#OSI Explained

[techgabbing]

Understanding the OSI Model: A Layer-by-Layer Guide

Explore each layer of the OSI Model in detail. Understand how they work together to ensure seamless network communication.

[555-yosi]

Mission Statement

You can call me Fives, I'm some old gay guy from everywhere. Two things I love with all my heart are The Venture Bros and spy movies, so this is my blog for the intersection of those two interests: the OSI. I think they're such a pitch-perfect parodic pastiche of superspy organisations in all their various flavours, with all the ethical ambiguity and aesthetic aplomb that comes with that. Hence this blog: a repository for all characters, locations, and themes that fall under the OSI umbrella.

In order for a post to be reblogged here it must include at least one of the following:

Characters

Brock Samson

Shoreleave

Hunter Gathers

Timothy Treister

Sky Pilot

Corporal Snoopy

Courtney Haine (Sgt. Hatred / Uncle Vatred)

Molotov Cocktease

Amber Gold

Headshot

Kano

Myra Brandish

Kimberly McManus

Bobbi St Simone

Mr. Cardholder

Mr. Doe

Steve Summers

Red Bannon

Dermott Fictel

Those Three Guys

Places & Vehicles

Baby Girl (the OSI Hoverquarters)

Adrienne

Hunter's car

Venture Compound

Dummy Corp

VenTech Tower

Themes & Relationships

SPHINX

Paternalistic Government Overdrive (readings of the OSI-As-A-Family, both serious and non-)

Grandma Hunter (Hunter and Hank transfemininity lineage)

Mama Y Hijos (Hunter, Brock and Shoreleave tag)

Shallow Gravy (both the band and Hank & Dermott as brothers in general)

(this is an incomplete list of tags - ship content necessitates at least one of the required characters so I won't enumerate ship tags here. Themes & Relationship tags especially to be added as people smarter than me write meta posts.)

I also have the "Emergency Billy Clause" - I feel like it's unfair to classify Billy as an "OSI character" not only because he was only in the organisation for a total of, what, 48 hours? But also because he resisted it so strongly and his establishment of his own role in the genre outside the OSI is so core to his character. However, he was still technically in the OSI, so a post is allowed to be on this blog purely under the weight of Billy's presence if I find it important (or funny, or cool, etc.) enough.

In addition to characters that retain close orbit to the OSI (like the Venture family, Al, and Gary), additional tags that get a lot of use are:

crossover (for anything featuring stuff from franchises that aren't vbros)

anthro (furry and funny animal stuff)

you can always send me posts (yours or anyone else's) that fit the theme of the blog

(Seriously worst case scenario I don't like the post and I don't reblog it. That's it. You can send me more.)

(I'm busy all the time please help me feed the queue)

[basilpaste]

*Kicks down your door* Remember in Act 5 when everyone was telling Siff their wish and Isa said that he wished, “To find, to help, and to save you, Siff?” This implies that when him and the gang was made aware of Siffren looping he made said wish at the Favor Tree, possibly replacing his previous wish to be a clothing designer. That would mean that Isa willingly overwrote his own wish to save Siffren. 

Based on that assumption, would Siffren do the same thing for Isa? Would it be more powerful because they actually know how the ritual works?

Also your AU is great keep it up, I wish I was that talented at writing.

ooh. thats a fun question!!!

isa doesnt actually make a wish in canon until act 5 i dont think? sifs heard all their wishes before! the party tells him them when they find out about wishcraft. isa tells them that he hasnt wished for anything! he could be lying there tbf. i could also. be misremembering thats also a thing i could be doing.

id say that sif would overwrite his wish, but thats easier said than done! because isa loops to right after he makes his wish ("you are kneeling in front of the favor tree"). which meeeeeans: sif hasnt made his wish yet. and he remakes his wish every single loop unless isa distracts them from it. and oh boy! if that isnt a lot of... wishcraft.

easy answer to this: sif makes a second wish to help find isa and keep him safe. since they know wishcraft: this basically forces loop to help them! this wish is ultimately not more powerful than their original wish, however. it can only do so much!

AH ALSO I FORGOT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS!!! dont put your own writing down, though!!

[pappelsiin]

very cool ocs - can you explain more about what TGO means? Im curious now!

thank you !!! this makes me SO happy !

and i'd love to tell you more about TGOs, although i don't have my notes with me rn so, this might be a bit chaotic !!

TGO comes from "Transgenic Organism" which at it's core is exactly what these characters are (except vei!): the government has this experiment program, established shortly after the deities the people believed in left them, that aims to recreate those lost deities by injecting their genomes into kids no one will miss (children already living in the prison district, kids given up by their parents, or orphaned/acquired otherwise). due to the deities' heavily anthropomorphic forms, those animalistic features carry onto the youth used in the (largely unsuccessful) trials.

so, essentially, a TGO is an individual the government lab has injected divine genes into in hopes to recreate a new god. so far, they've (nearly) managed this only a few times, due to the purity of genes affecting the results and the resistance most peoples' genomes show as they get older (in order to succeed you'd have to have nearly an infant, which IS illegal, and inject said infant with an almost perfectly pure gene). lack of purity also shows in the age most TGOs reach before succumbing to side effects! (spoiler, they rarely reach old age).

which is why people without those genes often wear the furs on their shoulders, they don't carry the gods' protection in their genome nor do they physically have to carry the weight of that on their shoulders !

i hope this helps 👉🏻👈🏻 it'll def make a lot more sense as soon as i get deeper into the story and introduce the rest of the important characters !!!

[homunculovers]

Another hc: the team venture guy who actually cared about Rusty was Rodney the Action Man, not Kano, not Otto and not Horace for sure.

In the grenade flashback I got the idea Rodney was genuinely trying to play with that little kid, for once offering him a positive surprise instead of a literal explosion. They were all victims of circumstance, Scamp being a curious little mutt, Rusty acting on his complete exhaustion at the idea of losing yet another pet, Rodney failing to stop him and explain the joke before he got hurt.

In that particular scene I love all three.

Rodney was drugged by Jonas Sr and/or the OSI, but now we know the super serum must’ve been in its experimental phase and that it amplifies antisocial behaviors. That scene feels like the one moment where Rodney was acting by his own will, and it was a will to play. Don’t forget Rusty was genuinely laughing when he pulled his finger, he trusted Rodney. I believe there was some foundation to that trust.

