#1 layer challenge thing idk

[piece-of-hweat]

Half-God

Reblogs appreciated ✨

[bluebeads-art]

As the flash hits your eye, you feel something crashing into you from all directions. Below you is obvious, Bonbon situated themself to bump into you while the picture was taken. You look to your right, and Mirabelle’s cheek is pressed up to yours. On your left, Isabeau’s sheepishly hugged you to his side. There’s a hand in your hair, too, and it feels like Madame Odile. [...] “We need a souvenir of this trip,” Mirabelle adds. She rushes to the ground to pick up the picture and snort-laughs as she looks at it. “Oh no, Siffrin looks like we’re holding him hostage!” — Curtain Call, Chapter 9, by @openphrase123 (Link in the replies)

2024 October 22nd

Fanfic fanart fanfic fanart!! When I read the "hostage" line, it invoked such a clear image in my head of Siffrin tensed up like a startled prey animal that it got added to my list of things to maybe draw immediately.

Dooon't think about the words 'left' and 'right' in that quote too hard. I know how to read I prommy. :) (I did Not process those words and lost the coin flip in the composition phase...)

Close-up and ramblings about the cans of worms I unleashed upon myself under the cut

Time taken on this was [head in hands] 48 hours and 37 minutes.... That bloated number has two culprits:

1) I got a new tablet! My old one was 10 years old. Its plastic was melting and the electronics had ghosts in 'em, so it needed the sweet release of retirement. However, I had just gotten to the line art phase when the switch happened. Clumsily getting used to the new one during the most precise phase of the process did devastating things to my perfectionism.

2) I made a GRAVE mistake with how I chose to color this. I wanted to keep the grayscale layers for accuracy instead of just slapping a B&W filter over the colored version, so all the colors come from gradient maps, color balance layers, overlay layers, and raster layers clipped to other layers. Listen. I'm used to working with lots of layers. I like keeping things separate so I can edit them more easily. But this is the worst layer system I have ever created. Going from color to B&W requires toggling exactly 20 layers & folders on or off. There are 87 visible layers total. This file lags when you edit it. I've never wanted CSP v1.13 to have layer comps more in my life.

Not helping matters was Isabeau. I said he was the easiest to draw in my last post, but he took that as a challenge, apparently. It's a simple fist-on-hip pose, why was that so hard!?! His face gave me grief too.

Odile's lil' wave got added at the end of the line art phase. I've never added to a sketch that late in the game before, but I felt bad about how little screen area she got, haha. Girl, I tried, but this composition was not kind to you.

Giving Isa, Odile, and Siffrin skin colors felt cursed. Well... "color" is maybe a stretch for Sif. The pallor from being affection-jumpscared isn't helping. In the dev's nose reveal post, they said that Siffrin isn't white but is white-passing, so BOOM albinism headcanon. Like c'mon, they wear a big hat and have most of their skin covered because the sun is a deadly laser when you have little to no melanin and idk if sunblock exists in-universe. Heck, maybe most Islanders have it, their whole religion is about the night sky so maybe they're nocturnal. This makes perfect sense. :)

[kirby-the-gorb]

we are about an hour into rare disease day in my timezone! (it's always the last day of february, whether that's the 28th or the 29th.) the true prevalence of mast cell disorders is unknown, as they are often misdiagnosed or ignored. and mast cell activation syndrome, the most prevalent kind of mast cell disorder, only had diagnostic criteria laid out for the first time in 2010. so whether or not it's truly rare is really up in the air!

(personally I suspect it is just aggressively underdiagnosed but I'm not a research scientist or diagnostician right now. and even if it is rare, it's gonna be a lot less so than it was 5 years ago as certain respiratory infections are known to trigger it into visibility. that's what happened to me when I got mono at the end of 2015, further compounded when I got covid in 2022.)

all chronically ill people face a lot of hurdles when it comes to seeking diagnosis, accommodation, and treatment (all of which can be severely complicated by any intersecting marginalities), but rare diseases present a special challenge.

for example, I have an immune disorder. my immune system does not like being alive, my mast cells are way too jumpy and throw a tantrum over every little thing. you'd think an immunologist would be the one to treat me, right?

I've had 6 immunology referrals rejected in the past 9 months alone. multiple major immunology clinics in my major city tied to a major research university outright refuse to see patients with "mcas" written anywhere in their chart.

after 8 years of being debilitatingly ill, and suspecting it was immune mediated for 6, and getting it confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt by the bone marrow biopsy last month, I will have my second ever appointment with an immunologist. another 2 1/2 months from now. the first immunologist lied to me about the reliability of the one available blood test, when I first came up with the hypothesis by myself 6 years ago, and forced me to abandon my (correct!!! now proven!!!) hypothesis for 3 entire years while we wandered around lost and got nowhere other than even more thorough process of elimination.

okay, well if my immune system is attacking me, maybe it's technically autoimmune? that's the rheumatologists instead of the immunologists, what do they have to say? dick all my dude, I don't have rheumatoid arthritis so they just shrug at me and go "idk, fibro? I don't know why you're here" and send me home with nothing. (I literally had a rheumatologist say to me, verbatim, "I don't know why you're here." buddy it's your job to read the chart and decide if I get seen or not, you tell me. at least he had a snazzy outfit.)

being chronically ill can be a terrible struggle no matter what, but a disease that is perceived as rare, accurate or not, adds a whole new layer of bullshit. (and of course there are much much rarer diseases out there, with even more hoops and dead ends and struggles and all-new layers of bullshit that even I don't have to deal with!)

anyway I'm having a shit time and using this awareness day as an excuse to productively bitch about it 👍

[forgottenarthur]

Aria: 👀

(Possibly the most pointless askbox ever 😆… or things about to get awkward 😅)

OR THINGS'RE ABT TO GET AWKWARD BAHAHAHA "arthur *michael bluth voice*: 'her?' jk jk

heehee no but arthur absolutely ~does find aria ~very attractive (i know im shocking everyone w this info rn ;DDDDDD) -- he finds her the most attractive lady of his acquaintance!! honestly he was v attracted to her from day one frankly!! BUT i def think getting to know her has only made that more the case...honestly atp he's def at the 'all other women pale in comparison' point!! sorry, ladies, arthur's daydreaming abt an unattainable love who he thinks probs secretly hates him <33333

i do feel like, when they first met, he ~was initially more attracted to eithne than to aria, but it was the more superficial of the two romances, as we know, and honestly? i think that might have been part of the appeal eithne had? that bubble we've talked abt -- he thought his heart wouldn't really be touched beyond yknow the like ~thrill and happiness~ aspects and that's his comfort zone! aria was ~immediately tryna challenge him and, while that had its own attractions for him, i will not lie! i do think part of why his initial attachment was to eithne was bc he was def in a place, coming off kil-kennar and all of that, where he v much wanted comfort and happiness and not!!!! to be asked to think too much abt what he'd just done and that sort of thing like he was actively pulling away from the idea of growing and changing frankly!

but i ~also think that 1) we know arthur has always loved a challenge and 2) and here's the crux, he's been searching his whole life for smth to really put his faith into and smth that will put faith in him, somewhere he can prove himself, become everything he wants to be etc...aria offers that. both the challenge of her ~and the warmth of her promise that. her loyalty. he's used to giving unconditional loyalty to the thing he's put his faith, love, truth, honor, etc on the line for (ie roderick and his whole ~thing) but he's never received that same thing back in return from it. aria, though? she challenges him, and she makes him earn it, but she also offers devotion of her own kind in return and that's absolutely intoxicating for him, not to mention the chance to do good? like...that's all he's ever wanted?? idk obv there is a TON at play here and we've talked a lot abt it and i better cut this short bc i gotta go work again but!!!!!!!!! yeah!!!!!!!!! lots of layers to this v strong attraction!!

aria ~literally gives his life meaning, in a way he's always wanted, but never had before...

[magpiefngrl]

2024 Book Review

In 2024 I read 80 books (including my current read); sort of average for me. My challenge this year was to 1. read the Vorkosigan saga, and 2. To read no (or very few) US authors besides Bujold, and I succeeded in both. The word I'd use to describe many of the books mentioned below is unusual. It wasn't intentional but a lot of these reads were weird (complimentary). I also reread a lot of books, such as CaPri (again!), Dark Rise/Heir, the first two novels of Lymond Chronicles and a great deal of KJ Charles romances.

The Vorkosigan Saga

A sci-fi space opera series of 16 novels plus several novellas, published from the 90s onwards. I read all of them, except one novella. Go me! It's a fantastic series and its reputation is well deserved. Some books were more exciting or to my taste than others, naturally, but they were all easy to read, well paced and well characterised. The stretch of books from Brothers in Arms to Civil Campaign was my fave. I tore through those novels in a few weeks. Mirror Dance, Memory and A Civil Campaign are some of my fave reads of the year.

9 other books that stood out

Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko. JFC. What a novel. What a mindfuck. I didn't know what was happening most of the time but it sure was compelling. The story was weird as fuck, incomprehensible at times, with trippy magic, full of body horror and a menacing mood and dark academia vibes, and it was unlike anything I've read. It's a fantasy but not a typical one; it resists defining and needs to be experienced.

