#Stat Quo

[david-watts]

really interesting how some people on this site, who seemingly are the type to be smug about the fact they have no trouble with critical thinking skills too, will take their opinion on something subjective and pretend it's objective fact. what's the definition of subjective again

[bittercoldbrew]

I JUST READ THE NEW CHAPTER OF VERIDIS QUO OMGGG THEY ARE SO CUTEEEE😭😭❤️ i love how the sea is its own character!!!!! there’s so much foreshadowing which i rlly liked!! esp the line “I was just...thinking how peaceful that sounds. I’d like to see that sometime.” 👁👁 !!!!!!! HINTING AT THE ENDING OF LEGCAY MAYBE?? super good chapter!!!!!

THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️

The Sea was SO fun to write in this ch she's just like when your mom gets a little TOO fond of your partner and is always just like "How's Tron doing When's Tron coming over Is Tron staying for dinner????" I Love Her

Also adjsjkskl I've been scattering so many Legacy breadcrumbs I literally didn't even clock that one 🤣 but omg yeah I'm now in love with the idea of Delphi diving down to rescue him post-Legacy and he's just like "Actually babe can we just stay here? You were right, it's nice and quiet." 🥺🥺🥺

[uroboros-if]

DEMO ✧ WEBSITE 🌿 Last updated June '23

✧UROBOROS is a 17+ fantasy interactive fiction novel written in Twine. Play as the deity of eternity, powerless and deemed useless among gods, for nothing lasts forever. A struggle between mortals and gods sparks a conflict that may bring an end to the age of the divine rule.

This game will be completely free to play in its entirety; no necessary in-game content will ever be monetized.

You are the deity of All That Lasts Forever, a being born of the Chaotic Universe and moulded in divinity. One that exists among gods of lore, with the power to change seasons, conjure great storms, and raise life from dust.

Yet, you wield no power. Nothing lasts forever.

Relegated to an errand god, you assist the god of death with the afterlife, guiding lost spirits and hearing the dead's grievances.

Life was simple; the gods weaved the starry night that mortals slept beneath, raised the sun that humans rose to and drew the tides that guided vessels along. All was peaceful.

Until someone dared to defy death.

Your investigations into a strange occurrence will lead you to know far more than you ever intended to, unravelling what may be the precursor to the collapse of the reign of gods…

An outcast among gods and mortals, you are the grey area that bridges the two, and you will decide the fate of the world. Will you side with divinity, preserving power and maintaining order? Or will you support the struggle against them, ending a long era of oppressive rule?

✧CONTENT WARNING: depictions of war, violence, and death; mentions of cannibalism (not heavily depicted). Potentially sexually suggestive themes. 🌿

✧ Play as the deity of eternity. 🌿

Though do not expect to be powerful or beloved, with nothing within your domain. Choose your own name, personality, "gender" and "sexuality".

✧ Four characters to develop deeper relationships with. 🌿

The deity of the sun, the deity of death, the deity of misfortune, and the champion of the rebellion. All with their own themes and stories. Gender selectable. Relationships can be developed platonically or romantically.

✧ A shift away from traditional numerical stats. 🌿

Focused on immersive storytelling, make decisions true to your character, and develop complex relationships with characters that are not easily quantifiable. Your choices will seal your fate, rather than your skill at stat-raising.

✧ Decide the fate of the world. 🌿

Overthrow the current order of divinity, or fight to maintain the status quo.

✧ Explore a world of mystique and wonder, of pain and misery. 🌿

A sense of loss pervades.

NOTE: Gods canonically do not have a gender; merely their mortal forms will take on a certain gender presentation, which will be selectable. 🌿

Humans have united under one rule, one civilization—Galaio (“one place”). A prosperous and thriving civilization where no one shall go hungry, forgotten or abused — free from the misery and pain of the war that tore the world in the past.

Galaio is beautiful, with cities of gold and flowers, and villages of forests and hearth. Vines hug marble pillars, and trees line the streets. The earth has humans in her loving embrace, and the humans love the gods in return.

Deities rule the humans closely, the space that once seemed vast between them now closed. They've grown wary of humans' ability to govern themselves—they must save them from themselves.

Although many are comfortable with the idyllic lives they lead, they've become oblivious to the corruption and dissidence that grows within them — sentiments that cry for change. 🌿

This list will only cover characters you can form deeper relationships with, platonic or romantic. All characters are available for everyone and are gender selectable. They are, by no means, the only important characters in the story.

✧ Salvatore, Deity of the Sun // Sal-va-to-reh

Deity of the sun, child of the ruler of the gods and the goddess of mountains. They have a smile that lights up all their features, and radiates onto others like blessed sunlight.

Vivid and cheerful, they possess a deep sense of duty to humanity, one they uphold with steadfast fervor. Always earnest in their efforts, their optimism blinds others from the burdens they bear. 🌻

✧ Luciel, Deity of Death // Loo-see-el

One of the original Twelve gods. Their serene smile is like the caress of a breeze, with the slight chill of a bitter memory.

Their kindness belies their distance, preferring to keep others at arm’s length. They seem to be absent from all matters that concern both divine and mortal beings. Yet, their mere presence brings immutable peace, one that transports you somewhere eternally beautiful and free. 🪷

✧ Ciocana, Deity of Misfortune // Show-sah-na

Deity of misfortune and suffering, child of the deity of natural disasters and the goddess of the moon and stars. Their smile is charming and practiced, yet the corners of their mouth twist with mischief.

