#negativeroom

[empcrer]

[the27percent]

"what governs a life, if not chance?" from omeluum !

atieno finds themself pondering the question over a few moments.

"that's the real question, isn't it?" acknowledging how deep that can go, the entity is genuinely curious about what exactly could govern a life. and how much of it really does come down to change in so many ways.

"i'm not sure if there's a lot outside of chance that does govern a life. because i suppose there are the decisions that are made, but even that is still impacted by the circumstances, the chance that one often encounters."

[devilssight]

@negativeroom continued.

                    BELOW THE EARTH MOST TREAD is considered by the same to be a place of savagery -- and perhaps, with his own life's experiences in mind, it can be. But it was the world above whose unforgiving light burned for a full few days before his eyes could adjust, and that had seen one half of the scholarly duo nearly wiped away as if it had never existed in the first place. Were it not for the brave souls who selflessly bore Omeluum back from the depths.... The return to the world of darkness and mushrooms they both called home wouldn't be nearly as much of a relief as it feels. Here, in the Underdark once more, they may finally return to some sense of normalcy in the work they followed with a passion that might eclipse out the fear that still stained the above world.

          One specimen, a rare mushroom found some months back living in harmony with the myconids who had previously housed them, has taken much of his time, of late. Replication of the soil it had sprouted in has proven difficult away from its sentient kin, resulting in a more lackluster hue to its cap, but some returns in weak blotches with continued adjustments and additions. Perhaps it needs a more blended alchemical tincture than given thus far.... Thoughtful expression flicks up from notes to the familiar face of Omeluum as its telepathy brings him from the present corner of his own work -- but words do not come when called, as Blurg expected them to; his mouth runs dry at the memory. Nothing, surely, compared to that which no doubt lingers in Omeluum's mind, but... Some ghosts have fangs no matter how much one tries to convince themselves they do not.

          How easily it spoke of its own near demise, as if it made little sense to have not occurred. Perhaps it didn't. Blurg would be the first to admit to his own bias; the world would hold so much less intrigue had his travel companion simply.... Disappeared on the winds of research, never to be seen or heard again. He'd always wonder if he shouldn't have been more bold, less aware of the threats on the horizon -- he still does, even though Omeluum's presence and experience reminds him precisely why he had paid heed to its caution in the first place. The devastation of a single soul in the wake of giving Baldur's Gate the opportunity to heal, and the Sword Coast as a whole continued safety hardly seemed important, after all...

          There are times at which the ways of telepathy feel far superior to the spoken word, such as now; being able to project disagreement with the hypotheses of life moving on without his dearest friend Omeluum offered, when the vocal chords seasoned by many decades failed to offer up so much as a forced out 'no' is by far the biggest that presently comes to mind, but the relief is short-lived. Each moment that passes in silence between them, the weight of having nearly lost the person that means the most feels more suffocating. He'd done nothing then, and he'd kept quiet about the longing in his heart before then out of a worry of what might occur should the feelings be one-sided. Almost without thinking, Blurg turns to pull his companion in for a kiss that should have come ages ago, full of that same longing for further closeness, of yearning to know whether it felt the same -- but Omeluum, whether borne out of consideration, uncertainty, or gods forbid anything worse, is difficult to read in the lingering moments between. Gods above, he hopes he's not just dashed their relationship across the rocks.

          Tentacle movement is the first to quiet building nerves, and whatever tension had begun to collect in his body vanishes in an instant. "You do not need to apologize; I should have expressed it sooner...." The images that embrace his mind bring a warm smile to his face. Somewhere along the years, it seemed, something about romance had piqued the mind flayer's interest enough to seek out information independent of their many conversations on subjects so varied he couldn't remember the whole of them. That alone spurs hope into yet another blossom of what by this point feels like a veritable tree of love for the one soul in his lifetime that's been made of the same matter. Fingers close around the tentacle encircling his hand. "I would enjoy nothing more than to learn where this path forward might lead. There.... There has not been another to have captivated me so thoroughly, mind and heart; were there a better option, I would have no desire to hear of it."

