#and a lot of the other anime humanoid building designs…. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

shiftersandspacebirds · 9 months

Text

Alien Questionnaire - A Biological Perspective

A while ago, somebody linked me a very comprehensive worldbuilding questionnaire. For most aspects of a fictional society, it was great, but I noticed it assumed that anyone using it was making up a fictional human society, or at least a society of beings very similar to humans. As such, there was almost nothing in the biology department, which to me is one of the best parts! Thus, this questionnaire was born.

These questions are designed to help people worldbuild from a biological foundation. As such, the questionnaire only touches lightly on other aspects of a fictional society, and is more of a jumping off point. I wrote it with the aim of using it to develop aliens, but it should be suitable for any project with non-humanoid species, such as sapient terrestrial animals.

Have fun! I'd love to see your answers :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

General Anatomy How many limbs do they have? Do they have limbs at all?

What are their primary manipulators? Where are they located? How does this affect their tool use, building ability, etc?

What kind of body covering do they have, e.g. hair, scales, feathers? How do they clean it? Do they shed this covering constantly, or all at once at certain times?

Can they maintain a constant body temperature? If not, how do they deal with changing environmental temperatures?

What kind of habitat do they live in? Both specific habitat, and broader such as on land vs in water.

What adaptations do they have for living in this habitat?

What kind of creature did they evolve from?

What are the similarities and differences to their closest living relatives?

What resource(s) is the most necessary and urgent for them? E.g. for many animals, but not all, it’s water.

What are some common mutations? E.g. eye colours, ability to digest lactose in humans.

What injuries or illnesses are considered disabling?

How is their healing ability? Can they regenerate? If they can, is that limited to certain body parts or a certain number of times?

Senses What senses do they have? E.g. sight, smell, electroreception, etc.

How good are those senses?

Which of their sense/s do they use the most in everyday life?

How might this choice of sense impact the way they interact with the world?

Can they detect things that Earth creatures cannot? If yes, how and why?

Movement How do they move? Do they walk, crawl, fly, etc?

If they have multiple modes of movement, which is preferred, and why?

Which part/s of their body do they use to move?

What is their speed and endurance like?

How agile are they?

Do they rely mainly on their own bodies for travel, or do they use pack animals and machines?

How often do they move around? Are they mainly sedentary, do they move a lot within a set area, do they migrate, etc?

Do they have different levels of mobility depending on age, sex, or other biological group? E.g. young barnacles are able to swim, while adults are anchored permanently to a surface.

Reproduction and Lifecycle How many sexes are there?

Are there differences between the sexes (ignoring the reproductive system)?

Are there different castes, such as in honeybees or naked mole rats? If so, what is the function of each caste?

Are differences in sex or caste used to justify discrimination or hierarchy? How might these ideas differ in different populations?

Do they have a concept of gender? If so, is gender affected by sex, caste, or some other factor?

How do they attract a mate? Do they release a chemical into the air, do an elaborate display, etc?

Does one individual try to actively woo another, or is courtship more mutual?

What do they find attractive in members of the same species?

What is the usual reproductive partnership? E.g. two individuals, one main reproducing individual with a harem, no set partner, etc.

How long do they live?

How are young brought into the world? Live birth, eggs, spores, etc?

Is producing young a painful, dangerous process, or is it easy?

How much parental investment is there? Are there many young with little investment, or few young with a lot of investment (r vs K strategy)? Or is it somewhere in the middle?

How many offspring are produced at a time? Think about how attitudes towards children may differ between a species that produces one or two, and a species that produces dozens or even hundreds at a time.

How do they grow? Are they born looking like miniature adults, gradually growing bigger? Do they have specific phases of high growth, like puberty? Do they have a larval phase, metamorphosis?

How self-sufficient are they as young? Can they move around and feed themselves as soon as they are born? Do they require parental care?

What is the usual structure of childcare? Single or multiple parents/related individuals? Communally raised?

Is sex purely for reproduction, or does it serve other purposes?

What kind of sexuality is considered the norm? This doesn’t just refer to same/other sex pairings, but the culture around sex in general.

Diet and Foodchain What is their diet? Are they carnivores, omnivores, frugivores, insectivores, etc?

Do they feed off an unusual source, for example rocks, metals, or (in appropriate settings) something like magic or souls?

What physical adaptations do they have for this diet?

Is their diet very restricted, or can they have a wide range of foods?

How often do they eat? What is the culture around mealtimes, if any?

Are they prey for other organisms? For each other?

If they are, how do they deal with it? Do they fight back, have barriers, or do they accept it as a part of life?

If they are hunters themselves, what is their attitude to killing other organisms? Are they respectful? Prideful of their kill? Is it completely trivial?

If they are hunters, how do they hunt? Are they solitary or packhunters? Are certain members of the group designated to hunt?

Are the results of foraging or hunting shared, or is it everyone for themself?

Are they parasitic, parasitised, or in a symbiotic relationship with any other organisms?

Body Rhythms How often do they sleep?

What time of the day are they most active? Are they nocturnal, diurnal, crepuscular?

Do they generally sleep for one long period a day, multiple shorter periods throughout, or something in between?

Do they sleep to cope with extreme temperatures or bad conditions, i.e. hibernate or aestivate?

Do they have any biological processes that disrupt their life e.g. moulting, reproductive cycles, etc?

If yes, how does their society accommodate for these processes? Does it accommodate them at all?

Communication What is their main method of communication? Sound, visuals, scent, etc? Think about their main sense and how this would affect communication.

What is their body language like? What small moving parts might aid their body language?

If they have multiple methods of communication, are they all given equal weight, or is one considered higher than others?

Society How sociable are they?

If social, what is the usual social structure?

Are there hierarchies? How strict or relaxed are the roles?

How are disputes usually settled? Is it more common to be violent or appease the other party?

If not social, what is the reaction to being with other individuals? Do they become aggressive or stressed? Do they tolerate each other?

What is the usual size of a community? Do they have communities at all?

Do they have an in-group vs out-group mentality? If so, how strong is it? This generally relates to how scarce or plentiful resources were during their evolution, and how territorial their ancestors were.

What kind of bonds do they form?

On the spectrum of individualistic to community-oriented, where do they fall?

Do they have a strong sense of personal identity? Think about how this might tie in with the previous question.

What are the main things they derive identity from? Occupation, gender, family ties, etc?

Do they have names? If yes, how are these names formed? Are they given by another party or chosen by the individual?

Have they domesticated any creatures? If so, what do they use these creatures for?

Do they have any unusual relationships with other creatures on their planet (beyond predation, parasitism or mutualism)?

Do they produce art? What are their main forms of artistic expression? Think about how this will be linked to their main sense(s), communication method, and/or primary manipulators.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GLOSSARY Primary manipulator: Main body part used to manipulate objects, e.g. hands in humans, trunks in elephants, feet in parrots.

Sedentary: Inactive, staying in the same place.

Caste (reproductive): A group within a species with differences in body type and reproductive ability.

Symbiosis/Mutualism: Interactions where both parties benefit, e.g. cleaner fish getting a meal in exchange for picking irritating parasites off larger fish.

Aestivate: To become inactive during hot or dry periods, usually involving being sealed in mucus or soil e.g. lungfish, snails.

Reproductive cycle: Regular hormone fluctuations that affect an animal’s fertility or attitude towards breeding. The cycles can range from months to years and can include things such as antler growth in male deer, heat cycles, and menstruation in humans.

#worldbuilding #biology #zoology #speculative evolution #speculative biology #spec evo #spec bio #alien #questionnaire #xenobiology

2K notes · View notes

tocomplainfriend · 5 months

Text

I am mad

Yup!

