Figured it was time for an actual intro post haha.
I'm merrydock, but you can call me Merry! I write and draw and am currently big into Outer Wilds! Beware of spoilers!
I post my art here when I remember to (I use #my art if you ever wanna check it out), and you can read my fanfics on AO3! I have several OW one-offs up there, and two ongoing multi-chapter fics.
I am also one half of the Outer Wilds Geological Survey team! If you like Outer Wilds and are even mildly curious about rocks, please check out our project! We aim to do in-depth surveys on all major locations in the Outer Wilds solar system.
Feel free to reach out if you ever want to chat, I love meeting new people! Tell me about your OCs ::)
Thanks for the tags, @nephtheless, @dekkiidan, and @assassiowl!!
Reading: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir...Again! It's my favourite book and seeing the movie adaptation has got me hyped!! I'm following along with the audiobook as I read this time and it's a very fun experience!
Last song: Time Go Fishing - Project Hail Mary OST. It's been playing on my phone nonstop for the past....since it was released haha
Favourite flower: I have two! Red columbine and blue flag. I love seeing them when hiking, they're such beautiful and unique flowers!
Currently watching: Nothing really haha. I was following along with the Artemis II livestreams and I'm doing work with frogs right now so I have a bunch of frog call videos on youtube I watch repeatedly for that!
Current obsession: Outer Wilds ALWAYS, but also Project Hail Mary!! I have been waiting for the movie for YEARS and it's SO good. Amaze amaze amaze!!! I'm gonna go see it for a third time in IMAX tomorrow probably lol
Currently working on: Some original stuff! I've been working on a sci-fi story for years and I've been really feeling the recent ~space vibes~ so I've picked up working on it again! I did a BIG redesign of how my main alien species looks and am slowly finalising details of their culture. It's been really fun and I'm happy to be back into researching mode for a story of mine. I might be putting them up on Art Fight this year, we shall seeee
Last google search: "Orbital period calculation"...It's also the time of my researching mode where I get to double check a bunch of math I did LOL
What are you wearing right now: Black jeans, my very comfy sweater with frogs on it, wool socks, my rings, my tiger's eye necklace, and a floral scrunchy on my wrist!
I'll tag @eruraima, @kyanite-shards, @craniumknight, and @awanderingmuse! As well as whoever else would like to participate :))
Hello, everyone! My commissions are open! If you've been wanting to get your OCs or your favorite critters drawn by me, here's your chance!
As of now, I've got five slots open. Feel free to message me on here, Discord or BlueSky if you have any questions! My prices and my ToS are listed in my Carrd below!
Hi! Here, you’ll see the details of my commissions!
Here are some art examples! ☟
All characters and their owners, in order: 1. Stein, dekkiidan; 2. Stein and Mylo, dekkiidan and merrydock; 3. Nepsie and Grey, nephtheless; 4. Lari and Syen, merrydock; 5. Rondeau and Taeda, me; 6. Kinen, dekkiidan
"Race Against Time" is part of my time buddies series I am slowly writing! It's where the "AU" part of the AU comes in, with a bit of a different ending to the story than the game has (rewriting the ending has consumed most of the time I've spent on this series LOL).
It all starts with Gabbro and my hatchling, Kaolin, practicing flights to the Sun Station:
...Gabbro is by far the better pilot out of the two (but in Kaolin's defense, the sun is Big and Scary).
I really like Kaolin! They're a silly wannabe engineer with a distinct lack of inventing skill, but they're excellent at repairs and love all their gizmos and gadgets. I should post more about them haha.
Any or all, whichever you feel comfortable with sharing 😁🙏
Hey Jadie!!! So many choices, thank you!! I've posted a little snippet from "The Market" here, if you'd like to check that out!
"Old Methods" is part of my time buddies anthology series I am working on! Just a short and sweet piece on the buddies readjusting to life on Timber Hearth in a post-nova AU. It's a far way off from being complete (the contents need a lot of reworking to align with my current HCs and the title is a placeholder until I can think of something better LOL).
