#like the sun in homestuck especially

[weirdmageddon]

ok prev this is a huge part of why i love homestuck

aside from hussie’s use of platonic forms to construct the world which i think overlays everything basically

It's an approach that resonates with the rest of Homestuck's governing principles involving simple platonic concepts giving rise to greater complexity and chaos

there’s so much thematics and symbolism and symmetry that it’s so like, logically aesthetically pleasing to my brain. you could make a college course on homestuck’s integration of archetypes and typological symmetry (card suits, chess, DNA nucleotides ACGT, western zodiac, alchemy/elementals, the god tier classes and roles). lots of stuff that comes in pairs and even numbers, products of 2 so they can always be divided into halves. everything is symmetrical i swear the structure is so satisfying. it’s quite frankly impossible list it all since some of them encompass other elements within themselves, its like a fucking fractal of duality and 90 degree angle quartets of symbols

is there a name for this kind of symbolic symmetrical dichotomy elements….but not even “dichotomy” is necessarily correct since it often comes in a tetrachotomy too. twos, fours, eights, twelves, sixteens. and always mathematically relating to each other like folding over paper more than once and counting the folds on a single sheet of paper. folded in half once there’s two sides of the single paper. folded again the other way there’s four quarters of a single paper made by two halves (the halving folds themselves split the paper into two sides and there’s two of those folds). though that’s exponential the metaphor still applies

it’s definitely both mathematical and philosophical in nature. four seasons, four temperaments, four classical elements. its present in a lot of philosophy most prominently the yinyang concept and some jungian stuff has it too. like socionics model A also does that logically symmetrical structural relationships shit that i love. its sooo my jam i love you logical patterns and relationships i love you symbolism

idk what im saying or if there’s a term for this im just rambling. if you know what im saying or know of a term for this regarding what im getting at please tell me. im just spitballin whats im rotating in my mind but cant find the words for. fuck i need to talk about this. im not even really trying to make a point about these im just pointing them out

[dragonboyteeth]

Hey, Rose! How was the light at the center of the universe? The blinding light of creation looked fun. Was it fun?

[nintendont2502]

I think the alpha/beta kids + trolls should just be absolutely *covered* in scars. Like fucking head to toe - have you seen the shit they went through? You can't tell me that wouldn't leave a mark

(Also smth smth the damage from sburb (both physically and mentally) very clearly distinguishing the players as Different and Other and Damaged compared to everyone else on Earth C. Scars as a representation (and result of) trauma that a vast majority of your world could never understand)

[mcbeetlebeeb]

I'm currently getting into a fandom that isn't homestuck, but I can't turn down a request :3

these will still be headcannons and- uhrm- yea

Gamzee Makara

He is, talking about some mystical shit dude

I think hed appreciate someone who just listens too him blabber

don't ask me why but he'd like to naw on you

not full fledged biting a chunk out of you

I think he's too aware of how sharp his teeth are to go biting down that hard, but yknow

nipping at you gently, but not before he was smothering you in sloppy clown kisses

this is real specific but I think hed have the type of eyes that you can't seem to keep eye contact with

he's just so much taller and just has this lopsided shiteating grin, that shows most of his sharp ass teeth

I'd like to think his eyes are always that half lidded gaze, especially when it's at you

but no intent behind the looks he gives, fuck- probably no thoughts either

lights on no one home

don't get me wrong, he's not dumb,

in the simplest sense hes a big ol airhead

yknow a dingbat, a bit of a scatterbrain

but he's not like- vegetable for a brain dumb as hell

and thats another thing, it's definitely really convincing to probably think that he's yknow, not all there

but it throws you off gaurd x2 when he'd get all close and murmur and mumble certain things too you

he looked like he had a maximum of 3 thoughts floating around in his brain

but here he is, mumbling in a low almost gravely tone, right by your ear

I love to think he's one of those tall people to rest his arm playfully on your head if your shorter, which you most likely are-

can't recall if I mentioned the last time sense I have a rubber ducky keeping track of my memory

but I think hed be cold all the time

not like, bothersomely fridged

but enough to make you shiver and squirm if he were to press his hand to your skin, noticeable enough for you to verbally go "Damn-"

also!! I think hed be a huge sucker for you just holding his face with your hands, letting him relax against you, eyes shut

still grinning a bit and letting that low rumbling purr come from him

and this also means playing with his hair,

pet him damn it he demands it

no, not really more like laying and being in your space, following you round until you pay attention properly too him

sense most trolls can't- yknow- go out in the middle of the day because of their intense asf sun, trolls are nocturnal

so like if you ever took a photo with him with flash his eyes would do that reflective thing that cats have

or for another example, yknow how in the dark the first thing you spot about your black cat is its eyes?

yeah that

like I said in the other headcannon thingy, he's just always lurking and looming, he likes knowing what your doing even if he's not involved

and this comes with him trailing around you like a dog that sees you have food and knows you'll give it too them at some point

wether it be from afar or close, don't assume he's not close by, him being a purple blood im sure he's well aware of how violent trolls can be,

but with you around! oh he can't let you wonder off too far- Alternia's atmosphere is dangerous and the fauna is even more dangerous-

so don't expect to go very far without him trailing behind you

but he'd understand if you explained too him you wanted time too yourself or with somebody else one on one

I dont think hed be a jealous person, maybe a lil possessive! but he's not overbearing with it

he just wants you safe and content, and he wants you too feel that way around him

have a song I think fits his uh? vibe towards? significant other? because 🎉

Dave Strider

mm have I said he's a genuinely a big goof?

but I think that'd be something someone gets right off the bat

maybe

if you can pick up on someone trailing off on tangents of meaningless words that can go on and on without someone actually ever responding

than it's pretty visable

I think itd be pretty adorable though (I know I'm gay, whatever)

like if he were to start talking about something, anything, and you gave a simple short response, he's gonna take that and run with it

especially if he likes you

I think hed definitely be one too stare

but how could you tell? he's always wearing those shades

probably a good reason why he wears them other than ironic purposes

so no one sees what or where or in this case who he's lookin at

constantly staring though, wether it's you having a conversation with you or, you doing something random he's just watching

no actual thoughts id like to say

just observing

watching you be you, do your own natural thing, picking up on the way you talk or gesture at stuff

I cannot urge this enough but I still firmly believe physical touch would be a very special thing too him

it's not impossible or looked down upon too be able to hold his hand or lean against him

but he'd be mentally noting each touch, each expression you make, listening intently too your tone, hoping your doing the same

but with these actions he'd be straight faced as always, but he can feel his hands tremble ever so slightly, he recognizes his heart beat picking up

unfamiliar with these feelings with how they're being presented yknow?

most times he ever feels this way he's in danger

but he knows he couldn't be safer right now, like he wants to believe that, it's not hard for him to believe it

but his body is just hardwired to tense up, clench his jaw and steady the shakey breathing

but being patient and respectful would melt those feelings away really easy I'd like too think

just sitting there and slowly showing affection, brushing thumbs against his knuckles, tracing over fingers

you focus on his hand, flipping it over and thumbing at his vaguely sweaty palm, hand still shaking faintly in your gentle grasp

he'd just stare at you, in disbelief and adoration, and realization that he doesnt need to be poker faced round you

that he doesnt need to put up a front to protect himself, the squishy parts of him he learned to shove away to get along with life

a big sigh of relief to say the least,

but once he realizes he doesn't need to be someone else for you, he can just be him, no expectations or demands, he can rely on someone else for once

you ain't ever gettin rid of him after that, he's not clingy but he's no longer keeping you at arms length, not now, not ever again

AND HE GETS MUSIC THING because he is my favorite right next too the crab man <3

author note: I feel this sucked a big booty buttload but I was already half way done with it when I dubbed it that, so have this anyway!!!

