#but this is the sort of general overview and order of events

[yulecatt]

If you’re still into mystery dungeon, can I ask you a question about your PMD story?

I read in your post with the fire type starter statue that fire types were oppressed in the past, do you think you could please go into more detail about that? It sounds really interesting!

Yee I can give an explanation on that! Lil long so it'll be explained under the cut:

So basically fire type Pokemon in this setting have always had at least a low level of stigma against them due to the sort of general fear of wildfire and other forms of fire destruction and its associations. There are a few other Pokemon types who see similar stigmas against them such as dragon types (for reasons similar to fire types), ghost+dark (because other mons are afraid of them), and bug (for reasons like "pestilence" and again fear).

There was an event in this setting known as the "Reign of Fire", which was an attempt at conquest a few hundred years ago by a Charizard known as Blast Burn, who lead a small band across the continent razing the countryside and homes with intent to claim territory and rule unchallenged. During this time, humanity had disappeared not very long ago, which gave opportunities for various Pokemon extremist groups to try and assert power and control.

Eventually, retaliation groups formed and hunted down and killed Blast Burn and his close allies. But when they succeeded with that, misplaced blame and preexisting bias encouraged some of these Pokemon to continue with an elimination effort against fire type Pokemon, worsening the deadly conflict.

So for a while there was a cycle of persecution, which didn't exactly see a peaceful end. Instead the only end to the conflict came when various anti-fire type organizations saw their disbanding over leaders dying or going into hiding (one such major figure being a Golduck known as Redgem).

You started to see a rise in places labeling themselves as explicitly pro-fire type to combat the lingering conflicts, and it only really ended "fully" when enough non-fire types showed their support through policy and direct action.

Even in the modern age there remains some stigma, some areas worse than others, but thankfully the systemic aspect has almost entirely disappeared. Like with any kind of oppression though there are still some who are generationally affected, whether through loss of homes, family, etc. Some areas also still have policies in place that check for fire type discrimination.

NOTE: As a sort of disclaimer I wanna mention that this is not meant to like, represent or mirror any specific real world oppression or conflict. It's not an intentional allegory cuz I think it can be easy to kind of make yknow "fantasy racism" types of things represent issues wrong. This is simply a form of oppression that exists solely within this setting, even if it borrows some language from some of the ways people advocate and talk about oppression+discrimination.

[irrealisms]

Hey so I want to get into lifesteal. I don’t exactly feel like watching hundreds of hours of vods. I did also watch one of the three hour long summaries by one of the members but most of it went right over my head. At this point I’m mainly interested in watching pangi’s and clown’s pov. Could you catch me up with the lore and maybe recommend a few vods?

absolutely!!! the first thing i'll say is that lifesteal is sort of like hermitcraft or the life series (if you're familiar with those), in that it has multiple seasons, each of which is on a different server and comes with new teams/plotlines/builds/etc., although they do sometimes reference past seasons. so if you want to only watch some seasons and not others, that's an option! both pangi and clown joined in s2 and are still members today in s6; clown is imo most famous for his s3, which is where clownzy comes from.

(if you don't want to watch hundreds of hours of vods but don't mind watching like a hundred hours of edited videos i also have playlists of all the edited videos buuuuuut i assume that you do not want to do that either lol. i'll link the playlists of Just clown and Just pangi povs though bc those should b shorter!)

the good news is that clown doesn't really stream and does make edited videos, and pangi is also pretty good at making edited videos. the bad news is that pangi streams a lot. the other good news is that i love Talking About Lifesteal.

uhhhh first off. some edited-video playlists:

clownpierce s2 (11 videos, 2.5 hours)

pangi s2 (2 videos, 15 minutes)

clownpierce s3 (9 videos, 3.5 hours)

pangi s3 (5 videos, 45 minutes)

clownpierce s4 (3 videos, 1 hour)

pangi s4 (10 videos, 2 hours; has some videos not by pangi if they are relevant to pangi's story)

clownpierce s5 (7 videos, 3 hours)

pangi s5 (2 videos, 30 minutes)

[there are no clownpierce videos for s6]

pangi s6 (16 videos, 2.5 hours)

general overviews of the seasons and whether/how much i recommend them:

i quite like clownpierce's s2; it's kinda old and a bit messy, it's from when he and lifesteal really blew up as youtubers, and also from when he was cracked at crystal pvp. he's very involved in the ~main plot, between the M.O.B. (clown's team) and the Poggies (parrot's team). he gets some delightful monologues and fun moments. if you have derangements about Content and Narrative within mcyt the way i do i definitely recommend his s2. pangi ... only joins halfway through s2 and doesn't really do much lol

clownpierce's s3 is REALLY good. there is a reason that clownzy is the #1 lifesteal ship on ao3, and it's because of clown and branzy's s3. i personally prefer branzy pov of s3 tbh but clown pov is also quite good! evil clown runs casino, falls in love, does a lot of scamming and murder. very good imo. pangi's s3 is good but kind of forgettable imo, although it (especially the last video) is good as leadup for...

pangi's s4! once again i REALLY like pangi's s4. (not to brag but you can spot me in the twitch chat of one of his videos.) he gets very involved in the plot this season; he starts shit with the NPPP, clownpierce, and team awesome, in that order, and has a deeply messy relationship with princezam, including "princezam literally flying to the netherlands and using pangi's minecraft account to give pangi's hearts to his enemies", "princezam pretending to be on pangi's side when pangi declares himself king only to actually be double-agenting", and "pangi traps a suicidal princezam in bedrock". love those guys. and pangi's s2-3 (but ESPECIALLY the princezam empire) sets up their friendship a bit more if you end up interested in them! you can skip the valentines date & escape room if you are primarily watching for major plot events, they're very filler-y, but they're a fun time and they were pangi videos from s4 so

clown's s4 is. fine? it's got one video of "this event is also covered in the pangi playlist" (shades vs clown duel) and two videos that are fun for clown but pretty disconnected from The Rest Of The Server. that said if s3 got you invested in clownzy you should check out I Trapped Him In Minecraft's Safest Base. clown basically did not log on for most of s4 and it shows ToT

pangi's s5 is another. it's fine? it's really really short. it is literally two videos. one of my favorite s5 streams that never went anywhere or got made into a video is related to pangi but it, uh, never went anywhere or got made into a video lol. tl;dr: he and zam are teammates this season! for real this time and they aren't going to have a big dramatic breakup!!! this lasts...about half the season until they have a big dramatic breakup (not shown in the youtube videos, which are all set before that). he also got involved in some Dragon Egg Shenanigans and started some shit with subz early-season but nothing huge.

clown gets more involved again in s5! he's not quite as involved as he was in s2-3 but he is There for a lot of stuff: he makes the PMC with Minutetech, Leowook, and Sort Of Branzy, doesn't log on for a while, logs back on to help with the scavenger hunt during void arc (aka "do our scavenger hunt or else we turn all of spawn into void"), and then betrays the PMC for end-of-server. there's some good stuff in there imo.

pangi's s6 is ... mostly just Silly Bits rather than Getting Involved, both in videos and vods. that said it might be worth watching some of it as a realm viewer bc it's the origin of his current bits--eg the therapy thing is a lifesteal s6 original!

in terms of character stuff about the two of them:

with clown there are a couple things i want to talk about. the main thing everyone talks about is clownzy, and i'd also like to talk about the broader phenomenon that creates clownzy, which is that clown really loves having a Little Guy: someone who's kind of pathetic and bad at pvp, so that clown can Protect Them and be a little threatening to them and even more threatening to their enemies. the other thing i want to talk about is actually not clownzy-related? clown likes (and is quite good at!) playing evil menacing villains, but he's in many ways a believer in politeness and fair play; he's a very gracious loser, to the point where lifestealers have said before that they feel kinda bad when they win against him, and he tends to strongly favor fair fights over traps or exploits. which is interesting to me! uhhhh another thing that's interesting is that (as is the case with many/most lifestealers) his videos tend to editorialize; his s3 especially stands out to me for this, for a few moments but one that stands out to me is that when mr. cube successfully rigs the casino against him he just cuts this out of his video even though he's got the moments right before and right after it in his video.

with pangi something that sticks out to me is .... well first of all i could talk about his relationship with zam for aaaaaaages. there's a thing there of. he and zam are quite close ooc, and so zam tends to take him for granted as an ally, even when zam treats him quite poorly and doesn't prioritize him? this was most obvious in s4 but i would say even in s5 when they teamed up again uhhhhhh zam does very much (a) find another team that zam ends up much closer with (b) plan to spawnkill pangi. but pangi's still very much in a position where his strongest/closest relationship is usually zam. there's also a thing where he's currently known as a Silly Lighthearted Bits guy and not someone who gets seriously involved in the LoreTM and i think sometimes people forget that this wasn't always true? but even in s4 when he was much more involved in things there's some level of disconnect; in late s4 there was a lot of "major developments happen while pangi's asleep, the next day zam catches pangi up on everything that happened". and i would also argue that all of this is v related to pangi being european time zone and lifesteal being overwhelmingly american. it's harder for pangi to form strong bonds or get super involved in things when people are just... not online at the same time as him.

