Twelve have mercy

FFXIV rant blog, probably - Don't come find me - icon by @keju-doodlez - formally ayoaibori - follows from @emetsbrows, maybe

[natstolemysocks]

Pinned

The home of morbols, arcanima, ixal, blues, fish, onions and a tad too many vaguelly and less vaguelly adjacent stabbers. Grand company muppet turned adventurer. Will probably one day die clutching my Channeler's Horn unless a more aesthetically pleasing summoner's horn comes up. Book bonking is life. (Wait... No not in that way, st---!!)

Posts about: - stuff - the fun things that happen with glam when dark in eorzea

Previously pinned messages: (April 23rd 2023) (January 2nd 2022) (August 1st 2020)

[natstolemysocks]

Giving some jobs the love I failed to give in the past, I stumbled upon this fun pair of trousers that totally does not make it look like I'm wearing some strange hanging frills with odd underwear and kneepads.

These are the Brigand's Breeches, which drop from the Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak. When dressed in the full Brigand's gear, the tall Brigand's Leggings cover the trousers almost entirely. The Manor Sandals however did not get the memo, revealing another pair of gear that makes me look almost pantsless from a distance.

[1nsecticidal]

Quick color comparison of living vs. dead skin colors on Brown and Black skin. This only has 4 colors but the technique is still applicable to any color.

(The colors are exaggerated to show the contrast as well.)

Written text says: (Left) "yay! This character is alive!" (Right) "This one is not"

Instead of the usual warm tone brown skin has, to make it seem dead I opt for a greyish-blue. Take the color you'd use for when they're alive, add a grey/blue toned overlay, and voila!! The result should still be brown, just duller.

To make an overlay, select the color of the skin and then add a new layer. On that layer, color over the selected area with the cool tone. Lower the opacity until it looks how you like. This might differ depending on the software you use, but I use Ibis Paint x.

@creatingblackcharacters

[natstolemysocks]

RIP

[teathattast]

[confusedtia]

@natstolemysocks did we match this time?

[steelclackers]

And this is for @thebroodinginsomniac !

[natstolemysocks]

11.Has your OC ever been the object of someone's affections that they did not (or could not) reciprocate?

Since no character was specified, I will answer for Ayo'a. Yes, Ayo'a has been the object of someone's affections he felt he could not reciprocate the way she wanted, this being his childhood friend Toka. Toka still carries deep feelings for Ayo'a, but due to differences in temperament and trauma during their first share of secrets, they can never truly be anything other than (awkward) friends.

Thanks for the ask!

[natstolemysocks]

6 for Ayo'a and 7 and 9 for Lea'li 💕✨

Thanks for sending in! (Ye sexy beast /Lilly)

Has Ayo'a ever had their heart broken? Have they ever truly recovered?

There have been many a time Yo'a's had his heart broken. Over lost friendships for example. Over betrayal and percieved rejection of interests. Over no longer being able to do his job or having to hand over his shop. Some of these have turned to healed or almost healed scars he'll nevertheless carry with him forever. Others have simply been experiences that taught him a valuable lesson.

What is the most romantic gesture Lea'li has ever performed? Alternatively (or additionally), what romantic gesture would they most like to perform?

Lea'li is full of romantic gestures. Even when he's brash and cussing like a sailor, he's able to babble poetry. Going out at night climbing buildings and mills with his partner to watch the sky, be shitfaced with them and stay in showering them with all the attention he can give… He's a very giving partner (but not in material area). Though the most romantic gesture from his has to be him attenmpting to craft an eternity ring on his own, all while knowing barely anything about goldsmithing. This all while never having felt the need to make a bond like this official before.

If Lea'li were ever to fill out a Dating Site (or pamphlet or newspaper) profile, then what would they include?

Nudes.

[mimble-sparklepudding]

A Short Ask List About Love.

Does your OC have any difficulty distinguishing between love and lust?

Is your OC at all romantic themselves? Or is romance something they expect others to perform for their benefit?

What does your OC look for in a romantic (or perhaps purely sexual) partner? Is this always healthy?

Does your OC consider themselves to be attractive? Do they put much effort into achieving this?

Would your OC ever take advantage of someone's romantic feelings in order to manipulate them?

Has your OC ever had their heart broken? Have they ever truly recovered?

What is the most romantic gesture your OC has ever performed? Alternatively (or additionally), what romantic gesture would they most like to perform?

Does your OC pursue only monogamous relationships? Or are they open to other, more creative, options?

If your OC were ever to fill out a Dating Site (or pamphlet or newspaper) profile, then what would they include?