[classpecting-the-hoyoverse]

Veritas Ratio: The Rogue of Light

Rogue: The passive stealing class

One who steals aspect for others

Alternatively, one who shares or one who redistributes aspect with others

Light

Abstract: Knowledge, Awareness, Attention, Relevance, Fortune, Luck

Literal: Actual Light (Brightness), Vision, Eyes, the Sun, Stars

This is gonna become a series isn't it?

It is. Now let's get going on discussing everyone's favorite interstellar scholar: Dr. Veritas Ratio!!

Let's get the obvious out of the way: His aspect.

Light is more commonly known as the aspect of knowledge. But instead of talking about he’s light-bound personality wise, why don’t we shake things up a bit? We know that he's a smart and knowledgeable man, but what more can his aspect offer for us aside from that?

To fit with Ratio's Greco-Roman theming, I'll briefly discuss the World of Ideas in Plato's allegory of the Cave.

Forgive me to if I do get the allegory wrong and please feel free to correct me!

The gist of this is that ordinary people are like prisoners chained to a cave, only able to perceive reality through shadow puppets and the distorted noises that bounce off the cave walls. These prisoners were born in the cave and had been raised in the cave, not knowing anything else outside of it; ignorance. It's only when they break out of their chains do these prisoners start their path to enlightenment and they achieve it so once they see the bright sun outside of their cave; the World of Ideas.

Ratio seeks to break everyone from the chains of ignorance and guide them towards enlightenment through spreading his knowledge throughout the universe.

Ratio is the man who would forcefully break the prisoners' chains and nudge them towards the light, as much as he could anyways.

And for one specific character, he hopes it is enough.

We'll get back to him later! Next I want to talk about is Ratio and his connection to Christian Gnosticism, which likely had served as inspiration for the concept of the Light aspect in Homestuck. I will be borrowing ideas from one of optimisticDualist's essays so I highly recommend giving it a quick read before continuing onward.

According to Gnostic myth, the world was created through the desires of an aeon named Sophia, an Emanator of light. I should also note that the Greek word for wisdom is Σοφία.

Sophia longed to understand God in His entirety, but in doing so she committed treason and was thus cast out of heaven. Her desire gave birth to Yaldabaoth: a blind, violent, and ignorant god who knew nothing but himself. He created the material world that you and I perceive, shielded from the light of Sophia that birthed him. Because a blind god made the world in his image, the denizens of his earth are also blind to Sophia.

So what do banished gods have to do with the purple guy?

Well, just like Archimedes and screws, things come back around. In order to save yourself from Yaldabaoth’s world, one must be delivered a certain knowledge that is delivered by a “messenger of light” and thus gain the ability to perceive Sophia and her World of Ideas.

In other words, salvation can be sought in what Gnosticism calls a gnosis.

However, one cannot just simply be gifted a gnosis. Those who seek Sophia’s salvation must be driven to reach it, reach beyond the Demiurge’s dark and imprisoning world and into the intangible, bright world above.

Doesn’t that sound familiar?

By Gnostic definition, Ratio should be an Emanator of wisdom, helping curing others of ignorance and helping them on their way towards enlightenment. Hell, you can even say that he's a sylph with all the constant allusions to healing and helping, especially since that Ratio's a Doctor.

However, we all know that this isn't true. Within Ratio's character stories, it can be inferred that his one goal in life is to become an Emanator of the Erudition. His arduous pursuit of knowledge was likely all in hopes in attracting Nous' gaze.

Yet, despite all his efforts, Ratio was never spared a glance

Dr. Ratio is a model Emanator of wisdom by Gnostic standards, yet within his own universe his Aeon of Erudition does not acknowledge him. No matter how hard he tries, he will never reach the status of a member of the Genius society, almost as if he wasn't destined to be a part of it.

Let’s talk about his class: The rogue.

Rogues in Homestuck are the outcasts of their societies. They're loners, isolated, unable to fit in with the groups they want to identify in.

Rogue of Heart Nepeta Leijon lives alone in Alternia's wilderness far from troll society with her lusus as her only companion that is physically close to her.

She's been explicitly described as lonely, creating comics and ships of herself and her friends in order to mitigate her feelings of isolation from other trolls:

Then there's Rogue of Void Roxy Lalonde, who for her first 16 years of life was the only human within her town of carapaces, whom she provides food for. The only other human in her post-apocalyptic world is more than 1700 miles away.

Being a Void-Bound, her isolation is very much apparent, but her loneliness reaches its apex during her bad end in her Pesterquest route. Drinking herself to a stupor as the undeserving consequences of seeing her mother just once consumes her.

And then Rogue of Breath Rufioh Nitram, who was seen as a mutant for his wings and thus was avoided by his fellow trolls, which took a blow on his self-esteem.

Rogues also struggle with a surplus of their aspect and trying to cope up with that extra while it consumes them. Nepeta taking on the personas of other people through roleplaying, as well as her cave walls being covered in shipping grids. Rufioh living a literally directionless grubhood as travels with a nomadic group called the Lost Weaboos, not to mention his wings, a symbol of freedom, being the cause of why he views himself so lowly. And then there's Roxy, who feels so alone in the carapacian bastion that she fills that void with insobriety, befuddling her mind.

So what does this have to say about Dr. Ratio? All three rogues here have exhibited some type of self-worth issues and a desire to connect with others, but due to being so engulfed by their aspect, it hinders them from reaching that goal...

What if tiny Ratio exhibited such intellect at such a young age that throughout his childhood, he was told that he would be a great scholar growing up? Maybe his genius would earn him a spot within the Genius Society. He was even admitted into a university during his adolescent years.

As that is impressive as that sounds, can you imagine how isolating that can be for a child? Ratio, the only kid in class with his classmates years above him, talking about things outside of academia that he's too young to understand. Meanwhile Ratio likely doesn't interact with those his age as they couldn't provide anything to stimulate his brain. It could also be vice-versa too: Ratio trying to talk to them about topics far beyond their comprehension and they just start to distance themselves from him, unable to understand him, making an outcast out of him.

His intelligence and genius isolates him from making any genuine friendships during his formal years of life. At least, any that we know of before 2.1.

This loneliness does seem to follow him well into his adulthood as well: Becoming a celebrity comes with its own flavor of isolation: being surrounded by the limelight yet no one will truly understand you.

And let's not forget about his ambitions to become an Emanator of the Erudition, to become a member of the Genius Society, which he fell short of...

...something that he holds quite close to his chest, a betrayal of his self-perceived character. He became yet, once again, an outcast.

Another thing, I want you guys to got to Ratio's wiki real quick and see how many characters mention him.

How many people do you think were close to Ratio?

Within the team selection menu of Star Rail, Ratio has lines for when he's added to a team with Ruan Mei and Herta, yet the reverse isn't true. Both Genius scholars say nothing when added to a team with Ratio already in it, almost as if they don't acknowledge him.

There is, however, only one character who says something when added to a team with the Mundanite already in it.

Can you guess who it is?

But, as for all classes, their lives aren't meant to be miserable forever. A Rogue must find a way to overcome this loneliness; piecing through the walls of their confines made of their aspect. Instead of just keeping all their aspect for themselves like their Thief counterpart, Rogues find fulfillment through sharing their aspect, often by taking it from one source and distributing it to others. Or in some cases, exchanging something else in order to hand out.

