Disconnected Ask Blog

Rain World Ask Blog for my (@angstmachine-rw 's) Off-String AU Asks: Open!

[ask-dced]

Information:

Welcome to the official ask blog for my (@funkytrashsuperstructure) Disconnected AU!

I recommend that you read the accompanying fic first, as it provides some context for the story up to this point. This blog will be "serialized", meaning that the story will continue to play out as time goes on. Updates to the fic on AO3 will also continue, though for a time I will probably be doing some things with the focus, giving some unintroduced characters some time to shine.

Asks are: Open!

The Current Story:

Looks to the Moon is living with a group of scavengers led by the chieftain Dark Spines Along Back. Artificer (known as Firemaker by the scavengers) is also there, having pushed their beef to the side after an altercation with Spines. The messengers that brought her back to life, Rivulet (aka Ruffles), Hunter (aka Spitfire), and Spearmaster have just left for Five Pebbles' can to get life-saving medicine for Spitfire and get Spearmaster's chest pearl removed.

Meanwhile, at the base of a spire in the nearby expanse, Gourmand's colony has to contend with Renegade*, a highly stubborn and dangerous god-machine of legend who harnesses electricity as a lethal weapon. She had gotten into a scrap with scouts of the colony which left a handful of slugcats and herself injured. Despite the altercation, Gourmand allows her to stay as long as she needs to in order to recover, pushing her gently to go to Looks to the Moon's domain. The two god-machines seem like they can help each other, after all...

TL;DR: Moon lives with scavengers, Renegade with slugcats temporarily

*Renegade is Sliver of Straw btw, just to be clear.

Rules:

Keep it PG-13, no NSFW

You may send asks as pretty much anyone (creatures, iterators, oc's, canon characters from an au, etc), or no character at all. However, I have the discretion to consider an ask "non-canon", having no impact on the wider story.

I also have discretion to not answer an ask for any reason, or delay answering an ask until the time is right.

If a mode of questioning/character is not specified, you may be delegated to the Anon Overseer (a strange tan overseer that supposedly belongs to Renegade)

Open Characters, Pronouns, and Preferred Question Source (all characters can receive questions from the Anon Overseer)

Looks to the Moon (She/Her): Iterators, Scavengers

Artificer (They/Them): Scavengers

Dark Spines Along Back (It/Its): Scavengers

Moon Upon Lone Shore (She/It): Scavengers

Myself, Angst Machine (They/Them): OOC lore questions >:)c

References:

(WIP)

Masterlists:

(none lol)

Like what you see here? Join the discord server! We have some cool artists and an entire section for sharing scavenger pictures :)

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singularity bomb toss

If Moon had a porl for every time she was the victim of a rarefaction cell implosion, she would have two porls

Which isn't a lot but it's weird it happened twice

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fuck the great problem

"I can understand the sentiment, don't get me wrong. Just please be kind to those who have yet to abandon their purpose."

"I'd probably still be working on our Great Problem, but... my current state puts me at quite the disadvantage. It's relatively easy to avoid it given my condition, since I need to focus on maintaining myself. Still, sometimes that itch is still there..."

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

(copy/pasted from my discord server)

A year ago from today, I was sitting in my living room with a sketchbook, waiting for the new year to come. I was home from my third semester of college, and had gotten Rain World a little over a month prior. I was new to the fandom, and had barely scratched the surface of it all, but already I could tell that this little indie game had impacted me like few others had.

I'm not going to pretend that what I drew in that sketchbook was anything groundbreaking. The basic concept had been done before, even if I hadn't been fully aware of it. But, you know, it was my spin on it; what if things happened a bit differently for Looks to the Moon? What if her puppet had been broken free in her collapse, and was able to leave her can behind?

I posted the concept and prologue in the Rain World Discord's story channel, and later asked for a name so I could create a thread for it. Mod had given a suggestion, and it stuck, as much as it has messed with my brain chemistry around the word.

Since then, this AU has inspired me to publish over 97k words, improve my drawing capabilities, create an ask blog, and send out a MAP call. I also know that it has inspired some of you out there to create amazing artwork and pursue your own writing! For that, I am thankful. If you told me last year that I'd have done all of this, I doubt that I would have believed you.

