#using hero forge for shitposts

[that-weird-skeleton-bastard]

Y'ALL

I MADE THEM

I MADE THEM IN HERO FORGE-

[your-fave-in-heroforge]

you can make an amogus?

Amogus from Among Us has been Mini-fied!

Mini Link

Scuffed version below the cut:

Mini Link

[drunkenskunk]

Y'know, I forgot to share this here yesterday. Today may have been the only day during my vacation that I've been able to write, BUT!

I was able to sketch out my Lancer pilot, Scarlet, the other day!

I wanted to make her assault hardsuit look like it could be used both as infantry armor, and also as an interface for her mech. You probably can't see it, because this sketch is very, VERY rough, but she's also supposed to have a port in the back of her head for the neural link. The idea I had was that her mech (called "R4GE MACHINE," "Big Red," or simply just "Red," depending on who you ask) is just this absolutely ancient GMS Everest, with an equally antiquated human-machine interface that requires physical connections.

As for the rifle, I thought it would make the most sense if it was some manner of bullpup carbine housed in a boxy piece of stamped polymer. Y'know, something lightweight, compact, easy to manufacture and/or maintain, and relatively small enough to fit in the cockpit and take with you if you need to eject.

Pretty sure the only reason I was able to get this much done (which, yes, admittedly isn't much) is because I fucked around in that hero forge website, and I tried to make a Scarlet mini. I didn't save the mini, because I'm an idiot, so the only thing that exists is these four almost screenshots:

To be perfectly honest, I wanted to sketch out all the members of my Lancer group, the Strategic Response Team, before my vacation was over. But unfortunately, I cannot get my hands to cooperate.

It's a shame, because it would've given some context to this delightfully absurd shitpost of our Lancer group made by @butlerkobold

Can you guess which one is me lmfao

[jie-quan]

He-he-he

Greetings! I see a lot of my colleagues hanging out here, so I'm joining the party

Most of them are engaged in so-called shitposting. But I'm going to take this seriously. After all, I need to popularize the Jie clan

I also heard that this place is quite toxic. And that you can get mental pain here. I think it will be useful, cause heroes are forged in agony, and type doesn`t matter

[thesilversoutheastern]

Welcome to the Silver Southeastern Railway!

Ran by @caramellvibecheck, this little fleet of characters was made cause...why not? I don't know, the idea had me hostage for 3-4 months.

I'm not use to making introductions, but I do want to put some starter info here just in case:

I am a young adult who simply likes the RWS, Thomas and Friends, and anything related to TTTE. Anything else will be on my main blog.

I like shitposts and memes

I work with mature themes, so don't be surprised if you see some mature stuff and swear words here.

I have a hard time getting things done, so writing chapters can take a long time for me. Doesn't help that I'm in college atm- I'll try to be active, but it can be hard for me to handle my outside-of-internet life.

I block spammers. Please for the love of God don't spam asks. If I have already replied to the ask, I will link to it.

My stories uses premises seen in @asktrio516's human-engines, such as their strength, the option to eat, and leg wheels when in human form. This does not mean in any way I'm ripping off or such, I just enjoy and agree with those aspects that I incorporate them into my stories. Plus, I feel it gives a way of thanking her for being one of my main sources of inspiration when making this.

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Now some basic questions in case I have to repeat myself:

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Who's your favorite engine(s)?

Edward, Diesel, Murdoch, and Duncan.

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2. What made you create this blog and get into TTTE?

Mostly because I stumbled onto @asktrio516's blog one day and then watched a lot of Unlucky Tug afterwards. I remember seeing the show as a kid, and I did remember liking it. I was mostly curious if the fandom was still kicking, and it was, as it kicked me into the rabbit-hole you are now reading.

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3. Do you do art?

Not really, mostly I use Hero's Forge for visual references and write about additional factoids. I'll more likely commission someone than anything.

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4. Is there a focused time where the SSER takes place?/Do you focus on the books, model era, or cgi era?