Plagued by the role of their own existence, they manage to maintain their confidence and quick-witted charms, masking their deeply embittered spirit. Though other gods take care to keep their distance from them, this appears to bother them little. 🥀

✧ Alessi, The Champion // Al-ess-ee

The champion to free humanity from the reign of gods, child to human parents. Their easygoing smile is magnetic, inviting others to take a closer look like moth to fire.

A natural leader, they are deeply attuned to the suffering of others and passionate about their cause. However, hidden beneath their friendliness is a righteous fury that consumes them from the inside and threatens to swallow their heart whole. 🌼

MASSIVE THANKS TO LenokaArt for the cover art!

THANK YOU to my amazing partner for the headers :DDD 🌿

[brucewaynehater101]

For damian angst with bruce - how about delving into it as damian fully believing his strongheld his way into becoming robin later on? How maybe secretly Bruce doesn't choose him even after all this time because Dick's his batman

Oh! I love Damian angst, especially when paired up with the miscommunication the Bats are huge fans of.

One of my favorite angst topics to explore is definitely how Damian was introduced to the family, his differences from the other Robins, and some sprinkled in lack of information. There are so many avenues to explore here.

For one, Steph and Damian could bond as the Robins that weren't adopted. Even though Damian is his blood son, there's still an idea that he wasn't chosen.

Another one is the idea that Damian doesn't truly know how Tim became Robin, whether that's Tim getting the suit from Alfred (similar to how Dick gave Damian his suit), Tim not being chosen by Bruce, or whatever. You can have Damian and Tim bonding, Damian trying to fit this change in worldview into his perception of Tim, or Damian being further jealous of Tim due to the older teen *now* being accepted and loved by Bruce.

We can have some angst of Damian believing that Bruce resents him somewhat for taking the mantle of Robin. Tim was the "perfect" Robin for Bruce, and thus that means Bruce must resent Damian for the change in status quo (obviously this is just a mindset Damian can have about the situation. The fact that Bruce didn't revoke Robin from Damian is a great counterpoint for this).

Maybe Damian thinks that Bruce and Dick fighting after Bruce comes back from the timestream is due to Damian. It's Damian's fault that Dick had to give Damian Robin and thus why Dick and Bruce keep getting into screaming matches or why Dick hardly stats around the Manor (again, this is a mindset of Damian and not a true reflection of the situation).

Then, there's the absolutely delicious angst of Damian being perceived as this feral, stabby, murderous, no remorse demon without feelings. Obviously, this isn't the case, but it does hurt when people treat you as an evil being. In particular, the angst of Damian trying to make amends for his past actions and people treating him like the antichrist. They don't necessarily have to forgive him, but hating him and being cruel to him is another thing.

Anyways, thanks for giving me the ideas for Damian angst! I probably won't include all of this into my fic, but there's a few I could definitely use ^^

[kittlesandbugs]

You cannot break something like FHR down into purely good vs evil. That is literally the point of the book. Things are not what they seem, everything and everyone is shades of grey, and you have to scratch beyond the surface to see what's really going on. The heroes fight for a government that funds the creation of slaves, definding the existing hypercapitalist status quo. The villains are, yes, sometimes people who hurt others for funsies, but mostly people who have bucked that status quo and fight the system.

Are you really going to blanket this as heroes good and villains bad? Congrats, you're a shill for the state, and you drank the propaganda kool aid.

The reader only knows what the narrator gives them, and the narrator is not unbiased. The reader has to dig into what's between the lines and roiling under the surface to glean a better picture of what's really going on.

Even the stats are not as straightforward as they appear. Daring vs Caution is a willingness to take big risks vs protecting oneself and one's assets. Empathy vs Ruthlessness is a desire to take consideration of others vs a willingness to do what needs to be done to advance goals. Arrogance vs Anonymity is a willingness to put yourself out there and take credit for your actions vs a desire to stay unseen and work in the shadows.

None of these traits are inherently good and evil. They tell us about the character, allow us to extrapolate somethings, but they are tools in a box, and it's how you use the tools that defines good and evil. You can max ruthlessness without ever killing. You can max empathy because it better allows you to understand and manipulate others. The stats themselves are tools, and the colors are visual tools to represent something that really is far more complex than a two color system allows.

[stitching-in-time]

Voyager rewatch s2 ep25: Resolutions

Holy crap, I didn't remember that this one was so early on in the show! I thought it must have been somewhere in the middle, with at least a few previous shippy episodes to kind of set it up, but no! We just get dropped into a domestic AU slow burn one-sided pining Janeway/Chakotay fanfic episode right out of nowhere! Alrighty then!

The opening scene of Janeway and Chakotay emerging from stasis pods on a lushly vegetated planet was certainly attention grabbing, and the premise of them having contracted a virus that forces them to stay on a planet which renders them immune to the disease progression, together, until they find a cure, which could take forever, is just... genius level shippy romance plotting. Slow clap for Jeri Taylor, she needs an AO3 account, stat.

So anyway, Voyager leaves Janeway and Chakotay on the planet with a ton of equipment and a little Starfleet prefab house, and she sets to work collecting data to try to learn more about the disease and find a cure. Meanwhile, Chakotay is just like 'guess this is our life now! right on!' and sets to work building furniture to make their little house cute. (To this day, I remember the first time I watched this with my mom as a kid, and I still remember her saying, 'yikes, she better watch out if he starts building a cradle!' and it still makes me laugh, because it's so true lol.) There's a lot of lingering glances from Chakotay toward Janeway, and I have to say, I don't usually notice the orchestral scores of Star Trek episodes, because they're usually pretty dull and soulless, but this one was notably lush and romantic during the planet scenes. Apparently, the composer ships Janeway and Chakotay too.