Bro shut up, she is white - being Latina is not a race, is an not the same as color skin. And she is a second generation immigrant too. So like... this isn't like a Salvadorian person doing a cartoon, is a daughter of Salvadorians... That grew in the USA. Being Latino doesn't mean you aren't white, you can be any race and Latino. Still wouldn't make up for the lack of representation or the existing racism. In the piece of media that's "diverse".

Salvadorian is not a race, LMAO. That's crazy- you think someone from Argentina who is white, is not white cause of their nationality??? Being Latino and having that culture does not equal a race. It's in itself a racist thing. This Latino = Race is terrible, It also comes from the idea of the "You are not Latino because you are not brown", assuming all people from Latino America are brown by default. You know how much has that happen to me? -AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE.

(I'm Latino btw)

I already have an older post about it, but - you can really see the lack of diversity in the show a lot. (Will talk about it even more other day).

Again the main thing you get is MEN, hypersexual skinny queer men (cis). You won't get to see female characters being well written, thought all the season 1 and all the episodes we got rn of season 2. All characters are skinny and similar body types and repetitive design choices. Funny enough, shows that lack of human characters still have better race-coding that helluva. (and well in hazbin you'll get POC characters that are gray, lack all ethic features... even when they are humanoid. So that is great.)

Bro you could, you imagine a character being black and having different textured hair, and you go to hell... AND EVEN THO YOU ARE HUMANOID- your hair became straight and spiky, and you are now a light gray? If you build a world like that... it just seems like the perfect racist excuse to delete ethic features out a POC character because you don't want to draw them. "Not going to a single hint of their race/culture unless it revolves on their death"... If the character became a fucking coin with dot eyes, maybe (not really, shows with no human/humanoid characters still are capable to race-code their characters). But all of these characters are humanoid- why do none of them have their different characteristics? Also, this is about a real person in the real world choosing how to design a character.

This tweet also implies that a black character when they were a life they had ethic features, but lose them when they go to hell. Which is even more fucking stupid.

If a white person with straight hair goes to hell, and their hair remains straight (assuming it has nothing to do with their death), why wouldn't there be black people with textured hair? This is dumb. This goes back to the fucking thing of "No black people in fantasy media", In the same way, it's stupid for fantasy stories to revolve around white people characteristics in fictional species and people in that world- not including all the rest of diverse human characteristics POC people have it's crazy. The biggest problem here is why the fuck all Viv's sinners characters (main characters designed by her) that are supposed to black (or mixed like Alastor) have 0 characteristic. THEY ARE HUMANOID, THEY AREN'T EVEN ABSTRACT OR AN ANIMAL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. She didn't want to draw that nor change designs, and wanted to justify the whole concept of Alastor even using Voodou.

HOW ARE ALL THE ANGELS THAT VIV WANTS TO BE BLACK (black voice actors specified, or are race specified) HAVE NOTHING??? LIKE HELLO THE 'I'm such a nice angel character girl' HAS SPIKY STRAIGHT HAIR??? SHE IS AN ANGEL AND BLACK, WHY DIDN'T YOU DID HER HAIR TO BE CLOUDS- It's THE EASIEST SHIT YOU COULD’VE DONE.

BOOM! A FUCKING TROLL FROM A KIDS MOVIE WITH DIFFERENT HAIR. BOOM! THE FUNK TROLLS ARE SO EXPLICITLY BLACK CODED.

---

Bro, you know this whole thing of people with textured hair have to forcefully straighten their hair or wear wogs to a job... because people consider it ""Unprofessional"" cause racism? The erasure and discrimination of POC people and their features is a problem. That's why it is important to people represent all of those things:

(Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur)

The only reason of why Alas tor is even mixed is purely cause Viv used the Voodou symbols because she thought they were creepy and edgy. It's sucks that all the angels and sinners that are supposed to be black have nothing.

#vivziepop critique #vivziepop critical #helluva boss criticism #helluva boss critique #helluva boss critical #hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel criticism #hazbin hotel critique #anti vivziepop #antiblackness

766 notes · View notes

gillyeowalters · 3 months

Text

I love the small things about Warframe's design so much. Like, the Duviri architecture.

[Spoilers!]

The houses obviously are just wall parts of the Zariman, arranged to look like settlements/towns. The same goes for many of the harvestable plants, that also mimic Zariman design elements (especially noticeable with the cactus-like Ueymag, that has an unnaturally symmetrical shape, mimicking the often repeated tuning fork-shape).

Duviri has multiple bioms, plains, snowy mountains, a desert, but they are all way too small to exist naturally.

All this paints the picture of a world created by the mind of a child, who might have never seen anything else but the inside of a spaceship. They might have never seen other architecture, so all houses have to look like they were ripped straight out of the Zariman's structure. They know that mountains and deserts exist, but they do not understand their scale, so they become just one more small piece of Duviri. Just like cartographs back in history they fill the unknown of their world with set pieces and the skeletal structures found all over Duviri lend themselves for a comparison to this "Here there be dragons" mindset.

Children build and recreate what they know all the time to learn and better understand it, but also to express their wishes and creativity. This gives the idea of a child, confined in space, wishing to get to be somewhere else, visiting the places they have heard of.

We get to see quite a few rather large settlements in Duviri, but the amount of houses and people does not seem to match. In general, only very few people seem to be roaming the streets. This is not an adult doing extensive worldbuilding, this is a child with a lot of building blocks but very few dolls building a world on which they can project their emotions and memories onto.

Most of Duviris normal inhabitants are just decorations, not existing to be characters, but because a town "needs to have people in it". They are not defined by who they are, but by what they do- and what they do is react to the player, sit around, talk and cower in fear when enemies approach.

The simple shapes of the buildings are very close to the concept of real life building blocks. Paedagogic toys often are simple, to allow for easy handling and more creative freedom.

The theme of death is also omnipresent. Every animal resembles a carcass build from metal plating and even the Dax enemies are skeleton-like, the Gladius' helmets lower part even resembling a rabbit skull. We obviously know how the story of the Zariman ended and the skulls and bones might be just an indicator of potential danger, but what if the skeletal design of Duviri's inhabitants are not supposed to indicate not (just) death, but an infinished state? They are walking skeletons, yet missing a skin, their shape, just like the fractured bodies of the townspeople, not fully formed out in the child's head. Since the townspeople are humanoid though, they look more finished, while all the child might have ever seen of sheep, cats, dogs, horses and owls could have very well been just pictures in a school book, maybe next to a diagram of their underlying anatomy (after all, one of the few things we get to experience of the daily life on the Zariman, is school).

There is also an enemy called the Dax Herald. A Herald was a specialist in ceremonies, making sure that they were held correctly (besides also having diplomativ tasks). Their head resembles a security camera, adding a layer of oppressive social norms normal humans certainly suffered under in the orokin empire

#warframe #warframe design #warframe ramblings

122 notes · View notes

alienarthouse · 7 months

Text

A bit of a change of pace from my typical scifi spec bio, but I’ve been drawing a lot of fantasy art lately and started thinking about my goblins again.

In my D&D homebrew/original high fantasy world, Fulcire, the goblinoids (a family consisting of such species as the goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears) are distinct from the humanoids, having evolved from a different common ancestor. They are the older of the two families, having evolved somewhere between 20,000 and 70,000 years earlier. Goblins were the first of the family to evolve in their modern form, making them the oldest intelligent mortal life on the plane. They alternate between quadrupedal and bipedal stances, are opportunistic omnivores, surviving on a mix of gathering and scavenging, but never actively hunting. Before the modern age of city-building, they kept migratory paths that they traveled across over the span of several years. These days, though, they tend to live more sedentary lives in the isolation of deep wilderness, because where their’s and humanoid’s paths cross, a fight almost always seems to end up breaking out.

