#functions of the skeletal system

[claxonmedicalcodinginstitute]

"🦴 Skeletal System Explained | Functions & Structure in 60 Seconds!"

Discover the amazing structure of the human skeletal system! 🦴 Learn about the bones, joints, and their vital role in supporting movement and protecting organs. Perfect for quick learning! ✅ Watch now and boost your anatomy knowledge. #SkeletalSystem #HumanBody #Anatomy #Biology

[bed-buggier]

IT'S HIS ANNIVERSARY TOO!

[dolivia]

Major 5 Functions of the Skeletal System - Notes For LPNs

The feet and ankles provide the main, stable platform for our entire bodies to function on. Here are 5 major functions of the skeletal system:

[mortalislabs]

Trigonelline is a methylated form of niacin and is a recently isolated molecule that could be the secret ingredient in your stack. This form of the B vitamin is involved in the generation of NAD+, a cofactor for over 500 metabolic processes in cells. Trigonelline promotes cellular repair and energy, and as we’ll see, exerts quite a few benefits that are specifically useful for anyone training seriously.

Trigonelline is found in several plant-based foods, notably coffee beans and fenugreek seeds. Green coffee beans contain trigonelline concentrations ranging from 0.6% to 1.0% by weight. However, traditional dietary sources don’t provide sufficient amounts to elicit significant physiological effects. For instance, the average trigonelline content in a cup of coffee is approximately 53 mg, and about 50-80% of trigonelline decomposes during the roasting process, leaving virtually nothing for your body to make use of.

Recent research published on this naturally occurring alkaloid highlights its potential in enhancing muscle function and combating age-related decline. A 2024 study published in Nature Metabolism identified trigonelline as a novel precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a molecule essential for energy metabolism and mitochondrial function. The study demonstrated that trigonelline supplementation improved muscle strength and reduced fatigue in aged mice, suggesting that it can head off the natural muscle decline seen in aging, even in those who are already training at capacity.

NAD+ gets discussed a lot in the longevity space because of its natural and steep decline over the years, tied to all the diseases of aging. It's a metabolic linchpin that determines how efficiently your cells convert fuel into usable energy. For athletes, that efficiency translates into faster recovery, better performance under load, and greater resilience under metabolic stress. Or, you know, complete lack of those things if you don’t have enough of it.

NAD+ is required for redox (oxidation–reduction) reactions in mitochondrial energy production and is a cofactor and substrate for longevity-promoting sirtuins and other enzymes involved in muscle repair and adaptation. During intense physical activity, NAD+ levels drop as demand for ATP surges. Replenishing intracellular NAD+ is critical not only for restoring mitochondrial output but also for initiating the cellular programs that rebuild and reinforce muscle tissue [1].

Trigonelline offers a direct path to NAD+—one that bypasses the liver and supports muscle tissue specifically. In a landmark 2024 study, researchers at EPFL and Nestlé Health Sciences (yes, that Nestlé, but there aren’t any conflicts of interest, we checked) demonstrated that trigonelline functions as a previously unidentified NAD+ precursor, rapidly taken up by skeletal muscle cells and converted into NAD+ via a salvage pathway independent of the traditional NR or NMN routes [2]. This muscle-specific uptake is particularly important for athletes, who require localized replenishment in the very tissues under stress.

Most NAD+ precursors—including nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)—undergo hepatic metabolism before entering systemic circulation. This creates a bottleneck at your liver for targeted muscle repair. Trigonelline appears to bypass that constraint by delivering precursors directly where they're needed most: the muscle fibers responsible for performance and endurance.

This shift in delivery has implications beyond simple NAD+ restoration. In the same Nature Metabolism study, aged mice supplemented with trigonelline showed significant improvements in grip strength and fatigue resistance—outcomes tightly linked to muscle NAD+ availability. Unlike systemic precursors that may elevate circulating NAD+ levels without improving localized bioenergetics, trigonelline drives changes in muscle mitochondrial density and function.

For athletes, this is the difference between feeling recovered and actually being rebuilt.

Mitochondria Make Muscles Move

Endurance Starts in the Electron Transport Chain

Every sprint, every lift, every set depends on one thing: mitochondrial output. The ability to generate ATP on demand—efficiently and cleanly—is the defining line between sustained power and early fatigue. Trigonelline’s value lies not just in elevating NAD+ levels, but in what that elevation enables at the level of mitochondrial performance.

NAD+ drives oxidative phosphorylation, the mitochondrial pathway responsible for converting nutrients into ATP. When NAD+ is depleted, electron transport slows, reactive oxygen species accumulate, and mitochondrial output tanks—resulting in performance collapse and prolonged recovery. Replenishing NAD+ restores mitochondrial throughput, enhances metabolic flexibility, and allows cells to switch between carbohydrate and fat oxidation with minimal friction [3].

Trigonelline’s role as a direct NAD+ precursor in muscle tissue makes it especially powerful in this context. By bypassing hepatic metabolism and restoring NAD+ where it's most needed, it kickstarts mitochondrial biogenesis—activating pathways like PGC-1α that drive the formation of new mitochondria and increase the efficiency of existing ones [4]. This isn’t theoretical: in the 2024 Nature Metabolism study, trigonelline supplementation significantly boosted mitochondrial content and activity in aged mice, restoring performance metrics typically lost with age and overtraining [2].

This cellular shift translates directly to the field, the track, and the gym. More mitochondria means more ATP per unit of oxygen consumed. This is the underpinning of higher VO₂ max, improved lactate clearance, and extended time-to-exhaustion. Trigonelline supports this adaptation at the source, which means athletes can train harder, go longer, and bounce back faster—without relying on stimulants or sketchy ergogenics.

