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arijackz · 2 months

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PICK A CARD: What are your most alluring qualities?

🂺 "Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears." ~ Edgar Allen Poe~

Disclaimer: This is a general reading, take what resonates. This is meant to help uplift your spirit and highlight qualities about you that transcend space and time and manage to energetically get picked up by lil ol' me. Who then tries to put that inexplicable beauty into words. :)

p1 → p2 ↙︎ p3 → p4

☀︎ Pile One ☀︎ (nine of cups, magician rev., moon rev.,hanged man, page of cups, queen of cups)

⇾ Pink. Yellow. Fuzzy. This feels so warm, there's heat around my waist. Maybe you’re a dancer? Do you like to wear very big pullovers or extra garments around your waist? Corsets? I’m getting a strong emphasis with an attraction toward your waistline. Also, a very airy feeling in my ribs. ⇾ You’re fucking hilarious. Your ability to uplift any room’s vibe is extremely attractive. Strong water energy, Cancer, Pisces, Scorpio, 4th, 8th, 12th house. But not as emotionally heavy. Not the thunderstorm but the sunny, dewy morning after. Literal sunshine. You may have a signature scent. Coconut, vanilla, brown sugar. Before shuffling your cards, my nose was congested but while I was channeling, I had these moments where air would pass through the room, clear my sinuses, and the tingling feeling in my ribs came back. ⇾ You’re a high. A nice clean, mellow high. The brief moments in time when your body completely relaxes and you start flowing with the wind. People are addicted to how you make them feel. Your energy feels like the first hit of that oui. wink wink. People get a hit of your energy and it feels like an escape. This is my intuitive and sensitive dreamy pile. There is a lot of emotional depth here, you’re enigmatic. Being in your presence transports people to a simpler time in their lives. A period where the sun shined brighter, the air was cleaner, and all the color in the world felt more vivid. People can sense the storm raging in the back of your head but can visually see your perseverance and ability to not let darkness rot you, keeping this light and airy energy. It’s almost superhuman, you almost seem not real. You’re impossibly infectious. ⇾ You have a lot of natural inner abundance, you attract a lot in life even if you don’t realize it. I’m getting moksha house energy, a strong wheelhouse of influential power. The duality of your sweet, caring but reserved introspective nature is sexy as fuck, to be honest. It is hypnotizing and ignites people. I also see you have attractive skin, whether it’s clear, glowy, or cute moles, I'm not sure. But something about your skin people just can’t help but want to trace and admire. Jupiter/Pisces energy. Sugary sweet and in your own world, I feel like I have a toothache. Rare kind and light energy. Your attractiveness and romantic influence on people is one of your natural talents pile 1. I can see that with the Jupiterian energy I'm getting. You got 3 major arcana cards back to back. You’re a light in the dark and people are moths to a flame.

"You're pretty like a memory"

☀︎ Pile Two ☀︎ (ace of swords, the tower, knight of swords, 6 of swords rev, the magician, 3 of wands)

⇾ Well for starters, you’re SEXXXYYYY. Not just physically, but your wit, intelligence…people’s attraction to you gives me the image of Joan of Arc’s admirers. People perceive you as gorgeous, brave, and intimidatingly capable. ⇾ I’m getting Uranian energy, Yes, something about you is very mercurial, but this is next level. In modern astrology, Uranus is a higher octave of Mercury and symbolizes putting these higher-level ideas into action. Your ability to think of a goal and go after it is attractive. Or have a belief and fiercely defend it. I don’t know if you’re aware, but you have an innate ability to monetize or profit off of your ideas and skills. Especially with all this sword energy, the 3 of wands, AND the magician. Mane, you make shit HAPPEN. You make shit shake. A lot of people say they’re going to do things they have no intention of starting or say things they don’t actually believe. You are a rare exception to that. You put your money where your mouth is, and the amount of willpower and intelligence you possess is intimidating yet so very very attractive. ⇾ There’s gotta be some major concentration in your natal chart, a stellium, a reoccurring modality, sign, not sure but your energy is uniquely focused and intense. You may sometimes battle with excess mental energy. Anxiety, overthinking, etc. You’re a harbinger of change. Wherever you go, major changes follow and there is something very important about your energy. Your footprint in this world is larger than the average person’s. Your sense of self and your loyalty to your authenticity and values is highly admirable. *whispers* maybe even enviable, watch out for negative intentions and trust your discernment. ⇾ Whether you’re a man or woman watching this, you intimidate a lot of men. You’re the creme of the crop so to speak. You are the human embodiment of a warrior. Strategic, brave, and your fire cannot be dimmed. You have this eternal energy to you. Your name will be sung long after you leave this Earth. There will be tales and songs about you. There is an emphasis on making a change and legacy here, 10th house/ Capricorn Energy. Solar and Jupiterian energy is possible too, there's a lot of king semblance here. I feel like your frame is very attractive. Defined muscles especially around your neck and shoulders. Fox attractiveness. Sharp features, or some special emphasis with your lips, jaw, and teeth. There is a lot of sexual attraction in this pile. I was shuffling and getting flashes of old Wattpad enemies to lovers and dark academia rivalry fanfiction 😭😭. I’m getting a headrush. Maybe you feel like a headrush to people at times. You might look good in darker, cool-tone colors or have dark hair. ⇾ You make people aware of their shortcomings and that triggers them. You trigger strong emotions in people. People see you as superior to many, you’re either singled out in a crowd positively or negatively. People either love or hate you but it is undeniable that you are sexy and very fucking capable. You also have the ace of wands at the bottom of the deck…like I said…sexy and capable.

"Don't look at me with those eyes"

☀︎ Pile Three ☀︎ (The tower, queen of swords, three of pentacles, queen of wands, 9 of wands)

⇾ This is my dark feminine pile. 🎶Sheee’sssss a maaaann eeeaaatttttttuuuhhhhhhhh🎶, Ironically, the black cat got chosen for this pile. The tower paired with the two queen cards screams shadowy feminine to me, but balanced. The three of pentacles create a bridge between your intense fire and air energy. You balance your shadowy, detached and your fiery, passionate nature and it creates this intoxicating dichotomy that people can not get enough of. ⇾ You also are reserved and guarded, people can tell it is hard to gain your trust and gain access to your inner world so people subconsciously try hard to earn your favor. When I was laying out your cards my eyes got heavy and I felt like I needed to go to bed. You have a very sultry sluggishness to you. Think about Corpse Bride, how her eyes were always low, she moved slowly, and her voice was low. You have a dark veil over your character that is very alluring. There may be an 8th house or Mars emphasis in your natal chart. Make sure to check your planetary midpoints. ⇾ I am getting a Gabriette Betchel vibe. There's a darkness around the eyes of the man standing in the nine of wands. There is a draw to the shape of your eyes, especially if they droop a little or you have sunken eyes. Maybe you like dark makeup if you’re into makeup. This pile definitely had a crush on Morticia Adams growing up. You ARE Morticia Adams. Pretty Rave Girl is playing in my head, I don’t associate your energy with the rave aesthetic but I get the sense that people fantasize about you. You’re naturally mysterious and detached and most people only have an idea of you rather than a one-on-one connection. You may face a lot of projections, there’s fog around people’s perception of you. Plutonian-type power, insanely magnetic, with Neputinian-type glamour, veiled and shapeshifting. There may be some WLW baddies in this collective. ⇾ I feel like a very small number of people truly know you, you are reserved and selective with your energy and let me tell you, that is the most attractive practice a human being can implement. You are a once-in-a-lifetime personality that people dream about embodying. YOU ARE AN AESTHETIC. Well not exactly, I’m not limiting you down to your appearance. But you are the ideal embodiment of the dark feminine, man-eater aesthetic. The other three piles felt like concepts that I tried to piece together to paint a picture, your pile feels like a tried and true timeless dark sexiness that we've seen in cinema and music videos throughout the years. There is range here though, I’m feeling anywhere between Morticia Adams to Effy from Skins. The allure of Hollywood’s bombshells mixed with the angst and self-guardedness of America’s outcasted teen icons. I’m seeing an emerald snake, if you’re into sidereal astrology you may have ashlesha placements. I could write an entire essay about the fucking bullshit you've endured and THRIVED FROM but this is already getting a lil lengthy lol. Just know that you are living testament to the saying “I get knocked down ten times but get up eleven.” Stay sexy pookie.

