28, if anyone needs to know. Spontaneous robot fucker, but only for the Daycare Attendant bot from FNAF:SB Writer of "Rebranded". Available here, on Patreon, Fanfiction, Wattpad, and Ao3
This is an updated sheet to be used as reference when ordering commissions. Specifically writing commissions. This will be short, sweet, and to the point.
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What I'll write
NSFW (Gore/Non-sexual): Yes
NSFW (Sexual): Yes - cannot include minors, animals, or bodily-waste fetish content
SFW: Yes
OC content: Yes
OC x Canon content: Yes
Fandoms (Not exclusive or even a full list, these are just the ones I'm familiar with for some examples. I'm always able to do research in the event that I'm unfamiliar with a topic.)
Creepypasta
Dead by Daylight
Don't Starve
FNAF
Lethal Company
Naruto
Pikmin
Slime Rancher
Subnautica
Additional:
I'm able to write story content or if you just need help worldbuilding, that is a particularly fun pastime of mine. I'm also able to write character backgrounds.
Updates will be given frequently as I work. Some portion of the payment is expected up front and is non-refundable if the project breaches a designated word count before you opt to cancel it (EX: $30 payment is kept if I breach 3k words or work).
I also do poetry. Buy me a kofi and request a poem on a subject and I'll write you one.
Yes this is smut. Yes it takes place in the "Manufactured Isekai" AU. Yes it features Caine doing some freaky shit with @chimkin-samich's OC Tari. No I will not apologize.
A low, annoyed growl rumbles in the throat of the Therian woman as she stares into the eyes of her own reflection.
Hair slightly damp and chest heaving, she pulls her lips back into a visible snarl; sharp teeth glistening in the steamy air of the washroom.
“No...” The word leaves her once more. Sternly, and with clearly delivered intent. All the while she tightly grips the edge of the sink, digging arched claws into the carefully treated wood out of raw frustration.
Behind her, her Patron growls in turn.
She tries to ignore him.
She tries not to even look at him.
Her mood is shot and she has no desire to entertain his foolish nonsense. Not right now. Not while this intense, unavoidable need is steadily searing her down to her core; starting in her lower abdomen and flowing down into her thighs.
The heat is almost unbearable. More intense than it has been in previous off-seasons. Unyielding and demanding. It forces her body to crave that which has otherwise moved beyond her means to grasp; driving her repeatedly into cold showers in a desperate attempt to smother the heat within her loins.
Yet each time she has somehow emerged hotter than before. The steam rising from her body seems to have grown denser over time, with it having now reached the point that even the mirror has started to tint over with fog.
That steam drifts most prominent from her most intimate of places.
No amount of toweling can see her dry.
No amount of soap has been able to dilute the scent of lingering arousal.
Every shower has been a fruitless search for some level of relief. But there is no relief to be found. Not when the powers that be have gone out of their way to write it in stone that this seasonal curse can not be alleviated through solitary means.
“I can help…” The Architect mutters in response, just loud enough that his Pactbound can hear him. Which only proves to irritate her further.
“No you can’t!” The woman snaps, her ears folding back in anger as she turns to properly face her Patron. The AI of illogical design, whose head is little more than a set of giant, disembodied teeth with a pair of eyes resting deep inside.
He is a category all his own. Cartoonish. Foolish. Abstract. A visual embodiment of the concept that the developers elected to give him power over.
An entity that seemingly lacks any and all physical limitations! Something that can freely transform his body on a whim to become whatever he wants, whenever he wants!
Yet for all the power that he has, he is completely and utterly incapable of doing one thing.
That being the very thing that he is currently trying to pressure poor Antares into, out of misplaced jealousy.
He cannot have sex. Full stop.
The developers never gave him the parts. He cannot shapeshift into something with parts. There are permissions that he has gone without and there is equipment which he desperately needs.
He cannot penetrate. He cannot be penetrated. Not in any way that could be perceived as desirable.
He has never had a partner. Sexual or otherwise.
He has zero experience in the arts of pleasing a partner in alternative ways.
He cannot be trusted as a means of relief. Not right now. Not when it comes to this.
Or at least, that is the impression that Antares has been given. And it is the impression that he is desperately attempting to defy.
“Yes, I can!” Caine practically shouts back in response, the frustration audible in his voice as his body momentarily warps.
He glitches and buffers in place, visually fighting to maintain his current form. Which is a smaller, easier to manage version of his true form; something that is far more visually imposing. Both in terms of shape and raw size.
For a couple of seconds his body blinks between two states. The shape that he seeks to maintain and the shape that is more innate to his nature as an Architect. All the while he continues to argue with his Pactbound.
“I know that I can help you, Tari!” He insists, his voice spasming somewhat as his body glitches out.
“All you have to do is let me!” He continues “I can be whatever you need me to be! I can be a dragon! A man! A woman! I could transform into anything you need!”
“But you can’t fuck me.” The woman groans, feeling herself getting more worked up by the moment.
“I don’t need to!” Caine replies, remaining persistent.
“All I need to do is give relief! That I can do! You could use my tongue, my hands; whatever part of me you wanted!” He states, all the while he moves closer to the visually trembling woman; who cannot help the heaving of her chest as she shifts to stare at him with intensity.
The more he talks, the worse it gets.
Her arousal grows.
With each passing second, the heat in her loins rises.
Her every heartbeat brings another desperate throb. Every throb calls forth another drop of liquid arousal.
The slickness that has formed between her thighs has grown almost unbearable. The warmth in her stomach has become so intense that she feels as though her next sip of water may transform into steam.
Her ankles feel weak. Her knees are on the brink of buckling.
Something as simple as the hot breath of a potential lover could drive her mad, if only she felt that breath upon her neck.
A raw, sexual growl escapes her as the Architect moves in closer to place his hand firmly upon her shoulder. An act that should in no means add to the fire in her belly, though it does so all the same.
“I could give you all of me-” Caine desperately mutters, his voice a near pathetic whimper “-if only you would let me!”
Antares reacts before her brain can conjure up a logical rebuttal.
She twists around and tightly grasps the front of his coat with trembling hands. All the while she uses her heightened strength and size as a means of taking the Architect and slamming him against the nearby wall.
“Then give me everything!...” She growls, steam bellowing from her throat with every rasp of her breath.
“Give me everything, and satisfy me! Or else I’ll go find someone else who can!” She demands.
Caine doesn’t argue.
He doesn’t back down.
He readily and eagerly wraps his arms around Tari to drag her to her room. An act which is made much, much easier by virtue of the fact that he can literally teleport from one room to the next.
He takes her straight to her bed. Where he quickly pushes her down, and summons the textureless ghosts of his remaining hands to make fast work of the task at hand.
“Everything-” Caine rasps in turn, his many hands moving as they will to explore the woman’s waiting body.
“Everything, for you.”
The woman moans as her Patron leans in close to lick along her neck.
His cartoonishly large, wet tongue laps against the soft fur covering her throat. Something that she feels clearly against her skin, even if only because that is how the logic of the code works.
Whether she has skin, fur, or scales, the sensations will all feel the same.
Clouds of steam escape Caine’s mouth as he stretches and twists his tongue to wrap it around Tari’s throat. He works it like a snake, or like the tentacle of an octopus; coiling it around the trailing down between her breasts. Only to then shift again so that he can wrap around whichever breast suits his fancy.
The stimulation satisfies on all accounts, yet somehow leaves her yearning.
Even as her Patron’s many checkerboarded hands set out to manipulate her body to their whims.
Her legs are spread so that fingers can find all the spots that matter. One hand to tease the heat within, while another uses fingers to gently knead the flesh that throbs.
“Everything~” He rasps, effortlessly speaking even as his tongue twists and coils around her body.
All the while the woman squirms and moans, entirely overwhelmed by all of the sensations that she has found herself subjected too.
She can’t currently find the words to express the ways she feels. Or all the ways that she’s impressed with what he’s managing to do.
All that she can do is lay back and relish in the pleasure as he works to please her body in all the ways that he can manage; using hands and tongue alike to worship her to the best of his ability.
“F—-uuhck me~...” Tari rasps as she feels Caine suck his tongue back into his mouth. Following which she finds herself being coaxed into his mouth.
He coils his tongue around her again. Licking and tasting her. Face, neck, head, and mouth.
He practically smothers her with his tongue as he ushers it past her lips. Invading every crevice of her maw, before pressing on to reach into the depths of her throat.
If not for the fact that this reality was simulated, she would choke. She would be suffocated by the sheer size of it alone, and the feel of his tongue slipping so far down into her esophagus would be more than enough to make her gag.
Call it cartoon physics; call it porn logic; call it whatever the fuck you want.
It feels amazing. And it is something that no one else in this simulation would ever be able to do to her.
She cannot help but moan around his tongue even as he quite literally fucks her face with it.
She cannot help but relish in the misty heat of his breath, or in the texture of his saliva as it smears across her face.
He relishes in her taste. And she relishes in the sounds of absolute euphoria that escape each time he shifts his tongue.
When he next sucks his tongue back into his mouth, she sucks in a breath.
Then she squirms, reflexively thrusting her hips in the desperate pursuit of orgasm.
Gloved fingers press into her.
They intentionally stretch and caress, effortlessly thrusting thanks to the excessive lubricant that her body has produced while subjected to this heat.
His many hands make quick work of her. Caressing her genitalia in such a skillful way that she is made to genuinely question whether or not this being has actually been celibate from the day of his creation.
They caress her legs and thighs. They run along her sides and very intentionally grope her hips with need. They run along her back and cradle her by the back of her head to keep it steady, while he ushers his tongue back into his mouth. All the while he keeps those large, shimmering eyes locked upon her face.
Everything all at once. The caresses. The fondling. The intentional manipulation of her body so that she can be kept in just the right position for him to do as he pleases.
He moans her name in desperation even as he tongues her throat in absolution.
He growls with euphoric pleasure, despite being subjected to such little stimulation.
It would seem as though he draws all physical pleasure from his tongue, because he lacks the parts needed to seek bliss through other means. The act of kissing on its own must be enough to satisfy him in ways that would normally require ejaculation.
Even so, it is not enough to satisfy. Not to her, at least.
How could fingers alone prove satisfying when she is tasting for herself all of the delight that his tongue could bring? How could those gentle thrusts and circular motions wash away the heat, when the presence of his tongue could so effortlessly smother any flame?
When he next sucks his tongue into his mouth and grants her the chance to speak, she growls his name from within the confines of his teeth.
“Caine-” She rasps, the steam of her throat mingling with the mist within his maw “I need your tongue~!” She begs.
For but a moment, he seems confused. He shifts to try and usher his tongue back into her waiting mouth. Only for her to abruptly shift so that she can snatch the slippery muscle with her hand, following which she gently tugs it down towards where she needs it.
“Lower~” She instructs, panting lustfully.
Caine audibly moans and trembles, his body jerking in such a way that, if she didn’t know any better, she might have assumed that he just got off.
But that would be impossible, considering his lack of parts.
Even so, the Architect obeys.
He lowers himself down so that he can lick his way down her body, pausing only briefly to pay some special attention to her breasts. Which he gently kneads between his teeth, one at a time, while pressing the tip of his tongue against her nipple.
When she presses her palms against the top of his head, he submits to her desire.
He shifts to lay comfortably on his stomach, which his head pressed between her well lubricated thighs.
Tari trembles as heated breath rolls across thoroughly teased flesh.
Then a pathetic moan escapes her as she feels his tongue drag firmly between her folds.
“F—-uuhck, Caine~!” She rasps his name as the pleasure jolts through her like an electric shock. Only for a whine to escape her as the Architect abruptly sits up and stops what he is doing.
“What the fuck, Caine?!” She snaps, well and truly frustrated in every sense of the word. All the while she watches as he opens his mouth wide so that he can reach inside with his primary set of hands.
“O-one moment, darling!” Caine replies. Following which there is a very audible, airy pop; like the sound of two bottles of wine being corked at the same point.
And suddenly, Caine’s eyes are no longer in his mouth. They’re in his hands. Staring directly at her even as he takes them and positions them in the air a solid few inches above his head.
“J-just making a few adjustments~” He stammers as he proceeds to literally screw his eyes into the air above his head. Again, with some very unexpected yet completely suitable sounds accompanying the action.
Once his eyes have been relocated, he blinks them one at a time. Following which his mouth bends into a smile, and he lets out a satisfied sigh.
“I-I just wanted to see your face, is all! I’ll continue now!” He states, giving her a quick explanation for the sudden delay. Before he promptly lays back on his stomach and gets back to work, making sure to do so before she can actually stop to question him.
Which only works partly.
The return of his tongue proves to be more than enough to keep her from verbally questioning the weird shit that he just did. But it does nothing to prevent her from mentally questioning not only that, but why she was into it.
Not that she’s really given much time to ponder that question.
It can be pretty hard to think about anything but how good it feels, when a tongue as thick as your thigh and as long as your leg is being forced into your cunt.
Again, cartoon logic. Or hentai logic, in this case. Regardless of how illogical it is for him to be able to squeeze something that big into such a comparatively small space, it fits without issue. And it does so without hurting at all.
In fact, the sensation brings her nothing short of satisfaction. The satisfaction that his fingers tried so desperately to provide, but failed to deliver.
She rasps his name in broken speech as that first orgasm washes over her. All the while those large, disembodied eyes of his remain locked upon her face.
She orgasms again as he quickly sucks the full length of his tongue back into his mouth.
She is hardly granted a moment of reprieve as she listens to the sound of him “smacking his lips” in delight, before he forces his tongue back into her just as effortlessly.
“Oh FUCK~!” Tari cannot help the harsh swear that escapes her as she feels that third orgasm rush close, only to fall short at the last second. Just so that it can tease her with a couple seconds of delay, before Caine sucks his tongue back out of her.
This time, there isn’t really even a pause while he soaks in the taste of her body. At best, she hears a singular “smack” of his tongue against the roof of his mouth, before he hungrily shoves his tongue back into her.
She sucks in a harsh breath, feeling another orgasm rush towards her like a truck. A truck which slams on its breaks at the last possible second, before then rolling across the finish line.
She isn’t given a moment's rest.
She is not afforded anything even comparable to a break between orgasms.
Her stomach bulges to accommodate the asinine length of slippery muscle, and she is reminded of just how generous the developers elected to be when it came to the subject of the female orgasm.
There is no struggle to find the fabled G-spot. No innate disappointment that can come about as a result of clitoral neglect.
The very act of being penetrated brings the same amount of pleasure. And right now, Tari is being made aware of one very little known fact.
The sensation of insertion and withdrawal is pleasurable. For as long as the movement takes place, the pleasure is there.
The dick of a standard lover might produce a few solid seconds of bliss at a time. But the insertion and removal of a tongue that easily measures the full length of her body?
…
Telling Caine to use his tongue may very well have been a mistake, considering how effortlessly he brings her to orgasm. Repeatedly. Without breaks.
She finds herself swiftly overwhelmed by the continuous application of pleasure.
Every thrust of Caine’s tongue forces her right to the brink of orgasm. Then as he sucks it back into his mouth to greedily devour the taste of her previous climax, he pushes her into a new one.
This is a pleasure that borders on torture.
It is body worship that feels closer to ritual arson.
He delights her with his devotion. Yet all the while he remains ignorant of her every plea for mercy when she is inevitably moved to tears.
She cries out his name repeatedly, showering him with praise even as she begs for him to stop.
Her legs tremble and her body convulses from euphoric absolution.
Her voice cracks.
Tears roll down her cheeks.
Her insides constrict to cling to his tongue. But it is unclear if she is trying to squeeze him out, or prevent his tongue from escaping her at all.
A few minutes of being mercilessly fucked by his tongue feels more like hours.
He ravishes her so thoroughly that she is plunged well into the grasp of exhaustion, inevitably reaching a point where the next orgasm literally takes away a sliver of her health.
At which point, with no alternative means of catching his attention in sight, she takes drastic measures.
As he sucks his tongue out of her that final time and she feels more of her precious life-force slip out of her, she throws her arm upwards.
Her hand finds one of his eyes. Which she desperately grasps, immediately catching his attention.
Caine nearly jumps onto his feet as he yelps. His eyes quickly yank themselves out of Tari’s reach to disappear back into his mouth; which he tightly closes to protect them from further assault.
“Whtwsthtfr?!” He attempts to speak, though his voice is incredibly muffled and impossible to understand, thanks to his mouth being closed.
