steadfastpetrel - Tumblr blog

[steadfastpetrel]

in honor of lesbian visibility day, i made a comic on my experience being a disabled butch. we exist, we are worth it, we are loved.

If alt text doesn't work or you wanna see the image descriptions in another window, here's the image description doc!

[steadfastpetrel]

made an fhsona!! wizard buddies feel free to say hi, template made by @/cloudmancy!

image description: A triton with blue skin stands with her abalone-carved crutches next to their service water elemental, which is shaped like a Labrador. The triton wears a dark green v-neck sweater, black pants, and comfortable dark green slip-on shoes. They wear rectangular glasses and have their green hair cut short, and she also has glow-in-the dark fins for ears. Her freckles are the same glowing color, as well as her gills and some stripes down her hands. On her belt loop is a red carabiner with a purple star keychain.

Text reads: Name, Keegan (any pronouns.) Class schedule, level 10 conjuration wizard. Strength 13, Dexterity 9, Constitution 14, Intelligence 16, Wisdom 10, Charisma 7.

Written text reads: Triton, moved from Celestine Sea. Lives in Shimmerstone Lake.

Pointing at her crutches reads the text “made from abalone.” The service dog’s name is Wetsley. end description.

[steadfastpetrel]

a colored sketch commission i made for D20 Artists for Palestine! not opening comms til the summer, but you can nab one early through them if you want some art by me or other fantastic d20 artists!

image description: A watercolored sketch of a smiling half-orc girl with a shaggy wolf cut. She’s wearing a brown tunic and has her shoulders hunched with glee.

[steadfastpetrel]

Hey guys! 🎲D20 ARTISTS FOR PALESTINE 🇵🇸 is a collective of artists in the Dimension 20 fan-community who are offering fundraising commissions for Doctors Without Borders, a charity providing medical aid to Palestine. (I'm in this so this is a great chance to make me draw you something you'd want in exchange for a charity donation!)

HOW IT WORKS:

Check our live spreadsheet for artist slots, availability, and price!

After you've chosen a specific artist and made sure they have slots available, donate their required amount to the Doctors Without Borders' Gaza campaign, and then fill out the artist request form! https://forms.gle/PSM48b2gnTSn2yma7

Once your screenshot has been verified, your information will be forwarded. You will be contacted directly via email to sort out any further details!

You can check out our carrd for a more thorough breakdown of the process and all the links above. Thanks for checking this out; even if you can't donate, a reblog to reach more people is greatly appreciated!

[steadfastpetrel]

oomf u need to stop fumbling. that minotaur of color WILL save you

image description: A redraw of the “Go for it, Nakamura!” cover with Fabian and Mazey. Under the title “Go for it, Fabian!” Fabian stands mid-dance and sweats profusely, surrounded by mini portraits of Mazey smiling and laughing. end description

[steadfastpetrel]

like mother, like son

image description: Riz Gukgak sleeps at his desk, illuminated in the dark by a single pane of light. The hand of Sklonda appears in the foreground and places a plate of sliced apples and grapes. Next to Riz is a stack of books and a handmade mug that says “Number One Ball.” End description.

[steadfastpetrel]

idk.

[image description: A panel of Kristen Applebees’s hand is shown covered in red shards. The background is a dark galaxy of blues and purples. At the bottom of the page is Kristen with a thousand yard stare, realizing the gravity of the situation. The colors lighten around her, as if leaving her.]

[steadfastpetrel]

Falin Angel

image description: A redraw of The Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel featuring Falin in her chimera form in the fallen angel’s pose. Behind her in the foggy blue background are Chilchuck, Laios, Marcille, and Senshi as angels. End description.

