#write.suv

[goldenrdkin]

D:TNR Rewrite (Update 2)

Woohoooo update 2 lets goooo

Okay anyways, wheeze- I think I have passed the brainstorming phase for Thunder specifically. At least design-wise. So, let’s talk about it!

Apologies if some of my notes are too small or hard to read. Don’t worry, none of my notes here are that important!

Inspiration

As you can see, I pulled a lot of inspiration from the Skrill in Thunder’s design. In fact, I’m planning on making Thunder part-Skrill (possible grandparent)! It will help explain his relations with the Skrill, as well as his electric abilities.

Another thing to note is that I focused more on Light Fury (LF) traits than Night Fury (NF). With Toothless being the only canon NF in the Hidden World, Nightlights would have WAY more LF traits than NF. The only NF trait I’ll give Thunder is a dark, almost black, main complexion.

Overall Design

Since I didn’t have a lot of experience drawing other HTTYD dragons, it did take a while to make a design that isn’t... well... an eyesore. Having a LF with the head shape of a Skrill makes it look VERY squished and elongated, but? I think I managed to pull it off? Maybe??

Skrills are very spiky by design, while LFs are smooth. It was actually kinda fun trying to mix spiky and smooth together, even if it looked awkward at times. I figured to sharpen the main features (edges of the wings and tail fins), and then smooth them out to help blend into the design.

I also gave him belly plates, like the Skrill. Instead of spikes along the plate edges, I gave him “nubs” that are meant to be softer, maybe even malleable. Do they look like teats? ... maybe... I might omit them in his final design, but they don’t seem that problematic imo.

I still plan on making Thunder patterned with white/cream streaks. I’m also thinking about making his eyes a very pale blue, even a little milky, reminiscent of cave animals.

Finishing Thoughts

In the end, I want this Thunder to be a lot more intimidating and fleshed-out than his show-counterpart. I want him to retain that “wild” look, especially being the first dragon we’ll meet up close. He will make the first impression, and I want it to be a good one.

If y’all have any input or opinions on this, let me know! The more input, the better! <3

[goldenrdkin]

Rewriting D:TNR

Okay, before I start... I love this entire franchise. And not just because I’m HTTYD-sourced, I genuinely love all of it, ever since I was little and watching the first movie. It has been a joy to be apart of HTTYD, even as a fan and fictionkin.

Now... saying this, I have grown a horrible distaste towards The Nine Realms. It feels... so offensive to hardcore fans like myself. The story makes no sense, the character designs are just... 🤢... and so far, the plot hasn’t gone ANYWHERE. It’s so obviously a cash-grab, I’m surprised Dreamworks didn’t just come out and say “hey, we want your money. Give it.” (Side-note: I’m not referring to the people who actually worked on the show. Animators, designers, VAs, etc... they aren’t to blame, they tried their damn hardest. It’s the higher ups we should be mad at, the ones calling the shots.)

So, in honor of the burning pit of vengeance in my heart, I’m rewriting The Nine Realms. You heard me. I’m going to rewrite it and just TRY to heal myself from the torture and trauma this series has brought me.

Just for a sneak peak, here’s what I’ve written for Tom so far (yes, I’ll be redrawing them too, I haven’t gotten to it just yet!).

(I’ll leave a text-only version below the “Read more”) Any details are still subject to change, but I want to keep this as... “authentic” as possible. While I hate The Nine Realms we have now, I want to make a version that doesn’t suck as much while still being recognizable. 

But for now, this is gonna be a long road. Hopefully I don’t get burnt out right after this... I’ll be sure to keep y’all thoroughly updated (if I remember, heh-).

-- TEXT-ONLY VERSION --

Tom Kullersen Nicknames: Tommy Gender: Male (he/him) Age: 14 Ethnicity: European Relations: Olivia Kullersen (mother)

His Dragon: Thunder Interests: Animals Personality: Reckless, impulsive

Backstory Tom was raised alone by his mother, after his unnamed father left them without return. He has no recollection of his father, and he doesn’t care to see him. His mother was (and still is) a world renowned geologist, and struggled to stay actively involved in Tom’s life. At a young age, Tom was fascinated with animals, even finding himself crawling into a polar bear exhibit which he’s still reminded of to this day.

Knowing his passion for wildlife, Olivia brought Tom with her to Project Icarus in hopes of indulging and developing his passion into a career. Here, he will meet his future team and friends — D’Angelo, Alexandra, and Jun — while (unexpectedly) uncovering the biggest discovery in zoology right below Project Icarus.

[goldenrdkin]

I miss Snowdin (+ infodumping)

Lots of Papyrulkin shifts lately. Well, ever since I discovered this kintype, it's kinda became my new permashift (alongside my Red Death kintype).

Every once in a while during these shifts, I find myself thinking about my old home. As shitty and horribly dangerous as it was, I actually miss Snowdin. And to even think I'd say those words, yet here I am- I'm still very grateful to have Sanz with me in our system, but even if we try to bring Snowdin into our inner world, I know it just won't be the same.

