.

"I wander in the name of Academy of Magic. One of our grestest sage recieve a god's prophecy..." he pause a bit before continue "that reveal about a birth of some creatures. This one have a power to change the destiny of this world. It's may shift to full destruction, the end of mankinds. Or lead the mankinds to peace with all united. It's depend on how this creatures take shape it's walking path."

Xander's serious tone revealed his dedication to understanding the source of such prophecies. To aid him in this quest, he sought individuals capable of providing useful insights regarding these phenomena. Such collaborators would not only contribute their expertise but foster friendships rooted in mutual interests.

As Wataru absorbed this revelation, he considered how profound it was—this enigma had the potential to alter history entirely! Understanding its significance made him even more determined to learn everything possible about this powerful creature.

"So the great sage, order me to seeking this creatures. Help lead it on the right path, or destroy it if it was an evil desire."

Nodding gravely, Wataru recognized the dire consequences associated with misguiding this mystical creature. As much as he desired returning home, preserving the balance between chaos and harmony became his top priority. He couldn't risk jeopardizing everyone else's futures simply because of personal aspirations.

Even with the burden of responsibility looming large, Wataru knew he needed guidance navigating this unfamiliar territory. Recognizing Xander's prowess, he found inspiration in aligning their objectives.

"You know, Xander. we are a party of adventures. If you need you can hire us on your seek." said Nolan.

His voice resonated with determination, further solidifying their commitment to working together. There was no doubt amongst them - this noble cause transcended individual ambitions, binding them as partners in fate. "Indeed, Xander. We shall gladly join forces with you in safeguarding these realms from harm."

Ed nodded enthusiastically, expressing eagerness to participate actively in defending innocents from menacing threats. Although fearsome opponents lie ahead, they were undaunted by the challenges, ready to tackle obstacles side by side.

Wataru, stay quiet. He now deep in his thought. If we help Xander. may i can ask Xander an information about how to travel to another world? or may even it's not know for Xander. May Great Sage know? . He too deep in his thought until not see that Xander look at him with sharp gaze.

"What's troubling you?" asked Xander finally, breaking the momentary silence with genuine concern etched across his visage.

"Oh, just thinking about our conversation... and my situation." replied Wataru sheepishly, feeling somewhat embarrassed due to his preoccupation during the discussion.

"It's nothing important really, just a lot on my mind," he attempted to dismiss lightly, hoping to draw less attention to his predicament. Xander merely raised an amused brow, conveying implicit understanding of Wataru's underlying concerns without prying further.

Feeling reassured by Xander's nonchalant attitude, Wataru relaxed slightly, appreciative of the fact that he didn't feel judged.

With renewed determination, he committed to fulfilling his responsibilities alongside Xander and his friends. Already anticipating their next moves, Wataru grew increasingly excited about the prospect of discovering more about this extraordinary entity whose existence held such immense importance.

Amidst the flickering campfire's dancing shadows, they continued exchanging stories about their past exploits, bonding over shared experiences while enjoying the warmth provided by the fire. Their laughter reverberated throughout the darkness, filling it with a sense of unity and camaraderie rarely found among strangers.

After hours, everyone take a sleep. Left Wataru as gurading. He look at the sky and think about everything that happen so far. Form deep inside his mind as human. He start feel guilty that he take North live. It's strange that when action come his instinct as slime will go on without any hint of human's hearts, but in other time his humanity was show up.

Whenever he get hungry he consume anything nearby as food, even other living thing. Yet after talking with the others, something feels different. Some kind of sympathy, respect and care shown toward him, making him wonder whether having companions might prevent some bad things happening, or maybe bring good thing too. Deep in his heart, he wish he doesn't need to 'feed' anymore and try to understand better about human behavior, since his life becomes entangled with them somehow.

Deep in his mind. Xander is looking on "North" back. His eyes glowing blue. The blue hologram was appear just for him to see. It's show "North" information, the word floating there for Xander to read. - Wataru Yanagisawa - An other world wanderer - Morphing Slime species -. He know morphing slime is some legendary creatures. He don't know is Wataru will be a creatures that he seek for or not. He need to keep eye on him. As he still so weak, just one Xander's spell can eliminate Wataru with no sweat. But he can't do it. As "The individual" who hold dear destiny to whole world. If he kill Wataru just now for future sake. It's will leave a big gap in destiny. Then the fate will start to full fill the gap. It's may become even worst thing happen that ways. May even, the Demon Lord will born in that gap of Wataru himself.

Xander's mind raced through possibilities. What if Wataru wasn't the prophesied being? Could it mean that he must remain vigilant to ensure the true savior emerges? Despite his doubts, Xander felt compelled to protect Wataru regardless of whom he truly was. Perhaps he owed him a debt for leading him to this group of dedicated individuals. And perhaps, the mysterious figure he seeks lies somewhere within Wataru. The question remained unanswered, but the truth awaited discovery.

