If it's not clear enough, Drifter's blood running down Natah's face and chest is meant to dry and turn into the cracks of damaged sentient flesh. You know, as an extra permanent mark/reminder heh.
textless, higher resolution version over here: https://www.valentinapaz.com/blog/hand-of-natah/
"Within this shell, the three of us entwine. We forge a new strength."
My submission for the 2026 Tennocon Community Art Showcase!
I've had this sort of hybrid design for the Lotus for awhile now (featuring elements of all of her non-deluxe skins to this point).
Spoilers below! Also loooong post, like reealllllyyyy long!
KHAL
Okay playing as a Grineer was not expected but was so damn cool!! I love Khal, he's so brave and cool and sneaky. I want to hope he's not dead but he probably is... That part where he grabbed the bomb and the grim acceptance on his face then he sees his brothers fighting and smiles only for that small joy to be ripped away so quickly was so sad!
Side note: What the fuck was that gun? I need that gun, I want that gun, how do I get that gun, can I please get the gun???? Also I guess Vey Hek just calls everyone maggots huh?
VESO
Ohhhh Corpus time!! Poor Veso, you can tell he ain't combat trained cause he can't even do the explodey thing the plinx does, unless that's a tenet plinx only thing?? Also this is my breacher moa Blorbo Bleebus, I love Blorbo Bleebus, I want him in base game, if I can get him after this quest please tell me.
Playing as a Corpus with all my little robots is so cool, I love them, I need them, can I get them later?? Anyways the more I learn about Alad V the more I hate him.
My first thought walking into the room and seeing the Jackal was "Oh no, oh no, ohhh noooo, please don't make Veso fight this he's just a techy guy he can't even do the explode thing with the plinx! Alad V you suck!" But my boy Veso is so smart!
Man and that last scene, Veso was so badass, RIP Veso, you were so cool!
Nothing popped up on the screen so I guess it's part of VESO sooo...
RAILJACK TIME LET'S GO BABYYYY! I'm telling you gunning down ships while zooming around in my railjack is so fun! Also, Teshin is here! Please don't kill Lotus, Teshin! Also Cy's, "You need to get closer to your mother's ship." Op "Did you just-" Was so funny!
TESHIN
TESHIN TIME LET'S GOOOOO! Man his element switching thing is soooo fun, I need to see if any Warframes do that it was a blast!! Also funny we get to play as Teshin cause my baby tenno's first thought when seeing Teshin was "When do we get a Teshin warframe, I want to be Teshin" but then when he got to be Teshin he was having a hard time and was like "You're the worst warframe Teshin, I take it back I like Lotus better". IDK I had a blast playing as Teshin and I hope there's a warframe with mechanics like that.
Also Teshin and Ordis interacting was so funny. Teshin needing Ordis' help and having a hard time asking for it, Ordis being smug about Teshin needing his help was a riot!
Man Teshin, going to Ballas alone was not your best idea. I mean yeah you resisted the thing but now you're dead. ...Holy shit yeah wait Teshin is dead. Like his skull was crushed. He's dead. Fuck.
THE PAINED SOUNDS LOTUS WAS MAKING DURING ALL THAT HURT AND THEN WE SEE HER AND SHE'S ALL CRACKED AND KINDA IN PEICES AND MY HEART MY HEART MY HEART IT HURRRRTS AAAAA-
Also Lotus said she was a mimic, obviously not like those small ones, but hear me out. The small ones can unfold when they're not mimicking something else right?(at least it looks like it) So maybe Lotus can do some sort of shapshiftery like that and looking at her further she kinda looks "unfolded" in a way rn. Now we know the small mimics unfold and get sentient skin hard when danger is around(aka us) and we know that human skin doesn't crack like that so, hear me out, what if Lotus can unfold like that and make her skin hard when in danger? I mean it sure looks like it to me with how she looks rn.
ALSO THE PAINED GASP AND GRIMACE WHEN ASS MAN GRABBED HER FACE I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HA-
"Let me go child. Let me go." I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO LOTUS NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER!