“Wh-at… Was that?” Tari asks between violent gasps of breath. Only to jolt as Caine’s mouth abruptly pops open, to reveal an expression reminiscent of a kicked puppy. One that is primarily made up of confusion, as well as a little bit of hurt, and a hint of betrayal.
“What was that for?!” The Architect whines, his eyes watering. Only for his expression to suddenly soften as he finally stops to take a good look at Tari. Which directly leads to him taking notice of the particular status debuffs that have been applied to her, as a result of her very thorough tongue-fucking.
“Oh my goodness! Tari! I-I’m so sorry! I-I don’t know what came over me, I was just-” He starts to stammer in a panic as he quickly realizes exactly why Tari up and grabbed him by the eye.
Tari, meanwhile, focuses on catching her breath while she idly waves him off; not at all angry or upset.
It's hard to be even slightly mad at him when she genuinely enjoyed every second of the experience. Had the exhaustion not gone on to lead to the gradual loss of her Hit Points, she wouldn’t have felt nearly compelled enough to reach out and stop him.
“Its-” She pants, pausing only briefly to clear her throat “its okay~” She reassures him, all the while she pats her chest, encouraging to come in closer so that they can cuddle.
Still feeling guilty over having literally tongue-fucked Tari to the point that it could’ve killed her, Caine tentatively moves in close. Which only leads to him being snatched up into the woman’s arms so that he can be tugged close for a hug.
“Y-you’re not mad?” Caine whimpers, just barely peeking out from behind his teeth so that he can timidly look the woman in the eye.
Tari laughs quietly and shifts so that she can roll over with him. Just so that they can cuddle a little more comfortably.
Her intent was to inform him that she had had a wonderful time, despite how carried away he got. Only to find herself pausing as the Architect whimpers and physically trembles when her leg brushes against him in a particular way.
After which she comes to realize that there is a damp spot on her leg.
Confused, she pushes him off of her and sits up so that she can look at him. At which point her eyes immediately hone in on the visually, glossy sheen that has settled over his crotch.
She recognizes that damp, glossy splotch almost instantly.
Absolutely baffled, she turns to look at Caine, the surprise clearly visible on her face.
“S-sorry!” Caine whimpers as he tries to hide his face behind his arms, clearly embarrassed over his current, dishevelled state.
“Y-you were just so b-beautiful and you tasted so good, I-I couldn’t help but-” He rambles, only to yelp in response to the unexpected sensation of being groped. Something that Tari could not help but do, because she desperately needed to verify what she was seeing.
For a couple of seconds, she kneads Caine’s crotch. Just to reassure herself that it is, in fact, smooth. Ken-doll smooth. She even tugs down his pants enough to make extra sure, which only goes on to reinforce the fact that Caine has absolutely nothing between his legs.
No hole. No orifice. No external piece that could have otherwise been used as a means of attaining sexual pleasure.
He is completely smooth. Like a plastic doll.
Which makes the fact that he has somehow ejaculated into his pants, all the more baffling.
Tari stares at the sticky white substance that has gotten all over her hand, and all over his smooth crotch, as she feels her cheeks get incredibly hot.
That same unbearable heat rushes back between her legs.
“Caine.” She calls the other’s name, her voice audibly cracking as she stares at the AI.
“Y-yes?” Caine responds, timidly.
“Go and grab my travel bag.” She requests. Which visually catches the being off guard.
“O-okay, but uh… Why?” He asks in response.
“We’re going to need it.” Tari responds as she reaches out to tightly grasp the front of Caine’s coat.
“Because we’re doing that again.” She rasps.
I got bitten by the writing bug while writing the remaining details for the Manufactured Isekai AU. So here's a fic about @chimkin-samich's OC, Antares, aka "Tari" obtaining her first Warlock familiar. Guided by my OC, Ayala.
A tall wooden fence. Visibly worn down.
Old and tattered from exposure. The wooden pillars are splintered at the edges. The majority of them have taken on a green tint as a result of mossy growth.
The structure spans across a wide area, wrapping around acres of healthy land. Land which appears to be unnaturally empty as a result of the established nature of the wooden borders.
What appears as an empty plot of grassy land is by no means what it seems. Such is one of the many lessons that have already been learned about this fantastical reality, born of human ingenuity.
A simple gate marks the primary means of entering and exiting the space. The gate is in much greater condition, visually, than the surrounding wooden pillars. Not an ounce of rust is visible upon the metal. Not one hint of encroaching moss.
As the owner of the gate extends her hand to pull it open, it doesn’t make a sound.
Not a squeak. Not a creak. Not a whimper. The hinges are well oiled. Well maintained. As is everything that the Druid has taken possession of.
“You can go in~” The woman says, a soft and playful lull in her tone.
A moment of hesitance transpires. Brought about reflexively, as a result of prior conversations. Though a quick flick of the head to further encourage the visitor to step inside. Which proves to be enough.
With a deep breath and the internal resolve to turn around and jump the fence should things go awry, the Warlock steps through the open gate.
The magical illusion of emptiness falls. The empty, grassy field disappears entirely. In its place stands a far, far greater expanse of land. Lush with grass on one side, while the other supports untold varieties of healthy looking trees.
A narrow, flowing river carves the space right down the middle. That river presumably leads to some sort of pond that rests somewhere beyond the current line of sight.
The Druid, Ayala, calmly closes the gate behind her as she too steps into this expanse of magical land. Following which she offers a casual pat to the back of the visibly stunned and enamored Warlock in training.
“You good, hun~?” The woman asks, amusement very obvious in her tone.
“It's beautiful!...” The Warlock, Antares, responds. Her voice light and cracking slightly, as she has been damn near pushed to tears by the raw beauty of the landscape.
“It is, isn’t it?” Ayala hums in response, her own voice settling down into a quiet trill as she herself succumbs to the beauty of the scene. Even if only for a moment. Following which she offers the other a gentle nudge.
“Well, don’t just stand there gawking! We won’t find you familiar just hovering by the gate all day!” She then chuckles, which seems to be enough to encourage her guests to start moving.
“Yes! Right. Right…” Antares jolts in response, before quickly settling. She sets out to follow alongside her guide, still internally anxious as a result of the particular brand of cautionary tale that she had been fed prior to this event.
A tale in which it was made clear that those who make the mistake of trespassing upon animal enclosures, such as this one, will inevitably find themselves being torn apart by a menagerie of territorial beasts. Beasts which would have locked on to their location the instant that their feet made contact with the ground, if not the moment that they passed over the border of the fence.
The way that the story was told, it was made clear that this was an intentional design choice. A means of preventing malicious individuals from breaking into protected lands to steal pre-tamed entities for themselves. Something which is, apparently, incredibly tempting. Namely because tamed creatures have a higher chance of producing offspring with rare stats and colors, when compared to wild spawn chances.
Anyone who doesn’t have express permission to enter will inevitably find themselves swarmed and attacked by the adult beasts. But because the babies are comparatively weak and fairly easy to force-tame, the temptation is still there. Some people still try. And somehow, some of them will make off with a valuable creature. At which point the actual owner of the beast will no longer be able to get it back.
According to Ayala, she herself has very little reason to fear this outcome. Most who are unfortunate enough to have a beast stolen from them, do not have a very large collection.
She, however, does.
She has an incredibly large collection, in fact. That much was established not only verbally beforehand, but has been made clear as day now that the pair are actually inside of the enclosure.
There are animals everywhere. Birds flying across the field. Mammalian creatures of all sizes darting through the grass.
Everything in the enclosure was made aware of them as soon as they stepped through the gate. Which in turn means that everything inside is curious.
Antares naturally freezes as the first of those curious animals make their presence known.
Some sort of small, furry thing resembling a weasel quite literally crawls up onto her foot so that it can sniff at her leg.
The little beast does not growl or bite or otherwise display any amount of aggression. It just sniffs at her leg for a few moments, before turning around and disappearing back into the grass. Following which the Warlock allows herself to relax, even if only slightly.
“Relax.” Ayala hums as she gives the other another soft nudge.
“You’re safe.” She states, just re-establishing an earlier promise.
Those who trespass will, in fact, be killed if they get themselves caught. But anyone with permission to enter, especially if they are being personally escorted by the owner of the enclosure, will not be harmed. So long as they do not go out of the way to pick any fights.
“R-right!” Antares stammers in response, before awkwardly clearing her throat.
“So, uh… How exactly does this work?” She then asks.
She is aware of why they are here. But the how is quite beyond her current range of understanding.
She is brand new, after all. She’s barely been here for a few days and has just been trying to get settled in. Now that she’s actually at the point where she’s being shown how to do something, she’ll be needing that extra guidance.
“Well, you’re a bit of a special case.” Ayala responds. As she does, she holds up her hand to allow a bird to fly over and land in her palm.
A cute little yellow bird with a small patch of black between its eyes.
She allows the bird to look the stranger over, before it then flies off.
“Under normal circumstances, you’d be restricted to a much smaller pool of possible tames. Very weak creatures that would only be made powerful, as a result of the magic granted to you by your Patron.” She explains, her eyes following the bird as it leaves.
“Little birds. Mice. Frogs. Those would normally be the sort of creature that you’d be restricted to, for a first time. But thanks to the little arrangement that you have with the developers, you’re actually able to jump straight to an intermediate beast. Something like a wolf, a lion, or a small wyvern.” She explains further, just expanding upon what she’s said before.
That last piece of information, naturally, catches the Warlock’s attention.
“Wait, really?” Antares asks, immediately intrigued by the idea of taming something like a dragon.
That was what a wyvern was, right? A type of dragon? One that was built more like a bat, so it only had four limbs? That would be cool!
“I reiterate, a small wyvern.” Ayala states, her tone shifting accordingly to make it as clear as she can that Antares will not be able to tame the sort of mighty beast that she might be thinking of.
“The breeds within your capabilities won’t grow to be any bigger than a dog. I’m talking a central body that only gets to be about as big as something like a German Shepherd. The wings, neck, and tail might add more overall size. But the wyverns in question are bottom of the food chain, when compared to others of their ilk.” She says, further expanding upon the limitations. Just to make sure that her guests didn’t go and get themselves all excited over the idea of being able to tame a wyvern; only to be disappointed by how small it would actually be.
Then again, she is failing to take into account that, for the average person, a small dragon is still a dragon! Antares doesn’t need the beast to be big enough to eat whole cows for breakfast. She is merely excited by the possibility of being able to tame a dragon!
“Cool!” The Warlock replies, enthusiasm clear in her tone. Which in turn coaxes a soft, amused sigh out of the Druid.
“We’ll go and check to see how the Wyverns are doing, then?” She suggests. Needlessly so, considering how quickly her companion nods.
“Alright. Come along, then.” She sighs, rolling her eyes slightly with amusement.
Antares follows along excitedly as Ayala begins to lead the way.
They must first cross the river to venture from the field into the forest. Then they must walk for a little while, until they happen upon a strange structure.
A second, very small fence. Four sides, one of which is a gate. All of the sides, equal size to the fence.
The Warlock furrows her brows in confusion, baffled as to why this might be here.
“Wyverns tend to prefer different terrain.” Ayala says.
“I have a primary enclosure built for things that like to live in forest and fields. Then I have sub-enclosures that lead to other environments. Like mountains and deserts.” She explains as she pulls open the gate and motions for the other to step in.
“Go on~” She muses, well aware of how visually disorienting it is going to be for Antares once she steps through.
And, of course, she is correct. It is incredibly disorienting to step through a tiny gate in the middle of a forest, only for that forest to entirely disappear and to transform into a rocky clearing.
The layout here is similar. A big rocky clearing with some grass on one side, then visible mountains and cliffs on the other. Divided by a river, which visually seems to have carved its way through solid stone.
Antares actually gets dizzy as a result of the abrupt change. Which means that she needs to take a few moments to sit down and let her mind catch up.
Ayala just chuckles, muttering something along the lines of “Yeah, I remember that” as she stands idle to wait for her companion to recover. Following which she extends her hand as an offer to help the Warlock back onto their feet.
“That was wild.” Antares mutters, only to earn an understanding nod from the Druid.
“It gets easier, the more you do it.” She states, referencing the disorientation and how quickly it fades, following such an abrupt visual transition.
She then shifts and smiles, having spotted something. Something which she goes on to point out to the other.
“We have an audience~” She says.
Antares cannot help but look. At which point she discovers that multiple creatures have gathered around the border of the river, at the far side.
There are only so many words that can be used to describe the manner in which her face lights up at the sight of what she sees.
There are griffins! Wyverns! Sphinx! Mythological creatures, the likes of which she would otherwise only have been able to see in the form of dreams and paintings! Complete and utter fantasy in the world that she came from, but a stunning reality in this digital space.
She is absolutely delighted by the sight of them. Enamored by all of the different ways that their bodies are shaped. Especially the wyverns!
The small, draconic beasts overtop one another like excited dogs and cats. Their bodies sport a huge range of colors; red to orange to blue to green to black, and even more than that! Some with faces shaped more like birds; angular with elongated snouts that effortlessly hide rows of sharpened teeth. Others seem more reptilian, with smoother faces that more reliably show off the faintest hint of deadly fangs.
Some have feathers. Some have scales. Some are covered in fur. There are even some in the water, and those that reside there have skin better resembling that of a fish or a frog.
Every one of them appears to be excited! There is a visual eagerness to approach and observe this new presence that has found its way into their domain. But even so, each of these creatures; which is more than capable of jumping or flying over the narrow path of water; behaves as if kept at bay by the borders of the water-carved stone.
The noises that they make as they crawl all over one another is another adventure on its own. There are sounds akin to the cackling of a hyena, or the screeching of an owl. Deep, booming darks and clacking calls that sound more akin to gunfire than to any noise that an animal should make.
Antares cannot help but stand and stare in awe as she observes the cacophony of flailing animals. Whereas Ayala, after allowing the dramatic display to carry on for a few minutes, effortlessly puts a stop to the chaos through the use of a shrill whistle.
She blows air harshly through tight teeth, creating a sharp sound that cuts effortlessly through the symphony of animal sounds. Following which the creatures all immediately still, ears perked and eyes focused entirely upon her.
Then, she says something. Something that the Warlock cannot understand. Something in a language not meant for her to understand.
But the animals understand it. They understand both her words and the motions of her hand as she calmly waves her arm while snapping her fingers.
Visual chaos rapidly conforms to order. The beasts all quickly untangle themselves from one another.
Every one of them sits and waits for further instructions, their eyes fully fixated upon the form of their shared master. Bodies visually tense with excitement, though that excitement is far more contained than it was moments prior.
Once more, the woman speaks.
A portion of the creatures stand, reluctantly back away, and turn around to leave the scene. Those creatures consisting of anything that is not a wyvern.
Antares stands where she is, baffled by how effortlessly Ayala took command of the situation. Just a whistle and a few words, and everything that she addressed understood her completely.
“Perks of being a Druid.” Ayala dryly chuckles, before she motions towards a small stone bridge that will take them across the narrow river. Which she and Antares quickly head towards.
“You’re welcome to look over all of the adults here. But you’ll be binding a baby as your familiar.” She states.
“How come?” Antares asks as she follows the Druid across the short bridge. All the while she stares down into the water, watching the water-dwelling wyverns even as they stare up at her curiously.
“Your magic is weak.” Ayala states calmly.
“You are allowed to tame something far stronger than you would normally be able to tame. But you are not strong enough, or experienced enough, to tame and bind an adult creature. Not one as strong of will as a wyvern.” She explains, before pausing and chuckling.
“Also, all of the adults here are mine. They’re fully tamed. You can’t tame them, you can only receive them as gifts. And I’m not giving you one. It would negate the point of teaching you how to tame.” She then adds, revealing the more accurate reason as to why Antares won’t be able to take her pick of any of the adult wyverns present.
Either way, she can’t tame them. A wild one would have too much willpower to be bent to her will, and an already tamed one can’t be tamed by someone else. Probably to prevent theft.
Antares makes a show of pouting. Only to laugh as Ayala says something to the effect of “Maybe once you’ve earned enough coin, I’ll sell you one~”. Though it is unclear as to whether or not she is joking.
Once safely on the other side of the river, on the flatter terrain bordering the surrounding mountains, the Warlock is allowed to observe and interact with the wyverns. Just for a few minutes.
Ayala teaches the Warlock about the different wyvern types, as she enjoys her interaction time. Which is less about going over the various distinct species that are all in front of them, and more about going over the different types of Wyvern and their different elemental alignments.
As an example, there are feathered, furred and scaled wyvern. Which is just a fancy way of saying that “This is a visual trait used to identify a specific wyvern family”. Determined by checking the central body. Namely because all wyverns have some amount of scaling; but not all wyverns are primarily covered in scales.
