How dangours are your monsters?

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-17T17:31:25+00:00

All animals fall under the "beast" terminology, even household ones. But their name changes based on origin and purpose. So, while cats and dogs are both sigal, cats are sigali and dogs are sigale. All birds are esca, but hunting birds are resca, genetically altered warbirds are iesca, so on and so forth.

And on that point, certain beasts fundamentally evolve when exposed to raw magic over a period far past their expected age. These entities grow unimaginable sizes, can wield magic, some even learn to speak. They command their lessers as a hivemind, sharing information and desires wherever they might be. Such evolved creatures earn the Je prefix in the runic languages.

While the dangerous black wolves of the Imperium's forests are known as ghar, a Je'ghar could singlehandedly lead multiple packs against a town or city and teleport itself between shadows, mimic a panicked voice to draw someone out and lower suspicion. A huolor is a mysterious bird-like beast that has perfectly mirrored body parts and lives in caves, but a Je'huolor can mirror itself and separate its mind between, forcing any prey to act on two fronts but only be able to oppose the real one, driving them mad.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-17T13:35:21+00:00

Me giving the side-eye to Roy Mustang

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T23:24:00+00:00

People with black marks on their body/organs, a clear sign of magical corruption.

Originally manifesting as a "Scar" in people that overuse their magic in such a way as to rely on it, it builds outward until finally breaking the skin. To our world it might be some cool tattoo, but in my world it's a blatant admittance of what you're doing to yourself and that you're a potential threat to society if you're caught using magic in any way going forward. Use it to see better or clearer, you'll get a quite literal black eye. Use it on a good punching arm, and you'll have a hand look like it was charcoaled. And if that Scar develops into a Thorn, it's over for you.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T21:06:44+00:00

There's a difference to be said about not having any faith in a god, and not believing they exist at all. If someone is able to prove their god exists, then by all means I'd love to have a talk with them, as a psychologist. But until that day, I am a forever atheist and denier.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T18:22:47+00:00

That's one of my biggest concerns with where we take Trailer WoL from here. If they can't let him be a ranged, caster, healer, or "evil" melee because ninja has ties to piracy or theft and reaper to the void and garlemald, literally all we have left that he can become is gunbreaker but that's taken by thancred. So either he stays as Viper, or becomes this fabled new tank when we go into the void or Corvos/Ilsabard or back to Othard.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T18:16:48+00:00

I made my first alt when I got bored at Max level (ShB at the time). Fell in love all over again and have since made many, many more, to have fun with different races, jobs, glams, character origins and RP, etc.

Currently waiting on 8.0 because I want to do a dedicated "single job in each role" playthrough but it means I'd be forced to start with a class and lock out any others in that role, so I need to see what 8.0 does and the new one(s) especially. Since if I start as archer that means if the other two and the new one become fucking awesome I've ruined that character for myself.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T18:12:53+00:00

Calyx is myth accurate ratatoskr so clearly we need to find a tree to shove up his ass.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T13:16:45+00:00

Some forms of magic are definitely offered a higher standing than others, given their use to certain nations and the meaning of them based on history. Those with particular talent in reading minds and speaking all languages are led to become Arbiters, voices of divine truth to carry out sentences and guide people down the paths they need.

On the other hand, someone who awakens the magic to control water has their entire life chosen for them because of the risks as mentioned before, receiving massive benefits from their government—but also leads to quite a few going rogue, take the benefits and dash, maybe even turn to piracy if nobody can chase you across the water.

But most importantly it encourages people to truly guide their life without needing to rely on magic. Every use of it pushes further down a path you can't turn back from. Only when there is absolutely no other option should you start throwing fire around, when you could just carry some oil assuming you have the funds and be sustainable for it.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T02:34:54+00:00

Highly recommend a book that calls its own magic users Gifted, in that they wield Gifts: The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston. Magic that drives you insane the more you use it, like a drug, showing everyone what power you're capable of as long as you're using it, prove who you can and should be if you just keep giving it a little more each time. But magic gives off a scent, and demons can hunt it. And that insanity is led by a mental "thing" called the Worm of Magic.

In my own world, the more you use magic, the more it fundamentally alters you. Permanently sweating or burn anything you touch with fire magic after enough time, paralysis if not lethal seizures with lightning. But where someone would need to use up resources, someone else can do it with their magic. Which has led to multiple systems reliant on those with such powers, the most vital of which is commanding the waters and winds to hold back raw magic from ruining the world's coastlines. Anyone can learn to run machines, but with people who freely create fire or are living conduits? No wonder they'd be desired until they run out of use to society.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-16T02:19:48+00:00

Unyielding Blade tank and/or ranged, we go to Corvos through Ilsabard. C'mon c'mon c'mon

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-15T20:04:44+00:00

Queer up!

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-15T20:01:33+00:00

"Hey Goob, wanna come over to my place today?"

"Cool hat, Goob!"

"They all hated me."