Kano I believe is more ambivalent, because he was effectively enslaved by team venture (see the Blue Morpho mess), who was more than a little racist with him. He was tasked with carrying the brat around, the one thing he has to say in the show about him is that he’s surprised he has friends because he’s so unpleasant. He hasn’t seen him for the majority of Rusty’s adult life so he must’ve referred to when he was but a child. Take this with a grain of salt, I’m putting hints together.

Horace is arguably as self involved as Jonas Sr., with the added unpleasant habit of hitting people he believe had to be disciplined. I don’t think he saw Rusty as anything more than a wimpy letdown, the toddler that ruins the party by demanding to be read a story.

Otto was Kinda There. I believe he turned to religion to assuage the guilt of the deeds he had done with team venture. Doesn’t seem especially affectionate towards Rust.

Back to Rodney, I think the relationship with him shaped Rusty’s tolerance. He was pummeled by Brock in college for no apparent reason, and he accepts him as his bodyguard never bringing back the incident. When Brock leaves he takes in Hatred, a pragmatic decision for sure, but it’s still a soldier with crippling behavioral problems caused by a super serum, like Rodney.

I’m not saying this tolerance makes Rust a good person, especially because most of it derives from desensitization. He can casually insinuate that Hatred slept with Hank cause he must’ve seen all manners of sexual acts since the youngest age.

Still I think Rodney was trying to be nice, that a love starved kid like Rusty would notice that and cherish it like the one drop of water in a desert, and that it unconsciously shaped his relationship with soft men turned hard by circumstance.

[maxwell-grant]

(VENTURE BROS FINALE SPOILERS)

There's this thing I keep thinking back to in The Venture Bros, that is the way everyone talks about Jonas Venture. The early myth of Jonas Venture, the great man and hero beloved by everyone who has been succeeded by a less-than-great failure of a son, is eventually twisted around with the gradual reveal of Jonas as a horrible man who did horrible things to his son that made him the way he is, and with every subsequent appearence unveiling more and more about the depths of depravity Jonas was actively capable of. We get to see how much Jonas is responsible for many of the issues all the characters find themselves envolved in, how much can be traced back to him, and we see things he's done that even appalled the rest of the old Team Venture who seemed mostly fine with all the other things he was doing. Rusty even gets a couple of moments of catharsis where he's shown to be making progress in having moved past his dad.

But the way people talk about Jonas Venture never changes. There is no reckoning for anyone other than maybe Rusty. Jonas Venture is the biggest and most successful and influential character even after his death, and his perception at large never remotely changes. He is the biggest monster, and so he has the best public image out of everyone. All the little monsters are just playing in his pool, and even all the other not-monsters will cover for him and praise him no matter what he did, no matter how many people he killed, no matter how many children's lives he ruined or how much destruction he left everywhere he went.

When we're introduced to Professor Victor von Helping, the kindest and most helpful person Dean's ever had in his life, he expresses open admiration for Jonas as an inspiration for getting into science, something he will explain to Dean was what saved him and allowed him to take control of his life from his horrible father, and this is directly after the Morpho saga that had shown us Jonas at his absolute worst. And the thing is, we're not meant to think less of Von Helping for it. He is not malicious, he doesn't worship science or Jonas for any nefarious or ignorant reason, he just knows what everyone does: that Jonas Venture was a great scientist who changed the world and has been succeeded by a not very impressive son.

Ben, who personally assisted Jonas in the cloning process and who knows what else and now lives in a graveyard of hundreds of people whose deaths he directly attributes to both Rusty and Jonas, is still about as benevolent as a super scientist can really be in the setting, and in the movie he helps cap off the show with a message to Hank Venture that he delivers based on what Jonas passed onto him. He attributes "Blood doesn't make a family; love does", a closing statement on the show, as heartfelt wisdom from Hank's granddad. It's not played for irony. We can debate whether it's meant to have some or the degree to which that statement can be read as malicious coming from Jonas or someone who was that closely affiliated with him, but none of that even really matters in that moment of Hank's closure and Ben being able to provide some with what he claims to be Jonas' teachings.

None of this takes away from all the horrible things Jonas did. None of this is meant to be any kind of redemption for him or his legacy. His legacy may be complicated, but Jonas Venture was not a complicated man. Complications and moral dillemmas are things he invented for the little people around him to deal with, whether they fought for the Guild or the OSI, or they are little Ventures scurrying in his shadow. Moral greyness was just a thing for chumps to be concerned about while Jonas ruled the world unimpeded from doing whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted.

Usually when shows have this big, massive force behind so many unfolding events and characters and traumas, there's a degree to which their comeuppance involves some kind of larger reckoning. They get exposed for who they are, their legacy crumbles, their great deeds are rendered lesser, they are given ignoble fates or some kind of retributive punishment, society can rest easier with the great evil exposed and defeated, and the audience can rest easier knowing that, if some great evil like this was made public and exposed, we'd do something about it. We'd so something about it on a scale that matters and stops it from happening again.

We need to believe that's what happens because we can't, and maybe we must never, accept that it doesn't work that way, that all around us are monuments and reminders that celebrate the monstrosities of our forefathers and their grip on our current lives, even when everything they've done and continue doing is public record, even when you tell someone about it and they still keep doing it, and everyone around you gives them a pass to do it so long as it (and by "it", they mean you) doesn't bother them.

And it's not like none of those things happened with Jonas, he did get a deserving comeuppance of sorts in the Morpho trilogy. But nobody really cared. Nobody that mattered cared. Only Rusty cares, and Rusty doesn't matter. Certainly not as much as his dad matters. Jonas gets the approval of the world and all the accolades and statues that follow, and he gets to crush his children forever under the weight of his legacy because of that. All they can do is try and survive past him, and even that is enough of a struggle.

But even with all of that, even with Ben's gentle and comforting parting words being another reminder that history exonerates Jonas for everything he's done while looking down on those he victimized, I find myself thinking of the fact that the last we ever see of Jonas' image is that accursed statue finally being toppled off it's pedestal, and the entire cast banding together to rescue The Monarch, his other son and victim, from it. They may not even like him (and for good reasons), but they don't let the invincible grip of his father take him to the grave. It takes them all to push back Jonas, but they push him back nonetheless, and Monarch lives another day.

