tricksterpale

[tricksterpale]

Farewell

It feels strange to write this. I've had this blog for over 10 years now. But the time has come for me to say goodbye.

After much thought and many quiet moments over the 2 year long hiatus spent reflecting, I’ve decided that I’m leaving this account. I’ll leave this blog up, for the sake of memories, for the archives of what was once a vibrant, welcoming place for me and for so many of you. But this will be my last post.

The gw2 fandom here on tumblr in particular, this place that I once cherished and found sanctuary in, no longer feels like a safe and healthy space for me, or for the work I want to share. And so, I find myself at this crossroads, saying goodbye not out of anger or resentment, but out of a quiet need to protect myself and my art.

I will still create. I will still share my work in other spaces, where I can breathe a little easier (and post work that this platform prohibits). But for now, and likely indefinitely, I need to step away from this blog in particular.

The years have not been kind to any of us, have they? The world has tilted in ways we never expected, dragging us all into its churning tides. The world has been harder, scarier, less stable with each passing day. A lot of us have lost things—people, or perhaps just the sense of comfort and security we once took for granted. Some days it's felt like nothing is safe, not even the things that I once believed would always be there.

It’s hard for me to ignore the way the fear, the uncertainty, the instability of the world around us has seemingly seeped into this space as well, turning what once felt like a refuge of comfort into something more toxic. I see the same things happening here that I see out there: endless conflict, divisiveness, quick and damning judgements based on differences of opinion and perspective, walls instead of bridges, cliques, lack of critical thinking, and a constant undercurrent of tension that makes the idea of posting here feel less and less safe for me. It feels as though the tumblr fandom community has become rife with the very things I came here to escape once upon a time. This blog is no longer a place I can find peace in.

These past 5 years in particular have forced me to expand and withdraw in ways I didn’t anticipate. In the beginning when I made this blog, there were the sparks of creativity fanned into blazes, the feeling of being connected to a group of like-minded souls, all of us sharing our love for Guild Wars 2, for art, for storytelling. There were certainly issues, but overall the things that made us different were the same things that brought us together. But as time wore on, it became clear that the fandom had lost something that once felt vital to me. The space became crowded with tension, with a kind of noise I no longer felt equipped to tune out. What once felt like a community that embraced differences in perspectives began to feel like a place where I was on edge, unsure of whether the next post or interaction would be one of support or of conflict.

It’s hard to admit this, but perhaps it’s not just the fandom that has shifted. Perhaps I have, too. The person I was in 2014 isn’t the person I am now, and thank god for that. When I first joined this space, I was looking for connection, for a place to share my work and my passion for Guild Wars. I wanted to be part of something larger than myself. But the world has changed, and so have I. The things that once fed me now leave me feeling hollow, anxious. The echoes of the past still linger, but the resonance isn’t the same. The goals and inspirations I once had feel more like a memory, a forgotten song that no longer moves me or serves me.

This isn’t to say that I regret any of it. I’ve learned so much, about myself and about others. I’ve seen incredible art, met incredible people, and shared moments of joy with many of you. Those things matter. They’ve shaped me in ways I can’t even fully express. But the person I am now can’t exist in the same space I once did. I no longer see the world, or this particular internet corner of the GW2 fandom, through the same lens.

The past five years especially have taught me that change isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes, it’s painful. Sometimes, it’s lonely. But it’s real. And it’s necessary.

My perspective, my sense of what’s important, of what matters, has shifted. The things I once valued here no longer hold the same weight. Like I said, I will leave TricksterPale up. I just will not be posting or logging in here again. For those who know my handle on discord, you can always find me there. You are more than welcome to poke me, even if it's been a long time. But otherwise, you can keep up with my art and musings on my newly created bluesky account from this point forward. I do not have an Instagram or Twitter anymore.

I don’t know what the next chapter looks like, but I know I’m not the same person I was when I first opened this blog. And for that, I’m grateful.

Take care of yourselves, and remember—change is inevitable, but it’s also a chance to grow into something new. Something better. And sometimes, part of that growth is being willing to let go and move on from things that no longer serve you.

[tricksterpale]

Meet The Purple Menace

So, this character of mine has been part of a lot of memes and comics and art over the years but I don't think I've ever properly introduced him. So here goes! (Art above by @tricksterpale and @king-there0f <3 <;3) Meet Daimine! (Pronounced DAY-minn) My ridiculous, chaotic, hedonistic, Soundless mesmer.