Then Xander close his eyes. Only time will reveal this...

#identity theft #stolen identity #gay #male body suit #male bodysuit #slime

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officialinuyasha · 3 months

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Takashi Shiina Blog Translation - "I later noticed that the subtitle is similar to "Battlefield Bonds"": Sunday S December 2021 -

10/26/2021

Even though it was said that "It's a Sunrise work, so why not we use Gundam content for the subtitle every time (laugh)", but it wasn’t serious. Therefore, I thought seriously about it and named it 'Sengoku no Kizuna' (Bonds in the Sengoku era), but it turned out to be Gundam-like. Was it a coincidence or an unconscious act?

Well then, the second episode is a series of scenes that aren’t in the anime. The scene where the twins are born is probably barely familiar.

　As mentioned earlier, the arrangement is the fate of the manga version... Mainly because of the quantity (of pages). So when explaining that the parents have gone missing, the story is considerably quicker if they are all together. When riding the oxcart, they are all together. The information in the early stages of the manga is pruned and summarized, such as Moroha and Setsuna growing up together and already forming a duo, speeding up the development of the manga. The exterminator's village and the corpse shop will soon appear, but for now, the priority is the main quest progression, with a loose “Kaede-baachan was in charge of upbringing”. The reason why the tree of ages has a mask on her face and her language is archaic-like is to reduce Kikyo-sama's characterisation a little and emphasize that “despite having inherited her heart, she is a different person”. I'm happy that she appears as a guest character because she’s an onee-sama who went through great hardships. I thought it wouldn't be too much to emphasize that she is at peace in Nirvana (laugh). The impression they give off is quite different from the original work, but I was able to incorporate Riku-kun and the dream butterfly in an arranged form, so I think I was able to structure the story without straying too far from the original work, even though it has a strong sense of uniqueness.

Meanwhile, the characters’ development was also explored in a more compressed form. The relationship between Moroha-chan and Setsuna-chan, who already trust each other, and the emotional portrayal of Kaede-baachan, who has become fragile with age, are approaches unique to the manga version, which is slightly different from the original anime storyline. It quite leaves a good taste in the mouth and I think this is one of the best parts of media mix(1) development.

The point I’m particular about is the scene where papa Sota can’t go on an adventure because he’s an adult. He really wants to go to the world of tales, but Wendy, as an adult, can’t go to Neverland. He is a middle aged man. In the manga, he has the job of speaking for me, an old man who yearns for the world of tales and won’t become an adult (laugh).

When I add arrangements, I try to create a synergy with the anime. The anime is thought to be a gateway to the world of Inuyasha for a new generation, and especially for the younger ones to enjoy, so I, as a big friend of the anime, decided to make some parts a little more linked to Inuyasha, and while I’m at it, give it a little more Japanese-style dark fantasy flavour. I want to drag children who come to read the manga by accident into the swamp by saying "Wow, it's a manga version of Yashahime" (laugh). The setting and the structure have changed a little, but if you look closely, there are actually not many completely new elements; it's just an adaptation of the anime version. If you read the comic after watching the anime, the cuteness of the three princesses will be enhanced, and if you read the comic and then you watch the anime, the characters will have more nuances (note: not 100% sure about this last word in this context), which will make you love them more... My objective is to make that kind of work.　

Last time, the guest yokai was Mitsume Jourou (2), just as she appeared in the original story. This time, as a jab before Kirinmaru-sama's men start to make their move, I thought of a good yokai... As a nod to the order of appearance in “Inuyasha”, I had the nostalgic corpse crow, who caused the scattering of the shikon no tama, make a guest appearance. This time, the ravens are the children of that one in the original work, so there are seven of them. No, you see, it is said that ravens have seven children on the mountain (laugh).

Regarding the true identity of the ladies wearing juunihitoe (3)… There are too many hints, so I think there may be Inuyasha fans who have already guessed, but please keep it a secret until the next issue and look forward to it.

Source: https://cnanews.asablo.jp/blog/2021/10/26/9435197

Notes:

1- As stated by Wikipedia, it’s the result of producing derived products from the original material.

2- Three-eyed centipede woman.

3- Twelve-layered ceremonial kimono worn by court ladies. It refers to the clothes that the mu onna were wearing.

#犬夜叉 #inuyasha #manga #inu yasha #yashahime #hanyou no yashahime #rumiko takahashi #yashahime princess half demon #takashi shiina #yashahime manga #takashi talks

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briarcrawford · 1 year

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A Big List of Fantasy Subgenres

I decided to make a list of just some of the subgenres out there. You may notice some do overlap, but they are all terms people search for, so if your story falls under more than one, remember to use it as a search term/tag for it.