It's not what the movie ends on, it's more of a funny moment than anything. It's just I was going to end this ramble pessimistically, until I remembered this frame. The true final word on him.

May we all survive the Jonas Ventures of our lives and push those fuckers back into the trash where they belong.

[pruneunfair]

My rewrites for TRE characters in my fanfic

so about 6 months ago I fell into the Au pipeline and it ended up resulting in a bunch of stories that's basically if maximalism was a 7 season long book series. One of those seasons combines tons of characters from different manhwas I read but it's mostly a new interpretation of remarried empress with some Oc's.

Navier

One major change I made is that Navier isn't the protagonist anymore but I didn't want her to be a cold blooded villain either. If you ever went on history tik tok specifically the tudors and the French revolution, there's a lot of people who romanticize Anne Boleyn to the extremes of villainzing Jane Seymour or babying Marie Antoinette as a sweet coquette girly who was unfairly killed by "savage revolutionaries" or claiming Elizabeth I as a feminist girlboss who only wanted to end her fathers bloodline. These historic women weren't the most awful people and they definitely were victims but that doesn't mean they didn't have noticeable flaws that affected the lives of others. That's the direction I went for my version of Navier, she still cares for her loved ones and makes good decisions but she was raised with a classist mindset, not pouring wine on maids and poor people but viewing them as emotionless husks with only one purpose which explains her apathy to slaves. I also gave Navier a backstory beyond wanting to be a perfect empress which was a relationship with her mother that is inspired by Catherine the greats relationship with her mother, so yeah not very great. Unlike the original she is fully aware of what Heinrey is doing but she barely cares (not much of a change from the original tbh) the goal is that I still want Navier to be a little likeable while also making her complex and realistic as an empress.

Sovieshu

I didn't give Sovieshu as many changes and for the most part, he's the same as he was in the original: a toxic partner who pushes his faults on other people around him. In this version though instead of becoming cold and cruel to Navier to moment Rashta shows up, the two have already been drifting apart for a while and it only got worse when Navier had a miscarriage a year prior to the story. Sovieshu is more of a cautionary tale of how misogyny is encouraged in boys at a young age, in his youth, Sovieshu had all the love of his mother since his parents struggled to conceive and only had one son. He wanted his father's love more than anything but Osis was about as interested as you'd expect, only wanting his son to be a great Emperor and nothing else, to please him, Sovieshu started to emulate the misogynistic views of the men around him which grew to be his actual beliefs. The only person that kept Sovieshu from turning into his dad was the former empress until she takes her own life, leaving Sovieshu with Osis as his influence. I still want Sovieshu to remain a scumbag but it will be more of a tragedy in how the future generations can never improve if we continue the cycle of abuse.

Rashta

I think Rashta is the most altered out of all the original characters since she's not even a villainess but rather a sort of anti hero. Her past as a slave is more fleshed out, her childish manner is age regressing to try to gain back her stolen childhood and she doesn't try to befriend Navier after getting the message that Navier wants nothing to do with her. In this version she's the best friend and later love interest of the new protagonist who bottles up her past and feelings to please others so she can keep her cozy life in the palace and that becomes a problem as the lack of care causes Rashta to grow more depressed and even has a few panic attacks. She won't do a good portion of the horrible acts she does in the original since she now had actual friends and because some of her sins are just so contrived to make her hateable, but she still is petty and holds grudges so she doesn't feel too bad when she ruins Nians marriage or snubs Lebetti, she'll even be conflicted since she feels guilty that the slaves on the Rimwell estate are still suffering but she doesnt want to risk being removed as concubine if she tries to call for slaves rights but she does find her voice and will start to push for slaves to be freed mid-way through her term as the empress of the eastern empire. In the end, Rashta does become Empress of a different empire after spending a good 7 years healing from her trauma and getting a good education, she lives her days with her kids and dies at the age of 81

Heinrey

Hes one the main antagonists here, I kept his love for his wife and family though but it's not an "uwu my queen!" Or really anything puppy like. For Heinrey I wanted to make him a true white lotus and he's has more vibes of a comforting friend with soft mannerisms and tones in voice, he loves Navier dearly because I still think even monsters like him can fall in love but the reason he tortures and kills people who don't side with Navier isn't even because he's that adamant about Naviers honor but rather because if someone were to find out his sadistic nature to those who disagree with him, he can use the "puppy husabnd" excuse to appear as a sadistic sweetheart. It not only scares the shit of his people into respecting him but it also wins him a little sympathy points since "he's just a hopeless romantic" I wanted Heinrey to appear uncanny too, like you know somethings off about him but if you said anything people would just be like "what are you talking about? He just really loves his family." His death is also pretty brutal, naturally Heinrey makes a lot of enemies and during a war arc he is shot down while in bird form leaving him at the mercy of a former maid he pushed over the deep end, she offs him, plucks him, cooks him, and serves him to the remaining family members of Lazlo.

and that's only the main 4, I did almost all of them with the exception of McKenna since he's honestly the only good character thats written well in remarried empress.

[oliolioxenfreewrites]

osi’s midnight masquerade; a theatre troupe of queer vampires who play by their own rules. Would you be able to tell us a bit more about the vampires who make up this theatre troupe? 👀

I couldn't begin to understand the lives of these salacious vamps, so, I'll let Osi provide clarity ;)

a mini wip intro for chirstmas?? i think yes

WIP INTRO - Osi's Midnight Masquerade (narrated by Osirys himself)

Being a vampire isn’t a blessing. Let’s start there. It’s not the romanticized eternal youth nonsense you read about in books or see on glossy screens. It’s not the allure of satin sheets or the thrill of moonlit hunts. It’s a tightrope walk, every step one miscalculation away from falling into something dark, sharp, and impossible to climb out of. I would know—I’ve been walking that line for centuries.

