#used a different tool again. charcoal this time. i actually liked it might draw more with it later

[thecoloroute]

Back To School Shopping List for A College Freshman Art Student

Hi guys I went to RISD a few years back but I do remember looking up this question. if you're not going to college just yet but are interested in art, it could be super useful to get comfortable using the tools/mediums below. even though i know most teachers give a materials list the first day, i needed to be prepared way ahead of time because of my anxiety. in my case, i was told id get a list in person, but walking in with an empty bag just felt wrong to me lol??? i ended up bringing a couple things, but missed a few vital essentials so here's a list of everything that i can think of. read to the end for my wagon epiphany that i think all art students should adopt (if they havent already)

-a notebook or planner (lined). some professors will hit you with extremely important info right away and wont always tell you to write down what they're saying but 90% of the time its important stuff you dont wanna miss

-a sketchbook. this can help if they throw a quick exercise at you and you have to write/draw something quickly. i blanked and didnt bring a sketchbook from home (because i was told id need to get certain types according to the teacher's specifications) but looking back idk why i didnt?? first days are hectic. actually the first week lol. anyways there were single sheets offered but honestly having your own right off the bat helps for organizational purposes, saves time, and IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, prevents the need to get up in front of everyone

-writing utensils. I'd recommend a nice pen and a set of drawing pencils (doesn't have to be anything crazy cause your teacher will most likely request that you buy more advanced/specific tools later on)

-headphones. every teacher is different, but usually art students will be given little tasks to work on during their first day in class at college. I was not clever enough to remember to pack my headphones, and the silence in a room full of focused art students can be especially unnerving when you're nervous. Hearing a student's questionable music taste can be equally unnerving, so make sure to pack those.

-snacks/drinks. this is kind of a branch off of the last one, cause again it can get sooooo quiet in these classrooms/studios. Pack snacks to prevent belly grumbles. I have heard it happen to many people in my classes and i am a victim as well. stay ready

-sunglasses. seems trivial but super important because you'll probably be walking around outside a lot your first day. this is the typical college commute, up down and around the streets.

-MONEY. I AM GOING TO PUT THIS IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE THIS WAS BY FAR MY BIGGEST MISTAKE LOL. UNFORTUNATELY, STAY STRAPPED WITH CASH OR CARD BCUZ! SOME OF THOSE ART SCHOOL PROFESSORS ARE A LIL BOUJEE AND WILL SEND U RIGHT TO THE CAMPUS ART STORE DAY ONE. It was very overwhelming for me, and some might think its common sense but idk my entire school career you always get some time after school to buy that stuff. they really sent us shopping ten minutes into class so be aware or look broke like i did.

Other than that, all the stuff you'll have to potentially purchase that day will be specified by the teacher. If you're worried about getting the wrong thing, don't be. The students get to go together and the teacher gives very specific details about the products to buy, which the campus store workers are well aware of. Off the top of my head, i remember being sent to get materials for a few different classes throughout the day. I'll list them here without the brand specifics (1. cause i dont know and 2. cause it may not match what your teacher will want anyway) just to give you a general idea.

-large ruler, metal, 1 yard (3 ft)

-clear plastic t-shaped ruler for drawing

-sketchbooks, drawing pads (of all sizes)

-a large portfolio (looks like a gigantic black totebag for big art papers)

-sewing kit

-string

-muslin fabric

-ink pens

-drawing pencils, different sizes

-drawing charcoal

-white paper drawing blender, a good eraser

-a toolbox for the drawing materials

-gouache paint

-brushes, pallets

-oil paint crayons

-a tool box

-ink pens like harry potter

That's pretty much it. If you'd like to grab some of these things before hand it should be fine, but for the most part id stick to waiting just to be safe.

Also a side note: I was a commuter so i could run home and grab my materials collected over my entire life but not every student is this lucky and some of their homes are thousands of miles away. if ur a traveling bird like them, it could be very VERY useful to pack some cool materials and tools like idk holographic paper or a jar of crystals because CAMPUS ART STORES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE!!!!

Also....... i know it sounds a little ridiculous but there were many many times i wished i had bought a wagon to transport things around campus. imagine me with a like 4ft portfolio bag the size of my body, a pencil toolbox, another toolbox for actual tools, my backpack, any projects i may have brought, a coffee if i am holding one??? and god forbid its a rainy day and i needed my umbrella lol.. it looks & feels difficult anyway trying to lug all the stuff art school requires.. so thats just some food for thought. Imagine a cute pink wagon?!??

anyways thats a wrap, have a lovely school year artists!

#art #art school #art education #art university #college #materials #back to school #back to school supplies #art student back to school list #art student back to school materials #materials list #risd #college life #artist support #art tips #school #commuter #out of state #campus #whats in your bag #what should be in your bag

[gorawe114]

21. || Portal an attempt at drawing glados sorry girl but i have no idea how ur body works

#portal #portal 2 #glados #my art #gorawe's art #used a different tool again. charcoal this time. i actually liked it might draw more with it later

[shanta-shinso-vantablack]

SHINSO MEETS VANTABLACK

(Art drawn by Keiid, this art does not belong to me.)

SHINSO:  After a long day Shinso dragged himself to the library. He decided to get in some studying before turning into the dorms. Ignoring the commotion of 1-B students on the other side of the room, slightly irritated, he scanned the psychology section, pressing a curved finger against his bottom lip in thought. Crouching down he reached and pulled out a book by its spine. The spine read The Lucifer Effect. It was a classic, the whole idea of it being the difference between good and evil. Shinso was obsessed with the concept, reading it about a hundred times. He felt that if he understood what exactly people perceived as evil, then he’d be able to avoid it. Shinso wasn’t keen on changing his behavior, he already felt restricted to what emotions he could actively express as to not scare or unnerve people, as stupid as it sounded.  He stood up with his choice, briefly scaling the section once more. Maybe I could pick up a book on behaviors later. He thought curiously, Todoroki’s cold shoulder in mind, frustrated that he couldn’t read that icy stare. Shinso thumbed open the paperback book and skimmed it with his dead, amethyst eyes, gradually becoming more invested with each word, drowning out any other sound while taking in every ideal. VANTABLACK:  Vantablack had just passed the history section as he subconsciously entered the psychology section, quickly coming to a stop. It’s Him, Vantablack thought, as he noticed the lavender haired boy. The first time he took notice of him had been at the sports festival during his match with the enthusiastic green-haired kid from class 1-A. His interest in Hitoshi Shinso had immediately peaked at that point. A quirk that allows one to control one's mind... How taboo. Shinso hadn’t won, nor did he advance in the final tournament, though even still, Vantablack knew that his quirk was one to be revered. Shinso was an anomaly, and Vantablack was all about the unknown. It fueled every fiber of his being.  He made his way quietly towards Shinso, looking to see what book it was that he held in his hand. “Keh” he cackled softly, drawing Shinso’s attention. “‘The Lucifer Effect’, good choice,” Vantablack spoke with a slight nod and a grin that showed his white teeth beneath his charcoal black lips. “Though I think one that would be of great use for you would be ‘Obedience to Authority.’” Vantablack reached for it leaning in close to grab it from beside Shinso’s shoulder. He gave Shinso a smug smile as he held out the book. Vantablack was surprised that they were nearly the same height, Shinso had seemed so tall and foreboding from the stadium. “The name is Shihai Kuroiro,” he said with a sly smile. “Though please, call me Vantablack.” SHINSO:  Shinso flickered his cold stare towards the source of a low cackle that snapped him back to reality. His lazy expression fell upon a boy who resembled the abyss himself, his blinding white teeth pulled into a confident grin. Who was this? Shinso thought to himself, quirking an eyebrow at the stranger, his expression being less than pleased to be bothered. He narrowed his cold stare at the boy. Obedience to Authority? What exactly was this guy implying? Shinso thought to himself, aggravated at the suggestion. Shinso shifted away awkwardly as the boy reached for a book on the shelf beside him, still a bit taken aback by the remark. Shinso sneered at the boy as he held out the book and introduced himself with a sly grin. His name was Vantablack? One of the 1-B students who were making a commotion, what did he want? “Actually, I’ve already read that. Not my style of book, er- ‘Vantablack’.” Shinso replied curtly, rubbing the back of his neck as he scanned Vantablack, studying his body language. Shinso couldn’t help but feel put off by him, something about that smirk was unnerving. His dark features absorbed any visible expression he may have had. “Is there something I can help you with?” Shinso asked with a stern tone, waving off the book he was offered. VANTABLACK:  Vantablack wasn’t surprised by Shinso’s caution. He expected nothing less from the aspiring hero. This was the kind of person he had hoped he’d be. He tucked the book under his arm rather than putting it back. “What I found most fascinating about the book was how much power words hold over one's mind. You don’t even need a quirk to convince the masses to do unspeakable evil.” Vantablack smirked at the thought. He was staring directly into Shinso’s amethyst colored eyes, who’s attention appeared to finally be won. “And yet, people choose to be afraid of you because they are afraid that they would be convinced to do evil deeds.” He ran his tongue along the edges of his teeth before he continued. “What they fail to realize is that what they should be afraid of, is being evil by their own volition. All it takes is one powerful voice, and people are quick to abandon their morals. Manipulation is a powerful tool, but only to those who are weak minded. And people would rather not admit to their weaknesses.” Vantablack was pleased to see that Shinso was holding his breath. He continued on, "So now that we've established that a quirk is unnecessary to manipulate the minds of the weak, that leaves your quirk good for another thing..." Shinso's eyebrow lifted ever so slightly, "Manipulating the minds of the manipulators." SHINSO:  Shinso blinked a few times, resting his expression from annoyed to confused. This guy was… something else. Who says this to a stranger? Besides even being a stranger, Vantablack’s demeanor changed drastically. Shinso thought he was just some random person trying to make friends, but he certainly seemed to have some kind of agenda. Whether it was a good or bad one, Shinso had yet to tell. Vantablack’s piercing, pale eyes gripped Shinso’s attention, wild with passion as he spoke. That mischievous smirk remained prominent against his void features. He was ready to completely ignore Vantablack, but he seemed to pique his interest. Shinso slightly lifted his eyebrows and straightened his confused expression to that of intrigue. Using his quirk to manipulate the manipulators? Shinso hummed in amusement as he topped off his speech. Someone has been watching too many action movies. Shinso thought to himself, loosening his lazy features amusingly, but something about his words stuck with him.  “Quite the philosopher. Tell me, what exactly did you expect to achieve by sharing this with me?” Shinso asked rather bluntly, his curiosity piqued, flashing a challenging stare at Vantablack’s eager expression, almost daring him to continue. What exactly were his intentions? VANTABLACK:  Vantablack gave a soft cackle that led into a sigh. For one who hated being mistrusted, he sure was hesitant to give an inch. “Just some food for thought,” he whispered in his raspy voice. He gorged himself with every feature of Shinso, he wanted to take it all in. From his dark circles around his eyes, to the way he carried himself. Vantablack made sure to memorize each and every detail. These details would become useful one day. How exactly, was yet to be determined. Vantblack relaxed his position, stretching as he did and let out a drawn out yawn. “Well you look busy, so I won’t disturb you any longer. Once you’ve had time to ponder over these words, I’m sure you’ll find me again.” Vantablack began to turn away when his eyes noticed one particular book on the shelf. A classic, he thought as he placed a black finger on the top of the spine and pulled it from its home. With it in hand, he turned back to Shinso and placed the book on top of his copy of ‘The Lucifer Effect’ without giving him much choice in the matter.  “I also recommend this book, it’s an… Intriguing read. I think you’ll like it.” He gave a small wave over his shoulder as he sauntered away. Glancing to check Shinso’s expression as he read the title of the book he had handed him, ‘Live, Love, Laugh.’ SHINSO:  Shinso’s cold, challenging expression remained unfazed by Vantablack’s cackle. Just some food for thought huh? Shinso’s mind began whirling as he digested the words, still unsure of the intention behind them. He scaled the void features of the boy beside him, his relaxed posture and now seemingly relaxed expression from what he could make out remained open and friendly, the way he spoke however, was a different story.  This guy certainly enjoyed being coy. Shinso thought to himself, lowering his features back into a dead stare as he watched the white haired boy pluck a book from the shelf. Before he had the chance to wave Vantablack off he placed a book in Shinso’s hands, disregarding any protest he may have. Shinso looked down at the book, dumbfounded at his persistence. Live, Love, Laugh? He blinked, puzzled by the interaction, looking up once more to see the boy turn back to flash him a sly grin as he waved. “Thanks, I guess?” Shinso muttered under his breath, flipping the book over to skim the back, his eyes wide with curiosity and bewilderment from this brief exchange. Vantablack, whoever he was, definitely knew how to make an impression. “Might as well.” he decided, huffing in defeat as he took both books to an empty table, curiously opening the one he was given, hoping to find some answers to Vantablack’s vague words. [END SCENE]

#mha #bnha #roleplay #rp #fanfic #hitoshi shinso #shihai kuroiro #shinso #vantablack #fluff #my hero academia #mha class 1b #Keiid Shanta

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Indentured

Chapter 2 of Indecent

This is a dark!Loki and OC fic. It will contain noncon content amd possibly other senstive matters. Please mind the trigger warnings. Explicit content, 18+.

