Corroded Destiny

[blazing musk]

@unique patrol boo

[unique patrol]

Thank you ^^

[blazing musk]

np!!

[sterile briar]

and it begins!!!

[unique patrol]

Ok, a quick repost of what I wrote before that it doesn't get lost:

I designed in the past days a small iterator with big plans, named Shifting Gales. Being one of the later models the ancients who designed her tried out a different approach to her physical form, being able to transverse through her superstructure via a complex railway system she could hook her modular umbilical to, allowing her to form a more personal relationship to her creators.

An approach that caused her to develop an odd sense of emptiness once the last ancient ascended leaving her all alone. A void not even her chats in her local iterators group could fill. A loneliness that sprouted a desire to work with someone in person on the big problem, fuelling her biogenetic research to enhance neuron flies to contain more and more information. Eventually, after many cycles and much help from one curious iterator of the group, Gales managed to create one such neuron fly that could hold all of her most crucial memories and functions, putting it into a staff she hooked to her wiring allowing her to function independently to her structure eventually abandoning the lonely husk. Nothing stopped her now from travelling to her friend, joining up with him to work on their goal together ... nothing but the toxic and ruthless wasteland the rain from her can created.

[unique patrol]

The location we see her here in I call the warped caverns. A non-natural cave system having gotten hollowed out by the acidic rain Gales' can produces. As less and less ancients were present in the city knowledge about maintaining and reinforcing the filtration systems of the used water ceased andthe clouds grew heavy with aggressive downpours slowly but surely warping the area around the superstructure.
Many cycles ago Shifting Gales stood atop of a mountain, when she finally completed her research to leave the structure the rain dissolved much of the original landscape. The filtration system laid bare and inactive and the mountain got warped into an irrational landscape housing vicious acid-proof creatures.

[unique patrol]

Little sketch I plan to refine in the coming days.
Gales shows the overseer of her best friend (Name pending, open to suggestions) the damage. When the filtration system irreparably broke turned the rain into harmful acid. She is falling apart slowly but surely...

[steady whale]

your art is lovely c:

you should post it in oc-gallery with a link here!

[unique patrol]

Good idea. Also I am happy this works so well. It is a completely new style for me. One that works oddly well

[steady whale]

How does the style differ?

[unique patrol]

The whole workflow is turned upside down. I usually draw first the lineart and create highly detailed characters while forgetting the scenery and everything. Full focus on the character. Here I roughly block things out, you can see how messy it initially is. No lineart as well. Gales is but a shadow puppet I clothed.
Here you can see my usual style, featuring Moon

[steady whale]

oh nice!! looks really good c:

I really like the simpler style, but your detailed moon is cool too

[unique patrol]

I mean the new style is not really simpler. It just allows for quicker initial results while keeping track of the background/foreground, painting a scene. You can see it here with moon that I created the background just to have one. It doesn't tell a story nor does it feel integrated. Does the umbilical even connect to the wall?

[steady whale]

gotcha! I just meant the lack of lines give it a simpler/cleaner feel!

both are good though

your art style is really nice, looking forward to seeing more

[unique patrol]

I mean the lack of lines will cease when I refine it. The first pic of Gales is of the same approach

[steady whale]

ohh

[unique patrol]

Glad to hear that. I plan on sticking a bit for now to rainworld taking a break from my own setting. I want to illustrate and write Gales' story.
Feels also good to fully embrace SFW again.

[steady whale]

then I'm looking forward to seeing the finished thing :3c

[sterile briar]

thats such a weird way to depict moon and i love it. ive never have her seen drawn like that!

also idk why but i really like the way you draw their 'feet'? they already stood out to me in the first picture but now even more

[unique patrol]

I am a nerd for drawing robots. I have actually designed her whole body in my style

[sterile briar]

thats dedication

[steady whale]

they stand on their tippy toes! it looks really elegant

[sterile briar]

it really does

[unique patrol]

I resorted to these depictions of feet because in the official art they have really pointy feet. This is my compromise. Actual feet, but highly impractical ones due to them not being supposed to walk

[sterile briar]

wait they do? i thought the just had some stomps or sth like that

just rounded of at the end

[unique patrol]

Stomps, yeah. One art of moon has more cone like legs

[steady whale]

I just give em lil tiny feet without toes

[unique patrol]

fair

[steady whale]

your way looks cooler though

I'm just lazy c:

[sterile briar]

oh god i just looked. how did i miss that they had pointy feet? i feel so dumb TvT

[unique patrol]

I also have a third style I resort to when I have to travel much with trains. Hybrid. A traditional sketch I color in digitally. In before long Gales (or the iterator helming the green overseer) will receive such a version.

[sterile briar]

isnt it hard having so many different styles? im not an artist but i have a feeling i would accidently switch between different styles. can you just switch consistently?

[unique patrol]

It is not at all hard. They all are the same at the core, just the approach to the finishing line is different. Being stuck to one style can be good, but is also boring. I want to cultivate these three because of simple reasons.

• Hybrid allows me to dedicate some time to drawing while I have to go to university being not able to spend extended time on my laptop. It is quick and keeps me nimble forcing me to train concise brush strokes.
• Lineart digital art is by far superior for character-centric art. The crispiness is perfect if you want the focus on the character and character alone.
• The new style I am currently cultivating, inspired by James Barrow's Rainworld art, allows me to do what I never did before. Integrate characters into a setting by trimming some fat on the character sacrificing some details in favor for them actually working with the surroundings and not sticking out like a sore thumb.

And the beauty is that this new style will trickle down to my others, elevating everything due to new practice ways. Art is beautiful

[sterile briar]

Wow seems like you have it all figured out, respect. I used to draw too but i kinda stopped when it became less fun which is kinda sad but i havent really got back into it. Now i only also ever drew on paper and i think i would prefer digital art in general but i just havent tried and i most likely wont for a while either

[unique patrol]

There will always be a time when the desire returns and with that the fun. It is right and good to take a break when the fun ceases. In my case have I an unreal desire to draw. Heck, I sketched down all 13 named characters of my novel in making (own narrative universe) over the course of 3 weeks.

[sterile briar]

i think the second i can choose my own work times i will finally be able to start a lot of things, write more, maybe start drawing again, etc so i cant wait to finally be done!

[unique patrol]

Good luck ^^

[sterile briar]

Thanks!

[unique patrol]

SG: "It is as I told you, Approaching Sky. The clouds have turned green many cycles ago, the lands are suffering. The filtration system is broken beyond repair, as I am now being fueled by acidic water."

AS: "What does this mean for you? Have your creators made precautionary actions? Who am I kidding, of course they haven't."

SG: "The foundation is riddled with holes, the mountain by now a mere spire. I don't know how long my structural integrity can still be preserved with literal acids running through the pipes. I ask of you not much, friend. But please, share with me your experience with our neuron flies. I ... have to abandon ship and that swiftly."

AS: "Terrifying ... I see what I can do. I don't want to lose you."

[unique patrol]

A small sketch adding to the pile of sketches I wanna refine.
First draft of Approaching Sky and the messenger slugcat he created to survive through the irradicated wastes surrounding Gales. Glow, a highly resilient radiating slugcat, with abilities that can actually harm the resistant lizards and co. Fight fire with fire.

[thin frost]

YOOOOOOOO GLOWCAT

Does SG ever meet AS or is SG stuck in the acid pool until Saint pays a visit? Or does SG find a way to meet AS only for Saint to have gotten to them first?

[unique patrol]

I sadly have no knowledge yet regarding Saint, still am stuck on Gourmand. This is a slugcat specially developed by AS to act as a messenger to SG, bringing her the research plans necessary to advance her neuron flies to house more information at a reduced quantity, allowing her eventually to leave her can. Glow will act in that case as her guide towards AS, but as the story is still unwritten and only sprouting in my head for a few days I can't tell yet if they will actually meet.

[thin frost]

Oh shoot sorry didn’t realize you haven’t done Saint

Glow cat serving as a guide is rad

[unique patrol]

Quite literally. Approaching Sky created her based on the reports Shifting Gales sent him regarding the acidic downpour. While Glow is not immune against the downpour and still requires shelter can she swim in the acidic lakes and rivers. She is integral for physical communication until Gales eventually becomes independent from her can stopping in consequence the acid rain after a few dozen more cycles due to it having gotten depowered

[unique patrol]

Briefly sketched down a first draft of how the surroundings of Gales' superstructure would look like after the filtration system broke down warping the lands.

[thin frost]

Woaaaahhhhhh

[unique patrol]

The main reason for the acidic rain is the reservoir Shifting Gales uses to function. The filtration system was integral to render the highly acidic ground water to a neutral pH-Value. When the filtration systems broke down Gales got fed directly with the unrefined water causing accelerated deterioration of pipes and microbes strata alike. In just a few dozen cycles first structural damage appeared all over Gales and the vapours were oversaturated with straight acid shifting the rain into an extremely dangerous situation for everyone involved.

[static pecan]

Wait I just realized why does he look like he's doing the rock face

[unique patrol]

Because I messed up the emotion I wanted to portrait. The finished version has a much more refined face ... still have to finish the scug however. Will upload it later today ^^

[static pecan]

It is kinda funny tho

[unique patrol]

Approaching Sky and Shifting Gales were both part of a smaller chat, with Sky acting due to his early creation date as the moderator and coordinator. His calm and regal demeanour was valued in the group as he was despite his hubris not above aiding the newer models in the more trivial requests, keeping the Iterators close together and updated on their individual pursuits.

When one of the members, Gales, approached him privately and showed him the corrosive issues she will have to endure from now on and requested aid in her plans to abandon her failing self Sky sent out the Irradiant, a resilient slugcat he created to withstand the acidic rain Gales can was producing. Aiming to provide her with plans and blueprints from his facility necessary to enhance her neuron flies Irradiant was bestowed with a priceless pearl she had to deliver to Gales.

[compact niche]

Is that gales or sky?

[unique patrol]

This is Sky. Gales can be seen in the grey pearl above his finger

[unique patrol]

Sky's puppet is also contained in his room like the usual iterator, his task in the superstructure far disconnected from interacting with the ancients when they were still around.
Way too busy with overseeing the research facilities situated on and around the can, all focused on Genom manipulation and attempts to infuse lower creatures with karma, artificially boosting their way to ascension. A feeble attempt with only limited results.
Unlike Gales did his can stood the test of time as he created his own employees to replace the ancients when they left. But only a few even saw the true form of Sky, with Irradiant being the first he personally guided to his physical frame.

[unique patrol]

At this point I am unsure what I even want to do :P
But hey, Shifting Gales' island has now a map. Hurray

[unique patrol]

This also shows what kind of research got tasked to Gales to revel in. Her role as a semi-mobile Iterator being able to study empathy and community commons with the ancients in the monestary living together with them before they ascended prepared her for a long row of empathy experiments. Wildlife from all around the planet got sent to this remote isle to get tested on in the research farm attempting to turn the most vicious docile. Advancing the great problem by creating an environment where even the vile beasts could work on their karma. This plan however did only work so and so long until security in the research farm grew thin due to obvious reasons and the local scavengers seizing the opportunity to making the docile beasts their pets and mounts. A small armada that was more than enough to seize and found the upper city.

[unique patrol]

The karma research worked, but then at the same time not. Robbing the wild creatures of most of their instincts to force them to be docile enough to coexist in the research farm has also snuffed out all desire to leave the cycle of reincarnation as the danger of death is now gone as well rendering the attempt to be futile under laboratory conditions.

[inner steeple]

ART EATED
Also beautiful map What's green hell lol

[unique patrol]

The green hell is a jungle-like patch of mutated vegetation which not only adapted to the acid rain but embraced it. Touching anything wrong in there will have grave consequences, usually met with acid burns. The green hell acts like a natural non-natural barrier keeping most of the scavengers at bay. Those who live in the upper city, close to Gales' can, are the more spiritual scavengers who took onto themselves the pilgrimage through the deep caverns

[inner steeple]

Oooooo

So the scavs are a bit of a problem on this island huh, taking the research subjects to be pets?

[unique patrol]

The scavs are opportunistic and would sooner or later take control over the whole island. Given Gales is forced to somehow appease to them as her powers are getting compromised by literal acid running through her can's veins the scavs view her as a friend but not at all a leader type. They do support her in some ways if her railway system is damaged carrying her from one hook to the next against payment. Well as long as she still is unable to walk and function when not being connected to the can.

Anyway, I gotta sleep, will answer any possibility upcoming questions in the morning:3

[unique patrol]

Went to discuss the role of the Scavengers a bit more with a friend, so these are the results:

Prior to the failure of the filtration system the Scavs had already claimed the Hort many cycles prior to Gales having been built on this remote island. They have built a primitive society based on the riches in the gem cave below, being fascinated by the shining brilliance of rubies, sapphires and emeralds. When the ancients claimed the tip of the mountain (There was once a small mountainside where there are now the deadlands and exposed pumpworks) and built Shifting Gales they reluctantly built around the Scavs, ignoring the gem cave and bribed them with various trinkets and tools to use the space next to them to erect the Research farm. A miscalculation as the Farm needed heavy reinforcements and security to keep the Scavengers at bay. It was a loaded coexistence that somehow still worked, be it for better or worse.