And after all this, I dare say that Ratio joining the Genius Society would be the worst mistake he'd ever make. Stay with me, I have my reasons:

Though we never got to see much of Nepeta in action, we know that she distributes Heart through her shipping chart, arranging couples, distributing aspects of their personalities to see who would go together the best.

The amount of thought that she puts into her ships puts a Sylph of the same aspect like me to shame!

I digress.

In exchange of bringing attention to the Watterbitch that's about to destroy their game, Roxy was able to obscure the progression of her session from prying eyes, covering it in a blanket of blankness in order to keep Batterwitch from knowing what they're up to.

And then for Rufioh, his Alternian counterpart The Summoner lead a rebellion against the Condecse, using his wings to guide his fellow trolls towards freedom.

And even after his defeat, his tale lives on as Pupa Pan. While the tale of his rebellious predecessor the Signless is silenced and therefore lost to obscurity, the Summoner's story lives on, allowing the idea of freedom to flow into the mind of young trolls.

Dr. Ratio's entire character is dedicated to making education accessible for all. Though some of this does end up into his desire to cure people of idiocy, Ratio does truly believe that everyone should get a chance to attain knowledge. I'd even say that his ambition is the reason why he became a professor!

Ratio would dedicate his life towards his goal towards sharing knowledge, even if it meant forsaking Nous' attention in exchange.

His path also affirms this drive. One would expect that someone as knowledgeable as him would be following the path of Erudition, but instead Ratio follows the Hunt.

Ratio's determination to educate, his determination to spread light across the universe manifested into the path he follows. Even if he's never accepted by the Genius Society, he won't let that hinder him or dampen his drive. Ratio just simply strides forward.

The people who make up Nous' faction are described as researchers that rarely interact with each other, and even rarer are the people who are willing to share their research. Ratio would have never found fulfillment in being a member of the Genius Society, I'm almost certain that by joining it he would just be seeking out more and more knowledge, more and more light, becoming more and more isolated.

And one more thing: Rogues are fond of those who manage to get close to them. They appreciate their company and are incredibly dear to them.

For Nepeta, she has Equius.

For Roxy, she has Calliope.

Rufioh had Damara and the Summoner had the Marquise.

So who does Ratio have?

Even outside of a shipping lens, Aventurine is a very important person to Ratio. The 2.1 Penacony story quest demonstrated how much in tandem these two can be together; how much they trusted each other to pull off this huge gamble and draw attention to the death happening in the Planet of Dreams and Festivites. Luck and Knowledge, they both work in perfect harmony.

Aventurine calls him his equal during his episode in “Keeping Up with Star Rail”, claiming that Ratio’s the only one who can understand him.

Ratio and Aventurine must have something closer than just mutual respect however. Before Aventurine goes off into his grandiose self-annihilation, he checks up on him. He risks breaking their façade of disgruntled-coworkers-at-best just to make sure Aventurine can continue on.

Ratio does care for the Stoneheart. So much so that he imparts luck to quite literally the luckiest man alive in hopes that his advice will carry him out of the darkness that he’s in and back into the light. Bringing him out of the blinding Nihility and back into the World of Ideas, back into reality.

And it makes this note all the more important when Aventurine accepts Ratio’s advice, accepting his light when most would brush it off.

Ratio is a bright person, yet most cannot see past his luminosity and at the same time, he can’t shine bright enough to attract those he aspires to be. To remedy this, the Rogue of Light distributes his lights to others who needs it. He wants to cure those inflicted with ignorance and guide them towards enlightenment.

Knowledge for knowledge’s sake is not his Ratio rolls. His altruism may go against what the Genius Society believes in, but he wouldn’t change his ideals for anyone, steadfast in his determination to cure idiocy.

[1mlostnow]

𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠!

Hello! I’m Evan and this is my intro post (the third one, I redo them a lot).

[spotify] [poetry insta] [wall of text] [tone tag list]

I’m a guy, I use he/him, and I’m queer :3

I am a minor!!! Anyone can interact but I’d prefer that if you’re 18+ you don’t do asks or DM me.

EvanRadio : @evan-radio - Tune in!! ★

Writing and poetry : @1mfoundnow

House MD ask blog (Stevie) : @head-of-forensics

House MD ask blog (Gabi) : @plastic-surgeon-gabi

•☆•

•☆•

•☆•

Some basic information ⇨

Blue text is primary information or things I’d like to bring attention to, highlighted headers refer to the entire section (ie : My Resume)

I absolutely love nicknames, you can call me Ev or something completely different.

Obviously no discrimination of any kind, cringe culture is dead and I’d love to learn more about anything you know about.

Please please please interact. Feel free to do asks do anons reply to my posts, anything really. For the most part I’d prefer if you didn’t DM me just because those situations tend to be uncomfortable for me, but if you really want to, go ahead

ALSO I don’t get out a lot and I love interacting with people :))

If you wanna read any of my writing/poetry, it’s posted on my IG which is the same as my tumblr :333

I love my mutuals to death and I mean it when I say you’re my friends ♡︎

I do appreciate it if you could use tone indicators with me, but you don’t have to!

Uhh some assorted facts -> mbti : intj-t, I’m a Leo (idk the sun and moon stuff), I’m from America, more specifically the Midwest (CDT time zone)

Typically online from 8AM-1AM CDT but this fluctuates and will change soon.

My Resume ⇨

★ CEO of Losers Inc.

★ Weird kid since day 1

★ I’m a professional ghostbuster

★ Supervillain (for the outfits)

★ Midwestern Cowboy (fun, not cop)

★ OG test subject (I was in a jar with sticks and leaves and a few holes in the lid)

EvanRadio Tunes ⇨

AJJ, Arctic Monkeys, boygenius, Bright Eyes, Bug Hunter, Cage The Elephant, Car Seat Headrest, Crywank, David Bowie, girl in red, Gorillaz, Green Day, Hospital Bracelet, ICP, Lemon Demon, Lord Huron, Los Campesinos!, Modern Baseball, MCR, Pat The Bunny, Radiohead, Rex Orange County, Ricky Montgomery, Tally Hall, Tame Impala, TFB, The Lumineers, The Neighborhood, The Smiths, The Velvet Underground, TV Girl, Vundabar, Weezer, Will Wood, Will Wood and The Tapeworms, Wingnut Dishwashers Union, and more.

A Guide To Tags ⇨

#evan speaks -> I am very chatty. I love to talk. One day I’ll drop the 50 random drafts // #evan rants -> I love to talk about things that upset me. This will often be politics but it varies // #evan draws -> my art!! I draw and do digital art // #evan writes -> self explanatory, I write some stuff. I post it on my ig too if you wanna see that, it’s the same as my tumblr // #evan can’t vote -> strictly for politics, I am a minor but i encourage everyone to vote if they can // #i love my mutuals -> I love my mutuals :3

Hobbies ⇨

★ I occasionally crochet

★ I love to read and write

★ I play the alto sax in marching band

★ I love art

★ Music <333

Shows and movies ⇨

Supernatural, Sherlock, House MD, Dead Poets Society, My Babysitters A Vampire, Ghostbusters, Velvet Goldmine, The Truman Show, Goonies, Stand By Me, Scooby Doo, Homestuck, Hannibal, Saw, Good Omens, IT 2017, Over The Garden Wall, and more.