uhhhh also if u just want to jump in w s6 u can do that. pangi hasn't had any Big Lore this season you can just start watching him. go for it. clown doesn't really stream it bc he hates us but he hasn't done much in s6 so far so if he starts doing stuff, again, you won't be missing things, u can just jump in

i was going to talk more about the lore for each season beyond whether i recommend it, since you mostly wanted me to give summaries that catch you up, buuuuuut this post is already absurdly long. most of my favorite pangi vods either got made into videos or i mostly enjoy them for other characters (e.g. there are at least three pangi s4 vods i really like because zam is being incredibly suicidal in them lol) BUT. have the princezam-pangi divorce vod from s5 in which zam tries to spawnkill pangi bc zam needs hearts and pangi gets away and then they argue for like an hour. this is the aforementioned stream that never got made into a video. i know it is a zam pov stream but i really like it for pangi as well :3

if you prefer vods to edited videos and want me to recommend a few others that did make it to videos, or if you want a more in-depth summary of any of the seasons: just send another ask and i will happily yap more!!! this is kinda all over the place bc i'm sick rn but i will do my best. i am torn between "i hope this wasn't too long" and "i am worried it should have been significantly longer in order to actually answer your questions abt lore instead of just linking videos" lol but ! as i said feel free to just, send another ask, u have no idea how excited i was to get this ask, i love talking about lifesteal ^w^

[genshinrpserver]

Hanami Matsuri, Genshin Edition (Updated 3/4/25)

Inazuma's Sakura trees are in full bloom and we are visiting! There's more than enough to do with all sorts of activities, it seems... where do you wanna go first? Hi! We are a Genshin Impact roleplaying server and we're holding a spring event! In this writing event, we are visiting the beautiful Inazuma where a handful of festival activities have been organised. Take this moment to interact with people you have never seen before and celebrate the new spring! (Read: characters who have never interacted in canon, can find each other here and start a friendship 🙂) There's something to do for everyone! Aside from the general areas where one can dilly dally and enjoy some leisurely time off, or get your adrenaline pumping in one of the many tournaments that will be hosted! Here's a quick overview of what you can expect:

Sword Fighting Tournament (Yashiori Island)

Arataki Itto’s Beetle Battle Bazaar (Kannazuka)

Capture The Flag (Seirai Island)

Haiku Competition (Watatsumi Island)

LIVE Haiku Reading and Winner announcement

There are a few simple rules.

Please follow all the rules that are listed in the discord server, first and foremost.

The event will run until May 20th.

Our server has a word minimum of 100 words to avoid one liners and give your writing partners something to work with.

There has been a word MAXIMUM installed for this event. Please try to remain around the 300 words max. A couple words over is no biggie, but we wanna avoid having whole bookworks to read in order to keep the pace quick.

LIVE Haiku Reading and Winner announcement – 17 May (Competition deadline)

Remember, this is a fun and lighthearted event. Try to keep triggering topics as far away from this as you can. This is not a place for traumatic character development.

Considering this is an already existing server, some characters have already been taken(see image above), but we'd love to have more people join us! Please refer to the previous post to learn more about our server before joining: https://www.tumblr.com/genshinrpserver/771675827434881024/genshin-roleplayers-wanted-hello-we-are 

Please DM me on Discord at @/exposeburnout to join. I barely check my tumblr messages(skill issue on my end) so discord truly is your best bet.

[homestuckreplay]

chumhandle etymology pt.3

Today on Rose and Dave's computer we saw the presumably final seven of the twelve trolls - Jade has counted twelve (p.1000), and between the twelve trolls and four kids all two-letter combinations of A, T, C and G are represented. These are the letters representing DNA bases in both real-world DNA sequencing and in ectobiology, as practiced imperfectly by Rose and her mom (p.934)

I wrote about the beta kids' chumhandles here, and the first five trolls (CG, AG, TA, TC, CA) here - now here's a quick overview of the rest of the set.

gallowsCalibrator [GC] – execution by hanging, or the structure made for it, and an instrument used as a reference to check that similar instruments perform accurately, or the person operating that instrument. So this is the person who ensures the gallows are used correctly, a real middle manager who doesn’t order or carry out executions themself, but enables them still. Possibly like a Jack Noir or a level below him.

arsenicCatnip [AC] – a toxic heavy metal used in car batteries, bullets, semiconductors and pesticides/herbicides, and a plant related to mint that is loved by many cats, or colloquially anything that is irresistible to someone. This evokes environmental destruction, Famine in the horsemen of the apocalypse, or more generally someone who is trying to kill or make toxic things that are enjoyed.

cuttlefishCuller [CC] – a shallow water squidlike mollusc among the most intelligent invertebrates that was once valued for its brown pigment, and a person who kills animals for population control or to eliminate rejects. This is a ruthless person who believes in survival of the fittest and their own intellectual superiority, and only cares about other creatures in terms of what they can personally gain.

centaursTesticle [CT] – a mythical creature with the upper body of a man and the lower body of a horse, also a small solar system body between Jupiter and Neptune, and a reproductive organ in male mammals. Someone who is obsessed with physical strength and prowess, has likely internalized toxic masculinity, perhaps the sort of gym bro who takes questionable supplements to increase muscle mass. Does not seem like a super online person, so this one is surprising. Also my initials are CT and I can’t believe this is the character I got.

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] – serious, foreboding or gloomy, and Latin for a female assistant or helper. This is someone in a service role who either takes their job very seriously, or their job itself involves working with dark and forbidding forces, like the person who translates the melodious chirps and tongue-clicks of NRUB'YIGLITH, SHAMEBEAST KING OF GROTESQUERY, WRITHE-LORD OF THE MOIST BEYONDHOOD (p.303) to the general public.

apocalypseArisen [AA] – the final destruction of the world or a world-altering event capable of causing this, and something that has begun to occur, become apparent, or gotten out of bed. This one is the most passive of all the handles (alongside twinArmageddons) and basically says ‘the end of the world is about to happen, or is happening now’ which it’s hard to argue with based on the story so far. Could be a highly religious person who sees themself as an agent, prophet or herald of a higher power.

adiosToreador [AT] – Spanish for goodbye, and a participant or performer in a bullfight. This person knows five words of Spanish and thinks they’re really cool because of it. They also see themselves as the bull in the bullfight, a more raw and animal strength instead of the fighter’s honed technique, and are probably a counterpart or rival to centaursTesticle.

Much like the first five, all of these names have negative connotations, although these vary between physical pain, disease and toxicity, dark bureaucracy, and cosmic-scale catastrophe. These are definitely names chosen to be hostile or intimidating, it just doesn’t work well on Rose and Dave who are plenty capable of appearing hostile and intimidating by themselves. But for people more susceptible to being trolled, these chumhandles definitely feed into the abrasive personas these kids(?) are crafting.

[copperbadge]

Hi Sam! Recently diagnosed midlife ADHDer here. First, thanks for talking about your ADHD & sharing what you’re figuring out. It’s super helpful to someone on a similar trajectory.

I just saw a reference to your photo books for the first time & it seems like a great way to help with memory issues that come with ADHD (like I know I did [x thing] but when?). Could you talk a little about the process of collecting photos & such all year & then how you create one?

Thank you!

Ey, happy to have helped! Congrats and sympathies on your diagnosis. And honestly it's good for me too, talking all this out, it helps me get my thoughts in order. I often namedrop you guys to Therapist, you are "my readers" :D

The process of putting the photobooks together is...well, it's a lot, so this is going to be a super high-level overview, but basically yeah I wanted to have records of where I'd been and what I'd been doing that were more concrete than just digital photos on a hard drive or a cloud. But I didn't really want to just print the digital photos and put them in a box, either, so I started making photobooks. Usually I go through Walgreens or Shutterfly for printing, whichever has the good coupons when I'm working on it.

So, here's the weird, kind of obsessive part: a huge help in making a yearly photobook, for me, is the fact that I take my photos off my phone at the end of every month. I have some that live on the phone -- my growing collection of photos of my niece, a selection of photos from my Europe trip, some memes -- but those live in their own folders. The main camera roll gets downloaded every month, and I put them all in a file labeled with the month and year (2023-01, 2023-02, etc). It's a recurring task in my to-do list, that I offload the photos on the last Saturday of each month. You don't necessarily have to do it this way, though -- it's just what works best for me, and I encourage people to find a way to do things that will actually be functional for them.