FUCK FACE CUT OFF HER HAND I WAS RIGHT THE FORESHADOWING THE FORSHADOWING FUCK YOU FUCK YOU HOW DARE YOU CUT OFF HER HAND I HATE HIM SO MUCH I WANT TO KILL HIM I WANT TI KILL HIM I WANT TO KILL HI-
Watching her falling into that hole thing while reaching out really hit my heart. I felt like I failed her. And then damn, child stabbed. Child dead? Man, child I'm sorry I didn't name you yet I love you and I hope some void fuckery brings you back.
Side note: I'm so glad I took my Mirage Prime, I gave her Lotus like colors and she's wearing the Lotus syandna(THANK YOU LEO I WEAR IT ALL THE TIME!!) and the Dex emphemera(it has Lotus symbol so I love it) and my child with the purple in her suit really made it so much better.
AFTER LOG IN
Okay Fucker Mcgee is gaslighting the whole galaxy into thinking the tenno enslaved them or were horrible to them or something like that??
DRIFTER?? DRIFTER?? DRIFTER!!! Ohhh I'm so glad I made her clothes nice she looks so cool!!! Her pistol is soo fun to use! Not much to say about the sneaking around part but it was fun! I'm curious about who Drifter is talking to but I'm sure that'll be answered later.
"The devils have been cast out" so all the other Tenno are gone too? Have they all switched places with their Drifter counterparts or are they just... Gone???
HOLY SHIT THE SNAKE THING WAS SOOO COOL AND SCARY!!!
DRIFTER'S CAMP
IS THAT MY SHIP??? THAT'S MY SHIP!!!
Seeing Lotus faded away like that broke my heart. Fuck man, we need to help her pronto. I wonder how Drifter found her? How Drifter got here?? What memories of her Drifter has? Does Drifter know it was her hand that guided her while in Duviri?
Stolen Plates
Man, the song that plays when you go to Fortuna vs We All Lift Together just makes me sad. I can't word it well but with We All Lift Together it started with like one or two people and slowly other joined the song and while they were singing together they were different enough to tell them apart, like how a family is. But with this song it started with them all at the same time in perfect harmony and it just feels, ugh I'm bad a words, but it feels so different and wrong like it shows that they aren't themselves anymore and weeeeeh words do not work but I hope this gets my point across.
LITTLE DUCK!! OHH I'M SO GLAD SHE'S OKAY!!! Man Drifter willingly putting on the mask and being able to fight it for so long is so cool. Also the way she says Drifter like Driftah is so cute I love it.
ENEMY OF ENEMIES
I forgot to mention this but NORA'S OKAY!! SHE'S OUT THERE!!
Okay if we're gonna meet someone that knows about eidolons, someone Drifter doesn't know but Ordis does, is it Hunhow??
Okay, water place, caves, Shadow? It's Hunhow, it's gotta be.
Hiii Hunhooow! Man Drifter's smug "Not if you help me" was so funny. Okay Nira for sure has Mag's body, Amar has Rhino Prime, but Boreal I just can't figure out what??? I'm gonna look at the warframes later to see if I can figure it out before I go check. Also Nataruk is the best bow ever! Also I love how ballsy Drifter is with Hunhow.
FLASHBACK TIME?? Class?? This is soo cool, yes give me more lore thank you. IS THAT MOTHER?? MOTHER USED TO MAKE TESTS???
Also I forgor but what was that little blue hand thing when Drifter first walked into the room that took her hat???
THE WILD HUNT
Okay I started with Boreal and that was fun! I died a few times but I got the hang of it.
THE AFTERMATH
Nora laughing was so cute!
I'm so glad to see Lotus isn't faded so much anymore but still seeing her broken up like that hurts. And her little more? Lotus I will get you more I promise!! LOTUS PLEASE I'LL GET YOU MORE DON'T BITE ME DON'T BITE MY FACE IS IT CAUSE I TOUCHED YOU?? I'M SORRY I WON'T TOUCH I'LL GET MORE SORRY SORRY!
