#essix

[keepofkandrakar]

to the six people in the spirit animals fandom, i need it to be known that tasha is literally the reilin child.

[bayofwolves]

A Revised History of Erdas: The Four Heroes' Bond Tokens

The Four creating bond tokens of their own -- brilliant concept, terrible execution. I'll forever be disappointed in how The Dragon's Eye handled this legendary moment for our protagonists. Naturally, this is one of the first things I thought about changing in A Revised History of Erdas. So, here are my ideas!

Conor

Conor's canon bond token: Shepherd's staff of unknown origins; grants the user strengthened senses and some level of prescience.

Revised version: Conor's own shepherd's staff that he names Pathfinder, in part due to its prophetic abilities and in part as a nod to Briggan's most well-known title. This staff grants the user short prescience and increased wisdom. When wielding Pathfinder, one can predict events up to a few minutes before they happen. In time, Conor may learn to see farther into the future, but only with a level of exposure that would drive any other user insane. As for the increased wisdom, I sort of remodeled the persuasive quality of Meilin's bond token and transferred it to Conor's. These combined abilities can lend the user a great strategic advantage in battle. I scrapped the strengthened senses, which is what resulted in Conor becoming quite animalistic.

My reasoning: First of all, the object itself. I felt it would be more impactful if the staff had always been Conor's rather than a random one he picked up at the last minute. Conor is shown throughout the series to take his staff with him during the group's travels, even though it doesn't lend him much protection. It's a reminder of who he used to be -- who he still is at his core. It would have been easy to show the Oathbound confiscating the staff from him along with the rest of the team's weapons, then have Conor find it again before they create their bond tokens.

Now, onto what it does. I felt it was jarringly out of character for Conor to act like the wild, howling beast his canon bond token made him. Throughout the series, Conor has remained a levelheaded, gentle, somewhat quiet person, and even as he progresses as a character he retains these defining traits. The only time he has acted even remotely similar to how he does with his bond token is when he was possessed by the Wyrm -- which was so horrifying to read because it signified that anything left of him was well and truly gone. The fact of the matter is, the Conor at the end of The Dragon's Eye was not the Conor we knew, and that was a poor writing choice (especially for the last book of the series, where there would be no opportunity to explore this development further).

Additionally, this isn't really what we've seen of Briggan, either, and it is my goal for the Four's bond tokens to be an accurate representation of their spirit animal. In Tales of the Great Beasts, Briggan is a mystical, awe-inspiring being who is shrouded in mystery; a fearsome packleader who evokes respect and devotion and walks in dreams. That's the atmosphere I hope to emulate from Conor's bond token in my rewrite and Path of the Heroes. Conor is, at his core, a wise and kindly leader who deserves to have his -- and Briggan's -- character properly emulated in their bond token. And so it will be.

Abeke

Abeke's canon bond token: Abeke's bow; grants the user increased agility and perfect shooting accuracy.

Revised version: Abeke's bow since Immortal Guardians, originally gifted to her by Lenori. She names it Swifthunter, both pointing to what it does and her and Uraza's shared natures. It grants the user the ability to conjure arrows out of nothing, perfect shooting accuracy and the ability to track any living being, regardless of distance. To tap into its tracking power, the user need only envision the desired target in their mind and a glowing trail will appear, visible only to them (and their spirit animal, if they have one), stretching across land and water -- the best route to the thing they seek. To conjure arrows, you would pull back the string of the bow as if to shoot and one would form in your grip. There was no need to change the canon bond token's inability to miss a target, a suitable echo of its owner, but it no longer has the extreme jumping ability.

My reasoning: I wanted the bond tokens to do something that isn't already provided via the bond with the spirit animal. Abeke has always been able to jump an impressive distance with Uraza's powers, so there is no need to have this extremely basic ability augmented in the bond token.

Swifthunter's new ability to pinpoint and track any creature has a lot to do with the hunter symbolism present in The Dragon's Eye. Abeke accepts that Uraza is a hunter and a killer by design, and to some extent, this speaks for herself too. What better way to show that newfound understanding than with a bond token that reflects this?

It is even more fitting when you consider that in the rewrite, Abeke starts to show more ruthless tendencies after killing Zerif and the Wyrm during the climax of the previous arc. For instance, she kills Wikam with no remorse and wants to track down the escaped Oathbound immediately so they don't get far. She doesn't lose her character, but she becomes harsher. More like Uraza. She has embraced what Zerif told her in The Burning Tide: that there's a killer underneath her unassuming demeanour.

Meilin

Meilin's canon bond token: A hairpin given to Meilin by her father; grants the user the power to heal wounds and the ability to calm and persuade others.

