fanart and batfamily fic recs

Please read the guidelines before submitting a voter art request. I'm pentapus on AO3/DW. My art tag is 'pentapoda drew this', which probably isn't a link because tumblr removes it every god damn time I get it to work

[pentapoda]

Current mood: squinting at my discord chat history and Tumblr mutual list trying to guess who i could convince to play ttrpgs with me...

[pentapoda]

but not by asking them... no i must psychically discern answer BEFORE asking... yessss... strategy seems primed for success

[pentapoda]

Current mood: squinting at my discord chat history and Tumblr mutual list trying to guess who i could convince to play ttrpgs with me...

[hansilw]

Eligible voters of the United States!

The NPR voter registration guide has been updated to help get you ready for the 2026 primary elections.

You can find deadlines and the links you need to register and check your registration status at npr.org/vote

How to register to vote and check your registration status

For the 2026 primary elections, NPR has collected deadlines and information on how to register to vote — online, in person or by mail — in e

[pentapoda]

Register to Vote in US Midterms 2026 & Maybe Get a Quilt

Once upon a time, I tried to draw art for everyone who told me they registered. This year, I am offering a prize drawing where the prize is a handmade quilt.

To enter the quilt drawing:

Register to vote in the US in time for the 2026 midterms

Make a social media post mentioning that you registered to vote

Send me a message or email (pentapoda at gmail) with a link or screenshot of your post and a way to contact you if you win.

I will enter your name in a drawing for the prize of a throw or baby size quilt, made by me (more details under the cut). My plan is to draw a winner 2 times in 2026, one on June 1 and one November 1. If my schedule allows, I will add a third drawing on September 1.

Here's a few images of quilts I've made (plus one tote bag):

A few additional notes below the cut:

What size are they? Baby quilts will be ~3x3', throw quilts will be somewhere between ~4x4' and ~5x5'. Ish.

Who makes the quilts? Me! Yes, I made all the quilts in the pictures, as well as many others not shown here. I will make the prize quilts, including piecing, free motion quilting, and binding. They are made with a sewing machine. "Free motion quilting" refers to the spiral designs you can see the diamond quilt on the lower left.

What does the winner get to choose? Winner chooses the size (baby, throw, or tote bag) and a color scheme. Requests regarding pattern / design will be considered optional, but I will ask the winner to share some examples of quilts they like.

How long will it take? The quilt will take 2-3 months to make and send post-drawing.

Shipping? I'll pay to ship. If you win, I'll need your address. I won't share this info with anyone except the post office. I will ship anywhere in the continental US.

Are you really doing this or will you flake? Maybe! While I will do my best, I reserve the right to cancel part or all of this plan if my IRL circumstances change. But I've been reliably making quilts since 2020 when it became my pandemic hobby, so fingers crossed.

Winning: If you win, I'll ask for your email address so I can email you to ask for 1) a picture of your voter registration (info can be blacked out, I just want to see that it's got the right date) and 2) your mailing address.

Folks not eligible to vote in the US: if you convince someone else to fulfill the requirements, they can enter and tell me the prize should go to you.

[pentapoda]

Yes, I'm unwisely getting into the CR4 theorizing

Things that need to be explained

Raimond was the only person Primus killed with his own hand

Primus said Royce and Davinos both fall tonight

They put the Stone of Nightsong in Occtis, took his heart

"We all went to faerie" lie won't stand up to scrutiny

Tachonis are behind Thjazi's death.

Thjazi stole the stone of nightsong.

Thjazi's arrest was shortly after he returned with the Stone of Nightsong.

Thjazi also stole the coffin of a halfling psychopomp with a mask in it.

Raimond knew about the plan to save Thjazi, but Aranessa and Julien did not.

There are armies in the underworld, presumably Tachonis. ETA: Occtis saw that the Tachonics are CURRENTLY at war in the underworld. Occtis saw his dead grandfather leading dead soldiers. And they were fighting barrowguard in at least one instance.

Tachonis are creating dead-detecting statues.

Tachonis are stealing things (bodies?) from tombs, or at least they did in Sloak.

Things Brennan has highlighted, so we can assume are hints or clues

People come up with extravagant risky lies when they don't have time to come up with something better (ergo the lie about Royce returning to Faerie probably wasn't the original plan).

It's notable that Primus killed Raimond but just assumed Aranessa would die anyway.

Primus was targetting Occtis, Davinos, and Royce. It was not that Palazzo Davinos was just collateral to Occtis' ritual.