"You got your HP Lovecraft... your Edgar Allan Poe"

☀︎ Pile Four ☀︎ (high priestess, two of swords, 4 of pentacles, the empress, knight of pentacles, 10 of cups)

⇾ UHHHH THE DRAAMMAAA. Bae, the high priestess FLEW out. You’re angelic. No mf backtalk. I don’t know about the stereotypical angel, but something about your presence is otherworldly. So intense but hard to conceptualize, can’t classify your energy as anything less than angelic. People see you as something holy and righteous. A theme of fairness and divinity is strong here. I’m seeing the virgin (Virgo, purity) and a gavel (libra, balance and fairness.) Your energy is always in a state of balance and harmony. Temperance did not come out, but I’d bet my top dollar that it would have if I kept pulling. ⇾ I’m hearing a steady water stream and the flaps of bird wings. People come to you for peace and tranquility. Your aura is serene and healing. Being near you is like transporting to a haven with clean water, a sustainable garden, fresh air, and BUNNIES. An image of a ton of white bunnies just came to me. This is not an 18+ reading, so I won’t go into detail but bunnies represent fertility and high sexual energy. You have an abundance of creativity. The best representation of people’s attraction to you I can put into words is like seeing raw energy. There’s this movie that came out in 2017 called Annihilation and there’s a scene where the main character comes into contact with pure energy and is so entranced by it that she just stares at it head empty, blankly in complete awe. THAT is how people see you. Like c’mon high priestess, the empress, 10 of cups, don’t ever fucking question yourself. You have an undeniably divine aura. ⇾ You’re a big deal, you're energy is very enlightening and calm but there is a heavy weight to it. Everything you do in life makes an impression and holds weight. Your thoughts matter, your conversation changes lives, and your very presence makes an imprint on people’s souls. Virgo 6th house, libra 7th house, Scorpio 8th house, Pisces 12th house. ⇾ You also have a very stable, Earthy nature to you with the 4 of pentacles and the Empress. To me, this is pure wealth. You will see a lot of luxury in your lifetime. You are a giver, you have a lot to offer the world. You are the epitome of “fill my own cup and let it overflow to those around me.” You share your abundance and prosperity follows you. You have the divine understanding that life is all about balance and what you give, you receive tenfold. ⇾ People think you look really good in white. Blonde hair could be a good look on you. Any aesthetic that involves purity or innocence really suits you. Personally, I’d say you look fucking killer in red hair. ⇾ With the ten of cups, I’m getting major wish-fulfillment vibes. When suitors see you they hear an angelic chime in their ear (I hear it right now) and music starts playing. DREAM GIRL. By the strictest definition too, you’re very dreamy and your allure is cloudy, people are afraid if they touch you, you’ll float away. You could have prominent Neptune placements. Do you like to sing? Harmoney and melodic sounds keep popping up. I'm thinking of Euterpe, the muse of music. ⇾ Your abundance leaks into your appearance (look for aspects to your ascendant, especially Neptune, Jupiter, and the Sun), you look very youthful and hydrated. It’s going to sound creepy but from a biological, primal-lizard brain perspective, you look fruitful and like you'd bear many blessings and children. Your skin is well hydrated and plump, your hair is strong and luscious, and you look overall very healthy.

"Be Not Afraid."

ahhh that was so much fun! to those who resonated with a pile, thank you for giving me the pleasure of experiencing your energy and reading for you. if you liked it let me know :)

#pick a card #pick a pile #tarot #tarot reading #pac #pac tarot #affirmations #self concept

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fan-fantasies · 9 months

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Worship

A/N: I need more Rhea fics in my life 😩 I’m using fanfiction to cope with my real life feelings so I need as much as possible 😅

Pairing: Rhea Ripley x Reader

Warnings: cheating (with Rhea), verbal abuse (from shitbag boyfriend), semi-public smut, oral (reader receiving), fingering, swearing, mentions of relationship issues

“Oh, please please please! I need your help!” You begged. Rhea looked at you with an annoyed expression.

“I don’t understand why you need my help for that,” she sighed.

“Because I need someone else’s opinion on whether I look good or not,” you said.

She wanted to tell you that you always look beautiful and no one else compared to you. She wanted to tell you that your no-good, sleazy boyfriend didn’t deserve you and the effort you put into the relationship. She wanted to tell you to choose her instead— but she just settled for “fine.”

“Thank you!” You yelled, jumping into her arms. She knew she was going to come to regret her decision, but your puppy dog eyes were no match for her.

You drove the two of you to the mall and headed straight to your destination.

You grabbed a few pairs of lingerie while Rhea did her best to look uninterested.

“What about this?” You asked, holding up a pink babydoll. The look on her face said enough. “No then, got it.”

“You so owe me for this,” she whined as you continued to browse.

“I definitely do! Whatever you want, just name it,” you said with a smile.

I just want you, was the first thought that popped into her mind.

“I’ll think about it,” she mumbled. “I think you have enough, now can we go?”

“I haven’t even tried them on yet!”

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

“Try them on? You didn’t say anything about that,” she said nervously.

“Well duh, that’s what I need you for; to tell me if I look good in them,” you said nonchalantly. Rhea felt like she was going to die. “Sit right here and I’ll be back.”

You sat her down in the back where the dressing rooms were and took your finds into the little room.

The first piece you tried on was red and left little to the imagination. You stepped out confidently and held your arms out.

“Well?”

Rhea’s mouth went dry at the sight (something else was definitely wet though).

“It’s lovely,” she nodded, not able to take her eyes off of the floor in front of her.

“You aren’t even looking!” You whined. Rhea forced herself to look up and play cool.

“It’s really great, sweetheart,” she said.

“I think I like it, but I still wanna try on the other ones,” you said as you went back into the room.

The next one was a white one-piece and much simpler than the first one.

“It’s cute,” Rhea chuckled.

“Cute? I’m not going for cute!” You scoffed.

“What are you going for exactly?” She asked.

“Fuck me.”

“What?” Rhea asked in a panic.

“I’m going for ‘fuck me’ vibes,” you said simply.

“Oh, yeah. I knew what you meant,” she said. “I still don’t get why you’re doing all this. He’s lucky to even be with you.”

“I know, it’s just…things have been different lately and we haven’t done…anything in a while. I figure maybe I just need to spice things up,” you admitted.

Rhea couldn’t believe her ears. How could someone have you and not want to worship you every second of the day? Before Rhea could say anything, you continued.

“And I know what you’re probably thinking-“ she doubted it- “he’s probably getting it somewhere else but I really don’t think he’d do that, right? Maybe he’s just gotten a little bored with me so I figured maybe this would help.”

Rhea couldn’t help but feel sad at the pain in your voice. If Rhea didn’t hate your boyfriend before, she certainly did now.

“I can guarantee it doesn’t have anything to do with you. If he doesn’t see how lucky he is then he’s an idiot. You don’t have to try and do something extra just to get his attention. You’re beautiful even when you’re in sweats and no makeup.”

“Thank you,” you said with a shy smile. “I have one more I want to try on and then we can go grab lunch, okay?”

“Sounds good, gorgeous,” she said. You went back in to try on your last piece. It was black lace with purple detailing.

You stepped out and Rhea was convinced she had died and gone to heaven. She stood up and circled you, taking in every inch.

“Now this, this is a winner,” she said, playing with the strap on your shoulder. A shiver went down your spine and you took a shaky breath. The way she was looking at you looked like she could eat you right then and there.

“You think so?” You whispered.

“I know so, but I do think it would look better on the floor,” she said, leaning in closer. “How about we find out?”

You should’ve been embarrassed at how fast you nodded. She pulled you into the changing room and locked the door behind you. She was so furious at your boyfriend for making you feel less than, she was determined to worship you exactly how you deserved.

She began to kiss your neck, her hands groping your ass. She finally pulled you in for a kiss and everything seemed to click. Years of friendship melted into more and it just felt right.

She slipped her tongue into your mouth and easily won dominance over yours. She began pulling at the straps of the lingerie and you let her strip it off of you. You tried to pull her belt off but she stopped you.

“This is about you, gorgeous. There’ll be plenty of time for that later,” she chuckled.

She sat you down on the little bench and knelt in front of you. She kissed up your leg and nipped at you thighs before diving into your center. Her tongue worked wonders on your clit. You were extra sensitive, not having been touched in so long.

“Oh shit, more,” you begged. She slid a finger between your folds before sinking it into you. She added another and began to pump them into you while continue to lap at your clit. You did your best to contain your moans, only a thin door separating you from the store outside.

“You taste divine, sweetheart. I bet he never made you feel this good,” she smirked, stretching you with a third finger.

“Never,” you moaned, rolling your eyes back in pleasure.

As if on cue, your phone began to ring. You wanted to ignore it, but Rhea grabbed it with her free hand and handed it to you.

“Answer it, love,” she said. You looked at her like she was crazy and when you didn’t listen, she pulled her fingers out which made you whine. “Answer.”

She lowered her head back down and began to suck on your clit. You pressed answer and took a breath to compose yourself.

“Hello?”

“Where the hell are you? You were supposed to pick up my dry cleaning and bring it to the office half an hour ago!” Your boyfriend yelled on the other line.

“Shit,” you sighed, Rhea speeding up her actions. “Um, yeah sorry, I forgot.”

“Well get them here asap!”

“I’m busy right now,” you told him.

“I don’t give a shit, bitch,” he snapped. Rhea’s eyes lit up with fury as she pulled away. You began to panic, worried she’d take the phone.

