READ THIS POST FOR A SUMMARY AND CONTENT WARNINGS. THIS BLOG IS INTENDED FOR A MATURE AUDIENCE.
Welcome to @shellsiege!
This is a world and setting focused on speculative biology and worldbuilding around marine ecosystems.
Because shellsiege is built as a world and setting first and foremost, there could really be anything.
PLEASE, check the content warnings before engaging. Dark and uncomfortable topics are extremely frequent.
WARNING PAGE
RESOURCES
Sheezy | Comic Fury | Character Tag | Website
Side Blog: @deepseadeadzone
This blog is primarily an art blog. The content focuses on character art, speculative biology, worldbuilding, creature design, marine biology and cephalopods, as primary themes. Full comics will not be posted here, however covers, miscellaneous art and short comics might.
The stories are mainly in webcomic form. The chapters are not posted in chronological order. You can read them in any order in the Comic Fury archive, or check the website for a chronological guide to the existing ones.
Most images on this blog have image descriptions within Tumblr's alt text function. Comic Fury also has image descriptions using the transcript field (WIP). Toyhouse, Sheezy and the website do not have image descriptions.
This blog is meant for a mature audience. There will be violent and/or sexual themes. A lot of the stories and characters involve heavy topics either subtextually or directly.
The blog doesn't have a schedule or standardized posting times (I post whenever I want), but operates under Eastern European Time.
A list of tags that will be used on this blog:
#gallery | For any art.
#comics | Short comics or art sequences.
#library | Writing and short stories of any kind!
#mailbox | Answers to asks.
#lore | For posts about worldbuilding.
#shellspeak | Miscellaneous ramblings.
#obsolete | Posts that aren't canon-aligning anymore, for any reason.
Tags might be changed over time or there might be additions to the list. Characters will be tagged by their names under the "oc" classification (#oc: name). In the case of comics or series of any kind, they may have unique tag names of their own to help follow the story.
Content and Trigger Warnings
To begin with - VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. There's actually a whole myriad of topics that most people might rather not see.
As said earlier, the art on this blog is intended for an adult audience. The stories, characters and setting occasionally or sometimes LARGELY feature sensitive topics. Additionally, there may be suggestive or sexual content (though generally nothing explicit).
GENERAL TRYPOPHOBIA WARNING. Cephalopods along with a lot of other marine life are very... well, you know.
Prevalent sensitive topics:
Substance use and abuse (alcohol, weed, hard drugs)
Various types of physical and emotional abuse
Self-harm & suicidal ideation
General violence, injury and character death
Disordered eating
These are prominent topics, so instances may not be individually warned about.
Other topics (NOT TAGGED or usually not tagged):
Cannibalism (mainly mentions of predation)
General drug use, smoking, alcohol etc.
Implied self-harm (prevalent)
Ableism, bigotry and fatphobia
Medical themes, hospitalization etc.
Themes of mental health i.e. depression, derealization etc.
Character death
Car accidents
Child abuse and neglect
The aforementioned topics vary in frequency and relevance but will generally not be tagged. This list may not be comprehensive. There's bound to be things I missed, and it might be updated over time.
List of Content Warning Tags
#tw drugs | for depictions of drug abuse, NOT general drug use
#tw abuse | direct depictions of abuse
#tw self harm | physical self-harm (healed scars will NOT be tagged)
#tw suicide | implied or depicted suicide
#tw violence | injury and hard physical violence
#tw death | depicted character death (not including mentions)
#tw ed | direct mentions or depictions of disordered eating
#tw | general catch-all
#nsfw | suggestive or adult themes catch-all
Because of the sheer prevalence of different forms of content tags, I will only be using the ones in this list - if someone is an expert and knows better ones, I take suggestions.
Note that these tags are relevant for anything posted on Tumblr. Things may not be tagged on other sites.
ALSO NOTE that not every instance featuring any one of these topics will be tagged. Examples include light drug use (not including hard drugs), healed scars, and mentions or non-graphic discussion of any one topic. This list likely doesn't cover every single thing it could, and more may be added over time.
If you are badly affected by seeing any of these topics even indirectly, I recommend not engaging.
Did you know? (Probably not). While you weren't looking, this comic by and about a chronically depressed snail has been posting itself over on Comic Fury.
What is a "shoalfolk"? This term refers to a broad collection of finfolk worldwide. But what defines whether a species falls under "shoalfolk" or not? The term seems to have no official standardized definition, but is generally applied to any species of similar size and ecology; most shoalfolk are, as per their name, shoaling and schooling species that readily and very often cohabitate with other species and form cross-folk shoals. Most shoalfolk are also algivores or generalist opportunistic omnivores, so they don't particularly threaten each other. Teaming up with your neighbors is highly beneficial for shoalfolk, especially in the case where different folk have slightly differing niches and can cover each other's weaknesses.