Theory from the Alex (included since he clocked how the Einfasen could have been convinced to block the Royce caravan without a straight betrayal)

Maybe Raimond & Thjazi's death are both directly tied Thjazi's retrieving the stone of Nightsong

Original purpose of the Stone of Nightsong

Elves get a special separate afterlife that's beyond the other afterlives - and might also be nicer?

The Stone of Nightsong is a shortcut for souls to get to the special elven afterlife without having to go through all the other afterlives.

And now, my theories...

Occtis as a Way-in to the Elven Afterlife: With the Stone of Nightsong in his chest, if it continues to work as intended, Occtis should then be ferried to the elven afterlife. Maybe he is meant to be a Trojan horse or a means of finding it. Perhaps he was even meant to become a new psychopomp who could ferry the Tachonis to and from the elven afterlife as needed.

ETA: Also, I forgot that we know the Tachonis are currently waging war in the underworld. We don't know who all they're fighting, but it means the eleven afterlife could already be involved. Are the eleven dead actively fighting the Tachonis? Are they not fighting but under siege?

No need for a lie about Faerie: Assuming this magic had worked, it's possible there would have been physical consequences for the Palazzo Davinos, such as pulling the whole thing into the underworld and leading to the death of everyone there. What next? There would certainly be no need for an extravagant lie about returning to Faerie. Given Thjazi's activities, as well as the lie about assassins, maybe the Tachonis were prepared to pin it all on Thjazi's crew and assassin's within House Royce.

Raimond & Thjazi working together: Raimond knew about the plan to save Thjazi. Thjazi was stealing artifacts of the afterlife. Tachonis killed both of them. I think they were working together to figure out what the Tachonis were up to and block whatever it was.

Thing still unexplained: What would Tachonis want with the elven afterlife? What would have happened to Palazzo Davinos if the ritual with Occtis had gone as planned? What are the armies in the underworld for? Are they for the mortal world or for the elven after life? What are the paladin statues for? Do the Tachonis need them or are they for favored Tachonis allies? What did they want with the halfling coffin and mask, since presumably that portal to the underworld goes to the halfling afterlife? No idea! Very excited to find out!

[pentapoda]

critical role campaign 4 thoughts: are the tachonis trying to fight their way into the super special afterlife of the elves

[dactylicpentameter]

HEY USAMERICANS!

I registered to vote in the 2026 midterms. Have you? If not, go do that! And if you need the incentive, go check out @pentapoda's prize drawing to potentially win a quilt.

If you're already registered, PLEASE go double check that everything is correct and up to date, especially if you plan on mail-in voting. Make sure you know your state's mailing procedures and deadlines, as things may have changed since the last time you voted.

[pentapoda]

Woohoo!

[pentapoda]

Register to Vote in US Midterms 2026 & Maybe Get a Quilt

Once upon a time, I tried to draw art for everyone who told me they registered. This year, I am offering a prize drawing where the prize is a handmade quilt.

To enter the quilt drawing:

Register to vote in the US in time for the 2026 midterms

Make a social media post mentioning that you registered to vote

Send me a message or email (pentapoda at gmail) with a link or screenshot of your post and a way to contact you if you win.

I will enter your name in a drawing for the prize of a throw or baby size quilt, made by me (more details under the cut). My plan is to draw a winner 2 times in 2026, one on June 1 and one November 1. If my schedule allows, I will add a third drawing on September 1.

Here's a few images of quilts I've made (plus one tote bag):

A few additional notes below the cut:

What size are they? Baby quilts will be ~3x3', throw quilts will be somewhere between ~4x4' and ~5x5'. Ish.

Who makes the quilts? Me! Yes, I made all the quilts in the pictures, as well as many others not shown here. I will make the prize quilts, including piecing, free motion quilting, and binding. They are made with a sewing machine. "Free motion quilting" refers to the spiral designs you can see the diamond quilt on the lower left.

What does the winner get to choose? Winner chooses the size (baby, throw, or tote bag) and a color scheme. Requests regarding pattern / design will be considered optional, but I will ask the winner to share some examples of quilts they like.

How long will it take? The quilt will take 2-3 months to make and send post-drawing.

Shipping? I'll pay to ship. If you win, I'll need your address. I won't share this info with anyone except the post office. I will ship anywhere in the continental US.

Are you really doing this or will you flake? Maybe! While I will do my best, I reserve the right to cancel part or all of this plan if my IRL circumstances change. But I've been reliably making quilts since 2020 when it became my pandemic hobby, so fingers crossed.

Winning: If you win, I'll ask for your email address so I can email you to ask for 1) a picture of your voter registration (info can be blacked out, I just want to see that it's got the right date) and 2) your mailing address.

