#lore; fathoms

[thekavseklabs]

Kei tails are very, very important to them. They're almost entirely muscle and are very thick throughout most of it, tapering to a thinner, whiplike tip. They also have very large, fins with sharp, sturdy spines. Combine these factors and you get both an extremely dangerous weapon and a powerful mobility tool. Kei can swim using their tails as rudders, swing or hang from them, use them as an extra hand or arm, or even add some extra oomph to a jump by slamming their tail on the ground as they push off much like a kangaroo. They're vital for balance as well. When they hit someone or something with their tails, the sheer weight and amount of muscle can break bones and even damage walls. All these are reasons why kei slavers cut off their slaves tails. Vyn losing his tail at a young age affected him deeply, and his prosthetic returned a lot to him and is a very powerful and dangerous weapon.

Which makes it even more silly that he tried to eat it at one point

[rose-from-ashes]

Today I'm thinking about how Endwalker is about the futility of giving your life a purpose. The unhappiness. More importantly, how there's a gentle light in the lack of one.

Think of the societies that had ended hopeless because they had reached their goals.

The dragons renounced war only to be conquered by the Omicron. Though they fought the Omicron off, their land began to die, and when they realized that they could not find another world without war, they gave up.

The Ea had sought knowledge. They did everything they could, abandoned their bodies, and finally, they found all the knowledge they could need and turned their gaze to the final fact. When the universe would die. Knowing that they could find no purpose. There was nothing else to learn and they had geared themselves for knowledge so heavily that they could find no other things to chase, knowing death would come for them in the end. They gave up.

The Omicrons had sought power. Fighting greater and greater enemies until they could find nothing left to fight that might teach them anything. Eventually, Sir came to believe that the Omicrons no longer served a purpose. Like the Ea, Sir could see no other direction in which the Omicrons could seek purpose, believing that it simply wasn't possible. Sir gave up.

The denizens of Ultima Thule aren't the only ones. Metion lists several in her report.

Deka-penta lived in service to a higher power that destroyed it in a fit of rage. The higher power destroyed itself shortly after, possibly because, like a primal, it had solely lived for the faithful that had made it and lacked any purpose now that they were gone. Another world strived to make a land with no conflict. They became detached from those that should have been their loved ones to prevent personal strife, and their world collapsed.

In the Dead Ends, we see yet more.

One world was struck with plague, and in an attempt to survive, they sought to destroy each other to purge the plague, giving up on a cure. Another world became embroiled in war, seeking freedom and peace using violence, until there were no people left to be freed from. One world sought to remove sorrow, only to find that joy without any other emotions became empty, and they became depressed, giving up on a meaningful life.

In modeen day, we know of Garlemald and Allag. The former fell to civil war, as that was what it had been built for. Its people only knew war, and to follow their radiant leader. When that leader was removed, they had none to war with but themselves, and collapsed inward, its people having already given up hope on any help from the outside world.

The latter, too, had been founded with the flawed purpose of conquest, and at its height ruled most of the world. When their leader passed, the Allagans pushed for greater knowledge, greater creation, greater technology, but stagnated nonetheless, as their culture had been designed to take and there was nothing left to take from. Xande was cloned and began to conquer the last traces of the world, but the Allagan people knew there was no purpose in it and fought back against his rule, ultimately spelling their end.

Finally, there was Amaurot. A culture so dedicated to the concept of purpose that some, like Hermes, could not accept the concept of there not being one. Their ultimate purpose was dedicated to the star itself, and they cared for it deeply, even to their own expense, never sharing deeper feelings, always keeping anything that did not pertain to their purpose to themselves. When the Final Days came, they were overwhelmed by the very emotions they had pushed down, and they knew no mechanisms to push through or seek help. Ultimately, Hydaelyn decided they would never be able to as they were, and sundered them. Whether or not she was right is not the purpose of this.

I'm sorry, did I say finally? i actually had some individuals to dig into as well. Zenos, whose chosen purpose was combat, the battle high. He knew that there was no true overarching purpose or meaning in life, knew that he could choose his own, but failed to see how he could have multiple, how he could have connected to others and seen a better life had he tried, until the very end. The Ascians, whose chosen purpose was to undo the sundering, unable to see the true value in the sundered world due to their focus. Hermes, whose purpose had been seeking purpose, unable to see the truth before his eyes that there not being one wasn't a bad thing.

The point is that every one of these worlds and people had the concept of purpose guiding them. And they were unable to pull away from that purpose in the end. They died unhappy, save for Zenos and Emet-Selch, who in their final moments saw a different light in the Wol and took comfort knowing that there truly was something else out there.

It's a life lesson. There's a lot to live for. Try to keep your eyes open for more. You'll be happier.

[foxdergkimafr]

001. starscape sanctum

Loci Celestial - Starscape Sanctum 19c - 2s - 1m - 24o Celestial is a relatively young loci born from a new moon event. It boasts tranquil rivers, peaceful glades, and mountains with peaks stretching into the clouds. At it’s core sits the Imperial Library, enclosed within the Starscape Sanctum. The Library was created by the Mother to keep records of all of its siblings and children and sibling’s children. Not that this Loci had children yet. It’s progenitor Starling pair had just recorded their first successful nest about 22 sols and 7 shifts ago. Celestial is very excited to welcome its first Starling pup.