Surgeonfolk or tangs are herbivorous grazers that commonly school. They are protected not only by numbers, but razor-sharp spines called scalpels on the sides of their tails. These scalpels see use in territorial fights with other surgeon shoals or during courtship competition, but also as an effective deterrant against predators, because most predators prefer not being stabbed to death. As tropical and day-active species, many surgeonfolk have striking coloration and developed color-changing abilities.
I was super excited to finally hit 50 subscribers there but that happened in the middle of making Torn Apart, so I had to postpone making art for it to not interrupt the comic posting...
The next comic will finally start dropping over on Comic Fury starting TOMORROW!
It will drop in parts (so there will be delays between parts, most likely) and pages will post on a "when it's done"-basis, which I'm hoping to be one per day for the foreseeable future, best-case scenario.
There will be a new cover posted for each part when they begin. The main cover will be posted when all parts have released.
Hey, so this is DONE. If you were waiting for the whole part to wrap up before reading, well, today is your lucky day! (And mine, I get to take a break and do something else...!)
Three fangfolk from largest to smallest (not to scale). While they are all predators that prey on fin- and inkfolk, you can see the stature is quite different between them.
The next comic will finally start dropping over on Comic Fury starting TOMORROW!
It will drop in parts (so there will be delays between parts, most likely) and pages will post on a "when it's done"-basis, which I'm hoping to be one per day for the foreseeable future, best-case scenario.
There will be a new cover posted for each part when they begin. The main cover will be posted when all parts have released.
Character refs are tired. This year we're describing a whole species group in a ref.
Text transcribed under cut:
(Sorry it's in caps, but straight up I'm not writing all of that again.)
Image 1:
EYES: INKFOLK EYE- AND PUPIL SHAPES DIFFER SOMEWHAT. THE SIZE OF THE PUPIL CHANGES BASED ON NOT ONLY LIGHT LEVEL, BUT AS PART OF COMMUNICATION. DILATED PUPILS SIGNAL ANGER.
CROWN TENTACLES OF OCTOFOLK, SQUIDFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK.
DIFFERENT INKFOLK HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUCKERS. SQUIDFOLK, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE VERY DISTINCTIVE CLAWED RINGS. CUTTLEFOLK ALSO HAVE DENTITION LIKE THIS, BUT IT IS MUCH SMALLER AND FINER.
(Headshots of cuttlefolk and octofolk are labeled Cuttlefolk (Bald) and Octofolk (Bald)).
THE SUCKER RINGS OF SQUID ARE A GOOD WAY TO DISTINGUISH DIFFERENT SPECIES.
DIFFERENT INKFOLK HAVE DIFFERENCES NOT ONLY IN PATTERNS, BUT ALSO SKIN TEXTURE. WHILE SQUID SKIN IS SMOOTH, OCTOFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK HAVE MUSCULAR PAPILLAE THAT CAN BE SPIKED OUT AT WILL OR FLATTENED. THE SHAPES AND SIZES OF PAPILLAE DIFFER, BUT AS A RESULT THEIR SKIN IS MUCH MORE TEXTURED.
CUTTLEFOLK FACIAL TENTACLES OFTEN HAVE A FLAP OF SKIN CALLED A FRILL. IT IS SIMILAR TO THE FRILLY FINS ON THEIR MANTLE.
OCTOFOLK HAVE NO FACIAL TENTACLES AT ALL. THEIR FACIAL PAPILLAE ARE USUALLY MORE DISTINGUISHED.
INKFOLK HAVE BLUE BLOOD. THIS IS DUE TO THEIR BLOOD HAVING HEMOCYANIN RATHER THAN HEMOGLOBIN.
THE HANDS AND FEET HAVE SUCKERS ON THEM, CALLED "GRASPERS". THESE ARE THE PRIMARY WAY FOR INKFOLK TO TASTE AND DETECT CHEMICAL CUES. SQUID- AND CUTTLEFOLK HAVE FIVE GRASPERS, WHILE OCTOFOLK HAVE FOUR.
INKFOLK SKIN IS NOT WET OR SLIMY. HOWEVER, THE SUCKERS SECRETE A MUCUS LAYER TO BETTER ABSORB CHEMICAL CUES AND SELF-CLEAN.
Image 2:
INKFOLK, BASIC BIOLOGY
OVERVIEW
EXTERNAL BODY ANATOMY, BASIC BEHAVIORAL SIGNS AND VARIETY
THE TENTACLE CROWN HAS FOUR DECORATIVE LIMBS. THESE HAVE SUCTION CUPS, BUT MUCH FEWER THAN TYPICAL CEPHALOPODS DO.
