#hey first post of the new year!

[belphegor1982]

hehehe I am rubbing my lil hands together gleefully and i am here to ask after "Underture" and/or the Ghosts AU, because I'd love to see how you've expanded on it since I last heard about it!

Then you shall have both!

I haven't got much further into the Ghosts AU, except to figure out how the titular ghosts died - some got murdered, some died by accident, some from natural (if way too early) causes - and also which ones retain some kind of power/impact on the living world, to some respect (ie. everyone but Grog and the twins).

Also, I figured a "modern day" era would be 1496 Post Divergence in this universe. The VM timeline happens around 812PD; Greyskull Keep was built for them around that time, and I had Grog haunt the place before that. So if I do manage to make something out of it, here's the dates of everyone's death/arrival at the keep:

787 PD: Grog (-709)

1097 PD: Pike (-399)

1176 PD: Scanlan (-320)

1288 PD: Vex & Vax (-208)

1343 PD: Tiberius (-153)

1383 PD: Keyleth (-113)

1415 PD: Percy (-81)

1496 PD: Allura & Kima move into the keep

Also, I'm keeping their races, lifespan and all, and toying with the idea that some races have gone... not extinct, but rarer by the time the 1400s roll on. We'll see!

As for Underture, it's strictly The Legend of Vox Machina, set pre-canon, when everyone has realised they work well together but before the most hard-headed realise that they actually care about the other chucklefucks. (they do. They absolutely do but some of them are too used to rely on themselves/their twin to see that yet 💜)

So the premise is Vax and Scanlan falling into a deep mine shaft and trying to make their way back to the surface; meanwhile (/three days earlier - each "Vax and Scanlan" chapter is followed by a "how we got there" chapter), Vox Machina is hired to send a message to a miner/look into his disappearance. Shenanigans ensue! (hopefully :D) It's too early for ships, but there are hints to Perc'ahlia, Vaxleth and (of course) Pikelan ^^

Here's a little exchange from the second Vax and Scanlan chapter! Since in the stream Vex's and Vax's original character sheets mention "low-light vision (carry over from Pathfinder)" while both Scanlan and Pike get the whole 60 feet of Darkvision, I had Vax have trouble seeing in complete darkness. Which leads to this:

“So you really can’t see for shit?”

“Yes I can,” retorted Vax. “Just not clearly. Everything further than a yard starts to blur together and I can’t really see where I’m stepping. But I can keep up.”

“Sure you can. That’s why you keep hanging back, to look at the scenery.”

“Maybe I do! Someone’s got to check what the walls are made of to see how close we are to the exit!”

“Oh yeah? In that case, how many fingers?”

“Three,” Vax snapped back, flipping the double bird in answer to Scanlan’s own raised middle finger. Damn. Either the el—the half-elf did see better in the dark than Scanlan gave him credit for or he was starting to know him too well.

Scanlan let his hand fall and rolled his eyes.

“Look, you don’t need to get your panties in a knot. I can see better than you at the moment, so the way I see it there’s only one way you won’t fall behind and get lost.” He walked back to Vax and thrust out his hand with a grin large enough to be obvious even in the dark. “Wanna hold hands?”

Vax stared down at him for three full seconds. Scanlan didn’t lower his hand, but his smile fell.

“Oh gods, you’re not one of those people, are you?”

Vax didn’t go as rigid and dangerous as he’d had at the elf thing, but it was close.

“What kind of people?”

“You know, the morons who think that holding hands with a dude is somehow gonna knock points off their manly man card. Or manly half-elf, as it were.”

Something flashed over Vax’s face too quickly for Scanlan to interpret and he let out a strangled laugh.

“I have held hands with a man before, Scanlan.”

“Oh, good.”

“Many not as many times as you must have, but my manly half-elf card has seen some good use in its time.”

Scanlan grinned at the insinuation. “All right.”