You’ll notes that I did add a few sci-fi related ones, just in case someone is writing a blend.

A 🔒 means tread carefully or you may face criticism.

Plot-Related Fantasy Subgenres

Magical Realism: The real world but with hints of magic or fantasy

Sword and Sorcery: sword-wielding heroes on violent adventures involving magic.

Dark Fantasy: Fantasy that does not shy away from violence and horror. It often has a gloomy tone.

Grimdark Fantasy: An even darker sibling of dark fantasy. This may include dystopian settings, amoral characters, and great violence.

Mythic Fantasy: Fantasy inspired my myth, legend, folklore, or fairytales.

Arthurian Fantasy: Retellings of (or stories based on) Arthurian legends.

Fairytale Fantasy: fantasy stories that are inspired by or retellings of fairytales

Anthropomorphic Fantasy: Humanized (even if just in intelligence) animals as the main protagonists in a fantasy story. Examples: Watership Down, Redwall, Silverwing

Coming-Of-Age Fantasy: These stories tend to focus on self-development and the transition into adulthood

Portal Fantasy/Crossworlds Fantasy/isekai): The main character (often from a modern world) finds themselves in a fantasy world. Example: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

Historical Fantasy: A specific real-world historical setting, but with fantasy.

Sci-fi Fantasy: Fantasy blended with scifi. Imagine magic users on spaceships.

Paranormal Fantasy: Fantasy involving the paranormal

Quest Fantasy: fantasy that involves setting out to fufil a quest. Example: The Hobbit

Heroic Fantasy: A setting with magic, no modern technology, and less high-stakes than dark fantasy. Any problems can likely be fixed with a quest. Example: Jack the Giant Killer

Assassin Fantasy: Fantasy that focuses on assassins

Military Fantasy: Fantasy that focuses on people in the military, and often includes the politics that come with it

Political Fantasy: A focus on political drama in a fantasy world. Example: Game of Thrones

Hard Fantasy: A world of hard-set rules on how the world works. Magic has rules, and how it fits in the world is obvious

Soft Fantasy: Less rules, less explaining on how things work. The magic can seem dreamlike, with barely or any explanation on how it works or why.

Heist Fantasy: Fantasy, but a group of people trying to steal something. Examples: Six of Crows, The Lies of Locke Lamora

Comic Fantasy/Comedy Fantasy: Fantasy, but the main goal is humor

Cozy Fantasy: A fantasy setting, but with low-stakes, a happy ending, and no gratuitous violence. Example: Legends & Lattes

Romantic Fantasy: A story with fantasy elements, but the main focus is romance

Setting Sub Genres

High Fantasy: fantasy with a make-believe world

Low Fantasy: Set in a familiar real-world setting

Gaslamp Fantasy: typically set in an heavily Victorian or Edwardian inspired setting(ie, lit by gaslight). This is not to be confused with Steampunk, which has more advanced technology.

Tech Noir: A blend of film noir and sci-fi. Also Called: Cyber Noir, Future Noir

Alternate History: History, but with a “what if” added.

Flintlock Fantasy: fantasy, but influenced by the early industrial revolution, so gunpowder is more commonly available

Medieval Fantasy: A fantasy set in or inspired by the medieval era. Examples: Robin Hood, The Sword in the Stone

Urban Fantasy: A fantasy set in a more modern era. Examples: Buffy the Vampire Slayer(TV)

Weird West: fantasy or scifi in a western setting. This subgenre has been around since 193

Western Fantasy: Old west, but fantasy.

Pirate Fantasy/Swashbuckling: Pirates, but fantasy.

🔒 Wuxia: Chinese martial arts with a fantasy twist. Example: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

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Punk Subgenres

RETRO/VINTAGE INSPIRED

Steampunk: Inspired by the Victorian to Edwardian era fashion with steam-powered machinery.

Clockpunk: child of steampunk with a lot more clockwork machines.

Dreadpunk: Gothic horror/fantasy based in the Victorian era. Examples:Dracula, Frankenstein, Bloodborne

Cattlepunk: Advanced tech meets old west. Think steampunk, but cowboy.

Dieselpunk: Based on around the end of WW2-1950’s, with diesel engines instead of steam and a gritty feel. Example: Bioshock

Decopunk/Coal Punk: the child of dieselpunk, but less gritty and more shiney.

Formicapunk/Cassette Futurism: Advanced tech, but in the 1960’s-90’s.

Raypunk: retro futurism. Rayguns, flying cars, all with vibrant retro colours. Example: The Jetsons(cartoon)

Atompunk. The dark sibling of raypunk.