Note: The response hasn’t been tremendous to this one but I’ll post what I have and see if anyone’s actually interested in this. I did really enjoy this series but seeing as I have a lot of other WIPs, I’m still trying to determine if it’s something I should focus on.

Please let me know what you think and please reblog if you can. It helps me with writing and posting.

Summary: Sigorna says goodbye and turns herself in.

Sigorna walked beside Audun in silence. Loki had once more proclaimed his kindness in allowing her to get her house in order before leaving it behind. Her brother was surprised when his cell was opened but too afraid to ask why. He must have known that she had made a sinister sacrifice on his behalf, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit it. She had merely ushered him down the corridor behind the pair of guards while avoiding the gloating eyes of the prince.

“What happened, Sig?” He finally spoke as they turned down their street. Her hand was in her apron pocket as she gripped the jade she had hidden there. That and all her stones would be sold; unfinished and not.

“All that was mine is yours,” She took out the gem and grabbed his hand, stopping her before her front steps. “Sell it all. Whatever you can get for it.”

“Sig?” His face fell. Confusion wrinkled his brow.

“I’ve…” She swallowed and felt the chisel that remained in her apron. She could pretend to bend to the prince’s whim and jab the tool straight into his neck. Ha, that was a farce. If she even had a glimmer of succeeding, what would happen then? She would be executed, and likely Audun too as her only kin. Blood always amounted to conspiracy. “I’m going to the palace to serve the prince.”

“Serve?” The lines deepened in his forehead.

“Cleaning,” She lied. He was much too clueless to guess at anything else but she didn’t want him to know the truth. Not the whole truth. In honesty, she didn’t know herself. She might just be cleaning the prince’s chambers, bringing him his meals, and emptying his pot. Might just. If not, well, she didn’t want to face that just yet. Perhaps once he had thoroughly humiliated her, he would release her. If, if, if. Everything was so uncertain. “I’ll work off your debt.”

“Really?” He breathed out in relief, “You would do that for me?”

“Only if you promise to quit the gambling house,” She let go of the chisel and put her hands on her hips, “And find some new friends. Giermund has gotten you in enough trouble for a lifetime.” My lifetime, she thought glumly.

“I’m done with him,” He shook his head, “His stupid dice almost got me killed.”

“And they’ve got me in servitude,” She grumbled and looked up at her front door. She had worked so hard for her small house. Years and years of crafting. She had made a reputation for herself; for her work. She was the jeweler in the lower hills. All that was over.

“I can come see you,” He offered, “When you’re not working or--”

“I don’t know, Aud, I don’t think that’ll be an option,” She chewed her lip, “This isn’t a job like the one I have now. It’s a sentence. It’s punishment.”

He hung his head guiltily. He looked at the jade and shook his head. “I’m sorry I’m so stupid, Sig.”

“Too late now,” She dug her toe into the cobblestone.

She gave a small smile as she looked at her brother. In the morning, she would be gone and she didn’t know if she would ever see him again. It was like death but not really. Knowing he would still be in this world was better than knowing he was gone for good. She embraced him suddenly, squeezing him as tight as she could. Her head was pressed against his chest, she was so short it made the act awkward. He hugged her back, rocking her as they stood in place.

“You didn’t have to do it,” He said.

“I did,” She pulled away, “I couldn’t let you die. I promised mother and father.”

“And I promised I’d stay out of trouble,” He ran his fingers through his thick hair, “What at a disappointment I am. I’m almost happy they’re not here to know it.”

“You’re not, you’re just..lost,” Sigorna comforted. Even knowing she had traded away her life, she couldn’t stand to see him sad. “You’ll find your way.”

“I will,” He nodded and pushed his shoulder. “I will, Siggy, and then I’ll get you free. I swear.”

“Aud,” She touched his arm. He could be so naive. “Just don’t throw this all away.”

“I won’t,” He vowed “Ever.”

+++

Sigorna didn’t know what to pack so she didn’t take much. A rucksack with a sleeping gown and two dresses, a shift, some undergarments, stockings, and a belt. Her hairbrush and some ties, as well. She left before Audun awoke. They had said their goodbyes the night before. She couldn’t do it again. As she closed the door, she felt as if she was leaving a part of herself behind.

She walked the streets with reverence. Would she ever do so again? It wasn’t as if she was to be executed but it all felt so final. As if she was leaving Asgard itself. As she made her way through the more affluent neighbourhoods, her stomach churned. Closer and closer. This couldn’t be reality. How had her life disassembled so quickly? All on a pair of loaded dice?

When she reached the gates of the palace, she nearly turned around. Prince Loki had given her a chance at flight. She should have taken it. Her and Auden should have left the city behind and found their place somewhere else in the galaxy. But where? We’re could too fugitive peasants go? She hadn’t had enough to bail Audun out, she’d not have anything close to paying for their disappearance. The more she thought about it, the harder it was.

The guards at the palace were different than those at the gambling house. These one’s wore golden armour instead of leather jerkins and they did not lean against the wall. Their spears crossed as she approached and she stopped, looking up as a chill went through her.

“A peasant seeking entrance to the royal abode?” The first mused, “Go on, we’ve not any gold for you.”

“I’m not here for your charity,” She snapped.

“Oh?” The other raised his brows and scoffed, “I’ve seen better looking and friendlier whores in the most southern of brothels.”

“I’m not a whore,” Sigorna retorted. “I am here to see Prince Loki. I am expected.”

“Hmmp, very funny.” The one on the left chuckled, “Perhaps we should fetch the gaoler and he can have you join the rest of the loons in the dungeons.”

“I am afraid she is not crazy,” A voice slithered from behind the bars of the gate. Loki stood with his hand above the lock, grinning at you. “She is expected. Let her through.”

“My prince,” The guards said in nervous unison. The right one shoved a key into the lock as Loki removed his hand and he pulled it open, waving Sigorna forward. She passed through as the prince released the gate and he directed her up a staircase which ran along the east wall of the palace.

“You are early,” He commented, “Not that I mind. It allows us time for some important lessons.” He stopped at the top of the stairs and unlocked the door, “Now, when we are in the presence of others, be it a servant, a guard, or a noble, you must show the proper deference; my prince, your grace or majesty. Whatever is easiest, but I cannot have a peasant addressing me informally. I will not have it.”

Sigorna scowled as he recited her rules. She wanted so to stick her foot out and trip him, or turn and run. She couldn’t decide on the better option so she kept walking. “You do not question me. With or without an audience. We have an arrangement and you will adhere to it. I do not abide disobedience.”

She blinked, her tongue already tempted to make a quip. She held it and followed Loki onward. “This is your chamber,” He caught her arm before she could walk past the next door. His fingers grazed along her hip as he released her. His lips twitched as she winced. “You will not leave it without being summoned, though the door will be locked regardless. You will wash every morning and wear only the clothes provided you.”

He reached out and slipped the rucksack from her shoulder. She clung to it and he wrenched it away, tutting at her resistance. “Sigorna, this is a rather poor start.” He warned as he loosened the drawstring of her bag, “This will be burned. We can’t have lice in the palace.”

“I haven’t got lice,” She argued.

“Better safe than sorry,” He tossed the sack to the floor against the wall and unlocked the door, “In.” She stared at him a moment but listened when she saw the subtle flare building in his emerald eyes. If they were gems, she would crack them with her chisel. “You will remain here when I am disposed. If you can read, there are books. If you can’t, there is charcoal and paper for drawing. A game board in the corner, just there. A window to look out?” He shrugged, “I don’t know what peasants do in their leisure.”

“We work,” She grumbled and he smirked.

“Such a quick tongue,” He turned back to her, “Amusing but dangerous. I could tire of such impudence.”

Her nostrils flared but she suppressed her want to call him an oaf. “What are my duties?” She asked instead.

“Duties?” He seemed taken aback by the question, “Well, you are direct.”

“Cleaning? Cooking?” She asked innocently; hoping.

He grinned and shook his head. Her feigned ignorance did not fool him. They both knew what he had meant the day before. What she had agreed to. “What did you do before?” He asked curiously.

“I crafted jewelry,” She answered plainly, “Nothing so fancy as that,” She pointed to the emerald and gold chain hanging from his collar, “But we have simpler tastes in the lower hills.”

“Hmm,” He looked down at her. “Interesting.”

“Worth less silver than a coin,” She rolled her eyes, “Couldn’t afford gold. Turquoise and copper mostly.”

“Unfortunate,” He commented as he turned back to the chamber, “There is a bath just through there,” He pointed through the far door, slightly ajar, “And your closet,” He twirled and crossed to another, “And that’s it. I will come to you, my pet.”

He took one last appraising look around the room before nearing her. He touched a loose curl along her shoulder, pulling it straight and releasing it so that it bounced. “You will wash and rid yourself of these drab clothes,” He touched her sleeve, “And I will return when I finish my duties.”

She stepped back and she saw the same spark. The anger brimming just below the surface. Hidden just beneath his sleek exterior. She could tell he wasn’t used to be denied. He smiled, a malicious expression, and waved his fingers carelessly.

“No doubt you’ll be counting the seconds,” He said as he turned, “I hate to keep you waiting but the kingdom calls to its prince.” He rested his hand on the door handle and glanced over his shoulder, “I shall return. I expect my orders to be heeded.”

Loki pulled open the door and slipped into the corridor. Sigorna heard the click of the lock, the deadbolt almost deafening. This was it. 

This was a living nightmare.

#loki x oc #dark!loki x oc #dark!loki #loki #fic #series #au #mcu #marvel #oc #dark!verse

[howtowhumpyourhiccup]

The New Prosthetic

@evilwriter37

Summary: HICCUP WHUMP! Post-RttE, Pre-Httyd 2! Hiccup built himself a new prosthetic leg and he wanted to try it out. Naturally, new creations are bound to have some kinks.

Rating: Teen and up

Words: 3 585

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Prompt: Dislocated Joint

Author’s Notes: Here it is! My very first prompt from my @badthingshappenbingo card!

I actually handled this one a little bit differently than my other fics. Instead of checking the spelling and posting it immediately after finishing it, I let it rest for almost a week before checking for errors. I feel like that helped me a lot with this one.

Constructive criticism is highly appreciated.

Enjoy!

Hiccup felt the tiny flutters of butterflies in his stomach.

Inventing always made him feel like a kid all over again. The initial idea, sketching each design, planning them out, working with his own two hands in the forge... Whenever he smelled the charcoal of his pencils or the metal and smoke of the forge, his heart usually skipped a beat. Everyday stenches that others might find unappealing, but which brought him a sense of familiarity, joy, even comfort on a bad day.

Especially whenever he finished something new, that was when he felt the most thrilled. When a project finally came into fruition and his hard work had ultimately paid off after hours, days, sometimes even weeks of work.

It was an exhilarating kind of feeling that he never tired of and his latest work was special to him.

He made a new prosthetic for himself. A metal leg that could double as a multi-functional tool. Complete with a regular foot that allowed running, a lockpick, a foot for more difficult terrain and one that connected to Toothless' saddle.