[judgcmcnt]

The Five Senses | Always Open

@negativeroom prayed

[ 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑 ] // From Valtiel !

A low metallic tone reverberates within the cage when he feels hands on his shoulders, following the lines of scars along them. He needs not feel on the defense for he knows who the hands belong to, the scent unmistakable. The Yellow God seems to have come to him once again from the high reaches of pipes and gears.

His presence is welcomed by his red counterpart.

Another noise similar to the first is given as he lifts his head to gently push his nose against one of Valtiel's arms, keeping it there as he takes in more of his scent. It brings comfort where such a thing is rare, especially among creatures of their own ilk. For a moment they can both be at ease in the presence of another.

A black tongue slips from iron jaws to lick at leather skin, perhaps a return of the soft touches.

[leatherebel]

@negativeroom ♥'d

" It hurts. " Steven wasn't a complainer by any means, he was so used to offing himself to 'reset' that pain usually didn't get to him. But this time, he couldn't help it. His back was covered in deep, bloodied claw marks, the boney fin sticking out of his spine flared out through the gore.

Blood washed away by the shower's hot water, staining the cubical under him. He was curled up, knees to his chest. That bright red hair clung to his face as he looked over his shoulder at his professor. Maybe it was a good thing he gave him that key...

Steven's dogs were trying so hard to get passed Omeluum and into the bathroom, whining and whimpering to try to get to their owner. A sharp whistle left Steven's usually painted lips, and they were quick to back off with another whine. " S-sorry about them... "

[bruinescence]

@negativeroom cont.

What would he bring to a rainy night with broad shoulders hunched and chin dripping over a campfire that struggled to lift its flames higher than a finger's length when stretched above a calloused palm he'd flipped over and poised to catch the many tears the night had to offer newly sanctified lands? Nothing that would have required him to remain while the rest of his companions took to the drier shelter of their tents whilst he remained just a moment longer by the dying embers that sizzled upon each meeting of raindrop and hot coal.

The company he kept would have protested to him wandering off into the night on his own, which was why he waited until the good majority of the lantern lights behind tent canvases died down to a more natural cascade of shadows than the curse had previously curdled them into. The very sight of natural darkness his elven gaze pierced easily through brought about a calmness in him that he hadn't felt in a long time. A call to the nocturnal beast he housed within his spirit bid him to wander, and soon he was on a muddy trek along the rocky plains leading away from Baldur's Gate, boots cutting through gathering puddles and splashing rock-bound lichens along the way.

How long had it been since he'd seen these lands in their former splendor? Even under a storm, they throbbed with the promise of life that would surely use the downpour to its advantage in drawing vines and flowers from the earth's cracks to take back what was once knocked out of nature's grasp; the spirit of the land. Drawing closer to an impasse by a craggy drop down into a neighboring valley, Halsin paused to regard the fog billowing within the drop-off before the sound of a cloak flapping in the wind up ahead drew his gaze over to a levitating figure.

Though he'd rather raise his guard higher upon his hackles upon the sight of a mind flayer sans its wild shape of a form that most resembled the sort of companions he was privy to in camp, he waited in silence to see if the being would float closer - or at least more within the realm of a territorial dispute before the lack of one had him regarding the strange form of the illithid behind the subtle, golden glow of his gaze. Such a creature was as alien to him as he imagined he to it even though its spawn resided within the minds of those he'd grown inseparably close to upon their final venture into Baldur's Gate after the last of the Shadow Curse's roots had withered away and released the lands now thirsty for every drop of the down pour that raged above them.

Arms crossed in front of him, Halsin studied the odd being...or was it a parasite? A fully grown one, perhaps. Or perhaps a blending of what was with what had invaded it in the first place...the death of a being and the emergence of another like a gnoll split from a bloated hyena's flank. He held back the grimace at the thought, not too fond of the idea that he might have to witness the same unethical sight from the glassy eyes of those odd travelers he'd come to care for like members of his own grove. It was a fur-bristling thought, though the rain slicked him down well enough that any semblance of frizz in the braids hanging limply over his shoulder was as absent as the lack of a worm's presence between his eyes.

