#zachary ( side character )

[crimescrimson]

Juliet Watson in Life Is Strange (2015)

[sepublic]

Post-Hoot with Dana Terrace!

            Dana’s put over 200 hours into games she’s missed since the finale; Octopath Traveler, Little Nightmares, etc. Sarah Nicole-Robles cried harder than she ever did when she said I learned a language I’ll never forget, a whole chapter of my life is over, during the King-ceanera. She said the line once and was suddenly sobbing because of how meta it was. 

         Rebecca has a ‘sona during the bit with Barcus in the epilogue sequence. Cissy also cried when watching with her family, her kids asked her about it; Sarah was really excited as she watched the finale.

         No sequel happening, but we can always hope; Dana would like to do more, but Disney owns the IP and needs to give them permission. Dana knew the prequel line in the finale was ham-fisted as hell but still went with it because she was pissed (she said Fuck to express her rage). Rebecca went back to the Anger phase of grief after watching the finale after realizing what they missed, but Sarah was also in Acceptance because it was hard to regret something that ended so well.

         Dana doesn’t cry that much, but TJ’s remix in the soundtrack made her cry. Dana brought back everyone for BBBYYYEEEEEEE, noting this was every character’s last line, and wished Hooty had more lines. Alex improvised a cut line after the Bye with Hooty expressing appreciation for the finale and readiness for his spin-off.

         Dana won’t say much in hopes she’ll get to do more for TOH in the future; A Youtube reviewer (shoutout to all, Zachary Ax, Man of a Thousand Thoughts, Rebecca herself), the Third Bill got it right on Hooty, and Dana won’t be more specific about that.

         They found out about the shortening during S2; They had an ending in mind that Dana had in mind since development, but it needed too much setup and so they couldn’t pull it off. All of Season 2A was written before knowing the cancellation; Follies at the Coven Day Parade was the first episode fully written knowing the show was shortened, hence the tonal change. The Galdorstones was an arc Dana planned more on, as well as the Coven Heads; Bat Queen; It was a hard situation choosing what to leave out.

         There weren’t whole episodes written that had to be trashed; Just one-sentence ideas on a whiteboard never fully outlined or scripted. But Dana is still happy with what came out, because it was pretty damn cool.

         Rebecca Rose once saw someone with a King sweatshirt like hers at Disneyland and said hi, but they just side-eyed her and didn’t respond; Despite this, Rebecca hopes they had a happy day and believes they were just having a bad time. Sarah joked about not being so forgiving.

         String Bean’s inspiration: Owlbert is in the title of the show, String Bean indeed was there the whole time! The S wasn’t completely intentional at first, but Dana flipped the logo around and figured it out. When making the first episode, the logo wasn’t finalized. They always liked the idea of Luz being connected to snakes, it’s what she brought to school and they liked her reclaiming something she terrorized her classmates with. The Snake-Shifter idea specifically; Zach Marcus just said “Snake-Shifter” as they brainstormed ideas and Dana, being a sucker for lame puns, was sold.

         That was indeed Dana being represented as a student in the epilogue! She was Beastkeeping and Oracle; Dana can see the future of the show, and really likes animals. Raine’s palisman was indeed hidden within the violin’s design; Hunter and Dell worked to fix the palismen after Raine broke it trying to stop Belos. The violin is more akin to the staff, anyhow. Dana considered responding to a question about general Caleb, Evelyn, and Flapjack lore, but Sarah insisted she stay silent in case they get to answer it as an actual story later.

         Dana liked to think while writing Thanks to Them; No, Evelyn’s spirit isn’t in Flapjack. But to Philip, he saw Flapjack as the culmination of the corruption in his brother Caleb; He saw Flapjack, if it weren’t for YOU. You can see a hint of it in Masha’s story, Evelyn entices Caleb with Flapjack, who was Caleb’s introduction to magic. Evelyn was probably disguised as a human, and trusted Caleb for seeming reasonable and less violent. Perhaps like Dog owners passing each other by and suddenly becoming friends over this.

         Evelyn and Caleb’s relationship was sweet, from platonic curiosity to romantic. Eda doesn’t know she’s descended from them, nor does Hunter; And Dana has more to say, but will keep it hidden. Luz will stay the majority of her stay in the isles as she goes to college. Camila bought the shack leading to the human world, which allowed Luz to visit during holidays, weekends, etc.

         They never got to explore it, but it could’ve originally been the home of Philip and Caleb, long abandoned; Eda emerges after discovering the portal. In the next thirty years, she fixes up the shack as she builds the Owl House. Dana also advised fans to google Death of the Author, since she’s technically no longer working on the show, and thus gives permission for fans to write their own answers.

         Eda became the Owl Lady before Owlbert, due to the curse; They planned to do an episode where Eda learned palismen carving with Dell, and how Eda reclaimed the Owl identity to carve Owlbert. Dana stills has the outline of that episode in her head…

         According to Rebecca, Caleb and Philip’s graves were in the basement of the shack, based on this church in New Haven Dana passed by every day on her way to school (Gravesfield is based on some places in Connecticut). However, Dana realized the graves didn’t fit into the story. They also had an ‘original’ Belos design for him taking over animals. Marina Gardner did some amazing Belos designs, and Thanks to Them alluded to it.

         The Portal’s eye comes from the Titan’s missing eye!!! Hunter is bisexual, Willow is pansexual, this is how Dana always wrote and imagined them in her mind, but it’s not explicitly stated so technically it’s more headcanon. Dana noted how some people just picked it up. Dana likes to think Amity and Lilith rekindled their student-mentor relationship. Having worked in the library, Amity was interested in Lilith’s knowledge of history. Dana suggested to Zarya(?) from the design team to add notes to Lilith’s museum blueprints. A helicopter passed over and they joked it was Disney trying to stop spoilers.

         Cissy only got her lines and didn’t know any other details about the finale, to Dana’s surprise; Dana explained that people not getting a full script is due to the pandemic. Before quarantine, actors would get the full script. They have to rely on Eden Riegel and Dana for context a lot. Bosook Coburn spoiled Luz’s death to Rebecca Rose during the celebration party. They came up with a lot of designs for dying Luz, trying to figure out how they can hollow out her head how much. Dana mentions it’s up to the showrunner to show how much they want to the actors.

         Thanks to Sarah, they kept in Luz saying her own SFX during her fight with Eda in O Titan, Where Art Thou; She heard someone do it as part of the mock script and wanted it. When Dana voiced Eda and Luz at the end, Dana was crying. There’s a recording of Season 2B and Season 3 of Dana doing a voice-over of the script to get approved by executives.

         Dana clarified everyone would’ve had more of a chance to talk with each other, such as Hunter and Amity; Hunter would’ve talked to Vee, as well as more human realm kids, literally everyone would’ve had a little more time with each other. Dana loves Luz and Hunter’s sibling dynamic. Dana was sorry they couldn’t have Luz and Raine hang out, but they had the Hexsquad storyline. Luz finished high school in the human world, with the renewed motivation that she’ll go back to the isles. Knowing she has a safe space outside of high school made it more bearable, as was the case for Dana growing up.

         Cissy brought up Gus’ hair in the epilogue, which she loved; Emmy Cicierga did the design for Gus and Raine. Harpy Lilith was by Emmy; Dana did Emira, Eberwolf, and Skara’s timeskip designs. The name of the Titan is unpronounceable for humans.

         Dana can’t say much about the Archivists; The Collector never had a flash-forward design, as they age much more slowly than everyone else. Maybe the Collector got just a tiny bit taller. The idea of the Collector came from creepy dolls, as well as a nightmare; John Bailey Owen had a google folder filled with cool references of creepy dolls with a starry aesthetic, liminal minimalist nightmare-scape. They knew who the Collector was gonna be, what role they’d play, but the vibe still needed to be decided.

         Dana confirmed the Collector was always a part of the show before the shortening, and they solidified their placement after the announcement. The Collector has indeed stayed connected with the others, visits occasionally. Dana has seen fan comics on this and teared up.

         Hooty doesn’t have to be vacated from the Owl House if he doesn’t want to; When the door isn’t active, Hooty could be present. The new portal can probably fold up, and Hooty is busy as a curator for Hooty’s new museum.

         Dana said Raine and Eda’s business is their business; Not all love stories end in marriage. It’s their thing and it doesn’t diminish any love, but they do live in the Owl House together (Raine moved in).

         Mattholomule getting a palisman is something Zach Marcus can answer, since he made the character and Dana respects the lore he made. It’s hard to say for Dana if Vee and Masha are dating, since Masha didn’t show up in the finale, but Vee definitely has a crush on them. Again, Dana encourages the Death of the Author approach, if the headcanon makes you happy.

         Alador and Odalia got officially divorced after the finale, and the kids happily lived away from her. They might visit her if they have the energy, but also recognize she’s a toxic influence they can cut off at any point. Dana gave a shoutout to Rachel McFarlane’s voice acting, praising her performance for Odalia.

         In regards to the tower King was born in, Dana has an answer; It was related to a character we all know, who now may have amnesia.

         There was a plan to explore Gus and Willow’s glowing eyes, and do it for other characters; Amity wasn’t going to have that, strong emotions are indeed connected to magic. It was mostly a worldbuilding magic rule they could’ve expanded on, that Dana wishes she did early in the story.

         In the boards, Dawn Han(?) did Clouds on the Horizon, and did the scene of Amity and the twins hiding in the factory as their parents talk about the Abomatons, Alador is worried since it seems like a tad much. Alador had T-rex arms in the storyboard, and it reminded Dana of Remy from Ratatouille, so when they got to the scene of them looking into Alador’s lab, Ratador was drawn in his place as a joke. Dana laughed so hard she decided to keep it in, with Dana handwaving it as Alador’s palisman.

         According to Dana, a show should be appreciated for as it is; But the other way to enjoy it, under the context it was made, is also important to her; Both ways are valid. It was easier for Sarah to voice depressed Luz since she was also depressed. The writers preferred to put their feelings into the show, VS a more happy-go-lucky approach as others did; It was kind of dark for a bit, especially during quarantine. Sarah felt her own experience validated with Luz’s depression, but she and Dana appreciated the balance of having a happy ending too.

         What made the crew hopeful was knowing the characters would always have a happy ending; Luz could continue her studies in full-force, a new family. They KNEW it would end happy. Dana acknowledged how the fandom misinterpreted “I hate the term happy endings,” and Sarah knew about the quincenera when asked during previous Post-Hoots, but couldn’t answer.

         Rebecca commissioned 3D-printed Funko Pops of S2A Lilith and S1 Luz, and gave them to the others as gifts; Rebecca didn’t know about Avi’s appearance until two days before the Post-Hoot, otherwise she would’ve had a Funko of Raine made. Dana’s stand for Luz had to be made with painter’s tape (she appreciated it) due to Rebecca running out of the other kind, and planned to place it beside her Peabody award. Elizabeth Grullon, Camila’s VA, had to call her mom in the middle of a session to translate her line about maduros into English.

        Cissy clarified this wasn’t intended to be the final Post-Hoot! And the video was ended with a BBBBYYYEEEEE!!!!!

[spiralingthoughtpost]

Vedic Astrology Observations

Moon Dominant Men: “Deep and Mysterious”

🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔

(GIF context: Taken from Shadowhunters depicting a gay couple with Matt Daddario (left) who is Moon Dominant [Hasta sun and ketu with ketu as moon nakshatra ruler] and Harry Shum Jr. (right) who is Rahu Dominant [Ardra moon and Swati Jupiter with Sun in Jupiter ruled nakshatra]. Both actors identify as straight.)

In Vedic astrology, the Moon, or “Chandra”, occupies a position of profound significance. It is coveted as the very embodiment of the mind, a symbol resonant with clarity, reflection, instincts, and cycles, which when combined come to form what we know as perceptual consciousness. Like the Moon, which shines by reflecting the Sun's light, the mind similarly reflects its environment. It captures and reinterprets external stimuli, forming a consciousness that is, in essence, an image similar to that of a mirror of the surrounding world. In Vedic astrology, the Moon is a celestial body that stands as the fundamental indicator of one’s capacity for emotion and extends to one’s ability of cogitation, shaping the manner in which thoughts and emotions are processed and articulated. In contrast to Western philosophical perspectives, which tend to dichotomize emotions and logic, framing them as diametric to one another, Vedic astrology presents the Moon as a mediator that brings the two faculties together through upholding the position that our cognitive and decision-making processes are inextricably linked with emotional undercurrents. It echoes a sentiment that, even in endeavors that ostensibly try to prioritize objectivity, such as with epistemological pursuits, true objective knowledge is nothing but an elusive ideal. This stems from the notion that our perception forms our reality, encapsulated in the phrase, “I am my universe.” This is where the significance of the Moon in Vedic astrology becomes particularly relevant. It posits the idea that our subconscious greatly influences our conscious mind, thereby molding our individual perceptions of reality and shaping the way we experience the world. It recognizes the limitations in our control over our mental faculties and how emotions actively play a part in deciding our thoughts and life trajectories, whether we like it or not. This allows the symbolism of the Moon in Vedic astrology to effectively capture the human condition's amalgamation of thought and feeling, thereby speaking to the interaction of light and shadow in the psyche and the ongoing process of mental transformation.

Men with a pronounced lunar influence in their astrological charts, notably distinguished by those with primary placements (Sun, Moon, or Ascendant) in or aspects with Moon-ruled nakshatras such as Rohini, Hasta, and Shravana (planetary dominance can be determined in more subtle ways as well), present an intriguing study into the nuanced expressions of masculinity and relational dynamics. Examples of Public figures like Henry Cavill, with his Shravana Ascendant and Moon in the first house, or fictional characters like Flynn Ryder, voiced by an actor with a Hasta Sun and Rohini Moon, exemplify a unique blend of characteristics associated with lunar dominance that I will continue to explore further.

(GIF and image contexts: The first GIF shown depicts Henry Cavill as Clark Kent in Man of Steel. The second is an image showing the fictional character Flynn Ryder side by side with his voice actor Zachary Levi.)

The influence of the Moon on men can be understood through the influence of the mother and the lens of "Yin and Yang" in Eastern philosophy. In Vedic astrology, the Moon's connection with the mother can be said to link the development and characteristics of individuals to the amount of nurture and emotional sustenance they were provided with as a child. This nurturing shapes the robusticity of their intrinsic Yin qualities – receptivity, passivity, intuition, and a deep connection with the maternal aspects of life, often linked to the feminine. These qualities are further symbolized by the Moon and its cycles, traditionally associated with menstruation, highlighting the cyclical and nurturing features of femininity. In contrast, Yang represents the dynamic, assertive, and outward energy projection, typically linked to the masculine and more solar sattvic energies. Men with Moon-dominance in their astrological profiles embody this Yin energy, exemplifying a reflective masculinity and an inward understanding of femininity. This inward orientation of Yin, shaped significantly by the emotional and nurturing bond with mother figures, provides these men with a deeper understanding and connection to various feminine aspects of life. At the same time, the outward orientation of Yang allows for an external connection to the masculine, producing a self-identified masculinity that is introspective and emotionally/mentally attuned to the feminine while still being confident in its own nature. This ultimately does have a dampening effect on their exhibition of traditionally masculine behaviors, being that men as a whole are ruled by the Sun and are said to be more solar, while women as a whole are ruled by the Moon and are said to be more lunar. (The 24-hour circadian rhythm is based on the male hormone cycle and aligns with the Earth's orbit relative to the sun, while women have what is known as an infradian rhythm, which follows the 28-day lunar cycle, for reference). This internal emphasis on Yin but external reflection of Yang in Moon-dominant men's personalities makes them emotionally rich and empathetic, displaying a unique blend of masculine and feminine energies that is both introspective and in harmony with the external world. The Moon serves to harmonize the intense energy of the Sun, offering calming and nurturing attributes, ultimately leading to the formation of a kind of masculinity in these men that is fluid and can express strength in gentleness and assertiveness in sensitivity. However, this can also make them uniquely susceptible to certain challenges, which I will continue to discuss further in the following paragraphs.

