#steampunk ii

[fatherforgivethem]

“Love?”

Ticking.

Ticking.

“Loved.”

 Love is a selfish thing. One that makes even the most pious of people fall into their own greed and sinful desires. Aegon and Helaena knew this better than most. Oh, how selfish they had been. But that is love, is it not? A ticking clock of selfishness. And with each hour that fell, the more sin grew in their bleeding hearts.

[sanguineandsteam]

Artfight Attack for Amayaisokay that I did last month. I had a lot of fun with the background, its the pirate city of tortuga on the back of a turtle dragon from A starlit sea as seen from the ghost ship that belongs to Fergus Hadler II. Captain Reizedera and her are relaxing and getting to know each other better. I had trouble nailing down the poses. It was my first step back into using limited references and I think my anatomy mental library has improved during draw everything june. They're not perfect but I'm plenty happy with what I have done.

[werewolfetone]

They Don't Know What A Justaucorps Is

[vibecenter13]

i will never be normal again

[withoutrunes]

Keep in mind that Octopath Traveler 2 isn’t actually a medieval setting; it’s more properly a steampunk one, as Ori of Clockbank lays out for Partitio here.  This is especially notable if you get the secret Inventor class, which comes with fancy hats and goofy technological devices of the kind most associated with the genre!

Admittedly, this is mostly contained to the eastern continent- as multiple characters note, there’s a pretty significant technological gap in the world of Octopath Traveler II, where the eastern continent is a bit ahead of the western one.

[floramisu]

Priscilla, the princess of the mechanical kingdom! One of my most recent OCs which I have gotten very attached to. Finally I could make a fullbody of her!

I posted this piece early and with a less intrusive watermark for my ko-fi supporters! I'm thinking of doing this for future pieces but I'm still testing out if this is right for me, so things may change.

If you want to support me, here's my ko-fi!

[wanderinginksplot]

What to watch during the writer's strike:

Don't pay attention to companies who blame writers for delayed movies and television shows! The WGA strike comes from people who are trying to make things better - not only for themselves and other writers, but the films and tv shows we all love.

While we wait for a resolution, I thought I would share some existing television shows that I enjoy. I didn't bother with too much well-known stuff. Instead, I focused on shows I feel many people missed because of the glut of content that all premiered at once over the last few years. (I may make another one of these for movies later on, but this one is about tv.)

[Update: Movie version here]

Feel free to add on! Just try to give a quick, spoiler-free synopsis for the show and the streaming service where it can be found.

List under the cut!

Netflix:

The Good Place (2016-2020) - A 'bad' woman is accidentally sent to heaven. She and her moral philosophy professor of a soulmate try to save her soul by making her a better person. Genre: Comedy with deeper implications and one of the best endings in television history.

Russian Doll (2019-2022) - When Nadia dies at her birthday party, she's more than a little confused to come back. Especially when it keeps happening. Genre: Time loop drama with a wicked sense of humor and a dash of theoretical physics. Potentially not ended?

Narcos (2015-2017) - The fight of the American DEA and the Colombian army against cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar and his reign of terror. Genre: Drama with thrilling elements. Lots of violence, some sex and language. Lots of subtitles. Features Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook, if you need some extra incentive.

Derry Girls (2018-2022) - Five teens grow up in Derry, Ireland in the 1990s, amid the final years of the Troubles, a low-level war that lasted roughly 30 years. Genre: Comedy. Some sexual content, some religious content, less violence than you would expect, and the best nun ever to appear on film.

Arcane (2021-?) - Two sisters are alienated when one accidentally kills their adoptive father. Their different paths threaten the fragile peace of a city already on the breaking point. Genre: Drama with elements of action-adventure. Though it's animated, Arcane's animation is beautifully done with tantalizing steampunk elements that will keep you invested.