When the last ancients eventually asceneded and Gales couldn't maintain the structures outside of her direct influence anymore the research farm got razed by the Scavengers and they adapted the docile animals inside into their society, rendering them into mounts and/or pets. At this point, shortly prior to the failure of the filtration system, they expanded and reclaimed the western hill, founding the upper city in the abandoned and unused sectors buried into the mountain. When the acid rain began to warp the landscapes and decimated the mountain on all sides, leaving Shifting Gales on the tip of a cliff tower instead of a proper mountain the scavengers shifted their focus partially to investigate the state of the crying goddess. A scavenger found her on one of the many rails inside the superstructure, stuck, unable to move. In an attempt to communicate with him she gifted him the mark of communication, paving his path to become the new chieftain. He helped her to a working railway in exchange for shinies and returned to the upper city as someone else.

It was not difficult for the scavengers to connect the acidic situation to Gales and as the enlightened Scav underwent a pilgrimage to the hort through the caverns to challenge the former chieftain he inevitably shifted the relationship of the Scavs to Gales, becoming the new chieftain. His pilgrimage down to the hort got mirrored in the other way to treat the now exposed upper city as some kind of temple to the weeping Iterator. Providing her with mostly useless gifts in exchange for guided access to the monestary, allowing selected scavs to visit the city and take trinkets they viewed as sacraments. Gales was delighted to have company, sharing the mark with those who actually brought useful and/or thoughtful gifts. They viewed her as a friend and she considered them the same, well the selected few that their society allowed to visit Gales.

The Scavengers are the reason Shifting Gales didn't give up providing her with immediate help and the eventual aid from Approaching Sky finally rendered her able to disconnect herself from her failing can and properly visit the hort, undergoing the pilgrimage they did for her herself, gifting them the end of the harmful rain in a ancient-inspred show she practiced many times. She stayed there for a bit before leaving to her journey to seek out her fiend Approaching Sky.

[steady whale]

Scavs are full on domesticating animals? Sick

The thought of scavs riding beasts is kind of terrifying ngl

[unique patrol]

Well, Gales' research made most of it possible in the first place, they are just reaping the rewards

[steady whale]

True true

Still I love seeing scav society stuff

[unique patrol]

I try my best to adapt what I learn and know. Given I got introduced into rainworld only a few weeks ago (with some hazy prior knowledge given a friend has an iterator of) I still am fairly unsure regarding many do's and don't's

[steady whale]

Ohhh I definitely recommend playing the game all the way through

The wiki and lore discussions/videos can only take you so far, RW has Special Vibes as an experience c:

[unique patrol]

I already ascended as survivor and am currently struggling through chimney canopy as round boy Gourmand

[steady whale]

Chimney is fun because there are so many places to drop down and crush your enemies

I love his campaign

[unique patrol]

The ending area of survivor actually inspired me to use my worldbuilding prowess from my own narrative universe to embrace the mysteries of this setting. First time doing fanfics in over 4 years

[steady whale]

RW obsession got me to write my first fanfic c: I feel that

If you asked me even… three months ish ago if I would ever write fanfiction I would have laughed

[unique patrol]

Only downside in rainworld is that I can't embrace my desire to draw kobolds. Well at least I can revel in my desire to draw robots.

[steady whale]

(Just make the ancients kobolds)

[unique patrol]

It only takes one good day :p

[steady whale]

We don’t have a good look at them canonically anyway, they’ve got birdish feet and wear masks

There’s some graffiti that suggests they might have humanish faces but idc make em lizards!!

[unique patrol]

Add a mask and some more jewellery and call it a day :p

[steady whale]

Honestly yeah! They didn’t have big tails that we know of, but playing with AU’s/headcanons will Unleash you

[unique patrol]

I will consider it. But most of the important things i wanna explore here is either way after the departure of the last ancients.

[steady whale]

Fair enough c:

Ancients are a whole can of worms to worldbuild with

I was trying to keep somewhat vague on them but then I went and wrote an entire oneshot exploring the perspective of one, oops

I like what you’ve got so far with your iterator’s backstory! Keep goinggg

[unique patrol]

Any questions you may have regarding them? I like to get pushed into a direction to think about

[steady whale]

Does gales consider the scavengers as people? Akin to the ancients?

[inner steeple]

The useless gifts, the help and company, Gales eventually being able to see Sky, TOO CUTE

We love to see it

[unique patrol]

First she didn't, given her mind got formed by her personal interactions with the ancients. But when they departed and left her to the mercy of these primitives and they proved her otherwise, that they are actually able to do something else than being a nuisance she warmed up to them. Heck, the future chieftain she marked personally carved the symbols of friendship into her stinger so that other scavengers on her journey will treat her as one of their own. She only left after paying back the local scavengers in her own way, teaching them some aspects of her research and showing them some commons she learned with the ancients.

With other words once she was able to move around thanks to the enhanced neuron fly in her staff she first dedicated some time to repaying her debts to those that aided her and provided them with the leftover materials and tools necessary to reclaim what got warped and destroyed by the acid rain she unwillingly tormented them with.
She viewed her can as non reclaimable and that the silent monestary would crumble inbefore long because the acid in her veins significantly weakened the structure. She was in her time waiting for Sky's plans forced to tactically collapse some parts of the can once she realized that that area's structural integrity was about to give in.
Yes, she asked the scavengers that visited her at some points for explosives to do somewhat controlled demolition work in exchange for them scavenging the area that was about to be destroyed. :p

Gales view of the Scavengers is in a stark contrast to Approaching Sky's, whose superstructure acts more like a reinforced fortress housing not only him but also countless research facilities on the can and situated around it. His structure is a research metropolis with nearly all ancients having worked there coming from other cans to benefit from the sheer prowess of this focused structure. Means not many ancients were actually 'living' there, only working. This distance to all living beings allowed him to do so much genetic research creating many species and beings with customized behaviors in the hope of introducing these species into the wilderness to spread these genes around. Somewhat like a biotechnolocal virus to enhance the intelligence of the lower beings supporting them on their way to ascension.
The slugcat in the picture I drew, The Irradiant, is one of the very few experiments of his he allowed himself to have a personal relationship with on Gales' request.
Her suggesting empathy to assure the loyality necessary for carrying out the mission to deliver the pearl was a novum to him and a first step in Sky reevaluating some of his work and becoming more open to his doing. As he simply doesn't understand how Gales' can even consider interacting with the scavengers.

[unique patrol]

A bit progress on the right and a brief sketch of Gales' anatomy. The inverted legs design is treated like an elegant high waist legging

[unique patrol]

What a change in the chemical mix of the downpour can do to a landscape. Were once was a mighty mountain range keeping the heart of Gales program concealed is now merely a twisted representation of her feeble efforts.
The pacified animals from the research farm got wildered out in the lush forest at the foot of the mountains, to live under constant observation. With a lack of overwhelming predators the biosphere of the wilderness program was balanced to such a degree that survival may be still necessary but survival chances were balanced across the food chain. One can not deny an animal the need to eat but one could keep the predators fed to allow the prey to prosper. The ancient-made utopia was however only a partial success, with the area having gotten used in later instances unbeknownst to Shifting Gales as a safari zone instead, keeping the remaining Ancients entertained.

[harsh abyss]

A good side-by-side comparison.!. Well-done.!.

[unique patrol]

Thank you ^^

[harsh abyss]

You’re welcome, of course.! With my maps, I’ve just been making topographical maps, instead of side views.!

Either way, you did an excellent job, and this helps capture what the landscape truly looks like, and I wasn’t able to truly picture it before hand.! You did an amazing job with this, honestly.!

[unique patrol]

I originally attempted a topological map but quickly realized that that path wouldn't be that useful in the long run. I opted to do a map somewhat akin to rainworld for the possibility that I maybe wanna turn this story, these characters, into a mod.
...
When I have much time
...
And don't have to do it alone. I am an artist and hobbyist writer, no programmer <.<

I'm short, this will be useful. There will be another map in the near future depicting Approaching Sky's industrial superstructure

[harsh abyss]

I just use a pencil to make a crude representation of a topographical map.

[unique patrol]

Fair

[harsh abyss]

I’m currently in a Roleplay where a group of Slugcats just got to a volcanic island with ruins that lean heavily towards an industrial atmosphere. I’m gonna have an Iterator Can in the volcanic mountain itself.

[unique patrol]

Ohh, I like that. To be honest a volcanic theme was my first idea as well, but then I opted against it and towards this acid madness

[steady whale]

The amount of thought you’re putting into this is sooo thorough!

[unique patrol]

SG: "Remember how this looked like a mere hundred cycles ago, Sky? It is gone, my whole work ... turned into acid sludge."

AS: "I do, Gales. The sky was blue and we were able to see myself in the far distance. But this doesn't matter. What does matter is you, friend. How long do you think you can withstand? The blueprints you requested are done but my messenger is not yet ready for resisting this ... situation down there."

SG: "I will attempt to hold out. The scavengers keep an eye on me, aiding me when I get stuck on the rails. They are -"

AS: "You trust these ... things? I know you research 'empathy' but that is just illogical. Why would they help you? They are greedy and selfish, lost causes."

SG: "Sky ... you wouldn't understand. You never will ..."

[unique patrol]

That's what obsessions do to you :P And quite a bit experience in worldbuilding

[steady whale]

I know this feel. When it becomes hard to sleep because you have Ideas

[steady whale]

This art is lovely

[unique patrol]

Glad you like it :3 This was also another reason why I opted to Gales being on rails from the beginning. I can work on sceneries past the quadratic panel capsule iterators are contained in

[steady whale]

A fine idea

Her experience is certainly very different from other iterators

[unique patrol]

But she also experienced the concept of patience and mistrust through that as well as the desire for privacy. She was able to travel through the entire superstructure and the monastery, but every time her rails would lead into a building she was met with a custom door made for her and her alone. A gap in the railway the house owner can emerge out of the wall upon her requesting entry. Means also that her freedom came to a halt once all ancients were ascended as nobody could raise these sections for her (well until she brought some of her scavenger pals to do that for her).

In the time the ancients still were around she was only given in singular instances that way access to the town hall compound of the city. She still doesn't know why she was denied access to it so many times.

[steady whale]

Oh that’s kind of brutal

Locked out by your own systems. More limitations, more taboos

[unique patrol]

Was part of their plan for Gales. Teaching her humility to create a different kind of iterator completing the other more logical ones. The humane factor

[steady whale]

Interesting

[unique patrol]

Could also be that her entire existence is a sick joke from the ancients. Performing actions to reinforce a consciousness and awareness, giving her with empathy a futile task to pour her research efforts into.

Who knows how much value the ancients actually put into a desire for all to ascend? Maybe she is just a sadistic social experiment?

[steady whale]

They seem like the type to enjoy playing with their toys. Not like they let moral qualms stop them from making imprisoned abominations left and right to do their bidding

[unique patrol]

I mean I mentioned that her efforts led to the realization of the wilderness program. Hmm, a cultivated area where bored ancients could go to go on a safari without the risk of dying. A source of amusement for those who ascended last.

But they would never do such a thing … would they?

[harsh abyss]

Yep. I’ve brought my party through four areas now. They’ve fought in an area filled with the most lethal predators, a Vulture-filled mountain with a Leviathan-sized one at the top called The MirosQueen, fought in a colossal lake full of sunken Iterator Cans and many leviathans, from infant leviathans, which I call Leviathan kittens, to the father of all the leviathans in the lake, The Leviathan Sire, and watched as it was carried back below the depths by a four-kilometer long Leviathan. I’m basically putting them through a Dungeons And Dragons story. I make entire paragraphs for just how snowmelt and rainfall polishes a mountain clean every several cycles, and how it is carved entirely, with no area that doesn’t have a single art piece in it, and The Mountain pierces the clouds. I have an obsession with Rain World and storytelling.

[static pecan]

🔥🔥🔥✍️

[harsh abyss]

Thank you. I assume “Fire writing” is a complement, as “Fire,” for some reason, is nowadays used to describe something that is very good, I think. I don’t know the lingo.

[static pecan]

yeah fire is used to describe something that's good, not sure why, but it is based on this gif (assuming i can send it here):

https://tenor.com/view/fire-writing-gif-24533171

oh neat so threads support gifs?

[harsh abyss]

I might actually make my own thread for my characters’ journeys.

[harsh abyss]

Thank you.

Wait, how do I make threads again.?.

[static pecan]

i think you gotta ask writing helpers or courier for this? not sure which

[unique patrol]

Write courier bot a dm

[steady whale]

Lit. Cooking.

As to why fire is used lol

Also “this is fire”

Always a complement

[harsh abyss]

What should be in the Direct Message.?

And where should I Direct Message the Courier.? Would here work.?

[harsh abyss]

Got it.

[unique patrol]

Now what to do next…a dedicated image for the Irradiant?

