#and i'm so in love with the quetzal

[neaththeheavens]

little bird, can i fly away with you?

[quetzalpapalotl]

Pre Dark Cybertron exRID it's pretty balanced towards its ensemble cast, but if there was a main main character it would be Bumblebee, so it is very hilarious how Optimus came and stole the show and made it All About Him when Bee complained that people won't respect him as a leader as much as they did Optimus and there was even a storyline in the Costa ongoing where even tho Bumblebee is supposed to be in charge Optimus keeps steamrolling him.

[changingplumbob]

Second Round - Day Four (R2) 1 of 3

@paracosmic-sims, @perolesims, @eljeebee, @jonquilyst, @riverofjazzsims, @matchalovertrait

Reflection on Progress: Oh, it was definitely great. I knew Deanna would fall for my charms as soon as we spent some time together, and look at that! Second place may not be the coveted *first*, but only losing to the girl who already had the advantage of starting on the lead isn't bad at all! Nothing I can't handle on the next few rounds, rest assured. The challenges were certainly something, though. Me? Winning at *videogames?* That's certainly news to me, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. But it was so worth it.

Hana: Honestly, while a new group is refreshing, I can't say it's not comforting to have at least one familiar face around. While we don't always see eye to eye, Hana has certainly left a decent impression on me, and I look forward to keep our art discussions going.

Isabella: Another contestant with fine taste? This round is really surprising.  She seems more level-headed than she gives herself credit for, but unfortunately didn't catch my attention much beyond her good fashion sense. Refined but not... distinctive. Like a timeless fashion article, in the sense that it can be always there, but never quite as loved as the season's trend, if it makes sense?  But that constance might be what keeps her afloat in the game, so it's worth noting, at least. I just think she'll get along better with Quetzalli than me, for example.

Isla: Style influencer and High Maintenance? Ugh, either a match made in heaven or hell. Probably hell, given she quite literaly had an outburst over a *dream*. Like... get it together girl, even *I* wouldn't demand this amount of catering over something as small as that. I'm not the most tranquil girl around, don't get me wrong, but even I could see that was diva-meltdown behaviour. And not the cute and relatable kind, either. That's the kind that gets you blacklisted on any self-respecting agencies. ...I fear the villa wouldn't still be standing at the end of the day, honestly, if most of us wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Too many clashing aspects. Who decided on this?

Nyami: Hm, the sixth place... So, second most sucessful of this group. That already makes her noteworthy. Though, I find it hard to like her from what I've seen, so she must really be putting in work to be this high still. Cringe, erratic, and still on top ten? *winces* What does Deanna see in her?

Quetzalli: Honestly, she seems to be the only one who hasn't shared a group with at least someone else before. Must feel bad to be the odd one out. She seems to enjoy a more refined style, from what I've noticed so that's always a pleasant thing to see - though her clothes... don't exactly covey that (not even quiet luxury... they seem plain?). I won't say she's not beautiful - even managed herself a fellow contestant's attention, from what I've seen? - but it's certainly way too understated.  She's probably someone who wants more, but doesn't know how to put herself out there and shine. Her behaviour in the challenges shows that too. A little too naive. But... ultimately not a problem to me, I think. Might even be a good connection to make, perhaps? Though, she seemed a bit clingy with Posy, and I'm still baffled that she opted to stay? She was offered, in her words, everything she wanted. She's low enough on the rank that her wanting to stay isn't a problem for me, but... why?

Reflection on Progress: Alright, I could’ve done better, but I’m happy for the chance to keep going and excited for the next adventures (:

Apolline: It's nice to go another round by her side. Despite our differences, she's the closest I can come to calling someone a 'friend' around here (:

Isabella: I’ve only seen them a few times, so it’s hard to have a solid opinion, but they seem like a really cool person and I think she’s beautiful, but very serious

Isla: She looks super cute! I can’t wait to actually get to know her and talk to her and all that.

Nyami: Another contestant I think is gorgeous! But she better watch out, 'cause I’m aiming for her spot in the ranking. Though, to be honest, the one I really want to knock off the podium is Lara. Nothing personal—just focused on the goal. hehe

Quetzalli: She’s so beautiful! And she seems super nice too—another contestant I think I’d really get along with (: I’m excited to get to know her even better

Reflection on Progress: It was a ride. A LOT happened, I mean a LOT, especially by the end of this round. Alaina joining the contest but she's engaged? And Berenice? Oh, I wish she never came here under pretenses. I miss her. I know I don't find her jokes funny, but right now? I really wish I could hear those jokes from her. The fight as well, I just hope nothing happens like that in the next round. I'm glad justice was served and Cassiel was removed. I hope Jerrica is okay. Anyway, I was ranked 18th! Not bad, I think. Though I'd have to work hard for my points the next round.

Apolline: Apolline is a bit of a princess, but I think we both appreciate the refined side of life. I think she and I could get along well, just talking about expensive art for hours. I'm looking forward to sharing the villa with her!

Hana: Another artist! Hana seems like a great person and I can't wait to spend more time getting to know her.

Isla: I thought we would butt heads for the whole round, but I'm so happy we got more closer. I'm so glad we're together again! I know we're supposed to be competing against each other, but still. I'd choose her to stay with.