Revised version: Yin Yang amulet attached to a silk thread, gifted to Meilin by her father on her 13th birthday, to be worn as a necklace but often just carried during the team's travels. Meilin names it Peacefinder, which was one of Jhi's titles of old. The name is also a nod to Meilin's finally finding peace in her journey, both with Jhi and with her own self. It grants the user indestructibility, perfect balance and a calming, sound-blocking buffer. When utilizing its indestructibility, a transparent, softly glowing sphere envelopes you, and anything that strikes it will rebound. It is here that the sound buffer comes into play, further sheltering you from the offensive force. It also allows you to feel utterly calm and still. The balance it gives the user is so absolute that you could stand on one foot on the edge of a cliff and never fall. Apart from the item being from Meilin's father and her home, this one has been changed entirely.

My reasoning: I wanted Meilin's bond token to be an item we knew to be significant to her, hence the amulet's origins. If the hairpin had been a recurring item that Meilin held onto to comfort her and remind her of home, I would have thought it perfect. Instead, it appeared out of nowhere, which was a disservice to how monumental the creation of bond tokens was for the Four. The concept of Yin and Yang perfectly represents Meilin and Jhi, which inspired the change in item. They even have a history with it, hearkening back to Hunted.

I removed the healing ability for two reasons. First, the sheer magnitude of the canon bond token's healing power would eliminate any stakes in the team's future adventures. Meilin saves Conor's life in The Dragon's Eye, leaving him without even a scar. With the hairpin, they are effectively immortal, and that is no good for storytelling. Second, in the rewrite, Meilin already has healing abilities through her bond with Jhi -- though to a much lesser degree than what her canon bond token gave her. She can ease someone's fever or make a wound heal faster -- and like with the others', I wanted her bond token to focus on something she can't already do.

The reason I took out the persuasive, calming aspect of the canon hairpin is because, aside from it being shown to not work, I did not feel as though it suited Meilin. It does suit Jhi, but it is important to realize that she and her partner are different and must find balance between them, not go against their own nature for each other. To attempt to represent this, I turned the calming effect inward rather than outward, serving to aid the user rather than sway the listener.

As for its new abilities. The indestructible quality represents Jhi's solid, immovable strength, which can also be said for Meilin. The perfect balance aspect of it signifies how Meilin and Jhi have finally found balance in their bond after a long struggle. It is perfect considering what Meilin chose to be their bond token -- the symbol of Yin Yang, which is fundamentally about balance.

Rollan

Rollan's canon bond token: Tarik's green cloak; grants the user the power of flight and sharpened eyesight.

Revised version: Tarik's green cloak that passed to Rollan in Rise and Fall. It grants the user the power of flight, the speed of a falcon while in flight and influence over the wind. Rollan names it Morningstar, for its connection to the sky but mainly in honour of Tarik, whose name means "morning star". When in use, the cloak lengthens and contorts into two wing-like shapes, long and broad enough to support the person's weight. I didn't change much about this one, but I did remove the sharpened eyesight.

My reasoning: The canon bond token was already quite well done. It is an item we know is of tremendous importance to Rollan, and it offers an otherwise unattainable power while still remaining true to Essix. This is the only one I am fully on board with.

As for why I got rid of the canon bond token's sharpened eyesight: Rollan can already access that through his bond with Essix. It's the same with the others -- their bond tokens should do something they can't on their own.

The new abilities of gaining a falcon's speed while in flight and controlling the winds are simply to add to the power of the bond token. Again, this one is already pretty damn good.

And there you have it!

That is how I plan to revise our heroes' bond tokens in ARHOE. I can't wait to get started on Path of the Heroes, in which these new bond tokens have an important role, because I'm dying to find out how their lives would change with them.

[megs-msdd24]

Headcanon #9

Essix. Omg Essix. Somebody go help my girl Essix out because omg. If Essix is indoors, she needs something to fidget with otherwise you're gonna start seeing torn up furniture everywhere. Girl can't sit still for a minute 💀. i.e Meilin comes back to her room after training. Opens the door and there's fluff everywhere. Why? Because somehow Essix broke into her room and tore up the little arm chair Meilin had. And the culprit is still sitting on her throne of disaster 😃

Ok enjoy that thought friends 🫰🏿

[badgerqueen07]

I just realized the sadly depressing amount of Spirit Animal content so I took it upon myself to start making some

[katyjohn02]

Essix retainers are clear, slim molds that fit over your teeth. They keep your beautiful teeth straight. Learn more about Essix retainers here!

[edspear]

PoisonHemlock's Wallflower Lancer Ursa/Natalya Essix, bisecting Beggar One with an Over/Under shotty. Blood for blood, family for family.

