#chroma!tale

[stoukadraws]

Happy 3rd Anniversary Chromatale, and Goodnight.

So its about time I say this: I won't be making any content about this AU anymore, so that unfortunately puts it into the discontinued undertale comics category xd

I just really lost the spark I had 2 years ago when making it, so the "little hiatus" that I thought was only going to be a few months turned into more than a year.

I'm sorry to those who were waiting and wanted to see more, but there is another reason why I'm doing this-

It's not gonna be an AU anymore, it's going to be an original story.

I really thought about it for a while and I decided that making it into an original story would give me more creative freedom and I wouldn't have to always stick to one storyline, I wanted to expand the world more as well as the characters, but since its all based on a game with a pretty much solid story, it was hard for me to insert some things that would be out of place or wouldn't make sense.

So, I hope you understand, this AU was truly a learning experience for both my art and my writing since I made it when I was really young and not very experienced, but I'm glad I was able to improve along the way.

Thank you for supporting this AU since the beginning and stuck around!

I plan to make more works surrounding this new story later on, so I look forward to it! And I hope some of you are excited for what's to come. (*^▽^*)

More in-depth explanation + some questions (near the end) :

This is gonna be a bit long so if you really wanna read this whole thing be prepared xd

This whole thing doesn't mean I'm quitting Undertale altogether, I'm still continuing the Strays Au, and I want that AU to be my main Undertale AU now since I've always intended on making it Undertale related and I'm already satisfied with it right now, so I don't intend on making it original or anything.

When I started Chromatale I was still a kid-ish, and I was at the toilet with my phone and idk how it started but I decided to doodle a Sans on my phone and thought "I can make an Undertale AU!".

And so I did. Chromatale back then was reallyyy different, it was a post-genocide story with Sans and Frisk trying to bring everyone back -yeah real original younger me

There was a comic I did on my phone but now its lost in time unfortunately, it went though like 2 rewrites until I decided to make it a full AU with my own story. And so some brainstorming later and the comic you all know today was made!

Again, I was still new to the whole comic making thing and my writing was pretty sloppy, I'm still surprised it got a lot of attention- I was full of passion and really worked my butt off to make each pages, even with school going on (it was online so it wasn't much of a hassle tho) I was determined to finish it and already had a lot of the comic planned.

That is until I felt a bit worn out, my motivation was getting lower until I could barely produce a page, so that's when I decided to put the comic on hiatus, I initially planned for it to only be a few months but then time went on and I still didn't feel motivated to continue it.

During that time I was just doing my own thing, making some OC art and different stories, making another Undertale AU, going back to school and a shit ton of projects to do- I felt like a little weight was lifted from my back, the comic had turned into labor for me and constantly doing updates wasn't very healthy, since during some updates I had to force myself to finish it.

The story was also changing in the middle of it, I had to rewrite chapter 3 since the first version was literally full of "fanservice" that I only noticed when I re-read the chapter a few months later.

I just wasn't satisfied with it, the story that my younger self had in mind didn't fit what I wanted now since I had grown more mature as time went on, the whole AU really taught me what to do and what not to do.

Initially I actually wanted to reboot Chromatale again and focus more on the concepts and solidifying the plot before engaging in a comic, but after some thinking I thought it would be better to transition it into an original story. I really wanted to expand the story more and again gain more creative freedom than being limited to a pretty much complete-ish story.

I wanted to do what I wanted instead of forcing it to fit with the fandom's liking and preference.

Although its going to be an original story some things will sorta be the same but I won't go into too much detail about it.

I won't promise a comic though, mini comics sure but not anything official. Maybe in the far distant future, but I doubt, I still got a lot of other stories I wanna make into comics >>

Now some things I would like to clarify:

"Now that you're discontinuing Chromatale can it be mine?"

-Unfortunately as much as you want to claim it, no. Chromatale still belongs to me. Even if its going to be original now there's still a lot about it during its UTAU days. I still own it, but I don't want to be heavily associated with it. I'd rather have others focus on the new version than the AU version, and I don't want all my other works to be overshadowed by it. I hope you understand.

"Can I still make fanart?"

-Feel free to still make fanart, I won't restrict anyone from still making any. But I'd still like to see fanart of the new version 👀

"Can I still dub the comic?"

-Sure, make sure to still credit me but please specify to viewers that the comic is now discontinued and its become an original story, I don't wanna give the viewers false hope. If your dubbing for fun then go ahead!

Any dub of the comic that has been published has my permission to still be up in public, I won't force anyone to take it down. But please don't use it for any profiting or income.

Now that's been settled, I'm planning on posting some concepts from the AU that I still have since I don't think I'll use some anymore and now that its ok to show now that I discontinued the comic xd

Again, thank you for following me along this journey! See you in the next post ✨

[an-established-butt-dent]

The Veil is thin tonight-

-Can you feel it on your skin?

Tingling?

Ink and fineliner on paper

Available as Print

[rheaweary]

epic magical mobile home for the fishies + picrew idea if im not STUPID

[thefirstknife]

I love all the little details that directly quote Books of Sorrow this season.

Eris in the cutscene last week:

All things must prove their right to exist. The rest will die in terror. There is neither escape nor exemption. Simple. Essential. Beautiful to know.

Books of Sorrow:

I’m glad I learned that the universe runs on death. It’s more beautiful to know.

Eris in her chat with Drifter:

Books of Sorrow:

I am war, and you have conjured me back with war. ... I am trickery, and you have conjured me back with trickery.

And this week, with all the mentions of the species they exterminated, but especially the Ammonites:

The "bait stars" goes back all the way to when they were still krill, from a life form (stormjoy) on the Fundament that Xivu (then Xi Ro) was proving herself against by cutting off the ends of the tentacles called "bait stars" from them:

A STORMJOY. A stormjoy is a living cloud. When it passes over our continent, it lowers its feeding tentacles. On each tentacle are the BAIT STARS. Although light makes you happy, you must avoid it. You will be eaten. A stormjoy is a good way for an old person to choose death. Also, a daring knight can cut the bait stars from the tentacles. I have six!