Nyami: Gorgeous Nyami is with me again for this round. I remember losing against her during the staring contest. I felt like her eyes would swallow me and drown me with those adorable orbs! I'm just glad I'm with her this time!

Quetzalli: I saw Posy proposition her after the last elimination, and I saw Quetzalli really think about leaving with her. I like Quetzalli and I'm not saying she stayed for the screen time to help her career, but it's good we're rooming together at the villa this round. I'm looking forward to finding out if my suspicions are just jealousy, or if she really is just in this for the fame.

Reflection on Progress: I think it went pretty well! Definitely more ups than downs. I'm happy that I won a couple challenges and spent that extra time with Deanna!

Apolline: She's so pretty and I love her hair! I need to ask what shampoo she uses because her hair looks so soft and silky smooth!

Hana: I haven't heard much about her, so I don't really have an opinion of her yet. She's got interesting tattoos; tattoos aren't really my thing but they look good on her! Hopefully we'll get along.

Isabella: I am sooo thrilled that I will still be with Isabella! I think out of everyone in my first group I got along with her best. At first I wasn't sure if I'd like her or not, but now I'm confident that she is someone I'd love to stay friends with!

Nyami: I guess more cringy jokes await me! I've been learning to tolerate her but hopefully I can still escape when I want to like last round.

Quetzalli: I heard that there was some drama between her and Posy. Not sure what it was about but hopefully it won't carry over into this new group.

Reflection on Progress: I'm so proud of myself for making it through. I wasn't sure how this would play out and I am glad to have met everyone. I will miss Bernice though but i understand why she needed to go - it is a competition. I'm ready for the next round though to see how Deanna and I will continue to connect

Apolline: I'm imaging she'll see me as competition so I'm not expecting it to go well. I'd like to be friends but I'm not sure if we have much in common

Hana: She seems like a free spirit so hello! Fellow one right here! I am expecting that it won't be too hard to get to know her, if she has a good sense of humor

Isabella: So I am with Belle again? At least she'll be used to my jokes. We are different people but she's always polite

Isla: She's like me, her high maintenance is similar to my erratic nature. Sometimes we'll wake up on the right side of the bed and sometimes we don't. It'll be nice to spend time with her again

Quetzalli: So I wasn't there for the Posy drama but if Quetzalli turned her down that means she's someone that follows through. I can respect that

Reflection on Progress: I won't lie, it's a miracle I'm still in because of my unflirty nature. However, I've been having a great time. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I need to strategize more effectively if I want to stay in.

Apolline: She makes me nervous. She's in second place, has cute outfits, and acts very proper. I think I'll forget how to act around her.

Hana: For a hot-headed person, she's effortlessly cool. I'm surprised she didn't rank higher.

Isabella: Another music lover! Maybe we can be besties!

Isla: I heard her dream job as a kid was to become a professional shell collector! That's adorable. I think we'll be good friends, too.

Nyami: Nyami is such a sweetie, no wonder she's also high up in the ranking.

[matchalovertrait]

Quetzalli (keh-tzah-lee) Apanco for @changingplumbob's #DatingDeanna!

22 years old ● Cisgender Woman ● She / Her ● Lesbian

Quetzalli is someone who enjoys stories and the complexity of human nature. She's never understood the disdain for small talk. Doesn't small talk act as a way to ease into deeper, more profound conversations? She also doesn't understand the disdain for pessimistic people. After all, they're the ones who are authentic enough to speak their minds—let them speak their truth! As long as people are respectful, why does it matter?

So yes, Quetzalli believes many narratives must be shared with the world; her favorite storytelling medium is songwriting! She is currently studying music at university. While her friends try to get her outside, she can happily spend all day in her dorm working on her next melody and clever wordplay. She hasn't recorded legitimate studio albums yet, but sometimes the campus radio station plays her songs. Because of that, Quetzalli became a bit of a local celebrity, with her love songs being the most popular!

Somehow, this earned her the title of "love expert", making people feel comfortable enough to ask her for relationship advice. However, Quetzalli has a deep, dark secret... She's never been in a relationship before! Her unflirty nature has seemingly acted as a repellent towards other women. Quetzalli loves the idea of romance but flirting makes her uncomfortable.

She wishes she could be like those perfectly content single people, but that's not her. Also, friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers tropes seem to exist only in fiction for her. How's a girl supposed to find love like this?

So, when she heard about Dating Deanna, Quetzalli thought it would be the perfect opportunity to find love! Yes, even with her unflirty personality. Quetzalli plans to woo the beautiful Deanna with her passion, kindness, and competitiveness.

BUT WAIT.. she has another secret... even though she is genuinely interested in Deanna, she's also drawn to her intelligence—and intelligence often means financial stability. Quetzalli's music has a small yet loyal fanbase, but she's unsure if she'll make it big someday. She wants to work on her craft without worrying about the bills, but she's not a golddigger! Trust!

Again, she really is intrigued by Deanna as a person. Quetzalli likes Deanna's cheerful spirit. She gets inspired by other passionate people, whether they are spirited or pessimistic. Sure, Quetzalli is not the outdoorsy type, but at least Deanna's active lifestyle shows she cares about wellness and isn't lazy! And the idea of marrying someone family-oriented sounds perfect to Quetzalli. She hopes for a partner who will help nurture the curious, creative, and intelligent minds of their future children—children who will one day grow up to share stories of their own.