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera. The second most exciting book of the year. An unusual, mesmerising fantasy with incredible worldbuilding and lush prose.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Finally read this celebrated novel and it was nothing like I'd expected. Though, idk what I expected. Definitely a book that stays with you. I'm sure a lot of the references to the time period flew over my head. One to reread.

Faithful Place and The Secret Place by Tana French. Grouping these together as they feature the same characters. Tana French is a huge favourite of mine and I can't imagine reading a novel of hers that doesn't end on my fave-books-of-the-year list. Gorgeous prose and a deep dive into characters make her books less than typical murder mysteries.

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski. An atmospheric, mesmerising read about young queer love, with beautiful, lyrical prose and a hefty dose of history. I loved the portrait of Poland in the 70s-80s.

The Will of the Many by James Islington. A fantasy novel I devoured within days. Some of its elements are very traditional fantasy (secret identity of main character, tough academy to attend, end of graduation big event to complete, Roman inspired architecture and names) but the worldbuilding with the Will as a measure of power and the Pyramids is unique and fascinating. This is a hefty 600+ page novel, but easy to read and briskly paced. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang. A Kafkaesque novel, layered and deep, with an ambiguous ending. The kind of work that leaves one unsure, full of questions and barely-glimpsed thoughts like silent things swimming in dark water. I'm keen to read more from this author.

Dark Heir by CS Pacat. Last but not least is the sequel to Dark Rise. I enjoyed it a lot more than the first novel; and in fact, I immediately went back and reread Dark Rise and enjoyed that one more the second time round--and then I read Dark Heir again, just days after my first read. To say I'm gagging for the third novel is an understatement. This one got under my skin, guys.

KJC Sad War Boys reread

On a discord I used to belong to, some fans took all the characters KJC has created that used to be soldiers and ranked from least sad to most sad. I thought that was a perfect idea for a reread, and so I started with the Henchmen of Zenda (what a fun novel! And Jasper isn't much cut up about his army service) and moved on accordingly towards the one with the saddest war boy, which is also, as it happens, possibly my fave KJC romance.

Other Notable Reading Accomplishments

Finished The Witcher series! Hooray!

Finally read Aliette de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen series, which I'd bought many years before. I can't say I loved the 3 main novels (though the worldbuilding was interesting) but I did enjoy the two novellas featuring a fab new ship: Stab Husband and Dragon Husband. I love these two so much. (The novellas are: Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders, and Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances)

Read THREE new KJ Charles novels. We've been blessed this year.

I read 6 novels by Keigo Higashino, who writes murder mysteries unlike any I've read. Superbly plotted and always unusually structured.

Finally got around to reading my pal's (and former drarry author) YA novel, Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues, which was as delightful as I'd expected.

Some stats

I might have read 80 novels but not by 80 authors. I went over my spreadsheet and saw a lot of the same names popping up. I thought I'd make a count, so here goes: I read 19 books (novels and novellas) by Lois McMaster Bujold, 15 books by KJ Charles (mostly rereads), 6 by Keigo Higashino, 5 by Aliette de Bodard (plus a short story), and 5 by CS Pacat.

Onwards to 2025!

Previous years:

2015 2016 2019

first half of 2020 top 5 books of 2020

2021 2022 2023

[dragimalsdaydreams]

DB Dragon Sapience

I've been chewing on the problem of Orange dragons and dragon sapience for a long time, partly bc I don't think I've satisfactorily engaged with it in my own lore

the conundrum is this: DB is just a tv show for kids, and the color-coded breeding schtick is ripe for kids to project themselves onto and create fan-characters. but then the show adds in Orange dragons, and suddenly we're left in the deeply uncomfortable position of breeding fully-sapient creatures who lost a war that was specifically in opposition to that treatment as objects. the color-coded breeding schtick isn't as fun, once you know that's a person you're breeding

so my three proposals for rewrites:

1) Dark and Gritty

the show locks down on the grim implications of its setting, and it's no longer a "general audiences" show. dragons are a fully-sapient underclass, oppressed by humans after the war. the show could still start out light-hearted, but learning more abt dragons over time leads to a slow, creeping realization (in both Artha and the audience) that something is deeply wrong.

before meeting the Prophets, Artha's gang only knows them as a dangerous anti-human collective. but after meeting them, Artha and co. finally realize that the Prophets are basically in the right-- this would be the big tipping point in the show's tone.

this is not my first choice for a rewrite, bc I do prefer DB as a light-hearted kid's show, even if it does engage with darker topics. plus, too much focus on the light-hearted dragon riding at the beginning could undercut the terrible reality of their lives later. it's also too easy to slip into real-life slavery allegories, which could be.... questionable. though I did kinda accidentally go this route in my own lore (namely the Honker lore) while trying to wrestle with Orange dragons, so I may need to rethink some things lmao

2) Working Animals

dragons are sentient but not necessarily sapient; they don't mind being partnered with humans, and particularly enjoy racing. essentially, they're working animals, and get enrichment out of their work with humans. they can still be bred by humans without many ethical qualms, bc the dragons themselves don't mind it.

Orange dragons simply do not exist as ultra-smart mind-controllers, they're just another, particularly clever clade of dragons. and there was no devastating war between humans and dragons. rather, the Big Bad threat of the series is a separate issue from humans' relationship with dragons.

while this is the easiest route for a kid's show, it's also not my ideal choice either, simply bc I enjoy worldbuilding around sapient nonhumans. I also think it's too easy to go a similarly uncomfortable route of, "but dragons likeee serving humans!" with this one. it's not a bad route overall tho; I can see the potential for a rly good, HTTYD movie-style story of human/dragon friendship in this

3) Cultural Exchange

dragons are fully sapient with rich cultures and societies outside of humans, alongside a rich history of co-mingling and working with humans. humans do not breed dragons for human purposes, but rather dragons choose to work with humans if they deem humans worthy, or their interests align. dragons just really enjoy racing as a sport, and carrying humans adds a unique and rewarding layer of challenge. humans and dragons are equals, with full rights and autonomy in either society (though dragons think humans are a bit silly and fragile).

I'm willing to keep the dragon-human war, leading to high tension in the current day. it probably started over resource disputes, maybe Draconium? and maybe shitty groups try to spread propaganda abt dragons just being "mindless beasts", or selfish parties want to trigger another war for profit. the dragons under Propheci are a splinter-cell of Orange dragons, either working for selfish reasons, or maybe genuinely working for good but with a bad rap, idk they could go several different directions. either way, both humans and dragons have their own splinter groups of good and bad people/ideas, and the narrative itself never questions dragon sapience.

this is my preferred route, bc I LOVE worldbuilding nonhuman cultures, and engaging with the complexities of cross-species communication and understanding. I also think this is a good way balance the light-hearted with the darker aspects-- the color-coded breeds still exist and can still work in harmony with humans, and these breeds aren't a direct result of forced breeding by humans... but these societies can still experience the conflicts and struggles of any real society.

[shabbytigers]

Germany enter the digital era challenge: impossible 💀

Eventim’s ticket resales affiliate, Fansale, does not comprehend the strange futuristic notion of a digital ticket (ONE THAT EVENTIM SOLD ME) and will only recognize a sale as duly completed if a physical ticket transfer via UPS occurs. also btw failure to ship after a sale is agreed upon is grounds for legal proceedings. this is problematic, because

1. no physical ticket exists

(… like yeah in theory i could print out the digital one, but that’s truly, madly, deeply bonkers in this context????)

2. I am not in Germany; I cannot have German UPS come to my residence or workplace to pick up the (nonexistent) physical ticket, nor drop the (nonexistent) physical ticket off at a German UPS office

extraordinary

Eventim is generally an okay ticket-selling outfit (as ticket sellers go—the bar obviously is abysmally low here); it’s easy to find and buy tickets on the app, and nearly all tickets can simply be digitally saved to the app with no further logistics to worry about. and that’s what lulled me into making a Mistake! I could have just sold this ticket informally on fucking Kleinanzeigen, but the Eventim app PROACTIVELY offered me the option to sell this DIGITAL ticket via their Fansale thingy and I was like sure why not, because idk, I fucking trusted it to fucking function much the way the core fucking Eventim app does? 💀💀 anyway i have thrown myself upon the mercy of the buyer to pretty please agree to cancel the transaction and then i’ll just email them the fucking thing rrrrrrrrr

the cherry on top: I, as well as the buyer, need to send Fansale a written email request in order to cancel an agreed-upon sale. but they’re cagey about their contact info! no email address is to be found for them! and it’s not possible to use their ‘contact Fansale’ form on a phone!! there’s a mandatory options menu in it that contains no options when looked at on mobile and the contact form can’t be submitted without selecting an option so effectively it can’t be submitted at all. it’s not the first time i’ve encountered this very specific and very basic ux fuckup on a german ticket website, one of the major cinema chains here did this same thing to me just last month, so i’m p sure i can deal with it by going to the laptop, which as it happens I did bring with me, but what if i hadn’t, and it’s a significant layer of hassle, and just yanno, what the hell? fuck you sad useless bitches

[wutheringheightsfilm]

I'm wondering how the progression of wx will look in odd geometry compared to canon (as in, they get together sooner? different dynamics?), and if/how the elemental magic is used in complementing each other. sorry this is super specific im just like. what about the wangxian 👀

HOT DOG. well :) let me crack my knuckles here this is gonna probably be a long answer!! i'll go bit by bit here...