“Go get them yourself, asshole,” you quickly said. Everyone froze.

“What did you just say to me?” He asked, venom in his tone.

“You heard me. We’re done. Now leave me alone, I said I’m busy,” you said before hanging up the phone. You tossed it to the side, not caring where it lands. Rhea looked up at you with a shocked expression.

“I think that deserves a reward,” she chuckled before diving back in. She slid two fingers back into you and thrusted them, circling your clit with her tongue ring. You were getting closer and she could tell. She focused on stimulating your clit, finally pushing you over the edge. You bit onto your fist to keep from screaming out. She slowed down as you came down from your high and finally pulled her fingers from you and licking them clean.

“Guess I had dessert before lunch,” she said with a smirk.

“I guess so,” you laughed, pulling on your clothes. You just finished when she stopped you by grabbing your hands in hers.

“Are you okay?” She asked, sincerity in her voice.

“Never better,” you gave her a genuine smile. “It was long overdue. And I think I might have something better on the horizon anyway.”

“You most definitely do,” she said, kissing you softly.

“I think we have to buy that now,” you said, pointing to the discarded lingerie on the floor.

“As long as I get to take it off of you, we can buy whatever you want,” she chuckled. “Now let’s get out of here, babe.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Hm I like the sound of that,” she smirked. She grabbed your hand and pulled you from the dressing room.

The smile on your face never left for the rest of the day. Rhea ended up accompanying you home and you spent the rest of the day making up for lost time.

——————

Please comment and reblog! I love reading replies!

#rhea ripley x reader #rhea ripley x reader smut #rhea ripley smut #rhea ripley #wwe rhea ripley #wwe #rhea x reader #rhea ripley fluff

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yomogi-mogi-mochi · 11 months

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Unnecessarily Convoluted Analysis of TWST Dorm Architecture

Putting that Art History degree to use 💪 I am getting my Masters in art history, so I am like semi qualified?? to do this. Tried my best with some of the dorms since some don't have an explicit cultural/architectural parallel irl. And obviously lots of liberties taken since I'm sure the people at Disney were not going for historical accuracy

Masterlist here

Much of this analysis can from my Spolia fic (Malleus x Light Fae MC)

Diasmonia: Early Gothic

Gothic- but early gothic. It's got a few flying buttresses, indicative of technology in later gothic movements- but in combination to the lower ceilings (lower than later gothic), fewer levels (celestory, triforium, doric columns, and shorter windows makes me think it's early gothic (more towards Norman architecture/Sens Cathedral), because it's a lot simpler and less technologically developed than high gothic (larger windows, rose windows, higher and pointier style, flying buttresses, more decorative stuff like Corinthian columns and stained glass). Still, I think the Fae would be been more concerned with its structural integrity against the waves of time- therefore gargoyles become a very prominent symbol in protecting this eternity and preservation of architecture since it basically prevents rain/weather from eating away at the building.

There's some interesting symbolism with Malleus' fixation with gargoyles, but I'm sure you can make that connection on your own based on what's out in Chapter 7 and how he reacts to both Lilia's and MC'S impending goodbyes.

Gothic was actually a term used by the French to demean the style, since it was seen as more 'savage' and 'lower' than classical architecture- which is symmetrical, solid, and values very literal and realistic (albeit idealized) characterization. Gothic architecture in contrast is a lot more airy, focuses on light and windows, and values more allegorical representations, which is why it resonated so well with the religious ruler and monarchies because they were able to not-so-subtly point to their influence and power in every single way without it being in your face all the time.

Because of this very stank contrast, it was labeled as "gothic" because people were criticizing it to be "savage" and "unkept". The goths were painted this way because they were mainly responsible for Rome's downfall, leading to the dark ages. Regardless of the French ruthlessly roasting the goths, this type of design flourished after the dark ages because technology was beginning to be advanced once more, and materials were more readily available.

My theory would be that the fae began to first develop this architecture because they had the advantage of magic, but then the humans were influenced by it- which leads them to high gothic (Noble Bell College), as well as Baroque and Rococo architecture (like the Pomefiore dorm). The Fae kept their style of early gothic since they didn't really see a point in changing much- maybe just more decorative gargoyles called grotesque as a symbol of the Fae's gratitude in their protection against time.

Also the hallways have what are almost like ribbed vaults which was one of the primary and first symbols of gothic architecture because they allowed more weight to be distributed to the vaults, and therefore allow for bigger windows.

Another distict characteristics in gothic architecture are clearly defined elevations.

Traditionally, they will have the celestial at the top, then gallery, then the main arcade (especially as we get into the later gothic periods and buildings get even taller and taller). Of course Disney isn't completely accurate with these things, but it seems that they're sort of going for that vibe, as many things end up being as our contemporary notions of historical design often creates a vague iconography of things that is often a copy of a copy of a copy of the original medium.

However I do think the intention to mimic the original design is still there overall, and combined with many of the other elements such as the prevalence of pointed arches that are a symbol of gothic architecture, and the sheer number of windows that were allowed originally due to the technological advances of the gothic era (and of course Malleus' own obsession with gargoyles), I think it would make sense to categorize this is like "gothic adjacent".

If I were to redesign the diasmonia dorm however, I would definitely begin by fixing the exterior- but I think they were referencing Malificent's tower in the Disney movie than any sort of historical accuracy lol. You win some, you lose some.

Pomefiore: Rococo with a touch of Art Noveau

Very obviously modeled after French Rococo architecture- the illustration of the hallways of Pomefiore dorm are almost exactly like the Palace of Versailles

It is definitely a toned down version- but pretty spot on, right? When I first saw the Pomefiore dorm I immediately Googled a picture of the Palace of Versailles cause I knew I saw it somewhere. Autistic spidey senses at it again.

Honestly wish they went more all out with the chandeliers, and had painted ceilings on the dorm colors- but I feel like they got the general vibes right. It feels closer to Romanesque with its simplicity but it still holds an aura of decadence and frivolity that I like. Very rich, extravagant like it's members (maybe not so much Epel lol)

Elements of Art noveau in the furniture (the peacock chair) and the embroidery of the uniforms.

Also, the peacock chair sort of reminds me of James McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room. He was an American impressionist that was sort of the forefront of art nouveau, since impressionism was one of the mainstream movements that really began the explosion of Japanese inspired design that is also used in Art Nouveau aesthetic.

(Vil would definitely have this room if he could)

The carpet in the room reminds me of William Morris' designs, and just art nouveau in general.

As far as I can tell, the exterior is based on a variety of German castle styles from 13th century Romanesque styles, to 18th century Neo-Gothic styles. Which is coincidentally what a lot of the castles on Disneyland are based off of.

Everything is very florial, Corinthian, and extravagant. I love it. It's very baroque, I dig it.

Scarabia

Please don't come for me I'm not as well versed in Non-Asian and Non-Western architecture except for religious architecture in Turkey and Jerusalem so I'm gonna try my best with this one

So I think it mixes a lot of the icons we think of in association to Arabic architecture like domes, pointed/ogee (rounded, then pointed)/multifoil (multiple curves) arches, and ornate floral designs that derive from the use of calligraphy in Islamic structures (as iconography, or pictures depicting the faces and bodies of religious figures were not allowed).

And I think all those tiny buildings resemble Minarets, or tall towers built adjacent to mosques where the muezzin can issue the call to prayer. But the artists were probably like "hm. Not enough. How do we make it more arabic??" And of course the contemporary orientalist perspectives that dominate the artistic realm made they go "quick just add a bunch of domes"

I think Kalim's room and the lounge in particular best shows the general "airiness" that parallels Islamic acthicture (ie the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque on UAE)

Open air courtyards are also a characteristic element of Islam architecture, which you can see with the areal view of the dorm, and also makes sense with Kalim's unique magic.

Jali window designs (the intricate gold metal covers on the arches) are also popular on Islamic architecture

The Haga Sophia in particular has been described to have a dome "suspended by the heavens", as the section connecting the building and the dome is made entirely of arches that allows the sunlight from the heavens to pour inside the building. Though the haga Sophia is a very special case, as it was occupied by varying religions with different architectural styles at certain periods- I think it's also a good representation of our contemporary prototype of Arabian architecture that makes up the final design of the dorm.

Ignihyde: Classical Greek

Looks like it's modeled after the Parthenon, which was built during the Classical period on Greece where Athens was flourishing as a center of mathematics, technology, and architecture. These are sentiments which becomes reflected in the Renaissance afterwards, such as symmetry and a very systemic way of approaching things. I think it fits perfectly with this dorm, since they're the "tech geeks" of NRC

It's got your pediment, your doric columns (would have preferred ionic columns but whatever Disney), your arcades. Pretty straight forward unlike the actual movie it's based off of lol (Hercules has so so many mythological inconsistencies. Like why are you talking about Achilles in the movie??? Trojan was hasn't even happened babe stop manifesting that shit)

I think the symmetry and order of Classical Greek design goes well with the overall futuristic look Ignihyde and the Island of Woe are going for. Pretty clever, Disney.