Kinnie List ⇨

★ Sherlock Holmes -> Sherlock

★ Castiel -> Supernatural

★ Steven Meeks -> DPS

★ Richie Tozier -> IT 2017

★ Teddy Duchamp -> Stand By Me

★ Truman Burbank -> The Truman Show

★ Egon Spengler -> Ghostbusters

★ Rory Keaner -> MBAV

Primary Fandoms ⇨

Supernatural, DPS, Sherlock, Homestuck, House MD, Ghostbusters

Some other facts ⇨

- I love my car #TOMATER supremacy

- I like to do little drawings sometimes, especially of my mutuals

- Once again I love my mutuals so much

- Richard Cameron Defender for life

- I change my blog theme frequently

- I have adhd

- if u ever draw anything for me I’ll love u forever

- THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (6x20) IS THE BEST SPN EPISODE AND YOU CAN FIGHT ME ON IT

- I have a tendency to see notifs and forget to reply so if that happens just @ me, I promise I’m not ignoring you

Drawings from ping!! ⇧

Drawings from me ⇩

A note ⇨

Intro post will likely be edited often as well :))

Dead Poets Society ⇨

@pingunaa @ghostboyhood @wordssricochet @meekspeaks @lv3buzzz @yourfavvgal @poetsinnyc @apparitiongnostic @asclexe @lefthandedspaghetti @midwest-quill @notcatseatheadrest @wilsons-three-legged-siamese @de4d-poet-kisser @alightelixe

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐨𝐧, 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.

[wondermacaroni]

Happy 4/13!! Since I’ve been posting group doodles lately, it was obligatory that we draw something to celebrate. Mine is in green (except for the shading, lol). Some thoughts on my history with Homestuck and my reread of the comic with friends are under the cut.

I’ll say preemptively, forgive me if the paragraph spacing is wonky. I don’t post a lot of big text posts, if any at all, so I have no idea if this will show up in a bearable to read format or not. Anyways.

I first read Homestuck on an early morning in April, soon before that year’s 4/13 and a little ways out from my 14th birthday in late May. I hadn’t slept at all that night, and my normal internet circles had slowed to a crawl as the sun began to rise. Bored out of my mind and too energized to sleep, I decided it was finally time to check out that one webcomic that I had seen some people post cool art for.

To keep it simple, I had a pretty big scare in the family that same day I started reading. Everything ended up and has been just fine regarding that, but I think it cemented Homestuck in my mind as a way to process things somehow. Now that I’m about to graduate college, I’ve returned to needing to process things, and of course, my way to process it.

So, one night a month or two ago, I’m looking into some Homestuck browser game (shoutouts to Wigglersim) when my friend asks what it’s about. I get a little clammy, but I do mention the game, Homestuck and all. Imagine my surprise when they ask for a link to check it out as well.

I could hear the interest egging me on like the Green Goblin mask at that point.

Over the next few days, we went from the browser game, to the doll maker, to installing the collection, to almost-nightly streams of our read-along with the comic. It has been a BLAST so far. Sure, we probably could have blazed through on our own much faster. But having someone there to break things down and engage with, especially for a work like Homestuck, has made the whole ordeal even more enjoyable overall.

To be honest with you, I could never really get myself to reread Homestuck before then. I had the collection installed on my laptop but I could never get past some feeling of shame that came with opening it, or even looking at it for too long. Even when I had finally forced myself to get comfortable with Homestuck Posting or die trying, the thought of fully reengaging and not dwelling in the bliss of memories was a little too much.

Having a friend there, one who has been willing to engage despite it all, has made the reread much less daunting. Despite all of my warnings of the future like a frenzied oracle, I’ve been able to expose that long-hidden soft spot after all these years. It’s like unclenching your jaw, in a way.

The time we’ve spent taking it all in has REALLY spurred us to put something out lately as well. Every turn of the New Year, my friends and I boot up a group canvas and collaborate on one big slab of doodles. Lately though, I’ve been wanting to do that a lot more, and so have my friends. With the reread, I finally decided to rip off the bandage and do something I hadn’t really done as a teen first reading through Homestuck— I decided to make some fanart.

It felt like uncorking champagne. Though it was probably more akin to uncorking sparkling grape juice. Whatever. I hadn’t done it, I did it, and it felt GOOD to do it. You get it. If nothing else, waiting to draw that fanart for eight some odd years meant that I didn’t have any old drawings to painfully reflect on, for better or for worse.

I don’t like doing much other than lurking. However, with all of the drawings we had made, it’d be a shame not to share them beyond like ten people. My friend started posting some, to some really surprising amounts of engagement, at least for us. I followed in suit for support, and I’ve seen much of the same myself. It’s intimidating to be perceived, but it has been nice to shake hands with the community from the other side of my normal lurking perspective. Thank you meowrails fans for your support, maybe I’ll cook again soon, who knows?

We’ve now gotten to the point in the comic where this reread just becomes a read, and right before 4/13. I never finished the comic past the second Alterniabound flash, though I’ve picked up on little spoiler things here and there. I’m excited, I’m nervous, I can’t wait to see what horrible ick I’ll get next.

With streaming this to my friend, I have accidentally convinced more friends to look into Homestuck as well. The network slowly grows, and with it, another ticket is reserved for a group movie night of Con Air. I can’t wait to see how it goes.

Anyways, that’s all for my yapping. Have a happy 4/13, consider a reread with friends, and thank you for your interest in my lecture if you’re reading or skimming through this.

[mindfang-srevenge]

Homestuck Kids and Which TMA Entity They're Associated With: A Second List By Static, with ADDITIONAL NOTATION That None Of This Is An Insult to Anyone

Read the first of these, featuring the OG troll gang: here

John: Desolation, and hear me out. Much like the argument I made for Sollux, everything gets ripped away from John over and over again. He loses his world, then his house, then his LIFE, then his DAD, then his FRIENDS, then his LIFE (again). John is continually losing everything he cares about, and it forms a weirdly core part of his character, especially considering the fact that he keeps repressing that loss and presenting a chipper face over it.

Rose: Eye. Rose is all about finding secrets (how she fell in with Doc Scratch) and breaking the game in the most interesting way possible. She stumbles across the game because she's looking for information about how to bring Jaspers back. She's constantly looking to shed light on secrets and discover answers, which is definitely eye-aligned. She's even willing to make a pact with the Horrorterrors to find out information about the Green Sun and the end of the game, which makes her an avatar in my book.

Dave: This might just be the overarching entity for all Time players, actually, but Dave-- much like Aradia-- is End aligned due to his reoccurring fascination with dead things. The man outright admits it several times-- he's just as fascinated by death as she is, with perhaps even a more morbid tilt than traditional archaeology. He's also a time traveler, which makes him continually privy to information about how the others will die unless he does something (with Davesprite as a noteable example). If he took on a more passive role (Knights are an active class) I think this might present itself a little more heavily, much like Aradia's connection is more prominent. Basically maybe aradia and dave should just hang outsometime they might be friends ahave we considered this yet hang on wait where are you going---

Jade: Vast, but heavily influenced by the Lonely. We can't talk about Jade without discussing the heavy influences that her isolation has had over her life, but her powers align so heavily with the Vast that that isolation takes on an entirely different context. She's separated from everyone but Bec by vast expanses of ocean. She has the ability to make things Vast or not-Vast by virtue of being a Space player. She is, once again, separated from everyone during the Yard by vast expanses of paradox space. She is continually alone, but in that alone-ness she's physically isolated, which overall pushes her from Lonely to a proper Vast categorization.

