Me falling down the Aristasia rabbit hole like:

👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

Rayati, honored readers

When I was a baby lesbian in the 80s I frequented the legendary bookstore Lambda Rising, which was located in the rather upscale gayborhood of DuPont Circle in DC. My favorite part of that store was the rack of zines made by queers of all kinds for various queer niches. I picked one up called Artemis, which purported to be for women who like women who look like women. I thought “that kind of sounds like me,” and I avidly read and reread it. It was clear that the community who made this zine were UK-based, and I was a pretty miserable teenager on the east coast of the US, struggling with more than my own share of stuff, so nothing more came of it.

About 10 years later, it was the mid-90s and I was using gopher to read Usenet. I kid you not! That is how ancient I am. I confess that I was poking around a number of groups at that time that fell into the “alt.sex” category. One day there appeared a message on the femdom group about a Feminine Empire where only girls were allowed, and that I must jump through the “shimmering portal” quickly as it would close in short order. There was a URL, which was a thing of which I had only become aware within a year or so of that fateful afternoon.

The site was called Femmeworld, and it was an absolute delight! I won’t go into any detail here about that site, as several very intelligent and competent blogesses here on Tumblr have done that. I learned about blondes and brunettes, and I was struck with a bolt of revelation that I was a brunette, and that explained me! I made sense! Of course I understood that this was all within a fantasy world and that there was no such thing as an Aristasian brunette, but it revealed to me that other women had these feelings and experiences, and had thought about and discussed it enough to invent a fictional designation.

To cut to the chase, here were these women, some of whom were enby, but also female essentialist. They were anti-patriarchal, but anti-feminist. Advocates of complete state welfare (see the “colleges” that girls can choose to live in) but entirely anti-socialist, and in fact monarchical. And of course one can’t hear about “blondes and brunettes” without immediately detecting at least a bit of racism. When questioned about that, they always insisted that in lands where girls were dark-skinned, the blondes simply had hair of silver or white, and honestly it’s a trivial point, and could I please drop the subject?

I won’t go into an extensive discussion of the implications here, but I am sensitive to them. I was raised in an actively anti-racist white family. I always strive to be aware of racism and white supremacy wherever I go in the real world and the virtual. I can only tell you that because all of my interactions were virtual, it would be hard for me to absolve the Aristasians of any such allegations, but I can say that the welcoming, vulnerable, friendly nature of these ladies suggests that hate of any kind would be quite alien to them. There were a couple of girls in Second Life whose avatars appeared to be Black, and they were accepted with as much joy and enthusiasm as all other girls present. More than that I can’t say.

For another 10 years, I popped in and out of Aristasian spaces. I contributed to forums, and even took part for a short time in an online schoolgirl RP by email. Some time in the mid aughts, it was announced that an Aristasian Embassy would be established in the virtual world of Second Life. I immediately started an SL account so I could go there (and how I spent the next 15 or so years in SL is a whoooole other narrative that isn’t particularly relevant.) I attended a couple of balls at the Embassy, and was very graciously complimented on my gown. I was present for Operation Bridgehead, but was privy to very little inside information about the disagreements that ensued. If I knew anything about that, I would not share it here. Despite any philosophical differences with these ladies, I have great respect and affection for them, and would be unwilling to air their dirty laundry, so to speak.

I was privileged to get to know Sushuri Madonna, who was at that time the undisputed leader, at least of the contingent that could be found in SL. She was entirely delightful, intelligent, and kind, and had an extremely delicate nature. Despite my best efforts not to offend, I am sure my most carefully curated speech had to seem terribly coarse to her. We exchanged some email, and she was kind enough to offer editorial assistance with a few bits of Aristasian fiction I was toying with. What little I learned about her personally, I will of course not disclose, but I felt that we were friends, and I cared for her very much. I hope she is still alive and well, and that the demise of the persona called Cure Dolly does not indicate her real life death.

Thank you for reading, and I would very much welcome discussion on the topic from anyone interested.

Lo-fi doodles no. 15; most of this is actually from late last year.

The last four "Aristasia Megaman" bosses who didn't already have designs. (Note: I drew Leonora's bangs better later. :U)

Revisiting that old "mystic" setting by giving Zephyr (the djinn) and Jalila a refresh.

A rare pic of the Spada brothers sharing the same space.

