#oracle dumps

[slightly-sad-sloth]

Damian’s prosthetic spine is my Roman Empire

COMMS OPEN

Text ver. of the handwriting under cut in case it's hard to read

Comic; page 1

Panel 1 -

(Halfway up a skyscraper)

Damian: X-ray vision.

Jon: would it kill you to say please?

Panel 2 -

Damian: Does baby need to be coddled?

(Bomb)

Panel 5-

(whole ass metal spine)

Panel 6 -

(pamphlet saying 'childhood scoliosis spinal implants. Titanium rod')

Jon: Man, your scoliosis must've been bad, huh?

Comic; Page 2

Panel 3 -

Jon: it's the red one by the way

Panel 4 -

Jon: Wanna swing by mine for leftover pie after?

Damian: sure.

Sketches;

Page 1:

Headcanons.

Cracks back like old man

Has to do regular back exercises

Page 2:

Headcanon 2

Rubs back of neck/where chip was when upset

(I know he wouldn't have a scar, but consider scars are cool)

Page 3:

Banner: Paralysed by a colourful serial killer club

Barbara: Joker. You?

Damian: ... Flamingo

The dynamic

At heart, a good person

Just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing

[rhilumi]

DC art I never posted because I either forgot or didn't like the colours

The one with Sparrow and Tim is a panel redraw but I lost the panel.

I will never let go of my Bernard having scars headcannon.

[casscainmainly]

Some Thoughts on Lady Shiva and Cass

(This post is me hashing out my feelings on modern-day Shiva + Cass, it's not complete or definitive or even particularly good. Also absolutely no hate towards any writers, but a warning that this post will be critical of/contain spoilers for Batgirl (2024)).

It's interesting to me that comics has trended away from the original David-Shiva-Cass set-up, where David is very emotionally involved with Cass (whether or not you label it 'love') and Shiva is the least emotionally involved - to Shiva being the most important figure in Cass' life, except maybe Bruce, and Cain completely gone. This isn't to criticise Batgirl (2024) (or Batman & The Outsiders, or Batgirls, or WFA...) but this phenomenon is genuinely like. Strange? Because even when Cass was reintroduced in the New 52, Cain was still the most important person in her life; she literally named herself after him. Then, when Detective Comics (2016) rolled around with its not-very-good Shiva writing, Shiva still didn't super care about Cass. But now we're at a point where newer people might think Shiva is her most important parental figure, which I honestly think shouldn't have happened.

The original David-Shiva-Cass dynamic is not only good because Shiva's uniqueness as a character shines through, but because it's a deliberate inversion of gendered and racial tropes. Here, the dad is more emotionally invested, and the mom is emotionally aloof - and she's not demonised for it, because she wasn't even originally Cass' mom. As soon as the Shiva mom revelation sets in, their relationship changes to centre that motherhood angle. This is reductive not only to their original relationship but to Shiva herself, who now cannot be adversary, ally, or anything else without it being filtered through 'Cass' mom'. I'm not saying this is problematic, because it's not the worst thing an Asian woman character has gone through, but it is disappointing when so much of the nuance Puckett built between Cass and Shiva has been lessened because of a bio connection.

To bring up the race angle - Cass and Shiva have always been connected through race. From Puckett's Shiva saying 'you and I are alike' to Brenda's mixed-race question prompting Cass to search for Shiva, Cass' understanding of her race has always been tied to Shiva. This is hard to articulate because a lot of Asian girls genuinely do have intergenerational trauma and tricky relationships with their mom, but like - this is a trope. The Asian girl with an all-consuming, contentious relationship to their Asian mom is kind of a trope at this point. What I found so refreshing about the original Cass parent set-up is that it's an exploration of different parental tropes than we usually get for Asian girls. Cass' struggle with a White dad paralleled Asian girls' experiences with the White patriarchy, and her struggles with Babs and Bruce were so realistic for two White people trying to care for, but not fully understanding, this Asian teenager that fell into their lap. But now that we've overemphasised Shiva, we've taken Cass' original struggles and moulded it into a much more typical Asian girl narrative. (I haven't even mentioned that her original set-up spotlights her biracial heritage much more than anything recent).

Brombal is clearly a Shiva fan, and has said that he aims to write a more nuanced Shiva. I'm not trying to call out Brombal - I think he genuinely loves Shiva - but why does 'a more nuanced Shiva' entail her caring/being invested in her daughter? Why should Shiva need that emotional/biological connection to be more fleshed out? Puckett's Shiva was nuanced without that. I'll even say Bryan Hill, in Batman & The Outsiders, walks that line - Shiva does love Cass, but she's not overly invested in her. In Outsiders, Shiva has her own morals, and the most emotional she gets is when her home village is destroyed. This isn't perfect writing, but Hill shows that Shiva has feelings outside of Cass, and motivations beyond motherhood.