[steadfastpetrel]

selwyn kane is a transmasc lesbian he told me himself

image description: Sel from The Legendborn Cycle depicted as a brown lesbian with short curly hair. He has a notch in his eyebrow and gauges. He stands with tattooed arms crossed in a black tank top. In a speech bubble is the lesbian flag. End description

[steadfastpetrel]

a short hourly comics day post!

image descriptions: At 7:45 there's a panel of Wes the Labrador eating kibble. An arrow points at him, saying "breakfast!" At 8 to 9, I sit on the edge of my bed while Wes sleeps. I say, "Yup, not going to class today," with a tired expression. Spikes of pain on my back and knees flare.

From 9 to 11, I sleep in my bed with Wes peeking out from the covers. Text below says "a mimir..."

From 11 to 12, I have breakfast: A bowl of eggs with wild rice, veggie patties, and meds with my vitamins.

From 12 to 1 I walk Wes as I use my crutches. There's a panel of me looking ahead in profile that zooms in to me saying, "I miss my boyfriend..." Text above me says "yearning hours." From 1 to 2 I am rewatching My Little Pony. Pinkie Pie laughs on screen as the back of my head is shown watching the TV. Suddenly, I turn with a surprised expression and yell, "WAIT, I GOT A MEETING!"

From 2:10 to 3 I am at a meeting, scratching the back of my head. Text reads, "meeting went well, even if that zoom update took forever." At 3 to 4 I am doing my post-walk scrolling as Wes eats in the background. Suddenly, I am yelling and Wes anxiously looks up and goes, "are you dying?" I am screaming because I got into library school!

[steadfastpetrel]

Announcing the inaugural season of Wicked World, Sheep’s Clothing! An homage to slasher movies (with a paranormal twist) set in the year 1997.

Cast Finch Edmund (they/them) as The Game Master Scooter Rothman (it/any) as Naomi Czajkowski (he/she) Stevie Faye (they/xe) as Jacqueline "Jack" Benenson (they/she) Jenine Florence (they/them) as Petunia "Puck" Perez (any) Keegan Thoranin (any) as Winsome "Win" Aekpong (she/her) Maxine Zianna Rae Phoenix (they/she) as Janna Litz (she/her)

This story will be told using the Kids on Bikes system by Hunters Entertainment. All art was done by Keegan Thoranin.

[steadfastpetrel]

new year, new snow

image description: An anthro lynx wears a green puffer coat with a fleece collar. She holds her phone under the light of a street lamp as snow falls around her. end description.

[steadfastpetrel]

school’s been piling on me. sets this doodle free like a rehabilitated bird

image description: An anthropomorphic barn owl holds a pile of books in their arms, looking anxious. end description

[steadfastpetrel]

omg look ma im famous!

[steadfastpetrel]

Worth Existing (or, Frank Webster Gives Keegan An Existential Crisis)

been busy this semester, but have a reflection comic I got away with making for an information history class! it's rambling, but i had some fun digesting my thoughts.

image descriptions from alt: The title page contains the title “Worth Existing, or: Frank Webster gives Keegan an existential crisis.” In front of a mirror, Keegan stands with their back facing the viewer as a reflection of them as a librarian looks back worriedly.

Page 1 features a sequential cartoonish sequence of Keegan’s head rolling and landing on his shoulders. He says: “Finding out how we’ve come to view our information society has been a ride. My pea brain can only fit so much, ideas only roll vaguely when I try to talk about what I’ve learned, but I’m at least seeing things from new eyes. More specifically…”

Dialogue continues on Page 2, 3 panels sequentially zoom in on a horrified Keegan. She says, “I’m seeing how much Frank Webster hates libraries.” The quote from the book she’s reading is as follows: “Moreover, library staff have benefited disproportionately from the establishment of these services, being provided with secure and pleasant (if not lavishly remunerated) employment. Why, one might ask, does the public purse need to support the likes of Agatha Christie and Jeremy Clarkson when their books are readily available for cheap purchase and their literary merit, still more their intellectual and uplifting qualities, are at best of minor significance. Such observations raise questions regarding the efficacy with which public libraries actually operate. It follows that a driving force behind their establishment and continued state support, the appeal to mitigate the inequalities of capitalism in the informational domain, seems to have been less than fully effective.” End quote.