More NAD+ in muscle equals better mitochondrial kinetics, which equals better athletic output. Period.

Strength and Muscle Health

Preserving Power, Not Just Mass

Strength isn’t only about size—it’s about contractile quality, neuromuscular precision, and the cellular capacity to resist breakdown under stress. Trigonelline’s impact on muscle tissue reaches beyond endurance. It supports structural integrity, performance output, and resilience across multiple pathways—especially in the context of aging or chronic training demand.

In the 2024 Nature Metabolism study, trigonelline supplementation restored muscle grip strength and improved fatigue resistance in aged mice, with outcomes exceeding those observed in control groups receiving traditional NAD+ precursors [2]. This effect was tied to increased NAD+ availability in skeletal muscle, which reactivated SIRT1- and PGC-1α-dependent pathways responsible for mitochondrial biogenesis, inflammation control, and protein maintenance—all critical for contractile performance and mass preservation [5].

NAD+ also plays a protective role against muscle wasting. It regulates the balance between anabolic and catabolic signaling, modulating FoxO transcription factors and suppressing atrophy-related genes like MuRF1 and atrogin-1 [6]. This anti-catabolic signaling becomes especially important during periods of calorie deficit, illness, or overreaching, when muscle degradation accelerates. Trigonelline, by supplying NAD+ directly to muscle cells, may help maintain lean mass even under systemic stress.

One overlooked aspect of muscle performance is neuromuscular junction (NMJ) stability, or, the connections between nerves and muscle fibers. These connections go both ways, with afferent signals carrying sensory feedback from muscle to brain, and efferent signals delivering motor commands from brain to muscle. Maintaining the integrity of this bidirectional communication is essential for coordination, strength, and rapid recovery from fatigue. NAD+ is required for the function of enzymes that protect NMJ architecture—particularly in aging or disease models where synaptic decline contributes to strength loss [7]. Trigonelline’s direct muscle delivery may therefore preserve the electrical signaling fidelity needed for explosive power and motor unit recruitment.

Muscle Fiber Type Preservation

Emerging evidence suggests that NAD+ availability influences muscle fiber type composition. High NAD+ levels favor the maintenance of fast-twitch (Type II) fibers—those responsible for strength, speed, and power—by enhancing mitochondrial support without triggering full transition to slow-twitch oxidative profiles [8]. This has implications for athletes seeking to maintain peak force output without compromising endurance. By elevating muscle NAD+ directly, trigonelline may help preserve this delicate fiber balance.

Trigonelline is formulated not to just support general energy—but to protect the architecture of athleticism at the cellular level.

For a reliable, pure form of trigonelline with zero additives, you can trust Mortalis Labs.

[lady-quen]

A list of some of my sylvari headcanons and interpretations of canon, but delivered in extreme hodgepodge style:

- they have human-analogous internal anatomy, meaning that they are plant matter mimicking animal functionalities, inside and out. This is further supported by Mordrem possessing specialized organs such as brains or kidneys (Mordrem Researcher quests) Since the Pale Tree grew on the graves of Ronan's family, she grew her roots into what remained of the bodies, taking nutrients while also learning their anatomy and establishing a scaffolding for the future sylvari. You know how if you bury a body under a tree and later dig up the soil, the roots are shaped like a human? Something similar happened here.

As such, sylvari hardwood skeletal systems are very accurate copies of human skeletons, but soft tissues are more their own thing due to the Pale Tree having less of an accurate frame of reference (since the bodies would have begun to rot) and going with a mix of her knowledge of human anatomy and "instinctive" Mordrem anatomy.

- The wiki states they don't have hearts and a pulse, but relying on purely osmotic gradients for circulation in an ambulatory creature that is stated to have high energy needs and therefore is even unable to rely solely on photosynthesis and other typical plant processes seems implausible, so I changed it to give them some sort of pump organ, positioned more or less in the center of the chest.

- The sylvari don't really have names for their own organs, so they approximate using human vocabulary.

- Sylvari tend to sleep deeper, but can train themselves to have a lighter sleep if required (such as, in dangerous field jobs.) The extra deep sleep sometimes causes nearby sylvari to synchronize their dreams and even "meet" in a hazy dreamscape, a faint remnant of the actual Dream.

- Sylvari sap does not contain platelets, but injury stimulates phloem cells and/or skin cells to swell and constrict, then release a substrate which reacts with certain substances contained within the sap to create a clot-like resin.

- Given enough time, sylvari resin exposed to outside conditions could potentially turn into amber?

- The fact sylvari breathe with their lungs (since they are unable to rely solely on diffusion) implies they possess blood cells and some sort of chromoprotein to carry oxygen? Further supported by the existence of the Mordrem Spleen. Alternatively, they utilize natural magic to speed up diffusion..?

- Sylvari most likely do not possess adaptive immune systems and rely on innate tissue-level strategies to fend off pathogens, like other plants.

- Sylvari awaken with shaper magic, as in the ability to magically and empathically influence other plants. Some specialized Shapers train this ability to use in plant sculpting and architecture, and creating various purposed species such as turret plants. Wardens find it useful to train themselves to read and use other plants as early warning signs for incoming danger. Very rarely, certain sylvari, particularly necromancers, can awaken with little to no shaper magic.

Shaper abilities can be used to alter one's own body, to the point of completely changing one's appearance and even gender if desired, though such a process takes some time. (Perhaps months?)

- Mordremoth, possessing vast amounts of control over plant shaping, can rearrange a sylvari body completely in a matter of hours to days.