More fun facts below:

- As a weird quirk of their evolution, goblinoids are better able to understand large numbers as a concept than humanoids. Where the humanoid mind struggles to imagine numbers into the thousands, tens-of-thousands, and beyond, goblinoids do not. This is theorized to be due to the fact that goblinoids evolved from an animal that had a herd-like social structure, rather than a pack-like one. An individual could need to know hundreds to thousands of other people on a personal level, and those that could work in such large numbers tended to be the most successful members of the herd, eventually selecting towards this particular quirk. As a result, Goblins and goblinoids are fantastic trend-spotters, and have both a fantastic memory and a quick mind for mathematics. It’s no coincidence that their agriculture requires keeping careful track of plant and animal populations across wide tracts of land over many years, and figuring out how to manipulate them season-by-season to the benefit of both themselves, and for the local ecosystem.

- Goblin clothing and fashion is quite unique when compared to humanoid clothing. Goblins do have a taboo against nudity in most cultures, but the structure of their body means that what they must cover differs. All goblinoids are mammalian, though their breast tissue is on their stomach, not their chest. To have an exposed belly, then, is considered appropriate for men, but not women, in Goblin societies (this, of course, can vary depending on societal practices regarding nursing, but that’s a whole different topic). An exposed chest, meanwhile, is commonly considered a sign of bravery in warriors, though more often than not warriors will wear chest-plates in real combat. Everyday styles, such as an exposed chest, are designed to allow for ease of movement in both bipedal and quadrupedal stances. The classic shirt, as humans style it, tend to pull and rub at a Goblin’s shoulders, which are structured more like that of a very flexible cat than a human. A lean towards functionality does not stop Goblins from accessorizing, though, covering clothes in embroidery, beadwork, and decorating with anything that shines or makes a nice jingling sound. Patterns and motifs may stem from Goblin folklore and history, or may be adopted from other species’ cultures. Clothing style is not restricted based on sex in any case other than when it comes to nudity in a particular culture, but it is common for those with magical ability to wear styles that differ from those who do not.

- Goblins have brightly pigmented skin, ranging from green to yellow to red, with the depth of color believed to signal good health. They may very rarely have striped or spotted patterns on their skin, but if not painted-on, this tends to be the result of an individual having some hobgoblin or bugbear ancestry, rather than a naturally occurring pattern. Compared to humanoids, they have an extended hairline, which starts lower on the forehead, extending down the neck and back, and across the shoulders. It often stops at the low-back, but it is not unheard of to have a furred tail. They range between 2.5 to 3.5 feet in height when standing bipedally, though are taller when their ears are taken into account. They are mammalian, and give birth in litters of 1-3 pups per season. Goblins have retractable claws, and their teeth fall out regularly across the seasons, though they only fall out all at once if a Goblin is in truly dire health. Lost teeth are often given as a sign of affection to family, friends, and/or lovers. While Goblins may not be religious, they are often spiritual, and keeping a loved one’s tooth is thought to help keep track of them, in life and in death. In fact, when a particularly beloved Goblin passes, when they are interred below the roots or in the hollow of a tree, they are often buried with great numbers of living Goblin’s teeth, so that they may find and recognize one another again in the world beyond.

#the gallery #goblins #d&d #spec bio #speculative biology #fantasy art #dnd art

79 notes · View notes

kit-n-kamoodle · 18 days

Note

Hey, there! I’ve been following you a bit and I love how you do such detailed work in your pieces and especially in your fantasy work! I’ve been meaning to ask if you have any advice when it comes to drawing Minotaurs? I really adore how you design & draw them! They’re really visually pleasing and I hope you have a great week! :D

;_; THANK YOU!! that means so much to hear!

In terms of drawing minos, I think the biggest thing I've found to make an impact is being really particular in their neck and facial region, especially that bovine face shape! Cows and their cousins have such fun, long, blocky and sloping features that are a real treat to draw but a bit strange to grasp at first if you're used to drawing other animal/furry faces like canines and felines. my mental shorthand/reminder I like to use is building off the base shape of a thick wedge... like a big block of cartoon cheese.

I also personally prefer giving minotaur fairly thick necks. their heads tend to have a lot of heft to them (especially if they have big horns), so I find that keeps them feeling like they can actually support that weight, and gives a more graceful transition to the more humanoid body!

#asks #these are all just my personal methods of course - if you find they help and you like the result then wonderful!!

21 notes · View notes

gallifreyinstituteforlearning · 1 month

Note

What does a traditional family/House dynamic look like, especially in terms of children?

[Does the whole House live in one large building, or is the House more of a common family space? Are children usually cared for by their parents, or is child minding more of a communal responsibility along the lines of "it takes a village to raise a child"? Etc.] < please treat these questions as additional questions like the ones on a school test that the teacher puts in to make sure that the student understands the original big question. I only included them so you could know what I meant when I say "House/family dynamic", because I know that can be confusing

Gosh, I wish you'd have written my exams.

What does a traditional family/House dynamic look like?

Houses are both residences and familial hubs containing a lot of related Gallifreyans. Here's what the dynamic typically looks like, especially when it comes to raising children:

🏠 Brief House Overview

First, a bit of context - Gallifreyan Houses are huge, often sentient structures. They're designed to support entire extended families, often containing multiple generations.

Interior Design: Houses often have high ceilings, large rooms, and sprawling corridors. This setup is on purpose - designed to make newly loomed Gallifreyans feel like children (many loomlings are created with fully-grown adult bodies).

Living Spaces: Houses contain individual bedrooms, communal living spaces, and operational facilities such as the Loomshed. They also have their own crypts for dead House members.

Animated Features: The Houses often have animated furniture, which, if not properly trained, might chase people around. Paintings whisper at passing cousins, and Druges, large automated humanoid servants, roam the premises, performing various duties.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Family Dynamics

Gallifreyan families tend to be large and very hierarchical, with cousins, aunts, uncles, and other relatives living under the same roof. There's a strong thread of communal responsibility and shared upbringing when it comes to childrene (childe = singular, childrene = plural):

Childcare: Childrene are typically cared for by a combination of their parents and other relatives. Parents are present and will look after their child, performing the usual trips out to the galactic zoo or whatever.

Education: The responsibility for education and upbringing is communal, with older House members playing a significant role in brainbuffing (the educational process designed to shape young Gallifreyan minds). This is supported by the help of Avatroids - mechanical beings who were (basically) enslaved by the Time Lords. The boy Doctor had his own personal Avatroid named Badger, whose job it was to protect and educate him.

Communal Responsibilities: Given the House's size and structure, childcare is often a collective effort. The extended family takes part in guiding the children's education and development, with the aim of instilling a sense of duty and obedience ie. House values.

🧒 Children and Brainbuffing

As mentioned, childrene undergo brainbuffing, a rigorous educational process that equips them with a ton of knowledge before they step out into the big wide world. This process involves both formal schooling and informal training at home.

Early Education: During the first eight years, childrene are educated in writing, culture, mathematics, and science, surpassing the knowledge level of many human college students. Extended family members play a significant role in this process.

Traditional Activities: Despite the emphasis on duty, childrene can happily engage in activities like lushberrying and playing with onion dolls. However, there are no playgrounds on Gallifrey due to the focus on obedience.

Communal Upbringing: The entire House contributes to the upbringing, fostering a strong sense of community and collective responsibility.

🔥Then Comes Life

At the age of eight, children are snatched away from all of this and put into Chapter Academies away from their Houses and families for around 200 years. Bummer.

🏫 So ...

Gallifreyan Houses blend family living with communal responsibilities. They focus on fostering a sense of duty and service, with a significant emphasis on education and discipline. While parents play a crucial role in raising childrene, the communal approach ensures that every child has a network of support and guidance throughout their early years, which is then completely turned on its head.

Hope that helped! 😃

-------------------------------------------------------

》📫Got a question / submission? 》😆Jokes |🫀Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts 》📚Complete list of Q+A 》📜Masterpost If you like what GIL does, please consider buying a coffee or tipping below to help make future projects, including complete biology and language guides.