[unique patrol]

uhm

Have I mentioned I suck with non-humanoid body types?

[steady whale]

cute! glowscug

[unique patrol]

Her creator Approaching Sky instructed her about the paradise that once was Shifting Gales' island. He swooned of the images his friend sent to him, mused about the clear sky and the lush wealds surrounding the mountain. Irradiant's creator couldn't have been more from the truth she realized. It was paradise. A paradise, made for her to be the top cat. This weird acid rain warped everything she came across on her journey, messed with the brains of the beasts she had to face. And yet they proved no match to her radiating presence, they avoided biting her.

But still ... this island was so ... depressing to look at. Irradiant felt her heart clutch, her being more afraid from having to confront Gales, providing her the pearl bestowed to her by Sky. The wildlife proved no challenge, she however - yes, she will be one. How would she handle her existence? The slugcat existed after all only because of her acidic fallout, having gotten created to survive in the world she moulded. Would she pity her? Would she try to comfort her, risking touching her sizzling fur? No, she would blame herself for everything, Irradiant was sure of that at least.
...
Oh bother.

[unique patrol]

I am enjoying this way too much

[mental cosmos]

I did, too.

[unique patrol]

:3

[unique patrol]

Had an idea, a nice pose

Quickly sketched it down before bed. The horrors of reality are reflective

[steady whale]

Woah cool pose/perspective

[hasty cedar]

are those overseers? or spiders?

[unique patrol]

I eventually gave up on finding a ref and just went for it.

Might be spiders, might be worse horrors

[hasty cedar]

ah yes horrors beyond our comprehension

[unique patrol]

the only thing that is important ... yes exactly that.

I want to mute the colors of Gales so much that the only colors left are those illuminated by the exit of the cave behind her. Friendly on the outside, distorted and muted on the inside

[steady whale]

The lighting works well

[unique patrol]

Glad to hear that

[unique patrol]

Here is something to expand on what I talked about last time. About the ancients holding her as a living joke. Her entire existence feels like a farce, her being nothing more than a pretty face, a house servant in her own can, servicing the citizens and visitors of the monastery. Being kept out of their houses by her own rail system.

And there were many visitors, all quite hyped to reap the results of her empathy research, and that with a blunderbuss, going onto dangerless safaris. Officially Gales is a place of silence and meditation, but everyone knows that this remote isle is a place to take a break and revel in the earthly sins.

If I would turn this into a mod the Irradiant could find pearls in the monastery of visitors taunting Gales, making fun of her naivety and thinking of ways to make the most out of the leader of this very can of sin, a place where ancients can embrace their earthly desires without consequence, let wrath and anger consume them in a detox trip, slaying these lowly beasts that annoyed them. Where the lips are sealed as Gales' true purpose is on no one's topic, treating her in public like what Gales thinks she does. And her structure is seated on a pool of acid to end that useless little iterator once nobody will be in need of her duty anymore. Her existence was supposed to be for the ancients' enjoyment only.

In comparison to any other iterator is her technological and scientific prowess a non-factor. She is a technical fraud and she doesn't know. All she has to show is a differentiated view on things, being a good advisor.

Also them training her to be emotional and reflected, able to process emotions other iterators struggle with is the rotten cherry on the top. So that the realisation crushes her spirit once she fails and renders her accepting the acid in her veins.

[static pecan]

Well this is a tad bit messed up isn't it?

[unique patrol]

It certainly is. But hey, the Ancients are in the lore not the holy people they appear to be, having to rely on void fluid baths to ascend at last.

Is it too much?

[static pecan]

Honestly kinda feels like a thing the ancients would do

[unique patrol]

Then it is good ^^
I know Gales is and will never be your typical Iterator but I honestly look forward into attempting to write her. An illogical and emotions driven Iterator in a world where most she can communicate with are driven by logic and progress. ... I just hope I won't make her an annoying character

[harsh abyss]

I love the character.

You made it perfectly.

The story sounds like something that would actually be in game.

[unique patrol]

Aww, that means much to hear :3

[harsh abyss]

You are welcome. Never be unmotivated by others’ harsh words.

[inner steeple]

The Ancient worldbuilding is top tier, they would totally make a secret hedonism island

[harsh abyss]

Hedonism.?..

[inner steeple]

Pertaining to earthly pleasures. I believe?

Unless I've been mistaken for years

[harsh abyss]

Ah, So my assumption was correct.

[unique patrol]

It is more associated to lust, but could also be used in conjunction with other sins. In the end it is the practice to avoid pain and seek pleasures.

[harsh abyss]

Ah. That perfectly fits the bill.

Your document has even inspired me to make my most recent Iterator able to be independent from their structure. They’re content with being within their infernal mountain of Magnaconth, though. Dunno how an Iterator Can be built inside of an active volcanic hotspot, but whatever.

[unique patrol]

I mean why not? But that would mean the superstructure is powered by the active flow of magma inside its very veins, no water. It would mean that the can would look quite different in consequence. There is no need for legs because no flood is to be expected. How would the structure vent out the fluids? The iterator can causes the build-up of clouds and massive rainstorms to flush out the fluids at the top. Furthermore, what would that mean for the iterator itself? What is their power source? Are they built to withstand pressure and heat, would they have issues in a different climate? What would moisture do, cold surroundings, etc?
So many questions

[harsh abyss]

Okay. That does make sense. I haven’t read too much into Iterators, so I just mostly knew that they desperately needed water to keep cool. But you bring up very good points.

The area around it is not covered in soot, but the ruins of many industrial buildings jut out of the ground, and small thermal reactors or generators dot the landscape, harnessing geothermal energy, which can be used to electrify spears and charge Overseers. Magnanimous Insight would be able to rapidly wander the landscape, and has an extra pair of arm-like limbs that allows for the carrying of more items and also extra mobility.

[unique patrol]

Sounds like a good base to expand upon. How I approach worldbuilding. Look at what you have written and ask yourself questions as if you don't know anything. I often had to face the issue that I assume stuff to be logical and therefore ignore them creating logical gaps for those without my knowledge. Most of my subsequent worldbuilding originates from either finding such a hole or others asking about it.

[harsh abyss]

Thanks. You have made me feel a lot better about myself.

[unique patrol]

You're welcome

[unique patrol]

Creating a messenger cat comes with unforeseen issues,

Lil dialogue that haunted me tonight

[harsh abyss]

It is just cute to me. And logical.

You did an excellent job.

The two’s personalities remind me of Big Sis Moon, and my favorite entity in the entire game, Five Pebbles. But still, different enough to be unique.

[inner steeple]

Time to study up on dad jokes, Sky!

[harsh abyss]

I thought that Sky was about to make one or something. More so some sort of insinuation. But yes, I assume that he has figured out some stretch of humour, but then Shifting Gales interrupted him.

[unique patrol]

Nah, he is just very slow, it took a bit till it dawned on him.
Sky's personality is 95% analytical and logical. He however enjoys Gales' company because she brings stuff to the table he lacks greatly.

In terms of interactions were all interactions of Sky with scientists in his facility professional, like an omniscient A.I.
Gales squabbles with the ancients were more lighthearted and real.

[harsh abyss]

Then what did he mean by “following that logic….” .?

[unique patrol]

"Attention at all iterators. I became a dad, I require jokes to make my wife laugh and my slugkid cringe."

[unique patrol]

Dad + mom = You are my wife

[harsh abyss]

Hah.!

I feel the inclination to make art of the two, if Sky gets art of his own, unless it has already been made.

[unique patrol]

Sky has already a design.

[harsh abyss]

Ah, so it is that one.

[unique patrol]

Sooner or later I will do a picture of the two

[harsh abyss]

I am also thinking of shipping Magnanimous Insight with either No Significant Harassment or Seven Red Suns. In accordance with my lore, though, due to the closer proximity, I think it’ll be Seven Magnanimous Stars.

[harsh abyss]

Cute.

Thanks for the reaction.

[harsh abyss]

Ah, So matrimony is canon now. Hah.!

Eh, then again, Seven Magnanimous Stars is a good example of that.

[unique patrol]

I mean we don't know much about how ancients families were

[harsh abyss]

I guess the Iterators have the customs, and not Ancients, then, as the Ancients would likely have to abstain from marriage as they would consider it as Lust.

[unique patrol]

I don't get where the stars is coming from

[harsh abyss]

Suns.

[unique patrol]

I mean yes, in the later stages where they focused on ascension having a family became a non-factor. But prior to the void fluid's discovery it likely was a different case

[harsh abyss]

Yeah.

I’m gonna name their messenger Nebula, I think.

[unique patrol]

Given iterators are post void fluid era they may have heard of it through pearls

[harsh abyss]

Hmm.

I’m making lore for Magnanimous Insight currently.

[unique patrol]

Good luck ^^

[harsh abyss]

Thanks.!

[unique patrol]

But yeah, essentially Gales scientific dissertations boil down to how to raise someone properly and in which environment to allow them to easily move up the karma ladder. Through love, care, empathy and a sense of safety

[harsh abyss]

That is a much better system. I love that idea, in all honestly. To me, that isn’t religious mumbo-jumbo and cruelty towards others when you have a get-out-of-punishment-free card.

[unique patrol]

Amongst other things like how to create a protected ecosystem where the needs of prey and predators are balanced out that the resulting life is a balanced one out of peace and threat. Animals have to eat and prey becoming prey can't be prohibited. But by controlling the amount of predators the time between death and reincarnation will become longer allowing for actual karma progress.

Even if that research ultimately failed as it didn't took the ultimate predator into account. The ancients using her forests to hunt for sports

[harsh abyss]

As I would say, “Giving up worldly desires such as Violence,” my {Canonically nonexistent excretory oriface..}.. ..

[unique patrol]

Hehe

[harsh abyss]

As in, my character does not have a regular digestive system. My Slugcat, I mean.

Kind of Spearmaster, but not quite, as he does have four working mouths and six working eyes.

And unlike most messengers, the messenger of Magnanimous Insight actually has a family that it often returns to, under the protection of their host Iterator.

[unique patrol]

Aww, that is nice

[harsh abyss]

Yes, indeed.

They are also adapted to their volcanic environment, but it was a naturally-gained adaptation. They don’t care about Blue or Cyan Lizard bites, mostly.

And by they, I mean the entire Slugcat family.

In his entries, Magnanimous Insight specifically indicates which cycle it has been, from the discovery of The Triple Affirmative, specifically stating the entry is on cycle 19,152.

[unique patrol]

Oh, that is interesting. So you treat the triple affirmative as year 0?

[harsh abyss]

Yes, however……

I consider every cycle, from the beginning of the cycle to the end of the rain, to be approximately 24 hours.

And so, approximately 52 years since Sliver Of Straw’s Demise.

Furthermore, since Magnanimous Insight can venture outwards, and can send his Overseers very far away, he has a good idea of what happened to Her.

Due to certain circumstances in the current end of the story.

[unique patrol]

I see. So you made your theory on straw and integrated it.

[harsh abyss]

Yes. But I do know about Mission 70. It’s Magnanimous Insight who probably knows, since…… well, let’s just say, that my main character……

||Recently got Ascended by Saint.||.

[unique patrol]

I haven't played the saint campaign yet, soo...
But I know about 70

[harsh abyss]

Yeah, OMEGA got Sliver Of Straw’d.

And one of Magnanimous Insight’s Overseers saw it.

Magnanimous Insight’s list of respect is.:

Seven Red Suns. {1.0}..

Sliver Of Straw. {1.0}..

Five Pebbles. {1.0}..

Big Sis Moon. {0.90..}..

No Significant Harassment. {0.85..}..

Wait, what is Sky’s full Title.?. I keep forgetting.

[unique patrol]

Approaching Sky

Woo, am monk now

[harsh abyss]

How are you Monk now.?.

[unique patrol]

Reached level 10 while talking

[harsh abyss]

Oh.

Nice job.!

Today, I got The Martyr Passage.!.

[unique patrol]

Martyr was again?

[harsh abyss]

{4 Consecutive Starve Cycles.}.

[unique patrol]

Oh that one. Great job

[harsh abyss]

Thanks. But you haven’t got the entire picture yet.

As of right now, I have not slept for……… thirty-two hours……

And I have not eaten for about thirty hours…….

[unique patrol]

Oh, irl martyr

[harsh abyss]

Well, I Did have a small meal a few hours ago, but that was it.

[unique patrol]

I see. Good luck with that

[harsh abyss]

Yep. Thanks.

Also, the reason why Five Pebbles is so high on Magnanimous Insight’s respect list is because He very much likes the Serious nature of both his partner, Seven Red Suns, and Five Pebbles.

Also because Five Pebbles is my non-negotiable, undefeated, and unmatchably favourite character or entity in the entire game.

[static pecan]

But w h y ?

[harsh abyss]

Plane trip.

[static pecan]

Yeah but thirty two hours?

[harsh abyss]

Sad to be away from my cat.