- Considering real-life plants rely predominantly on hydraulics rather than electric signaling, logic-ing out an internally consistent and plausible anatomy for ambulatory plants is very difficult (impossible?) thus sylvari must at least possess predominantly electric pathways, essentially mimicking a human nervous system. Many processes would also likely require "it's magic" as an explanation, which makes sense if we consider they are dragon minions, which were probably originally meant to help process and store magic energy at least to some degree.

- Science of sapient walking plants, what the fuck.

- Thank you Tree Mom 🙏

[dodgeballstuckonthegymceiling]

I just thought it would be funny having him fill out several notebooks with things about your body. Canonically, he has made guidebooks on the other neighbors. So why not you?

If you like my work, please consider commissioning me or leaving a tip on Ko-fi (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

Frank learning about human biology

★ Frank had no clue what he was getting into. All he did was ask why you need to drink water after helping him with his garden. An innocent question. Two hours later and he's hardly scratched the surface. "So, your body loses water through sweat? And you need to replace it? Hm, okay, but what if there's no water?"

★ When you tell him that there's bones inside you, he thinks about Barnaby. Specifically, about how he likes chewing on them. As you explain how the skeletal system works, Frank continues writing. Trying his best to not think about the stinky mutt.

★ The more you explain, the more worried he becomes. Especially after you mention how wisdom teeth serve no purpose but can hurt you. He stopped writing mid-sentence to look at you. "Excuse me? Did I hear that right?"

★ He compares you to the creatures he knows best. "Your circulatory system functions similarly to some arthropods, but it's much less efficient. They use spiracles and tracheal tubes instead of lungs. Also, why do you need two of those?"

★ Frank’s eyes light up the moment you mention humans have a scientific name. When you tell him the name, Homo sapiens, Frank repeats it aloud before writing it in his notebook. Putting your name right next to it.

★ After realizing just how breakable you are, Frank starts reminding you to drink water, rest properly and keep a safe distance from anything that could hurt you. He also advises against telling Barnaby there's bones inside of you.

[stealingyourbones]

I didn’t know that pisiform removal was a thing. Thanks for leading me down a rabbit hole of case study papers and surgery videos.

The Hyoid bone is fully free floating and not connected to any other bone, while the pisiform bone rests on top of the triquetrum bone akin to a kneecap, it acts as a joint with the triquetrum and helps in preventing the triquetrum from dislocating itself. It’s funky like that. (For those not knowing where the that is, it’s at the lowest part of the wrist at the pinkie side of the hand)

Not only does it just keep parts of your bones in place, it’s also connected to a few other things!! (You didn’t ask for this but but I now wish to share knowledge so bare with me)

It’s connected to a muscle that lets you curl in the lowest joint of your pinkie where your hand meets your palm.

It’s also connected to the transverse carpal ligament. The ligament stretches from the far side of your pinkie to the far side of your thumb. It creates what the cool kids call the Carpal Tunnel. It lays overtop a shit ton of tendons that move the rest of your fingers and the beloathed median nerve. (Making a lil tunnel between your bones n ligament!) If your median nerve is pinched by this muscle, you experience the joys of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Last thing it’s connected to is a very thin forearm muscle that assists in moving your wrist up n down and side to side!

All in all, it adds a bunch of stability to the outside of your wrist!

That was a bit of a ramble but yeah! That sucker do be connected to a bunch of things. Not only to another bone but a bunch of other ligaments and muscles :D

What’s your favorite bone?

Ooooo i have to go with the Hyoid bone. It’s located in your neck and it’s the only bone not connected to another bone! It’s got muscle, ligaments, and tissues that hold it in place instead! Gotta love me unique bone structures :)

[transhuman-priestess]

Concept: Robot HRT whose primary function is to metalize the skeletal system and add microscopic hookups for body-machine interfaces but that must be suplimented by surgery eventually because it encroaches on the body’s immune system after a time and can kill you if conversion is not completed.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

Listen at the first link!

The GIST

Recent studies suggest that a hypermetabolic state that damages the mitochondria results in a hypometabolic state in chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), long COVID, and fibromyalgia (FM). They also suggest that something in the blood, serum, or plasma is damaging the mitochondria in these diseases.

We’re not done with the mitochondria, though – far from it! Now we look at a bevy of recent long-COVID mitochondrial studies suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction affects more than energy production and which illuminate what may have gone wrong in the mitochondria.

Muscle biopsies of 120 long-COVID patients who had ended up in the ICU found that a year later their muscles had higher levels of immune cells involved in tissue repair and reduced activity of the 2nd and fourth mitochondrial complexes. The authors concluded that there was “aberrant repair and altered mitochondrial activity in skeletal muscle.”

They couldn’t explain how a respiratory illness affected the muscles but a subsequent study did. A hamster model found that the coronavirus suppressed the genes associated with the muscle fibers, protein production, both sides of the mitochondrial energy production process (Krebs cycle and electron transport chain), and fat breakdown.

As it was doing that, it unleashed a barrage of inflammatory factors (IFN-α, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) which triggered a shift from relying mostly on aerobic energy production to the less effective process of anaerobic energy production (glycolysis).

The authors concluded that using treatments “that can boost mitochondrial functions, enhance protein synthesis, and inhibit protein degradation” may be useful for treating muscle fatigue in long COVID.

Next, a muscle study assessing “maximal fatty acid oxidation (MFO)” (i.e. energy produced by the breakdown of fats during exercise) found significantly reduced levels of fatty acid oxidation in long COVID and a “premature shift” from relying on fats to carbohydrates to powering their cells.

This was important because the body prefers to burn fats during exercise and because fats play key roles in both parts of the mitochondrial energy production process. The finding wasn’t so surprising, though. Problems with carnitine – which transports fatty acids into the mitochondria – have popped up in both long COVID and ME/CFS – suggesting that the fatty acids that power the mitochondria during exercise may not be getting into them.

