usurper1872 - Tumblr blog

[usurper1872]

48 x 48 (ish) pixel art icons of the VtM clans! I'm planning to maybe cross-stitch them all, and I figured I'd put them out here in case people have some use for them

[usurper1872]

Another one of my MTG pixel art alters.

Resolution: 272x370

12-16 Colours

[usurper1872]

[usurper1872]

Commanders of New Capenna

Another weekend, another brand-new release from me. This time it’s back to the schedule as normal, with the results of last month’s Monster Popularity Contest (a monthly patreon poll where supporters vote to see their favorite monsters, NPCs, and other enemies come to life.) These five friendly mugs are the face commanders from the commander decks released alongside Streets of New Cappena. Each one serves a different family, and plays a different role in the glamorous politics of this 30′s-themed fantasy setting.

If you’d like early access to more content like this, the ability to vote in polls like the one mentioned above, and other patron-exclusive releases like monthly subclasses and more, you can sign up to support me for as little as $2/month!

[usurper1872]

Sacrifice

Artwork Made By: aki; twitter: @akiesque

Tomik: Human law and security mage with the Orzhov Syndicate

Ral: Human Storm Mage. Top tier Izzet League. Planeswalker

Sōsuke: Dragon-blooded elven Sorcerer; Lightning/Electricity specialty. Top tier Izzet League. Planeswalker

—

Sōsuke was standing on the roof of the Laboratory for Electricity and Weather Control. Watching a man walk down the street. He seemed to have a contemplative… yet sad look on his face. Nala, a bronze scaled ‘desert’ pseudodragon, was hanging comfortably off his shoulder. She chirped at him in a somewhat worried tone.

He’d chuckle slightly and reach a hand up to her and pet her softly. “Yes, it’s for the best Nala and besides Inthink going to Ikora would be fun. They have dinosaurs there.” There was another chirp from Nala. “Yes, people know where I’m going. Both Niv-Mizzit knows...” 

Nala would then just stare at him. “I left Ral a letter.” She continued to stare. “Look I know it isn’t the best way to go around it but I don’t think I could tell him in person.” Sōsuke would sigh. “I don’t think I can do the just friends thing anymore. So I would rather him be happy with Tomik even if that means I’m not.” 

He’d then shake his head and smile at her softly. “But let’s go on this new adventure and see where it takes us!” Nala would give an excited chirp as Sōsuke would say a few words and the spell had her slowly disappear and reappear as an elaborate tattoo on his arm. 

But as he would turn to leave the elf his heel would slip and Sōsuke would lose his balance and fall from the roof. But instead of hitting the pavement below he found him tumbling to his knees on a world that wasn’t Ravinca. 

He’d slowly rise and stand up. He saw a world of machinery.  There was some sort of black liquid on his hand. He’d shake his hand to get it off, eventually just whipping it off on his pants. He’d then shake his head and hold it in his hand. A sudden headache rushed him. 

He then thought it best to continue back to Ravinca then continue on to Ikora. 

The sorcerer shook his head once more before disappearing into a mist of black and spiders as he walked back home to Ravnica.

[usurper1872]

Prompt: What Makes Me Remember?

“We do not remember days, we remember moments.” -Cesare Pavese

——

28.Oct

-Cassius

While we are eternal, theoretically anyway, our memory is not. It’s hard to explain…

Think of it like a computer. Your brain is a massive computer. It is the most sophisticated computer on this planet. Nothing we have right now even comes close. Your brain writes memory to the hard drive.

A hard drive only has so much space. It doesn’t matter if it’s a terabyte.. 2… 3… 4… it doesn’t matter, the limitation is still there. There is only so much space. When you reach that limitation you have to delete old files to make space for new files.

Our brains work the same way.

Memories are little bits of information that your brain deems important. When they are no longer deemed important they get overridden by those that are. Memories that are associated with strong emotions tend to stay around longer than those that don’t.

Okay so one summer my family went to China to see our relatives there. I was around 5 or so. Me, my brother, and cousins were playing in the orchards. While my brother can remember the games we played, the only thing I remember about the day is falling from the tree and breaking my arm. My brother on the other hand remembers the whole day. My parents only really remember the hospital.

My brain went “I’ve fallen. It hurts. I need help. Get help. This is important. Remember.” Or something like that.