to be honest, odd geometry is a huge divergence from canon. i have four fundamental things that change the story in absolutely huge ways, being:

elemental magic (obvi)

wei wuxian wasn't raised in lotus pier/as part of yunmeng jiang

wei wuxian doesn't die at the siege of the burial mounds thus isn't dead for 13/16 years and have to be resurrected

i have the sunshot campaign begin later than it does in canon. at the start of the story, all of the characters are slightly older; as in, i've aged all of wei wuxian's generation up to be closer to my age (most of them are in their early 20s) and adjusted their older siblings/the older generations accordingly (so, for example, jiang cheng is 20, wei wuxian is 20, and jiang yanli is 22)*

*so this means that classes at the cloud recesses still would have happened when everyone was 15, but the sunshot campaign just doesn't begin until jiang cheng, wei wuxian, and lan wangji are 20

which, it is so fun to play around with the implications of all that but it's also challenging. SO, how all of this impacts wangxian...

so just by virtue of what's going on here (namely wwx not being dead for over a decade) they definitely do get together sooner. since wei wuxian wasn't raised in lotus pier, he doesn't attend the classes at gusu when everyone in his generation were teens, he doesn't meet lan wangji until they're both 20 at the wen indoctrination camp (which through a series of events, wei wuxian gets roped into sneaking into attend).

as for their dynamics, there's layers to this!

because of how wei wuxian has grown up, there are two things: 1) his personality is not the exact same as it is in canon--how could it be, when he's grown up in such different circumstances?--however, his core traits are the same: he's still inventive, clever, and creative, he's still extremely compassionate and cares deeply about justice, especially for those who are disenfranchised, he still has an extremely strong (to the point of, at times, it being debilitating) sense of duty and a habit of putting others before himself, and being secretive and at times repressive about his emotions. he just doesn't act as...idk, childish? as he might in the show or the novel. he's a bit more grounded, a bit more serious.

because of that, i think it's maybe a bit easier for lan wangji to be more open with wei wuxian, or to accept his friendship sooner. they aren't such polar opposites as they seem in early in the show/in the novel.

2) there are slightly different class dynamics here that actually make a huge difference: wei wuxian didn't grow up in lotus pier and was not raised within polite cultivation society. no matter how much of an outcast madam yu made wei wuxian feel by trying to alienate him from her "real" family, he still was generally accepted by Society at large and was looked at and mostly treated with respect. he still gets called gongzi, and within yunmeng jiang called da-shixiong,--though, of course, coming from some people it can be read as sarcastic... i highly doubt wen chao was calling him wei-gongzi out of any sort of respect--and is overall accepted. of course, people still try to ostracize him for his status, but the cultivation world at large doesn't actively bully him much (and in all honesty, they don't really bully him at all while jiang fengmian was still alive) until he does something they don't like. apart from a few scenarios, wei wuxian wasn't given the disdain that you might expect the son of a servant to receive---honestly, i sort of wish class was talked about more in regards to mdzs and cql because it really does fascinate me. wei wuxian occupies such an interesting space within the cultivation world and i wish people discussed it more.

in my fic, though, since he wasn't raised within lotus pier and was never brought into the yunmeng jiang sect, he doesn't have the fallback of jiang cheng and jiang yanli being able to officially call him their brother--not yet, anyway. he doesn't have a sect leader to point to and be like, "i've been accepted by someone of experience and reown" and have the support that can come from that. he and lan wangji have been raised in very different spheres, and it changes how they interact with each other. there's an extra layer of formality that they now have to chip through. it's no longer lan wangji being extra formal towards someone of exactly equal standing towards him, there's now an extra layer that they have to reckon with. of course, wei wuxian is still lan wangji's equal in every way that matters--they are still the same age, they are still both incredibly talented with their areas of cultivation and respective fighting styles, they both have a mutual respect (and eventually love) for each other etc etc, they just don't belong to the same circles of society and this has to be dealt with.

of course, when the sunshot campaign is over and wei wuxian will have assisted the rebellion against the wens in winning, his status changes. he will be respected, if not feared, because eventually the cultivation world will figure out what he's able to do and fear it being used against them.

which brings us to their elemental magic and how that affects their dynamic as well !! AHHH!!!

so, wei wuxian can control qi (i can clarify any questions you or anyone else might have about this if needed) and lan wangji's affinity is water. at the beginning of the story, wei wuxian pretends to also have an affinity with water, and claims he heals with it--this backfires on him hard during xuanwu cave, when he has to heal lan wangji's broken leg and obviously, as someone with an affinity for water, lan wangji would know what healing someone using water is like and this is not it.

ultimately, wei wuxian is a healer. that is his favorite thing to do, it is what he prefers to do---despite having the powers he does (which, for a while, even he doesn't fully understand), and the demonic cultivation he will be able to do, he doesn't actually enjoy using his qi controlling abilities negatively on people much. he will do it if he has to, and will definitely enjoy using it to enact revenge on people who deserve it, but at the end of the day, he just wants to help and heal people.

i honestly think this suits lan wangji's temperament quite nicely--they would make a very good team, what with lan wangji's habit of going "wherever the chaos is" and helping people out with resentful spirits and night hunts.

even in the original odd geometry from 5 years ago, they were never opposing elements--though that would certainly be interesting LMAO!!!

as a reward for getting thru all of that... i shall leave you with... A SNIPPET <3

(from chapter 5, time is the movement of grief. context: this is at lotus pier, post xuanwu cave) He looked up, and saw Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian moved over on the dock to make room for him to sit, which he did, cross-legged so he wouldn’t get wet. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, listening to the crickets. The golden light of the setting sun made Lan Wangji look devastatingly beautiful. It took Wei Wuxian’s breath away. When Lan Wangji turned his head and met Wei Wuxian’s eyes, there was nothing Wei Wuxian wanted to do more than kiss him in that moment. It was a startling thought. He looked away as calmly as he could. 

THANK YOU FOR ASKING COR I REALLY LOVED ANSWERING THIS!!!!!

[myloudintrerestsandthought]

How do politics affect fashion? Blog #1

HI! You can call me AverageOverlord! lol I'm deeply sorry. This is my first post! Each week I'm going to try to do one post about pop culture and one about my interest. And if you have ideas lmk (if anyone actually reads this XD)!

Lots of people are thinking about the election, so I started thinking how does politics impact fashion? After thinking for a while I started to notice a pattern. When the country (America) was more conservative, people dressed more modestly and used trends from other conservative decades. When we were more democratic, our fashion would be looser, shorter and more freeing. For example during the 1920s, woman's clothing took a drastic turn compared to the previous decades. The 1910s had a more natural silhouette, woman had long sleeves and the dresses were below the ankles. The 1920s were dresses were shorter and boxier. Woman even started to cut their hair into bob which was extremely rare. It was a time were the woman's suffrage movement flourished and a good number of woman started to not dress according to men's standards. Credit had become immensely popular during the 20's. This was heavily directed in the fashion. Flappers were covered head to toe with glitz and glam. I've also noticed that when consumerism is bigger the fashion is more bold and extravagant. In the 20s, people had more free time so they started to buy more things. In the 1950s, after the war American's turned to a more conservative lifestyle. The Nuclear family was heavily marketed and the suburbs grew. The 50s fashion was heavily inspired by the late 1940s. Which was a was a very patriotic decade because of WW2. The fashion was modest and extremely feminine. It was a comfort for people who just wanted the normal life before the war back. The president for most of the 50s, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was a Republican. All these things influenced the reclamation of conservative fashion and values. 1960s and 70s fashion was very free and bold. Big hair, bright makeup and bold clothing. Disco-esque and Hippy/Bohemian clothing were extremely popular. Hippy and bohemian clothing were made up of elements taken from other cultures (that were often viewed as inferior). The Romani people is where this 'trend' originally started from. (so please if you want to dress Bohemian and you can afford it, don't buy from fast fashion brands, buy from local and small businesses, that are run by and supported by Romani people. They deserve the credit for THEIR clothing. THAT is cultural appreciation vs appropriation.) Also the civil rights movement was growing during this time. So people of color started to straighten and perm their natural hair less, It was a protest and a statement. This was called the Afro Hair Movement, It challenged Eurocentric beauty standards and celebrated Black people's natural hair and ethnicity. So as we can see the 60s and 70s were leaning towards liberalism. The 1980s was HEAVILY inspired by the 50s. It was after the Vietnam war and consumerism was booming. During the 70s bold colors were popular, But in the 80s that only increased! Neons, loud makeup, hair and bold layered fashion. Ronald Regan was the president for a majority of the 80s and he was VERY republican. Poodles skirts from the 50s came back and Polka dots were popular in both decades. They also had bright colors and cinched waists in common. I also noticed how in the 60s and 70s wedding dresses were getting shorter and less traditional. But in the 50s and 80s, the wedding dresses were huge ball gowns with long sleeves, The 80s was definitely a consumerist decade, it was full of game consoles, new technology, shopping malls and movies. I would say the 80s was one of if not the most consumerist decade in the 20th century. The 2000s was full of metallics and iridescence makeup and fashion. We had LOW cut jeans (yes lower than your mid rise lol). And red carpet fashion that was mostly street wear. (lol idk if you can feel by tone but I'm very salty about that XD). The 2000s were inspired by a revival of the 70s and 80s. The late 2000s had to stock market crash of 2008. After this fashion was never the same. We started to lean heavily on fast fashion because people couldn't afford anything else. I hope you liked this! ;)

[thesassymarquess]

Did you find your missing baby?