Heartslabyul: Tudor Revival Style

Though Alice in Wonderland is set in the later 19th century, I think the Tudorian Revival style than began in the beginning of the 20th century just shortly later fits best.

Turdorian revival style is characterized through half timbering, which is like the timber panels you see on the surface of the building; oriel windows (windows that jut out); mock battlements; and courtyards.

The Tudorian revival style also takes elements from Elizabethan era architecture and perpendicular gothic architecture, hence the long gallery and the tudorian four point arch)

The glass panes in the lounge leaves me to believe it's sort of like a glass house where part of the house is sort of like a greenhouse. This is characteristic of Victorian glasshouses that rose with the availability of timber, paint, and brick and the popularity of botany in the Victorian era propelled by botanical imports from British colonies. Architecrs like Joseph Paxton were also known for his opus magnum- the Crystal Palace, which held the Great Exhibition of 1851 (kind of like a world expo with the theme of industry and art) also popularize the movement- and was a significant sign of wealth, as glass and window taxes were especially high. But in the later century when iron and steel frame construction was advanced, people could be built out of iron and window panes, so they could be assembled easily, and also afforded by middle class citizens.

So it's basically a mix of Elizabethan and Victorian revival styles (tudorian and gothic), which is in theme with the Victorian period the original media is set in, albeit taking inspiration from styles little later in the period.

Savanaclaw:

Again- I am blind when it comes to Non-Asian/Non-Western architecture- but this one was kinda confusing cause it really doesn't have any architectural cohesivity??? Like it's just got a general "jungle vibe" which I'm not surprised at because Disney is infamous for glossing over non-white cultures and kind of just simplifying them into a "general vibe" which wow yikes my guy

Kind of reminds me of Mese Verde, which are structures made directly within a cliffside, or the Great Mosque of Djenné and the African Heritage house in Kenya which have very smoothed, natural designs that blend into the environment

What I could gather from my research and my juicy autistic brain, savannas are regularly subjected to wild fires- so a lot of the heavy, rocky architecture and interior style makes sense, opposed to one made of wood (which are mostly in the inside of the structure, besides the roof which I imagine is less likely to catch on fire). Much of the building seems also to be directly carved within natural rock formations- a very functional use of the resources around you- very savannaclaw!

The textiles in each of the dorm members' rooms resemble Kente fabric, a style of hand weaving from Ghana, originally reserved for royalty but now commonly worn for ceremonial occasions and such. Also unlike other African textiles styles, it's strictly a male practice. I think it would make sense for Sunset Savanna, a place where women are highly respected and perhaps take on more political and military positions- leaving largely men to the practice of textile making (both are honorable acts- not comparing the two). There aren't distinguished aesthetic styles of textiles that differentiate each weaving from another- rather, it is divided by technique and region- so this is not like a definite connection, just thought it was interesting to includle

Textiles seem to occupy the only decorative role in the entire dorm- so perhaps there is significant cultural significance? Maybe there is a certain region that's known for their practices? Or is weaving a symbol of adulthood or growth and therefore is why they're hung up in each of the dorm member's rooms with the exception of Ruggie, who may not have had the socioeconomic privilege of making one? Or does the practice vary across species? Much to speculate 🤔

Octavinelle: Art Deco and Art Nouveau

Saved this one for last because oh boy I don't even know where to start with this. Obviously the design is very creative and I love it, but there's a lot less historical elements I can use to analyze the style, kind of like the Savanah claw exterior.

But it leans towards the art deco style, which is most fitting for the business dorm I think.

Elements of Art deco like geometric aspects of design, thematic and aesthetic consistency, and decorative/geometric windows are seen throughout the dorm interior and exterior

But I think the art nouveau elements are also there too, with the cheeky sea-themed elements that use natural shapes and icons into the architecture, design, and surfaces of the dorm.

Otherwise, not much else to say about this dorm 🤷 it's not really based in anything historical but there are bits and pieces of art nouveau and art deco in there, but I definitely wish they would lean more into the art deco elements since I think it would go well with the general themes of the dorm values.

So uh, yeah. Told you it would be convoluted.

Feel free to add and or correct!

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ay0nha · 7 months

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PLEASE hear me out sanji x witch!reader like sort of the doctor on board with salves and potions to help everyone but she's on the run from those who tried to kill her (sorry lol it's giving salem witch trials...but maybe...hint hint...that's the vibe)

it doesn't need to be fluff maybe reader is super tight with her life before and maybe only fluffy knows it because he's the one who saved her but sanji is determined to have reader open up????

lemme know your thoughts plzzz

PAIRING: OPLA!Sanji x f!reader (doctor on board of sorts)

WORD COUNT: ~500

WARNINGS: canon-typical things, smoking, drinking, attitude lol, Sanji being whipped already, slow burn, reader in her feels, etc.

A/N: These are THE vibes especially in time for SpoOky month?!! I loved the originality of this request!! I have SO many ideas in which ways I can go with this. Who would be interested in this being a series?? Would you read it?? Lemme know!! Comments are ALWAYS encouraged!!! Enjoy.

You were found running.

There was no weight in your rhythmic steps as your belongings had been set ablaze with your home, but your muscles burned with ache and detachment. Sudden lightness filled your chest, just shy of euphoria. Yet, the feeling was dissipated into pained anxiety as you collided with someone.

That night Luffy became your advocate, no questions asked. He offered you promises without false bottoms and gave you a place in a world you once refused to enter. This was different, he was different.

No matter the time you spent with him or the others, you struggled to find footing. And yet Sanji thought you fit in so absolutely.

The rim of your glass was still lined with enough sugar to enjoy dwindling sips. Sanji knew it was gin. Your lipstick left a mark on everything you kissed, the pattern was found on your glass, and the cigarette holder balanced between your fingers. You made everything look so serene.

Simple.

Your confidence was always envious. It worked silently, exuding from your presence alone. Your magnetism couldn’t be credited to magic but to how you evolved, becoming pointed and moving without fault. Even as you read from a torn book, you were enchanting.

“A refill, perhaps?” Sanji interrupted you purposefully, a habit quickly morphing into a vice.

“Hmmm?” Lost in your own world, you barely registered you were being spoken to.With pointed eyes, you took his presence in. Even late into the night, he was always so poised.“Oh, Sanji…”

“I couldn’t help myself…” Sanji exchanged your attention for confidence to step closer. “Gin, right?” He oozed charm, proud of the idea to supply you with something so sweet. “...I took some liberties, but—uh, hopefully it’s up to your standards.”

The glass before you was chilled and the ice sturdy, swimming in the middle of a delicious concoction. With just a glance you knew it was far better made than what you’d sloppily put together.

“Didn’t realize your duties extended to nightcaps.” You sucked in a crackling breath, confused by the sudden attention. You offered neither acceptance nor gratitude.

Sanji prepared for your reluctance, knowing you almost always preferred your own company. However, it never discouraged him from pushing past the facade. “Always.”

You hummed indifferently, using a free hand for your beginning sips, but you felt. You felt so very much by the action. Loneliness touched with hints of regret, or hope colored by impatience. It was never just one pure emotion. It was always one thing plus another. It was always simpler to conceal than to be perceived.

However, Sanji held a practiced eye. It took patience to not wait for your praise as you returned, entirely engrossed in your book. He took pride in being able to notice you—a flagrant attempt to understand you. It neither felt time-consuming nor inconvenient; it felt natural and worth every quiet moment shared.

#q #sanji x reader #sanji #sanji one piece #sanji angst #opla!sanji x f!reader #opla!sanji x reader #sanji x you #sanji fanfic #one piece sanji #op sanji #black leg sanji #sanji fluff #one piece live action

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chiscribbs · 10 months

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✨Redesigned Leo's look for Grown Apart AU ✨

The old one just wasn't doing it for me, it felt too cluttered and incohesive. Plus, it didn't match well with Mikey's design (which was partly intentional, but they do still need to look like they grew up in the same home.)

I like this one a lot more - it's simpler, not as thrown-together looking, and still maintains that "teen from the other side of the tracks who tries to appear cool & independent, but really just wants to make friends" vibe that I'm going for, lol.