It seems this has turned into some sort of a saying in their language given what she said in the radio and also in Books of Sorrow later:

These are the bait stars the Sky uses to blind its slaves.

The story of how the Ammonite hero, Chroma-Admiral (called Rafriit) went to protect the Leviathan:

...is also in the Books of Sorrow:

The Leviathan has broken cover. The old priest is in open space, moving towards the Ammonite home moon. Chroma-Admiral Rafriit and his elite guard move with it. Rafriit is the hero of his generation, an Ammonite of peerless battlecraft. He’s danced circles around Xivu Arath… but now he has to protect his holy Leviathan.

This is, for the record, the Leviathan from the Fundament. Once the Worms were free, it fled to try and help the Ammonite, as well as still pleading with the Hive siblings to think about what they've done, and also ominously asking them to truly think "who made you monsters" and "who summoned the wave."

I'm sure there's more, especially in Sororicide lore book, and/or that there will be more. I feel like this is such a nice way to tell these old stories that many people have probably not have had the chance to read or even know about. It gives just enough details about some ancient wars to make you interested and maybe point you in the direction to ask someone about it or start looking for more and then stumbling on Books of Sorrow. Like a crash course about this ancient history-rich universe that awakens a sense of wonder and maybe interests you into reading some lore.

Unfortunately, Books of Sorrow have never been readable in the game (either of them), but I hope that stuff like this presented in the main storyline for everyone to hear will motivate people to look deeper into the lore. It's basically like a little teaser and I love it. For us who know, it's such an honor to finally hear this being narrated to us by those that committed these acts, and for those that are hearing it for the first time it should spark curiosity about these ancient tales and battles. I hope so at least! If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading the whole Books of Sorrow which are up on Ishtar in their entirety.

[galengames]

DEMO RELEASED!!!

PLAY DUAL CHROMA:  ITCH / STEAM

“For centuries after the Ashen War, the Empire has lived in peace under the protective power of the reigning Galens line. Tales of the dark era—of vile monsters and the heroes that vanquished them—fell into legend and myth... until now. “

Dual Chroma is a fantasy Visual novel that follows a talented mage, and newly appointed advisor to the Second Prince of the Galatean Empire, Keldrannon Aurel Galens. What starts out as a fairy tale dream-come-true transforms into a nightmare when ancient evil forces threaten to destroy the peace that has lasted for centuries. Solve mysteries, cast spells, and fall in love? 

You might’ve seen it on our page or website before…for years we developed. And now the demo is finally here!!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Get notified when the Kickstarter is ready: bit.ly/dckickstart

Follow us on steam/itch: https://bit.ly/galensteam | https://galengames.itch.io/

Get on our mailing list: bit.ly/3PLECwK 

[henrike-does-writing-sometimes]

Wip Master List

All of my wips, both main and those I only talk about briefly, all in one place. Hope any of them will pique your interest !

( Links will be added and updated as I go )

To The End : ( Eng ) Questioning Reality, The Indifferent Cruelty of the Universe vs. The Indomitable Human Spirit, Found Family

When their timelines entwine, Samir, Eric, Thea, and Asher find themselves with the greatest friends of their lives. Never would they have imagined their friendship broke the laws of the Universe. With the Keepers —powerful deities that weave the fabric of reality from the timelines— watching their every move the four friends have to work quickly if they wish to escape their grasp. Something they’ve done over, and over, and over, and over again. And it’s starting to take its toll.

Wip Intro | Playlist | Tag

The Neon Trilogy : ( Eng ) Found Family, Humanity, Chosen One

André’s eyes are weird. Everybody knows that. They’ve been changing colors for his entire life, and what started as brown eventually became violet. The doctors have diagnosed it as chroma flux, a rare eye condition wherein the iris changes its color every so often. So when André’s eyes one day become a vibrant pink, life simply goes on as normal. However, that changes when it’s soon discovered that André’s blood has taken on the same color. And even glows. Not long after he’s targeted by strange Alien creatures, claiming him to be both a savior and a doomsday machine. Which one it is? No one seems to have the answer. And André might break before he ever finds out, desperate to figure out who he can trust.

Wip Intro | Playlist | Tag

Realm of Mirrors : ( Eng ) Dark Academia, Body Horror, Loss of Innocence

In the coastal town of Grimmvik, six friends find themselves wrapped up in the mysteries surrounding the old castle up on the cliffs. With ghosts roaming the halls, reflections acting on their own, and rooms that seem to breathe and have a pulse. At first it’s a thrill. Excitement filling their veins as they sneak out in the dead of night to catch glimpses of these unexplained phenomena. That is until they discover the dungeons. Where a shrine for an old and grand mirror rests, whispering their names. What once was nothing but fun and games turns to life and death as Grimmvik’s dark history is revealed. And they’re much more involved than they could ever imagine.

Wip Intro | Playlist | Tag

Gammellunden ( A Beauty and the Beast gender-swapped retelling ) : ( Eng ) Soulmates, Monster-Human Romance, Curses

In the inlands of Sweden lies Gammellunden, a massive land of dense forests and clear waters that breathes pure magic. It is a place no human ever enters, for it’s the home of the urroa; large beasts with skin as rough as stone and antlers like the branches of oak trees. Stories have traveled through generations, cautionary tales of the beasts to keep humans far away from the border.  Ruben Hylén is very familiar with these morbid tales, but that doesn’t stop his curiosity, and one day he crosses the border. Stumbling upon an urroa in the middle of her bloody feast, neither has any clue of what Gammellunden has in store for them.

Wip Intro | Playlist | Tag

The Wayward Carnival : ( Eng ) Prophecies, Cults, Divinity

What kind of teens wouldn’t love to find a magical carnival that never closes and only responds to them? With endless food and drinks and spectacular shows, providing an otherworldly experience that leaves you in euphoric drunkenness.  Though all good things eventually come to an end, for the battle of the carnival has been foretold in ancient prophecies. And nothing is quite like it seems. Not even the carnival itself.