Not yet. Kulet is still missing. I admit my schedule has been rough for playing DF as of recent, and my most recent time has been spent on a new fort (The Sea Adventure, a Sinister Ocean/coastal embark). Kulet is from my 4th Fort (Idk the name it was too long). Short summary of my forts though:

1st Fort, Bustmoment: -Tutorial embark. Went fine initially, set up large bedroom complex, good dining hall, and food/alcohol production. Decent traps for surface entrance. Lack of understanding of how Fortifications work lead to bad usage of them, and ultimately made the surface defenses scary to operate. Meanwhile I breached the first cavern layer and only the first, and got involved in a nasty war on Olm people, that kept dragging my dwarves into the lake. Eventually after losing a major military engagement, I dropped the save and made a new world. (I didn't know about Retirement at the time)

2nd Fort, Steelfortress: -The infamous war on birds started here. Embark was a neutral badlands with high savagery & a light aquifer. Aquifer posed no challenge and I was within a year having settled with all three caverns pierced, and a decent magma forge set up. Traps and such were more aggressively deployed, and there were more than a few battles (Internally referred to as the "Great Cavern Wars" against Ant-People) to carve out certain areas underground for farming. Ultimately what drove me to abandon this fort was a 9 month long battle against giant flying agitated wildlife. During that I built up a decently large and armored military, which while incapable of fending off the birds, was apparently itching for World Domination. (More on that later. Though also on another post of mine)

3rd Fort, "Lake of Something" (Name forgotten again): -Having felt a High Savagery was too much & Light aquifers too easy, I searched for a heavy aquifer and got a lake location I liked. After starting the first year, and trying to dig down, I almost immediately hit the heavy aquifer and got stuck for over a year trying to get things stable, and set up a method to pierce the aquifer before beginning to build the fort proper. Unlike the previous forts which had surface trading depots, I decided to move this one underground. Like other forts before and after, I then began to quickly dig towards the bottom, and set up small areas within each cavern to work in, or blocked them off after discovering them. Ultimately nothing particularly notable happened that sticks out in memory, but the fort was ultimately abandoned due to the Cave Adaptation fix update rolling around. Knowing most dwarves had likely developed it in this fort, I decided to take a break from Fortress mode, and play some Adventure mode.

(Which I decided to retire my second fort, as my save of it was in the worst condition of the three, and I originally wanted to retire the fort by "Succumbing to internal invaders" or similar but a standard retirement was an option and I viewed as more desirable)

4th Fort, Gooddesert the Fortress of Mines: -After playing around in Adventure Mode in the 2nd fort's world, I got an itch to start a new fort again, and was talking with my brother. We ultimately came to pick a fort in a Good and Neutral biome cross between "Desert?", badlands and Grasslands. Among world history, as it shares a previous fort, I decided to embark from that Civ again. Just to find out when the Liason came by, that 2 of my 3 dwarven neighbors were at war with me. Going through Legends mode further told me it was my Civ that seemed to have started the war, with all attacks coming from my prior fortress after I retired it. The whole time I was trying to rescue kidnapped children from Goblins in Adventure Mode, it turns out my fort was just attacking EVERYBODY. I played this one until around 1-2 weeks ago, when I began wanting to try messing with some mods for the first time.

4.5th fort, Some volcano Fort I think?: -I had a friend over and I was talking about DF, as you do, and he got curious about the game and wanted to see what it was like. So I booted the game up, showed world gen, we picked an embark, and then retired it to go to it in Adventure Mode. We then made an ideal character for him, and then foolishly rolled up a Worm Man with over 100 pet worms, and crashed the game. I haven't talked with said friend yet, and was gonna play in that world when talking with them.

5th Fort, The Sea Adventure: -That leaves us with our current fort. It's a sinister oceanic embark, and I brought a few adventurers there, including a Dwarf-me, a dwarf-version of my brother, and an anomalocaris (one of the mods) woman of one of my roommates (And their cat as a pet cat, who died to Goblins). Originally the plan was to grow Sliver Barbs & catch Precambrian Arthropods for an aquarium, but I don't know how to do the later half. The Roc attacks have been on this fort.

[confessioncivilization]

actual confession this time ig!?!??! ok so like 2 weeks ago i made a evbo discord server (mainly parkour civ) for me and some friends and then i got bored and decided to make lore. so its like this kinda au in the far future post canon parkour civ. umm yeah so i had the people in the server make characters for the story because why not.

and then I was like, yeah, i'll make a parkour alphabet so i can write little notes about the lore/history and have them slowly learn it and decode the messages, with a written and typed form. might make a full ass language later if i feel inclined to do so.

so to do that, i have "relics" which are just short paragraphs written by various npcs/characters i control from the time before the story starts written in the parkour alphabet. and then there's also "notes" which are basically the same but written in english.

and i needed a way to give them the relics and notes, so i made adventures so about once a week they get to go on a little interactive quest ttrgp thing. and they can find items, notes, relics, etc.

they are all currently on the noob layer and im not gonna let them rank up for a bit cuz the story needs to play out first, but once what needs to happen happens it will open.

anyways the current story (revealed to the server members) is:

parkour civ is deserted, everyone there is newly spawned noobs who usually don't survive for long

there is no contact with other layers so all food is from scavenging

you can buy a house at least. and also there's ticket challenges weekly (oh yeah there's also a separate calendar for it w 5 day weeks)

adventure 1: explored an old library and found a paper with a text being translated from english parkour, so they got some letters from that

occurence 1: found a note from someone called the traveler telling them that there was food in a warehouse

adventure 2: explored the warehouse, got food/sprint, and found another note from the traveler which told them a date to meet along with a compass. they then met with the traveler (master boots) who didn't really want to talk because one of the members is really bitchy. but they made a deal that the traveler would give them information on what happened if they could get them in contact with the parkour god (who occasionally appeared at the noob level recently)

thats it, for now, but i have so much planned!!! heheheheh

umm yeah. []__\\[]__v[][]__<[]__-[][]__<[]__\\[]__H[]__H[]__\\[] :3

i might make a blog specifically for it but idk. ack

if you are part of the server and you see this and discover my secret account NO YOU DIDNT SHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! please...

yeah im normal...

-pvp civ lunch person

PVP CIV LUNCH PERSON!!!!!! HIII!1 THATS SO COOL!!!!! UR SERVER SOUND S SO AWESOME AND COOL AND I WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT UR AU!!! YAY!!!

[anna-the-undertaker]

IDK im bored and sleep deprived

I had an idea.... The idea is that any living thing that has a soul or the equivalent of a soul gives off spiritual pressure, or in other terms an aura/energy. I am unsure if this has been discussed at all within the fandom or mentioned in the game, so I want to take some time and explore it a little here because it has been floating around in my brain ever since I started rewatching Bleach. Just a warning, this is pretty long and some things may seem repetitive, but that is because some of the stuff mentioned can be applied to many of the characters mentioned. If you have any thoughts or something to contribute feel free to add onto this, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Spiritual pressure and Demons/Angels -

1. Origin and Nature: Spiritual pressure is an intangible force that emanates from the spiritual essence of demons, angels, and humans. It's a reflection of an individual's inner strength, emotions, intentions, and overall power. Every being in the Devildom/Celestial realm/human realm possesses a unique spiritual pressure that is a direct result of their personality, experiences, and abilities.

2. Manifestation: Spiritual pressure is not directly visible to the naked eye but can be felt and perceived by those with heightened sensitivity to supernatural energies. Demons, angels and even some humans can sense and differentiate spiritual pressures from one another, allowing them to gauge the strength, emotional state, and intentions of those around them.

3. Emotional Influence: Emotions play a crucial role in the intensity and quality of spiritual pressure. Strong emotions such as anger, fear, joy, and determination can amplify an individual's spiritual pressure. This connection between emotions and spiritual pressure is often harnessed in battles and interactions with others.

4. Power and Rank: A person's level of spiritual pressure is directly linked to their power and/or rank within the demon/angel hierarchy. Demons/angels with higher spiritual pressures are generally more influential, respected, and powerful. It is a reflection of their experience, skill, and overall dominance.

5. Interactions and Relationships: The interactions between people are influenced by their spiritual pressures. People with similar or compatible spiritual pressures are more likely to get along, cooperate effectively, and understand each other. On the other hand, conflicting or vastly different spiritual pressures might lead to tension, misunderstandings, or even conflicts.

6. Battle and Combat: Spiritual pressure also has a practical application in battles and combat situations. Demons/angels can manipulate their spiritual pressure to perform powerful attacks, defend against incoming attacks, and create barriers. The manipulation of spiritual pressure adds a strategic layer to battles.

7. Growth and Development: People can undergo personal growth and development, which can lead to changes in their spiritual pressure. As they mature, gain new experiences, and overcome challenges, their spiritual pressure can evolve, becoming more refined and potent.

Spiritual pressure and Humans -

1. Nature of Human Spiritual Pressure: Human spiritual pressure is a latent energy that resides within every individual, arising from their emotions, thoughts, intentions, and life experiences. It serves as a conduit for their inner essence, which, though less potent than that of angels and demons, remains an integral part of their existence.