The Moon is also tied with its nodes: Rahu and Ketu, the two mathematical points where the Moon's orbit meets the ecliptic (if you didn’t know, the Moon does not directly follow the ecliptic itself, which is the sun's path in the sky; it’s about 5° off approaching either node). The Moon's astrological significance is intricately linked to Rahu and Ketu, with all three governing distinct facets of consciousness. Rahu, often depicted as the head of a dragon or the head without a body, symbolizes material desires and is associated with the future, representing the qualities we need to develop and the experiences we must have to grow. Rahu is primarily concerned with the rational mind and the projection of consciousness into the material realm, epitomizing ambition, desire, and worldly aspirations. It represents the part of the psyche that is outwardly focused, engaging with the tangible aspects of life that are said to paradoxically represent the illusion of Maya. Conversely, Ketu, commonly depicted as the dragon’s tail or a headless body, represents detachment, spirituality, and the internal journey. It is associated with the past and karmic baggage, indicating the lessons we have learned and the experiences we must release to evolve through Samsara to achieve Moksha. Ketu is about letting go and achieving spiritual enlightenment. It is associated with intense spirituality, introspection, and the aspects of the psyche that delve into the depths of the subconscious and the ineffable. Ketu represents the part of the mind that seeks to understand and connect with the intangible, the mystical, and the existential. (In Vedic mythology, Rahu and Ketu are said to be the same demon killed by Vishnu)

The Moon acts as a mediating conduit between these two nodes, attempting to balance the rational, materialistic impulses of Rahu with the spiritual, introspective tendencies of Ketu. It symbolizes the emotional and perceptual aspects of consciousness, playing a supreme role in how feelings and intuition are integrated with rational thought and spiritual insight. The Moon's position in a chart thus reflects the ongoing dance between the material and spiritual dimensions of human existence, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world around them. And because the moon works with the energy of both nodes, we can gain knowledge into the expression of Moon-dominant individuals by looking at aspects of Rahu-dominant and Ketu-dominant natives.

Rahu-dominant men often exhibit a desire for control, particularly in their mental environments. Their creativity often manifests in unique, sometimes eccentric ways, setting them apart in their expression and thought processes. These individuals typically lean towards liberal ideologies, embracing progressive and forward-thinking concepts but is often against society as a whole. Rahu-dominant men are often driven by ambition and a desire to achieve success and recognition. They are inclined to be more outwardly assertive in their quest for control, sometimes pursuing their goals with a relentless, almost aggressive, determination. This pursuit often leads them to challenge established norms and push boundaries, both socially and professionally. And while Moon-dominant men share traits with Rahu-dominant men, they exhibit distinct differences in how these characteristics are expressed and integrated into their personalities. Moon-dominant men tend to internalize their need for control, focusing more on emotional and psychological self-mastery. They are more concerned with understanding and regulating emotions rather than exerting control over external circumstances for the sake of gaining power, and they are more satiated with what they have rather than desiring what they don't, making them less materially-orirented than Rahu. Rahu men often have an obsession with external appearances and how others perceive them, trying to enforce their own rules or standards on others in order to gain the upper hand, but Moon men just want to maintain their own sense of security. They may still try to subtly reshape situations though, not to become the dominant power, but as a means to maintain their personal well-being, even at times to the detriment to others. Additionally, their approach to creativity is more reflective and introspective than what you might expect to see from Rahu, often drawing from deep emotional reservoirs and personal memories. Moon-dominant men may too challenge conventional thinking like Rahu dominant men, but their methods are typically more subtle and under the radar. For example, if a Moon-dominant man wants to avoid an arranged marriage, he might subtly express concerns or sadness about the marriage in a manner that is meant to gently persuade his family to rethink their decision. Simultaneously, he might engage in covert actions to disrupt the arrangement, such as discreetly creating scheduling conflicts and other minor obstacles that prevent it from happening efficiently as if to send unconscious signals that it was not "meant to be." In more extreme instances, he may feign agreement, choosing instead to engage in extramarital affairs, all while maintaining a cloak of compliance to avoid direct confrontation. This is in stark contrast to a Rahu man who will openly question and criticize the tradition, speaking out against his family to say it is stupid, and he may even actively rebel against it by running away to marry someone else.

(Add-on: both Rahu and Moon men possess an acute awareness of the perils of straying too far from rationality and thus are inclined to maintain a strong connection with external reality. They may encounter challenges when they engage too much with the immaterial, like dreaming, drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc., leading to their connection with external reality becoming tenuous. This disconnection can lead to issues such as escapism, addiction, and emotional disturbances, so be wary and try not to get to the point of obsession where you lose sight of your life.)

Conversely, Ketu-dominant men often possess a deep internal focus and an inclination towards introspection. Ketu-dominant men are often characterized by their profound spiritual orientation and a tendency towards seeking inner peace and enlightenment. They may exhibit a strong interest in the metaphysical or the mystical, delving into areas that transcend the material world. This spiritual pursuit often leads them to detach from worldly ambitions and superficial desires, making them appear aloof or disinterested in material success, paradoxically leading them to attract immense power. They tend to absorb energy from their surroundings, revealing truths in impactful ways and arousing servitude in others due to their stilled, void-like nature that makes people want to give to these men tirelessly. Ketu-dominant men might display a more pronounced detachment from their emotions. While they are capable of deep feeling, they often approach their emotions from a place of observation and analysis, rather than immersion. This detachment can sometimes be misinterpreted as coldness or indifference, but it is more accurately a sign of their deep internal processing and preference for solitude. Moon-dominant men, while sharing certain introspective and internal qualities with Ketu-dominant individuals, exhibit these traits in distinctly different ways, shaped by the unique lunar influence. while Moon-dominant individuals also exhibit introspection and depth, their focus is more on the emotional and psychological features. They are keenly attuned to the nuances of their own emotions as well as those of others, and this emotional sensitivity often translates into a strong sense of empathy and an intuitive understanding of human nature. Unlike the Ketu-dominant detachment, Moon-dominant men are more engaged with their immediate environment, forming deep emotional connections and valuing interpersonal relationships more than Ketu men (note that this also depends on the placement of moon in the chart as a whole, like 12 house Moon in Jyeshtha will be more Ketu-like for example). Moreover, Moon-dominant individuals may exhibit a fluctuating nature, akin to the waxing and waning phases of the Moon. They can be adaptable and receptive, often reflecting the energies around them, which can lead to a rich, albeit sometimes confusing, emotional life. This contrasts with the more consistent, inward-focused nature of Ketu-dominant men, who may remain unfazed by external circumstances, steadfast in their introspective approach for better or worse. People are drawn to both Moon and Ketu dominant men due to their compelling allure of hiddenness, but unlike the Ketu man that will remain still and almost hollow, absorbing all of the energy and power they come in contact with through their tamasic nature, Moon men will reflect energy back. This reflection of energy, softer and more reciprocal, differentiates Moon-dominant men from their Ketu-dominant counterparts, in the way that it doesn’t illicit as much discomfort in others. What usually happens with Ketu men is that others sense their inherent “emptiness,” which causes them dis-ease to the point where they will shower these men with energy in hopes that doing so will change the Ketu man or stabilize him. But Ketu men don’t work like that; their purpose is to take and consume, so no matter how much energy people give them, it is never going to be enough to make that penetrating uneasiness they give off go away. This isn’t a bad thing though. In fact, it is beneficial to the energies whose purpose it is to give, like Jupiter. It just comes down to the role people are meant to serve in this life. The differences between Moon and Ketu men highlight the unique ways in which they connect with and respond to the world around them as it relates to their Dharma.

Connecting Rahu and Ketu, because of the Moon’s relationship with both of these astrological energies, Moon-dominant natives will not only resonate with the powerful spiritual and subconscious layers of Ketu, but also to the more tangible, worldly, and reasoned aspirations represented by Rahu. This connection with Rahu and Ketu instills Moon-dominant men with a magnetic charm, characteristic of Ketu men, that is less domineering and still grounded in the more rational world of Rahu, making their allure more accessible and relatable to others. Unlike the piercing, sometimes overwhelming and obsessive depth of Ketu and the overbearing frigidity and judgments associated with Rahu, the Moon's influence results in more of a balanced persuasive appeal, empowering them with an immensely vitalizing aura. Overall, while there is a resemblance between the effects of Rahu/Ketu and the Moon, the way they manifest and are perceived is distinct. I think it bears mentioning that since the Moon deals with the energies of both, its natives are also susceptible to accompanying pitfalls for either. Because despite their inter-relation, the Moon’s integration of these energies can be messy. Rahu and Ketu are the extremes, which can end up eclipsing the Moon and/or the Sun, “swallowing” their energies (light) to try and destroy them. This solidifies the nodes’ place as natural adversaries of the luminaries.

(Add-on: There’s a balance that must be struck when dealing with these energies, and sometimes they can just be too difficult to manage, leading to things like insanity. While the Moon, Rahu, and Ketu are similar, it is important to remember the differences, with the main takeaway being to exercise awareness and moderation, as these energies can be seriously harmful when experienced in excess. Intriguingly, individuals under the influence of the Moon, Rahu, or Ketu bodies often show the most fascination with understanding psychology, perhaps drawn to explore the very forces that make them uniquely susceptible to emotional and mental turbulence. And oh… isn’t that poetic?)

Alright, now let’s get into the juice of things. As alluded to before, men whose astrological charts are heavily influenced by the moon have the ability to understand emotions and empathize deeply with the feelings of those around them, allowing them to form powerful connections within their relationships. Their insight into the human mind and “heart,” much like the Moon's light that gently illuminates the night, shines on the more hidden aspects of those they interact with. They are known for their exceptional depth of emotional acuity as well as having an intuitive grasp of mental states, including their own. This is typically not overt, however, since there is a concealed nature to the Moon, being traditionally associated with obscurity and subtle aspects of the human psyche. In addition to this, since men perceived as being outwardly feminine have historically been subjects of abuse and harsh treatment from society, Moon-dominant men are more inclined to sheath the less hardened parts of themselves for fear of social scorn. This is important to keep in mind, since Shravana is the most refined and mature expression of the Moon.

Symbolized by an ear, this nakshatra signifies listening, learning, and connection. It is associated with the acquisition of knowledge and the understanding of the world. Men influenced by Shravana may possess a strong inclination towards gathering information, being attentive listeners, and showing a deep interest in the narratives and experiences of others. This attentive and perceptive nature is a personification of the Moon's influence, producing qualities like empathy and understanding, which can be seen as more feminine in nature. Being in Capricorn (the natural ruler of house ten: career and reputation), it is also deeply entwined with themes of reputation and public perception in addition to control. This comes into focus when we consider how Vishnu, the Deity ruling over Shravana for men, is the preserver, suggesting a proclivity of these men to maintain their public reputations and personas through discipline (Saturn deals with control and discipline and is the ruler of Capricorn, for reference). Interestingly, I’ve noticed that Rohini and Hasta men tend to be more openly receptive than Shravana. Hasta is a nakshatra that is linked with dexterity and skill, symbolized by a hand, and more specifically with the ability to manifest one’s desires into the hand. The influence of its ruling deity Savitar, an incarnation of the Sun (contradictory, I know), gives Hasta characteristics of vigor, intelligence, and the ability to dispel ignorance. However, this solar influence is juxtaposed with the Moon's governance over Hasta, which brings in a more calculative desire for energy exchange through things like conversations, meetings, sex, negotiations, fighting, etc., which is not carried out in quite the same way as Sun-dominant men, being that the Moon introduces a more emotionally intelligent approach to these interactions. While the Sun's influence might drive a person towards externally focused actions where they expend energy carelessly, the Moon's guidance in Hasta gives a deeper sensitivity and awareness in their engagements. This means that their approach to energy exchanges, whether in professional settings, personal relationships, or even in conflict, tends to be more reflective and considerate of the emotional context. Men influenced by Hasta may exhibit a strong, vibrant persona, often marked by a commanding yet undeniably soft presence (I’ll reference him again, but the best example of this I could find is Leonardo DiCaprio who is Hasta Moon and Ascendant). Rohini, the first nakshatra under the dominion of the Moon and co-ruled by Venus in Taurus, is emblematic of the chariot, an ancient symbol related with themes of progress, movement, and evolution. This nakshatra's associations with growth, creation, and fertility find their roots in the nurturing energies of the Moon, where it is in exaltation, and the artistic, sensual qualities of Venus. The deity overseeing Rohini, Brahma, is revered as the creator in the Hindu pantheon, further intensifying the nakshatra's intrinsic connection to creativity, nurture, the enjoyment of creation, and the genesis of life. Rohini men often exude natural charm, emphasized by a creative and nurturing disposition. These qualities, resonating with the creative and generative aspects of Brahma, can be seen as more feminine in nature. However, due to societal pressures to adhere to traditional masculine norms, Rohini men might feel compelled to mask these traits. The pressure to conform to traditional masculine norms might lead Rohini men to stifle or conceal these aspects of their personalities, as I've come to acknowledge can be a facet of all Moon men.

The Moon's dominance in a man's chart can influence his expression of gender and identity, modulated by whether he is accepting of his femininity, as observed in public figures like David Bowie (Shravana asc. and Rohini rahu), Prince (Rohini sun and mercury), Troye Sivan (Rohini sun and mercury), etc. These men, embracing their lunar qualities, often work to defy traditional gender norms, adopting androgynous styles that symbolize the fluidity of their gender identity. Their choices in fashion - long, flowing hairstyles, delicate fabrics, and makeup or nail polish - are external manifestations of their inner lunar essence. Some even go as far as dressing up like women! It is not done in a castigating manner where they make fun of the idea as a form of humiliation either; rather, it is more of an attempt to make a full embrace of what it would be like to genuinely exist as a woman, albeit a tad bit over-exaggerated in terms of femininity, but to be fair, that’s the same for Moon-dominant women as well. (This is a bit of a tangent, so skip if you aren't interested. Interestingly I think these men’s personas of women are closer to Ashlesha [in cancer rashi ruled by moon but nakshatra ruler Mercury] than of Moon nakshatra women, possibly being a result of these men having so much pent up female sexuality that yearns to be dominated in much the same way as Ashlesha women, who act outwardly dominant to test the virality of others – beckoning to be overpowered. I noticed this in the new movie Expendables, which stars Jason Statham and Megan Fox (Ashlesha moon). In one scene, they are fighting and Megan Fox comes out on top before again being overpowered, demonstrating that the man is virile enough to "have"/contain/satisfy her. And then she redirects his penetrative energy yet again, which is a common theme of Ashlesha. The "cutesy" fake innocence at the beginning is also something Ashlesha women are known for.)

