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asheanon · 4 months

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Okay, sooo...!

As I mentioned earlier, I felt compelled to elaborate on the whole Ethereal "ancestral memories" thing. 🤔

Ancestral memories are a genetic phenomenon that can occur in Ethereals; residual memories/genetic memory of an ascendant Ethereal that can be passed down to a descendant Ethereal via their DNA, presenting itself in the form of dreams, visions or via other subconscious means.

Ancestral memories are also a chance occurrence! Not all Ethereals have them. Some have none, less or more than others. I love Sal dearly, but I'd say she has an average to low amount of them herself - nothing to brag about. They act as recurring dreams she's had off and on throughout her life and do hold some weight in story sections, however!

Now, for those wondering "can it work the other way around too? Can ascendants access/receive descendant memories?" Given that Ethereals can have their hive mind-y moments (especially within lineages) I... guess it really depends on some things. 🤔 (Freaking... "ascendant memories" sounds cooler than "ancestral memories," now that I write that out there. Plus, you can have "descendant memories" as a nice sounding term to attach to it. I'm thinking about changing the term to that, now... hahaha!)

Again, what ultimately has to happen is the ascendant would have to receive some descendant DNA to be able to do that too. Given that there's a (rare) chance Ethereal radiation can carry that DNA, basically, there is a (rare) chance that could happen, in turn.

You could argue that the hive mind-y aspects may also make experiencing descendant memories possible, on some level... however, it's not the same! These memories are genetic material vs. a thought/feeling broadcast into a hive mind, so to speak.

Also, a little bit on the "hive mind-y" aspect, for those curious on how that works for Ethereals as well: An Ethereal (or multiple Ethereals) is/are able to "tune in" to another Ethereal (or again, multiple Ethereals) if they are receptive to being "tuned in" to... (which sounds a little suggestive. You know, it could be! It can get mind fuck-y, yeah. Literally. I don't see why not, so I'm not going to say that it won't/can't be, under certain circumstances. Hahaha!) This is often used for personal communication, though - little more than talk or the portrayal of feelings that words may fail to fully encapsulate. Projecting memories, be it in part or in full (could also be portrayed in a non-synesthetic manner in part or in full - i.e: memories could be projected only auditorily, visually, or kinesthetically, etc.) is likely something not every Ethereal can do either; another case of a not one-size-fits-all sort of thing.

Now... To close all of this "ancestral memories"/"ascendant memories" business, I feel it is also very important to bring this up. Very. I already brought up how this was possible with (possible spoilers...) and because of this, this must also be stated:

✨ This too qualifies Chaku as a candidate for receiving ancestral/ascendant memories. ✨

We have no way of telling if he has them, but it is technically possible that the little guy could also have dreams of some of Sally's memories (as well as some of her ascendant's.) 🐈💙

#midnight musings 🌃#with a side of #Sal 🌌🎹#and #Chaku 🐈💙#I should just come up with a tag for Ethereal lore stuff #at this point #the “midnight musings 🌃” tag is dedicated to anything and everything having to do with stories and lore of all kinds #I may need to get more specific #before that tag is just swamped with Ethereal stuff...#🤔🤔🤔

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asheanon · 2 years

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Alright, this one question, I believe there wasn't any similar in the list, but its one I saw a while ago in a video and I have been deeply thinking of BUT I am curious to see what your answer would be as well for your own.

The question is: What would your character have to experience to turn into the worst version of themselves? What would make them go nuclear?

🤔

I had to let this one sit for a bit, simply because I couldn't decide on which character(s) to cover for this...

I figured I'd settle with my faves, though: Sal and Nat. 🤍 🖤

(Also, this one ended up being a bit longer, so... there's the usual "read more" section to spare everyone from the wall of text looming below. Menacingly.) 😆

Anyway...! So, to begin... as much as I love Sal, I would say her "worst" isn't too terribly remarkable by comparison to some other characters I have. She's pretty steadfast when it comes to keeping herself together nowadays, despite everything. Although, the use of "go nuclear" is very apt for an Ethereal... hahaha! She's totally had some nuclear moments in the past that might be worth mentioning, though! Back when she wasn't as conditioned to it and responsible with it.