She didn't seem aggressive at first, and maybe it was just cause she was uhh, I'm gonna say "waking up" cause I don't know what to call it, but it kinda seemed like Drifter touching her face started it??? Last time someone touched her face was Ballas, what if it reminded her of that?? Man Drifter, I know you care but please don't be touching people you don't know well(?? How d o e s Drifter know Lotus???).
Ohh so this is where we first see Hey Kiddo thing, interesting, interesting.
THE WILD HUNT(pt 2 electric bogaloo)
Next up I'm choosing Amar. Puppy dog isn't too bad, AND I FIGURED OUT HIS CLONE FUCKERY, ITS THE RADAR DO THE RADAR HAHA FUCK YOU AMAR!
I wonder where Nora I S, like she's able to broadcast without being shutdown or found by Ballas' forces. Also it's honestly really cool how Drifter is doing all this with a bow, sure a extremely strong bow but like, it's a bow, against powerful beings.
THE AFTERMATH(pt 2?? No title on the top right??)
Okay Lotus, no touching this time I'm sorry for touching please don't bite me I promise I'll be more considerate. Okay the way her jaw opened up so big was kinda cool but uh, that glare, uhh, I'm sorry please don't eat me??
Who am I? Good question, my theory is either child but adult somehow(alternate timelines?? alternate universe??? void fuckery??) or related to child but uhh... Please I'm getting you the shards don't kill me you look so mad. Also Drifter panicking was so relatable, she's so funny and stupid I love her.
Okay when she said Tenno her energy turned purple for a bit, then back to the teal when she said lies. Lotus' main color was purple, Natah's eyes were glowing teal. Is this a visual rep of her different hmmm, selves?? Calling it now, she's like... Hmmm how word?? Like two people but one body??? Idk how to say this but please get my idea. Anyways!
Okay so child made deal with Hey Kiddo thing? That's how they were saved, is that also how they got the void powers?? That thing's hand looks very void-y to me.
Okay so Lotus is attacking me... This is fine, this is fine, I'm okay uhh... Man that scared me, I'm sooo glad they didn't make me fight her, the whole time was just me running around saying "HI LOTUS, BYE LOTUS PLEASE NO FIGHT, *she teleports in front of me* HI LOTUS BYE LOTUS, I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT YOU PLEASE STOP, *she teleports in front of me* HI LOTUS BYE LOTUS!" ALSO ORDIS EXPLODED ORDIS EXPLODED THANK YOU ORDIS I LOVE YOU!
Okay wait, the hand she used to choke Drifter looks like the blue hand in the beginning?? Was it her??
Okay back to child, shook hand, many child?? They falling?? Dead???? But then holding Drifter's hand?? Drifter has void powers now?? I'll think more on this later I guess. Okay beam battle, explode, child back???? Lotus leaving??? Again??? Lotus please stop leaving meeeeeeeee! Also was it me or did her voice kinda change tone wise when talking to child???
Okay ass man throwing a fit while Erra tries to suck up I guess?
Now back on the Zariman? How did we fly here?? Explore time I guess. That better be Drifter whistling to me and not Hey Kiddo pulling another form. Okay was Drifter, damn girl you could of just invited me in instead of the whole creepy whistling thing. Also picture of mom and dad??
Okay child getting confused about the whole Drifter thing is so relatable like me too girl, me too girl.
ALSO! So it is a different timeline kinda thing I guess? ALSO CHOOSE?? WHAT THE FUCK?? I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT??
Okay I've been playing as my child this whole time, I love her, I really do but, I think in this moment all she can think about is when she watched Lotus falling into the portal. How she wasn't strong enough to save Lotus, how, in her mind, she failed Lotus when Lotus needed her most. Then she thinks about how Drifter, with no warframes, saved her, nursed her back to health sorta and while she desperately wants to be the one to go help Lotus she failed with more while Drifter succeeded with less. So I choose Drifter and child said something pretty close to what I was thinking.