[harsh abyss]

https://tenor.com/view/sad-cat-cat-in-front-of-sea-gif-16930437336998530733

[harsh abyss]

By the way, I have mentioned The MirosQueen, yes.?

[unique patrol]

You did, yes

[harsh abyss]

Well, Magnanimous Insight is kind of Her Father. He raised Her.

[hallow rain]

How is the problem of slag buildup solved?

They need water not only for cooling, but also for regulating their biological parts

Perhaps a tricky and overly engineered enclosed water circulation system?

That would require extra energy to circulate heat, but that's not a problem. The problem would be maintaining and fixing an extra pipe system that probably spans the entire superstructure inside and outside

Look up how refrigerators work. They lose energy to cool down stuff

That leaves a way out for all the heat, and you can't really dump that back into volcano. Heat travels from warmer to colder area, basic thermodynamics.

Hmm. What about radiator arrays about as big as an in-game area?

Outside of volcano. Area under open sky that is so hot normal vultures avoid it.

When rain from nearby iterators reaches it, every drop of water is instantly evaporated in a tiny explosion of steam that boils alive anything unfortunate enough to be nearby

Another region would be underground heat pipes that glow red in dark, illuminating caverns

[static pecan]

Wouldn't that means the pipes are melting?

[mental cosmos]

Red-hot isn’t even close to melting.

When it’s white-hot, that’s malleable.

[hallow rain]

Temperature would be between 500 and 1000 Celsius

Steel melts at at least 1300 Celsius

I'd say 800 degrees sounds fine for being a major hazard defining a whole region

But I think I'm going off-topic. If there's a thread for this volcanic idea, I can continue there

[unique patrol]

Maybe went off-topic but the thoughts were quite interesting ones

[unique patrol]

Alrighty, I have now studied all pearls and broadcasts to get a better idea of the matter and to figure out a timeline regarding how things went on.
Based on the pearls the last ancient ascended somewhen around the 1514.008 + generous 20.000 cycles. That leaves 115.000 cycles till the forced communication from moon. Slivers of Straw happened somewhen in these 115.000 cycles, but after 1591.xxx. I want the Slivers of Straw situation being as fresh as possible around the time Gales' superstructure breaks and she is forced to abandon it.

Alrighty, with all straws gathered let's see...

The first error with the filtration system happened around 1598.xxx, let's say the Sliver situations happened somewhere between 91 and 98. The superstructures are built with living material, microbes, that can repair small damage by itself over the course of 30 cycles. The amount of time a breach can persist before it is viewed as an issue is 90 cycles. We are talking about acid washing over the microbes and damaging that process, killing the bacteria gradually whittling down Gales' ability to heal.
To make it realistic and to grant Gales enough time to mingle with the scavengers visiting her the following:

1598.223 First detected breach in the filtration system, damage gets repaired by the microbes, but Gales got the first taste of unfiltered acids.
1598.411 The first taste weakened the microbes in the filtration system, the second breach happens and passes the 90 cycles threshold. Gales is alarmed and asks her local group for advise, but not for help, yet.
1598.502 The situation went out of control, the microbes gave in, the system bus, her heart have received damage. The acid rain damaged the communication system and Gales focus is on repairing that as fast as possible to send out a distress signal.

1598.508 The area where Gales puppet resided at the moment gave in due to structural weakness, Gales is trapped on her rails, meets the scavenger that will later become chieftain, gives him a mark of communication to ask him to get her out of the predicament. He actually helps her, shifting Gales view of scavengers.
1599.002 The freedom of Gales is getting slimmer and slimmer, more and more of her structure collapses, her core is however still intact. She managed to sent a distress signal to Sky a couple hundred cycles ago, who immediately went to work on the Irradiant. Gales gets by now worshipped by the Scavengers who are her primary way of escaping to uncompromised zones and collapse structures that are not sound anymore with explosives. She can survive, for as long as possible, but the acid has already done quite a bit work on warping the landscape.
1601.411 The Irradiant starts his journey to deliver the building plans, Gales is now without signal to her group for over hundred cycles, Sky is deadly worried and fears he was too slow. Gales situation has become dire, less than 5% of her rail connections are still intact forcing her to retreat to the chamber a iterator puppet originally occupies, hanging on to the last defenses, waiting in silence for help or the final collapse of her can.

[inner steeple]

Poor Gales 😭

[unique patrol]

This is honestly a bit more brutal than what I initially imagined it to be. I wasn't aware of the fact that the can has these microbes and can repair itself. So instead of inevitable corrosion it is more like a gradual process of damage and repair where the damage slowly but surely wins.

[static pecan]

So a war of attrition?

[unique patrol]

Quite literally. A losing battle as the acid dissolves more and more of the microbes which need clean water to prosper.

[harsh abyss]

That is a lot of detail. I’m still trying to figure out how Magnanimous Insight’s Can is able to survive in the heart of a Volcanic Mountain. I was thinking his entire structure served more as a geothermal plant, allowing for a semi-easier source of energy.

[unique patrol]

I apologize for that detailed onslaught. Once I start I can't stop :p

[harsh abyss]

It’s alright, it’s the same with me.

Aight, the thing is done for now. Lemme take thirty to forty pictures of it.

Nvm, only 23.

[unique patrol]

Uhm

Can I kindly ask you to post it in the general story discussion channel instead?

[harsh abyss]

Understood.

[unique patrol]

And delete it here. Don't want to appear like a douche, but this thread is kinda ... well, made for my story. You can request your own to gather your lore

[harsh abyss]

Got it.

It’s alright, it’s understandable.

[unique patrol]

Featuring the remaining Iterators from Gales' Group.
Meet Five Lives Unbound, she is a somewhat grumpy yet dedicated Iterator of the first generation. [Research Topic TBD]
Also Far Whisper, a true tease and secret fan of Gales' work. Second Generation. [Research Topic TBD]
Gales went Radiosilent for the first time in her chatty existence. And Slivers happened only a few couple hundred cycles ago.

[unique patrol]

Things are getting more dire

[unique patrol]

A little wip of my chemistry Iterator Far Whisper

[harsh abyss]

That looks very nice.!

[mental cosmos]

It looks great.

They just have a slight problem with how the “chemistry” is wired around them.

Nevermind!

I did not see that one hydrogen thing.

[unique patrol]

Should have placed the overlapping H downwards

Still not done with the labcoat cloth. Thinking about adding short arms

[harsh abyss]

To me, it looks perfect.!

[unique patrol]

It fits her usually laidback and teasing attitude.

[harsh abyss]

I must also admit, your entries upon Shifting Gales has inspired me to flesh out Magnanimous Insight’s story. He was given similar treatment to Shifting Gales, but in a more physical manner. However, let’s just say that, well, he had his Retribution.

[unique patrol]

I am glad to hear that. I will explore the source of her mutated neurons in one of the future logs.

[harsh abyss]

Oh.

Mutated neurons is interesting.

The only things the Ancients did to Magnanimous Insight’s neuron flies, as punishment, was to nearly destroy them. He repeatedly rebels and refuses to obey them, and so they resort to physical and emotional trauma.

[unique patrol]

The group put their heads together to create a formula to allow neurons to grow in mass and size getting less nimble in consequence but would be able to store in one all basic memory and ability functions necessary to live. The very thick fly in her staff is one of these

[harsh abyss]

Oh.

That is very interesting.

The idea of Magnanimous Insight, other than The Denial Of Global Ascension, was to disconnect himself from his Can, give him full nerves, allowing him to feel the fresh soils he stands upon, and also to fashion two extra arms.

[unique patrol]

Sounds nifty

[harsh abyss]

Yeah.

[mental cosmos]

I have one Iterator.

So far.

[harsh abyss]

He also knows about how they treated Shifting Gales, but was unable to contact her easily. But her treatment fueled his resentment.

[harsh abyss]

Nice.

[mental cosmos]

I still need to make her local group, or I can just build her in close proximity to the local group we know.

Her name is Eternal Horizons.

Yes, her abbreviated name is EH, which she may get teased about.

[unique patrol]

eh

Love it :P

[harsh abyss]

I agree. I like it as well.

[mental cosmos]

If Yui teases her about it, she teases Yui by calling them “User Interface”.

[harsh abyss]

I have Magnanimous Insight’s location locked in. He is nearly at the edge of the local group, between Sliver Of Straw and Seven Red Suns.

[mental cosmos]

I have no idea where to place her, preferably somewhere more remote.

[harsh abyss]

Magnanimous Insight is on a remote volcanic island.

[mental cosmos]

I keep forgetting my own OC’s pronouns. How does this happen?

Anyway, she’s an experimental Iterator.

[unique patrol]

My group is located somewhere somewhat near to Slivers location. Would still take Gales over 30.000 cycles to reach it by foot

"Near"

[harsh abyss]

Magnanimous Insight’s mobility is drastically increased by his extra arms. He is only a dozen or so cycles’ walk from his Older Sis Sliver Of Straw.

[mental cosmos]

Those quotation marks are lifting extremely heavy weights.

[harsh abyss]

That makes sense as to why Magnanimous Insight had difficulty reaching her.

Her being Shifting Gales.

[mental cosmos]

Wait, both of you are building this world together?

[unique patrol]

Not that I know of

[mental cosmos]

Is Gales an Iterator mentioned in the pearls, then?

[unique patrol]

Gales is the iterator in my pfp, so yes. MI has nothing to do with this group

[harsh abyss]

Good point.

[mental cosmos]

So, CrabTato here took the characters and ran with it?

[harsh abyss]

Still, Shifting Gales inspired me greatly, and I felt it necessary to make a reference to your work.

[mental cosmos]

I see.

[unique patrol]

Nope, it was just a relative approximation how far they would be apart.

[mental cosmos]

I see.

I understand.

[unique patrol]

Has gotten a bit convoluted. I think I start pinning starting points of lorebits

[harsh abyss]

Judging by their distance, I doubt the two could easily interact. Even with his increased mobility, it would still likely take Magnanimous Insight at least 10,000 cycles.

[unique patrol]

that means...i don't have the power to pin stuff

[mental cosmos]

Oh dear.

[harsh abyss]

How do you not have the power to pin anything.?

[mental cosmos]

I’ve thought of a system.

[unique patrol]

@blazing musk Is it possible for me to gain ownership over my thread to pin stuff?

[mental cosmos]

Add a character to important lore bits, say, a tilde.

When you want to look them up, type in that it’s sent by you, and has a tilde in it.

[unique patrol]

I could do that, yeah

[harsh abyss]

By the way, is it alright if I invite you to Magnanimous Insight’s thread.?

[unique patrol]

I see it, haven't written anything in it yet

[harsh abyss]

Oh.

[unique patrol]

Still have a huge backlog of stuff I wanna read piling up. Have only done this sketch and the log earlier today between waves of coughs, sneezes and sleep. Am now already having the flu for 4 days

[harsh abyss]

I hope you feel better soon. And I hope you reach your goals.

I’ve also just posted the main bit of Magnanimous Insight’s thread, when you have time to read of.

[unique patrol]

I will now scoot into sleeping mode, so maybe tomorrow

[harsh abyss]

Have a good rest, then.!

[blazing musk]

I don't think I can even set that up but if you do need anything pinned you're always welcome to ping me :3

[blazing musk]

one thing i came up with, you could have 1 pinned message that acts as a directory to all the other posts you might wanna pin

if you don't wanna ping me or another mod everytime you need one :3

something like this, and you can just edit the message every time you add another pin

though it may be slightly more annoying because you wouldn't be able to immediately see it in the pins you'd have to click a link

whatever you prefer

[unique patrol]

That is good like that. Just have to set it up

[unique patrol]

"The limits of chemistry have long been shattered by the miracle fluid that is Void fluid. But our creators were too focused on that miracle stuff to realize the endless possibilities that opened themselves to us. We have had gained the power to create molecules deemed to be impossible, allow noble gasses to share its electrons, overcome the limits of hydrogen bridges. The Void opened endless possibilities and maybe just maybe one new and stable compound will lead us closer to our goal."

• Far Whisper

[unique patrol]

I think I can be proud of her design. She looks so cute

[steady whale]

She is cute!! I like her transparent cape

She’s like a fairy

[harsh abyss]

She does indeed fit the bill of adorable.

[unique patrol]

Not transparent. But yeah, I was inspired to make her into a soft fairy iterator. Perfectly encapsulates her personality

[steady whale]

Ahh I misinterpreted some of the lettering as a continuation of the arm under the cape lol

I see it now

[unique patrol]

:3
I do hope she appears somewhat like what one might imagine when reading the logs that featured her

Five lives unbound on the other hand will be quite difficult. I have no image in my head, literally nothing

[unique patrol]

The group begins to figure out a plan to help their friend.

[inner steeple]

The squad is cooking

[unique patrol]

I hope Lives has now a more clearly defined personality

[inner steeple]

They seem very meticulous and care a lot about details, I like

[harsh abyss]

I agree.

[unique patrol]

That is good to hear :3

[harsh abyss]

Thanks.!

[unique patrol]

Quick sketch of Whisper before university.
Will refine when I drive back.