Quetzalli is ready to fight for Deanna!

Would you prefer your sim to only build a romance bar with Deanna or are you fine with them getting flirty and/or intimate with other contestants?

I'm not sure if it will come to her naturally, but yes! She can get flirty and/or intimate with other contestants.

Is your sim monogamous or would they be open to polyamory?

She is monogamous.

Would your sim be open to woohoo in the later stages of the competition?

Yes, she is open to that!

Would your sim be open to flirting with Joey? Deanna's older brother is an aromantic allosexual and will likely try to hit up a sim or two

No 😔 if Joey was a woman, then yes; however, he is not. So no, lol.

ENTRY TYPE: ALL IN!

[unjudgmentalnoob]

MASTER POST YEEEEEEE

greetings, hola, salutations, hello, hi :D my name is mental but I LOVE nicknames :3 (GIVE ME ONE PLS PLS PLS PLS PLS) just a warning to all who cross my path, I enjoy causing chaos so watch out <3 Currently I'm SUPER into tmnt (specifically rise) but that could always change at a moments notice ehe

Ps this master post is not done but I got tired of looking at the old one and this has been sitting in my drafts forever lmao

hiii y'all! Important announcement, my drawing tablet is out of commission and i lost EVERYTHING I WAS WORKING ON. so unfortunately there will be no MJ fanart, comic of my ocs, character reference sheets, or that DTIYS I was working on hue hue :/. Most art will be traditional from now on because I can only draw digitally on my phone now :)

yeeeah I made a feeeew small changes to my sona :3

fandoms I'm in (this will probably be frequently updated): TMNT2012, ROTTMNT, that one Batman crossover, Sonic, Wings of fire, Warrior Cats, HTTYD, Percy Jackson, Transformers, Marvel(Mostly the avengers), Young Justice, ATLA, Skandar, Rescue Bots, Miraculous ladybug, and more that I'm probably forgetting.

Big Mama's Kids

(there will be links here soon) …hopefully

my rottmnt au that features my oc Artemisia and her sisters Frida, Jennika and their basically sister Mona Lisa. Lots of secrets, lots of siblings, some fluff, and angst (obviously) hope you enjoy!!! (originally this was going to be a comic but now it will be mostly written)

BMKs character refs !!!(coming soon)!!!

Artie

Jenni

Frida

Mona

pt1 (in the works)

Now for da frens <3 (if you don't want to be tagged here just lmk)

my platonic spouse mcpookie @quetzal-animations made my current pfp ily ehe <3

@luna1star10 @remnantsofthefallen @thejade-forest @orangepawn39 @mincedclown-alt @bigb22374 @allyheart707 @lunarloaches22 @riseleon @oleevee @tonystarkwasrobbed @troublesjunkyard @howtotrainyourdragonprince @mayaandthegirls @local-loudmouth @seabunnyprincess @fakepinapplesarebetter @doompicklez @littlemissartemisia @likablemuffin @risedonniefan2525 @fluffyyyfrog9000 @spacedout40 @luciussera @strawberryswirl4321 @kitkatthekitkatkat @talentlessuser @chickenclan

I LOVE MY MOOTSSSSSS hopefully this list will continue to grow, luv u guyssss!!!

[phightingheadcanons]

CREATURE BLAST HC!!! aka what I draw inspiration from when drawing the phighters!

SWORD: avian + dragon. Red-shouldered hawk specifically!

SKATEBOARD: ladybugs. Straight up ladybugs

BIOGRAFT: not really anything.. if I were to creature them more I'd go with a stag beetle

KATANA: owl... great horned specifically. Or I could mess around with a great eared nightjar for him, hm...

BAN HAMMER: full dragon. I like giving him two tails I think it looks cool

ROCKET: the stargazer fish! Yes it's a direct reference to Stargazer Rocket! That's the point <3

SLINGSHOT: a serval. It's a type of cat I love it forever and always

HYPERLASER: polar bear + zebra shark. I used to go with just polar bear but then the shark tail hcs got to me

SHURIKEN: ngl.. nothing in particular. I wanted to give him leopard vibes but he just became his own thing entirely

SCYTHE: we all saw it coming: rattlesnake. And that's it tbh

MEDKIT: deer + whale shark. I saw a hc of him being a whale shark and latched on but I also liked the deer concept so... both!

BOOMBOX: resplendant quetzal! It's a species of bird!!

SUBSPACE: centipede + stoat. I don't know why I just think he'd make a good stoat

VINESTAFF: clouded leopard. Their patterning just has her vibe idk

COIL: wolf. Everyone saw this coming

~ redshift anon

"So so cool and most are so creative! I love it. Though we ought to give Medkit more variations of deer species. Musk deer is my favorite for now. But I'm being biased lol"

[abnormalityrobot]

Reason why I love the The Sunbearer Duology by Aiden Thomas:

SPOILERS FOR CELESTIAL MONSTERS (nothing too major as I'm not that far in)

1. Canonically LGBTQIA+ characters who's identity is not plot relevant also canonically deaf character:

Teo - trans male main character who has experienced dysphoria in the form of his wings, his wings were originally a brown colour which was the colour of the female birds (i forgot what specific kind of bird) which led to him getting a binder made to bind his wings so he wouldn't have to see them tho in the book they do change to the male colour (colour u see on the covers of the books)