Janeway, meanwhile, doesn't even notice Chakotay pining away, since she's too busy with her scientific research, and being unbearably cute and enthusiastic about it. She sparkles like a diamond when she gets excited about science, and I can't blame Chakotay for being in love with her for a second, because dude, same!! It's so lovely to see her out of the context of having to present a captainly face to the Voyager crew at all times- she's charming and funny and very human here, in a way we usually only get to see smaller glimpses of on the ship- no wonder Chakotay is going out of his mind pining for her! Of course, it leads up to a very non-regulation shoulder rub (ooh la la!) that even Janeway can't rationalize as platonic, and they have The Talk, wherein Chakotay confesses that he's in love her. I gotta say, for coming out of literally nowhere, Kate Mulgrew and Robert Beltran sell the fuck out of this script, and make it totally believable. Especially in the confession scene- they're both crying, and I'm watching like, fuck you, how dare you break my heart like this?? This romance didn't even exist an episode ago, and now I'm invested?? In one episode!! Give these people Emmys, what the fuck?!

But of course, this being Star Trek, a love confession is usually just there to make us feel angst, because they are far too professional to ever act on it- which of course, they don't here. Starfleet captains aren't supposed to date their crew (even though they totally do- guess it's like the Prime Directive that way- just ignore it if inconvenient!) and most of them are too workaholic to devote time to romance anyway. We don't get any further dialog after the confession and the tearful hand hold. The next time we see them, they're back to the status quo of friendly banter. Janeway, who still hasn't let go of Mark, doesn't return Chakotay's feelings at this point, at least not romantically, though she obviously loves him as a friend. She's still invested in getting back to Voyager, though after the storm breaks most of her science equipment, she starts to resign herself to staying, and it's implied that things might have a chance to develop between the two of them eventually- until Voyager contacts them.

Because meanwhile, back on the ship, the whole crew is distraught at the loss of their mom Captain and Harry Kim pretty much leads a muntiny to get his mom Captain back. Even Tuvok can't argue with an entire crew of dorks simping for their beloved senpai, so he agrees to go get an antidote from the Vidians. The Doctor's Vidian girlfriend Denara Pel helps them out when the Vidians attack them, and Janeway and Chakotay are given the medicine, and rescued from the planet. (I really hope they beamed all their equipment up after them, because that was a lot of Starfleet swag they can't just replace at the next Starbase! Don't just leave it there for the monkey, you idiots!!)

Janeway and Chakotay return to Voyager, the crew are overjoyed to have their mom and dad back, and we know that Janeway and Chakotay, who don't make eye contact during the entire final scene on the bridge, will never acknowledge anything that was said on that planet, ever again. But the subtextual pining will be there for like, ever now. And many, many shippy things will ensue in future episodes, which will feel even more bananas now that I remember that they all take place after he literally tells her he's in love with her! I truly, honestly feel so unbelieveably sorry for diehard Janeway/Chakotay shippers, they really set out to murder them with this, didn't they? I'm neither especially for or against them as a ship, personally- it just sort of exists as a thing that makes me feel a little bit crazy because of how far they took it without ever directly addressing it again. I mean, it's not the first time Trek has done this to us, but it's always so frustrating when they make it a thing, only to never resolve it. If you start a story arc, resolve it one way or another, conclusively, cowards! Being in love with someone you live and work with is not a thing you can just sweep under the rug, especially when the object of desire knows about it! But it's Star Trek, so yeah, they will actually just make us suffer. They've done it before, they'll probably do it again. (Unless Prodigy actually gives us something more substantial than Voyager itself did, which tbh, considering how stellar the writing has been so far, it might actually do! Save us, Prodigy, save us! You're our only hope!)

Tl;dr: An insanely shippy story that literally made Janeway/Chakotay a thing in one damn episode, it actually works really well unto itself, despite the years of torment it will wreak on the fandom. Iconic tbh.

[planetaryaether]

Blackrock Lore Master Post 2

(since the original hit the link limit)

Rythian Continued: Tan Lines Red Blood Confirmation on Monitor Message Secondary Mask Confirmation The Life Rythian Wants (Rythian's Reply) Rythian Can’t Dance

Zoey Continued: Pre-Jeff Mushroom Status Quo Favorite S2 Moment Zoey's Theme Song The 5 Days Post Because I remember how insane the fandom went Zoey's Favorite Season Genderbending Was the Mushroom War Real Misc Moments Continued: Rythian's DnD Class Blackrock DnD Classes Blackrock DnD Stats Direction of the Show Teep's Bow Recording Process This Pair of Posts NewPool as a Metaphor

Rythian Responding to Asks Like ThisTM Whatever This Is Blackrock Return

Merch (reference for what has existed in the past only): Blackrock Collection Jailhouse 6 Shirt Zoey Season 3 Print Blackrock Castle Shirt

[hpowellsmith]

How do we get a better rapport with Mr Griffith?

When you're interacting with him, take actions that suit your stats - that'll usually increase his relationship. If you have low enough grades in Chapter 4, you'll get some bonus interactions with him in which you can increase it as well.

In general, choices map to stats as follows:

-Being high-spirited, passionate, energetic = Spirit

-Being smart, sensible, observant = Wit

-Being graceful, calm, relaxing = Poise

-Being deceptive, sneaky, spotting lies = Intrigue

-Being glamorous, eye-catching, performing = Flair

-Taking charge or asserting yourself = Domineering

-Letting other people lead = Accommodating

-Talk around subjects or nudge people to do what you want = Manipulative

-Talk straightforwardly = Direct

-Rebelling against conventional wisdom = Progressive

-Sticking to the status quo = Traditional

I hope that's helpful - good luck with your Mr Griffith interactions!