Disney+:

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020) - If you haven't seen any of the Star Wars animated series, this is a good place to start. Set in the time gap between Episode II and Episode III, this series helps flesh out Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi. It is also a great introduction to some of the characters and plots of The Mandalorian. (Star Wars: Rebels is another good choice.) Genre: Adventure with some drama. Violence and death are a large part of The Clone Wars, but it's usually appropriate for children. The clone troopers will steal your heart!

Gravity Falls (2012-2016) - Dipper Pines and his sister Mabel are sent to Gravity Falls, Oregon to live with their great-uncle for their summer break. But when Dipper finds a mysterious book in the woods, the pair find that Gravity Falls is far more mysterious than it seems... Genre: Adventure with a lot of comedy. Though it's billed as a children's cartoon, Gravity Falls is an intriguing watch with mystery subplots that will keep anyone guessing. It also features a famously strong and cohesive series ending. I was in my late 20s when I first watched this and I was still invested!

Daredevil (2015-2018) - After being blinded as a young boy, Matthew Murdock trained his other senses to replace the sight that he lost. He uses his skills to protect the helpless in the New York City neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen. Genre: Action and superhero. Features a lot of incredibly choreographed violence. (Jessica Jones is also an excellent show to watch, especially if you think of David Tennant as the consummate 'good guy'. He's got range!)

HBO Max (Just 'Max' now, I guess):

Ghosts (2019-2023) - Petty roommate squabbles don't stop just because you're dead! Alison and her husband Mike inherit a house, then a near-death experience allows Alison to see its ghostly inhabitants. Chaos and humor ensue as the ghosts try to adjust to the house's new owners. Genre: Humor. Ghosts is a British sitcom, but since the writers are comedians (writing and performing in Horrible Histories), the show is done in a style that feels more natural to American viewers. Hint: watch the BBC version, not the American one. They're fairly similar, but definitely not the same!

Pushing Daisies (2007-2009) - A pie-maker with the ability to bring back the dead helps to solve murders. He's helped by his once-dead childhood sweetheart. Genre: Comedy with some dramatic elements. Some of the CGI-heavy moments haven't aged particularly well, but the show has a unique premise and an incredibly talented cast!

Hulu:

Abbott Elementary (2021-?) - This mockumentary series showcases an inner-city elementary school in Philadelphia. The teachers and administration do their best for the kids, but they're constrained by budgets and the limitations of the educational system itself. Genre: Comedy mockumentary. Though Abbott Elementary is fictional, some of the issues brought up are all too real. This is a funny and incisive look at the American public school system.

Amazon Prime:

Fleabag (2016-2019) - The unnamed protagonist of the show struggles through life on her own with limited support from her alienated family and the memories of her recently deceased best friend. Genre: Comedy with lots of dramatic elements. Lots of sexual content and references, some language, breaking the fourth-wall, and several characters you just long to hit. I watched the second season in a single day, that's how good this was.

Unknown Streaming Service:

Black Sails (2014-2017) - This prequel to Treasure Island features elements from the book, original characters, and real pirates from history in a setting that emphasizes realism. Captain Flint and his crew search for a legendary prize... one that might allow them to claim Nassau for their own. Genre: Action and adventure. Think Game of Thrones, but with pirates. Incredibly well-written and well-acted with gorgeous scenery, LGBTQ representation, and just enough historical accuracy to keep things grounded. Black Sails also boasts one of the best endings ever given for a television show.

Like I said, please feel free to reblog and add your own television show recommendations onto this list! There are plenty of things to watch and plenty of ways to support the WGA strike that don't involve giving in to big studios.

[allthingsfern]

My 2023 Top 5

Since early May, 2022, when I fractured my right arm (the humerus, right under the shoulder joint), my health, my physical well being, has deteriorated at a fast pace because I stopped being active. Part of that was my not taking pictures because, especially for the first 2 months after the break, I could not lift my camera. Then, this year, my cataracts got worst and I had my right eye surgery in early November, with my left eye surgery rescheduled for next April. (My cataracts in my left eye are not as severe as they were on my right eye and before my surgery scheduled for this month, December, I got a bad case of bronchitis.) It has been a year of deterioration and adjustment and retrospection (in 10 years I will be 80 years old) and of doing photography. Not so much of making pictures, but certainly of continuing my learning my beloved art form and going back and reworking some of my old photos.