Folks not eligible to vote in the US: if you convince someone else to fulfill the requirements, they can enter and tell me the prize should go to you.

[pentapoda]

Register to Vote in US Midterms 2026 & Maybe Get a Quilt

Once upon a time, I tried to draw art for everyone who told me they registered. This year, I am offering a prize drawing where the prize is a handmade quilt.

To enter the quilt drawing:

Register to vote in the US in time for the 2026 midterms

Make a social media post mentioning that you registered to vote

Send me a message or email (pentapoda at gmail) with a link or screenshot of your post and a way to contact you if you win.

I will enter your name in a drawing for the prize of a throw or baby size quilt, made by me (more details under the cut). My plan is to draw a winner 2 times in 2026, one on June 1 and one November 1. If my schedule allows, I will add a third drawing on September 1.

Here's a few images of quilts I've made (plus one tote bag):

A few additional notes below the cut:

What size are they? Baby quilts will be ~3x3', throw quilts will be somewhere between ~4x4' and ~5x5'. Ish.

Who makes the quilts? Me! Yes, I made all the quilts in the pictures, as well as many others not shown here. I will make the prize quilts, including piecing, free motion quilting, and binding. They are made with a sewing machine. "Free motion quilting" refers to the spiral designs you can see the diamond quilt on the lower left.

What does the winner get to choose? Winner chooses the size (baby, throw, or tote bag) and a color scheme. Requests regarding pattern / design will be considered optional, but I will ask the winner to share some examples of quilts they like.

How long will it take? The quilt will take 2-3 months to make and send post-drawing.

Shipping? I'll pay to ship. If you win, I'll need your address. I won't share this info with anyone except the post office. I will ship anywhere in the continental US.

Are you really doing this or will you flake? Maybe! While I will do my best, I reserve the right to cancel part or all of this plan if my IRL circumstances change. But I've been reliably making quilts since 2020 when it became my pandemic hobby, so fingers crossed.

Winning: If you win, I'll ask for your email address so I can email you to ask for 1) a picture of your voter registration (info can be blacked out, I just want to see that it's got the right date) and 2) your mailing address.

Folks not eligible to vote in the US: if you convince someone else to fulfill the requirements, they can enter and tell me the prize should go to you.

[pentapoda]

Interest check - Quilt prize for voting?

Thinking of offering voter registration incentive again in 2026, specifically a contest/prize drawing where the prize is a small quilt (e.g., 4'x5' throw, 3'x3' baby) or quilted tote bag.

Here's (tentatively) what I'm thinking + a poll:

Prize: Here's a picture of some of my recent projects. From left to right: quilted tote bag, "traditional" throw quilt, Nightwing throw quilt, Star Wars baby quilt (progress shot).

Timing: First drawing in late May, second drawing Nov. 1. Each "prize" would take 2-3 months to finish & ship.

Entering: You would need get registered / be registered to vote in U.S. federal elections in 2026 AND make a social media post saying that you'd done so (and be willing to link me to the post).

Winning: If you win, I'd ask for 1) your email address so I could then ask for 2) a picture of your voter registration (info can be blacked out, I just want to see that it's got the right date) and 3) your mailing address.

Anyway, here's a poll!

Thinking of yourself only, how would you describe your interest in this idea? (If you can't vote in the U.S., please choose one of the N/A options at the end.)

1 - I would definitely enter

2 - I might enter / any nuance in between "definitely" and "no"

3A - Wouldn't enter (don't want a quilt or bag)

3B - Wouldn't enter (don't want to share my address if I win)

N/A - I cannot register to vote in U.S. elections, oh well

N/A - I can't vote in the U.S., but I really, really want a quilt

Voting ended onJan 5

[pentapoda]

I cannot overstate how nearly every time someone at work thinks i am a wizard at my job and impressively good at things they assume it's because of the academic qualifications and instead i can trace it directly to twenty years of writing fic and drawing fanart and let's not forget having adhd.

still can't do project management tho

[pentapoda]

Hey fandom, i am on the lookout for a Finnish or Norwegian artist who sells (affordable) prints. I would like to buy one for a friend whose family came to the US from Finland (on one side) and Norway (on the other side). But I'm having trouble finding an artist, and i thought I'd ask if anyone has some suggestions on where to look.

So far, I have found:

Julia Pärnänen | Saatchi Art

View Julia Pärnänen’s Profile on Saatchi Art. Find art for sale at great prices from artists including Paintings, Photography, Sculpture, an

Ruling (by her husband): too bleak

Art Prints, Posters and framed wall art by Ulla Thynell - Printler

I'm an independent artist from Finland, specialising in nostalgic dreamscapes inspired by nature, fantasy, fairy tales, and folklore. I hope

Ruling: too fantasy (not everyone wants to put dragons and unicorns on their walls and that's OK).