I'm not sure? BWBA and AEG does not exist in this, cause fuck Mattel, but otherwise not really? I will make a solid timeline though, as I do enjoy a timeline that doesn't mess stuff up. Character development will also be important for me, so it could depend on how I want to write out the arcs. WW2 stuff will be mentioned, alongside certain years, but it defiantly won't be modern times where cellphones and Tumblr exists. Best point I can place, if it was in a time where the SSER really kick in, it is in the surrounding years of dieselization.

If I had to pick an era for my blog...I'll be pulling from all the sources I can get, so I can fully understand the character and work from there. I will do my best to stay faithful to the source, but this is my story to tell. My biggest difference would defiantly be from TATMR, but I will still incorporate aspects from it.

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5. Is there magic in this AU?

YES! Cry as I might, I still have a soft spot for TATMR.

Their main ability is to shift from engine to human forms thanks to Lady and her Golden Dust. All engines do have to be taught on how to use their abilities, but do know basic aspects of themselves (their build, basic functions, emotions, etc.). Certain aspects of their work before interacting with the Dust however, such as war, can also cause a variety of additional knowledge, such as having the ability to talk in multiple languages with little or no difficulty. Think of it as like reading to a baby before they are born. If asked what they did before the Dust was introduced, they can only remember events as a hazy dream or have no memory of it at all.

An example of this would be Oswald. He was built in America and was sent to Europe to aid in the war efforts, mostly staying in France with both English-speaking and French-speaking men working on him. Because of this, he is able to understand and speak both French and English when awoken by the Dust. He also knows he helped the Allies by pulling trains in France, but doesn't know what exactly was on his train or what occurred during.

I'm working on a story or Lady & D10, but it is going to take time so bare with me on it. Also there is such a thing as ghosts in my stories, so other mystical creatures could be seen as well.

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6. What happens to and engine when they get hurt?

I go with @asktrio516's take on this, in that they can bleed a dark blood that never runs out. The blood, depending on the engine though, is different when compared: Steam engine blood is thinner or more watery to a diesel engine, which has more of an oily sheen when spilt. This also goes for other liquids too. It doesn't mean that either blood type has a negative affect on them, but it's treated similar to how humans learned not to mix blood types together.

Injuries also apply similarly, except for three key factors:

If an injury is grave enough, the ability to shift between forms is stopped until repairs or natural healing has occurred. A paper cut for example won't stop shifting, but the aftermath from a high-speed derailment or a broken limb can.

Golden Dust helps speed up the healing process, but it can still take weeks before shifting is allowed again.

Because of this, engines are required to have at least one human with them, nicknamed 'Drivermen' by the engines. They see them as a 2-in-1 of the driver and fireman roles. The engines themselves can still fuel themselves and work on their own fine, but if a injury occurs or if they need someone to go get help, the driverman would be there to fill in that need.

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7. Do the engines have rights?

Well...engines aren't innately seen as people in my story. Mostly it depends on the Controller involved. Some can be father-like, like the Fat Controller or the Old Silver Controller, and others will scrap an engine without a second thought. Many do support the engines, but by a full-blown political/legal stance, they got nothing aiding them. They are seen as a sort of like pet. Very expensive pets that can talk.

All engines do want to work though, as it gives them value, but they see no use in things such as money (unless they like collecting it or something). They might be rewarded for good work with better coal or something the engine may want, but again, that is dependent on the controller the engine is working with.

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Links (Will add more as time goes on):

The Silver Fleet

The Story of Lady

[theprogrockbstheorist]

BS Analysis no. 1: “Tarkus” as an Allegory for the Vietnam War

TW: Mentions of warfare and imperialism

Hello beloved progblr, today I am back with my first BS analysis, which is going to be on Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s (ELP) 1971 prog epic “Tarkus”. For the unfamiliar, this is what I do on my blog: I primarily write essays analyzing progressive rock, or writing fan essays. Occasionally, I’ll make some shitposts and reblog cool shit, but if you like stupidly in-depth analyses on prog bands that reached their peak in popularity 50 years ago or stupid fan theories about those same bands, then you’ll like it here! 