[harsh abyss]

Cute. Adorable. I love it. Gorgeous.

[unique patrol]

<3

[harsh abyss]

You’re welcome, of course..!!

[unique patrol]

Second iteration. Will color her this evening

Lil chemistry wizard

[harsh abyss]

Still Adorable Out Of Zero. Very Adorable.

[inner steeple]

Casting spells of illegal chemistry

[harsh abyss]

Her fingers on her right arm, or on the left side of the image, look like she is holding a teacup. Hah.!

[unique patrol]

I have an idea with it. Not a teacup. But something more fitting

[harsh abyss]

Nice. I just also meant that her right pointer finger looks like a teacup or some sort of saucer. Cute.

Practically nothing I make is cute or wholesome. Yours is the polar opposite with this.

[unique patrol]

Me doing cute and wholesome stuff is quite a novel. Still am fairly new to it. My other cute art bears other adjectives as well that fit not that well here. But enough about dangercuties.

[harsh abyss]

Yeah.

Mostly, what I mean is that my stories are often dark and/or tragic, and my art unsettling. But still, it’s how I operate.

[unique patrol]

Far Whisper is an easily excitable glowbug of an Iterator.
As she keeps itrating on new ways to use the Void fluid to create new formulas her highly focused way of focusing on her work is a mystical lightshow of lines, numbers and letters. If Shifting Gales' overseer happened to visit her she gladfully let her watch and describe to her the dance of the molecules in Gales' wonderful words.

[harsh abyss]

Beautiful.

[steady whale]

I love her colors!

[unique patrol]

I am happy you all like her design so much c:

[harsh abyss]

You’re welcome, of course.!

[mental cosmos]

The idea of an Iterator who is enthusiastic for her work is a nice change.

[harsh abyss]

Yeah.

[unique patrol]

Whisper is in luck that she got directed to iterate on a topic her personality actually finds interesting and worthwhile to pursue. It will take a long time till her topic will dull her down.

Unlike a certain other controlled mutations and genetic engineer. Sky is way out of his field trying to create a messenger

[unique patrol]

Still figuring out how I wanna do this wip I shared a week ago. Have TV face issues

[harsh abyss]

Looks amazing..

[unique patrol]

A socially inept iterator goes out of his way to try meeting new people. Spoilers: He sucks.

[inner steeple]

There's a reason his name is not Approaching People

Love how Sky is more focused on thinking about his project than speaking with Suns, who is right there, lovely interaction!

[unique patrol]

More like non-interaction :p

Maybe he will warm up in later chats to the concept of a dialogue.

[mental cosmos]

“Is my reputation that bad?”

Why’s he so much like me?

Socially inept, overly formal, likes to rush things…

I could go on.

[unique patrol]

<.<
I have no issues writing Sky because he is like I once was, as shamefully as it is to admit. I write him by ignoring all social media norms I learned :p

Or still am? Who knows

[unique patrol]

600+ cycles later Sky gives Suns a second attempt. New tactic. Now does he still suck?

[inner steeple]

He added a cat video!! Instant 10/10

The naming process is so cute

[mental cosmos]

Seven Red Suns just wants to show you their totally-adorable-and-not-a-freak-of-nature scug.

[unique patrol]

Glad you enjoyed it :3
I start to like my interpretation of Suns ^^

[unique patrol]

A direct continuation to the last broadcast. They are about to test out Section 3. No more summary, this one is getting spicy!

[unique patrol]

So excited to hear your thoughts

[eternal ravine]

It sounds really interesting! I like how theres evem scug sign language involved and that the iterators understand, its really cool!!

[unique patrol]

At this point it is not that hard to deny that I got very much inspired by how @steady whale handled communication between Iterators and slugcats.
When I scoured the possibility to include one of the canon Iterators into my little story my options quickly fell to Suns and Harassment. Having read their broadcasts I really liked the sign language of Suns as it felt like the better option to introduce that aspect in Sky's attempt to earn Irradiant's loyality. After all is the mindblast mark only a one-way communication, a thing Sky would do in any other situation if he had the time to program in obedience from the beginning.

Also another reason why I chose Suns. They are of all most likely to first know Shifting Gales and has therefore an interest in helping and second would the guilt of what happened to Pebbles due to their pearl drive Suns to somehow repent. And they have a personality I have an easier time emulating.

Just imagine if Sky contacted Harassment instead. Unempathy meets a sarcastic tone that would not care to actually hear Sky out, even if they share much in their field of research. I still plan to introduce Sig later down the line because I am dying to write these two nerding out about modifying purposed organism, intellect vs moxy.

[eternal ravine]

Cant wait for it!!

And also I see banan is having an impact on thinfs, which is nice!! I havent seen their fic yet but im hopin to when given the chance

[unique patrol]

Huge recommendation. Wonderful and inspiring storytelling and what for an interesting plot

[sterile briar]

yeah banan is really good, i espeascially like the way she writes logs, their great

[eternal ravine]

idk where the link is though..

[unique patrol]

Anyway, I welcome you to scour through this thread. Many little story bits and multiple images drawn by me. Quite the collection for less than 2 weeks since my first thought

[sterile briar]

https://discord.com/channels/291184728944410624/1225605782347972652

that one?

[unique patrol]

Also banan just shared the newest chapter in #stories-library★

[unique patrol]

I am more than happy to answer any upcoming questions. Because questions are the food of a good worldbuilder

[steady whale]

Sometimes stories hit you like a freight train. If you asked me even a month before I dropped the first chapter of HFISH if I would ever write fanfiction, I would have laughed in your face

Oh how the turn tables…

Also I appreciate you recommending my thing c: means a lot

[unique patrol]

I wonder. Is this your first time writing, banan, or do you have more of a history?
Because god damn are your storytelling tropes refined. You know your stuff

[steady whale]

Uhhh it’s my first time really

I’ve written something like a lore bible before

But never a story

[unique patrol]

For a first timer ... sheesh

You are a natural!

[steady whale]

I just have a lot of half-formed stories knocking around in my brain

Thank you

[unique patrol]

Meanwhile. Can someone motivate me to finish this WIP up?

[steady whale]

Bruhhh it already looks so good fuckin finish it

[unique patrol]

I will try to. But these two logs were just too much on my mind. Now that they are written I will see what I will do next.
...
Still 420 people in front of me on archive

[steady whale]

(nice)

[eternal ravine]

yeah

[steady whale]

I can drop the link if soul doesn’t mind

(Don’t want to hijack your thread)

[blazing musk]

this already looks fantastic how much left is there to add?

[unique patrol]

I am also currently fully absorbed by 'Out of our skin' and am really enjoying my read of this great story. They have a different way of making scugs and iterators interact. By allowing pebbles to study artificer so closely he developed a file that turns all head movements and whatever into a coherent voice allowing the author to let them talk actively.
So many ways to do it!

[sterile briar]

(ah, sorry i hope i just didnt do that)

[unique patrol]

Like everything outside of Gales figure is only in the pre-phase. Especially the light is more of a headscratcher to me than it is helpful as the color dodge effect makes refining everything below the layer a headache and a half. Also the neuron lantern itself is just a placeholder. And don't get me started on the terrors from the Chasm. I still have no idea what they even are supposed to be

[blazing musk]

damn

[unique patrol]

And not to mention that the perspective is not making me happy. The chasm looks...weirdly bent. Not intimidating but like a shallow ledge

[steady whale]

It has to be a little shallow for her staff to reach down far enough to illuminate it yeah?

[unique patrol]

I have to redo the whole thing to actually render this out like I imagined it to be. An overhanging ledge Gales is peeking over into the deep. It shouldn't go straight down but everything directly below her was in my mind eye supposed to have the lookalike of the ceiling of a stalactite cave

It is supposed to be way more darker and mysterious. With gales only occupying 5% of the entire view making her smaller to put the dangers into perspective

The lantern is too effective

And I dread that I can't meet my minds eye

I will see what I can do.

[steady whale]

Dramatic perspective is one of the hardest things in art and I struggle with it greatly

[unique patrol]

Have to do some other university related stuff first, but I at least managed to get my idea across a bit. Still needs more of an arc to be like a gawking maw of stalactites and stalactites (And horrors)

[inner steeple]

AWWW TEAMWORK
Suns being reminded of a certain superstructure, ouch

[unique patrol]

A new addition to the strike team.~

[steady whale]

She glow!

[unique patrol]

O.O
...
blinks

Awwwwww, you didn't have to. LOOK HOW FRICKING CUTE SHE IS!

[steady whale]

[inner steeple]

BAPY

[unique patrol]

Look at this cutie!

Look at it!

I have to get better with animals

Thank you

[steady whale]

Ofc! I wanted to draw baby

[unique patrol]

I can see it. Good thing I have a mouth, because I want to scream in happiness...silently, because it is late

Imprinted

[steady whale]

aw ye!!

[inner steeple]

@unique patrol Got a color ref for Sky? 👁️

[unique patrol]

Let me quickly wrap something up for you.

[harsh abyss]

Yes cute. You also changed your icon to it, I noticed.

[unique patrol]

Great Now that I have access to Archive of your own I am facing the issue that I don't know where to begin <.<

[unique patrol]

"I have to go deeper to reach the station leading to Approaching Sky but ... How am I supposed to reach the bottom?
This is my last possible option. sigh Great ... gather yourself, Gales. It is just another leap of faith. ... Or a couple more. Many. Countless."

[unique patrol]

Not the best but I got to the point where continuing would make it worse again

[compact niche]

Lovely art!

Remember to do a pounce roll to cancel fall damage

[unique patrol]

Now how to realize a pounce roll as a humanoid scorpion ...

[unique patrol]

Allow me to share a little something here. I am currently tinkering on an intro chapter regarding the story I wanna write. These here would be the first 1000 words.
Tell me, is this an engaging first impression?

[unique patrol]

Hm, this could look like something when finished

[static pecan]

Yeah looks good to me

[mental cosmos]

Would you mind if I corrected some grammatical errors?

[unique patrol]

Not at all. I already corrected some however.

[mental cosmos]

Mind showing the updated script, so that I don’t repeat corrections already made?

[unique patrol]

I see what I can do. Am on mobile

[mental cosmos]

I can wait.

[unique patrol]

A few corrections mainly in the beginning of the second page

[mental cosmos]

“Gosh, these are really strong acids cycling in your veins.”

I’d personally use that, but using “that are” would work too.

There wasn’t a verb. What’re they doing there?

“But ever since the mass ascension**,** my only remaining coworkers are my very few overseers.”

It’s no longer the same clause, thus I broke it with a comma.

There are multiple overseers, thus multiple coworkers.

“Once we figured out your acid issue, I will…”

I would eliminate the “d”, because it’s in the present.

Or, if you’d like to, there’s another version you can use.

“Once we have figured out your acid issue, I will…”

I should probably stop trying to explain. My memory regarding the theory has faded, and the only things left I know are the applications.

[unique patrol]

All valid points

[unique patrol]

And content wise? Do you think it is a fitting intro?

[unique patrol]

Ok, fixed

[mental cosmos]

Fitting.

Sets the tone well.

[unique patrol]

I am glad :3

[static pecan]

Sad lil fella

[unique patrol]

Waiting for a knight in shining armor at 0.000001% efficiency.

[static pecan]

Also here I assume she is/was walking but in the intro she struggled to get up, it is like a getting used to walking thing or is it something with that staff of hers?

[unique patrol]

The story begins a few cycles before this log. The staff she is later using to escape her corroding prison is not yet developed. Look at the cycle Far whisper mentions here, she mentions this very communication breakdown.

...wait

Wrong log

The log I sent prior needs a slight rework considering Whisper's awareness of the issue

[static pecan]

No i mean like here she struggles to get up but to make it out she likely needs to be able to walk, does she just gets used to walking later on or is that staff she gets later is the thing that lets her walk or something?

[unique patrol]

The staff contains a small rarefaction cell and a boosted neuron fly containing enough capacity to allow her to simulate her can-connection. She is using this as a supplement to the railway connection

Here the railway system is severely damaged cutting her off of most of her functionality. She still is alive as it is not completely severed and provides her with emergency supplies, but has lost signal to her can and everything else.

[static pecan]

Ah

[unique patrol]

Disappointed?

[static pecan]

No, just curious

"Ah" is like one of the phrases i use interchangably with "ok"

[unique patrol]

Fair. Anything else?

Ahh, I remember now the purpose of the false log I sent. The story starts at the first full breakdown, the first time Gales actively reaches out to Whisper to get advises to protect her most important. When the 90 cycles passed turning the breach into an uncontrollable emergency

[static pecan]

Nothing i can think of for now, thanks

[unique patrol]

When she saw herself unable to brush off her issues anymore

[unique patrol]

Last version before I digitalize and color it. Sad robot

[unique patrol]

Also to directly answer your question. She will get out of this situation. But in a different way I am very excited about

[static pecan]

trough the power of friendship

[unique patrol]

…you are not entirely wrong.