Compare that to Batgirl (2024) - everything Shiva has done, and it's implied this extends to stealing the flowers, has been for/centered around Cass. The best Shiva bit was when she opened up about Carolyn, because that gives her something external! I know this is a story about Cass, but Shiva is at this point a deuteragonist - if Cass' connection to the Bats can be emphasised, Shiva can have something external too. Her connection to the Order of Shiva isn't even that fleshed out. Like, Jayesh straight up dies and Shiva has no reaction. (I do think this is a set-up for the resurrection of Jayesh, Shiva, etc. so this is not bad, but it does contribute to issue 6 feeling anticlimactic.).

(Also the Shiva/Bruce opposition was kinda done better in Outsiders too, whereas here the emphasis on 'motherhood' makes it feel like Shiva should be paralleling Babs. BUT I don't think this is Brombal's fault, most likely editorial shenanigans. It still does make the 'motherhood' monologues weird if Bruce is the parallel to Shiva).

All this to say modern-day Shiva and Cass flattens a lot of what I loved about the original Shiva-Cass dynamic. I do think this flattening is partially due to the reduction in Cass' parental figures - if Babs and David were here, it would be a lot more balanced, and we'd be able to see how they ping off each other. I also think Brombal will likely ameliorate or subvert a lot of the things I've said here, so this really isn't criticism against him or the series. But while Batgirl (2024) is far far better than other current portrayals, it also reduces Shiva to her relationship to Cass/motherhood/the 'Asian mother'. If Babs and David were here to offset this, I think Shiva's characterisation could potentially work. But as of right now, Shiva's over-importance isn't quite resonating with me, for either Cass or Shiva's sake.

(But I really am not a Shiva expert so take everything with a grain of salt, and I know many people do love Shiva-Cass in BG '24 so this is really my singular take!! It's not meant to invalidate anyone's enjoyment of anything.)

[blueblurseptember]

one day, there will be an abundance of wiseharu idol/celeb au. trust.

[gonchillunchis]

enterprise doodles yes i love eating from the supermarket's trash containers no i won't stop

[backjustforberena]

"The Stranger has visited me more times than I can count, Grand Maester. I assure you… he cares little whether my eyes are open or closed."

Laena, and her unborn grandchild: far away from her, unexpectedly.

Laenor: in their home, whilst she was sleeping, he was murdered due to dangers she had already articulated.

Vaemond: in front of her eyes, despite her earlier warnings, by her own family.

Corlys: far away from her, on the brink of death, after six years apart.

No matter where she is, what she does, if she foresees the danger or not, if she has her eyes open or shut to the reality, the Stranger doesn't care. Her loved one can die right in front of her or a country away. The Stranger leaves her powerless. The Strange takes and takes. She couldn't save any of them.

Rhaenys is proximate or aware of most deaths during the series. She is a castle away from Aemma, her cousin, who dies on the birthing bed - and is present at her funeral. She details, casually, the manner in which Rhea Royce dies. She is there and a witness to Joffrey's death.

And then we cast forward to after she says this statement. Corlys lives, yes but who else dies? How many more deaths is she attached to? How many graves? There's the general theme of war: the cost of it, the savagery, the toll. She thinks of it almost constantly ("if something were to befall you"). But actual deaths?

Viserys: The very next morning, after this quote. He dies rooms away. But he's been dead to her for a long time, despite the love there.

Caswell: she sees his hanging body.

Visenya: She sees the blood and the beginning of that death. She is present at the funeral.

Luke: She is there when he volunteers, she did not foresee this, she wanted to keep those boys safe. Yet he dies. And she feels that grief but is not allowed to feel that grief because everyone else feels it far too heavily, and there's a job to do. She attends his funeral.

Jaehaerys: She is present when the Blacks get the news. She didn't see it coming but isn't surprised. She looks straight at the culprit.

Erryk and Arryk: Again, so proximate to it. In the same castle, one would assume. And she stands at their graveside.

Then Rook's Rest. Literally staring death in the face. If we go back to "He cares little whether my eyes are open or closed", then it has to circle around to Meleys and herself. That final look. Her eyes are wide open as she watches Meleys's close. And she is powerless to save her dear, dear dragon.

And then she falls herself. Her eyes open. It doesn't matter if she closed them or not, she's falling. She's dying. She's dead.

[justiceleaguelog]

Deep Convo W/ Batsibling!

Batsib: Do y'all wanna have a deep convo?

Damian: What's the meaning of this, L/N?

