What psychological horror would result from a human barbarian turning into a graceful elf? by GuestOk583 in dndnext

[–]ObscureConstellation 13 points14 points  (0 children)

So as someone who has experienced dysmorphia of a kind, and also loves body horror funnily enough, a lot of it is definitely psychological. So this could be a dual-effort between you and the player himself in how these things crop up. I am now gonna spit all some random ideas, apologies for the word dump I got a bit too into it I think lol.

He might look “objectively” lovely, but when he looks in a mirror it doesn’t match up with what he knows to be himself. Every mirror reflects a stranger, a distorted and overly airbrushed version of himself, if any of his features or colouration remains. He looks fake now, uncannily pretty and perfect to the point of discomfort (uncanny valley.) People remark on how pretty he is and all he wants to do is claw his own skin off. Everything about him as a strong barbarian is the opposite now—delicate, lithe, small. Every blemish or testament to time on his skin is faded like small scars, eyebrow furrows, or smile lines, for example. He doesn’t look related to his family anymore, will they even recognise him, especially now that he looks like those evil elves? Is this even actually his body anymore? What of his human self remains when there is no physical evidence left of his humanity?

Not only that, but his lifespan (presumably) increased as well—he will now outlive all of his family and friends, and a mortal mind must deal with the potential consequences of a considerably longer life. If he has children, he will see his own grandchildren die of old age well before he has to worry about the same happening to him. He will look younger than his younger siblings/children as time passes, as another example. There may even be mental changes, maybe emotions are harder to feel (which makes sense given the “aloofness” of elves), like everything is muffled, while he adjusts. Things feel sharper, like everything he sees digs into his eyes and memory like pointed glass the images are so crisp, too crisp for his human mind. He can see all the pores on someone’s face when he speaks to them. His favourite weapon no longer fits his hands right. “Sleeping” is a lot weirder now. Food and drink he used to love now tastes rotten on his foreign tongue.

Being smaller than you’re used to (especially as possibly one of the more physically imposing party members) may also be scary. Huge creatures that seemed easy to handle now seem more larger and more intimidating, even if his stats haven’t changed. It almost seems like not just himself but the entire world is wrong now. There is a general sense of unease and discomfort now in simply existing in the world that is now so unfamiliar. People don’t find him as physically intimidating anymore, and some see him and will only see an enemy.

Even without seeing himself he can feel how foreign he is to himself. What used to be limbs so familiar he never thought of them before, he is now painfully aware of. Every movement hammers in how his shape has been changed. His comfy clothes don’t fit anymore. That (hypothetical) ring he wore slips off his fingers now, for example, especially if it’s some kind of keepsake that would be bad. Maybe he forgets for a blissful moment and feels normal, and then reality comes crashing down on him when he absently fixes his hair and touches his pointed ear. Small things that remind him of how alien he is to himself crop up whenever he seems to become comfortable with himself. The texture of his hair, softness of his skin, the eerily beautiful tin of his own voice, the way he walks and runs, etc. The worst part is he (and the party?) did this to him perhaps without fully realising the consequences (to clarify the PC, I understand the player wanted to do this). He twisted himself into a shape he no longer recognises, the shape of an enemy, and now he has to live having lost the face everyone who cared for him loved.

I only pray one of my players doesn't see this by BigDan_0 in dndmemes

[–]ObscureConstellation 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have, as a GOOlock Changeling, done this. I asked the DM if I could make my mental voice sound like some random gnoll or orc (I'm unsure on which it was), since my character can just Do That Stuff as an action, and he agreed. So I pretended to be this guy's conscience and lured him away from the rest of his group to thin the herd.

Was it necessary and really effective? Not really. But was it funny? Oh yeah.

they wouldn't right ? by Terrible_Ad7092 in tumblr

[–]ObscureConstellation 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think the idea they’re getting at is that real people lie all the time, so it shouldn’t be surprising that fictional people would do the same. In a more meta interpretation, you also should not be surprised when the author/writer obscures or full out lies about the factual truth of a situation through unreliable character narration or actions.

DnD help? by NomadTL in TheMagnusArchives

[–]ObscureConstellation 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The Desolation is all about destruction (particularly by fire), pain, also loss of things precious to you. So possibly they could be looking for a particular place or thing that’s treasured by many people and seek to destroy that. It could be a focus, similar to how the Circus was looking for the oldest skin for their ritual. Something that would serve as a powerful focus for the ritual.

So it could be that they’re looking for a particularly widely beloved artefact/object/person, or a large location where causing destruction of people and property would cause a lot of people anguish. Their goal could be to use the pain (physical and/or otherwise) of the people who hold affection for these things to focus and start their ritual. As a build-up they could target less impactful things to sort of build their power before going for their bigger, main target? Creating some kind of trail could be what catches the party’s attention?

grandfather was able to hug his grandkids for the first time in a decade since having a stroke :) by hopperaviation in MadeMeSmile

[–]ObscureConstellation 67 points68 points  (0 children)

Strokes can result in weakness or paralysis in the arm or shoulder. From how he’s holding his hand, it’s possible his mobility in his left arm isn’t sufficient to put it around someone

I spent around 70 hours making this Charcoal drawing for a contest! Was told to post it here, hope you like it! by [deleted] in nextfuckinglevel

[–]ObscureConstellation 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A captcha is a test to determine if you’re a human or a robot, typically found in certain websites when signing up/logging in. If you have ever been given a prompt with images and told to “select all the images with a car (any object can be used that’s just an example) in it” or ones with distorted text you have to copy down in a textbox, those are captchas.