Xio - trans/non binary (Ive seen images of an updated character card with the nonbinary and he/they pronouns so I think an identity change of sorts happens in Celestial Monsters)

Ocelo - they/them enby

Xochi - trans female

Tierra - LGBTQIA+ in someway bc his daughter Niya has two dads and is the biological child of both from what I remember (Tierra is the god of earth btw)

Marino - canonically loves Dezi (idk if I just missed any hints but I may have misinterpreted their relationship in Sunbearer Trials as I thought they were close friends and was surprised to find this out when Reading Celestial Monsters)

Dezi - canonically deaf and uses sign language (I p sure there's been mentions of someone interpreting from him)

2. It's mexican inspired which I think is cool like I've heard of foods I didn't know about before because of Sunbearer Trials (tempted to go through and search up the different foods mentioned) I've also learned the Spanish words for god (dios), goddess (diosa), and demigod (semidios and semidiosa) also I read this book after reading PJO & HoO (yes demigods and a trans mc are big reason why I got the book) so getting to hear about non greek & roman gods was nice

3. I like how each of the gods cities have differences that make them feel unique like Niya's home has mountains and stuff (srry don't remember much abt it or even it's name) while Teo's home Quetzlan is in a forest and has birds everywhere (not surprising considering his mom Quetzal is goddess of birds) Also the cities belonging to the Golds (group of some of the gods in this book) are more developed and closer to the middle where sol city is meanwhile the Jades have their cities closer to the edge and the places belonging to the Obsidians are all group together far from sol city and away from the other cities

4. VINE REFERENCE AND MENTION OF FANFIC!!!

Niya makes a two bros chilling in a hot tub reference in Sunbearer Trials and in Celestial Monsters Auristela says the word fanfic

Proof:

[phighting-bean-husbandry]

Update on the mini horde, I've decided to name them all for practicality. Not because I'm growing attached to them.

1. Chip

2. Carrot

3. Tea bag

4. Gummy

5. Muffin

6. Chocolate

7. Soda

They're named after what they stole from my cabinets (and parts of my snack stash). I'm not sure if it was actually them specifically, they all look the same. Ether way they haven't tried to kill me yet. I think.

Side question: How have your beans been. Dont think anyone has actually asked you about them. Also what are their names pls tell me pls pls pls pls-

Adorable!! As for my beans, well.. I've got five that I properly own, and I'm a bean foster so I take in a lot of beans and redistribute them when people can care for them. I've been considering keeping a few foster beans, but I'd need to prepare more for having even more beans before I start doing that, since I know I'd quickly keep way too many... All of them are doing really well though!

My Medkit is named Europa. He's actually an odd case.. a half-follower due to a bad encounter with an Illumina. He's a deer and whale shark variant, with really tiny wings due to the followerizing stuff. He normally sticks by himself but is really lovey when in a good mood!

My Shuriken is named Malachite. He's a bit odd compared to other Shurikens--super closed off and quiet, he doesn't like interacting with other beans too much, but is good at acting social. Sometimes he just goes and hangs out by Europa, the two are pretty good friends. I have no idea what type he is, really, I don't think he's any identifiable creature.

My Dom is named Treble! They keep attracting midnight crows to my porch whenever I let them stargaze. Treble's also pretty quiet like my other beans, but they get excited really easily by anything to do with space. He's like a mix of a normal Dom and a Crow subspecies.

My Boombox is named Muse! He's definitely my most social, friendly bean. He loves putting on concerts for all the foster beans that show up, and makes great friends with literally everyone he sees. He's an avian varient, specifically a resplendant quetzal!

My final bean is my Ghostwalker, named Kenopsia--I just call them Keno for short though. Keno is surprisingly chatty (through body language that is) once prompted, but otherwise tends to just watch beans from afar. They're strangely caring and emotional for a Ghostwalker too, but they always seem really surprised when they show it. Keno loves collecting books and other random items.

And as a bonus: I'm fostering a Slingshot currently! His previous owner couldn't care for him so I offered to foster him and probably give him to someone else who could care for him, but I'll admit, I'm a bit attached... his name is Mocha, he's a playful little fella who really likes getting into my coffee supply.

[amerricanartwork]

Quetzalli's Local Group Designs - Shape Language

Since I've developed my off-the-string AU to the point I feel I can start sharing it here, I figured to make that easier I should start working on solidifying my designs for RW's main Local Group. The way I draw them has already gone through lots of change throughout my time in this fandom, but I hope I can be more consistent from now on. And seeing as it seems almost like a rite of passage to draw one's own interpretation of the slugcats/iterators here, now that I've been in this fandom close to a year, I feel like it's about time I take on the challenge too!

I plan to make a series of posts sharing the concept art I make as I design them, so for this post I decided to start with an element I've wanted to tackle for a while: shape language!

Oh, and before I forget, since these designs are technically still WIPs and subject to change, I'd love to hear any feedback on what I've got so far!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Ever since I really got into expanding on and developing these characters' personalities and backstories until I had a clear overall picture of who they were, I've been thinking of the way I could use shape language to visually convey those traits, and even show some narrative significance in their journeys. To start, I focused on the main four iterators we see and hear from in-game here, since I was clearest about the looks I wanted for them and I have the most reference for what they look like.