(GIF context: It shows Troye Sivan dressed in drag for his latest music video and song "One of Your Girls". He is also openly gay and for the time being has not declared he is trans, nonbinary, etc. For fun, you can compare that with this music video with Megan Fox, who is an Ashlesha woman to see what I mean when I compare them: video.)

However, most Moon-dominant men are not as comfortable expressing this duality so openly. Many, in response to societal pressures that valorize hyper-masculine traits and often stigmatize femininity in men, adopt a façade of heightened contentment, stoicism, and control. This outward show, mirroring the characteristics of Sun and Saturn-dominant men, is an attempt to conceal their innate Yin nature. Yet, akin to the Moon which only reflects the Sun's light in a softer, cooler manner, their portrayal of hyper-masculine traits is not pure or without cracks. People can still very much pick up on their the fact that they are simply reflecting masculinity while still internally housing receptive feminine energies, since they reveal themselves in small but noticeable ways that make them stand out from other men. They usually carry with them an undercurrent of mystery, farce, and a general tendency to be overly, and dare I say even comically, brutish, while their emotionally expressive nature still peeks through. This divergence from the archetype they emulate within imparts an illusory, intriguing energy to their persona, attracting some while aggravating others who are less willing to accept the illusion. The struggle to mask their true nature often leads to complex interpretations of these men. It reflects the multifaceted nature of the Moon, continuously oscillating between visibility and concealment, constantly changing from clarity to mystery. This theater play of lunar influence in their lives makes these men seem as though they are impossible to understand fully, impressing, confusing, perplexing, and captivating all who come across them.

Celebrities like Theo James (Hasta moon and Shravana venus), Christian Bale (Shravana sun), Noah Centineo (Shravana moon and ketu), Joe Jonas (Shravana moon and Hasta asc.), etc. find their sexuality and morality subject to speculation and even denial by the general public. This scrutiny mimics the way women are often doubted and judged, suggesting a societal judgement of the feminine nature. The public's perception and scrutiny of the sexuality and morality of these men often reaches a point where rumors and allegations, ranging from them secretly being gay or abusive, become rampant. This perceived incongruence between their public persona and private self can trigger a sense of being "lied to" in observers, leading to a backlash or a desire to uncover the 'truth' about these men. The Moon's influence, thus, extends beyond the individual to affect public perceptions and reactions in this way. This phenomenon also offers insight into why Moon-dominant male celebrities (in addition to Rahu and Ketu-dominant men, I’ve noticed) often find themselves cast in roles as gay characters, even while being openly straight, such as in the case of Jake Gyllenhaal (Rohini moon, Hasta jupiter and saturn, and Shravana ketu [his second dominant]) in "Brokeback Mountain,” Harry Styles (Hasta moon & Shravana sun and venus) in “My Policeman,” Ewan Mcgregor (Hasta asc. and cancer rashi ketu in Ashlesha) in “The Pillow Book,” Nick Robinson (Hasta sun) in “Love, Simon,” the examples I gave in the caption at the very beginning for Shadowhunter, etc.

(GIF contexts: The first GIF shows Theo James in the TV series "Sanditon" as Sidney Parker giving a cheekish smile. The second shows Harry Styles in "My Policeman" getting his neck kissed by his male lover while he smiles with enjoyment.)

The Moon's association with fluidity, hidden depths, and possessing understanding of emotions and identity makes these actors particularly adept at portraying complex, non-traditional roles (they are great at portraying emotions at all levels of intensity in general, with a prime example being Leonardo DiCaprio [Hasta moon and Asc. moon in 1st house]), who is known to be a phenomenal actor, almost shapeshifting into whatever a movie expects of him and displaying deep, powerful emotions). However, that being the case, Ketu and Rahu might still be more prominent when it comes to this trope of casting straight men to play gay roles, possibly due to homosexuality often being seen merely as the act of having sex with other men, rather than an intimately personal aspect of identity that has an impact on all areas of an individual’s life. This has the effect of reducing gay characters to straight men more willing to engage with ideas seen as non-conventional or morally perverse (more commonly associated with Rahu and Ketu), while still maintaining their straight charm that appeals to mainstream audiences. It is easier to depict gay men as "devouring" or Ketu-like, as seen in associations with Mula Nakshatra, which is related to the act of excretion from the anus, but this narrow depiction overlooks the complexity of sexual orientation, reducing it to pure physicality of external behavior. It fails to acknowledge that being gay encompasses a broad array of emotions, experiences, and identities far beyond superficial characteristics. Moon-dominant mens’ ability to resonate with and express a wide spectrum of human experiences, including those that challenge conventional norms, is enhanced by their lunar characteristics, but these themes might also be more prone to attracting false representation due to widespread misunderstandings. I’d also like to make it known that I am aware that there are many gay and bi Moon, Rahu, and Ketu-dominant men as well; they just aren’t nearly as common and hardly, if ever, get casted in the kind of deeper gay roles I'm referring to.

Continuing this exploration, it's evident that the very qualities that lend Moon-dominant men their depth, intrigue, and warmth can also lead to significant challenges. The Moon's inherent receptivity endows these individuals with a remarkable adaptability, which, while often a strength, can manifest in less positive avenues. Their exceptional ability to influence perceptions and beliefs, a direct result of their emotional responsiveness and innate understanding of the mind's energies, can become problematic. In certain circumstances, this lunar influence may veer into darker territories with one major potential downside in particular being emotional manipulation, where their intuitive grasp of human emotions can be misused for personal gain or to sway others unduly. Their innate power over emotion and human psychology can lead them to engage in behaviors such as lying, espionage, cheating/betrayal, infidelity, illegal clandestine activities, and exploitation. The Moon's association with hidden aspects and the subconscious mind makes its natives highly skilled at navigating these activities, sometimes even leading them into antisocial or unethical paths, which can be seen in many different media portrayals I’ll cover later on. But for now, I will point to the personal life example of Ryan Philippe (Shravana asc. & Hasta mercury), who is notorious for his multiple instances of cheating on his wife and other subsequent partners, in addition to a history of drug misuse and allegations of domestic violence. An important thing to note when I speak about these things, however, is that while they can be masters of manipulation, Moon-nakshatra men do not possess complete control over the mind to the point where they always get people to do anything they want. Similar to the Moon relying on the Sun's light, their "power" actually depends on people willing to project onto and exchange energy with them, which can make Moon-dominant men extremely vulnerable, even more so than Moon women (people will instinctually try to defend moon women because they perceive them as being pure and innocent, unable to protect themselves; the same sentiment is not afforded to Moon men, who people think should be able to defend themselves with their physical power). In fact, Moon-dominant men often struggle to set boundaries due to a fear of direct confrontation as well as a desire to be what other people want of them, often worshipping the people they are closest to (they really want respect and attention from others and will endure harsh treatment or act untoward if it means getting that from someone they respect themselves, sometimes to an unhealthy extreme). That brings me to my next point of abuse... Whether inflicted or incurred, abuse (especially relating to domesticity and women) is another shadowy aspect of the Moon's influence in Vedic astrology, aligning with many of the experiences of Moon-dominant men in media and in real life. The frequent association of moon-dominant men with themes of abuse in media – be it as perpetrators, victims, or both – intertwines notions of vulnerability and aggression, showing the darker side that emotions can take, and subsequently, the darker side humanity can take as well. Overall, it makes sense why people often connect Moon men to ideas of abuse in media and in real life, such as with Evan Peters (Hasta moon and Shravana mercury) in “American Horror Story—Coven” where he was sexually abused by his mother (among other things; that show put him through it...), Christian Bale (Shravana sun) in American Psycho being abusive towards women, Tom Hardy (Hasta moon and Rahu) in “Peaky Blinders” being extremely violent and hedonistic, etc.

(Add-on: This is a bit of sensitive topic related to sexualization, so discretion is advised. Just as women traditionally face sexual objectification, Moon-dominant men may also encounter similar treatment due to their inherent passivity and receptive nature, leading to sexualization and other forms of scrutiny that stem from societal tendencies to view individuals who are more passive and receptive as feminine as being more accessible to take advantage of. This sexualization, particularly prevalent in the portrayal of these men in scenes of nudity [I've yet to find a Moon-dominant male actor who has not done a nude scene, even though many speak about how they did not want to do it at the time and felt uncomfortable] or in the adult film industry (an industry known for its connections with abuse) where I've found Moon men to be most over-represented in terms of planetary dominance, showcases a societal inclination to exploit those exhibiting traits diverging from traditional assertiveness.)

(GIF contexts: The first GIF shows Evan Peters in American Horror Story Crying. The second GIF is of Tom Hardy in Peaky Blinders smoking.)

In the film industry, the energies of Moon-dominant men, characterized by their complex emotions, adaptability, and concealed depths, are astutely recognized by directors. This insight informs casting decisions, often placing Moon-dominant actors in roles that mirror the multifaceted nature inherent in them. Christian Bale's (Shravana sun) portrayal of Jim Luther in "Harsh Times" exemplifies this, exploring the darker recesses of the human psyche, a reflection of the Moon's association with concealed motives and intricate emotional situations. Similarly, Denzel Washington's (Shravana moon, Hasta asc.) performances in "American Gangster" and "Training Day" depict a tough exterior masking a softer core, Michele Morrone (Hasta sun & venus and Shravana rahu) in "365 Days" intertwines criminal elements with deep emotional entanglement, and Tom Hiddleston's (this one is super interesting because, while he doesn't have any primary moon placements, he does have Hasta jupiter & saturn— the moon nakshatra ruler and subruler of his chart plus Shravana Venus and ketu, so I consider him moon-dominant) Loki across Marvel films embodies cunning coupled with hidden vulnerability. Matt Daddario (see top of post) and Matt Bomer (Hasta moon, mercury, and rahu), in "Shadowhunters" and "White Collar" respectively, delve into the realms of a secret society of demon hunting & then crime/subterfuge with personal attachments to it, personifying the Moon's nature.

(GIF contexts: The first GIF shows Michele Morrone in 365 days shirtless and talking while looking down. The second GIF is taken from White Collar showing Matt Bomer talking frantically.)

Zachary Levi as Flynn Ryder personifies this duality - mischievous yet sensitive, conniving yet protective, masculine yet feminine, seeking introspective depth yet maintaining material asperations, and so on. Followed by Henry Cavill's roles, particularly Superman and Geralt, further illustrate this theme of his invincible, hyper-masculine superhero persona of Superman veiling the sensitive, complex nature of Clark Kent that he must keep hidden through great discipline (The original actor for Superman Kirk Alyn was also moon dominant (Hasta sun and mars with a lot of his chart's energy tracing back to sun). One the other hand, Christoper Reeve– arguably one of the most popular actors to play Superman– has his Sun and Mercury less than one degree away from being in Hasta, but overall, his chart is still Sun-dominated with a lot of Uttara Phalguni and Krikita, which makes sense because one: it was old hollywood, and two: the reason people love him is for his portrayal as the hyper-masculine persona of Superman, which would have been closer to Reeve's true nature anyway. In my opinion, his portrayal as Clark Kent is kind of bad because he treats that like it is supposed to be his geeky alter-ego rather than the fact that he would have been raised as Clark Kent– the humble farm boy from Kansas, not as Superman. Anyway, rant over). And Geralt, who presents a facade of absolute masculine strength defeating monsters for a living and projecting a sense of detachment from others, all while concealing a deeper, more nurturing and intimate side of himself. These portrayals, necessitating depth and often grappling with themes of manipulation and other complex moral dynamics, go hand-in-hand with the Moon's influence on hidden emotional strata and ethical complexities. The performances of these actors align with the experiences of many Moon-dominant men, reflecting the nature of their personalities. (Thank you so much to anyone who read this entire thing! 🙂 I know it’s a ton of information to get through, so I do really appreciate any time and effort people put into reading this!)

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 11)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: post business cocktail

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

Table of Contents:

PART TEN

Isobel hadn’t expected the various changes that came with exploring a relationship with Drew, but one thing in particular that stood out was how things had abruptly shifted the dynamic she had with Chandler. His stutter that he’d randomly developed when he was around her two summers ago seemed to have vanished under the impression that she was now with Drew.

The way he was now addressing her was with a boldness that came off as him having the ego boost of someone who’d figured out a secret they shouldn’t have. Isobel knew Chandler would never hold it over her head, but she wasn’t sure if he would use the forbidden knowledge against his older brother.

He loosely promised her he would keep what he knew a secret, and for some reason she trusted him to keep his word. Him finding out wasn’t ideal, but the aftermath wasn’t as bad as the outcome she conjured in her head. It was actually nice having someone know about her and Drew and accepting it for what it was. It was a sense a relief, that same feeling she was hoping to feel when she tried to confide in Charlotte at the party a few nights ago.

But it was different with Chandler—he was family and his opinion resonated with her more than that of a friend, just like her mother or father’s would. It gave her hope for those next steps, if she ever got the courage to tell her parents—or if she ever allowed herself to feel something for Drew that was worth sharing with the people she loved.

Being home for holidays was sort of putting a roadblock on the progression of their relationship. They were were obviously trying not be physical with each other, but the fact that they would be in the same residences majority of the break forced Drew’s attention to remain solely on her—there were no distractions.The pessimistic side of her wondered if they were still at school if he would’ve been entertaining another girl by now. And then there was the naive side of her that possessed her right mind when she was around him or got the chance to feel his lips pressed desperately against her own, that had her feeling content with having Drew to herself for the time being—because never did she ever allow herself to hope for a future.

Until now.

In the small instances where she imagined telling her mother about what was going on with Drew, or how she swooned when she saw the qualities that made her cherish her father and Charles so deeply embedded deep in his character. She let herself hope in those little moments.

Standing across from a guy she just met at the hands of her calculating mother, she wished in this moment she could scream at the top of her lungs that she didn’t need be introduced to another business associate’s son because she had someone already—she had Drew.

That’s all she could think of as her eyes settled on “Zachary but you can call me Zach” as they stood at one of the little tables at the company’s winter business cocktail. She studied his face, but all she could think of was Drew’s ocean blue eyes that sometimes looked green depending on the light. She sized him up and noted how she didn’t have to crane her neck to look up at him like she did with Drew. Zach lacked everything she found endearing about Drew, it made her appreciate the little things about him even more.

Zach was rambling on about Fortune 500, and from the minor slurring she’d caught in his speech she figured he’d been indulging in the open bar and complimentary champagne this evening. She listened for as long as she possibly could before the feeling of eyes settled on her claimed her attention as she looked to her right just for her eyes to immediately land on Drew’s pointed stare. He looked bothered, she could tell by the deep crease in the center of his eyebrows, and the frown edged on his lips. Isobel gave him a subtle smile, but his face remained stoic. Every part of her in entirety was desperate to go to him to place her hands on his face and melt the tension from his features.

