Keeping us safe.

Don't worry, we know it can get confusing trying to distinguish who's who- so we'll tag our posts with an H and a T so you know!! { PLEASE read the about page before interacting!!! For theme links, hover over the tip top of this sidebar. Current icon by Bloodychainarts }

[askingsimulacrum]

[ This blog is still alive!! I went through a very very rough period and lost all energy to do art for a while.. I’m still working on owed art, but I’m almost done! Then this blog will be coming back. Though, I may change a few things to get through asks quicker since it takes me so long to do an answer and I still don’t have much art energy in me. We’ll see! ]

[askingsimulacrum]

[ This blog is still alive!! I went through a very very rough period and lost all energy to do art for a while.. I’m still working on owed art, but I’m almost done! Then this blog will be coming back. Though, I may change a few things to get through asks quicker since it takes me so long to do an answer and I still don’t have much art energy in me. We’ll see! ]

[askingsimulacrum]

(theghostcity) Wit: Ok so! What exactly is this guild for? Do you fight demons and monsters? catch outlaws? rescue people? educate? run commerce?

There was nothing but pain and a glimmer of anger in Helio's eyes, as he explained.

"It's not safe anymore to even fuckin' go for a walk. Whatever.. Virus, or whatever disease that spread to most of the others, it made them aggressive. Some grew, some became smarter. Most of us have someone we lost."

Lulian's eyes looked up from what she was doing at the desk, only to quickly look back down. Made herself more busy. This was a topic neither of them wanted to think about- but it was life to them. They didn't have to. At least, until now. Being presented, again, with a future that led to nowhere but death when everyone finally gave in. No hope for a cure. To be brought down to visceral emotions and the absolute need to fight to survive. Why would they want to think about it any more than they had to every day?

"Ya' want to see for yerself? Look out the fuckin' window."

Helio pointed half-heartedly to a crack within the boards that covered up anything that could be broken through. Lulian looked like she wanted to say something, but thought better. It wasn't something that she thought anybody needed to see. It was hard to take.

{ @theghostcity }

[theblastedheath]

Truman: "Is.. Is that the name of a band? I LOVE bands!!! Are you a member?? What instrument do you play?"

"That would be quite an interesting band though! Maybe...indie?

There's no members either, since it isn't a band. The Filtration System are Dawei's personal assistants! Their base is this village!"

[askingsimulacrum]

!!100 followers!!

This blog has reached its first big milestone, with hopefully more to come in the future!!! To celebrate, I'm going to be holding a design raffle, so prepare for that. Gonna be fun!

Thank you guys for being patient with my update schedule.. I swear this blog isn't dead, I'm just currently going through a lot of work related stress that has at times rendered me pretty vegetable-y. Things will happen soon!

[askingsimulacrum]

I made a server!

{ Normally I would do a promo post but my head is killing me and I want to start this out tonight, just so I can type this all out now before a busy-ish day tomorrow.

Some information:

!! Server is 18+ only !!

- It’s open to writing and art ask blogs all the same, no biases here!!

- I added some roleplay channels because I, too, am a writing nerd.

- May get an IC group chat channel too.

- There’s a daily prompt channel to help kickstart some doodle ideas

- We have a blueflag system. If someone is talking about something triggering, you can react with a special emote to have them move to the dedicated blue flag channel

!! Invite only !! You have to DM me for an invitation, as there is a bit of a screening process. I’m looking to create a safe and welcoming environment, and we all know of those transphobes and stuff that hang on to this community for dear life. If you’d like to be a part of the screening team as well, you can always shoot me a DM! I will keep the screeners anonymous, to avoid shit thrown at them. }

[askingsimulacrum]

{ An update!! IC groupchat channel has been added. Prepared for shenanigans }

[askingsimulacrum]

[ If anybody out there ia feeling discouraged because their art doesn't get a lot of attention, or you use a media that just in general gets kind've ignored in the long run.. Just know that I am your fan and I love what you do!! I'm rooting for all of the underdogs out there! ( Unless of course you're doing something gross/illegal but y'know. Disclaimers n all that ). ]

[ Share some love between yourselves and fellow artists. Give everyone a compliment or two if you see their art getting ignored. Spread positivity!! :) ]

[askingsimulacrum]

[ Happy birthday to me!!! :] ]

[secretdelibird2021]

To: @askingsimulacrum

From: @duskffyart

[askingsimulacrum]

[ A new bab for the blog!! This l’il guy is going to be the captain of the scouts. A little wobbly while flying, but both Truman and Helio trust him to get the job done! He’ll be on the blog sooon. ] [ The person who made the design was Spookawaii :] ]

[askingsimulacrum]

Ask call!!