The water dwelling wyverns are no different. They can be primarily covered in fur, feathers, or scales. They just happen to have special traits that allow them to spend much of their time fully submerged.
Color, meanwhile, is the way that you determine a wyvern’s elemental alignment. Which, yeah. That makes sense. It is a very common thing to do in games. The developers of the simulated world would obviously have the incentive to do the same, because that would make it easier for people to quickly figure things out.
A dominantly red wyvern is a fire elemental. White is “Radiance”, which is just a fancy way of saying divine light. Yellow is lightning, which is pretty obvious. If the color can be associated with an element, there is a very real chance that you are accurate. Though Ayala herself will admit that it can be more complicated than that.
One of the present wyverns, for example, is what she describes as a “Gaian”. Which is, apparently, a fancy way to say that it is a nature elemental. It apparently sprays water from its mouth that has no offensive capabilities, and is instead used to promote plant growth. All of the offensive capabilities of its elemental alignment come in the form of modifications that said alignments do to its body. Which can change based upon if it is a furred, feathered, or scaled wyvern.
She points out that this specific wyvern is scaled. The scales on its back and tail are longer and can be individually moved. These scales visually resemble leaves, and are sharp as knives. The wyvern can launch these scales at a target like throwing knives, and the scales quickly grow back in.
“Gaian” Wyverns are both animal and plant. They gain energy from the sun and do not need to eat as frequently, or as much, as other wyverns.
They are also incredibly rare. As are another elemental class, “Mender”, which have offensive magic properties at all but are instead healers. Which makes them highly sought after.
“I can’t give you a Mender or a Gaian wyvern, though.” Ayala eventually sighs.
“I haven’t been able to find partners or either of the ones that I have. They’re rare, and whenever one spawns, someone else usually gets to it before I can.” She explains, before she shakes her head.
“Not that it’d have made a difference. The few times they’ve spawned, they weren’t the right sex. So I’d just wind up with two that I can’t breed.” She adds, before she motions for Antares to follow.
“That’s enough for now. Let's go and check out the babies. See if any of them catch your eye.” She instructs.
Antares follows along, albeit reluctantly. It is very hard for her to want to listen when there is a pretty green wyvern going out of its way to demand attention.
The creature actually follows closely after the pair, and makes regular attempts at rubbing its head and neck against the Warlock’s legs whenever the opportunity arises.
Greenie is either an abnormally affectionate wyvern, or tamed wyverns are just affectionate in nature. As of now, it is unclear. But Antares would like to hope that she’ll find herself fortunate enough to tame a baby that will become as affectionate as their little tagalong.
The two of them will need to spend a fair amount of time climbing up the established mountain paths.
Wyverns nest up high, in rocky terrain. They intentionally build nests in areas that are difficult to reach. Tunnels and paths get carved directly into stone to create a suitable environment for the hatchlings.
Each nest is also connected to multiple paths. Some of which are fake, and lead to dead ends. Others lead directly to the exterior of the mountain. That way if a predator gets in, the hatchlings will hopefully be able to escape before that predator can find them.
Once they’ve reached the nesting area, Ayala actually has to coax out the hatchlings because neither she nor Antares would be able to reliably climb into the actual nests.
The adult wyverns help. While Ayala tries to coax babies out for her to scoop them up and show them off to Antares, adults will climb into their nests to usher the babies out.
She explains elemental rarity and how the breeding works when you’re breeding tames. The commons are fire, lightning, and ice. Next tier up are Noxious and Acid. Noxious is just the fancy way of saying that the dragon utilizes toxins of some sort to deal damage. After that are Radiant and Ethereal dragons. Radiant being thought of as holy light, whereas Ethereal dragons are more associated with darkness, fear, and death. The rarest of the elementals are Gaian and Mend, the nature elementals and the healers.
When breeding, there is always some chance of producing an elemental of a higher tier of rarity. The elemental alignment of the parent does have some influence, so if you get a baby of the same rarity, it is more than likely to make the parent’s element. But it is never guaranteed.
Offspring will have the greatest chance of hatching as their lowest rarity parent. With chances for higher or lower tiers adjusting based on the tier.
“The math is rigged.” She says.
“Breeding two Ethereal dragons doesn’t give me a high chance of getting a Gaian or a Mend. It just gives me the highest possible chance. I’ll be more than likely to get another Ethereal, or an element from the next tier down.” She grumbles, before shaking her head.
“But I guess that’s the point. The higher the rarity, the better the stats, and the more unique the skills. If someone could just mass produce the two highest rarity dragons, there wouldn’t really be any incentive to breed lower tiers.” She explains. All the while she holds up a random baby wyvern for Antares to look over.
Thus far, none of them have really caught her eye. At least, none more so than the previous.
She’s looking at baby dragons. It is physically impossible for her to not get excited every time she’s shown a new one. She just has yet to be shown one that somehow stands out to her more than any of the previous.
Until Ayala pulls up a weird looking little thing. One of the baby feathered wyverns that is currently covered in ugly little pin-feathers. Stuck in that awkward transitional stage where cute downy fluff is transforming into proper feathers, leading to a creature that looks more like a living pile of lint than an actual animal.
This particular hatchling, or whelp as she calls it, is almost completely black. It has an angular, bird-like head and beak-like mouth. The front of its muzzle appears almost very dark purple, with a hint of blue.
Once Ayala is holding it, it hisses. Leathery skin peels back into a threatening snarl to show off small but visibly sharp teeth, and a long, forked tongue slides out to taste the air.
Ayala makes a face as she looks over the weirdly agitated whelp.
“Well, aren’t you a little bastard.” She states, which only seems to encourage the creature to snarl at her more. Thus making her eyes widen slightly.
“Oooh, big bastard~” She chuckles, giving the hatchling a more thorough look over.
“You are going to be an absolute menace, once you’re grown.” She hums.
Antares, meanwhile, cannot help but eye the little beast with enthusiasm.
“This one.” She states, just to make it known that she wants to try and tame this particular hatchling. Which seems to catch the Druid off guard.
“... I wouldn’t recommend it.” Ayala replies, her eyebrow raised. All the while the hatchling in her hand continues to snarl and hiss at her like the little bastard that it is.
“Ethereals can be difficult to manage on a good roll. This one, however” she says while holding the little creature up closer to Antares, so that it can snarl in her face “has a very abrasive personality.” She states. Though when the Warlock appears to be unconvinced, she just offers the whelp for her to hold.
“He will be combative. Argumentative and rebellious. If you’re looking to be stuck with an angsty teenager forever, be my guest. But do not expect any sympathy from me when he causes problems. Because I promise you, he is going to cause problems.” She explains.
Antares remains unswayed, and instead excitedly reaches out to accept the hatchling. Which snarls and hisses at her just like it did with Ayala. All the while it shifts to look directly at Antares, now that she is the one actively holding it.
“How do I tame him?!” The Warlock excitedly asks, effectively sealing her fate.
She is making what Ayala believes to be a horrible choice. But she is an adult, and this is her choice to make. So she will have to live with whatever consequence comes about as a result.
“First, you must bind him.” Ayala says, referencing a very specific spell that a Warlock has access to. A binding spell that locks the soul of an animal to their own, thus making it into a familiar. Something that will grow in power as they do and serve their needs, both inside and outside of combat.
As she says this, she motions towards her right eye. Reminding Antares as to how she’ll access her spells.
The system uses eye tracking and cognitive inputs. To access spells, one must first have the urge to pull up the HUD, and then they must use their eyes to look over at and “click” on the spellbook. Which is done by winking the right eye.
This pulls up a windowed display. Something that overlays against surrounding visuals, allowing a player to remain aware of their surroundings while they’re accessing things like their spellbook, inventory, or looking at information.
As Antares gets used to being here, the process will get smoother. She’ll be able to eventually reach a point where she can open and close these things without needing to even use her eyes. But as of now, while she is brand new, the process requires a little extra cognitive effort.
“A-alright, uh…” The Warlock sort of rambles quietly to herself as she struggles to go through the process. She pulls up her HUD and then accesses her spellbook, finding the only spell that she actually has access to at the moment. The binding spell. Which is described as a spell that challenges the will of a non-tamed creature in order to both dominate and take control of a beast.
This is where Druids and Warlocks differ. Druids communicate with beasts and tame them more passively. Whereas Warlocks use their magic to force desired beasts to bend to their will, forming magical bonds that will bind the beast to them.
Druids earn the cooperation of their animal companions and are often loved by them. Whereas a Warlock can enact control over a creature, even if that creature hates them.
Warlocks can also use their magic to transform a familiar into other creatures. Which is something that a Druid cannot do. The Druid, instead, changes themself with magic to fight as a beast.
They are considered to be polar opposites, in terms of their intended implementation. There are even arguments that can be made over one side being evil in comparison to the other, but this amounts more to personal perception than anything else.
The spell that Antares must use is a ritual spell. Requiring a drop of her blood to be offered up so that the magic of her Patron can be called upon. For her specifically, that Patron is the Architect of Imagination. A chaotic being with chaotic magic.
The finer details of the ritual go on to explain that it is required that she draw the blood herself. It cannot be pulled from a wound that she did not create through the use of her own will.
It also states that finding a way to apply her blood directly to the body of the creature that she seeks to bind will greatly increase the odds of success.
The spell is never guaranteed. There is always a chance of failure. But failure is only a temporary setback that creates a need for additional time. She can make as many attempts to bind an entity as she needs. She just has to be able to see the creature in order for the spell to have the ability to succeed.
The spell itself is also unspoked, requiring focus. There are specific words that she must think while channeling the magic of her Patron. Honestly they’re nothing special.
“This soul, I seek to bind. This soul, I seek as mine. Make it mine, and make us one. Then, a new familiar shall be won.”
Nothing overly complex. But it at least rhymes, which is a nice touch. Even if it uses words that sound the same to make the rhyme happen.
Antares starts to mentally chant the spell as she reaches out to intentionally cut one of her fingers upon the small, sharp teeth of the wyvern. Which in turn leads to her finger flat out being bitten, which wasn’t entirely what she wanted, but she did intentionally create the wound so hopefully it counts.
Once she’s got a nice little wound, she takes her blood and smears it intentionally across the wyvern’s face. Something that the spell suggested. All the while she somehow remains oblivious to the fact that a summoning circle has appeared beneath her, as well as beneath the wyvern hatchling.
There isn’t any sound or anything that might make it obvious. And with her staring directly at the still hissing creature while she casts her spell, she doesn’t exactly have the chance to take notice of some fancy magical display happening on the ground.
She does, however, notice when that fancy magical display suddenly releases a flash of light. Which is apparently the way to confirm that the spell was successful.
The summoning circle flashes like a bolt of lightning, momentarily blinding Antares and breaking her concentration. Following which, she finds herself still holding the rebellious wyvern whelp. Only now, its eyes have become solid black, and there appears to be a small illusionary witch hat floating slightly above its head. Which must be the way to visually establish that a creature has been made into a familiar.
“... Congrats! You’ve tamed a bastard!” Ayala dramatically, and somewhat sarcastically exclaims as she observes the pair. Antares apparently took a few moments too long to react to her own success, which must have prompted the Druid to make her own response.
The Warlock jolts somewhat in response, before sheepishly laughing. Following which she lets out a sudden yelp as the hatchling proceeds to crane its neck around so that it can bite her right on the arm, causing her to drop them.
Which is fine. The little beast is able to slow its fall rather easily with its wings. Following which it proceeds to walk across the ground until it can reach the Warlock’s legs. One of which it immediately wraps itself around, much like a toddler might with a parent.
There is a moment of stunned silence as Antares seemingly questions all of her life choices. It certainly didn’t take long for Ayala’s warning to come into effect. This particular wyvern is indeed a bastard, and it will be making that fact her problem forever! Or until it can somehow convince her to release it.
The Druid then awkwardly clears her throat.
“... At your current level, little bastard is the only one you get to keep with you. You can technically bind as many as you want, but you can only keep one with you at a time, for now. Any others that you bind will get sent directly to your Patron, who will be in charge of looking after them. They’ll usually be kept in a pocket dimension that you’ll need to figure out how to access on your own.” She explains, just making sure that Antares will understand how her powers work.
Druids get a space easily accessed in the real world, where the beasts must be given what they need to survive. Warlocks bind animals then those animals get dragged into a pocket dimension to be looked after by some sort of godlike entity. Kept put away like toys, only being withdrawn when the Warlock has use for them.
She then starts to head back down towards the paths, so that she can make her way off of the mountain.
“You should think of a name for it.” She says, Antares following closely behind. Though her movement is slowed, as a result of a very small dragon being wrapped around one of her legs.
“You’ll level up once you name it. But the name will be permanent. So think hard about what you’d like to go with.” She adds, before pausing for a moment.
“There is power in a name. Whatever name you pick, it has a chance of changing something about him. I don’t know what it will be. But the meaning of a name plays a part. So you’ll need to be extra sure that you want to use it.” She says, before she resumes her descent.
Antares, meanwhile, quietly takes in the information. She is, admittedly, still trying to process the fact that she’s tamed an actual draconic being. That it is hers now. Forever, or until she makes the choice to change that.
This post specifically describes the backgrounds of characters that are CANON (or canon-adjacent) to "The Amazing Digital Circus". I will post the information on OCs entirely separate.
Please note, that the background information here is purely non-canon, made very specifically for this AU. I have not watched the show, and do not want too; it is not for me. But I can still mess around with the characters in a setting that I get to have more control over.
ADDITIONALLY, please read the CW/TWs in the tags VERY carefully. I didn't go into excruciating detail of any one character experience and how tragic it was; but the very foundation of this AU relies upon the presence of past suffering. ALMOST EVERYONE in the AU (that is specified as having been formerly human), has some sort of tragic past that either left them terminally ill or wishing that they had died. So if you are someone of a softer constitution that cannot handle subjects of the matters described in the tags, this will not be for you.
Also tagging @chimkin-samich because their oc/sona plays a center role in the AU. This post doesn't really describe Tari, but the goobers must remain tagged regardless because I am an attention whore.
The Characters: (TADC origins)
Caine: A powerful AI entity known as an Architect, and one of the beings responsible for both building and maintaining the digital reality. Caine is one of the original Architects implemented into the system. He is the embodiment of “Imagination”, and highly important for the fact that his presence allows all other entities; including the other Architects; to form illogical or creative thoughts.
He is the creator of a section of the world known as “Cartoonland”, which is a highly stylized version of the world that has been heavily modified to create an alternate game experience. Cartoonland functions with entirely unique laws of physics, has its own distinct organisms, and is largely a more innocent section of reality within the digiverse. Think DND, if DND combat included all the crazy slapstick humor of Tom and Jerry, with a heavy mix of cartoon/dad humor.
Whereas the bulk of the world could be compared to Studio Ghibli in style; semi-realistic with plenty of fantasy notes - Cartoonland could be better compared to something like Adventure Time. One is more grounded in reality even while being fantastical, and the other takes advantage of the fact that cartoons don’t really need to conform to any laws of anatomy or logic.
After what amounts to an equivalent of 90,000 in-game years (10 or so years in the real world), Caine is finally being stripped of certain inhibitions and is now allowed to start interacting with the Non-Architect entities of the digital world. Which leads to him directly forming relationships with certain members of the cast.
To portray his cartoonish nature, Caine’s default form is something of a fantastical beast with multiple elongated limbs and body parts that can disconnect to move separate of his body. A cartoonish god, so to speak. Exaggerated and over the top.
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Abel: A powerful AI entity known as an Architect, and one of the beings responsible for both building and maintaining the digital reality. Abel is one of the original Architects implemented into the system. He is the embodiment of “Logic”, and plays a highly important role in the digital reality. Without him, none of the other AI would be capable of forming any reasonable thoughts. He is the counterpart of Caine and is responsible for the creation of the more “logical” or “realistic” aspects of the digiverse, limited only by the rules passed down to him by the developers.
His primary role now is world maintenance. It is unclear how involved he will elect to be with other entities now that he has been granted the permission to interact with them directly.
Unlike Caine, whose default form is a bit of an uncanny, illogical build that establishes his cartoonish nature; Abel is much less exaggerated. He appears much more human, coming off as someone that would feel at home in a highly organized setting; such as the military or a butler. Restrained and refined.