Does your OC have a type? Have they ever been surprised by their feelings for someone who doesn't fit this?

Has your OC ever been the object of someone's affections that they did not (or could not) reciprocate?

If your OC were in love, how might they recognise this? Or would they be too much in denial?

Has your OC ever written a love letter (or text message or whatever the case may be)? Perhaps they have even composed a love poem or song dedicated to their beloved?

If they wish to impress someone for whom they have romantic (or at least sexual) feelings, does your OC attempt to present themselves as more confident, wealthy, popular or otherwise impressive, than they truly are?

Is your OC easy to love? If not, then what are the barriers?

[confusedtia]

Met @natstolemysocks at a Starlight celebration 🎄✨🎊

New mugs designs are amazing!

(And by that I mean Limsan ones. Naturally ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ)

[natstolemysocks]

Sometimes performing certain skills gives others more than they bargained for. I recently got my hands on an Imperial Longkilt of Healing, which fit rather alright with the Manusja chestpiece. Only, there is one issue. Whenever I use Collective Unconscious as an Astrologian...

... this is what others get to see:

That looks like a bare arse doesn't it?

Nope, leggings.

(Thanks to @confusedtia / @confusedtia-archive for the scientifically approved upskirts)

[confusedtia]

It just had to start with some piss poor weather, almost like an omen.

And we went further down to explore the Palace of the Dead with my friend Ayo'a (@natstolemysocks), can you perhaps guess the first thing that happened? Indeed...

...now why is it always me?!

At very least this other one wasn't bad ;-)

...until the next development.

Pity it came to that. May she rest easy now.

[natstolemysocks]

The Twelveswood and its mysteries never cease to amaze in how it attracts voidsent activity. (We should think on offering Nymeia lilies. And perhaps clear some of the blood. Now if we had a Morbol-)

[natstolemysocks]

Well, it's been a while since we visited Occult Crescent. Somehow needing to grind my way to knowledge isn't entirely enticing, despite what my usual days would have one believe. Yet this sudden disinterest on my part did not perturb A'nijah at all, and so we found ourselves within the -er- rather 'mindboggling' rooms within the Gelmorran ruins underneath the southern part of the Twelveswood. Strangely unnerving little place that's had me magically gagged and Nijah frogified about every five counts. Buuuut-! It was also the absolute best. For one specific reason. Just. Look. At these absolute beauties!

These lovely aggressive ladies came with their seedlings in tow, showing there's a thriving morbol population within these crystal-lined caverns! I could hardly believe my eyes. Absolutely stunning creatures. We unfortunately did not manage to happen upon buds or fruits, which makes me wonder if perhaps these ladies collect their budding offspring within rooms that were somehow inaccessible to us, yet easily exited by their seedlings. There is definitely enough prey and moisture around for a fresh little morbol to grow, so it is a possibility. Something to think about. Whatever the case, I'm looking forward to spending more time with these gorgeous creatures and perhaps, with some luck, bringing a seedpod up to the surface. How closely related would they be to the morbol and stropers of the contemporary Twelveswood, I wonder? Species: Palace Morbol Location: Palace of the Dead, lvl 17-19, with @confusedtia-archive / @confusedtia

Rating: Gorgeous, a Bad Breath out of 10

[confusedtia]

Met up with a friend @natstolemysocks 🎃👻🕯️

[natstolemysocks]

Had loads of fun, @confusedtia! The two pictures I took:

Reds and Blues (Dante and Vergil in the back)

Is this ceruleum gas you think?

[confusedtia]

Got reprimanded for eating quest cookies...

[natstolemysocks]

I tried to warn you!

[lal-ffxiv]

Now A Hero: Shadowbringers

The 5th Lightwarden a.k.a Alucard Tepes

[natstolemysocks]

Isn't that what happened?

[natstolemysocks]

Another week's end, another trip to the Occult Crescent.

This time the grind has really set in. There is no other way to summon the needed voidsent besides killing its brethren, and those unfortunately one-shot us four times over. Thus we set our minds to levelling through mob slaying, fates and critical encounters. We managed to raise our lvl to 6, but nothing more since every fall cut our knowledge progress in half. A harsh consequence. If we manage to gain 1 lvl per time, it'll be months before we attain the next goal. Let us hope that we are a little luckier next time! Not a lot of pictures this week, except for a shot with our chosen mounts, a most unfortunate one and a very beautiful picture by @confusedtia-archive / @confusedtia:

A'nijah on Seikret from the latest Monster Hunter collab. I'm on Matla (short for Matlactic), the direwolf.

This thing ate us too many times. Curious bugger.

The arcanima team! Picture by A'nijah.