Across the course of the year, although really moreso in October and November, I go through the photos and remove any I absolutely know I don't want to keep. Once I've done that, I save a copy of the whole year's worth of photos to my digital archive, and I take another copy and label it "FOR PHOTOBOOK" which allows me to do more culling of them than I otherwise would, because I know anything I delete is still in my archive. And this all has the advantage of me knowing that the photos in my archive are at least SOMEWHAT organized.

So I go through all the year's photos in the For Photobook file, month by month, sort them into folders by event (so there's, like, 01-Polar Vortex, or 04-Europe, or 09-Birthday) and clear out all but the photos I know I want most. My photobooks are generally longer than the default length they give you at most sites, so I usually do have to add a few pages (they're like $1/page or something) but not too many. Often these days I have some stuff that's events, like the Europe trip, and then some stuff that's just like....a folder of funny shit I saw in Chicago, or a folder of all the food I photographed that I want to save. The cats generally get their own four-page spread at the back. :D

In 2020, I will say, there were only two themes: CATS and COVID. I alternated pages.

Anyway, once I've got the photos sorted, and deleted any I don't want to include, I get on Shutterfly or Walgreens Photo and start up a new photobook project. I upload the first folder of photos, place them on the page with suitable captions, then upload the second folder of photos, etc etc, until all the photos are uploaded and placed in the book. I don't caption extensively -- often it'll just be a page that'll say like "TEXAS IN JULY!" and all the photos from that trip. But it definitely does help me keep track of what I was up to. And it's kind of soothing to review the year and see all the stuff I accomplished.

So that's the bare bones -- by all means feel free to ask questions, although if you guys wouldn't mind asking in comments or reblogs if possible, that should keep the discussion contained as necessary. :)

[pokemon-heroverse]

General Overview

Heroverse is my main Pokemon AU! It gets its name from both the first arc’s central protagonist (Hero Watanabe), and the Hero Form phenomenon that exists as a result of legendary pokemon. It’s generally pretty similar to the world as it’s portrayed in the games, with the main difference being that human beings have types- just like their monster companions. As you can imagine, this alters the experience and role of humans in the pokemon world.

Beneath the readmore is some more in-depth information.

As mentioned above, humans in Heroverse possess types! Although they express differently than they do in pokemon. This is building off of the lore that humans and pokemon were once one in the same- it’s a lingering effect from that long-forgotten time. Humans are not as powerful and resilient as pokemon, but the trade-off is that they are not bound to a single type. Instead it’s something that can change, morph, and fluctuate over the course of one’s life! This is because they’re essentially aura sponges that easily absorb and transfer energy. Because of this, humans with single types are significantly less common than dual-typed ones, but far from unheard of! The expression of the types in humans also varies from individual to individual. It depends on several factors: if it’s a Temp Type or Sticky Type, what caused the type to manifest, how strongly pronounced the type energy is, the ordering of a dual typing, and even a person’s specific characteristics. Of course there’s expressions that are more and less common, but in general it’s all very flexible!

Type Change Basics:

A true type change is a phenomenon that describes when one type replaces another and leaves no trace of the type characteristics there previously. An example would be if someone goes from poison to fairy type and completely loses their poison resistance. This is a more common phenomenon in Temp Types.

A type shift on the other hand is when a type “turns into” another. One example would be someone going from ice to water type. They may keep the ice characteristic of temperature regulation and still gravitate towards cold places. This is more common with Sticky Types.

A Temp Type refers to when a type is not fully integrated into the person. It affects resistances the person may have, but does not impact them physically and can very easily be changed or shifted. A good way to think of it is like a metaphorical jacket someone can put on! Temp Types are by far more common in babies and small children, as most people have gotten at least one Sticky Type by the time they are 8 years old. It is possible for a Temp Type to “take root” and become a Sticky Type.

A Sticky Type refers to when a type is fully integrated into the person. It affects their physical characteristics, what pokemon they have special synergy with, and is generally more prominent in every way. It can only be lost or changed by extraordinary circumstances, and even type shifts are fairly rare.

What causes a change or shift in type can vary wildly. The most common cause is environmental- either in terms of the surroundings or those they are close to. If someone is bonded to a specific Pokemon, it’s entirely possible they’ll assimilate to one or both of their types! Less common causes are a psychological change in the person or as a defensive/protective response to some sort of danger or injury. Most uncommonly, some sort of impactful life event will cause a change in type! (Generally if this is the case, that person will have some sort of rare or high level type skill). Genetics are also a factor, as sometimes a specific type energy runs strong throughout a family (like with the case of the many dragon type families or the Cerulean City mermaids.)

The shifting or changing of a type is generally an uncomfortable process- especially if it’s a Sticky Type. Someone becoming a fire type may feel like they are experiencing a ceaseless hot flash as their body temperature increases, or if someone is becoming a poison type they may feel malaise or nausea while they build up immunity to their own new toxins/venom. Generally type shifts/changes are infrequent enough that this is considered as one of those unpleasant but natural parts of life. The process generally lasts a few days to a week and the length and severity of it will depend on what the type in question is, what it’s changing/shifting from, and how strong it is.

Type Effects (Defensive): Just like pokemon, humans have certain weaknesses and resistances based off of their type(s). This protection also extends to their environment. An electric type person would be significantly less harmed by contact with lightning or a live wire. A fire type person would not only be guarded against the heat, but are far less likely to develop sickness due to their high internal body temperatures. A poison type person may be all but immune to toxins- so on and so forth. It should be noted that these natural defenses are more common in Sticky Types. To use the fire type example again, someone with fire as a Temp Type may resist fire but lack the higher internal body temperature.

Type Effects (Offensive): Humans lack a lot of the battle capabilities that pokemon have. It takes someone with an unusually strong type expression to perform even extremely weak moves, and it takes a lot of aura to do so. There are a few exceptions to this rule: like if someone is in the right environment (think an ice type person out in a heavy snowstorm). Some types just happen to grant traits that are more conducive to offense: the sparks from an electric type person, the strength of a fighting type person, the toxins or venom of a poison type person, et cetera. There is also, of course, the case of Hero Forms. However, humans using moves remains a phenomenon far too unreliable for the effort it takes. The abilities of humans in Heroverse are far more conducive to partnering up with a pokemon for battle.

Type Skills: People with various types / type combos can develop type skills, which are similar to pokemon's abilities. (But not fully analogous- people can and often do have multiple type skills.)

I will go further into depth about them at a later time but the important thing to know now is that they vary wildly in rarity, and some are considered higher "level" than others. They each have different names too! Some quick examples:

Might of a Dragon - A dragon type skill where someone has elevated physical strength.

Wintry Touch - An ice type skill where someone is able to cool or in some cases freeze something they come into contact with.

Sand Diver - A ground / water type skill where someone is able to control how they interact with loose and/or water-saturated soil. They could either walk over it as if it were hard as concrete, or swim through it like a pool. This is considered a high level skill.

Again, I'll probably go more into depth in the topic of Type Skills because there's a lot to it. I just wanted to touch on it here.

Pokemon / Human Teamwork: As mentioned before, humans are very powerful conduits of aura. They can store, process, and transfer a lot of it before they start to experience detrimental effects. This not the case for pokemon, which can be greatly impacted by aura’s various forms and even driven mad by too much exposure to it. (See: rampaging dynamax pokemon or the frenzied nobles of Hisui). Because of this fact, there are some things pokemon can typically only achieve alongside a trainer, which is why many of them seek out human companionship.

One of the most common ways this partnership manifests is through the idea of type synergy. If a trainer and pokemon share a type, then the pokemon gets both an offensive and defensive boost in battle, and that type becomes more pronounced in the human over time. Pokemon and humans of the same type tend to be naturally drawn to one another, as well. This is why so many trainers are type experts!

Additionally, trainers will give STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus) to pokemon that are using a move that matches their type…even if the pokemon does not. An example would be if a water type trainer had a pikachu that knew Surf, then the pikachu would be able to use the move with the same power and proficiency as a water type pokemon.

The presence of a trainer impacts how “battle phenomena” are used as well (things like Z-Moves, Dynamax, Terastallization, and Mega Evolution). Typically the aura flux is so great that these phenomena can have negative effects on the pokemon that are experiencing them. But the presence of a trainer to process that excess energy means that a pokemon can use them safely and often to greater proficiency than in the wild! (Note: in a lot of cases, an item or special location is often required to perform these special actions. But in specifically Mega Evolution’s case, it can occur without a Mega Stone or Key Stone…but it’s very rare and it usually leaves the trainer and/or pokemon with some sort of injury. That’s why Mega Evolution is considered the most dangerous documented battle phenomenon to-date.)

Additionally, humans are able to perform “cheers” which can boost their pokemon’s stats or even heal them in the heat of battle!

All of this works best when the trainer and pokemon share a strong bond and/or are perfectly united in a goal. Friendship literally makes a trainer and pokemon stronger, sometimes allowing for impossible things to happen (i.e. a pokemon withstanding a super effective hit that would have usually knocked it out). There are even some pokemon that will evolve after having become friends with their human companion! (As a side note, in addition to normal friendship evolutions, a human’s type can trigger what would normally be a stone evolution. So if, say, an ice type person had an eevee and evolved it through friendship, there would be a chance that they would become a glaceon.