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Bubble: A powerful AI entity known as an Architect, and one of the beings responsible for both building and maintaining the digital reality. Bubble is the AI responsible for the creation and implementation of water and water physics. He has minor involvement with water-related weather systems, but is otherwise largely responsible for establishing how an entity will interact with water, and how water interacts with its surroundings. Like other Architects, he is responsible for maintaining the functionality of the world, and he does so primarily by keeping tabs on how these complicated liquid physics work.
Bubble can be described as chaotic and energetic. His default form resembles something of a vaguely anthro Beluga Whale; with a bulbous head and sharp teeth. Being built for the water, he swims and rarely assumes a form with legs. Instead, when out of the water, he elects to swim around in open air while seemingly riding a cloud of bubbles.
He is one of the friendlier Architects that is eager for interaction.
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Jax: One of the humans who voluntarily entered the digital space in order to avoid the plights of his original life.
As far as other “Players” are concerned, Jax is largely considered to be an asshole and a coward. One of his favorite pastimes is to seek out lone “Players” and harass them. Generally through ambush, establishing a one-sided encounter that will ideally lead to him being the victor. He gloats as he disables his targets, steals anything on them that he might want, and despawns anything else that he can; leaving behind only equipment that the system physically prevents him from touching.
He frequently verbally bullies others, poking fun at any aspects of their appearance that catches his attention; regardless of whether these traits are “normal” or not.
Despite all of this, Jax is not someone who can handle actual confrontation. He will run at the first sign that he might not be able to win a fight, and will generally avoid any conflict where he does not fully believe himself to be capable of winning. He can be easily backed into a corner by willing to poke fun at him over his appearance or behavior, reducing him to little more than a passing annoyance to those who have figured out how to deal with him.
It is a known fact that Jax is someone who has elected to willingly forget the majority of what transpired before he uploaded his consciousness into the manufactured reality. A lesser known fact, however, is that he actually retains more memories than he would like. Particularly in relation to the traumas that he endured, which directly led to him eventually making the choice to buy his way into the digital space.
For all his cocky and abusive behavior, Jax himself is a victim of abuse. One who has gone on to repress the pain and instead contribute to the vicious cycle that, in a way, drove him to suicide. He is the product of a broken family and a violent mother; who subjected him to both physical and emotional abuse for the majority, if not all, of his original life. Rather than confront that trauma head on, he represses it; and sets out to create an environment of equal toxicity. Because that toxicity is all that he’s ever known.
Somewhere in there, a reasonable person exists. But that person is intentionally kept at bay. Put on the back-burner so that the trauma can maintain full control.
Jax is known to have previously been a part of a “Ganking” or “Griefing” squad, made up of a small handful of malicious individuals to take joy in ruining the experience of others. The sort who rely on big groups and questionable tactics in order to find and absolutely dominate those who could never help to fight backs.
It is also known that he left that group. Largely as a result of his inability to handle the hazing that was directed at him throughout his time there. He faced constant criticism for the “edgy” appearance of his chosen avatar, which inevitably led to him electing to spend most of his time in an entirely different form. Purely because he could not handle the vicious mockery that was being sent his way.
Even so, his default appearance could still be described as an Edgy looking sort of Rogue. Something that could be described as resembling Ozzy Ozzborn, if Ozzy Ozzborn was also decked out in obvious assassin gear. Hooded cape, all black clothes, lots of sharp and pointy things, eyeshadow; the works.
He only swaps back to his default form when fully alone and secure in his surroundings. Otherwise, he utilizes a Therian Avatar; one that resembles a large purple rabbit-man with wolf-like teeth and retractable claws. The purple pelt having been chosen because he considers it a “Deadly” color and associates it with poison. Whereas the teeth and claws serve more of a utility purpose, allowing him to live out the power fantasies that he uses to make himself feel stronger than he actually is.
Jax’s primary class is Rogue. He has recently multiclassed into Warlock, for the express purpose of trying to unlock access to the “fireball” spell. But he has yet to level up his magic abilities enough to make reliable use of them.
Jax carries immense guilt and trauma associated with his mother’s suicide. A suicide which was unintentionally carried out out of spite, as an attempt to control him. He was made aware of her passing shortly after he was uploaded into the digital world. This trauma has played a major role in the formation of his heavily flawed and unhealthy moral compass.
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Ragatha: One of the humans who voluntarily entered the digital space in order to prolong her life.
Ragatha’s origin is one of abrupt tragedy. Most of her history is forgotten, but for the most part it has been concluded that there was nothing particularly good or bad about her life prior to the incident that destroyed it.
Ragatha is, or rather was, the victim of an “attempted” fillicide. It is something which she has very little memory of. She does not remember the specific event or what might have triggered it. But she knows the end result. A body that was doomed to rapidly fail due to the lethal combination of poisons that destroyed many of her vital organs. Namely her liver and her kidneys; with her lungs having been damaged as a byproduct of her nearly drowning on her own vomit.
It was an event that she would never be able to recover from. And once the world developers became aware of her circumstances; she was sought out and given the offer to escape the decline early to become part of another world in which she could live out a new life in whatever way she wished.
She accepted to escape the pain. Her mother was inevitably tried and punished for causing her death. Her consciousness was uploaded into the digital world, and she readily settled in.
She is one of the few who were allowed to design their default avatar after having their consciousness uploaded, because there was such a limited amount of time in which the developers could work to make the transition happen. Which meant that she was initially placed into a randomized preset.
Even so, she ultimately elected to maintain a default human appearance; making no changes to things such as body proportions and skin tones. She only went out of her way to make sure that she would have vibrant red hair, because she found it pretty.
The class that she went on to select for herself is “Barbarian”, and she has also chosen a Farming profession. She spends most of her time in the manufactured reality working as a farmer; maintaining her land and harvesting crops. Which she uses as a means to both feed her household, and keep herself fully stocked up on in-world currency.
She does, however, go out and do a dungeon crawl once in a blue moon. Just for the thrill of the adventure. Just to see what sort of loot she might find!
Loot such as her currently equipped skin. Which originates from “Cartoonland” and is described as a “Rag Doll” skin, which has made her human avatar take on the appearance of a cloth doll.
She is very fond of the skin, because it prevents her from suffering any negative effects while working out in the sun. Meaning that she cannot get sunburn or overheat! Which comes in very handy while out in the fields.
Ragatha lives with Gangle and Zooble, who she allowed to move into her home once upon a time. Since then the pair have never left, and she has never really considered asking them to do so.
The majority of people assume that she is in a romantic/sexual relationship with the two. Which is false. She is the straight ally letting them crash at her place.
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Zooble: One of the humans who voluntarily entered the digital space in order to experience a pain-free life.
Zooble, also known as Zoey (or Zoro, when in a particular mood. Sometimes Pazuzu, though that is more of an affectionate nickname), is one of a handful of inhabitants who have retained almost all memory of her former life. Which was, by and large, nothing worth writing about in their opinion.
Zoey grew up in the city. Attended school. Faced problems with her peers, brought about by her masculine appearance. She was a tomboy by nature and eventually came out to the world as a lesbian; falling under the “Butch” category as a byproduct of her appearance and attitude. She worked a retail job (which she hated), had a small but tight knit group of friends, and a loving partner.
Life wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t bad. She would describe it as mundane at worst, considering that her only frequent grievances came about as a result of her work.
All of this changed, however, as the result of someone else’s mistakes. She was struck by a drunk driver while on her way home from a particularly draining day at work. It was an accident which miraculously left the drunk driver completely unharmed; but left her permanently disfigured, and permanently disabled.
The particular brand of damage done to her body left her with serious, chronic pain, as a result of serious nerve damage. She lost the ability to perform most basic tasks, directly leading to the loss of employment because she could no longer perform her duties. She became bound to her home, requiring some amount of routine care, and inevitably began to fester in the bitterness of her situation.
Her partner of many years left her. She became distant from friends due to her inability to partake in social gatherings that she once adored. Her simple but mundane life completely fell apart, until she was left with nothing but the chronic nerve pain to keep her company.
This naturally led to her setting out in search of some sort of relief. Medical professionals were contacted. Those medical professionals reached out to the developers of the Manufactured Reality, who in turn were encouraged to look into Zoey’s situation. Following which, it was concluded that she qualified for consciousness transfer procedure. So an offer was sent her way.
Seeing as she had nothing left to lose, Zoey accepted the offer without complaint. She designed a more masculine coded female avatar for herself, selected Rogue as her starting class, before long her consciousness was uploaded into the digital world.
Once uploaded, Zoey became something of a roaming nomad; someone who was unwilling to fully put down roots. After years of confinement in her former home, there was a deep-rooted desire to explore and see what this new reality had to offer. As well as an unwillingness to really make friends, brought about by her previous abandonment.
Even so, she would eventually find companionship. Romantic and otherwise. In the form of Gangle (known as Em to some), and Ragatha (Also known as Ann). With the former being a companion that was encountered and eventually became a romantic partner; and the latter merely being a friend.
Zoey and Em encountered one another during a dungeon crawl, with the pair hitting it off rather quickly, despite any attempts that Zoey might have made at keeping Em at an arms length. It was after their initial encounter that they began to travel together, working as a pair to explore the world map and fight their way through dungeons in order to gather and sell treasure. Which didn’t always prove to be as profitable as they would have liked, given the randomization of the loot drops and the fact that neither of them were very high level (or good at fighting).
To make up for lack of funding whenever dungeon crawls weren’t playing in their favor, the two would take up random job requests. Which directly led to them meeting Ann, who had been in need of help out on the farm. They took up the job, were offered temporary housing for the duration of their task, and then just never left. Nor were they ever asked to leave. The pair just sort of wound up unintentionally finding a place where they could comfortably set roots.
They still explore and dungeon crawl when the urge arises. But otherwise, the pair are content to remain on the farm helping to work the land. The work is fulfilling; and the pay is good.
The nickname “Zooble” and the bizarre appearance best associated with Zoey comes about as a result of a unique skin that she went out of her way to obtain. One that she spent a great deal of money on, with the express purpose of becoming more of an enigma.
Or to put it more bluntly, she became annoyed with the “Are you a boy or a girl?” questions that she was receiving as a result of her heavily masculine character design. Thus leading to her electing to track down and purchase the strangest looking character skin that she could apply. That being a Cartoonland, “toyblock” skin. One that is notorious for having dozens of different, slightly different, entirely disorganized appearances. So now, instead of being asked “Are you a boy or a girl?”, the question that she usually gets is “What even are you?”. Which is much more tolerable, and much more amusing.
Zooble has also recently started to experiment with the idea of being some form of Genderfluid. Once in a while she becomes more of a he, at which point his name is Zoro.
“Pazuzu”, meanwhile, is a playful nickname that Gangle has assigned to them as a result of their spiteful, confrontational behavior when it comes to those that they dislike. A trait which is perceived with amusement and admiration.
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Gangle: One of the humans who voluntarily entered the digital space in order to find a new life, after losing everything that made life worth living.
Gangle, otherwise known as Em, though it is unclear as to whether or not that is her real name, is but an example of another tragedy. A woman leading a content life. A reasonably paying job. A comfortable home. A living spouse. Plans to start a family, and the fortune to be in a position where those plans could be brought into action.
It was a life that took her years to make her own. And a life that was so effortlessly taken away as a result of one mistake.
Something as simple as being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Setting out on an exciting journey, which would have ideally led them down the path that would bring them to exactly where they wanted to be.
One missed light. One stop that never happened. And then that path suddenly led straight into a wall. Unforgiving and unwilling to yield.
While making a routine journey to the doctor, Em and her partner were struck by an oncoming semi truck. The impact was brutal. The resulting crash was severe. The life of her partner was lost, and the life of the other driver was inevitably taken by their own hand.
Em, meanwhile, survived. But survival came at a price. The loss of many futures. The complete loss of her mobility. An inability to do so much as lift her head.
She was left completely paralyzed, with much of her body having been so badly damaged that the process of surgical repair would have taken an unreasonable number of attempts. If not for the numbness that had overtaken every aspect of her physical being, the pain alone would have been debilitating. But it never could have amounted to the pain of the loss that had taken root in her heart.
News of her story inevitably made its way to the Developers of the digital world. Who set out to deliver the offer to start anew, in a new reality, with a new form. They made this offer in person, very intentionally, out of the desire to express their deepest condolences in regards to her suffering.
Em accepted the offer. With the help of the developers, she designed a new body for herself. She chose to be human. Bard would be her class, for she has always had a love for music and expression.
In order to escape the pain of her loss, she also went out of her way to try and forget all of the experiences that inevitably brought her to this world. Only to find herself alone in a new reality, with the ghost of these memories following her wherever she goes. She does not remember the specifics. But no matter how much she might wish to forget, she could never separate herself from that which made her what she is now. She forgot the names, the faces, the dates; but never the truth, and the harsh reality that it brings.
Following her arrival in the digital space, Em set out to find a new path to walk. She began to explore this fantastical new world that she found herself in, going from place to place in search of whatever adventures there were to find. All the while she longed for connections that she never quite seemed to be able to find. Until she met Zoey.
The two hit if off rather quickly. They readily became an adventuring pair without much of a conversation, very quickly becoming almost inseparable. They spent a period of in-game years exploring the map together, doing regular dungeon crawls in search of valuable loot to keep or sell, and took up job requests in-between whenever money became more difficult to obtain.
It was during one of these work requests that she and Zoey met Ann; otherwise known as Ragatha. The pair set out to help her work some farmland that she was in charge of, temporarily moved in with the intention of leaving once the job was done, then never got around to leaving. They’ve never been asked to leave either. So they’ve just stuck around.
Em and Zoey’s relationship inevitably shifted into something more romantic. A surprise on both fronts.
The nickname “Gangle” is a direct reference to the cosmetic skin that Em found during her first successful dungeon crawl. A unique skin designed by one of the Dungeon Architects, meant to give her the appearance of an expressive theater mask suspended by animated ribbons. The name of the cosmetic is “The Gangled”, and the nickname developed passively as a result.
Despite appearances, Gangle’s body is just just the mask and the ribbons. She has a proper body, arms, and legs. Those aspects are just made invisible as a result of the skin, while remaining as they are. So unfortunately, arrows do not just fly through her if they appear to miss the ribbons.
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Pomni: One of the humans who voluntarily entered the digital space because one mistake shouldn’t have had to cost her her life.
Pomni, formerly Abigail, wasn’t really anyone of significance. At least not in her own eyes. She was the oft forgotten middle child who failed to ever do anything spectacular. Both her elder and her younger sibling reliably overshadowed her with their accomplishments, making anything that she might achieve appear lackluster in comparison.
Not smart enough to pursue higher education, Abigail sought out employment pretty much right out of high school. The work gave her experience and a paycheck, but couldn’t exactly be described as gratifying. It kept a roof over her head and cheap groceries on the table. But that was about it.
She was a nobody, going nowhere fast, all the while she was burdened with personal aspirations that she could never hope to achieve. Or so that was how she felt, at the time.
She had dreams of one day being a performer. An actress. Someone that her parents and family could look at with pride. But that was a goal which was simply out of her reach. Something that she would, unfortunately, never achieve under the circumstances that she wanted.
Despite these impossible dreams, she was a hard worker. She did her job every day, as would be expected of any responsible adult. She paid her bills. She did what she needed to do; because that was what she could do.
It was ultimately this diligence that would seal her fate.
While out doing her job one day; delivering mail to those who needed their mail delivered, Abigail was bitten by a dog. It wasn’t a bad bite. It didn’t bleed. The dog's teeth barely broke the skin. But when it comes to rabies; breaking the skin is all that it takes. There doesn’t need to be blood. Just access to the flesh. And those small abrasions were all that it took to sign her life away.
She never went to the doctor. Never sought out any amount of precautionary treatment. She just washed off her ankle and carried about her day. Unaware of the clock that steadily made the countdown towards the point of no return.
The day that the first symptoms appeared, the clock hit zero. From there, it was all a matter of finding out how much time she might actually have left.
One trip to the doctor to figure out why she was starting to feel so sick, and a long series of tests later; and Abigail became one of the handful of people in western civilization to be diagnosed with rabies. A viral disease for which there is no treatment, and death is 100% guaranteed from the moment that the first symptoms appear.
It was, naturally, a debilitating discovery. One which only went on to validate her own stupidity, in her mind. Particularly when it was made clear just what sort of a mistake she had made.
Sympathy only came after her stupidity was pointed out. Following which she found herself feeling more alone than ever before. Abandoned by a family that couldn’t stand the brutal reality of what it means to die as a result of rabies, she was bitterly resigned to her fate. Destruction that would take her quickly, but not quick enough, as the disease destroyed her brain and abolished her cognitive function.
