Amulet Rant Time

Okie dokie Waverider is out and thus has concluded the series…so it’s time for a little…bonfire, we’ll call it.

Now don’t get me wrong. I still love this series and always will. I’ve been in the fandom since about Prince of the Elves. I literally have grown up with this series in my backpack from the moment I checked it out of my school’s library. I spent my first summer job paycheck buying all the books out at the time. This series holds a very special place for me.

I also understand that after Book 5(? I’m typing this out on mobile so I can’t verify), Kazu got very sick and lost a lot of his memories, which affected how he wrote Amulet and thus the rest of the story, so I’m not going to say he was a trash author.

There are just certain things that just…have not worked out post Escape from Lucien. And honestly, this is going to be more of a venting ramble than anything, so for the new readers coming in, take it with a grain of salt. You can still enjoy the series, fall in love with the characters, etc. That’s why we enjoy it.

Now I’m gonna do everything else under read-more so spoilers ahead.

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We good? Okay, good.

I already stated that I give Waverider a 1/10. It actually is not my least favorite book, to be honest. (That “honor” goes to Supernova)

Trellis leaving the throne?

As others have pointed out, after Escape from Lucien it made no sense for him to just up and skedaddle. That boy was adamant he was going to lead his people. That’s what his whole plot was in the book, and him accepting more of that role in Firebird/the beginning of Supernova. Heck, they even pointed out that Gabilan, even though… voted in(?) as the new king was not doing a good job of it. Gabilan himself fully expected Trellis to take back the throne (albeit by force which is not really Trellis’ style). It felt very much like unnecessary step back from three books worth of development.

I can’t say much about Gabilan because while he did establish in The Cloud Searchers he wanted to be king, it didn’t feel right. Like there was nothing driven past that, that would say he wanted to be king. Honestly besides a tiny bit in Firebird he didn’t get as much character development as he should have, if at all. Which is why, if he was planned to take over from a while ago, probably should have had happened sooner.

Ronin and her Students

Speaking of introducing sooner, this is where I feel having a whole ‘nother two books would have helped the story, because this was just…so terribly executed.

I can’t tell you a single thing about her students except one turned into a turtle and another Cthulhu. I can’t even tell you anything about Ronin beyond her “I was right” mentality (and the mask, not sure why she was wearing a mask).

They all felt very shoe-horned in. I have no attachment to these characters, no real interest in seeing them succeed. They were brought in to fill a plot hole, while simultaneously making another plot hole in their wake.

Overall Problems with the Series

Genre Confusion

I think we’ve already established that Amulet would have been better off as a fantasy series than sci-fi. That is honestly my biggest problem with Supernova, was that was a giant Sci fi wedge in what was predominantly a fantasy series (I know we started more in Escape from Lucien and Firebird, but this is where I feel we veered too off course)

We honestly could have completely cut the sci-fi bit, changed a few things around between Escape from Lucien and Firebird, cut out most of Supernova -which yes, would have wrecked Navin’s sideplot, but there was different options that could have happened.

We don’t need the additional aliens/planets. Those characters could have easily just been Alledian on different parts of Alledia and we would have never known. We don’t even know what most of Alledia looks like because we’ve only been to a handful of places that predominantly look the same.

Which brings me to

Ikol and his Masters

I was so confused by the end of their story. They’re aliens but not. They were created by Silas but they have been around for eons. Everything was Made by Silas to Protect his Family. I just…*sigh*

It felt like they were beating the already dead piñata (pun partially intended).

Silas died in the first book. The consequences of his actions were established to be that he got a bunch of students killed and he ended up passing a huge burden onto Emily that should have gone to her mother. I don’t know why he had to be brought out as this.

Ikol could have very much remained a Chaotic Entity that thrived on the turmoil, his “masters” being a lie to convince Emily that he too was not in total control of the situation so he could slip her more into his control. We already know he likes collecting powerful stonekeepers who are vulnerable enough to fall sway to his side.

Heck, he comes back every 500 years to wage war with the elves and probably (should he have remained the entity) thought of it as one big game.

Having him turn into a somewhat malevolent AI that was just following orders to a T just…does not make sense to me. Especially if he was causing havoc with the elves for so long as implied.

Time-Travel

Okay honestly this is my biggest gripe with the later books.

We established, Books 4 and 5, time-travel was not possible.

All it does is send them back to interact with their memories. They don’t actually change anything about their lives outside the Void.

So having Future Emily and her son come back and save Present Emily throws all of the continuity out the window. And Future Emily’s little interaction with Ikol where it’s implied that they’ve done this over and over? Felt so weird after they actually dealt with Ikol. It felt like a useless little tag on that we ended up not actually needing. (Again, Supernova is my least favorite book for a lot of reasons)

Stonekeepers Good but Bad

*sighs again* Yes. This part would feed into the Problem of Too Many Characters Amulet has going on. But. We were not shown examples beyond our current group (Meaning Emily Trellis and somewhat Vigo) of good stonekeepers.

The Guardian Council that ruled over most of Alledia for centuries? Corrupt.

Silas? Self serving. (Despite being called hero numerous times, we were not actually shown anything he did besides stopping the rampaging stonekeepers back in The Stonekeepers Curse, and even then we weren’t actually shown, just told he did it.)

The Elfking(s)? Corrupted by their stones.

Most of Alledia in the early books respect Stonekeepers enough to kinda hold them in reverence. But we’re not shown anyone (beyond a couple panels of someone building stuff) notable enough to say Yes. Stonekeepers good. Anyone else who is mentioned is “Yeah, they were good, but they listened to their stone and turned into a rampaging monster” (Honestly Gabilan has more of a point here)

I get that’s why Ronin and hers were introduced, but they were introduced way too late into the series for it to feel that there could be some sort of balance.

Emily is one big outlier too here. She’s good but because she feels she has to be and has been told she has to be. Firebird honestly put a nice spin in this because we do see her fall. But Supernova kinda nixed that development sooooo.

*cough*ThisiswhatOCsarefor*cough*

Conclusion

Now those are the biggest ones that have bugged me for a while in addition to the new stuff from the new book. @motherstone has already touched upon multiple times some of the other issues that I tend agree with (go check them out, their art is amazing and I love their ideas. Also looking forward to their rewrite!)

Is there some technical issues with the books as well that bug me? Yes. (The later books are very over saturated in comparison to the older ones and it kinda shows, and I believe that Motherstone already touched upon the “smoothification” that started taking place about book 4/5, and there were quiet a few panels that felt very unfinished in the later two books)

Am I sad to see the series end? Yes. But Kazu at least finished as best he could to the end instead of half assing it or completely dropping the series altogether, and I can respect that.

Do I already have my own post-book 6 AU that I’m willing to ramble about at the drop of a hat? Also Yes. (May also heavily be influenced by some OCs)

Overall, I enjoyed Amulet enough to see it through the end. Books 3-5 will remain my favorites. I still will cherish the characters that we got. Amulet is probably the first thing that actually got me into interacting with Fanart and Fandom, so I’d say it’s a pretty big part of what developed me. And for the newbies. Hi! I see you! I look forward to seeing what you do with the series!

See y’all around!