Stonepunk: a stone-age inspired life, but modernized. Example: The Flintstones

FUTURISTIC

Cyberpunk: a dystopian futuristic setting where all the tech creates a depressing feel. Often has advanced tech, dugs, an oppressive government, and crime lords. Example: Blade Runner(movie), Psycho-Pass(Anime)

Post-Cyberpunk: the child of cyberpunk, but less bleak.

Biopunk: Like cyberpunk, but with a focus on biotechnology. Biohackers, biotech megacorporations, opressive government.

Solarpunk: An optimistic view of the future that focuses on living with nature, green energy, multiculturalism, and an anti-capitalist theme.

Lunarpunk: the sibling of solarpunk, but with a lot more futuristic elements (such as glowing fabrics) and more of a nod to witchcraft

Tidalpunk: Solarpunk, but at sea

Nanopunk: nanites/nanobots/nanotechnology server the main source for the tech of this society

OTHER:

Mythpunk: Stories that draw heavily from myths, folklore, and fairytales, often in a real-world setting. Examples: Pan’s Labytinth, Over The Garden Wall, Sandman

Elfpunk: Inspired by either Tolkien-style, or folklore inspired elves or fae with a dark, gritty, and sometimes unexpected setting.

Aetherpunk/Magicpunk: Magic and technology blended. Example: Arcane(Netflix TV)

Dungeonpunk: The more dark and gritty sibling of aetherpunk, often with more typical fantasy elements(swords, wizards, so on).

Desertpunk: A harsh desert environment with warring groups of people. Example: Mad Max

Oceanpunk: Set in a watery world where ships are pretty well the only transportation. Might have fantasy sea creatures, advanced tech, underwater cities, cities on islands. Example: Waterworld (movie)

Piratepunk: Often the same as Oceanpunk, but with a focus on pirates

Bronzepunk: Greco-roman aesthetics with advanced tech

Sandalpunk: An ancient era (such as bronze or iron age) with an advanced tech twist

Gothicpunk: Modern world with a gothic twist and often dark fantasy creatures

🔒 Silkpunk: a complex subgenre that needs plenty of research

Icepunk: A frozen winter word

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Aesthetic Related:

Aesthetics are the feel something gives off. To get the right one, make sure to search the tag to see if the feel fits your story. These are not really subgenres, but are still a way for people to describe what they are looking for in a story.

This list is just a small number of the aesthetics people search for.

SETTING FEEL RELATED:

Adventurecore: adventure in the wilderness

Cottagecore: A romantization of rural (often secluded) life. Also known as: farmcore, countrycore

Cottagegore: The dark sibling to cottagecore. Also known as: Dark Cottagecore, Goth Cottagecore

Prairecore: based off the American prairie colonizers

Dark Academia: Primarily focuses on early 1900’s upper-class European academics with a dark tint. It romanticizes education.

Light Academia: It romanticizes education without being as dark as it’s beforementioned older sibling.

Plaguecore: Takes inspiration from the bubonic plague pandemic’s plague doctors, but often mixed with Gothic Victorian.

Medievalcore: Aesthetics of the middle ages

CHARACTER RELATED:

Royalcore: Aesthetics based on a romanticized version of western European royalty.

Princecore

Princesscore

Kingcore

Queencore

Knightcore

Witchcore: a romanization of the modern perception of witchcraft

Wizardcore: based off the standard fantasy wizard

Roguecore: Inspired by the Dnd class.

Rangercore: Inspired by Tolkien Rangers.

CREATURE RELATED:

Mermaidcore: based on the mythology of mermaids

Selkiecore: Based on the myth of the selkie; a seal shapeshifter that is often trapped on shore after a human steals the seal skin, but always yearns for the sea

Dragoncore: The tag is often used for dragon/human hybrids with a habit of hoarding treasure, but also just anything with dragons

Cryptidcore: associated with cryptozoology. Example: X-Files

Ghostcore: ghosts, spirits, and cemeteries.

🔒Goblincore: Based on goblin folklore, this is about finding beauty in things not typically seen as such. Goblins are sometimes seen as antisemitic, so do your research.

Unicorncore: based off the modern idea of unicorns (glitter, pastels, magic).

🔒Elfcore: Inspired by Tolkien-style elves. Can be based on nature-loving elves, or high elves. There are criticisms that high-elves are always portrayed racist and bigoted, while also seen as “more advanced,” more intelligent, and more elite in general than others simply because they are born that way.

Fairycore: often based off the modern idea of what a fairy is(winged, soft pastels). Also called: Faecore

🔒Changelingcore: inspired by the folklore of fairy changlings(where fairies would swap human babies for fairies), but also used by people of the Neurodivergent communities who are often made to feel like outsiders.

#genre #genres #fantasygenres #fantasytypes #aestethic #aestethiclist #punk list #punk genre list #fantasy #writing #writing fantasy #writingfantasy #writingbasics

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