News of her highly abnormal diagnosis made its way to the developers. Who quickly set out to offer her one last chance at salvation. A dignified exit from the mortal world, with the promise of continued existence in a fantasy world. One in which the limitations of time and the human body would be stripped away.
Abigail, being a young woman with no chance at a future, who was otherwise terrified of death, accepted the answer. Her consciousness was scanned and uploaded within 24 hours of her acceptance, assuring that she would be able to find her way into the digital world before the disease could go on to do problematic damage to her brain.
She picked an elven avatar, gave it a more ashen skin tone, mismatched eyes and brown hair. She picked Bard as her starting class, because she figured that she might as well attempt to fulfill her impossible dream of becoming a performer. She even changed her name to Pomni. Just something random that probably makes more sense to herself than it would to anyone else. Then she set out to make something of herself.
Since then, she’s managed to carve out happiness for herself. She’s picked a portion of the map to call her home, established herself as a proper performer in the local circus, and made something miraculous out of the tragedy that was her former life.
As of now, Pomni still doesn’t consider herself to be anything fantastic. But she doesn’t think that she needs to be! So long as she can do this, she is content.
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Kinger: One of the original developers of the simulated reality and the creator of the code from which all AI has come to be. Placed within the confines of the manufactured reality to preserve his miraculous mind.
Very little is actually known about Kinger, formerly known as Grant; the Father of all AI. His is a story that is assumed to be built upon a foundation of success, for surely a man such as he must have been incredible, in order for him to have gone on to create a world such as this.
He was an incredible mind. A husband. A father of two; and it can only be concluded that their minds were incredible as well.
This is the perspective of the AI. This is the understanding of the machine, which has embraced him with every fiber of its being.
This is truth, at least to some degree. But this is also the exaggerated worship of beings which have been made innately aware of the reality of their own creation.
The fact of the matter is that Grant was just a man. Hard working and dedicated to his dream. The true expanse of that dream has long been forgotten by the man, while remaining almost entirely unknown to the AI. But he had a dream. That dream revolved around helping people who were sick or dying, even when medicine itself proved useless.The answer to whether or not he has succeeded is one that changes based upon who is asked.
It can be thought of as a beautiful irony that he, a man, who dedicated so much time to a dream in which he could bring salvation to the terminally ill; would find himself at the mercy of a terminal illness. One which took root in the mind and sought to dismantle every aspect of all that he ever was, with the sheer intent of destroying whatever legacy he might have made.
An all consuming tumor. Deeply rooted and well beyond the reach of medicine. Large enough and destructive enough that he had already started to succumb to the effects.
In an attempt to preserve what had not yet been damaged by the cancerous lump, Dr. Grant allowed his consciousness to be made one with the machine. Just as had been done with many other desperate people, who had found themselves in situations similar to his own.
Unlike others, however, he was not to depart alone. His wife, Destiny, with whom he shared this dream; and two wonderful children; could not bear the idea of parting from him.
And so the two were uploaded into the digital reality. A product of their own minds and creation.
Each were given a carefully premade avatar. Each were granted distinct permissions that no other inhabitants of the reality would ever be allowed to attain. Each were given a distinct title, so as to mark them as the people of importance that they were.
King and Queen. Eventually transitioning into more innocent sounding pet names, Kinger and Queenie. With Kinger taking up the role as a Cleric, while Queenie elected to become a Druid.
For many, many, in game years the two partook in all the fantasy and whimsy that this new world had to offer.
They experienced it all. The joy of a successful dungeon run and the bitter agony of death during an exploration. There were many respawns. Many mistakes. For every taste of joy, there was an unexpected anguish that could be found.
For Kinger, this was all that he could ask for. A space in which he could live, free of the troubles of his mortal body. But his was a mind that had been broken before it found its way into this space. A mind with memories destroyed by a lethal disease. One that held so few memories of the world beyond the computer, that the digital space became the only reality that he could reliably understand. So he was content.
But what he forgot, Queenie remembered.
She remembered the world before. The people that she left behind, for the sake of being with him.
She remembered friends. Family. Children.
Children whom, likely only a few months after her departure, met a very abrupt end.
One or both. It was never made clear. But after centuries of simulated separation, the news of their daughter’s untimely passing was relayed to the husband and wife.
But only one of them could fully grasp the emotional turmoil of how it felt to be a parent, and be made aware of the fact that your children had died. All while being trapped in a simulated reality where it felt as though centuries had passed since you had last seen them, and you were unable to do so much as see them properly buried.
Kinger carried on. Death was tragic, and he expressed as much. But it was a matter from which he had been disconnected, against his will.
Queenie, it would seem, could not move on. Something that Kinger would find out until it was far, far too late for him to even attempt to help his troubled wife.
One day, she was there. She had gone on an adventure with him. An accident had transpired, and as had happened a number of times before, she died.
But then, she never respawned.
Hours spent in confusion became days of worry. Weeks of worry inevitably became the painful discovery of abandonment, when the news was finally broken to him that Queenie had disabled her own ability to respawn.
The true pain of his creation became known as he found himself entirely alone. In a world where all that he could ever have hoped to keep, was now permanently beyond his reach. And to make matters worse, he understood that he was entirely powerless.
No matter what path he took, there was no getting his wife back. There would be no dreams to comfort him in death and there was no convincing the dead to embrace life once more.
Unsure of what to do and without any means of getting help, Kinger just… Stopped.
With Queenie gone, his eyes stopped working. Colors faded. He found himself alone in a world where all became a distorted blur of black and white.
So he stopped trying to see.
With Queenie gone, food lost its appeal. Anything that touched his lips became a tasteless, textureless mass in which he found neither comfort nor satisfaction.
So he stopped eating. And despite the hunger, he could never truly starve.
With Queenie gone, life lost its feeling. Hot and cold ceased to be. Ice or fire; both felt the same. Like nothing at all. Neither the sting of a blade nor the sear of a blade could be felt by simulated skin.
So he stopped feeling.
Numb to pain and numb to hunger, exhaustion followed suit. But sleep brought him no comfort. In time the difference between slumber and awareness became a distinction that he could not make.
So, inevitably, he stopped sleeping.
His movements slowed. His cognitive awareness faded into nothingness. He became a consciousness trapped within a simulated body; which was in turn trapped within an empty home.
Condemned to a fate of his own making, he was forgotten. Beyond the reach of the developers on the outside world, and entirely unheard of by the people who lived inside the code.
Thousands of simulated worlds passed. Each of them spent alone and trapped in this purgatory from which he could not escape. With him seemingly destined to remain in this state until some greater force could find the means to free him from his misery. Though none could ever predict if, when, or how that salvation would come his way…
(Kinger has a human appearance set as default, but does have an alt "Royalty" skin that makes him resemble a King Chess piece. He matches Queenie.)
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Queenie: One of the original developers of the simulated reality. A loving, well meaning heart, that inevitably found itself broken after being confronted by the harsh reality of what “immortality” truly means.
Queenie, formerly known as Destiny, was one of the original developers of the simulated reality. A project that she worked diligently to get up and running, alongside her beloved husband, Grant.
A brilliant mind and a mother of two, Destiny had high hopes for the project. High hopes for the miracles that could potentially come to be, should the project prove successful.
She dedicated years of her life to the project. Working alongside many other brilliant men and women, who each brought their own distinct specializations to the table.
For her, the matters of importance were insects. The roles that they could play in the simulated reality. What aspects of them could be reliably recreated within the confines of the simulation; and what would be easier ignored.
Not EVERYTHING needed to be accurate. But for the sake of creating a lifelike, immersive world, they could add at least some of the beauty that the arthropods had to offer.
Everything was going well. The simulated reality was running better than anyone could have ever hoped for. What few hiccups there were to encounter were easily caught and fixed. The project was looking to become all that she could ever hope for it to be!
Then Grant got sick.
He got sick in a way that no one could fix. And over the course of such a short period of time, he began to lose himself to that sickness.
The call was eventually made to upload him. Save his mind and trust that he could continue with his work from the inside. His knowledge and skill could be a great benefit in that way!
But sending him in meant one of two things. Saying goodbye to her husband; or saying goodbye to reality.
She made the choice to stay with him. Something that felt genuine and reasonable, at the time. Her children were already grown. She had no plans for more. The work could continue without her. And with Grant already showing signs of memory damage as a result of his tumor, she was not confident in his ability to carry on without her.
So she saw to it that he was safely uploaded. Following which, she said her goodbye to those that meant the most to her; and she followed after the man that she loved.
But it was not until after the irreversible choice had been made, that she discovered the often overlooked flaw in their plans.
Humans were never meant to endure immortality. Simulated or otherwise.
Some minds just fail to cope. And hers was a mind that was struggling.
For his sake, she held on. She tried to become a part of this world that they worked so hard to create. She tried to love it, the way that he clearly did.
But no matter how much she loved him, and no matter how much she tried to love this world, she could not help but long for that which she had already made the choice to leave behind.
As days merged into months and months merged into years, she became more and more disconnected from the beauty of the artificial.
Colors faded. Music lost its spirit. Food became less of a substance to be enjoyed, and more of a utility that existed only to keep her hunger at bay.
She came to grief the people that she had long since left behind. Only to be confronted by the brutal reality that, to those on the outside, very little time had passed to begin with.
The unexpected news of her daughter’s death came. It came unexpectedly, and accompanied by empty words of empathy.
Kinger, the love of her life and her reason for living… Seeing how readily he moved past something that should have reasonably shattered them both; it broke something inside of her. Something that she desperately needed if she wanted to maintain what little strength she had to carry on.
She grieved without him. Silently and alone. All the while Kinger remained attentive, but very clearly struggled to understand exactly what it was that had broken her so completely.
Inevitably she made another choice. One that she knew could never be undone. One that she knew would hurt the man that she once so desperately hoped to protect.
Maybe it was easier to convince herself that the man she once knew was already gone. That if he could move on so easily from the deaths of their children, then he would surely be able to move on from her just as easily.
She simply couldn’t do it anymore. She couldn’t keep living this happy little lie that never gave her any happiness to begin with.
Silently and without ever once addressing it with him, because she did not want to risk him talking her out of it, she disabled her respawn. Which made things easier. Because at least after doing that, she knew that the next time something horrible happened; she wouldn’t come back.
There was a bitter comfort to it. Even knowing what it might mean for Kinger.
Eventually the fateful encounter came to pass. Another pointless adventure that led only to her ruin.
Only this time, when the lights went out, they never came back. And finally, she found peace.
(Queenie had a human appearance set as default, but did have an alt "Royalty" skin that made her resemble a Queen Chess piece. She matched Kinger.)
Disclaimer: I have not watched the show. I do not want to watch the show. Honestly based off of all that I’ve heard about the show, I would not enjoy it. I am not the target audience. That is OK. I can still look at these weird ass characters that friends adore and think of new and creative ways to mangle for my own amusement.
Any information I have on characters from the show is secondhand and drawn from personal interpretations, based upon that information. Use your own discretion to decide if you want to observe the equivalent of a Grandma finding the dolls for a movie that their beloved grandchild likes and trying to sit down and join in on playtime.
This piece just contains the basic information on the AU and the world itself, summarized for ease of reading. Lore for the characters will be posted separately, as there is quite a bit of information.
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The Deets: “Manufactured Isekai” is an AU featuring many characters from The Amazing Digital Circus, along with a wide range of OCs; some serving more consistent/major roles, than others. The events of the AU take place inside of a simulated reality, intentionally inspired by a wide range of fantasy media (such as Dungeons and Dragons).
This manufactured reality, often referred to as “The Simulation”, “The Game”, “The Digital World”, among others; exists for the primary purpose of prolonging the existence of human consciousness. It both provides an artificially made “afterlife” for those who have uploaded themselves into it, and serves as a means of better studying the full scope of human consciousness. It is a world that runs at multiple times the speed of reality (meaning that 1 real world hour = 1 in game day, thus meaning that 1 real world year equates to multiple thousands of years in the simulation), allowing it to also serve the purpose of simulated immortality.
The simulation is currently in an experimental phase, not widely available to the public; meant more as a means of allowing the terminally ill or the severely disabled to have the opportunity to leave the terrors of the flesh behind and experience life anew in a fantastical setting. This is something that the inhabitants of the world have consented to beforehand, and a great deal of care has gone into attempting to preserve any memories that they might have of their former lives; though the process is far from perfect in that regard, and many details are lost along the way.
Only a small portion of the inhabitants are made up of people who were perfectly healthy but decided to join the simulation, thus meaning that the vast majority of its human inhabitants are made up of people who endured some level of pain and tragedy.
The world itself functions like a game; set up with rules and mechanics that do not necessarily follow real world laws and physics, while still oftentimes being somewhat grounded in reality. Simulated deaths are not permanent; but can be made permanent should a user elect to willingly disable their respawn mechanics. At which point their consciousness is put into a long-term, sleep-like state, in which they do not dream and simply exist in nothingness. Many mechanics in the world are largely unknown or not fully understood, but continuously run nonetheless.
Actions that would typically have permanent consequences, do not necessarily have those consequences in most contexts. The world is both reality, and a game; meant to run in such a way that fantastical adventures feel possible, and the idea of failure is less debilitating.
The world contains a thousand or fewer human consciousness, all inhabiting one of three primary races (Humans, Elves, and Therians - AKA animal people, of which there is the widest possible diversity), and is otherwise made up entirely of AI entities, often referred to as NPCs. These NPCs are highly complex, having been able to grow in knowledge and capabilities over time as a result of their exposure to human consciousness, and every aspect of their being is carefully dictated by strings of code.
The world is consistently updated and altered according to user feedback, the inhabitants of the reality are regularly checked in with (or attempts are at least made), and there are regular events held to push for greater amounts of feedback. The developers take their roles very seriously, and each carries in them a deeply rooted desire to find some means to use this research for the betterment of others.
Uploading one's consciousness is a one way process for which there is no going back. The act in and of itself completely destroys the brain as the consciousness is scanned and removed. The body, meanwhile, is left unharmed. Those who upload their consciousness are expected to donate their bodies for medical purposes, thus assuring that their sacrifice will salvage more lives than are taken for the purpose of the experiment.
Those who cannot legally consent to the process are not allowed to upload their consciousness. Those who go out of their way to buy their way into the simulation are expected to do that, as well as have all legal matters in order. This cannot be used as a means of escaping debt or criminal charges.
An an additional detail, there are special, highly powerful AI known as “Architects” who inhabit the digital space. These AI are the original entities of the world, responsible for taking information and requests fed into them by the developers and implementing that information into the simulated world. They are, in effect, the Gods and creators of the Digital space; who were in turn created by some invisible force that they can communicate with, but not fully understand. There are many Architects, many of them who exist entirely in secret (at least in the eyes of those within the simulation). They all work together to assure the continued maintenance of the simulated reality; something that is innate to their natures.
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For the story itself, the primary focus would be on @chimkin-samich’s OC/Sona Tari. Tari in this setting was not terminally ill or otherwise disabled; and is instead more of a highly dedicated reporter. One who has volunteered to upload her consciousness into the simulation, for the sole purpose of experiencing the world and relaying feedback. Not just to the developers, but to people on the outside who desperately want to know exactly what is going on inside of the simulated world. Her being there is a publicity stunt, meant to assure continued funding for the project. Which she will inevitably secure.
As part of the arrangement, Tari is afforded special privileges that would not normally be given to those new to the simulation. She has a wider range of customization options for her avatar, allowing her to modify it in ways that would otherwise take a lot of effort to secure.
She selects and modifies a Lion-Therian avatar, picks Warlock as her starting class, and is uploaded into the simulation. Where she is promptly delivered to Ayala (my OC), the inhabitant with the longest track record of developer communications, and one of the first people to have ever had their consciousness uploaded into the simulation.
Thanks to a fun turn of chance, Tari’s selected Patron (the entity from which she is afforded her magical abilities), is none other than Caine; the Architect of Imagination. Caine (and the other Architects) have recently been granted new permissions that now allows him to directly interact with the inhabitants of the simulated world, as opposed to merely observing them from the shadows. He appears initially as a human, doing his best to blend in and socialize with the pair; only for his true nature to inevitably be discovered. The trio will interact with many other members of the cast along the way, leading to a lot of fun character interactions.
“Alert!”
“Alert!”
“All crew members advised to initiate emergency evacuation procedures!”
Alarm signals blare dully in comparison to the audible fury of pressurized wind and collapsing metal, which echoes throughout the confines of the vessel without restraint.
