Hi, you can call me SeventhWall I'm 25 years old and I make art in my freetime. My pronouns are she/her and I live in Poland. I love reading books especially fantasy and playing video games.
I mainly make fanarts, but from time to time I create some original content for the world I built in my head. My favourite writers are J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, Ursula Le Guin and Agatha Christie among the others (generally speaking I like fantasy the most). My favourite video games are Baldur's Gate trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Planescape: Torment, KOTOR II and LOK: Soul Reaver II (overall I like RPG's). Besides reading and gaming I like folklore, herbs, walking and listening to music.
New art will be posted irregularly on Wednesdays (WIP) or on Thursdays/Fridays (Finished Works - they can be low effort doodles, though).
From time to time I'll be posting my takes on various fandom related things (mostly ASoIaF).
On Tumblr, you can search the tag "seventhwall7's art" to see the rest of my art without going through the sea of reblogs.
"Dominion over mankind then passed to his eldest son, who was known as the Pearl Emperor and ruled for a thousand years. The Jade Emperor, the Tourmaline Emperor, the Onyx Emperor, the Topaz Emperor, and the Opal Emperor followed in turn, each reigning for centuries...yet every reign was shorter and more troubled than the one preceding it, for wild men and baleful beasts pressed at the borders of the Great Empire, lesser kings grew prideful and rebellious, and the common people gave themselves over to avarice, envy, lust, murder, incest, gluttony, and sloth.
When the daughter of the Opal Emperor succeeded him as the Amethyst Empress, her envious younger brother cast her down and slew her, proclaiming himself the Bloodstone Emperor and beginning a reign of terror. He practiced dark arts, torture, and necromancy, enslaved his people, took a tiger-woman for his bride, feasted on human flesh, and cast down the true gods to worship a black stone that had fallen from the sky. (Many scholars count the Bloodstone Emperor as the first High Priest of the sinister Church of Starry Wisdom, which persists to this day in many port cities throughout the known world).
In the annals of the Further East, it was the Blood Betrayal, as his usurpation is named, that ushered in the age of darkness called the Long Night. Despairing of the evil that had been unleashed on earth, the Maiden-Made-of-Light turned her back upon the world, and the Lion of Night came forth in all his wroth to punish the wickedness of men."
G.R.R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire
I'm almost done with The World of Ice and Fire, and to celebrate that I wanted to do some fan art. I decided to draw the Amethyst Empress a mysterious figure from legendary Great Empire of the Dawn. We don't know much about her, yet I was fascinated by her for a long time (I become seriously interested in ASoIaF when I watched a couple of Alt Shift X lore videos).
Her sad fate reminds me of the Numenorian queen Tar-Miriel from The Silmarillion, which may be intentional, since there are many references to Tolkien works in a world of ice and fire. They both died in a tragic way and were usurped by their male relatives, who worshipped dark deities, and caused the fall of their nations. My portrayal of her was inspired by real life Chinese empresses. After all, the legends about The Great Empire of the Dawn come from Yi-ti, which is basically Grrm's version of China.
The crown that she's wearing was modeled after so called 'Phoenix Crown' of Chinese empresses, but instead of phoenix I put a two legged dragon in its center. Dragon itself is a mixture of Asian Dragon and Targaryen sigil. I thinks it's possible that Valyrians, and therefore the Targaryens, are descended from GEotD. I also tried to give the Empress a skunk stripe similar to Valarr's, but it's not visible (I'm still not great at drawing hair).
This artwork was made mostly with pencils and charcoal, but I also used markers, fineliner pen and acrylic paint. Then the scanned picture was edited a bit in GIMP and Paint.
So, I've watched the first two episodes of HotD season 3 and they're quite good. I even liked the second one better, but there are still some things that rub me the wrong way (and I'm not some book purist I still have to read Fire & Blood). Many things were just better in the books and some of the changes are really questionable.