I guess I never did explain much about my source, Darktale... It's an awful lot, too much for one post, but I'll infodump a bit about Snowdin since it's relevant.

cw: mention of death

Estimated Length: ~2 minutes

The village was mostly the same as classic Snowdin, only a lot darker. Lots of electrical outdoor lights. It wasn't uncommon to carry around an oil lantern, or any light source for that matter. With the near-constant snowfall and the dense woods encroaching everything, most of us either stayed inside or spent our time in Waterfall.

Snowdin's woods were the most dangerous part of the Underground. Sanz was the only one who went in and always came back alive. The entire woods consisted of tall, thick coniferous trees, a deep blanket of snow, and those... spirits. It was pitch dark. Ringing silence, occasionally broken by distant screeching.

They aren't monsters, nor anything related to humans. It was Sanz's job to keep their population "in check." At the time, I didn't know what he really did - the only hint I'd get would be the scratches and bites he usually came back with.

Alongside that job, Sanz studied them, both from afar and up-close. As he described them, "dark forces," they were composed of concentrated soul essence. Unlike us, monsters, and humans, they don't have souls. We don't know how they don't dissipate, let alone stabilize their form.

Dark forces can appear in different forms, but they still share the same characteristics - a translucent, black foggy body that floats a few feet off the ground; tiny, white beady eyes that glow brightly; a maw full of long, razor-sharp teeth; two disembodied hands with hooked claws... And they all have the same familiar screams. Even after so many years, it still sent shivers down my spine.

Monsterkind never ventured far into the woods. There was so, so little we knew. All we knew was how to survive, and even then, nature itself always fought back.

Power outages were too common. Since most of our light sources were electrical (we couldn't sustain long-lasting heat with the subzero cold), a power outage was the worst that could happen. Without light, dark forces can invade the village, attacking anyone in sight. There's no hiding, either. They hear everything. Smell everything. The only advantage is their poor sight, but seeing is useless when there's no lights.

Every power outage was a horrible experience with the same routine. I would help to get everyone indoors, while Sanz defended against the forces. There was always screaming, coming from both sides. When the power finally returns, the fresh snow was tinted pink, darker shades of red deeper below. If anyone was missing, we'd assume they died. At least that would've be merciful.

That's all from memory, or what I would've known at the time. Obviously, I know nearly everything about my universe now, considering... well, I'm the one who made it, lol... And that's just Snowdin. The vast majority of the Underground is different than classic, and I barely touched the topic of essence/matter, and dark/pure values. Not to mention, there's probably things Sanz can add here, too. Maybe he'll talk about his experiences on @thefangsystem, if he has the time.

(off-topic note: while typing this, our weather alarm was going off for a thunderstorm nearby. It was going off for hours by now, but this specific time, it suddenly spiked higher in volume and screeched static for almost a full minute. It was. fucking horrifying. and yeah I'm probably not gonna sleep tonight FHJGJFGJHH /hj)

[goldenrdkin]

D:TNR Rewrite (Update 1)

It’s been a while since I announced I’ll be rewriting The Nine Realms, and I haven’t made as much progress as I was anticipating... Other issues got in the way - family problems, semi-art block, and just a loss of motivation.

However! I have been brainstorming a bit, so hopefully I can work on this a bit more. I don’t have any concrete concept art yet, so this update will be all talk and thoughts.

Rewriting Thunder

So, if you aren’t familiar D:TNR, Thunder is our protagonist’s night light. I was planning on renaming him, but honestly, I think the issue isn’t the name, it’s mostly his design and story arc (if you can call it an arc).

Before I get into the new Thunder, lemme infodump some context (and headcanons in a way);

After the Hidden World was sealed up, pure night furies will go extinct, their genes living on through night lights alongside pure light furies. Build-wise, night lights will take on predominantly light fury traits (less “ear nubs,” dorsal fin, more smooth and less spiky features). (Headcanon here) since furies have genetic coding for patterns similar to leopard spots and tiger stripes, black scales will act as the base while white scales will fill in these patterns.

Over time, natural camouflage will aid night lights; mineral caverns with striking dark and white veins can now help night lights blend in, whether it be to escape opponents or a safe place to rest.

Now, onto the rewritten Thunder! I plan to make his “home” a black and white onyx cave, which matches his wing and tail patterns. And, he’ll earn his name for how he defends his cave - by whipping his tail against the walls, creating a thunderous “BOOM!” that crackles throughout the cavern.

Finishing Thoughts

Honestly, looking back at the original Thunder saddens me. They could’ve made him so beautiful, intimidating even, but whatever corporate figure opted for the ugliest, plainest option... Why. But I guess that goes for all of the characters, too.

Either way, this is just a brainstorm dump! Any of this is subject to change, and I’ll be working on churning out some possible Thunder designs! Stay tuned~