Page 3 has Keegan looking with hands clasped, paused. They then look at the camera, asking “Did the dude just insult Agatha Christie?” The bottom has them lying on their bed, looking up at the ceiling in thought, saying “There’s something that just bugged me ever since I read that chapter. I never really understood the theory we talked about in class, it’s a skill I’m working on, but the weird beef he has with libraries at least gave me a vibe on ‘Hayekian Neoliberalism.’ And also how weird it is that capitalism got so far into deciding what’s worth existing. If the thing I wanna do with my life is worth existing.”

On Page 4, Keegan walks with his crutches as the dialogue continues. “I could go on for hours about all that sucks with Webster’s opinions! Of course I want the staff to ‘disproportionately’ benefit from their work. Unlike books, people have to eat! What’s ironic about Webster’s whole spiel about the efficacy of libraries is that he provides several examples of figures from his area heavily aided by libraries. Panels feature novelist John Banville, author Jeannette Winterson, and sociologist Richard Hoggart. Keegan continues and says, “And yet he goes on to be like…”

Page 5, a sock puppet speaks angrily: “People are getting free books and are hurting the poor bookseller! Libraries are stupid because it doesn’t miraculously fix the inequalities of capitalism!” To the side, the text says “Artist’s exaggeration. Don’t take this seriously.” Bottom panel contains Keegan pointing with her thumb at Frank Webster’s Wikipedia page. She says, “I wouldn’t be so hung up if this was some random guy, but considering this guy is so largely quoted and touted in my field of information sciences? Ouch obviously doesn’t cut how much all that stung.”

Page 6 contains an Asian man with a bun protesting banned books. The next panel contains a white woman with a turtleneck reading in a library as a winter storm brews outside. Keegan off-screen says, “While Webster calls libraries ‘censors of society,’ librarians are fighting vehemently against book bannings! And the way he says that public libraries are ‘captured by the better-off section of society?’ Like what, you’re going to ignore how libraries act as comfortable spaces for folks without housing during harsher months?”

On Page 7 a gavel bangs on a panel. “As if that’s not enough, publishers are suing libraries for distributing e-books, calling them ‘direct economic competitors’ when, if anything, they often support these publishers and their authors by buying multiple copies, hosting events and collaborating with local businesses.” As an example, the comic features a scene of a Black woman in a cardigan talking to a white cashier with a shaved head. She says to them, “I just read this at my library earlier and just needed to get my own copy! Can’t believe it took me this long to discover this author!” A panel below, a pair of hands scoops sand and watches it flow from their fingers. Keegan says, “I don’t know. Even in good company, it sometimes feels like the future is slipping through my fingers.”

Page 8 is a pillar of falling sand. Embedded in it is an Apple pencil, a floating feather, and a book. Keegan narrates, “As an artist and a writer, it’s wondering if I’ll be prioritized over a generative AI that doesn’t have to eat or sleep. As a birder, it’s wondering if the backyard visitors I always see at my feeder will end up as myths and taxidermied specimens. As a librarian, it’s wondering if the institutions I often called home will be felled by the swift axe that the invisible hand holds. It’s a weird feeling of perpetual free fall for a drop that is light years away.”

Page 9, Keegan is holding a book to the sky as they read it. They narrate “Learning is a language I’ve always used to make sense of the thoughts I’ve had swirling in my brain. Finding out ‘information capitalism’ was a thing was like learning about the leash that has pulled at my throat since I entered the schooling system. I am learning because I am not a person, but a tool to be put to a trade. The world around me whispers in my ear…”

“Feel wonder if you must, but don’t linger long enough to turn in something too late.” On page 10, Keegan lies on a grassy field looking up with the book on his chest. He narrates, “I can’t deny that’s a message hard to unhear. As of now, I don’t think I remember much before 2022 other than the grades I got.”