To most, we’re the fantasies they want to believe in: seductive silhouettes cutting through smoke and shadows, predators with a touch of tragedy. People want us to be beautiful and dangerous, the ultimate contradiction. They want the dream of immortality wrapped in silk and sharpened by fangs. And we let them believe it. We have to. The truth? The truth is too messy, too raw for their imaginations to handle. Without connection—without others to keep us tethered—we lose ourselves. The hunger takes over. The walls of who we are collapse. That’s why I built the Masquerade in the late 70s. Not just for the performances or the power, but for the people. For the family.

And what a family it is. Deeply flawed, creative, brilliant, infuriating—but mine. Each of them brings their chaos, their hunger, their fight. Every single one of them keeps me grounded in ways I can’t always explain.

Milo is the heartbeat of the Masquerade, the one who keeps us moving even when everything else threatens to fall apart. Her music isn’t just accompaniment—it’s a command, shaping the energy of every performance, holding the audience in her grip. She doesn’t simply compose; she controls, her hands always in motion, her mind consistently several tempos ahead. Small-framed, but impossible to miss, Milo has a presence that feels like gravity, the kind that steadies the room while reminding everyone who’s really in charge.

Her sharp, hazel eyes don’t miss a thing, and her voice—measured but biting when necessary—can cut through the noise like a conductor silencing an unruly orchestra. She thrives on precision, on keeping chaos at bay, but she’s just as willing to unleash it if she thinks we’ve earned it. Milo doesn’t deal in softness, but when you’re spinning out, she’s the one who holds you steady, unyielding and certain, even if she’ll never admit that’s what she’s doing.

Still, Milo isn’t easy to know. For all her command, she keeps most of herself locked away behind a wall of sharp wit and sharper boundaries. You’ll catch glimpses sometimes—in the way her fingers drift over the piano keys during a rare moment alone, or in the weight of her gaze when she thinks no one’s looking. But the second she realizes you’ve noticed, she shuts it down, turning back into the unflinching architect of the Masquerade’s rhythm.

Vinscint is her constant, the foundation beneath her intensity. Tall, broad, and deliberate, he moves as if he's never rushed a day in his life. His calmness steadies the surrounding storm, and his strength quietly holds the Masquerade together when everything else feels like it’s falling apart. They create a balance—Milo’s sharp drive is softened by Vinscint’s patience, while the weight of his silence is anchored by her commanding presence.

Together, they’re the reason we’ve even lasted this long, the ones we all look to even when we won’t admit it. Milo keeps the rhythm, Vinscint keeps the ground beneath our feet, and between the two of them, we manage to survive.

René? René is my star, the one who steps into the spotlight and makes you forget the world existed before he arrived. He doesn’t just perform—he commands. When René moves, it’s with a grace that doesn’t feel learned, as though the stage itself bends to accommodate him. His voice has a richness that fills every corner with the theater, every word an invitation laced with danger, every glance a challenge you know you’ll lose but can’t help but accept.

His presence is magnetic and intoxicating in a way that feels unfair, like the universe cheated by putting that much beauty, talent, and raw hunger into one person. He burns so brightly it’s a miracle he hasn’t engulfed himself entirely, and yet there’s always the sense that he might. He leans into it though, weaponizing the tension, the risk, and the inevitability of his self-destruction. He thrives on it, and the audience does too. They adore him, worship him even, and René takes that adoration like it’s owed. Because to him, it is.

Tof is something else entirely. He doesn’t just stir up chaos; he is chaos, wearing it like a tailored suit, all sharp smiles and sharper edges. He steps onto the stage with a kind of careless confidence, like he owns it—and, in a way, he does. Rules mean nothing to Tof. He doesn’t just break them; he obliterates them, scattering the pieces for everyone else to trip over while he watches from the sidelines with a grin that could cut glass. He likes to see how far someone is pushed before they snap, and when they do, he’s there, ready to offer a smirk or a sharp quip that makes you wonder if he planned the whole thing.

But here’s the thing about Tof: he’s not as reckless as he wants you to think. Beneath all that chaos, there’s a mind that’s always working, always calculating. Every sharp word, every sly grin, every rule he shatters—it’s all deliberate. He’s not just ahead of the game; he’s the one running it, even when it looks like he’s spiraling out of control. That’s his brilliance. He’ll make you think he’s falling apart, but the truth is, he’s the one pulling the strings.

Now, of course, Tof does have one glaring flaw—or maybe it’s just part of his charm. He can’t keep his dick in his pants. It’s not just the sex, though that’s certainly part of it. For Tof, it’s about the game, the thrill of pursuit, the power of knowing he can have anyone he wants—mortal or immortal. It’s the tension, the chase, the way seduction gives him the upper hand before the other person even realizes they’re playing.

Moving on to Xaviyr, my baby. My soft spot. My reminder of what it was like to feel alive before the hunger sank its teeth into me. Xaviyr is young by our standards, still carrying a kind of softness the rest of us can’t afford anymore. His face, round and open, hasn’t yet been hardened by centuries of survival, and his wide, dark eyes still hold questions instead of answers. There’s a quietness to him, a gentleness that stands in stark contrast to the sharp edges of the rest of us.

But don’t mistake that softness for weakness. Xaviyr may not burn like René or cut like Tof, but there’s a strength in his stillness that’s impossible to ignore. He draws people in without demanding their attention, makes them feel safe without ever promising safety. It’s a skill none of us could replicate even if we tried.

Still, I worry about him. Xaviyr’s softness is part of what makes him so vital to the Masquerade, but it’s also what makes him vulnerable. This world isn’t kind to people like him, and I can see the toll it’s already taking, even if he doesn’t admit it. He’s learning, though. Learning how to navigate the hunger, the power, the constant push and pull of what it means to be one of us.

Pandora, the silent watchdog of our darkest secrets, her gaze defined by the weighty burden of her knowledge. She is known for her clairvoyance, an ability that survived her transition into vampirism. Her eyes, like deep pools of wisdom, perceive the fragile fissures in our lives long before they expand, a subtle warning etched in her expression. She is the guardian who steps in when we teeter on the edge of self-destruction, gently guiding us back from the precipice when our blindness threatens to consume us.

And last, but certainly not least, there’s me. Osirys. Osi to those who’ve earned it. I’m the one who built all this, the one who keeps it standing when everything else threatens to fall apart. I’m not the star—that’s René. I’m not the heart—that’s Milo. I’m the centerpiece, the one who holds the pieces together even when they don’t want to fit.