A review paper asserted that increased free radical production (reactive oxygen species (ROS)) by the mitochondria both pushes the cell into a state of anaerobic energy production but also pushes the immune system to activate the inflammatory or innate immune response and away from the adaptive immune response that targets pathogens. This benefits the viruses by providing the substrates they need to grow and allows them to escape from the immune system.

Several researchers, including Avindra Nath, believe that the immune system tries to compensate for the impaired adaptive immune defense by ramping up the innate immune response. Nath believes this shift plays a central role in ME/CFS.

They proposed that treatments to boost mitochondrial functioning and reduce the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) (free radicals) will be beneficial.

Lastly, a review asserted that the predominant view of the mitochondria as the main energy producers of the cell is misguided and incomplete. Harkening back to Naviaux’s characterization of the mitochondria as the primary threat-sensing part of the cell, the authors believe the mitochondria regulate the “physiological processes at the level of the cell, organ and organism”; i.e. the mitochondrial problems affect much more than low energy levels and fatigue.

A blog on red light/infrared light therapy – which could both boost mitochondrial health and antioxidant defenses – is coming up.

Full text at either link! There's a lot more than the gist

[howtofightwrite]

perhaps an odd/specific question, but if a character got shot through the hand at very close range without access to medical care (apocalypse) how serious would that injury be? would it be possible to bandage/treat it without medical knowledge?

So, there's a couple factors here that could have a meaningful impact. However, on the question of how serious, this depends on your definition. If you're asking, “is this life threatening?” The answer is yes, but probably not for the reason you're thinking of. If you're asking, “will this cause significant changes to what the character can do,” then, again, the answer is yes.

The chances of bleeding to death from a gunshot wound to the hand aren't especially high, if the wound is properly bandaged, and the victim can stop bleeding. That last part isn't guaranteed, but unless there's some contributing factor (like a history of alcoholism), if they can stop the bleeding, that won't be what kills them.

What might kill them is bacterial infection. Contrary to popular belief (and, even contrary to what I've said in the past), bullets do not burn hot enough to sterilize the bullet. Meaning the bullet can be a vector for bacterial infection (of course, the bandage, and any debris forced into the body by the gunshot, are more likely to become vectors.) In a post-apocalyptic setting, without access to medical treatment, a bacterial infection can absolutely kill you.

Of course, improper bandage hygiene can also result in an infection, days after the original gunshot wound occurred. In a post-apocalyptic environment, you really do not want to ignore open wounds.

On the non-lethal side of the question, they're never going to be able to use that hand again. At least, it's not going to be the same, ever again. How bad it is will depend on what they were hit with. But, in most circumstances, a gunshot to the hand will break bones in the hand. In many cases the bullet can even eject bone fragments from the hand.

Without medical treatment, broken bones in the palm of the hand can permanently impair its use, but when you're ejecting critical portions of the hand's structure, yeah, that's not going to work right without those bits. When you look at most of your skeletal structure, your bones basically create a kind of intricate pulley system. Depending on what's damaged, destroyed, or ejected, that might mean that some fingers are still functional, or it could create a situation where they're unable to use their fingers at all. In some cases (such as with a shotgun), you might even eject enough material that the hand itself is completely unsalvageable.

So, the short version is, it might not kill your character, but that hand is going to be very seriously messed up, and it will probably, permanently change their life, and might still kill them later.

-Starke

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[flutterby-bog]

Some additional headcanon notes nobody asked for, but this time in an overanalyzed format:

Scars

He's got a few scars on his face and a slightly crooked jaw from when it got broken when Bog was still a teen. The same group of goblins that did this had shattered his mother's horns in an attempt at taking the throne by force. These scars and battle damage are all that remain of those goblins.

Height

It's subtle, but Bog's torso segments can extend and retract due to a vestigial adaptation which insects use for breathing. Since he does not have an insectoid respiratory system this has only ever been used for changing his height for any reason. As demonstrated below:

A tall Bog is a confident Bog. When he's insecure he will shrink (either by hunching or drawing himself inward). The difference changes his height substantially. Even at his shortest, at least while standing upright, Bog still towers over Fairies.

Respiratory System

Bog has a large pair of fairy-like lungs inside his chest cavity, perfect for flying with such a heavily weighted body and belting out extended notes for long periods of time. His chest has additional segments that evolved over several molts to allow for efficient contraction/expansion of said lungs.

Vascular System

Has red blood, and a similar pulse to a Fairy, though the pulse is slower and a little louder. His normal level of blood pressure also sits higher than a fairy's. This leads to occasionally related headaches but otherwise does not seem to affect Bog's health.

Skeletal and Muscular System

Has a fusion of both internal and external skeletal systems throughout his body with exception of his torso, which is primarily exoskeleton, and his head, neck, hands, and feet, which lack exoskeletal plating.

His muscles do exist, but they are mostly on the inside of the exoskeletal parts. They are only visible in exposed areas like the underside of his forearms, where his legs connect to his torso, and his neck.

Along his lower legs and his jaw Bog has spurs of bone that sticks out. For insectoids these spines function as tactile receptors and additional grip. For Bog, these are just sensitive and drive Marianne wild for some reason he can't exactly fathom.

Motor Control

Bog has a lot more voluntary control over his body than a Fairy does. His feet are basically another pair of hands with an extended heel and are only slightly less dexterous than his hands. If he wanted to play the piano with his feet, he could easily... If he ever wanted to learn piano, anyway.

He also has individual control over his wings and various segments of his body, especially the ones that are along his shoulders that look like natural pauldrons. Bog likes to flex those in particular to make himself look more intimidating.

Sight

Bog's able to see more in the violet and UV spectrum than a Fairy can. Also exceptional night vision. Take Marianne's wings for example...