Head Shapes

I started first with their heads, in which I wanted there to be a clear sense of structure similar to a human head, yet still keep that simple, cartoon-y cuteness I enjoy about the in-game iterator visuals. I left in the construction lines as reference for the structure, kept the eyes all blank, and made some notes — largely on the rhythm of the lines, because I love giving things pleasant shapes. You can also see the four shapes I settled on for these iterators below.

Along with refs for the the Local Group, I made this basic iterator head reference for further notes on the head structure. I basically tried to make a cartoon-y Loomis head with most of the facial features removed.

Body and Clothing Shapes

For me, this was the really fun part. I had really clear ideas for how to express their character traits visually that had been floating in my head for weeks, and couldn't wait to show it throughout their figures, and even their poses!

Using the same corresponding shapes, I made a simple, relatively rough silhouette reference sheet that doubles as a height chart, at least until I make a more official one. I also made a version without their robes:

And one with the two layers having a clearer overlap:

Personally, I really like this last one, because I think it really shows the difference between their robes and their actual bodies. Something I really enjoy in character design is when artists use contrast between a character's clothing and true physical body to juxtapose how they present themselves or how other people see them with who they really are or how they truly feel about themselves — and thus allude to what they might be concealing from the rest of their peers or even themselves.

I ended up giving all of the Local Group, including Chasing Wind and Unparalleled Innocence, some kind of important contrast between their public personas and their true selves, so getting to finally draw my ideas for displaying it visually was so satisfying! As to what those contrasting ideas are exactly, I will explain those later...

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

That's gonna be it for this first entry!

If I'm being honest, I originally I wasn't as keen on making my own designs for the characters, seeing as I like to try and keep my fan-content relatively similar to the original work, at least in overall features and core themes and whatnot. However, with this AU I've really started to enjoy adding to this world and characters via headcanons, yet always with the challenge of trying to be mostly consistent with the canon and more so explain things that are left vague rather than totally changing what's established.

When it comes to designs, I think I've finally reached a point where I feel confident in my ability to create depictions that are distinct from other artists' drawings of the Local Group and that at least somewhat capture that old cartoon feel, yet still remain visually similar to their in-game looks. And as someone who already enjoys character design, this whole challenge seems like a good way for me to start practicing the deeper elements without being in total darkness from having to create brand new characters.

If you made it all the way to the end of this, thank you so much! I'm so excited to start sharing my ideas for these characters, and I'm eager to share the other ideas I have and see what I come up with next!

[volturialice]

I have a crazy stupid question: if you had to think about the Cullens and Co (or just Jasper and Alice if you'd rather) in terms of a wings!au, daemon!au and soulmate marks!au, what would you give them?? Thinking about Jasper with ragged dangerous looking sandy wings and Alice with humming bird or dove wings, Emmett with a bear familiar, Esme and Carlisle proud of their soulmate marks.... don't mind me, currently obsessed

oh funnnn. love a good AU. I myself have written a short jalice soulmate words piece, and have a (also jalice) soul scars AU in the drafts (because holy shit were they made for that scenario.)

and I happen to know that @goldeneyedgirl has written a daemon AU before! the main thing I remember from it is that Alice's daemon was unsettled into adulthood due to Trauma. I'm gonna try to forget as much as possible about the rest so I can answer without cassandra clare-ing lexie, wish me luck

daemon AU ideas

emmett - you're right, bear is a MUST. specifically a grizzly, let's be real. his daemon fights all his meals before he eats them, and everyone thinks he's a weird cannibal for it

his parents would have named his daemon a rootin tootin mountain/southern gal name. Alma or Luella or Abilene or something, idk

bella - the obvious answer is a deer but I think it would be so funny if her daemon was a sheep. the lion and the lamb!! my next idea was a pelican because of the morbid fact that they will rip off parts of their own bodies to feed their young. extremely bella-coded. I also liked that time in canon when she called herself a sloth. feels right. three-toed for sure. look at his long brown eyes

renee and charlie would have named her daemon something classic but up-and-coming for the era. bonus points if it had a vaguely italian feel, like Luca or Rafael

edward - on the flip side, I think a lion is too obvious an answer for edward, and also not an emo enough animal. his daemon should be a beetle (kafkaesque) or a new world porcupine (solitary, likes to hang out in trees.)

his daemon would have a fancy frilly old-world name, maybe roman-sounding. Priscilla or Portia or something. Faustina would be hilarious

esme - something delicate but cozy. a butterfly? a wren or mourning dove? a guinea pig or rabbit? I'm leaning rabbit. for those of you who insist on girlbossifying esme, she could maybe be a hyena—I've heard that at least one subspecies will adopt and raise orphaned cubs. can't remember if it was spotted or brown? hyena experts weigh in

esme's parents gave her an unusual name for its time and place, so her daemon would probably get the same. Jory or Ari, maybe something more french like Benoit

rosalie - could also get a hyena tbh, since they're girlbosses who are unfairly villainized in fiction. also feel like a tasmanian devil would be a cool mammal option for her. other than that, I could see her with a cool bird of prey daemon, maybe a falcon

her daemon would also get an elegant name, maybe one that hasn't aged well. Maximilian, Isidore, Clement, Reginald

carlisle - my first thought was an orangutan because their 'solitary intellectual' vibes remind me of him during his pre-family era. or maybe something else intelligent but more social, like an elephant. very compassionate guys

and I know carlisle was raised anglican, but i think it would be so funny if his daemon had like a mayflowerass pilgrim name. Temperance or Chastity the elephant

jasper - honestly just like a scarred up, one-eared doberman rescued from a dogfighting ring. I know canon compares him to a lion nearly as often as it does edward, and I guess a big cat could work too (but I wouldn't pick a lion. something more solitary, like a leopard or puma.)