I’m not proud of everything I’ve done to keep the Masquerade alive, but I don’t regret it either. Regret is a privilege unbeknownst to turn off the century’s vampires like myself. The stage is what matters. Our family is what matters. And as long as I’m here, as long as the lights still burn and the audience still comes, I’ll make sure the Masquerade survives.

When we come together, we create something special that’s bigger than just each of us alone. On stage, we become unstoppable. The crowd feeds us their amazement, their curiosity, and their willingness to be swept away, and we soak it all in. That’s the real desire—not just our good looks or charm, but the presence we bring. It’s about being able to look someone in the eye and make them feel truly seen, wanted, and alive. That’s what makes us what they call, 'seductive.' Once they experience that connection, they won't want to let it go.

Neither do we.

That’s what the Masquerade is. A lifeline. A purpose. It’s what keeps not just me, but all of us from falling apart; no matter how sharp the line my children and I walk. If holding on to the spotlight makes me a monster, so be it. I’ve learned to live with that. Because at the end of the night, when the audience is gone and the lights fade, I’m still here. And that has to count for something.

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[cybershock24601]

Davrin's whole deal in the Venture Bros au is that he's a top OSI agent but did a job where he ended up rescuing a bunch of fucked up chimeric abominations from some mad scientist and one of them (Assan) imprinted on Davrin so hard that Assan was busting down doors and walls to get to him. Which made being a super spy pretty hard so instead he got tossed what was essentially a baby sitting gig on some guy who keeps getting harassed by a Level 8 Supervillian. Davrin's not exactly happy about it or happy about his new tag along but orders are orders.

Davrin does end up bonding with Assan anyways and finds he enjoys his assignment. Emmrich is a little weird but he's a good guy, Manfred still freaks him out a little but Davrin guesses he shouldn't be too surprised by the literal Necromancer having a pet skeleton. Bellara is brilliant in a way that Davrin knows she'll eventually end up making waves in the super science community and Rook is so kind and welcoming that Davrin doesn't even notice how little Rook shares about herself. Really the only downside is constantly dealing with the hordes of undead Hezenkoss keeps throwing at them and her insane traps and contraptions but it's not actually that hard to deal with, more just tedious and kinda repetitive after a point.

Emmrich is always so apologetic about the whole thing and honestly seems a little embarrassed about Hezenkoss' dramatics but Bellara is thrilled by them. She's very much the genre savvy nerd that gets way to excited about getting held hostage and put in increasingly elaborate hostage situations. Rook on the other hand has this almost resigned, bored air about her the whole time that one usually only finds among senior agents which does cause Davrin to raise an eyebrow especially when Rook starts citing Guild rules and regulations at Hezenkoss. Rook does end up reluctantly explaining she's got a lot of protagonists in her family (she's an Amell) so unfortunately has had more exposure to the whole super science/super villain thing than she would have liked.

Then about six months after Davrin's assignment starts, Rook announces that she'll be moving out of the manor to go live with her boyfriend and that they also want to invite them all over for a housewarming party. This is where Davrin first meets Lucanis who sets off every single alarm bell in Davrin's head but Davrin cannot figure out why. He is so suspicious of Lucanis despite their first meeting where Lucanis was wearing a frilly apron that said "kiss the cook" except the C had been written over in big blocky sharpie so it instead said "kiss the Rook" that clearly had to be Rook's work.

Lucanis spent the whole night looking at Rook like she hung the moon and stars and had way too many strong opinions about coffee and no matter how much Davrin attempted to snoop, he could find nothing to even hint at anything other than this being an average, normal civilian home. Even with all the other people in the costumed community and fellow OSI agent Harding in attendance, Davrin had nothing concrete to base his suspicions on since he assumed that they must be here due to Rook's own ties to the crazy super community which wasn't even an entirely incorrect assumption.

It took months for Davrin to chill because he was sure there had to be something wrong with Lucanis but he could find nothing so he eventually decided the spy life has just made him too paranoid and actually starts trying to be friends with Lucanis. Which made the eventual reveal of Lucanis being in the Guild feel like such a betrayal meanwhile Lucanis is so confused about why Davrin is upset because he never really lied to him or anything, he and Rook just have a policy of not bringing work home with them and so don't really discuss anything to do with the Guild, the OSI, and super science weirdness when they're off the clock. Being the Demon of Vyrantium was just Lucanis' day job, he has a whole life outside of villainy. Hate to live, not live to hate as Sgt Hatred would say

[theygotlost]

here are the questions *I* would ask Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick if I could. if they've answered any of these already please let me know

what are some of your inspirations, aside from the ones you're obviously parodying like Johnny Quest and GI Joe?

what did your process for creating characters look like? did your character designs go through a lot of revisions or did you usually go with your initial concept?

with a notoriously lean voice cast, how did you determine who should voice which character?

where there any unscripted or improvised moments from a cast member, including yourself, that made it to an episode?

the transition from season 3 to season 4 marks a tonal shift toward more emotional depth, character-driven episodes, and narrative continuity. by your own admission, continuity made writing the show more difficult. what made you decide on this shift?

how often were the two of you in disagreement about each other's writing or what direction the show should take?

the worldbuilding with the Guild of Calamitous Intent, the Council of Thirteen, the OSI, and SPHINX is kind of a tangled mess. did you ever have problems keeping your own lore straight?

at what point in the show's run did you decide on the truth of Hank and Dean's parentage? was that an idea you had for a while, or did you only come up with it while writing the movie?

the exact location of the Venture Compound was kept ambiguous until the movie revealed it was in Colorado for some reason. was it always supposed to be in Colorado? and why? actually that doesnt really matter but i feel like im losing my mind

to what extent did reception from the fanbase influence your writing over the course of the show?

what's your favorite idea or scene that DIDN'T make it into the final cut?

most adult animation is done with puppet rigging to save time and money. aside from the Shallow Gravy special (which you explained you resorted to puppet animation for because you did it all in-house on a short turnaround), The Venture Bros is animated traditionally for the most part. was this a stylistic choice or a logistical one?

like many shows of its type, The Venture Bros has been criticized for content that has "aged poorly", some of which you've tried to correct over the show's run. with your current perspective, what would you go back and do differently from the start? since time machines don't exist, how would you address these criticisms in the future given the opportunity?

what was the most fun part of working on the show for you?

what part of The Venture Bros are you proudest of?