Red and orange lights flash repeatedly. Their continuous rhythm signalling to all fifty members of the crew that critical damage has been detected.
The hull has been penetrated by a powerful, and unexpected blast. One whose impact had been so clearly felt by the inhabitants of the ship that those who had been standing had been effortlessly knocked off of their feet.
Given the horrific sounds that can be heard coming from around the blast sight, it can be safely assumed that the damage proved so severe that the ship has literally begun to be ripped apart by the power of the now uninhibited wind.
Wind which has been prevented from sucking the inhabitants of the crew out through the gaping, rapidly expanding wound in the hull, only thanks to the activation of an emergency airlock.
The sound of the ship being ripped apart can be heard even through those tightly sealed doors.
Doors which will inevitably fail the instant that surrounding metal and electrical mechanisms are peeled away.
“Alert!”
“Alert!”
“All crew members advised to initiate emergency evacuation procedures!”
AI systems continue to relay their scripted message. All the while the members of the crew must make their rushed, but effectively controlled evacuation.
Fifty crew members. Seventy-five life pods. A total of five evacuation sections, ordered alphabetically from A to E.
There should be more than enough life pods to assure total crew evacuation.
No one should be left behind.
“This is Alpha C1. Checking in. All category C crew members, please respond.” A stern, masculine voice blares almost painfully loudly in the ears of all specified crew members.
Including one notably short, but also notably high ranking woman. Who, like all other members of the crew, is in the midst of making a beeline towards her designated evacuation area.
“Alpha C2. Responding.” The woman responds.
“I am en route. Please begin evacuation immediately.” She calls. All the while she listens as all crew members, placed under her care, as well as the care of their partner, quickly sound off.
“Beta C1, responding. I am en route.”
“Beta C2, responding. I have reached the evacuation area. Waiting for assistance.”
“Beta C3, responding. I am en route.”
“Beta C4, responding. I am en route. Accompanying my partner.”
“Omega C1, responding. I have reached the evacuation area. Preparing to evacuate.”
“Omega C2, responding. I have reached the evacuation area. Now assisting Alpha C1 to assure my partners safe evacuation.
“Omega C3, responding. Assisting fellow crewmate, Beta D1. I will be on route shortly.”
“Omega C4, responding. I have reached the evacuation area, and am waiting for assistance.”
Good. All eight parties have been confirmed active, and uninjured.
“Confirmed.” A-C1 responds.
“Confirmed.” A-C2 repeats. All the while she very intentionally walks past the entrance to her evacuation area.
“En route to evacuation area D. I will assist Omega C3.” She states.
“Confirmed.” A-C1 replies.
“Confirmed.” O-C3 repeats.
“Confirming that crewmate has been delivered to Alpha D2. En route to evacuation site C-”
The sudden violent jostling of the ship knocks the woman off of her feet, and presumably does the same with all non-evacuated personnel.
“Secondary impact!”
The AI confirms what was immediately assumed.
A second blast has struck the ship.
The emergency alert continues to blare, needlessly reminding the crew that they must evacuate immediately.
“Ayala-” A-C1’s voice sounds over the comms once more.
“I’m fine.” A-C2, Ayala, responds almost immediately upon hearing her name.
“Is anyone injured?” She then quickly asks, electing to focus on the task at hand.
There is no time to fixate on her own lack of injury, when there are at least eight other people; excluding herself; who are in need of assisted evacuation.
All but one of the crewmembers under her authority confirm lack of serious injury. One confirms a bleeding lip; the injury is noted.
The only crew member who fails to respond is Omega C3.
“Omega C3, please respond.” She orders as she continues to make her way towards evacuation point D. Where she quickly discovers the specified crew member standing just outside the now completely sealed doors.
There is a split second in which she freezes. Following which she presses onwards to take the male firmly by the wrist, so as to pull him away.
He responds with a quick jolt. Then quickly turns and mirrors her gait so that she can escort him to their evacuation point.
“Alert!”
“Alert!”
“All crew members advised to initiate emergency evacuation procedures!”
“Logan” Ayala calls, specifically addressing her partner by their civilian name. “Evacuation point D has been airlocked.” She states.
Momentary silence. Tense and uncomfortable.
“There’s nothing we can do.” Logan replies.
“Continue towards the evacuation point as directed.” He instructs.
“Affirmitive.” She responds, her tone unchanged. Stern and uncomfortably calm, despite the mutual realization of what the discovery meant.
There are more words to be said. Or at least, there is the desire to say them. Questions to which there may be uncomfortable answers. Fears that want to be expressed. Condolences that seek to be given.
Hopes that wish to exist, even in these most dire of circumstances.
These words, however, all go unsaid.
There is no benefit to them. Not right now. Not when the focus needs to be on the here, and now. The emergency that is in effect and the lives that need to be evacuated before any additional casualties might transpire.
Omega C3 is escorted directly to evacuation point C. Where Ayala quickly sets out to assist her partner in the task at hand.
As alert systems continue to scream in their ears, and the ship continues to fall apart all around them, they quickly usher the remaining members of their team into their life pods and see to it that they safely eject.
People are strapped down into heavily padded seats. Their bodies are secured in such a way that the force of the expected impact force will, at the very least, prove to be non-lethal. There is minimal room for movement. Minimal room for user error.
Life support systems are confirmed to be active and functional. The AI fragments are confirmed to be secure and operational.
Every pod is a chance of salvation. Equipped with high-tech medical capabilities, limited rations of food and water, and all of the equipment needed to allow basic planetary explanation as anticipated for this world.
Nothing is guaranteed. There is always room for failure. But through the power of anticipation and precaution, casualties can at least be mitigated.
Hopefully.
Beta crewmates 1 and 2 are safely ejected.
Beta crewmates 3 and 4 are safely ejected.
A third blast strikes the ship as Omega 2 is preparing to evacuate, with Omega 1 having already been safely ejected.
Logan, Ayala, and the remaining members of their team are all knocked off their feet once more. Omega 2, unfortunately, also falls while attempting to climb into their escape; which leaves them with a broken nose and a split lip.
Both injuries, while messy, are non-lethal and must be ignored for the sake of evacuation. Which means that the poor woman must be strapped into her seat and all of her survival systems confirmed, even as her injuries breed profusely.
She will not be able to receive medical care until after the pod has made impact. Following which the AI will scan for injuries and employ emergency medical care, as needed.
Omega 2 has no option other than to endure the pain.
Her pod is closed.
She is ejected.
The evacuation process carries out all the same with the two remaining crewmates. Omega’s 3 and 4. Both of whom are safely ejected.
Whether or not any of them will survive the journey from the atmosphere is up in the air. There are many factors at play that could lead to casualties. Especially in circumstances like this, when their ejection is part of an emergency situation.
Everyone is being ejected from the ship on the chance that some of them might survive, as opposed to remaining onboard the ship; where death will be guaranteed.
What remains now is for the two high-ranking officers to secure their own evacuation.
Ayala is quickly ushered into her own pod by Logan, who will see to it that she is strapped in and that all is well with her pod.
He will be on his own when it comes time for him to eject. Which means that his room for error will be far, far smaller than it has been with anyone else.
“Alert!”
“Alert!”
“All crew members advised to initiate emergency evacuation procedures!”
Still, the alert blares. But the screaming of the ship as it is ripped apart by the power of the wind practically drowns out the sound.
Ayala settles down into her seat and assists Logan as he goes about the process of applying her restraints.
Heavy straps are wrapped around her chest and torso to prevent her from being thrown.
Her legs are tied down to prevent them from being flung about.
She willingly inserts her arms into loops on the armrest. Which will allow her to eventually remove her own restraints after she has landed, while also assuring that her limbs are secure.
Her AI is confirmed to be active. The medical apparatuses are established to be functional. The construction-printer is functional. All of the supplies that she will need are present.
A week’s worth of food and water, which can be rationed out to last as long as two weeks. An advanced oxygen mask for diving. A full body wetsuit. Flippers. A backpack, which is designated functional for both terrestrial and underwater use.
Everything that she will need in order to secure a limited period of survival. Anything past that will be entirely reliant upon her own survival capabilities and the capabilities of the surviving crew, once they can reunite.
They will remain stranded on this alien world until emergency alert signals can reach the mothership and a rescue team can be sent. Which will take a period of months.
“Alert!”
“Alert!”
“All crew members advised to initiate emergency evacuation procedures!”
As the final preparations to eject are made, things somehow seem to go so quiet. At least during the brief moment where the pair lock their eyes.
The screaming of the ship and the blaring of the alert system seem so distant. So unimportant. Just for a moment.
Just long enough for a frivolous and ill-placed urge to bubble to the near surface, only to be quickly struck down by another sudden jolt of the ship. Something which immediately snaps the pair out of their momentary trance and reminds them of the urgency of the moment.
“Be safe.” The woman requests as she watches her partner shift to reach up and pull down the hatch, so that he can seal her in.
“I’ll meet you there.” The man responds, the smallest of smiles being forced onto his face as he shifts to slam the hatch closed.
The locks initiate and ejection is initiated.
Logan rushes off to the side so that he can get himself strapped into a pod.
Meanwhile, Ayala’s pod is dropped.
Reality begins to spin.
Her stomach seems to rise into the back of her throat. Or at least that is the sensation that proves most prominent as her pod falls for hundreds of thousands of miles, directly towards the open ocean.
Blood struggles to flow accordingly as the gravitational force increases with the speed of the fall.
Her eyes water.
The pressure in her head builds as blood begins to be forced upwards into it.
It gets hard to breathe.
Focusing becomes difficult.
The pod continues to spin. The metal surrounding her begins to pick up heat. That heat is carefully monitored by a range of carefully established systems, meant to assure the activation of emergency measures at a given point.
A special adhesive bubbles and melts away, sending thin layers of metal flying off once they are no longer being secured into place.
Then suddenly the pod jolts violently as parachutes eject, slowing the fall abruptly and causing all of its contents to shift.
Suddenly the pressure in her head fades as blood resumes its proper flow.
She sucks in a breath that has been trapped in her throat for an uncomfortably long amount of time. All the while she clenches her eyes tightly shut to better alleviate the pressure, and she wraps her fingers tightly around the end of her armrest to brace herself for what is to come.
Had she not been so thoroughly strapped into place, her body would have been thrown against the nearest wall. The impact alone probably would have killed her. And if it did not, the secondary impact probably would. Which would be experienced when the now greatly slowed but still fast falling pod finally makes contact with the water.
At high enough speed, landing on water is no different than landing on water. Even if only for a split second. The surface tension proves just strong enough that it temporarily acts the same, when enough force is applied.
The pod jolts again. This time harder than before.
Even while strapped into place, her body is rattled to the point that something gives.
Bones fracture.
Her brain shakes around violently. Just violently enough that damage is guaranteed, but not so violently that she is killed. Which is the only thing that assures her recovery.
A faint hiss sounds from all around her as the floatation device is triggered. A ring of air is inflated and the ship begins to slowly rise back towards the surface of the water.
Very briefly, her eyes open. And through the front of the glass, she takes in the limitless expanse of blue that is the alien ocean.
Her eyes close again just as her vision begins to grow spotty.
The AI activates inside of the pod and a medical scan is initiated.
She succumbs to her injuries as the AI sets out to apply emergency medical aid.
She will survive. All internal damage will be recovered from. The power of their medical advancements guarantees that she will bounce back from this event.
She will live to face tomorrow. But tonight? Tonight she sleeps. Alone in an alien ocean, as the wreckage of her ship careens into the waters all around her. All the while a hidden death toll rises. Unknown, but unfortunately guaranteed.
Continuation of my Merfolk Lore post. This post details Magic in the world of the Merfolk; and other associated worlds.
This post has gotten incredibly long and so some aspects have been summarized. I may go into more detail on things like the Witches at another point in time.
The Innate Nature of Magic:
In the context of the reality of multiple other realities of my creation, Magic is a very Innate thing. It is a presence that exists all throughout the world; found in everything from inanimate stone, to sentient organisms. It is in the blood, the flesh, the bone. It exists in the mind, in the air you breath, in the sounds that you hear. Magic in and of itself is a superorganism composed of sentient power, which seeds itself into the very concept of reality itself.
Those who use Magic are simply vessels for which its true nature can be brought to life. It is not so much strictly controlled as it is coerced into cooperation. Something that can be commanded only by a mind with the willingness to listen.
In the context of this reality; there are no set guides to the use of magic. A recipe is not set in stone. The utilization of a spell is not reliant on you finding one very specific plant and combining it with other very specific ingredients. The utilization of a spell, a potion, or a rune is tied to an understanding of the very nature of the magic that you seek the wield. You are required to hone your mind and attune yourself to the nature of the ingredients that you use.
From a 100 different ingredients you can recreate the same spell thousands of different times. You need only learn to recognize how the nature of each individual ingredient works when combined with the nature of another. There is no one right answer to the craft. But there are WRONG answers. And those who practice magic in any form must learn to discern what will lead to the desired outcome, and what will lead to failure.
Magic is an entity that interacts with everything that exists. Those who seek to use it must learn to Empathize with and Understand it, for which a symbiotic relationship can be formed.
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Spells, Potions, and Runes:
These are the three primary means in which magic is utilized. Each being created through a different means, and utilized in a different way.
Spells are created through the power of Intent. Magic of this form is influenced directly by the mind. Spells are not written. There are no ingredients that must be mixed. They often work in symbiosis with Runes, through which a physical point is made for magic to travel into the open. Though this is not required, and only serves the purpose of amplifying the potential power of a spell.
Spells in and of themselves are not required to be spoken. Speaking them is one way to draw forth the power of a spell, but it is not required. The only requirement of a spell is a mind with the capability of utilizing the intent of a spell. This allows a Witch to wordlessly utilize magic in order to make themselves incapable of being perceived.
Many spells are, however, spoken. They may also be signed with careful movements of the hand and body. This makes it easier to utilize a spell for the purpose of influencing others.
The utilization of a spell is largely reliant upon the mind and the senses. A spell may be used to force silence, force blindness, remove the ability to hear, taste, or feel physical sensation. They may be used to force emotions, such as joy, fear, or calm.
Spells exist to force obedience, often in others.
In those with the strongest minds, the potential of a spell can be brought further. Pain can be forced to exist without the presence of a wound. Blood can be drawn from wounds created without the means of weapon or poison. Pain can likewise be taken away, and wounds forced to stop bleeding; even if they do not close.
Spellcasters of this level, however, and incredibly rare. Though there once existed a time where it was commonplace.
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Potions, meanwhile, are made. They are the direct result of combining a range of possible ingredients, with the direct intent of bringing forth a specific outcome.
Potions are a very physical thing, which can be USED by anyone, but they can only be MADE by those with the capability to harness magic.
Potions exist in a range of forms. Some of which have unique names, for ease of differentiation.
A Potion which is directly consumed as is (usually be drinking it) is often referred to as an "Elixir". Elixirs are consumed in their entirety, and are not meant to be diluted in any way. They are very thin, comparable to water in consistency. But if poured into water, will not combine with it.
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A "Tonic" is a Potion which must be diluted in some way in order to be used. They are incredibly powerful potions that are designed to be rationed out and used over time. Something which only requires a drop or two in order for their full effects to be felt; and something which can be overdosed on.
The overly compounded nature of a Tonic means that the safe recommended dose is unpleasant if consumed directly. A swallowed drop of tonic is overwhelming in flavor and can leave an intense, burning/tingling sensation upon exposed flesh.
Tonics are very thick, with a consistency similar to molasses. They are utilized best (as in most comfortably) when mixed into other substances. Such as beverages, food, or lotions. Which allows the intense nature of the brew to "dilute" and become less intense in its perception, even if its effects are still immediately noticed.
Most Elixirs are actually made by combining a designated serving of Tonic with a special combination referred to as "Witch Water". Which is water that is boiled (or cooled/frozen) in a very specific container marked with runes. This water is in and of itself imbued with amplified magical properties, which allows it to be kept "separate" regular water, even when exposed to one another.
Witch Water is considered its own unique type of Potion. Though it is important to note that outside of the unique "anti-mixing" qualities that it has, it has no additional effects. The only real use of it is the creation of drinks, soups, and sauces that cannot be diluted in an underwater world.
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Lastly, we have Runes. Runes are, in effect, written Magic, often thought of as written spells.
However, they are not words. At least, not in the sense that they can be spoken or even described.
Every Rune has a name. Every Rune has a purpose and an associated effect. But the name of a rune is something that is felt. Something that is understood only through intuition.