[larsnicklas]

the final thing i’ll say is that it is really very funny to me that so many folks on here are acting like buying and shuttering a site is new and novel and a distinct evil 😭 i will not deny that it sucks to lose a fun and nifty tool because it does absolutely suck on many levels, but it has been happening since time immemorial and will continue to happen as teams strive to stay ahead of the pack in any way possible. sports are an arms race and cutting off your competition’s convenient access to a platform that you can operate instead — while also potentially getting some very bright minds on staff — is a normal business move. sucks but we do live in a society and teams will act accordingly. if the league was inclined they could have purchased the site and allowed it to continue operating at status quo; it’s not an individual organization’s job to make sure other teams and the general public can use a website.

and once again, this time we didn’t even lose anything except an interface we’re used to and the armchair gm tool, which will be implemented in other sites in no time at all. you guys would not have survived the loss of sean tierney’s tableau charts is what i’m saying 😭 like i was so happy for him when he got snapped up bc he’s a great guy but that was literally like a gunshot to the chest to me. i’m glad the fandom has had a resurgence in recent years and i am not saying this in a mean way but many folks would benefit from learning about the (relatively recent!) history of the rise of stat nerds and their public sites within the industry and the cycle of Smart Person Makes Site -> Everyone Uses and Loves Site -> Uh Oh The Site Is So Good The Smart Person Has Gotten Hired And We Lose Site 💔 -> Hey Another Smart Person Has Made A Cool Site and then maybe there would be more contextual understanding and less feeling like the world is ending bc we won’t have armchair gm for a little bit.

i will also say it is very 🤨 to be like “the public deserves all of this info!! knowledge should be free!!!” while just gobbling up the labor and time of these people with sites who often pay out of pocket for servers and various overhead costs and operate at a loss for YEARS just because they are passionate about their work. like i KNOW many of you are not putting your money where your mouth is! capitalism sucks i know i know!!! but this is what we’ve got!! the owners of these sites have to eat too like 😭 these guys (gn) have families!! alskajsjs. i endlessly appreciate the ones who stand firmly on not selling to a private entity (micah ineffectivemath you ARE a paragon of virtue and morality) but i never ever blame anyone for taking a job or a payday. and also i encourage anyone who enjoys the work of these folks to subscribe to their websites/patreons/etc. if you are comfortably able to! it’s a big way to help these sites stay open and accessible 👍

[lord-emerson]

👑 and 🧍‍♂️?

👑 — Opinions on the Queen? What about other royalty?

Obviously, I owe a lot of the comforts in my life to Her Majesty. The few interactions I've had with members of the Royal Family have all been perfectly lovely.

... This is about the extent of what you'll hear from me in present circumstances. Next time perhaps approach me with a drink first. After all, even those who support the status quo could have some thoughts to offer on improving it, no?

🧍‍♂️— What stats would they provide as a companion? Where would you obtain them?

[This one is kind of funny because I forgot that I did answer it before, leading to you making this lovely in-game edit for The Decadent Parvenu.

SO I decided to write something up for end-game Oswald instead <3

The Amorous Recluse

As far as hermits go, this one has surprisingly good manners. He's happy to regale you with tales of his studies, his husband or the Zee over tea and crumpets. Don't bother asking about his past; according to him, there is "nothing exciting enough to tell."

Watchful +3, Persuasive +7, Respectable -1, Zeefaring +1.

Ask me FL OC things!]

[joshualunacreations]

The US and its propaganda arm, Hollywood, have always been anti-Asian. Although opportunities are opening up for Asian actors, the underlying messaging—that divides and hurts Asians—hasn't changed.

Not too long ago, AsAms seemed united in outrage against racism and white-washed casting such as Scarlet Johannsen in Ghost in the Shell, Tilda Swinton in Dr. Strange, or Netflix’s Deathnote. Yet as more projects with AAPI leads and casts were produced, this so-called unity proved to be a lie.

The illusion of AsAm unity fell apart with To All the Boys I Loved Before—which was widely celebrated despite its blatant white-worship. The most recent blow comes from Hulu's The Company You Keep, a U.S. remake of a k-drama that replaced the male love interest with a white man.

Once it seemed like AAPI women were getting roles and being “humanized” (i.e. garnering attention and approval from white men on-screen and off) AAPI with media power were satisfied. It didn't matter that AAPI men were still erased and dehumanized—even in supposedly pro-AAPI projects.

Not only do AAPI with media power not care about the continuing harm against AAPI men, they exacerbate it. When AsAms critique anti-Asian narratives—especially ones erasing or targeting AsAm men like TATBILB—they're gaslit, harassed, censored and even permanently blacklisted.

This is because AsAm media is held hostage by the racist framework of the U.S. government's 1942-43 Mixed Marriage Policy. White men's hierarchy—based on perceived threat levels and receptiveness to white assimilation—still dictates Hollywood narratives.

Research confirms that the MMP persists today. A 2015 study shows how gendered racism leads to severe under-representation of Asian men (and Black women). Whereas monoracial Asian men face significant barriers in dating, a 2014 study shows mixed-white Asians get a "bonus effect."

This is why Hollywood execs know there will be less uproar if monoracial Asian men aren't represented—it's been the status quo for decades. In the few roles made for Asian men, they still fall into two categories: pathetic loser or toxic man/villain. In some cases, both.