Jane: Extinction. In the alpha timeline, Jane is the herald of the end, but she's more than that. She's the heiress to CrockerCorp, the establishment that will eventually fucking TERRAFORM the entire earth-- which, if that doesn't classify as an extinction-level event, I don't know what does. Jane's also our introductory character for a dead session, wherein all of the consorts are literally extinct. Really the CrockerCorp stuff is more important, though-- Jane oftentimes remains loyal to the company, even going as far as to restart it on Earth C, despite what CrockerCorp has previously been responsible. She's constantly a herald of change, and death.

Roxy: Dark. It's low-hanging fruit, sure, but she's heavily textually involved with the obscuring of information. I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER, although I cannot find the text sources for it, that when she's drunk, Calliope can't see her, which is VERY Dark-aligned. Roxy's methods are also obscured, since she's a void player, and she's a Derse dreamer, which means her mental state is . . . also pretty dark, if just metaphorically. Due to her position in the retcon, as well, Roxy's past is obscured, lost to another universe entirely.

Dirk: This motherfucker is hard to sort, but in a pinch I think I'd say Stranger over Web. He does have definite ties to the Web-- if it were a thing in TMA, I'd say he serves both simultaneously, but that's a purely fanon construct so we're gonna play it safe. Dirk is constantly hiding his true self behind layers of masks, mirrors, and splinters. Nobody can every talk to the real Dirk Strider-- instead, they end up talking to Hal or DreamGhostDirk or some other similar entity. The puppet stuff draws into this, as well-- the original Lil Cal is Dirk's, before LE takes over the body, and Lil Cal is a horrorshow of Stranger imagery. (He's also just a horrorshow) Dirk is obsessed with building almost-human constructions (see Squarewave and Sawtooth), as well as hiding behind these constructs to conceal himself or his motives. Overall, Stranger, with heavy ties to the Web.

Jake: Lonely. Even when he's around people, Jake has trouble connecting. Whereas Jade is separated physically, Jake is also separated socially. He can't seem to make the relationship with Dirk ever work out (even if a chunk of that is Dirk's fault). He can't talk to Jane about anything, ever, especially that he's not interested in her.

[thewertsearch]

Ask Comp 25/8

Aw, thank you! Sometimes I actually think I overdo it a little - that my dives are a little too deep. This is how I consume media IRL, though, so if nothing else, it's authentic.

The Battlefield is definitely growing. The spatial warping makes it hard to measure how much it's growing, so it could definitely be exponential, especially if we keep adding higher dimensions.

As for how Jack matches up against Bec - Jack is definitely smarter, but he's also a lot more vulnerable, since losing the Ring will render him powerless. He'd have to be incredibly careful in a fight, especially against someone just as fast as he is.

I still think Bec has the edge, but his victory is far from guaranteed. I totally understand why Jade wouldn't want to risk it.

Imagine what Eridan would have said to a 'lowly greenblood' like Jade.

Yeah, there's no way trolls have therapy.

I hate to say it, but the Alternian version of therapy is probably moirallegiance. You're supposed to rely on this one person to keep you emotionally stable - and if you're not outgoing or charismatic enough to find a moirail, you don't even have that.

Of course, this system has nothing in common with the relationship dynamics of any culture on Earth. We really dodged a bullet there!

Gamzee really leans into the 'court jester' aspect of being a bard. He doesn't take anything seriously, nor is he expected to do so - he's just off to the side, dancing.

Yeah, my prediction is that Vriska is going to use him.

If she can manipulate Tavros into trying to control Jack, she might actually be able to remove his Ring. I speculated that she might use some sort of cheat to gain an advantage in their fight, and I think we may have found it.

He casually controls Becsprite later on, so I don't think he needs their goals to align.

As for why Bec didn't try to save Jade - I think he knew instinctually that someone was going to make him save her, so he didn't need to do it manually. That's Alpha, baby!

I can't tell if I've reached the controversial part, to be honest. Was there discourse about whether Tavros had done anything wrong?

Personally, I think it's hard to argue that he didn't, but other characters have done much worse - and in much more ambiguous scenarios, too.

Lord English is coming, send help plz

Thank you! It's kind of funny actually - I know that Homestuck's irregular update schedule used to drive people mad, but I'm reading it at a similar pace, with similar irregularities, and it really has been a chill experience on my end.

Maybe it's because I'm not participating in the fandom the way live readers were, and therefore, I'm not subject to the weapons-grade hiatus brain that Cat has war stories about.

Poor Kanaya - she really knows how to pick 'em. Rose is definitely less stressful to crush on than Vriska, though.

I recently saw this quote for the first time in a while. Excited to learn which of the comic's several thousand plot points it's referencing.

@spyril4132 asked: i have seen this in my youtube recommendations and must now share [s] descend but with silvagunner's high quality nuclear rip - YouTube

Legitimately amazing, and perfectly timed.

For anyone doesn't know about Silvagunner, please take a dip down this rabbit hole.

I do wonder how she's getting physical details about the Sun. Isn't it, like, fully outside of conventional reality?

Maybe the Sun is physically real, despite being in an unreal location. Technically, that's also the case with sessions.

I do like the 'music player' metaphor from an earlier ask. You don't necessarily have to use discs - a cassette player is also a good choice, or maybe an older variety of music box.

If you want to stretch the symbolism a little, your Time Player could wield something really kooky, like an iPod Nano, MIDI keyboard, or analog radio.

(Sally the Time Player would wield Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo DS.)

It's been years since I've watched Primer, actually. I remember enjoying it, but I don't recall enough to give a proper review. Rewatch time!

Yeah, the rules for Captcha codes are all over the place. This example implies that they hold the general idea of an object, without any 'corruption' - but when John's Ghost Dad poster was defaced, its code did change.

The implication, I guess, is that defacing a poster counts as changing its nature, but spilling oil on a pogo ride does not. It's weird.

It is odd that it's marketed as a beta. Sburb and Sgrub seem almost identical, the latter's bifurcated session notwithstanding.

The human session failed, yes - but it failed due to manipulation, sabotage, and a generous helping of terrible luck. If Gamzee prototyped one of his clown posters, Jack's regicide could just as easily have happened in Sgrub.

All that said - when it comes to software development, I'd trust Sollux over Grandpa any day. If one of those games is more stable, it's Sgrub.

Alright, that one's actually pretty great lmao

[davekat-sucks]

Why do people hate Jade so much? Why do they say she's an asshole?

Also bisexual Rose and bisexual Kanaya are better than Davekat and make me happy. Bisexual erasure makes me mad.

Part of that is because her genki girl personality soon fades by the time her Dream Self dies and upon entering the game. And she acted more angry than ever. Not because of the fact she had KARKAT as her troll guide and prior to the trolls deciding to help the Beta Kids, the trolls constantly bother her, much to her annoyance. Did they forget how uncomfortable she felt when she saw Eridan speaking with her and how she says how he tries to flirt with her a lot? And people think she is bad for WANTING TO MEET WITH HER FRIENDS AFTER BEING SO DAMN LONELY ON AN ISLAND!!! They forget this girl was raised only by Bec, a DOG. Her being seen as a bitch by the fandom amplified when she got MIND CONTROLLED by Her Imperious Condesce to become Grimbark Jade. They think all the evil actions she did like trying to kill Wayward Vagabond, was on her own, not by the FRIGGING ALIEN HITLER QUEEN WHO HAD SO MANY POWERS THAT WAS PUPPETIERING HER!!!