2. Awareness and Sensitivity: Ordinary humans typically remain unaware of their spiritual pressure due to its relatively feeble nature. The majority of individuals go about their lives without ever consciously perceiving this energy. However, moments of heightened emotion, danger, or extreme stress trigger a subconscious response, activating their "sixth sense." This heightened sensitivity allows them to detect particularly potent spiritual pressures and elicits the innate "fight or flight" survival response.

3. Sensitive Individuals: Within the human populace, there exist a select few who possess heightened sensitivity to spiritual pressure. These individuals, often referred to as "Psychics" or "Mediums" or "Witches" or "Sorcerers", possess an innate ability to perceive fluctuations in spiritual energy. This gift grants them the power to pick up on the emotional states of others and even sense the presence of supernatural entities that remain invisible to the majority.

4. Compatibility and Adaptation: Unlike in the relationships among angels and demons, compatibility of spiritual pressures does not exert a significant influence over human interactions. Humans display remarkable adaptability and malleability in their spiritual pressure, allowing it to "change shape" to accommodate the spiritual pressures of those around them with ease. This adaptability stems from their inherent ability to rapidly adjust to new situations and environments.

5. Influence on Relationships: Human relationships are not directly influenced by spiritual pressure compatibility. Humans possess a unique capacity to forge connections and bonds based on shared experiences, interests, and emotions. Unlike angels and demons, whose spiritual pressure dynamics might dictate their relationships, humans transcend these considerations through their natural ability to empathize and communicate effectively.

6. Flexibility and Growth: Human spiritual pressure is characterized by its inherent flexibility. It is not a static force but rather one that evolves and adapts alongside an individual's personal growth and development. As humans undergo transformative experiences, conquer challenges, and evolve emotionally, their spiritual pressure likewise transforms, reflecting their newfound wisdom and resilience, whereas a demon/angels spiritual pressure would only become more potent and not change from what it was originally.

How MC's spiritual pressure changed -

1. Pacts with the Seven Brothers: Through these pacts, MC forges deep connections with each brother, sharing their spiritual energies and strengthening their bond. This connection contributes to MC's spiritual strength by infusing them with the unique traits, powers, and emotions of each brother.

2. Angelic Blessings: (I wholeheartedly believe that Simeon and Luke would bless MC so....) These blessings infuse MC's spiritual essence with celestial energy, augmenting their inherent potential and granting them insights into the angelic realm. The angelic blessings heighten MC's spiritual sensitivity, enabling them to better perceive the supernatural energies that surround them.

3. Angelic Heritage: MC's lineage also plays a significant role in their spiritual strength. They possess an inherent connection to the celestial realm, regardless of how minuscule the connection may be. This heritage acts as a wellspring of power, enabling MC to draw upon angelic energies in times of need, even unknowingly, enhancing their abilities and fortifying their spiritual core. For example, their immunity to the brothers sins influence.

4. Experiences in the Devildom: Their experiences shape and refine their spiritual strength. Each encounter, victory, and setback contributes to their growth, deepening their understanding of the supernatural world and honing their ability to harness their spiritual energy. Over time, these experiences bolster their resilience and resourcefulness.

5. Death and Resurrection: They experience death and subsequently return to life. This life-altering event leaves an indelible mark on their spiritual strength. The brief sojourn into the afterlife grants them insights into the balance between life and death, further expanding their spiritual awareness and granting them a unique perspective on the forces at play in their world.

6. Transformation and Ascendance: As MC's experiences accumulate, their spiritual strength undergoes a profound transformation. They evolve from a newcomer to the Devildom into a formidable presence, bearing the marks of their pacts, angelic blessings, heritage, and resurrection. This transformation enables them to channel and manipulate spiritual energies with greater finesse, allowing them to access new abilities and confront even more formidable challenges.

The brothers and angels influence: what they gave and what they gained -

The pact/blessing represents a bond between a demon/angel and a human, allowing both parties to share their strengths and attributes.

Lucifers Pact -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Knowledge and Wisdom: Lucifer is known for his wisdom and knowledge as the Avatar of Pride. Through the pact, MC would gain insights into arcane lore, strategies, and a deeper understanding of the Devildom's history and politics. This influx of knowledge would broaden their horizons and allow them to approach challenges with a more analytical and informed mindset.

Mastery of Authority: Lucifer's affinity for leadership and control over others would influence MC's spiritual pressure, endowing them with a natural sense of authority. This would make them more adept at commanding respect and cooperation from both supernatural beings and humans.

Manipulation of Shadows: The pact could grant MC the ability to manipulate shadows, reflecting Lucifer's power over darkness and manipulation. This skill could be utilized for stealth, defense, and even as a form of offense in battles.

Calm and Composed Demeanor: Lucifer's stoic demeanor and composed nature could influence the MC's emotional control. They might find it easier to maintain a calm and rational mindset even in the face of chaos or emotional turmoil.

Lucifer's Gains:

Human Sensibilities and Creativity: Lucifer's pact would grant him insight into the human perspective, emotions, and creativity. This understanding could help him navigate complex social dynamics and develop innovative solutions to challenges in ways that might not be immediately apparent to other demons.

Emotional Resonance: MC's emotions would be intertwined with Lucifer's spiritual pressure, providing him with a deeper emotional connection to the human experience. This could lead to personal growth for Lucifer, allowing him to explore and understand emotions more profoundly.

Adaptability and Resourcefulness: Lucifer's exposure to the human world through the pact would also instill in him a sense of adaptability and resourcefulness. This might lead him to consider unconventional strategies and approaches when dealing with various situations.

Shared Strength and Unity: The pact would strengthen Lucifer's connection to MC, forging a sense of unity and shared purpose. This bond could serve as a source of strength for both of them, enhancing their determination and ability to face challenges together.

Mammon's Pact -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Ambition and Drive: Mammon's unyielding ambition and desire for success would contribute to the MC's spiritual pressure, infusing them with a heightened sense of determination and the drive to achieve their goals. This would make them more tenacious and focused in their endeavors.

Financial Intuition: As the Avatar of Greed, Mammon's affinity for wealth and material gain could grant MC a heightened sense of financial intuition. They might possess a knack for making shrewd decisions and predicting trends, aiding them in both their daily life and business ventures.

Skill with Artifacts and Objects: Mammon's pact might grant MC an aptitude for handling artifacts and objects, reflecting his penchant for collecting valuable items. This skill could prove useful in solving puzzles, uncovering hidden treasures, and manipulating objects in creative ways.

Fearlessness and Adventurous Spirit: Mammon's daredevil nature and lack of fear could influence MC's sense of adventure and courage. They might find themselves more inclined to take risks and venture into the unknown without hesitating.

Mammon's Gains:

Human Emotions and Empathy: Through the pact, Mammon would gain insight into human emotions and empathy. This could help him better understand the motives behind human actions and allow him to develop a deeper connection with others.

Shared Ambition and Motivation: Mammon would experience a shared sense of ambition and motivation from MC's spiritual pressure. This could inspire him to set higher goals and strive for self-improvement, driven by MC's determination.

Heightened Resourcefulness: MC's financial intuition could rub off on Mammon, enhancing his own resourcefulness and financial acumen. This might lead him to find new and inventive ways to amass wealth and manage his finances.

Shared Fears and Bravery: MC's infusion of courage and fearlessness could provide Mammon with a newfound sense of bravery in the face of challenges. He might learn to confront his fears and insecurities, becoming more resilient as a result.

Leviathan's Pact -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Creativity and Imagination: Leviathan's passion for gaming and imaginative worlds would infuse MC with a heightened sense of creativity and imagination. They might find it easier to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to challenges.

Natural Aptitude for Technology: Leviathan's affinity for technology and digital realms could grant MC a natural aptitude for understanding and using technological devices. This skill could be beneficial in various situations, from hacking to problem-solving.

Empathy for Others' Perspectives: Leviathan's deep connection to virtual worlds and characters might lead MC to develop an enhanced sense of empathy for others. They could become adept at seeing situations from multiple viewpoints and understanding different emotional states.

Adaptability to Change: Leviathan's tendency to immerse himself in different realities could influence MC's adaptability. They might find it easier to navigate unfamiliar environments and adapt to new situations.

Leviathan's Gains:

Insight into Human Interaction: Through the pact, Leviathan would gain insights into human relationships, emotions, and interactions. This understanding could help him navigate social dynamics better and develop more meaningful connections with others.

Shared Creativity and Imagination: Leviathan could draw inspiration from MC's creativity and imagination, leading him to create new and unique ideas. Their shared strengths might lead to the development of extraordinary experiences.

Technological Skill Enhancement: MC's aptitude for technology could rub off on Leviathan, enhancing his own technological skills and expanding his understanding of digital realms.

Broadened Horizons and Open-Mindedness: The main character's adaptability might encourage Leviathan to step out of his comfort zone and explore new experiences. This could lead to personal growth and a more open-minded approach to life.

Satan's Pact -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Knowledge and Wisdom: Satan's deep love for literature and learning would contribute to MC's spiritual pressure, enhancing their knowledge and wisdom. They might gain a broader understanding of various subjects and be able to apply that knowledge strategically.

Analytical Thinking: Satan's logical and analytical mindset could influence MC's thought processes. They might become skilled at analyzing situations, making well-informed decisions, and identifying patterns.