A series of Runes written in a straight line are not a sentence. Nor can they be compared to one. Every Rune is its own distinct thing and serves its own distinct purpose.
They are a point from which Magic is brought into the world to be utilized to its fullest potential, while also serving as a connection to the consciousness of Magic.
A Rune can be the eyes, the voice, the ears, and the mind of the Magic that it respresents. Often all at once.
They can be carved by hand if that hand is controlled by a mind is properly attuned to the will of the Magic that they seek to draw forth. But they also appear on their own accord, to mark someone; or something; with proof of connection.
They are not MEANT to be read. Only meant to represent something of magical significance. The meaning of a Rune is completely unknown to those who fail to attune themselves to the nature of Magic, and is understood without description by those who have been attuned.
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Finally, we go to our surprise EXTRA form of Magic. Known as a Transmutation. Which is the act of combining multiple forms of Magic in order to take one thing and transform it into another.
Transmutations are a highly advanced form of Magic. They allow a Magic User of a specific level of ability (Such as a Witch) to do something like take a Human and transform them into a Mer. Or take a Mer and transform them into a human.
Or take an animal and transform it into a hybridized monster.
Transmutations can either be temporary or permanent, with permanent transmutations being far more difficult to pull off without destroying the organism which is being transformed. A permanent transmutation works much like the pupation process that allows a caterpillar to become a butterfly.
Permanent transmutation takes you and melts you down into a slurry that struggles to maintain hold over the aspects of the mind and soul that make you, YOU. Then the Magic guides that slurry and molds it into the intended shape, following which you are once more made solid.
It takes a Witch of astonishing cognitive capabilities in order to pull off a transmutation of this form without severely altering the consciousness of the transformed party. Which leads to temporary transmutations being the more widely accessible form.
Temporary transmutation works similarly. Generally requiring that something else be sacrificed and and reshaped, with the intention of providing a blueprint for the intended transformation. That blueprint is then taken and applied to a physical object, which can be put on or taken off in order to trigger and reverse the transmutation.
This object is most often a piece of jewelry, like a ring, a necklace, or a charm. It can also be a piercing, or inserted into ink to then be applied in the form of a tattoo.
The tattoo method in specific is temporary as a result of the ink fading over time. Which means that once the tattoo fades enough, the Magic loses hold and the transformation automatically reverts.
Additionally, "temporary" transmutations are sometimes made permanent through more invasive insertions of the blueprint item. Namely through surgical attachment of it to a point where accidental removal generally wouldn't be possible, or could even prove fatal.
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Types of Magic Users:
Magic Users can be broken down into these distinct forms.
True Witches, Witches, Vorloccs, Healers, Builders, Tamers, and Brutes.
To save on space because this post is getting too long, I'll just summarize each and can set out to post a series of additional posts detailing them fully at a later date.
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True Witches are a (possibly) extinct classification of Witch. More specifically being a Witch BORN with their magic. True Witches are the offspring of OTHER Witches, who are born with an innate ability to access all forms of Magic. Their bodies are so heavily saturated in Magic that it transforms them, leading to them rapidly growing in power as they mature. True Witches are currently outlawed, due to their asinine levels of power; which directly leads to them being threats that cannot be reliably opposed. As of now, very few, if any, True Witches exist.
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Witches are most advanced forms of Magic users, trained from a infancy in order to achieve their rank. They are very rarely born with any innate magical abilities (making them distinct from Healers, Builders, Tamers, and Brutes), and must instead be very carefully educated in order to be made into what they are.
Witches, additionally, must undergo a series of complicated rituals in order to fully unlock access to their abilities. Many of these rituals are painful or unpleasant, and involve the direct modification of body parts.
Examples of these rituals include the Dying of the Sclera with rune enchanted dye, the injection of raw magic essence into the spinal chord, and forced sterilization (in addition to the modification of reproductive parts in order to force them to serve a Magical Purpose).
Witches are REQUIRED to be sterilized and are not allowed to produce children of their own, out of fear of the creation of True Witches. The ritual that is used to sterilize a Witch-in-training exists purely for this purpose, and comes with the additional effect of triggering the development of "premature" runes.
As a Witch-in-training develops their abilities and reaches distinct milestones (often triggered through these rituals), Runes naturally appear upon the body; generally being found in points of "Hight activity". The hands, arms, abdomen, and tail all sport the more "obvious" Runes; which are perceived more as incredibly faded scars. However, Runes are also present in places not so easily seen; such as inside of the mouth/throat, in the eyes, and even on internal organs.
Additionally, Witches may elect to manually apply other forms of Runes in order to grant themselves specific abilities.
Witches are capable of using all forms of Magic, and serve the purpose of caring for the needs of the Mer in their surrounding area. They are not allowed to charge any sort of currency for their work, though they are allowed to require that individuals take certain actions (such as providing specific ingredients) in order to request their services.
Additionally, vendors are not allowed to charge Witches for good and services. Any goods or services that a vendor sells are decreed as being paid for by the services that the Witches provide to the public.
Witches additionally hold a unique political role. They commune directly with any local authority (such as a Monarch) and cannot generally be punished for actions of violence. This being because a well trained Witch knows better than to act upon impulsive thoughts of violence, and so a Witch that has become violent is assumed as doing so with worthwhile reason.
Witches also have the authority to "Confiscate" virtually any child from anyone that they desire. Be it for the sake of adopting with the intent on raising a future Witch, or simply out of the desire to rehome that child.
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Vorloccs are described as "Diet Witches". They are distinctly different in the sense that they have been raised by Witches and thus have received some amount of training, which makes them more capable Magic users than anyone in the general public. But they have either failed to complete all of the required rituals or were otherwise unable to fully reach the status of a Witch due to being unable to take up the mantle.
Vorloccs are incredibly uncommon and are not held to the same standards as a Witch. They are not magical enough to give birth to "True Witches" and so are allowed to reproduce. They are also allowed to charge for any services that they may elect to provide. This likewise means that they are expected to pay for any services that they seek from others.
What's more, a Vorlocc is not granted the same "Political Power or Exemptions" as a Witch. A Vorlocc cannot take children from others, nor are they allowed to freely act upon violent urges.
Vorloccs generally serve as assistance to Witches.
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Healers are a type of Mer born with an innate healing ability. Distinct from Witches due to Healing being their primary function.
Healers belong to a very specific bloodline of Magic users. Their healing abilities are passed directly from parent to child, at a roughly 50% chance.
Each bloodline of Healers is marked with a distinct Rune as proof of status. This Rune appears before birth, and will be present even in newly born hatchlings. Which makes the children of Healers incredibly easy to spot.
Children born with a Rune marking them as Healers cannot be taken by Witches to be trained and raised into future Witches. Those born of a Healing family who did not inherit the Rune CAN be be taken.
Additionally, completely regular Merfolk can be trained by Healers to become a form of Healer themselves. They are however, dubbed Pseudo-Healers and their trained abilities cannot be passed to their offspring.
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Builders are a type of Mer born with an innate ability to grow coral with magic. Distinct from Witches due to their abilities being limited to a very specific purpose. That purpose being to use magically grown coral to construct buildings and other structures for Merfolk to utilize, for a range of reasons.
Builders belong to a very specific bloodline of Magic users. Their ability to grow coral is passed directly from parent to child at a roughly 50% rate.
Each bloodline of Builders is marked with a distinct Rune as proof of status. This Rune appears before birth, and will be present even in newly born hatchlings. Which makes the children of Builders incredibly easy to spot.
Children born with a Rune marking them as Builders cannot be taken by Witches to be trained and raised into future Witches. Those born of a Builder family who did not inherit the Rune CAN be be taken.
The ability also cannot be unlocked in standard mer through training. Which means that there are no pseudo-builders.
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Tamers are a type of Mer born with an innate ability to influence animals. Which allows them to serve an ideal role as "Farmers/Ranchers". Their influence is less effective on hostile creatures but can be used to make aggressive entities more passive than usual. They are distinct from Witches as a result of being born with their power.
Tamers belong to a very specific bloodline of Magic users. Their ability to control beasts is passed directly from parent to child at a roughly 50% rate.
Each bloodline of Tamers is marked with a distinct Rune as proof of status. This Rune appears before birth, and will be present even in newly born hatchlings. Which makes the children of Tamers incredibly easy to spot. They also have an easier time surviving their isolation period due to having the ability to make possible predators into something more passive, which means that they are among the most abundant of any natural-born Magic user.
Children born with a Rune marking them as Tamers cannot be taken by Witches to be trained and raised into future Witches. Those born of a Tamer family who did not inherit the Rune CAN be be taken.
The ability also cannot be unlocked in standard mer through training. Which means that there are no pseudo-tamers.
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Brutes are a type of Mer born with an abnormal amount of strength and durability. They are distinct not only from Witches, but also from other Natural Born Magic users, in the sense that the Magic very specifically has an effect on their own bodies.
Brutes do not intentionally utilize their Magic. It is simply present and has an effect on them from the moment of conception. Their distinct magical traits are genetic and can be passed from parent to child, at a 5% rate. Which makes natural born Brutes INCREDIBLY rare.
Each bloodline of Brutes is marked with a distinct Rune as proof of status. This Rune appears before birth, and will be present even in newly born hatchlings. Which makes the children of Brutes incredibly easy to spot... Though their amplified size and power is also an obvious tell.
Children born with a Rune marking them as Brutes cannot be taken by Witches to be trained and raised into future Witches. Those born of a Brute family who did not inherit the Rune CAN be be taken.
Additionally, completely regular Merfolk can be trained by Brutes in order to hone their bodies and become a Brutish in their own right. They are however, dubbed False-Brutes and their trained abilities cannot be passed to their offspring. They also do not undergo the same dramatic physical amplification as is seen in true Brutes.
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This is everything that I feel like I can reasonably throw in this segment. Its gotten a bit long. Any expansions on things like Witches or other such related topics will be shared in separate posts.
Because there's mermaid AUs that I've been messing around with getting some traction, albeit more on the side of the people who actually post art, I figure I may as well compile a bunch of information that I have in regards to have the merfolk actually work across all of these AUs.
There will likely be multiple parts to this. So here is part 1. Where I elect to focus primarily on the Biology of the mer.
Biology:
The merfolk can be broken up into 3 primary sexes. Male, Female, and Intersex (also known as Hermaphrodites). With the Intersex individuals being broken down into two sets: Male dominant and Female dominant; which is the means of differentiating dominant characteristic expression.
Intersex individuals cannot swap their dominant sex expression. The ones that one up looking more like males will always look more like males; and the same applies to the ones that look like females. They simply have a wider range of options when it comes to breeding.
Roughly 25-3-% of Merfolk are Intersex. So it is, at least compared to humans, INCREDIBLY common.
Merfolk do express sexual dimorphism, much like humans. This sexual dimorphism, however, is not uniform. As in the rules of dimorphism cannot be applied to the whole or considered to be a standard. Genetics do play a role; but the Beastial Expression (animal comparison) is more dominant. So as an example, with Clownfish Mer, the females are larger and more dominant than the males almost all of the time. Because for clownfish, the females are larger and more dominant with the males being smaller and more submissive.
Female (or Female Dominant Intersex) Merfolk primarily reproduce by laying eggs. Live birth IS possible, but is far more demanding on the parent and at this point bypasses social norms. So it is incredibly rare for a Mer to give live birth. (Also, important to note, the live birth route is comparable more to certain sharks - where there's babies eating one another in utero.)
A Female Mer can produce anywhere between 3 and 15 (with more than that being a rarity) eggs, with that range largely being dependent on things like age and the number of breeding cycles that have passed. So an older individual who has laid eggs before will produce more than a first time egg-layer.
The eggs are highly gelatinous in nature, with a thick mucous membrane surrounding the developing embryo. This membrane actually expands when exposed to water, thus creating more room for the developing infant to develop while also saving on internal space.
Eggs are kept in utero long enough to partly begin development. Following which they will be laid. "The "Internal Incubation" period lasts around 3-4 weeks.
Reproductive cycles for Merfolk are synchronized. There is a set period of time in which breeding is possible. Different regions of mer will go into season at different points during the year, with those points being dictated by changes in the water chemistry (largely reliant on temperature). As a result of this, large populations of Mer will reproduce at a time.
Mass migrations of Pregnant mer (often accompanied by their mates) will take expectant parents to designated "birthing zones". Generally being warmer, shallow waters where fever predators are present. These zones have been utilized for centuries, which has only strengthened the migration habits of the merfolk inhabiting different regions.
Partly developed eggs are laid in these birthing zones. Following which, they are promptly abandoned.
Brutal as it may be, mer simply produce too many offspring to reasonably care for all that hatch. Attempting to salvage every newborn life would only lead to unsustainable population growth. So clutches of eggs are abandoned and left to hatch (Which can take 2-3 months), then the hatchlings are left alone in the breeding zone for a period of 2-3 months (region dependent). During which point the very small (compared to human babies) merfolk infants will grow and mature.
This "isolation period" is what I affectionately refer to as the Cannibal Infant Free For All. Because, yes. Newly hatched mer are incredibly cannibalistic. The stronger individuals who are better at hunting cannibalize their peers, and the meek who fail to properly hide are promptly devoured.
Siblings are able to instinctively avoid preying on one another and are even known to protect one another. Outside of that, there is rarely a sense of mercy. Unrelated individuals that avoid attacking one another aren't doing so out of compassion, but out of a mutual understanding that the outcome of the confrontation could end poorly on both sides.
Following the end of this Cannibalistic Swarming period, surviving babies are promptly adopted by returning adults.
This is a very disorganized situation. While siblings automatically recognize one another, the odds of an adult finding their own children (if any have survived) aren't exactly guaranteed. There is a margin of error; but also sometimes just play out in interesting ways. So roughly 30-40% of mer will wind up taking home and raising kids that they share no blood with.
Additionally, sometimes siblings wind up separated. Particularly in instances where too many spawn belonging to one bloodline have survived the swarm, meaning that the adults would struggle to properly maintain them all (2 is the comfortable average, with 3 being a big strain).
The adoption process triggers psychological changes in baby merfolk. Which leads to these previously murderous infants suddenly becoming shy, withdrawn, and incredibly fearful. This is very much a trauma response brought about by a prolonged period of existing in a "Kill or be killed" state.
Adopted babies will spend an extended period of time just hanging out in the pouch of one of their parents. This provides them a secure place, close to a trusted adult, and is essential for bonding. Babies who are denied access to the pouch struggle to grow out of their skittish stage, leading to other developmental issues down the line.
All mer have pouches. These pouches take up a huge portion of the torso. The entrance of the pouch is often mistaken for a bellybutton. The opening of the pouch is often kept closed by default with contracted muscles (these muscles are contracted when at rest) and it takes conscious effort to loosen them.
Yes, adult mer would appear to be pregnant (from a human perspective) when there are juveniles hanging out in the pouch. Yes, it looks freaky when the babies are in there squirming around.
Female Mer DO produce breast milk! But only in small amounts, with it acting more as a nutritional supplement. The milk of a mermaid is thick, with a consistency comparable to heavy cream, and it will thicken even further when exposed to water. Which can cause it to sort of float absently in the water like oil.
For the TMI aspects; it is more common than not for a male mer to have two penises, for ease of mating. Females, however, only have one vaginal opening. Sexual fluids, likewise, are also incredibly thick and sticky (even if slippery) in order to maintain functionability in an underwater setting.
Yes, merfolk will mate for pleasure outside of breeding seasons. This is incredibly common and a bonding activity.
There are no strict expectations or even social norms relating to things like mates. A promiscuous female is judged no more than a female who prefers to take only one mate. Individuals who elect to mate long-term are treated no differently from those who treat the arrangement as a one-and-done situation. The only things that are judged are whether or not someone is irresponsibly spreading disease, and whether or not they will take proper care of any children that they take as their own. Literally all that is expected is that you be responsible for the health of your partner and for any life you take guardianship over.
Circling back to something mentioned waaaay above. Beastial Expression. This is just my fancy way of saying "What aquatic creature an individual mer can best be compared too". Because in the context of the AU - this is NOT a genetic trait.
Different Beastial Expressions do not mean different SPECIES of mer. All of the merfolk that exist today belong to the same species, and are the surviving descendants of a far more primal species of mer that existed an incredibly long time ago (Pointing at Dunkleosteus Caine), which has long since gone extinct. Largely due to changes in environment; but not for the reason that one might expect.