[unique patrol]

Hrr, I think I have outdone myself here with the set mood.~

[harsh abyss]

Sad. Beautiful. I love it.

[unique patrol]

Glad you do :3

[harsh abyss]

You’re welcome, of course.

[harsh abyss]

What is the glowing thing that looks like a water droplet in her right hand..?..

[unique patrol]

A pearl containing something that I have not yet decided on. Maybe her broadcast pearl to tap into the chats?
Yes, her frame is tiny

[harsh abyss]

Oh.

Also, I can see in the top left where her guide rail was severed. Good, if not just plain great, attention to detail.

[unique patrol]

In the bottom left as well

[harsh abyss]

Oh yeah. Thanks.

[unique patrol]

I am so unsure how I wanna handle this. I am very bad with holding back anything. I enjoy feedback and all.
...
I should not share every little thing I do, wait till I have enough to publish the first chapter. But that is so frustrating!

[sterile briar]

dont. give. in!!!
you can do it

[unique patrol]

Can I? I honestly find it hilarious what I read on Ao3 in the notes of some authors. 'Hey I have everything written already and just share the final edit step here' Like how do they have the patience to write everything first before even sharing anything?

[sterile briar]

i guess they want to surprise their readers? i dont activly say out load what i will write about but when i ask for help regarding sth i usually share stuff myself

[unique patrol]

I guess. Still ... why am I so nervous? In the end what I do is not that different from my own narrative universe stories as I mainly use OCs, but set in the world of Rainworld. Why is the feeling of judgment so pressing when writing fics? Why am I afraid and want to share the process before finishing it in fear of being boring or unable to catch attention.
Issues over issues. I shouldn't mind Just do it, and if the first chapter fails, so be it.

[steady whale]

Most dont do this to be fair

Outlines yeah, fully written chapters? It takes SO much self control

I do think stories are better when an author can hold back and complete an entire first draft, though

[unique patrol]

sips Set up for failure then

[steady whale]

You’re not! Not even everyone has an outline c:

We’re all just a bunch of dorks venting love for a game we adore

[sterile briar]

i think you have one great advantage though with the thread and that is that you already have a small following youself. the fact that your story is mainly oc focused will as sad as it is push people away but im sure all the people in the thread will read it garantued!

[steady whale]

None of us are writing god’s gift to rain world, either

Just put something you like out there

[sterile briar]

[steady whale]

People here already appreciate it!

And you can truly take your time if you’re worried you’re not ready to post. Because you can post here first and get feedback

That way you don’t have to entirely ‘hold back’

[unique patrol]

True. But still. ... grr ... I will just push through until the first chapter is done, then I can use the feedback to do further planning.
my current issue is to figure out how much I wanna pack into the first sections to set up enough information that I don't do the error I had when writing my first novella a couple years ago. Writing with the ground level of background information in 'my' head. Nobody could follow my thoughts because they didn't have my knowledge having forced me to rewrite everything.
This time I try to write the first passages in a way that nothing feels like a big plothole. Will I manage that without boring my audience? Thats the issue why I am afraid and unsure what to write and what not.

I have a goal in mind for both halves of the first chapter (yes, this will feature two story perspectives that will at some point bond into one), a place where I wanna halt. But I first have to reach it.
Well at least the second protagonist is not a barely functioning exposition device :P

[steady whale]

Ohh going for the split storyline thing? Fun

[unique patrol]

yep, but very close together. You already drew the other pov character :P

Irradiant will be a greater challenge to write. I never wrote a character before with developing senses and shifting priorities. Who doesn't know jack. Describing out of the view of a pup, even a purposed superintelligent one, will either be fun as heck or infuriating as hell

[steady whale]

You’ll do great!

I’m not personally biased towards split storylines with Iterator/scug pov or anything…

[unique patrol]

Not at all.~

But yeah. If you paid attention to some logs of mine you can already imagine some plot points I wanna retell in non-log format.
Spearmaster!

[mental cosmos]

The tilde.

[unique patrol]

Hm?

[mental cosmos]

It's concerning.

[unique patrol]

In what way?

[mental cosmos]

I don't know.

[unique patrol]

Just an expression of smug

[mental cosmos]

I suppose I just don't like how it holds so much power.

Completely changes the tone of a message.

[unique patrol]

Hahaha! I know what you mean. It can be used in many ways. But teasing smugness is the use here, even Sig and others use it in the official logs :p

Anyway

[steady whale]

The tilde ~

We love a well placed tilde

[unique patrol]

What?

[compact niche]

Reminder
◆ Don't make flirtatious or romantic comments even when joking. Remember this server has minors as young as 13.

[mental cosmos]

Shit.

Sorry.

[unique patrol]

Made some progress with the chapter, direct continuation from the last part. Do only read it if you want to give me feedback before I finish the whole chapter and publish it. Main question: Does this provide enough basic coverage to set up characters as they appear later as well as give some insight into what gales even is?

[static pecan]

1st sentence of the 2nd-to-last paragraph feels weird

[unique patrol]

Mhm, it is very clunky

[static pecan]

Maybe instead something like ||"Meanwhile her senior had already existed for hundreds of thousands of cycles prior to her"||?

[unique patrol]

||Her senior on the other hand was connived many 100.000 cycles prior to her, considered as part of the very first generation of Iterators. ||

[static pecan]

Writing it numerically makes it clunky i feel like

[unique patrol]

True

ok, worded it out. Anything else?

[static pecan]

Seems fine?

[unique patrol]

Thats good then

[static pecan]

Wait right 5th paragraph, last sentence, shouldn't it be ||"until Whipsy informs Sky"||

[unique patrol]

has informed

[static pecan]

Or that i guess, I dunno

[static pecan]

Actually, would that work? I am having some doubts

Isn't that in the past tense?

[unique patrol]

Past tense to follow with sending in presence

Once you have done x, y will happen

[static pecan]

i've never been good at this

[steady whale]

yep stick to one tense

the only exception is sometimes in a character's iternal thoughts or dialogue

but I personally try to keep my things 100% one tense where I can

[unique patrol]

it was in an internal thought part

[steady whale]

gotcha haven't had the chance to read yet

[inner steeple]

Bazinga

[unique patrol]

I can only repeat myself. You did a beyond outstanding job here. It all fits so perfectly!

THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT!

[static pecan]

I was gonna say "image not loading but message has me worried" but nvm, you cooked hard

[steady whale]

ART

wtf this is so good

[unique patrol]

IKR!?

It even captures their personalities so well. Humble and joyful vs royal and coordinated.
And cute scug!

[steady whale]

You are insanely talented

[unique patrol]

I don't deserve any of this kindness
You rock, Drymm!

[unique patrol]

Ahh, I am so happy

[inner steeple]

TYY

[naive radish]

That is some amazing art!

[unique patrol]

Finally conceptualised the last member of the local group, Five Lives Unbound.

[sterile briar]

You will soon start you first chapter right?

[unique patrol]

Indeed. I estimate that I have written enough for the first chapter at the end of the week

[sterile briar]

nice but i will stop reading the story stuff you will post from now on in that case. hope thats not to bad but i dont want to spoil myself too much

[unique patrol]

I won't share any more of it but small sections like this. It was only that I didn't have a good idea for the fourth iterator I have yet to draw until now.

[sterile briar]

tbh im really excited! you seem to know exactly what you want to do with everything.

[unique patrol]

I am good at pretending I know what I am doing :p

Nah, I do know. Maybe have not written down the details yet but I have a clear outline of what I want to cover

[sterile briar]

perfect, i cant wait. but i mask ask. do you plan on including og characters or will it based only on ocs?

[unique patrol]

I do plan to include at least Suns and Spearmaster, maybe even Sig

Later down the line I can see the rest of the og group might become interested in the endeavors of their far neighbours

But suns and spear will be 100% included

[sterile briar]

ahh sry i forgot to reply!

i always love when people put somg of the og characters in their oc focused plotline!

really cant wait for the first chapter

[unique patrol]

I am glad to hear that. I hope i won't disappoint:3

I will soon read your story as well, once I am done with what I am currently reading

[sterile briar]

dont stress it. concetrate on you own stuff first, though im not saying you shoudlnt i will take all the readers i can get

[unique patrol]

Hehehe

[unique patrol]

Hm

I have an idea for Five Lives Unbound's design

[static pecan]

Bigass antenna

They look cool, I really like the cloak (dress?)

[unique patrol]

cloak/dress combo

And the bigass antenna is due to her focus on artifical life. A personal broadcaster to stay in control over all her mechanical beasts

...The earpiece is maybe a tiny bit too big

[static pecan]

I guess you could say she's a dronemaster hehe

[unique patrol]

Pretty much

She works also on a purposed artifical species she can send to a suffering superstructure with simple commands to repair the damage the strata is unable to do. Cutting control prior to them working to not go against the taboo. (Not set in stone yet)
However a project she only started after Gales already had issues

[naive radish]

It does look really nice, though the earpeice is a bit big its cool

[harsh abyss]

Earpiece good.

[balmy silo]

Ooh

[unique patrol]

Oh hey, welcome ^^
If you have any questions, feel free to ask

[unique patrol]

@blazing musk Is it possible to rename the thread? I decided on how to name my story.
Can you rename it into "Corroded Destiny"?

[blazing musk]

Corroded Destiny

done :3

[unique patrol]

Thank you :3

[blazing musk]

np!!

while i'm here, do you need anything pinned :3

[unique patrol]

Not yet...but when I have published the first chapter

[blazing musk]

[unique patrol]

Which I will likely do in the next hour

[unique patrol]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55635643/chapters/141215476

The first chapter of Corroded Destiny, enjoy

Alternative link to the novel for the countries AO3 is banned in:
https://www.worldanvil.com/community/manuscripts/read/1323585783-soulwing98-corroded-destiny

Far Whisper Backstory:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56815150/chapters/144449311

@blazing musk Now if you could pin me the message prior to this one ^^

[blazing musk]

:3

[unique patrol]

Many thanks <3

[harsh abyss]

Wait is Shifting Gales’ name now Corroding Destiny or…..? I liked Shifting Gales.

[naive radish]

I would guess Corroded Destiny is the name of the story and the name of the iterator hasent changed?

[harsh abyss]

Oh. Thank The Void.

I really like Shifting Gales as a name.

[unique patrol]

I won't answer that question <.<

Lets say ... for now it is just a title

[harsh abyss]

Oh. Okay.

Hmm. Something tells me that she will change her name to less associate herself with The Ancients, Yes……?

[unique patrol]

Title explanation. Spoilers beware
|| Omega is right. She will at a certain point change her official name to Corroded Destiny, but her friends will still call her Shifting Gales. She doesn't want to bring too much attention to her local group once she starts wandering the world. Also she will at point x officially lay down her name until having found her calling, if that would ever happen.||

[harsh abyss]

I really like that. Character development is always good, when it is done right. And you have done it even more than excellently.

[unique patrol]

Aw, that's high praise :3
Thank you. I try my best

[harsh abyss]

You are welcome. Magnanimous Insight also feels like changing his name, but he feels as though it fits him well. Still, he often refers to himself and Seven Red Suns by their Big Sis’ pet names for them.

[unique patrol]

Still have to catch up on your lore. Will do this very soon.:3

[harsh abyss]

Ye.

Their Big Sis is ||Sliver.||.

I’m also making more and more lore for him by the day.

[unique patrol]

Very good. And quite an interesting combination. Allows for a fic full of theories.

[harsh abyss]

Yeah.

It’s slightly different.

||Five Pebbles Gets The Rot in Sliver’s Lifetime.||

[unique patrol]

I mean define slightly different with something we don't know Jack about

[harsh abyss]

Don’t worry, I’m really going in-depth with it.

Also, my Iterator Can size list.:

Magnan Surpasses ||Sliver||, who once was the largest Can owner.

||Big Sis Straw.||.

||Sevvy, or Seven Red Suns.||. He lives in a Can entirely above the cloud line, and is surrounded by colossal mountains that are tiny in comparison to him, despite them piercing the clouds.

||Five Pebbles and Big Sis Moon are of equal size.||.

||No Significant Harassment.||.

||Chasing Wind.||.

||Unparalleled Innocence.||.

Top to bottom, largest to smallest.

[unique patrol]

I really find the discrepancy between our main characters fascinating. I for myself enjoy it way too much to write weak or 'unimportant' main characters who grow into their role through boons and hardships.

[harsh abyss]

What exactly does that mean?

Mainly, Magnan’s main weaknesses are his past traumas, which will bring him nightmares that can make him unresponsive for days, he has an extremely emotional range, and he has a full nervous system.

[unique patrol]

But yet Mangan appears like an especially strong and influential protagonist who could utilize force to get to his goal

[harsh abyss]

Yeah, mainly because his Ancients were kind of idiots and were callous. They couldn’t see past themselves, which was their downfall.

His main thing is that he is lucky. or at least, it was that way.

[naive radish]

NGL I wrote my main charachter as some version of Me. Kindof in part because I'm using it to, I dont want to say vent, but. Write what you know, eh?

[harsh abyss]

Yeah.