Here's a snippet for you, featuring my hatchling, Kaolin!
"Feldsparian Philosophy and Quantum Mechanics" is also part of my time buddies anthology! The goal is for it to be a multi-chapter fic featuring the buddies messing around in the loops in ways I wasn't able to write in OTTU.
Here's the buddies discussing theories on the quantum shards:
AND because I know you've been wanting more of The Best, here's a bit of Chapter 5 for you (which will hopefully be done soon!!):
Thanks again for the ask! I'm so excited to get more of The Best out, it's really fun to write all the founders interacting!
For the WIP tag game, I'm interested in "The Interstellar Propulsion Problem"
Heya!! Thanks so much for asking about this, I'm really excited about it. Warning, Echoes of the Eye spoilers below!
-
"The Interstellar Propulsion Problem" is what I imagine to be one of the major roadblocks when the Owlks were constructing the Stranger. Building a ship that big, and reaching another star system in one's lifetime, renders most "conventional" propellent useless. Unless scale isn't an issue (it's always an issue) or you are consistently generating fuel, propellent-based space travel just isn't the ideal way to travel between stars.
And thus, we have the invention of the solar sails, aka those big green things that unfold on the Stranger! Eris is my Owlk aerospace engineer OC who is responsible for designing them, in what ends up being both his greatest accomplishment and greatest mistake. He's had many roles in the space program throughout his life, from being in charge of orbital calculations to working on the design team as the energy systems guy (he loves a good solar panel), and he loves solving impossible puzzles.
He was determined to solve the Interstellar Propulsion Problem and did so by suggesting a propellent-free mode of propulsion - reflecting particles generated by their sun as a "wind" to sail out of their solar system on. I hope to write the full thought process he goes through when designing these sails, from being inspired by insects, plants, and flying animals to running the simulations to testing his designs and chosen materials.
Here's a little snippet of the intro I've gotten so far:
Thanks so much for the ask! If you (or anyone else) has any questions about this, feel free to reach out! I could yap about Eris and his job for ages haha.
crashes through the wall, starved for snippets of WIPs
I am intrigued by "A New Routine" and "The Market"
eyes emoji
Heya Dekkii!!!
I love both of these actually, I should get around to finishing them. Both are fairly close to being done!
"A New Routine" is the beginning to a time buddies anthology series I am working on! It starts on the very first loop and I hope to continue it all the way to a post-nova AU. Have an excerpt from the first chapter, where Gabbro is messing around on their island and making Hornfels nervous:
"The Market" is a little day-in-the-life fic featuring Eris, my Owlk aerospace engineer! It's him being very him as he socialises in a market on the Home Moon. It ends up being quite the memorable day for him as he meets his future husband :}
Thanks for the ask Dekkii! I hope to share more soon!!
Thanks for the tags, @dekkiidan and @nephtheless! This looks so fun!!! Please check out their posts here and here.
Rules: make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous, and tag as many people as you have WIPs. People send an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and you post a snippet or tell them something about it!
-
Oooh boy. I have more WIPs than I can count haha. My art WIPs are mostly surprise gifts so I will focus on my Outer Wilds writing WIPs:
"Older Than the Universe"
"The Best the World Had to Offer"
"A New Routine"
"Feldsparian Philosophy and Quantum Mechanics"
"Race Against Time"
"Actions Have Consequences"
"The Market"
"Old Methods"
"Encounters"
"The Interstellar Propulsion Problem"
"A Break in the Storm"
These are a mix of canon and OC character stories, across the main story and DLC (and maybe a couple of AUs)! Really puts in perspective how long I've been writing in this fandom lol, some of these WIPs are from 3 whole years ago and I'm still slowly chipping away at them.
I'd love to share some snippets, so if any of these titles intrigue you, please send me an ask! Maybe that will get me in the writing mood today haha.