THE MANTLE HOUSES THE PRIMARY LUNGS. THE SHAPE OF THE MANTLE DIFFERS BETWEEN SPECIES.
FINS ARE PRESENT IN SQUIDFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK. THE SHAPE VARIES WITH BOTH SPECIES AND GENETICS.
THE MANTLE OPENINGS LET AIR INTO THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. MAY ALSO BE CALLED SPIRACLES.
FACIAL TENTACLES ARE PRESENT IN SQUIDFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK. THE STALKS CAN STRETCH TO SEVERAL TIMES THEIR RESTING LENGTH.
INKFOLK HAVE FOUR MUSCULAR LIMBS USED FOR LOCOMOTION. THEY DO NOT HAVE BONES OR SKELETAL STRUCTURES, AND NEITHER DOES THE REST OF THEIR BODY.
THE ORGANS ARE MOSTLY IN THE UNSEGMENTED TORSO, INCLUDING A SECONDARY RESPIRATORY SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORTING OXYGEN AND ENABLES SPEECH.
THE SIPHON EXPELS INK AND WASTE PRODUCTS, BUT IS ALSO THE END OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. IT MUST BE EXPOSED FOR INKFOLK TO BREATHE.
(Skipping grasper text, it was in the previous one.)
INKFOLK ARE ABLE TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN AT WILL, BUT THE RANGE OF COLORS AND PATTERNS IS DEPENDENT ON SPECIES. THE MANTLE AND CROWN TENTACLES HAVE THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF COLOR-CHANGING CELLS AND ARE THE DARKEST AND MOST VIBRANT. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY HAS A LOW DENSITY OF THE CELLS, AND IS A MUCH LIGHTER COLOR THAN THE REST OF THE BODY.
Image 3:
BEAK
INKFOLK ARE CARNIVOROUS. THEY ALSO HAVE VENOM OF VARYING DEGREES OF TOXICITY, AND USE THEIR BEAK TO ADMINISTER IT TO PREY.
ALL INKFOLK HAVE A CHITINOUS BEAK. THIS IS TUCKED BEHIND SKIN MOST OF THE TIME, BUT IS USED TO CUT AND HOLD PREY. A RADULA INSIDE THE BEAK TEARS OFF CHUNKS FOR SWALLOWING.
INKFOLK ARE ABLE TO PULL BACK THE SKIN ON THEIR BEAKS TO EXPOSE IT; THIS IS A KNOWN SIGN OF AGGRESSION AND AKIN TO A SNARL.
COLOR
COLOR IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF COMMUNICATION, SUCH AS SOCIAL STATUS OR EXPRESSIONS AND MOOD INDICATION. BOLDER AND DARKER COLORS ARE AN EXPRESSION OF CONFIDENCE, EXCITEMENT OR AGGRESSION - AND GOOD FITNESS. MOST PEOPLE HAVE A CHOSEN COLOR THAT FEELS NATURAL TO THEM WHICH THEY RARELY DEVIATE FROM, AND EMOTION-BASED COLOR EXPRESSION IS GENERALLY SHORT-TERM CHANGES TO THE CROWN, SNOUT AND MANTLE.
Character refs are tired. This year we're describing a whole species group in a ref.
Text transcribed under cut:
(Sorry it's in caps, but straight up I'm not writing all of that again.)
Image 1:
EYES: INKFOLK EYE- AND PUPIL SHAPES DIFFER SOMEWHAT. THE SIZE OF THE PUPIL CHANGES BASED ON NOT ONLY LIGHT LEVEL, BUT AS PART OF COMMUNICATION. DILATED PUPILS SIGNAL ANGER.
CROWN TENTACLES OF OCTOFOLK, SQUIDFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK.
DIFFERENT INKFOLK HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUCKERS. SQUIDFOLK, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE VERY DISTINCTIVE CLAWED RINGS. CUTTLEFOLK ALSO HAVE DENTITION LIKE THIS, BUT IT IS MUCH SMALLER AND FINER.
(Headshots of cuttlefolk and octofolk are labeled Cuttlefolk (Bald) and Octofolk (Bald)).
THE SUCKER RINGS OF SQUID ARE A GOOD WAY TO DISTINGUISH DIFFERENT SPECIES.
DIFFERENT INKFOLK HAVE DIFFERENCES NOT ONLY IN PATTERNS, BUT ALSO SKIN TEXTURE. WHILE SQUID SKIN IS SMOOTH, OCTOFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK HAVE MUSCULAR PAPILLAE THAT CAN BE SPIKED OUT AT WILL OR FLATTENED. THE SHAPES AND SIZES OF PAPILLAE DIFFER, BUT AS A RESULT THEIR SKIN IS MUCH MORE TEXTURED.