Wip Intro | Playlist | Tag

The Garden of Corpses : ( Eng/Swe ) Cottagegore, Magic schools, Morality

As you get older, your magic begins to solidify into an affinity — From sacred bonds with animals to the divine light from above. It is then you go to attend one of many schools specialized to train your kind of affinity. One such school is Liegården, one of Sweden's oldest schools for Elementals. This is where Isak, Heidi, Janan, Alejandra, and Nils find themselves in late August one year. Ready to learn everything they can about their powers, and maybe make life-long friends at the same time. Their plans quickly change, however, as something strange begins to take root within them, and a long-forgotten form of magic makes itself known once again.  With rotting corpses resting in the forests, a conspiracy brewing within the school’s faculty, and a primal hunger steadily growing, the five friends must work quickly to uncover the secrets of the elemental. Lest they too be left to decay in the gardens.

Wip Intro | Playlist | Tag

The Divine : ( Eng ) Magical boys, Fond Family, Mental health

When danger lurks on the horizon, far greater than any Human or Calidrim can handle, Kayara awakens the Wielders —powerful warriors carrying the combined force of light and darkness— to defend the worlds.   And so, five boys must learn to navigate school and their personal lives while also keeping the worlds safe from monsters, cultists, and an approaching deity of chaos.

Wip Intro | Playlist | Tag

Ode to an Angel : ( Eng ) Family, Expectations, Doomed at birth

Kit Kumar, the oldest child of Jashi and Maia, the greatest friend you’ll ever have, a musical genius, and the biggest anomaly known to the Angelic.  Being born the fifth child to a fated quartet, many believe Kit to be a bad omen, and thus their birth tainted what else would’ve been an honor and a blessing. And as the coronation of Kit’s siblings approaches, the Kumar family’s dedication and loyalty is tested one last time.

Not a main wip

All The stars Are Watching ( Part of the Chimeran Universe ) : ( Eng ) Mental Health, Cults, Body Horror

Life, Light, and Magic. These three elements lay the very foundation of both the universe and reality itself. Elements that can be found in every living creature. Life lets you breathe, Light lets you see, but Magic is only for a few. Few known as Chimeras. They look just like normal Humans and for their own safety that's what they pass as in public.  But just because Magic is a natural part of their everyday life doesn't mean strange occurrences are any less strange.   On the first day of her new school, Vega Dahl breaks the first rule; don’t talk to Leo Holm. A rule they themselves have enforced over the years. Surprisingly, they end up in an unlikely friendship. However, things quickly take a turn for the worst as strange people appear seemingly out of nowhere, and they seem to be after Vega. For reasons no one seems to know. Could it be because she's a Chimera?

Not a main wip

En Väktares Saga ( A Guardians Tale ) : ( Swe ) Mental Health, Found Family, Cosmic Horror

A group of teens wants nothing but to fit in. To be accepted or left alone. To heal or to damage. What none wanted was to have the fate of the entire universe placed on their frail shoulders. It seems innocuous enough at first; learn to control and master their new elemental abilities, and once they’ve outgrown their mortal bodies enter the Astral plane. Where they’ll guard the gates to the universe. Simple. Well, not when you take the God of the universe into consideration. Hellbent on revenge there is only one thing she needs; for them to submit and let her back in. A goal that involves their seemingly endless torment.

Not a main wip

Häxkonst och Alkemi ( Witchcraft and Alchemy ) : ( Swe ) Magic Society, Body Horror, Accidental Chosen One

Thrusted into the world of the Magical, Felix, Elias, Lukas and Jonathan try their best to adapt. It’s not easy. Especially when, as Magicians, they’re expected to know the Magical like the back of their hand. Even though they’ve only been aware of its existence for less than a week. It’s made worse when they’re brought in right during a growing crisis. Something or someone is placing harmful sigils all over Sweden, and seemingly the entire world, causing both the Magical and Mundane intensive distress and harm. In an attempt to help in any way they can, the boys wind up making themselves the biggest target for the source of the sigils. For they’re now, somehow, the only ones capable of stopping them.

Not a main wip

Maledictus : ( Swe ) Body Horror, Dark Magic, Found Family

Even in a world full of magic, mystical beings, and power-granting Curios, people still can’t help but find themselves stuck with no idea where to go next. Which is where Emilio has ended. Fresh out of high school and future goals, they go about their monotone life of working at a small cafe and writing poetry. This all changes when they win a game of chess for one of the café's patrons. Perhaps a bit passive-aggressively, but it does catch the attention of a group of surprisingly powerful magic users. And one night their leader —a charming young man by the name of Ivan Fellin— approaches Emilio, presenting them with one of the world's most powerful Curio’s; The Maledictus' Queen piece. And just like that their life is turned upside down, with the violent secret of the Maledictus's power looming over them like a suffocating shadow.

Not a main wip

! Please note ! My writing is an outlet for and my way of coping. Because of this, most of my work deals with, in one way or another, mental health, abuse, heavy violence, death, and trauma. They might not be obvious or major parts of the story, but they’re there. Stay Safe y’all <3

[spiderdreamer-blog]

The Legend of Vox Machina: The Nature of Change

The Legend of Vox Machina is two-thirds of the way into its second season, with three episodes left in terms of the adaptation of this portion of the campaign’s Chroma Conclave arc. I think on balance, it’s been pretty great! The first season tackling the Briarwoods arc was excellent, but as with most first seasons, it took a bit to find its creative identity and how to approach the material. The Conclave arc is bigger, bolder, and wider in scope, and they’ve done a hell of a job upping the stakes as well as their production values, already very good to start with. Additionally, there have been even more changes made to the story and character choices than there were in the first season. This has caused a lot of debate, inevitably, and I don’t begrudge people for DISLIKING some or even most of them; for my part, I think they took a bit to figure out how to translate Scanlan’s crass humor when at the table, much of the edge is taken off by his cast members’ genuine laughter and assurance that it’s all in good fun. And I think there have been some odd friendships seemingly lost in translation like Vax and Grog’s prank war, or Percy bonding with Keyleth initially because he thinks she’s the only other adult in the group. But outside of my own minor personal gripes, I think there has been a broad failure here of a proper analytical framework for an animated series as opposed to a tabletop campaign, and I wanted to dig into that in my own long-winded way. Strap in.