#doctor who #gil #gallifrey institute for learning #dr who #dw eu #gallifrey #gallifreyans #ask answered #whoniverse

20 notes · View notes

flannelepicurean · 10 months

Text

Yo, hey, also, if you're an anxious and/or stressed LGBTQ+ person like myself, and like little games about tasks, like Stardew Valley or My Time at Portia or stuff like that, check out Hokko Life.

It's one of those cute little "do things" games, and there are some things about it that I really, really love:

In a lot of these games, there's a set town structure and cast of characters. In Hokko, there are some keystone elements. But each save file has a different "town area" map that you get to build and expand your little town into. There are two residents to begin with, other than you and the shopkeepers in the main town area (separate), and THOSE COULD BE DIFFERENT. From what I can tell, there are at least 4 possible starter residents, and you can get different combinations per save file.

The days are looooooooooong. This is different from Stardew, for example, where you can feel really pressed to "get everything done" in one day. In Hokko, you have PLENTY of time. And you have the option to take a li'l nap at your house if you want to, so you can skip 2 hours or 6 hours without losing the whole damn day. Or just...take a lil nap.

There are NO GENDER OPTIONS in character creator. You start with the same starter outfit, and have 100% of the starter customization options. Everyone calls you "they/them." A good number of the residents are "they/them." You are just...nonbinary/gender neutral/agender. Periodt.

You are the only humanoid. Everyone else is basically stuffed animals. The first folks you meet are a pink elephant who looks like she maybe has vitiligo and a giraffe with a general store who has extremely Dad Jokes Energy. There are all kinds of other interesting animal folks with different personalities. My game has a green emo/skater pig who seems like they might be a stoner and possibly vegan. Definitely cares about their carbon footprint.

Everything is SO CHILL. There's not really energy to manage or anything, you don't get hungry, you don't have to run around making sure you talk to everybody enough so you don't get less popular. Even if you fail a task for a resident...nothing bad happens. Or at least, that I can tell so far. Just like, whoops. Couldn't find that fish. Oh well. I can make you that paint, though. No worries. All good.

When you DO complete tasks, you get clothing items. And like...the first one I got was a "striped skirt" or something. And I was like, "Oh, that looks kinda-sorta-almost like a nonbinary pride flag. Cool." And then I got some yellow shoes, and a red jacket. And then a "Happy Knit Sweater," which was DEFINITELY ABSOLUTELY a trans pride flag pattern! And then a tee shirt with rainbow sleeves and a rainbow pocket? So like...THEY GIVE YOU LGBTQ+ PRIDE MERCH FOR YOUR LI'L NONBINARY PAL. And then I realized I very much had trans flag wallpaper in my house. 😂 I freaking love this.

You can MAKE YOUR OWN FURNITURE. There's a whole subset of customization and item creation where you can just...design your own furniture and decorative items from almost scratch. You unlock sets of shapes for the crafting & design table, and then you can go into a 3D design space and just...put some wooden spheres together however you want! Add a leaf shape! Put a brass "7" on it! Go crazy! And then you get to save your design and you can craft it again later if you want to make more, or sell them. It just...becomes an item in your game.

The music is super chill. Because of course.

The fishing system is good, for the way I like to play. It's very easy to see the fish, it's very easy to know when you need to "hook/catch," and following the system to reel in is easy to understand. It requires a little effort, it's not an auto-catch, but it's not stressful. It's a TASK, but not a HEADACHE. And you can do it without bait and still be fine.

There's a whole entire thing around catching butterflies. You can just frolic around all day in your pride-wear catching butterflies if you want. It's lovely.

You can save and exit at any point. SUPER IMPORTANT. Can't tell you how many times I've felt some stress about like, "AAAARRRGGGHHH, I have to get to a good spot to stop this Stardew day, or just start over again..." Nah. Hokko, you just hit escape, "Save & Exit." When you load up again, you'll be in your house, with the same stuff on hand/in your backpack.

I actually kinda also like that there doesn't seem to be a romance component? Like, that's neat and all when it is available, but I don't always want the townsfolk coming onto me just because I've given them sufficient eggs or whatever. I might have needed to do those quests to advance the plot, or get a new shovel or something. And maybe I'm not actually down to clown, homie.

Anyway, I'm thoroughly enjoying this game. Got it in the Steam Sale. I think it's not crazy expensive even regular price? My one issue that I'm running into is that the wiki for it is like...zero content. Or just not much in-depth stuff beyond the very bare basics for some of it. So when I want info or hit a snag, I been using Duck Duck Go on that biz, or hitting the Steam Forums. Not the worst thing in the world.

38 notes · View notes

adobe-outdesign · 9 months

Note

If you haven't already reviewed them, what're your thoughts on the Seedot line? I've recently discovered I quite enjoy these Little Guys, and I'm kind of curious about others thoughts on them!

Seedot! Super simple—basically just an acorn with feet—but it's justifiable seeing as it's just there to be built upon by its evos. The brown and yellow palette is nice, and I really like the weird ringed eyes. It also has a bit of motif with the lined rings on its feet, cap, and eyes that will be built upon as it evolves.

And speaking of building upon elements, the 'dex states that Seedot like to scare other Pokemon, which ties into it gaining dark type in the future.

NIPPLES Nuzleaf is, in my opinion, a really good middle evo. Seedot is an acorn (seed) and Shiftry is, spoilers, a tree, so Nuzleaf is kind of a sapling of sorts. Instead of just looking like a smaller Shiftry however, it's this neat little humanoid creature with "pants" (note the ring motif from Seedot), a mask (continued from Seedot's eyes), a long nose, and a leaf on its head that it plucks and plays like a flute to make people uneasy. It makes a lot of sense between stage 1 and 3, but it's its own unique design and enjoyable in its own right.

My only nitpick with Nuzleaf is that Seedot has yellow eyes, Shiftry has yellow eyes, and Nuzleaf... doesn't? It's not like the white eyes look bad or anything, but it's strange from a continuity standpoint. I also wouldn't have minded some thicker black outlines around the eyes, both to make them pop but also pay homage to Seedot's ringed eyes.

Very unpopular opinion, but Shiftry is one of my all-time favorite Pokemon. I might just be biased from using one as my ace in XD, but this thing and its deranged nutcracker jaw is a great fantasy creature and I honestly can't get enough of it.

At this stage, it's clear what the line's theme is—they're tengus, yokai that live in forests and trick people. This is where Shiftry's long nose, single-heeled geta feet, leaf fans/wind-based moves, and grass association come from. It's also why it looks infuriated (tengu are usually depicted as being angry all the time). It's really solid conceptually and makes for a unique design.

Visually, the green leaves pop nicely against the plain brown body, and I really like the unexpected element of the white fur and animal ears. It also has some rings on its shoulder to bring that element through from the previous designs.

My only nitpick is that it seems very short proportionally—I always misremember it as being a bit taller than it is, but in reality its head is basically the same size as its body, which feels a bit off. Also, while the geta sandals do make sense thematically, they do feel a bit artificial and "carved"—I feel like they could've maybe given it more bird-like root feet instead, as tengu are associated with birds and sometimes depicted as such (the long nose comes from a beak, for example).

And my only other nitpick is that the line should get some kind of new form(s)! As much as I like Shiftry it's objectively pretty awful to use, with very poor stats. It already looks pretty feral—imagine a past paradox form based off of ginkgo trees, or a Hisuian form that leans into the tengu idea. It could become flying-type due to its wind/fan thing, or it could become psychic as the 'dex states that it can read foe's minds. Really, there are dozens of different spins you could put on these guys.

Anyway, the point is, I really like this line. There's a good sense of progression, each stage is distinct, the theme is clear, and the designs are straightforward. Great monsters all around.

#seedot #nuzleaf #shiftry #pokemon #pokemon reviews

53 notes · View notes

quirkwizard · 2 months

Note

Which HxH nen abilites from villians/antagonists could be easily converted into a quirk?