In practice, the mechanics of efficient half-elf/gnome hand-holding took some time to figure out, due to Vax’s hand being approximately a third larger than Scanlan’s. In the end, Scanlan wrapped his whole hand around the three last fingers of Vax’s, and off they went, Vax making an effort to walk in Scanlan’s footsteps and Scanlan purposely slowing down his pace.

Once they had set a good rhythm Scanlan looked up at Vax.

“Just to be clear, you’re saying you’re into guys, right?”

Vax snorted.

“I’m a lot less picky than that. It’s pretty much fifty-fifty for me. Opposite gender and all the rest. I just don’t like to make it as obvious as you.”

Opposite gender I had figured, thought Scanlan, the way you fumble like a schoolboy when Keyleth has her special beaming Oh hey, Vax smile on.

But – in a very wise move, he thought – he made no such comment out loud. “Hey, when you want it you gotta flaunt it.”

“Not sure that’s how the saying goes.”

“You know what I mean. How’s the other person supposed to guess you’re into them if you don’t show it?” Scanlan paused. “Did people give you a hard time about it growing up or something?”

He felt Vax’s fingers twitch slightly. Boy, the guy needed to learn how not to display his emotions on his freaking sleeve like that. It was liable to get him fleeced at cards, for one thing.

“Well… not exactly? It’s like… Vex and I being half-elves was bad enough that it overshadowed everything else. Compared to that, I didn’t come across that many people who gave a damn about who I took to bed.”

“…But?”

“But there were a few, yeah.”

Scanlan shook his head.

“Man, that’s so weird. Imagine caring what’s in people’s pants. Or giving other people shit about things like that.”

“I know,” said Vax forcefully with – if Scanlan was starting to know him at all – a scathing eye roll. “I mean, hot is hot, right?”

“Exactly. People have weird hang-ups, man.”

“They sure do.”

And maybe smiling like a couple of idiots did nothing in the long run to help them find their way back to sunlight, but it didn’t exactly not help, either.

_

My boys 🥰 They'll get there eventually ^^

The "elf thing" is Scanlan mistakenly (innocently) referring to Vax earlier as an elf and Vax correcting him immediately in a way that makes it obvious even to Scanlan that it's Important. Hence the quick self-correction. I'm 15k words into the story and I really really hope I can finish it! 🤞

[recycledraccoon]

I think my thoughts on the penultimate episode can be summoned up as disappointment over a potential we didn't get to see, and why that's ok. (This got long, 1.4k oops lol)

Am I a fan of The Rat Grinders? ABSOLUTELY. I think I started liking them even more when they were full-on confirmed villains. As fan's of the edited show, watching with a week between each episode to theorize and think, I loved seeing and theorizing over these 6 fucked up kids. We know Kipperlily prior to the second half of sophomore year, while she obviously still had her anger and jealousy over TBK's it wasn't ENTIRELY unjustified and completely out of control (although some aspects were utterly and absolutely unfounded and ridiculous). Jawbones file mentions her language being "I think Aguefort likes them more", "The school takes it easy on them", and "Half of them don't even go to classes." All of these are true things people in this world would notice. It's not until AFTER their Mountain of Chaos chaperoned trip, at the end of the year, that KLCK switches to "I hate them." The Bad Kids further briefly discuss if Jace would have asked Jawbone/looked for "students with rage disorders." I think specifically mention it being a disorder is important. Acknowledging its there, KLCK WAS trying to get help for an issue she had. They didn't talk to Jawbone about it, but did decide Jace must have given he went on that quest with TRG's. They further briefly talk about students getting randomly mad, and yes they specifically joked about Fabian shitting in class, but WE also remember the Soil club student getting so mad after having gotten that tainted soil. With the 30 Riz rolled, Jawbone's file ALSO specifically talks about Kipperlily loving her adventuring party. We know things weren't perfect, its obvious from when talking about their name change, but its still there and canon. Kipperlily loved her adventuring party. This is all just Kipperlily, mostly with our information from the first part of ep.16. It is not touching on the rest of the members, especially Ruben and his dreamscape we saw, or of his distinct 180 musical tastes POST Sophomore Year Spring Break. The implications of something happening to them during that time is pretty evident and acknowledged. So we're fans, watching a show, spending so much time thinking about not only our infamous protagonists, but also our villains. Many of us adults, getting older, thinking on the tragedy befalling kids and feeling empathy. So yeah. It's a disappointment over an unseen potential. Specifically tho? Its the potential we could have gotten on The Rat Grinder's thoughts and motivations that could have been revealed through dialogue. Dialogue that we got very little of in what could be considered a significant exchange of dialogue and not bits. I always have high narrative expectations from this show, due to its long standing history of SETTING those standards each and every season. This one episode just fell short emotionally while watching, comparatively.