#Yes he is a menace who cut off the sleeves of his hoodie because it looked cooler that way.#I firmly HC Leo as having zero fashion sense and when left to his own devices will just wear whatever he thinks is cool.#leonardo hamato #rise leo #rottmnt leo #rottmnt #grown apart au (rottmnt)#rise of the tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #fanart #chiscribbs #character redesign #I plan to share some concept art for his group of trouble-making yokai friends very soon - stay tuned for that

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canigetawaho · 24 days

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It took me some time but I'm finally ready yey. Keep in mind that this is in no particular order, it's just easier to put it like that and if you have something you want to say about round 6 or anything else really I will gladly listen :)

1. I love the fact that they put that heartbeat like sound before their parts and that high sound. It makes me think that Till became more and more agitated and that sound (probably caused by the microfoane being turned on or something) is very similar to what you hear when you have high blood pressure (especially when you're very stressed out) while Ivan's heartbeat seems very calm, like he had accepted his fate (but the fact that the high pitch appears here too makes me think about Ivan being actually scared but trying to hide it). It might be a stretch but in my opinion, it makes things even more interesting :)

2. I find that camera effect interesting (the one that appears when Ivan collapses) because it's beautiful but also because the moment I saw it, I thought about round 3 (oh take me back to simpler times)

3. The fact that there is an alarm type of sounds makes me think that it comes from the rebels trying to save them only to be discovered. They were probably kept under control, that being the reason why they didn't stop the show and just kept the alarm going and observed the situation (so I wasn't that surprised to see the scene after the credits but the confirmation still hurts because there was hope)

4. I just couldn't bring myself to watch the clip a second time so there are a lot of things that could have gone over my head so I was quite surprised when a friend of mine pointed out the scene when the rain stoped but the applause came and how cruel the audience was because in my state I didn't even realise the switch I thought it was still raining :( (kinda like a period at the end of a sentence if it makes sense lol)

5. And last but not least, the animation. It's just getting better and better. They have created expectations and delivered them perfectly with everything in regards to this round

I am surprised that this round could take the spot of my favorite round (wich is round 5 by the way) . Personally, I believe that Ivan wanted to die alongside Till (I assume it never happened in the history of the show for both contestants to die so it would have been interesting, not to mention, bring a sense of peace to both boys). I am moved by how much Till trusted Ivan, regardless of his motives or how he interpreted Ivan's actions. Although it kinda gave me Hyuna with Luka toxic vibes at times, I think, deep down, Till really cares about Ivan even if he doesn't show it in the way Ivan wants him to (but he shows he cares, he always did and that's what matters)

And one last thing (I know it's long already, and maybe it doesn't say much sorry) but I was thinking about the reason why they made 2 versions of the song and I think that they tried to offer some closure to us, some happiness because the version were they sing together gives me hope in some way while the other one seems to have been cut short. Maybe it's also meant to give Ivan and Till a chance to say what they wanted to say (or maybe it's just the full song and they decided it would be more impactful if they cut it at the right time unlike with My Clematis were it seemed that Mizi kept singing even after Sua's death and they wanted us to have heard everything so we have now 2 versions)

#round 6 #alien stage #alnst #ivantill #this just destroyed me emotionally lol

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gnocchisskins · 14 days

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Little sad man!!!

Today I tried something new, I was going for a kinda minecraft trailer vibe of shading. It's a lot simpler, and I dunno. What do you guys think?? o.o

#minecraft #minecraft skins #pixel art #simon petrikov #adventure time #fionna and cake #ice king

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caffeine-clouds · 1 year

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What Your Favourite Sonic Ship Says About You! (Part 1)

(Sonamy, Sonadow, Sonally) FULL DISCLAIMER: Shipping is a hot topic of debate, but this post is lighthearted fun! I'm a multi-shipper, I love most of these ships - and I can see why some people like the dynamics that I might not. This is not a bashing post, this is fun time. So, without further ado- Sonamy

You appreciate the simpler things in life. You decided to ship the protagonist with the main girl character just like 90% of all media writers, it's just what you're comfortable with. In terms of fanfiction tropes, do you happen to enjoy childhood sweethearts, meet-cutes, soulmates - that type of thing? I just had a feeling... Either way, you're just here for the cute vibes and the pining - and who can blame you? You probably really liked the fact that when you first came across the ship that it was the girl of the pair being the one so forward with her romantic feelings. But as time has gone on - you're either one of those people that really miss that side of Amy, or you're one of those that are so dang grateful they've toned her down. Either way, it's safe to say that this is one of the most vanilla of Sonic ships - and that's not an insult, vanilla is a good ice cream flavour. But no one is really going to fight you on your opinion other than the 5% of remaining toxic Sonally shippers, and those people that are somehow still living in the Sonic Heroes era. Sonadow

You saw that Sonic and Shadow's rivalry has been going on for far longer than 7 years, so it must be gay - and honestly, I can't fault your logic. You're a sucker for two disasters who can't express their feelings, and you have just determined that fighting is simply their love language. Even with Shadow's limited screen time in Prime, you suck every single dang crumb you're given like a vacuum. And by the way, you definitely have an Ao3 account - don't try and hide it. We already know you're a sucker for enemies/rivals to lovers... and I'd also wager you enjoy just-one-bed. Also you like that thing where characters constantly call each other by a nickname, and only end up calling them by their actual name during a confession scene or when one of the characters is seriously injured. I dunno, just had a hunch you'd like that sort of thing. You are debating between two sides of yourself - part of you wants Shadow's old characterization back where he was a more in-depth character and showed Sonic more respect, but part of you also loves how so damn obsessive Shadow is in modern games over Sonic and how much he wants to fight him - because that at least implies that Sonic is on Shadow's mind literally most of the time. But when all is said and done, this is vanilla when it comes to gay ships in the Sonic community. It's too damn easy, it's why it's the most popular Sonic ship on Tumblr. This ship was made for the LGBTQ+ community. Sonally

Opposites attract is your go-to, and it's been tried and tested - the formula works, I see it. You strike me as the person who really cares about canon material, and you tend to steer away from a lot of fanon. I also have a strong feeling you're a Sonic fan that's on the older side, back when SatAM and Archie were at their peak and considerably more popular. It's a ship with all the things you need to be happy - the characters have a deep, long-lasting bond, it's a sweet ship, and the two have constrasting personalities - so it doesn't get stale for you. You're probably into similar tropes as the Sonamy shippers - but you enjoy more drama and spice to your fanfics, and you won't shy away from angst - Archie loved its angst, I know you enjoyed that shit. You're either content with all the Sonally content you've gotten over the years, and will occassionally look at fanarts. Or you're one of those people who will not let the Archie comics go, you are still in denial - you are begging for Sally's return into the series and you're hoping now that Ian Flynn is writing for the games, that your dreams might just become a reality.

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic #sth #sonic discussion #sonic ships #sonamy #sonadow #sonally

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theconstellationprincess · 5 months

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More Gabriel because I love him <3

Post-Armageddon’t Gabriel is not vibing. He’s very stressed, and She (God) has not been forthcoming with anything he needs to do. So, he works and works and works, he does so much paperwork that even Michael is impressed

And then he starts to get to know Beelzebub and he falls in love with them. And suddenly, his work ethics starts to dissipate, because when he’s with Beelzebub, he doesn’t need to worry about anything, and he wants to be like that… all the time.

And, after a particularly awful meeting with the other Archangles and the Metatron, it happens. The same feeling he gets around Beelzebub- well a little different. He doesn’t feel safe, or loved, but his thoughts slow, and things seem… simpler?

It’s strange. He’s almost tempted to contact Aziraphale to see if there’s a book about it. It fascinates him.

However, it’s very bad for his work ethic, so he avoids it as much as possible. He needs to work so that the next time something happens, he’s prepared. So what if he has actually started sleeping in short bursts because he can’t focus otherwise? So what if half of the time he has to squint when doing paperwork because his eyes are wet for some reason? He’ll be fine, he just needs to work.

And then some stupid misguided young angles decide to pop down to earth and wreak some havoc on Aziraphale and Crowley, resulting in a lot of paperwork, and so much stress. And Gabriel almost loses it on them. His wings come out, he gets a few extra eyes… not the whole shebang but enough that Michael ushers him away and Uriel takes over.

Michael is mad at him. He tucks himself away and apologizes, reassures her that it’s because of some Random excuses and it won’t happen again.

The moment he’s alone he heads to earth. He pops into a cave he knows is safe but empty, and let’s go. His wings come out, he gets extra eyes, but more importantly, his thoughts slow. He curls up on the ground, and his eyes do the wetness thing again, and he wraps his arms around himself.

He wants Bee- Beelzebub. He doesn’t need to breathe but finds himself struggling to anyways. He fumbled with his phone (sending a small thanks upwards that he had it with him, and calls their phone.

“Beelzebub,” he greets in a small voice. He hadn’t known his voice could be that high, or soft. “How are you?”

“Gabriel? Izzz everything alright?” He blinks at their tone. Why are they worried? Is his voice too weird?

“Yes.” He says. His corporal form must be malfunctioning, leaking so much fluid and now his mouth feels strange. “Sorry.” Why did he say that?

“It’zzz fine?” Beelzebub sounded confused. Gabriel made a sad noise. It was pathetic and he chastised himself for it. He did it again. “I need to get back to work.” He made the sad noise again. He wanted Bee, in person. He wanted close contact-

What? What was wrong with him? He’s an Archangel, one of the closest to the top of Heaven, why was he so desperate for human affection from a Prince of Hell?

