#forms provider

[artist-rat]

werewolf doodles (ocs) :-)

[lucidpeech]

The Emperor, in Alexander McQueen RTW 2023

[b6d11f]

at my best, I'm a sacrificial lamb at my best, I am something you could handle

[canonkiller]

do it all for love

[seaglassdinosaur]

Bro… the best day of their lives and the worst night they ever experienced happening back to back… pain and beauty being so closely interlinked. The push that day, night, and the outcome gave Sammie to pursue music. Sammie having nightmares for the rest of his life, well into his graying years, but never regretting the day he had at the Juke Joint.

Stack and Mary finally being able to be happy together, at the cost of the freedom of their spirits. Joy and community that can be found within dreadful circumstances. I Lied to You, a song about the conflict and separation between father and son that is transformed into communal connection. The song sung at the catalyst night, and that cements Sammie’s path as a musician. Pain that is turned into art that turns into freedom.

Delta Slim transitioning from a traumatic recollection into an improvised song as he mourns a dear friend who was lynched. That maybe in a better world art shouldn’t have to be made out of suffering, nor suffering transformed into art, but with the history that exists and the world we live in, what other choice is there?

[lethesbeastie]

I showed a few parts of this larger ref while responding to asks yesterday, so might as well post the whole thing akfhskfhskf

Version without texture overlay + character design thoughts and lore under the cut!

I'm gonna start this off by saying that I am not a biologist and that my attempts at speculative biology are operating by "rule of cool" in some parts of this design.

Wraith's design is largely based on cephalopods, with mimic octopus, bobtail squid, and cuttlefish playing a key role as design inspirations. My goal for their design in this form was to keep their anatomy and physiology as close to the typical structure of cephalopods as possible without sacrificing the necessary physical features that would allow them to adapt to life outside of the water. I wanted them to look alien, but still endearing, and to emphasize the fact that they are very much still a child despite their size and strangeness.

A quick note on some terms from the flavor text on the image:

Buccal mass: mouthparts of a cephalopod, including the beak and the musculature that allows it to open and close

Mantle: the main body of a cephalopod that protects and contains all of its major organs

Flavor text:

Arms Vs. Tentacles: on cephalopods, Arms refer to appendages which have suckers along the entire length of the limbs underside, while Tentalces only have suckers at the club-like end

1. Blue of blood shows through in membranes/thinner areas of flesh

2. Primary mouth/buccal mass

3. External gills

4. Siphon

5. Ridges flare when threatened

6. Tentacles and rear arm merge, acts as counterweight to aid in bipedal locomotion

7. Lower anterior arms merge to form legs; lack of proper bones means bipedal locomotion is unsteady

8. Upper arms adapted hands to better manipulate objects

9. The two rear-most appendages are proper tentacles, and are capable of manipulating objects almost as effectively as main hands

10. Two mouths, one form consumption, one for speech*

- 10A. Secondary mouth hidden by barbles, chitin** structure within resembles a fused set of teeth. This mouth can be used to eat, but there's a high risk of choking

- 10B. Resting position of beak in primary mouth, retracted into buccal mass

- 10C. Extended position of beak in primary mouth; capable of breaking down mollusk shells and biting through bone

11. Natural posture when unfurled

12. Defensive stance

13. The skin covering the mantel forms a cavity into which the head can partially withdraw

14. Capable of spitting ink from secondary mouth when in distress

15. Eyes are large with highly reflective pupils; excellent dark vision

16. Nictitating membrane rises to protect the eye when biting, may also rise when distressed

17. Retractable claws inside suckers

Extra design lore and speculative biology:

18. Blood is a deep blue, appears black under water, and turns clear as it dries. Texture is thick and viscous

** in the image I wrote keratin, but research has shown me that a squids beak is actually made of chitin rather than keratin! Keratin may still be present, but it's not the main polymer in the makeup of the beak structure. I know this is a silly fun character design, but I try to remain somewhat accurate with how I engage the biological aspects, so I wanted to correct my mistake

At the current moment of this design, Wraith is 11 years old, and stands at 5 ft 4 in [168 cm] when using their legs. They measure 6 ft [183 cm] long from head to tail when unfurled/in the water. Their height and size relative to their age is above average compared to humans, but is more or less in line with the normal growth rate for deep sea tritons, which are the largest of the triton variants. Their height out of the water is limited by their physiology; Wraith lacks proper bones, so maintaining an upright form requires a lot more effort and energy. They rely heavily on mobility aids (rollator, cane, wheelchair) if they'll be walking or standing for long periods of time in their true form.

The changeling magic that enables their shape-shifting provides a level of structural stability to their body when in disguise that makes life outside of the water easier, but they still require more rest and breaks from standing than other able-bodied children of their own age. The form that provides the most stability is their "default" triton disguise, which they've carefully tailored to be as comfortable as possible so they can have a more active lifestyle. Smaller disguise forms are easier to manage, as the compression of their body makes those forms more stable to hold. Their triton disguise form measures out to only 3 ft 5 in [103 cm] tall which is much easier for them to maintain out of the water.

[jennicatzies]

🌫

[bu99erfly]

CHOERRY SPARKLE, 240604

[julijbee]

love is to be endured

[shigurekino]

MMX ZeroX is absolutely amazing but MMZ ZeroX will literally set my soul ablaze. Sure best friends/partners to lovers feels like natural progression but “stoic ex-war machine severed from the past by amnesia yet still able to recall his best friend’s strength through sheer instinct because their bond is this deeply ingrained in his circuitry” paired with “ethereal cyber-ghost living on borrowed time who hides centuries of solitude and trauma behind a hollow smile yet never stopped believing in his best friend all the way until his final moments” evokes feelings within me that I didn’t even know existed

[canisalbus]

Have you ever perused the blog @/odddogs? I feel like the contents of their 'tall ears' tag make great Kid Named Ear inspo

Oh, @odddogs is one of my favorite blogs here, has been for a while already!

[quibbs126]

I feel like there’s this untapped potential with the TF One setup of seemingly all the miners being future Autobots outside of D-16, and so him having relationships/close connections with said future Autobots that in other continuities he never would have had

Like just to give an easy example, Jazz could have been a mutual friend of both Orion and D-16, whereas in other continuities the two would be complete strangers

Alright it doesn’t sound as exciting when I say it like that, probably because I’m explaining it in a not so interesting way, but there’s potential to be had here, you get what I’m saying?

[thepenguisalive7]

You’re so real Roier, that guy has not showered in months 🤢 clip

[cafepietra]

this was @haedia's idea