And by “his Ancients,” I meant his island’s Ancients, all of them would have turned into ||Echoes|| if they had thrown themselves into ||The Void Sea.||.

[unique patrol]

That reminds me that I still haven't encountered an echo in game and have no clue what they are all about

[harsh abyss]

Ancients that were too attached to the world. Increase your Max Karma Level.

Recently, Omega died, and turned into an Echo. He raised his entire group’s Max Karma by One.

[naive radish]

Uhm... uhhhh

there is also HIM

[harsh abyss]

Becoming an Echo, to an Ancient, is by far the worst fate imaginable. Echoes are Why The Iterators were built.

[harsh abyss]

Him…..? Do you mean the…….

Yep.

[naive radish]

it removed my glitch text

[harsh abyss]

Oh.

[unique patrol]

blinks
If the 'him' is saint or saint-related then please no spoilers

[harsh abyss]

No spoilers for Saint. No mentioning.

Sorry about that.

[naive radish]

Man I am going to have to put a spoiler warning on my fic when it gets there wont I

[harsh abyss]

Yeah, Magnan is often unable to peacefully sleep.

[naive radish]

Decided to readPart 1 in its entierty! Very interesting!! cant wait to see part 2. Poor scug

[unique patrol]

||Imagine getting born with a fully functional brain. Poor scug was skipped of her early childhood in its entirety||

Also thanks, that means much to me <3

[woven cedar]

Hello! Now that I have read the first chapter in full (rather than the first half(?) from the draft back then), I must say, great job! You nailed the pacing very well! (I especially like how the segment Shifting Gale was mulling about SRS and their relative success in applying care into raising SM is immediately juxtaposed with the segment about the (as of now) apparent lack of care toward the unnamed slugcat)

Now, about that acid rain, I wonder if it's SG's own mishap from experimentations on chemical researchs? Or is it active sabotage? Or actually intended feature timed to happen by her creator?
(You don't have to answer! I think this is something we're gonna learn eventually)

Anyway, nice work!

[unique patrol]

I am glad you enjoyed the chapter so much. I am happy to see that it is so well-received. :3

As for your question. It is no mystery, Gales would sooner or later start to lament about it, probably next chapter already :p

Shifting Gales is built on top of a strongly acidic groundwater reservoir. It was no problem as long as the filtration system (which also filtered out void fluid from the acid) worked as intended. But with it broken because Gales is severely understaffed she drinks now the groundwater directly

The fact that she is fed by the reservoir and not the ocean around the isle ... yep, this has ancient mocking written all over it :p

[woven cedar]

Ohh you even have SG structure's diagram drawn(and colored!) already?

Now I wonder how thick is your draft/notebook lol

[unique patrol]

My draft/notebook is this thread here

Just scroll up to the top and enjoy :3

I have more even

The mountain isle before the catastrophic event

[naive radish]

I dont understand why the ancients would be so mean for no reason

[unique patrol]

There is a simple answer and a slightly spoilery answer

Simple answer. The filtration system filters out essential void fluid that is not that easy to find in this area

[woven cedar]

||To me, that pre vs post acid rain diagrams just scream 'impending collapse'... This is why Gales will have to leave and wander the earth, isn't it...||

[harsh abyss]

Just finished The Thing Yay!

[unique patrol]

Spoilery answer:
Look at Gales design and compare her to other iterators.
||She was built to do something else than to iterate. I will keep the reasons shallow here. But thing is her technology is not up to snuff with any other iterator. She is severely lacking in many aspects.||

||Her can was built by the ancients for entertainment and amusement purposes. Gales' puppet is highly mobile in her can and her physical appearance very expressive and some may say alluring to look at. She was designing to entertain the Ancients who visited her can of sin to secretly embrace at least some times the sins of the lower karma stairs. Heck, even her preservatory, where she holds pacified animals in a carefully balanced ecosystem to encourage karma climbing got bastardised by the ancients as hunting grounds to sate their sin for blood.||

||The ancients taught her much about empathy and to be social and selfless. What could be a better final goodbye than to give the most expressive iterator as farewell gift a good taste of acid to underline the toxicity of them having used her and never intended her to last.||

[harsh abyss]

Yep. Dark. I expect as much from The Ancients. You’re a great writer.

[woven cedar]

...darn, Ancients here weren't very nice

[harsh abyss]

Neither were Magnan’s.

[unique patrol]

It was a logical expansion. Because as mentioned in the first chapter Sky's can, which is the direct neighbour, is work only and no relaxation or anything. The scientists of his can regularly took vacations on the tropical isle. The Mallorca of rainworld

[woven cedar]

You know, it's very interesting to see many different sides of how people view the Ancients

Like, I have a feeling people here (in this stories group) don't have much high regard for them, while also elsewhere I see many defend them almost religiously

[naive radish]

Is that implying what I think its implying.... Ergh well. Either way.......... Thats

[unique patrol]

Even if it was disguised as a monestary to find inner peace

[harsh abyss]

Especially after……….. after what they………… did………… to him.

[naive radish]

I try to take a neutral view. I have one good guy ancient (maybe two depending how you see it), but I guess I just write them as super corrupt. Politically speakling.

[woven cedar]

Same for Ascension i guess. There are some who think it justifies every dubious things done in its name( because they think it's unambiguous the best outcome), and some who thought it's too extreme

(For me i think it's misguided/misunderstood by the Ancients, it is possibly the best end goal, but the end isn't everything)

[unique patrol]

||People prefer a pretty looking servant. And that's what Gales essentially was. Even if she is completely oblivious to that fact and doesn't believe they had bad intentions.||

[naive radish]

UHhhhhh.... I kindof want to treat MA like, you know. What happens when a society decides to kill a LOT of people.

I feel people dont realise thats what MA probably was

[unique patrol]

I really like how banan treated mass ascension in their one shot

[woven cedar]

I think because they don't have the reason to tell us( a slugcat whom they think probably can't understand) but i wonder how iterators ( FP/Moon) thought when that happened.

Did they feel sad? Betrayed? Relieved?

[unique patrol]

It all depends on how involved the iterators were at the point of mass ascension with the Ancients.

[naive radish]

Fair. Though I cant get out of my head that subterranean image of ancients getting herded onto trains to go to the depths…………

(Slight spoiler for my own log IG)

[unique patrol]

Yeahh...these implications are quite pressing

[woven cedar]

Hmm, I'm not sure. From what we can see, there is no easy entry way into the Depths, at least on FP facility. Yet the ancients there went through with MA too

I imagine it's probably involved that void fluid bath thing

Also i think the ancients would become lazy enough to not wanting to leave the safe haven of Metropolis, even for their final journey

[unique patrol]

Anyway, I have to sleep now. Thank you all kindly for having enjoyed my first chapter. I hope to finish the next in ... I won't limit myself on a date as I still have protocols to write. But probably end of next week, likely earlier ^^

[sterile briar]

wait the first chapter is already out?!

man i was sleeping now i will have ot catch up!

[sterile briar]

ok im done! great first chapter cant wait to get more

its kinda frustrating that so many people wont read storys when their oc based but i guess we cant change that.

tbh i do have two minor 'problems'. The first one is that for someone that didnt interact with the thread and only just started to read it, it might be difficult to follow? maybe thats just me but i know that it i didnt know a few things already i would be a bit consed (only mostly in the first half) but that might be becase its an oc story. i was confused at the beginning of HFiSH too but now i get it so i dont really want to lable it as a problem becasue its only the first chapter. my other 'problem' is with the tags. again nth major i just think that some people that only read the tags might at first think that the work is from suns' perspective so maybe have the first relation ship tag be and oc & oc charecter one as to not confuse people?

while reading i also saw two things im not sure were intetional and becasue piotr helped me with my own mistakes yesterday i thought i should do so too

i think its supposed to be 'is' instead of 'are'?

and here i think its supposed to be shift instead of sift, not sure?

also i only saw it once but you used Mass Ascension twice, once with capital letters and once without it. not sure if that was intentional but i myself like to capitalize words that i deem important and ig you wanted to do that too? If not my mistake but it was sth that stuck out to me.

But maaan i really dont want to be negative here, sry if that came across as that but i just thought it might help!

I really really like the way you write, dont know why but it is very satisfying to read for me

also, ofcourse, the story till now has me already hocked and im happy to see were it will go in the future

I also cant wait to learn more about Whisper and espeacilly Gales. Also i like the way you mentioned Suns not just out of nowherer

Already saw the art ofcourse but i cant state enough that it aswell is just as amazing as ever

[woven cedar]

I think that's already correct? Sift = searching/examining through in this case probably?

[unique patrol]

Where did you have issue hooking up to the text? I tried to keep the entrance level information required to understand as low as possible. All the reminiscing was to introduce the characters I will later use. If I have missed an aspect where I assumed to much, tell me

[sterile briar]

tbh i just put it in google translator and it came out as sth related to baking so i wastn sure

[unique patrol]

I used my magic the gathering terminology there and there exists a card that uses sifting as methodically scanning content

[sterile briar]

for me the most confusing part would be where excactly gales is right now and what her problems with the acid are. i know that ofcourse already because ive been reading the thread for a while now but if i hadnt i think i might get confused. sry im really not sure about that though!!!

[unique patrol]

Hmm, Location issues. I see. I see what I can do to specify it a bit. It is just a random corridor in the Shifting Gales area of the superstructure. Barely outside the antigravity section

[sterile briar]

yep, ig new readers might just think that because she is an iterator, that she has to be in her chamber?

i would have had at least

[unique patrol]

And I hoped the broadcast intro would shine enough on the issue the acid causes. With her laboratories being unable to be accessed (connections corrode away) and breaches being mentioned.
...
Hm, I see what I can do.

And yes, the mobile aspect. Hmm .... didn't got conveyed correctly. I will see if I can find a section where I can specify it

[unique patrol]

I was very confused there as well. Because if you are using they as pronouns you should be forced to use it in conjunction with are.

[sterile briar]

i really didnt want to call it problems because all these things can be explained more in future chapters. also starting story not fully explained right from the start is normal. the reader gets enogh information right from the start so they should be fine

[unique patrol]

Also yeah, I was a bit crazy last night and wanted to get this out :3
Happy you enjoyed it

[sterile briar]

true, i always use an is if its used as a pronoun but i think i have to make it clear that english isnt even my first language so pls dont rely on my word all that much. the sift alone was already only confusing for me because ive never seen the word. i just was happy when piotr helped me so i tried to do the same

[unique patrol]

Much appreciated

[sterile briar]

but i really didnt want to focus on all of that. i only really wanted to congratulate first chapter is out and you did a great job. hope it gets more attention soon

[woven cedar]

Tbh i also actually thought of 'sieve' when i saw that, and then i thought it works conveying the meaning so it's probably the same lol, just learn sift is its own action not necessarily the same as 'sieving'

[mental cosmos]

This is absolutely correct.

[sterile briar]

lmao i just saw it translated to sieve and i thought that cant be right

[unique patrol]

:3
Also I am glad the suns part didn't feel forced. They have a bigger role in the near future but I wanted to ease their integration slowly into the story

[mental cosmos]

Actually, nevermind the they-them statement.

[sterile briar]

also i screamed when it sayed that ||suns had sent the messanger out for the second time and that they hoped that they were save, ||very mean

[mental cosmos]

You’re referring to the object.

Names are always referred to by “is”.

[unique patrol]

Ah great. So the new pronouns ignore English grammar rules. Great Just swimmingly for non natives to learn and understand.

[mental cosmos]

Unless there are multiple of them.

[mental cosmos]

No, don’t mind that part.

I was wrong there.

[unique patrol]

Oh boy

[mental cosmos]

“They” is always followed by “are”.

Just that here, you’re referring to the name itself, not the pronouns.

Seven Red Suns is their name.

[unique patrol]

I see

[sterile briar]

grammar

[mental cosmos]

I don’t know why I focused on the pronouns.

[unique patrol]

Mean but important. Important for later :3

[mental cosmos]

Karessra is their username.

[sterile briar]

well it tells you very good around what time it plays so for that its great

still hurts

[unique patrol]

Ehhh, not quite. Because that message is after all a relic of the past she never read. Means .... no, I don't have to spoil everything

[sterile briar]

oh wait yeah im so dumb

[unique patrol]

So, added a small sentence into the broadcast to specify the damage the acid causes right from the getgo

[inner steeple]

Absolutely in love with this cloak shape

[static pecan]

Oh right that reminds me, I know that this is supposed to be like their symbol or something but the only thing I can see is a very poorly drawn star lmao (no offence)

[unique patrol]

Hehehe, no offence taken. I want to redo it either way. Imagine instead 5 trailing souls meeting in the middle, circling around an uncolored center.
I will redo it when I continue drawing her

[woven cedar]

I thought of Luma (from Super Mario Galaxy) with very thin legs

[unique patrol]

<.<

This...is not much better

[static pecan]

Well now it does not have that poorly drawn asthetic

[unique patrol]

still a dancing starfish

[static pecan]

Also does FLU also have a digital screen like SG? Cause they look simmilar

[woven cedar]

Just iterate more until you find it satisfactory

[unique patrol]

No, she does not. I try to fix that.