It helped him to lay flatter and still be able to correctly manoeuvre the artificial tailfin. This, in turn, enabled them to fly even faster, it made Hiccup a smaller target, let him move his foot out of the stirrup effortlessly, moving gracefully in the sky as one simply became so much easier.

And if this new prosthetic worked, perhaps he could invent something for Gobber as well.

He wasn't too opposed to seeing more Hiccup-y devices pop up in the forge now and again.

But before Hiccup could begin on a new arm or leg for his mentor blacksmithing, he needed to test out his own metal limb first.

And that is why Hiccup had left the house so early in the morning.

Before his dad awoke, the sun was up, the local baker baked his first loaves for the market, Hiccup and Toothless were already up and out the door.

The Night Fury sniffed the new prosthetic Hiccup wore on his stump. Though unfamiliar, it smelled of his Rider and it looked like one of his contraptions as well. He knew Hiccup's handiwork by now.

"So, what do you think, Bud?" Hiccup asked, standing up from the rock he had been sitting on in order to pull it on and showed it off.

Toothless crooned, giving him a reply as he kept his gaze on it. He was impressed, amazed even! Hiccup with his genius and his dexterous hands never ceased to surprise him. Every single time the young man managed to surpass his previous creations and this was no different.

They were in the cove, the place where their friendship first started, and he remembered Hiccup having trouble climbing in and out of their little spot without his help. One of the new "feet", as they were called apparently, was supposed to help him with terrain he used to have a difficult time traversing. Snow and hidden patches of ice were especially troublesome for him.

Toothless was excited to see it work. Much like his Rider, he was always thrilled as well.

"You know, I think this might be my best work yet. And in time, I might actually be able to add on even more! Like a dagger! Gobber really enjoyed the pegleg with the hidden dagger that I gave him for his birthday." Hiccup was no stranger to insecurites, having many of them himself, but at least his ability to invent and create was something he was proud of and relied on quite often.

Toothless had heard enough. Moving, he pushed Hiccup's side with the flat top of his head and then his back, rumbling and crooning as he urged him to walk. He wanted to see this new leg in action already.

"Okay, Bud, okay! I'm going!" Hiccup chuckled and walked away.

He didn't go too far before turning around and coming back, pacing as he stared down at his feet. He wanted to truly feel the soft padding inside, see if there were already any noticeable kinks he should work on, he hoped it felt different from his previous metal leg.

And it did. Gobber had made him a wonderful leg four years ago, but this one, with the rounded off tip, allowed Hiccup to walk easier. It didn't quite work like a real heel, but he noticed he didn't walk as stiff anymore. This would do well to improve his gait.

Toothless crooned excitedly, approaching, circling and headbutting the human's shoulder. He already noticed the difference. Hiccup didn't limp quite as much as he did before either. He still limped, he was always going to, but he also managed to take note of the rounded tip's usefullness.

"So I guess you approve?" Hiccup asked him, judging by the Night Fury's reaction, his newest creation was a success so far.

Toothless purred, giving an almost human-like "yes", and licked him full on in the face.

"N-" While Hiccup was left to sputter and spit as he tried to use his red tunic to wipe his face, his armour had been left home for today, Toothless left his side. Half of that got in his mouth and it wasn't the most pleasant of tastes. Or smells for that matter.

The Night Fury wandered towards that rock Hiccup had been sitting on and gestured towards the saddle lying beside it.

It had been modified as well.

Significantly less wet, but hair still hopelessly matted to his forehead, Hiccup approached.

"Now, I guess it's time for me to show you why I took the saddle, huh, Bud?" He questioned and Toothless gave an impatient groan.

It has been days since their last flight. His Rider had told him then that he wanted to modify it and Toothless hadn't been too opposed, but now he was dying to be back up in the air again. He knew the other felt the same way.

Grabbing the saddle, Hiccup helped his dragon pull it on again.

"Bud, stay still, please? I can't put it on you if you move that much." He chuckled. It was hard for both of them to keep from moving, excited as they were.

As Hiccup pulled on the last buckle, Toothless noticed that the stirrup on his left wasn't quite the same as it once was.

It wasn't a stirrup at all anymore, there was nothing for Hiccup's metal foot to attach itself too.

His Rider noticed the dragon's confusion, Toothless crooned and gestured with his snout to the lack of a stirrup, lifting up his left foreleg. Tapping his shoulder, Hiccup drew his attention again.

"Watch this, Bud." He sat back down again, placed a hand on the wooden cup of his prosthetic and gave it a twist. The new metallic foot disappeared and in its place came a different kind of creation, something that looked like it could attach itself to the saddle and then the lack of a regular stirrup made sense to Toothless.

Gurgling happily, Toothless urged Hiccup to stand and get in the saddle already. It was time to test the new leg up in the sky.

Hiccup didn't need to think twice before climbing up, Toothless practically bumped him onto his back with his snout nudging his Rider's rear.

Once seated and secure, Hiccup clicked his leg into the new stirrup, enjoying the satisfying 'click' it made, and grabbed hold of the handles. The two braced themselves and with a big flap of the dragon's wings and a jump, they were up.

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After spending the past few days stuck on the ground, the sky was a wonderful place to be in again. A welcoming place. Though it did make Hiccup wonder how he managed to live the first fifteen years of his life without Toothless and their ability to fly together as one.

Hiccup inhaled deeply and then breathed out again, the always present scent of the salty sea down below filling his nostrils. The wind combed through his hair and his clothes billowed. Toothless did the same thing, savouring the soft carressing of his scales and the near weightlessness of his body so high up in the air.

It felt good to be here. An unseen weight seemed to lift off their shoulders, like they were free again.

There were other dragons up there with them. Nightmares and Nadders who had also made Berk their home these past couple of years. It felt good to be more amongst them too. Off the ground and into the air, where they both belonged.

Hiccup adjusted his prosthetic slightly, approving of how it held up so far. Toothless raised a foreleg as he took a look, he purred.

"Yeah, it's holding up great so far!" Hiccup answered, feeling confident in his newest creation. This new method to connect his metal leg and the saddle together, it was to further improve their manoeuvrability. So far it wasn't too difficult to steer Toothless' artificial tailfin with it.

But they needed to really test it. Now that they knew it could hold up in a normal flight, it was time to find some way to experiment and truly see where its limits lie.

And Hiccup found just the thing.

"Hey Bud, look up there!" Toothless looked up and saw what his Rider was talking about.

A bunch of young Nadders, adolescents, playing in the sky. They were chasing each other.

"Should we ask them if we can join in?" Hiccup knew these Nadders and they knew them. He had watched them grow up this past year.

Toothless roared to draw their attention and flew higher, the small group of six halted momentarily to watch the two familiar Dragon Riders approach.

Nadders were born with lighter colours than they usually have as adults. They were slowly shedding their pastel scales for a more vibrant hide.

"Hey guys, mind if we join?" Hiccup wasn't so sure he'd have had the guts to just go up to a group of friends and ask this in the past, before Toothless. But not only had he grown more confident, these were also a group of dragons. A people he felt more at home with.

And like he and Toothless had hoped, the six adolescent Nadders chirped eagerly in agreement. One did a roll in the sky and off they were, chattering of teasings and taunts as they dared the two to chase them. It was a game of tag apparently.

"Come on, Bud." Hiccup adjusted himself in the saddle, excitement swelling up in his chest. A deep and eager rumble vibrated from within the Night Fury, Hiccup could feel it from his position on his back.

Though the young dragons flew far and fast, it wasn't hard for them to catch up.

This game of tag, while also commonly played by Viking children, was a little bit different than from what Hiccup used to play as a very young boy.

High up in the air, dragons couldn't physically touch one another without the risk of downing each other. The slowest of the dragons would be caught and roared at, making them the one who was "it". No actual tagging, just roaring as one dragon passed the other by.

It wasn't hard for Hiccup and Toothless to catch up to the Nadders and relieve themselves of the role of "it". Though they were fast, a Night Fury was faster. One half of this Dragon Rider duo being this exact species could almost be called cheating.

It was virtually impossible to catch Hiccup and Toothless with how in-tune the two were with each other. They sped up, slowed down, dived and swerved, but adolescent dragons liked a challenge. The young Nadders knew before accepting their request to join the game that they would be difficult to catch.

A roar of laughter left Hiccup as he and Toothless barrel rolled in the sky and it was like music to the latter's ears. Their hearts soared together. Those days spend stuck on the ground, even if it was for one of his projects, had been much too long.

Though the world was spinning, Hiccup looked towards where the Nadder youngster had been left behind and noticed there was already quite a bit of distance between them. Dizziness or nausea, he felt neither of them.

"Okay, Bud, time to turn back." Toothless could hear his Rider even through the loud rush of the wind. The barrel rolls gradually ceased up high in the air and the two started a freefall.

The way down was a long one, but it was over all too soon. Falling with the wind tossing them around, they never felt more in control.

As the ground rapidly approached down below, Hiccup gave his Bud a warning pat on his neck to even out.

That is when their game came to an abrupt end.

Toothless spread his wide wings, Hiccup put the tailfin in the right position and with the sudden stop in velocity, the shock made a tear in the leather straps keeping the saddle in place.

With a yelp, Hiccup was thrown forwards and the tailfin shut itself. The two were in a freefall once more, the adolescent Nadders aware of the trouble, but too far away to be of much help.

The ground was much too close.

"Tooth-" Hiccup never felt the impact. The moment they crashed, it became dark before his eyes.

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He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but Hiccup was pretty sure he couldn't have been out for more than a couple of minutes.

Lying in the grass, sore and bruised all over, he could hear his Night Fury's crooning as he drifted back to the world of the conscious after having left it for just a moment. Toothless' voice helped lead him back.

"Hmm, Tooth?" He slurred, moving just a tad to roll onto his back. He had been lying on his side and he wanted to open his eyes, face his Bud.

Toothless gave a quick warning growl and that was when a sharp pain abruptly and agonizingly ran through him, starting at his leg and moving up through his hip.

A strangled cry left him, his face contorted in pain and he ended up on his back anyway, breathing deeply as tears sprung to his eyes.

He opened them and the first thing he saw was Toothless staring back at him, his nose twitching as it did four years earlier when he woke up after the battle with the Red Death.

Toothless crooned and pressed his snout into his Rider's freckled cheek before bringing it down to sniff his body to seek out any hidden injuries. His attention consistently on just one part of Hiccup's body.

Hiccup lifted his head up to look down at himself to see what his dragon was staring at and cringed.

His left leg was not supposed to be at that angle.

His new prosthetic, the clasp that kept it attached to the saddle was supposed to have come loose during a fall, allowing Toothless to grab hold of him safely and saving them both from a possibly very fatal blow. That had been the biggest problem with his previous replacement, a problem he had attempted to fix with this new one.

Failing its purpose, Hiccup found that his leg and Toothless' saddle were still connected. As a result, his left knee, the weaker one of the two, had been painfully dislocated.

Hiccup continued to take deep breaths, both in and out. The pain didn't lessen one bit. He could only imagine what it looked like without his leather leggings.

It had already been there when he woke up, but it hadn't been as severe as it was now after he's moved. Toothless was lying next to him, remaining still because he'd realized the state of his Rider's leg while he was out and didn't want to make it any worse.

Lifting his head up for another look at their situation, still attempting to calm his laboured pants, Hiccup wondered just how they were going to get out of this one. Every little move made hurt so much.

But he found the reason for their crash. A strap on the saddle, the stitching worn by strain and weather had torn and come loose. He had been meaning to replace them.

"Gods..." He moaned and put his head back down. This was such a mess they were in now.

Toothless prodded his cheek with his snout. He wanted to provide comfort, but instead the movement made, though it was so little, hurt so bad.

"Toothless!" Hiccup cried out, but jumping at the pain only made the pain even worse. This was becoming an awful cycle.

Mumbling an apology, Toothless put his head down, deciding to try even harder to stay still. Humans didn't have as high a pain tolerance as dragons did and this was a particularly nasty injury.

Hiccup needed a moment. Closing his eyes, he tried breathing through the agony. So long as neither of them moved, it was bearable.

The two Dragon Riders than heard the chirping of worried dragons and looked up to see the young Nadders approaching.