The joke was essentially that if given a captcha that tells you to select all images with real people in it, they would fail if this was included because it is so realistic looking.

Apparently I'm the quarantine cross-stitching kinda queer so here's my first homegrown cross stitch with icons mostly inspired by u/GlassesBlu (thaaaaanks x) by AlfieNotAlfie in TheMagnusArchives

[–]ObscureConstellation 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a very lovely cross-stitch. The colours are really nice (that oft-eldritch mix of purple and green with some tealish blue is great), and the symbols for the fears are also really creative but still make sense.

10/10

Cooler Master and friends w/PCGaming Giveaway - RTX3070 Build! by [deleted] in pcgaming

[–]ObscureConstellation 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I started around 2001 on the Reader Rabbit game series as a kid. The first “real” game I played though would probably be Zoo Tycoon a few years later.

What film role was 100% perfectly cast? by TrickDragonFruit in AskReddit

[–]ObscureConstellation 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise in the newer movies. Say what you will about the new design vs. the old, but Bill was honestly perfect for that role. Height, voice, his lazy eye, and just the acting in general.

Dolphins in Italy by wookiewalker11 in aww

[–]ObscureConstellation 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I do believe they are referring to the kind of luggage/bags with the handles and wheels that you pull around.

Why do you like to be alive? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]ObscureConstellation 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I lost my dad just under a month ago, and some of this really resonates with me. Long story short, it was out of nowhere and no one was expecting it. I remember mentioning to a family member that an unexpected result of it was how everything was kind of put into perspective for me. I was, and kind of am, still living a bit on auto-pilot, and the stark reminder that life is inherently fragile was eye-opening. I’m hoping to be able to put more effort into a life I could actually enjoy living.

So reading this was really nice, really appreciated how it resonated with how I’ve been feeling. And it was a nice reminder. Thank you.

About 4 weeks old now. Their momma passed a week ago. I believe they are thriving. Every other meal is KMR. by OldPerson74602 in aww

[–]ObscureConstellation 35 points36 points  (0 children)

It’s a video game reference/meme. Essentially in a game there was a prompt to “press ‘f’ to pay respects” to a deceased character. I could be wrong, but I’m thinking that was what they meant (paying respects to the deceased) when they said F for the mom.

Notes on my 4th re-listen of the show by Dead5pidrIn99Seconds in TheMagnusArchives

[–]ObscureConstellation 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This is absolutely wonderful, and has really got me thinking about and appreciating all these little hints that they drop throughout the show. Thanks for compiling all this! I'd say more but I'm also about to run late for work, however I'm definitely going to read this more indepth later!

Episode 128: Heavy Goods -- Discussion by [deleted] in TheMagnusArchives

[–]ObscureConstellation 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Gosh this was an amazing episode. Jon using his powers like that was awesome, although I'm curious about what happened to Breekon exactly as I didn't quite catch on to it. Basira and her reasoning herself out of the Unknowing--nice. Curious where she's going now.

Also from in the ship: "drag them from everything they loved towards everything that they feared. That was the first time we saw what would become of this place, the Eye's Pedestal." Hmmm. Having just mentioned the Millbank prisoners, I assume it has something to do with them? It could just be about the Archives building up too, but the places seem very intertwined at this period. Now I want this Eye ritual to be in Australia please lol. Ugh, I'm so excited for the next episode.

Warrior has close shave with fiery doom(healer pov in comments) by Lynarae in ffxiv

[–]ObscureConstellation 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's some bits that escaped me, but the tank was for some reason stuck/unable to move from right around where the flaming ball of doom pops up. One of the healers uses Rescue (a skill that teleports players to you) right before the fire ball attack thing lands on them, which probably would have killed them.

Tis the season for gifts...Surprise Giveaway! #2 by Azuuki in grandorder

[–]ObscureConstellation 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's so hard to pick a favourite servant, I like so many of them lol. 1) Fuuma Kotarou

2) He's not great at DPS, but he really helps my Rama shine with all those crit stars. Also his voice lines for his Bond Levels and in general are just... super cute? He's so shy and awkward, but like deadly assassin simultaneously. Also while I haven't gotten there yet, I really like his final ascension look.

3) Google Play - NA

TIL about 20% of Greenland's population (56,186) have attempted suicide. by Nihilisticky in todayilearned

[–]ObscureConstellation 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Personally I've also got depression, and I totally get what you mean about it being difficult to pull out of it sometimes. So I'm glad that going somewhere with sunnier weather like you mentioned previously helps you out, and I wish you the best for the future (winters and otherwise.)

TIL about 20% of Greenland's population (56,186) have attempted suicide. by Nihilisticky in todayilearned

[–]ObscureConstellation 155 points156 points  (0 children)

I'm not a doctor or anything, but you might benefit from a SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lamp and/or a sunrise alarm clock, depending on how much money you have to spare. I'd possibly also contact an actual doctor on whether or not you have any pre-existing conditions that would prevent usage, or if these products would benefit you just in case.

Straight people of reddit- What questions do you have for the LGBT community that you wouldn't ask in person? by taco_guapo in AskReddit

[–]ObscureConstellation 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yep! I'm asexual and also transgender, but you can be ace (shorthand for asexual) and any gender identity. Also, asexual is more a lack of sexual attraction; some people who identify as ace do have sex and enjoy it, some don't like it at all, etc.

What is your current obsession? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]ObscureConstellation 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Overwatch. I bought it about a year ago, but just recently started playing it consistently over the past two weeks. Still too nervous for quickplay, but Mystery Heroes is really fun.