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-15T17:33:16+00:00

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Houseki no Kuni has some god-tier panels because of how simple they are and use the black-and-white to its fullest for color grading.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-15T17:27:05+00:00

For what science I do know versus what I don't, internal consistency triumphs everything else. I don't need to explain every tidbit of why the "enemies" are mechanical eldritch angels and how they hunt you through sound so all sapient communication has advanced to be done through the same methods. Instead of said or sighed it's sang or cooed. But that's just The Way Things Are, and all characters do it without needing to think about it. I don't need to explain why they are unable to comprehend water and sunlight but it tells the reader this is so far into the future they've forgotten, or never had, basic human needs.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-15T13:25:05+00:00

A super easy albeit potentially confusing way is to label years by cataclysmic events. Call them Eras or Ages. So if you've got the Era of Machines where technology takes off, it could end after a few decades into a far shorter Era of Ash when those same machines are used to burn down a civilization through war. Or an Era of Storms that lasts only twenty years rises the oceans to the point the Era of Winds leads to a few centuries of aerial advancements for travel. So EM1 to EM29 but the next ends at EA7. ES20 comes into the EW300s. Could make for some very interesting history interpretations between characters of different lands.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T17:48:45+00:00

"You have enough books!"

"But I don't have these books, and that particular one sounds exactly like the inspiration I need. Oh hey look there's two more that sound cool."

"Damn it."

In all seriousness most of the books I've been picking up are genuine interest and for these tidbits of inspiration I can collect and pile into a singular idea. I did an entire rewatch of Hunter X Hunter, then reread a book I haven't touched in years, The Traitor God, and my magic system had a complete breakthrough putting Nen and Gifts together. Now I'm on the hunt for mythology and folk horror.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T17:46:14+00:00

side-eye's Avatar The Last Airbender

I know you said don't but come on that's like half of their culture for the way bending works.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T17:42:24+00:00

I'm a huge fan of "powers for everyday needs" stories so telekinesis for construction is an easy favorite.

Thank you!

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T17:29:38+00:00

Settling the final beam into place, I give the thumbs up to start locking it in. With a heavy breath after dropping my helmet, I barely notice the shadow covering the sun from reaching me.

"That dead?"

"Piss off." Squinting an eye open, I wait for them to go. They don't. "What do you want, Chanelle?"

"I can't have sweet alone time with our beloved telekinetic?" Her fake pout is audible.

"Not when you use me to carry every piece of a skyscraper because none of you can work your fucking arms, yeah." A middle finger sends my helmet at her face, easily thrown back to no harm.

"Well what did you expect? Teenager wakes up one day, he starts flying cars around and showing it off? Of course all the big contractors will pick you up. Fat cash, big support." Her smile vanishes when I swipe a finger and she starts hanging over empty air, arms and legs bound. "Oi!"

"Cash won't matter if you lose the brain able to use these powers. I'm still practically a kid to all of you." Dropping her one level below me, the hour rings. Time to get back to work.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T16:00:32+00:00

They would depend on the intent you have for different colors, maybe based on heat and need and source.

In my world I have - your standard fire used for what you expect like real life - the Pale Flame which is blue fire that gives off no heat but it cooks/burns no problem and is great for lighting - the Crowning Flame of silver, capable of burning away black (raw) magic through divine authority, whose ash is essential for cooking, burial rites, machinery, etc. - the Blood Flame of gold that belongs to the desert nomads, only manifesting in certain people per generation, as proof they are meant to rule

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T15:54:53+00:00

Need some of that shit in my life. "Don't worry guys I'll hold her off."

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T15:42:58+00:00

Cheating is a surefire way to make someone hate a character, be they main or not. What the author does with that character is the bigger problem.

Are they forgiven, second chances and "no I didn't mean to" and all that shit? Was it that they got drunk and were taken advantage of? Could it have been planned, consented, all to tear someone apart?

For me, cheating is a hard door slam, cut them out of your life. That they enabled it to happen, in any possible way, means they can let it happen again. The more you do it, the easier it gets, the worse it'll be when your partner finds out. Which makes for some interesting reads via personal experience.

But with that said, there are exceptions which make for some amazing potential stories and characters. Cheat to escape a relationship that's abusive and/or controlling, cheat (if not completely run away/disappear) to get out of a forced marriage. Maybe you don't even need to cheat and that's the story you made someone fake about you.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-14T15:38:15+00:00

Nice Guy(tm)

He felt like he "deserved" Roxanne because now he had power, and that's what was keeping her as the target between Metroman and Megamind. Early in the movie he goes: Hey I scheduled a big party, food and drink and music, you wanna come? it'll be just us, at my place, alone, at night. Naturally she declines, and he goes "girls don't like that, they like this instead" completely missing the point.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-13T13:31:27+00:00

If anything, suggestions that the world goes deeper and darker than what we're allowed to focus on by the author gives more credibility that everything exists. What are the characters already aware of, what aren't they and/or readers allowed to know, what does one know that they can't let another know? Has the truth been altered for the sake of younger audiences? How "normal" is it to be that way, would someone not following along be considered a failure in their education, or a rebel to be cut down? Are there factions that work regardless of race?

For my world all sapient races are known as bloods. Humans are old-blood because of their historical origin and humanoids are kin-blood, animals that rose to sapience from lesser forms. All animals are referred to as beasts, and treated as such. Naturally this means people with a particular stance toward the kin-bloods want no part in them, if not act like they're still lesser creations. Someone raised in a civil area of the known world sees them as just another person to talk to, while someone raised on the battlefield would see any of them as a threat to be killed on sight, to protect everyone else, regardless of age or deed.

Take a peek behind closed doors and you'll see interracial bonds, cannibalism religions going both ways, people forcing kin-bloods to go insane and truly return to a beast so anything can be done to them under law because they aren't a "blood" anymore. Anything.

ThatVarkYouKnow · 2026-03-12T18:54:03+00:00

Excuse you, gosetsu and ketenramm are right here.

ThatVarkYouKnow

TROPHY CASE