“Gabriel?” Was Beelzebub still on the line? Gabriel made some sort of weird noise. Why was his corporation so odd?

“Bee,” he said, despite not meaning too. It came out soft and desperate. His lungs were burning, and his face was wet. Stupid Human form. Beelzebub was saying something, but he couldn’t understand what. He wanted them with him.

And there they were! Gabriel lit up when he saw them, literally. His wings glowed and his eyes perceived them with angelic light. “Bee!” He greeted, voice disorted but happy. Beelzebub looked a little nervous, and Gabriel frowned. He tried to wrangle himself back inwards, but it was hard. He got rid of most of his eyes, and 2 of his 3 sets of wings. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Oh zzilly angel.” Beelzebub whispered. “You can let yourself out, I don’t mind.” Gabriel hummed and released his (fragile) hold on his being. He relaxed. He had Bee here. He reached out towards them without thinking. They looked confused but approached him. He didn’t know how to ask for what he wanted, but Bee seemed to know.

As soon as he had an armful of demon, he felt himself fully slip away. This was the part he could never reach on his own. He sighed happily, and nuzzled into Beelzebubs neck. If he could stay here forever, he would be so happy.

#age regression #star writes #this turned out much longer than I expected #agere #sfw agere #good omens gabriel #Gabriel #good omens #good omens season 2 spoiles #good omens age regession #good omens agere #Gabriel agere #go Gabriel #good omens beelzebub #beelzebub #little Gabriel

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alitgblog · 3 months

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speculating what the s8 islanders will look like as an excuse to draw lol idk why im not going in order here's the sports physiologist

ok so obviously my art style is a bit simpler than the game's and I didn't take a ton of time to render it but I think the elements are there and here's my reasoning (warning this is long lol)

the disclaimer is I read the application once and then started drawing so I think in my head I got it confused and thought this was gonna be the Bobby/Rafael cutesy fun guy of the season and rereading it now I realize I am wrong, but I still stand by certain choices.

Sports physio/cycling thing was a big thing for this. I think he shouldn't have very defined abs but the game will draw him like that. Cyclers tend to have skinnier torsos but bigger thighs/legs and I didn't draw the legs bc I'm lazy but know that in my head, he's got thick thighs. I didn't draw him with like a huge chest or arms also because of that, but because it's still LITG, he does have some definition on his arms, just not a lot. I really think I could see this guy working in sports physio.

And because he takes care of people for a living and is the "big romantic," I think he needs to look very charming, to a point where he's almost disarming. (This is where I got it in my head that he's the Bobby/Raf of the group bc lover boy vibes. Personality wise he feels like Rohan imo who is similar). Therefore I drew a lot of his features as very soft (softer jawline, fleshier nose) but also just big round eyes to draw you in. I looked at Tyrique from love island season 10 for a bit of inspo because I think he's got such a pretty face but still is pretty masculine, and he has big round eyes so that's why I did that.

I also decided on curly hair, in part because of my confusion with Bobby/Rafael, but also I think it adds to the charm because it's clearly styled but tries to look effortless. I used a younger picture of Dev Patel for it. That's also why he has a little bit of facial hair to help age him up but also works with the aesthetic I was going for. The piercings are fully a self indulgent add-in, I just it's attractive.

Ok so this is where it gets confusing because I did intially draw some sharper features on him and had a different color palette for his skin and hair. I was imagining him as "spicy white" just because Bobby and Raf are mixed so they would change it up just slightly for this guy. I think nothing that's too contrasting to make him look brooding like Joyo. So initially this was definitively a tanned white guy with curly reddish brown hair, some facial hair, and a defined nose, and then I was like this is really close to Rocco. So I changed some features and some colors and here we are now at ethnically ambiguous? I'm not gonna think too hard about the ethnicity of this character because this is fake and it's fusebox's problem when they release the real character.

Looking back, if I redrew the character, I'd go for full or half South Asian just because I did use dev patel as a hair reference. But also maybe just hopeful because aside from Angie, the other South Asian rep in recent memory I can think of is Marshall (messy), Ozzy (messier), and Suresh (messiest), so I just think we should get a cute one. (also Priya, Rohan, and Arjun who aren't nearly as bad but only one of those is a LI and they're sort of dead right now so)

anyway overall the process of drawing him was kind of a mess because I had confused some things in my head and like I said, was accidentally drawing Rocco (underrated design btw) but this was the first one I did and I don't think I'm right, this is just a fun little activity for me and he's the first one I drew so I wasn't very sure about a lot of things.

so if you read this far congrats for getting though my ramblings. The next ones I'm doing aren't nearly as complicated 😂😂

#mixed feelings about my prediction here but it's fine #im wary about tagging this for s8 bc its not canon its just speculation buuuuuut #litg s8 #speculation #litg #firefighter next and by firefighter i mean gary/alex fusion

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daakjenaar · 7 months

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Sci-fi writers not being racist and unimaginative challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)

I had a dream that I tried to write this recently and accidentally replaced it with footage of me playing Deep Rock Galactic when I tried to post it, so I’ll try my best to not do that.

I know saying that a lot of fantasy and science fiction worldbuilding is barebones and bland is a pretty tepid take. In many fictional settings, the idea of nationality, ideology, and race are conflated. One and the same, effectively. Mass Effect has the Turian Hierarchy and the Salarian Union, galaxy-spanning governments made up of almost singularly the species turians and salarians respectively, who all believe in roughly the same things, have the same broad personality, and have seemingly been stagnant for thousands of years. Deviation from the turian mentality is treated as a unique trait worthy of ascending a random NPC to a supporting character. To all other races, the idea that humans can believe in different ideologies is fascinating. I think it’s an uncontroversial take to say that this is pretty bland writing, and at least a bit racist. Outside of the special and unique (and overwhelmingly European) humans, all other cultures are monolithic and simplified.

I should stop myself here because I genuinely have at least half a dozen essays’ worth of Mass Effect topics I would want to go on a rant about. I should move on.

Orson Scott Card’s writing beyond the original Ender’s Game is also emblematic of this approach. In his sci-fi universe, all of the countless worlds that have been colonized are entirely monocultural. Specifically, they are takes on cultures from the point of view of a 30-something center-right mormon in America in the 1980’s. Highlights include a world colonized by the Japanese which bears the name Divine Wind, which translates to ‘Kamikaze’, which might be in slightly poor taste. There is also a world with a predominately Chinese population that is notable for a) being largely covered in rice fields, and b) not knowing what neurodivergency is. It gives overwhelming ‘I read a Wikipedia article and skimmed a really racist history book and am now an expert on all other cultures” vibes. He also wrote Xenocide and Children of the Mind, so maybe we should stop taking him seriously.

So often, worldbuilding in fiction refuses to reckon with the idea that the nations they depict can be anything beyond overwhelmingly monocultural stereotypes of real-world people. After all, it’s much simpler if all of the aliens are just caricatures of other people that really exist, right? No work needed. Oh no, what's this picture of a T'au doing here?

This took me a while to write because I’ve got a lot of takes on the topic of writing and worldbuilding, and it was hard to figure out what to include and what to save for a more focused post later. On that topic, I do have another one planned focusing on my personal, insignificant takes on the ingredients to make a coherent backdrop for a story, and some hot takes and blanket statements to make about worldbuilding as a whole. It’ll hopefully be something more positive and constructive than this.

EDIT MADE MINUTES AFTER I POSTED THIS: I forgot to include the funniest example of all time, the world of Warhammer Fantasy. There are some incredible examples of this kind of worldbuilding. Kislev, the Lizardmen, Cathay, Nippon, Araby, the Tomb Kings, Bretonnia, all comically transparent carbon copies of the most obvious, stereotypical parts of real-world cultures that managed to become a relatively successful media franchise that helped to launch Games Workshop into the company it is now.

#mass effect #mass effect is actually kinda bad #worldbuilding #orson scott card #ender's game #warhammer #sci fi #short essay #okay but seriously mass effect is baffling #did we all forget the line about autism from the dlc #orson scott card is a hack

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jekyll-doodles · 1 year

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@purplerose-456 @albinoratman2200

I tried to wrack my brain for "weaknesses" but its gets pretty complicated and abstract, so we'll go with guilty pleasures ai things liked despite feeling kinda ashamed for liking it.

Guilty Pleasures: Off the top of my head, the easiest is Rubedo with wine. A bit of a dangerous pleasure to have. Besides that, i could see Nigredo liking chocolate. Its not something he would be able to get before being a lord, and its a rare occasion when he does have some -- it still feels like a This Is Not For Me thing. Imposter syndrome induced by chocolate. Citrinitas, enjoys the act of cooking and is particularly good at it. I dont know why. He has those vibes though. Oof the occasional daydream of a simpler life, no fighting, no entire kingdom to manage, just him cooking a homely meal for his wife peaceful simple life.