Man watching Drifter stumble around in a warframe was so funny.
SHE GIVES, WE LIVE
Okay, freed the people, up the tower, on the Murex. So the Unum is real, that's cool!
I love the way Drifter talks. Also Lotus, I know you don't want us interfering and stuff but like... Tossing me out into space?? Lotus please. BUT MY BOI CY IN FOR THE RESCUE WOOO CY!! Also how is Drifter doing all this so well? Gameplay wise it's just cause it's still me but lore wise Drifter has been in timeloop hell for who know how long. I have 2 theories. 1, she has the Op's memories while still retaining her own. 2, while the warframes can't move like Umbra their minds, personalities, are still in there(why they all have their own idle animations with so much personality) and my Mirage Prime is kinda guiding the Drifter.
Okay void rig time, seems like Erra finally came to his sense but waaay too late. Okay but at least the last shard will be there and hopefully that helps Lotus, thanks Erra I guess. Nira was fun to fight, that design is sooo cool.
Man when she was like "I told you to stay out of this" the animators did an amazing job with the expressions, she looks like... Beyond mad. I'm sorry Lotus but you need the last shard?? Also I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIME SOOO MUCH!
Everything coming out of his mouth is just making me more and more mad. You tell him Lotus, you call him small! Also the energy switching thing was happening again, very interesting.
I hate him. I do not think there are enough words to show how much I hate him. I hate him, I H A T E H I M. Don't know where Drifter pulled a veil from but good, slap it on him, let him feel emotional pain before he dies. AND THEN LOTUS KILLS HIM, GREAT JOB LOTUS, YOU DID IT, I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU.
ALSO SHE HAS SHOULDER FRECKLES GUYS, SHOULDER FRECKLES!!! LOOK AT HER IN HER NEW PRETTY OUTFIT AND HER ADORABLE SHOULDER FRECKLES!!!!
Okay so, you have no idea just how h a r d I laughed when I saw The Man in The Wall. Like... I though it was a weird name but maybe they meant like, idk, the wall of reality or something??? Nope! This guy is an actually MAN in an actually WALL. I couldn't breath for so long cause I was laughing so hard. Whoever at DE was like, "Yeah let's make him an actual man in a wall" should get a raise.
HOLY SHIT WAIT DRIFTER HAS FANGS??? THEY'RE TINY BUT I SAW THEM!! I WASN'T FAST ENOUGH TO TAKE THE PICTURE BUT I SWEAR I SAW THEM, YESYES YES YES! CREECHURNESS!!!!
Okay she said there are voices and that she is not one and she's gonna choose a voice to lead the rest, not replace soooo... I WAS RIGHT! DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED BUT 1 BODY DIFFERENT SELVES KINDA SORTA I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD THIS!!
As for my choice, I chose Lotus. To me, out of the three being Lotus was the only one that was her decision. She was made to be Natah, to be the spy, the mimic, the one that would end The Old War. She had to pretend to be Margulis to do her spy stuff, plus I'm pretty sure at first ass man was having her act like Margulis when he took her that first time?? Then she was forced to being Natah by Erra. Eve in the end when she got her power back I'm assuming she chose that form and the form was Lotus. I wish I could word this better but I'm so tired.
Anyways I did it! Lotus is home!! Look at her she's so pretty and I love her!!
The ultimate base of how I write my beautiful plural Space Mamas and their relationships to each other.
This fic covers how Natah and Margulis are adapting to their plurality, how and why Lotus named herself Lotus, and of course, the very beginnings of Space Mom Headmate Yuri.
Natah has taken charge of leading the system, being a surprisingly sweet overseer-figure for her headmates... Margulis is struggling with the post-war origin system and the circumstances of her resurrection... And Lotus is trying her best to soothe her while being an anxious little ball of Sentient nerves.
Very much a character study; highly highly highlyyy recommend reading this one!