AND THAT'S OK AND ABSOLUTELY NOT THE BAD KIDS/INTREPID HEROES FAULT

On the narrative side of things, The Bad Kids have had an incredibly stressful past 3 years. From day one, they have been involved in life or death stakes situations. It's always been do or die, and they've died, sometimes more than once. They've lost people and faced traumas that go often unaddressed. TBK's ENTIRE highschool experiences have been a revolving door of violence and unhinged situations. They've also always kinda been assholes, insular and more than a little mean especially to those pegged as enemies. We know them, know they have good hearts and intentions, and love and side with them constantly throughout because The Bad Kid's are our heroes. They are still teenage assholes sometimes, but that is something we love and forgive them for. The thing about this recent battle is that they are very used to the situation they are in by now. TBK's have to prioritize, move fast and hard, and get a job done so countless people don't die while something evil rises in their world. Emotions have been high for them all season, rage especially which is absolutely unsurprising on multiple fronts, and it's absolutely showing in what few dialogue exchanges we have. The Bad Kid's entered that gym for the singular purpose of stopping the situation, saving lives, and making sure something evil didn't arise to power in their fucked up world. Nothing new. They hid, already knowing where the final confrontation was going to be FORCED to happen in due to the nature of the ritual, and prepped. On point and smart of them. Then they entered the battlefield, very quickly getting to business. They know their skills, their friends and how to work together as a devastatingly effective team making heavy hits and masterfully controlling a battlefield despite the chaos. This is what The Bad Kid's Do. They got Ivy and Oisin out of combat as fast as possible, Oisin didn't even get a turn. They took out a high-damage long range attacker and the enemy wizard. They know how powerful and important Adaine is on the field, and they knew Oisin would have been the same. They crippled the enemy with the slow spell, effectively taking Mary Ann out of the running until it gets dispelled later on. Fig saw Ruben's high damage level 9 spell and dropped her ploy to get him out of combat as soon as she could. It was too dangerous to have him up, and while the hell bit was uncomfortable in the moment, it is absolutely on brand. This is what they have to do, if they want to stop Porter, who is our real main big-bad. Remove as many obstacles from the battle so more of them can focus on the fight that really matters.

This combat wasn't ever gonna go any other way, unless the dice gods decided otherwise.

This is what The Bad Kid's Do. In regards to the IH's, it is VERY important to acknowledge that while I've mentioned having high narrative expectations, this is still primarily an improve comedy show around a group of real people's DnD game. It's also a show they have a tight filming schedule for, with back to back days and long hours which we KNOW from the talk-backs leave them very tired. Like any tv show they also have a limit on how many episodes per season they can even produce. I think it was a real and genuine benefit to Sophomore year that they were doing it live, because it gave more time between sessions for the IH's to mull over information and whats been happening in-game. This is also a very well developed campaign world they haven't played in several years, which I certainly know would effect me in how I played. We still have one more episode, the Finale, and so much always happens there. I have incredible faith in Brennan as a DM and storyteller, for all that his players have a huge say in how any story he tells unfolds. There is a VERY real chance that what happens in the finale completely changes my mind on episode 19, and I will go back to rewatch with absolute glee because I know of the coming emotional catharsis in relation to The Rat Grinders. There is also a very real chance we don't get that in the way we want it, but that will be ok too. I will still love this season, rewatch it and laugh and have fun. The best part of having a fandom, is watching us take canon apart to fuel endless au's, fix-it's, character studies, ect. Taking crumbs and going wild with it is par the course, especially when something in a show has left us wanting in the moment of watching it. I think more than anything, I would be and am more upset from infighting and genuine anger directed to each other and especially towards our Intrepid Heroes. It is not wrong to be upset with an episode of a show, but it is to take those feelings out on others, be in in defense from Rat Grinder's fans or justification from Rat Grinder haters. So yes! I was disappointed with this particular episode emotionally. I still think it was funny, I think the combat was brilliant and fun to watch. I still love this show and this cast, and could never dream of being mad at them for how they played a game, and for the fun they were finding within the act of playing it as the well-known unhinged improv comedians we know and love.