Could you make a quirk based on forgemaster’s from the castlevaina show? Not necessarily the part of reanimating corpses, just a quirk that makes monstrous looking creatures.

Honestly, I couldn't find much for villain's powers. Most of them were can't work, are uninteresting, or have already been covered in some fashion. The only option was the Chimera Ant Queen. And while I can't exactly see using corpses to make monsters, I can try other ways to make it work.

I see it working as an Emitter type Quirk that allows the user to start growing an egg inside of their body. The user can impart traits to this egg via the food they consume. The user can then produce this unique egg from their mouth. After a period of time, the egg will then hatch into a monster based on what the user ate. These monsters can come in all kinds of shapes and abilities, ranging from animals the size of cats to eight-foot-tall humanoid beasts. The user has a minor influence over the final result of their creation. These creatures are tied to the user, able to follow their vocal commands and the intent behind them. This gives the user an immensely versatile ability, able to make and unleash all kinds of horrors upon the world. They design fighters for themselves, station them as guards on their behalf, make tactics with a squad of monsters, design beasts to counter their foes, or simply make the new designer pet. Though these eggs will need time to develop and grow before they grow into monsters, taking days, weeks, or even months before they are ready. The process of growing these does take a lot of resources from the user to gestate them, specifically a lot of food from their user to build and fuel them. This can make any loss huge for the user. A possible name for the Quirk could be "Incubate".

#My Hero Academia #Quirks #Original Quirk

17 notes · View notes

charseraph · 2 years

Note

You’ve probably answered this before, but do you have any advice for anyone wanting to make their own spec bio species? I tried making my own but I feel like they’re too humanoid of designs but that’s also what I’m most comfortable with😔

Don’t worry, I’m happy to answer! 🤲🏼

I found that finding a shape, even the most ‘unusable,’ ‘un-animal-able’ shape around you, and then replicating that shape as accurately as you can in a sinch (no streamlining! Shaky messed up lines are ENCOURAGED, living things are all imperfect squiggles, so minimize your erases and undos!) can help with silhouette ideas.

(The reason for that is that instead of deleting a ‘bad’ drawing outright, you can start anew or copy only the parts you liked, and then boom! You’ve got one drawing you’re happy with and another you’ll more likely than not return to in the future, however far.)

(A dozen fast, improvised designs can beat out a single painstakingly planned one. It seems counterintuitive that quantity can be better than quality, but that’s only if you know the quality ahead of time! When it comes to concept art, more is better at the very beginning.)

Once you’ve replicated a handful of shapes, don’t add eyes and ears. In fact, don’t draw anything you’d think of as something an animal would have. The frequent fallbacks are tails, claws, paws, toes, ears, horns, fur, wings, joints, teeth, snouts, and hexapedal, quadrupedal, and bipedal bodies with heads in the front. These things are not universal, they are just our earthly scope of our closest relatives.

Modeling an alien species after insects, birds, reptiles, or sea life will make your alien nonhuman, but still earthling. These categories won’t necessarily arise in an alien world. Evolution doesn’t produce birds as we know them, evolution takes the most convenient source material and produces something to fill the niches birds occupy, and birds happened to be that source material.

I like to think about building a species like building a robot. How does a robot know where it’s going? Light sensors, maybe. Those don’t need to be orbs, or even at the front. How do some robots move? They don’t necessarily need spines or toes or claws or tails. How is fuel acquired? Lots of earth animals happen to have a hole in the front that sucks it in and breaks it up for refinement. Does it only have to be this way?

The more you separate life from Earth and relate it more to processes, means to the goal of continuing one’s design’s existence, creating more and more alien but still feasibly alive creatures becomes easier.

Above all, it should be fun. Researching biological precedent and basis from actual animals isn’t absolutely required, because those processes are based on logic—through which you can invent (or accidentally independently replicate) your own symbioses, organs, life cycles, and body chemistries.

Earth nature is like a template: working too closely from it can make you something that’s feasible, but could be recognizably earthly. Imagination is like raw resources: difficult to refine into something that makes total sense at first (from a lack of reference and guidance), but, with the right balance of templates and shots in the dark—you can make something positively, confidently alien!

You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to of course! It’s not a rule set, and you aren’t doing anything wrong if you don’t do them. The ultimate goal is to enjoy creating, not just the end result. Your aliens should be fun for you to draw. The amount of worldbuilding you want to do is your choice alone and no one else’s. Stopping at a single species, culture, planet is perfectly OK. Don’t let guides or other worlds pressure you into making more than you’re craving to.

If you ever make any drafts, however small, I’d love to see them. I’m always down to hear about people’s alien ideas, I sometimes throw in some fan art to help out. I wish you the best of luck, fun, and ease.

#char speaks #ask #thank you for asking!#speculative biology

169 notes · View notes

dateamonster · 5 months

Note

how do you think fairy genes work? Cause like Griselda doesn’t have a spot of bark on her? Unless those are clothes

genuinely u are going to open up a whole can of worms here.

so to get this out of the way, idk how much thought good ol george lucasfilms put into any of this. the most likely explanation is that from a design perspective he thought it was funny for the tall lean imposing bog king to have a short squat screechy mom bossing him around in contrast. but because i like to have fun and enjoy myself, i have my own thoughts about their lack of resemblance.

when the fandom, as much as there was one, was active, there was a sorta popular theory about the bog kings father being a fairy or part fairy, which i personally like as well. it would explain why his build resembles the more humanoid fairy build and why he looks so different than many of the other goblins, though to be fair there seems to be a lot more biodiversity among goblinkind. a forbidden romance between griselda and a fairy might also explain why shes so unbothered by the idea of the bog king falling in love with marianne, and it fits with her very classically romantic true-love-conquers-all worldview.

additionally theres a throwaway line at one point where griselda mentions bog king resembling his father, which could support the idea that he gets more of his looks from him, and another similarly jokey line later where griselda mentions being hot in her youth. while goblin beauty standards are demonstrably different from fairy ones, i dont think its impossible that part of the visual difference between her and bog king is due at least in part to her age. im also not sure how fairy/goblin lifespans compare to humans so its entirely possible imo that shes been around for a long time.

if you really want to get into it theres also the question of why some goblins such as bk are more insectoid in appearance while others appear to be reptilian, amphibian, or.... mushrooms. with the exception of the mushrooms who seem to inhabit a specific biological niche of their own, my impression is that none of the goblins are like literally the animals they appear to be in terms of species, but have evolved certain appearances and physical characteristics to suit their environment. so a bug looking goblin and a froggy looking goblin could still have a kid because theyre both. goblin. and the kid would simply develop whichever features were most dominant, or in some cases maybe a combination of both.

so yea i basically just think bk looks more like his dad, whoever he is or was, but i also think its possible griselda looked different in her youth as well and that contributed. i guess its also entirely possible that bog kings just adopted, but i think speculating on weird goblin genetics shit is more fun!