I do acknowledge that progress on the fic has been slow for a while now, but I have been working on it! It's simply that this AU has grown quite big, making it difficult to find where I want to go next. Thankfully, I have my lovely beta readers to help me!

With all that being said, thank you all for the support on Disconnected, and I hope that 2025 treats you all well!

-Funky

P.S. Original art is after cut :)

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

Holy shit! Thanks for 500 kudos and 14k hits on Disconnected. Damn.

and all it took was 9+ months of brain rot and a dream. in the end publishing 80k words and 67 chapters. and i'm not planning on stopping either

I want to do something special for this occasion, but I don't know what exactly. I'll figure something out.

Until then though, feel free to join the discord! If I do something I'll probably do it there.

Thanks to everyone who have read and reacted to my fic! Even if you haven't done more than read it, I am thrilled that I have given enjoyment to many for my creative work! Though I do take pleasure in reading the comments people give. Everyone's been so kind so far! (knock on wood)

And special thanks to my beta readers Banan, Chudo, Cy, and Piotro8 for helping me keep on track for the most recent chapters! They really got me out of a rut, haha.

But, either way, have a good day! Cheers to many more words, and good luck with all of your creative endeavors~!

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OOC question, what are the various languages in use now? Many seem to be signed ones rather then vocal, curious about in-world reasoning for that?

*slaps roof of fic* this bad boy can fit so many languages

TL;DR (because this got long fast): Ancient is spoken and universal to all iterators. Suns and Spearmaster's language is a modified, slow hand and face signs. Scavenger language is hand signs. Slugcat language is full-body signs. The reason why the feral creatures sign rather than speak is a combination of not having articulate vocal chops and the simple fact that being quiet is advantageous in the wild.

So. Let's start with the old languages;

First, we have "Ancient", as I've coined it in my notes. It's the language used by iterators, and the Mark of Communication is able to translate the words. All iterators know it and speak it, as at some point in time the language got standardized across the planet for ease of collaboration.

Alongside Ancient, there's the modified Yellow Hegemonic Dynasty sign language that Spearmaster and Suns use. This language is characterized by slow, deliberate, easily-made movements that can be easily read/annotated even through the slow framerate of overseers. This makes it ideal for communication via overseers, though not so much in tight situations requiring fast reaction times.

Then there's the feral languages.

Scavsign is, as it says on the tin, the signed language of scavengers. There is an emphasis on hand gestures, though most signs can be performed with one hand, leaving the other hand free for other tasks. In my asks, I have used ASL as a base for when characters speak using Scavsign. I've used Handspeak.com to help with this, as I myself do not know ASL. You'll also notice how I have characters "speak" from their hands when signing answers.

Finally, there's Slugsign. This language is a full-body slugcat language inspired by these signs made for Jolly Co-op by @bitsbug, though I have also thrown in @druidshollow's sign for Moon from this post! Slugsign is quite expressive, though the vocabulary is not as advanced as Scavsign (though I don't intend to write the two languages grammatically different because I don't want to give the impression that one species is less intelligent than the other). Sitting still is an act of courtesy when others are speaking, however.

Thoughts on why the wild creatures sign instead of speak;

Both scavengers and slugcats use signed languages instead of spoken ones due to a combination of a lack of vocal aptitude and a necessity to keep quiet while outside.

Scavengers are more likely to eventually develop a spoken language, however, for a few reasons;

I headcanon that the scavengers' ancestors were purposed organisms built in some way from the genomes of the benefactors, who seemed to have a spoken language in turn.

A consequence of this is that they may eventually evolve more robust vocalizations as they become advantageous.

Scavengers are probably the next advanced race that will grace Rain World. Let's hope they learn a lesson from their ancestors.

Since Artificer's genocide has ceased early, the growth of the scavenger's society has not been so negatively impacted in the local facility, so their society will continue to advance far past what we see of them after this point in the timeline.

Note: I don't intend for this to be illustrated any time soon within Disconnected. However, because iterators are old as dirt, there is a high likelihood of Moon eventually seeing the scavengers advance in this manner. I think she'd be stoked to see them evolve like this, but also worry that they will turn out just like her parents.

A few extra notes on the feral languages;

There are regional variations for Scavsign, even within iterator local groups. Scavengers tend to be more sedentary, so the scavengers deep in the wastes have a different dialect of Scavsign than the ones living within Pebbles and Moon's facility.