(Etherealism is a volatile thing; those who lack experience with it and don't know how to keep their cool can easily let the heat get to them. I mean that both metaphorically and physically, by the way! 😅 Between the effects of the heat, the adrenaline rush and the increased heart rate, they can have episodes of panic, rage, euphoria and other wild sensations when those energy levels surge. It's some crazy stuff. Crazy stuff I need to break down in the "Ethereals" section one day, when my brain decides to cooperate with me in the "writing words" department...)

I will admit, she once pursued vengeance. It didn't end well, meaning she's far less likely to ever pursue it again, BUT... depending on how cruel some aspect of the cosmos decided to be with her, she very well could have another go at it. That could be the worst side of her. 🤔

TL;DR/Summary: Sal's worst could be wanting revenge if someone had a go at those close to her; characters such as Chaku, Tsuniah (and others I could list the names of, but... nobody knows who they are except me. Haha!) ✖ Spoilers: her previous bout of vengeance was brought on from the loss of her entire team back in the agency days.

And yes, you do have the usual Ethereal woes of generally being dangerous around other living things, but I don't really consider that "worst." It might make Sal feel like a monster sometimes, but I'd beg to argue that's some of Sal's best, honestly. To be mindful enough to strive to coexist with others and try her best to respect her limits as well as theirs. That's stellar Sal behavior. 🌠

Now, as for a character that has perhaps a more interesting brand (or two) of "worst version," it would be Nat! She has the potential to have some really awful episodes and is far more capable of doing things out of spite and revenge without being pushed as far as Sal. Sometimes, just being a bad bitch can be such a rush too. 😆

I know I talk about her being a masochist most of the time, but she definitely has a sadistic side! That part of her is especially amped up whenever she and Sven do a bit of that good ol' merging.

(Merging is something Familiars are capable of doing with their partners - where they can come together and form one entity/possess their partner. In most cases, one participant tends to be a little more dominant than the other, so it's almost like being possessed for a short while. Nat happens to be the more dominant participant, in this case! Usually.)

It's basically like Nat has a full blown demonic possession mode and the rush of it can bring out so much crazy Nat behavior. Sometimes, it just turns her into a monster and everyone has to pray Sven's able to take hold of her again or separate from her ASAP whenever that happens! 😅

(Which, if you're wondering then "why the heck would Sven enable that kind of behavior if he knew it would likely do more harm than good?" Because there are situations where their lives may be on the line and, though dangerous, merging is their best bet. Familiars and their partners' lives are interconnected all pact style; if one dies, so does the other. By that logic, they're safer as one stronger unit than two weaker units.)

TL;DR/Summary: Natty definitely has a few options when it comes to her worst. Revenge, sadism, outright insanity. Take your pick. Hahaha!

These things can be brought on by standard cruelties of the world (losing a loved one, betrayal, etc.) ✖ Spoilers: there's a period of time where Nat enters a full blown "there will be hell to pay" phase after Leo's death. She's an even hotter mess than usual for that part of the story...

And things like "bad bitch behavior" and going all demonic possession mode can be a bit spooky, given how petty and unpredictable they can be! 🔪

#that's a good question ❔#Nat 🐍🖤#Sal 🌌🎹#oomerkabaoo #This ended up being SO LONG #I am SO SORRY #hahaha!#I provided some tl;dr summaries #it's perfectly okay if you don't feel like reading all those finer details #but thank you for the question my dude!

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asheanon · 2 years

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I'm not sure if this is something you have talked about before or sonething you feel like talking about, but; what is Sal's origin? And by origing I mean the process of how she first became an idea, then came to be the character she is today and how she has evolved over time. (I'd have a better question but they all poof when I really need them x'D)

Oh man. Okay. Time to dig through some prehistoric files for this one! 😆

I'm going to try my best to keep this simpler; it may not include every little tiny detail there is to include, but I hope it'll suffice nonetheless! So, let's see here… 🤔

(Word of warning for those who aren’t fully interested in this read and may see this: do NOT open. It’s a text bomb. Unless you’re down for a text bomb, I would NOT recommend it! Haha!)