Check a look here.

Will try out more later.

And here is my page.

[dreg-heap]

At work saying shit like "I'm so sick of people with shallow molars" like im a phrenogologist

[gpstudios]

Celebrating International Retainer Day: Embracing the Journey to a Perfect Smile

Happy International Retainer Day! 🦷 Celebrate the journey to a perfect smile and the crucial role retainers play in maintaining it. Learn about retainer care, share your smile story, and enjoy the benefits of a healthy, beautiful smile!

Happy International Retainer Day! This unique day is dedicated to recognizing the importance of retainers in orthodontic treatment and celebrating the journey towards achieving and maintaining a perfect smile. Whether you’ve just completed your braces journey or have been wearing your retainer for years, today is a day to appreciate the role these small yet vital devices play in keeping our teeth…

[dramarnathandentalcare]

How to use dental retainers after braces

Braces are frequently used as part of a multistep process to develop a beautiful smile. However, the journey doesn't end with the removal of braces. The following important phase is the use of dental retainers, which are required to maintain the alignment achieved with braces.

For more information read the full blog here: https://www.dramarnathansdentalcare.com/dental-retainers-after-braces/

[embraceorthodontics]

Retainers After Braces/Aligners: Everything you need to know - Embrace Orthodontics

A retainer is an orthodontic appliance designed to keep your alignment intact after the completion of the Braces treatment.

It’s an integral part of your orthodontic treatment and not wearing retainers for as long as advised may lead to relapse. 

There are different types of retainers. Your orthodontist will be your best guide on the type of retainer best suited for you. 

How long should I wear my retainers?

Retainers are effective only when you follow your orthodontist’s instructions.

They are effective only when they are in your mouth. So, remove them only while eating, drinking and brushing.

Ideally, they should be worn for 20-22 hours/day.

Retainers need to be worn for 18 months at the least.

How do I store my retainers when not in use?

Your orthodontist will provide you a retainer case with the Vivera/Clear plastic type of retainer.

When they are not in use it’s a safe practice to keep them in the case and not wrapped in a tissue or in your pocket/purse.

How do I clean my retainers?

For your Hawley/Essix or Vivera type of retainer, gently scrub it with a toothbrush and rinse it with water.

You may occasionaly use liquid soap or toothpaste to keep it fresh and clean.  

For your fixed bonded retainers, It’s important to brush thoroughly after meals and clean around the wire.

If you can’t brush immediately after a meal, make sure to at least rinse your mouth until you get a chance to brush thoroughly.

Does my retainer need replacement?

Removable retainers are made of plastic (Essix retainer) or acrylic (Hawley’s retainer) both are subjected to wear and tear with daily use. A follow-up with your Dentist/Orthodontist is advised once in 6 months or if you notice your retainer is unusually worn out or not fitting properly. 

However, your vivera retainers after Invisalign treatment comes in a pack of 3 sets, which needs to be worn for 6 months each.

General instructions:

Avoid exposure to high temperatures, as that may lead to distortion or warping. 

Keep your retainers away from pets and children for obvious reasons. 

Do not lose your retainers.

[orcaab]

Ideas

I’ve been reading through some of the older SA posts and I’ve found some stuff about the bond tokens, and I just wanna put my penny on the topic. I didn’t like the ending of the series, it felt rushed, too many things were left just like that. Too many questions! So, I just wanna make this post and talk about my personal opinion on the last books. 

The bond token idea was very interesting, I would have loved to see these tokens hinted at throughout the series, but I guess they were made later to create more conflict. The tokens which were made by the Four Fallen weren’t great. I swear, I thought that Abeke’s bow did something so cool and then I reread the book and was like ‘oh, ok I guess…’ . I think that the bond tokens should give the user a supernatural ability, along with something to represent the bond which created said token.

First of all, the tokens and then some other points over the story:

Conor’s crook was an interesting choice, it kinda shows that he is still a shepherd even after everything that has happened and I truly love it! I don’t love what it does though. Giving him more keen senses is something that his bond with Briggan does just fine. It is enhanced, but it’s too enhanced for even a wolf, I mean being able to smell that one of the guard’s teeth hurt? (I think that happened), find me a wolf that can do that and ima dedicate my life to that guy. It’s not terrible per say, but it’s not great either. 

I would have liked the talisman to connect him to nature or other wolves. Example, he could communicate with them, similar to how Briggan did in Fire and Ice. Maybe even giving him some command over them. And maybe, the talisman could give him clearer visions, I know he has them now, but to gain a slight improvement would be nice. 