The hatred and erasure of Asian men is so deeply embedded that it's led to the widespread erasure of AAPI men as victims of anti-Asian hate crimes in recorded stats and media narratives. AAPI journalists know this, yet continue to do nothing to correct it.

So what's next for AsAm representation? In 2022, Janet Yang became president of the Oscars. She's co-founder of Gold House—an AsAm Hollywood collective—and executive producer of Joy Luck Club, a seminal work bashing Asian men as irredeemable misogynists compared to "good" white men.

Many AsAms like Yang want more of Joy Luck Club and similar stories. Amy Tan, author of JLC, has been pushing for years for a sequel with the original cast. A TV series was optioned in 2017, and as of 2022 a movie sequel is to be written by white male screenwriter, Ron Bass.

Stories like Joy Luck Club aren't just bad media—they're dangerous. Arthur Martunovich randomly hammered three AsAm men to death because he saw a movie depicting Chinese men as abusers and he wanted to "protect Chinese women". There's a high chance that movie was JLC.

Hollywood has figured out it’s easy to make anti-Asian films and stifle criticism by hiring Asian tokens to give stamps of approval. An article from 1986 (40 years ago) about AsAm criticism of racism in Big Trouble in Little China shows there's a history of sowing division among AAPI and using government resources to do it. I understand the allure of the Hollywood dream because I used to believe in it myself. From an early age, all marginalized groups—POC, women, LGBTQ+—are taught to fantasize about how we'll finally be accepted and heal the hurt once we get on a big stage and give an award speech. Having experience in Hollywood as a comic creator, I know how people in power (esp. white men) behave. Their goal is to wear you down until you internalize their bigoted messaging, regurgitate it yourself, and then thank them for it. They hate the word "no." Awards don't matter if the content that gets you there ultimately serves bigoted and harmful purposes. In 2020, I made a test for AAPI media. None of the projects so far have passed. That's by design. We think we’re holding the statue, but really, it’s holding us.

Correction: I just noticed a typo in the comic. Inside the Hollywood sign's letter "Y" I meant to say "non-Asians" not "non-whites." Sorry, it was a lot of drawing and writing, and I got tired 🥴 (Please don’t repost or edit my art. Reblogs are always appreciated.)

If you enjoy my comics, please pledge to my Patreon or donate to my Paypal.

https://twitter.com/Joshua_Luna/status/1134522555744866304 https://patreon.com/joshualuna https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/JoshuaLunaComics

[thecreaturecodex]

Protean, Cthilpuk

"Naga Rei" © Fur Affinity user TrinityLight, accessed at their gallery here

[Posting this has been a fucking chore, believe me. The hidden character limit for tumblr counts HTML tags, whether you put them in yourself or copy them over from another document. And although it used to be able to break up the text into different blocks internally for its coding purposes, it no longer can with the new draft saving program. Which means that the formatting is going to be slightly different from now on, with more spaces within each stat block. I'm still going on hiatus; I'm traveling this week. But normal service should resume next week, rather than me having to find a new hosting service. Fingers crossed.

So the monster in question. The mesmerist is one of my favorite classes in PF1e, because it's so versatile. You can use it for everything from a sinister manipulator to a wacky stage magician, a faith healer to The Shadow. I wanted the cthilpuk to be similarly versatile. I intend these to be able to be allies to some parties, enemies to others, and even change allegiance over the course of the game.

A few miscellaneous notes. The anagrams I'm using for protean names are getting weirder and more obscure; I'm going to post a list of all of them when this project is over. The art itself is not NSFW, but the gallery page is in its description of this character; be prepared. And there's a teaser of one of the other proteans I have yet to stat up but have planned.]

Protean, Cthilpuk CR 14 CN Outsider (extraplanar) This blue-scaled serpentine creature has a humanoid torso with four clawed arms. Its head has a cobra-like hood, and both its hood and its eyes swirl with mesmerizing colors.

Cthilpuks are proteans that represent one of the most changeable of things; the emotions of sapient creatures. A cthilpuk can be a counselor, a rabble-rouser or a terrorist, depending on its mood. They are comfortable in urban spaces, and often live in mortal or planar cities in disguise for months or years. Undercover, they are often very friendly, going out of their way to talk to people and then using the information they gather to adjust the person’s moods and behavior. Cthilpuks are strong believers in self-actualization for chaotic individuals, but enjoy driving lawful people into spirals of doubt and despair.

A cthilpuk would usually prefer to avoid combat, instead using its hypnotic stare and psychic magic to influence a creature’s mood, and then talk them into doing something that the protean wants them to do. Still, sometimes violence is the appropriate solution to their problems. The bite of a cthilpuk locks the mind into an emotional pattern, typically a self-destructive one. In a fight, most cthilpuks try to bite as many creatures as possible with different decoctions of emotional venom, cast a spell or two into the fray, and then sit back to watch the chaos. In their natural form, they can even split their hypnotic gaze, working their will through the stare of both their real eyes and the eyespots in their hood.

Although a cthilpuk will gladly toy with the emotions of everyday people, they do most of their work in places of high tension and chaotic potential, always to instigate further changes rather than to uphold the status quo. They are often beloved of revolutionaries and despised by governments, although they do not particularly care about the moral status of either revolutionaries or governments they interfere with. In this role, they often work as underlings for heputwisa proteans. They are patient in their work of manipulating emotions; they appreciate a sudden shock as much as any protean, but know that the most useful minds are ones that have convinced themselves of their course of action, rather than having it forced on them from outside.