So, with all that said, here are my Top 5 for 2023 and why I chose them and what, in some way, they have to do with my explanation above. The first 3 were captured this year and the last 2 are finds from past photos that I overlooked and that the newer, more powerful masking tools in Camera Raw helped me shape into what I think are stunning images. I am getting good at doing the Ansel Adams style manipulations and am also enjoying the process.

Oy vey.

Circles and triangles and shadows, oh my II. Oakland, 01-28-23.

I went to Oakland, which is a city I love and think is sadly overlooked because of San Francisco's grandeur. Had a great time walking around for a couple of hours and got a few solid photos. What more can I ask for.

Portrait II. Davis, 03-20-23.

Had dinner with this young man and got a couple of photos. zTHis was my favorite; captured him at his most comfortable because he was reacting to a comment by his roommate. Not the sharpest image, but I love the sense of motion and his expression.

Roses IX; Municipal Rose Garden. San Jose, 05-14-23.

For my birthday I went down to San Jose and stayed a couple of days. On my birthday, I visited the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden and had a wonderful time capturing gorgeous roses and enjoying the park's festive Mother's Day atmosphere.

The beauty of decay Vintage trailer: Crockett, 10-01-17.

Kinda creepy/post-Apocalyptic/SteamPunk, this photo came to life once I started editing it in Camera Raw recently. The masking, dodge & burn tools are excellent and its tools for manipulating color also helped immensely even though this is a B&W photo.

COVID wanderings Outdoor seating? Pier 1. San Francisco, 09-07-20.

While walking around a deserted San Francisco Bay promenade on the Embarcadero, I was struck by the hard, graphic lines and sharp B&W light/shadows of this, which showed that even in the midst of a terrifying pandemic, there was beauty to be found every so often, in the most unexpected, mundane places.

[windsweptinred]

@mashumaru I hope you don't mind me answering your question here? There was no way this was fitting in the comments section. 😅 So these are what I'd call more Sunday afternoon murder mysteries then gritty crime dramas, as that's what I'm mainly watching at the mo. But if you'd like some darker recs, just let me know.

Anywho...

Midsomer Murders

The ultimate Sunday afternoon watch. Murder most foul, represented artistically in the form of a cream tea. Starring Inspector Barnaby(s), the most teddy bear men ever to exist. Every episode will include chocolate box village eye porn. Murder weapons have included but are not limited to: a cheese wheel, drowned in chocolate, a headless horseman and a steampunk werewolf. It sounds ridiculous but once you start, you won't be able to stop. I promsie you. The horrors: 0/10, though may leave you with a life long phobia of morris dancers and village fetes.

The Morseverse (Endeavour/Inspector Morse and Lewis)

Ah Morseverse, my beloved. The English academic elite does crime. Oxford is it's own splendorous character, with every episode crammed full of towering libraries, awe inspiring architecture and fanatically manicured, college quads. A must watch for those whose hearts belong to dark academia. Endeavour and Morse are set in the 60s/70s and 80s/90s respectively. And follow the same character, Endeavour Morse, from brilliant, blue eyed, troubled twink to brilliant, blue eyed, grumpy old man with a definite alcohol problem. (Never play drink along with Morse, it's a surefire way to get alcohol poisoning.) The baton is then passed to his sergeant, Robert Lewis in Lewis, set in the relative present (as of this post). The relationship between Inspector and Sergeant is what ultimately makes these series, be it Fred Thursday and Morse, Morse and Lewis and Lewis and James Hathaway. And you'll come to treasure them. Be prepared to leave these series with a well earned fictional degree in classical music. Murders CAN and WILL be based on obscure, literary references. The horrors: Well it depends.... I'd say Endeavour is the darkest, Lewis is the lightest with Morse settled nicely in between. If you finish this series not wanting a Jaguar Mark II, you did it wrong.