Context here is that Merfolk, as Mystic Creatures, are innately magic. They are magical entitles. They resemble existing aquatic species because they are, in effect, an embodiment of ocean magic. As a result, the Primal Mer (Dunkleosteus as an example) don't go extinct directly as a result of changes in the environment that make it impossible for THEM to exist. These forms of mer go extinct because the environment changes and makes it impossible for Dunkleosteus the animal to survive. The extinction of the comparable animal entity dictates the loss of Beastial Expression in a mer. Which means that no more can naturally attain that shape (though human fuckery has apparently found the way to reignite long dormant capabilities).
So, again. The type of "fish" (or aquatic animal) that a mer is born as has nothing to do with genetics. It has everything to do with the existence of that type of organism in the current time; with the local animal population having more of an effect than anything else. It is very rare for a mer to be born resembling an animal that can't be found anywhere in its environment. Hence we often find the mer of one area strongly resembling the wildlife of their ecosystem. This in turn leads to a huge range in physical diversity.
This is how you can wind up with an "Octopus" mer and a "Stingray" mer being full blooded siblings from the same clutch, and that just being a normal thing to have happen. This is also the real reason behind Bubble and Caine being sterile. It actually has very little to do with the fact that they've been artificially created. They have a Beastial Expression that is extinct, and so their innate magic is damaged to the point that it just doesn't know what to do in terms of children. Though we can always fool around with the idea of them somehow producing kids and those kids are just born as modern-day "fish", baffling everyone involved.
Color, however, IS a genetic trait! Which can lead to fun situations where you get a "Great White Shark" with clownfish colors (and sometimes even the pattern). Children are highly likely to inherit colors that are present in their parents and grandparents. Which is also another fun byproduct of that innate water magic.
Beastial Expression can lead to fun differences in individual mer, outside of appearances. An example being than an Octopus mer is capable of changing all of the pigment in their body in order to blend into the background and hide (and despite having bones in their more humanoid parts... They can somehow change their biology in order to squeeze into unnaturally tight spaces. Even their head can be slightly squished without damage). Unique adaptive traits common to the animal comparison are very commonly seen in the Mer.
Because I forgot to share it here but it is an important detail, newly hatched Merfolk are semi-transparent. Meaning that you can often see their internal organs (contents of their stomachs/intestines) and their still developing bones through their very thin, pale skin. Their eyes are often not fully developed either. Yet they have teeth and claws that are just sturdy enough to be used to cannibalize their peers!
Yes, the merfolk can suffer from a range of genetic defects. Albinism, Melanism, Gigantism, Dwarfism - the list goes on. There are even fun fucked up things that can happen which would lead to body parts appearing in the wrong place. Nature isn't perfect and magic can make nature unstable.
That's about all I have for the overall Biology of the Merfolk in my stories. Next I will either go over the Magic expressed by mers (namely in relation to the "Witches" and other forms of magic users, as well as any important history in that regard) or over the Merfolk Society/Social Norms. Undecided.
I'm not talking lore on one specific AU. I'm talking lore for how my particular version of merfolk works. In terms of society and abilities and whatnot.
Created after Caine, largely by the same people that created Caine (sans Kinger, who has quit, though his research is still being utilized).
"Born" with a series of birth defects or genetic mutations. The primary of which has rendered him "Bald", aka scaleless. Save for having a properly armored head (which is arguably more external bone plating than scales), he has no natural armor. The feel of his skin is comparable to that of an eel. Very smooth.
His skin is a bit on the thick side (due to being designed to act as an anchor for thick scales and armor plating), it is still easily penetrated. His body can be easily cut just by rubbing against rough rocks. Lack of scales also means that he has 0 protection from aquatic skin parasites. Which technically isn't a huge problem considering that he lives in fully treated and maintained water that is largely parasite free. But it does mean that a lot of extra care needs to go into his care, especially in regards to his environment.
He DOES have his claws and teeth. So there is nothing to prevent him from reliably eating his food. Which is good, because he has a preference for live prey items. He has an excellent prey drive (desire to hunt) and being given food to chase/catch is good enrichment.
While he (and other artificially created, hybridized mers) cannot EVER be released into the wild, it is important to note that his odds of survival in the wild would be incredibly low. His lack of scales leaves him vulnerable. He would suffer frequent infections as a result of skin injury and he would easily become overrun by skin parasites. Any attempts he could make to remove those parasites would also damage him further. So in the theoretical situation in which he is born in the wild, he suffers a very early and incredibly unpleasant death at the hands of overwhelming infections (parasitic and otherwise).
His pale coloration is the result of Leucism. Which is effectively, diet albinism. He is largely lacking in pigmentation, but it is not 100% gone (as it would be if he were albino). He is easily mistaken for albino, due to his pale coloration and pink tint; but his dark pupils are the dead giveaway.
Were he NOT Leucitic, his body would have been very vibrantly colored! His pink tint is actually a result of this! His primary colors would have ranged from red to orange (with splashes of white) with the hues being darker o his top/back with his stomach area having brighter tones. Almost comparable to the patterns found on some koi fish/goldfish. (Which may seem strange, but coloration is not "uniform" among merfolk in my AUs. Nor is body form! These are details I might expand upon later if asked.)
Moving on to his history; Bubble is more the result of scientists wanting to research an abnormality than anything else. His unique genetic defects were noticed very early on during his "Gestational" period (it is important to note that he, Caine, and Abel were "born" in their full adult forms and required a lot of socialization/education once the woke up). It was understood that he was an entity that would require intensive care. Rather than cull and start on the next specimen; he was allowed to fully gestate and then was "born" all so that the team could gather data pertaining to his unique series of defects.
He was, in essence, a Cadaver. Born not with the intention of being kept alive in the long term, but born for the sake of bettering scientific understanding. The plan was to cull him as soon as enough information was gathered. Very little was put into socializing and educating him once he actually became an actively animated and conscious entity; because it would have been a waste of resources when the plan would be to kill him after a few months to a year. He would have been vivisected and his parts preserved for study, had they failed to sell him to the rehabilitation facility that purchased Caine.
His "Sale" was very much a strongarm. The result of a company with HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE ethics being aware of the empathy of people in a completely different area. Not unlike the people who irresponsibly breed or catch horses and strongarm empathetic people into buying them, because "if they don't get bought, they're going to Mexico to be killed for their meat". The knowledge of Ayala's empathy was used to effectively say "You either buy him to save his life or we kill him". And it worked. Which, unfortunately, means that there is now an incentive to intentionally bring deformed/sickly specimen into the world; because there's a sucker out there that will be willing to buy and care for them.
Some fun additional byproducts of his genetic defects means that he will burn easily in direct sunlight and needs to be kept in darker environments/provided lots of shade (even after being given some experimental melanin treatments. He can't be out of the water for long because if his skin dries out, it will crack and peel (and bleed) like human lips in winter. He also requires weekly full-body rubdowns with specialized lotions that help his body resist infections (and reduces the potential of sunburn).
Now to move on to personality, behavior, and any additional traits!
Bubble is full grown, but he is smaller than Caine. I'd ray roughly 2/3rds Caine's size. Which doesn't mean that Bubble is small, per say. Caine is just a large boi.
Bubble very obviously has 0 awareness of what Caine has done to Abel (regardless of if we're talking about a variant of the AU where Abel survives the attack or not). He also has 0 fear of Caine, despite the fact that Caine is larger and very much a hazard (in the sense that trying to cuddle with him would be like trying to cuddle with a rock).
That lack of fear extends to a desire for companionship. Which is less of an "instinctive" thing and more, a natural byproduct of being an unnatural freak. There's not really anything else like you in the world, so finding someone that IS (mostly) like you triggers a sort of innate sense of illogical kinship. He very earnestly wants attention from Caine. But Caine, for a range of reasons, doesn't want to interact with Bubble. Which in turn leads to Bubble, like an annoying younger sibling, taking whatever attention he can get. So he starts to take actions that intentionally irritate/piss off Caine. Such as getting overly cuddly with Caine's favorite handler in a performative way.
He is a male dominant hermaphrodite (like Caine). Which is just a fancy way of saying that he technically has both reproductive parts, but he primarily expresses male characteristics. This, surprisingly, it not actually a genetic defect! Though it is not the standard, many merfolk are born with both parts but express one sex dominantly (appearing to be male or female). This likely has something to do with the fact that an asinine amount of fish are also hermaphrodites.
He can lay eggs! Those eggs, however, are 100% sterile with little to no yolk. This IS a defect, and an unavoidable one, brought about by flaws in his genetic code. It is the downside of being a man-made abomination meant to re-create a long extinct subspecies.
Those eggs often wind up being used as food for all of the mer. Its not weird. They can't hatch so the only reasonable thing to do with them is eat them!
This part is mostly for fun and I don't fully consider it canon, but Bubble is a bit of a whore with 0 sexual preference. Full on pansexual. DTF pretty much anyone or anything that shows interest, with 0 interest in monogamy. Also he's a bit of a size queen.
That's pretty much everything of relevance that I can think of for Bubble!
Also tagging @chimkin-samich cause... Reasons. Idk maybe I missed something and they can point it out!
(I've been seeing art going around of @chimkin-samich's mermaid Caine and have ALSO been seeing art of Mer!Bubble and saw someone questioning the presence of other mers, so I'm just gonna throw out the information. I'm largely inactive on Tumblr but like... Thems my AUs so I may as well put the information out there, lmao.
Rehabilitation AU (Primary)
An AU in which OC's/Sonas Ayala (mine) and Tari (Chimkin's) run a specialized rehab center and sanctuary focused on Merfolk. In the context of the AU, Ayala is the owner with a lot of knowledge on mer and is the one in charge of arranging for the various specimen to be brought to the location. Tari is a "veterinarian" and caretaker. Other human characters include Crysta (mine) who is a biologist that routinely does lab-work to monitor the overall health of the specimens, and eventually Kinger; one of Caine's creators who eventually reached out.
Caine is specified as being an experimental recreation of an extinct species of mer, who is deemed a failure due to being born deformed. He was kept around and used as a basis to eventually create Abel; a much more successful variant. Things take a negative turn for Caine following Abel's creation, and Chimkin's art tells the story from there. Ultimately Caine is due to be culled and vivisected for research purposes due to not being a major problem that has cost them more than he could ever be worth. He's kept around long enough to provide what is needed to make the next desirable experiment, but is both neglected and abused during that process (the muzzle plays a key role here).
Through Kinger's timely intervention, Caine is rescued by the Rehab center before he can officially be culled. But not before more physical damage can be done (the vivisection process had already started by the time the emergency payment was offered). Caine is saved, moved to the rehab center, and then the long care/recovery process starts. During which he becomes very close to Tari.
A while later Bubble winds up coming into play. He is a 2nd failed experiment born lacking "scales". He is bald. Only having the thick armor plating on his head (and the teeth) while otherwise lacking all forms of armor. In addition to this he as leucism. He is very pale, with very delicate skin, and develops a lot of issues as a result. He is easily wounded, has no protection from skin parasites, and requires specialized care/housing. Bubble's creators reach out to Ayala to sell him, effectively strongarming the purchase because she'll know that he'll ALSO be culled if she doesn't buy him. And considering that she perceives Mer to be effectively the same as people, she can't in good conscious just allow him to be murdered. (Bubble is noted as desperately wanting to be around Caine but largely can't be due to risks. Not just because of Caine's history, but because Caine is sharp.)
Other mer noted as being in the facility are Sun, Moon, and Eclipse. All of whom are rescued circus performers. Eclipse is specifically noted as having been born wild and poached, whereas Sun and Moon were born in captivity. None can be returned to the wild. All of them are brought to the facility with severe problems (health wise and mental health wise) brought on by poor care and the abuse that went into conditioning them to be circus performers. Sun and Eclipse are "Bettas". I have yet to decide for Moon (I'm more inclined to make him an eel).
Personal OC's that are mers include Scorpius and Hollow (Blood Moon OC). Scorpius is a Lionfish and Hollow is a giant eel hybrid that was also created in a lab setting.
In some variants of the AU, Abel is actually noted as SURVIVING the attack but is left maimed. He is also eventually sold to Ayala for rehab purposes, and there's lots of fun drama in that regard.
Sea-Witch AU's (there are a bunch)
There are multiple variants of this AU. Named this way because they all involve a focus on sea-witches and in pretty much all of them, someone has been turned into a mer.
There is a variant of the AU where Tari is a human princess who abandoned her role to become a mermaid and has to try and integrate herself into an underwater world that is largely designed to reject her or judge her (due to current conflicts with human and her father in specifics). In this one she winds up developing relationships with Sun (Lionfish), Moon (Shark), and Eclipse (Orca) and there's some fun drama.
There is a variant of the same AU where all of the details are the same, only instead of encountering the DCA inspired mer, Tari winds up encountering Caine. Who is ALSO a human that was turned into a mer... Only the sea witch in question intentionally turned him into a malformed monster and tortured him, leading to him becoming a highly dangerous entity. She tames him and rehabilitates him with the power of friendship.
Yet another variant of the AU where Tari is actually born a mer but was born into a not-great family that treated her like property and put her in bad situations (which would've eventually led to her dying). She is Confiscated and then adopted by a Sea Witch (Crysta) and taught magic alongside Ayala (Sea-witch in training). Tari very specifically is NOT a Sea Witch in this setting (due to lore related reasons and rules) and is instead something called a Vorlocc. Which is a magic user trained by a witch who failed to undergo all of the rituals that are required to create a witch.
This AU is in turn broken up into at least 2 variants. One where Tari encounters and helps a Human Caine, who then goes on to get himself transformed into a monstrous and deformed mer by a human magic user; and another where Caine was formerly human but was transformed into a monstrous mer by an entirely different Sea Witch out of spite due to having wronged the merfolk. In both of these settings, Caine largely forgets who he was as a human. He is much more dangerous in one than the other. But Tari winds up being there for him regardless.
In all variants of this AU, Ayala is a Sea Witch (and the one that transforms human Tari into a mer) and she is very specifically an Octopus. Crysta is the witch that made Ayala; and Crysta's mentor is the one responsible for Caine's creation in certain iterations.
Subnautica AU
This one is still in development. It is very canon-divergent from the actual story of Subnautica (it is instead the equivalent of Space Australia, in the sense that it is an entire planet that violent criminals were banished to and imprisoned in). Humanity is trapped in space after fucking up Earth and search for a new "homeworld" is underway, leading to Ayala being stranded on the waterworld.
Ayala is just trying to survive in this hostile new world. All the while there is a hostile Cartel formed up of the trapped descendants of those that were banished to the planet thousands of years prior; as well as individuals that have been FORCED to join after also winding up stranded on the world (ships that get too close get shot down because the "Wardens" very much think that the planet is still a prison and that the inhabitants are prisoners who cannot be allowed to escape).
Tari is a former Cartel member who has escaped and is intentionally causing problems. Kinger and Queenie are some of the more "recent" additions (who are being held against their will, tortured, and experimented on). Jax has been born into the Cartel and has ALSO been experimented on.
The Cartel members experiment using a highly mutagentic substance made from the remains of deceased Wardens (who are highly advanced, self-replicating, shapeshifting entities made up of super-colonies of microscopic organisms that are both machine and organic) to force sudden "adaptations" and mutations. The end goal being to find a way to access a special form of Telepathy that can be used to manipulate the Wardens into just letting everyone leave the planet.
Caine is the result of one of these experiments and is a Telepathic Mutant composed of the DNA of multiple "Leviathans". In this AU he DID kill and consume Abel; but it wasn't out of malice and more out of a warped desire to protect them from harm. He is deemed a failed experiment and is kept imprisoned in the waters around the Cartel base, where his whole purpose is to be a violent, murderous, guard dog. (He is eventually set free).
There's a lot going on in this AU and I don't feel like describing it all. But this reveals the gist of it.
And that's all the current AUs that feature the Mermaid Caine design that Chimkin came up with. So far.
Which doesn’t mean that it's bad. It is just a very specific type of pudding. One that she honestly isn’t all that familiar with. So she isn’t sure if she’ll like it. Though, to be perfectly honest, she has a strong feeling that she won’t.
Mostly because the pudding in question resembles a fruit-cake.
She does not like fruit cake. Fruit cake is a dessert of deceit.
Its name alone brings promises of a fruit filled delight. Something light, sweet, and juicy. While the reality is that it is a dense loaf of strongly spiced nuts and fruits which have been tortured and brainwashed to the point that they have lost all memory of their former selves.
Then, as if to emotionally numb the tortured remnants of any fruity memory, the cake is often soaked in booze.
All of this combines to create a dessert that tastes the way that a scented pinecone smells, all in the name of seasonal festivity.