#ask #strange magic

8 notes · View notes

bluenightingale · 5 months

Text

Thread of Species Features

-if you don't know, hi I'm working on a fantasy type game called Witch Tuition, this thread is mostly to set in world building on my notable fantasy race features. Also all of these designs i will be using one way or another for my game, so im treating them like ocs lol

-dwarves, orcs and other such wont be here if they wont differ from standard fantasy

First up is the human race - the Atlans! Created by the god of magic that holds up the world Atlas As an example is the Dealer Yvonne, her purplish tinge is due to her practically hotboxing herself with potion fumes, incense, smoking and other stuff -making her poison resistant

The adaptability works similar to vaccines so an exaggerated scenario would be like: if you just drop an Atlan not adjusted to a frozen tundra, they'll freeze to death. But if they're conditioned to the environment for a few months or so, then they can walk out in summer clothes

Next are Elves! I'm open to adding more, these are the most frequent. In Order Left-Right there's: Light/Dark/Nature I'll continue in their own tweet but generally, Light Elves hail a nobility of scrying glyphs, Dark Elves live more hedonic and have cave parties, Nature is Nature

Light Elves were always the most connected to magic due to they're fey ancestry, yet the creation of telescopes by the dwarves propelled them into nobility. it allowed them to scribe constellations onto glyphs and runes, teaching other races to properly harness magic and riches

Elf and Dwarven relations greatly deteriorated after the production of telescopes, dwarves responsible for the creation did not see a modicum of the credit for the creation by the light elves. The dark elves invade the mountain and underground spaces. and nature elves are neutral

Originally light elves, they transform through a ritualistic scorching after the discovery of eldritch beings beyond the constellations This discovery led them to be influenced by the beings, so as their own society, they decided to live more for themselves and party a lot

Dark elves within their own civilizations are pretty open to other races Despite light elves looking down on them, dark elves don't hold malice, as it would transfer to their own children. They also don't force the ritual on their kids, most do just choose to undergo it

Nature elves live more secluded societies after finding primordial magics, some of which transition to druids The first druids were the fae creatures attuning to the chaotic lands of the fae, the rituals to become one very much depend on the planet’s primordial magics

All fae creatures have a unique inner flame that connects them to the fae, which is why fae creatures live longer, especially when within said realm. The primordial magic that allows nature elves to attune to nature, instills elves to view beyond themselves, hence the androgyny

-to reiterate these are just common of their societies, but a nature elf can be rugged and not that, light elf can be down to earth n such also the ears are definite

3rd are Daemen! They are the cursed firstborn to those who either make deals with devils or slay powerful demons. The curse is meant to keep their mark on the mortal world so they still have a connection to return Here is a rival concept for the example

Here's the patterns of each domain, realistically it could be any demon powerful enough to cast a curse or devil lucky enough for a contract these examples are the most common of their domain's strongest demons. I also didn't forget her tail it's just not visible

realistically also, the demon invasions could be ended completely if after a few years nobody makes devilish contracts and adventurers who kill demon generals just don't settle down, but that's why it hasn't they gotta play cheap, you always lose something against the demons

Part of the Hybrids are the humanoid Animal Race, they take on physically any of the animal aspects they inhibit

animal human hybrid type of people would still be classified under a hybrid, tho they are exceptionally rare since, most don't want to marry animal hybrids

Elemental Hybrids (Hybrid is more of an umbrella grouping) share ancestry with primal fae spirits of the land

Water and Fire elements can control their temperatures and become amorphous at will outside of cold environments

Air and Earth elements can bend air and earth with ease

(The Water and Fire hybrids I thought would be really cool, hopefully i can use them in the future. Their names are Diana and Layla and rival dancers :> )

Finally Half Giants! Descendances of actual giants who live more nomadically. Half Giants collectively live in harsh environments, born with birth markings said to be their individual destinies

For this example is the Carpenter Orin, who'd sell you decor, display cases and such

7 notes · View notes

cathalbravecog · 8 months

Note

since you have a lot of thoughts of whats out there in the toontown universe i wanna throw my 2 sents: so "toons" is short for carTOONS, the much is obvious. but as you & i both know cartoons can be so much more than your typical loonytunes slapstick humor. so i like to think there are other islands out there which represents a different genre, such as: a fantasy adventure land, a sci-fi land, a western land, a horror thriller land, a rom-com land, a detective mystery land, a preschool land. so on so forth. with all their own unique animation styles. with the only consistent thing is that all the land's inhabitants are anthropomorphic animals (GOLLY sorry if this is long)

OHOHOO. you caught me in a rambly day, so prepare for a long one, lol!! (i JUST talked about some world building for my deltarune AU in private) (and i just spent my whole day listening to video essays)

this MAY be ttcc specific but aside from some ttcc details, this could apply to just... toontown in general. but i am a ttcc blog and that's my hyperfixation so that's what i'll talk about.

-----

i love that idea! honestly, something like that is what i've had in mind, too! maybe not everything being placed on island - but a majority of them being. (perhaps similar themes being on bigger islands or just masses of land with some wilderness and such between?)

i already have my idea for a prehistoric toon land, but it's also still based on your looney tunes type cartoon - just populated completely by dinosaurs! it's where my OC, archie archaeopteryx comes from.

an idea like this in general would allow for a lot of interesting places to be made, stories to be told, characters to be made... all that could eventually get into toontown and interact with our typical toons and interact together in interesting ways and have jokes and themes based around their different animation styles and genres.

it would also let the toons to be expanded upon even more, since, in my opinion at least, ttcc can lack that a little bit in some ways. (but going out of my way to look at toons a bit more rather than just the cogs does bring some small interesting things into the light, even if just singular pieces of dialogue, lol. sadly, i don't have examples on my mind right now.) i'm a big cog fan and all, but i wanna see more from the toons! but then again, we play in the role of the toons - so i suppose that's our stories to tell! :]

I also like the idea of everything being anthro animals (ignore the fact i'm a furry for a second) it just allows for more fun, diversity, and just consistency. human-ness being reserved for cogs is what makes this work more in my opinion, but even with that not even all cogs are humanoid. (i am so glad ttcc brought us more robotic cog designs!!)

but the sheer contrast of a human-like robot interacting with ANY cartoon animal is what works in it's favor, y'know? makes the division more clear - even if there's a lot of stories and themes of these lines being blurried more. (like cog and toon friendship -> william and rain, misty in general, whatever dave has for the player toon, thomas warming up to the toons...) which i really like! gives more ideas for stories to be told and explored, and question the laws and logic of the world.

i guess this could also explain art style changes and design choices - like, for example, i don't exactly like the way flesh colored snouts look, it just doesn't fit my art style and so i leave them out. obviously, that's for all toons i draw - and honestly all art styles for just our regular toons are to be loved and celebrated. but y'know, this doesn't have to be! just a little idea i wanted to throw on the table as well.

one thing that could be interesting would just be different medias - i know toontown is a 3d game based on traditionally animated cartoons - but imagine the mixing you could do in art and in story telling! a classic cartoon coming across a pixar-esque cgi animated cartoon and them interacting, both baffled by one another - but still connected by their tooniness deep down!

it's a really interesting idea i like, thank you for sharing this with me and letting me ramble a bit! now, i'm going to list some genres or artstyles that i would like to see! based VERY OBVIOUSLY on my personal interests.

old kids edutainment game, i'm talking 90s - early 2000s. the jankier animation, bit-crushed voice acting, pretty off-model art... but all just very jolly and meaning to educate a young audience! could mix in cgi elements as well, since old games like this would have this. and y'know, some of these would be based on pre-existing thing.

honestly, just old games like that in general... the type of ones you don't see a lot, especially when spoken about online between more mainstream gaming places... but games you probably owned! games of mysterious origins, with very good charm tied to them despite their obvious lower production value... but maybe also something like pf magic petz! oh i'd die i'd love to see petz toons running around - except perhaps more anthro, but still four-legged since there are cartoons of non bipedal animals living more human-like lives.

just... digital in general? perhaps low poly cgi... listen i just like old games and their vibe. but we could do modern animated cartoon toons! both things from studios - but also indie things!