Cthilpuk CR 14 XP 38,400 CN Large outsider (chaos, extraplanar, protean) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect chaos, detect law, Perception +22, thoughtsense 60 ft.

Defense AC 29, touch 13, flat-footed 25 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +16 natural); +2 vs. lawful targets hp 195 (17d10+102) Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +16; +2 vs. lawful targets DR 15/lawful; Immune acid, emotion effects; Resist electricity 10, sonic 10; SR 25 Defensive Abilities amorphous anatomy, freedom of movement

Offense Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect) Melee bite +22 (2d6+6 plus emotional venom), 4 claws +22 (1d4+6), tail slap +17 (2d8+3 plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Psychic Magic CL 14th, concentration +20 (+24 casting defensively) 30 PE—calm emotions (2 PE, DC 18), crushing despair (4 PE, DC 20), emotive block (3 PE, DC 19), euphoric tranquility (6 PE, DC 22), fear (4 PE, DC 22), good hope (3 PE), overwhelming grief (4 PE, DC 20), rage (3 PE, DC 19), reckless infatuation (3 PE, DC 19), smug narcissism (5 PE, DC 21), serenity (6 PE, DC 22) unadulterated loathing (3 PE, DC 19), unshakeable zeal (6 PE, DC 22) Special Attacks bold stare (allure, sapped magic, susceptibility, timidity), hypnotic stare (-3), split stare Spell-like Abilities CL 14th, concentration +20 (+24 casting defensively) Constant—detect chaos, detect law, protection from law (DC 17) 3/day—empowered chaos hammer (DC 20), confusion (DC 20), greater dispel magic 1/day—greater teleport, word of chaos (DC 22)

Statistics Str 23, Dex 19, Con 23, Int 18, Wis 22, Cha 22 Base Atk +17; CMB +24 (+26 disarm, +28 grappling); CMD 38 (40 vs. disarm) Feats Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Empower SLA (chaos hammer), Improved Disarm, Intimidating Glance, Psychic Virtuoso, Quicken Spell, Self-Sufficient Skills Appraise +16, Bluff +21, Diplomacy +21, Fly +22, Heal +25, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana, history) +16, Knowledge (local, planes) +19, Perception +22, Sense Motive +22, Spellcraft +16, Survival +22 Languages Abyssal, Common, Protean, Undercommon, telepathy 100 ft. SQ change shape (greater polymorph), undersized weapons

Ecology Environment any land or urban (Maelstrom) Organization solitary, pair or council (3-6) Treasure standard

Special Abilities Emotional Venom (Su) The bite of a cthilpuk injects emotions, not traditional venom. A creature bitten by a cthilpuk must succeed a DC 24 Will save or be affected by one of the following emotional states. This lasts for 1 minute. A creature so affected can attempt to control its emotions by making another DC 24 Will save as a move action; if it succeeds, it dispels this effect, and gains a +4 bonus on all future saves against that cthilpuk’s emotional venom for the next 24 hours. A creature may only suffer the effects of one type of emotional venom at a time Anger: A creature under the effects of anger emotional venom must make an attack of opportunity against its allies whenever its allies take actions that would provoke an attack of opportunity from that creature. These attacks count against the affected creature’s attacks of opportunity in a round. Dedication: A creature under the effects of dedication emotional venom cannot move away from an adjacent opponent unless it succeeds a DC 24 Will save. Success on this save allows the creature to move, but does not end the effect. Despair: A creature under the effects of despair emotional venom suffers a -4 morale penalty on attack rolls and damage rolls. Fear: A creature under the effects of fear emotional venom is shaken. Hatred: A creature under the effects of hatred emotional venom takes a -4 penalty to AC, but gains a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls. Jealousy: A creature under the effects of jealousy emotional venom must attempt to make saving throws against all spells, including harmless and beneficial spells. Zeal: A creature under the effects of zeal emotional venom must succeed a DC 24 Will save each round or be compelled to take the same action as it took last turn. If unable to do so (such as casting a spell that has been expended), it must mimic those actions as closely as possible (i.e. cast another spell on the same target). Succeeding this Will save allows the creature to choose a new action, but does not break the effect of the venom. This is a mind-influencing emotion effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Hypnotic Stare (Su) A cthilpuk has the hypnotic stare and bold stare class abilities of a mesmerist with a class level equal to its racial HD. Mesmerist levels stack with cthilpuk Hit Dice for the purposes of the stare class feature, but not other class features, such as spellcasting or mesmerist tricks. Split Stare (Su) A cthilpuk may use its hypnotic stare on two opponents at once. When it does so, it inflicts a -2 penalty to one target, and a -1 penalty to the other. Using its split stare is mentally taxing—a cthilpuk suffers a -4 penalty to Concentration checks while using this ability. A cthilpuk can only use this ability in its natural form.

[fantasyfantasygames]

Hollywood Hoedown

It's a Hollywood Hoedown!, Yee-Haw Entertainment, 1988

From the same company as the Dukes of Hazzard RPG, Hollywood Hoedown has you telling the story of a redneck family making their way through the glitz and glamour of tinseltown.

Without an existing show to draw on, Hoedown focuses on a set of character archetypes, which actually might be one of the earliest examples of this approach. All of them are defined by where they are in the family and their most prominent trait. That's not mix-and-match, by the way. You can play as the Ornery Grandpa, the Big Mama, the Handsome Brother, the Smart Brother, the Sexy Cousin, and more, but thankfully not the Sexy Grandpa.