There is an intruder in Celestial’s sanctuary. There are many intruders in sanctuary. There are- It is headed for the Library the Core the NEST. Where are its Starlings? Where are- where-

Loci Celestial was the first to be targeted.

My Starlings! Please, don't go. Come back come back comeback comebackcomebackcomebackcomeback

This Loci is... tired.

.

.

.

Loci 001 - ??? 574c - 1s - 2m - 14o I am... awake. What who woke me? Oh! A Starling! Not any Starling. My Starling. It’s been so long since this Loci has had the honour...

[ID: Art of a blue-grey fathom dragon from the game flight rising. The dragon is dressed in golden jewellery and is depicted against a background of stars and planets. End ID]

[pearlcatcher]

wow..... those are some funky looking pearlcatchers...

[rara-avis-fr]

wet baby

[sloyla]

Actual footage of me after telling my friend that I might stop watching miraculous bcs I hate the new animation style but finding myself writing whole essays unders peoples comments about the agreste lore and fixing them about how emilie didn't created felix, a sentimonster and a human are not opposite concepts, there is not such a thing as half human half senti.

[festering-bacteria]

Lila, Felicity (Felix, she’s transfem in my au), & Sabrina! (Ik Volpina isn’t an actual miraculous user but it’s the closest I had to one at least until chrysalis’ design is revealed 💋)

[things-methinks]

Motherfucks on IG are comparing that British brat and Max to Brocedes

[keeps-ache]

break time on the grass :)

[here's the timelapse !]

[miniquiny999]

i also made the mistake of seeking out some salt posts and the way that people are reaching so hard to deliver harsh criticism to fathoms

"um i think it looks like a mix between like 4 different drastically different breeds that were released at different periods of the site's lifetime"

"uuuugh i cant believe staff is so creatively bankrupt these are just discount (5th breed)"

besties,

[thekavseklabs]

how does the rest of the pack get the kits settled when the laborer comes home? do the cooks tend to be teachers to the kits since they're best read or is it an 'all-hands-on-deck' type of learning setup?

All hands on deck! Every individual needs to have a role, because all people have valuable experiences, and who knows what the kit might want to be when they grow up? The cooks teach basic cooking safety and reading, the cleaner teaches how to look for good shelters and how to care for them or how to prevent messes (example: if you know the cook tends to get grease on their books from the cooking, get a book holder and page turning tool for them), the hunter teaches first how to gather, then how to hunt, the caretaker teaches the kits anatomy and basic health and caretaking, often using the tired laborer as an example. The laborer teaches indirectly the value of rest and time management, and on their days off, they teach things the others didn't have the time to do.

The pack getting the kits settled depends on the kit themself, of course, but a strong part of it is keeping the kit VERY busy beforehand, whether with play or work. That means the kit is tired and ready to sleep when the laborer gets back, and just needs someone to help them do just that. Napping is social, so the tired laborer and the kit both benefit from the other, filling an important social need and instilling a sense of safety when asleep. The caretaker often sleeps during the work hours of everyone else, and is awake when everyone else is tired or sleeping, ensuring there is always someone alert. Thus, if the kits can't settle, then it's time for lessons with the caretaker!

[rose-from-ashes]

Random fact: i fully lean into Emet's depiction of Amaurotine speech that we witness in phantom Amaurot. It's unearthly, multi layered, ethereal. That said, I write it with more variety in the voices, just like real people have. At the time Emet perceived this language as normal as we do when we go to Elpis, but over time came to recognize how strange and beautiful his true voice is to mortals, and does use it to his advantage.

Also, I do headcanon there is a certain level of magic in this language, and that to each other it's benign but to mortals it can be somewhat intense. This is the reason why even those without the Echo can understand Amaurotines, if said Amaurotine *wants* to be understood- we know from Lahabrea in arr that this ancient language is not always automatically understood and that he has to switch over to English in order to mind his own words as he's grown used to speaking thoughts he doesn't want to share in Amaurotine to himself.

All this said please imagine Emet stubbing his toe, yelling "FUCK", and accidentally mildly blasting the area in a small radius and knocking shit over because he forgot that his surroundings scatter like leaves when given a mild aetheric push, such as a passionately yelled curse in an ancient magical language.

[nightlight-rising]

Thanks to the replies on this post I found a scry I'm happy with and I think I'm finally attached to my fathom lady

I've decided she'll be this sort of gunslinging pirate-priestess who keeps to herself and tries not to form attachments or close bonds with others. Somewhat brooding and prickly but with a kind heart and intentions.

still deciding whether or not I wanna keep the feathery fallout, it adds a cool head crest but the magenta eye thingy kinda annoys me lol. Name suggestions appreciated!

[decepti-geek]

ohhhhh my god the new TF:One trailer's comments are full of absolute amoebas being like 'did you know in Traditional Lore - [cites a plot point that began with Prime at best]'

like I'm genuinely happy they're having fun but also my dude this franchise is 40 years old THIS YEAR, fuck outta here with calling something from a decade ago 'traditional lore'

[serrated-snake]

Vibes? I've been thinking about breeding a specific pair I had so the nest would hatch on the first day of starfall. Not sure how I'm feeling about mist wasp though

Color range under the cut

[sickviking-fr]

ANYWAY

Went hunting for an m!mirror with Harlequin and instead walked away with two m!fathoms who look better as fathoms than mirrors despite having the full mask (which I usually dislike.) So, still in the market for a mirror (or male dragon to breed change to mirror) with Harlequin, and mates for all three as well.