The thing that irked me the most was that scene with Alicent and Jasper Wylde. Like what was the point of this? If the writers wanted to show how bad patriarchy treats women, well they showed this to us already to the point that it became redundant. Also Alicent just cannot catch a break in this show. She's constantly being taken advantage of by men in her life; first by her father who pimpes her out to Viserys, then by Viserys, then by Larys and last week by her own son who kissed her on the mouth. Wasn't that enough? Also what was this guy's plan anyway? He wanted to rape the queen dowager for lols and expected to get away with it? That's just dumb. As many people pointed out it would work far better if he tried to arrest her for treason or try to stop the conspiracy in some other way. As I assume the writers wanted to make audience hate him, because they were going to kill him off, but was that really necessary? He's a pretty minor character anyway and his canon death already paints him in a negative way, as I was told.
Another thing that annoys me is the fact that Rhaenyra and Daemon just waltzed into the Red Keep without any soldiers. They didn't even try to ensure the loyalty of Gold Cloaks, instead it was Alicent who did this in secret, all for that cheap moment of drama in the throne room. Aemond is young and stupid, so he gets a pass, but Rhaenyra and Daemon really should've know better. Like they wanted us to be hyped, but in my case I was just staring at the screen in disbelief. Besides I wasn't a fan of Rhaenyra crying during Otto's execution in front of her court. Like I get that she's in grief over Jace, but it made her look weak (unless they're trying to hint that she's not fit for the throne?). Last but not least I'm dissapointed that we didn't see the battle of the Red Fork and Fishfeed.
To end on a more positive note, I'm glad that things are finally moving and that we saw some cool interactions between the characters that are going to be important in the future. The ones that standed out to me the most, were the bonding moment between Baela and Alyn and Daemon being dismissive to Ulf, Hugh and Alys Rivers. The last one planted a seed for future betrayals and gave a motivation to Alys. And of course, Emma Darcy's acting in this episode was truly phenomenal. I hope they won't screw the rest of the season and that I'll be able to read Fire & Blood before it ends (right now I'm finishing The World of Ice and Fire).
So this is not a plea for money. This is something that surprised me, and chatting with people on discord, they were unaware of as well.
Discovered last year I couldn’t look at my 2015 MacBook Air without it triggering nausea and migraines, and figured the screen died. Have been getting by on my phone, but concluded I really need a laptop again.
Saved up, realised I could afford a brand new MacBook Neo, and got one.
-And I couldn’t spend more than five minutes looking at the screen without massive eye strain, nausea, vertigo, and if I pushed it, I-need-to-lie-down-in-a-dark-room-for-hours migraines.
Looking up MacBook and Eyestrain explained what is going on. The liquid retina displays that Apple currently has uses Pulse Width Modulation or PWM. In order to give the screens a deeper depth of colour and contrast, PWM flickers between several hundred to thousand times a second.
And there is currently no way to turn it off. There are settings and apps to reduce it, but there is no way to stop the screen from flickering. Checked Apple forums, called Apple Support, and the time I could look at the screen kept shrinking. Got the laptop Tuesday, returned it Friday, today is Sunday and I’m still dealing with a vertigo migraine.
For MacBooks, it seems to vary on the computer model and the software it uses. In retrospect, the issue with my MacBook Air started after a major software update.
And it’s not just an Apple thing. Current Windows and Android screens do the same thing. There’s even a Reddit for people who are sensitive to PWM flickers to help find computers and screens that won’t trigger eyestrain and headaches.
So, yeah. This week has been a learning experience. But for those who are prone to headaches and migraines, this may be something to be aware of, cause I was not.
Hey, we’re in line for some absurd temperatures here in the southwest this week. This is very important to know and keep in mind. Be safe, stay hydrated, stay out of the sun as much as you can.
Additional you can also put them on your palms, also, make sure to always use a light towel or kitchen paper and don’t put the ice bags directly onto your skin!
I'm not sure if I'll manage to finish it this week, so have this WIP image. I think it starts to look good finally. I dislike shading small elements, because it's quite tedious, also the recent heatwaves in Poland are draining me of energy. Currently we are keeping our outside shutters closed most of the time and everything is shrouded in semi-darkness.
In the Silmarillion fandom, we enjoy grabbing the trope of “Nolofinwëan recklessness” and running wild with it.
The most common victims of this are Fingon the Rash Prince and Fingolfin the Impulsive King, who rushes into suicidal combat. Both father and son daring death within Morgoth’s domain.
It’s fun to write and exciting to imagine, no doubt, but I’d like to offer a different take. In fact, what makes Fingon and Fingolfin (and the rest of that family) compelling to me is their patience and endurance.