and I think his parents had boring-er name taste than "jasper" suggests. maybe something nicknamey, like Hattie or Lil

alice - a tough one because there are so many possible answers. maybe some kind of flashy bird like a quetzal, or an agile small mammal like a tamarin or lemur. tbh she could just have Mort

his name would also be something vaguely classic. maybe Cecil or Marcel or Claude

(yes I realize I just gave everyone cool birds and mammals. and what about it)

wings AU ideas

you have some fun ideas there too! I'll admit I've never really written or read a wings AU. I think jasper should get some ragged buzzard wings since he's desertcore. alice could totally have hummingbird, or magpie would also be cool since they're kinda mod.

I think esme could get the dove wings, or maybe finch or bluebird. bella would obviously need something brown since that's her favorite color. emmett could get the classic red-tailed hawk coloring, carlisle maybe a barn owl. rosalie something cool like a kestrel

aaaand this post is already way long so I'll save any soulmate mark ideas for a different one. whew! thorough question there anon

[kvalenagle]

Hi there! Thanks so much for following my blog!

I finished your first book, Eyrie. I'll admit I lost track of things and got confused with what was important or not, but overall, I still had a great time with the book, and I've already ordered the next three entries in the series. I'll get the rest once I can afford them.

Prior to your books, I had no idea there were so many possibilities with gryphons. I've always associated them with the typical 'eagle-lion' design, although I've been looking into more owl-like concepts.

It got me thinking: Are there any gryphons in your books based on the white bellbird (the loudest bird in the world), or the shoebill stork?

Gryphons in mythology are a lot like dragons, where everyone has their own version =] Minoans loved peafowl for their bird halves, Egyptians prefer hawks and lions (with four cat paws, cat tails, and cat ears) while the Greeks had a mix of golden eagle+lion (with bird forelegs) up to owls with four bird legs. And that's before we get into the weirder gryphon cousins like keythongs!

I think there's something human about looking at mammals and birds and imagining a new creature with the best of both. And there are a few gryphon series out there who really lean into the "interesting gryphons" angle. (Kathryn Brown's A Gryphon's Trial series actually beat me to things like burrowing owl gryphons.)

You can kinda see Zeph's more-feline hawk and Cherine's more avian eagle looks as evocative of the big two Egyptian and Greek gryphons, though there's nods in characters like Younce ('ounce' in heraldry is often a leopard, sometimes a winged snow leopard) or Strix (strix were Greek monsters who sometimes were four-legged owl).

Though they're more fun references, since Belamuria is a world without humans that's very different from Earth =] Sometimes, the gryphon fangirl comes through a bit too much, I suppose.

The series doesn't have any published books with white bellbirds (I didn't recognize the name, but as soon as I saw that waddle in a photo, I remembered that bird) or shoebills. Shoebills do show up on social media as gryphon fodder on and off, and they're such a great, menacing bird.

For bird halves, just off the top of my head, I've had quetzals, Cooper's hawks, red-shouldered parrots, emerald peafowl, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, barking owls, snowy owls, grey owls, Japanese cranes, Peruvian diving petrels, Weng Hua diving petrels, sandpipers, sandy terns, shrikes, mockingbirds, golden-crowned kinglets, great blue herons, royal spoonbills, hooded pitohui, motmots, red-winged blackbirds, whistling kites, harpy eagles, kakapo, cardinals, eagle owls, European starlings, violet-backed starlings, cape glossy starlings, strawberry finches, cerulean kingfishers, osprey, mallards, white-tailed kites, sandgrouse, ruffled grouse, ptarmigans, hoopoe birds, roadrunners, burrowing owls, giant teratorn… and I'm probably missing a few.

For cat halves, it's tough since Belamuria's terrestrial mammals are mostly extinct, except for capybaras and invasive squirrel species. You don't often see them described =] But you've got a lot of North American cougars, fishing cats, flat-headed cats, van cats, Russian blues, tabby house cats of several varieties, saber-toothed tigers, leopards, jaguars, lions, cave lions, caracals, maine raccoon cats, tigers, sand cats, and… well, it starts to get spoilery if we go too far there.

The series still has a few entries left, though, so while I can't promise it'll have shoebills or white bellbirds… it might!

And definitely feel free to write your own gryphon books =] I think sometimes readers worry that gryphon authors are competitive, but we're all a very friendly, happy bunch. I love seeing someone else's series write a cool bird+cat combination I haven't thought of. Heck, I'd love if someone started an entire series solely based around burrowing owl gryphons. That'd be neat.