[ Could use a few more asks, so I'll do an ask for an ask! I'll be making an ask hints post tomorrow too. Taking a break in the plot to let Helio interact with other characters, so technically your asks don't even have to be plot-related. I only ask for no just hello asks. ]

[askingsimulacrum]

The ask hint page is up!!

[askingsimulacrum]

Ask Hint Page

!! PLEASE NOTE that your character does not have to ask something important to the plot. They are MORE THAN WELCOME to just interact. Have fun with it! This blog has plot but it's plot that can FORWARD ITSELF so please don't feel obligated to follow this list to a T !!

Trulix ( Helio, Truman, and X ):

☆ How did they become a guild leader?

☆ Literally any questions about DID they will answer. Helio knows more than Truman does.

☆ How did they get their cybernetics?

Truman:

☆ How can you be so happy with things the way they are?

☆ Do they like their alters?

☆ Why is Helio so protective?

☆ They like to sing? Why? + any questions about music.

Helio:

☆ Why so grumpy?

☆ Why so protective of Truman?

☆ Thoughts on Truman?

☆ Why the pony tail?

☆ Do you see yourself as a good person?

Any members:

☆ Where are they? What is this place?

☆ How strong is Trulix, really?

☆ Why do hybrids get so much flak?

☆ What exactly are those hunting parties mentioned?

☆ What happened to the world?

[askingsimulacrum]

Ask call!!

[ Could use a few more asks, so I'll do an ask for an ask! I'll be making an ask hints post tomorrow too. Taking a break in the plot to let Helio interact with other characters, so technically your asks don't even have to be plot-related. I only ask for no just hello asks. ]

[askingsimulacrum]

A snort at the comment from Helio. There was no intentions to get up, and quite frankly he really didn’t want to. The urge to just.. Drift back to sleep was so strong now. Only thing keeping him awake was the short Umbreon standing above him.

“Wasn’t gone long enough. Damnit, Lulian.. I was so close this time. What the fuck.”

Lulian could only offer a sad smile in return, knowing from experience that nothing she could say here would help. Sometimes, silence was the best answer to tricky things. It was one of the reasons that Helio tolerated her presence. She knew, because he often brought it up after spending time with the others. After the silence stretched a bit too long, and it seemed pretty evident that the guildmaster was actually falling asleep, she spoke up. Moving all the while to walk to the desk in shambles by the opposite wall.

“You know, you almost scared off one of our new recruits. I was able to calm them down enough to bring them to the guest sleeping quarters. Still, I’m sure they’ll be sleeping with one eye open tonight.”

“Well, the fuck did he expect? Showing his face around here like that. Only reason I didn’t fry their ass was because of Truman who...” He sat up then, and touched his claws to his cheek. “Stopped me..”

“You’re a hypocrite. Talk the big talk about how important bravery is, then you look down on someone who’s brave enough to show his face to you after that.”

A scoff and a laugh.

“Sure, I guess. Whatever. Didn’t seem very brave when I got rightfully fuckin’ mad, did he?”

“You’re scary. I don’t blame them. Anyway, you’ve got more guests.. From... Somewhere?”

[askingsimulacrum]

[ New header image! ]

[askingsimulacrum]

[ For real though like- it makes me so happy to see resource posts and the like bein' spread tonight. DID and OSDD and the like get so much shit from all sources. I dunno where I fit into anything. I dunno if I'm just crazy or if the things I've heard/hear are actually there, but this is a hill I will die on to spread positivity and actual factual information. ]

[ask-andante]

Hello. Do you have any advice for someone who is freshly making a character with DID ˙˚ʚ(´◡`)ɞ˚˙?

sorry am late..! i don't check here that often smh

ended up long WOOPS

Honestly I wouldn't consider myself a great source even if I found out abt own system last year aha aha aha...............

Your best bet is to check DID resources/information blogs, but also especially to ask other systems abt your plot/characterization/motivations/etc if it directly involves the system. Gettin a second opinion from several different systems could help u out a lot, I don't remember too much from 2015/2016 but I was in a Discord server years ago w a few systems who I asked w their permission..! https://did-research.org/ iirc this site is good and that's all i got for text stuff ABABABA. sorry i don't have many links, used to just return to them from history or seeing the already clicked on links on google and stuff instead of saving em 0(!

Anything that uses MPD or split personality please take w a grain of salt, those terms are outdated and I've become very wary of anything using them. It could be likely the information they're using is just as outdated as the term [which it was changed in 1994 btw]. i'm sure u prolly know this tho but fer anyone who may not..!