CUTTLEFOLK FACIAL TENTACLES OFTEN HAVE A FLAP OF SKIN CALLED A FRILL. IT IS SIMILAR TO THE FRILLY FINS ON THEIR MANTLE.
OCTOFOLK HAVE NO FACIAL TENTACLES AT ALL. THEIR FACIAL PAPILLAE ARE USUALLY MORE DISTINGUISHED.
INKFOLK HAVE BLUE BLOOD. THIS IS DUE TO THEIR BLOOD HAVING HEMOCYANIN RATHER THAN HEMOGLOBIN.
THE HANDS AND FEET HAVE SUCKERS ON THEM, CALLED "GRASPERS". THESE ARE THE PRIMARY WAY FOR INKFOLK TO TASTE AND DETECT CHEMICAL CUES. SQUID- AND CUTTLEFOLK HAVE FIVE GRASPERS, WHILE OCTOFOLK HAVE FOUR.
INKFOLK SKIN IS NOT WET OR SLIMY. HOWEVER, THE SUCKERS SECRETE A MUCUS LAYER TO BETTER ABSORB CHEMICAL CUES AND SELF-CLEAN.
Image 2:
INKFOLK, BASIC BIOLOGY
OVERVIEW
EXTERNAL BODY ANATOMY, BASIC BEHAVIORAL SIGNS AND VARIETY
THE TENTACLE CROWN HAS FOUR DECORATIVE LIMBS. THESE HAVE SUCTION CUPS, BUT MUCH FEWER THAN TYPICAL CEPHALOPODS DO.
THE MANTLE HOUSES THE PRIMARY LUNGS. THE SHAPE OF THE MANTLE DIFFERS BETWEEN SPECIES.
FINS ARE PRESENT IN SQUIDFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK. THE SHAPE VARIES WITH BOTH SPECIES AND GENETICS.
THE MANTLE OPENINGS LET AIR INTO THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. MAY ALSO BE CALLED SPIRACLES.
FACIAL TENTACLES ARE PRESENT IN SQUIDFOLK AND CUTTLEFOLK. THE STALKS CAN STRETCH TO SEVERAL TIMES THEIR RESTING LENGTH.
INKFOLK HAVE FOUR MUSCULAR LIMBS USED FOR LOCOMOTION. THEY DO NOT HAVE BONES OR SKELETAL STRUCTURES, AND NEITHER DOES THE REST OF THEIR BODY.
THE ORGANS ARE MOSTLY IN THE UNSEGMENTED TORSO, INCLUDING A SECONDARY RESPIRATORY SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORTING OXYGEN AND ENABLES SPEECH.
THE SIPHON EXPELS INK AND WASTE PRODUCTS, BUT IS ALSO THE END OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. IT MUST BE EXPOSED FOR INKFOLK TO BREATHE.
(Skipping grasper text, it was in the previous one.)
INKFOLK ARE ABLE TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN AT WILL, BUT THE RANGE OF COLORS AND PATTERNS IS DEPENDENT ON SPECIES. THE MANTLE AND CROWN TENTACLES HAVE THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF COLOR-CHANGING CELLS AND ARE THE DARKEST AND MOST VIBRANT. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY HAS A LOW DENSITY OF THE CELLS, AND IS A MUCH LIGHTER COLOR THAN THE REST OF THE BODY.
Image 3:
BEAK
INKFOLK ARE CARNIVOROUS. THEY ALSO HAVE VENOM OF VARYING DEGREES OF TOXICITY, AND USE THEIR BEAK TO ADMINISTER IT TO PREY.
ALL INKFOLK HAVE A CHITINOUS BEAK. THIS IS TUCKED BEHIND SKIN MOST OF THE TIME, BUT IS USED TO CUT AND HOLD PREY. A RADULA INSIDE THE BEAK TEARS OFF CHUNKS FOR SWALLOWING.
INKFOLK ARE ABLE TO PULL BACK THE SKIN ON THEIR BEAKS TO EXPOSE IT; THIS IS A KNOWN SIGN OF AGGRESSION AND AKIN TO A SNARL.
COLOR
COLOR IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF COMMUNICATION, SUCH AS SOCIAL STATUS OR EXPRESSIONS AND MOOD INDICATION. BOLDER AND DARKER COLORS ARE AN EXPRESSION OF CONFIDENCE, EXCITEMENT OR AGGRESSION - AND GOOD FITNESS. MOST PEOPLE HAVE A CHOSEN COLOR THAT FEELS NATURAL TO THEM WHICH THEY RARELY DEVIATE FROM, AND EMOTION-BASED COLOR EXPRESSION IS GENERALLY SHORT-TERM CHANGES TO THE CROWN, SNOUT AND MANTLE.