Astrid's fashion tastes skew rather ascetic.

Lantana Juane, on stage.

A guy that I'm still working out what to do with; the original dream-based concept was "giant protag with human-size partner" that then became "inverse mecha" (as in, the human-sized partner became a robot).

CAN 01.19.03’344 IE NH // MON 04.08.12’024 HE GD

Sai Furthe (my homeworld) is an all-female planet of anthropomorphs — there’re a *bare minimum* of 21 intemorphic sexes (blonde / brunette / redhead for Column A, plus any of the 7+ janyati for Column B).

I myself am a lilac / white vixen and a Rhavic blonde. My fur is *suuuper* floofy, and I really like to keep my headfur up in a loose low ponytail. I paint my claws baby blue, and I also wear glasses that are honestly a lot like goggles (Furthelan glasses feature a strap that goes around the backa the head to help them stay on).

As of 19.13 CDT MON 04.08.02’024 CE GD, I’m more or less the core and host of our system (the Orchards). There’re currently about 60 or so of us in Aethyrcadia, and new walk-ins still move in on a fairly regular basis.

Despite my Picrew as of the time of writing this post, my legs are actually *digitigrade*. Furthelani proudly produce an amazing selection of digitigrade footwear in my source material [1], each specifically tailored to the myriad rainbows of Furthelan sexes and species.

I understand that my identity might… *conflict* (to say the very least) with what the greater Feminine Empire has stood for historically and still stands for today, but all… “this” ↑ is just me doing my own thing. I realize that mixing these two subcultures together is *the* definition of unorthodox — if not utterly unwelcome, based on OG Femmeworld’s apotheosis of all things “up-to-date” (vintage, from a West Tellurian POV). [2]

Regardless, I’ve identified as an anthro vixen since at *least* late 2002 CE GD, and Aristasia is literally *the* reason I figured out I’m trans (MTF) in Shared Reality. Both Furrydom and Aristasia constitute a great part of who I am in this world, and both have brought the most *amazing* beings into my life — both *on* and *off*line.

〜　〜　〜　〜　〜　〜　〜　〜　〜　〜　〜　〜

[1] My source material’s an anthro AU of “Aristasia”.

[2] In the OG Aristasian story “The Adventure of the Crystal Staff” by Author Unknown, a talking rabbitlike creature known as a chenkireet makes an appearance. If talking animals can exist in canon, it’s not much of a stretch for anthro intemorphs to *also* exist in an AU.

Culverian enby by day, Quirrie-Vintessan brunette by night.

Adores big band swing and dark EDM. Rejects the banal same-ism of the Pit and the confining hierarchy of the Empire. Doesn’t bite, but is most certainly the 50s-dress-with-workman’s-boots-wearer your ‘londie and ‘nettie warned you about.

Keeping this corner of Elektraspace to explore the world(s) of Aristasia. Neither a defense nor an attack (though you may find opinions of one such kind or another here), simply an aristonautic venture.

- Miss Avis Finch

There's still an Aristasian community? I guess I was under the impression it had dissolved, since most of the links and all I've seen referenced are either dead or lead to a homepage whose links are dead. Would it be possible to hear more about them currently?

Hello Friend,

From what scuttlebutt that I have heard over the last two years, there is a small Aristasian community that has chosen to become a closed tradition of our faith. I respect this, as they had been dealing with a significant amount of harassment from fetishists who assumed that their community was the same thing as what you can find on FetLife and other related sex oriented websites. Their decision may have been difficult because I am sure they were happy to openly express their beliefs after a long while of being closeted. I know that the WaybackMachine site can bring up information off of websites that are long gone because it archives the entire site when it captures information. If you search the site by the web address of the page you are looking for, it will bring up a list of when it captured information from that page.

This is all I know regarding this matter. I hope that they are well and eventually establish a point of public interaction because there are people genuinely interested in them. Right now, I assume that they are on well hidden forums and chat platforms.

Rayati,

I have finally decided to make this blog, with the main purpose to interact with other filianists and deanists from around the world and with a different point of view from mine. Although anyone who comes in good faith, is respectful and polite is welcome here.

However, I will not take kindly to misogynists, racists and homophobes of any kind.

I have also made a short carrd, which you can find in my bio, that contains some information about me and more.