On page 11, a hand wipes a bathroom wall with a sponge. The bottom of the page is filled with floating bubbles. Keegan narrates, “This sounds silly, but I was in tears when I heard about the concept of degrowth this past week. It could’ve been the clorox I was using to clean my bathroom, but the toil of my body and mind must’ve come to some crashing conclusion when I listened past what we were assigned.” The quote goes, They’re essentially making the argument that if we stay on this growth path, the only end to that is, you know, our own extinction. They are not just saying it’s not possible. They’re also saying it’s not desirable. It’s the kind of life that you and I ultimately do not want. We don’t want to drown in just stuff. We want to have a life. We want to have time for each other. We want to have time for creative thinking and art and love and kindness.” The quote ends. It comes from Vox’s Blame Capitalism: Degrowing Pains and is spoken by Dirk Phillipsen.

On page 12, Keegan sits in the bathtub with a few tears. Narration goes, “It was just nice that someone smarter than me in this topic wants the same things I do. Time to live and space to breathe. I know it’s not a perfect solution, but it’s one of those moments that culminate to tears when you’re having a rough week. This time, it was the reminder that this doesn’t have to be all there is to it. That there were people echoing my heartfelt belief that the system that tears down those I love doesn’t have to stay.

Page 13. A frog and toad book. “One-sided beef with Frank Webster aside, this unit has bolstered my love for librarianship. As hastily made and rambling this comic went, I realize I feel this strongly because I love this field so much. Against all odds, even as the internet grew to commodify knowledge, libraries adapted to the best of their abilities for their patrons. Why should some British dude make me wonder if libraries will continue to exist? As depressing as learning about capitalism gets, it’s helpful to understand the hand that takes from you. To understand why and how I’ve always been hurt by the systems that be and make sure I can lighten the blow for those who come after. I’ve learned there’s a lot that can come out of being so sad and scared about the future. Sometimes drawing it out (even if you turn in a late assignment) reminds you that there’s still so much ahead. That, and the fact I should probably read Frog and Toad sometime. So, uh, I’m gonna do that now. Bye!"

The references page lists several sources: Frank Webster’s “Theories of the Information Society.” An article by Brewster Kahle called, “The US library system, once the best in the world, faces death by a thousand cuts.” An article by Rachel Kramer Bussel called, “How Libraries Help Authors Boost Book Sales.” And a podcast episode from Vox’s Today Explained hosted by Noel King, titled “Blame Capitalism: Degrowing Pains.” end descriptions.

[steadfastpetrel]

and finally, the unicorns! man. sometimes you gotta connect to your little kid self to remember why you draw again :]

image description: Rarity elegantly posing with one hoof raised. She’s a white unicorn with a ringlet-curled tail and mane. Her tail is longer and lion-like. Her hooves are blue, and her cutie mark has three gems. Her name is written above her in cursive and she is set against a backdrop of blue diamond shapes. end description of image 1 of 2

Twilight Sparkle trotting with a worried expression. She’s a purple unicorn with a dark purple choppy mane and tail, both of which have a pink and purple stripe. Her cutie mark is a six point star with white stars surrounding it. She has jagged pink markings that cover her legs like socks. She wears purple glasses, and she’s set against a backdrop of her name horizontally written and repeated. end description of image 2 of 2.

[steadfastpetrel]

onto the earth ponies! really been teaching myself how to have fun with art again.

image description: Applejack from My Little Pony posing with one hoof up. She’s an orange pony with a blonde braided mane and tail. She is covered in apple-shaped red markings on her flank and back and wears a cowboy hat. Apples are weaved into her tail. She has hearts around her, and her name is written vertically. end description of image 1 of 2.

Pinkie Pie leaping with joy. She’s a pink pony with a darker pink and curly mane and tail. She has a tuft of curly hair on her lower back, too. She has a light yellow splotch on her muzzle and is covered in blue and yellow balloon spots. Her name is written above her and she’s surrounded by yellow and blue dots. end description of image 2 of 2.