Hero Forms:

The Hero Form phenomenon is a change that humans undergo as the result of one or more legendary pokemon granting them a share of their power. (Note for the AU: under the legendary pokemon umbrella I’m including all mythical pokemon, the paradox counterparts of legendary pokemon [i.e. iron crown and walking wake], and the ultra beast guzzlord). Hero Forms are the only battle phenomena that a human undergoes. It’s somewhere between a magical girl transformation and Mega Evolution.

Due to one of its requirements being the willing participation of at least one legendary pokemon, the occurrence of hero forms is considered quite rare. They tend to be forged during some sort of crisis, as generally that’s when such a being would seek out the assistance of a human trainer. A person who has been granted a Hero Form is generally left with that ability permanently, even if they are never in close proximity with that pokemon again.

Each Hero Form is completely unique, but there are a few physical traits they almost universally share. The first is a costume which is determined (in order) by: the powers of the Hero Form, the legendary pokemon that the Form’s power stems from, the human’s personal idea of what a “hero” looks like, the setting/circumstances in which the Hero Form first emerged, and the personal aesthetic tastes of the human. The hair also tends to grow longer and/or change styles, though how dramatic of a change this is varies from person to person. Lastly, a Hero Form usually brings with it a temporary type change. Due to the supernatural nature of this change, the human in question does not experience the typical side effects. If the type of the person does not change, then its power gets boosted dramatically. Additionally, some people experience other temporary physical changes (i.e. a person who suddenly gains the dragon type in their Hero Form may grow fangs.)

The abilities of a Hero Form come in two main categories, with the first being passive effects. Essentially, when they are acting as a trainer their presence affects ally pokemon and/or alters the field. Some examples include Chelidon Moon protecting her pokemon from all status conditions and Ether Emerald’s presence nullifying weather effects. Some Hero Forms are designed to compliment one another- like with Sword Hero maxing out ally pokemon’s attack stats and Shield Hero maxing out their defense stats. Powerful enough on their own, but together they form a veritable wall. Humans are also able to battle when they are in a Hero Form! Their physical durability is greatly increased, they can use powerful attacks, and most come equipped with a specialized weapon they can summon at will.

A Hero Form is certainly a force to be reckoned with- maybe even a little overpowered, but they come with a pretty big caveat that generally prevents their casual use. They are generally sustained with aura, and slowly drain the life energy of their user. Passive effects require much less aura to sustain than actively battling, but Hero Forms can generally only be sustained for a few minutes to a few hours. A fail-safe exists to prevent the aura drain from becoming life-threatening… if someone maintains a Hero Form for too long or uses too much aura with an attack, they will immediately revert to their ordinary self and enter a forced sleep state until they recover. Said sleep state can last for a few hours to a few days, so it’s best to avoid it. Even if a person doesn’t reach their limits, the use of a Hero Form generally leaves the person in question feeling completely exhausted afterwards. A person’s tolerance for sustaining a Hero Form depends on a few factors: how powerful their aura is, how many pokemon are influencing the Hero Form (generally more pokemon = more drain), and how close of bond they have with the pokemon that gave them their power.

Hero Forms are known about by virtually everyone in the world, and anyone who is known to possess one is generally revered as important. This, coupled with the reclusive nature of most legendary pokemon, means that every Hero Form is under a “spell” of sorts where they are unrecognizable to others. The “spell” can be broken if someone directly witnesses the transformation occur or if the person with a Hero Form does something to make themselves recognizable (i.e. Leon didn’t recognize Sword Hero as Hop until he addressed him as “Lee”)

One final tidbit: the Hero Form phenomenon has some cultural connections with palafin’s Zero to Hero ability! The ability was named with the phenomenon in mind due to the parallels. (Although, it should be noted that if you called someone a “Zero Form Human” they would probably get kind of offended.)

[phoneguyfnafmonth]

With Phone Guy month set to begin in 2 days, here's a quick overview...

You can do any prompt in any order.

You can repeat prompts; you can do the same prompt as many times as you like.

You can mix prompts.

You don't have to rigidly stick to the prompt; it's supposed to inspire not restrict.

NO AI generated anything.

You do not have to do all prompts.

You can start drawing for this event now. You could have started drawing for this event when I first posted the event.

You can use this as an excuse to pull some Faz-instructor art out of your backlog pile of stuff that you have drawn but not publicly posted (if you can match it to a prompt).

Please state what prompt(s) you are using in any given drawing, whether it be a verbal "I am using prompts x and y" or tagging (see later for tag format).

Any of FNAF's human mentors are accepted, so Phone Guy, Phone Dude, and Tape Girl (Kim too, but she's generally considered one of the Phone Guys anyway so should be obvious).

You can use any design for these characters that you have permission to use! You can use your own AU, a friends AU, any personas your Faz-instructor may portray, any digital avatars they may assume control over, a funger inspired moonscorched form, anything as long as it's clear from either the art or description! As long as it's clearly identifiable from description or art that it is one of FNAF's human mentors, go nuts! For "this is what they look like in this scenario" (such as a disguise that alters their appearance beyond recognition or a moonscorch), the description should clear that up. For being a part of another non-Faz-Instructor character (such as a Tape Girl controlled glitchtrap or a stuffed phone guy), it must be portrayed in the art in some identifiable way.

You can keep posting for this after August is over; nobody will stop you.

Things tagged for Phone Guy Month will be rebloged to this blog, so for ease of be being able to find and sort it:

Tag what you make with "PhoneGuyMonth2024", like this post and the other Phone Guy Month announcement posts so that I can find it.

You can tag the prompt too if you want using 'prompt number - prompt name', eg "17 - Springlocks". I will tag what I reblog in this way.

If you want an edge-case clearing up, send in an ask (Return Call). There is no such thing as a stupid question.

[valdazine]

OVERVIEW OF INVOLVEMENT.

Here I'll outline Izren's involvement in all the games. The throughline is purifying Valdasine Thaig, at least after DA:O. I intend to paint his involvement in broad strokes to allow for plotting.

DA:O.

Izren was joined in the Free Marches, but when Duncan reaches out to other branches of the order leading up to the Fifth Blight, he requestes a transfer. Being a native of Orzammar, he can further Warden relations with them — and perhaps visit his family. Unfortunately, he lands in Ferelden shortly after the Wardens have been declared traitors. He narrowly escapes being arrested. With the coast cut off to him, he sets out west.

He's resupplying at The Spoiled Princess on the shores of Lake Calenhad when he encounters the Warden's party. He decides to join up with them. His only personal quest is to visit his family when the Warden goes to Orzammar. All-in-all the easiest thing the Warden will do in the city.

Of greater importance is the reclamation of Soldier's Peak. Though Izren finds Avernus' methods abhorrent, his research does inspire Izren. This leads to an interest in Blight magic he tries to keep discreet. He, like the others, is recalled to Weisshaupt after Urthemiel is slain to answer the First Warden's questions — and receive a verbal lashing. He does not take the latter well, but he does obey his orders when he is told to return to the Free Marches and not Ferelden.

DAII.

Izren walks a fine line with Janeka, seeking sanction to return to Valdasine Thaig without inciting her quest for power. Ultimately, he decides it is better to ask forgiveness than permission. He entices Bartrand with tales of the thaig til the latter gets it in his head to mount an expedition. Izren's permission to accompany them is begrudging but official.

His cousin, to whom he is very close, is eager to join as well and meets them below the surface. Backing from House Bromar helped get things underway, after all. Once in the thaig, Izren and his cousin break off to investigate and are left behind when Bartrand betrays his brother. Izren tries to guide them back toward Orzammar, but his cousin becomes tainted as had happened to him years ago. But when Izren asks the Wardens to Join him, they decline. His cousin's condition has progressed too far and, in any event, he isn't a good candidate. They counsel mercy. If Izren cannot grant it, one of them will.

Izren curses them all soundly. He disappears with his cousin back to Valdasine Thaig. There he puts his research, his experiments, to the test and commends his cousin to the rock. Not the Stone who would not embrace a tainted soul but to the rocks of Valdasine Thaig itself. He becomes a rock wraith. Profane. It is the only way his cousin can live until Izren finds a way to purify the taint.

Izren remains in the thaig until the beginning of Act II. He reaches out to Varric and to Hawke out of the blue. Prior to this, he's presumed dead. Among the general catch-up, he does show an interest in the idol Bartrand took. He makes Varric an offer before he leaves Kirkwall: he'll give Varric what he needs to get House Bromar off his back if Varric will truly sell the lie that he's dead. He reorients his identity as a member of House Valdasine from hereon out (to which he does have ancient ancestral ties). Guilt and shame prevent him from reaching out to his family again.