[freya-at-law]

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Disclaimer: This account is not run by a professional lawyer. This account exists because the mod brain said do it. Yes, as the mod, I will try my best to be factual and accurate.

But if you're having an actual legal problem in the real world, please reach out to an actual professional.

Thank you

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Name: Freya Bjornsdottir

Age: 30

Birthday: August 5th

Height: 5 foot 6 inches

Pronouns: She/Her/They/Them

Languages: Three types of Norwegian (spoken, Bokmål and Nynorsk), Dutch, English

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Brief background:

Origanly from Ålesund, Norway. She went to the Americas for education and a job. Currently lives in New York. She has a dual law degree for civil and criminal law, spending 5 years to acquire her degree at Yale, and has practiced in the state of New York for 5.

She works primarily freelance. Sure, she does have a personal office setup. It's not too large, only consisting of three rooms; entry, office and storage, and a restroom. Though she hopes that one day she can find courage to interview at a high-end law firm.

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Civil law-

Criminal law-

(Will update once mod can explain in their own words)

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Aperance: Her eyes green with trace of hazel, brown curls kept in a messy up do. Freckles adorn their face. Where her face meets her neck on her right side, amongst the triangl, lies a tattoo of the Nordic symbol for protection. She also has a nose ring, bull style.

Out fits

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Relationship dynamics:

She would most likely end up being acquaintances with Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters.

And if I feel like making them for other dimensions, Harvey Dent as well.

Though Freya profers to keep work and personal life as separate as possible, that's why they would be acquaintances and not friends. But even the stubborn can change.

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Ability simple:

How mod sees it:

-Shadow manipulation: creation of shadow, and being able to control their; location, size, and shapes.

-Create light: able to create a light source up to the brightness of high beams.

-Combined scenario: is the definition of a flash bang. Aka, drowns opponent in complete darkness, then creates a powerful light source practically blinding the opponent.

Acquiring it/lore:

When she was around 15, when she noticed this mutation flourish, she wanted to be alone in the dark, and she got just that. If it weren't for the passing of her father, she possibly would have never known.

Over experiment with such a gift she has accidentally blinded themselves with their own powers enough time that she taught herself how to function and fight without needing her eyes, but not as well as Daredevil. Sure, she can roughly make out people's positions enough not to get knocked out, but that's about it. It's hard to counter someone if you can't see it coming.

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Mod bits-

I am Osi, best found at @osi-inn .

Inspirations for this blog, civil law and general; Daredevil, Night Court (original), Matlock (original), and Suits.

And for the criminal law side of inspiration; Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, Murder She Wrote, Criminal Minds, High Potential, and any other crime shows i have watched.

[basilpaste]

who is saturn? why does he look like isabeau?

GOD how the fuck do i. explain saturn. first of all saturn uses it/its pronouns!!!!!!!!!

saturn is. i think four steps removed from isabeau (base game) at this point? because its based on a looped version of osis isa who eventually became osis!swaps guide lock. and then it got thrown on. beach. you dont need to worry about what beach is. there lock made A Friend who bestowed the name saturn on it which it stole. and then saturn got gijinkaed on beach.

dddont worry about. it. normal character things.

[commodorez]

My replica Ohio Scientific OSI 400 Superboard now works!

This is a replica of a ~1976 single board kit computer, one of the earliest available for the 6502. It was cheap and relatively simple compared to many of the other options for sale at the time. The user had to supply a serial interface, or add other boards for I/O, but the base concept seems simple enough.

The glitchworks parts kit that I bought with it includes vintage style components, similar to what would have been available in the mid/late 1970s, to complete the look. However, my modern machine pin sockets are rather anachronistic. I've also chosen to build mine using a 6512 processor instead of a 6502, which has a nearly identical pinout to the 6501 and 6800. With just a single jumper change, this board can accommodate either processor, but will need special ROMs with 6800 software to be useful. It took a few days to figure out how to get it running, and here's what had to happen:

Attached era-appropriate termination resistors from glitch

Replaced 555 with an era-appropriate TO-99 version, also from glitch (this one is purely cosmetic)

Corrected my wiring mistakes when assembling the TX level shifter

Replaced 74LS04 used to buffer 6850 (damaged part wouldn't pull sufficiently during serial loopback tests)

Jumpered /CTS low on 6850

Lastly, the most frustrating one of all that took some assistance from glitch and tangentdelta on IRC, bypassing VMA output from the 6512. MOS datasheets that I've seen indicate that the 65XX family always outputs a high signal on what was formerly the VMA pin on the 6800, as it is tied to VCC internally. When checking this on my 6512, I saw continuity between VCC and VMA. However, for some reason I was seeing a low signal with occasional spikes which I could not explain. The solution was to disconnect the buffer input that feeds VMA beyond the 6512, and pull the signal high with a resistor. The result is that the logic chain allows the E input on pin 14 of the 6850 to go high when necessary, and output serial data.

Speaking of serial data, my T1960CT has been my terminal for these tests, as it's compact enough to fit on my workbench, has RS232 on board, provides a good keyboard, and can copy files over the network.

I have big plans for this thing. I want to add in all the era-appropriate boards to to get a more complete experience, similar to what I did with the Cactus. However while the Cactus was an exercise in 1970s homebrew, this is an exercise in 1970s kit computing.

[open-hangar]

Space Defense Lanzer Ep. 6

LUNARIAN MECHANICAL RECORDS

Μακάριοι οι Παρατηρητές

Prototype Lanzer Type-Artemis

Size: 18m, 51 tons

Power Output: ~800 MW/minute onboard, [REDACTED]

Pilots: 1 active pilot

Weaponry and abilities: Space flight, limited atmospheric flight, modular weaponry and armor. Limited onboard weaponry.