Desserts: Slightly harder to answer given the differences between today's desserts and a Back Then desserts (and my lack of knowledge on the latter.) Despite that, as mentioned above, i think Nigredo would still favor chocolate. Its a nice treat from time to time. And in modern times, its certainly easier to get and with less worrying about having it. But still, he treats it like a rarity. It would be cute i think too: Nigredo sharing his m&ms with 999.

Rubedo and Citrinitas have probably argued over whats better, tarts or custards.

Albedo is. Tricky. She has niether a favorite dessert nor any material guilty pleasures. If you count the conflicted feeling they have when it comes to their relationship with Citrinitas as guilt, then that i suppose. This lord has dedicated most of their life to their studies, practices, and advising the king. Having this intimate relationship that serves none of those is just. An adjustment.

#headcanon #ask #alagadda sans masks #scp alagadda #greenghostlyjekyll #scp red lord #scp black lord #scp white lord #scp yellow lord

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tiptapricot · 9 months

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Moon Knight City of the Dead Issue 1… why…?

So. New MK side run has begun, the hyped up full on debut of Layla/new Scarlet Scarab in the comics, with a premise that most writers would twist into an epic and breathtaking journey.

We don’t get that here.

And I have a lot of thoughts on why and how I feel so frustrated with what we got. There’s pieces of something awesome, potential to go to some really fascinating places, and yet it is held back in almost every aspect, creating something messy and clunky that makes me mad to read.

(This is long btw)

First off though, some things I did enjoy!

I really love the art and coloring of this issue. The anatomy and movement and shadows, the stylization of character’s faces and costumes, the sprawling city with its deep reds and blues that feel saturated and weighty. It’s great. Besides a few moments that it comes out of left field with some bad stuff (Layla’s whole face at the end or the MK mask w teeth during the memory slideshow like whaTtt is that), it’s super solid and made for a very enjoyable looking comic.

It was also really fun to see Badr for a little. I think it would’ve been cool to get more, and the pacing of things as I’ll get to later sapped his importance in the story for me some, making him feel more like a prop or a plot device to get it going, but overall it was lovely to see him again. And it was cool to see him being a doctor as well, as we haven’t seen that as recently in MacKay! Always a joy my dear sir please come back soon.

The story in concept. Going to the underworld, detaching a headmate supernaturally to journey to a different plane of reality to save one life, and meeting a dead ally along the way is fascinating stuff, an idea that inspires me to want to explore it myself.

Because (and now it’s time to get into the stuff I didn’t like) the writing doesn’t do this idea justice at all.

This is not the worst MK comic ever rn, not their worst writing. It’s not as violently ableist or antisemitic as things like Bemis or making a joke out of MK like some others, but it’s just stupid, and what it glosses over or gets wrong is weird and uncomfortable and harmful in its own right.

To start this isn’t my Marc. His guilt is not one of punishment for penance, of believing he’s sinned and needs to be washed clean by pain. He is a man stuck in bad coping mechanisms and trying to pretend he’s not. He’s a man who hates himself and uses violence as what I would describe as a form of self harm. But it is not with the goal of erasing his past.

Yes, he runs from the person of Marc Spector, he runs from the idea and the responsibility, but Marc doesn’t try to forget. He holds onto things with a vice grip and never lets himself drop it. He believes in his own mythos and is grappling with his complicated and traumatized history to remember he can love and care and trust people again, that the work of making his life better is not solely on his shoulders. That’s what MacKay’s been dealing with.

MacKay Marc is guilty and self flagellating but in a way he tries not to think about, that he brushes over. He puts on an air of confident collectedness and has more hate for Marc as a concept then specifically his actions, and he’s still able to move forward and find a type of momentum and bravado in the MK suit.

Or in simpler terms: yes Marc has guilt. He does not have this kind of guilt.

The first few pages read so strangely, just this over dramatic spiel that feels more like daredevil than moon knight, like a rehashed dramatic intro to a moody sad 90s comic. And not in a good way. It’s not deep it’s just annoying and tedious and the prose is clunky and again, extremely off in its vibes and message. I think it could’ve been alright, if some of the talk of his guilt had been shifted and the narration hadn’t continued constantly throughout the rest of the issue (which I’ll get to later), but as is in its full context it’s just… weird.

In addition to the weird guilt vibes, there’s further issues with the Khonshu religiosity in this.

Khonshu isn’t something Marc worships, he’s something he uses for his own means. He’ll call on him or talk about being the priest of the mission, but that’s because Khonshu doesn’t have oversight, he’s a tool and form of direction and theming, and at the story’s core Marc is the priest for his mission, not this god’s.

At points in this issue he genuinely sounds dedicated though, and it shifts the flavor of earlier pieces more in line with his usual monologuing to seeming more like strange spiritual devotion. Especially calling Khonshu the greatest of great gods, or saying that him being in the underworld is Khonshu’s mission. It changes his actions from that of Marc to that of a real Khonshu follower and its…. Just weird. It’s all just weird and very ooc.

On top of that, there’s no mention or interrogation or even presence of discussing Judaism alongside all of this. I’m not Jewish myself but have had multiple convos around the topic w those who are n who have made their own posts discussing it and can add on more nuance n info to this should they like (bc more thoughts for discussion are always awesome), but just on a surface level it’s strange. It’s strange to have a plot revolving around going to another belief system’s afterlife and not at all bringing up how it clashes or relates to Jewish beliefs. Yes Marc isn’t really actively practicing anymore but I’d hazard Jake probably is, and Marc has still talked about his connection to his faith and how it’s impacted his time as moon knight and serving Khonshu.

The text treats the Egyptian pantheon belief system as the True and Accepted default here, with Marc not even discussing anything about going to an afterlife he doesn’t belong in (and shouldn’t even have) as a Jewish man, or even thinking about how Badr discussing Ka conflicts with Jewish beliefs on the soul and how Neshamah differ.

And yes, Marc works regularly with the very real Egyptian pantheon and mystical systems but it’s in a different way, and under a different context and understanding by readers of his acceptance of it.

A whole other layer of depth, conflict, and exploration could’ve been added by really digging into the theological implications of this plot, of a Jewish soul in the Egyptian afterlife, and yet it’s not brought up at all, not referenced or mentioned and it makes it all feel weirdly out of place, or like stuff is being glossed over.

That, on top of Jake and Steven (not to mention the entire rest of the main mission cast) being completely absent in mention, consultation, presence, or anything just feeds into this strange sense of Pepose wanting Marc to be the idea he has of him in his head, this guilty, sad, and violent merc serving a moon god with not a ton else. And yes again those are all aspects of Marc, but there is nuance to each of those aspects and treating him as a singlet with no thoughts on the conflicts in faith of his present is… just weird.

I don’t know if he’ll be treated as a singlet the whole run, but the fact that the body’s soul being sent into the afterlife has not already brought in any system conflict at all is an issue. Is it their collective soul? Is it just Marc’s? How does this comic understand alter soul distinction? Has it thought about it at all? I mean the answer is no but the thing is it should’ve.

That’s where so many of my issues with this come from though: choices just being… not good. Not thought out or in line with the characters and world. The writing is off and out of place and gOD THE CONSTANT NARRATION IS GRATING!!

I don’t know why it was chosen for Marc to novel write his thoughts and observations the whole issue but it’s bad. It goes past introducing plots or observations that can’t be shown in text to either:

1. Filling space that doesn’t need to be filled

2. Restating what has just been said or shown in a panel (“we have the power of the four horsemen” “wow they just got the power of the four horsemen”)

3. At worst, telling us stuff that was not indicated at all by anything else (“oh I know something is wrong here even though I have not been given enough reason to pique that suspicion” “oh I reunite with Layla and hold her and take her in but haha you don’t see that ig”)

It’s annoying and makes reading things difficult because he’s blabbering on the whole time in places he DOESNT NEED TO!! And it makes the action and emotional movement feel awkward and forced. I don’t need to know every second of Marc’s thoughts Pepose I can parse out things with my eyes I promise you that. Also can he stop talking about penance for TWO SECONDS!!!

The worst part is narration works when done well! When it highlights things that can’t be shown in art or gives some bits of exploration into feelings or exposition, but we don’t need it in every panel. It actually confused some parts of where to look for me by telling me what was about to happen before it did. Stop being like “I thought it was over but—“ JUST LET US SEE ITS NOT OVER!!

Another moment (similar ish to the start) where the narration would’ve worked for me (if it was not surrounded by just more constant narrating monologue) is when Marc first arrives in the Duat. The prose is pretty, it’s vibrant, it describes things the audience wouldn’t be able to pick up from static pictures and helps to set the scene. The only issue is that it doesn’t stand on its own, it’s not an interjection of observations and thoughts, it’s another entry in the never ending cycle of Marc just talking. And it loses some of its luster because of that.

There’s also just a handful of pieces of either dialogue or thoughts that (in the context of Steven and Jake being absent at the moment despite not being absent at the point in time this should be taking place) make me feel very uncomfortable with Pepose’s vibes on their mental health. Some lines that rubbed me the wrong way in context include “The rage fills within me—and suddenly I have a plan. That said, it would help if my plan wasn’t dangerously insane.” “You know me Badr, mental discipline is my middle name.” And a few similar ones I don’t want to reread again for.