The group of six landed and much like humans surrounded them in concern. Hiccup could've sworn he saw them cringe in their own way upon seeing the state he was in. Even they knew a human's leg wasn't supposed to bend that way.

Though he didn't want an audience, Hiccup supposed they might be able to help in some way. They chattered amongst themselves and Toothless, seemingly discussing what to do next.

"Hey-hey!" Hiccup moaned, moving carefully to lean on his elbows and trying his best not to look at his knee.

He could ask them to get help, to find the other Riders. He knew Astrid and Snotlout had patrol today.

But the adolescent Nadders apparently already had some ideas of their own. Chittering and screeching, hissing and flexing their dangerous spines, they appeared to be arguing. Hiccup's call for their attention fell on deaf ears.

Hiccup often found himself wishing he could understand what dragons were saying and this was one such time. What could they possibly be having such a heated discussion about?

By the time Hiccup realized one of them bend down and reached for his leg, it was already too late for both him and Toothless to stop them when a green Nadder took his prosthetic and pulled it loose. That had been their master plan to get the Dragon and Rider untangled from each other.

All six of the Deadly Nadders jumped back when a pained scream tore out from Hiccup's lungs. It appeared they hoped pulling on the fake part of the leg wouldn't hurt as much.

Now lying flat on his back again, Hiccup covered both of his eyes and clenched his teeth down on one another.

It hurt. That was all he could think about, how much that hurt.

Removing one hand, he peered at the Nadders through his blurred vision.

"I'm... I'm okay." He was lying and choking up, but he didn't want them to feel guilty. It helped the green Nadder feel better again as it had shrunken back after hearing him scream.

Now free, Toothless moved, standing up and sniffing his Rider's face, but Hiccup covered it again, breathing in and out deeply in the hopes of coping with the burning and throbbing sensation left in his knee.

The Night Fury gazed at the limb. Although the angle wasn't quite as ugly anymore, he knew that didn't lessen the pain in any way.

He faced the young Nadders and with a roar angrily chased them away, they had done more than enough already. The youngsters, not willing to argue with this dragon in particular, left in a hurry, nearly tripping over each other as they flapped their wings and made way for the skies.

"You didn't have to chase them away like that, they just wanted to help." Toothless could hear Hiccup mutter, but ignored his words. His Rider couldn't have heard it, but he had warned the six that it was a terrible idea.

Looking up into the sky, Toothless charged a plasma blast and send it flying. Its purpose was to call for help. With all the dragons and Berkians around, somebody was bound to see it. Hopefully, one of the other Riders was already nearby.

Knowing that it couldn't even be minutes before help would arrive, Toothless decided to settle by Hiccup's side again.

Though somewhat recovered, there was still very little Hiccup could do besides lying there and scratching his Night Fury's chin. It was something he did for his own comfort as well.

Help couldn't be far.

Holding his breath, Hiccup managed to sit up and Toothless lied down behind him, allowing his Viking to lean back against him.

Looking up, they noticed that one Snotlout Jorgenson on top of a Hookfang Monstrous Nightmare were already headed their way.

Hiccup could only sigh. The sooner they got his leg taken care off, the better.

His dad and Astrid would chastise him and Gothi would probably advice him to stay at home or risk a whack of her staff, but Hiccup could only think of one thing, improve his prosthetic.

Next time they test it out, he'd make sure to put it through more thorough tests before taking to the sky once again.

#bad things bingo #httyd #httyd fics #hiccup #toothless #httyd movies #rtte #race to the edge #hiccup haddock #hictooth #dragon bros #whump fic #whump #hiccup whump #dislocated joint #dislocated knee #httyd fanfic #httyd fanfiction #my fanfics #the new prosthetic

[kieranmcli]

Silicone casting for stop motion: obscure tips

Even with books and the internet I found it surprisingly tricky to find actual detailed information on casting silicone specifically for stop motion puppets.  There’s a lot of word-of-mouth-only stuff and weird little issues to trip you up, and there’s plenty of useful tricks that I only stumbled on in obscure comments sections, vague offhand references or through what little experience I’ve gained.

Point is, here’s an incomplete list of some of the little things I found useful that never seem to be in one damn place.  I’m still very much figuring this out myself, so if some of these are more obvious or strange than others don’t laugh too hard.  Hopefully somebody’ll find them useful (taken with a hefty pinch of salt).

Even with soft, deadened silicone, the thinner it is the better, so every joint in the armature should be packed out fully with soft sponge-y upholstery foam beforehand

It’s better to take a big block of this foam, punch a hole in the middle and slide it over the joint like a sleeve - before attaching the other end if necessary - than to try gluing or sewing two halves back together

If you make a maquette around the final armature, which already has neatly-carved foam on it, trace around the thing on a piece of paper so you’ve got a reference for the shape and size it’s meant to be - when you sculpt NSP clay on top the foam will squish and it’ll be otherwise impossible to tell if you’re laying it on too thick or unfaithfully

When casting silicone around an armature covered in spongy foam, seal the foam first with a thin layer of silicone and allow it to cure outside the mould so the final ‘flood’ of rubber doesn’t just soak in and solidify the joint

Also do this to stop air bubbles getting trapped in the silicone and moving throughout the cast when you pour on it

If the brush you paint this on with is too stiff the silicone will get pressed into the sponge instead of sitting on top like a thin film.  I usually spread it like butter using a flat tool eg. a lollipop stick

Put texture/hatching/lumps and holes on the armature’s solid bones to get as much mechanical grip with the silicone as possible, since it doesn’t properly stick to anything but itself

Joints work better with big, defined creases in them and very stiff hinges/wiring to counteract the silicone’s natural springiness

If mixing silicone in a plastic cup, make sure it’s not full of static electricity or everything you pour in it will fly around and stick halfway up the sides, which is all kinds of a pain in the arse

To get all the silicone casts tinted the exact same colour, tint an entire batch of Part A (ie. set all you're planning on using aside in a good sealed container, like a jam jar) with the pigment then use bits of that same batch for all casting and patching

If possible, brush on a thin backfill layer inside the mould before flooding or adding the armature, and allow to cure to a level of tackiness before mixing up and adding the rest of the silicone - this both prevents ugly air bubbles rising to the surface of the cast and stops the armature from poking through

Flip the mould over now and again while the backfill cures or it’ll all just pool at the bottom

If the backfill skin you’ve just done is too thick, or the silicone’s supposed to be very thin around the armature, start mixing up the flooding batch pretty much immediately after applying the backfill, so when you pour it it’s tacky enough that the armature can sink in a little to the outer skin if pressed by the mould halves

For god’s sake don’t forget the clamps

You’ll thank yourself later for winding the clamps to the right distance to fit around the mould before you’ve filled it and it’s slowly seeping out onto the tabletop

Coloured silicone can be backfilled into tiny spaces with a syringe for little details

You don’t technically need to put release agent - like Vaseline - in a plaster mould when casting silicone in it, but sometimes it makes life a little bit easier.  And if you’re using a plaster mould, it’ll chip and break and crumble away details more quickly without it, so it’s worth using

No ordinary paint will stick properly to silicone (but if it’s a solid unmoving piece of the model and you’re both careful and lazy, you might get away with a couple of little details)

You can add minor shading and weathering with powders like chalk and charcoal if you need to

If adding this before the silicone’s been cast (the easiest way IMO) you can draw on the inside of the mould with, for example, a charcoal pencil, and it’ll be set in the surface of the cast afterwards

If adding it after the silicone’s done, you can apparently grind the chalk into powder, mixing colours to taste, then apply it to the silicone surface with a brush.  Then you seal it in by airbrushing on a thin, clear solution of cheap silicone (eg. sealant) mixed with lighter fluid (I think).  I have not tried this one.

I was suspicious, but it turns out filling both halves of a mould with silicone, adding the armature and then just sandwiching them together is a totally normal and legitimate way of casting that doesn’t somehow give you a ton of trapped air bubbles.  Injection moulding seems much trickier, if cooler-looking

Exposed K&S tubes at the end of extremities are an extremely useful way to float an armature in the centre of a mould without it sinking into the silicone - if you don’t have any solid bits like that I hear pins can be used to support the armature, if you fill the holes afterwards

When repairing patchy bits of silicone by applying more to the surface of a piece, you can secure something a little rough (tissue, gauze, tape, etc.) on top while it’s curing so it ends up with a fine matte texture.  Alternatively just sprinkle a healthy coating of cornflour or talc over the whole thing, then wash it off when it’s done (this is easier IMO and gives a smoother, clean finish).  Left to its own devices outside a mould silicone always ends up with an ugly liquid gloss

When seaming, trim off as much as you can with small scissors then apply Vaseline to the cast before filing the seam lines away with an emery board or a dremel’s stone tool.  The idea is that the Vaseline acts as a lubricant to stop the tools snagging on the silicone and tearing it up (I’ve heard lighter fluid works for this too, though I didn’t have much luck with it)

Alternatively you can cut a small trench into the seam area and patch it up with more silicone afterwards, which may be a little smoother.  Personally I found this gave a nicer finish, but beware peeling patch edges.

If your silicone’s still tacky or jelly-ish after the recommended 45 minutes, don’t immediately panic.

If it’s still like that after another two hours, then yeah, sure, maybe it’s time to panic

A decent estimate of how much silicone you’ll need to fill a mould is to weigh the clay you stripped from the maquette, then add 15% or so for safety.  Obviously this isn’t at all precise given clay and silicone have different densities, but I find it pretty useful

Make sure to write down how much silicone you’re going to need - the scales won’t tell you much Part A you put in after the cup’s got pigment and a lolly stick sitting in it too

A few grams will always stay in the cup no matter how hard you try to scrape it all out, so compensate

And for good measure here’s where I bought materials when I ordered them online (I’m based in Scotland btw):

Crystacal R plaster (more durable and detailed than normal stuff)

Mouldlife silicone pigments

Dragon Skin FX-Pro platinum silicone (1kg)

Also here’s some other useful links:

The How And Why Of Silicone (Part 1)

Misadventures in Mouldmaking

Making silicone puppet - Stopmotionanimation.com forum

Big questions regarding silicone - Stopmotionanimation.com forum

Casting the puppet body - Nathan Flynn’s blog

#grad film #modelmaking #silicone #casting #mad science models

[script-a-world]

Hi guys, I’m glad I came upon your blog. If you could give me some help in the right direction I’d really appreciate it. My idea is to have a planet [not our earth nor solar system, I need to create new ones to fit my story] devastated after a genocidal war and the end result is the bad guys completely defeated and the ones left over fled the planet. Now, the planet is pretty much ruined and sort of back in the Bronze Age with random bits and pieces left over of more modern stuff but anyone who can create more is basically gone so everything will have to be rediscovered and reinvented. But most importantly, the people that are left are from all over the world, hundreds of little tribes with as little as 1 to 2000 survivors with a total of a million population. They did get off world help to finally defeat the bad guys so there’s a further extra quarter million aliens staying behind to help rebuild the world. You’d think with aliens, they’d have technology? Nope. Everything is magic for them. So here’s a dilemma, use magic to rebuild the world or stay in the Bronze Age and rebuild with their own technology, that would take another thousands of years. People are divided or mixed. So we got a world that looks like a magical realm one town and the Bronze Age the next town over, and everything in between. End result is like I’m writing a fantasy story set in the Bronze Age but people have modern ideas and knowledge with no way to actually use them. They know what democracy is, the minority know they deserve rights and freedom. They can drive a car, they can use a computer, but those things are basically all destroyed and no one knows how to make them. So, any ideas on where I should do my research or problems the people will face, or perhaps similar stories I could draw inspiration/ideas from? Thank you!

Synth:  For any computers they had, look into the worst-case projections from back in the 1990s when Y2K was becoming a looming concern, and for electric stuff in general check out what mega huge solar flares have the potential to do right now.

Saphira:  The best thing about this scenario is that though the people are decimated and scattered, they have not lost their memories. This means anyone who had any training whatsoever still has it. Even better, literacy is still strong. They can still teach these things to their children and that is their greatest asset. What you have is not so much a race to resources, but a race to a Communal Knowledge, a Library of Letters.

