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The Wizard King takes the throne.

Normally my pictures have their sketches on paper. This sketch, for whatever reason, happened in microsoft paint. That's why it looks the way it does.

Reblog this post with the most fucked up sketch-final comparison you have. Here's mine:

The sketch:

The final pieces (Lighthouse Mimics):

(makes me wonder how people put up with my streams)

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Jeanette Voerman performing Caramelldansen 2024 Ink on paper, digital composite

Sometimes I have an idea and it is just not possible to not do it. So you now have to look at this.

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A little bit of rest (originally: Kis pihenő) 2024 Acrylic on paper

Smiling Jack is enjoying a cigar while hard at work precipitating the plot of Bloodlines and, um... redecorating a ship. (Also committing mass murder and stealing, tampering with, damaging and destroying archaeological finds. All in a night's work.)

(I know the composition is unclear, but it came to my mind and I just had to paint it. He has his back against the sacrophagus and his feet on a crate, while he sits on a smaller crate, now out of view.)

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We watched dinosaurs migrate (Originally: Láttuk a dinoszauruszokat vonulni) 2025 Acrylic on paper

My soft and I have recently watched some dinosaur films together, and they have inspired me a lot. There will be more dinosaur paintings in the future. But in this one, I wanted to acknowledge the source of the inspiration, and the moment we had together watching the films and being moved by them; so there are the two of us (I'm the one in black) hiding in some ferns as we watch a herd of hadrosaurids migrate.

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Encouragement to be self-indulgent

If you are concerned that your creative project is too self-indulgent, think of Dante Alighieri. He really did just say "I will write an over-the-top piece of self-insert fiction in the form of grandiose epic poetry, wherein I get to be pals with my favourite ancient writer, and my unrequited and now dead crush also loves me, and I get to explore the afterlife, and everyone I hate is in hell actually, and it's a crossover fanfic because I will put the characters of all my favourite stories in there; and I will name it The Divine Comedy". And he did. And it is a thing widely admired; lots of famous artists have even made fanart for it. You deserve to make your dreams come true in your creative works. It is a respectable thing to do. Don't hold back. <3

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WIP Wednesday Thursday

Thank you to @inquisitornocturn and @porcelainseashore for tagging me! I wanted to do it still today, so it could be still in line with the title, even though the title is thus named because it was not in line with the original title. :D Since two of you tagged me, I want to post two different projects. I apologise for the terrible camera, please observe my works in progress:

a future landscape wherein I keep to my apparent tradition to paint the sky with Naples yellow (this is likely to be finished and posted tomorrow):

and the tiny vampire figurine I have partially painted but not yet made a diorama for to unlive in:

And in turn, I tag @kavalyera, @girlnextvore, @the-bar-sinister, @essie-essex, @viiihouse, and @auspex, to post about any projects they have ongoing!

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I can feel you in me

Author's note: This takes place well before Bloodlines canon. It's about Strauss and Kai deciding that they are such good friends that they should enter a mutual blood bond, and also they should have sex about it, for the advancement of arcane knowledge.

Contents: vampires, friendship, blood-drinking, blood bond (in the VtM sense), magic (plans and thoughts and its general presence in the characters' unlives), physical affection, masturbation (not in any great detail), sexual fantasies (of sorts), accidental double-entendre, reassurance, talking about sex

Characters: Kai (future Tremere PC's Sire); Regent Strauss (viewpoint character of the scene)

1388 words

It makes sense to take the mutual blood bond; it is the reasonable choice, both of them think so. They have been working together so much, after all, and have every intention to do so forever; and to feel each other's soul so automatically and effortlessly would make it easier to work in concert, and would allow them to focus on the more central aspects of their workings. This is all they mention when they discuss taking that step: they don't discuss that they trust each other so much and feel so close to each other that they are willing to put themselves in each other's hands like this in the interest of better, more effective cooperation and more magical power; because that is so clear to both of them that there is no need. Taking the blood bond doesn't feel like a liability: it feels like being family; and they already are; so why wouldn't they write it as an oath in their own blood?