(And btw, if you drop something in my ask box, I’ll apologize in advance if I don’t get to it. I tend to forget I have one)

Ngl I was going to ask about Breath of the Wild but I’d thought you’d get a million of those asks lol. I was also torn between asking about Wind Waker, so whichever one you want to answer more is chill!!

haha yea I thought I'd get a million asks too! Somehow even now this remains the only botw ask, I guess people just figured it must've been sent already 😅

Now to actually share my thoughts on botw... Man I hope people don't get mad at me.

I did not like it!. The first play through I had was mildly exciting simply due to there being a whole unknown world to see, but after a while that gimmick wore off. I knew that if I made my way to the cool looking mountain or interesting abandoned building I'd just find a bokoblin and/or a chest with a gem. Whats the point of a gorgeous expansive world when all I find is the same...! 😫

Oh wow! A town with a whole new atmosphere and culture I sure wonder what I'll get up to h- Ok they have the same shops with slightly different items. Ok cool. There's like a few small quests for more inventory filler I don't really need. Cool cool.

I understand that the game is really fun for some people, they'll do quests just to get to play more of the game. They want all that extra stuff to upgrade armour and really get into the nitty gritty mechanics of the game... But I did not. It was not for me.

Also ouugh the puzzles...! My favourite part of Zelda games is the puzzle solving, but these were in no way satisfying and often more fun to just break. Why would I bother even trying to get into the devs heads when A) I could just break it and B) I have too many options to consider! I can't possibly get a clean eureka moment when everything from monster guts to just climbing could be the solution...! Where's the engaging simplicity of knowing exactly what you have and following the devs' clues to reach the solution!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaa--

I also disliked the story, all the interesting bits in it happened a 100 years ago and I feel like I arrived late with a starbucks. I also will not get over the weird ending cutscene!! After countless fascinating memories of Zelda having very complex emotions at Link... What do you mean you're just going to have a vaguely romantic "Do you still remember me?" YEAH I DO, I thought u disliked me! Which is a fascinating story direction I would've loved continued but OK! I guess we're ignoring that! Women cant be angry that makes them less cute and marketable, I guess!!!!

I... Sorry this is so ranty, I've been holding it in a long time. I think there's a lot to love in botw and I wish I wasn't so sour about it. Other people's love and excitement for it is wonderful and I hope they keep making the art they love. If its your first game in the series and got you into it, that's nothing to be ashamed about. I'm just a grumpy old man waving at cloud /ref.

Honestly I think botw could've been wonderful if it was a new IP. It feels all the Zelda stuff was sort of glued onto a concept that wasn't prepared to carry that mantle. It would've been better off with a new exciting world and cast of characters. It still wouldn't be a game I much care for, but the freedom that could've granted the developers would've been a treat to see.

It's worth adding that even though I dislike botw, I want to treat the characters of that game with respect and care in my comic. I may not love them in game but I can see the passion others have and I am committed to make something worth their time. Your special guys are safe with me. I have 0 desire to dunk on them, and instead wish to honour the love you all have. In a way I'm learning to love them myself through that.

My rendition of Vilgax! This drawing is somewhat old, so I may remake it at some point... Classic Vilgax was always my favourite... I Especially loved that he was a cyborg, I thought it was cool and that it made sense like, he just got pretty hurt and now he knows he's got to fight someone with what he deems the most powerful weapon in the known universe, of course he's gonna make some upgrades to his body! I also personally am not the biggest fan of aliens just having random powers, what I liked about classics is that all of the aliens "powers" seemed to somewhat make sense biologically... Anyway, because of that I made Vilgax's laser eyes implants and also because I though seeing like their circuit and all when they were charging was pretty cool...

The legs were inspired by a redesign made by Tony Cromo, I encourage you all to go check out their art, it's pretty awesome!!

horoscope tarot reading;

the energy of each zodiac sign this week.

july 2 - 8

you should read about your:

• ascendant/rising sign - for the events happening in your life and your patterns of behavior this week. • moon sign - for your personal perspectives and introspection. • sun sign - for how you might react to all of it.

ARIES

this week you're recuperating, may get an upgrade on your material situation which will make you feel good and renewed, you may engage in worldly pleasures to get over your worries, but you'll stay have much anxiety at this time.

otherside - red hot chilli peppers

key words: artificial, cleaning, black page, art, stars, big eyes, glossy eyes, writing, fantasy, red, stop sign.

TAURUS

the wheels are moving and the world is turning. you may be dealing with some karma you haven't resolved, therefore, you have intuitive knowledge you don't know how to use yet. this week may be a little hard for you, you may be forceful with your emotions and hurt others to feel better about yourself. you may give financial support to someone.

good 4 u - olivia rodrigo

key words: greens, insects, base and support, pink, allergy, under water, olivia rodrigo songs, fake smile.

GEMINI

definitely a time for isolation and subconscious thinking. you may be fixing your problems more precisely this week and have fun doing so. I think you'll find some much anticipated relief, but be careful to not make yourself numb in the process, bask in the sunlight of greatness.

solo - jennie

key words: astros, sleep and dreams, forced isolation, breaking free, independence, celebrating alone, blush, relaxed.

CANCER

you still feel unsupported by an important female figure in your life on who you depend for your material stability, but, this week, another important female figure will help you feel nurtured and heard. you're trying to find real confidence that isn't based on what you have and own and you're making progress this week to lift the weights you put on your shoulders.

half the world away - oasis

key words: baby blue, moving your muscles, skin cleanse, hunger, distractions, looking for problems, feeling helpless, crispy.

LEO

you feel like the world is against you, trying to break you down, but you won't settle down, even if they cut you, your roots are deep and you will grow again. you may feel lonely, tired and insecure, incapable, like you can't catch a break, but you're good! you'll realize this week, you have a gift, maybe you or another person is that present, either way it's precious and it will renew you.

cool people - chloe x halle

key words: select everything, moving water, seasonings and seeds, 16, hand on hand, body tension, chills, physical pain, dissociation, bones, very tired.

VIRGO

you're working hard to get over some heartbreak, you may have a relapse and I will warn you about a guy (or an amab) that looks like good news, you know they're unreliable, do not trust them this week. think before making decisions, even if you think they're small, and start new habits.

hotline bling - drake

key words: details, focus, media from your teenage years, miniatures, dirt, discomfort, using your body, lasting consequences.

LIBRA

you're very good at protecting yourself and others respect you a lot for that. this week has an exciting emotional opportunity, a new beginning of some kind, you may feel unprepared, but don't be fooled, you have a strong presence in your life to back you up. you won't get to the finish line immediately, but you'll see some results which may not satisfy your perfectionism a lot, just chill.

talk dirty to me - poison

key words: sighing, getting irritated by distractions, dissociating for focus, laughing at your mistakes, good work ethic, "a well deserved rest".

SCORPIO

you have contrasting energies this week, you may fall into old habits for temporary fulfillment, but it's not gonna make you feel good this time, it'll serve to remember why you don't do that anymore. this week you're taking real, practical actions to help yourself out of a bad cycle, rest assured, you're on the right track! spiritual, intuitive, subconscious knowledge is what will get you out of that place of scarcity. trust and fight for yourself, you'll be ok! I'm proud of you!!!! finding something you believe in is what you need to feel that fire of life again.

the man who sold the world - david bowie

key words: book, old knowledge, following a recipe, confusion, finally relaxing, comfortable silence, adjustments, a warm home life, fire, monsters, sleep paralysis, dreams.