What tradesman still live? How much do they understand the craft? How can one tradesman get help from another? How do we preserve what knowledge we still have before it fades? Sure we know what a pencil looks like, how it works. I can figure out a wood barrel, but I have no idea where to get graphite, or how to make rubber for an eraser. Maybe someone in the next tribe over might know. We can substitute graphite for charcoal for now, and send out a letter to every town nearby...

Most will not be tradesmen, I'm guessing. They can still read. They can still run. They might go about the destroyed world and look for scraps. Maybe a snapped motherboard. Maybe an entire gundam: who knows? Whatever they bring back, if it can jog the memory or provide insight, it has value. Look at how much we humans learn about our history and technology just by looking at old common tools and of all things the jars and plates.

Now not everyone will be so dedicated. Some will see the Arcane way of doing things that the Aliens provide, and think Well, why not? What if we simply cannot figure out some piece of advanced tech? Really hard to rebuild computers when you don't have a way to make silicon. Well, until we figure that out... Why not... Cheat? We'll uh, make it genuine later but for now we just need it to work...

I suggest try recreating something you have with household items. How would you recreate a doorknob? Yes, seemingly simple. Deceptively so. Take down what problems you face. Consider asking Google the same as asking the Arcane Aliens for help. What problems, what thoughts, what sort of experience is it?

Good luck.

Feral:  The first thing that comes to mind is what's left?

People remember how to drive cars? Are there still cars hanging around? People who not only know how to drive but how to maintain and/or hotwire the left over vehicles may very well do so.

The same goes for any and all technology that people can get their hands on. For all of human history, we have re-purposed the cultural artifacts left by previous societies; why wouldn't your people?

In terms of why people might choose to go with the aliens or try it on their own  is going to depend heavily on their access to clean water and food sources. A clean water source is paramount. And after a planet wide war, there might not be many water sources left that do not require filtration. Do the people have access to filtration technology? Or are their options alien magitech, war with a tribe that has filtration, or die from dehydration?

Constablewrites:  From the related works to study angle, the Schizo Tech trope is probably a good place to start, since the order in which they revive given technologies is probably not going to be the same order in which they were originally developed.

Like a lot of After the End stories, a lot is going to depend on how long they've had to recover from all of this. Consider that if it's been more than a generation or two, a lot of the knowledge of how to use this stuff will die out just because there's not much point in passing it down anymore. Are parents going to teach their kids to drive once they can no longer make the cars function? There will still likely be records of this stuff and people who choose to study it, but the widespread practical knowledge and experience will die out as soon as the technology is no longer viable. Just look at how many people these days don't know how to sew their own clothes, which was considered an absolutely critical life skill less than 100 years ago.

Synth:  The pro-alien-tech people clashing with the pro-DIY people seem like another potential source of conflict to help drive your story. Do the pro-tech people think the anti-tech people are stubborn and stupid for not wanting such easily accessed assistance? Do the anti folks think the pros are lazy for just accepting these handouts instead of working hard to do things themselves? Are there conspiracy theorists asking "But what are their real motives and goals?" about these aliens? Have people split themselves off into different groups/factions/entire separate settlements based on whether they embrace or shun the alien magitech? Which side do your main characters fall on, and what happens when they meet someone from or have to travel through an area populated by people from the opposing side? Hell, do all the members of your main gang of characters even share the same views regarding magic vs. going it (very) old school? What kinds of experiences might someone have that could change their mind about the alien magic? (e.g. someone against magic comes down with some horrible disease for which medications no longer exist, but can be cured pretty easily with magic. Does magic suddenly seem acceptable now that it's their life at stake, or will they go down with their principles? What about someone gung-ho about magic? What might make them decide "Actually how about No," and turn away from it?)

Tex:  I wonder if those survivors communicated with each other - the survivors of zombie-style apocalypse/ELE (Extinction Level Event) in movies such as I Am Legend and Zombieland utilized ham radios and sent out distress signals and messages containing news about holdout locations where other survivors could travel to and be safe. Radios don't require a ton of materials or knowledge to build from scratch (Boy Scouts of America has kits for building a crystal radio), and they're relatively easy to learn how to use. If there's manuals around to build something, and someone deems it important, it's probably going to get built.

That being said, the first generation of survivors is integral for the rebuilding of society. If there was enough tech left over for survivors to leave the planet, did they do so without contacting those left behind? Was any technology repaired or retrofitted for other purposes? Does this planet have any sort of internet, or even libraries? What about fleeing survivors that pledged to come back after X amount of time or Y reason? Settling on a new planet is awfully similar to restructuring society after a devastating event, so the skill sets between the two activities have a lot of overlap.

Being able to flee the planet and presumably settle somewhere else implies that the people are capable of interplanetary travel, if not interstellar. If there's FTL drives, could these be used to power city grids, so as to take advantage of electricity, LANs, and digital information repositories? What about power supplies or engines in transportation vehicles? These can be retrofitted for use as generators, and if you're crafty enough, to boost the range of telecommunications equipment.

You only need less than a thousand people to start up a society, so having a million people, even disparate, means that the aggregate knowledge is much higher than would even be needed for colonizing a new planet from scratch. The fact that these aliens use magic isn't necessarily an issue - can they be convinced to move heavy objects, can their skills in magic be used to repair power lines or other things? What about using them to help find ore and mineral deposits to make the raw material for tech again? Are these aliens capable of scrying or telepathy, and would they be willing to create a pseudo-telecommunications net (think magic phone network where the aliens are the phone booths) across the planet to allow the different tribes to talk with each other and come up with some sort of plan? A division of labour to complete a task according to skill set can be complementary instead of contradictory, and would allow the planet to recuperate to its antebellum technological peak much faster, even if some people decide to go without it.

#pylons #technology #post apocalypse #submission

[frances048]

2018 Summary Of Art by Fran48

Blank meme here for any of you guys who want to try it :) I can't believe that it's just two days till 2019..Time goes so fast XD :) Here are the previous years memes : 2012: https://fran48.deviantart.com/art/2012-Art-Summary-Fran48-343638908 2013: https://fran48.deviantart.com/art/2013-Art-Summary-Fran48-422621435 2014: https://fran48.deviantart.com/art/My-2014-Summary-Of-Art-Fran48-503896864 2015: https://fran48.deviantart.com/art/My-2015-Summary-of-art-578886586 2016: https://fran48.deviantart.com/art/Fran48-s-2016-Summary-Of-Art-6540407232017 : My 2017 Summary Of Art Now I'll summarise my art of 2018 :)   This year has been full of its ups and downs, with struggles with mental health but still some very enjoyable and funny times too :) I think I've done quite a few pieces this year however maybe not as many as I'd like as my apprenticeship kept me busy :) The resources I used this year included The resources I used this year included Ms paint, gel pens, watercolour pencils, coloured pencils, mechanical pencils, fine liner pens, pencils, coloured pens, chalk , charcoal ,crayons, camera, phone, video camera, felt tip pens, Articulate, Windows Movie Maker, Paint tool sai, and on some occasions, Pixelmator which I purchased for my new imac I bought with my earnings.. I plan to use it more next year :) I have also done a few redraws this year (insert here) to help me work on developing my own art style ;3 I have also messed around with my phone a lot this year, adding silly filters to pics and my artwork :) January

This month, I started watching K-on and Fairy Tail again and drew quite a lot of digital pics from the shows including my Bickslow pic ,Erza pic(which I digitally edited using apps on my phone) and a Mio pic I also watched the Live action Disney film Maleficent which inspired me to draw the pic included in this meme:)https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Maleficent-723817285

February

This month I continued drawing Fairy tail pics and pics in digital software but also experimented using Articulate 360 and created an interactive Junko Enoshima soundboard. I however was unable to work out how to upload it here ^^;....so made a flash recording of what it was capable of https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Junko-thingy-730187122 (you will need Flash player to view this) MarchThis month I got into quite a few different animes, namely Persona, Pandora hearts  and Durarara and drew pieces from them. I also continued to draw pics from fairy tail, particulally pics of Erza Scarlet..lol it was in this month and April that I realised I had developed an obsession with her because she's so cool , beautiful, badass but also human and relatable as a person^_^       I also started including more youtube speedpaints, including a one of Sarada Uchiha..;3...https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Sarada-speedpaint-youtube-link-below-735619409

April

This month I continued to draw art of Erza lol and Persona art but also got into My hero academia ;3 and started drawing art from it ^_^ May

This month I continued to draw art from My hero academia , Fairy tail, and Naruto but also a piece from Durarara :) . I also went to see the Avengers film (which I didn't enjoy too much for obvious reasons if you guys have seen it ..It kind of felt like a weird fanfic..though that's just my feelings on it ^^' ) and somehow ended up drawing Gamora (see meme) https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Gamora-744789878 June

I took part in Narutoweek in that month https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/gallery/66581702/Narutoweek which I really loved :) I also created Youtube videos of drawings for Sunnycon guest voice actresses Caitlin Glass (who actually saw my videos and the pic on Twitter!!!!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s85fOvde9-4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZhkjbW5uHg&feature=youtu.be and Cherumi Leigh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr86aHtITyw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X59aytmWAoY They both loved my pics and signed them to my delight ^_^ Sunnycon itself was pretty awesome - I got to meet some of my friends again, see amazing cosplays but also cosplay as best girl...Erza ....:D <333333 (https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/gallery/66687467/Erza-Scarlet-cosplay which...in turn inspired more fanart....and memes of her over the rest of the months XDDDD...lolJulySo in July I watched through the first season of Sword art online and drew fanart...I now understand the controversy about it ^^;....I also got up to date with the 1st season of Toyko ghoul re and watched Persona 5...which I loved as much as Persona 4 but for different reasons....:D and drew fanart ;3... I also watched Miss Kobayashi's dragon maid which was so funny and thus came the fanart ;3... And then....coming back to Erza yet again...I made myself into a meme...XDDD......an Erza x cake senpai meme XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Yes I need to get a life..https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Cake-senpai-752605870

August

This month I drew a lot of traditional art including a piece of Akuro and Chanco from one of my fav youtube channels..ShiroYuki Productions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1up9mKAfOJvbrl1vN02waQ I also started watching FMA brotherhood..which I have yet to fully completely get through....^^;..I also did a pic in honour of Stefan Karl Steffanson ..which although I knew he had sadly passed away a while ago, I didn't fully appreciate how amazing he was until then :(..Tbh I hadn't really found Lazytown appealing in my younger days and found it kind of creepy ^^;..but I have respect for that guy now :)I also kind of got obsessed with the songs from the band Fleetwood mac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul-cZyuYq4&list=PLCC4CD5FD7684F0A3 ..and made this piece randomly https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Fleetwood-mac-761976020

September

This month, I got into the anime Seven deadly sins and drew fanart from it. I continued to do speedpaints for Youtube and use Paint tool sai :) though I did draw some traditional pieces ;3 I also heard my brother continously play Birdhouse in your soul by They might be giants...I looked into it and saw the official vid and created this piece https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Make-a-little-birdhouse-in-your-soul-764678942 I also created my own original piece of a deer girl which I was very proud of https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Deer-girl-765391080 OctoberThis month I continued to create both traditional and digital drawings including a piece of Nico Robin in her baroque works outfit https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Miss-All-Sunday-Nico-Robin-767252161 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Me-and-my-new-Nico-Robin-pic-767253230 , Froppy from My hero academia https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Froppy-speedpainting-link-below-768574612 , Fafnir from Miss Kobayashi's dragon maid https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Fafnir-speedpainting-see-link-below-768574727 and more ;3..I also continued creating Youtube speedpaintings. I also participated in Inktober ;3..https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/gallery/67321324/Inktober-2018

November I started watching more of Fairy Tail again https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Levy-and-Gajeel-chibis-Speedpaint-drawing-772478351  and continued watching the Boruto series..:) https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Six-paths-sage-mode-naruto-youtube-link-below-771541151 I continued drawing both traditionalhttps://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Monomi-speedpainting-link-below-773973512  and digital pieces   https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Ultimate-imposter-Ryota-Mitari-It-s-alright-now-771067838 but also started doing intial recorded sketches which were recorded on my phone, then photographed/scanned in and then further recorded digitally before being uploaded to Youtube, an example of this being my Gundham Tanaka pic.. https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Gundham-Tanaka-speedpaint-link-below-774096226 December