If I'm not mistaken, Sal was more or less a manifestation of my sense of adventure as a kid. And a character that has always inspired me. 🤍

She could be mistaken as a self-insert sort of character (she has been before) but even since the beginning, I've never really considered her to be one! (Not that I have anything against self-inserts - it's just not what she is to me!) She's, as I've seen some Tumblr users on here word it, more of a "muse" of mine. One of my most beloved characters. And she always will be.

I seriously can't really say I know where she came from exactly (it's been a long time. I'm afraid to publicly recount how long it's been, honestly!) But… I do know her first initial identity!

In fact, I know hers and Chaku's first initial identities because yes, they manifested at the same time. You really can't have one without the other. 💚💙

— One of the first ever pieces done of Salaria (Sal) with Oreo (Chaku) and "Canyon," your friendly neighborhood mountain lion.

Sal, known only by her full name "Salaria" at the time, was simply a young human girl with a small kitten companion named Oreo. She was quite fond of the great outdoors; you were most likely to find her out in the woods at any given point, writing about her little adventures in a journal. The two lived in Maine and happened upon a portal in their backyard that took them to a different world where they met some wildlife buddies (like an elk and the aforementioned mountain lion) and had to take on an evil scientist named Lukar Kiman and free the magical spirits he had captured for study to restore balance in this magical world. Or something like that… (I was but a child at the time when I came up with this, if it wasn't obvious! Hahaha!)

But the key elements "has cat," "writes in journal" and "travels to different worlds" have been with her since the beginning!

Perhaps a handful of years after that, I became infatuated with Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time and Majora's Mask, which is probably the first canon series I ever experimented with injecting her into. Between that, Runescape and being more officially introduced to the wonderful world of "anime," there was a big style shift for Sal and the rest of my fictional army.

At the time, she was still a human that ended up wielding a blade and bow, just like Link, and had the casual long sleeves with bell bottom jeans combo upgraded to a more adventurous "shirt ripped to exposed midriff" look with bell bottom jeans (thanks, Runescape.) Things also started to get a little more wild and wacky as I started coming up with some much more mystifying critters for her to encounter, face and befriend during her travels. I also was obsessed with crystals and crystalline things and gave her a crystal sword because why not. Right? 💎

This is worth noting just as well: because of the musical nature of Ocarina Of Time and Majora's Mask, I firmly believe a lot of her musicality was inspired by that too! 🎶

— "New Age" (at the time) Sal, starring in a group photo of a rather interesting cast of characters who came to life from similar inspirations.

For the Ocarina Of Time phase in particular, though, that may have been when I truly began to realize just how much fun it was to throw a character into different places and have them interact with canon characters. Like, sure, Super Smash Bros. + Super Smash Bros. Melee very much pulled me into the idea of it more than anything at the time, I'll admit, but there was no story there... and being a creature who craves stories, to interact with an existing story in my own way felt incredible. This stuff was great! And I was going to continue doing it with more games and series as I experienced them in the future.

I'll mention that series like InuYasha, Yugioh, Rurouni Kenshin, Full Metal Alchemist, etc. and games like Pokemon, Legend Of Zelda, Fire Emblem, Soul Calibur and all that are VERY significant when it comes to things that went into making Sal who she is as we carry on with this little trip down memory lane, but there are two games/series in particular that stand above the rest, regarding her development later on.

First off, Tales Of Symphonia. That was a major pivoting point for Sal as a character. After having the Tales Of Symphonia experience, I fell head over heels in love with the "angel" designs from that game. I loved their wings… I wanted to create an "alien angel" species of my own that Sal would be a part of, because of it.

It was then that Sal's identity, no longer fully human, became that of an Ethereal.

— From 2011 or so, an old piece featuring Sal and Gabriel, what one may consider the "father of her wings." And still is to this day!

Ethereals as a whole were born soon after. From there, my entire personal series changed into something that revolved around Ethereal kind and, to be honest, it still kind of does! 😅

Second off, Kingdom Hearts. Particularly Kingdom Hearts II, for me. (I actually played the second one before the first one, forgive me...!) Kingdom Hearts is what truly helped me settle into the idea of her being a world hopper. To see a game that did exactly what I had already been doing with her as a character and to see how wonderful it all was inspired me so. Also, the art direction helped pull me even more into the Final Fantasy universe, where, needless to say, I fell into its chasm, forever lost and never to be found again. Happily. 😆

I would like to mention that the world hopping idea from Kingdom Hearts did a little tango with an old one borrowed from Super Mario 64 as well, with the paintings that you could pass through to enter different worlds within them. This helped to inspire Sal’s primary means of “cosmic wayfaring.”