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Where does one start a story? Good question. There are as many ways to begin weaving your tale as there are to end them. Once upon a time, long ago in a galaxy far far away, it was a dark and stormy night, and so on. The beginning is in many ways the most important part of your story because it’s setting the tone, the place, the time, and your characters. And much is dependent on genre too: if you’re, say, a romantic comedy, you might choose to begin with your protagonist at a low point in their personal relationships so that the conflict is immediately established.

Critical Role’s first campaign began in medias res, two years into the players and characters already knowing each other as respected adventurers and heroes of the realm. Thus, the audience was left at an initial disadvantage, and the cast created backstory videos to explain what the plot had been up to this point as well as the journeys of the characters. Thankfully, Matthew Mercer’s world of Exandria was fairly simple and standard in terms of its high fantasy leanings at first, and the initial streamed arc was a basic dungeon crawl as a quest given to them by NPC Allura Vysoren. By the time the adventures through the Underdark and Vasselheim were over, the story was ready to move into the far more personal and harrowing Briarwoods arc because we as an audience were now attached to those characters. Even so, much of this was dependent on the cast playing out those relationships in the theater of the mind, especially since Mercer’s minis and battle maps were far less elaborate at this point. We learned information as we went, and Mercer built the world to be far more robust as time went on, narrating descriptions of towns and cities to bolster that picture.

By contrast, animated series, like any other kind of film or TV, have many more tools at their disposal in order to help with these tasks even if there is a far shorter amount of time available because of how much time production takes and how expensive it is. Think about how Avatar: The Last Airbender begins with the refrain of “Water...earth...fire...air“. It then segues into Katara, one of our main and most important characters, explaining how those elements correspond to the four nations of her world, how “everything changed” when the Fire Nation decided to make war upon the others, the function and disappearance of the Avatar, and her belief that he will return some day. This is a lot of information and could have easily been dry exposition, but it gains our interest through the visuals of moving through the world map, the excellent music by Jeremy Zuckerman, and striking still images like the fearful closeup of Katara and Sokka in their village, as well as Mae Whitman’s heartfelt vocal performance. The effect is far more immediate. We know the danger of the current situation, we gain insight into Katara as a character (she has grown up in a terrible situation but not yet lost hope), and where our journey will go (the Avatar’s almost certainly going to show up again soon).

Thus, The Legend of Vox Machina opts for a different approach compared to the campaign or even other adaptations of pre-stream material like the Vox Machina Origins comics or novels like Kith & Kin: we’re still in medias res, but Vox Machina are not yet a cohesive unit of heroes that kings and arcanists call upon in their time of need, and they’ve been traveling together for a much shorter amount of time outside of pre-existing relationships like the twins or Pike and Grog. This is the largest and crucial change made in the adaptation, and key to understanding every other choice that comes out of it. Starting them off in a far more difficult position makes us more likely to root for them as the underdogs, such as when they’re laughed at in their introductory bar fight scene and then lick their wounds afterwards, wondering if they can change their luck. We see how their failure to save a village and children within it galvanizes them into vengeance and heroism in the Brimscythe encounter. This provides explicit proof that they can kick ass through the power of friendship and teamwork. Basic, but it gives everyone somewhere to grow from.

MECHANICS AND MEDIUM

Now, it is true that the Briarwoods arc did not have as many changes on a basic plot level. We still go from A to B to C in much the same manner; it helps a great deal that the Briarwoods arc itself was on the shorter side, and there was less to outright cut. But even here, there are myriad changes large and small, and much of them have to do with the filmmaking end of things. As an example: because the script cuts down much of the timescale, things happen more quickly and with juicier character interactions: Percy no longer has time to prepare for dinner with the Briarwoods to calmly disguise himself as Vax and avoid recognition, but instead has to sit and listen to them lie with his own face, finally able to stand it no longer. We are also able to gain more insight into the Briarwoods and some of their associates because we are no longer restricted to the party’s POV in all scenes. Delilah’s flashback to the deal she made with The Whispered One to save her beloved Sylas illuminates what was only hinted at in the campaign. Or take how Professor Anders, a fairly forgettable boss fight, becomes a genuine highlight through Stephen Root’s demented, sneering intellectual tones and showing us that he felt underappreciated by the De Rolos because they held his research back. Ripley too is boosted by actually helping the party with the acid trap, even if it’s only for her own survival, and escaping at a moment where it’s far more inconvenient for her to do so.

Yet despite these and other changes (I like in particular how Percy is in far more denial about Orthax’s hold over him and this adds considerably higher stakes to the fight with the demon), it’s still fairly compact as a story. The Conclave arc, meanwhile, has had far more drastic additions and subtractions to the plot. Because the original is so sprawling and epic, the party could afford to take their time and do the usual goofing off shenanigans in between fights. Not so here; time is of the essence, time the party increasingly seems to be running out of. And that seems to be the chief complaint rising up, that we’re rushing through things and not slowing down enough.

I do find a couple things funny with this statement. It’s always been a complaint of both fans and haters that the cast goofs off even when things are serious and does side trips. And of course there’s the infamous planning sessions where they can often argue in circles before finally deciding on a course of action. But this is a function of the tabletop stream medium; unless Matt decides to literally drop a dragon on them, he can let them take as much time as he wants.