I spent pretty much most of this month creating Christmas artwork which was scheduled to be uploaded to Youtube every day till the 24th of December :) https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Sarada-as-an-angel-link-below-776968163 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Christmas-Rukia-link-below-776968200 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Alphonse-christmas-link-below-776968150 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Delibird-776573119 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Yuri-can-you-hear-my-heartbeat-775901800 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Olaf-775901553 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Victor-speed-drawing-link-below-775901681 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Glaceon-speedpaint-link-below-775775663 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Snoopy-Christmas-775499922 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Tobirama-speedpaint-774936436 https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Erza-christmas-drawing-775195304 . This for the most part went well but was pretty hard to do as things got busier at work..^^; These pieces were a combination of traditional and digital pieces :) I also started practising poses, firstly starting on this short Naruto and Jiraiyia manga thing https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Naruto-and-Jiraiya-reunion-short-manga-in-colour-777916676 .. I also drew a picture of the beast from Beauty and the beast after this https://www.deviantart.com/fran48/art/Beast-777789340 :) My family really loved this piece and want to have it framed ^_^ This has further encouraged me to create more disney pieces :) I have also started playing Pokemon moon and have already been preparing pokemon art for next year :) Overall I feel I have gotten into a few different animes this year but I want to get into so more being the anime obsessed nerd that I am XDD I also really want to cosplay more..XDD...I also want to work on more new art pieces next year but I'll have to see how busy I am and how life goes XDD...I'm not sure how much I've improved this year, I have been working really hard on improving my poses but I still need to improve , as with anatomy :) I may not say this enough and may not be very active all the time but you guys who have stuck with me through every anxiety journal , moan ( know I often sound like a broken record half of the time with my anxiety and everything else ^^;) and the spam posts of artwork, I want to say I appreciate every kind comment, like and watch I have been given, they honestly mean so much to me :hug: and also the patience of many of you who were waiting for replies from me and having to wait months and even years ^^;....XD..I honestly need to work on replies in the new year among a number of other things ^^;...I may have missed out details of this but this is just a general summary so yeah ^^;... Hope you all had a lovely christmas and Have a wonderful new 2019 when it comes :D ^_^Thanks again Frances/Fran/or whatever you want to call me lol

#my artwork #art meme #improvement meme #2018 #disney #maleficent #junko enoshima #orochimaru #hokage naruto #erza scarlet #art improvement meme #celty sturluson #gray fullbuster #gamora #haku and zabuza #narutoweek #dan kato #naruto uzumaki #tsunade #nawaki #elisabeth #sao #futaba sakura #makoto niijima #tohru kobayashi #naruhina #shiroyuki productions #redraws #youtubers #youtube

[not-close-to-straight]

*Christmas* (Chapter 16)

CHRISTMAS MASTERLIST HERE

Enjoy :)

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{{Christmas Canon-- this is one of my favorite songs EVER and i listen to it via ipod while shopping to keep myself from getting all… idk crazy christmas shopper? And to keep from hearing how rude other people are to retail workers. Anyway, it seemed appropriate for this scene lol}}

“Oh I love this song.” Pepper said absentmindedly as she and Natasha moved through the mens section of the giant department store.

“Really?” Natasha wrinkled her nose. “It seems a little screamy and guitar-y for Christmas music.”

“Yes, I find it helps me center my rage and keep that holiday spirit going strong.” Pepper answered calmly and Natasha laughed out loud and shoved her lightly.

“Pepper, you don't have any rage.”

“Oh I don't know.” Pepper pulled a sweater in warm charcoal and held it up critically. “There’s a reason I wear shoes that double as weapons, hm?”

“Stop.” Natasha rolled her eyes. “Really? A sweater for Rhodes?”

“You’re buying a sweater for Clint!” Pepper defended. “How is this any different?”

“I'm buying a sweater for Clint because if I don't buy him clothes he dresses like he’s homeless.” Natasha explained. “And we have an agreement that as long as I buy it, he has to wear it.”

“So what's with the super fitted work out pants with juicy written across the butt?”

“Pepper, darling, have you seen that man do lunges? It's amazing. I buy work out pants to encourage him to work out. I buy them super fitted because you know… lunges.”

“Gross.” Pepper giggled. “I don't need to know about the juicy part.”

“Mm.” Nat shook her head. “You really really don't.”

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(this video is christmas lights in tune to TSO Carol of the Bells so you know… seizure warning?? It's a cool video though, watch if you can!}}

“I love this song!” Clint slid into a power stance, working his fingers like he was playing a guitar. “Trans Siberian Orchestra is so cool!”

“This is just noise.” Bucky frowned up at the ceiling. “Christmas music is supposed to be… pianos.”

“There’s pianos in this!” Clint argued. “You can hear it right there! Bum bum bum BUM BUM BUM BADA BUM BUM BUM BU--mmph!”

“Enough.” Steve said firmly, his hand over Clints mouth. “We can hear the music, don't need a note for note remake courtesy of Hawkeye Records.”

“Missing out.” Clint muttered and shrugged Steve off. “Alright, I've got to go… somewhere. And buy Natasha things, so you guys do whatever it is you need and I'll---”

“Where are you going?” Sam tilted his head curiously. “What--what are you buying? Can we come too?”

“Nope.” Clint shook his head adamantly. “No way. I'll just be a few minutes.”

“No wait, now I want to go.” Bucky elbowed Steve, prompting him to nod. “I mean, what if it's something I want to buy Tony?”

“I'm pretty sure all Iron Man wants for Christmas is some Winter Soldier Booty.” Clint deadpanned, eyes twinkling when Sam shuddered. “So go buy something awkward to wear for him, and I'll be right back.”

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“Okay, I've been wrong before--” Nat slid her fingers under the bra strap and adjusted it quickly. “But I'm about a thousand times more sure that Rhodey is going to want this versus a sweater, no matter how soft the sweater is.”

“You might be right.” Pepper admitted, turning in the mirror to admire the way the pale purple lingerie sat against her skin. “But it doesn't really seem like a Christmas present for him if I'm the one wearing it.”

“I suppose so.” Nat stripped off her own shirt and reached for the matching set, turning so Pepper could get the hooks for her. “But I mean… he’s not going to complain, right?”

“Not if he ever wants to see me naked again.” they chuckled together, then Pepper said-- “I think I'll get this, and the one in the darker blue, but I still need an actual gift. What do you buy someone who gets all of his toys from his forty-year-old- and- yet- somehow -twelve- years- old best friend who happens to be a genius inventor?”

“Isn't he super into Star Wars? I thought they were releasing a platinum collection of the series or whatever.” Natasha offered. “That would be fun, right? You could sit through like eighteen hours of bonus features.”

“Kill me.” Pepper put her own bra back on, reaching for her blouse. “But I suppose I could always casually change into the purple set about fifteen minutes into the first one, right?”

“Right.” Natashas green eyes met and held Peppers gaze through the mirror. “Too bad I'm straight, hm? You’re quite a catch.”

“Another life, Tasha.” Pepper winked. “Another life.”

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“Sammy boy, how was your date with Val?” Bucky asked as they wandered through the food court of the mall. “You aren't walking funny or anything so--”

“Do you think just because we’re in public I won't rip that arm off you and beat you with it?” Sam narrowed his eyes. “Thin ice, Frosty.”

“Calm down girls.” Steve’s voice dropped into his Captain tone. “Bucky, quit being aggravating. Sam--” Steve grinned. “Did you use enough lube when she topped you or---?”

“I'm going to kill you.” Sam chucked his sandwich in the trash. “The hells wrong with you guys?! We just went out and had a few drinks and kissed it up a little! Not a big deal!”

“How was the kissing?” Steve prompted.

“Aggressive.” Sam muttered, and Bucky had to walk away so he wouldn't laugh.

“How are you doing with Thor gone?” Sam changed the subject. “When’s he gonna be home?”

“I don't know.” Steve finished his water and dropped the bottle in the recycling bin. “Um, he said a few days. But on Asgard that is just… who knows? Could be a week.”

“He’ll come home to you.” Sam comforted. “He’s crazy about you, and everyone knows it. What are you getting him for Christmas?”

“What are you supposed to get a god?” Steve asked pointedly.

“I dunno, what are you supposed to get a Valkyrie?” Sam returned.

“Why are we dating people literally from old mythology?”

“Because they are so pretty it physically hurts us?”

“Damn straight.”

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“Sir, have you finished your Christmas shopping for the entire Tower?” JARVIS interrupted Tony's reading.

“Nope.” Tony frowned. “I can't figure out what to get Bucky. Any ideas?”

“Based on my observations of Sergeant Barnes and how much time he spends observing you, I would suggest either something to draw more attention to your lower anatomy, or wearing nothing at all.”

Silence for a full minute while Tony tried to pick his jaw up off the floor.

“I'm sorry, J, did you just tell me to give myself naked to Bucky as a present?”

“Based on my observations and how much time Sergeant Barnes spends observing you--”

“Yeah I heard all that.” Tony interrupted. “Tell me, J. Did I program you with too much personality, or are you just becoming self aware to the point of encouraging hook ups and naked time?”

“You programmed me originally to help you with any and all things, Sir. As time has progressed my duties have moved from opening doors when you stumble home drunk, to helping power your Iron Man suits and now to making sure you are happy and healthy with the man you have chosen to be your partner.”

“My god, I programmed you sweet, didn't I?” Tony sighed and went back to reading. “Well if I can't manage to find a good present, Bucky just might get me with a bow for Christmas.”

“I'm sure Sergeant Barnes will be thrilled, Sir.”

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“All done?” Sam asked as Clint rejoined the group with his arms full of blandly wrapped packages. “With your incredibly boring presents? Clint, what did you buy her? Amish tools?”

“Hey you know what?” Clint scowled at him. “When you have managed to keep a smoking hot, insanely dangerous, super smart, borderline terrifying, foxy, fiery redhead happy and satisfied for seven years, THEN you can judge me for how I wrap presents, alright?”

“Clint!” Natasha and Pepper, their arms full of bags, spotted the boys then and headed their way. “Baby are these all for me?” Natasha cooed approvingly, kissing Clint for a long minute. “From my favorite store?”

“Maybe.” Clint teased and they kissed again.

“How does he do it?” Sam asked, tilting his head back so only Bucky and Steve heard him. “I mean honestly, what is that?”

“It's true love.” Pepper whispered. “It's true love and it's amazing. The things fairy tales are made of.”

“What's up, Pepper?” Steve asked and she sighed.

“The last store we went through served mimosas and I had four.”

“Come on.” Bucky took her bags from her with his right hand and bent and swooped her up with his left arm. “I'll carry you.”

“Oh my!” Pepper giggled and snuggled into Bucky's chest. “No wonder Tony has an arm kink!”

“What?” Bucky nearly dropped her and Pepper shrieked. “Did you say Tony has an arm kink?”

“I didn't… not… say it.” she said slowly. “Don't tell him I told you?”

“Come on lightweight.” Bucky picked her back up and jerked his head for the other to follow. “Lets get you home.”

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That night Tony leaned over to get his tablet off the coffee table, but Bucky moved faster, reaching with his left arm to grab the table and pull it closer, the gears in his bicep whirring and clicking as it re-calibrated to get the appropriate strength.

“Oh my god.” Tony muttered and crossed his legs to hide...well, maybe he just wanted to sit with his legs crossed.

Bucky smirked about it.

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#ncts christmas #winteriron #clintasha #shopping #christmas presents

[tahlreth]

Brand new neighbours au prompt for winteriron, Where Bucky is smitten with Tony but Tony is oblivious, always in a hurry to reach college and complete his work. And can we have a worried Maria Stark who fusses over Tony and teaches Howard a lesson when he acts nonchalant. Steve finds it all very hilarious. Because he just can't get over his best friend's face whenever he talks about Tony. Happy ending.

AN: It took me like, a year, but I finally did it. XD

"Steve." Only a grunt answered him, so Bucky reached out to give his shoulder a good smack. "Steve."

"I don't care."