Insight into Emotions: Through the pact, MC might gain a better understanding of emotions, mirroring Satan's ability to empathize with others. This insight could lead to improved communication and the ability to comfort and connect with those around them.

Calm Under Pressure: Satan's composed demeanor could influence MC's emotional stability. They might find it easier to maintain a calm and collected attitude, even in high-stress situations.

Satan's Gains:

Human Connection and Empathy: Through the pact, Satan would gain insight into human emotions and experiences, allowing him to develop a deeper sense of empathy. This could help him better connect with others and understand the complexities of human interactions.

Shared Knowledge and Wisdom: MC's infusion of knowledge and wisdom would influence Satan, inspiring him to explore new subjects and broaden his own intellectual horizons.

Emotional Resonance: Satan might gain a heightened emotional connection to human experiences, allowing him to better understand and manage his own emotions. This could lead to personal growth and a deeper sense of self-awareness.

Balanced Perspective: MC's calm under pressure could serve as a source of inspiration for Satan, helping him to better manage his own anger and frustration. Their shared emotional stability could lead to a more balanced perspective.

Asmodeus' Pact -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Charisma and Social Skills: Asmodeus' charm and sociability would influence MC's spiritual pressure, enhancing their charisma and social skills. They might become adept at forming connections, reading people, and navigating social situations with finesse.

Emotional Intelligence: As the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus' ability to understand and manipulate emotions could grant MC a heightened sense of emotional intelligence. They might become skilled at recognizing and managing their own emotions, as well as understanding others' feelings.

Aesthetic Appreciation: Through the pact, MC could gain an enhanced appreciation for beauty and aesthetics. They might have a keen eye for details in art, fashion, and their surroundings.

Empathy and Understanding: Asmodeus' understanding of desires and relationships might lead MC to develop a greater sense of empathy and open-mindedness toward others' needs and perspectives.

Asmodeus' Gains:

Human Connection and Authenticity: Through the pact, Asmodeus would gain insight into human relationships and connections, allowing him to cultivate more meaningful connections based on authenticity and genuine emotions.

Shared Charisma and Charm: MC's infusion of charisma could influence Asmodeus, inspiring him to explore different facets of his own charm and enhancing his ability to connect with others on a deeper level.

Emotional Depth: Asmodeus might gain a deeper understanding of emotions through MC's emotional intelligence, helping him to navigate complex emotional situations and experiences.

Mutual Empowerment: MC's empathy and understanding could inspire Asmodeus to better connect with his own emotions and desires. Their shared bond might empower him to embrace his emotions without fear.

Beelzebub's Pact -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Physical Resilience: Beelzebub's incredible physical strength and durability would influence MC's spiritual pressure, enhancing their physical resilience and endurance. They might become more capable of enduring physical challenges and recovering from injuries.

Voracious Appetite: As the Avatar of Gluttony, Beelzebub's insatiable appetite could grant MC a unique relationship with food and nourishment. They might be able to gain energy from consuming a wider variety of substances.

Shared Determination and Willpower: Through the pact, MC could gain a shared determination and willpower from Beelzebub. This might make them more stubborn in pursuing their goals and resisting challenges.

Empathy and Compassion: Beelzebub's deep understanding of others' pain and struggles might lead MC to develop a greater sense of empathy and compassion. They might be more inclined to help and support those around them.

Beelzebub's Gains:

Human Connection and Understanding: Through the pact, Beelzebub would gain insights into human relationships, emotions, and connections. This could help him better understand the complexities of human interactions and develop deeper connections with others.

Shared Resilience and Endurance: MC's physical resilience could inspire Beelzebub to push his own physical limits and explore the extent of his strength and endurance.

Empathetic Insights: Beelzebub might gain a deeper understanding of human emotions through MC's empathy, allowing him to better connect with others and offer emotional support.

Mutual Determination: MC's shared determination could inspire Beelzebub to pursue his own goals with even more vigor and dedication. Their bond might motivate him to overcome challenges he previously avoided.

Belphegor's Pact -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Intuition and Perception: Belphegor's tendency to observe and perceive details others might overlook could influence MC's spiritual pressure, enhancing their intuition and ability to pick up on subtle cues.

Restorative Energy: As the Avatar of Sloth, Belphegor's connection to rest and rejuvenation might grant MC the ability to draw energy from restful environments or moments, allowing them to recover faster.

Shared Calmness and Patience: Through the pact, MC could gain a shared sense of calmness and patience from Belphegor. This might make them more adept at managing stress and dealing with situations that require a composed approach.

Understanding of Hidden Motives: Belphegor's knack for understanding hidden motives could lead MC to develop a greater sense of perception when it comes to deciphering others' intentions and actions.

Belphegor's Gains:

Human Connection and Empathy: Through the pact, Belphegor would gain insights into human relationships, emotions, and connections. This understanding could help him better navigate social dynamics and form deeper connections with others.

Shared Intuition and Perception: MC's enhanced intuition could inspire Belphegor to further develop his own perceptive abilities, allowing him to better understand the world around him.

Calm and Restorative Energy: Belphegor might gain a shared sense of calmness and restorative energy from MC. This could help him manage his own stress and find moments of relaxation.

Mutual Patience and Composure: MC's shared patience might inspire Belphegor to approach situations with a greater degree of composure, even when faced with challenges that test his patience.

Simeon's Blessing -

MC's Gains:

Enhanced Serenity and Compassion: Simeon's angelic nature would influence MC's spiritual pressure, enhancing their serenity and compassion. They might find it easier to remain calm and empathetic, even in the face of challenges.

Healing Touch: As an angel, Simeon's healing abilities might be shared with MC through the blessing. They could possess a touch that brings comfort and healing to those around them.

Heightened Intuition: Simeon's wisdom and insight could lead MC to develop a heightened sense of intuition, allowing them to make wise decisions and navigate complex situations.

Empathy and Forgiveness: Through the blessing, MC might gain a deeper sense of empathy and forgiveness, reflecting Simeon's compassionate nature. They might find it easier to understand and forgive others.

Simeon's Gains:

Human Connection and Emotions: Through the blessing, Simeon would gain insights into human emotions, experiences, and connections. This could help him better understand the complexities of humanity and foster deeper connections.

Shared Serenity and Compassion: MC's infusion of serenity could inspire Simeon to explore different facets of his own compassion, enhancing his ability to provide emotional support and understanding.

Wisdom and Intuition: Simeon might gain a deeper sense of wisdom through MC's heightened intuition, allowing him to better navigate angelic affairs and make informed decisions.

Mutual Empathy and Forgiveness: MC's empathy and forgiveness could inspire Simeon to approach others with greater compassion and to extend forgiveness more readily.

Luke's Blessing -

MC's Gains:

Heightened Purity and Light: Luke's angelic nature would influence MC's spiritual pressure, enhancing their sense of purity and connection to celestial energies.

Divine Healing: As an angel, Luke's affinity for healing and restoration, like Simeon, could lead MC to develop a touch that brings comfort and healing to those around them, reflecting his angelic abilities.

Enhanced Empathy and Understanding: Luke's compassion and understanding might inspire MC to develop a deeper empathy and better understanding of the emotions and struggles of those they encounter.

Divine Guidance: Through the blessing, MC could gain a sense of divine guidance and intuition, allowing them to make decisions with a higher perspective.

Luke's Gains:

Insight into Mortal Experiences: Through the blessing, Luke would gain insights into human experiences, emotions, and connections. This understanding could help him better navigate his interactions with mortals and demons.

Shared Purity and Light: MC's infusion of purity could inspire Luke to further embrace his own angelic nature, enhancing his ability to radiate light and goodness.

Empathy and Understanding: Luke might gain a deeper sense of empathy through the main character's enhanced understanding, allowing him to connect with others on a more profound level.

Mutual Guidance and Intuition: The main character's sense of divine guidance could inspire Luke to trust his own intuition and guidance from higher realms, deepening his connection to his angelic abilities.

MC's Influence -

MC's spiritual pressure, influenced by the traits and characteristics of the seven demon brothers and the angels, would be a complex and multifaceted energy that could vary in its impact on different individuals. It's important to note that spiritual pressure, as described in the context mentioned throughout this post, isn't inherently threatening or overpowering by default. Instead, its effects would depend on the MC's interactions and intentions. Here's how it might play out:

Threat Level to Lesser Demons: MC's spiritual pressure, influenced by the traits of the demon brothers, might be perceived as powerful by lesser demons. Some demons might feel intimidated or awed by MC's presence due to the infusion of qualities like pride, envy, wrath, greed, and more. Whether it's threatening or not would depend on how MC uses their spiritual pressure. If they exude dominance or challenge, it could be seen as threatening. On the other hand, if they emanate empathy and understanding, it might be more welcoming.

Impact on Ordinary Humans: Ordinary humans might not directly sense or perceive the nuances of MC's spiritual pressure, as they lack the sensitivity of angels and demons. However, particularly potent moments or intense emotions could trigger MC's spiritual pressure to manifest in subtle ways. It might influence human interactions by amplifying emotions or conveying a sense of authority, depending on which demon/angel's traits are most dominant at the time.

Reactions from Angels: Angels, with their celestial nature, would likely be more attuned to MC's spiritual pressure. The shared traits of the demon brothers could evoke curiosity, understanding, or even caution from angels. The way MC's spiritual pressure interacts with the angels' own energies and intentions would determine whether it's seen as overpowering or harmonious.