SAGITTARIUS

you're trying very hard and doing it in unusual ways that others may say it's wrong. a female energy is way too demanding on your spirit, they're not worried about what's underneath the surface, but you very much are. you're not trusting many people and you feel isolated, but you're like a fish in the water, dealing with these comes naturally to you. don't be afraid to feel all your emotions, even if you're alone when you do so. and trust this important male energy or man in your life, they're experienced and they will help you. this might be about love, finances, venus or mercury energy.

church girl - beyoncé

key words: organized mess, unique, distracting fun, natural, inner child, offspring, spirit, unusual, animals.

CAPRICORN

you have your perfect match, for some reason you can't find them and you deal with it by being overly cautious and insatiable, you two mirror each other, this person is also acting like this. you might burn some bridges this week and that's honestly the best thing you could do, it'll open doors for you, you're guaranteed to see your life moving in the direction you want after this, lighting up means it's working.

breaking free - zac efron, vanessa hudgens

key words: assistant, happy cat, opening up, not thinking much, big smile, blushing, practical reasons, relief.

AQUARIUS

this week is a lot, you may feel really out of luck, like you wish somebody would just tell you what's wrong and what's right, but you need to be your own guide! you have to analyze things and decide what they mean, what do you want from it? is it good for you? don't try to follow what you think is a moral book, it's not worth it, it'll lead you to a downfall, a breakdown. your luck will change soon because you'll believe in yourself, the fact you're still alive and not giving up, shows your strength ;)

contramão - o grilo

listen to my heart - ramones

key words: organized mess, apocalypse, unserious, your own map, weird fun, sandals, little white lies, journey of the hero, shameless, childish.

PISCES

you're lacking self control this week, you're embarrassed by it but you don't know how to stop, you may be running away from responsibilities. my adhd is attacking bad in this reading, that's probably relevant for someone, I'm very very bored and i wanna bang my head on a hard surface, I just can't focus on the cards and what they mean, everytime I try, my head and my jaw hurts and I start thinking of other things,  anything. I don't even know what the cards are saying, but this is the message, I'm sorry. here are the cards: page of wands reversed, king of wands, the empress reversed, wheel of fortune reversed, ace of pentacles reversed, 10 of wands.

the very thought of you - al bowlly

key words: balancing, randomness, old habits die hard, disappointment, shame, spotlight effect, subconscious knowledge.

Transiting Venus enters Virgo

Sunday, October 8 - Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Well, are we tired of Venus/Leo by now? All that drama, a long hot summer’s worth, finally comes to an end. Time for a brisk Virgo cleanse.

In traditional astrology, Venus is said to be in her fall in Virgo - opposite the sign (Pisces) of her exaltation - and the placement has a very bad reputation. Apparently the old timey astrologers didn’t think that love could be sensible?!? That may be the most useful activity we can undertake, after four months of Leo Venus - namely, making sense of everything.

Art - this is a terrific time to brush up on your technique. A musician, for example, would play scales and etudes. Upgrading tools is a good use of the energy, too. New crochet hooks? A better pencil sharpener?

Beauty - and a good time to repair your wardrobe, too. Bedraggled hems, worn-out shoes, frayed cuffs - try to mend, before you replace. As far as makeup and hairdos go, less is more. We appreciate a clean face much more than a carefully contoured one.

Love - is seeing that someone you care for, could use a favor &/or a kindness, so you just go ahead and do it for them without calling any attention to yourself. We may feel like nagging people about their health, so try to encourage them instead.

Money - we’ll balk on shelling out any of our hard-earned pay on luxuries. Vitamin supplements, however…! Not much a risk-taking time for investments, we’re very skittish about that kind of thing.

I’m only going to list aspects up to Venus’ greatest western elongation on October 23 - the vibe changes at that time, and we can more directly do Venus work. Allow for a day or two on either side of the dates:

Monday, October 9 - Venus/Virgo opposite Saturn Rx/Pisces. Ouch. Something makes us terribly disillusioned - all that effort we put into Venus/Leo, poof, gone.

Wednesday, October 11 - Venus/Virgo sesquiquad Chiron Rx/Aries. We’re trying to do something specific (to assuage the opposition?) but there are delays. Be patient. We may learn some thoughtless word/deed of ours, has come back to bite us.

Sunday, October 15 - Venus/Virgo sextile Vesta/Cancer. Really good for the arts; we can focus and get things done. Nice for doing little home improvement things, too.

Thursday, October 19:

Venus/Virgo sesquiquad Eris Rx/Aries

Venus/Virgo sesquiquad North Node/Aries, semi-square South Node/Libra

The pitfalls of being too nice? If we’re prone to swallowing our anger, it comes right back up. We may also sabotage ourselves by thinking we need everything 100% perfect before we can act. (Which is the same thing as saying “I don’t want to do it.” Be honest with yourself.)

Saturday, October 21 - Venus/Virgo trine Jupiter Rx/Taurus. Wonderful time for practical good luck. Maybe something costs much less than anticipated (something boring though, like having to take your car to a mechanic). Or maybe a piece of “backwards” good luck - we realize that in some situation, not getting our own way was a blessing.

🟣 What are your top 3 favorite planets you have visited, if you have visited multiple worlds?

🔫 If you can fight in non-vehicular combat, what weapons do you favor?

⚪ What was the first vehicle (BattleMech, Battle Armor, AeroSpace Fighter, combat vehicle, etc) that you piloted?

💚 What do techs usually complain about with your piloting?

-Dieter Marten-Steiner, Lord-Adjutant of House Marten-Steiner, Regent of Mertangard.

Hello, Dieter, it is a pleasure to hear from you. In answer to your questions, I have prepared the following responses. I may have been slightly long winded, but I have been in SLDF meetings about miniutae all morning, and needed something to pass the time, quiaff?

🟣 = I must say Terra, quiaff? Even after all it has gone through over the milennia since humankind began to leave the cradle, Terra remains a pristine jewel of a world. I have spent months traveling, going to see everything I could. I have visited the original Seven Wonders, the Eight Wonders of the Hegemony, stood in St. Peter's Square, seen Jerusalem, Mecca, Tokyo, Las Vegas, New York, Paris, and of course Unity City.

Even the rest of the system is full of wonders, from the Belt to Mars, the O'Neill Stations, and even the newly repaired Venusian terraformers. There are days I am struck once more by the revelation that I live now on Terra, her soil under my talons, breathing the air that spawned our species. And the views from my estate on Puget Sound are perhaps the most beautiful of all.

For my second choice, and this may be anathema to some of my other Clan fellows, but... it must be a tie between Solaris VII, Hardcore, and Canopus IV. All of them worlds of pure human pleasure, greed, and excess, and there is something striking about all of them.

For my third choice, I would say Coromodir. It is nearly as beautiful as Terra itself, and ruled by one of the few noble houses I have encountered in my life whom genuinely care for their people. And it was the site of the Fusiliers' great triumph, that propelled us to fame (and perhaps infamy, to some).