FLASH ANIMATED

eastern european slav cartoon toons - hey, that's where i am from! i grew up with a lot of cartoons from here (czechia), russia and poland! (these being the most notable obviously) and... the themes, animation styles and vibes are very different to anything anywhere else in the world! i would love to see that! obviously, this is hinted at older cartoons - but newer modern ones could apply, too! i'm just unfamiliar with those.

a bit more on the previous topic, since my country has a big history of this type of animation... stopmotion and/or claymation!!

i'm NOT a comic book person, but oh my god would comic book toons be interesting to see! i don't even mean super hero - just comic book style in general! comes from someone who's only comics they read and own were like... my little pony, astérix and obélix, tom and jerry, smurfs and some ducktales. very toony things!

now, most of these relate to art mediums and art styles... i think those are a bit more interesting than genres, since after all art is an art medium, and genres come second. soo many possibilities. thought there are some genres i think would be interesting to see!

detective/noir type toon world? a mysterious place filled with crimes and mysteries to be solved! could make call-backs to things like scooby-doo, too!

kid's cartoon, like you've said! something cute, fluffy, there to entertain the whole family and teach the kids a valuable lesson. not to be a bluey enjoyer on main here but... bluey toons. that would be very very cute, i think.

on that note, one could argue there could be an adult animated cartoon place, but considering a place like toontown we probably want to keep things pg 13... maybe not! but it's still a possibility - as long as you take inspiration from good animation made for adults. i will not be naming any names here...!

okay, this one is MORE an art genre/style thing but... illustrated children's book type thing? maybe not for VERY young kids, but still filled with fun stories and anthro cartoon animals regardless! could appear as 2d cutouts.

medieval toons, but in the art style of medieval styled drawings...! based on old tales and fables! could also mix with some fantasy elements, of course!

SPAAAAAAACEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE (space core portal 2 voice) (BUT LIKE... ALIEN TOONS. NOT JUST SPACESHIP TYPE STUFF THATS BORING TO ME I WAND INVADER ZIM TYPE SOMETHING RAAAA...!)

just anime. toon beastars. shoutout to that one louis fan-toon i saw some time ago

and honestly...im out of ideas for this here! i don't really look at genres too often to be honest! they kind of fly over my head, so i'd probably want these to reference specific types of stories that could be told in one of these, but not enough to base a whole place on. anyways, running a bit low on steam here, and i'd repeat myself on possible video game genre based toon worlds, so...! that's it from me! hope you had fun reading this... and my many callbacks to other medias for reference.

(also, your ask is not long! just long enough to be a delight to read! just look at my own responses here :,] )

also, question- should i get a tag for big rambles like this relating to like... world building and ideas in general? both for the cogs and the toons! would make it a bit easier to navigate, even if i am a little bit shy about people reading back through these, especially as my opinions may change. looking at you old thomas and robert ramble...

#rambles #long #[answered]#i talk about a lot of this as if toontown is a cartoon #KIND AFORGETTING ITS A VIDEO GAME BASED ON CARTOONS #but still IN UNIVERSE its cartoon world ok can make call backs to video games in that way too #i actually have plans for my cog oc the web surfer... i doodled that actually!#they can 'digitalize' toons and turn things into an retro video game ;]

10 notes · View notes

intersexdabi · 8 months

Text

Hotline (TXF Dabitwice AU) - Chapter 2

<- Prev | [Link to AO3]

The first thing Jin notices is the dark walls; makes the building look a lot smaller than it is. Oppressive almost. He wonders if that's by design, but he doubts that the local PD has put that much thought into interior design. Without a line, he and Todoroki stroll right up the counter. A woman peers up from her glasses and through thick bulletproof glass. Her hair is strictly pulled back into a tight knot.

"Can I help you?"

As if she's said the magic words, the two of them simultaneously pull out their badges. He smiles, but from the corner of his eye, he sees that Todoroki doesn't. "Special Agent Bubaigawara and my partner, Agent Todoroki. We're here regarding a few of your recent cases we think might be related to prior FBI investigations-"

"No one mentioned anything about the FBI," she says, glancing down at her desk and then the computer just barely visible from where they stand. "Did Chief West contact you?"

"No," Jin says, still smiling, "we've come without a request. We just happened to come across recent issues in your area that we think-"

"Right. And what is it you're wanting me to do?" This time she doesn't bother looking at him. Mentally, she's already moved onto her next task, deeming the two of them unworthy of her time.

"We'd like to talk to someone familiar with the cases of interest." Todoroki's voice is even. Cool. No nonsense.

As if the change in speaker is enough for her to regain interest, she stabs her eyes back up at them. "We don't share information from open investigations."

"If they are related," Todoroki says, a sharp edge at the head of each word, "then we might have pertinent information for your officers."

"I can pass along the information and an officer can follow up with you if necessary," she says, even as she begins typing. Jin eyes Todoroki. His face is neutral, but his eyes are bright and flashing with either frustration or outright anger. "Unless you have a policy of not sharing information from open investigations, Agent?"

Jin's read through Todoroki's documentation. He knows Todoroki must have done the same. It's not long by any means, considering he doesn't have much under his belt. But Jin's gleaned enough from it to know that his new partner is clever. Cunning. Quick. He's a lot of things, according to the people who observed him, people who likely lacked the analysis Jin would prefer. But, in the words from Todoroki's medical training, he sorely lacks in bedside manner.

Jin clears his throat and pulls out his little pocketbook. He rips out one of the pages and scribbles his name and hotel phone number on one side. His ring finger slides the sheet so that it peeks under the little opening in the glass. "If you could pass this on to someone assigned to the cases and let them know we're available, I'd appreciate it."

She eyes him. Then she takes it and nods. He and Todoroki leave, bracing the gust of wind that meets them.

"Not much help," Todoroki says as they make their way to the rental.

"They'll come around." Jin ducks into the car and slams the door shut. If he's right, their investigation will lead to a dead end. "And even if they don't, nothing's stopping us from taking a look-see."

By the time Todoroki's seat belt clicks, Jin's already reversing out of their spot. Todoroki sighs and swipes the newspaper from the dashboard. "Where do we start? Shit time to start searching by the looks of those clouds rolling in."

"It's late," Jin says. "'Sides, ain't gonna find the specific locations on our own. We can walk around the general area tomorrow, look for signs."

"Signs of what, exactly?" Todoroki flips a page. "Even if there is some humanoid insect creature lurking out there, what would distinguish that from any other wildlife?"

"The same thing we use to tell which animal made what." He glances over at Todoroki as they pull out onto the street. "Tracks, plumage, fur... Scat."

"Right. Because we would know what a mothman would leave behind."

"Maybe not. But if it's a creature unlike any other, what it leaves behind won't be familiar, right?"

"Or recognizable." Touya tucks the newspaper between the seat and center console. "Even if it did leave a sign, we may not even be able to identify it as such. Wouldn't even occur to us."

The corners of Jin's mouth twitch as he tries to suppress the smile from splitting his lips open. Even knowing that Todoroki's been sent to pick apart all of his work like a vulture, he can't help but think that this new partner is a keeper. "Guess we'll just have to keep our minds open then. I'm hungry. You wanna grab a bite to eat?"

The younger agent tilts his head back to look out the passenger side window towards all the fast food and diner signs sticking out beside the road. "No. I don't usually eat out. I've made plans."

Jin leaves it at that and they say nothing as they make their way back to the hotel.

#dabitwice #jin bubaigawara #dabi #touya todoroki #bnha twice #bnha dabi

4 notes · View notes

thecreaturecodex · 2 years

Text

Oni Daimyo, Ungabe

[Commissioned by @glarnboudin. Like most of the stuff Doug TenNapel has made post Earthworm Jim and Neverhood, Monster Zoo isn’t very good, but it looks good. The writing is a 50/50 split of monster movie cliches and fart jokes, and the tools for defeating the evil Ungabe revolve around a martyred US Army sniper. It is less overtly religious than a lot of his other works, and there’s no active homophobia and transphobia, so at least it has that going for it. And the monster designs are all pretty cool.

Finding a power level for Ungabe was something of a challenge. On the one hand, he’s a giant rampaging monster who can destroy a helicopter in one shot. On the other hand, he’s defeated single-handedly by a teenager armed with a slingshot and his dead dad’s dog tags (say that three times fast). So I chalked that up to plot convenience and put Ungabe at basically the lowest CR a cult could reasonably start around him. In Monster Zoo, it is said Ungabe was a spirit who was jealous that mankind was “The Creator’s” favorite (there’s the religion angle--at least Doug doesn’t actively mock evolution here), which was the inspiration for making it an oni.]