We're still in the 80s, so this is still a six-attribute roll-under system with hit points and such. There's a bolt-on system to track how well your characters' shows are doing, and how well their acting performances are helping their careers. Careers are basically the skills of the system - they go from -1 to -5 with more negative numbers being better. The card system from tDoHRPG is gone, which makes things simpler but more boring. I'd probably strip out the system and run it with GURPS, or maybe a system specifically focused around TV shows like PTA. A She's All Flat hack might do well too.

The GM advice is quite good. There's no adversarial tone here. The GM is encouraged to make the characters' lives hectic but not hell, and to keep the players laughing. When there's a session that ended in a way that no one liked, you're encouraged to handwave it away as "all a dream" and just go back to the status quo.

Hollywood Hoedown is less problematic than Yee-Haw's earlier games, thank god. It's still problematic. The biggest one is the issue of how the players are going to portray rednecks. Some of the character archetypes help with that - there's a specific "Idiot Cousin" archetype that helps to imply that not everyone is an ignoramus, and the "Brainy Kid" and "Handyman Uncle" archetypes who are the underestimated masterminds. The art could do more to help even things out, though. It's very stereotypical, with a lot of line drawings of out-of-shape people in shabby clothes, yelling. Gender roles are strictly enforced (again, the 80s). My favorite piece is the Thanksgiving table, where the family is clearly all having a good time and the studio executives are there chowing down right next to them. I'd like to see more of that.

There was one supplement, Hollywood Hootenany. It provided a scenario, more or less. There's a setup, about a dozen fully statted NPCs, and some discussion of where things might go next. There's a "battle map" of a sound stage, which is an odd choice but whatever. It's only 32 pages long.

[libriaco]

Tutti volano via

Non ad nos stat nec unus dies. Nec unus dies ad nos stat: fugiunt omnes. Antequam venit, abscedit. De hoc ergo die, ex quo loquimur, quantum iam fugit! Nec horam, in qua sumus, tenemus. Fugit et ipsa, venit et alia, nec ipsa statura sed fugitura. Cioè, all'incirca: Con noi non sta fermo neppure un solo giorno. Con noi non si ferma neanche un solo giorno: tutti fuggono via. Prima di arrivare già se n'è andato. Dunque di questo giorno in cui parlo, quanta parte già se n'è andata! Non possiamo neppure trattenere l'ora in cui siamo. Fugge anch'essa e ne arriva un'altra, e neanche questa starà ferma ma se ne fuggirà via.

Nota: Un copiaincolla senza annotazioni, ma dai Sermoni [397-398] di S. Agostino.

[wynterrolls]

【Honkai: Star Rail Build TLDR】

⚔ Natasha

For Healer Build (Recommended!)

[Relic Set 1 = Optimal Relic Set] → 4pc Passerby of Wandering Cloud → 2pc Broken Keel

[Relic Set 2 = Biggest Heals] → 2pc Passerby of Wandering Cloud → 2pc Longevous Disciple → 2pc Fleet of the Ageless

** Why Broken Keel? Explained here.

** Healing amount comparison explained here.

Main Stat (Pick one of the two sets) [Full HP set = Biggest heals] (Estimate Total HP = 6.8k to 7.7k+) > Head = HP (constant) > Hand = ATK (constant) > Body - Outgoing Healing Boost (OHB) > Boots - HP% > Sphere - HP% > Rope - HP% [Get-her-ult-fast set = Lower heals, faster Ultimate] (Estimate Total HP = 5k to 5.6k+) > Head = HP (constant) > Hand = ATK (constant) > Body - Outgoing Healing Boost (OHB) > Boots - SPD > Sphere - HP% > Rope - Energy Regeneration Rate (ERR)

Sub Stat > HP% or HP > Speed > Effect RES

Things to Consider ➤ Without ERR rope: → using S1 Post-Op LC = you need 4 basic atks before you get her ult up. → using other abundance LC = you need 5 basic atks before you get her ult up. ➤ With ERR rope: → S1 Post-Op LC doesn't need ERR rope. S5 Post-Op LC needs ERR rope and 2pc Sprightly Vonwacq to get her ult fastest, but the heals are lowest. You only need 3 basic atks. → using other abundance LC with ERR rope = you need 4 basic atks before you get her ult up. ➤ Optional: Build her with 120+ SPD to get the atk buff from Fleet of the Ageless set effect. ➤ Optional: Build her with at least 30% effect RES to get the crit dmg buff of Broken Keel set. Things to Remember > Her skill could cleanse/remove debuff from an ally. It is only available when you unlock her A2 trace - Soothe.

Lightcones

* Lightcone list is from the HSR General Build. Link below in the post. (They did the calcs, so now we have the weapon rankings.)

1. Time Waits for No One 5☆ [S1] 2. Post-Op Conversation 4☆ [S1] 3. Warmth Shortens Cold Nights 4☆ [S1~5] 4. Shared Feeling 4☆ [S1] 5. Cornucopia 3☆[S5]

** Quid Pro Quo 4☆[S1~5] *Utility LC → gives energy to team

Long Explanation Below

— For Healer Build —

Natasha's healing scales off of HP so I'm going to calculate the estimated HP threshold the builds would give her at max lv 80/80.