🔫 = I have trained extensively in infantry combat. All Clan warriors train in the basics of infantry combat and melee fighting. It was part of my regular between-deployment training with the Fusiliers - they had several Canopian ex-Ebon Magistrate commandos, a DEST commando, and (eventually) an ex-Manei Domini Banshee Delta to learn from. I am thus skilled with many infantry weapons, martial arts styles, and melee weapons. We even learned zero-G and underwater combat techniques.

As for what I presently carry: I have a JàrnFòlk-modified Sternsnacht Claymore ultra-heavy pistol as my sidearm. It fires 14mm tungsten-core armor-piercing explosive incendiary rounds, from a custom made 8-round extended magazine. It is a beautiful work of art, with platinum damascening, engraving in falcon-feather patterns, imperial jade inlays, and wood from Strana Mechty itself, which forms the exquisitely carved grips. I have used it to kill megasaurs, armored Elementals, and Blakist Zombie infantry alike. I have timed my draw and, even with the Claymore's somewhat excessive weight, have won quite a few formal fast-draw pistol competitions.

I also routinely carry a specially-made Clan Vibrosword. Unlike most straight-bladed models, mine uses a katana-style blade - the exact blade once gifted by my ancestor Turkina to my other ancestor, Elizabeth Hazen, during the DeChavalier Massacre - and yes, in a sense this means I have two genemothers. If you ever have occasion to visit Terra, I can show you the sacred talon-marks on the blade...

In my 'Mech, I carry two additional weapons. All SLDF 'Mechs with sufficient cockpit space will carry a Mauser & Grey Model 980SL pulse laser assault rifle - an upgraded and lightened version of the old SLDF issue Mauser 960, upgraded to Clantech standards, and using a variant of ER Pulse Laser tech from Clan Wolf. The ejection seat kit in all SLDF 'Mechs will also carry a Mauser & Grey built Model 995 "Enhanced" Gauss SMG. The Nest currently hoIds the prototypes for both weapons.

And of course, I have my talons when all else fails. Each of them has long since been upgraded, using a version of the Carbon-Fiber Reinforcement process common among Capellan nobles.

⚪ = the first 'Mech I ever piloted was a Hunchback IIC during my belated Trial of Position. I found it a lovely and responsive machine, the balance provided by the twin Ultra AC/20s compared well to the later Inner Sphere Hunchbacks I would pilot. I scored three kills, and nearly a fourth, in that machine. I made certain after that to ensure its targeting systems were salvaged - call it superstition, but they felt lucky, quiaff? I have had those very same targeting systems installed into every 'Mech I have subsequently piloted. They currently provide the Nest with her targeting data, linked into the Targeting Computer.

💚 = in my younger days, complaints of my pushing the machines to their limit were common. Even in my time in Turkina Keshik, then Khan Yvonne Hazen themself had to counsel me to be gentler with the machines. In my later years, the techs have begun complaining about how much time I spend tinkering with and adjusting the 'Mechs. This is where the "Old Bird's Nest" got her nickname, quiaff?

art vent, kind of makes me look like a shallow person

FOR clarification i'm 20. turning 21 in two months. yippee! what an eye opener

the point of trying to profit your art, especially using your art to help fund for survival since you were 11 - you realize that while you want to improve your art for yourself, you're so consciously aware of what parts would appeal to strangers who see your art.

because you don't want to appeal to others to enjoy your art, you want to appeal to others to garner money and funds. i've ebegged on this site for almost a decade, on so many different accounts and even used my art as much as i could to get even more money. to pay bills, to pay for food, to help my mother in medical emergencies. since i was only 11 years old, by the way. a lot of the time, while it is a huge part of my reason to keep improving -- i don't actually think of reasons such as improving my art because 'i want to go to college' 'i want to be better' as much as my main reason being: i want this to sell to people.

that being said, my art style is something im so happy with right now for myself. but i think like. you have to really make your art your signature. that way, people will want to buy what you can give them. but algorithm is just, so hard to fight with now. the heartbreaking part is that, even if i'm at my 'peak' in art.

and my art has always been my one consistent interest, thats never faded. it's apart of my daily life. my routine, my medicine, my hobby, my enjoyment. i need this to live in many different ways. whether it be for providing my funds via commissions, coping art for trauma, or generally to express my happiness for things in my head, etc. i need this hobby or i will die. its the one skill ive had my entire life thats stuck, and its something i'm *good* at. and i've kept up with it to this day.

my art looks consistently good. flattering. i would say at some points it feels.. professional, sometimes. i am consistently proud and satisfied with my art and haven't struggled on pieces as much as i used to several years ago. it took me 2 months to come up with illustrations. now ive been pumping them out with ease. commissions are so much faster. quicker. ive really upgraded. i'm efficient, quick, and my stylization journey has been amazing.

yet..

this has been the hardest i've ever fucking struggled to make money, ever. since i was 11 years old. i've never.. had so much difficulty. i feel spoiled, honestly, when i know so many other artists struggle filling commissions too. but i've always had good fortune, i guess. good luck. but not since the year began. it's been so hard to fill in requests, so hard to fill slots. even when my prices are cheaper, it's still so hard. which is crazy, because 2 years ago i was consistently filling slots like crazy. i had consistent income, for the most part. i was able to help my family, avoid eviction, pay for water, clothes, food. emergencies like car wrecks, medical stuff -- god, its insane how much my art has helped me. it's scary. to think about what woulld happen if i didnt have this skill.

back then, like my art looked like this in 2021.

i look back and i wonder. this is fine, its definitely my art style. but how did i makee so much money off of stuff like this? so much more than i do now? i still draw fanart, and my art's been getting better. i think its honestly just bad luck, or maybe algorithm has flopped a lot of my stuff. either way, it's sort of humbling. Extremely humbling, that even with all this improvement - it still may not be enough to get me anywhere. i've never struggled before, trying to open commissions even when ive always focused on original content primarily. i know its hard to get popularity when you only draw ocs, but ive been fine for the most part. getting by, until lately.

i think i'll just have to keep working harder. see what people enjoy, but its just really ego crushingi think. And i could care less about popularity or anything. i think the really awful part is that im just stressed all the time about how i can keep making money off of this when its been so hard to even fill slots, let alone gaining peoples interests. Is this competition related? is this just a shit time for artists? am i just flopping. Who knows.. ohwell. ill survive

One Piece 1108 Spoilers!!

This week's intellectual musings:

GOOD COVER SPREAD ALL DE GIRLIES!! Tashigi may not have a Devil Fruit but somethings getting awakened for deffo here hehehe

Good mag cover art too, I love seeing Oda's colours a bit more closely

Okay yeah as *everyone* speculated, Caribou is gonna fill BB in on the Ancient Weapons :s I do wonder if he'll get some details wrong and this is a gag being set up, but unfortunately this just feels like the reason BB & co will finally upgraded to Big Bads™️ rough times ahead

For now though it's neat to see Vice Admirals scrapping, but alas! our giant pals are making shite of them

I saw someone point out last week how Dorry and Brogy might not recognise Franky bc his face isn't on his bounty poster and they FUCKING CALLED IT what a small but very good thing lmao

god OP giants are so good, ilysm lads

ahem anyway as soon as i saw scholar mentioned so significantly I got wondering, and after several microseconds realised they surely meant SAUL!! ofc this is practically confirmed on the nest page but how intriguing! how hype!!

also I love Doll even if she is a marine. I am a simple woman. I wonder will she get to meet Saul again later...