Etc.: Despite appearances, this is NOT to be confused with the MP Synth-OSi-equipped Lanzers, which share lineage with the Artemis. Changes to this Lanzer by anyone other than Lt. j.g. Truth MUST be approved before implementation.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Elysian Truth stood at attention before their mother, as all Lunarian soldiers are trained to do. This is a monumental occasion, as few receive a personal briefing from any one member of the council like this. Elysian felt honored, and was dressed in their finest black flight suit, white cloak, and rebreather mask. They stand at full attention, waiting for an “at ease” that never comes.

Councilwoman Resplendent Truth snaps her fingers, and the room grows dark as a map of what was once known as the continent of Africa extends across the wall behind her. It zooms into the southern half, and then it goes further until it’s just the southernmost peninsula. A striped zone surrounds Kwazulu LBZ to represent Siyanqoba’s anti-air coverage, along with a small flag on its very outer edge.

“Our long campaign pushing the Earthling savages back to their wasteland has proven effective. Our battleships stationed above the LBZ’s ensure that nothing leaves the atmosphere, but our spy scopes believe that they might have figured out how to make their own Lanzers, instead of just digging them up out of the ground.”

Even if Elysian’s face were visible, it would be difficult to gauge his reaction to this. It’s difficult to imagine the Earthlings with anything approaching real technology, but the idea of some of them putting up a decent fight was a little exciting.

“You’re going on a special assignment,” Councilwoman Truth explained. “We believe that they’re planning on testing whatever they’re making outside of their protected area as bait. You and the Type-Artemis are going in alone and taking that bait.”

Elysian’s hand shot up to their chest in salute. “I will track this machine down and annihilate it.”

But their mother wasn’t fast enough to interrupt them. “Unlikely. The Type-Artemis is good, real good, but the smart move from the savages’ point of view is to send a small army along with… whatever they have to extend their anti-air coverage. That’s why once you confirm this thing’s existence, you’ll tag the entire area for orbital bombardment and get out. The Artemis is too valuable to let you destroy it.”

Their mother’s lack of respect for their piloting ability is what really hurts Elysian. With Luna’s help, the lieutenant has racked up a higher kill count than any other Lunarian over the course of the campaign… The councilwoman picked up on this slight hesitation.

“I will stand no showboating or hotdogging. The Synth-OSi AI is without a doubt our most valuable battlefield asset. If anything, ANYTHING, happens to it…”

She marches directly towards her child, and rips Elysian’s rebreather off of their face as a violet haze bellows out of it, and holds it above her head. “We both know the consequences.”

The lieutenant does their best to remain stoic, but the symptoms start kicking in in the predictable manner. First, it becomes harder to breathe. Shallow at first, but slowly growing into something like an asthma attack. Then, their vision starts to blur. Colors start to disappear, and everything becomes blurry and wobbling. And lastly, his muscles start to go. Elysian fights it for as long as possible before their knees start to buckle, and their beet-red face bursts out in shallow wheezing. Resplendent returns the mask to its normal resting spot.

“Dismissed.”

—

“Trajectory proceeding as calculated. Opening heat vents. Heat shield not necessary. Entering lower atmosphere in 5 minutes, approaching landing site in 20. Any further requests, Lt. Truth?”

Luna’s voice wasn’t comforting to most, but to Elysian, it was the sound of their oldest friend. “Nope, proceed as planned. Bring up the most up-to-date aerial map of the landing site, I want to see if our new friend is waiting for us.”

A map flickers open on one edge of the panoramic hud surrounding the pilot’s seat, and Lt. Truth flicks one of their fingers to drag it closer to the front.. It shows a grassland sparsely populated by trees, and is updated once every couple of seconds or so. Sure enough, there’s exactly 1 mechanical object resembling a Lanzer patrolling between two random trees.

“How far in can you zoom?”

The map expands to fill the entire hud, and then focuses in on the object, but it’s mostly just a blurry mess of pixels.

“Would you like me to digitally enhance it, Lt.?”

Elysian shakes their head, knowing that it would be pointless. “Don’t bother, your guess would be as good as mine.” They instead lean their head in and squint, comparing it to their mental database of pre-disaster Lanzer models. “It looks like it’s just a Ground Lanzer… Mark II? But it’s carrying something on its back.”

“Remember what the Councilwoman said, Lieutenant,” Luna proclaimed out of nowhere, almost instinctively reading Elysian’s intentions. They wave the invisible presence away.

“Yes, yes, I know.”

—

The retro-boosters in Type-Artemis’ legs ease its descent into the savanna with no problems, and the hud blinks a red triangle in the distance where the orbiting ships’ cameras spotted the target. Sure enough, it was a Ground Mark II with some sort of large backpack. The lieutenant sizes it up from a distance when a lunarian voice comes over comms. “Lt. Truth, this is the LMS Perseverantiae reporting that we’re ready for bombardment. Just fire the tracker at the location from the catapult equipped on the Type-Artemis from a safe location once you’ve determined the target and we’ll do this rest. Orbital ship out.”

A display on the hud listed all of the Type-Artemis’ weapons in a handy list. Beam rifle, beam sword, tracker catapult. The rifle and the sword were attached to the Lanzer’s power systems and were basically infinite if both reactors were activated (Elysian’s skin itched at the thought). The catapult had a big 1 next to it. After a second’s deliberation, the lieutenant switched over to the rifle, and the Type-Artemis automatically drew it and aimed it forward. It’s just one Ground Lanzer, Elysian thought to themself. Luna didn’t say anything as they marched into range, took aim, and fired.

Luna's aim assist sent the shot directly to where the enemy Lanzer was going to be based on its current trajectory, but it almost knew where that shot was going and zipped laterally, offering Elysian a better view of what was on its back. It was the shape of a turtle shell, covered in plated metal and glass. Is that a second cockpit? No… what good would that do? They didn’t have time to dwell on it before Ground Lanzer determined the Type-Artemis’ position and open fired with its machine gun and forced the lunarian to respond in kind.

The two danced in a violent ballet for several minutes, trading shots and dodging them in kind, all the while the two machines grew closer and closer until they were practically in range to touch. “Lieutenant, we are currently too close to the target. Retreat and fire the beacon.” Elysian didn’t have to voice their disagreement, they were already too focused, too excited, and having too much fun. “Fire the second reactor, Luna.” “That is not a wise course of action, Lieutenant. We are currently acting outside mission parameters.”