He's a deeply talented illusionist whose specialty lies in stealth, clones, and deception. He prefers blinking from place to place rather than walking, getting a special delight out of startling people when he appears.

He tends to mentally "collect" features he considers beautiful or interesting about a person to work into a future disguise. He likes to make a game of mimicry, quickly learning the ins and outs of a given lifestyle and performing them back until his interest shifts. He even has a personal "sona" appearance fashioned after each of the other races stocked for blending in, and will hold those appearances for sometimes weeks on end if it suits him.

He's not very good at understanding complex emotions, especially those of other people, and so instead will explore them through the concept of storytelling or performance. Day to day, however, he dons a perpetually jovial facade, preferring to just dip out when a situation becomes less fun, or at minimum, entertaining, than he thought he signed up for.

Though his motivations may seem rather straightforward, woe to anyone who tries to use this knowledge to control him. The only thing more powerful than his desire for a good time is his loathing for authority or control. He can and will be a contrarian little shit the second he thinks someone is trying to manipulate him without his enthusiastic consent.

Prior to the start of Hope's Legacy, he had spent the last year in the Fields of Ruin, trading back and forth between moonlighting his humansona as a separatist, and his charrsona as a renegade to sow chaos on both sides of the war in Ebonhawke for his own enjoyment. Previous occupations include: Assassin, bounty hunter, bandit, and adopted skritt.

[tricksterpale]

I can’t go through your entire catalogue of work cuz I already LIKED A LOT OF THEM GODDAMN IT

WHY MUST YOU FAIL ME?! I am joking of course you are not obligated to go through my entire catalogue of work I've been posting on this hellsite since 2015.

[tricksterpale]

I need you to know that mostly because of you I am now downloading gw2 for the first time since the goty edition

AHhhhh HELL YEAH, babeyyyyy I HOPE YOU ENJOY! I'm so glad I've inspired you to pick it up again!

[tricksterpale]

Tra-trahearne >//////////>

MOOD....mood.

[tricksterpale]

my ask is i love him :) jk you knew that. what is caspians favorite movie if he were a modern day type of guy

Answers this 50 years later BUT modern AU Caspian likes action films, found-family style stories, and chick flicks! If it's a comedy on top of that, even better. He so dearly loves to laugh. If I had to pick a movie he'd adore from this year, I'd say the DnD: Honor Among Thieves movie ranks pretty high for him. It's funny af, it's based on a game he already enjoys, the dialogue is witty and full of character, it's exciting and fun and light hearted. It's an adventure. That's really all he's looking for in a movie.

[tricksterpale]

watching someone in your notes go through your entire catalogue of work

[tricksterpale]

It’s almost that time again…

[tricksterpale]

another ref sheet - this time for Rad Corduroys!

yes, he's named after his own pants

[tricksterpale]

Thank you Anet for this top piece for once I will use it on him LMAO

Hi, you know this top is available in the gem store for 500 gems right now? Oh, you do know? Well I hope you got it. What? You didn't get it?................. straight to jail. Its 5am im going to sleep gnight.

[tricksterpale]

hey sorry if this isnt true i forgot exactly where i read it but this person should be brutalised and subjected to some of the most horrific acts of cruelty humanity has ever seen. it might be nothing though i might have the people mixed up

[tricksterpale]

"omg i wanna become friends with this mutual they seem so cool" *makes no moves to interact with said mutual beyond liking posts*

[tricksterpale]

Me while working on this: So this is 18 year old Si. He's younger here, so probably less definition to his cheekbones and jawline. Soft. Eyes are probably more round, a little larger on his face. His hair would be shorter but layered and more wispy around his face and- oh my god he's an anime pretty boy.

[tricksterpale]

Today I offer you one (1) Baby Aster Bellamy. Before his premature graying. Before he was assigned glasses. Before he became an insufferable know-it-all, he was a little ghost boy (no really all his friends growing up were ghosts who haunted his home) with a delicate constitution who was quiet, read books constantly, and might faint if he sneezed too hard.

[tricksterpale]

bebi

[tricksterpale]

how the fuck am i supposed to act like a normal functional human being when The Character exists

[tricksterpale]

Mr. Aster Bellamy. Ex-Noble. Necromancer. Priory Magister. Insufferable Know-It-All.