Bluegrass is so good, I love her design and power in tandem, she's so fun

I just had a thought.... the idea of self-destruct functions has been sown previously in Kuma's flashback... what if, as a way to help guarantee his personal safety prior to this arc... Vegapunk has one in HIMSELF? I can imagine it: Saturn, defeated and having let the Strawhats escape with Bonney and the giants, succumbs to blind rage and wants to deal the finishing blow to VP, who "fsr" stayed behind. However, either he or VP himself activates the self-destruct, and with Saturn reaping his own demise, VP manages to square with the devil he made deals with, and make peace with his red hands... idk. This idea just came to me, I am not much of a speculator lmao

AHEM anywayyy Saturn is fucking scary, I wonder since he's clearly losing his rag with this shower of upstarts, is his Zoan(?) fruit going apeshit?

ough yes like the lake hydra in dark souls 1, i see i see

Vegapunk for an old and mortally wounded man you're sure chatty

Okay. hear me out. I know the 'Traitor Kizaru' theory is dead in the water at this point. But... why would he hyper beam Vegapunk right through what looks like the same wound Saturn gave VP earlier? In the panel right after it looks like smoke is rising from the new wound... what if Kizaru cauterised it? Can Vegapunk survive a little longer thanks to this? I'm going cracked over here!!!

OKAY LUFFY IS GETTING SERIOUS!! BY WHICH I MEAN SILLAY!! Ohhhhhhhhhh god lads next week is going to be good

AND IT'LL BE EVEN BETTER BE WHAT THE HOLY HELL IS VEGAPUNK UP TO NOW?! HE'S GONNA DO A WHITEBEARD AND COAX THE WG INTO A SNAFU. GOOD GOD Y'ALL!!!

Next week can't come soon enough!! We might even see that giant robo again! maybe it'll be brushing its teeth! til then! 💪✖️

Experimental Weapon Prototype Mechanic (Mechanic Alternate Class Feature)

(art by Nano-Core on DeviantArt)

 And so we reach the end of the mechanic alternate class features with “experimental” in the name (though there is one other), and we end off with the sister option to armor: I present to you experimental weapons!

We’ve all wanted a cool sci-fi weapon at some point, a real big gun or laser sword or something similar, and with this option, not only do you have one, but it is uniquely your own, something you custom build to be better than any other weapon of it’s class.

Much like the armor prototype and even the experimental vehicle, this option let’s the character improve one or several different designs for advanced technological weapons. Some may have additional doodads bolted on which grant additional abilities, while others may simply allow the preexisting technology to be used in a new or novel way. There is no flat upgrade to damage though. For that you have to rebuild your experimental weapon with a newly acquired weapon as the base.

In any case, we’ll soon see exactly what these weapons and their wielders are capable of.

 Like other experimental prototypes, this weapon has so many quirks and extra bits that it’s impossible for anyone else to use. It also takes the form of an advance melee weapon, heavy weapon, or longarm, one such category the mechanic learns to use effectively.

By tuning the weapons output to the form of an enemy, adjusting one’s aim to target weak spots, or other esoteric methods, these engineers can calibrate their weapons to be effective against a single foe of their choice.

If their weapon uses battery power or ammunition, they master how to fit more inside it, cycling out old batteries, storing extra ammo in a way to offset the weight, and so on, effectively doubling their capacity.

With special armatures, stripping down unnecessary weights, and the odd anti-grav generator, these mechanics can effectively wield their weapons with one hand, no matter how big they normally are.

Where things really get interesting is when they get to add special qualities to their weapons, which can range from an easy-access magazine for faster reloading, a longer handle to let a weapon be used to block, and so on. Obviously some modifications wouldn’t make sense, so keep that in mind.

Later on, they can apply two of these modifications, which expands to include projected force integrated into the weapon. Or they can choose to replace one with an extra critical effect, which has an ample list that expands later on. Unlike other abilities that add a second critical effect, however, you get both critical effects at once, rather than picking one each time you crit with the weapon. At the zenith of their ability they can change these modifications on the fly, though they must still pick one basic one.

Speaking of on the fly changes, these mechanics also integrate four weapon fusion circuits into the weapon which can be switched between fairly quickly, letting them change their weapon further with technomagic to suit the situation.

They also integrate tech to switch between damage types, essentially transforming the weapon into a modal one, or adding a third damage type to an already modal weapon. They can even have both active at once.

The most powerful of these mechanics can improve the calibration circuits to save the data from multiple foes at once, reactively switching between settings as they swing at that foe. Of course, one must take the time to set up the targeting data one at a time, but this can make them quite effective against multiple foes at once.

This option promises not only some increased damage, but also a lot of versatility, not just due to the bonus abilities you can grant, but also in you initial weapon category choice. Perhaps you want a plasma sword with multiple blades that can block strikes, catch and disarm other weapons, and more, or maybe you want a heavy laser cannon that can unleash every element under the sun? The sheer number of options is truly staggering, so if this appeals to you, by all means give it a try!

 While many characters may name their weapons or show some level of affection towards them, to these mechanics, their weapon truly is their baby, their brainchild. Now obviously they don’t all express animistic feelings towards their weapons, it can be an interesting quirk of the character. It can also be fun to keep track of the various marks and models of weapons (or armor, or vehicle) that experimental mechanics create and tinker with.

  Since ancient times, the yithians were a mighty advanced people, capable of not just sending their minds out across time and space, but also developing advanced weapons with which to fight truly alien horrors. However, some young yithians feel that their technology has stagnated in the modern era, and seek to improve further to protect their strange people from any and all threats, even improving upon their storm coil weapons.

 Despite their clear superiority to similar weapons, the prototypes of many experimental engineers never see the light of an assembly line, being too complicated and gimmicky for the average consumer to use. However, clearly some such designs survive critique in some form or another. They say that petrol converters were one such weapon, able to convert their pyrophoric fuel into acid on the fly to burn foes in another way.

 Piboqa the entu symbiote has always been fascinated by the way living weapons form a sort of symbiosis with their wielders, particularly those with natural telepathy. As such, they have begun cultivating a neural lash, utilizing genetic modifications of their own design to try and improve upon the creature. Where exactly this leads, Piboqa has no idea, but they are eager to see it through.

The cover art for the new Azula comic just came out, in which Azula is wearing her book two outfit. Now assuming this isn’t just the artist being lazy this is rather intriguing and may point towards where the story is heading.

First off less discuss the importance of clothes.

I think it is interesting that Azula is back to her double mantle attire when she was down graded to one.  In the show we only ever see members of the royal family wear a double mantle, with the fire lord wearing three.

Another interesting thing is that in “Zuko Alone” Azula only wore a single mantle along with Ty Lee, while Ursa wore two.

Next time we see chronologically is in “The Storm.”  Where she has been upgraded to a double mantle from her single.  Signify either a coming of age in the royal family or an increase in her stature after her father ascended to the throne.