Ultimately, the perception of MC's spiritual pressure would be highly context-dependent. It would be less about being inherently threatening or overpowering and more about how MC chooses to channel and express the influences of the demon brothers and angels they're connected to. Their ability to balance and control these influences would shape the reactions of those around them.

To sort of wrap this up (because I have been at this for a few hours now and if I don't stop now I won't) MC is most definitely one of the most powerful humans in all three realms to ever exist.

[beefrobeefcal]

Ur response was really nice and I appreciate that but I’m truly mind boggled by that ask. Anon really said “I’m mad you’re doing things with your characters” with their whole chest like. Huh? 1) how can your OC be OOC? I realize Mouse is a reader insert but for argument’s sake, we’ll say OC. 2) anon, this is the “write fic instead of going to therapy like a normal person” website. “Do better” what does that even mean in this context? Stop writing from a place of experience? Stop putting emotion and complex issues and like… plot and conflict into your writing? “Profit off of being sick” be serious for a second. Notwithstanding the fact this is fanfic and no one is profiting off of anything here, idk how to break it to u but I think it would be a challenge to find an author who hasn’t used their struggles with mental health, body positivity, marginalization, relationship issues, etc etc etc as fuel for their work. What a wild take to have.

To Nonnie, Love Beefro

Thank you for your support - it means a great deal to me 💜 and I appreciate you sending in your message.

I’m not going to say the message didn’t sting, but as much as we might be driven to pick apart and rip into the other Nonnie, let’s not.

Yes, my fics are my fics (as much as they can be given they’re based on an intellectual property that I do not own) and the characters are going to be written as I see fit. I could make Frankie a senator and Mouse a brick layer and Santi is their pet hamster if I wanted to (I don't and I better not see any THOTs about this…)

And yes, as I stated before, my writing helps me delving into and decipher my own stuff in a way that makes it more palatable for me to process. Like, how much easier is it to think of a solution if your friend is struggling? It's because you're not in the thick of it - you can step back and get a greater perspective to help you work through.

Not every fic will be an emotional work out. One day, I will actually get to space and maybe then I’ll get around to telling you about that time something happened in a Burger King.

But again Nonnie and all the Friendos in the Bistro, this community has had enough hurt in it. Let’s not add anymore.

Kindness goes a long way and I love you and everyone else here.

Beefro 👌🥩💜

[rk-ish]

Connor Chapter 1 - Extended Author’s Notes

Hi! I’ve been planning and thinking about this fic for a long time and telling everybody I know about all the details and the research etc and it's just not enough so I’ve decided to do an extended author’s notes post after at least some of the first chapters!

These will not be mandatory reading ofc but hopefully they’ll still be interesting!

[link to fic]

This fic is vaguely inspired by episode 19 of ’Once Upon a Time…Space’, a french animated sci-fi series from the 80’s that I’ve loved since I was a child. Episode 19 is titled ’The Strange Return to Omega’, in it they are on a space cruise ship going from Earth to Omega and gradually learn that most of the crew has been replaced by androids

I’m not trying to recreate that episode's plot but there will be references/similarities to it so be on the lookout for that if you’ve seen the series!

The title ’HUMANOID’, comes from the episode 21 title ’The Humanoids’ that I initially misunderstood as being the title for the space cruise episode

The aesthetics of the fic is also supposed to be inspired both by the animated series but also by retro futurism, though I'm not sure how well that comes across in my writing

My general idea is that androids are supposed to have simpler/retro futuristic clothes with white usually as the main color + an another color to indicate their job while humans clothes are more based on 60s/70s fashion and has more details, layers, patterns etc. Though I'm not that invested in staying true to fashion from that era since this isn't supposed to take place during the real 1970s

(first picture is a bunch of pictures that I used as inspiration for android uniforms, the second is of some humans who will show up later in the story)

There's also a bunch of stuff going on when it comes to the ships crew so I did this thing that hopefully explains it a little. I was definetly inspired by the original Star Trek series and how they color code and show the rank of the crew.

Here's also a bunch of drawings I did since I really wanted to visualize the uniforms. As someone who usually draws like maybe once or max twice a year (until I became obsessed with this story) the beards were ridiculously challenging, esp Gavins?? So don't focus on that-

Next there's some android uniforms, like I mesntioned they're mainly white + the colored shoulder thing that idk what to call exactly. The exceptions are the police (and security even if I don't have a picture here) androids who do have a bit darker uniforms, but still noticeably lighter/different from human uniforms. Connor also has a way darker palette and different design, since his uniform wasn't especially made to match the rest of the crew.

I also did several versions of a Stella Star Cruises International logo but I never decided which one was the best and opinions from other people were inconclusive, feel free to tell me which one you like!

And lastly, some bits of information and easter eggs from the first chapter:

- The shuttle they use in this chapter is called Hummingbird because that’s the one Pierrot and Psi use in Once Upon a Time...Space

- Connors ’Added Reality Interface’ is a reference to the ARI that Norman Jayden uses in Heavy Rain since that technology seems to basically do the same things that Connor can do in DBH. I imagine it’s the same tech but they have since perfected it and now they've put it in Connor.

- I played Heavy Rain last year and the connections between that and DBH are interesting, so there will definetly be more references to it!

- I tried to figure out how many floors the CyberLife tower was supposed to have, but the wiki just said something like ’at least 100 floors above and below ground’ which is a bit vague. I ended up googling and looking at pictures of the tallest buildings in the world and the tallest buildings in Detroit and comparing them to the surrounding buildings etc…in the end I ended up with 183 because that’s Kamskis height in centimeters. I feel like that’s something someone who’s richer than god might do-

- The CM680 is a reference to Carol Danvers, a pilot with strong ties to space, currently going by the superhero name Captain Marvel. Her first comic book appearence was in 1968

- The spaceship, Althaea, gets it's name from asteroid 119 Althaea, discovered by J. C. Watson, an astronomer at University of Michigan's Detroit Observatory

- According to my googling Tara can mean ’star’ and Anvari ’radiance’ and are of persian/islamic origin (though the name Tara has several origins, I’m going for the persian one for that too)

[jenakuns]

Posts like these are interesting to me. This ability to put together a small collection incorrectly used facts into a very opinionated piece and then it does really well. It reminds me of those tiktoks that talk about, well anything really.

Dunning krueger is obviously overused and even by using that term, in turn I am operating under the sphere of it. Idk, I personally like to imagine it as a graph, where you have a graph relating 2 variables.

Starting out in any topic area, people's knowledge of a subject looks something like this. Pretty rad right?

When you learn a couple facts or concepts, suddenly you're able to put together a trend. Bam you can form opinions and make tumblr posts about them. You don't even have to understand the data points.

The actual data scenario looks something like this. Getting a trend from it is cursed and requires basically ignoring segments under assumptions and rules.

NASA engineers considered the failure rate of some critical shuttle parts to be about 1 in 100

Appears to be a reference to the figure in this article (which if it is, would make it a misquote on a couple layers), although I really have no clue, half of what Shuttle engineers did was risk analysis (there's a lot of figures). Honestly it was a lot worse than that, those first missions were like a 1/10 on a LOC/V happening, which is utterly nuts.

Now what is the failure of Shuttle, given that we appear to be discussing this at length. Umm. There's a lot of context that I really can't bring to bear. Early Shuttle is easier I guess. It's a mixture of "operational vehicle" that didn't allow things to be fixed, budget restraints and programmatic launch fever.

Compromises occur in reality and failures will generally happen in those spaces, but that doesn't mean the compromise is at fault. It's just something you have to handle and manage. But anyways; this is history from 30 years ago; it's pertinence to NASA in 2024 doesn't seem that clear, given the learning in between those periods.

Do you know that NASA engineers currently have no idea how many rocket launches the next mission in the Artemis program (in 2 years!)

It's not no idea; it's a rough idea. Starship has a lot of engineering parameter's and challenge's to deal with and it's performance is a little bit varied. But ~18 launches is a number to b

The schedule has been a joke since before the lander was selected; no it's not 2026 or even like 2028; 2030 maybe. I wouldn't be worried about them flying before they're ready in regards to humans, so they'll push schedule way before they'll compromise on safety. This is a big difference from Shuttle era.

has never been attempted before on any spacecraft

How dare NASA fund efforts to attempt something that has never been done before. They should only stick to things that have been done. That's how we have always made progress as a society and in regards to technology.

because said vehicle does not actually exist at time of writing?

Yes and

no.

Obviously the vehicle which is capable of supporting and actually being the lunar lander isn't here yet. But there is clear progression to point to. We have another 2 launches in like the next 2 months. People tend to get caught up in the moment and argue about the technical trades of the second and ignore the trend upwards. Oh wow tents good, factories bad; nah bro, but the factory is here now anyways and producing hardware at a good rate.

SpaceX being contracted to deliver a supply of cryogenic fuel to the crewed Orion capsule in orbit

The fuck are you talking about. Ok that's a little harsh, but this is what I mean bro with the dunning. Saying this shows that you have a fundamental lack of knowledge about the architecture and in general the vehicle designs. Orion is launched by the SLS rocket to a lunar orbit (NRHO). It docks with the Starship lunar lander variant, but that is just to transfer crew from the capsule to the lander (and back after the landing). The propellant transfer is between Starship tankers and the lander (and the depot, dw about it), to give the lander full tanks so it can conduct the mission.