Yes, I’m aware Fingon rushes to battle at Alqualondë, but that’s a world-altering event. The light of the world has literally gone out, murder has happened in Valinor, Finwë is dead. Most of the Noldor are up on their feet and ready to depart. Everyone is rushing.
But this is not always the case with Fingon. Most significantly, the rescue of Maedhros is NOT an impulsive decision. The published Silmarillion offers no timeline on this, but in The Grey Annals, five entire years pass between the arrival of Fingolfin’s host to Beleriand and Fingon’s decision to look for Maedhros.
Five years in which the two hosts are quite literally on the verge of civil war because, let’s not forget:
No love was there in the hearts of those that followed Fingolfin for the House of Fëanor, for the agony of those that endured the crossing of the Ice had been great, and Fingolfin held the sons the accomplices of their father.
Diplomacy is a painfully slow (and absolutely frustrating!) ordeal. Fingon’s decision is born from this strife, from thirty years on the Helcaraxë, and five years of civil restlessness, not to mention the clear signs that Morgoth is ready to attack them at any moment:
Then Fingon the valiant, son of Fingolfin, resolved to heal the feud that divided the Noldor, before their Enemy should be ready for war; for the earth trembled in the Northlands with the thunder of the forges of Morgoth underground.
This is not rashness. This is the sacrifice of a captain who is willing to make the best of what time is left before full-out destruction begins. It would be rashness if Fingon got his company and crossed Mithrim to wage battle on the Fëanorians. Instead, he chooses differently for the sake of peace, stability, and renewed friendship.
The trek from Lake Mithrim to Thangorodrim could be estimated at around 150 miles, depending on the map we follow, and there are grasslands and two sets of mountains to cross, not to mention the horror of Thangorodrim. Fingon travels on foot. It would take him weeks, maybe even months, to find Maedhros. Plenty of time for the fire of rashness to cool down if that was the case. But he persists because he has no other choice.
Similarly, I often see takes on Fingolfin that he rushes to pointless combat with Morgoth in the same manner as Fëanor had done. Yet again, the timeline is crucial here. The published Silmarillion has the battle lasting at least several months. Bragollach starts in F.A. 455 during winter time:
There came a time of winter, when night was dark and without moon
The battle slows down presumably a few months later:
but the Battle of Sudden Flame is held to have ended with the coming of spring, when the onslaught of Morgoth grew less.
The onslaught grows less, but it doesn’t fully cease. Morgoth and Sauron reissue their attacks early into Fingon’s kingship.
In the Grey Annals, the timeline is stretched further out:
Year 455:
The Fell Year. Here came an end of peace and mirth. In the winter, at the year's beginning, Morgoth unloosed at last his long-gathered strength
Year 456:
Now Fingolfin, King of the Noldor, beheld (as it seemed to him) the utter ruin of his people, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses, and he was filled with wrath and despair.
The fighting goes on actively anywhere from a season to a full year! Fingolfin tries to hold his kingdom together for a full year despite an absolute, unquestionable disaster. I mean, look at this description of the battle:
In the front of that fire came Glaurung the golden, father of dragons, in his full might; and in his train were Balrogs, and behind them came the black armies of the Orcs in multitudes such as the Noldor had never before seen or imagined. And they assaulted the fortresses of the Noldor, and broke the leaguer about Angband, and slew wherever they found them the Noldor and their allies, Grey elves and Men. Many of the stoutest of the foes of Morgoth were destroyed in the first days of that war, bewildered and dispersed and unable to muster their strength. War ceased not wholly ever again in Beleriand
Fingolfin’s decision to ride out, again, is not out of recklessness or a spur-of-the-moment decision. It’s everything but that. He has given everything and truly believes it’s all lost: “the utter ruin of his people, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses.” (!!!)
This is a final stand, the King’s duty to stand by his people, even in death.
After many years of exclusively owning lazy unemployed house plants that just sit around looking pretty*, I decided that this was the year I'd finally buy some plants with Jobs. So I started a little indoor herb garden, and oh boy is it revolutionary.
Like, I always assumed that, being a one-person household, it'd be a waste for me to buy actual herb plants because it'd be more than I could use. But actually, a single small plant is perfect for a single small person, because I can just snip off the bit that I need, and the rest of it just keeps living instead of going moldy in the fridge.