She retains the double mantle throughout book two and only ditches it when she is in her armor.  But it is retained for her formal royal attire.

In the comic “The Search” she no longer wears the double mantle associated with being a member of the royal family.  She has been demoted down to just one, indicating a nobles status, even though she is the fire lord’s sister.

And in Smoke and Shadows it is hard to tell what Azula has on under the Kemurikage outfit, other then a brief glimpse of her collar.  Which is a least notable for not having any gold piping.

In the new standalone Azula comic Azula is back to her traditional clothes befitting her station in the royal family.  Though while her clothes are in excellent condition the cloak or cape she is wearing is tattered and torn.  The cloak does not appear to be from her Kemurikage outfit, as it is red not purple and black. An interesting omission is also a lack of a crown.

The fact that Azula has once again appeared with the double mantle of royalty is intriguing. Assuming that she has not just stollen her old clothes (has she really not grown since 14, that would be depressing) they were made new for her.  Indicating some sort of redemption, enough so that she is once again a part of the royal family.  Though her lack of a crown may indicate that if that is so, she does not have the authority of a royal.

REDUX : 8k event - genshin + magic AUs

intro : welcome to redux, my 8k follower celebration! yes, i know i posted about an 8k follower event before, but since i couldn't think of ideas, i'm deciding to go with something even cooler and better to write about as i redo the event. hitting a follower milestone is a magical thing (i do sound corny, don't i?), so this event is centered around four different magical AUs.

how it works : send an ask with ONE character you like from the available character list below and pick ONE au from the list below. i will write you a romantic reader insert based off the character you chose & the au you chose! <3

characters available : albedo, ayaka, beidou, childe, diluc, gorou, itto, kaeya, kazuha, kokomi, mona, ningguang, rosaria, shenhe, thoma, xiao, yoimiya, zhongli, dainsleif, scaramouche, pantalone, dottore

rules :

for male characters, requests will be gn!reader. for female characters, requests will be f!reader. no exceptions.

be polite in your request or it will not be completed.

my responses to some requests may be super short while others will be super long. there is not a unified format in how i may respond, it's just whatever inspires me the most. thank you for understanding! <3

if i get over 20 requests, not every request will be completed.

please be following me if you request. i would like to think that you would want to see the end result LOL

introducing the universes :

WORLD ONE - teyvat university - magic + university au

welcome to one of teyvat's most exclusive universities: teyvat university for the magically gifted. for those with mythical heritage and magical prowess, this is the top university to study magical arts and myths. an eclectic cast of characters attend, ranging from sirens who enchant choir audiences to half minotaurs who bring home the national wrestling trophy every year. as a student, you are familiar with your peers, but which will be the one to be your perfect college romance to occupy your time between thaumaturgical thermodynamics and enchanting ethics?

WORLD TWO - blessed crown - magic + royalty au

within the seven kingdoms of teyvat, human and non-human generally live in harmony. the study of magic has been cultivated for generations, and, with it, several subcultures have arisen. yet, when it comes to the royal palaces themselves, all divisions are cast aside to ensure the benefit of those within each nation. retainers and royals all live within the palace grounds, determined to lay their claim to power that resides within. in some tales within this world, you may be a royal yourself, pining after a visiting scholar mage who catches your eye. yet, in other stories, you may be the citizen hoping that the royal looks your way. no matter how your story unfolds within the magical seven kingdoms, one thing remains the same: the web of magic that unites all living creatures.

WORLD THREE - arcana automated - magic + cyberpunk au

modern times have long since come and go, giving way to a sprawling hellscape of crime-addled city streets and grandoise skyscrapers that pierce the sky with haughty spires. in this world, the magic of the old meets technology of the new. it isn't uncommon to see augmented individuals who use magic to aid in prosthetic upgrades, pushing their bodies past limits not formerly known. in teyvat, those with visions are blessed with technological output to an unforeseen degree. you are just another citizen, yet every single person within this country's urban environments are anything but ordinary. this cyberpunk au involves stories of you meeting or knowing various individuals and how both of your roles fit into this hyper-futuristic version of the teyvat we all know.

WORLD FOUR - gods amidst men - magic + modern mythology au

inspired by my series that i have yet to fully write, mythos, this au treats you as a mortal who uncovers a secret of teyvatan history: the gods believed to be dead are still alive. this essentially works as the same world as mythos, but stories for this event will not be canon to the mythos series. instead, they will use the same premise for characters as above and, for characters that aren't listed, invent new domains for these additional characters to rule over. if you aren't familiar with mythos, the premise is simple: you are an average mortal who begins to receive dreams that prophesize the world's demise. in your attempt to figure out what they mean, you begin to realize that the dreams are clues and pathways to the ancient gods that will help you stop the oncoming apocalypse. and, in typical fashion, they all fall in love with you in their own ways. oh, the woes of being the protagonist. stories with this event may not necessarily feature the mythos protagonists, but will feature the modern god version of whichever genshin character falling in love with you, in one way or another. who knows? you might get a coffee shop au with the god of the dead if you play your cards right.

🌸Rottmnt oc head-cannons🌸

Part 1 : Marcy

So I’m gonna be doing hcs for sunny, Marcy, Skye and Angie but I won’t be going in order. This will just be random hcs I have for them as well as their relationships with the turtles.

Right now Im gonna start off with Marcy!

- marcy likes to go thrift shopping for old clothes she can re-vamp, somehow comes home with like a box full of clothes and fabrics. Uses as inspiration for designing new clothes and items in her sketchbook.

- has a space in her room for Donatello to come hang out and relax if he needs a little bit of peace and quiet away from his brothers. Makes sure none of the gadgets he makes over in her room are messed with or damaged.

- her and Donatellos first date took place at an 80s themed pizza restaurant. They gave each other a gift, he made her a upgraded version of a switch and she made him a purple satin jacket with his genius tech trademark and his name on the back.

- one of her favorite snacks is strawberry pop-tarts and mini waffles

- her and Donnie like to learn from one another. They listen to each other info-dump about each others interests and hyper-fixations. The both of them do enjoy and love working together, she may or may not have her own workbench in his lab and a spot in the turtle tank.

- Marcy cannot stand the feeling of cotton balls against her skin. She claims it makes her want to curl up on herself, so she goes out of her way not to to come into too much contact with them.

- marcy and Donnie like to make care packages or get gifts for each other. She personally goes out of her way and buys him a new weighted blanket after he makes her an automatic paint brush cleaner since she told him her hands are cramping.

- Marcy’s theme song would be curses by the crane wives

- Marcy has a pair of glasses Donnie made for her when he confessed to her (he accidentally broke her og ones-he thought the new ones she got were much more durable)

- always has some form of paint splatter or art related mark on her skin even if it seems small

- organizes her art supplies and sewing supplies by color and type.

- has two closets in her room to hold the clothes and items she makes and revamps

- Can’t stand when her pillow is warm. Like it physically makes her angry

- mostly has random art travel supplies and every day items in her messenger bag that she Carrie’s around. (Also an extra pair of glasses just in case they get broken)

- Seasonal allergies are her worst enemy

- good at Digital and traditional art. Loves making stuff into charms, buttons ect. Made matching genius built charms for Donnie and herself

- Enjoys the sights and sounds of thunderstorms until the wind picks up (loud wind? Not the biggest fan)

- takes incredible care of her guppies and goldfish. The koi fish she got has a separate tank from the guppies. Likes to ad natural occurring plants into the tanks and tries to make a self sustaining healthy environment for her fishes.