The series, however, gains as much as it loses by cutting most of this down and switching things around. For one, the danger IS more immediate; losing allies like Kamaljiori as soon as they gain him ups the tension dramatically and keeps the threat ever-present, which is useful if you don’t want people to get bored in an action-adventure series. Or Grog, Pike, and Scanlan getting sent to Westruun in a botched plane shift spell adds intrigue to that; can Grog get his strength back in time? Additionally, the visuals, music, and performances can substitute for everyone narrating out every action. Sam Riegel dials down considerably as Scanlan and offers more sincerity to where we know his arc is headed. Vax’s connection with the Raven Queen is an outright horror movie at the moment with his flashes of images he doesn’t wholly understand, as well as hinting at his eventual fate. Or we can now truly see the guilt and shame on a young Grog’s face as he regards Wilhand, begging for life in Henry Winkler’s quavering, sympathetic voice. Parts that could feel a little weaker dramatically because Matt is not ultimately out to “win” the game and most heroic-aligned NPCs need to be at least a little accommodating no longer have that restriction; Troy Baker can bring the full force of Syldor’s personality to bear and make him a tougher challenge, such as dismissing Percy’s attempt to bolster Vex with his title and fueling her defense of herself and her friends.

(Sidenote: I’m very curious to see how the Mighty Nein series translates Yeza, who I felt and still feel is Matt’s most jarring example of this tendency)

Hell, what about the Conclave themselves? Even outside the casting of heavyweights like Lance Reddick and Cree Summer as Thordak and Raishan, we can now gain more insight into their motives and just how scary they are. An exchange between Umbrasyl and Kevdak has the danger of two politicians jockeying for position, and almost makes us feel sympathetic for the latter...almost. Ripley teaming up with Umbrasyl is another boost for a character who was great but appeared infrequently; by keeping her and Kelly Hu’s hot-but-evil purr around, we’re keeping her fresh and active.

THE FEMALE CHARACTER PROBLEM

This is where things get a little bit...trickier. Both Dungeons and Dragons and tabletop gaming at large have long-time problems of sexism, homophobia, racism, you name it; many a horror story has been told of gatekeeping assholes. And the reception to Critical Role was sadly no exception despite their evolving efforts to be an inclusive company and brand. Marisha Ray got the worst of it for sure in terms of her portrayal of Keyleth, being both a novice to D&D and streaming as well as Matt’s girlfriend, later fiancee and wife. But Laura Bailey and Ashley Johnson have had their fair share of mistreatment too: Vex was called a greedy bitch on the regular, Jester confounded everyone by rarely suffering serious consequences for her prankish actions (whatever the hell that means), and to this day Johnson is seen as the worst player at the table mechanically by rules lawyers because she commits cardinal sins like not remembering all her class abilities (in case you can’t tell, add a heavy sarcasm font to that). In response to this harassment, both Critical Role and the community made it increasingly clear these assholes weren’t welcome and they thankfully, slowly bled out of influence.

However, I must confess that it feels like we haven’t really left that sort of...defensive paternalism, for lack of a better phrase. Instead of treating the female cast members like adults, which they are, and fellow participants in the company and story, there is this odd parasocial insistence that anything they do that the audience doesn’t like is somehow forced upon them by the male cast members. To be blunt: we don’t have evidence this is the case. And while it would be folly to say that the CR team can do no wrong or have no biases because they are a majority cishet white group, their apparent sincere commitment to inclusive practices leaves me doubting that anything especially pernicious is going on.

What’s basically come to a head recently with The Legend of Vox Machina are complaints that they’ve either made the women characters too mean OR too nice. This hasn’t really come up with Pike (who I think is a much stronger character because Ashley has a much clearer thesis upfront and isn’t absent for huge chunks of the narrative), but I’ve seen both applied to Keyleth and Vex. Keyleth, I think, is a case of Marisha wanting to not exactly sand off her edges, but correcting what she saw as missteps because she the player didn’t know what she was doing. She’s less self-righteous about things like religion or that they shouldn’t make deals with groups like the Clasp because those conflicts have been substituted for putting more emphasis on her reckoning with the “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown” principle. I do miss that a little, but also, I think people are often reading more into those instances than what was actually there in terms of substance.

Vex is admittedly a difficult character to translate because in the campaign, so much of her arc is internal and subtle; she changes very slowly compared to Keyleth going from “nervous wreck” to “confident leader”. You can’t really do this in an animated series. Long-term character arcs are certainly POSSIBLE, but they genuinely require being communicated through clear shifts in visuals, writing, and performance. Thus Vex’s problems in particular have to be more blatantly shown: her stinginess causes problems with Zahra before they reconcile, she connects with Percy quicker because of shared experience, and she folds in on herself far more when talking with Syldor compared to Vax because she still wants a relationship and her brother has long given up on this.

And here’s where we get to the complaint I still find the most inexplicable because it seems to describe a totally different character than the one that exists onscreen: that making changes like this or Vax being present for Vex’s rescue of Trinket when he originally had no idea how she found him somehow makes her arc “all about men” and “not about herself”. I feel like this is an overcorrection from earlier feminist schools of criticism that women characters are all too often accessories to men and not their own full characters. Which I do still agree is v. bad, but also, saying that women can or should never have meaningful relationships with men because of our patriarchal systems of society...well, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. More to the point, it ignores that Laura had and has meaningful input into these relationships in the game as well as other campaigns: in addition to focusing much of her C1 roleplay on Percy, Syldor, Vax, and even Scanlan, Jester directly pursued Fjord because Laura wanted to try and romance her husband Travis Willingham in game and blatantly said this was her intent. It feels like people aren’t giving themselves permission to just...not like her choices because they don’t want to be lumped in with Those Assholes. And that’s a terrible way to treat yourself as a fan.

CONCLUSION

To sum it up: feel free to be a hater! You don’t have to suddenly like the show and the changes it makes because some random rambling asshole like me says so. But I think it is far more useful to look at what actually exists on the screen than making up an idealized version in your head of “this is how it’s supposed to go!” You’ll be happier, I’ll be happier, and we can enjoy things. Or don’t. It’s your choice.

[meet-again-in-another-life]

"May we meet again, in another life..."

Another AU where legends cross. Read more under the break.