Oni Daimyo, Ungabe CR 21 NE Outsider (native) This massive creature resembles a hybrid of a big cat, a lizard and a humanoid, with a feline snout over a crocodile maw. Its skin is a motley assortment of scales, fur and feathers of a dozen different animal patterns. Spikes run along its back and tail, and distorted animal faces grow irregularly along its body. The creature wears a spiked collar and no other garb.

Ungabe Master of Beasts Concerns animals, demolition, mutation Domains Animal, Destruction, Evil, War Subdomains Blood, Corruption, Fur, Hatred Worshipers evil druids, kechs, lycanthropes Minions constructs, fleshwarps, mutant animals Unholy Symbol a jagged thorn with a ring on one end Favored Weapon blowgun Devotion feed humanoid flesh or blood to an animal. If you have no other options, your own flesh or blood will suffice. Gain a +2 profane bonus to AC and CMD against creatures of the animal type (or augmented animals). Boons 1: animal aspect 2/day; 2: greater animal aspect 2/day; 3: beast shape IV 2/day

Ungabe the Master of Beasts was a kami once. In this form, he protected the animals of the savannah from ecological disturbances and outside threats. But as mankind grew in power, leading to the encroachment of farmlands and the extinction of species, he grew jealous that the gods seemed to favor sapient life instead of animal life, and turned bitter and destructive. Now, Ungabe seeks to turn animals into violent monsters, allowing them to strike back at the civilization that he views as inherently imperiling them. These mutations range from minor cosmetic changes to drastic rearrangements of body plan, but all of Ungabe’s creations are bloodthirsty and destructive.

Ungabe would rather allow his minions to rampage than to act directly in most cases—he simply watches in statue form and reverts briefly to flesh in order to cast enhancing magic on them. If he needs new minions, he can create them with his beast darts, jagged thorns that fire from his mouth through blowgun-like structures. These darts carry mutagenic toxins that affect animals most strongly, but can turn any living creature into a dangerous aberration. If challenged to direct combat, he favors his powerful natural attacks, and takes great pleasure in smashing buildings and gear along with breaking bones and ripping flesh.

The cult of Ungabe is made up primarily of creatures with animalistic impulses and a grudge against civilization. Some evil druids flock to his banner, particularly those that believe that civilization and animal life are inherently opposed and fight against domestication, pets, and other human-animal interactions. Evil lycanthropes may serve Ungabe, especially if they live in the wilds instead of in cities. Of the monstrous humanoid species, kechs are particularly fond of Ungabe, and use his cult as a weapon against the Angazhan cults of their rival simians, the charau-ka. Ungabe himself wishes no direct quarrel with Angazhan, as the Ravenous King could easily crush him in physical combat.

Beast Dart, Lesser Price 3,040 gp; Aura strong transmutation; CL 15th;Weight - Only Ungabe himself can use the true beast darts, but weapons inspired by him are used by Ungabe’s cult in order to create mutant animals. A lesser beast dart acts as a +1 blowgun dart. If a creature with the animal type is struck by this dart, it must succeed a DC 22 Fortitude save or gain the mutant template and a neutral evil alignment. Creatures of other types are unaffected. This change is permanent unless removed with a remove curse, break enchantment or similar effect Construction Cost 1,520 gp; Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, polymorph any object

Ungabe CR 21 XP 409,600 NE Gargantuan outsider (native, oni, shapechanger) Init +7; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +31, scent, true seeing Aura brittle (100 ft., Fort DC 29) Defense AC 37, touch 13, flat-footed 30 (-4 size, +7 Dex, +24 natural) hp 412 (25d10+275); regeneration 10 (good or epic) Fort +25, Ref +17, Will +22 Immune charm, compulsions, death effects, electricity, fire; SR 32 Offense Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.; air walk Melee bite +35 (4d6+14), 2 claws +35 (2d8+14 plus grab), tail slap +33 (3d10+8) Ranged 4 beast darts +28 (1d6+14 plus mutagen) Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. Special Attacks breath weapon (120 ft. line, 25d8 fire and unholy, Ref DC 33 half, 1d4 rounds), mutant mastery Spell-like Abilities CL 21st, concentration +30 Constant—air walk, speak with animals, true seeing At will—dominate animal (DC 20), greater dispel magic, rage (DC 20), statue 3/day—animal growth, bloody claws, quickened primal regression (DC 23), strong jaw 1/day—animal shapes, dominate monster (DC 26), polymorph any object (DC 25) Statistics Str 34, Dex 24, Con 33, Int 19, Wis 27, Cha 24 Base Atk +25; CMB +41 (+45 bull rush, grapple, sunder); CMD 58 (60 vs. bull rush, sunder) Feats Blind-fight, Combat Reflexes, Deadly Aim, Greater Bull Rush, Greater Sunder, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quicken SLA (primal regression) Skills Acrobatics +35 (+39 jumping), Climb +40, Intimidate +32, Knowledge (arcana, engineering) +24, Knowledge (nature, planes) +27, Perception +31, Sense Motive +31, Stealth +23 (+27 in undergrowth), Survival +31, Swim +40; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in undergrowth Languages Aklo, Common, Senzar, Sylvan, speak with animals, telepathy 300 ft. SQ change shape (animal, beast shape IV), oni daimyo traits, water breathing, wild empathy +30 Ecology Environment any land or aquatic Organization unique Treasure double standard (Ungabe’s collar [amulet of mighty fists +2/amulet of natural armor +4], other treasure) Special Abilities Beast Darts (Ex) As a standard action, Ungabe can fire four darts from his mouth. These are treated as thrown ranged weapons with a range increment of 30 feet. Ungabe may target multiple opponents with these darts, but all opponents must be within 30 feet of each other. A creature struck by one of these darts is exposed to Ungabe’s mutagen. Multiple darts hitting the same target in the same round do not increase the effect, but impose a -1 penalty to the saving throw per dart. Brittle Aura (Su) All objects within 100 feet of Ungabe have their hardness halved for as long as they remain in the area. Attended and magical objects can resist this ability with a DC 29 Fortitude save. The save DC is Charisma based. Breath Weapon (Su) The damage dealt by Ungabe’s breath weapon is half fire and half unholy damage, similar to a flame strike spell. Mutagen (Su) An animal struck by one of Ungabe’s beast darts must succeed a DC 29 Fortitude save or gain the mutant template. Any other creature struck by a beast dart must succeed a DC 29 Fortitude save or gain the fleshwarped simple template. A second DC 29 Will save is required in either case, or the creature becomes neutral evil in alignment and friendly to Ungabe. This effect is permanent unless removed with a remove curse, break enchantment, limited wish, miracle or wish spell (CL 21st for the purposes of interacting with spell effects). A creature that successfully saves against Ungabe’s mutagen is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours. The mutagen effect is a polymorph effect, and the alignment change is a charm effect. The save DC is Charisma based. Mutant Mastery (Ex) Ungabe can affect any creature augmented with a template as if it were an animal, as long as the base creature is an animal. Animals and augmented animals suffer a -2 penalty on all saves against Ungabe’s spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities. Oni Daimyo Traits (Ex/Su) Ungabe is a powerful oni lord, capable of granting spells as detailed in his cult entry above. He has the following traits:

Immune to charm and compulsion effects, death effects, and two energy types (electricity and fire for Ungabe)

Telepathy 300 ft.

Ungabe’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons he wields, are treated as epic and evil for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Wild Empathy (Ex) Ungabe gains the wild empathy ability as if he were a 21st level druid.

#ungabe #oni #oni daimyo #monster zoo #comics #pathfinder 1e #commissions

40 notes · View notes