Normal Fairy Vision sees visible light.

Bog's Vision - This is what he was seeing the whole time. Well, at night anyway. When the sun came up he got the UV spectrum on her wings too and well, he was already a goner anyway.

Smell

That big nose of his isn't just for show. He's got a powerful sense of smell, which is why he will habitually breathe through his mouth sometimes or he just would get overwhelmed with the amount of scents nearby. Especially if he has to visit the Fairy Kingdom in Spring. Way too many flowers and perfumes.

Diet

Pretty much the same diet as a fairy except he eats meat in addition to the fruits and plants that a fairy can ingest. Does not enjoy overly sweet flavors like honey as much as Marianne does. Prefers spicy. The exception is tea. He very much enjoys tea.

Insectoid Related Habits/Instincts/Misc

Grooming. He'll dust off his wings frequently by running his arm against them.

Damaged wings. His wings are permanently damaged from being attacked. He will never get new ones.

Molts. He molts far less now but when he was younger he would frequently molt.

Puberty. Did not always have wings. Did not have a cocoon stage but over a period of several molts started growing his wings.

Betrayed emotions. If you know how to read his body language, you can look past the grumpy face. When he's nervous, his wings will pulse in successively. When uncomfortable/embarrassed/anxious he will get very fidgety. When angry, involuntarily rattles (ch-ch-ch-ch noise) his wings and shoulder segments. His expression might look "angry" when he's actually not. Sometimes it's just a mask (unless he's rattling then for peat's sake, Thang, get out of the way! You should know better by now...)

Jumpy. Loud noises/vibrations/quick movements will startle Bog, causing him to involuntarily flinch/jump fairly easily. Beware his fast reflexes, though. Just because you make him jump doesn't mean you got the jump on him.

Goblin Related Habits/Instincts/Misc

Dominant posturing. Goblins in general have a very strict social pecking order. The strongest lead and just because Bog's father was King of the Dark Forest doesn't mean he got the throne by birthright. In the Dark Forest you have to earn the respect of your people. And that means if a goblin wanted to usurp Bog, they could definitely try. It wouldn't end well for them, though.

Oh, somewhat related to the above, but Marianne's sucker punch may have initially ticked him off, because technically that was a challenge. His initial move was going for a big "F-you" with his staff, but you know why he went back a second time? To show off. Because he found it hot.

Protective drive. Goblins are pack creatures and fiercely loyal, and this includes Bog even in a position of leadership. Sure he might smack Thang around because the little moron irritated him, but the moment someone from the outside starts smacking Thang around it's over for them. Bog's little put-put swing on Thang is nothing compared to the heavy golf swing he'll do on the idiot who tries to mess with his goblins. (The mushrooms got the full golf swing but trust, they are fine. Bog knows what will/wont hurt someone.)

Fairy Related Habits/Instincts/Misc

Singing/Music Magic. Fairies have magic that can turn any stick, light source, or noise into music while they are in the vicinity. Bog prefers a different kind of music than most fairies seem to enjoy, but he still possesses this magic nonetheless. Goblins do not usually sing, but they'll play instruments or do some back-up vocals for the fun of it.

Heart on the sleeve. This is a weakness Bog actively goes out of his way to suppress, but he really is a romantic deep down, as most Fairies have a tendency to be. Sure-sure he says he hates love, but then has a soft spot for Dawn's boutonniere gift that he can't quite explain. It's the fairy in you, Bog. It's okay.

Blooming Magic. Bog can touch a fern and make it unfurl, same as Marianne can. He can also make sure venus fly traps get the nutrients they need even if he snaps them shut just to walk on them for absolutely no reason other than showing off for Marianne. The magic fairies use to bloom flowers basically is just giving the plant nutrients it needs and speeding up the blooming process.

[claxonmedicalcodinginstitute]

"🦴 Skeletal System Explained | Functions & Structure in 60 Seconds!"

Discover the amazing structure of the human skeletal system! 🦴 Learn about the bones, joints, and their vital role in supporting movement and protecting organs. Perfect for quick learning! ✅ Watch now and boost your anatomy knowledge. #SkeletalSystem #HumanBody #Anatomy #Biology

[reverieshifts]

𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊 𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚

𝒔𝒄𝒊-𝒇𝒊 𝒅𝒓

𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚

The velari are an elusive and breathtakingly beautiful humanoid species native to the moon-world of Thalurei—a bioluminescent paradise of reflective terrain, glowing flora, and whispering atmospheric tides. Described by outsiders as "living starlight", velari possess a quiet grace and an ethereal presence that feels more dream than reality.

𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅

Height: Velari are generally taller than humans, with most individuals ranging between 5'5 and 6'5, though those from high-altitude clades or grav-adaptive lineages may reach slightly taller extremes. Their height contributes to their otherworldly presence, accentuated by their flowing movement and long proportions.

Body Type: Long-limbed, delicately muscled, and inherently elegant, Velari bodies are engineered by nature for agility, balance, and spatial harmony rather than brute force. Their musculature is lean, with subtle definition that flows along the body’s natural lines—more akin to that of dancers than soldiers. Every motion, even at rest, appears intentional.

Reflexes: Possessing a finely tuned nervous system—partially due to the secondary neural lumen node—Velari have reaction times far superior to most humanoid species. Their reflexes are both instinctive and fluid, allowing them to adjust movement with uncanny precision even mid-step or mid-air. In combat or during evasive maneuvers, they can shift weight, pivot, or dodge with split-second grace.

Environmental Adaptability: In high gravity or intense pressure environments, their lightweight skeletal structure and flexible joints adapt surprisingly well, though prolonged exposure can cause fatigue. In low-gravity or vacuum conditions, however, they are in their element—able to function with intuitive orientation and minimal external stabilization. Their bodies almost remember how to move without resistance.

𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏

the shimmer looks kinda like this

Coloration: Velari skin ranges from luminous pale ivory with a faint opalescent sheen to rich midnight indigo that mirrors a star-streaked sky. Intermediate shades are common—soft lavender-grays, silver-blues, and dusky violets that shift subtly under different lighting conditions. The undertones often reflect lineage and region of origin, with some clades known for their cool blue hues and others for warm stardust glows.

Texture: Smooth and silken to the touch, velari skin is finer than human skin, with a faint, powder-soft feel. A barely visible shimmer lies just beneath the surface, catching light like fine stardust scattered across their bodies. The shimmer is not uniform, often concentrating along the cheekbones, collarbones, and forearms where movement and expression are most frequent.

Wounds and Scars: Velari heal more rapidly than humans due to advanced cellular regeneration aided by trace iridesium in their blood. While most minor wounds vanish without a trace, deeper injuries may leave faint, silvery scars that shimmer like fine crystal threads under the skin. These scars are neither hidden nor stigmatized—instead, they are seen as echoes of resilience, occasionally braided into personal history or ritual markings.

Bioluminescence: Emotional states cause soft, glowing light to ripple beneath the skin in complex, genetically unique patterns—swirls, stripes, or branching arcs that flow along natural lines of motion like the ribs, spine, collarbones, thighs, and arms. These luminous patterns are usually invisible when dormant, but can flare to full brilliance during heightened emotional states—joy, fear, grief, arousal, rage. The exact configuration is entirely individual, similar to a fingerprint, and can be used to identify velari.

While most velari can consciously dim or veil their glow, strong emotions may override control. Young or untrained individuals may display flickering, pulsing, or even strobing light—especially during trauma, bonding, or conflict. In close companionship, it’s common to memorize a loved one’s lumin pattern the way others might memorize a face.

𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔

starborn eyes would look a little more like the middle picture with the glittery iris, but it would be more pronounced

Shape: Large, almond-shaped, and delicately angled, velari eyes possess a natural reflectivity that enhances their depth and presence. The sclera is often tinged with a faint pearlescence, adding to their otherworldly gaze.

Color: Shades of blue, violet, and silver dominate, often with soft gradients or layered hues that shift subtly based on emotional state or ambient lighting. This shifting is most noticeable during heightened emotions—intense joy, sorrow, or fear can cause their irises to pulse with light or briefly change tone.

Night Vision: Velari possess superior night vision, capable of seeing in near-total darkness due to a reflective tapetum lucidum layer behind their irises (similar to felines). Their eyes may emit a faint glint when struck by low light, leading some offworlders to describe them as “starry-eyed phantoms.”

Rare Trait: A small percentage are born with “starborn eyes”—irises flecked with silvery or opal-like specks that shimmer and refract like distant galaxies. These eyes are considered a sign of rarity or fate, and individuals who bear them are often mythologized, admired, or quietly feared depending on context.

Effect: Velari eyes are naturally mesmerizing. Many non-velari find prolonged eye contact hypnotic—not through any telepathic effect, but due to their depth, symmetry, and quiet intensity. Depending on context, this can feel profoundly beautiful… or deeply unsettling, like staring into something ancient and vast.

𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓

Texture: Silken and lightweight, velari hair drapes like liquid light, with strands so fine they almost appear weightless in motion. Despite its softness, it resists tangling, and even in turbulent environments, tends to fall back into graceful alignment.

Color: Typically white or silvery-pale, with subtle undertones of lavender, pale blue, or platinum that shift slightly depending on ambient lighting. These undertones are not dyed but are a natural trait—unique to each individual and often inherited through clade lineage.

Glow: Under certain frequencies of UV or starlight, Velari hair may appear to faintly glow or catch the light in a halo-like effect. This shimmer intensifies during moments of emotional significance, often reflecting bioluminescent cues from their skin in complementary tones. In dim environments, their hair can resemble soft starlight trailing behind them—an unintentional, breathtaking phenomenon that many offworlders mistake for intentional ornamentation.

𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔

Ears: Gracefully elongated and pointed, akin to elven features in mythologies. Tips are often slightly translucent under direct light, catching ambient glow like thin crystal. Velari ears possess subtle muscular control, allowing for small, expressive movements that reflect emotional states. 

Fangs: Velari have slightly elongated upper canines that taper to delicate points. These small fangs are evolutionary remnants from a more predatory stage in their history, now used more for display, emphasis, or intimidation than actual function.

Overall Appearance: Velari faces are strikingly symmetrical, with softly angular bone structure that walks the line between graceful and inhuman. High cheekbones and long lashes give them an ethereal allure, and their skin’s shimmer and eye's reflectivity only add to the effect. Most have little to no body hair beyond their scalp, lashes, and brows, enhancing their polished, statuesque aesthetic.

Their features are so refined that many offworlders initially assume Velari are bioengineered synthetics or high-caste artificial beings, particularly due to their poise, visual symmetry, and uncanny stillness. The longer one observes, the clearer it becomes that this beauty is not mechanical—but something deeper, elemental. Something shaped by gravity, silence, and starlight.

𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍

Structure: Long, flexible, and prehensile, the velari tail extends gracefully from the base of the spine, tapering into a pale, expressive tip. When walking, it typically sways just above the ground, maintaining an elegant arc. The tail is covered in skin like the rest of the body, but the tone is noticeably lighter—almost pure white—and the shimmer across its surface is far more pronounced, giving it the appearance of stardust woven through moonlight. At the end of the tail is a large tuft of white fur, visually similar to their silken hair but softer to the touch.