When the thing spoke to him, albeit telepathically, Halsin shifted uncomfortably, though with how he'd heard [Tav] describe the squirming at times, he supposed he was luckier than the lot of them bundled up safe and warm in their tents while their parasites bundled up safe and warm in them. Curious, he thought- though he was not sure if the illithid could pick up on his inner musings without the stationing of a tadpole to serve as a receiving and sending device between consciousnesses. And it wasn't like he believed casting a quick 'talk to animals' cantrip would help him with the strange alien-like attempt at a conversation.

After a moment of contemplation, he decided he'd give a hunch further study. As his fingertips glowed, he swirled them into a pink trail of energy around his palm before moving to press it firmly in the middle of his chest. "Abrade-" The transformation was not as piece-by piece as a wild shape, but the polymorph spell did wonders when it came to spontaneous disguise. After a swathe of well-muscled tentacles fell to rest partially against the wide spawn of his chest whilst curling about in an effort to taste the air with each squirming end, Halsin waited within the frame of broad shoulders he'd drifted down into only a moment before the Archdruid stepped up into the air to float aimlessly under the downpour in a thicker, more muscular frame than his mirrored image. Regarding the mind-flayer beyond the way, his head newly tentacled face tilted just so in morbid curiosity to see just how hostile one of these mind manipulators could get

After a silent bob or two in the air, he ventured out with a mental call of his own, though less involved due to the concentration he needed just to maintain the polymorph form.

[I wanted to watch the negative thoughts finally wash away.] He thought, hazel and lidless eyes trained ahead as newly purple flesh glistened beneath the torrential downpour. Perhaps once the lands had been washed clean of any remnants of the vanquished curse, he would consider taking shelter. But this first downpour since the clearing of the curse made him want to know if in the land's cleansing- his darkest recesses would too see the lifting of some properly buried shadows within his chest.

[And you?]

[wolfkcst]

The werewolf tilt their head a little, staring at Omeluum with silent curiosity. Does it enjoy the gift that Eivor had brought? Sure its a little bloody from where they had gotten the gift originally, but it wouldn't bother it... Right? @negativeroom

[empcrer]

@negativeroom inquired – "be careful with words. they can be forgive, but never forgotten." // also from Kas if you want 👉👈

His brow falls to a quick furrow. Her warning is a tale he lives by all too well. The illithid mustn't give the entire truth to the matters at hand– unless it's directly asked for. Giving away unimportant information much may result in the dismantlement of his plans. A result most undesirable if his chosen allies decide to use such revelations against him.

" Is that a caution of your patron? " His voice rises in the recesses of her mind. " …They were wise in divulging this information to you. "

[remaimed]

Starter for @negativeroom

Cassian crossed his arms, looking at the mindflayer. His personal opinion on them hadn't changed too much, but this one was an outlier. "Are you sure this medicine will help? I don't really want to die here." Becoming a mindflayer was out of the question. He would fall on his own sword before that could happen.

[empcrer]

" You insist, but are you prepared for the truth? " Another flutter of tease draws from the illithid. It holds no real intention other than a hint.

It knew what that AMUSED brainwave meant. “&– - I insist you tell me what it means...... is this similar to the 'wet' terminology where my knowledge of it as a mundane thing has other socially less appropriate usage?”

[sageofthestrange]

𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 Italics only means the behaviour isn't as prevalent as others; rarely happens or they only tend to happen in specific situations, or are just not as common. Bold only means it's much more common to see on her; frequency is somewhere in the middle. Bold & Italics mean that the behaviour is effectively one of her glaring "tells" and can easily be associated with her; guaranteed or almost always guaranteed to happen.