I'd say also check out actuallyDID or similar tags on tumblr and see what people are postin about. I'd warn that there could be vent posts w heavy topics in there tho, that is a big side of the disorder after all. Ofc remember to view those things critically. But gettin an idea of day to day life or struggles and whatnot isn't somethin that typically shows up in a disorder symptom outline list.

https://www.youtube.com/c/DissociaDID/videos this a good channel tho most of their videos had to be privatised, and they can no longer post for the most part. 0( it was really shitty to see happen

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRingsSystem/videos this system's channel hasn't posted in forever but is also one i liked!! iirc they're going into the field [i can't remember if it was psych or therapy] specifically to learn abt and spread better awareness abt systems! sometimes they even bring other systems onto the channel!! WAAAAA

oh and ofc if u can find one, a meme group abt having system. the one i'm in is on FB tho haha.........

ofc in the end i'd say anythin you might stumble upon, if u have the ability to, ask another system or two if it's pretty accurate or not. but one system doesn't speak for all experiences either, ofc. bit of a tricky situation..!

but ultimately as long as it's respectful and u don't do spooky murderer alter u should be more or less ok haha. it's hard to even just get a character that's even researched honestly.

haha funny meme https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/820137453587005470/912029857834213406/257668227_3181076982120727_1098319046758256954_n.png HAHAHA this one too

[reticent-fate]

OP we are SO SORRY to hijack your post BUT we have been a fan of this comic/blog for years + this ask blog was INTEGRAL to us beating our plural egg up, and we have spent the last ten years researching plurality. We’re also working on a series of essays talking about the way to respectfully write a system, in regards more specifically to a lot of plural-coded tropes (seen below in one of the lists).

There are going to be a few little pieces to the following essay, broken up into neat little chunks for ease of perusal:

Resources and References (including other essays, Youtube channels, etc; yes I know it’s non traditional for an essay BUT that is our bouncing off point here)

Tropes to avoid wholesale

Tropes to tread cautiously around

Things we would love to see more of in plural-related media

Some of our other thoughts, messily strewn about in a little salad bowl

SO. UNDER THE CUT, IF ANYONE CHECKS THE NOTES AND IS LF MORE IN-DEPTH SHIT. OP HAS A GOOD SELECTION BUT I ALSO HAVE WAY TOO MANY RESOURCES.

Before we begin, though: content warning ahead for mentions of integration, forced integration, evil alter stereotypes, and other general Singlet Nonsense!

Stay safe and skip this one if it’s not your cup of tea!!

1: Here are those resources, first off:

Youtube Channels:

We second the inclusion of The Rings System here! Their videos are incredibly informative, and they also make a lot of great threads on their Twitter for consideration!

The Alexandrite System (collabs sometimes with Rings, system also posts threads on Twitter that are very informative!)

Power to the Plurals (founder of The Plural Association! Also post lots of good informative stuff to YT and Twitter)

Plural Events (archived Plural World Conference talks!)

Essays and Written Website Resources:

https://system-dictionary.carrd.co/

https://sites.google.com/view/plural-terms

http://healthymultiplicity.com/ <-Has a few links to resources for singlets, including a system’s guide to writing plural characters as a singlet.

https://lb-lee.dreamwidth.org/1111069.html <-If you only read one thing on this list, PLEASE let it be this. This is such an in-depth, amazing resource on the history of plural communities.

2: Tropes to Avoid

The Evil Alter: GOOODDDDDD Hollywood LOVES this trope. It’s part of a larger issue in creative functions that seeks to demonize the neurodivergent, but we wanted to reinforce OP’s emphasis on “do not do the murder alter thing, please.” Seriously.

The REAL One: THERE IS NO REAL ONE. STOP THAT. STOP THAT RIGHT NOW. There can be a range of headmate development, but ALL headmates are no less real than any perceived “original.” Not every system even has what might be referred to as an “original,” either!!!

Superpowered Evil Sides: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. HOW TO MAKE ME GRAB THE SINGLET SPRAY BOTTLE. IMMEDIATELY. WE HATE THIS ONE ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE EVIL ALTER TROPE NGL.

3: Tropes to Tread Cautiously

Integration is the Only Way: What we’re calling “Integration is the Only Way” is, unfortunately, a broad reflection on what we’ve seen in terms of how plural folks are treated institutionally and societally. Forced integration specifically rarely works and tends to just re-traumatize people, but there’s a prevalent idea that singlethood is the only way people can be happy. If you’re writing a system, integration doesn’t have to be an end goal for them, and--- considering how often it fails--- it probably shouldn’t be especially if they don’t want that. There are systems who do look for integration to deal with the disorderly parts of their plurality, but many systems also look for healthy multiplicity, in which all headmates work together and live together as a system.

