Otherplace, of stained glass and fractured reality 🍃🫧
Across the blade was a patchwork of stained glass. Each pane of glass was one of four colours - blue, green, pink, and purple - and it seemed that each of those shades looked out to a distinct scene. Peering through the pale blue squares, it looked as if the sword was at the bottom of a sunny, shallow sea. Bright sunbeams caught on bubbles, and in the distance the dark shadow of fish darted on unfelt currents. Through the green glass, a windy forest at sunset. Leaves flew in the air, picked from the canopy by the warm evening breeze. The pink glass put the sword atop a high rise building, fireworks lighting up the night sky, smoke in the air, stars twinkling. Through the purple glass, only a murky, purple ooze could be seen, the concoction too opaque to glean any further information. You lean back, and gaze at the sword. A small part of you wonders if, from the other side of the window, does anything gaze back?
This one was fun, it’s nice to work on a short but intricate animation loop :}
Yesterday’s sword!
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{Late because I got a terrible migraine out of the blue yesterday. Very happy with this one, and it references not only one of my main OCs, but the overarching plot of one of my original stories. Please enjoy!}
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Item ID: 6O-2407
Item Name: Timekeeper’s Cutlass
Category: ERROR://CLASSIFICATION INVALID://MANUAL USER INPUT: ARTIFACT
Origin Point: Time Immemorial, Voided
Owner: ■■■ ■■■■■■■■ (C), Triampheus ■■■■■■■■ (O)
Description: A blade of a traditional Earthen design, reminiscent of the age of pirates. Approximately ■■ cm length, with a ■■ cm handle, ■■ cm at the widest point. Samples taken from the blade, hilt, and the guard overloaded the analysis unit. Scans were inconclusive upon repeated testing. Visual assessment indicates the item is most likely made from seaglass and driftwood. In place of a central fuller, there is a hollow middle filled with grains of sand, endlessly shifting from one end to the other, chased by a slow moving strand of water. An hourglass is carved into the bottom of the hilt. If alone with the item, one will hear the sound of rushing water (this sound is not picked up by any recording devices). Touching the item with bare skin induces hallucinations based on whoever previously touched it, regardless of whether or not one has met the previous individual.
Cataloger’s Notes: I’m not bothering with any pretenses today. Truth of the matter is that we never should have gotten hold of this, I want nothing to do with it, and nobody is ever going to read this file other than myself (and even then, it will only be as a reminder to myself). As soon as I’m done recording these notes, this item is getting handed off to people far more qualified than myself. Every other record of this item will be wiped from FPA systems, even the backup servers. Nobody needs to know we had our hands on an artifact of this importance… nor do they need to know we unwittingly used it. May the Ancients forgive my sins, and the sins of my partner. We did not know.
ERROR://FILE NOT UPLOADED TO PRIMARY SERVER://ERROR://PLEASE SYNC LOCAL FILES WITH CLOUD://ERROR://FILE SYNC CANCELED BY USER C.DELA://
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Cynthia should have known better. By now, she’s catalogued over a thousand items in the span of a decade, from weapons to ancient art, from contraband pharmaceuticals to exotic pets. On three occasions she has encountered items known as artifacts: Relics, both old and new, infused with terrible power. Each one has only briefly been held by the FPA, before being swiftly taken to those with higher authority. But even a minute in the presence of an artifact can change one’s life.
The Timekeeper’s Cutlass is not as obvious of an artifact as most. Whoever tried to mail it must not have known what it was, and those who handled it in between must have worn gloves. As soon as Cynthia was alone with the item, she felt its power, and heard the sea-song in the air. She knew, then, what thing lay on her desk. It was the first time she had ever been this close to an artifact, and her heart raced at the prospect of cataloging such a find. Who could blame her?
She did not forsake her duties, did not set out to play with it. Immediately, she made the proper phone calls, arranged the item’s retrieval first. Only then did she set out to log the details, knowing sooner or later Naomi would be stopping by to take her out for dinner. That was her excuse, maybe, that she’d only work until being interrupted. A foolish thought.
Artifacts set the time of all who touch them.
It only takes a single touch of her bare skin against the seaglass to “activate” the item. An accidental brush of her wrist against the material, a microsecond of contact, and Cynthia is no longer in her office. Now she is falling, falling, flying until she is in another body entirely, seeing through another’s eyes. Feeling what they feel. Voices whisper in her ears, overlapping until one word becomes clear: Triampheus. A Goddess, for one, but a common enough name among worshippers. Once the voices cut off, suddenly, Cynthia is free to witness glimpses into the life of another.