DA:I.

Izren spends the next several years in Valdasine Thaig. He refines his Blight magic, investigates the thaig, connects with the Profane. He discovers a way to purify them and by extension the thaig's lyrium by using his own soul as a sort of filter. It takes a toll on him, but that's not anyone else's business.

After red lyrium begins popping up in the world following the Divine Conclave, he joins the Inquisition as an expert. He is able to purge red lyrium from the infected who aren't too far gone. Those who still have their minds can be restored, though the process is long and painful. He has no real interest in purifying red lyrium growing on the surface, however, believing it is better off destroyed. He explains very little about how he knows what he knows or does what he does

Sometime after reaching Skyhold, Izren humbles himself to ask for the Inquisitor's help. It wasn't only the red lyrium that brought him out of Valdasine Thaig. His cousin was kidnapped by Corypheus, and he needs help getting him back. He's finally found a lead, provided by one healed of red lyrium. This opens a war table mission that leads to a ruin in the Western Approach where Corypheus is evidently experimenting on a number of magical beings, from animals to spirits to his cousin. Who the Inquisitor learns is a rock wraith. One Izren purified of the taint years ago but who has been re-tainted by Corypheus at an accelerated rate, causing him to become violently confused.

The Inquisitor can deem his cousin too great a danger and kill him outright. This will result in Izren turning on the Inquisitor. The alternative — and the default — is for the Inquisitor to allow Izren to calm his cousin. He will then purify his cousin but at a far more accelerated rate than the Inquisitor's seen him do before. The risk of losing his cousin is too great for caution. This has an adverse effect on Izren's health, and the Inquisitor will finally be able to clock that he's using Blight magic. They can dismiss him from the Inquisition afterward.

DA:TV.

Purifying Valdasine Thaig and all other tainted veins of lyrium as well as restoring the Profane to the Stone is a massive undertaking but one to which Izren is fully dedicated. He makes great strides, but it's not enough. Reclaiming the staff Valdasine was a boon, but the idol it was stored with is a key. When it comes into play, he is among those vying for it, though of course Solas beats him to it. This does not stop him from seeking any opening to get it from him.

This naturally puts him in alignment with those hunting Solas. He doesn't join them per se, but they're allies exchanging information, etc. He is therefore someone Harding reaches out to as an expert on Blight magic when the Evanuris are released.

Frankly, I need to finagle his involvement here still. This does add the House Valdasine faction, aka rock wraiths. They are rising to Orzammar's defense against the Sixth Blight. I still need to chew on specific questlines including Izren's personal questline

[tikay21]

🐺How to use hashtags on tumblr to organize a story!

It was like paddling in an open sea .... Ok, it really took me 4 years to figure out the thing with the internal hashtags on Tumblr and realize that there is an advantageous sense in them initially only working within your own blog. If you don’t really need them, the benefit isn’t immediately obvious.

Plus, the display of the most commonly used hashtags leads you to assume they are more universally intended. The advantage of internal blog hashtags didn’t click for me - until the moment I actually needed them to bring order to my blog chaos and understood that you can easily sort everything with them, especially when it comes to storytelling.

I originally thought: “I'll make sideblogs for the stories, so I can have everything neatly gathered, with matching colors and background images." However, the hashtags from the main blog don’t work in the sideblogs anymore unless I link them and unless I’ve missed something again. Now I’m wondering if I even need the sideblogs anymore. Probably not. So, new plan:

I’ll post everything on my main blog

tag it with both specific and general tags

using intern unique tags for different supposes

and that’s pretty much it. At the top of a pinned post, I’ll provide an overview of what you can find under which hashtag, and they’ll automatically function as a sorter for an entire internal storyline. Done.

Btw, thanks for the right hints, which made me take a closer look, test things out, and understand how it works by answering my question on it here ...

@figure-it-out-later and @tenyrasims - which made me think about it and especially @satureja13 for the needed key to my head to unlock this blind point🥰. from @satureja13 : ... I just make sure to tag every post properly so I can add new stuff to my pinned post. You can also keep your pinned post clean by making sub posts, like I do for my chapters, for example. ... I can find every event, character, location… within seconds. That’s what I really love about tumblr.

So, what can I do now to satisfy my need for beeing over organization🙈? Technically, I could delete the sideblogs, but I can also use them in parallel, reblogging the respective content there, and thus have everything in a separate place, visually appealing with the story-appropriate colors - for my own peace of mind or for anyone who prefers to read there. But I’ll only reblog, not post the original, so following the sideblogs isn’t really necessary - though of course, you can if you prefer the color-coordinated layout there. If I ever decide it’s all too much, I can delete the sideblogs without losing my original content, as long as I only reblog from the mainblog to the sideblogs.

Is anyone still following? Probably not,😂 but I think this works for me.

Long story short: I’m going to rearrange things once more and adjust the pinned post accordingly... and bring any duplicate content back to the main blog. My old stuff from before the long break will stay here, and maybe I’ll update broken links if I ever get bored - not that I know the meaning of the word, lol. Otherwise, it’ll just stay as it is, since there’s barely anything left in my EA gallery, except for the stuff that can’t be deleted.

Ok, here we go ...

[tavyliasin]

Pfp and blog header image by Juiciebox_art also here: @juicieboxart

Welcome to Tavylia Sin's Tumblr

This is your guide to my content and links to all of my most relevant posts and content! Please peruse at your leisure~

I'm going to keep updated links here to my posts, sorted by topic, which honestly it's 50% just for me so I stop forgetting what I've done! Please be aware that most of my content is unsuitable for minors, but I will be marking posts as SFW or NSFW as well as even those 18+ may prefer to filter content which is completely valid, so I'd like to give you that choice. Please use the titles to skim down to what you're looking for! The list in order of appearance: - Abdirak Cameo for Chronic Pain Pals - Essays and Fandom Discussions - Community Posts and Events - AO3 FanFic Directory and About Me - Character Comfort Shorts - Drabbles and Short Fics on Tumblr - Full Chapter FanFic on Tumblr - Ask Box Responses - Other Posts/Misc Side Blogs If you'd prefer reblogs of the works grouped into types: @atavsguide has all of the ongoing longfic ATG, A Tav's Guide. @tavyliaonlyfics is home to all other fanfic and one shots. @tavyliasinessays hosts the essays and thought pieces. @sins-of-the-dragon will house any Dragon Age posts I make (less common but I love DA too) @lostplotbunniesbg3 is a place to send all of your loose fic ideas to find new homes, or to find new ideas to write your own fics.

The Declan/Abdirak Cameo for Everyone Who Suffers Chronic Pain (SFW)

This one was crowd funded by a few Abdirak fans, who tend to have a deeper understanding of pain. Please feel free to share this post to anyone who might need to hear it.

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Essays and Discussions Around Characters and Fandom

These are all deeper examinations on characters, story, fandom, and the ways we connect to those characters~

Essay Link Masterpost - All Essay Links

Links to every post and a summary of them.

The Abdirak Essay - Fandom, Pain, and Loviatar's Love (Some Mild NSFW References)

A discussion around how Abdirak helps us to relate to pain, chronic pain, and each other, with a vague discussion around why pain can be pleasurable in kink.

Raphael - Archduke of Asexuals (Mostly SFW)

A look at how Raphael is actually a potential representative of Asexuality in the game, and how those under the Asexual umbrella relate to him - and each other - through this representation.

Villain-Fucker Angst Hours aka The Appeal of Raphael and Villains in General (Some NSFW References)

A general examination of the appeal of villains as romance options, with a focus on Raphael in particular.

The Highs and Lows of Being A Fandom Creative (SFW)

How our moods and confidence levels follow the same cycle, from starting a new work, to posting it, to feedback, and how to deal with those low points when a lack of feedback feels too painful to bear. Not BG3 exclusive, covers all kinds of creative things in any fandom.

Body Positivity and Representation in BG3 and Fandom (SFW)

A discussion - very much open to other experiences and backgrounds - around the importance of representation and the positivity that can be found in fan creations and in the game itself.

Disability Representation in BG3 (Masterlist) (Mixed SFW/NSFW)

A series of pieces examining how the main characters and their stories can directly or indirectly reflect the experiences of various disabilities and chronic conditions.

Tagging and Censoring FanWorks (NSFW)

A look at what kinds of content needs tagging and why we tag content in the first place. Also a brief discussion on censoring topics.

Curating Fandom Experience Online (Mostly SFW)

An overview of the online spaces we have access to for fandom, and how we can best look out for ourselves and each other when using them.

Beta Reading Guide for Readers and Writers (SFW)

A guide for new beta readers and writers to seek and give useful feedback in order to make fic writing the best it can be.

Word Choices In Erotica Writing (NSFW)

A style guide for how I choose to write, for those who want to try similar styles and themes. Absolutely not the only way to write, just an option of things to consider with samples and explanations of the techniques and choices used~

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Community Posts and Events

This is where you'll find events that I am hosting, or have hosted in the past.