I'm excited for next week, buuut I am absolutely consuming fan-content to help deal with my emotions, both the highs and lows.

[lxh-arts]

Happy New Year～～*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡

[cloudofsalt]

happy wstw!!

[beannary]

caught orange red handed

[artnerd1123]

decided to do an exercise where i draw characters' expressions based on lines of dialogue i've written!!! i had a LOT of fun doing this with the dice, it's really helped me get a good handle on my designs nd their facial expressions/body language :D

[mortellanarts]

2023 go bye bye

[sack-thing]

It's International Women's Day and I doodled my four main girls + Fiona and Cyl Ehna. Those two will show up (again) during the third year of my caravanner's adventures~

Look I'm always sad that I can't draw a facial expression when I draw Weylin, so no helmet this time because she's cool like this too.

Cyl Ehna (the Selkie at the bottom) was designed by my friend Himmel. Oh and I looked for a reference for a group of chibis.

[kaiowut99]

Little thing I noticed while prepping stuff for finalizing my GX 106 and 107 subs--this is in 107's preview for 108:

In the preview, Kenzan seems to be more chill about Johan coming up to him about his cards, but sometime between staff finishing production on 107 and working on 108, he's made to look more taken aback by it when the scene comes up in 108 proper. In particular, for the one line with three screenshots, the left shot from the preview is held for four frames as Kenzan quizzingly but calmly turns to Johan; in the episode proper, they split those four frames into two with Kenzan jumping as he turns to face him. Kinda curious why they made the change, lol.

Same kinda happens with Shou later on in the preview (earlier in 108 proper) as he's confronted by O'Brien, too:

The scene starts the same in the first two screenshot lines, but as Shou slowly backs away, he's drawn to look more surprised at O'Brien's approach in the preview and more scared in the episode proper. Although, that one can be chalked up to making his face there lead into his face in the next shot better, so it does make sense:

Always just kind of interesting when these little changes happen after an episode preview, haha.

[withacapitalp]

Hehehe sappy New Years post today bc yesterday did not go the way I expected. It’s still the new year day!!!

But God I do not know how to explain 2022. 

My favorite word is dichotomy. For a lot of reasons, but also because I feel like it describes my life a lot. Because 2022 was the best and worst year of my life so far. I got to teach the most amazing group of children I have ever met, and did well enough that they’re personally asking me to come back and teach there, I wrote my thesis, worked three jobs, managed to graduate on time with a double major no one had ever attempted at my college, all the while interning and volunteering on the side and going to conferences to speak about my research. 

And the entire time- as I genuinely, honestly, loved every minute- I was spiraling inside. 

It was so bizarre to me, all of the bad stuff was over, everything should have been good. Only the most amazing things were coming my way, things most people dream about getting in their lives, and I was so upset I couldn’t breathe some days. In my criminally logical brain I couldn’t understand why I was fine through everything bad, but now that things were good I really wasn’t okay. 

That’s the thing. When you’ve lived in survival mode for fifteen of the twenty one years of your life, you don’t realize the crash that comes from finally escaping the thing that was trying to kill you. I’d spent so long just getting by, that I had no idea how to live now that I had the chance. I was trying, and doing pretty well, but it just felt so…broken for lack of a better term. 

But I kept with it. I loved when I could, and I healed whatever was possible to heal.