Any trope that smells suspiciously plural-coded. This can include possession, crouching moron/hidden badass, amnesia (specifically in the flavor where someone forgets a whole bunch and SUDDENLY they are nothing like they were before they got hit with the forgetti stick), and the way fusion is often depicted in media like SU or DBZ, to name a few tropes to consider carefully. All of these can serve to other plural individuals through “mystifying” plurality (ie: making it magical, and thus reinforcing the idea that plurality is “all just fake”). It’s not an instant “hm, maybe don’t,” moreso just a... tread cautiously. Some of these tropes could actually be used to investigate pluralphobia in an empathetic and meaningful way, but like. Just be careful, lol.

4: Things We Would Like to See in More Media

Normalized, healthy plurality. This is for all of us folks who cannot or do not want to become a singlet. Sometimes being part of a system can be really annoying, because “oops I keep losing shit and not remembering important things,” or “oops this is an important conversation but we’re so dissociated to high hell nothing is reaching the brain juice” but also it pretty often provides systems with their literal support systems. Headmates do not have to hate themselves or their fellow headmates. That would be like looking at an apartment building and assuming everyone there wants nothing more than to maul each other. Doesn’t make sense, right?

Diverse systems! This can mean a whole lot of things, but anyone can be plural, so it’d be great to see media reflect that!!! Trans systems! Systems of color! But also! Internally! Not every system is full of facets or headmates that share the same face, maybe not even the body’s face! Nonhuman headmates, introjects, the whole shebang! Headmates are not bound by anything more than what face they can find for themselves.

5: Loose Thoughts Scattered About Like Fruit Salad in a Plastic Container

If you’re going to research plurality in general--- not just DID, but the whole grab bag of wild and wacky multiplicity stuff--- then please do what you can to be considerate of the diverse plural experience. There are a lot of misconceptions about plurality, as addressed above. Look into plural sensitivity readers, if you can!

Many systems uses different language specific to their needs and comfort. Some systems dislike medicalized terms like “alter,” preferring terms like “headmate” instead, as an easy example. There are a few dictionaries up higher in this post for perusal for this exact reason!

Similar to the above, not all headmates will fall into alter categories. They may not even like the terms, even if they fall into them. Language and labels are really complicated! Keep in mind the way whatever system you’re writing uses language. Some headmates may like or dislike certain terms more than others (we have a few folks who really like “alter” more than headmate, for example). Which leads me to my next point...

Not everyone in the system is obliged to agree on everything. Some things are weirdly inexplicable in terms of differences (one of our members has a visceral texture reaction to certain foods, but another few of us can’t eat the triggering food enough).

Understand that the causes behind plurality are complicated and weird, and the jist of what you need to know without getting into the weeds of sysc*urse is this: some folks are plural because they were hurt, some are plural because ???, and some created their systems for whatever reason in some capacity. Brains are weird and as of right now there are really only theories about this stuff, which aren’t really concrete because no one can agree, lol. So... make your systems weird. Go buck wild! Just please don’t write another damn Evil Alter Movie.

Addendum: for the sake of everyone’s sanity and safety, do not touch sysc*urse if you are not a system. Please. //skull emoji//

IF YOU HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR, CONGRATULATIONS! PLEASE GO MAKE SURE YOU’RE HYDRATED AND EVERYTHING!

I’M GOING TO LET MY HEADMATES DRAG ME AWAY FROM THIS POST NOW BEFORE I OFFER UP A DISSERTATION’S WORTH OF ESSAY.

Additionally, while we can’t offer full sensitivity reading at this time, if you want to know any more or ask anything specific, please feel free to drop by our ask box (we have anon disabled though)! For now though! Off I go!

-Tia [DG]

[askingsimulacrum]

[ I'm gonna share this again on here because- as a blog about a very small system- this is all very very important to share and also? And also? Listen. Come here. Come close. ]

[ If I see anybody making alters who are evil shits and just front to hurt or kill or whatever the like I will personally kick your ass. I'm so TIRED of it. Alters are there to protect the host and for survival. For example, Helio is a hard ass and a jack ass but he is the protector and he will hurt anyone who is trying to hurt his alters or himself or the body, and especially. Especially Truman, the host. ]

[ This makes me so happy to see, as someone who has made this blog and is working on my game about the lads to spread DID positivity because let me tell you, it's bare bones and absent in media. ]

[ Okay that's all I'm not trying to hijack any posts ]