She wasn’t aware of how long she’d been looking over at him but she did notice when his eyes shifted as if he was looking through her and suddenly her line of sight was being blocked by Zach’s sliding over around the table to move closer, “Dance with me, Isabella.” He requested as his breathe immediately burned her nostrils from the crude scent of alcohol.

“No, I’m fine thanks.” Isobel decided to ignore the fact the he’d referred to her as Isabella, so the situation didn’t get prolonged more than it needed to be. She wanted to be anywhere but over here, not only because she was uninterested, but being around a wasted man while she was sober was just no fun at all.

She could tell he was not expecting her answer from the way he harshly blinked his eyes, he looked like the kind of person who didn’t often face rejection. He quickly recovered with a lazy smile then leaned his body towards her. The feeling of his hand appearing on the back of her elbow burned her skin as he slid his finger down until he was loosely grasping her arm, “Come on let’s have some fun.”

“Did you not hear me I said no-“ he didn’t even let her finish the sentence before his grip tightened around her forearm.

Her heart began to race in panic, but she let him slightly pull her towards him, giving him a false sense of her compliance and immediately forced her arm out of his bruising hold. She was now free from his restraints but fear that he would try something else had her looking for someone who could intervene and her eyes went straight to Drew. A bit of relief washed over her when she saw him stalking over, but her breathe hitched at him storming towards her one second and Charles stopping his pursuit the next.

Just as that relief was about to leave her again, her father’s large build slicing through the crowd toward Zach kept her calm. She gasped when Richard Cooper shoved him away from her and the general vicinity of the table. Her father was a muscular guy so the little shove practically sent him flying across the room. Richard didn’t give him another second of his attention before signaling for security, and pulling her into his arms. There she felt utterly safe like nothing could ever happen to her. It was what she was anticipating to feel when it was initially Drew coming for her.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Her father’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts as he scanned her from head to toe in concern.

Her eyes followed the security pulling Zach out of the building while his mother shouted expletives at him as she trailed behind them. It was when the door shut that her body finally allowed herself to actually breathe, “I’m fine.”

Her mother appeared just as she answered him with worry etched onto her face, and immediately grabbed Isobel and pulled her into her embrace before giving her a once over just as her father did. Everyone seemed to be minding their business for the most part. Only the guest in the general area that saw her father diffuse the situation were pathetically pretending not to eavesdrop.

“I’m so sorry I let you go off with him, Isobel, his mother was just begging me all night to introduce you two.” Her mother’s voice was strained, she could literally hear how it pained her to realize she potentially sent her into harms way. It made Isobel hate the asshole even more for making her think such a thing. “You have nothing to apologize about, Mom, I promise you I’m okay now.” She reassured.

Lora gave her a weak unconvincing smile then pulled her back in to squeeze her into one of those soul crushing hugs. Her back was facing everyone while in her mother’s arms, but she could feel Drew’s presence when he walked up to them, the familiar feeling of his eyes piercing into her made the hairs on her arms stand in attention. Isobel attempted pulled out of Lora’s embrace, but she only allowed her to stand at her aside as she kept her arms locked around her waist.

Drew was already looking at her when she looked towards him, his eyes seemed to be darting all over her body, standing silently beside Charles.

“I’m never letting another man near my daughter again, you hear me, Lora? Tell those desperate ass women we are not interested in a son-in-law moving forward.” Isobel knew her father was partially joking, but his words hit a nerve.

Charles smiled in obvious agreement with his friend, but to her surprise Drew never reacted to her father inadvertently denouncing him as her potential husband, he looked stiff like he was using all his restraint to hold himself back, his eyes being the only thing that was moving freely.

“For once I can agree with you on the matter.” Lora gave her another squeeze before reluctantly letting her go. Every one hummed in agreement, and Isobel couldn’t help but squint her eyes at Chandler who was obviously amused by her father’s proclamation as he discreetly jabbed an elbow into his brother’s side to which Drew ignored.

“-Are you sure you’re okay, Isobel?” Drew’s words were rushed as they escaped from his lips. He tried his best to stand there quietly, to pretend like every inch of him wasn’t dying to go over to Isobel, wrap his arms around her, and make sure she was okay. Not just physically, but emotionally, he knew she tended to internalize what she was truly feeling and he needed to know that what just happened didn’t fuck with her head.

His question caused everyone’s eyes to snap to him before immediately going back to Isobel as they awaited her response. He’d been hesitant in asking with everyone standing here in fear of what would leave his lips with the adrenaline rushing through his body.

He didn’t care if she was going to be upset with him for his outburst. He could keep their physical relationship to himself, restrain himself from touching her when it’s all he could think about doing, but he couldn’t pretend he didn’t care about her not when that was something he’d been doing from first moment he laid his eyes on her.

“I’m fine I’m just kind of tired.” She smiled, with her mouth and eyes as he watched as they warmed before his own, he couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else saw it too—the gleam in her eyes. Once again it felt like they were the only ones present in the moment, one glance shared with her feeling like eternity when reality only seconds had passed.

“Drew take Isobel home and makes sure she gets there safely.” His father’s request caused his eyes to leave Isobel for what felt like the first time tonight since she arrived. He didn’t know what to think of his father’s behavior tonight, in the beginning the man was staring daggers at him across the room, and now he was being supportive? Drew wasn’t sure of what exactly, but he felt a reassuring energy coming from him.

Charles had stopped him from potentially killing a man for touching Isobel, and for an intuitive man like his father, that could be enough to confirm any conjectures he’d formed about Isobel and Drew when they returned home yesterday.

“That’s a good idea, do you want any of us to come with you?” Isobel’s mother asked, he still could see the terror in her eyes. When everything was going down and she ran up to him and Charles’ scrambling to find her daughter it only added to his anger and desperation to get to her.

“No, I’m fine you guys stay here and enjoy the cocktail.” Isobel insisted before giving both of her parents a hug and walking over to slip beside Drew.

His body routinely reacted as it always did to the feeling of her next to him, the hairs on his arm stood erect, his side warming like they were two magnets pulling towards each other. Richard, Charles, Cooper, Lora, and Catherine were talking while Chandler was absorbing every word—the younger Starkey enjoyed gossip just as much as their mother. Drew didn’t hear a word they were saying, he couldn’t when Isobel’s arm was grazing his side. God he wanted to grab her waist and just hold her but he refrained.

Then he felt a tickle on his knuckle and looked down to see her blindly curling her pinky around his larger one. That simple touch alone made it feel like his heart was going to pound out of his chest as it filled with an inexplicable feeling. It was so minuscule, but that lock of their fingers represented how they made each other feel, the part of them they were hiding from everyone. And Isobel reaching out to him in that way, no matter how discreetly in front of their families, was comparable to how a quick peck from her on his lips could make him feel—content yet desperate for more.

“You ready to go?” He asked loud enough to to gain everyone’s attention again.

Isobel nodded her head and let his pinky go, ready to get out of there and just contemplate her feelings under her shower head. She giggled to herself as Chandler insisted he leave with them. She could tell Drew was annoyed with his little brother tagging along just from his left eye twitching, but he didn’t protest, “You guys are doing a horrible job of being discreet by the way.” Chandler causally threw out as they walked out of the building.

“Wait, really?” She groaned, if her heart rate went up anymore tonight she was going to go into cardiac arrest. She knew she was giving more attention to Chandler’s implications about her and Drew being together, but at this point she didn’t have it in her to care.

“No, not really, I think I’m only noticing because I know what’s up with you two.” He grinned with pride, obviously still finding amusement at how worked up Isobel was about all of this.

“You don’t know shit, get in the car.” Drew mumbled and rolled his eyes as he unlocked the door for them.

This time last year she wouldn’t have expected any of this, they were all three as trio becoming closer and it was all because a split decision to let Drew ‘get a feel of his observations.’ The statement was corny looking back, but thinking of it made her chest warm.

Chandler did most of the talking as Drew drove towards her house which was about five minutes away from C&S, thankfully no one asked for details about what happened earlier during the ride, especially when she hadn’t even fully digested the whole thing herself. Isobel was the only one who entertained his rant about his parents not letting him have ‘at least one drink’ at events while Drew rubbed his temples with his pointer and middle finger at all the talking, she couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

It was hard trying to remain platonic with Drew after blurring so many lines with him, but sharing a car with two people she’d known for years made her appreciate the moments in between the lust when they were keeping their hands to themselves a little bit more. She could look back at this as a time where they were picking up where they left off as friends.

“Chandler, wait in the car while I walk Isobel up.” Drew said while pulling into her driveway. Seeing the empty garage and the barely lit house filled her body with dread at the view, she wanted him to stay with her.

Isobel stayed silent as she attempted to get out of his truck as gracefully as she could in a dress and heels but graciously took Drew’s hand when he finally came over to help her down. The feeling of the hand he used to grab her left hip and steady her body searing through the silk of her dress onto her skin, “Will you stay until my parents get home?”

Drew’s mouth slightly opened and then closed, a little taken aback by her question. But after what happened tonight he would do anything she asked to make her feel safe, even if it was risky.

“How about I take Chandler home first, and come back-“

“-No I don’t want you to leave.” It took a lot for Isobel to admit she needed someone, but despite her usual hesitancy the words left her mouth with ease.

One of his hands tightened into a fist, barely stopping himself from reaching up to comfort her. He loved this feeling, a girl showing her vulnerability, and him not wanting to run away, he’d never felt the need to stay before, “Just go upstairs I’ll be right up behind you.”

Isobel sighed and gave him a squint letting him know she was expecting him to do exactly as he said before punching in the code to the house and slipping behind the wooden door. It was his turn to sigh, now facing his brand new truck he was about let his imbecile of a brother drive home without his supervision.

“Chandler, the keys are in the middle console go ahead and drive yourself home.” Drew grumbled.

The last thing he wanted was for the eighteen year old to be behind the wheel of his baby, but when it came to Isobel he’d let his little brother drive it across the country. Chandler jumped at the opportunity, choosing to access the driver seat by crawling up from the backseat which was no easy feat for a boy with his height but he managed, “Wipe that look off your face I’ll get it home safely, you can go in there and tussle tongues with your girlfriend.”

Drew didn’t bother to respond, slamming the truck door in his face and making his way back up the pathway to front door. Just as he entered the house and was turning to shut the door his entire body cringed at the sound of Chandler revving his engine.

He was in the same position as earlier, the house empty and Isobel just a staircase away, and his eagerness to see her hadn’t waned in the slightest. She wasn’t in her room when he walked in, but he could hear her humming behind her bathroom door. The warm vanilla scent escaping from the cracks of the enclosed area telling him she’d was in the shower, so he waited for her. Drew felt like he could wait on her forever in any given circumstance, but waiting on her to finish showering as the sound of her melodic voice filled his ears was becoming his favorite—he was the only one who got to witness this side of her.

He sat on the seat in front of her vanity, her sweet humming relaxing him to the point where he could have dozed off. And then the door swung open and there she was clad in an oversized t-shirt and just like that night in her apartment a few days ago he couldn’t tell if she was wearing bottoms or not. He loved every inch of her body, so even just getting a glimpse of her legs made his stomach flutter—it was pathetic how hooked he was on her. As if him suddenly realizing all she had to offer so late into knowing her made every glance thereafter knock the breathe out of him.

“You look adorable.” Drew smirked as he stood up and reached to flick the fluffy pink headband she had holding her long, dark hair back. She rolled her plump lips together like she was embarrassed and his heart skipped. “Thank you, Drew, take your jacket off.” She demanded, walking up to him then sliding her hands into the inside of his suit jacket and helping him push the sleeves down his muscular arms with his tinted blue eyes looking down on her. She walked away from him to to hang it on a hook that was attached to the back of the closet but the smell of her remained.

Isobel wanted to jump Drew, to thrust herself into his big arms, but she didn’t. The girl just put his jacket elsewhere and turned to make her way towards her bed. She sat there and just swept her eyes down his body for a moment just to take in how good he looked in a button up and slacks. Drew looked sexy, he looked like a man and it was times like this, including the fact that he was a close family friend, that she couldn’t believe they were involved, “Come lay down with me, please?”

Drew had been the practical one out of the two when it came to them following her rules she set for them, so she made sure to bat her eyes when she asked. Isobel had some self-control, she didn’t have anything sexual in mind, she just wanted to feel him against her.

“I can’t take all this shit off just to get into bed with you, Izzy, we don’t know how much time we have.” Drew stated, referring to his formal wear he still had on from the cocktail.

She couldn’t help but smile at him remembering how anal she was about germs from clothes getting on her comforter.

“Well just don’t worry about it, I’ll wash my bedding tomorrow,” She rolled her eyes when he raised his eyebrows in shock, Isobel wanted him in her bed and she wasn’t about to let anything get in the way of that not even the fact that they were in her parent’s house, “I just want to be with you right now.”

He didn’t argue as he moved to slip off his shoes before crawling into bed with her. He rested his weight on his arm and leaned over so he was looking down at her face. The lights were dimmed, so he couldn’t make out any of the brown specks he usually saw in her eyes, but they still gleamed from the moonlight streaming in.

“I let Chandler drive the truck home.”

“-What? Wait I didn’t even think of the fact that he probably wanted to go home, I thought he would just stay.” Isobel said as instant regret filled her at her insistence that he didn’t leave her alone. Drew had only had that truck a few weeks, and now he had someone whose driving was sub par at best driving it because of her.

Isobel could do this whole thing with Drew, she could have an intimate relationship with him with no strings, but she didn’t want to be an emotional nuisance. She tried to keep things surface, drawing the line at anything that wasn’t just for physical satisfaction, but what she needed from him tonight was comfort and when he did that for her she couldn’t help that her heart warmed in reaction.

“You have nothing to feel bad about, some guy put his hands on you and you said you wanted me here so I’m here, Isobel.” He said her name with finality as if he was warning her not to argue, so she let it go, though fear of being an inconvenience was swallowing her up inside, “Tell me what happened, baby.”

Her entire body shuddered, if he called her that after every thing he asked from her she would be at his beck and call. She loved how deep Drew’s voice was and hearing him use that name for her in that grainy drawl was pleasuring to her ears.

“It was nothing really he was drunk, wanted to dance with me, and he didn’t like that I declined.” She trailed off, trying to make sense of it in her head. It would be a perfect world if no one brought it up, if everyone just went on thinking she was invincible and strong, but Drew wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Don’t minimize it Isobel, just because he was drunk didn’t give him the right to grab your arm and fucking corner you.” Drew was irritated, she could see it in his eyes, hear it in the clipped tone of his voice as he stared deeply into her eyes. That crease was back between his eyebrows, and though she was right below him his eyes still darted up and down her face as if he couldn’t decide what part of her to focus on. “You didn’t deserve that tonight, I don’t see how anyone would ever want to hurt you, Is.”

“I know, I’m just glad you were there.”