Which brings me to August, which brings me to Stranger Things, which brings me to one of the most amazing groups of people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Friends, Confidants, Creators, Inventors…Everything. Not only did I get a reinvigorated love for my writing, but I also got just the most lovely people in the whole world. At the risk of being too sappy, something that is more valuable to me than even my writing. People who slid into my life like they had always meant to be there, who understood me in ways I never expected to be understood. 

I don’t know how to explain the absolute insanity for me of jumping into a server, having them all be on talking so fast my head was spinning, mildly considering just running for the hills bc how was I going to fit into a group that was already working so well together??, then saying fuck it and just giving them me exactly as I was, only to find they actually really liked that person, and I found that I did too. 

Love is a weird concept for a lot of people, they think it has to be something deep and sacred. I just think it’s a gut instinct kind of pull, if it's deep, it's deep, if it isn't, it's still valid and true, and I haven’t met a person in this fandom who hasn’t had that same kind of pull for me. 

From the people I’ve talked to once, to the ones I talk to every day, to the ones I don’t talk to at all who just hang out in my notes and sometimes leave tags on their reblogs (Yes I see you! I know you all by name and I get excited when I see its you in my notifications). From the people who comment on all my stories, to the ones who I see every day on my daily drabbles….I dunno it’s just really interesting to feel valued and not immediately want to shy away from that. 

My New Years resolution as always is to be more in connection with people so! If you’ve ever had the urge to talk to me pls don’t hesitate to reach out. I generally dont bite, and I tend to be an okay person haha! 

Anyway my sappy post has gotten as sappy and indulgent as I should let it be. Suffice to say that messed up kid I was in January, the one who had no clue what was coming and was afraid to hope for better, well he was finally able to let down his guard a little, and look what the universe had planned! I hate to say it, because it feels like a jinx, but I think ’23 is gonna be our year :D I'm knocking on wood aggressively as I type this, so hopefully that's enough

Tagging my mutuals/people who always make me so happy to see bc hey we all are and if y’all are being mushy I will also get to be mushy. I am sorry if I didn’t tag you it is not a ‘I don’t care’ and more a ‘I got five hours of sleep after being at the hospital for literally the entire night’ Love you guys!!!! 

 @stevethehairington @henderdads @thefreakandthehair @strawberryspence @gothbat99 @steddieassheg0es @riality-check @hexmionegranger @reindeerrobin @rougenancy @eddieunbanished @bonitabreezy @horsegirleddiemunson @maxinemaxmayfield @ruthofrhythm @willowworkswithwords @h0n3y-dw @marshmellowpaint @silverysnake @lizisodd @thelastwalkingsoul @aringofsalt @babyboyargyle @flowercrowngods @manda-panda-monium 

[sunny-makes-doodles]

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH GUYS DRAGON BALL IS STILL RUNNING RAMPANT IN MY HEAD

i recently got xenoverse 2 and all the dlc with it and played that bitch through like three times oh my god that game is wonderful. (i made what my and my friends joke is “dollar store shallot” since the hair doesn’t work lol) ((also via that obviously the legends trio is part of the time patrol duhhhhh))

fu shot up the list of my fav characters so fast its never been done before i was so shocked

(outside of the first image here) i only ever write/draw xv2 fu and hes like basically friends with the time patrol given how they treat him now LMAOO

anyway! i hope everyone has a wonderful pride month! i’ll try not to disappear for months on end haha

[miabrown007]

a minute of silence to my skills to estimate how long a project is ever going to take

[larabar]

art summary !! its been a year also heres the template i made if you wanna use it v

^ edit it however you like i just kinda made it in 5 minutes you dont need to credit me go wild

[yououghtaknow]

ben platt was so right when he said (to paraphrase) your heart can break so much that it breaks open and lets love in. that's 2023 to me baby.

[sakebytheriver]

One time a like 30 year old hotshot fic writer left a super passive-aggressive comment on one of my fics that it was out of character when I was like 14 and I have taken that shit with me personally for years

[lllfated]