So, I'm calling on the fannish global network. Do I know anyone in or near Finland or Norway who might have some ideas on finding some regionally appropriate forest photos or illustrations? Or does anyone know a Finnish or Norwegian artist/photographer who fits the bill?

My budget is $50-$150ish for a small to medium print, not including a frame.

Thank you for your help!

[pentapoda]

Kid DnD: Dinosaurs & the Tiny God of Mouse Holes

Played kid DnD; visited a dino civilization. The dinosaurs spoke a language made of growls and roars, except for their names, which all sounded inexplicably like human food.

First they met a triceratops named Spicy Taco, who gave them a stone disc to take to the dinosaur temple and taught them a few basic vocab words in Dinosaur:

No - "Er-er"

Yes- "Er-rah"

Hello - "Rar-Oh"

Friends - "Grar grar grar" (if you only say grar once, it means barely friends, maybe even enemies)

Do you need help? / Can you help me? - "grrrrROAR"

Then they met a T. Rex who only spoke Dinosaur, which led to an amazing exchange where the 10 year old and the 6 year old had an entire conversation with the T. Rex that started at "i am definitely going to eat you" (a lot of unknown growl sounds + lip smacking) and ended at "Oh, yeah, I know Spicy Taco, we're buds. My name's Cheesy Nachos. Could you bring this stone disc back to the dino temple for me?" (growl growl Spicy Taco grar grar grar growl growl Cheesy Nachos growl growl grrrrROAR).

Also, the game - which had involved no magic and no combat until this point - ended with a magical artifact granting a boon to each kid.

6 year old: I want to be unstoppable Me: You run straight at the cave wall and crash through it. You are already 50ft in and going strong. Not even the center of the earth can stop you. 6 year old: YESSSSSS!!!

10 year old: I want to be a god. Me: There is a glowing light. You shrink. You are now the tiny god of mouse holes. 10 year old: WHAT.

When I left, the kids were still running around the house yelling at each other about how their powers meant they would win in single combat. (Periodically, the 10 year old would run up to me and try to re-litigate his boon to explain to me that really I'd granted him omnipotence. Me: You are the tiny god of mouse holes. Him: ARRRGH.)

10 year old: I'm a god. I can do anything. 6 year old: I'm unstoppable. So you can't.

[pentapoda]

look, dude, we're on episode 2, ok, a tanners has only been mentioned once in this campaign so far, you can't just say Julien's dad thinks he smells like a tannery, that's rude, that's messing with us, making me feel like a conspiracy theorist, come on

ETA: ok, cool, cool, "The Tanners" is just the name of a neighborhood, not a clue that Julian was mysteriously hanging out in Thjazi's hideout

[pentapoda]

I am about to get on a train to nyc where i will be taking 3 friends with almost no knowledge of critical role to fjord and jesters wedding.

1) funny

2) please help, what do you think they need to know before 7pm eastern time tomorrow

[pentapoda]

Update: spent train ride educating friend 1 via you tube clips with unnecessary commentary that she accepted with good grace. Her favorite: sam bug zapper ad.

Friends 2 and 3 arrived the following afternoon before the show. Asked if they knew anything about critical role.

Guys, the look of comical offense on friend 2's face. Know? Anything? About ? Critical Role??? He has seen! Every episode!

Me: ok in hindsight you did accept this last minute invitation surprisingly quickly despite the need to take two days off work in the middle of the week

Also, like, i would have enjoyed it even if none of the other 3 people with me had any idea what was going on but it was a DELIGHT to have someone else who not only got it but also liked orym??? And dorian??? And all the rest of c3 too. Spent the whole show exchanging "oh oh remember-" whispers.

[pentapoda]

I am about to get on a train to nyc where i will be taking 3 friends with almost no knowledge of critical role to fjord and jesters wedding.

1) funny

2) please help, what do you think they need to know before 7pm eastern time tomorrow

[pentapoda]

anyone have those scenes from movies or shows that they replay as like a shot of good emotion / adrenaline. like, for me, a big one is the middle of Mulan's "I'll make a man out of you" where she realizes she can climb the pole and the arrow lands at Shang's feet, proving she is everything she didn't think she could be.

cool, cool. well, thanks to dimension 20, my list of "replay moments" now includes the moment a human-sized gummy bear in full plate armor, betrayed & trapped, busts through an iron door in a candy castle.