Discord Server I own and run the creative focused fandom server: The House of Hopeful Sinners - see link post for details

Advice on setting up a Discord Server for Fandom (Based on HOHS layout and tools)

Redbubble Shop - silly items for silly people, with only 2-5% markup to keep the prices lower for you~

Active BG3 2025 - One Prompt Per Month (SFW Post, NSFW welcome)

A series of creative prompts across 2025 to encourage creative works of all forms! Do as much or as little as you'd like, all welcome, SFW and NSFW welcome but 18+ only for participation~

Past Events and Collections

BG3 KudosCember (SFW and NSFW) April Foolishness - Comedy Smut Event (NSFW) Baldur's Date Collection NSFW (NSFW) Baldur's Date Collection SFW (SFW) TaValentine's Day Collection (NSFW) GaleCord - Gale-ntines Collection (NSFW)

GaleCord Secret Santa Collection (NFSW)

Baldur's Date Open Creative Challenge! Artists, Writers, Creators of All Kinds! (18+ Only) (But there is an SFW side of the event)

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AO3 FanFic Directory & About The Author

This has a whole lot about me, what I do, and what I aim to write, but if you'd just like the Works Directory then these are the links you need Each directory contains links to the individual works on AO3 as well as a brief summary of the piece and word count.

Carrd - Main Page and Contacts (General links and info) Carrd - Ongoing Series Directory (ATG and Scent of Cinnamon) Carrd - One Shot Directory (Standalone Stories)

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Character Comfort Shorts

Short fanfiction pieces designed to feel comforting to a reader in some way or another. Some are specific to pains (eg, Migraine) but others are more general for any suffering (physical or psychological). They're generally written in 2nd person (you/your pronouns) and are gender neutral.

Abdirak - Migraine Comfort Yurgir - Migraine Comfort Tav - General Comfort, with Audio Multi-Character Comfort Drabbles (Astarion, Halsin, Abdirak, Raphael, Haarlep, bonus from Tavylia)

Please feel free to make requests for these in my ask box, and I will add more as I write more too.

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Drabbles and Short Fics on Tumblr

A selection of short fanfic pieces, each of these is the full piece on Tumblr.

Raphael and/or Haarlep Brat Raphael and Haarlep (NSFW) Haarlep x Non-Gendered Reader/Writer (Mild NSFW) Haarlep x f!Tav x Brat Raphael (NSFW) "Raphael is Bad in Bed" Raphael x f!Tav (NSFW) Haarlep x Raphael x f!Tav (NSFW) Haarlep x Non-Gendered Writer 2 (2nd Person, mild NSFW) Haarlep Won't Let Lia Sleep (SFW, mostly.) Raphael is a Party Favour (NSFW) Raphael and Haarlep on Fiendmas Eve (NSFW) Raphael and Haarlep Drabbles (NSFW) Haarlep x m!OC Soft Drabble (Mild NSFW) Dom and Sub Raphael (NSFW) Falling for You - Soft Raphael/Haarlep (Mild NSFW) Forbidden Papers - Raphael/Haarlep (Mild NSFW) Devil Gets His Due - DomBottom Raphael/m!Tav (NSFW) Haarlep Angst Short - The Price Of You (Mild NSFW) Raph/Haarl Angst Short - All That We Hide (NSFW) Haarlep x GN Tav - Speak of the Devil... (NSFW)

Gale Dom!Gale x f!Tav (NSFW) Dom Professor Gale x AFAB Reader (2nd Person, NSFW) Dom!Gale x Non-Gendered Reader (Mild NSFW) Dom!Gale x Non-Gendered Reader 2 (Mild NSFW) Switch!Professor Gale x Non-Gendered Assistant (NSFW) God!Gale Angst (Mostly SFW)

Halsin Halsin x Reader (2nd Person Short, Not Gendered, SFW) Dom!Halsin x f!Tav (NSFW) Halsin x GN Reader - Flu Comfort (SFW)

Others Volo x Tav (Cursed, NSFW, Non-Gendered Tav) Shadowheart x AFAB NonBinary Tav (NSFW) Daggers and Gods, Shadowheart x Lae'zel (mild NSFW) Drabble Selection Assorted Characters (NSFW) Durgetash Trans Gortash x NonBinary Durge (NSFW) Gortash x m!Tav (NSFW)

These pieces are often warmups, and sometimes from prompts. I use them as a fun exercise to get going before working on longer chapter pieces.

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Full Chapter FanFiction on Tumblr

Complete FanFics available to read in their entirety on Tumblr, no need to go to any external links! Series titles are links to the AO3 collections for the series, individual works chapters link only to those works.

ATG Chapters are reposted on @atavsguide Nothing else is on that side blog just FULL chapters of ATG so I won't list them here too.

The Book Of Loviatar

This series centres on Abdirak and He Who Was. It started as a single one shot that got out of hand, and became so much more. This is the heavy BDSM series so please do not go in expecting only some cuffs and a light whipping. Every chapter has the CWs.

Pain and Penance (NSFW) Suffering and Serenity (NSFW) Agony and Adoration (NSFW)

The Scent of Cinnamon

A series focusing on the relationship between Raphael and Haarlep from the time they first met up to the events of the game.

The Scent of Cinnamon Tumblr Masterlist (NSFW)

Coming Soon

BG3 FicFeb Challenges (some SFW some NSFW)

Daily writing prompts, posted on AO3 and on my main Tumblr here. I will make a link summary compilation post later to go here~

One Shot Fics

A Feast Fit For A Fiend (NSFW) Raphael, Haarlep, and Tav

Iron Flowers Never Wilt (SFW) Barcus Wroot and Zevlor

Above Him, Down Below (NSFW) Yurgir and Gender Neutral Reader

All We Cannot Have (Mostly SFW) Halsin x f!Tav, Angst/Emotional

The Meaning of Pain (Mostly SFW) Wyll and Abdirak discuss pain's purposes.

Learning to Dance on Hot Coals (NSFW) Wyll x Haarlep

More Coming Soon

Current WIPS:

Yurgir x Halsin "The Bear Hunt" (working title)

Planned Fics and Upcoming

God!Gale x Raphael FanZine Works ATG 16 Scent of Cinnamon 7 Barcus Wroot Collab (on hold, release tbc)

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Ask Box Responses

A collection of responses to things that have landed in my Ask inbox! Please feel free to send some in if you like~

NSFW Alphabet - Raphael and Haarlep (NSFW, Obviously) Raphael and Haarlep Works (Nov 2023, NSFW) Raphael and Haarlep Turn On/Offs (NSFW) Raphael, Haarlep, and Jealousy (Headcanons, NSFW) Raphael and Haarlep Modern AU (Headcanons, NSFW) Why isn't Raphael at The Druid Camp (Headcanons, SFW) Raphael Jealous of Tav and Yurgir? (NSFW) Raphael Jealous of Tav and Yurgir? Pt2 (NSFW)

I'll try to get to these relatively quickly if I can!

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Other Posts

Headcanons and Misc that don't fit anywhere else~

A Little Art (Mostly SFW) Tavylia's Raphael/Haarlep Headcanons (NSFW) Fandom Positivity Discussion (SFW) Cerudinae's Art of The Halloween Special (NSFW) Prequel Sample and Haarlep's "True" Form (Mild NSFW) Festive Cards from the BG3 Characters (Mild NSFW) Raphael and Haarlep Lia Fic Links Jan 2024 (NSFW) Tavylia's Top Ten Writing Tunes (SFW) Lia's New PFP by JuicieBox (SFW) Haarlep vs Harleep - A Silly Look At Spelling (SFW)

So there's a nice little mix of things, and more will be added! I didn't link every reblog or short post, just the more interesting ones.

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This list will be pinned and updated with new posts to keep a good log because Lia has such bad memory she can't remember half of what she has written or where~

[neathyfashioncoalition]

Overview/Potential Questions

What is the goal of this event?

The goal here is to give everyone a reason to draw their Fallen London Characters in fun outfits, and then collect them all together at into a little compilation.

In order to give everyone free reign with how long they wanna work and to work around their own schedules, you can work on and submit a piece anytime!

Who can participate? 

Everyone who wants to should! The only requirement is that you have a character (or multiple) who you want to dress up!

How do I participate?

To submit you can simply post it and tag this blog and I will reblog it here, or otherwise you can use tumblrs submit feature!

The goal is to collect everything together at a certain point, in create our own sort of fashion magazine.

How many times can I submit a piece?

As much as you want! The skies the limit- or well. The roof is. 

What content is accepted?

Not intending to be too picky here! So long as it fits around the theme of Fallen London characters in outfits, it will be accepted.

Whilst the aim here is to fit along the lines of a fashion catalogue or a paper doll format, there’s no pressure to fit any format exactly. This is just for fun!