- Marcy wasn’t diagnosed with autism until she was in elementary school when the girls mother Adrianna, a nurse, was finally able to get a doctor to listen. Is super grateful that her moms understanding and fierce nature, plus she was the first person to teach her how to draw.

- farming and fantasy rpgs are her favorite games

Some hcs for Donnie and Marcy

- Donatello enjoys holding hands with Marcy. Giving them a gentle squeeze. Enjoying the feeling of her hand laced in his. The warmth and softness of them. A silent but affectionate gesture they share with each other.

- Donnie thought she’d be bored by all the rambling about his tech and how it works, but was surprised to see she was actively listening. She remembered a few parts he needed and actually brought them by the next time she and her sisters came over to the lair.

- his favorite thing about Marcy, other than her personality, is the way she smiles. Something about the way the corners of her eyes crinkle and the lopsided sweet smile she can have makes his emotionally unavailable bad boy heart flutter

- always fixing each others goggles and glasses. Both absentmindedly and intentionally. Donnie always keeps a spare on him for just in case hers breaks and she always makes sure to clean his goggles off for him.

- team up against the purple dragons all.the.time, their second date literally was going great and the purple dragons almost ruined it and had to be dealt with

- after several trusting moments, Donnie does allow Marcy to examine his soft shell. She is super careful and constantly asks him if he’s okay or not. Compliments his shell and his mutation, which may or may not have caused him to happy churr and have tail waggles at the same time

- physical contact gets built up over time, but there is no doubt that the both of them are cuddle bugs with each other after they take it slowly. Especially during winter and fall.

- both of them Defiantly pick up on each other when one or the other are having a sensory overload or uncomfortable in a situation. Marcy won’t hesitate to gently pull Donnie to the side somewhere quiet and lend him her noise canceling headphones. Gives him a comfort snack or drink and just tries to be there for him if he needs her.

- the same with Donnie. Keeps a literal notes of what she likes, dislikes ect. What textures, tastes, sights and sounds she is uncomfortable and makes sure to help her avoid them as much as possible.

- hating slimy textures or residue solidarity 🤝

- donnie keeps a bunch of notes and information about Marcy’s likes and dislikes alphabetically

- Marcy is honestly Not afraid to call donnie out for being in the wrong. Even if it’s small. For example in the mystic library, she pointed out the fact that he should have just written the location down. Stating that despite his genius mind, he’s got a bad habit of being a bit too overconfident

- Definitely dance with one another to 80s music. They Work on getting better at dancing all the time.

Office Tour! I recently added some new thingies to my office, and thought it'd be neat to do a photo tour. Completely disregard my color scheme for my walls and curtains lol. I don't like purple and green together, but they were the only blackout curtains I had.

Picture 1: On my main desk a have three computers hooked up. The big one on the left is my main machine. It runs Windows 10 right now, but that will soon change to Linux Mint once I upgrade my storage drives. The two machines behind the monitors are older machines for special tasks. The Windows 7 machine is for running games that run poorly on newer machines, like Gruntz! It's an old dentist office computer I bought from a thrift store for $20. The other is a banished office optiplex I salvaged and upgraded. It runs Linux Mint, and will one day be my home server for my website (I hope).

The two older computers only display to my second monitor, but I'm fine with that. Each computer has it's own pair of mice and keyboards, which is kinda annoying, but I can deal with it. I recently upgraded my main computer keyboard from an old office membrane board to an even older office membrane board. This new older board is PS / 2, and I had to fight Windows to get it to function, but it works. The older membranes feel nicer for some reason. Still super spongy and terrible, but it's nice for a free upgrade. One day I'll upgrade to a quiet, mechanical keyboard.

Picture 2: All the way to the left of my desk is my pen display for drawing. It's an Artisul product, which was way cheaper than a Wacom. I'm happy with it, but I haven't got to use it very much. Hopefully that will change with this new job I got.

Picture 3: To the left is the fourth and last desktop I have set up. This one runs Windows 98 for even older games that won't run on Windows 10 or 7. Well, with emulators and virtual machines, you can get almost anything to run on anything, but real hardware is nice. My brother helped me set this one up. The main upgrade I'm looking for on this machine is a better sound card for DOS compatibility.

The tube TV is really nice for playing my Playstation games. One thing you don't see in my office, unfortunately, is a CRT monitor. The LCD next to the TV is my monitor for the 98 machine. It's a good LCD, but I'd like a real CRT. I may have to reinforce the table if I find one lol. The desk in this picture is an old door that was left in my basement from the previous owners of my house. The door is resting on two end tables.

Picture 4: Pusheen is enjoying playing on my PiBoy. I think Hamtaro: Ham Ham Heartbreak is Pusheen's favorite game. My PiBoy runs on a Pie 3 Model B, which a friend of mine gave me.

Picture 5: This is my one and only bookcase in the house. It's mainly picture books and text books. Lots of Where's Waldo, I Spy, game development books, art books, and a few novels. I'd like to get more into reading now that I have more time. Feel free to judge my library. One book I have on my list to read is Etidorhpa. Not entirely sure why I got it, but it reminds me of Journey to the Center of the Earth meets Dante's Inferno. It's fairly old, like 1897 old. I'll do an update if I read and enjoy it.

Outro: That's it for my tour! I have more computers, but that's enough computers for one post. Maybe I'll do a tour in the future for just my laptops. Hope you enjoyed. I think my Ask Me Anything is open. If you have questions about something pictured and want more info, I'm happy to expand :)