Now, for those unfamiliar with ELP (which I can’t imagine there are very many of you, as this is a prog blog), I’ll do my best to explain, however they aren’t my very favorite band, (I like them a lot, obviously, but I’m still kinda new to them) so if I make any mistakes, let me know! Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (more commonly called ELP) was basically prog’s first supergroup: all three members came from other bands prior to forming ELP in 1970. The only reason why I’m bringing this up is because their prior work, specifically Emerson’s (with The Nice) and Lake’s (with King Crimson), are going to be relevant in this essay. 

Tarkus is the second album released by the group in 1971, following the live debut of the group in 1970, and the whirlwind success of their eponymous debut album released that same year. The album begins with a ~20 minute long Level Two Prog Epic, and one of the first prog epics, also titled “Tarkus”. This epic is what I’ll be focusing on, and is divided into 7 sub-sections, each with their own title: 

i. “Eruption”,

ii. “Stones of Years”, 

iii. “Iconoclast”, 

iv. “Mass”, 

vi. “Battlefield”,

and vii. “Aquatarkus”. 

This helps to organize the events of “Tarkus” into something resembling a plot structure. Now, “Tarkus” (the song) doesn’t really have a plot itself, however, the inside cover of the album suggests something of a plot. Notably, the cover of the album contains an armadillo on tank treads, with the inside of the cover also containing a manticore and some sort of mechanized pterodactyl being destroyed by Tarkus (the creature). There are also several scenes depicting this plot: there is a volcano eruption out of which Tarkus is hatched (“Eruption”), a depiction of Tarkus destroying several animals, and then a scene depicting the Manticore challenging Tarkus, then a scene depicting the Manticore injuring Tarkus, causing it to retreat back into the water (“Aquatarkus”). Clearly, Tarkus is not meant to be the hero of the story: it is depicted as going on a rampage against innocent creatures, only to be stopped by the Manticore (side note: when ELP created their own label, they called it Manticore). On the surface, it appears to be a sci-fi/fantasy song about an evil creature, forged by fire, that is eventually quelled by an unlikely, organic hero, and forced to retreat. Sound familiar? An evil, mechanized creature that goes around, subjugating smaller creatures, until it is eventually forced to withdraw by an unlikely hero? 

From the illustrations, one can infer that Tarkus is meant to symbolize the United States and their imperialist actions in Southeastern Asia, and the Manticore, Vietnam. As depicted in the album artwork, Tarkus is a high-tech character (noted by the use of guns and the tank treads) that is defeated by an unlikely hero, the Manticore. Furthermore, Tarkus is based on an armadillo, an animal unique to North America, whereas the Manticore comes from Old World mythology, with similar creatures being found everywhere from Greece to East Asia. When the album was released in 1971, the U.S. was still embroiled in Vietnam, and began an operation into Cambodia, further destabilizing the region, and causing another round of protests against these actions. 

"Tarkus" being an allegory for the Vietnam War is further exemplified by the lyrics, which begin after the instrumental “Eruption” section, which questions whether “the days have made you so unwise” and whether the listener “can hear anything at all”. The song goes on to criticize religious institutions during a section called “Mass”, during which the phrase “the weaver in the web that he made” is repeated several times, and finally criticizes the futility of warfare in general during “Battlefield”, during which Lake sings the lyrics “You talk of freedom/starving children fall”. Section by section, it appears that “Stones of Years” is a direct address to those in power, questioning if they have learned anything from history, and whether they care to learn, “Mass” is criticizing those in power who have got themselves into a situation they cannot back out of without damaging their already ruined reputations, and “Battlefield” talks of the horrors of war. If the lyrics recorded on the studio version weren’t enough proof, when ELP performed the “Tarkus” epic live, they would often include “Epitaph” by King Crimson, which was written while Lake was still in King Crimson, in the “Battlefield” section. “Epitaph” is also an anti-war protest song that criticizes the leadership of humanity, with lyrics that state: “The fate of all mankind, I see/Is in/The hands of fools”, a pretty harrowing addition to the piece.