There are also gryphons you see a lot either as stone gargoyles decorating castles or in artwork but never in novels, and I'm not sure why. I feel like I should be able to walk into a bookstore and browse a dozen series with crow+wolf lupogryphs on the cover, maybe some vulpegryphs (fox gryphons). For the moment, though, no such luck =]

If you're ever curious about what a character looks like, the CockatielForger fan account (still active in various places online, though not here) drew fan art of every character. It's a little spoilery before, say, you're done with book seven. But if you don't mind spoilers, look under fan art, and there's a page devoted to just her artwork. Oh! But if you're listening to the audiobooks, let me know and I can send you the interior art pieces. There's usually 3-4 per book. The goal with them was to help highlight the more interesting gryphons. (Brenda Lyons was working on a cover for another writing project, and we were talking about how much we loved the gryphon interior art from old series like The Black Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon. Eyrie was written and advance reader copies had been sent out, but the final version hadn't gone to print yet, and there was just enough time to add in artwork. I'm glad we had that chat, since her artwork is one of my favorite parts of the series.) 

[the-wereraven]

There's like a pirate trend of sorts in the CR fandom rn and I'm taking to opportunity to rant abt some of my sea alliances :3 Only Abalone and Whale are of my design

Edit: Everyone's TH profiles are up to date now!

[The Salty Shark] Abalone Cookie (She/Her) - The Navy's lorekeeper, in charge of keeping its history and achievements preserved to prevent them from fading into rumours. Despite this, Abalone is far more well known as an author in the Creme Republic, writing fiction inspired by her husband and his crew's adventures and fiction of the ocean she loves so much. In her early career, she was in hot water for writing "The Conque Republic", a novel set in a world where the positions of the Salty and Sweet were switched. Otter Cookie (They/Them) - A young but hardworking soldier of the Salty Shark hailing with the Lower City slums. Despite their cheerful and friendly personality, Otter is one of the best on the ship, their speed and surprising stealth makes them very useful for infiltration and spying. Though it seems that they like to spend most of their time talking about rocks.

[Pirate] Quetzal-Croco Cookie (He/They) - A pirate who's in it for the thrill, the mere sport of being a criminal of the vast sea on the run. Life before was too boring for them, but now they feel free and alive on the dangerous seas, even with the dangers it brings and the challenges of being a pirate. Though sometimes it's hard to take them seriously.

[The Whale Fall] Captain Whale Cookie (He/Him) - A highly respected Navy captain of the Whale Fall, and feared by many on the run from the law. No one really knows what his story is, as far as anyone knows, he had washed up by a village of the sea as a young Cookie with no one else in sight. He had nothing but a necklace with him. It is rumoured that he was lost at sea for years, which might explain his nonchalance towards the ocean and her cruelty. Sea Salt Cookie (He/Him) - Captain Whale Cookie's trusty first mate, hailing from a long gone village destroyed and pillaged by pirates when he was younger. Since that day, Sea Salt had dedicated his life to bringing such criminals to justice, and joined the Navy later on to fulfill this promise.

[wendievergreen]

Misc Birds (Wobrafmet, Hreakgleav, Klethghrom)

Given the delightful spread of miscellaneous medieval birds @maniculum curated for us, I could not possibly narrow them down based on any measure of quality. So I used a completely arbitrary method: according to the beastiary entry, does the bird's name comes from the sound it makes?

Sibling suggested two animals to reference, and since they both happened to live in Costa Rica I decided to limit myself to Costa Rican fauna (with one exception).

My Whobrafmet has the head of a Black vulture with the eyes, body, and iridescent feathers of the Great-tailed grackle.

My reasoning's pretty simple: Black vultures are detrivores, grackles are a) all black, and b) not the bird I'm 95% sure this entry is for.

It ended up looking a bit like an evil advisor that's been slowly poisoning the king.

My Hreakgleav has the head of an oilbird, the body and legs of a Harpy eagle, and tufted tail feathers inspired by quetzals and motmots.

The oilbird does not live in Costa Rica, but it is the only cave-dwelling bird that lives in the Americas, so I decided that northern South America was close enough :) they're one of the few birds that uses echolocation! Neat!

I wanted to incorporate a bird of prey because the entry says other birds harry them; I picked the Harpy eagle because I think they're cute. I struggled a little bit with this one because it turns out if you put a nightjar-type head on an eagle, it just...looks like an owl...

I was trying to decipher 'weighed down by its plumage' and Sibling suggested giving it a quetzel-esque tail that "looks like a ball and chain." There are seven 'balls' for the seven deadly sins; the largest is sloth.

My Klethghrom has the head of the Central American eyelash-pitviper, the body of the Amagi heron, and the Great heron's breeding plumage, with little tufts also inspired by the quetzal/motmots family.

Obvs I had to draw a literal serpent's head. Sibling suggested the eyelash-pitviper. I love their little spikes :)

Technically I didn't put the 'eyes' on the tail, but I'm very charmed by Great heron mating floof and wanted to draw it.

I really like the Klethghrom entry because my local zoo used to have a bunch of [redacted] walking around loose when I was a kid, and it's true: they do have a fearful voice and an unaffected walk.

...

Whats that? How are the 'eyes' all facing you?

Good question! (･Θ･)

...

......

(◉Θ◉)

[laninaconansiedad]

Blog VI | Personal Collage

It was fun to create a personal collage. I spend an excessive amount of time on Pinterest creating different mood boards. I even create boards to use as inspiration for specific stories I want to write. So, creating this collage was not really different from what I do daily. Most of the photos are from Pinterest, except for the picture of my cute doggy Lilo. I put her right in the middle because she always demands to be the center of attention.