They sit together in Strauss' personal quarters (it always is his quarters, because Kai's are never in a state to comfortably have a visitor); Strauss is in his shirtsleeves with his collar unbuttoned, nestled in his favourite armchair, and Kai sideways on his lap in a configuration of limbs Strauss will never be able to understand how he can comfortably assume, only smile fondly at him when he does. Kai's Kiss feels like home and comfort and things that should happen every night, and Strauss cradles his friend's head in his palm and laces his fingers through his curls and draws an aimless breath just to sigh contentedly. And when Kai raises his head from his neck and looks up into his eyes, smiling warmly and radiantly and with the blood still on his lips, and he says, "I can feel you in me", Strauss thinks nothing else of it but the truth of the moment, just as Kai thought of nothing else when he said it.

It is only later, remembering the moment, that Strauss thinks of it that that statement could have been interpreted another way. Surprising even to himself, the thought isn't unpleasant when it occurs to him; it is warm, almost: that sounds like something Kai could have said during sexual intercourse, perhaps even with the same fond expression and the same happiness in his voice, raising his face from his shoulder the same way.

Could this be something he is able to want? It has been a long time since he had anyone share his bed, and he would not have sought it out; he does not, in general, miss having a partner for such activities just for its own sake. But if he now finds that with Kai he is able to want it, should he not take the opportunity? It would be helpful for magical purposes; his body is an arcane tool he has not been using to its fullest capacity for a long time: even allowing for all the things he can accomplish on his own, even allowing for the rituals others may be present in in some other capacity, he knows there would be methods he could pursue further if he allows himself the help of a beloved friend held in his arms. Is it not the ethos of the Clan to collaborate on magical projects in all sorts of ways?

He needs to examine his own feelings thoroughly; he takes a long while to think them over, and to get used enough to the thought for it to feel safe to act on. It could be alright; it could feel tender and safe, like it was to drink each other's blood; it could be a form of affection he can offer and accept, at least with Kai.

He has to go as far as he can. He may be alright with the idea; but he has to know he can be comfortable with it in context.

He doesn't imagine what it would be like to have sex with Kai; he does not wish to form expectations that Kai himself might or might not behave similarly to. But he thinks of Kai, the small everyday moments of affection that he does know: Kai's smile, Kai's hand on his shoulder, Kai's curls between his fingers, Kai draping himself across his lap endearingly like an overgrown housecat; he thinks of these things, resting and waiting for the dawn to come, as he slides his hand under his soft red robe; and buried in the thought of Kai's arms around him does his blood spill over his hand and his belly; and he finds he doesn't mind that. He finds he wishes Kai was really there to hold him. And he knows that if he so decides, he can go right now and ask him. He doesn't do that. But as he allows the dawn to pull him under, he knows his own answer now. Yes, this is something he can want.

He does talk to Kai about it, later. He is very careful, of course. He had time to think: Kai deserves that as well, if he needs it, for however long he needs it; he does not wish to sound like he is demanding an answer, even by accident. And he has no desire to make Kai feel as if their friendship is not enough for him unless it includes sex, for magical purposes or otherwise. He does his best to make it clear that this is not an order or even a request, it is an offer that Kai may do as he pleases with; they will - at least he certainly hopes - remain friends regardless. He specifies also that even if he offers this suggestion with the hope that it may be useful for magical purposes, they cannot start there; they would have to know each other's tastes, each other's body, they would have to be familiar with pleasuring each other before they get to that part; maybe they will never end up using it for that purpose. It needs to be something they are happy and comfortable to partake in for its own sake, if they are to do it at all. He ends his thought process where he started: "Please take as long as you need to think this through. Even centuries, even forever. I would not wish to pressure you."

Kai beams at him. "It's okay, Maxi," he says, "I knew you'd say that, but I don't need time to think about it. You can have me right now if you want."

For a moment, Strauss doesn't know how to respond. He is pleased, of course, that Kai is taking the idea well; but the immediacy of his answer surprises him, even worries him. He tilts his head to the side and asks gently, compassionately, "Have you perhaps been waiting for me to ask? I did not suspect it."