General Story Synopsis:

Somewhere outside of time, the golden goddesses fued. A cycle of no end plagues their souls after they have let it push on across time and space alike. One of hatred, blood, and spirit; one of light and shadow. The goddess Din plots to destroy it all, at odds with her sister, Farore, who wishes rather to destroy the evil. Nayru, who trusts in the balance of the eternal struggle, proposes a solution. She will allow Din to put the worlds created by different ripples of time to the test. Din shall choose to revive a single puppet, and they will set the determining factors of the universe's fate into motion. She makes her choice, and Nayru begins with her work.

In a world still set in the era of A Link Between Worlds, a fabric is once more torn between realities. However, this is one far greater than anything before. It tears through time itself; a power only previously carried to the mortal world by Hylia herself. At the same time, an evil sealed away in this realm returns to life. The fused beast from light and dark worlds alike attempts to take control of the head-start the goddesses have given it; but there is no telling what the crack in reality may cause for existence now.

Premise:

The general idea for the AU is to focus on the narrative themes of The Legend of Zelda games, as well as Demise's Curse. It will heavily focus on the bond between Link and Zelda across lifetimes, and how their loyalty to one another affects the fate of Hyrule and those who live there.

Link Nicknames:

The Hero of the Skies (SkSw) - Chosen Hero, stink (affectionate), sleepyhead (affectionate), Skies.

The Hero of Men (MC Prologue) - Min

The Hero of the Minish (MC) - Pico

The Old Hero of the Four Sword (FS Backstory) - Fourest (get it because forest + four haha I'll see myself out). Kidding. Just Forest.

The New Hero of the Four Sword (FS) - Four

The Hero of Time (Oot Child) - Mask, Deku, fairy boy (affectionate)

The Hero of Time (OoT Adult(Alt)) - Time, Kiri

The Hero of Time (OoT Fallen) - Shade (given by TP Link despite being the wrong one)

The Hero of Legend (AlttP/LA) - Pink, rabbit, hare

The Hero of Ages and Seasons (OoA/S) - Oracle

The Hero of Worlds (ALBW) - Bear, Little Rabbit (given by ALttP/LA Link), Leaf (teasing nickname from Gulley when he died his hair green for a while)

One Who Learned Courage (Lorule) - Ravio, merchant (not affectionate)

The Hero of Hyrule (LoZ/AoL) - Hero

The Hero of Twilight (TP) - Twilight, wolf (given to him by TotK Link), Gray, Ordon (affectionate, given to him by TP Zelda)

The Hero of Light (FSA) - Divide, Mirror

The Hero of Winds - Wind, Gale (given to him by AoC Link), sailor

The Hero of Spirits (ST) - Conductor

The Hero of Warriors (HW) - Captain, Warrior

The Hero of Calamity (BotW Backstory) - Aspect, Dracozu (as he grew up along this river)

The Hero of the Wild (AoC) - Blade, Knight, Champion (gets confusing)

The Hero of the Wild (BotW/TotK) - Wild, Champion, Spirit (also gets confusing),

Zelda Nicknames:

Hylia Reborn (SkSw) - Grace (or Your Grace), Hylia/Hyli (not preferred), Ether? (Link definitely has nicknames for her, but they're all a bit too sweet for everyone else to call her by...)

Princess of the Light Force (MC Prologue) - Radiance, Harmony

Bright Princess (MC) - Bloom

Princess of the Elements (FS Backstory) - Prism, Monarch

Princess of the Four Sword Shrine (FS) - Adora

The Princess of Destiny (OoT Child) - Tulip

The Sage of Light (OoT Adult(Alt)) - Destiny, Sage

The Master of Disguise (OoT Fallen) - Sheik

Triforce Guide (ALttP) - Guide, Marin (what?!?! Whoa?!?! more on that later)

Hope of her People (OoS/A) - Hope

Princess like a Painting (ALBW) - Chroma

One Who Learned Wisdom (Lorule) - Hilda

Princess of Legend (LoZ/AoL) - Princess, Tale

The "Twlight Princess" (TP) - Dusk

Light of the Kingdom (FSA) - Light

Leader to a New Hyrule - Tetra, Captain (given by WW Link affectionately)

Spirit Princess (ST) - Phantom

Commander and Princess (HW) - Commander

Ancient Sealer - Guardian, Sonia (her middle name (her mother's name)), Sealer

Burgeoning Scholar (AoC) - Scholar

Sage of Light and Time (BotW/TotK) - Zel (given by her Link), Petal (also given by her Link once as a joke, but it stuck), Scale (usually isn't taken well)

(The nicknames above are WIPs, may be changed if I change my mind).

Extra Notes:

I intend to focus on the Links and Zeldas equally, as a big part of the story refers to their relationship in the grand scheme of like... the entire universe. This falls under the idea that every incarnation is a reincarnated form of a singular spirit and goddess.

Certain unnamed heroes from the games are given proper backstory and titles.

The two Zeldas in LoZ and AoL are combined into one Zelda; more on how the Hero of Hyrule's story goes later.

Some events in the games may be slightly dramatacized or combined with elements from their respective manga. More on this later.

While I will be using headcanons for post-game, I am making it my goal not to do so excessively. I like my canon compliancy, sometimes. I will mostly only use headcanons to fill in plot/character gaps or make sense of timeline.

A lot of posts will just be designs and ideas dumping early on. Comics are hard, I'm afraid. :')

@loz-untold-myths will be prioritized over work on this! Please keep this in mind!! (So if you like my stuff, maybe check that out).

I'm designing way too many outfits, I'm hoping to be able to share some of them soon!

Info Posts

Din, Nayru, and Farore

Tags

#loz ial

#loz in another life

#ial main story

#ial vignettes

#ial info post

#ial update

#ial doodles

#ial character peek

I made the name too long, I am aware of this, but A Link Between Links was apparently taken. Curse the fandom hivemind!!!!

One more note: This AU now has its own section of the Untold Myths (@loz-untold-myths) Discord server! If you want an invite, please DM me.

[sophiesophsofia]

Which show that I wanna create sounds better (acording to the plot)

Irisia - So generelly, the story is abt a girl called Violet, who after seeing magic triple rainbow goes to a like "rainbow wonderland" called Irisia. [latin. Iris - rainbow]

Violet meets a group of people in her age that guards Irisia from danger etc. She really wants to become a member of the group, so they let study to become one of them.