I tag @eruraima, @lutiaskokopelli, @awanderingmuse, @neflil, @kyanite-shards, and @assassiowl! As well as anyone else who'd like to take part ::)
Fig. 1: Our favourite flight instructor and their rusty namesake!
What is a Gossan?
Unlike the majority of Hearthians, Gossan’s namesake isn’t a specific kind of rock or mineral, but a classification of very weathered, deteriorated, oxidized rock that is rich in iron. When sulphides - minerals containing negatively charged sulphur atoms, which are often bonded to economically important metals such as copper, lead, or zinc - are exposed to the surface, they can oxidize, creating rocks with a “rusty” reddish-brown to yellow-orange appearance. These rocks are known as gossans, and are very important in mining exploration as they can telegraph the presence of an ore body beneath the surface!
Not only can gossans indicate the presence of an ore body below them, but they can actually produce higher quality ore than would otherwise be found! As gossans weather on the surface, metals are “leached”, or freed, from the rock, moving downwards into the ground. These can produce layers of high grade metals between the gossans and their primary ore bodies in a location known as the "enrichment zone". Skilled geologists can even tell what minerals may lie beneath exposed gossans based on colouration and the subtle differences in how the rocks have weathered.
Fig. 2: A leaching diagram of gossan. When rainfall occurs, water can carry metals from the oxidized gossan downwards. These collect at the water table line and enrich the original ore with precious metals.
Find your own Gossan!
If you have a sample of malachite or azurite on a reddish-brown rock - Congratulations! You already have your very own gossan! Both malachite and azurite form by the oxidation and weathering of copper minerals, and frequently occur in gossans, creating rocks with striking red, deep blue, and emerald green hues.
Fig. 3: Oxidized copper minerals azurite (dark blue) and malachite (light blue/green) on gossan.
If you don’t have one, gossans can be pretty easy to spot out in the field due to their distinct red colouration and crumbly, rusty appearance. As weathered rocks, they’re likely to be exposed and clearly visible in outcrops. Laterite is a rock/soil type that may be confused for gossans at first glance - like gossans, it is the result of intense weathering and appears a rusty red, however it will soften and develop a clay-like consistency when wet. Gossans are a rock that will not soften when wet, and often have a characteristic spongy/porous texture. Unfortunately, not all gossans are associated with large ore bodies, so don’t count on getting rich off of finding a sample of these rusty rocks!
Fig. 4: Gossan (left) and laterite (right). Both appear as exposed outcrops with vibrant red colouration, but can be distinguished based on texture - note the spongy appearance of the gossan compared to the laterite.
As a Hearthian who is found at the entrance of the village’s one and only mine, we think it only makes sense that Gossan would be named after a rock that has been so historically important to mining exploration!
Fig. 1: Esker and an esker! (Geological esker image by Phil Camill)
What is an Esker?
Unlike many of the other Hearthians in Timber Hearth, Esker is named after a type of glaciated landform as opposed to a specific mineral or rock type and, other than Moraine, they are the only hearthian named after a process linked to glaciation! Pretty cool, huh?
Haha.
Ahem.
Eskers are an interesting form of glacial deposit formed via ancient fluvial (river or stream) systems that would have snaked their way atop, through or even beneath the glacial ice. As with all fluvial systems, sediments such as muds, gravels and sands would be carried along by the water, and deposited as strata throughout the river over the course of its life.
Fig. 2: Image of a glacial river channel - Columbia University
Now, normally, a river system leaves behind a channel or a valley - leftover from when the river itself cut through the surrounding landscape via water erosion; and this presents itself in the geological record as a sudden dip in elevation infilled by sediments such as muds, sands and stratified gravel. Eskers are interesting because their topology is inverted! This is because of their glacial origins. Remember how we mentioned the rivers that form eskers would flow either atop, through or beneath glacial ice? Imagine the ice as the banks and bed of the river system. Well, when that ice melts, all that’s left behind of the system are those sediments deposited by the rivers which are then left as elevated ridges - hooray, we have an esker! So, the easiest ways to think of them are inverted river channels!