So how do we fix the finite space issues? That’s the question. For a computer we would just buy another hard drive, or a thumb drive, or an SD card. Can’t do that for your brain.

So what do we do? We write down what we think is important enough to remember. Pen, pencil, paper. We record it all down so we can recall it later.

Some sort of input can also make you remember things.

Visual: Seeing you makes me happy. Makes me feel safe. Reminds me that you’ve stood up for me.

Sound: Your voice is that of entrancement. It calms me. Memories of your whispers to keep me on task.

Touch: Cold shutters down my spine. Or sensual pets. Memories of long warm hugs when the day has been bad.

Smell: Anytime I go into a salon. The Barbicide.. makes me want you. Makes me want you to come here because I can’t leave. It makes me miss you the most.

Taste: Trust. Your taste reminds me of the insane amount of trust I have in you. That you’ll keep my secrets. Also the insane amount of trust you have in me…

I don’t know…

I miss you. Come visit… or stay.

Love,

Kellen

[usurper1872]

Prompt: The Masquerade

"You were blissfully unaware the man you were flirting with and thought was my boss was actually me… until my friend forced me to tell you.”- Unknown

---

Oct.24

~Cassius

So I’m only writing this one because Agathon wouldn’t shut the fuck up about it. That I should tell you that you had met me before you had actually met me. Though to be fair I had complained about it earlier to him.

Well you remember the first time we met. I walked into your shop wanting something new. I figured you were up to the task from your reputation.

… except that wasn’t the first time we met. Prince Panhard’s Grand Masquerade Ball on All Hallow’s Eve. That was the first time we met.

The masks of the ball hid our faces. Kind of like Cinderella. But no 12 o’clock curfew. No pretty blue and silver dress. But everyone pretty much knew who everyone was.

You saw him sitting and fiddling with an iPad. All he wore was a white mask with black markings around the eyes, a long black coat, a black suit with red gloves, and an enchantment on the outfit.The enchantment was what hid who he actually was. He normally had a target on his back so anonymity was essential.

You asked around, wondering who he was. All anyone could really tell you is that he was incharge of all the IT shit for the city, went by the moniker of Joker, and that’s how he normally dressed. Mask and all. No one could give you an exact pin on his clan. No one really sees him around a lot. Most of the time communication went through a Tremere technomancer named Kellen Bashir.

You took the tablet from him and gave it to Agathon before pulling him onto the dance floor. You occupied his time for most of the night, well until he was pulled away by some technical problem with the servers. God forbid the kindred of NYC go without internet for a night. But before he left he kissed your cheek and slid his card into your coat pocket. The only thing on the card was a design based on his mask and a number.

You didn’t know it was me. No one did… well for the exception of the prince, sheriff, regent and Agathon.

So yea… when you were flirting with my boss all those times you were flirting with me.

Hi.

Yours in anonymity,

Joker

PS: Delete this please.

[usurper1872]

Prompt: Can Vampires feel love?

“When I'm not with you. Think of you always, I miss you. (it's so easy). Think of me Always. (when you know the rules) It's so easy…” -Voiceplay; Queen in 5 Minutes Part One

—-

10/23

-Cassius

I heard what I think was the tail end of a lalabye on the radio the other night. I’m not 100% it was but it had that softness and timing to it. With us being so far apart from each other and the bound fading… I wondered.

When I’m not with you… do you think of me? Because I do. I miss you. I want to come back or have you come here.

I’ve found myself in the airport… at the gate more times than I can count, but always finding myself back at the chantry.

They tell me that I just need to do my job. That it's so easy. That I know the rules. That it’s just the remnants of a bond that a dragon had tricked me into. Is what we had really love? Or was it the blood?

Do you think of me always?

I don’t want to play by their stupid rules. Why can’t I just be able to hunt like normal? It’s not like I completely eat anyone. It’s never so easy.

I miss you.

Kellen.

[usurper1872]

Prompt: When the Sun Used to Shine

“The sunrise, of course, doesn’t care if we watch it or not. It will keep on being beautiful, even if no one bothers to look at it.” - Gene Amole.

——

17.Oct

-Cassius

I don’t know if you remember… what it was like when the sun would shine brightly on you. To feel its warmth on your skin?

I remember once, my mother had taken the family to China, just outside of Shanghai, to visit our relatives there. We were in a small village in the countryside. They were farmers. They grew rice, tea, and various fruit trees. I loved going with my brother.