💙 Within Our Mirrors (I See You) [~12700 words]
Post-New War. Lotus, Natah and Margulis struggle (a Lot) with their newfound plurality, paralleling the Operator and Drifter's journey on getting to understand each other and themselves.
Lotus was chosen to lead the system, but Natah and Marg are awful at teamwork and they hate each other very loudly, giving Lotus horrible headaches on top of her unaddressed PTSD.
Unfortunately on hiatus because balancing the tone of this fic is Rough; i have a lighthearted writing style but my headcanons for Lotus' trauma can get very heavy. I have lost the plot many times!!
This also started primarily as a DrifterLotus fic before i realized that what the Lotus Headmates have with each other is way more compelling, but this fic has a lotta hits and Kudos for many good reasons so don't worry, I'm not marking it abandoned yet...
🐦 First Impressions [~1000 words]
Post-Lotus Eaters. Tagfer and Bird 3 investigate the mysterious new woman on the cliff.
Fluff!
tbh I don't have a lot to say about this one; it's short and sweet and I'm thankful that people like it.
🔞😇 Is sex on a cliff always called edging? [~3200 words]
Oh hmmmm this one just appeared in my works page one day i wonder what it could possibly be about...
(It's Drifter x Lotus, Natah AND Margulis!)
Hurt/Comfort. Featuring my dopey and loyal puppy of a Drifter, a visibly switching Lotus system, and Natah's freaky Sentient tongue.
Pretty simple smutfic tbh. Take this as a little sampler of the Other questionable things in my documents...
🔞💘 Out of her Shadow; Into her Heart [~1700 words]
Heart is a euphemism for cleavage!
Lotus x Margulis. M-rated because I think there's more focus on feelings than sex, but that's up to viewer discretion :P
Another little sampler fic. I cleaned up an old draft about Lotus' experience with lust and finally put it into the world.
This is about Lotus and her willing obedience and submission for Margulis; an intentional departure from the "dommy mommy" Lotus trope.
Best read after Of Light and Memory :)
🔞🤹♀️ Sleight Of Hand [~12000 words]
LOTUS X MIRAGE YURI.
You will not be disappointed by this one. Trust me.
Transfem Lotus. Slapstick humor. Innocent lesbian romance. Robotgirl x Clowngirl BDSM objectophile smut. Lotus living lesbiciously and just being generally happy with her life after The New War!
I had soooooo much fun writing this; y'all have no idea. Mirage is ridiculously fun and bouncing her off our beloved Lotus is just so light and comedic and refreshing. The smut will be neatly chapter-ed off for the curious but wary.
This is essentially a culmination of my one year of thinking very hard about the Lotuses; there's an uncountable number of Lotus system headcanons in here and a little bit of everything for everyone to dig into!
➕📝 My Tumblr Writing Tag
For miscellaneous stories, headcanons and posts that don't quite fit being published in Ao3.
➕🤫 My Super Special Secret Underground fics... never before seen... [~❔]
I'm Matty, I'm terrible at promo and I'm pinning this post so you can see all my tabletop games
Go to my blog to see if it's been updated with any new stuff!
Project: ENHANCED: is an original modern day urban sci-fantasy game! Choose from a scientist, a magician, a mech pilot, a martial artist, and many more as you become a superhero, a villain, a mercenary or a celebrity! Both the government and the public are watching you. Be careful to maintain a balance that will keep both of them happy...
A game that can be played with as many as you like.
The Locked Tomb: A Tabletop Role-Playing Game: is a tabletop game based on Tamsyn Muir's sci-fantasy trilogy/as yet unreleased quadrilogy. Control a Cavalier or Necromancer as you unravel the many mysteries of the Dominicus system and the dark secrets buried under the surface.
A game best played with two people, but can be played solo.
Warframe: A Tabletop Role-Playing Game: is a tabletop game based on Digital Extremes' sci-fi MMO looter-shooter videogame Warframe. It is currently being written.