People who think it was Jade was willing to do bad things under The Condesce's control is stupid. They are even STUPIDER if they think Dave thinks Jade is evil for trying to do this when it's clear she is not herself anymore. But hey, people have been mind controlled before and nobody blames Vriska. Tavros being crippled? It's not Vriska's fault, IT IS TAVRO'S FAULT FOR JUMPING OFF A CLIFF!!! Terezi blinding herself? IT IS TEREZI'S FAULT FOR LOOKING UP AT THE SUN!!! Bec Noir's existence? IT'S JOHN'S FAULT FOR FALLING ASLEEP, NOT VRISKA WHO MADE HIM EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!! The worst of it comes in Epilogues where she wants to have kids and sexually harass Karkat. In this day and age, having kids or a family is bad. Especially when you were a lonely girl living on an island for so damn long, away from people, including the friends she has been wanting to meet for years. Then when Homestuck 2 comes it, she and Rose had a secret child behind Kanaya's back. If it's not Rose's fault for cheating, then people will blame Jade on asking Rose to help her make a kid. The nu-fandom hates Jade. Andrew Hussie hates Jade. WhatPumpkin hates Jade. And now in Beyond Canon, James Roach and HICU hate Jade if they shafted her from getting character development again. Funny thing is, some of the girls in the fandom had once projected themselves as Jade. Part of it is the silly quirky girl personality and wanting to ship themselves with Dave. The same was applied to Nepeta for Karkat. But now, it's considered a bad thing to think of yourself as any of the two girls. They are ashamed for being quirky girls (while still liking quirky girls in other modern media). They now insert themselves as either Karkat or Dave for Davekat. Bisexual Rose and bisexual Kanaya are better than Davekat. Don't be afraid to ship them with guys. Stop bi erasure!

[klonoafan5]

Reverse S2 Fun Facts!

the majority of the teens have read homestuck. taylor hasn’t yet, but he will.

formal has an ao3 account where he posts a teeny the teen post-apocalyptic fanfic. he gets a lot of readers, but he has five major fans. he has no idea who they are though.

scary likes to write songs in her free time. she’s a good singer, but is very shy about it.

lincoln is a nice guy, but can be very intimidating. especially when he’s upset.

hero gets her magic from her late grandpa. she can also talk to him in her dreams.

hermie can change his outfits really fast.

don’t watch is a rule in the willow household. unless it’s necessary.

did you know that the sun moves in odd ways? it doesn’t have the same patterns a normal sun does. ...actually, now that i think about it, i don't think I remember seeing it rise. or set. It just stands there. No. That doesn’t make any sense. Suns have an orbit. But this one doesn’t. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that- ...Oh. Oh god. It’s not a sun, is it? What am I saying? Of course it isn’t! it never was! Because if there’s one thing I know about suns...They’re not supposed to look back. 

[waitineedaname]

20 questions for 20 writers!

tagged by @buffintruder thank you!!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

89 ! that feels like a lot

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

355,274 which also feels like a lot!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

usually whatever I'm hyperfixating on at the time! right now it's mdzs/the untamed, but I've got some scum villain wips in the works

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Handsome Mystery Boy -- Skam soulmate AU

hot dilfs in your area (not clickbait!!1!) -- HLVRAI modern au

Strider Bros Feelings Jam -- Homestuck post-canon

Let's Get This Over With -- HLVRAI dream-sharing

The Secret Boyfriend -- TAZ Balance modern au

5. Do you respond to comments?

usually! it might take me a bit, but I usually try to respond, especially if it's a more recent fic. if it's an old fic or the comment is just, like, a string of heart emojis or something, I usually don't respond. doesn't mean the comment doesn't make me smile though!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

tbh I don't write a whole lot of angsty endings? even if it's an angsty fic, I try to end on at least a hopeful/bittersweet note, y'know? I guess the angstiest ending would be Frayed Seams because it's in the middle of the series and is giving context to the strained relationship between the Kageyama siblings. they do eventually begin to mend their relationship by the end of the series! just. not in this fic.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

this is once again rather hard because I mostly write happy endings! and I have a lot of short fics that are just. pure fluff. I guess if I'm looking for a fic that's long enough to Earn a happy ending, it would be a tie between Plant Their Hearts In Community Gardens or the sun in the summertime! I love how much Mob and Reigen's lives have improved by the end of the show <3

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not that comes to mind! I don't think I've ever gotten hate comments, so if people don't like my stuff they at least only complain about it somewhere I can't see it, which I appreciate

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

not really! I am usually a genfic writer lol though I have had wlwangxian robot sex on the brain lately for. reasons. and also I have a feeling some of my bingqiu fics are going to be like, scenes in the Middle of them having sex, because [gestures] bingqiu

10. Do you write crossovers?

I haven't done a whole lot of them, but I think the concept can be fun if executed properly! crossovers where the two casts meet don't generally appeal to me, but crossovers that function more like an au (characters from Series A in the universe of Series B) are more my speed. I have been pondering a svsss/hlvrai crossover....

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

god I hope not

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

yeah! I've had a couple fics translated into Russian, way long ago

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

not in a "we both were writing the fic in its entirety" way but I have written some aus and fics where I was bouncing ideas off friends so much that they might as well be a co-author. Let's Get This Over With would not exist without @neonlav's help

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

oh christ I have no idea. I'm a genfic person. bingqiu is doing something vile to my brain chemistry lately though

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

so many... so so many......... do not look in my google docs folder, there are too many untitled documents that have been abandoned........... I guess a more recent example would be a mdzs fic where wei wuxian is the juniors' camp counselor. I think the idea was v fun but I could not figure out where to take it. man I wish I was an artist so I didn't have to write plots for my silly little aus

16. What are your writing strengths?

dialogue! I love writing dialogue, especially when I feel like I really Get a character

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

fight scenes.... also pacing and figuring out how to end a fic, final lines are so hard

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I am not fluent enough in another language to pull off writing whole chunks of dialogue in another language! sometimes I'll use terminology from another language, especially if it doesn't translate well (like Japanese or Chinese honorifics and family terms) but otherwise I don't write in another language bc I would be too worried about it being incorrect

19. First fandom you wrote for?

it was, embarrassingly, for the since disgraced video game youtuber Cryaotic. in my defense, I was thirteen. the first fandom I posted fic for was for Hetalia, which is just as embarrassing. once again, my defense is that I was fourteen

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

I am genuinely so goddamn proud of Let's Get This Over With. I had so much fun writing it, there are some concepts in it that I'm really proud of, and I just really enjoyed writing for hlvrai. those character voices were fun to play with

I'll tag @patron-saints, @scribefindegil, @localdisasterisk, @thatneoncrisis, and @notedchampagne!

[ashlyns-general-blog]

Weird Homestuck Classpect feelings

Does anybody else fight with a really weird form of imposter syndrome when it comes to your classpect? Especially if you get a classpect that is already used by a character in the Homestuck webcomic?

Like, for me I am a Knight of Time but that title is already taken by Dave Strider and it would feel really weird if I made a Knight of Time outfit cause then it would look like a really shitty cosplay (like as if I was dressing up as Dave but didn't bother getting a wig or sun glasses) I dunno, maybe it's just me overthinking this.

Don't get me wrong tho, I fully believe that all these quizzes are right and i relate to it and all, but it just feels... weird, ya know??

[blurrymango]

Sapheans! Yippee! Ok so. Basically I kinda rip-offed Homestuck trolls lol sue me.

So-

These motherffuckers live on a really huge and damn dangerous planet with two suns and mostly hostile creatures. There's a lot of wild and different types of climates. The water is acidic, the clouds are extremely dense, and plants are also very dangerous. Yet though, these ffuckers seem to be the only sentient bitches on the whole damn orb.

There's a lot of racism ffucking obviously but it's coming from all sides. But there's also a lot of love. Their societies range from spiraling nauseatingly tall clusters of buildings to two dudes on an island and everywhere in between.