Use: The tail plays a vital role in balance and stabilization, especially in low-gravity or zero-G environments, where it aids in midair correction and momentum control. It is also used in climbing, coiling, and spatial navigation, with enough strength to briefly support nearly the entire body weight.

Muscle Coordination: Exceptionally dexterous and strong, the tail is capable of independent movement and fine motor control—able to grasp, carry, or even wield small tools.

Touch Sensitivity: Densely innervated, the tail is highly sensitive to texture, pressure, and temperature. It is often used for subtle, instinctive communication among velari—coiling around limbs in affection, flicking in irritation, or brushing against companions in reassurance.

𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚

Blood Composition: Velari blood carries trace amounts of iridesium, a native crystalline mineral from Thalurei’s crust. This substance aids in temperature regulation and cellular healing, and may explain their increased healing rate and cooler body temperature. It also gives their blood a faint shimmer in certain lighting—subtle, but visible when exposed.

Neural Structure: Velari possess a dual-core neural system: a primary brain and a secondary neural cluster located near the upper spine, often referred to as the lumen node. This grants them exceptional reflexes and spatial awareness. The lumen node also plays a role in their emotional bioluminescent response and, in rare cases, resonant abilities.

Immune System: Their immune response is largely proactive rather than reactive. Velari immune cells have adaptive memory coding that can “learn” and “record” pathogens encountered across planetary environments. While not invincible, they are remarkably resistant to most known human and off-world illnesses—but are vulnerable to certain synthetic toxins and metals, particularly those that interfere with bioelectric regulation (like copper or lead composites).

Respiration: Velari lungs are adapted to Thalurei’s oxygen-thin, atmosphere-rich in trace gases. They possess a dual-lobed system with micro-filament alveoli that maximize gas exchange, allowing efficient breathing in low-oxygen environments. In high-oxygen environments, they require less frequent breathing and can hold their breath far longer than humans.

Heart and Circulatory Adaptation: Their hearts pump more efficiently in both low and high G, aided by a secondary, smaller pulse node that maintains stable blood flow in microgravity. This helps prevent dizziness or disorientation in shifting environments.

Bone Composition: Reinforced with a semi-flexible crystalline mineral unique to Thalurei. This structure is lightweight yet resilient, granting protection from high-impact forces and ideal adaptability to low- and zero-G environments.

Joint Flexibility: Velari possess double-jointed articulation in major joints (shoulders, hips, wrists), allowing for fluid, contortionist-level motion. This can appear unsettling to humans during combat or evasive maneuvers.

Metabolism: Velari have a slow-burning, energy-efficient metabolism. Their bodies require less food than a human’s, but they favor nutrient-dense, bioluminescent flora from their homeworld. 

Body Temperature Regulation: Velari do not sweat like humans. Instead, their skin subtly radiates excess heat through luminescent dispersal. In cold, their inner shimmer dulls slightly as energy is conserved and redirected.

𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔

Vocal Cords: Velari possess dual sets of vocal cords—one primary and one secondary (vestigial in some), which can harmonize or dissonate in layered tones. This allows them to sing or speak in simultaneous overlapping pitches, producing hauntingly beautiful or unsettling effects depending on context.

Finger Structure: Velari fingers are noticeably longer and more slender than human fingers, with additional joint flexibility that allows them to bend and rotate with remarkable precision.

Natural Scent: Velari emit a faint natural fragrance, often described as a blend of cool ozone, night-blooming flowers, and something faintly mineral—like starlight on stone. It's subtle, but often soothing or slightly intoxicating to other species.

Temperature: They tend to run slightly cooler than humans, which is noticeable during close contact.

𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒂

Ok, so it's kinda scary to post about this, because when I created this dr, I DEFINATELY was not planning on posting about it, but here I am anyways. And because of that, a lot of this dr is tailored to me specifically. Especially in the fact that, like I've mentioned many times before, I like to over-script. So there is SO MUCH information on everything, that in order to post about this dr, I'm gonna have to cut some of it down to keep the posts from getting too long. Also, for these posts I'm probably gonna end up just copying and pasting sections from my script, so a lot of it will probably end up being in bullet points because that's just how I like to script. And almost all posts on this dr will be long as hell so prepare for that.

Anywas, like I said, I wasn't able to fit everything in here (not by a longshot), so I'll probably do a few more posts on the velari pretty soon, like about their culture, their bioluminescence (and how to decipher what it means), and what a resonant is and the abilities that go along with it. And maybe something on their language if anyone wants to see that.

Also I'm not sure if I'm happy with the header images or the dividers, so I might edit this later and change them, but it works for now.

@aprilshiftz @lalalian

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

Okay tell us about the Gallifreyan muscular system. What are we missing?

Okay, tell us about the Gallifreyan muscular system.

Ah, most people want to talk about regeneration, but you asked about muscles. Welcome to the 1%!

💪 Yes, They Have Muscles. No, They're Not Boring.

Time Lords have a tripartite muscular system, which functions similarly to humans—skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle groups—but with some distinct Gallifreyan upgrades:

Skeletal muscles are stronger, more efficient, and don't fatigue as easily. You generally won't see a Time Lord tearing a hamstring mid-sprint.

Smooth muscles (like those controlling digestion, vessel dilation, etc.) are far more autonomous and responsive to psionic and biochemical feedback.

Cardiac muscle is a unique beast, because it needs to support two hearts—and Gallifreyan cardiac tissue is denser and more electrically conductive than human equivalents.