Vera

Vera Stanhope, my northumbrian queen, my geordie goddess. A middle aged plus woman, with no makeup (or two f*cks to rubs together) decked in a brown hat and mac and driving the world most beaten up land rover.... Owns everyone. And it is sooo satisfying to watch. The scenic southern eye candy of the two previous recs is replaced with the wild, isolated landscapes of the North, very much reflecting our DI. She's joined by sergeant dark and dishy and the ever more put up Kenny Lockhart, as well as host of others. But what really makes this series is Vera herself. As equally formidable as she is kind hearted, with no hint of glamour. She's the kind of female representation we both need and deserve. The horrors: Vera passive aggressively calling vicious murderers 'pet' fixes all world problems. It's scientifically proven.

Things you may have heard of:

Sherlock Holmes, the Granada edition starring Jeremy Brett. No finer Sherlock has ever graced our screens to this day (And yes, I will stand and fight for that statement.) One of the most loyal adaptations of the books ever made.

Poirot, staring David Suchet. No offence to Kenneth Branagh (Your Henry V got me through high-school English lit sir). But David Suchet is THE Prirot for me. Another loyal book adaptation. Over a 25 year period Suchet lived and breathed Poirot and it shows.

If anyone's got any other recommendations please feel free to add them on. I know I've missed a ton! Anywho, I hope that helps me dear. 😁

[fatherforgivethem]

The urge to write a ff of helaegon in a steampunk world is really really really strong rn

[esotheria-sims]

Hi Esotheria, can you help me finding small witchy zombie-related knickknack deco for shelves and bookshelves? Asking this for some of my normal Knowledge Sims with high interest for paranormal stuff, so I want to decorate their rooms with occult-related deco.

Hi there! I don't have much zombie-related clutter, but I can help with the witch side of the ask! ^^

Buyable Reagents mod - so that even your non-witch sims can have reagents as deco. Best combined with Pineappleforest's reagents default replacement!

Buyable AL witch stuff by Hugelunatic (the little witch statues could probably work as shelf deco?)

Extracted in-game magic clutter (wands, crystal ball, books, witch hats etc.) by Shastakiss

3t2 Supernatural conversions I and 3t2 Supernatural conversions II by Shastakiss

Gargoyle statue, spellbook, and jars by Chimerical (reuploaded by theatticbox)

Extracted TSM books and potions by lmhwjs (I love those old books so much!)

Steampunk conversions by lmhwjs (linked mostly for the quill and parchment deco that comes with the set; I use it on my witches' desks all the time!)

4t2 Sabrina clutter set by Nikaonishko

TS4 to TS2 Realm of Magic deco by Gryning (the set contains a tombstone that might also be suited for your zombie clutter needs!)

4t2 Witchy clutter by Limonaire

Various Harry Potter conversions by Decat

Various 4t2 objects by Decat

Realm of Magic conversions by Decat

Witchy goodies by Deatherella

4t2 Paranrormal Helping Hand deco by TheNinthWaveSims

I also recommend you check out all past supernatural/magic themes that were running on GoS! ^^ To name a few:

2022.07-08 That 70s Theme & Eye of Newt

2021.09-10 Baby On Board & In the Mausoleum (also for zombie-related stuff)

2020.05-06 HomeCrafter & Tea with the Queen

2019.09-10 Farm to Table & Danse Macabre (also for zombie-related stuff)

2015.07 - Fairy Tale & Fantasy

2011.06 - Magic and Fantasy

2009.10 - Halloween! (also for zombie-related stuff)

Hope this helps a little! ^^

[bardic-inspo]

Reaver from Fable II and III is Ascended Astarion vibes. It's just his theme is steampunk instead of gothic vampire. 👀

Like, listen:

Eternal youth

Dark shadowy sacrificial ritual

Expert marksmen

Dresses to Impress

Bi/Pansexual

Like dens of debauchery

Masquerades

Violence as a hobby

Technically a Hero

Astarion is missing a pirate era but he's got an eternity, maybe he'll get around to it 👀

[nightingaelic]

If you missed the Xbox Summer Showcase + Starfield Direct, here are the highlights:

Fable trailer featuring that awkward guy from The IT Club as a gardening giant

South of Midnight giving bayou blues and beasties

Obsidian's medieval fantasy romp Avowed, which looks like it's borrowing Outer Worlds graphics a bit

Cutesy Fallout 76 video celebrating the player base and hinting at an upcoming in-game journey to Atlantic City (???)