DEFENSIVENESS: arms crossed on chest // crossing legs // fist-like gestures // pointing index finger // karate chops // stiffening of shoulders // tense posture // curling of lip / baring of teeth

REFLECTIVE : hand-to-face gestures // head tilted // stroking chin // peering over glasses // taking glasses off — cleaning // putting earpiece of glasses in mouth // pipe smoker gestures // putting hand to the bridge of the nose // pursed lips // knitted brows

SUSPICION : arms crossed // sideways glance // touching or rubbing nose // rubbing eyes // hands resting on weapon // brows raising // lips pressing into a thin line // strict, unwavering eye contact // wrinkling of nose

OPENNESS & COOPERATION: open hands // upper body in sprinters position / leaning in closely // sitting on the edge of a chair // hand-to-face gestures // unbuttoned coat // tilted head // slacked shoulders // droopy/relaxed posture // feet pointed outward // palms flat and facing outward

CONFIDENCE : hands behind back // hands on lapels of coat // steepled hands // baring teeth in a grin // rolling shoulders // tipping head back but maintaining eye contact // chest puffed up / shoulders back // arms folded just above navel

INSECURITY & ANXIETY : chewing pen or pencil // rubbing thumb over opposite thumb // biting fingernails // hands in pockets // elbow bent / closed gestures // clearing throat // “ whew ” sound // picking or pinching flesh // fidgeting in chair // hand covering mouth whilst speaking // poor eye contact // tugging at pants whilst seated // jingling money in pockets // tugging at ear // perspiring hands // playing with hair // swaying // playing with pointer / marker // smacking lips // sighing // rocking on balls of feet // flexing fingers sporadically

FRUSTRATION : short breaths // “ tsk ” sounds // tightly-clenched hands // fist-like gestures // pointing index finger // running hand through hair // rubbing back of neck // snarling // revealing teeth / grimacing // sharp-eyed glowers with notable tension in the brows // shoulders back, head up - defensive posturing // clenching of jaw / grinding teeth // nostrils flaring // heavy exhales

tagged by: No one, I yoinked this (hope this is okay!) from @triickst / @silvrkillr

tagging: (Sorry if you've already done this meme before; if you're a multi-muse blog; choose any charas you want!), @lordgortrash, @devotedhero, @nerimoi, @n1ghtwarden, @negativeroom, @celestialheal, @infernaliscor, @thcdoomed, @wizofwaterdeep, ANY of my mutuals (feel free to tag me as the tagger!) as well as just anyone who comes across this and wants to try it for themselves! ♥

[tenthhell]

ᴍᴜꜱᴇ ᴅᴇᴍᴇᴀɴᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀɴɴᴇʀɪꜱᴍꜱ ɢᴜɪᴅᴇ.

BOLD: Always / ITALICS: Sometimes / STRIKE: Never

ᴇʏᴇꜱ. avoids eye contact when nervous, maintains eye contact when nervous, avoids eye contact due to being neurodivergent, enjoys eye contact as a means to read and convey emotion, looks down when emotional, looks up when emotional, cries openly, wipes tears quickly, suppresses tears, wandering gaze when lost in thought, holds gaze while thinking, seeks out eye contact for reassurance, seeks out eye contact to gauge enthusiasm during conversations, eyes move constantly during conversation, expressive eyes, emotions only evident through eyes, uses eye contact to intimidate, looks up while thinking, looks down while thinking.

ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ. clasps behind back,  rests in lap,  fidgets with clothes,  twiddles thumbs,  chews at nails,  pushes back cuticles,  draws patterns on table/counter surfaces,  animated gestures while speaking,  only gestures to emphasize,  utilizes sign language,  speaks only through sign,   callouses,  scars,  smooth,  wrinkled,  worn,  soft,  delicate,  boney,  slender,  thick,  veiny,  touches others while speaking,  reaches out while laughing,  reaches out to comfort others,  reaches out to seek comfort,  places face in hands when exasperated,  places face in hands when exhausted, places palms over eyes to hide when overwhelmed,  rests chin in hands,  taps fingers when impatient,  taps fingers when nervous,  taps fingers while thinking,  scratches scalp,  strokes chin,  rubs back of head,  toys with objects around them,  runs fingers over surfaces while walking by.

ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ. chews lip,  chews at inside of cheek,  licks lips,  bites tongue,  chews on straws,  resting frown,  resting smile,  neutral resting expression,  resting pout,  grinds teeth,  flexes jaw,  covers mouth when laughing,  covers mouth when shocked,  covers mouth when concerned,  hands to lips while thinking,  covers mouth when chewing,  chews with mouth closed,  chews with mouth open,  smirks,  grins,  subtle smiles,  wide smiles,  sad smiles,  intimidating smiles,  menacing grins,  openly smiles,  tries to suppress smiles,  bares teeth when angry,  lips quiver when emotional, stutters,  speaks quickly,  speaks slowly,  good pronunciation,  poor pronunciation,  moderate pronunciation,  purses lips, sucks in lips,  holds mouth open when shocked or confused.

ʟᴇɢꜱ. bounces leg when nervous,  draws knees to chest when sitting,  draws knees to chest as a means of comfort,  sits on knees,  sits with legs criss crossed,  sits with legs spread open in chairs,  crosses legs when sitting in chairs,  sits with one leg folded under the other,  places feet on furniture,  never places feet on furniture,  sits on counters,  sits on desks,  sits on tables,  sits on edge of seat,  sits hunched over with forearms on knees,  arches one knee up,  sits on the arm of chairs/couches,  feet on dashboard,  swings legs back and forth when sitting somewhere elevated,  wiggles toes when nervous,  wiggles toes as a general tick,  shuffles feet,  kicks foot into ground,  stomps feet,  loud footsteps,  quiet footsteps,  silent footsteps.

ʜᴀɪʀ. runs fingers through hair,  tugs at hair,  picks at scalp,  chews on hair,  twists locks of hair while thinking or nervous,  smooths out locks of hair while thinking or nervous,  prefers hair out of face,  prefers long hair,  prefers short hair,  wears hair back,  keeps hair down,  smooths back hair,  plays with other’s hair while talking,  plays with own hair while talking,  strokes hair to comfort others, likes having hair stroked for their own comfort,  braids others’ hair while talking,  braids own hair while talking,  flips hair out of face,  pushes hair out of face,  leaves hair alone even when falling into face.

TAGGED: 100% farm fresh stolen <3 TAGGING: @aliarssmile, @bardicfires, @negativeroom, @onlyfiends ( whichever of the boys you prefer ), @palecharm, @starlyht, @tenderhellfire, & you if you're feeling it.

[morttodea]

tag nine people you'd like to know better

I. favourite colours: blue, black, orange, green, red II. favourite flavours: MANGO! ORANGE AND CREAM! TAMARIND! III. favourite genres: Horror! if it's eldritch or supernatural the better IV. favourite music: metal or ah noise, but that's just naming a few, I got a whole bunch to list; V. favourite movies: It, Incantation, the VHS series VI. favourite series: paranoia agent, housing complex C, dorohedoro, hilda, Midnight gospel, Midnight mass, centaur world, VII. last song: OPEN THE DOOR - (K)now Name VIII. last series: hilda! IX. last movie: Miss shampoo X. currently reading: ah! nothing really, maybe some mangas XI. currently watching: sports with the fam XII. currently working on: doodles of bor in alt aus~ Tagging: @negativeroom @goresugars @beloved-death @astrumborn @silenthcwl @sweet-chimera @chidoricry and you! steal it! blank under cut!

tag nine people you'd like to know better I. favourite colours: II. favourite flavours: III. favourite genres: IV. favourite music: V. favourite movies: VI. favourite series: VII. last song: VIII. last series: IX. last movie: X. currently reading: XI. currently watching: XII. currently working on: Tagging:

[stolememory]

Mora has been moved to @negativeroom

[wolfkcst]

Lost meme -No longer Accepting!! @negativeroom

Trusting a mind flayer after all that they have been through was foolish, but this one was different than the rest. Eivor couldn't bring themselves to attack him, especially when he offered to help them with their problem. ❝Aching but... Calmer. Thank you.❞ They murmured, gaze flickering back up at the taller from where they sat.

[empcrer]

He's sending those brain waves of amusement.