For Slugsign, however, as they are more nomadic, regional variations are fewer and farther between. Ruffles and Spitfire can understand each other just fine, despite originating from different facilities.

Something else, as well, is that it is easier for a slugcat to speak scavsign than it is for a scavenger to speak slugsign, mostly because of differences in anatomy. There are probably a few words that have been exchanged between the two species, though, like what happens with real-world languages. "The Cycle" would probably be a universal one, being some variation of arms crossed over the chest, though I haven't thought much about it in that front.

I have thought about Shore learning to understand Moon's words without the aid of the Mark, but I doubt she would be able to say much of anything that wouldn't be a garbled mess. Kind of like how a dog or chimp can mimic some, but not all, human words, except Shore can understand grammar and meaning

I suppose those are all of my thoughts on the matter for now! I should get a t-shirt that says "ask me about my worldbuilding" or something since this ask was sent in today and I. Uh. Wrote a lot to answer it. I'm sorry character asks *peter griffin death pose*

But, yeah! Thanks for the asks everyone! I appreciate the continued interest and support for my fic and AU! Have a lovely day!

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Do you have a fresh Discord link? Current ones seem to be expired.

(OOC) Ah! My bad. I don't know if I've posted the discord link here before, but here it is!

Not that the asks there are answered any more than here haha. I'll put this link into the pinned post as well.

Thanks for letting me know about that! Have a good day anon!

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

Disconnected DMS 1.1 is out now :)

Steam Workshop::Disconnected DMS + Iterator Extras [1.1: Renegade]

now with 100% more girls

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Question for the rest of the local group (and other iterators)! what effect do you think that moons collapse (and subsequent reawakening and freedom) will have on the quest to find the solution? new paths to explore and all!

(OOC Answer)

Disconnecting a puppet from a can is a very undesirable condition to be in. The puppet (in my headcanon) is the epicenter of control for an iterator, so its absence would be a major detriment. Not to mention that the effort required to disconnect under normal circumstances would be immense, requiring breaking taboos in order to even attempt it on your own.

Disconnection from the can would usually only be desirable if the rest of the can was in a dying or irrecoverable state. But at that point it would require either blind luck and/or the great charity of an iterator's purposed organisms in order to recover it.

Moon's disconnection is, to put it simply, a fluke. In this AU, the mechanical arm and umbilical got hit in *just* the right way to have them both sever from the can while leaving her puppet alive.

All this to say; not many iterators will attempt it. Those who will probably weren't working that hard on the Great Problem anyways. Some may dedicate resources to alternatives to full disconnection; for instance, creating avatars that they can control, or generating simulations and getting lost within their mind.

So, overall, the whole thing probably won't have much of an impact on the Great Problem. At least, under my interpretation. Feel free to tag with any alternate theories or how your oc's would react to Moon's situation!

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(To sny iterator) Do you think there are other planets out there with their own void sea's?

(Being Answered OOC)

I want to begin by saying that the answer to this question... doesn't matter, really, in the grand scheme of this fic. Whether there are other celestial bodies beyond the moon and stars in Rain World will not matter here, and if it does somehow come up in the fic I'll answer this question as I go.

However, I am going to take this chance to do some speculation(TM) about what the universe of Rain World may look like.

Basically, I think that this could be interpreted in a few ways;

Rain World is a planet, like any other. Most planets have void seas.

Rain World is a planet. The void sea is unique to Rain World.

Rain World is the center of the universe. The stars and moon are just plastered in the sky, never moving.

Rain World is, in one form or another, a starting point. Ascending brings those souls worthy into a new world.

Rain World is a simulation.

I like interpretations of Rain World taking place in a sort of "flat earth" scenario. Though interpretations of Rain World being a planet (unique or not) are also cool. Don't really like simulation stuff, though, as ultimately it is meaningless (to me). If the world we lived in ended up being a simulation, I wouldn't let it impact my life so much. Like, what am I gonna do about it?