Please be lenient with me in the future if I get a word wrong or make other mistakes, as english isn't my native language.

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Miss Iris Rosetti

Some of the work I've done is on this Neocities webpage, which is a collaborative project about Culveria, the Aristasian world that got left behind when Operation Bridgehead was enacted. This website is a work in progress and contains a lot of placeholder text.

while looking for transmasc musicians i found this song which is just. so full of internalized transandrophobia it makes me sad and mad.

first of all, the whole "transmascs are gaining male privilege and the responsibility of cis men" bullshit. and then we have the "what good has it ever done" which leads into

blaming the concept of masculinity for amatonormativity?? and saying that we should get rid of it because it's inherently bad??

like for one this is just so cruel to your fellow transmascs and trans men. to say that masculinity is inherently bad and there's nothing redeemable at all about it. not to mention nonwestern + nonwhite masculinity which has already had racism + colonialism/imperialism try to destroy it and demonize it. it feels like in a lot of queer spaces masculinity is only redeemable when there's womanhood to redeem it, so a butch can be masculine and good (as long as their gender stays nice and monogender and "female aligned") but if they realize they are a man? suddenly it's awful. at least i assume thats how these ppl feel because otherwise their opinion that masculinity is universally bad in anyone is just like. okay have fun w the fucking aristasians you butchphobic weirdo. this song just hurts me.

Sai Rhave

Source

Sai Rhavë is the "darkest" of the Janyati, often associated with severity and austerity. She is also associated with steadfastness and foundation. All that is solid and weighty belongs to her, as does all restriction and discipline.

Thus Sai Rhavë is in one sense closely allied with Sai Thamë, as the discipline which maintains order, yet, in another sense, as the bringer of restriction, she appears to the the opposite of Sai Thamë, the "Great Benefic" who showers the world with her opulence, and of Sai Sushuri, the mother of all fecundity. Sai Thamë, Sai Sushuri and Sai Rhavë together represent a group whose complex interactions revolve about the principles of order, discipline, harmony, fecundity restriction, mercy and severity.

In Filianic thealogy, the two Luminaries, the Sun and Moon, represent the Mother and the Daughter respectively, while Sai Rhavë at her deepest level represents the Dark Mother: the unknowable Deity beyond form, beyond being and unbeing. From this perspective, the two Luminaries and Sai Rhavë represent a group of three (three being the spiritual number) and the other four represent the material group of four, corresponding, at a certain level of interpretation, to the four elements.

On more everyday levels of interpretation, Sai Rhavë governs the discipline and strictness which help to keep a life of thamë or harmony "on the straight path". She also governs the qualities of steadfastness, reliability, and responsibility. She is called upon in the foundation of buildings and in all things that must stand and endure. She is also associated with time.

Hello Ms Fenriss! I’m the girl who runs the Aristasian research blog. Last week you mentioned you planned on doing a little write up about your time interacting with them, I’m giving you a little message to say I hope I didn’t miss you posting it somewhere. I feel like I only get notifications *sometimes* if I’m tagged in stuff, or comments are left, here on Tumblr.

Good morning, Misstarry. I hope you'll forgive the lateness of this reply! I don't seem to get notifications either, and I confess I've been very lax about checking my activity here on Tumblr. I only just now saw this. I haven't yet posted my little story about my Aristasian experiences. I don't know if it will really be of much interest to anyone, but if you'd like I'd be happy to tag you when I do post it. I'm very grateful to you for all your work preserving Aristasian history and culture!

me normally: :(

me when i remember the blog from the conservative bdsm lesbian subculture that knew nothing about fate stay night but were just like 'oh yeah saber is a sub' :)

Another "Aristasia Megaman" character... who, unusually for something based on Aristasia, is a dude.

Galen, who hails from Telluria (specifically Australia, or its rough equivalent), is the same kind of android as Reina and her sisters, even sharing a power set with Bianca; unlike Valencia, he interferes in Reina's crusade simply because he's looking for a worthy opponent. Good at combat, but not very emotionally intelligent.

He's loosely based on my old take on a Ruby-Spears version of Tenguman.

The fact that I’ve found other beings online who actually know what Aristasia *is* is just absolutely *mindblowing* :3 *Totally* wasn’t expecting that!

What do you think of aristasia?

Cybernetic Culture Research Unit for 2nd wave feminists