aberrantundead

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La conversation, Paul Delvaux, 1944

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Connor, undying warlock. Undead aberration. Neutral good.

By Cachet, Twit/Bsky/Tumblr.

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Likable monsters are very appealing in a fictional setting for many reasons. Sometimes it’s the inversion of reality of it all. The way the monster shows you its ugliness first and then you get to discover its good traits. It’s kindness, it’s gentleness. Its humanity. It’s the fantasy that the thing that seems terrifying is not so terrifying after all. That beneath the ugliness it is simply…human. In pain. And so often, reality is the opposite. The real monsters show you the seemingly beautiful things first. They present themselves as pure and human. They draw you in and ensnare you only to eventually rip off the mask and reveal all the ugliness and horrors that lurk beneath. By then it’s too late.

And that’s the other reason the “loving monster” is appealing. Because if you live your whole life dealing with monsters that wear human’s faces…it’s nice to imagine that there is a bigger, scarier monster out there that would or could protect you. That could scare the real monsters away.

And finally, it is that we ourselves sometimes feel monstrous. Like ugliness and dirt and blood and horror. Like darkness and unworth. And it’s nice to imagine that if this monster can find compassion, can find redemption, peace, acceptance…love. Then maybe we can too.

So don’t judge people for liking the monsters. The ugly ones. The villains. It’s not always so black and white.

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Love and Death Embrace, by Erika-Xero.

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Many of you have surely seen Finnish painter Hugo Simberg's work The Garden of Death (Kuoleman puutarha), 1896 It is very small, only 16 x 17 cm / 6 x 6 inches. You can get merch of this painting from National Art Gallery Ateneum's online shop, with a world wide delivery

But this is not the only Death painting by Simberg. Oh no, no! He drew and painted various heartfelt and often humorous pieces of Death.

Playmates (Leikkitoriverit). Note that the taller kid is actually a small Piru, a Finnish folklore devil.

Death Goes For Ice-Skating (Kuolema luistelee)

Death and a Potato Hag (Kuolema ja perunaeukko) I think this official English name is Death and a Potato Peeler

Death Listens (Kuolema kuuntelee)

Dance on a Bridge (Tanssi sillalla)

Deaths Asks For a Picture on His Scythe (Kuolema pyytää kuvaa viikatteeseen) (the man looks like Simberg himself)

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Happy Halloween! Featuring Waterdeep teammates Connor and Kassandra.

Kassandra belongs to @mmothmanners Art by @idaidaart

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Death and the Maiden by nesy_hide (bsky/twitter)

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would you love me if my bestial form had no remnant of human expression? if my face was unreadable, stoic, if the signifiers of personhood were gone? if i crawled on all fours, if my spine was hunched, if i didn't just bark and purr but chuff, snort, snarl? is monstrosity good when it isn't palatable? how much inhumanity can you tolerate?

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Connor, undying warlock by baroquegothik

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Eldritch Lich by IdaIda_art

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Armand Rassenfosse (1862-1934), La Mort Rêvée

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Karl Karger - “Goethe’s Works” Vol. 3, 1885.

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Undead and Aberrant Warlock Commission by mlarty_art. 

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this isn't a new or revalatory take but there is something i adore about how immensely loving about the human inclination to personify death is. like, we realised that we won't be there to help the ones we love when they cross over to where we can't follow, so we made them (and ourselves) someone who can

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Possession by Nighthair.

Senka belongs to @pocketmalkavian.

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submissive in the way a livestock guardian dog is submissive to the sheep it kills wolves for