Anyways, thanks for the ask! :)

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

here we go

Steam Workshop::Disconnected DMS + Iterator Extras

she's finally here

surviving for you

she's the first member of the dc'ed crew

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Fuck you *undooms your yuri (queerplatonically)*

This is complete (other than if someone finds a spelling/spacing mistake in which case those errors never existed <3)

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

average au brainroy compilation

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

compilation of snippets from my ramble channel on my discord (link expires in a week) that i think deserve to see the light of day, in various amounts of quality and canon compliance

a taste of what is to come:

quote screenshots from here

plus this for a comic that may/may not ever see the light of day. premise is moon and ren in the far future getting puppet repairs and experiencing a qualia together during it.

i think i project on moon too much for her to not be acespec/arospec in some way but i think qpr slivermoon could be a fun direction to take their relationship in dc'ed.

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For LttM: What are some things you like or found fascinating about the slugcats and scavengers you've met so far?

BSM: It's one thing to watch their daily lives... it's another to be a part of them. BSM: Let's see... for instance, Crack of Lightning. She has gone through her elite training and rites, yet she has found her passion to be in tailoring. BSM: I've been trying to learn from her, though the process has had some unforeseen complications. I... don't have a lot of memory storage at the moment. And though I have intermittent access to my memory arrays, writing to them is far more resource intensive than reading from them. Pearls are even worse for this... BSM: So, I have to pick and choose what information to retain, and what I will need to overwrite. BSM: But that isn't what you asked about, is it? Sorry, yes... Lightning. She's rough around the edges, but doesn't mind me watching her work. She's been teaching me how to sew, and suggesting I practice by repairing my cloak a bit. Which... I agree, though I am worried I might just make it worse. BSM: I'd... rather keep my cloak in one piece... or two pieces, considering a part has already been torn off to cover my broken eye. BSM: Then there's Artificer, or Firemaker, as the scavengers call them. I am... familiar with their story. A toll passing gone wrong, two pups lost, and the toll ultimately deciding to save Artificer's life. Whether it was an act of mercy or a punishment to prevent them from cycling back, I cannot say. The scavengers who made that decision are long dead by their hands. BSM: I cannot condone the acts of violence they enacted on the scavenger population. But I can somewhat relate to the irrationality and confusion that would come with losing someone close to you, even if I never had a relationship as close as that of a mother and their children. BSM: Regardless, they have been helping me greatly with mobility in the outside world. They've been carrying me to the arrays every few cycles so I can communicate with the others, like I am doing here. I think they prefer it to the scavenger den. I can feel the tension in their body when they're there, even as they sleep. Maybe they're concerned about my safety, or about the scavengers turning on them, or them turning on the scavengers... but... BSM: ... BSM: Moon Upon Lone Shore is not my child, but she is probably the closest I can get, given what I am. I'm her... aunt, to put it in their terms. A figure who has a significant involvement in her life. Which... I can't help but be proud of. BSM: It means a lot to me that I can have a positive, tangible impact on their lives, rather than one that is abstracted by Spines. No offense to it, of course, but I have found that I like the direct interactions I've had with... everyone, really. BSM: I especially appreciate how open most of them are. They don't hide their true feelings behind flowery language and pleasantries... not that they aren't kind. They're just more... blunt. Direct. Something which I have grown to appreciate, especially as I don't have as much energy to dedicate to decoding and interpreting their words. BSM: It's... strange, isn't it? How I have grown attached to these creatures that I have known for less than a percent of my lifetime, while... BSM: Never mind that. I shouldn't speak ill of those who have transcended. They were our parents, after all.

BSM: ... BSM: Maybe I should take a cue from the scavengers in this regard.

Author's note: This blog is still alive. I've just been Art Fighting, drawing, writing, etc. This has been a bit lower on my priorities, in the end.

Things will likely remain slow on here, but I do intend to continue maintaining it. I have, what, 15ish questions in my ask box? Probably won't get to everything in the end, but asks are still open.

I hope you enjoy today's answer, I quite like it!

[funkytrashsuperstructure]

Monk encounters a blue freak on their quest to find their sibling

7 months of writing, 60 chapters, all have culminated into this masterpiece

Thanks for 400 kudos and nearly 11k hits on the fic btw! Means a lot. Consider this my thank you gift I guess

[ask-dced]

soup jar

Looks to the SOUP!

OOC under cut

Scavenger actually exists. ID 10067 :)

This blog still lives, fear not. I'll get to things eventually (TM)

Also, if you wish to attack some of the DC'ed characters this July for Art Fight, they are here! At the moment I have Moon, Renegade, and Shore, though I'm thinking of adding more later.