The members : Cherry (leader), Bleuy, Forest, Bowie and Amber (you can read smth abt Cherry and Bluey and also Violet; I'll tell abt the rest later)

Everyone in Irisia has diffrent powers (f.ex Bluey has power of water and supersenses, Forest has a power of plant and superstraingh, Amber fire and high IQ, Bowie lightnings and superspeed and Cherry has powers of all of them)

While that, they struglle with their enemies, who leads Irisia.

2.Chroma Tales - In the world of sparkles and pixies, there lives our main character - pixie called Alex. While he grows up, he started to change his skin color. From blue to yellow. All sparkle have red skin color and pixies blue skin color, so he starts being different than others. But one day, he meets Charlie – a sparkle that can change herself to sparkle or pixie or some creature with purple skin color, which means she’s also extra-ordinary.

3. Enchanting High - Raven, 14.y.o girl is an outcast in her school, as everyone finds her wierd. One day, in her class comes a new student, Julia. She suprisgly also bahaves wierd but she is really kind to Raven and wants to make a friend just with her. Then Julia comes out to Raven as a fairy. Later on, it turns out that Raven is a witch. Then they both skip to other realm and enter the magical school. In the school there are two hauses : Moon and Sun (Moon House is like Ravenclaw+Slytheryn and Sun House is like Griffindor+Hufflepuf)

4. Eclipsed Flames- Two girl that go to the same high school and have crush on each other, secretly transform to superhero and supervillain. One called Sandra turns into superhero Maghelia(the name is a word game of “mega” and Helios – Greek God of Sun). She’s got powers of light, fire, air and other similar and second one called Luna turns into supervillain Terranova ( the name is also a word game, but of “terra” and “supernova”). She’s got a power of darkness, water, earth etc. They obesely fight with each other.

5. Nov and Nuilly - In the mystical elven city of Eldorath, where shadows conceal both secrets and sorrows, two broken souls, Nov and Nuilly, find themselves entwined in a complex dance of redemption. Xavier (Nov) Noir is the most famous criminal in the elve city. However, as he realises that what is he going is bad, he stops his "crime carrer", but one day he meets Naula (Nuilly) Lynx, who wants to be his sidekick.

[dance-world]

Edward Watson - The Royal Ballet - photo by Rick Guest

Former Royal Ballet Principal Edward Watson is a Répétiteur of The Royal Ballet. He trained at The Royal Ballet School and graduated into The Royal Ballet in 1994 and was promoted to Principal in 2005. He was appointed Répétiteur in 2020.

Watson was born in Bromley, South London. His repertory with the Company included major roles in works by Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan, and numerous role creations for choreographers including Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon and Alexei Ratmansky. His many role creations for McGregor included in Symbiont(s), Qualia, Chroma, Infra, Limen, Carbon Life, Raven Girl, Tetractys, Woolf Works, Obsidian Tear and Multiverse, and for Wheeldon Lewis Carroll/The White Rabbit (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland), Leontes (The Winter’s Tale) and John Singer Sargent (Strapless). Watson has worked with numerous other choreographers, including Siobhan Davies, David Dawson, Javier De Frutos, Alastair Marriott, Cathy Marston, Ashley Page and Arthur Pita.

His numerous awards include the 2012 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance, the 2015 Benois de la danse and Critics’ Circle Awards in 2001, 2008 and 2022. He was awarded an MBE [Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire] in 2015.

https://www.roh.org.uk/people/edward-watson

[covenscribe]

WIP Folder Names Tag Game!

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, & then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Tag as many people as you have WIPS.

I got tagged by @scribe-cas and @palebdot , thank you both so much!

Here we go, not including planned sequels:

The Scarlet Sacrament - Fantasy Horror (Remquil)

Amaranth - Dark Fantasy (Remquil)

Lady Feral - Urban Fantasy

Chroma Cats - Magical girls cyber punk urban fantasy

Breathe - Science Fiction

Werewolves, Vampires, and Aliens! Oh my! - Science Fiction urban fantasy

The Coven's Muse - Dating Sims visual novel, urban fantasy

Untitled post apocalyptic visual novel

Demons of the West - Western horror

Now I shall tag:

@captain-kraken @coffeexafterxmidnight @bardic-tales @fictionalbullshitter @lovely-ashes09 @scribe-of-stories @lexiklecksi @magic-is-something-we-create @sunwarmed-ash

[stoukadraws]

Happy 2 years Chromatale!

[silvercherry001]

Ok I got to get this out of my system before the event actually comes out so here it goes:

Ever sincer they started expanding the star guadian skinline I've been dreading the releases because I felt like they completley diseregarded the og gang. The moment they put Ahri in it felt like they forgot about Jinx and Lux and even more so the other members. I am someone who started to love JinxLux because of star guardian so I may be biased but Lux is totally absent from anything they posted this time. She did not get a chroma not even a legends of runeterra card? I guess there might still be time for them to come out but ughhhh. She is the first one to get this skin and now in the endgame is ignored.

Also I dont really like the way they are expanding the story ig....I loved it when it seemed to be just a regular magical girl friendship tale but rn we have to have drama and death it seems. My problem is that Jinx is getting a chroma which seems to be corrupted...... The entire point of the skinline was showing her growing and evolving without all the trauma from the basic lore, actually having friends and dealing with regular relationships...if they corrupt her for some bs reason...

Akali voicelines are out and she mentions Lux being a statue. My only hope is that Lux somehow got defeated/hurt in the fights and Jinx got corrupted while trying to save her. Like Im praying this is the reason and not some Jinx got the betrayal jibbies.

Overall I kinda am bummed about the event. Hopefully I am proved wrong but by looking at how many characters they added I doubt the og gang will have an important role.