Kai's eyes widen for a moment, and then he laughs softly. He rises from his seat and puts both hands on the edges of Strauss' armchair so he can lean above him and kiss his forehead. "You're very cute worrying about me like that, you know. But you really don't have to. You're not hurting me. Neither by asking, nor by not asking sooner."

"Oh."

Kai sits back down, throwing himself sideways over the arm of his chair. "You can't accidentally intimidate me, because we're friends. I can just tell you if I need something, you know?"

Strauss smiles and extends a hand to pet Kai's head. He can feel the tension in his chest dissipate. Kai is right. "Yes, indeed."

"So no, I wasn't waiting. I didn't know it was on the table, so I didn't think about it, it just never came up, you know? I didn't even know if you like that sort of thing. But I'm thinking about it now, and I do want to. We are friends, right? I trust you. I love you. So, I have nothing to worry about. I'm yours, Maxi, you know that, we swore with our blood. So what difference does it make if you also want to fuck me?"

Strauss smiles back at him, moved. "No, I believe it will not make a difference, in the end."

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When Emmeline left

Author's note: This is a short chapter (compared to the long time it covers) that loosely explains how Kai (the future Sire of my Bloodlines Tremere self-insert PC) got to Los Angeles, from when he became separated from his Sire, Emmeline. It doesn't describe Emmeline's adventures and the reason she had to leave... That is quite something and will deserve its own chapters. I've actually been sitting on this for a while, for as long as I had the drawing that I'm using as cover picture; I wrote most of this then. Right now I'm posting it because finally I made an appropriate divider for Kai and because I want to post it before the other chapter I will also post today.

Contents: vampires, conversation, friendship, Sire and Childe relationship, mentor and apprentice relationship, secrets, war (no detailed description)

Characters: Kai (future Tremere PC's Sire, viewpoint character of the scene); Emmeline (Kai's Sire); Regent Strauss

969 words

"Are you going to join the Sabbat?"

"No," says Emmeline. "Stop guessing, I'll just stop answering your guesses now."

"You could just tell me, you know. I won't tell anyone."

"I'm sure you don't intend to. I trust your intentions. But some Ventrue would pull it out of you anyway." She sighs and sits down beside me. "Believe me, I understand. You see a secret and you have to know what it is. It's the real clan curse. But this is how it's safer for you, so I'm not telling you."

"Will I ever find out?"

"Eventually, yes, if all goes well, I'll tell you when it's safe." She pats my shoulder. I assume I probably look pretty dejected and all, because she sighs a little and her voice takes on that tone like she's trying to figure out how to apologise without expressing regret, which she clearly can't do, because if she was regretting whatever she is about to do, she wouldn't be doing it. "I don't plan to leave forever, you know. I'll miss you too, and I wish I could tell you everything. But I promise you won't be alone."

"How long do you think you'll be away?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. Just don't worry too much, alright?"

"That's hard to do. I mean, it's not even about being left without my Sire. I know the clan will take care of me and teach me all sorts of things even while you aren't here, that's what we do, right?"

"Right."

"But you're also my friend, so obviously I'll worry, and you can't make me not to, so there." I stick my tongue out at her momentarily, and pull a face.

She chuckles, even though she still looks sad. "You're a good one, Kai. I won't forget you, and I do plan to be back eventually. And we'll still be friends, right?"

"Of course. What do you take me for? I mean, if you wanted me to no longer be your friend, you'd have to do some pretty extreme stuff, like, uh…" I can't come up with a single thing.

"Like stop being your friend?"

"Yeah, like that. And you won't do that anyway."

She smiles, and I can see some of her confidence back in it. "No, I won't do that." She pats my shoulder again. "Anyway, back to what you said about the clan - I actually asked someone to take you under his wing while I'm away. You know, so you have more of a guidance than just 'ask anyone'."

"Metaphorical wing, I hope? Or did you go all the way back to the Tzimisce roots?"