Though there is interstellar and some intergalactic travel via spacecraft and whatnot present within my personal series, there are also portals scattered all across the cosmos, taking on the unsuspecting appearance of mirrors (in which, these mirrors only activate and teleport entities through direct contact with a specific element.) These mirror portals connect to a hub known as “The Spiral.” And it is through “The Spiral” that Sal does most of her world hopping!

Because it is done in such a way that utilizes mirrors, it can actually be quite fun to write Sal into scenes, by the by! 😁 Pretty much any mirror can be theorized as one of those “portals” and she can come passing through it anytime. I’ve described her as a Dr. Who-like character, at times. I think that comes through most when she first appears through those mirrors. 😆

All of that aside, though...

Over the years since then, it's been more of a steady, less notable process of developing her looks and her character.

— Sal (and Chaku) design progression, 2009 - 2019 or so.

As with a few of these characters of mine, though, I think I truly got a feel for who and what she is after I ran into my first bouts of constructive criticism from others and actually RPed her (and RPed for the first time ever, for that matter) with some buddies.

I won’t lie, as one of those creatives who was more sheltered with their “head in the clouds,” oblivious to concepts like “Mary Sue,” “OP” and all that fun stuff, it wasn't easy on me at the time! BIG, big learning curve for me!

I value that experience so much to this day, though. Sal wouldn't be who she is today without it. I firmly believe in the power of RP helping you to develop a character's identity. Even if the process of learning how to play well with others may be a little rough at first! 💕

— Sal and Nat, the two biggest faces of RP and Original x Canon content for me, nowadays. Also known as my last two braincells.

I went through a period of time where I stuck to purely original content with her and other characters of mine, but inadvertently got sucked back into the Original x Canon thing once it proved to be a comfort during a tough time in my life. And… well, it continues to be a comfort. 💙

I think there's a lot to be gained from interacting and drawing inspiration from canon series that inspire you as well, though. Like RP, I'd honestly say it makes for a nice learning experience as a creative too.

— The most wholesome Original x Canon thing I’ve ever done to date. So comfort. Much learning experience too, I swear. 💕

Aaaand… Well, I would say that just about sums up where I am with Sal as a character today! (Without getting too carried away, that is...) 😅

Thank you for the rather thought-provoking question, my dude! Freaking A, Sal's been with me for so long that her origin is starting to become a bit of a blur, nowadays! She (and Chaku) have been with me for what feels like most of my life, really. We've been through a lot together.

I love that we have, though. Builds character (all pun intended.) 😎👆👉

— Professor Layton inspired cosplay. “Professor Kriston” and her tiny, furry apprentice. Closing this with them just because I can. 🕺

#that's a good question ❔#Sal 🌌🎹#Chaku 🐈💙#oomerkabaoo #The making of #OC #I said I wouldn't write you a thesis #I did it anyway #sorry

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asheanon · 2 years

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"🌈☀️🌵 for Sal and Nat~"

— Some more OC Q&A from another side of the internet... Where I didn't feel like fighting with text limitations!

(As a fair warning, this one is long. Brace yourself for the text bomb before opening, if you wish to open it!)

🌈- What does this oc like and dislike about themselves?

— For Sal

What she likes about herself: Her curiosity and open mindedness. And she loves whenever it infects others too, haha! So much like her father, really. Sal believes in having a healthy sense of wonder about life and the universe. It's something that has led her to have so many splendid experiences in her time. Yes, even despite the "curiosity killed the cat" logic! Sorry, Chaku!