🧠 Neural Integration

Gallifreyan muscles are more intricately wired into the nervous system, especially via the autonomic lobe of the brain. This means they can:

Enter muscle-control meditative states

Override pain to keep moving under duress

Suppress shivering, blinking, or other reflexes

Hold incredibly still for long periods

🩸 Blood and Oxygen Support

Thanks to their ancillary pulmonary system, Gallifreyans can reroute oxygen delivery and metabolic support to muscle groups even under stress—this helps with:

Extreme exertion

Rapid movement across unstable terrain

Dramatic slow-motion walkaways

Muscles are also fed by artron-infused blood, which has some minor effects on energy recovery. It doesn't make them glow or anything, but it does mean they can sprint up mountains much quicker and easier than humans.

🏋️ Strength and Endurance

Gallifreyans are only slightly stronger than humans on average, but they excel in reflexes, control, and endurance. They've got fantastic fine motor skills and their muscles are built to support centuries of use at a time.

🏫So…

The muscular system has just been quietly doing its job for 1000 posts, like it should in life. Aren't you glad you asked?

Related

🤔|💪🏃How fast can a Gallifreyan run?

💬|💪🏃How high can a Gallifreyan jump?: Examining the potential for a Gallifreyan to jump 13 feet.

🤔|💪🏊Are Gallifreyans good swimmers?

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features: ⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[rohvee]

Wip Wednesday 🖤

The beach was covered in lines.

Viktor carefully picked his way between them, stepping over curves and angles etched into the damp sand.

He’d carved them himself with fingers and driftwood. Physiology notes, skeletal diagrams, theoretical taxonomies. Phylogenetic trees branched out beside rough sketches of anatomy—cross-sections, speculative muscle structures, membrane layers.

There were sketches of shell structures, analyses of predatory behaviors, and rough equations attempting to quantify the bioluminescent pulses he’d observed. Small circles labeled with guesses at internal organs, arrows connecting them to potential functions, notes on chiral particle absorption, theories on reproduction cycles.

A chaotic mind map of a foreign ecosystem, sprawling out like the nervous system of some massive, long-dead leviathan.

It annoyed him when the tides crept in, licking clean parts of his work. He’d had to redraw sections more than once, tracing his own thoughts backward to recover what had been washed away.

It made him wish for something more permanent. Perhaps he could make paper from the grass—but then what would he write with? Maybe a giant squid would wash up, and he could harvest its ink. Or perhaps some other creature here would serve a similar purpose. Could a fish bone make a workable pen?

His thoughts were interrupted when a flash of pink caught his eye. He reached out, cupping his hands to catch a cryptobiote flitting by. He carefully pinched it between his fingers, just enough pressure to keep it still without harming it. It wriggled against his grip as he counted its tarsomeres, searched for unique features. Its minuscule, beady eyes blinked up at him.

He felt an odd tug in his chest as he looked at it, a flicker of something he couldn’t quite place.

[creative-clawmarks]

So I wanna talk paralytics and paralysis in regards to Alex's venom (bc I like going on random science deep dives) SO- as I understand it- there are a few different types of paralytics which affect different bodily functions via different methods, but when most people think of temporary paralysis, they think of neuromuscular paralysis, which is what doctors use during surgeries, and some species of jellyfish and snake use to be absolutely terrifying.

Neuromuscular agents won't knock a person out or prevent pain, they just prevent movement. The problem here is that the diaphragm is a skeletal muscle and is affected by neuromuscular paralysis, meaning that without a ventilator or another breathing apparatus, suffocation is practically guaranteed. Really this applies to all neuromuscular agents/neurotoxins.

Here's the interesting thing I found however- Tick Paralysis, which doesn't always affect breathing. Usually starts out as acute ataxia (muscle weakness) and can progress to muscular paralysis if the tick isn't removed. While tick paralysis is also caused by a neurotoxin, my guess is that because ticks are so small the venom isn't particularly potent, and they don't produce a ton of it.

For Alex's venom to not outright kill via asphyxiation, the potency would probably have to be low enough to allow for diaphragm movement (though probably still weakened) but high enough to trap prey, which is a hell of a needle to thread. That, or it's a neurotoxin that specifically avoids effecting the diaphragm, which doesn't really exist as far as I know (then again, vampires don't either)

TL:DR - Neurotoxins are scary as hell and it's likely that someone envenomed by Alex would experience weakened breathing, if not outright suffocation.

(there's a 2008 movie called The Burrowers where the monsters use a venom that effectively causes Locked-in syndrome, but the science is kinda iffy. Roanoke Gaming as a video on it)

You've given me the perfect opportunity to go into depth on this.

So there's this trope I see in vampire stories where something about the vampire's bite makes it so their victims don't struggle. Usually this is due to supernatural influence, a charm or compulsion that makes the bite pleasant instead of painful.

But I wanted the bite to be painful, and more than that I wanted just the idea of being bitten to be terrifying. So I though, what is something naturally occurring that makes it so that something can't move but can still feel pain?

Why, paralytic venom of course!

(I then proceeded to do zero research lol.)

With this new information I can confidently say that, yes, Alex's venom is a neuromuscular paralytic. It makes it so that his prey cannot escape but leaves them conscious and able to feel pain. It does not, however, bring a risk of asphyxiation, because if Alex is going to kill someone I want it to be on purpose. I suppose that means his venom doesn't target the respiratory system, which considering we're talking about fictional monsters I'm gonna say we can suspend our disbelief here.

Humans stand basically no chance against something like that, but other monsters could fight if off much faster due to their regenerative abilities. That's how Tim survived Entry 56/57, Alex was banking on his venom to keep Tim down but instead he shook it off and managed to flee. He would've gotten away if it weren't for the Operator.

Ok, that should be everything...

"But wait!" I hear you cry, "If Alex's venom is super scary and not at all pleasant, then why does Jay like getting bitten by him?"

Because Jay is a freak. Next question.

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KO-FI