She laughs a little. "No, metaphorical wing. It's Strauss; you met him once."

Strauss is nice in an atrocity professor sort of way. He helps gently excise whatever moral qualms I have left from my previous human life. He wins me over really fast.

I occasionally get cryptic messages from Emmeline; I don't stop missing her - I mean, of course not, we are friends -, but it helps reassure me that she's thinking of me and things are going according to plan by and large; I worry about her still, but I settle into her absence.

Emmeline does return eventually, like she said she would. This is the time she tells me what she had done before disappearing; even in hindsight it worries me, but right now she is safe, and that is what matters. She also brings back findings: strange artefacts, and notebooks full of drawings and descriptions and wild conjectures: apparently, while she was hiding from the fallout of the things she had done, she used this time for a secretive expedition. She has a whole new area of study now, based around the implications of her new discoveries. We are appropriately amazed. She stays with us a while, and then she goes back to her research in various distant lands. She comes back every so often, spends some time with us, we discuss her findings and update her on ours; and then she goes off somewhere else. I stay with Maxi and await her return, never completely without worry, but still, now that I know the danger is mostly over and she's just going on expeditions and avoiding old adversaries, waiting for her when she is away is much easier. And even in her absence, I am among friends, at least.

By the time Maxi tells me he needs to go to Los Angeles to help with the Kuei-Jin war, it's obvious I'd manage without him just fine. "It may not be pleasant," he says. "You do not have to come unless you wish to."

"Of course," I say, "but I'm obviously coming." I'd go with him to a different galaxy if he had a spaceship.

I'm actually excited to see a new continent. And it's beautiful in its own way. It's not even marred by the war going on. I have seen war; it was awful. As strange as it is to say, this is not so bad. It's more like a bronze age sort of war, warriors against warriors, just trying to win, right? Weird to say it's not as destructive, monsters fighting monsters, but it's really not; there are city lights and seashores and land formations, and the war is happening in this place, not to this place. I don't think the humans even notice. And every morning I go home to a Chantry that I'm fairly sure is inviolable. There's fear and pain, and we do lose comrades, I think all war is probably sad; but there is always him, and I don't lose hope. And after the war is gone, there is still him, and there is still a new land to explore.

I have nothing to regret.

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"Dance with me" 2024 Acrylic on paper

This is extremely personal in many ways. It is about death as completion and celebration and love and becoming; that is what the wings are for.

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Eyespots (originally: Szemfoltok) 2024 Ink on paper

How do I navigate all these unseen obstacles I'm not prepared for that nobody explains to me? Am I pretending well enough that I do understand, so I don't look as vulnerable as I am? How does everyone keep living in a world where everything hurts? Is there something wrong with me?

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Lamps at dusk (originally: Lámpák alkonyatkor) 2024 Acrylic on paper

A few days ago I was coming home at sunset, and I was very charmed by the contrast of the luminous sky and the dark clouds, and how broad the green area was this time, so I immediately decided it had to be a painting. It took so long to dry, and I had to dry it so many times, for some reason, despite how simple the picture is; but finally I can upload it.

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Eternity shards divider 2025 Ink on paper, digital

So like I said, I was going to make a divider for each character who has a viewpoint in the story. Kai does have a viewpoint, I have written a number of scenes from his viewpoint, but I just couldn't decide what divider to make for him - I had an idea but I wasn't altogether pleased with it. And so this was actually stopping me from uploading any chapter in which he is a viewpoint character. But a couple of days ago I had this come to my mind. He's not based on the Kai from The Snow Queen, there is another reason this is his name; but accidentally it is also the case that there are distinct parallels, and I decided that I am absolutely going to lean into that for the purposes of his divider. He would approve. <3

Of course I have to keep to the red and black colour scheme, because it is how I made the dividers for everyone else, and besides it is personally his colour scheme as well, and I thought, yes, that'll look strange, but it will work. And I believe it does. However, I still wanted to also make a non-strange-coloured version, this is what that would look like:

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Plains with Moon and no dinosaurs (originally: Síkság Holddal, dinoszauruszok nélkül) 2025 Ink on paper

The title might sound... strange. But I was considering a herd of migrating dinosaurs, except I decided against it, because that will be a different picture.