His eyes dropped to Isobel’s lips when she gave him a grin, “You promise you’re okay?”

“Drew.” She groaned, dragging out his name, Isobel wasn’t used to anyone besides her mother and father being this concerned about her feelings or well-being, but she couldn’t definitively say that she hated it, “You don’t have to keep worrying—I’m fine, promise.”

Drew sighed as he tucked his face in her neck. He breathed her in, hearing her emit a giggle as his nose tickled the sensitive skin. God, Isobel was his favorite—favorite person, favorite smell, favorite everything—the thought felt rudimentary, but that was just him putting it in simple terms.

“I’m sorry I almost caused a scene earlier at the event.” Drew lamented after pulling away from her to look her in the eyes once more. It was all a blur, that moment from when he saw her struggling to get away from that man to when his father was holding him back. Charles had always been subliminally against the idea of Isobel and Drew coming together in any manner, but for once part of him was grateful for him in that particular moment.

Him intervening had somehow brought Isobel and Drew closer.

“You have nothing to apologize for, you’re not the one who grabbed me, Drew.” She comforted him, she hated that she was making him feel like he had to apologize for wanting to protect her.

“I know but I could’ve ruined everything for us—I was just so pissed off. No other man deserves to touch you, Isobel.”

No other man.

Isobel stayed quiet when he brought his hand up to cradle the side of her face, so he kept going.

“I know you’re not mine Isobel but let me think it for just this one night so I don’t go insane.” He sounded desperate but couldn’t find it in him to care, he was always hopeless when it came to her, sometimes it was just harder to mask.

Isobel softly pecked his lips, straining her neck to reach his mouth, and Drew pushed forward deepening the kiss so she wouldn’t break it. He loved when their kisses began like that, her teasing and him chasing her. His hand splayed across her rib cage causing her shirt to bunch under his rough touch. Kissing Isobel and hearing the sweet sighs of satisfaction leave her throat always made him feel like he needed to anchor onto something before he fell and that showed in the way his hands blindly fisted the fabric of her tee and the groans the tongueless kiss could pull from him.

“I’m yours, Drew.” Isobel mumbled as their lips continued to connect.

She’d been telling an abundance of lies as of late to protect what they had, but she wasn’t sure the one he’d just blatantly asked her to say was completely void of truth.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART TWELVE

[fronomeeps]

Abriged text of Off’s 15th anniversary stream!

official VOD on youtube: https://youtu.be/RG4yEM9J3Zg

full disclaimer there are inconsistencies with the typing and punctuation and capitalization, but here it is!!! the full 4 hour stream in abriged text form! i tried including as much as i can while making it short and sweet-ish, everything under the cut!

Part 1: Off’s Childhood (Off creation)

Q: Did you design and draw the characters before you decided to make a game for them or did you have the idea to design a game first and have the visuals come after?

Some of them he drew before. He knew about RPGmaker for a long time and used it to make little games. Most of the RPGmaker games he would make before were using the RPGmaker assets. When he started Off, he decided that everything would be made by him. He never made a game with his own resources before, so he had no idea what to do with the graphics. He made everything very simple with flat colors and lines, which made it easy to use and easy to create. The first map he made in OFF was Zone 0’s building extremely fast to test his chipset and as an exercise. Afterwards he thought of what characters to make for the game. He had piles of drawings he did for fun with no particular meaning, and he happened to have a drawing of a baseball player and a cat with a “very big head” and decided that these would be characters in the game. There was no symbolic meaning to it, he just thought the drawings were cool.

Yes, the characters were made before the game was made but not intended to be in the game.

Q: Was there anything in the game you weren’t happy with or anything you didn't get to finish when OFF released?

He was quite happy with everything in the game, there was some cut content, but when he finished he was really happy with what he made. It took him 1 year to make Off. He is still happy about the state of Off. Sometimes he was frustrated with the limitations of RPGmaker2003, such as the battle system, that he would change if he had total control of these things. But with the tools he had, he was happy with the results.

If he had tools he had today back then, Off would be a completely different game. There are some things he is unhappy with and says he was a completely different person back then, but it’s been 15 years and he’s proud of what he made and what Off is and is happy people like the way it is.

Q: If you could easily implement any game mechanic into off regardless of how hard it would be to implement, what would it be?

He would make a battle system from scratch. He likes the JRPG battle system, but the balancing of the numerical side of things (HP, damage, etc.) were difficult to manage and he feels he could have done it in a more fun way. He thinks there's better ways to do things with the system.

Battles such as Dedan are hard to beat but not very fun since it is hard because of his large amount of HP, since that’s how he saw to make it hard.

So if he could change the combat, he would.

Another thing he would change is the puzzles, he feels they are too hard. Especially in zone 1 he feels they are not fun. Reading text and remembering random information he does not think is very fun and weirdly difficult. The Calendar puzzle in Alma in particular comes to his mind when he thinks of a hard puzzle. The calendar was inspired by a Killer 7 puzzle that he liked at the time but doesn’t like it now.

Q: Were any of the characters inspired by real people in your life or by pets?

Real people no, but his friend made the voices for the characters.

The judge is inspired by a drawing he made of his roommate’s cat back in college. The cat was named Madame Le Judge.

Q: Have you considered other sportsmen other than batter?

No, Batter was made from a drawing he did of a baseball player from a book from the library and had no correlation to the game.

Q: Was Zacharie originally planned to be fightable?

There were doodles of Zacharie with angel wings and a sword, but they were just for fun and he was not intended to be a fighter in the game. But he is aware that it has made the fans question if Zacharie was intended to be a battler in the game.

Q: Was there anything cut or scraped from the game?

Not really, but in the doodle pack on his old website where he posted Off originally, there was a version of Enoch with a mask on as well as some items. And for the ballman and boxxer part he had some more enemies planned, one being a baseball with eyes. He scrapped it because it was an unimportant part of the game.

There were some really complex puzzle ideas that were cut because they would be too complex to put in. He likes reaction based games, rpg games where you have to think not so much. There is a game called MYST on pc where you travel to an island and are tons of insane puzzles which he was hypnotized by as a puzzle. He did not solve many of the puzzles but thought it was extremely cool as a kid and wanted to make a game as cool as MYST.

Q: Can we get the full list of magaka and artists the bats are named in reference to?

Harrold: Don’t remember

Masashi: Naruto creator

Emmanuel: French comic book artist, he liked at the time but no longer likes, but was a huge inspiration for Off.

Michael: Hellboy creator

Yoshihiro: Hunter x Hunter creator, which Mortis is a big fan of.

Lewis: French comic book artist.

Katsuhiro: Akira creator, “still a banger” -Mortis

Ashley: An American comic artist who did paintings.

Q: What went into the decisions that went into the creation of Zacharie’s masks?

If there was an inspiration, he doesn’t recall. He designed them that way because he thought he looked cool.

Q: What are the inspirations behind every character in the game?

Elsen: Just a business man, office man, supposed to featureless and “boring” or “normal”, some inspiration from his hatred of administration(?). He is sorry for what he puts the Elsen though.

Dedan: “I don’t know…” -Mortis, he has a military jacket.

Japhet: Fire bird, Final fantasy 6’s Valigarmanda who is a fire bird trapped in a block of ice was a big inspiration.

Enoch: Inspired Nicolas de Crécy’s comics. There is a character who is large like Enoch that he was heavily inspired by. He enjoyed the comics at the time but now sees there is some fatphobia with the character.

Vader Eloha (Queen): Generally, a mysterious, strange, princess-like lady. A beautiful lady to contrast the heaviness of the rest of the game.

Queen’s Addons: Just complex stuff.

Bad Batter: No direct inspiration, but is a scary, terrifying version of the batter.

Hugo: Child with a big ham, no direct inspiration.

Sucre: Was designed by a friend.

General aesthetics of the game: Inspired by Killer 7 for the aesthetics, backgrounds, feelings. If you like Off you would like Killer 7. It is similar to off, and is very violent. In general, Final Fantasy 6-10, Metal Gear Solid 2’s “Meta” content (THE GAME SPEAKS TO ME?!?!?!?!?!?!), Silent Hill 2 (after completing off, he played more silent hill games but SH2 was played before and was inspiration).

In the game, there are 2 maps that are a silent hill reference, in that the maps themselves spell “SH” “Silent Hill” and there are long hallways with locked doors like Silent Hill.

Q: What had to be the most difficult part of Off development for you?

There were some times he would get stuck not knowing what to do next. Alias Coldwood, who also made the soundtrack of the game, was his roommate at the time. Alias helped him code parts of the game as he was already a programmer, such as the Elsen balloon minigame in the Zone 2 amusement park.

He was stuck on the balloon game coding for 3 days and then Alias came in and fixed it in half an hour.

Zone 3 is mostly pretty straight forward and doesn’t have that much coding, except for the dropping Add-On collection minigame. He says that the way the engine is, if you want to do something other than classic RPG it becomes very hard.

Q: What is the overall feeling you want people to have when they play Off?

A bad feeling, guilt, sadness, emptiness. He says he was quite edgy at the time, he wanted the game to make you feel like you were the good guy, then gently make you feel like maybe you aren’t the good guy, and then at the end confirm that you are in fact the bad guy.

There is a short poem called 10 Little Soldiers, where the narrator is revealed to be the killer of the story, and it was shocking and unexpected. He wanted to recreate this feeling of shock in a video game setting. In the end, you end up doing what the creator of the game put before you regardless of feeling of freedom.

Q: How was the planning of the game?

Production of the game was 1 year, and there was no clear idea in his head before he started making Off. He sorta winged it as he went. He made all the characters, then went and made maps chronologically and made it up as he went.

Q: Who was your favorite character to design?

Japhet. There are 4 different forms of Japhet, and he likes the way he transforms. He wouldn’t change much about his design.

Q: What was your process for making the sprites?

They were drawn on paper, inked, scanned in, scaled down in photoshop, then the edges were cleaned up with a black border to work with the game (which took up most of the time in game production).

Q: What was the creative process behind the music and what did you use?

He did not make the music, Alias Coldwood did. He would come into Mortis’ room, check what Mortis was up to, see the areas, then go off and make music for the game. He would come back and give him the music gifts. He would ask if it was good or if anything needed to be changed but usually no changes were needed.

Q: Why was Over the Rainbow used for the ending of the game?

He loves the song, and it is a strong contrast of gentle music, reassurance, after the extremely brutal game.

It can also be interpreted that the game itself is a rainbow, with the zones being very brightly colored.

Q: What sorta things did you think about while making Off? What did you think it would be?

He didn’t think much about the game itself, he mostly thought about being done with the game and how cool it would be. He thought it would be so crazy and cool if 50 people played his game, or if his friends played his game.

It was his last year of doing comics studies at school. He had his studies which were art related, but his free time was filled with working on Off, which was fun for him.

Q: What role does the battle system play in the story?

None, other than Batter attacks everything he comes across. In most games you fight a lot, maybe it was more so that fighting is in games, so his game needs fighting. But it makes sense to look at it that you are fighting everything you come across, which is sort of evil. You can actually flee from most battles other than the bosses. But it is not easy to defeat the bosses without killing people beforehand.

Q: What was it like to work with Alias Coldwood?

It was really cool.

Q: Did you have a theme you wanted to follow?

Yes, the idea that the main character is the bad guy was the main theme. He had the ending idea in mind.

Q: What was the last thing you made in the game before releasing?

Since he did it in chronological order, he believes the last thing he did was the secret ending(space apes ending).

Q: Do you have any old concept art for the game/ characters?

He doesn’t have them on his computer, but if his website is still searchable, there should be a zip folder full of art. Website: http://gaarabis.free.fr

Q: Is it true that the train stations in zone 1 are based on pens?

Pentel: A really good brush pen he has

Sachihata: Don’t remember

Alma: An actual train station in brussels.

Damien: Don’t remember

Q: What were those unused soundtracks for?

Music for zones that already existed and he didn’t have a purpose for.

Q: How were the sketches for Off made, were they sketched and scanned in?

Yes

Q: Do you have any beta builds of Off?

No, just the one version.

Q: What happened to the Off Demo?

It disappeared, lost on the old website that died and he didn’t have a backup. It stopped at Dedan’s office in Alma, and a text would show up to say that’s the end of the demo. It was made for a french rpg forum for people to play there, and he received a price in a french rpgmaker contest. There is no additional or different content in the demo that isn’t in the main game.

Part 2: Into Off’s big castle (Off lore)

Mortis notes, nothing is cannon in Off, he had things in mind when he made it but nothing is cannon, “everything is cannon” anything that comes to your head when you play is cannon, everything is cannon and nothing is cannon.

Q: when the batter turns into a monster, is that a shapeshift or is it just how the judge sees the batter?

It’s based off Killer 7, whose final boss is an angel. It is implied though that the character is not actually an angel, but is the way it sees itself. He liked the idea that you can people can be represented differently than how they actually are, and it is up to you whether that is batters view of himself, the players view of him, or the judges view of the batter.

Q: What is Zacharie and Sucre’s relationship? Are they friends? A couple?

They like each other, but as you prefer. If you want them together then sure. But he doesn’t have any thought on it.

Q: is the Judge a fluffy cat or a hairless cat?

Madame le Judge, the inspiration cat, was a fluffy cat, so the Judge is fluffy. Though he doesn’t look fluffy in game so that is up to the player.

Q: Top 3 vegetables for every character.

Too long of a question, but for the judge: Zucchini, Eggplant, and Tomato

Q: Do the zone guardians get along with each other or is there a reason they all rule their own zones?

They do know each other based on the events in The Room, but if they’re friends is uncertain. But Japhet did save Enoch from a hole, so they are probably on good terms. In the room, they have similar ideas on what to evolve the world into and at that point they are probably closest to being friends, more so that they tolerate eachother or are more akin to coworkers. Once they are in their own zones, they have no need to talk to each other.

Q: Is Off a universe or world?

There are definitely past events to Off, the world is already in a crisis point with its dead appearance. Maybe it is our own earth.

Q: What do Elsen and spectres taste like?

Elsen would taste like a human, and spectres would taste like smoke.

Sucre is also supposed to be a human, please don’t eat her.

Q: How is Zacharie doing, what are his views on the world?

He is not well, he is quite nihilistic and sees the world is not doing well, but he doesn’t care.

Q: Could you go into the game’s nomenclature, specifically the names for items, guardians?

The reason he calls the health items tickets was because he wanted a cool, clever way to refer to them rather than health potions.

He chose flesh for SP items because it was gross and fit with the universe. He chose demon names for the flesh because he thought it was cool and edgy at the time.

The guardian’s names are from the Bible, but there is no significance to the names themselves.

Q: How do you imagine the voice of the Judge?

He’s a cat with a big head so maybe there’s some resonance.

Q: What’s the Judge’s favorite brand of kibble/cat food and what is his favorite fish?

In zone 2’s marketplace, Judge is looking at an ad for catfood. Catfood made with meat from the fountains of Alma is his favorite food.

There is no more fish in the world, Judge doesn’t know what a fish is.

Q: What the heck is the zone 3 secretary?