Abeke’s talisman was the most disappointing to me. For some reason I don’t even know, I remembered the bow having the ability to conjure arrows out of thin air. So like, you do the motion of putting an arrow on the string and boom! an arrow! But no, it just gives extra jump height. Very disappointing. This ability is the same one that Arax’s talisman had, why would her bond with Uraza produce something so similar? I think that giving her the unlimited arrow bow would have made a lot more sense, considering Uraza is a hunter, and if my memory isn’t tricking me again, Abeke accepted that her spirit animal is one. The bow could also give her better agility, or maybe the instincts of a leopard, much like the amber leopard did.

Meilin’s talisman is a somewhat failed great idea. Giving her the ability to heal was a great choice, in my opinion, but I also think that the hair pin is something that you could easily loose. Say you fell off a ship and in the churning water, you gonna find the pin? No, of course not. But it’s fine, the pin her father gave her, alright. The amount of healing that the pin gives isn’t enough to save a life (if I’m not mistaken), and the calming aura that it gives was turned away by Song as if it didn’t even exist. 

I think giving her actually strong healing could improve the token, along with the ability to somewhat cloud the minds of others, if you wanna call it that. Similar to what Mulop was doing to help the Redcloaks in The Burning Tide. But not only that, the clouding could have other emotions mixed in, so that the user could inflict a certain emotion upon someone for a short period of time. Using it would be very energy draining though. 

Rolan’s talisman is actually really good. It really represents him and his bond with Essix, and gives a supernatural power. I can say it would be cool to give him enhanced sight too, just like a bird’s, but it’s honestly great both ways.

Now some other points:

Because the tokens are so strong, I’m considering it would be cool if there being a small conflict where some people said “Ok, we saw what happened with the talismans of the Great Beasts, why should we let a group of children have all this power?” Ultimately the tokens stay with the Four Fallen and their partners, cause it’s a part of them, and they risked their lives to create them. 

If the tokens have a piece of the soul, I can imagine that the Great Beasts would carry their tokens around after their parters died, maybe even talking to their spirits. That would be so wholesome. 

Also, if the tokens can’t be broken (as far as I know), then the Wildcat’s claw and the other bond token that was lost could be found again, which could lead to another conflict, and that would be cool, I think. Where a group, or groups of people are trying to collect all 8 of the current tokens and meet the Four Fallen and the other legends. 

[keepofkandrakar]

…. i don’t think sarwat chadda understood the assignment…

[bayofwolves]

I’ve been an SA fan for ten years, and the characters have not left my brain alone. It makes me so happy that someone as dedicated and talented as you is continuing to interact with and expand on the books. You rock and I hope you have a great day!

If you don’t mind, I have a path of the heroes question:

What’s Rollan up to? He was always my favorite, so I’m wondering how you’re going to approach him in the fourth arc. No pressure to answer! Have fun with your evertree reread!

This is so sweet, thank you! I appreciate you so much.

I can't say much at this time, but I can drop a few crumbs that hopefully don't spoil anything major:

The central conflict of this arc affects Rollan in a different way than it does the other three kids, due to his past;

He has a unique relationship to one of the antagonists, furthering an already complex conflict;

He's still going strong with Meilin (they've been together for around two years by now);

He and Essix are great, but Essix has now grown too large to perch on his shoulder, which she is not happy about;

He spends more time with Shane and the Redcloaks, though not as much as Abeke;

He sees his mom again and learns of some surprising developments in his family;

and he has a lot of fun with his bond token, Morningstar. Like really, too much fun.

[dreamescapeswriting]

Silly question for tumblr but have any of you had a new essix retainer? I need some advice on mine as I’m going a little out of my head here 😞

[moonbutters]

@theskinofawriterbella

Essix suddenly found himself about to lean on his sword again, probably due to annoyance, and stopped himself before he impaled the bus and possibly ruined the hover crystals. A few minutes later, the bus flier pulled into the next stop and a few more ponies got on. Each of them in turn looked to the back of the bus, where Essix was sitting, and then sat down somewhere in the front.

[megs-msdd24]

Headcanon of the Day # 7

The four fallen animals are like literal siblings (I know the book calls them that already but just wait) Jhi's the oldest; she's super sweet and loves all her siblings. Briggan's like the fun older brother but he's also very responsible. For Essix and Uraza I couldn't really decide because their personalities are just so interesting? Idk. Anyway, this is what I came up with. Uraza's the moody middle kid who like loves her older sister. For Briggan it's so and so . Like one moment she'll be sitting on the floor of his room chilling with him talking about whatever and the next minute he's teasing her and she's ready to throw hands. And then Essix is the spoiled baby. She's similar to Uraza but like she's always plotting evil. They love her anyway.

I should write an essay on this 😃

Ok lemme know what your order for them is.