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Cross sceptre divider 2025 Ink on paper, digital

Like in the case of the previous dividers I made, this is for the Bloodlines narrative I'm writing. And as different dividers go with different viewpoint characters, this one is for LaCroix. I did not expect LaCroix to get a viewpoint, but here we go, he has one now, and this nice divider to go with it. I kind of wish I had been able to do this in gold, but I did want to keep the colour scheme of the other dividers.

Thanks, @kavalyera, for listening to me think through my options, and most of all for thinking of including a cross! Somehow despite his name I forgot crosses exist as a visual motif.

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Botanical retexture for Minetest, some example screenshots 2020 Digital

Please enlarge. My version on the left; original on the right. More screenshot pairs under the cut.

At some point I couldn't stand looking at the plant textures anymore, because they weren't recognisable. So I retextured some of them such that I can actually make out what I'm looking at. I decided that it should give me pleasure to look at every time I play; and now it does. I did it at a bit higher of a pixel count, to give myself room to work; but I wanted it to still go along with the non-retextured parts.

I realised that I don't think I have shown you any pixel art I have done before. I don't use this medium too often, because if I do too much of it, it is liable to hurt my hand; but it's alright, I enjoy it when I do use it. And as long as I'm careful, it is a medium I would be willing to take a commission in.

Above, you can see some of the smaller default plants. You can also see the trunk of an iron tree from the Mineral Trees module, and, further away, a default blueberry bush.

Some of the mineral trees: I made the iron tree be a mugga ironbark, and I made the copper tree be a copper beech. I did not choose these for their names (English isn't my native language), but because I tried to imagine what woody plants would have a suitable appearance. Not all of the mineral trees match the name like that.

The default uh... default-tree. I decided that since apples grow on it, it has to be an apple tree. I only did the foliage and not the bark or fruit for this one, so far. You can also see a diamond block; there are only a few non-plant blocks I retextured, but the diamond block was one of them, because I couldn't stand that it looked like a blue plastic box.

The gravel was also such a non-plant block I retextured. The way that it looks now, I enjoy the thought of walking barefoot on these pebbles, and though the sound is not different, I now frequently walk over them just to walk over them.

These are all the screenshots I have for you this time. Maybe I will show you more of the textures I made in a later post, if you are interested.

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Kiss on the forehead (originally: Homlokcsók) 2025 Ink on paper

They are in love <3 And thinking of that makes me feel safe and happy. I think of them so so much every day.

I normally paint/draw Strauss with his gloves off when he holds Andrei; however, this time I just wanted them on for contrast (so that Strauss can look as extremely presentable as possible while Andrei is in his warform), and I'm sure he will take them off in a moment, but he just hasn't had time yet, because it was very urgent to give his horrible beloved a kiss.

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Well observed! That is exactly the kind of clothes I was going for! I love houppelandes, I always have, I can't imagine why a perfect garment like that would go out of style. :D

I imagine this to take place in a (non-WoD) alternate universe; but perhaps that's not important, because it could technically be canon-compliant. They are both very old, as far as one can tell, and even aside from that, I'm sure that the clothes we see them in in Bloodlines are not the only ones they own; and I like thinking about what other various clothes they might have that I think would fit their style. So I have sometimes drawn/painted them in other clothes before. There is something about depicting them in other outfits that in my mind makes them feel more real; it expresses that they have an existence outside the small sliver of it that we see in the game, and in this case that includes the fact that they both have a past (and a future) we didn't see.

Thank you for the thoughtful question!

In the laboratory (originally: A laboratóriumban) 2025 Acrylic on paper

While I was painting this, intermittently I broke into fits of screaming, wiggling and miscellaneous other unrestrainable expressions of how normal I am about them. Anyway, here is the resulting normal painting. I will never stop painting them or being normal about them.

I like it when I get to sign on a surface that would normally be expected to have writing on it, like the book in this case.