There is war. Long did it brew, across countless planets, at last stirred up by the atrocities of a few madmen. Flashes of combat, of death, a mentor laid to rest when a truce is broken. Rage. Sorrow. Desperation in the hearts of the viewpoint. It has to end. They will end it. Threats are made, are ignored, a display of power is taken too far. An entire planet held between their hands. One last warning, time for innocents to evacuate. Finally they are taken seriously.
But their control is not strong enough. They never wanted it to end this way. Blood from their eyes, their nose, their ears. Too much power- a Goddess channeled in mortal flesh. Either they break or the planet does, there is no letting go. The choice is made for them… and an entire world collapses in on itself. There is no more war, not anymore.
There is only a manhunt.
“Cynthia, please, please wake up,” Naomi’s voice cuts through the end of the vision, breaks away from what might be the future, draws her back into her body. Instantly she’s all but throwing herself into her girlfriend’s arms, pressing her face against Naomi’s neck and sobbing. There are no words to describe what she has seen.
“Don’t- don’t touch the sword,” Cynthia chokes out between sobs. For a moment there’s no sound other than her crying, Naomi going stiff. Was it too early in their relationship for this level of intensity? A few months was hardly enough time for Naomi to grow accustomed to the sort of things Cynthia has to inspect, but surely- her anxious thoughts are cut off by a gentle kiss to the forehead.
“I… I touched it. And I think- I hope- that we didn’t see the same thing. Because I… I really liked what I saw,” Naomi admits, in a reassuring whisper. One hand rubs gentle circles into Cynthia’s back as they sit together, and soon enough the crying slows, then stops. Finally, the archivist pulls back just far enough to look up with questioning eyes. Her curiosity overwhelms. “Telling you what I saw… I’m worried that it might change things. If… if that is the future. So, please, let me say no more than that there will be boundless joy. You will be safe, and happy, and you won’t be alone.”
Nothing could fully soothe Cynthia, not yet, but the words bring her a sense of hope. She may have dreamed of a stranger’s war, but Naomi had dreamed of the life that would come after. A life that would be shared with her.
Opulent Urn, of ceramic fragment and dungeon’s spoils 🏺💎
Any adventurer will tell you to smash the pots. This is just basic dungeon delving knowledge, there could be all sorts of trinkets in there. Gold, gemstones, big floating red hearts. I don’t know why the people who used to live there kept so much stuff in these things but it’s free. It’s free, you guys. I cannot stress this enough.
Love to do this coin+gem effect, I think it’s literally been years since I’ve done it so this was fun!
Yesterday’s sword!
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Serrulata, of falling petal and beloved bonsai 🌸🎀
“She’s fussy - will need pruning daily. Don’t overwater, a gentle misting should be enough. The blade will need oiling, and please take great care not to blunt or chip the edge. When sharpening her, leave a gentle stream of water running across the wetstone, and mind that none of her branches get caught as you’re out on your adventures. When on display please do not leave the blade in its sheathe, and make sure that her leaves get enough sunlight.”
Pretty n pink :} thank you so much for everyone’s support and nice comments yesterday, and an extra special thank u to everyone who is joining in on the challenge! If you wanna join it’s never too late, we have a whole month ahead of us :D
Yesterday’s sword!
You can support me on Patreon for £1 and help me make stuff like this!
El’faera’s Weapon Hire, of gnarled root and helpful fairy ✨🌿
“Oh hello excuse me? Are you looking for a weapon - perhaps for a tour guide? I know this place like the back of my wing, if, er, at least if we are where I think we are… and I can be awfully useful in a fight too! I’ll shout when you should dodge and duck and roll. My humble home is a sturdy weapon, don’t mind the rust and rot that’s, um, that’s an aesthetic thing, kind of going for a cottagecore vibe. My past clients can vouch for me too! In fact my most recent commissioner is here joining us today - yes - the very overgrown skeleton with the look of pure terror in it’s silently screaming maw. I mean, I told him to dodge and he didn’t listen! If anything that’s another point in the “good reviews” column. Me and my home are available for hire for cheap and - hey don’t walk away. Hey excuse me! Are you even listening??”
Are you hiring her services??
Yesterday’s sword!
You can support me on Patreon for £1 and help me make stuff like this!