house rules for tristan and freya too 😂

Send me a URL and I’ll post 10 house rules their muse and mine would have if they lived together This one was more challenging than the one with Leah (Don't tell her. I'm pretty sure she might get offended if we let her know she wasn't the difficult one this time) I was going to go with an alternative third season that sees Tristan around when Lucien goes all red-eyed and annoying but the trouble is even if they are sharing a place as part of some unlikely alliance I can see both of them hyperfocusing so much on the task at hand that their interactions remain pretty superficial beyond the occasional glare and quip. So instead...I'm going to jump through quite  a number of hoops. I'm going to start with the question you once raised to me about what could have happened if they had met before the events of the series. Let's say Freya's awakening this century arrives a couple of years sooner. Let's say that Tristan takes notice of a duo of immensely powerful witches that appear to arrive into existence out of nowhere. Let's say that after the uncertainty of some tense initial exchanges he offers Freya a collaboration. And let's say that with a mixture of old and new magical knowledge and inventiveness they succeed in not killing but messing with the internal mechanisms of the sleeping circle of Dahlia's spell, forcing her to take a sudden, premature nap just as she is not very peacefully inquiring what exactly is her niece doing with a group of vampires. Next, let's say that Tristan offers her to stay around for as long as she wishes. Pointing out that his coven represents a collection of magical talent in diverse branches of witchcraft ideal for any sorceress who might be hoping to expand and upgrade her skill in all sorts of new directions she missed during her sleeping years. Varied spells and ways they would be delighted to exchange for Freya's expertise in old magic forgotten to time. Pointing out they are her best bet for a more permanent solution regarding her slumbering aunt. Pointing out she might even find something in common with them, considering the members of The Sisters often carried a past of misfortune caused by the scale and potential of their power.  Let's say Freya says yes? And there we have it. That's the best I could come up with for this situation. Does that work? Oh and for extra fun and future drama Tristan would have no idea she is a Mikaelson. Because honestly you can hear her whole story with Dahlia without reason to make any association to them and as good as Tristan can be knowing about you, I can see this situation as one that would take him entirely by surprise if just as they are advancing in trusting each other suddenly Freya casually mentions Esther or Mikael by name. Okay. Unnecessarily long prologue over. The rules:   1) Even if the culinary masters of the Strix immediately love Freya because she gives them the perfect excuse to revisit the most delicious foods from each period she didn't get the chance to experience, from breakfast to dinner, they should never forget the occasional undertone of blood is always a no for her. She isn't that kind of immortal. 2) The sisters wearing capes during the execution of some spells and hexes is part of an aesthetic and not at all a sign that the leader of the organization might have a flair for the dramatic. There is no need to overly question the level of current relevance connected to the garment. 3) Just because one of the other witches might be a prodigy and artful expert in all sorts of magical relics, dark objects and charmed trinquets doesn't mean Freya is in any way inviting her to touch her amulet without her permission. 4) Just because the antiquity of the volume may not inspire her a natural reverence, Freya should be careful not to treat and go over unique, 700 years old grimoires as if they were magazines. 5) If at any point it just so happens that she starts feeling as part of the group, Freya is entitled to her own cape. She can be certain the quality and cut of the fabric is next to none and past magical voices assure that there is a certain ineffable theatrical satisfaction in spellcrafting in it. 6) It is perfectly okay for Freya to command a scene she liked to repeat itself as many times as she wishes in any electronic device of her choosing but that doesn't imply that it is suddenly socially acceptable to tell legendary actresses and actors to start again in the middle of a performance. 7) Freya is encouraged to enjoy any fun she can have from what she might perceive as unexpected popularity among a certain section of vampires just as eager for the occasion to revisit their decades of origin in some grand event or activity after hearing of her strange tale but highly discouraged to pick favorites, no matter how craftily they may ask for comparisons in her perspective. Courts of vampires are complicated settings to navigate. 8) Freya will do her best to avoid assuming that any open curiosity about her form of immortality suggest the other person wants to break her neck to see it in action. 9) It doesn't matter if she perceives any form of intended treachery in a member of the Strix, it isn't her place to act in accordance.  Proposed by Aya. Overruled by an impressed Tristan who instead offered his approving gratitude after hearing of the happening. 10) This rare state of ambiguous association, with her collaborating or not just as little or as much as she wishes, is transparently offered since a certain degree of paranoia is rightfully expected given her circumstances but Tristan remains just as transparent in letting her know he very much intends for her to find a place to belong there. He believes they should talk, whenever she is ready.   @viikingwitch

Get 2 Know Me Tag Game

I was tagged by @i-like-the-eyes . Danke. It's nice to be included.

Were you named after anyone?

No. My name is just something they liked the sound of.

Do you have kids?

No. I'm kinda anti natalist but I'm not evangelical about it, if that makes sense.

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

No. I'm pretty guileless and it's my biggest flaw.

What's the first thing you notice about people?

Face.

I'm fascinated by faces, it's my favourite thing to draw. And when watching a performance of any kind, I tend to talk about expressions a lot more than other people seem to. So face is right where my eyes go.

What's your eye colour?

Dark brown. I love them. Because they're big and I think they're my nicest feature.

Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary movies. Don't get me wrong, happy endings are fine. But you have to be in the mood for them. I am almost always ready for horror of some kind or theme.

My favourites are themes of duality and surrealist creepy tones. The last horror movies I watched were Resurrection and Saint Maud and both fall into those themes I like. Loved them.

Any special talents?

I am a painter. I am very good at realism, recreating something as I see it.

I am a good writer. I am a storyteller by nature and am constantly writing.

I have just recently gotten into digital art but I am also a cartoonist. I like to draw expressive characters.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, writing, watching movies. My favourite genre of book is paranormal romance and urban fantasy but I will read anything if it is written well and has good characters.

I play board games. My favourite is Eldritch Horror. I have all the expansions except for 3 of the big box expansions(too expensive). But I absolutely love the shit out of this game. It takes 3 solid hours after set up to play through and I WILL try to convince you to play it with me if I am interested in bonding with you.

I am a yard man. I love to landscape my yard and do little projects to make things look nice.

Have any pets?

Yes. One dog. He is my son.

What sports do you play / have you played?

Tennis, volleyball, basketball.

To stay active, I also love to walk. I walk every freaking where. I wear out my shoes in less than 2 years because I just walk so much.

I also lift weights. I'm not super intense about it. It's a very general "get healthy/get fit" goal. I've been lifting since May and I am up to a 10 lb. kettlebell in each hand. In another 2 weeks I'll upgrade to 12.5 lbs.

How tall are you?

Yep.

Favourite subject in school?

English. I did not like my AP English that focused on American Literature. I did not like Shakespeare and I had to learn at least one of his plays every year in high school. I just don't jibe with the old English. It is a huge disconnect for me because I love language and etymology so much.

I loved writing essays. I loved writing autobiographical stuff, telling personal stories through writing. I loved learning about structures of writing and tools and how things like metaphor work.

Dream job?

I'm gonna be a little cheeky and give the response "I don't dream of working".

But if I had to give a response to this, my dream job is writing and drawing my own online comic series.

I also would like to paint wall murals.

And I'd love to do landscaping full time. I like incorporating flowers into a yard so that you can have the main grass of the yard to play and use but there are still pollin producing plants to make everything look ritzy and alive.

Tagging my mutuals that I'd like to see their answers. @thatsmyfetish , @maldefekt , @spider-bren , and @tethered-heartstrings . If you already did this, then just ignore my summons.

Long salt.

I discovered Undel, known back then as NeonDragonArt, when I was in high school. I loved her art, constantly visited her website in case she uploaded new things, and bought her books. I was in my senior year when the FR Kickstarter was announced, and as excited as I was, I had no credit card to back it, and my parents definitely would have said no. I joined in one of the registration windows when the site finally did open, and it was so exciting to see, and "play," with Undel's art!

Then, in May 2018, Undel suffered an injury that impacted her ability to draw, and so... She stopped. I was really heartbroken for her, that just as it seemed things were starting to really get rolling for FR, she had to suffer this way. She still has not really drawn as much, except for a sketchbook page or two in 2021 I think (at least according to her Twitter). She's doing what she can, and has had success with regaining some dexterity through painting minis and quilting, which is really great!

The site art has continued to be good, they obviously have really fantastic artists right now! But, honestly, I feel kinda sad every time they upgrade/revamp some of the older art pieces that I know Undel drew. I know that wikis will retain the old pieces, but, idk. Seeing her art every day for years on a project she worked so hard on, and now after an injury she hasn't been able to draw for years... Idk, just makes me feel sad, and salty at the universe for dealing her a crummy hand.