The other photo that comes straight from my photos is the mirror ball, which is a photo I took at my first concert. I wanted to represent my love for music through this photo. Music has been an integral part of my life. Like literature, baking, and writing, music has shaped my life. It is a source of inspiration and it is a way my brother and I bond. We send each other new songs every day and he is even teaching me guitar. Also, please comment song recommendations (I like different genres like Metal, Alternative, Indie, Rock, Pop, classical, and R&B, so I will enjoy anything you recommend)!

I have a picture of a bird in the collage, which is a Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala. My mother is from Guatemala and she is always talking about the beauty of their national bird. So this photo is a representation of not only some of my culture, but it is also an ode to my mommy (um... I mean my mother). Right under this photo, there is a purple ribbon that is used to bring awareness of domestic violence. It is a topic that I write about and a cause I want to bring attention to more in the future.

The rest of the pictures are more self-explanatory. The pictures of coffee represent my caffeine addiction. I obviously had to have pictures of baking, writing, and books because I am a baker, reader, and writer.

I'm excited to see everyone's collages!

Mini baking update:

School, work, and my personal life have made it their life's mission to stress me out this week. Therefore, I have been baking to ease the stress. It didn't seem right if I didn't share it with you guys! Here are a couple of photos of the banana bread and snickerdoodles I made last week.

By the way, the snickerdoodles I made are for a bake sale we are having for the Creative Writing Club. If you are on campus tomorrow, please come and support us at the University Center and Arts and Science Building.

[sunday-arch]

*WANTED CONNECTIONS MASTERLIST/WISHLIST ( OC EDITION ) ;

clover d. iselda ---

more marine interactions; canons, ocs, you name it. i think some primary ones i'm eager to see her interact with would be: garp, koby, sengoku, tashigi, and smoker. but, really just anyone!

also, she herself is a captain so i do wanna see some captain / subordinate ineractions? i don't know if there are many marine ocs that would be a subordinate to her, but i want to explore what she would be like as a superior.

vergo. oh god, i can't say it would end well for her and it wouldn't be purely antagonistic, but yeah. this one would be so interesting.

more antagonistic relationships in general. in any verse of hers. forced to work together, enemy coworkers, i don't trust you but i trust you with my life, any type of relationship that isn't very friendly or straight up enemies.

for her shipwright verse, i'd love to write with a franky. i think that she really admires him, not in a fan type way, in a --- you're a cool, solid guy way. (also any of the other shipwrights and cp agents that were undercover).

kazumi haru ---

anyone from the akazaya nine !

the ship he stowed away on when he ran away from home. could be pirate crew, mercenaries, marines, etc.!

any plots set during the wano arc

possibly baroque works plots!

boldly going to say i ship him and robin, so if there are any interested robin writers... please call me.... (obviously, we can test for chemistry and nothing is set in stone, no pressure < 33)

nina liu ---

any underworld type muses ! or crime family type muses from the op verse. they could be business partners, alliances (temporary / betrayal also v much interested ), rivals, straight up enemies.

more cipher pol interactions for her cp specific verse! field mission, having her do a fitting for your muse, blackmailing her, a fun little gossip sesh, what have you.

interactions with the vinsmoke family!

otorobashi akai ---

any strawhat interactions! most wanted; luffy because a little captain vs. captain action would be cool. akai is super curious about this little guy.

any golden era pirates like roger, rayleigh, whitebeard, oden, kaido, and their crews. of course, ocs of this era as well!!

the marine that's out to finally capture this menace. a little cat and mouse plot would be cool. even a cipher pol agent or a bounty hunter!

rival pirate crews, temporary allied pirate crews, betrayals! just pirate dynamics.... please.

quetzal d. luna ---

any strawhat interactions! she would adore them. she's just the type of funky land humans that she'd want to be friends with.

really, any interactions in general! nothing too serious for her just because i think i want to establish some fun dynamics for this muse first before doing anything very dramatic or serious.

zephyr ---

any nami's that are interested in an older brother! obviously, i'm down for the needed plotting for this. i don't have anything set in stone as to how they meet again or under what circumstances. just that they were separated during the war on their home island.

any revolutionary army muses! he was rescued by the revo army in my canon and then later on, seeks them out to join them.

mentor/mentee relationship with him as the mentee! open to any capacity.

fight threads! whether fighting against each other or together.

zhi hua ---

because she's on akai's crew, all that was mentioned for his applies to her too!

**NOTE: any original characters, such as ocs that are strawhats, are counted, of course when i say i want strawhat connections.

[causticflower]

Top 5 birds!!

great eared nightjar - it looks like a real life dragon it makes me cry its so cute I want to hold it forever

barn owl - they are so majestically beautiful its unreal. fey creatures

quetzal - I saw a drawing of one when I was like 5 and its forever ingrained in my memory. I was just blown away something that fantastical looking was actually real <3

ravens+crows (I'm counting it as one 😌) - they are just so unbelievably smart, besides also just being Very Cool (and from an artistic standpoint. the symbolism 🤌 delicious)

chickens - I lobve the chimken

honorable mention: DINOSAURS. I LOVE DINOSAURS SO MUCH-