General design notes, mostly coloration wise y'know-

Their blood can be ANY color, but shades are specific to different type. And blood color determines hair(or feather) color, eye color, fins, marking color, and antenna and whatnot. I just used red and blue and green for examples it is not limited.

Pointy parts for. Well. Protection.

The parts colored as black act as kinda like an exoskeleton, though in general their skin is pretty tough, especially the face, and especially the face fangs.

Can generally have any shape horns, they come in all shapes and sizes.

Pretty much every single one has different markings.

Clothes. Are... A thing. Yes. They wear clothes actually lol.

More joints in their legs than humans have.

Yes they can dye their hair and paint their markings different colors.

There are ghosts! This species exists in a world with magics and supernatural elements and whatnot.

Ok so. Shit I have for them at the current moment.

Land-

Majority.

Their blood is generally mid-tone, skin grey, darker in warmer areas, lighter in colder.

Good hands, feet, and tail for grabbing things.

Two horns. One set of horns. However you put it. They use them bitches for navigation and farming and electricity. And of course murder.

Sea-

Second most uncommon.

No noses we don't do that in the ocean.

Bitches be in acidic ffucking water.

Their blood is generally bright and neon, skin can range anywhere from super light grey to super dark grey depending on how deep they are.

One horn, generally. Used for controlling the water. And of course murder.

Webbed hands and feet and a second set of eyelids.

Deeper you get, the freakier they can be TBH.

Underground-

Second most common.

Smaller eyes than average DUH. They ain't using them for much.

Antennas! ANTENNAS.

Two pronged horns. Or even rarer, two sets of horns. Used for searching out minerals and rare rocks and and lava and entrances and exits to caves. And of course murder.

Hands and feet good for digging through dirt or the toughest of rock.

Feelers on the face and a long slender tail good for reaching into cracks and crevices.

Blood is pale and dull like their skin.

Sky-

Uncommon.

Feathers, not hair.

Big ol wings.

Less leg joints than the others, makes them less bulky.

Big ol eyes for absorbing all the sunlight they get.

Thinner and longer fingers and toes than others, again, to be less bulky.

Horns used to control the weather. And of course murder.

Skin is dark, cuz of the sun. Blood is dark too.

Possible mutations-

Pictured is a land dweller with bat-like wings. It is a rare trait to have, but also they can actually fly.

Blood shade that doesn't match the type.

Abnormal amount of horns for type, including no horns at all.

Two different blood colors in one guy. They do not blend. This affects eyes and hair and markings.

Pupils.

Black or white blood? Nah that's just a myth. Right? Lmao.

Various other tidbits of mixings and matchings of traits, like gills on a land dweller or antenna on a sky dweller.

That's all for now folks! If anyone sees this and cares enough to make their own Saphean character I would be absolutely delighted!

[ghostkit]

Vrolik Antilo Character Shits

OKAY NOBODY ASKED BUT I'M DROPPING THIS

Under a readmore because it got really fuckin long! Talk about disabilities and such under da cut

Vrolik was originally going to be a more general representation of myself, but slowly overtime, they came to symbolize one specific part of my identity that I thought would be interesting to explore in an environment like Alternia: my disability. I have Brittle Bone Disease (aka Osteogenesis Imperfecta), and I used Vrolik partly as a way to analyze how it’s impacted me as a person and how that might’ve been exaggerated on a different planet. Vrolik represents the struggles I had in relation to my disability, especially when I was around 13 like the Homestuck kids were.

Their name comes from Vrolik Syndrome, another name for BBD. Their last name, Antilo, comes from Antilocapra Americana, AKA the pronghorn like Vrolik’s lusus and horns are based on. Their name also contains the word “anti,�� which I think is really funny considering their tendency to get in petty internet fights that mean absolutely nothing.

Their Trolltag (fragilitasOdium) comes from Fragilitas Ossium (again, BBD) and Odium: general/widespread hatred or disgust directed toward someone as a result of their actions. Foreshadowing.

Vrolik’s land is the Land of Ash and Vitriol, a desolate wasteland so uninhabitable they doubt there’s any other form of life left here at all. In every direction, all they can see is the smoky, dark sky, the ashy ground, the harsh sun burning through the clouds and smoke wherever it can. The only evidence of any life at all Vrolik can find are their remains. Gigantic skeletons protrude from the ground, huge rib cages and skulls acting as the only cover from the blistering heat.

Vrolik is an Heir of Rage, and there’s a lot of symbolism and shit there. I’m not super great with classpect analysis, so I’ve referenced a bunch of stuff from @dahniwitchoflight, @sylph-of-hope-analysis, and @classpector.

Rage as an aspect represents… Well, rage, but also fear, defiance, doubt, despair, and limited choice. Rage players are stubborn and rarely see any other path than the one they’re set on, but oftentimes other paths are simply unavailable to Rage players, something that might frustrate other players who can’t see how little choice the Rage-bound truly have. (almost like having an invisible disability. Some actions simply aren’t available to you, but since others can’t see it, they assume it isn’t there.)

Based on what I’ve seen, there’s a lot more speculation about what the Heir class represents than other classes, and I think they’re all relevant and important to Vrolik’s characterization. From the Homestuck wiki:

It is speculated that heirs are ones who invite change through [aspect]; they are apparently drawn to their aspect, subconsciously seeking it out. They may also be defined as one who is consumed by [aspect], one who becomes [aspect], or one who is surrounded by [aspect].

If inheritance is thought in terms of programming (which is a commonly visited subject in Homestuck), it can be speculated that heirs are those whose behavior and existence is controlled by and expected to represent [aspect], sometimes, independently of their own will. 

The title "Heir" could also have the more literal meaning one who inherits/receives [aspect].

Heirs are also passive rather than active, something that would greatly anger Vrolik. They desperately try to do things on their own and make changes happen and feel important to something, but they will never be the main character. Their “destiny” doesn’t include them being independent, but even if it means tearing the fabric game apart themself, even if it means destroying everything in the process, they refuse to sit back and feel useless again. Big Monika DDLC syndrome.

(I’m realizing they kinda ghost destructive classes/aspects like Princes or Doomplayers.)

So with all this, Vrolik is someone who is subconsciously drawn to/seeks out their own rage and negative emotions, often feeling surrounded by them or trapped within them with no way out. They feel trapped and helpless in many aspects of their life, and it enrages them. Hell, they feel trapped within their own anger sometimes, often being controlled by their negative emotions more than they can control them. They feel completely powerless in their disability, so they overcompensate in other areas where they do have control. They’re deeply stubborn, digging their heels in the ground and refusing to give in, even on silly and inconsequential conflicts simply because it’s the only way they know to retain any power over themself. They refuse help even when they might really need it, preferring to fail at their goals through their own means than succeed while depending on someone else again. Having help means they couldn’t do it alone, and when they already can’t do so much, they desperately want to prove to both themself and the people around them that they’re capable.

Vrolik also harbors a lot of anger and frustration toward this. They’re angry that they’re so angry all the time, and that they have so little agency, and that they’ve been put on this path without any input from them. By nature, Vrolik is consumed by Rage because of Rage. Their life is controlled by and completely represents Rage, and in a way, they’ve literally inherited it as well. Vrolik’s frustration and anger toward the world ties directly to their disability. When Vrolik inherited their disease, they inherited the anger with it. You could almost say it’s in their bones.