Polarity, of shifting state and constant flow 🟦🟧
As you grip the blade in your hand, you feel your heart drop. Suddenly you are so aware of the energy that flows through you - each synapse firing, every vein pumping. The cosmic energy that passes through you each moment, reminding you that you are the stars and the moon and the earth beneath your feet. You are energy, yet just for this moment in a self aware state. Only a brief visitor in this body, one day the earth will swallow you and the flesh will fall from your bones. Then you can rest, blissfully unaware. Never created, never destroyed, always in motion.
Had to draw so so many little lines for this one 😭😭 also, week 1 done !!!!! 3 more to go :}
Yesterday’s sword!
You can support me on Patreon for £1 and help me make stuff like this!
The Inventors Blade Mk. II, of folded light and gleaming ichor 🌱🩸
“This was long overdue an upgrade.
My personal growth in understanding how Ichor works and interacts with our technology has allowed me to enhance the strength of the sword, essentially tempering the blade. Whereas its predecessor was prone to “glitching” and had a weaker, segmented body, the Mark II is a single unified blade of folded light.
The emitter can now hold multiple charges, allowing for six distinct unsheathings before needing to be refuelled. This revolver system can be reloaded with a vial inserted into the sliding hatch above the active chamber. Empty glass casings will be ejected from the rear of the weapon, which I can hold onto and refill when I get back home.
As for the plants, I’m not too sure about how they got here. The more time I spend ■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■, the more linked I feel ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■. I feel like it knows me - are these plants my own creation? Or something it has given to me as a gift, plucked from my own subconscious? I’m close to understanding how this all works, I know I am. I can feel it in my chest.
For right now, I’m gonna focus on the fact that I have a cool new laser sword, and go test this thing out! (for research purposes, of course) :] ”
C:BIO/SPROUT/LOGIN/GREEN_THUMB/MEMOS/“10reasonswhyishouldbuildalasersword_2.doc”/
It begins !!! I am so excited! You guys will see stuff earlier so happy early swordtember :D this sword is from last sprout, an upgrade to an existing sword of mine that you can see here! I hope ur as excited about this month as I am! (also go check out @last-sprout ! A couple of this years swords are gonna be from that universe!)
You can support me on Patreon for £1 and help me make stuff like this!
CrosSword, of daily distraction and loyal streak🙏🧩
A puzzle of mysterious origin inscribes itself upon the face of this blade each day, and as you turn it around in your hands, you notice something etched upon the other side:
DOWN
1: A month long festivity, the blacksmith's hammer can be heard in the air as the daily blades are forged.
4: Once dull, I breathe life into your edge.
6: Words carved into a monument, runes carved into a blade. Can be split into three words - (interior)(an actors anchor)(a charged atom)
7: Quenched in this when fresh from the forge, used to care and maintain a blade as its life continues.
9: A blade that has felt the touch of magic within its steel. Perhaps it has acquired a new ability with this blessing.
12: The incorrect answer to the question “should I get a sword?”
ACROSS
2: To push something to perfection.
3: One in a million.
5: Are you looking here for a clue? What do you expect to find?
6: Blood of the Earth.
8: Any good adventurer has a spool of this laying around.
10: A blade of plasma and a shield of light? This all sounds very hi-
11: The forge of the household.
13: Wildly impractical for a sword, but looks lovely.
Anyway shoutout to puzzmo 🙏🙏🙏
Yesterday’s sword!
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Driftwood, of gleaming shell and curious critter 🐚🦀
Waves race up the beach to meet your feet, and you feel the crunch of sun dried kelp into wet sand beneath you. In the waves, the sun catches on a bobbing shape. Floating slowly ashore, wrapped up with the ebb and flow of the tide, is a huge shell. The waves deposit the opalescent carapace at your feet, the light bending over its shiny exterior. A hunk of driftwood juts from the base of the shell almost like a handle, and you note the sharpened, serrated edge. A blade? You take the sword in your hand, and almost drop it immediately as a curious eye emerges from within the weapon. The crustacean eyes you up and, seemingly satisfied with its new wielder, withdraws back within the sword. As seagulls cry overhead and the daylight sparkles on the water, you already start to think of the adventures you might go on together.
I guess you could say this sword is shiiinyyyy (watch it sparkle like a diamond in the rough)
Yesterday’s sword!
You can support me on Patreon for £1 and help me make stuff like this!