I mean Orion can't even be refuelled by Starship because it uses MON/MMH propellants and Starship supplies methalox. There's a really funny thing you/I could bring up, but it won't happen.

every single mechanism fails

It would take 1 to cause the issue as described. And that's not an issue for Starship, single stage baby; but there's a whole bunch of other things so it doesn't really matter.

swing-out crane as the only entry and egress point

This whole hating on cranes being complex and high risk as a technical is something I've always found hilarious. Like bro this is literally riding on rocket science where you have some of the most crazy compact mechanical engineering pushing the limits of material science and it's like; 'nah bro lunar gravity elevators are complicated.' Apparently SpaceX agrees because that's basically the only HLS hardware they've shown lol.

Artemis' proposed lander, on the other hand, is planned to be a vehicle whose design didn't even include heatshields until it was realised it would obviously need heatshields

This is a bizarre, blatantly wrong and an utterly hilarious point because I think I understand how you came to this misunderstanding. See the early SN5-SN11 flights didn't have full heatshields and I think you saw that and assumed that it was the vehicle as intended. But no, it was always intended to have heatshields, just for those early prototypes that wasn't the priority; developing propulsion, avionics and fluid systems was.

And more to the point, the lander doesn't use/need a heatshield . Again showing your lack of understanding.

are ceramic tiles bolted after-the-fact directly through the steel hull

They are bolted to, not through, but the attachment is a weak point right now so you can keep this.

decided to mass-produce the original-design hull sections all at once for all the 'starships' first, before doing any integrated testing.

No. Running out of energy to explain, but like half of the complaints with the program is too much integrated testing.

The Accords came after Artemis; the program does not exist just to shove these new space operation rules down peoples throats to enable commercial exploitation of the Moon. Rather, the ideas set out in the Accords are for enabling/streamlining the ops on and around the Moon for Artemis. If you hate the concept of cities on the Moon this is bad, but I see it as an absolute win.

Artemis Accords not being signed by Russia/China is unsurprising and not the slam dunk people think it is(?); US is funding a war against one and the other one is it's geopolitical rival. Every single other relevant space power has signed it, so it's obviously doing something right. Outer Space Treaty was written in the 1960s, the expectation that legislation from then would still be entirely accurate after 60 years of development and geopolitical change is unreasonable. Utilisation of space resources is important for the future of space and I don't think it's unreasonable to set up principles to allow for it.

Something bad is going to happen, and it's going to happen for the sake of SpaceX and the military-industrial complex at large.

Look I'm not going to say that something bad is not going to happen, because landing on the Moon is hard and very dangerous.

And it's happening because human exploration of Moon good; well that's not convincing, but I've never been good at doing HSF justifications.

Idk, this is kinda just an elaborate tangent for me ay.

Did you know that NASA engineers considered the failure rate of some critical shuttle parts to be about 1 in 100 (significantly greater than what NASA upper-management considered the failure rate to be, and what was considered at all acceptable by the certification process)?

Do you know that NASA engineers currently have no idea how many rocket launches the next mission in the Artemis program (in 2 years!) is meant to involve, because the mission plan relies on SpaceX being contracted to deliver a supply of cryogenic fuel to the crewed Orion (™ Lockheed-Martin) capsule in orbit - a procedure that 1: has never been attempted before on any spacecraft, let alone the Orion™ capsule, not even in uncrewed technology demonstration flights; and 2: would require an as-of-yet unknown number of SpaceX 'Starship' launches, because said vehicle does not actually exist at time of writing?

Did you know they're planning on using this 'starship' as the crewed lander? A design for a lunar ascent vehicle, that is, that does not use hypergolic fuel, that relies on a swing-out crane as the only entry and egress point? During the original moon landings, the LEM had so many redundant methods to make sure it got astronauts off the surface of the moon, that in the most absurd, extreme case, where every single mechanism fails, there's a procedure trained into the astronauts to climb around the outside of the capsule, take a pair of bolt-cutters from the equipment box, physically cut the couplings holding the capsule to the lander stage, and take off to get home. Artemis' proposed lander, on the other hand, is planned to be a vehicle whose design didn't even include heatshields until it was realised it would obviously need heatshields, which are ceramic tiles bolted after-the-fact directly through the steel hull, because SpaceX had decided to mass-produce the original-design hull sections all at once for all the 'starships' first, before doing any integrated testing.

We're seeing the exact attitude that led to the shuttle disasters not being prevented now expressing itself in (and even through) the Artemis program, a project pushed harder and faster through the gates than it should be, by a government (and NASA administration thereby) desperate to advance the eponymous Artemis Accords (that goes unsigned by China, Russia, and much of the world) and reneg on all previous space charters that onsidered ownership, commercial exploitation, and military usage of space forbidden. Something bad is going to happen, and it's going to happen for the sake of SpaceX and the military-industrial complex at large.

[uselessheretic]

idk how to explain this exactly, but ofmd is a very straight forward show while still being layered and full of additional information if you pay attention to the details. it doesn't purposefully obfuscate, but it does hold high rewatch value where the visuals esp inform the scene and lets you look into the characters thought processes.

not everything the characters say is the full truth, and there is unreliable narration and warped perspectives that we are supposed to dig deeper into. however, just because there can be unreliable narrators, doesn't mean everything that disagrees with your interpretation of a character can be chalked up to "the show says that, but it probably means this bc i think that makes more sense"

a good example is stede's perception of mary and his feelings of isolation. the first time we see stede flashback to his family, we see him distant from them where when he tries to join in on the conversation at the dinner table, he's silently shut down and ignored. if we went from this interaction alone, we would assume that mary dislikes stede and isolates him from his family. that means when stede questions if his family really thinks he's dead "or did mary report me dead out of spite" would have some traction.

but we aren't supposed to view this as 100% true and the show demonstrates that for us. it tips us off in the first episode where the ending shows an alternative family dynamic of him talking and laughing with his family. it draws a direct contrast where as an audience we have to question which of the two dinner scenes is the correct dynamic. we also can infer mary isolating stede is possibly not the complete truth when you rewatch the first dinner scene and see that nothing is spoken to stede directly. there's an exaggerated stare and pause to show that his family doesn't want him to be in the conversation, but if we look at the scene as possibly biased, we can see that if you change the length of pauses (something that can be easily warped in your memory of perspective) it's entirely possible to completely subvert the tone of the scene without adjusting any of the dialogue.

throughout the series we receive other cues that let us know that we can't trust stede's perspective on his family and mary especially. episode 4 shows their actual interactions but this time the camera doesn't exclusively favor stede. we see things that contradict the scenes in episode 1 where stede is actually the one who's more distant to mary. there's moments where he straight up ignores her, but we don't see the same from mary.

this eventually gets wrapped up in episode ten when we view the story through mary's perspective. we learn that she's actually a very empathetic figure with her own life and needs, but also one who genuinely wishes for stede's happiness. this realization isn't out of left field because the story took care to challenge the narrative we see from stede's perspective. this makes the difference between a good plot twist vs a bad one where rewatching the show from the beginning, we're able to pick up the clues throughout that leads up to that moment.

compare this with izzy's claim that he's been doing most of the work while ed's been slacking in ep 4. i would assume that almost everything izzy says in his little tantrum he throws at ed is true because the narrative doesn't give us anything to contradict this and shows us examples throughout the episode and series. the only thing i can think of that can be taken as a contradiction is "i have massaged this crew when they've questioned your judgment" because we see that his way of doing that is just yanking fang's beard. that isn't enough in my opinion to discredit him (and also i honestly think shows that he's not lying??) because what we see isn't that izzy lies, it's that he has a different idea of what "massage" means. but we do see a crew member doubt blackbeard and we see izzy immediately shut it down. we don't see fang go back to questioning blackbeard either, but complaining about izzy instead. so has the crew questioned blackbeard's judgment? yes. has izzy stopped that line of questioning? yes. is it a good way or sustainable? no which is why izzy's fucking rage quitting in the first place because he's tired of doing it! even izzy calling ed half insane doesn't contradict this because part of blackbeard's image is that he's half crazy because the blackbeard legend is built on fear.

like i said, i would guess almost everything izzy says in his rant is true because the show makes sure to demonstrate that the things he's complaining about are happening. we see ed have erratic mood swings. we see ed allow crew members to die because he wanted to save stede. we see ed act out in eccentric ways where we see that he has a purpose with a lot of it, but that this behavior isn't abnormal and isn't something izzy's making up. izzy's accusing ed of not shouldering his share of the weight for the last few years and we see this demonstrated throughout the episode where ed complains about always needing a plan and that he's tired of it. we also know this true because ed says so himself when he tells stede "i don't even need to be on the boat."

the episode continues doing all this without ever having us question izzy's legitimacy. it goes out of its way to confirm it actually by choosing to end the episode with ed talking to izzy. when izzy tries to apologize and take back the harshness, giving the narrative a chance to decide whether to doubt his earlier rant, it then confirms it as true with edward telling him "you were right. about all of it."

anyways i feel like this is all super fucking obvious and i'm dying about how this is even a debate of "is it true that izzy is overworked due to ed being depressed and burnt out?" when the show LITERALLY says "yeah it's true" and then provides you 30 mins worth of sources