Fig. 3: A diagram showing how an esker forms - BBC
Find your own Esker!
Fortunately, due to eskers being entire landforms, they’re pretty easy to spot! But, you need to be in the correct geological context to ensure you have found an actual esker as opposed to a funky ridge! The easiest way to locate an esker is actually via satellite imagery, as they are easier to identify from a bird’s eye view! You’ll want to be in a previously heavily glaciated area and look out for long, winding ridges of stratified sand and gravel at an elevated level! They can stretch many hundreds of kilometers in length, and due to their relatively uniform topology, they are often likened to railway embankments!
If you want to try your hand at spotting an esker for yourself, we recommend having a look around Eskers Provincial Park or near Breiðárlón, Iceland on Google Maps for yourself if you want to try your hand and spotting some! Once you're confident in the shapes you're looking for, you can have a look elsewhere!
Fig. 4 : Satellite image of an esker near Breiðárlón, Iceland, - Google Maps
Eskers are an amazing geological landform as they provide us with a glimpse into the chilly past of our environment, showing how much of our landscape can be molded through glacial activity, whilst also providing us with vital fluvial palaeonvironmental data such as river direction and the speed at which the river was flowing!
They're also very pretty, just like their Hearthian counterpart, hehe!
We've been working hard behind the scenes on our first official geological report of Timber Hearth! You may not know exactly what goes into a geological survey report, but here are some examples of what you can expect to see in our field notebooks! ;;)
Diagrams, survey notes, geological histories, stratigraphic logs and, of course, Mohs' top rated Timber Hearth tasty treats are all waiting for you in our upcoming publication.
There's a lot of work that goes into surveying, analysing, and writing up all of our field-work, so in the meantime we have a fun mini-series to get to know the inhabitants of Timber Hearth - Hearthian Highlights!
Every Friday, you can vote for a Hearthian of your choosing, and the following Wednesday we will post a selection of fun geological facts in relation to their namesake, allowing you to get to know them on a more personal basis!
Thank you so much to everyone who has engaged with our project so far, we have loads of stuff lined up for 2026, including more survey streams, write-ups, and of course our major reports.
Our askbox is also always open, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop us a line!
Thank you for tagging me, @dekkiidan! These games are always so fun and I love reading through everyone's responses. I love getting to know everyone a bit better. If you wanna check out Dekkii's, you can read his here!
Responses below the cut ^^
Origins of your blog's name
At first, I made my blog mostly to communicate about my "retelling of the game" fic, Older Than the Universe. I thought a little title like "Space Archaeologist" would be cute, as a nod to me "documenting" the game, even though my understanding of archaeology is mediocre at best haha. I switched over to "Space Geologist" when I began working on the Outer Wilds Geological Survey, and it's a title that fits me and my expertise much more I think!
My go-to food order
I am in love with Vietnamese food, that's what I get when I'm starving and want to splurge a little! I get shrimp salad rolls with peanut hoisin sauce to start (and share!), and a vermicelli bowl with grilled chicken and fish sauce as my main (the place I go to always includes two fried spring rolls with this, and they are the BEST spring rolls out of anywhere I've tried). And of course I'll get some jasmine or lemongrass tea! I could eat this every single day, I swear haha.
Overused emoji
Sparkles. 100%. I like to use them ✨for emphasis✨
Current comfort media
So many! But currently it's definitely Outer Wilds (just chilling in-game really helps me relax if I'm stressed) and Legends: Arceus, which I have yet to finish but I enjoy just exploring around and looking at the wild pokemon.
For books, it's Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (which is getting a movie soon!!!). It's my favourite book and it's full of people coming together in difficult times to save the world.