They also sometimes intentionally seek out content or people they know will upset/trigger them. The people in their life have been trying to put a stop to it, but telling Vrolik not to do something kind of only spurs them on even more in a “you can’t tell me what to do” kind of way. Vrolik is the type to get in heated arguments in someone’s Twitter replies because they don’t know when to just stop typing. They’re easily manipulatable in this way and internet trolls can very easily take advantage of that. In terms of seeking out people they know might anger them, I imagine this also makes them very susceptible to emotional self-harm and abusive relationships. Not because they think they deserve to hurt, but because they’re naturally drawn toward anger and fear. They can’t just stop when they’re upset and they don’t know how to walk away.

Getting into the content of Vrolik’s hypothetical session and some more of that symbolism shit:

Vrolik wasn’t really intended to survive their entire game. When they entered into the Land of Ash and Vitriol, a barren, unforgiving wasteland, they weren’t fated to make it. This environment wasn’t made to accommodate them, nothing ever really has been. Maybe they were meant to die a long time ago or maybe they were meant to die here, but Vrolik knows they were meant to die.

So they do. They die as they lived: consumed by their own anger, running off alone, doing some stupid shit from their rage. They die angry for the life they’ve been robbed of, terrified of what comes after, and deeply jealous of their teammates, wanting to scream but being unable to. They’re inconsolable, and yet they’re grateful nobody else is there. Even while they slowly bleed out underneath the smoky, gray sky, the idea of someone else seeing them in their greatest moment of weakness and pain terrifies them more than death does.

However. Someone else in their session is right behind them. Their body is found very shortly after, and their teammate refuses to just let them die now. They drag their body to their quest bed, forcing them to be revived via godtiering. Again, lack of choice, things being decided for them, etc.

There’s a reason I called Vrolik’s land the “Land of Ash and Vitriol,” even though it doesn’t relate to their whole BBD shtick. Godtiering gives them a lot of new power and control they’ve never had before, and considering their insecurity about feeling helpless, that can become incredibly dangerous if they aren’t careful. For their entire life, Vrolik has been like bottled fire, raging on the inside but contained by their own circumstances outside their own control. But now that the bottle’s shattered, they need to learn to control their fire alone. Vrolik is like a phoenix, completely consumed by and now representing the fire inside them. They literally rise up from the ashes, given new life and blazing.

In modern terms, vitriol refers to “abusive or venomous language used to express blame, censure or bitter, deep-seated ill will.” However, vitriol was originally an alchemical term for sulfuric acid. Vitriol was one of the main ingredients needed to create a philosopher’s stone, used to give eternal life (almost like godtiering might).

Additionally, vitriol was a Latin acronym for alchemists. “Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem” roughly translates as, “by visiting the center of the earth and by purifying yourself, you will find the hidden stone.” In order to create the philosopher’s stone (and to cleanse one’s own soul), it takes a lot of work, and failure to do so correctly will cause the acid to corrode everything (or cause your faults to consume you). If the work was easy, everyone would do it. Vrolik might’ve already godtiered, but this is just the beginning of their uphill battle. They’ve just gotten the vitriol, they’ve only just gotten that important and dangerous part. Now they’ve gotta treat it with care and put in the work to keep it from dissolving them from the inside out. 

IN CONCLUSION. I’m crazy <3

[dunhoof]

ranking my fandragons by the emoji i assigned to their series

soul eater: skull

soul eater is usually represented with this little kinda jack-o-lantern kinda looking logo but it's not really significant in the series itself as far as i remember - it's a simplified representation of soul evans, arguably? it's similar to how souls are drawn in meister-vision? basically i think it's not a super great logo and there's no emoji that really resembles it anyway, so instead of that i went with what i think the logo should be - death's skull, which is seen all over the fucking place and is directly representative of the academy, ruling figure, and main setting the entire plot is based around. this skull doesnt really look like that. this is just a skull. i thought about using the deer skull bc the shape is closer to the stylized skull SE uses but i thought that'd confuse things more. 6/10

magi: gold crown

magi's actual logo is just a stylization of マギ so no go on matching that to anything. the second closest thing it has in terms of iconography is the seal of solomon. so? maybe the achievement token or rainbow star could work? the glimmer tile or sun, even? i see where i was coming from here though. the word king pops up a lot. kingdoms. king vessels. this is kind of a eurocentric way to evoke that that doesn't really fit the setting though. 3/10

fraggle rock: new friend

now this one's cute. kind of sort of looks like a fraggle. is a friend. can't think of anything more appropriate - the only big symbol i could think of in fraggle rock besides the fraggles themselves would be the rock and this is more fun than using the earth symbol. 9/10

hiveswap/homestuck: planet

my first fandragons were hiveswap and i later put my homestuck ones in with those so this actually favors hiveswap - this pink especially feels a lot more like hiveswap alternia than homestuck alternia. there's aliens in there, for sure. no emoji really resembles the sburb logo or spirograph, nor the red/green spiral. 4/10

metalocalypse: gear

metalocalypse's primary logo is a big metal-runic skull but we've already been down the route of trying to adapt a stylized skull. gears are a huge symbol and (similarly to how i complained abt the soul eater iconography) the one that feels like it's more significant in the series itself - there's a song about it and everything. become a part of the klok and all. i like that it's a rusty gray metal. 10/10

drakengard 3: rose

there's a big flower in the main character's eye. looks more like a lilly but this is the only flower emoji we have somehow (thank god we have 6 different puzzle pieces). that's fine though, the main character was also once named rose and her mark also is kinda rose-like. without spoiling too much or even understanding what the hell the plot of drakengard is, the flower is a big deal. only other big symbol is. dragon. would've been funny to just use a banescale. 8/10

the adventure zone: D20

dnd podcast. d20. taz logo has a d20 in it sometimes because of course it does. stan jenkins. 7/10

ok k.o.: ping

logo does in fact have an exclamation point. kind of comic-booky which is appropriate for a superhero cartoon, good colors. 5/10

fire emblem: sword and shield

fire emblem often used sword and/or shield. also sometimes uses dragons. couldve used the fire rune but that'd be corny. silver appropriately neutral as opposed to the blue and yellow coat-of-arms shield, style is more Serious Looking than the coli team sword/shield. sort of boring but doesn't get much better. 8/10

puyo puyo: apple

we don't exactly have a slime emoji. ringo is associated with apples and she's the mc of puyo puyo tetris 1 & 2 which is the one i played because i like playing tetris a lot more than i like playing puyo puyo. the only character i have from this series is schezo though. 3/10

carmen sandiego: red gem

no big hat, no globe, what's a mouse to do? left wing?? a valuable artifact fits in with the whole master thief thing, and red's the obvious choice. sort of weird-looking emoji. 4/10

read dead redemption: horseshoe

pretty damn western. 6/10

minecraft: shockswitch green

a square is the natural choice for minecraft - the most common logos here are the grass block and creeper face imo, both of which are green. the other shockswitch emojis have different shapes in the center, while this one is double square. 7/10

danganronpa: crescent moon 1

black and white and split down the kinda-middle like our iconic mascot monokuma - silhouette could've worked but the colors here are better. dangaronpa's big symbol is a red shape i'd describe as looking like a wing - right wing could work - but i don't think it's meant to be a wing. i actually have no clue where that shape comes from or if it means anything in particular. in the team danganronpa logo, it's more of a crescent shape to fit the logo-ization. i like this choice but it loses points for being a stretch by having the literal interpretation of a moon have 0 relevance. 6/10

the venture bros: modern

please for the love of god save me. was gonna make it the skull but see soul eater. 2/10

street fighter: firework

how the hell does a series run for 37 years and get away with having a big SF as it's only major logo. 1/10