It was a drawing he did based on a photo from a book from a library. They are drawings of wood carved baby artifacts. He drew clothes on them for the game.

Q: Does the batter like men?

In a previous stream, he and chat decided batter is a lesbian. He also states that batter (he/she/they) doesn’t like men.

Q: Is there a cannon explanation for the ending?

It’s in the game, it is cannon.

Q: Did you intend Sucre to have more content, and did you plan for other secret bosses to be in the game?

Sucre was the only planned secret boss and no other content was planned for her.

He asked his friend to design Sucre, asking her to design a character to be a secret boss in the game without knowing anything about the game.

Sucre’s speech pattern (using emojis and speaking in small sentences) is based on a character from Killer 7 as well.

We don’t know why she’s in the zone 0 room, though it’s implied she has changed and Zacharie knows she has changed.

Q: Why does Sucre like ducks?

She doesn’t like ducks.

Q: Is the art depicting Zacharie with wings and a sword cannon?

It is cannon and it isn’t cannon.

Q: How far does Zacharie’s self awareness go?

He knows he is in a videogame, and being in the videogame Off is quite depressing.

He knows everything, he knows about batter and his powers.

Q: What happens when the switch turns Off?

Everything is gone

Q: Was there any reason for the Panic in Ballville section in the room?

Everything in the room are hints to what led to the creation of the world, but the hints are obscure and it is up to the player to figure that out.

It’s up to interpretation

Q: Do you think Deltarune Queen and Off Queen would be friends?

The Queen from Off is not very friendly, and probably wouldn’t want to be friends.

He has played Deltarune and loved it and loves Toby Fox’s work.

Q: Do secretaries appear because of batter’s desires?

Secretaries have no emotion, they are mindless monsters. They are not even humans, they aren’t even living. They just exist in an empty world, symbols of despair and emptiness.

Q: Did spectres appear because of the Queen’s neglect?

Enoch says they’re just the souls of the people, so yes they are just the dead Elsen.

He had another idea with Alias that in the past of Off, when people die their souls would go to the future. But since there is no longer a future, they pile up in the present as the ghosts we see.

Q: How were Elsen made?

They are one person, who was cloned. They are all named Elsen. There are lots of him.

Cannon and not cannon: Before the events of Off, there was a man named Elsen, and he cloned himself over and over and had many of his clones in a bunker. When he died, his clones were all released. It is ambiguous that the Elsen know this fact about themselves.

Q: Is it possible that there are other lands in the nothingness or across the sea?

The idea is that it is a post-apocalyptic place, and the Queen and Hugo have power that emanates from them that certain people are strong enough to use that power to create worlds. Judge, Dedan, Enoch, and Japhet are those who can use this power, which is why when you kill them their zone dies. Though it is possible there are other survivors out in the world that may weild the Queen and Hugo’s power to create lands.

Q: Is batter bald?

Yes?

Q: Does the batter have any pets?

No, he would not be a good pet owner.

Q: Do the burnt elsen have any purpose other than being enemies you can fight?

The black material exploding from them comes from inside of them.

Since they are office men, it makes sense they are stressed. Burning is a direct representation of burnout. The world is too horrible for them to continue existing. As the world dies, they have a physical reaction which is dying and burning.

Q: Has the batter ever played baseball?

No

Q: Are Zacherie’s wings in the drawing Add-ons?

There is no cannon for this non-canonical drawing.

Q: How powerful would batter be in the real world?

He can kill lots of people, he can heal himself, and has magical powers so he would be pretty powerful.

His power is “4000”

Q: What is the Judge drinking in the drawing where he’s drinking from a cup?

Orange juice

Q: The drawing with the red dots in the room, is it an illusion?

The drawing itself is made by Hugo in the game world.

Q: How tall is Enoch?

Maybe like 4 meters.

Q: We saw the story of the zone guardians but what about Zacharie, Judge, and Valerie? Did they exist before the zones?

Yes they did exist before the zones, and they survived the apocalypse somehow, maybe in a bunker.

Maybe because Judge and Valerie have 9 lives as cats they came back to life, and Zacharie’s 4th wall breaking power allowed him to survive.

Q: Is there lore behind the important people of Zone 1 or not?

They are all dead.

Q: What happens to the puppeteer/player after we finish the cannon ending of the game?

You get back to your life, game ends.

Q: Does Hugo sees him as a monster or his human form?

Hugo would see him as a positive form, since Hugo created the batter, and is happy to see the batter arriving. But batter kills him. And Hugo probably changes his mind as he’s killed.

Q: Is the anniversary of Off also batter’s birthday?

When you start the game it is batter’s birthday.

Q: What is the reason the Queen isolated herself from everyone?

She doesn’t like anyone. She wanted to make a new world, but was disappointed in the outcome, and isolated herself and became crazy. She may be a bit of a narcissist.

Q: Who would win in a fight between Omori and Batter?

Omori

Q: How come the final hallway before the switch looks like a skull and spine?

It was not intentional, and he was just designing a strange hallway. But agrees that it looks like that.

Q: Is batter truly evil or is a victim of circumstances.

He is spawned from hugo’s wishes, in batter’s opinion he is not evil, but he is evil.

Q: Is there a timeline where Valerie lives after Japhet’s fight?

In the main game he dies, but there is many timelines where he lives.

Q: What does batter think of the player? A tool, a psychic?

He thinks of the player as a tool.

Q: Do the characters have cannon ages?

No, never thought of it.

Q: What is the meaning/story behind Off?

Play the game.

Q: Why does hugo have 8 dots on his forehead?

He doesn’t know why, but it was somewhat inspired by Krillin from Dragon Ball.

Q: Tell us more about Enoch

He’s a guardian of the zone 3, he is very big and tall. He tries to make people’s lives easier with sugar, but it is a drug in this world. But he does genuinely want his elsen to be happy, but he’s really not a good guy and doesn’t go bout it right.

Q: What characters from other franchises would batter get along with?

Batter wouldn't really be friends with anyone, he doesn’t really communicate, he doesn’t like to speak and he doesn’t want friends. He has a mission and he’s going to complete it.

Q: What’s up with the ring party members?

At first they were just there to add more party members, since being the only one is boring. So how do you have only 1 main character but multiple party members? The Add-ons do not have personalities but fill the party. But at the end they have meaning.

Each guardian is represented by an Add-On, and their ideas and thoughts and relationship with Hugo are represented by each Add-On. But as the world was created, the promises of their ideas were broken.

Q: How did the batter know what his purpose to purify the world was?

He just knew in his brain, in his programming.

Q: Was the batter the correct answer to the world’s problems?

It’s up to you to decide that, but there is probably a better solution than batter. Alooot of bad choices that led to batter.

Q: What are ghosts? Did the queen send them? Is it capitalism?

Mortis confirms he hates capitalism and you can see that in the game, and in a clumsy way it does speak about capitalism. But the ghost’s source is a mystery but they’re probably souls of Elsen.

Q: What happened to Hugo’s parents?

Probably dead.

Q: What did the batter save the elsen in zone 2 if they were all going to die anyways.

He didn’t care about saving the Elsen, he was just going after the spectres.

Q: Is each zone a planet or different universes?

They aren’t planets. The world is broken, and there are floating continents with light points that can be traveled to.

Q: Do Boxxer and Ballman have names?

Ballman is Casper, and Boxxer is Jeremy.

Q: Is it the player’s fault that batter is the way he is?

No

Q: What are the actual names of the Elsen?

They’re all named Elsen.

Q: What was the batter doing before the game started?

Nothing, he didn’t exist before.

Q: What would happen if you microwaved an elsen?

They would die.

Part 3: Off, the game

Q: Will the game be on steam or console?

He already got some proposals from companies to put it on different platforms, but for now he doesn’t want to, but he isn’t against it. It’s a long process of copyrights and other things and maybe one day it’ll happen, but for now no.

Q: Would you ever reconsider remaking Off in another style or game engine?

No, he’s happy that people enjoy Off as it is, but he’s not as invested in it as he was when he made it. He won’t be making any remakes or continuations, since he has other projects and plans and stories and universes.

Q: Would you ever make a sequel, comic, any continuations of Off?

When he first made Off, he had an idea for a part 2 and even spoke to Alias about it but dropped it because it works so well as a one-shot.

Q: Would you ever be interested in making projects similar to Off?

He has another videogame in the works, and RPG he’s working on with friends called HELP.

Q: Do you see yourself working on something Off related in the future? Or are you done for good for this world?

He doesn’t close every door but probably is done with the world.

Q: Will you ever expand on Hugo’s lore?

Probably not

Q: Will you ever remake Off with your current style?

If he did something Off related now, it would be in his current style, he can’t recreate his old style.

Q: Have you ever considered making merch, plushies or artbooks?

He doesn’t have any of the original drawings anymore, he sold his sketchbook. All the files he still has are too small to be used in an artbook. For plushies, it would be fun, but it isn’t a priority right now.

Q: Do you regret being better known as the creator of Off rather than other things you’ve made?

He is a little frustrated by the fact that nothing else he’s made is as popular as Off, such as comics he’s made since Off or other work he’s done. He isn’t complaining though. Whenever he does anything Off related, people give him lots of love and he’s extremely happy and moved by it and is happy that people love the game lots. He’s happy with his life.

Q: What’s your favorite piece of music from Off?

He loves all the music, his favorite would be Fake Orchestra, Dedan’s boss music.

Q: Do you think there’s a good way to adapt Off into an animated series?

It could be fun, but he doesn’t like translating video games into other mediums other than video games.

Q: What’s your favorite character from Off?

Japhet, he is a bad guy, even though he’s egotistical now, he really tried to please his elsen. Reading his journal, we can see he is disappointed in himself, and self-reflects.

Q: What’s your favorite spectre design? Which one is the sexiest?

His favorite is the 6th spectre, the one that explodes into many little spectres.

Smash or Pass round: He passed every spectre. The sexiest is the large spectre.

Q: Which character/creature design is your favorite?

The whale is still a favorite of his.

Q: After 15 years, what do you honestly think of Off as its creator?

He is happy that so many people still like, so he feels he succeeded in making something that speaks to or is relatable to so many people. To himself however, he thinks there’s a lot he would’ve done differently if he made it now. He’s a different person now, and elements of the game don’t resonate with him anymore.

Q: What was your reaction after the game’s big success?

Before the success, there was a translation to english, and then a while after that it really exploded. He was not prepared. He felt successful from just 50 people playing it and thought that was it for Off.

After 2 years when youtubers started making let’s plays of Off and fanart was being made, and now he is used to it. But it took a long time for him to understand that the game was a huge success.

Q: What ending do you choose, the batter or the judge?

For a long time, he liked the batter ending more. But now he likes the judge ending more. It feels like a small small spark of hope. You have a choice to not destroy everything.

Q: Do you think Off would ever get as big as it is now?

No, never.

Q: Did you expect Off to have such a big impact on people? Were you overwhelmed by it?

It wasn’t overwhelming, but he didn’t understand it at first but he was really really happy.

Q: Had you ever made a plan in case the game becomes popular?

No, he only made it to be played a little and got a price from a french rpg forum and that was all he thought would come of the game.

Q: If you could pick 5 songs not from the soundtrack to encapsulate the game what would they be?

The Kid A album from Radiohead was an album he was listening to while he was making Off and encapsulated a lot of Off’s themes that you can find in the game.

Q: How do you feel about Papyrus looking like Dedan?

He is so glad that his game had an impact on Toby Fox when he made his games.

Q: Would Papyrus and Dedan be friends?

No, Dedan is really mean and Papyrus should not be around Dedan.

Q: Where do you consider Off in your artistic journey? Has it impacted/ influenced you?

It is a part of him. Even though the stuff he does now doesn’t look like Off and everything he does doesn’t relate to Off anymore it’s a big part of him.

Q: Are you willing to/ planning to release the music on vinyl? Limited releases?

It is not in his hands, that is up to Alias.

Q: Is there anything about Off (the game, the characters, etc.) that you like much more (or less) now?

He is happy about the alternate ending with the Judge.

Q: What’s the biggest thing you scrapped out of the game?

Nothing was really scrapped out of the game.

Q: What would you say is the concept that defines OFf as a whole?

It’s a really nihilistic game about destroying a game that’s already destroyed. It’s a very sad and dark story.

Q: Which character was your favorite to draw?

Zacharie was the most fun to draw, as well as Judge with his big mouth.

Q: What do you think of the fangames?

He’s really glad and happy that people like the game so much they want to make other games. But he always thinks, why? It takes so much time to make these fangames when you could be making something you want to make.

Q: Can you explain the philosophy in the game?

It’s nihilistic and depressing.

Q: Do you have a favorite zone?

Zone 2 is his favorite. It’s more like a city, and it’s more organic than the other zones. The center of the city is a bit maze-like and he likes the way you move around it, and with a library at its center.

Q: For the longest time, I thought the batter’s left eye was a nose. Can you point out the intricate details of his face, for clarity?

Mortis sees it as a nose for the first time. But his nose is actually a left eye, both of his eyes are visible. The top 2 lines are his eyebrows, the bottom lines are his eyes closed.

Q: Is the judge smiling or is his face just like that?

He is smiling.

Q: Is there any want for batter to get into frame makers or any fighting game?

No, he won’t contact any companies to get batter into any game. If someone wants to put the batter in their game, it’s alright. Though he’s not a big fan of fanservice stuff.

Part 4: Officionados

Q: What is your favorite Off fangame and is it cannon to Off?

He doesn’t play any fangames but will in the future. He’s planning to play Home. All fangames are cannon. He’s really happy that there’s so much work around his universe.

Q: Why do you think people are still talking about and playing Off today?

Society is quite dark today, the future is not too happy, and maybe it makes sense to people nowadays. Maybe it is also because of the funny jokes.

Q: Have you seen the animated series by Tanblaque?

No, but he has seen animated content made about Off back a long time ago.

Q: What is your opinion about fan projects nowadays?

Do what you want, and he is 100% ok with it.  You can use any of his graphical assets, you have to ask Alias to use the music, and you can’t use the space monkeys since they were not made by him. He is happy if you make stuff for him, but also he would like people to make original stuff too.

Q: Have you ever played or seen gameplay of Home?

He has seen gameplay, but never played. He was in touch with Felix when he started the game, Felix would send him screenshots.

Q: What do you think about fandom theories?

It’s awesome and he loves it. What he loves the most about it is that Off is a very cryptic and vague story, and people are able to piece together things from what is presented. He thinks many of the theories are really cool. Even with the small community in the french rpg forum the game started getting really cool theories which made him really happy.

Q: Would you be open to someone remaking the game in a modern take?

He would prefer it not be done.

Q: Any silly fan ideas or head-cannons that you personally consider cannon?

He saw a lot of fan characters and fan ideas that he finds impressive, and his own personal story is not cannonic, and he doesn’t like the “trying to find cannon” way of thinking, anything is cannon. Once you play the game, the story is up to you.

Q: Thoughts on Zacharie being a tumblr sexyman?

It’s funny, there’s lots of sexy drawings of his characters and he was shocked at first, but finds it funny, but some of them are not ok. But mostly funny.