And for Movies/TV shows...probably just any animal documentary haha. I was obsessed with the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet as a kid (my favourite show was Meerkat Manor) and still watch pretty much everything David Attenborough narrates. Earth is so full and so cool and I just love learning about the diversity on our planet.
Songs on repeat
Currently:
Life is Strange - Lord Huron
Where The River Goes - House Phone
Can I Be Beautiful - Common Man (no official YouTube link yet, but you can listen on music platforms!)
Current hyperfixations
Of course #1 is Outer Wilds!!! I don't know if it will ever not be one, it's been going strong since 2023. But man. Avatar also has its claws in me, just something about blue aliens I guess haha. I might eventually share some of my art I've been making on here, I'm very proud of it and love drawing all the cool animals from that franchise!
Oddly specific thing that brings me joy
Being near a pond/lake haha. I LOVE hiking, especially near water, and I love looking for cool critters. Having a whole day to just explore around a pond or marshland, identifying plants and animals I see, taking pictures, foraging, finding cool rocks, hanging with friends - it's just my happy place. Bonus points if I brought my chest waders and can go into the water a bit and look for frogs, fish, snakes, and invertebrates! If I'm out at night I also like stargazing and bringing my UV flashlight around to look for glowing mushrooms and insects.
What smell makes me happy
I don't know if it's technically a smell, but I have always perceived it as one so I'm counting it. There's a certain way the air is in autumn on the first few really cold days after sunny ones. The ground is still retaining heat, but the air is cool and crisp, the wind is stirring, the leaves are just beginning to fall, and you can just smell the change coming down on the wind. It always stops me in my tracks and I have to appreciate it for a few moments when I catch it.
Something I loved as a kid and still secretly do
It's not really a secret secret but make movies! Ever since I got an old secondhand camcorder as a kid, I've really enjoyed making movies. And I went the whole nine yards with it, too. I learned how to write screenplays, would hold character auditions for my friends, and played the role of actor/director/cameraman/gaffer/sound designer/editor lol. My favourite movies to make were horror movies, but I always really wanted to make one of those old Hunger Games fan games like you can find on YouTube haha. I had the script and locations all plotted but could never get all my friends together for it.
I participated in short film competitions all throughout my undergrad and had an absolute blast. I haven't done anything in a few years now and I really miss it, but I still make sure to take 1 minute long videos of scenery wherever I go in case I ever need B-roll haha.
Phone wallpaper right now
(CW: illustration of bones) This gorgeous art by Featherbone! I love their art style and fell in love with this piece specifically. I have a print that's gonna be up on my wall soon, too!
Are you an Early Bird or a Night Owl?
...Neither. Afternoon....Crow? Lol. I find it hard to wake up and get myself going in the mornings but also can't stay up super late. I guess I lean more towards Night Owl because I can stay up pretty late if I am out doing field work or night hiking but I pass out as soon as I get home haha.
If you work, what is your profession, and do you like it?
I am a wildlife biologist! Currently I work with frogs. Most of my work involves remote and historical monitoring but I love getting to do field work, even if it's just hiking out through tick infested meadows to do equipment maintenance. There are definitely aspects I don't like about my job but being able to be outside and see critters, and doing work that will hopefully help conserve local wildlife, is really awesome.
Thanks again for the tag, Dekkii, and thanks to anyone who's read all this haha. I'm tagging @awanderingmuse, @craniumknight, @eruraima, and @lutiaskokopelli, but no pressure! And of course feel free to answer these even if you haven't been tagged!
I’m not sure how many hours I spent on this little guy but Proto-Esker is all done!
I’m so pleased with how they turned out! Modelled in Nomad Sculpt and hand painted and textured in Procreate. Shown with standard and environmental lighting, hehe!
Posting an oldie from February! I believe Gossan should get to wear gloves and wrapped up sleeves at least once in their stupid baka life, thank you very much for coming to my TED talk