Duke Sure! What's the rules?

Batsib: Trauma dumps our allowed, just know, no one's gonna take it seriously! Now, speed run it!

Dick: When I was younger, I watched my parents died and had to be put protective care, hiding out with some random billionaire who was watching the show.

Batsib: Wonderful!

Jason: I was killed when I was super young, came back as some hot anti-hero and my only way to cope is by making jokes!

Batsib: That's what I like to here, Jay! Come on Dami, you're next!

Damian: I was raised as a weapon for the League of Assassins.

Batsib: Boo! Unorignal! We already have one of those!

Cass: Sup, Cassandra Cain, age 19, I'm a weapon.

[loki-valeska]

Drawing this made me realize there's two versions of Oracles Impa? One of them has her cleavage censored, which is kinda funny to me.

Anywho, this was simple and very straightforward.

[loregoddess]

I should get paid therapist wages considering some of the conversations I have w/ guests at work

[tiktaalic]

MY BUDDY CAS PACING:

[moondvncer]

I found out my boyfriend is texting someone else ... and they were sexting, and he probably met her ... what do I do? I'm scared that if I tell him, he will leave.

you're scared that he will leave?! bestie hear me out, get those screenshots about him cheating on you ready, confront him about it and then dump him. 😠

we don't claim those kind of 🤏🏻 tiny little men here, remember, we're out to find our Mr Darcy, Howl Pendragon, whatever is your fictional crush. we aim to find devotion, not insecure players in our year of the lord 2024 🧡

[oilith]

[silversiren1101]

It's strange that Minovae has become like, the 'main' OC for me because by and large most of the characters I play are Not Good, and she is like Good Good.

Varae Dorne - (DnD5e) Chaotic Evil -> Lawful Neutral; Warlock Paladin; Fallen Aasimar

Pruscilla Domenel - (DnD5e) Neutral Evil; Artificer; Half-Elf

Weeping Night - (DnD5e) Chaotic Neutral; Monk; Tabaxi

Orphaea - (DnD5e) True Neutral; Cleric; Siren

Safri - (Pf2e) Chaotic Neutral; Ranger; Halfling

Sascha - (Pf2e) Chaotic Evil; Cleric of Lamashtu; Beastkin

Lsayle - (Pf2e) Lawful Evil; Magus Hellknight; Half-Elf

Marok - (Pf2e) True Neutral; Druid; Orc

Morolai Valduin - (Pf1e/Pf2e) Neutral Evil; Bloodrager/Barbarian; Half-Elf

Omorose Ahnkamen - (Pf2e) Lawful Evil; Sorcerer; Automaton Dhampir

Castreiza - (Pf2e) Lawful Neutral; Summoner Hellknight; Changeling Human

Sabine - (Pf2e) Neutral Evil; Investigator; Tiefling Human

Amellara - (Pf1e/Pf2e) Chaotic Evil; Cleric of Hastur; Elf

Weeping Night* - (Pf2e) Chaotic Neutral; Alchemist; Catfolk

Revile - (Pf2e) Lawful Neutral; Gunslinger; Gnoll Fleshwarp

And then there's

Minovae Arangeir - (Pf1e/Pf2e) Lawful Good; Fighter/Slayer Hellknight; Human Ganzi

Veera Rao - (Pf1e) Neutral Good; Slayer Vigilante; Human

Meiko - (Pf2e) Chaotic Good; Witch; Halfling

I'm sure I missed some but it's funny to think about! My first instinct when making a character is not Good that's for sure. I think I'm that type of player that likes to play on the looser side of conforming to overall morals and more following a strict personal code; or characters that allow me as a player to do fun thought experiments on what it would take to make someone 'evil' or 'morally dubious' cooperate with the group at large and conform.

[merriclo]

“r u writing” no i’m drawing the floor plans for oracle and lorule’s houses and detailing the differences and similarities of it that depend entirely on who lives there. why? idk it’s fun ig

[papaiyatree]

i'm genuinely so down bad for babs this is so embarassing

[laterhomenuggets]

Ah yes further confirmation I am an Orc. Couldn’t be that Orc is in my top 2 ancestries in DnD and Pathfinder.

Elf TV: exclusively 300 season-long soap operas

Dwarf TV: How It's Mined followed by a 4½ hr documentary about salt

Gnome TV: those sensory videos for cats where bugs and mice and birds crawl around on the screen. they really like this

Orc TV: Mythbusters and Top Gear reruns

Halfling TV: the most incredible impassioned storytelling you've ever witnessed always neatly contained in 2 seasons max

Fairy TV: imagine Impractical Jokers except theyre capable of stealing people's faces . this is the only show that fairies have