Jusant, a pretty rock climbing sci-fi adventure featuring a cute blob in a backpack

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty DLC official trailer with Escape from New York-style shenanigans, releasing September 26, 2023, possible new ending for V, LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOO???!!!???

BioShock-ish time travel steampunk adventure called Clockwork Revolution that features a villainess with the coolest mohawk I've ever seen and ticky-tocky mustachioed killer robots

Star Wars Outlaws, 33 Immortals, Dungeons of Hinterberg, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Sea Of Thieves: The Legend Of Monkey Island, Microsoft Flight Simulator X Dune, Payday 3, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Persona 3 Reload, Path of the Goddess, Towerborne, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Cities: Skylines II, Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom, and a brand new Xbox in carbon black with the sickest Xbox console edit this side of TikTok

No leather jacket for Todd Howard, smh

An in-depth look at Starfield's gameplay, including character creation, weapons mods, ship mods, planets, space travel mechanics, combat, locations, inspirations, companions, and the one and only Vasco who can say your name (like Codsworth), and a release date of September 6, 2023

Starfield limited edition smartwatch, case, Xbox controller, and headset, coming soon to a tech review channel near you

Still no Elder Scrolls VI news

[bardically-uninspired]

Question:

What are your own headcannons on Coil?

oh fun question

Coil is trans, it’s up to you in which direction but I like projecting onto her as a trans woman

To follow up on that point, her phighting 2/april fools design is pre-transition (as seen below)

The crystal in Coil’s horn is growing out rather than being jammed in, this is because of extended, inexperienced, unsafe exposure (this one is kinda textually implied but it’s just how i interpret her)

She stole the crystal from a lab, it was indeed one of Medkit’s

The crystal is estrogen

Coil specifically likes messing around with Pwnatious. She’s gotten really good at dealing with Carnage

Skateboard and Coil do robberies together (as seen in previous art)

Coil and Slingshot are friends they’re both trans girls and joke about Skateboard being stupid

Coil and Slingshot are “friends”

Coil thinks she could totally beat Scythe in a fight. debatable

She doesn’t actually have a wound on her face, she just has the bandage for style. She thinks it makes her look hard

If given animal attributes, she obviously would be a wolf

She posts those werewolf images completely unironically

The Cerberus talks back to her Hades, but ultimately (if begrudgingly) follows their authority

Coil has tried using Biograft swords. It didn’t go well

Steampunk knew Coil as a kid for no other reason than it being funny

BONUS ROUND: COIL 2.0

2.0 is actually Coil roboticized rather than a robot clone made in his likeness

As such, there is only one 2.0

Subspace really didn’t need to do that but he wanted to be petty

The process was not pleasant

It may be possible to reprogam it back to an approximation of who Coil used to be, but it’ll never be the same again

I’ll never really get the chance to say this anywhere else so I’ll just put out there that when I was making the ending of that 2.0-Skateboard comic the idea was that he’d tear off its “face” thinking it’s a mask and look down to see there’s nothing there anymore, and have it all sink in at once that he just lost his friend again. You can choose to interpret it however you’d like, though! The ambiguity was by design.

ii think that’s it, a lot of it i was just kinda thinking as i went along lol

[kikizubik]

Okay, I'm getting through. I forgot about the finale scene?! I'm just grateful, I'm watching ii in through dvd player and I just can put another disc and not wait a year for new season.

The undercover kiss?! The steampunk episode where Esposito didn't have his day/week so fun!

Most episodes which have 2 parts are the best, every single time!