"Stevie-"

"I don't care, Buck. I don't care what he's doing or what he's wearing or any of that. I have to get this piece done. You can tell me aaaaall about the day in the life of your crush when I finish, okay?"

"But Stevie. He's trying to do dishes again." Deadline or no, Steve practically threw his sketchbook away and turned on the couch to kneel next to Bucky. Across the way, easily seen through the big open windows of their neighbor's kitchen, they could see Tony. Not that they'd ever been introduced - the only reason Bucky knew his name was because he'd heard the guy's mom say it about twenty times in her lecture on how to be an adult before she'd tearfully left him on his own. The lesson hadn't stuck apparently, because every time the guy tried to do something even a little domestic, it tended to end in catastrophe.

He had lost power three times that Bucky had noticed - because the lights were usually on all night, so the sudden turning off of ALL of them had been a pretty big hint. Not because he was like, a stalker or a peeping Tom or anything. Anyway. The plumber's van had been parked outside maybe five times, and the cops had come around seven times because Tony had forgotten to turn off his alarm system after walking into his house. There'd been two nights when Bucky'd woken up because of screeching alarms of approaching firetrucks - each time his heart had pounded with fear until Tony wandered out into the suddenly-bright night looking both irritated and sooty. Bucky didn't know about the rest of the house, but his view into Tony's kitchen was really good, and he'd seen the man wander away in the middle of cooking dinner only to run back in an hour later to find it reduced to charcoal. He'd seen the guy sweep half the room before suddenly zipping away, tripping over the dropped broom when he finally wandered back. Tony had flooded the kitchen ten times because he didn't know how to use the dishwasher properly and seemed to have some sort of moral objection to doing them by hand.

Tony'd moved in two weeks ago.

Their quiet little street had never been livelier, and Bucky'd been smitten since the first time he'd laid eyes on Tony. He was... well. Beautiful was the only word for it, much as Steve teased him for using the term. He wanted to bury his hands in Tony's brown hair - it looked thick and luxurious, when it wasn't smeared with what Bucky suspected might be engine oil. He'd love to wrap his arms around Tony and draw him in close, because he was pretty sure the guy was exactly the right height for Bucky to rest his chin on his head. It'd be great to be able to listen to Tony's warm, excited babbling about... well, anything really. Tony had a voice to die for. Maybe his facial hair was a bit... odd looking, but it was growing in, Steve, and it would look amazing once it had finished. And yeah, okay, his clothes were always a bit on the shabby side and streaked with oil and grease and sometimes paint, but that was okay. Bucky's wardrobe hadn't been the best when he'd first been starting out either.

Tony always seemed to be in a hurry, dashing here and there with all the grace of a gazelle. Every once in a while (Bucky'd tried timing it, but Tony was too unpredictable) they met in their respective walkways - Tony was almost always on the way out, and did little more than wave and give a cheerful 'hey'. Bucky almost never even got a return greeting out, but that was mostly because his mouth would go dry and his heart would pound and he forgot 'how to language', and he hated Steve for taking a picture of his 'Tony Face' and captioning it with that dumb quote and sending it to all their friends. During those brief exchanges, Bucky sometimes saw little abrasions and burns on his hands and arms - Tony must work with his hands, which as a mechanic was something Bucky respected. He still wanted to soothe those little hurts with soft kisses and gentle touches, and that wasn't creepy no matter what Steve said. The urge to bite and lick at Tony's plump lips probably edged closer to creep-like behavior, but it wasn't all Bucky wanted. He wanted to talk to Tony and get to know him, wanted to spend hours wrapped up like blanket burritos and watching crappy movies. It'd be nice to walk down the street hand in hand, and yeah, he'd like to take Tony out on the town and go dancing or some shit like that.

Steve said he was getting sentimental in his 'old age'. Bucky thought Steve should shut his big mouth and make nice with their beautiful neighbor and then invite him over for beer and video games. It wasn't that he was scared to talk to Tony, exactly. It was just that his body started doing all kinds of weird things when he tried, and Bucky wasn't so good with people anyway. It would really be better if Steve eased his way. The big blond jerk was a like a golden retriever - anyone who didn't like him was probably dead inside or straight up evil. They hadn't ever talked, but Bucky was pretty sure Tony wasn't either, so that would be for the best.

If stupid Steve would just agree to his plan, they might be dating already. Instead, his cruel best friend had declared Bucky's plight hilarious and wouldn't do anything that would put him out of his misery either way. Oh, he let Bucky go on and on (and on and on) about Tony, didn't tell him that watching the guy in the kitchen was bordering on stalker-ish (often) and even helped Bucky plan out how he would approach Tony (because he knew Bucky would never follow through). But he wouldn't actually help, the fucker.

Usually he didn't watch through the window either, but Tony trying to get the dishwasher to work was something else. First came the loading of the dishes, which took anywhere between ten minutes and an hour, depending on the number of dishes and how many times Tony wandered away out of boredom or distraction. Then came a moment of quiet reflection as Tony contemplated the order of the loaded washer, and Bucky swore that sometimes when Tony got on his phone at this point in the process he was trying to figure out if he'd done it right.

Then there came the saddest part - the adding of the dishsoap.

Tony couldn't be an idiot, because Bucky didn't like them dumb, but he did seem to be impatient - he was always in such a hurry. So part of his brain seemed to have decided that if he added more soap, the dishes would get done faster. That hypothesis never, ever worked out in his favor, but Bucky couldn't fault him for continuing to try. He didn't just do the same thing over and over either - he would try different soaps, or multiple kinds, or any number of small adjustments. Then, when the inevitable happened, he'd start ranting and raving at the machine, covered in soap suds and gesturing wildly. Once Bucky had seen him storm back into the kitchen the next day with tools, probably ready to take apart or maybe rewire the dishwasher or something... but as Tony had gotten his tools out, a thought had clearly come to him. He paused, then packed his tools back up. The dishwasher remained intact, and Tony remained unable to get it to work properly.

Steve had come to appreciate the ritual as much as he did, and it was the only time he would deign to join in 'Tony Watching'. Strangely enough, Bucky didn't appreciate the company. At first it had been nice, having someone else realize just how entrancing Tony could be - once he made very sure that Steve wasn't interested in pursuing his guy, anyway. But Steve was starting to sometimes make dry, scathing comments about Tony, and Bucky didn't really like that either. It wasn't Tony's fault he was so bad at using the dishwasher. He was in college, just starting out - Bucky hadn't known his goddamned knee from his elbow when he'd first struck out on his own. Being an adult was weird and hard, and as he watched Tony carefully measuring out another mixture that was doomed to fail (God, he'd ripped open six different packets, what the hell was he thinking) Bucky came to a decision.

He'd had to figure out all the life shit on his own - Tony wouldn't need to.

"I'mma go help him." he announced, then swiftly hopped off the couch before his courage deserted him. Steve looked back over his shoulder, wearing a 'yeah, sure you are' look that made Bucky want to smack him. "No, really. He needs it, right? And I'm good with dishwashers. I'm great with dishwashers." He knew he was babbling a little, but he couldn't stop. If he stopped, he'd realize what he was doing and would freak out too much to tie his sneakers. "Aren't I great with dishwashers, Stevie?"

"Never had a complaint since I moved in."

"Right. So I can help with the dishwasher, because that is not how you use 'em." The right shoe was tied, but the left was putting up a hell of a fight - he had to try a few times before his shaking fingers made the knot properly. "And then I could maybe see if he needed help with anything else. I mean just, you know, to be neighborly. I'm-"

"Very neighborly," Steve chimed in, having abandoned the view from the window to watch Bucky instead. "I know Buck. You're the most neighborly neighbor I ever met."

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up Stevie. You stay here and make your little jokes and draw your little pictures," Steve made an indignant sound and hurled one of the throw pillows at him. Bucky knocked it aside with a smile that was a lot more confident than he felt. "I'm gonna go help a guy with a dishwasher, then get him to agree to date me. Just you watch, Stevie. I'mma go get me a boyfriend."

"Take your coat!" Steve yelled after him as Bucky jogged to the door. He knew what the blond really meant was 'good luck, I'm right behind you', so he grabbed his leather jacket as a sign that he appreciated the thought. He even tugged it on, because he had the vague thought that Tony might be into bad boys, which he hoped wasn't true. While he was cranky and a bit blunt, he didn't really qualify as bad.

Fuck, if Tony had a thing for bad boys, he was screwed. So screwed.

He didn't let that thought unnerve him entirely and threw himself out the door, slamming it behind him. It was really, really uncool of him, but Bucky ran all the way to Tony's, ignoring the calls of greeting he got from their other neighbors who were out enjoying the weather. He just had to get over to Tony's, NOW, because if he didn't he wouldn't ever, and he'd have to go live in Siberia out of shame. So focused on getting there as fast as he could, Bucky almost ran right into the door - he only just managed to bring himself to a screeching halt before he slammed against it.

"Okay," he breathed, staring at the intimidating barrier between him and happiness. "I got this. I can do this. He's just a guy, Bucky Barnes. Just a guy like you. Yeah he's the most beautiful guy you've ever seen, but it's fine." It occurred to him briefly that anyone watching probably thought he was a crazy person, but fuck them. He was about to put his heart on the line here, and a man needed a pep talk before that kind of thing. "You're good with dishwashers, which he clearly needs in his life, and you can help with all that other adult stuff while he's in school. You can do this. You can tell him that you want to go out on a date with him, but help him out even if he says no, because you are not that kind of prick. Okay. Okay." A breath, and then he moved on to his next pre-knocking conversation.

"Hey Tony. ... how do I know your name? Shit. Uhhh... Hey, my name's Bucky, I noticed you were home and... fuck. Don't make it sound like you been stalking him Barnes! ... hey. I'm Bucky, and I just haven't had a chance to welcome you to the neighborhood. Figured I'd do that now. ... Yeah. That works. That's good. Okay. Let's do this."

Knocking on Tony's door was the most nerve-wracking thing he'd ever done... at least until he had to stand there waiting for Tony to answer, fidgeting and fighting the urge to just bolt. "Hey, I'm Bucky... hadn't had a chance... figured I... Hey. I'm Bucky... welcome you..." He mumbled his prepared statement over and over, hoping that this wouldn't be another time when he forgot how to language. "Hey, I'm Bucky..."

It felt like three years before he finally heard feet running toward the door. He squared his shoulders and stood tall, lifting his hands in a quick attempt to make sure his hair was okay. Fuck, why hadn't he done that first?! No, Stevie woulda told him if it was a mess. He would have. So it was fine - his hair was good. "Hey, I'm Bucky, and I haven't had a chance-" The door yanked open halfway through what he'd meant to be his last rehearsal. He fixed a smile on his face, ready to meet his destiny... only to feel his eyes go wide and his mouth drop open.

Tony was covered in suds from thigh to toe, and it was clear that his socks and pants were sopping wet. Even his shirt was soaked until just below his armpits, his hands were dripping water, and he had probably been tugging on that hair Bucky would love to touch, because parts of it were plastered down or sticking up, and they were dripping too. Despite all of that, and despite the spots of color high on those perfectly carved cheekbones, Tony leaned against the door as casually as anything. "Hey," he sounded a little breathless, the only nod he gave to his current predicament.

"Hey Tony, I'm... uhm. I mean I wanted... welcome to the- wait, I'm Bucky, that was supposed to come first-" His brain was shrieking at his mouth to just stop, but it wasn't working, not even a little. "And I don't know you. I mean I know your... I, uhm... your mom, that first day you moved in, she... she said it a couple... not that I was watching!" If his feet weren't weighed down with the lead of shame, Bucky would have run right the fuck outta there. He wouldn't have even stopped at home to grab his clothes. He could buy new ones when he got to Siberia, to start his exciting new life as a Vodka salesman. "I mean. Uhm. What's up?"

Tony was staring at him, eyes wide, and fuck Bucky hadn't known his lashes were that long. He sure as shit was noticing now, especially as the man blinked slowly at him. He'd never been jealous of a cheek before, but since he was pretty sure he could die happy if Tony's lashes ever brushed over his skin like that, yeah. Yeah, he was super jealous of Tony's cheek. And God, he was jealous of his lower lip too, because Tony was biting and sucking it, and... God. If the earth wasn't willing to swallow him, he wished he could just die already. He was so, so far out of his league, and there was no way Tony would want him after that mess of an introduction.