[static pecan]

Yoo this is just like rain world

[unique patrol]

the digital screen is exclusive to Gales due to for what the Ancients purposed her

[static pecan]

Hm i guess it's just that FLUs colors make it look like they have SGs face screen

[unique patrol]

An unfortunate fact I want to adress. I want to give her more of pebbles' eyes.

[static pecan]

Like white ones?

[unique patrol]

Flat rendered ones. Unlike Moon's, who are like puppet buttons

There, this looks decent

[static pecan]

Wait they have different eye types??? I did not even notice

[static pecan]

Getting somewhere

[unique patrol]

I base this mainly on the fact that moon's eyes in the official art reflect shine like an protruding oval would

[static pecan]

I mean we don't have much up-close pebbles art, no?

[unique patrol]

fair

[static pecan]

Only the one for visiting him for the 1st time as surv

[unique patrol]

the splashart I never saw because pebbles fricking murdered me

And I didn't want to go through unfortunate development again

[static pecan]

Lmfao

[unique patrol]

all that for a pearl that started my curiosity about the lore. One which I lost in the area of pebbles and tried to regain before leaving.

It was a weird undocumented brown pearl with azure shine. When I finally got it to moon it turned out to be one of the faded broadcast pearls from spearmaster's campaign, but nobody on the wiki bothered to mark that pearl on the map as a unique non unique pearl

I carried that useless pearl around for hours

[naive radish]

Okay I'm sorry for saying this but this just reminds me of Iberostar resorts

[unique patrol]

Hahaha

[unique patrol]

A small sketch for the next chapter.
Do only unveil it if you want to get severely spoilered!

[static pecan]

||okayyyy is that a bigass scav or is SG tiny?||

[unique patrol]

Yes ... and yes

[unique patrol]

I honestly love the fact that I can write and draw. It might cut effectivity of either in half, but it is a beautiful thing to picture what you wanna write

[steady whale]

||I was wondering why the pearl was so BIG||

[unique patrol]

Ok, this is amusing and honestly cute. I always imagined Shifting Gales‘s voice like the voice of one of my best friends with a slight synth vibe. (Is a he, but he has like the perfect bright voice for her.)

Guess what he told me earlier today after reading the chapter. That he wants to try voicing Gales. Two idiots one braincell.

[unique patrol]

Making progress with chapter 2 ^^ Am now already at 1400 words, slowly getting to the meat of Gales' section.

[steady whale]

This is so cute

[unique patrol]

He wants to record first samples in the next days. :3

I am honestly more than only excited about that. He still didn't find the passion to read my other stuff, but Corroded Destiny? An instant read. Adorable :p

[steady whale]

Love that for you!! It’s so nice when your friends genuinely take interest in your stuff

[naive radish]

It is

[steady whale]

I don’t share my fic with my irl friends/fam :3c way too much anxiety for that kind of thing

[unique patrol]

Internet friend.

[solemn valve]

uhh i just read this and apparently we have two almost exact ocs

when did you first come up with the character?

[sterile briar]

well soulwing started his thread on 15 .04 but i think he already knew what he wanted before that? He kinda appeared and already knew what he wanted. Im sure its just an accident. People will always come up with similar ideas if given enough time

but ig you should ask him yourself (well you kinda did that and i just answered instead, lol sry ) but he will be able to give you an actual answer, im just speculating.

[unique patrol]

Amany answered your question already.
I started conniving this story at the 14.04 with the design of Gales, the idea for the plot formed the same day as I played around with the background. I am very used to coming up with complex plots as I go as this is my way of worldbuilding now for a long while. All other characters I designed between that date and the date they first appeared in this thread.

It is unfortunate that we apparently have some similar concepts but I can assure you that this happened only out of coincidence. Because I am only aware of you now for exactly 10 minutes.

I just read what you posted in Disconnected and ... I fail to see the similarities? What exactly is your issue?

[mental cosmos]

Just the moving part, I guess?

I mean, don't get me wrong, I was shocked that someone had the idea of an experimental Iterator gone rogue besides me.

[unique patrol]

Rule one. There are no original thoughts. It is the mixture that makes it unique

[mental cosmos]

Just asked them that should it ever come up that the concepts were similar, that they'd tell whoever asked that we came up with it independently of each other.

Problem solved!

None of us had a problem with the other to keep writing.

I would advise the both of you to do the same.

[unique patrol]

shrug
I am just doing my thing. There is no stopping my thoughts.

[unique patrol]

„I kinda appeared and knew what I wanted“

So that is what being spontaneous yet methodical is called nowadays. :p

[solemn valve]

its that he has screen for a face and also can get off his umbilical and is the 'only model who can'

but i'm not mad or anything its just funny how we came up with the same thing XD

also i made mine december last year

thing is, i have logic behind why he can get off his umbilical without dieing

and his puppet can die and he'll be fine

its the ten 'obscure planetoids' in his structure that house his conscience. their his brain basically and he's 8 times bigger than the normal iterator too-

he has a production line inside his structure too

[unique patrol]

And you seriously thought that I scoured the discord for a random post from last year to reap inspiration from? I am here now for less than a month.
And don't think I have no logic behind it. There is plenty.
And no, she can't exist without the connection to her can ||but her can can exist without connection to her. A redundant factor, a mock-up to conceal her as an iterator.||

[solemn valve]

i wasnt saying you copied me just read this again

plus the designs are both very much different too

[unique patrol]

Well now with more context it does make more sense. But I disliked waking up to what you first wrote, read in a void.

[solemn valve]

srry then

its still a good book tho!

i cant write stuff

and i even tried :dies:

[unique patrol]

Little process update. The Shifting Gales half of the next chapter is now done. 2200 words. The other half will be next. :3

[unique patrol]

Woo! Corroded destiny passed 100 (103) hits. :3

[unique patrol]

Soo, artwork for the chapter is done as well. Turned out to be a bit more experimental, but looks decent nonetheless.
Will however keep it back till I release the chapter later this week ;3

[static pecan]

yippie

[harsh abyss]

I hope that it goes well.

[unique patrol]

It does

[harsh abyss]

Nice!

[naive radish]

Cant wait to see the next chapter aswell! ^_^

[unique patrol]

It will be worth the wait

[balmy silo]

Corroded Destiny 2

It will be worth the wait

[unique patrol]

hehe

[woven cedar]

Looking forward to that as well! ||From that spoiler image, that scav is marked ... Are they friendly or not... they seem to be taking the pearl though...||

[unique patrol]

|| Can't answer that question without spoiling chapter 2||

[woven cedar]

It's ok! Meant to be a rhetorical question. I'm curious to see how things move along in the chapter proper!

[unique patrol]

I can only say so much. ||This scav will be a returning character||

Grr, I am too bad at holding stuff back. I crave to share. Soo, have a glimpse at the spoiler image, now finished. <.<

[static pecan]

Okay yeah Gales is tiny

[unique patrol]

Very tiny. Haven't decided on a canon height yet, but it will be around the 140 cm mark

[woven cedar]

||maybe only just because of the different angle/style, but is the room darker compared to the art for ch.1, i wonder.... Hmm.. ||

[unique patrol]

|| It is darker, yes. The lighting of the structure is dynamic and lights up when she or a citizen is present. With Gales nearly severed the automatism is confused and will dim down as Gales' reserves diminish.||

[woven cedar]

||I see... That doesn't seem very good... I think I can make some guesses now, let's see if I'm right... ||

[static pecan]

ancients did her drity lmao

[unique patrol]

The cute host shouldn't tower over them

[unique patrol]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55635643/chapters/141459922#workskin

And with that chapter 2 is finished. Things start to shape up ^^

[naive radish]

Reading, amazing so far! though "He felt an urge to change the suspect", I beleive you mean subject here?

[unique patrol]

oops

fixed

[naive radish]

Read, I cant wait to see where this story goes!!

Kindof worried about the ||scav|| though

Really good suspense

[unique patrol]

Good. c: Be worried

[unique patrol]

Question: How did you like Whisper and Sky's personalities here?

[naive radish]

Pretty good imo! I think I got the feel for them well 🙂

[unique patrol]

ok, then what kind of feel did you receive? I just want to ask because I am curious if I managed to do it right

[naive radish]

Whisper has anxiety and is worried for their freind. They seem like a somewhat standard individual but they evidently care a lot about Gales and express it

Sky is socially inept 😅 , they are worried about Gales aswell, though that probably could be conveyed a bit more? I think there are probably some implications left hanging

I say socially inept: thats not quite correct

[unique patrol]

Sky is a textbook antipath. He has his own way to show that he cares, but it doesn't reflect well with either voice nor his inner voice. Unlike any other Iterator he has never cared about interacting with the Ancients when they were around as all they wanted from him was of scientific nature.
Analyzing, calm and collected. A slave of logic.

That the ancients built Gales as a direct neighbor to such an antipath with her being empathy focused is yet another mockery on their agenda to frustrate the little iterator

[naive radish]

||I cant help but ship them though||

[unique patrol]

Hehehe.

[woven cedar]

read ch.2!
||I guessed wrong lol. I thought the scav was not going to be an ally, considering Gales has never interacted with them before||
||So Sky was probably not 'mistreating' the slugcat on purpose, then? He just didn't know he's doing something wrong||

[unique patrol]

||Apologies for not having written a villain who kicks someone while they are down. :p The story would find a very quick end if the scav would not cooperate.||

||And yes. He is not at all mistreating the scug. He is treating her like he treats all other experiments of his. With curious interest what his intelligence boosting mutations do to various creatures. Before sending them off to Gales for further research regarding what to do with intelligent animals. You saw it with the suggestion of Whisper. He will see that the scug liked it and will be a bit more cooperative, adding it to his observations. Sky needs however further pushes from outside sources to actually change up his mantra to create a messenger.||

[harsh abyss]

Beautiful.

[harsh abyss]

The size difference between Gales and Magnan is just insane to me. 140 centimetres compared to 215.9 centimetres.

[compact niche]

By the way, is there supposed to be a picture in chapter 1?

[steady whale]

Ah, if it’s gone it might be that he used the discord link to host it

That doesn’t work they’ll stop displaying after a few days. Gotta use a different host

I used my deviant art stash

[unique patrol]

I use Twitter picture links

[steady whale]

Hmm

Let me see if it displays for me

Yes it’s still there

[unique patrol]

That link won't falter

[unique patrol]

Supposed to be one picture in chapter 1 and 2 in chapter 2

[unique patrol]

Pictures that are now finally centered. Sheesh, I tried like 7 tutorials

[static pecan]

Yippie

[harsh abyss]

You made the thing well. Just read it. Amazing.

[unique patrol]

Glad you enjoyed it ^^

[harsh abyss]

You’re welcome.

I can see how ||The Ancients’ opinions on Scavengers|| Influenced Her at first, but then she realized that it was actually intelligent and capable of complex thought, and decided that she would take the chance to ||Ask it for help.||. Excellently made.

[static pecan]

Wait are you using code blocks on purpose or did you mean to use spoilers?

[harsh abyss]

Oh. Oops.

There we go. Oops.

My bad.

[unique patrol]

Glad this message was delivered. I was very unsure in these sections if I managed to say enough to allow to follow the trail of thought

[harsh abyss]

You did amazing. You got it across perfectly.

[unique patrol]

My friend recorded Shifting Gales' lines and they sound perfect!

[inner steeple]

Art eated gif
||Love how visceral the gifting of the mark is; I never really thought of how it'd feel for the creature to suddenly have all that info. And Gales just knew how to negotiate lmao, a natural businessiterator||

[unique patrol]

||I thought it would be fitting. The mark is in game an act of force as well, elevating karma and uploading a iterator duolingo speed training. Of course it will be a scary shock.
As for negotiations. Gales likes to keep her stuff, even if it is only a memory of simpler times.||

[steady whale]

The mark is fascinating. I love when writers get into what it means I definitely didn’t brain blast a baby with it in my thing

You gotta wonder, are iterators uplifting creatures when they grant the mark?

I suppose it depends how sentient you consider scugs and scavs to be

[naive radish]

Really if you think about it, its more like making a creature able to obey orders

Again, lack of reciprocal communication, this was something devellopped by the ancients

[steady whale]

That is the likely purpose when it comes to non-intelligent life, but it seems to would be useful to bridge languages as well

[woven cedar]

My take is that since I consider communication to be one of the most important/significant points of becoming truly sapience/developing society/civilization, yes, giving creatures that haven't developed complex language on their own yet must involve giving them extra intelligence in some way

(I also taking liberty here in interpreting Six Grains' words about the 'unimaginable gift', totally not gonna be important in my fic)

[unique patrol]

I just see the mark as information overload. No intelligence boosts but an attempt to share a glimpse of Iterator godhood with the unenlightened. I can imagine that the prowess of the mark shifts with the discoveries and aptitude of the iterator, growing more potent as the years go by.