They’re just unnecessary man. We don’t need vaguely or directly ableist vibes in words with MK anymore. It works if it feels like it’s coming from Marc’s internalized ableism IE when he was talking about being called crazy during the discussion with Steven and Jake and Jake called him out for it, but when it’s obvious it’s just how the author sees things it sucks!

Stop using insane, stop using crazy, stop being like “oh I’m so good at keeping myself in check,” WE DONT NEED IT!! ALSO THEY R AT A GENERAL POINT OF SYSTEM COMMUNICATION N HARMONY RN!!

Which also just… man this feels like it’s trying to introduce MK instead of continuing an already established and well under way arc. Yea, this isn’t MacKay writing it, but it’s still in the continuity and set up for his run and like… sorry not sorry but I think you should take that context into account if you’re going to be working within it???

Instead the story props itself up by trying to introduce everything at once and Marc feels like he’s starting from the bottom of development.

And speaking of introducing everything at once! Oh boy the pacing!

No one besides Badr is consulted before Marc goes into the Duat, Badr just. Sends him there. There’s no real build up for why there’s a need go that far, for what the threat is or why Marc would go to these lengths so suddenly. Like yeah I know he wants to save a kid who’s a traveler of the night, but like… Others have died or almost died on his watch and he’s never gone to this point before, even though it seems like it’s always something they’ve had as an option. Like… ok ig if Soldier hadn’t been vamped he would just be dead lmao (though also hey! Why and how do souls end up in this afterlife? Do they have to believe in the gods? Do they have to be in some way tied to the pantheon? Is it just where souls go if they’re near moon knight lmaO? If you want to have your afterlife plot you have to do the worldbuilding for it)

And while yes, a lot of this is because This Plot Wasnt Thought Up During Earlier Parts Of Mackay, it also isn’t introduced in a way that feels natural or makes sense.

Events just Happen. Mysteries or drives are just Said without a good basis for why they’re there. Again, this cult was talked about as just kinda a sadistic gang but then they’re a big deal? And oh the kid is dying and oh he’s worth going to the afterlife for and OH WERE JUST HERE NOW and “oh there’s a conspiracy I’ve decided with no real evidence” and HEY FOUND THE GUY and—Suddenly a whole lot of what is happening. God heart full on cult horsemen of the apocalypse memory flashback and BOMBS NOW APPARENTLY and LAYLA and MK BIG PAST BADDIES BOSS FIGHT INCOMING!!

Like ohhhh my god stuff is so rushed and happens so inorganically and with no time to really understand what’s happening. It’s a type of story where my suspension of disbelief isn’t there and it fully just feels like seeing the writer trying to get to the end goal of what they want to write about (moon knight fighting old villains) as quickly as possible. And it SUCKS! Like this genuinely should’ve been more than one issue, there should’ve been at least sOme more build up to gEtting to the city of the dead in the first place, no matter additionally uncovering a plot of some sort happening and Layla turning up.

It’s just…. It’s so rushed and strange and forced and it didn’t have to be and IT MAKES ME MAD IT IS and it’s just not enjoyable to read. It all feels so shallow and stilted and weird, all while having this underlying idea with so much weight, some generally gorgeous art, some moments that could’ve been really awesome, and last but not least…. Literally a good reference to doing a Duat plot well.

This whole mini run is for MCU synergy, bringing Layla in, exploring the Duat and it’s lore, and again yes, the run isn’t done, but it just…. Compared to the MCU plot for the Duat this feels so…. GraaggHhggh. Especially when it comes to system interaction and exploring different painful memories that effect headmates in different ways.

It’s just. It was an extremely frustrating read from both a technical writing standpoint and a character exploration standpoint, and it worries me and doesn’t excite me at all for future issues. Like we’ll sEe but goddamn this is not a good start no matter how it plays out and it doesn’t give me confidence if it turns out I have to read several more issues of this kind of stuff.

Petty nitpicks speed run because there wasn’t enough enjoyable padding for them to not stand out!

I don’t know if Pepose could’ve specified or not but Marc’s not drinking vodka in the opening scene, it looks more like whiskey or something similar by the bottle, again nailing home how strangely off this Marc is from the Marc he’s meant to be with how Mackay has built him up.

Why do they use Duat and City of the Dead like they’re interchangeable titles it’s just the Duat like I get calling it “the city of the dead” since it is that but like. Let that just b the run title they shouldn’t be calling it that like it’s a final name.

They misspell Dr. Alraune’s name lmao

How did the kid get… hurt..? The only point in the opening fight I can think he maybe got hit was with the gunfire but it didn’t seem like that was aimed towards him and there wasn’t any moment of having a detail in the background showing him get injured. And he wasn’t lethally injured at the start so ???

What… is the continuity between the Hydra vs Karnak Cowboys fight we see in MacKay and the flashback here. They were on an empty road there when they crashed? And now they’re in the heart of the city? AlsO bOMBS???

Anyway all I’ll wrap it up with is when the only thing I genuinely smile at is the cameo and namedrop of Apocalypse you know something is wrong with your story lmaO

#moon knight #moon knight comics #moon knight city of the dead #the fruit is talking again #marc spector #mikes mk meta

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libraford · 8 months

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I *love* the motif deck; the composition, the flexibility, your watercolors are wonderfully done, and while I'm hoping to be able to buy it eventually, I'm desperately poor and can't rn (if I can sell some earrings I maybe can though lol) but every time you post a sample reading it's... also dragging me to filth, and strangely tiding me over, so thank you and also wtf how do you do this

I'll be honest, I don't know how I do anything. I'm just trying to make it to Friday.

The Motif Deck was born from an idea I had a couple years ago, which was an oracle deck with no words attached to the cards so that the reader was encouraged to free-associate. But when I was sketching out the thumbnails I only had four colors in my pen set and I was working on it while at a laundromat so I couldn't get more because someone might steal my laundry. But I ended up really enjoying the simplicity of the color scheme so that got stuck in my head for a bit.

The drive to do an oracle deck with no standard meaning came from doing tarot for like six years (at that point, it's more like 10 now). I've always been a really talented reader and I picked up on the concept right away, but the symbols in tarot seemed a little hard to connect with (which lead me to make @thesweeneytarot ). So I started reading based on vibes. Like... what colors do I see most of in this spread, where are the cards facing, what seems out of place, how do we create a story based on what we have in front of us.

Proved effective! I was doing really well on tarot readings. It felt less like divination this way and more like a puzzle, like a story, like a game.

So what if there was a deck that was made for this style of reading? How do you even start that? What would it look like? Could I make something like that? Where do I start?

Then my friend introduced me to a game called Dixit, and it's sister game Mysterium, which uses untitled surreal art cards to tell a story. And I noticed that sometimes the art cards would have similar objects in them, like red ribbons or gold keys or blue fish. And it was interesting to me how the person in the storytelling position would make different associations than I did and I considered this a feature, not a bug.

I toyed a bit with doing divination with Dixit cards, but I found them a bit too obtuse for my liking and there were too many details to get caught up in.

So I was like... okay, I like this. What do I like about this? Let's do this but make it simpler.

...then covid.

So the idea sat on the backburner for awhile.

Then i got back into doing tarot readings and got the itch to try something new, started thinking about That oracle deck again, but now I'm thinking about those primary colors and how I tried like four different color combinations in my thumbnails and couldn't remember what they were meant to mean between them.

Then thinking about color theory. Like actual color theory but also the meme. And how the red ribbons in Dixit could be the strings of fate or they could be streaks of blood, or the red design on the hospital floor could be 'energetic and positive' or they could be... streaks of blood...

Like... sure, colors might have set meanings... to some people. But they also have meanings in their context. The color of a thing tells a story just like the thing itself.

So this is how I came up with the idea of repeating the images in different colorways.

So now we have my elements: no words, no inherent meaning, simple images, repeating objects interacting with each other, and cards repeating in different colorways.

And then the hard part, which was making it. I do actually have an art degree, so making the paintings wasn't difficult for me, but the logistics was hard. Because I had to decide which objects were common enough to be understood by everyone, and I had to pare the number down to something reasonable because this deck was bound to be massive.

Which took another year.

And now it's done! The slow parts go slow and the fast parts go fast.

I'm the kind of person who like... if I get into my head that I want to make something, I'll find a way to make it. And like... my philosophy for making things has always been that I intend to sell one, and that's to myself. But if I like it, someone else might, so I make it available for other people.

But I'm really glad that other people like it or are even just curious. Like, when you're making a 'product' (which almost feels rude to call something that I did for myself) the hardest part is getting people interested in it. So the fact that so many people think it's cool makes me so happy. (Am I cool now???)

Thank you!! And sorry for the overshare. I just got really excited.

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