[marvel-dcu76]

DC Tales Of Earth Two - Chaos In The Key Of Chroma! By Tony DeZuniga, Todd McFarlane, and Anthony Tollin

[monriatitans]

Monria Titans

Let's Read Some $#!7 by Howard Zinn, The Brothers Grimm, & 3dtotalPublishing

Welcome to another installment of Let’s Read Some $#!7 (LRSS)! In sum, the purpose of these videos is to introduce educational resources regarding the creation of video games, to promote literacy, to provide world-building tools for creatives, to provide books for escapism, and/or to get banned books into people’s view and whatever I feel like reading aloud at the time.

They go as follows: 1. Read the summary on the back of the book (if applicable). 2. Read the “Forward”, “Preface”, and “Acknowledgments” (if applicable). 3. If there is no “Introduction”, read [part of] the first chapter.

If this is something you’re interested in, don’t forget to hit the “Subscribe” and/or “Follow” button!

Even though the purpose is education/book introduction, I only read PORTIONS because of DMCA and Copyright.

Today, I read PORTIONS of 3 books from my TBR Stack:

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn With a new introduction by Anthony Arnove, this edition of the classic national bestseller chronicles American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official narrative taught in schools—with its emphasis on great men in high places—to focus on the street, the home, and the workplace. Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People’s History of the United States is the only volume to tell America’s story from the point of—and in the words of—America’s women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As historian Howard Zinn shows, many of our country’s greatest battles—fights for fair wages, eight-hour workdays, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, women’s rights, racial equality—were carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance. Covering Christopher Columbus’s arrival through President Clinton’s first term, A People’s History of the United States, which was nominated for the American Book Award of 1981, features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history.

The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm THE BROTHERS GRIMM, JACOB (1785-1863) AND WILHELM (1786-1859), were German academics, linguists, and cultural researchers, though they were legendary, of course, for their storytelling. They collected and recorded stories from the wide wealth of European folk tales, and their aim was to retell the tales exactly as they heard them. The work of the Brothers Grimm popularized such classics as Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, and Snow White. Originally titled Children’s and Household Tales, The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales contains the essential bedtime stories for children worldwide for the better part of two centuries. Accompanied by 40 color plates and 60 black and white illustrations from award-winning English illustrator Arthur Rackham, The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales is the perfect classic edition for your family’s bookshelf.

Artists’ Master Series: Color and Light by 3dtotalPublishing The Artists’ Master Series features experts from both the traditional and digital worlds. Drawing from a wealth of experience, in this book they fully dissect the theory and practice of using color and light to advance your art. Expert Charlie Pickard goes beyond the basics to explore color theory. Advanced topics include color hierarchy, value keying, color constancy, and exposure. Discover how hue, value, and chroma enable you to create, mix, and control color. Next, he moves on to the vast subject of light. Using highly illustrated examples, complex concepts of shading, form, depth, and texture are decoded. Three essential material types – matte, specular, and transparent – are analyzed, instilling confidence to paint any object you encounter. Respected artists Djamila Knopf, Guweiz, and Nathan Fowkes then guide you through extensive tutorials, specially commissioned to explore their use of color and light. Each artist breaks down their process, discussing the decisions made at every stage to achieve striking colors, believable lighting, immersive atmospheres, and realistic surfaces. All three artists work in contrasting ways, resulting in a wide range of approaches to putting theory into practice. Further insight is provided by the gallery artists, also experts in their fields, representing a range of styles, skills, and mediums. This unique opportunity to study color and light so extensively offers a deeper mastery of the subject, and a single, comprehensive reference at your fingertips. WARNING: CONTAINS NUDITY

All book links above are affiliate links.

—

The Monday, April 29th, and 574th, Artist Shout-Out goes to Yerim Lee! Check it out here!

—

TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Welcome Gamers and Readers! 1:38 – Artist Shout-Out 4:48 – Read Aloud Prelude 5:58 – A People’s History of the United States 47:28 – The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales 1:23:02 – Artists’ Master Series: Color and Light 1:39:05 – Artist Shout-Out 1:39:55 – Closing 1:40:56 – MonriaTitans’ Bookshop 1:42:36 – Farewell

—

TO SUPPORT – Buy Me a Coffee: 15% of the proceeds go to Kids Need to Read! – “Let’s Read Some $#!7” About Page – MonriaTitans’ Summary & Links – MonriaTitans’ Bookshop – YouTube Channel – Throne Wishlist

[galengames]

DUAL Chroma: A Dark Fantasy Otome

“For centuries after the Ashen War, the Empire has lived in peace under the protective power of the reigning Galens line. Tales of the dark era—of vile monsters and the heroes that vanquished them—fell into legend and myth... until now."

PLOT:

Dual Chroma is a fantasy visual novel that follows a talented mage, and newly appointed advisor to the Second Prince of the Galatean Empire, Keldrannon Aurel Galens. What starts out as a fairy tale dream-come-true transforms into a nightmare when ancient evil forces threaten to destroy the peace that has lasted for centuries.

Solve mysteries, cast spells, and fall in love.

We will be launching a kickstarter so sign up here if you’re interested: bit.ly/dckickstart

GAME FEATURES:

Nameable protagonist:  A beautiful Violet Mage who can see through time. Immerse yourself into the story by giving the protagonist a name of your choosing!

A single in-depth romance with the Imperial prince: See what your relationship might look like as you and Keldran shape yourselves and the empire.

Immersive, narrative battles: Fight alongside the Prince against the forces of darkness! Make the best of your unique skill sets and vanquish enemies in a streamline, turn-based RPG system integrated within the story!

ABOUT:

Dual Chroma began pre-production in 2019 and went through many years of revists.  On June 30th you’ll finally be able to experience what we poured all our love and energy into 😊

Follow us on steam: https://bit.ly/galensteam

Follow us on itch: https://galengames.itch.io/

Get on our mailing list: bit.ly/3PLECwK 

Get notified when the Kickstarter is ready: bit.ly/dckickstart #oelvn |  #DualChroma | #otome | #english otome | #female protagonist | #datingsim | #gothic | #fantasy | #indiegame | #visual novel | #otome armada | #interactive fiction | #Youtube