Elysian frowned. Luckily, they knew exactly what to do to get the machine’s AI to do what they wanted. He triggered the emergency unequip functions on the rifle and the catapule, which both launched well clear of the battlefield as the Type-Artemis automatically drew its melee weapon. Elysian could have sworn that they heard Luna groan as this happened. “Emergency situation detected. Activating second reactor.”

Magnets in Elysian’s flight suit yank them back into the cockpit’s seat, forcing them to sit at a reclining angle as a 6-pack configuration of large needles press themselves into Elysian’s back around their spine. It used to hurt, but now it feels exhilarating, like the fight was just now getting good. Violet crystals slowly creep in the edges of the pilot’s vision, and with a raspy yell, Elysian fires off a message across all open channels: “Let’s dance!”

Firing the second reactor in the Type-Artemis always had the same effects: Faster boosts, longer range beam sword, more powerful weapon blasts. But the most fun part was always Elysian’s radically improved reaction speeds. Everything moved in slow motion. Every other pilot was just a child in playground equipment. And this one was no different, as it seemed to just stand still and did its best to block and parry elongated sword attack with its pitiful axe.

But then it does something that the lunarian didn’t expect. With an almost pre-programmed motion, the Ground Lanzer grabs the Type-Artemis’ free arm after a wild sword swing, and brings it close into a tight hug. They were too close for the lunarian Lanzer to swing its powered up sword, and the machine’s faces grew close enough to kiss. “Wh… Get off! Savage scum!” Elysian charged up the boosters for a violent getaway, but it was too late.

The earthling machine’s turtle shell blasted off of its back, and swung up and around in a controlled rocket burst aided by a thick cable attacking it to the Ground Lanzer. It was already staring directly into the Type-Artemis’ back as a thick tentacle with its own beam sword ejected out of a metal panel and directly through the lunarian mecha’s head, killing all outside cameras feeding into the cockpit. “Disaster situation detected. Imminent mission failure, violent chargon leakage, emergenc-”

The entire cockpit fills with a thick grey fluid, the sound of igniting fuel, and then darkness.

Art by https://x.com/REEvolt119956

[utopicwork]

Hi, I’ve been interested in mesh nets since I learned about them so I was really excited to learn you were working on this project.

How does piermesh relate to the OSI model? Which layers is this seeking to implement and which, if any, would be untouched?

Great question!

First for people who don't know the OSI model here's a rundown:

In the OSI model we're implementing layers 1-5 as well as some of 6. We're mostly following the model by nature of this being similar to the current internet though not very strictly. We're also keeping it very simple in that communication is done via msgpack serialized data so it's easy to pass the data between layers/systems/languages

[adultswim2021]

The Venture Bros. #49: "Pinstripes & Poltergeists" | December 14, 2009 - 12:00AM | S04E08

The mid-season finale! The season four split of Venture Bros has been covered somewhat, but basically the boys burnt themselves out behind the scenes and needed a break, so they asked Adult Swim if they could cut season four into two halves, while also upping the episode order from 13 episodes to 16 episodes. The network went for it, and it took them nearly a whole ‘nother year to deliver the back half. So, this ends up sorta being a mini-finale.

This is another one of those episodes that’s more effective if you’re devoted to the story of Venture Bros. Meaning: it’s a little light on laughs. There are jokes in here, and they’re all fine, but there probably won’t be a big long list of all the times I laughed at this one or anything like that. It’s goal is mostly to get Brock back into the fold and to set up story elements that are going to come into play for the second half of season four. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I prefer when the show makes me laugh. But I don’t not care about the story, either. 

In this one: The Monarch gets swindled by Monstroso (mentioned in a previous episode and now here in front of our eyes) into signing a bad deal thinking that he’s merely going to help the Monarch defeat Dr. Venture. Turns out he’s signed away his rights to arch Dr. Venture to Monstroso.

Monstroso’s methods are lawyerly by nature, attempting to financially ruin Dr. Venture by making him use a certain amount of square footage of his compound towards some public good. When scoping out an abandoned factory on his property he discovers that Brock and SPHINX, the super-secret organization dedicated to stopping villainy that falls outside the purview of the OSI by being non-costumed and non-Guild-of-Calamitous-Intent-affiliated, have been using the space secretly. In other words: Brock has been with the Ventures this entire time. Aww. 

Also of note: 21 is shown speaking to 24’s ghost. We’d seen him chatting with 24’s skull throughout this season. He also confronts Brock, a callback to the scene in Tag-Sale, You’re It (apparently repeating the same dialogue) where 21 tries to take Brock on with a non-working light-saber. Brock’s dismissive “boo.” to get 21 to run away is now met with a punch to Brock’s face. Brock doesn’t kill 21, but his newfound respect for giving him a decent fight leads him to team up with him to go beat up Monstroso. The episode ends with Brock casually eating a bowl of cereal in the Venture’s kitchen and Hank, in a delayed reaction, being stunned to find him there. 

SPHINX were previously portrayed as bad guys, but it’s explained that when they were conquered, it was decided to just take all their Egypt-themed crap and use it to start what’s essentially a new group. This explanation seems squarely aimed at the fans of the show who just wish it were an unironic action cartoon. But it's alright! I like it fine, okay! I'm not pissed off at all! At this, I mean.

EPHEMERA CORNER

The Family Guy Chicken Star Wars Double Feature (December 20, 2009)

Sometimes I’ll make note of something to cover for Ephemera Corner; like some kind of specially scheduling thing Adult Swim does that in theory is worth mentioning. But then it comes time to talk about it and it’s like damn, I do not care about this at all. Consider how now in 2024, it seems like they run marathons of certain shows all the time, just because that’s a proven-to-work model for cable television nowadays. So, I might get choosier with these EPHEMERA CORNER programming things.

But for those of you who care: Take note, Star Wars heads! Your favorite Seths went head to head and did a Star War double feature rivaling the Ewok TV Movies. The sci-fi epic about one man turning to the darkside and deciding to deprive his children of committing incest with each other by moving them to different planets will knock your socks off, because that’s what this is: It’s just the movie Star Wars but with cartoon guys in it. I don’t even think they changed the words or anything. Have fun imagining how it must’ve played with 2009-era commercial breaks.