There was only one downside: no signal. Dead Zone.

Complaining wasn’t worth the effort. Trying to get our phones to work wasn’t worth the effort. So me, my brother, and cousins would go playing in the orchards.

But the sunlight… I miss it the most. The air seemed to always become sweeter when the sun was out. The birds softened the afternoons with their chorus; we breathed in more deeply as if permission to relax had been bestowed.

Under the sunshine, the apples glowed more rosy. The branches of each tree spread out as if so proud of the bounty they brought and sweetness given within each one. It was a party of colours, of chaos and order, of a beauty that sprung from just a little seed, rain and some sunshine.

Fast forward a bit to the week before I was embraced. Zaiden told me to go to the roof of the MediaCityUK building, the tallest in Manchester at the time, every dusk and dawn… to appreciate the sunset and rise for a week because it’d be the last times I ever saw them.

I won’t lie. I miss them. The warmth on my skin. The colours. There is nothing like it.

Hope to see you soon,

Kellen.

PS: So if moonlight is just reflected sunlight why does it not hurt us?

[usurper1872]

Prompt: Will You Be Mine Forever?

“Well, I know it's kind of late. I hope I didn't wake you, but what I gotta say can't wait. I know you'd understand 'cause ev'ry time I tried to tell you the words just came out wrong. So I'll have to say I love you in a song” --Jim Croce

----

9.Oct

-Cassius

Your Grandsire keeps reading these letters and giving me weird replies. I’m not even sure how he gets them. I’m not gonna ask either. But this letter came with a package. A cassette tape to be more precise. If there isn’t a tape, go speak to him.

Yes, yes I know outdated tech… but there is something about getting a mixtape that I find utterly romantic. But this is no ordinary mixtape. I covered each of these songs. One of my Nos tech buddies even taught me how to play guitar.

So yea, I was going through my CDs yesterday, and I kept coming across songs I thought you'd like, so I made you this tape.. Using outdated tech…

…I hope you like it.

Side A:

Ghosts - Tim Urban

All My Loving - The Beatles

Starving - Hailee Steinfeld

Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

Someone Like You - Adele

Side B:

Blackbird - Beatles

Die A Happy Man - Thomas Rhett

Better Together - Jack Johnson

Collide - Howie Day

I'll have to say I love you in a song - Jim Croce

Miss You,

Kellen

[usurper1872]