— Total HP Calculation —

Natasha's Max Base HP = 1164 HP

+HP% from traces = +28% HP > from Lv 1 = +4% HP > from Lv 80 = +8% HP > from A3 = +4% HP > from A4 = +6% HP > from A5 = +6% HP +HP% from Relic and Ornament Sets > 4pc Passerby of Wandering Cloud = no HP passive, but gives OHB. OHB isn't reflected in her HP threshold. > 2pc Fleet of the Ageless = +12% HP +HP% from Relic and Ornament Pieces > each 5* HP Main stat Relic piece = +43.2% HP > each 5* HP Sub stat Relic piece ⇢ Max relic lvl is +15. Every 3 levels, the substats are either enhanced or added. ⇢ Substat roll for HP could be any of these three: 33.8 / 38 / 42 ⇢ Substat roll for HP% could be any of these three: 3.46% / 3.89% / 4.32% ** In the calculation, I'm going to consider the lowest substat as a reflection of RNG pain. This would mean that the value that would come out of the computation would be on lower side and irl HP values more than the estimated values are more likely to happen. Base HP and +HP% from Lightcone Besides the 1164 max HP from Natasha, she could get additional base HP from equipped LC. These base stats could vary from rarity, so to make my life easier, I'm just going to consider the current highest ranking LC for each rarity (not changing the calcs once newer LCs comes out in future tho) and not consider the HP% passive of each lightcone cause I'm lazy and the LC passives are different from each other, which means not all LC gives additional HP%. The LC ranking above was done by other people, so I'm pretty sure they already consider the LC passives in their calculations. ⇢ 5* lightcone = 1270 HP (from Time Waits for No One) ⇢ 4* lightcone = 1058 HP (from Post-Op Conversation) ⇢ 3* lightcone = 952 HP (from Cornucopia) Calculating Estimated Total HP for Each Build > For full-HP set ⇢ Using 5* LC = (1270 + 1164) * (1 + 0.28 + 0.12 + 0.432*3 + 0.0346*6) + 705.5 = 7772.86 HP ⇢ Using 4* LC = (1058 + 1164) * (2.9036) + 705.5 = 7157.30 HP ⇢ Using 3* LC = (952 + 1164) * (2.9036) + 705.5 = 6849.52 HP > For Get-her-ult-fast set ⇢ Using 5* LC = (1270 + 1164) * (1 + 0.28 + 0.12 + 0.432 + 0.0346*6) + 705.5 = 5669.89 HP ⇢ Using 4* LC = (1058 + 1164) * (2.0396) + 705.5 = 5237.49 HP ⇢ Using 3* LC = (952 + 1164) * (2.0396) + 705.5 = 5021.29 HP

Sources

Honkai: Star Rail General Build Guide

Edisonsmathsclub's Energy Requirements Sheet

Relic Sets

Relic Stats

HP Calculation

Natasha Artwork

Uploaded on Patch 1.1

➥ Back to my HSR masterlist.

Update Log

07/20/2023 - Added the update log, artwork source, reformatted source list

07/21/2023 - Added Broken Keel set

[arclundarchivist]

Have to say, even though it failed that was an amazing Orym moment. Need art of it stat. His conviction to make this work, the steel in his spine and hell Laudna’s too when listening to this woman who *knows* nothing of what they’ve gone through say that Ludinus has a point.

Then the plea filled with gravitas aided by a woman who lost everything twice due to cruel machinations of those devoted to thinking *they* could do better than the status quo and this simple man who has had destiny thrust upon him through no fault of his own.

The epithet manifestation of the Mad Mage of Wildemount.

And it fails. It’s unfortunate but he immediately pulls the trigger to get into this and still attempts to see this end without righteous, if misguided people on both sides dying needlessly as the world ends a continent away.

Captain Exandria indeed.

And I am terrified of what comes next. I don’t want them to become full enemies of Vasselheim, because yes while the institution is warped and many allow the faith to simply be a tool to better their own lots, they need all the help I can get.

I don’t trust this Uber-laced Paladin, but she’s needed.

I definitely don’t trust the Elder, she’s too engaged with Ludinus’s words.

On top of the reveal that the Eidolons are Elementals, with the knowledge of the Hishari’s dark dealings and the fact that just recently another warped elemental cultist attempted something to distract Keyleth prior to the fight.

The grudge between the Elements and the Gods goes back to the very beginning!

I just…I’m so worried about where this is going.

So many Dawnfather ties emerging and I have to wonder if I’m the end some of the Gods are gonna get are but not all allowing others to rise into their place after Predathos is (hopefully) inevitably defeated/sealed if they are released at all and that brings me around to Laudna’s point.

Okay, the Gods go, there is no freedom. There is no independence.

Are all the Gods noble, factually no.

But we *know* the types that will attempt to step in and take over.

Even if I’m wrong about my main fear that Predathos will sense the Luxon and just view Exandria as yet another meal to be had.

Without the Gods, who takes power? Why the beings who already have the lion’s share.

People like Ludinus, and yes of course some good individuals could rise to become replacements all their own, I mean Keyleth is practically already there.

But…the war that would follow to get to level would likely kill *so* many, and who is even to say that any good will triumph at all!

Think about all the beings that have ascended into Godhood or attempted to.

The Raven Queen is the *only* moralistic one out of the lot!

Vecna, would be God Emperor, Necromancer Supreme, Mind-Thief.

Lucian and the Somnovem, an arrogant jackass and an almighty all consuming idiot.

Ludinus combines all their terrible traits into one, a mad narcissistic mage who consumes Fey to lengthen his lifespan beyond the normal means. Powerful ones as well it seems.

Also, what the fuck would be the interaction between Tharizdun and Predathos? The former isn’t like the Prime or Betrayers, who would consume who, and without the Gods, and their powers what would stop it from consuming the Material regardless of Predathos’s actions?

It is utterly *inane* to me to believe that the loss of the Gods will “build Exandria back better.”

Not with all the dark powers eagerly waiting in the wings.

Regardless, nervous and excited for next week.