Q: Do you like my roblox cosplay?

Yes, it’s fun.

Part 5: Off-topic

Q: What’s your top 3 favorite sauces?

Archiduc sauce, Pili-Pili sauce, Pepper sauce

Q: Are you working on a new game? How is it going?

New game is called HELP, it’s being made by a team and it’s a sci-fi rpg. It is just at the beginning of production. If you want to help make the game then you can support him on patreon.

Q: Have you ever thought of making another game?

There was a large gap between Off and HELP, because making a game is a lot of work, and HELP is in another engine.

Q: Can we expect any Off references in Vold Vago?

Vold Vago had to be pushed aside for now, he doesn’t have the tools to make it right now. Maybe it will exist in the future or be restarted. But he is more comfortable staying in rpg games for now. And maybe there will be a reference, but probably not, he doesn’t like fanservice.

Q: Have you heard of other popular rpgs like Yume Nikki, Undertale, or Omori?

Yes, He has played the others but not Omori yet.

Q: Would you ever consider taking art commissions?

He did before but he doesn’t have time to do that right now. He has a lot of work to do right now, and he doesn’t see a future where he can.

Q: How much weed you’ll smoke?

He doesn’t smoke or drink.

Q: Have you made other comics similar to Doctor Cataclysm?

Yes, he worked on Star Delivery with Marie Spénale, and is working on other comics.

BONUS QUESTIONS he wanted to include but not answer:

Why is the game called Off when you have to turn on your computer in order to play it?

Does Zacharie know I love him?

Can I hug the batter? (no)

Can Sucre be my wife? (no)

Bye Bye!

[cannondisabledcharacters]

Today's disabled character of the day is Zacharie Pelletier (Citrine Heart) from Magical Warrior Diamond Heart, who has Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. He is also autistic

Requested by Anon

[Image Description: Drawing of a person with long blond hair wavy hair, with the back tied in a blue bow with white polka dots. He has a light skin tone, brown eyes, and a mole on his left cheek. He is wearing white platform shoes with bows on them, white frilled skirt, white crop top, yellow jacket, a blue sparkly jacket, and golden necklace with a heart shaped locket. He has his right arm to his cheek with his left bent at the side. His left leg is bent outward.]

[zarvasace]

I'm thinking of sharing some more original work, art and lore mostly, but I have... a lot of it. Do any of these sound interesting to you? More detailed descriptions beneath cut, but I tried to capture vibes!

In a slightly more high-tech modern world, the fey live in a floating city. They are aloof and have a policy of non-intervention... which means that the only fey people see are the mischievous, villainous kind. Through fey gifts, curses, and blood, various heroes rise to the challenge. This is a fairytale/superhero/modern fusion!

Original works!

Fairytale Superheroes

Characters include Pine (from The Ugly Duckling), Dawn (from Sleeping Beauty), Blythe (from Snow White), Andrew (from Snow White and Rose Red), Kala (from The Little Mermaid), and Dave (from Aladdin).

Random pieces written, mostly focusing on Blythe's angst.

Unveiled

In a modern, like-ours world, a secret community of magical people thrives: fairies, vampires, shapeshifters, centaurs, selkies, you name it. Their government and organization is scattered, but comes to a critical conclusion one day: to reveal their existence to nonmagical humans worldwide. Cue product placement, social media handles, trending tags, accessibility concerns, new legislation, new controversy.

Story focuses on Vivelle, a vampire, her kidnapped fiance Zachary (she didn't kidnap him, bad guys did), and a huge cast of side characters with different origins and approaches to the new order of things.

Lots of random pieces written focusing on different characters, some plot bits with Viv and Zach, some longer whump-y angsty ones.

Into Technology

The city of Scindite rises a mile above the ground on a massive stalk, built on a disk that turns a full rotation every day. It's protected and policed by graduates of an Academy, which is doing under-the-table research to give people superpowers. Successes are celebrities, elite soldiers and operatives. The Academy's failures are held in a long-term care facility... Except they're actually memory-wiped and dumped beneath the disk of the city, left to fend for themselves among the jungle and gangs of the city's underside.

Characters include Damian, Renna, Bee, Wyatt, Elden, Cosmina, and Cole. They each have little superpowers and are doing their best to survive on the underside.

A whole short story written, other pieces and backstories too. I wrote a FS story in this world once for Febuwhump.

Lucite

Ankifrah is a demon princess of hell, and just a little rebellious. After an incident involving a volcano, she's sent up to the mortal world to go to a year of high school. She's grumpy about it, but it IS just one year. She makes a friend named Will, and together they try to solve a string of violent murders before the killer can sacrifice everyone on prom night.

Maybe half of a novel written?

Vacea

Sci-fi trappings. The planet Vacea has a complicated system of magic that allowed it to withstand attacks from neighboring warring planets. Now they thrive... until the youngest prince, a shadowchild with stigmatized powers poisons a noble, starts a failed revolution, orders the king and queen to be assassinated, and is captured. Behind the scenes, though, is a radical group from a neighboring planet utilizing abandoned technology from before the treaties that would have given their soldiers access to Vacean magic.

Characters include Slyn, Mattie, Rinter, Gin Ha, Emmeline, and Vath, people with a variety of -child magics and expertise. This was whump before I knew what whump was.

Some random scenes and also maybe a third of a book written

Unhallowed

The Unhallowed Lands are their own brand of magic, vibes aiming for a high-fantasy feel without the elves and dwarves of lots of fantasy. Lots of worldbuilding and new humanoid fantasy species! There are the Terrible Royalty, who are more plant than animal; the Saihrwn, with colorful hair and a literally musical language; the Cobbs, immortal Frankenstein-ish people with an eternal outlook; the Lialts, magic-touched humans with a huge variety; the giants, with their agriculture specialties and unique martial styles; and the small folk who don't have a special name (yet.)

Main story follows Ward, the kingdom's heir, Laurel, a giant, and Rike, a Saihrwn, as they try to work through the kingdom's traditions and establish friendly contact with the non-magical people, all while fending off cosmic forces and evil kings.

Big story half-written, but aimless, some smaller pieces written. I also did a FS oneshot in this world, if you remember!

Disabled Princesses

If I only ever get one thing published, I want it to be this. Considering adapting one of my above worlds (Vacea or Unhallowed most likely) for this series. I want to write some middle-grade novels about princesses with disabilities doing cool things. I have a few characters in mind but haven't actually pinned much down yet.

Literally nothing but notes written at this time.

[fictionadventurer]

@ellakas I'm so glad you asked!

Zachary Taylor is one of those presidents that no one talks about in history class. But the thing is, in the 1840s, everyone was talking about him. He was the war hero of the Mexican-American War. The war itself (a blatant land grab by President Polk) was unpopular, but Taylor emerged as a beloved hero, because was a really good military commander, and because stories emerged about how humanely he treated Mexican prisoners.

Taylor was so popular that both political parties asked him to be their candidate in the next presidential election. He had never held political office. Never shown interest in politics. He had never even voted in a presidential election before! (His reasoning was that, as a military man, he didn't want to serve a commander-in-chief that he had voted against). Yet he was eventually persuaded to run--and win--as the Whig Party candidate.

(Fun fact! His wife, who had no interest in being a politician's wife, prayed that he'd lose the election. Taylor also showed his religious convictions by refusing to be sworn in on a Sunday, so his inauguration was delayed by a day, leaving the US president-less for twenty-four hours).

Even after he was president, Taylor had no interest in playing politics. He wanted to serve the country, not the party. He refused to play political games, purposely not appointing some of the big names of the party to his Cabinet so he could have more diverse voices representing a wider swath of the country. Still in the military mindset of "I give orders and people obey", he was frustrated that he was constantly questioned by Congress, and was very much at odds with them.

The big issue of his presidency was the fact that the US had just gained a ton of land from Mexico, and they had to decide if they'd enter the Union as slave or free states. Since Taylor was a slave-owning Southerner, the Southern Democrats hoped he'd side with them. But Taylor didn't want to expand slavery. First, because it's dumb--it's not like we can grow cotton or sugar in New Mexico or Arizona, so why would we even need plantations? But also because he was coming under the influence of some of the most vocal anti-slavery New York Whigs. To the great anger of the Democrats, Taylor said he wanted California to enter immediately as a free state, and would prefer all the territories to be free states. Before the issue could be resolved, he died. He got violently ill after Fourth of July celebrations in 1850 (because the White House water was still contaminated by human feces), and died five days later, after only a year and a half in office.

A year and a half isn't much time to make an impact. But I'm still fascinated by this president. He was a wonderful mess of contradictions. He was a Southern slave-owner who joined the Northern anti-slavery party. He was against all talk of secession--on the grounds of "I spent forty years serving this country and I want it to stay in one piece"--even though his son-in-law was (I'm not kidding) future president of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis. As a slave-owner and US military leader in the 1800s, he logically can't be a totally good guy, yet I get the sense that he was genuinely trying to be, in the context of his time. And he was showing signs of further character development. If he had lived, who's to say what he could have become, what he could have done?

But we'll never know, because his death left the country in the hands of Millard Fillmore, possibly the most aggressively mediocre man ever to become president (though I have high hopes for Chester Arthur). He actually has a pretty amazing origin story. He was the son of a dirt-poor farmer who apprenticed him to a cloth-maker in what became an indentured servitude situation. He scraped up enough money to buy his freedom and return home. Growing up, the only book he had to read was the Bible, until he turned 17 and bought himself a dictionary. At 20, he started taking adult classes to finally get the education he'd been denied; his teacher was a woman two years older than him who he eventually married. He became a lawyer, and then went into politics, serving in the New York State Legislature. He authored no significant bills. Made no big impact. The main traits people noticed about him were "tall" and "good-looking" (Queen Victoria did later call him the most handsome man she'd ever met). He was just kind of... there.

He was picked as Taylor's vice president for much the same reason Taylor was recruited as presidential candidate--he was moderate enough to appeal to both sides of the polarized political spectrum. New York was the home of the most vocal anti-slavery Whigs, but Fillmore was moderate on the slavery issue. As vice president presiding over the Senate, people mentioned he was "very fair" in how he let both sides speak. And that's like...the best people can say about him.

The question of the slave states eventually produced a bill that came to be known as the Compromise of 1850. Taylor--the enemy of compromise--was against it. Fillmore, a few days before Taylor's death, stated he would support it. After Taylor died, his entire Cabinet resigned rather than serve under a president who supported the Compromise. When the bill passed, Fillmore signed it into law.

The Compromise stated 1) California would enter the union as a free state; 2) the slave trade would end in Washington D.C.; 3) The other territories would decide for themselves if they wanted to allow slaves or not. Most importantly, it put the Fugitive Slave Act into effect, requiring all citizens, even in Northern states, to help return runaway slaves to their owners. The North was outraged over the Fugitive Slave Act; they wanted nothing to do with the practice of slavery and now the government was forcing even free states to support the institution. This law was meant to bring together both sides and prevent war, but it probably had the opposite effect, deepening the divide and hastening the plunge toward armed conflict.

This has led historians to speculate--if the more forceful, principle-driven Taylor had lived, could the path to Civil War at least have been delayed? No way to say, of course; maybe Taylor's solution would have made things worse. But the contrast between these two presidents is so fascinating. In Taylor, you have the apolitical war hero who sticks to his guns--the increasingly anti-slavery slave owner. Meanwhile, Fillmore is a bland politician from the most anti-slavery state who refused to speak against slavery--a man who never really achieved anything because he never really stood for anything. They're such complex characters, full of irony and contradictions, and I'm outraged that my history classes completely skipped over them on the way to Lincoln.

[stargazer-sims]

Blast From The Past

In my quest for elderly neighbours for Grandpa Nikolai, I decided to mine my own library, and the obvious first choices were the main characters from my very first simblr story from around 2014-15, Aubrey Davenport and Zachary Gordon. Their original story was The Unconventional Family, a legacy I managed to play out to 3 generations before I realized I don't do partcularly well with gameplay challenges. Then, I gave them their own story called Frisky Old Men, and we had an absolutely great time until the cyber-bullies in another fandom community found me and literally chased me off Tumblr

Anyway... my old blog still exists, and you can see Aubrey & Zach's story there, if anyone happens to be curious. (Just pretend the story happens in Brindleton Bay instead of Willow Creek)

So, here's what Zach and Aubrey looked like around 2015. First is Zach. Look at that tragic profile...

And here is 2015 Aubrey. That skintone makes him look like he has jaundice (second pic is his new skintone. I forgot to do the side profile before I changed it).

And now for the makeovers they got today. Behold their new looks:

Zach is a retired doctor and Aubrey is a piano teacher and professional composer. They're married and have three adopted children; Sky (he/him), Aurora (she/her) and Autumn (she/her), and one alien abduction baby, Stardust (she/her). They also have a grandson called Sawyer (who is also an alien abduction baby) and a grandson called Nash.

Here they are in front of their new house. They live in the blue one, next door to Grandpa who is in the green one. I forgot it was nighttime when I moved them in. They seem a bit confused, and Zach apparently has a kink in his back.

Ahaha I didn't realize how much I missed them!

[tzigone]

So, I started thinking about Zachary's parents and ended up thinking about the extended Zatara family and magic

For my headcanon reboot. I lean rather Pre-COI for Zatanna and Zatara in terms of personality. I have some issues with Sindrella and the homo magi setup, as I've mentioned before. And there are some changes to fit in the overall universe.

For reference, John Zatara is born in 1956, Zatanna in 1980 and Zachary in 1991.

But, despite leaning a pre-COIE way, I did want to include Zachary. So I thought they shouldn't be the only magic members of the family. So Luigi looked youngish when he gave John his magic tricks. So he's a young grandpa. So all four of Zatara's grandparents are alive when he realizes he has magical abilities. He has not only his little brother and parents, but aunts and uncles and cousins and great aunts and uncles and second cousins.

Well, he goes home when he gets a chance and has his other family members try magic. His brother and father have it and his mom doesn't, so they know it comes from dad's side. So they get other relatives to try. A great uncle, an aunt, and two first cousins (both younger - he's the oldest grandkid on that side) have magic.

But the others don't do exciting things with it like him. Dad, brother, grandpa and great uncle just live life on easy mode. Meals are magicked up. Car's gas tank is full for free. Clothes and appliances - look at a catalog and speak it. Home repairs and remodeling - easy-peasy. Zachary finds the family with such abilities living so mundanely just a waste - so incredibly boring. The aunt and her husband form a company and start flipping houses. Her husband does the research and paperwork and she speaks the dilapidated (or at least extremely outdated) into fashionable modernity - with shag carpeting, harvest gold appliances, and very nice wood wood paneling. Their kids were given good size profit interests of the company when they started, too. But that's still small-time compared to Zat's dreams.

I have some personalities and details on characters, including non-magic ones, but I doubt anyone cares much about that.