Do we have to be entirely historically accurate?

There’s no such thing as complete historical accuracy, just taking educated looks back into what the past was most like. 

All that is to say: don’t sweat it. Whilst we do have an overall goal of fitting with the fashion of the time, and being inspired by historical items, I don’t want people worrying over being 100% historically accurate. Treachery of clocks and the devils and all that. Feel free to have fun with it. 

And don’t feel like you have to stick specifically to English fashion either. There are plenty of other fashions of the time period. If you and/or your character have a different background, please feel free to take inspiration for those historical clothes too! People in the neath come from many different backgrounds. 

Do I have to draw an OC (original character)?

Whilst this event is intended to focus on people’s own original fallen london characters, if you truly dont have one you want to dress up, canon npcs are accepted as well! 

Is there any content that is not allowed?

Everything created must be of your own work. Referencing and inspiration is 100% fine as always, but don’t like, upload someone else’s drawings directly. No computer generated/’”a.i” content will be accepted. 

Eyestrain. Please take caution towards anything falling too heavily into the ‘eyestrain’ category. Whilst Victorian fashion was often super brightly coloured and that is accepted, pay mind to avoid anything with psychedelic color pallets, loud patterns, etc. This rule is here to make the event inclusive of those with disabilities triggered by eyestrain content. 

While it likely won't come up often, it would be preferred if gore and body horror were not submitted to the blog 👍

If you’re uncertain if something will be accepted, feel free to just ask! I don’t bite, promise. 

[emeraldcatears]

Another walk sprite thing.

It's been a while since I did anything focusing on the graphics side of making a game, huh? Let's change that.

Now, I'm not all that experienced with making sprites. I just sort of make them when I'm in need of a little art project so this isn't really a guide to making a good sprite. It's more of a compilation of tricks I've learned for the sake of completeness of this sideblog.

Of course, there's the overview I did ages ago over how RPG Maker animates a set of sprites into a walking character and how to put a png of your character into the game. But even if you're making your own sprites from scratch the Generator can provide some starting points to study from.

Not every character you want to put in your game can be made with the built-in generator, especially if you're not into the default generator's aesthetic. But you can get the general principles of what makes a sprite work from there.

One way to get started is to look at the generator characters at their base. No frills, just a character set that gives you a look at poses and shading. If you want to use the generator's style but don't like the outfits it comes with you can just draw your own outfits over a naked sprite in your art program of choice!

But I'm not doing that. I'm going to create this guy.

So let's look at what we can learn.

It may not be obvious at first glance because it's only a pixel of difference, but a quick study of the generator's sprites shows that the stepping images are actually one pixel shorter than the standing ones to simulate the bobbing of the character's head as they walk.

At the same time whether walking or standing still, the sprites' feet are on the ground. Which makes sense...

... because the height gets distributed into the legs when the character walks.

In other words, once you've built yourself a workable front-facing sprite then making the stepping sprites is a matter of copying that one over and moving it one pixel down from the original height. From there, erase the legs and redraw them in the walking pose.

You can make the back from a copy of the front, too, in order to get an easy pose to work from!

The same trick of removing the parts that need changing (arms and legs) of a copied sprite works for the back and side stepping poses as well. Just remember to make them the same height as the front-facing ones with the stepping ones one pixel down.

Another thing you can learn from the generator sprite?

There's a lot that simply copying and flipping can do. Save yourself time - especially if you're making a lot of original sprites. If the generator sprites look good enough that you don't notice the light source flipped between the right and left facing sprites until it was pointed out then you don't need to worry about it either!

You can test the sprite in the game before it's even done, too. For example to test how the stepping animation looks in game for the front sprite before you've even made the other directions, all you have to do is add the png to the game's character images (as detailed in a previous post) and create an event with the stepping animation turned on.

Then simply save over the test version with your adjustments as you make them.

Now one thing of note about that the finished sprite...

A sprite in one style won't always play nice with the rest of the tiles. Stegrow here is way paler than the tiles and sprites that come with RMXP. If I wanted to use them together I'd change up Stegrow's colors with deeper greens, likely color picked from the greens available in generator sprites or the tiles that came with the base package.

The style is also different in other ways: the generator-created player is a chibi sprite with a large head that takes up as much as the rest of the body while Stegrow's head is more proportional by comparison. Stegrow is pretty much vertical while the barrels from the default tiles are shown to be at a slight angle.

If you're adding to an existing tile/sprite set, you'll want to study it's style and adjust your own work to fit in. Otherwise, you can always make everything in your own style from the literal ground up.

I'll admit, I've kinda been stalling on the next bit, which will be beginning to explore the battle system. I never did much with XP's as Pokemon Essentials had it's own highly customized version so getting used to the one that's built into MZ will be completely new for me. Not all games need a battle system but I have decided that this is a learnalong so I will indeed be learning things instead of just playing with stuff I knew from XP but in MZ this time. Now I just need enough oomph in the tank after work....

[allbeendonebefore]

hiya, would you have any book or podcast recommendations for a brief overview of Roman/Classical history? not looking to get into the academia side of things, just wondering if there's a go-to Coles' notes with more of a critical rather than reverential eye!

Hi there!

I don't really listen to podcasts and the only one I've really heard is History of Rome by Mike Duncan. It was complete by 2013 but you can still find it on spotify etc. I listened to it and jumped around a lot between events when studying for exams and I also played episodes for my dad while he was driving when we were watching HBO Rome together.

I also recently listened to a two part series on Thucydides that CBC Radio's Ideas produced, not sure if this is accessible outside of Canada or not: part one is from 2011 and is about Thucydides as the first journalist/war correspondent and what set him apart from other early historians, part two is from 2020 and revisits pieces of that podcast in order to talk more about Thucydides' experience with the great plague of Athens. It's not exactly the sort of general overview of history you're seeking, but I bring it up because its something that is immediately relevant to the world today and thus easy to get into without context (particularly because reading Thucydides is a pain)

you've caught me Not-At-Home-With-My-Books which means I can't look over my shoulder and peruse my own shelf, alas. Apart from textbooks though, I'm not sure what I have for somewhat entry level books that I have even actually read and can vouch for. I really like my Classics 110 textbook but I can't remember the title/authors for the life of me. If you come ask me again in February when I'm for sure back home, I'll be able to tell you that, at least!

If you are interested in the how-we-know-this historiography side and writings from people in antiquity themselves, I'd also recommend seeing what's out there about specific ancient historians for periods or places you might be particularly interested in. For instance, you might look for books on Herodotus, Thucydides, Pausanias etc. for Greek history, or Livy, Tacitus, or even Suetonius (who is a hell of a gossip) for Roman, and so on. There might be some good annotated versions out there that have nice introductions with maps and context, etc.

If you're thrifting or browsing bookstores, generally I would avoid pop history books that focus on shock value ("eww i can't believe how depraved those romans were!") or, as you say, anything too reverential ("i cannot believe how downhill civilization has gone since the parthenon!"). The tricky thing about classics is that many if not most authors with a background in the scholarship will specialize in either literature or archaeology and not both, so you might want to look for authors and co-authors who talk about a little of each.

Thanks for asking, I'm sorry that I'm a bit less than helpful at the moment since I haven't formally been studying classics for a few years and I'm out of town away from my own collection where I keep my brain.

And of course as always, if anyone reading this has particular recommendations, please do say so in the notes! :)

[pepper-doyle]

Phoebe "Pepper" Doyle | Virgo Sun | ESFP-A

Archetype — The Joker/Innocent Child Birthday — September 12th, 1999. Zodiac Sign — Virgo MBTI — ESFP-A Enneagram — 8 Temperament — Choleric Hogwarts House — Slytherin Moral Alignment — Chaotic Good? Primary Vice — Hot Tempered Primary Virtue — Loyal Element — Water

Overview: Mother — Dorothy Doyle Father — Dylan Doyle Mother’s Occupation — Co-Owner of the Black Spire Bar, pack leader Father’s Occupation — Co-Owner of the Black Spire Bar, secondary pack leader Family Finances — average, middle class Birth Order — Second born, middle child of the triplets, also older sibling for her younger twin siblings Brothers — Roland, Lucky, Denver Sisters — Declan Other Close Family — Douglas Doyle (Uncle), Delilah Doyle (grandma) Best Friend — tbd Other Friends — tbd Enemies — her ex, some mundus, vampires Pets — none currently Home Life During Childhood — Nice and peaceful, Pepper grew up loved in her community. Town or City Name(s) — What Did His or Her Bedroom Look Like — Different posters of bands, musicians she admires, Any Sports or Clubs — Anime club growing up, also DnD Favorite Toy or Game — FFXIV, Ark: Survival Evolved Schooling — Graduated from High School Favorite Subject — Any music class she had Popular or Loner — in between Important Experiences or Events — getting dumped by her first boyfriend in high school, her brother and therefore her exposure to hte public Nationality — American Culture — Werewolf Pack Culture Religion and beliefs — Atheist

Physical Appearance Face Claim — Emily Rudd Complexion — Pale Hair Colour — Brown for now, she does dye it Eye Colour — Blue Height — 5' 5" Build — thin Tattoos — a pack tattoo on her back Piercings — ears, and belly button Common Hairstyle — usually just down, sometimes in a pony tail, not very styled Clothing Style — jeans and a shirt, sometimes flannel, leather jackets common Mannerisms — drumming her fingers on her leg Usual Expression — a neutral sort of face?