Prompt: Me, My Blood, and I

"It is said that blood is thicker than water. It is what joins us, binds us, curses us."- Barnabas.

~~~

1.Oct

-Cassius

2008. That’s when everything changed.

It was weird and almost instant. The shock of it brought me to my knees, dropping an inexcusably expensive gaming rig in the process. Thank the gods one of the revenants caught it.

All our bonds shattered that night. Not just me or a few. The entire clan.

And then there was chaos. Complete and utter chaos, though mostly from the neonates and fledglings.

And then the experiments. When the bonds broke… something happened in our blood. Our very core. Bonding other kindred was no longer possible. Bonding the kine also became more difficult but not impossible.

But then came something new. I’m not sure if this is a result of what happened… but I’m finding myself more and more unhappy and unimpressed with my work unless it is absolutely perfect. Finished projects I had been long happy with were now unacceptable to me.

I don’t know. Further study is needed.

Hope to see you soon.

Kellen.

[usurper1872]

Compleation

Day Seven: Time to go ‘Home’

Nadia had gone down to the cell to check on Sōsuke. She more than the others had grown… attached to the dark skinned elven sorcerer. From his random patches of glittering bronze dragon scales that always seemed to draw her attention to his need to hoard knowledge, it could be useless the man wouldn’t care, and stories about the adorable pseudodragon he took care of. His ‘little sister’. 

Everything about the fellow Ravnican simply fascinated her. 

This would ultimately lead to her downfall and quite possibly the plane’s. 

Another Planeswalker going by Ral had warned her and the party to be careful when dealing with Sōsuke. He was chaotic at the best of times, could be easily distracted given the right trigger, and very charismatic. Advice: go get smitten with someone else because he’ll lead to heartbreak. 

But even Ral was unsure of what had made his friend attack those he was paid to guide. The League would more than certainly send someone to investigate the matter. All the storm mage knew is that the last time he had talked to Sōsuke, and a handful of other Planeswalkers, was that he had been complaining of headaches and didn't remember anything about the last plane he had visited. So he had advised Sōsuke to lay down for a bit and get some rest thinking the headaches were from either dehydration or being tired. He knew the dark elf pushed himself too far sometimes and would go days without sleeping. 

Nevertheless, Nadia walked down the stairs that lead to the cell. He had been given paper and pencil to write with but he had written in a language that no one in the party could read or translate. Eventually they had stopped giving it to him. 

But then smelled something like copper. She looked around and saw the paper. Blood on the paper and pencil. She looked closer. 

No… not it wasn’t blood. It was…

…some sort of oil? She’d look more closely at it and dip a finger into it. Maybe it was some sort of machinery he had…?

A cold shiver would wash over her. “Sōsuke…?” The small rogue called out to him.  

“Nadia.” The voice that called her name shocked her slightly. It sounded normal but at the same time… it had what sounded to be a metallic undertone. “Come, come… please.”

She tried to find him in the darkness. Then there he was. He was in a tailor sitting position (cross legged) in a corner. When he opened his red eyes they seemed to glow and stand out in the dark. Dark elves could see better in the dark… so maybe that was an effect of it?

“I can’t. I'm not even really supposed to be down here.”

“Then why are you here?” “I--”

He’d cut her off. “I need your help Nadia.” He stood and would start to walk over to the bars of the cell. He had on his normal attire but didn’t have his jacket on. In its place was a sleeveless shirt. 

“I can’t.” She’d reply with a sad tone. Sōsuke would reach a clawed hand out to her through the bars, pushing up the dimensional shackles as far as they could go so he could better reach out to her. 

“It’s so static here. Boring. Maybe you can come in and help with that.” He’d smirk. “Just take these shackles off so I can move around better. This has all been one big mistake.”

“Sōsuke… I…” Nadia knew she shouldn’t get closer but something compelled her to. This was Sōsuke. He was her friend. He wouldn’t hurt her. 

Nadia then stepped closer and removed the shackles from his wrists. The dark elf smiled. “Thank you Nadia. I’ll come and get you to repay you. I promise.” He’d lean to kiss her but backed away at the last minute with a smirk on his face. 

And with the shackles removed the elf was gone in  a cloud of black smoke and spiders that soon disappeared. 

He’d appear on New Phyrexia moments later before Elesh Norn with a warm smile, as if looking at a cherished parent, as he’d fall to one knee. “I’m here to spread the word of our greatness to the other planes.”

“Of course you are, My Conductor.”

~~~~

[Feel free to add any notes/suggestions below]

Notes from Usurper (Owner):

His alignment is Chaotic Neutral. (It hasn’t been revealed to me if compleation shifted his alignment)

He falls on Red and Green on the colour wheel.

He is on friendly terms with the three Ravnican planeswalkers. He is most friendly with Ral, being more along the lines of a bromance, hoping for more though.

Notes from Riv (DM):

After complaining of headaches Ral told him to get some rest, not knowing what was actually going on… yet.

He was mentally compleated a week after infection with Phyresis (Based on constitution saving throws). As far as we know he is the only one, planeswalker and not, to have lasted this long. Once imprisoned and isolated it became harder for him to fight (DC on saving throws became much harder as he was very socially oriented and doesn’t like being alone). 

He was completely physically completed two days later.

Clawed hands: Fingertips to second knuckle are a metallic bronze metal. Glistening oil can be seen dripping from them when he wants it to. Mostly from the left.

His voice has a metallic undertone. (Sounds like this, but this isn’t him it’s Jace)

After being physically completed:

The entirety of his left arm, fingers up to his shoulder, is completely cyber. The right looks like this: Click. The fingertips stil have that clawed appearance. 

All of his scales are now made of a bronze metal.

There are several metal tendrils, about 0.4 cm in diameter, weaved throughout his hair. 

His facial tattoos now look like a very dimly lit LED strip. These tattoos do extend down to his hip in a type of lightning strike pattern and have the same LED effect now.

He was given a sort of third eyelid to negate his light sensitivity. “Sunglasses but on your eyes.”

His wings, when manifested, are now made of a sheet like light weight metal. 

When not manifested his wings are shown as tattoos on his back. They also have a metallic design.

Most of the metal now implanted into him is a bronze alloy to have him better conduct lightning (electricity).

Character Design:

Pre Compleation Character Design (Art by: Lunnarcia)