[magicalwarriordiamondheart]

Guide for the first 7 eps i posted from discord for helping with Chandra's run:

so the guide doesn't get specific for the first 7 eps since its a linear story, but a lot of FP gain is done in those so this is what i picked in my run

ask directly

go all out (+guts)

should tell them

mushroom pasta (doesn't matter i just tend to side w Sophie early anyways)

comfort clover

i wouldn't like that (doesn't matter but again to just keep the rest of the team high in AP lol)

apologize

defend her

hug Zacharie (only one that gives +FP iirc)

its fine but...

accept the offer (hanging w Chandra in e9 gives her AP, but hanging w the guys gave me more FP, i ended the run with 105FP in the no e9 version so its worth skipping that hangout imo)

tag along

ask Alex how Liam got his powers

follow Amy (doesn't matter i just always pick her)

don't worry

what about Liam

[entire rest of liam arc goes here. he needs to be recruited of course lol]

I also hung out with Clover and Liam during e11 and pretty much sided with Liam for the most part (the only choice that gains FP is "that wasn't his fault") and helped clover cook at the end since refusing her loses FP. then in e12 pick dare for +Guts and ask clover who she'd switch lives with for +FP. and in e13 i think "Aren't you scared?" gives one more point of AP to Chandra than the other (it's like 2 vs 3 points or something its not THAT big of a deal, and i picked the "its nothing" one in my own file) and at the very end saying "just one more thing" to set off the necklace flag

Because of this ☝🏽 I also made some changes to the point requirements.

If you don't play with her in E9, getting her to the 30 AP required was almost impossible. I never intended for her E9 to be required though, so to fix that, she only required 25 AP in exchange for the other seniors needing 50 AP. If you did hang out with her, she would require the full 30 AP and the boys would require 45 AP which was a requirement that was just too difficult to reach without following a specific play style. Prioritizing her shouldn't make it harder to unlock her lol. and I want players to be able to explore a variety of options beyond what the guides recommend while in the common route,

so I lowered the boys point requirement to 40 AP for cases where the player hangs out with Chandra in e9, which should be much more reasonable to obtain and still retain Chandra's difficulty as a character

Guide was adjusted to fix the missing choices and reflect the point adjustments.

[velvetwyrme]

More character designs for Distilling Destiny! This time, they are side characters (the Masked Merchants!) You can find the lineup of main characters here!

[Design notes under the cut! Plus extra worldbuilding notes!]

First off! Design notes!

I feel like it's pretty obvious which skeletons these 3 are meant to parallel LMAO.

The overall designs are inspired by some of the NPC Merchants my cowriter and I discussed while planning out the fic (Beedle from LoZ, and Zacharie from OFF)

Zacharie was the inspiration for giving them masks, and Beedle is why the Knight-Shopkeep has his big backpack as well as why the masks have horns! (... Like a horned stag beetle? It's a stretch but shhh)

The Cart Merchant's cart is intended to look kind of like Sans' sentry station!

I was debating whether the cart would have parts that could fold out/be stuck in the ground to extend it, but then I thought... if he had them, he'd be too lazy to set them up anyway.

This way he can just ride around in it and not have to worry about lugging his stuff around like the others.

The Knight-Shopkeep's got two feathers in his hat like the Bard does ;]

I was going to give the Knight-Shopkeep a big hammer, but a sword looked cooler with the pose LMAO

The Knight-Shopkeep also has another horn hidden under his hat!

He sells potions and cooking ingredients! (In the fic, Blue is studying health + culinary science...)

The Shady Merchant has a golden horn instead of a gold tooth

The fur around the Shady Merchant's shoulder is a reference to what he trades, but it's also supposed to represent Red's fluffy jacket.

I gave him a sack because I thought it was funny. I almost made him the type to open up his jacket and try to sell you watches or something, but it didn't really work out, and this design fits a lot better.

That sigil is meant to be his own personal "signature", made up of aspects of his mask, as well as his kingdom, but The Cart Merchant is lazy and uses shorthand. The proper symbol would be something like an actual ❤️ shape. In universe, the larger heart shape made up by both parts is purely a coincidence. The G on the other banner is just a currency sign (like $, €, ¥, £).

AND NOW...

Here's some MORE lore tidbits that (probably) won't get mentioned in the fic, because they are just weird worldbuilding things that I've thought of but aren't really relevant in any of the discussions!!:

The Cart Merchant will try to scam you probably. (5G? i meant 50G.)

The furs and pelts the Shady Merchant procures are incredibly high quality- but he almost exclusively trades for other material supplies or information instead of gold.

I actually started trying to figure out a numeric system for this world, and it was at that point I realised I was getting lost in the sauce and thinking too much about worldbuilding.

HOWEVER, SAYING THAT... I was thinking that an upturned heart (spade) would be the symbol for 1, the v/shorthand heart shape would also double (haha) as the sign for 2. The clover (club) would be 3 and the diamond would be 4.

THAT came about because I was thinking about there being a myth/fable about the 4 (main) kingdoms having been created in that order (spade, heart, club, diamond).

The merchant masks are kind of like clown faces, in the way that there is a record of every single mask to make sure that there are no two that are the same. (Two masks may have the same horns, but different markings, and vice versa.)

The number of horns on a mask depends on which kingdom they come from. Sometimes prongs are also used instead of separate horns. (e.g. a merchant from the "Diamond"/Fourth kingdom may have 4 seperate horns, or 2 horns with 2 points each.)

Markings vary, but generally they too will be themed around the kingdom they hail from.

This is part of why the Shady Merchant is so shady- he has no marking/s, and his horns are... well, he claims to be from the second kingdom.

[aboutzatanna]

My ideal Justice League Dark Sentinels of Magic line up:

Wonder Woman/Diana of Themyscira (leader)

Zatanna Zatara (co-leader)

Blue Devil/Dan Cassidy (muscle)

Nightshade/Eve Eden (transport)

Amethyst of Gemworld (Gemworld rep, also muscle)

Aqualad/Garth of Shayeris (Atlantean rep, mystic knowledge)

The seventh spot would be a rotating spot that could be filled with someone like say, Enchantress/June Moon, Captain Marvel/Billy Batson, Deadman/Boston Brand, Zachary Zatara, Etrigan the Demon/Jason Blood or Zauriel.

Phantom Stranger, Madame Xanadu and Doctor Occult will do their usual exposition thing.

Dr/Fate Khalid Nassour will be a part of the JLA or JSA as their primary magical ally. (My larger DC plan is for each member of the Trinity to have their own signature team and this would be WW's).

As for the team itself, there is a lot of potential here with Diana and Zee with their warrior and magician dynamic. Diana is familiar with the Greek side of the magical world but Zatanna would have a better understanding of the bigger picture. Blue Devil and Zatanna are both performers so there is an interesting dynamic there, at the same time Dan and Even are both hardcore Catholics meanwhile by all indication Zee was likely raised Catholic but isn't that into the religion. Amethyst and Eve both have such extreme contrasts in both appearance, personality and history, any interaction between them will likely be hilarious.

Garth is such an underrated, under appreciated character. He's one of those DC characters that seemingly floundering with no direction to go in. However, Obsidian Age really endeared me to the character and also the idea of Zee being a second mentor to him.

Just as WW would have more specialised knowledge about Greek mythology, I imagine Garth would have more esoteric knowledge about Atlantis which even characters like Zatanna wouldn't be privy to.

He would be the team's second sorcerer and also his youth, vulnerability and sense of uncertainty makes him ideal for being the heart of the team.

That's it. Let me know what you think.

[bcofl0ve]

I know I’m late but I just saw your post about jon groff and Zachary plz tell me what’s the tea I’m confused also his dating lore I’m new fan

oh lord i have to go into the backrooms of my mind for this. if you google datalounge groff quinto you can find your own backrooms haha. but the tldr gossip as far as i remember it was that groff left (possibly cheated on?) gavin creel for zach, and "got it thrown back in his face" bc zach treated him like shit, and tried to pressure him into an open relationship he didn't want. (groff's character on looking hbo had an entire plot line similar to this that i think groff himself has said was based off his real life, though he didn't name zach outright).

i guess they've since made up from all that alleged mess. but i still side eye zach bc groff is my babyyyy. and 15/16 year parasocial mollie who was discovering all this gossip for the first time didn't have the media literacy i do now so it reallly got to liddol me lmao. i have a photo of teenage me putting my hand over zach’s face on the posters outside the boys in the band broadway play he was in lmao. i was an asshole.

my personal fav groff boyfriend was when he was seeing this guy named hector from the broadway show on your feet back in 2016. datalounge hateddd him (for no actual reason) but i thought he was cute and that they were cute together! justice for hector!

[riveronline]

if you never say your name out loud to anyone

˗ˏˋ 𓂃 (  robert pattinson.  cis male.  he/him ).  meet  river mccarthy-pearce ,  a  thirty seven  year old,  who  has  been  in  cloyne  for  ten years.  they  are  the owner  at  the  final  chapter,  known  for  being  humble  and  withdrawn.  they  are  often  heard  humming  along  to  better  by  regina spektor.  residents  would  describe  them  as  the  child star.

they can never ever call you by it

THE BASICS:

name: river zachary mccarthy-pearce

pronouns: he/him

gender: cis male

birthday/zodiac: thirty seven, march 25th. aries.

birthplace: winnipeg, canada

relationship status: single

sexuality: unlabeled

occupation: owner of the final chapter bookstore

pets: a pet frog named violet.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:

height: 6'1

build: athletic

eye color: blue

hair color: light brown

piercings: ear lobes (and a long-healed tongue and belly button piercing)

tattoos: none.

PERSONALITY/INTERESTS:

traits: compassionate, understanding, humble, withdrawn, pessimistic.

likes: re-reading a series of unfortunate events on a loop, waving up at the night sky just in case there’s someone out there, warm scarves, sitting in comfortable silence,

dislikes: cold pizza, not being to find a matching sock, being recognized for his acting, ants

music tastes: listen to it yourself here

HEADCANONS/BIO:

cw. for drug use.

born in winnipeg, river was the eldest and only son in a family of all girls. his parents had divorced not too long after birth, so he spent his childhood with his mom and his four younger sisters.

river got his start in acting by playing the quirky best friend and/or annoying brother characters in a series of disney channel original movies and made-for-tv films in the late 90's and very early 2000's. his credits included classics like 'dude, my science teacher's a zombie!', 'smart house 2: mom of the year' and 'psyched out!' his also made an appearance on an episode of svu.

at first, river acted because he thought it was fun. he got to do stupid stuff on camera and get paid! sure, the hours were grueling, and some of his adult co-stars acted a little creepy sometimes, but it was better than school! but as he reached his teenage years, the only offers that were coming were more of the same. goofy brother, class clown, best friend side character. people weren't interested in seeing river in anything serious. and at age sixteen, he called it quits. he had grown out of prat falls and stupid nickelodeon-level humor. he didn't even want to attempt to break into serious acting. he wanted out.

after he quit acting, river went down the stereotypical 'former child star' path. he partied. hard. he was lucky for the fact that he hadn't been relevant enough to have been slandered all over tmz headlines like some of his old co-stars, but if anything that have him more leeway to do crazy shit. he was drunk constantly, he pierced his own tongue in the bathroom of a wendy's while on a coke bender, he hooked up with anyone and everyone. and then, inevitably, he crashed.

river's sisters sat him down after he was caught shoplifting from an american girl store while in L.A. they had finally had enough. either river went to rehab or they were cutting him out of their lives. river didn't have friends, he only had his sisters. he couldn't afford to lose them. so rehab it was.

river then moved back to canada, back to winnipeg with his sisters, and tried to keep a low profile. he got enough residuals from re-runs that he knew he could get away with not doing anything for a few years. he hated having to do simple things like go to the store. the idea of people recognizing him made him feel sick. he tried to keep his social media all private so he could avoid the comments of 'omg he's still alive! i loved you in psyched out!'. he didn't want to be reminded of how he wasted his entire childhood on a film set instead of living an actual life.

at age 27, river made the choice to finally try and start fresh. using his disney channel money, river bought the abandoned book store in a town called cloye and did his best to bring it back to life. he kept his head down, didn't really speak to anyone, and buried himself in whatever books he could find.

with disney+ being a thing now, he's gotten a resurgence of people watching his old movies, so river doesn't ever stray out of town. he does his gardening, drinks his tea and is anyone asks, he's never done anything interesting in his life ever.

[sinsiriuslyemo]

Gary Oldman Masterlist

Oh hey guys, this man has done so many characters. Granted, I may not write about all of them, but these guys, I will. He's such an amazing actor, with a wide range of characters, many of them hot as fuck. Here are some that I've written for. And listen, I won't be mad if you drop a comment or reblog, honestly! In fact, it would make my day!

Drexyl Spivey

I Know I'm Pretty You and your roommate find a new weed dealer, and as it turns out, he's hot as fuck. NSFW

We Got Everything Here Your roommate, Alex, goes out on a date, which leaves you and Drexyl with the apartment to yourselves NSFW

While We're Waiting Your roommate tells you that she wants to watch Drexyl finger you, and it awakens a new kink. NSFW

His Cake and His Present Drexyl only wants one thing for his birthday — you. You decide to make it a birthday he'll never forget NSFW

Jim Gordon

Detective!Reader (in chronological order)

What Dreams Are Made Of When GCPD gets a new transfer, Jim worries she could be another corrupt cop that he'll need to worry about.

The Dark Morning On a rainy December morning, you cannot find the strength to get up for work. Jim can get up, but it's not exactly for work. NSFW

The Dark Day You and Jim get distracted while making a late breakfast NSWF

The Dark Night You and Jim work from home on a case that's been plaguing him for years, have a spirited debate on what constitutes a Christmas movie, and snuggle up on the couch with some take out

Sleep Just To Dream Sometimes your dreams were so vivid that they would affect your mood even after you were awake. After you dream of catching Jim in a compromised situation, you have a hard time letting go of the jealousy that follows.

Santa's Helper Christmas Eve at GCPD

Two Sides, Same Coin When your former partner shows up in Gotham City asking for help on a case, Jim gets a bit jealous after learning more about your history.

The Spice Rises After a long week, you and Jim decide to blow off some steam by trying some new games. NSFW

At His Mercy You and Jim play a new game (part two to The Spice Rises NSFW

Perfect You should've known that Valentine's Day with Jim would be perfect, even when you hated Valentine's Day.

Sirius Black

One Shots

Ever So Sweet Sirius is sorted into Gryffindor, much to his mother's chagrin

Drabbles

Drinking Games Drabble

Whispers and Wishes Drabble

Long Fics

You've Got An Owl It's been ten years since the Second Wizarding War, and just over a year since Sirius Black was mysteriously thrown out of the veil. Both Sirius and Hermione signed up for a Quill Companion Service and were matched, unbeknownst to each other. Through their letters, they find healing and fall in love, while in person they cannot stand each other. COMPLETE

If Only She Knew Sirius has escaped from Azkaban and gone to see his godson. He wasn't counting on being as exhausted as he was. He also wasn't counting on a muggle finding him and taking him home. Nor did he think that he would be tempted to keep being a dog just to stay with her. WORK IN PROGRESS

Requests

NSFW prompts #50 "I want it. I want to taste you."

Dr Zachary Smith

NSFW prompts #52 "Won't you help me? Please?"