Health Overall (do they get sick easily)? — No she stays pretty healthy Physical Ailments — none Neurological Conditions — None that she's aware of Allergies — penicillin Grooming Habits — She keeps pretty clean most of the time Sleeping Habits — Late nights gaming so she can sometimes wake up really late Eating Habits — she likes a good steak, but generally she eats relatively balanced meals. Will eat ramen for days though if the budget's tighter Exercise Habits — she occasionally goes to the gym, mostly does zumba classes Emotional Stability — Semi stable Body Temperature — Warm Sociability — Social Addictions — None Drug Use — None Alcohol Use — Socially

Your Character’s Character: Bad Habits — picking at split ends Good Habits — tidying up after herself where she can Best Characteristic — Loyal! Worst Characteristic — Hot Tempered Worst Memory — The day her brothers fought and everything fell apart Best Memory — When she first learned to play the drums! Proud of — her band and how it progressed Embarrassed by — her brothers sometimes Driving Style — somewhat chaotic Strong Points — Her personality Temperament — A little hot as said Attitude — Confident Weakness — She's a bit judgmental Fears — losing her brothers for real, never succeeding, anti-werewolf rhetoric Phobias — Claustrophobic Secrets — she thinks if she had been in charge of the band they might never have fallen apart Regrets — Not stepping between her brothers and their tension sooner Feels Vulnerable When — anyone calls her on her bs. She's put up a lot of barriers, so if anyone catches her in a lie, or when someone realizes she's not so tough as she likes to act Pet Peeves — Being interrupted Conflicts — Her werewolf status exposed to the world Motivation — to find her brothers and help them reunite Short Term Goals and Hopes — Find Lucky, figure out what's up with the band Long Term Goals and Hopes — Get past the werewolf bias and become a successful solo artist. Sexuality — Heterosexual probably Exercise Routine — somewhat regular Day or Night Person — Night Introvert or Extrovert — Extrovert Optimist or Pessimist — Realist Greatest Want — to become a well respected solo artist Greatest Need — to connect with her brothers again

[bestprintingservicesinflorida]

Printing in Miami: Compare local services and find your best match

Miami's printing sector has changed dramatically as a result of various corporate requirements and technology breakthroughs. From tiny local businesses to major commercial enterprises, there are many various services available, so patrons need to pick one that meets their unique needs. The standard, turnaround, cost, and customer service of the many local printing providers in Miami are compared in this blog article. Every service has its advantages, like being particularly good at digital printing or being more appropriate for large-format jobs. Readers will find the service that most accurately fits their needs—whether they're for promotional things, commercial materials, or personal projects—by watching these factors.

Overview of Printing Services in Miami 

The best printing services in Florida include a variety of printing options, like big format, offset, digital, and specialized printing. Large format printing works well for banners, posters, and signs; offset guarantees consistent quality; digital printing offers fast turnaround times and high-quality prints; and specialized printing uses methods like foil stamping and embossing. Marketing and advertising companies, retail establishments, event coordinators, and academic institutions are among the main industries that use printing services for promotional materials, packaging, labels, invites, signs, and brochures.

Print It USA: Company Profile 

One of the highest suppliers of printing solutions in Miami is Print It USA. They supply a good range of services, including design and finishing choices in big format, offset, and digital printing. Their cutting-edge technology, rapid turnaround times, dedication to quality, and customer satisfaction are a number of their distinctive selling points.

Comparing Local Printing Services 

In this review, local printing services in Miami are compared with stress on customer care, turnaround times, pricing structures, and job quality. A well-known business, Print It USA is renowned for its eco-friendly solutions, fast turnaround, outstanding customer service, and affordable prices for giant orders. Print It USA is another well-known printing concern in Miami that focuses on environmentally friendly printing options.

Customer Reviews and Testimonials 

Understanding service quality and satisfaction, pinpointing areas for development, and raising customer happiness all depend upon customer feedback. Feedback about Print It USA is good, emphasizing quality and prompt delivery. Clients like the sort of services provided. With consistently favourable reviews on many platforms, Print It USA differentiates from other local providers because of its exceptional client satisfaction and repair quality.

Case Studies 

Print It USA has successfully fulfilled unique orders with short turnaround times and produced extensive advertising materials for nearby companies. Although they encounter logistical difficulties, other nearby printing businesses have also finished large contracts. These case studies teach us the importance of effective communication, project management, and client-centred flexibility. These illustrations show how crucial flexibility and effective communication are to raising general satisfaction.

Pricing Analysis 

Based on project size, complexity, and material quality, this price study shows common pricing patterns in Miami's printing sector. Long-term agreements or large orders are eligible for discounts. Despite rivals' hidden costs, Print It the USA offers straightforward structures and affordable pricing. Customers express satisfaction with the balance of cost and repair quality, and therefore, the organization produces excellent outcomes that support price.

Turnaround Times and Efficiency 

Standard turnaround times are provided by Print It USA for a variety of services, like large format prints, brochures, and business cards. They're renowned for their effectiveness, frequently delivering within 24 to 48 hours and streamlining procedures using cutting-edge technology. Ratings of customer satisfaction indicate more efficiency than the industry average. The intricacy of the print project, material availability, and, therefore, the printing service's present workload are a number of the variables influencing turnaround times.

Recommendations for selecting the proper Service 

The book suggests evaluating each person's printing requirements, deciding the quantity and quality needed, and choosing preferred formats and finishes. It also advises enquiring about typical turnaround times, prior work samples, and internal control procedures from possible printing firms. Taking these actions aids in choosing the simplest service.

Conclusion 

The varied landscape of the Miami printing concern and, therefore, the significance of selecting the right provider are covered in this blog. Picking the one that best meets one's needs and expectations suggests looking into a wide range of possibilities and native printing services. Readers are urged to form an informed choice.

[fpvcapitalst]

What Should You Know About FPV Drone Prices Before Buying?

It is important to comprehend the aspects that affect cost while evaluating FPV drone costs. The components incorporated, such as the caliber of the camera, flight controller, and video transmission system, can have a substantial impact on price. Improved stabilization, greater range, and higher-quality imageries are among the advanced features that are often included in higher-end versions. Think about the entire price as well, as extras like batteries, chargers, and goggles may be included. You can find the best bargain for your wants by investigating numerous brands and models. Finally, keep in mind that long-term ownership may need additional maintenance expenditures. A Complete Guide to Understanding FPV Drone Prices Overview of First Person Views Specialists and fanatics alike are adopting first-person view (FPV) drones in great numbers. They provide consumers an immersive flying knowledge that lets them see the journey from the drone's point of view. However, in order to make wise acquisitions, it is important to know precio de drones before venturing into the realm of FPV flying.

Variables Affecting Drone Costs The kind of equipment, manufacturer, and sorts are just a few of the variables that can cause a drone's value to vary significantly. An equipo fpv completo setup typically consists of the drone, a video transmission device, a good camera, a flight controller, and extra peripherals like goggles and batteries. The entire cost can be greatly impacted by how complicated the FPV drone equipment is.

https://fpvcapital.store/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/qualityq_100-300x300.webp

Low-End vs. High-End Models: Low-end FPV drones are frequently available for a few hundred dollars, making them reasonably priced. Nonetheless, costs can approach $1,000 for more sophisticated devices, contingent upon the features. High-end FPV drones may have cutting-edge features like improved video quality, longer battery life, and better flight stability because they are made for professional use.

Camera caliber: One of the most important parts of any equipo fpv drone is the camera. In general, drones through high-resolution cameras and sophisticated stabilization systems will cost more. You can take lovely aerial photos and videos by investing in better camera gear.  

Video transmission systems: These are a crucial component that also influences drone costs. Superior systems offer low latency real-time video feeds that improve the flying experience. Performance may be hampered by cheaper systems' potential for lower quality and longer latency.

Cost Estimating for Whole FPV Equipment It's important to budget for all required parts when purchasing complete FPV equipment. Batteries, chargers, goggles, and possibly a ground station for monitoring are also required in addition to the drone and camera. Every one of these parts adds to the setup's overall cost. Other Expenses to Take Into Account Having an FPV drone may come with additional costs after the first purchase. Upgrading components, performing maintenance, and replacing parts might raise the total cost of your investment. Furthermore, take into account the price of transportation and registration fees if you intend to race or take part in other events.