And also with everything being so stupidly expensive right now, it's very nice to be able to buy a plant that is, in some cases, literally the same price or $1 more expensive than a tiny plastic box of cut leaves. Even if any of them die prematurely, I'd have to *really* suck at gardening for them to be a worse investment than, like, 2 boxes of cut herbs.
I also thought it'd be too much work or I wouldn't be able to grow them indoors, but I already had supplies and grow lights from my lazy unemployed plants, so that's looking good too.
In my area, the Home Depot herbs were tiny and like $6/plant, but a local nursery carried more types of herbs that were 2-3 times bigger, some even ready to harvest/prune, and $4. (In my area, the aforementioned tiny box of cut leaves now runs for $3.)
And as a bonus, I got to meet some very excited plants at the nursery:
Hear me out: Mass Effect is not military propaganda. Games involving being part of the military do not automatically mean it's military propoganda. Military propoganda is inherently nationalistic and the entire messaging through the entire original trilogy and even Andromeda is inherently anti-nationalistic.
Cerberus? They're quite literally a nationalistic group. They're the fucking enemy in the game. The game is quite literally being like "yes, they have an understandable goal about being proud of where you come from but they're also absolute fucking monsters as well and they routinely pretend they aren't."
The Alliance in comparison is rather diplomatic. They prefer to not directly provoke other miltiaries and do not believe themselves to be above other species. Some people in the Alliance definitely are and the game routinely shows how fucking bad these people are. The Alliance's goals may include colonization but the colonization is research, development, branching out, hell, even collaboration. They aren't nearly as imperialistic as the Protheans and the game even shows the imperialism the Protheans had LED TO THEIR FUCKING DOWNFALL.
The current cycle? Fiercely respectful of individual culture, people who try to fuck with other species are routinely shown to be evil people who get what the deserve. There is TONS of collaboration with science and military.
And the third game literally throws how much nationalism and imperialism kills people and ruins your chances of survival.
I can agree that the Avengers are military propogand. Captain America was literally World War II propoganda. But Mass Effect??? Are we actually analyzing the story and themes here??? The ones about how helping other cultures and respecting those cultures is the beacon of peace and how unity among everyone is required to not only survive but THRIVE??? Are we playing the same game here???
Military propoganda is meant to fuck up the information you receive and to demoralize the opposing combatants/victims. What part of mass effect demoralizes victims??? The ones that talk about uplifting oppressed groups? The ones that are firmly against genocide (For Batarians, I can see a lot of points against this so I will concede on the basis of Batarians because they definitely deserved better and I hope the next game rectifies that)??? The one that rewards you when you help as many people as possible regardless of race, gender, etc.???? The one that rewards peaceful options even if sometimes those peaceful options don't go the way you expect??? THOSE PARTS???
Me: *Removes my cat from my lap to do something else.*
My cat: Father is...evil? Father is unyielding? Father is incapable of love? I am running away. I am packing my little rucksack and going out to explore the world as a lone vagabond. I can no longer thrive in this household.
I am so incredibly glad we finally moved on from "i can has". Cats are clearly smart enough for advanced sentence structure and dumb enough to draw entirely incorrect conclusions about what they're talking about.
My cat, banging the cabnet door over and over and over: bang bang bang
Me: you will not earn what you desire by banging the cabinet door.
My cat: This is a test of wills, is it not? We shall see if your ability to put up with my incessant banging outlasts my eternal lust for snackie treats. Years of conditioning have hardened me for this purpose. bang bang bang
Me: ksst!
My cat, throwing herself to the ground like she's been shot: Oh! Oh I have been assailed in my own home! Have mercy, have pity! Surely in the cruel darkness of your heart there is some mote of goodness that might stay your hand! Do not strike me, I pray you!
Me: ok
My cat, after waiting about 3 minutes: bang bang bang
Tumblr recently made it a requirement for you to be logged in to send asks anonymously. If you receive a hateful ask, don’t publish it - report it to Tumblr. It can be traced back to the user that sent it and with enough reports that person’s account will be suspended.
Share to raise awareness but also to make the clowns who think this behaviour is acceptable think twice before acting brave behind the guise of invisibility.