Speaking of careers before ELP, during his work with The Nice, Emerson was involved in an incident during The Nice’s performance at the Royal Albert Hall during their cover of “America” from West Side Story involving the American flag being defaced in some way. According to Jay Keister and Jeremy L. Smith in their work “Musical Ambition, Cultural Accreditation and the Nasty Side of Progressive Rock” (2008), he “repeatedly stabbed an American flag and burnt it onstage,” whereas according to Emerson himself, he only set light to it, and it was only an image of the American flag that was burnt without being stabbed. However, The Nice did intend for “America” to be “the world’s first instrumental protest song." Either way, The Nice did this intentionally while the American ambassador was present, leading to Emerson and The Nice receiving a lifetime ban from the venue (later revoked). In the aforementioned article as well, the authors also believe that “Tarkus” was indeed meant to be a protest piece due to Emerson's previous actions, as well as the actual content of the song and album.

When looked at holistically, it becomes evident that what appears to be a peculiar piece of progressive rock with a rather quirky cover of an armadillo on tank tracks is actually a defiant statement against the horrific actions taken by the US military in the name of “freedom”.  Was ELP alone in making such statements during the late 1960s and early 1970s? Not at all, many artists protested against the Vietnam War in the form of songs. However, what makes "Tarkus" stand out is that it's meant to be digested as a package: without the album illustrations, the song becomes a lot more vague and unconnected, however without the song, "Tarkus" is merely the creature on the cover of the album, without any further depth.

I feel that one thing that people tend to forget about progressive rock, in general, is that it's never simply just music about wizards and shit. All these long suites and epics portray something deeper than just their plots, and that is especially poignant for something like "Tarkus" to get the respect it deserves.

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If anyone is interested, please look up that paper I mentioned! It’s an excellent, short read. The interview in which Emerson gives his perspective on the Royal Albert Hall incident is here, around  11:31 to 12:23. 

[axolgodl]

more of my voltron galra ocs 

a couple weeks ago I was going through my drafts and found this shitpost I wrote right after Voltron season 2 dropped that said, “who is marmora and why do they have a shape-shifting blade”. it was a joke when i first wrote it, but I started seriously thinking abt it cos we really don’t know much at all about Galran culture, yanno? So there were two options I saw: 

a) Marmora was a martyr in early rebellions against Zarkon’s rule, because at no point in our history has an empire been made without dissenting parties, and why would it be any different in space? or  b) Marmora was a mythical Galran hero who fought against some kind of merciless, powerful adversary, because otherwise the rebels against Zarkon wouldn’t have named themselves after Marmora’s blade 

 I went with the second option because I’m a slut for mythology, so. 

Marmora is the mortal child of the Creator Stylara, who was the maker of fallen stars. But while Stylara was their mother, Marmora was raised by the temple-tender Ranoxa, who is said to have been one of the first Galra capable of “magic” (aka quintessence manipulation, but they wouldn’t have known that was what it was during the time the legend is set) and therefore, one of the first druids. When Ranoxa dies in a sacrilegious attack on the temple by a cowardly warlord who would rather hide and attack by night than fight like a warrior, a curse befalls the warlord and all the land and people he conquers. With Ranoxa’s death, Marmora is left to fend for themself. They eventually fall into the care of Varotek (one of Ranoxa’s former students) and Dizox (the metal smith who has been sheltering Varotek ever since Ranoxa’s death). 

 Marmora goes on a quest of self-discovery and eventually leads a crusade against the warlord, who has established his own empire through deceit. Varotek and Dizox use their skills in conjunction; together the two forge Marmora’s magical shape-shifting blade, which can pierce through any armor no matter how sturdy. This blade is the blade with which Marmora slays the usurper lord and lifts the curse on the people; it’s also the blade that eventually does in Marmora themself. 

 And there’s MUCH much more that i’ve already planned out, but this is as much as I’m going to post until I decide what I plan to DO with all his crap lol

[that-weird-skeleton-bastard]

Hello, fellow Hero forge users!

do you have, perchance, skeleton blorbos? and want to make them in HF, but the skeleton face's customizability is nonexistant?

Then fear not, my fellow skeleton enjoyer!

'Cause i've got a tutorial for you!

i hope this helps!