What she doesn't like about herself: Her tendency to overthink, for one. (Which is a mood, amirite?) But also: how dangerous she can be if she ever loses control of herself. Sal is a rather emotional creature who does her best to keep her cool (literally) for the safety of others; she's gotten quite good at it over the years, but she'll definitely still slip up from time to time. It both frustrates and scares her, whenever it happens. Along the same vein, there's a dissonance to having respect for the natural chaos of the cosmos, yet being unable to accept her own inner chaos, so to speak. She'll feel it from time to time, that metaphorical cage she places around herself as an Ethereal to keep others safe. While being a rather selfless character, deep down, she still has enough of a sense of self that she feels trapped by it on occasion. — For Nat

What she likes about herself: Her looks and her tenacity. If anything, she digs her own aesthetic! She'll always be her own biggest fan when it comes to looks, even when met with someone who may not dig it! Her determination is a quality that was realized the hard way time and time again (as it often is.) It keeps pushing her forward, even at her lowest lows. She may be a hot mess, for the most part, but she's a determined hot mess! Haha!

What she doesn't like about herself: A lot. A whole lot, to be frank. Like, whatever doesn't make the likes list could probably be found here. This is a rough question for her. Nat is definitely one of those characters whose ego was built almost solely upon masking insecurity. A bit of a Joker character, I suppose (or Harley Quinn, a source of character inspiration for her!) A lot of things she can't help about who she is, she coexists with and leans into in an unhealthy way. Her dark sense of humor stems from dark thoughts that often have a shade of honesty to them. 🖤

☀️- Does this oc make good or bad first impressions?

— For Sal

Bit of a mixed bag, I'd say! I mean, you have a bit of that quiet, mysterious beauty thing going on with her (which is good, in my book) but that can totally be offset by her inquisitive side (the "playfully bizarre" part mentioned in her bio) or one of those good ol' goofy entrances that happen from time to time, given the whole cosmic wayfaring business! Heck, she has a goofy entrance in this little FFIX fanfic when it comes to meeting the trio. There's not much lovely mystique can do for you the moment you come tumbling out of a wall mirror and level someone - and their table. Sadly. 😆 — For Nat

Bad. Mostly bad, yeah... hahaha! Because she either comes off too strong or too wild. She flirts with almost anything that moves and it can be hard to withhold the cringe reflex when watching her (and writing for her) at times. I think the only time she manages the closest thing to clean cut behavior/good enough first impressions is whenever she's in the shop; she has developed a business face that works well enough. Good business etiquette is good, sure, but most of why she she's like that with business totally reveals how much respect she had for her father. She's just doing her best to make those good impressions for the Iswere name. Actually putting her heart into something vs. not.

🌵- How does this oc feel about physical affection?

— For Sal

Overall, I'd say she's okay with it. Definitely depends on the situation and the character(s) involved. The usual Ethereal concerns aside, more often than not, Sal is either accepting (with friends) or otherwise very tolerant (with not friends) of physical affection as a receiver - platonically speaking! However, as a giver, she herself isn't really the type to dole it out all that much. She has to be approached first, for which she may reciprocate. Even in closer relationships (be it platonic, romantic, sexual, etc.) it can be hard for Sal to be the one to approach and physically dote on other characters involved. Takes a long time for her to feel comfortable enough to, despite her often being fine with them doting on her. Chaku is like, the only creature she'll approach with physical affection while feeling perfectly comfortable with it. 💙 Though, it may be worth mentioning that she will express such affections to a friend if they're grieving, or she feels the need to be protective of them! That maternal nature can kick in pretty hard from time to time. It can override the usual hesitation. — For Nat

Loves it. Thrives off of it, even! Nat is a creature who requires physical touch to survive, in my mind. Platonic, sexual, you name it. Obviously, even some forms of what some may consider to be, well, physical harm can totally fall into the "physical affection" category for Nat too, but we won't get carried away with the typical masochistic Nat naughties today. Hahaha! Sven, her Familiar pal, can be such a comfort to have around for something as simple as a little cuddle or snuggle. He's not really a pet, but he certainly is like an emotional support animal to her! There is a sincerity to the more platonic side of affection for Nat too, admittedly; something she may not even realize about herself. I honestly think she craves platonic physical affection more than anything sexual, at times. Just because making good friends is often much harder for her to do than sleeping with people. The whole "keep it casual" thing is likely derived from these struggles and has just left her with the impression that she's better off with "casual." This doesn't stop her from dreaming about that "little something more" if it could work out, though! 🤔

#that's a good question ❔#Nat 🐍🖤#Sal 🌌🎹#It's thesis writing time #I hope you enjoy the thesis #also sorry #it might be fifty percent rambling #but that's okay #we're both good at rambling hahaha!

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