"I'll just... go now..." Because he was clearly too late to stop the dishwasher disaster, and he needed to buy a plane ticket. He hoped he had enough in the bank... but tickets to Siberia had to be pretty cheap, because who the fuck would want to live there? Only completely awkward losers who couldn't even say 'hey' properly, that's who. Sighing heavily, he exerted the monumental effort it took to lift his heavy feet and started to turn, wondering if he'd have to call Stevie to let him know he would need to find a new roommate or if that was the kind of thing you could put on a postcard.

"No!" To his eternal surprise, Tony lunged forward and grabbed his upper arm. They were frozen like that for several heartbeats, eyes locked - Bucky would swear a wind started up to lovingly tousle both of their hair. When the moment broke, Tony still had a grip on Bucky's bicep, while his other hand went to run through his hair. "I mean - you don't have to go." Tony grinned, and Siberia suddenly seemed like a cold, lonely, terrible place. How could he ever have thought about moving away from the sun? "That was probably the most adorable thing I've ever seen." The dancing light in Tony's brown eyes had his chest puffing out with pride, even if he felt like maybe he shouldn't feel that way about his shitty attempt at a 'hey' being 'adorable'. "Was that all you wanted? To say hello?"

"Uh. I mean... are you okay?" He asked, making sure to gesture to Tony with the arm he wasn't touching. "You look a little... that's a lotta suds." Bucky knew he sounded like an idiot, but with Tony smiling at him and holding onto his arm, he didn't care quite so much. "Do you need... I'm really good with dishwashers." Oh, for the love of-

"Really?" Bucky wouldn't have thought Tony could get any brighter, but he'd have been wrong. His smile before had been just a beam of light - now Bucky was getting a look at the whole sun. "That's perfect! My dishwasher hates me, but my mom and Howard said I'm not allowed to take it apart and make it better, because I have to learn how to be a 'proper adult'." As he talked, Tony was waving his free hand in the air in an agitated fashion, pulling an unresisting Bucky into his house.

If he were honest, Bucky'd sort of been expecting the whole place to be a mess, based on what he'd seen going on in the kitchen. In reality, most of the rooms he saw looked barely lived-in at all. They were largely empty... soulless even. How could someone who exuded as much life as Tony live in such bare surroundings? It made him want to grab Stevie and get him to paint the walls with some of his murals, or maybe just adorn the walls with his regular paintings. He could grab some stuff from their attic, the things left over after he and Stevie had consolidated their things. He could maybe even make a few things himself, if he could negotiate some time in the wood shop from his boss...

Tony towed him into the kitchen, then pointed dramatically to the dishwasher. "See? It hates me!" The machine was still going, belching bubbles with every second that passed. Already there was a wave of them along with a good half-inch of water that was spreading over the floor - Tony had maybe tried to stop the machine or keep the bubbles from falling to the floor and that's how he'd gotten so wet.

"It doesn't hate you, Tony," Bucky told him patiently with and understanding smile. "You just aren't treating it right. What are you feeding it?" Tony wriggled a little, and Bucky thought it maybe was out of excitement.

"You talk my language! Great. Okay. So." He was gearing up to tell a Story, Bucky realized, fighting the urge to laugh. "I don't like to do dishes, because it's boring, and I have better things to do. Way better things."

"Like homework?"

"Like inventing the future," Tony's whole face glowed with quiet joy as he looked ahead, and all Bucky wanted to do was ask Tony to take Bucky with him as he ran toward tomorrow. "College is just to make Howard happy. Well, I mean, I'm meeting some pretty cool people - like Rhodey, who is like, the best friend ever. He gave me his coffee the other day. That is the definition of a good bro. And some of the classes aren't as boring as I'd thought they'd be, and maybe, okay, yeah, some of the professors do have things to teach me, so I guess it wasn't an awful idea. But I would have been fine without going! I could have figured it all out on my own."

"I know. I bet you could do anything." Tony looked over at him with wide brown eyes framed by heavy lashes; after a second they floated downward, hiding those beautiful brown eyes from view. He ducked his head in a gesture Bucky could only think of as shy, and then... God help him, Tony looked at Bucky from under those lashes, and he just... that was just... wow. His own expression was probably that of a deer in headlights, but he couldn't help it. "I... uh. You were gonna, you know, tell me about why the dishwasher is angry enough to foam at the mouth. But if you'd rather talk about college or your friends or whatever, that is completely fine. I'll just..." Bucky stripped off his jacket, tossed it on the counter and rolled up his sleeves as he eyed the machine. "Did you try to cancel the cycle?"

"You can do that?" Bucky couldn't help but laugh, because that... that question explained so, so much.

"Yeah. You can do that. If you want to go change, I can take care of this. Just... what did you use for soap, Tony?"

"Uhm." Bucky watched his eyes flit guiltily to the various soap boxes lined up on the shoulder... and a small bottle of hand dishsoap that had been opened.

"You didn't."

"I'm trying to find the right mixture! The one brand leaves weird smears but it smells really good, and another one doesn't get sudsy enough and another one gets too sudsy, and I guess part of me still remembers Jarvis teaching me to always use soap to wash dishes, and he was talking about the hand kind, so I just. I can't not add it sometimes, because it feels like I should, and..." Tony's hands, which had been flitting and circling in the air, came to a stop. "I don't really know what I'm doing." All of a sudden, he sounded tired and just a little bit lost. "I'm trying, because mom said it was the only way she'd get Howard to let me leave the house, but... I don't know. It's harder than I thought, I guess. I'm doing everything wrong, and I don't even... the rest of the house is all empty, and I... maybe I should have stayed at home. It was stupid to think I could do this alone."

Bucky's heart throbbed almost painfully in his chest, and without thinking he did one of the things he'd dreamed of doing. He reached out and wrapped an arm around Tony's waist, reeling him in slowly enough that Tony could break away if he wanted. The younger man didn't though, and Bucky was able to bring him to his chest, where he put his chin on Tony's head. "Life is hard, and being an adult sucks," he told Tony quietly. In return, Tony wrapped his arms loosely around Bucky's waist, giving a soft sigh into his chest. "None of us are good at it at first. I made a microwave explode once." Tony gave a laugh that sounded as wet as he was getting Bucky's shirt, so he tightened his grip on the younger man a little. "No, really - it was awful. And Stevie? Don't get me started on Stevie. My roommate," he clarified, in case didn't know. "Fucker breaks every piece of tech he touches. I won't even let him handle the remote anymore. He also can't do laundry for shit, and I can't cook anything but burnt tomato soup."

Tony was laughing against him now, so mission accomplished. "Thanks.... uh. You said your name was... Bucky?" Wow, that sure brought a guy back down to earth.

"Bucky Barnes. James technically but nobody calls me that. Well, sometimes Stevie when he's being a shit. I mean..." He stopped and took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling. "Fuck. I can't word right around you. Yes. Name's Bucky." Tony's fingers balled up the back of his shirt as he gripped in his fists, and when he peeked up, he was smiling.

"You're doing fine. And really - thanks. I sorta needed a hug today."

"No problem." Feeling brave with Tony hugging him back, Bucky bent his head to drop a light kiss to Tony's forehead. "Go get changed into something dry, and I'll fix this. Then... then maybe I could... uh. I mean, so you don't have to dirty any more dishes. But that's not why I'm asking! Jesus Christ. I've wanted to ask you out since the first time I saw you," he finally told the man bluntly, stomach full of clumsily flying albatrosses instead of delicate butterflies. "You were getting out of your car, smiling at your mom, and... and you were so beautiful, and you had the best laugh... but I couldn't... I didn't want to intrude. And then you were always leaving and in a hurry, and... right. Okay. I can do this." He buried his nose in Tony's hair and took a deep breath - when he did, he got the faintest whiff of engine oil, which made him smile. "Wanna go out for dinner once I placate your dishwasher?"

Tony leaned back far enough that their eyes could meet, the same glow surrounding him as when he'd talked about the future. "That sounds great. I'd love to."

Giving a whoop of victory, Bucky lifted a laughing Tony into the air and swung him around in a circle several times. When he set him down again, he pressed their foreheads together - he didn't think it was time for their first kiss, not just yet. "That's great. That's... the best really." he murmured, ignoring the voice that told him he should just take Tony out now and the dishwasher could go fuck itself. But that would be irresponsible, and he was trying to help Tony be an adult, soooo...

When he lifted his head to let Tony go, he caught sight of Steve through the window. His best friend gave him two thumbs up, and Bucky flipped him off behind Tony's back, not even trying to hold back the shit-eating grin on his lips. When Bucky Barnes said he was gonna get a boyfriend, he damn well got himself a boyfriend.

And he didn't even need to be able to language or word right.

#WinterIron #prompt fill #my fic #Bucky Barnes #Tony Stark #Bucky/Tony

[sakurar0se]

My Monthly Favorites - February 2020 Favorite Products & Briogeo Scalp Revival Product Reviews

by Rosy Day Blog

If you’ve read my previous favorites post for January 2020, then here I am doing another combo post. Once again I’ve decided to combine my monthly favorites post with some mini product reviews since the products I’m reviewing this month, also happen to be my February 2020 favorites. After doing a post a few months ago featuring a travel-sized version of a Briogeo product, they contacted me directly to see if I was interested in trying out their Scalp Revival line. I was already very interested in the brand, so naturally I jumped at the chance to try more from Briogeo.

Briogeo

You’ve probably seen Briogeo all over Instagram by now, but no they’re not just a fad or passing trend. In fact, one thing that I respect about Briogeo is that despite being in a market saturated in hair care (sometimes I feel like we’ve hit the peak) - Briogeo still manages to offer high-performance, naturally based hair care with actual visible results. Often times you do see a hair care brand being backed by some celebrity stylist, or sometimes even a celebrity themselves (an actress). Not trying to knock those off (I’m sure they’re all good and offer something for everyone in their own way), but Briogeo brings it back to the basics in a no-frills, just results kind of way. “Brio” is Italian for “vibrant and full of life” - also a nod towards their whimsical/artistic packaging. “Geo” is Latin for “of Earth and nature” - true to the brand’s potent, but natural recipes/formulas. While Briogeo has different lines within their brand, I will be specifically talking about their Scalp Revival line, which I definitely recommend if you have dry a and/or itchy scalp.

Disclosure:

I was not given anything in exchange for reviewing any of these products. I enjoy doing product reviews to share my own experiences with the product and hope someone finds it useful. I do not work for Briogeo. » View All Monthly Favorites

Clean & Silicone Free

Scalp Benefits:

*The following below was copied and pasted from a different post I've written a long time ago as my thoughts below are pretty much the same with regards to the Scalp Revival Line from Briogeo. Finding a good shampoo and conditioner that works for you is just like skincare. Some people might rave about some product, but what works for them may not necessarily work for you. I’ve always struggled off and on with a dry scalp. Often I would think my head looks ok before I leave the house (and I’ve just showered) and then mid-day when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror I see flakes forming like I just shook some salt on my head. I first tried using your typical dandruff shampoos but those only seemed to work temporarily and didn’t really tackle my issue. I eventually developed an itchy scalp. Then I figured I’d try shampoos directed towards a dry, itchy scalp, but the problem still persisted. I felt like I needed the hair care equivalent of an exfoliating scrub and hydrating mask. If my story sounds similar to yours or you have a similar problem, you might want to consider going clean and silicone-free due to the benefits below.

Healthier hair - Silicones coat your hair shaft giving it synthetic shine and potentially damaging your hair in the long run.

Hair is more moisturized - Silicone is hard to remove and prevents moisture and essential oils from getting to your hair shaft.

Less itchy/irritated scalp (which can lead to hair shedding) - Ever wondered why your scalp is so itchy, even after you regularly shampoo? Check to see if it contains silicone in the ingredients. Itching/irritation in general doesn’t do anyone any good. Hair will require less washing - While I do enjoy shampooing and conditioning every time I shower (it makes me feel clean & refreshed from head to toe), I do understand if you’re not able to wash your hair all the time. With silicone-free products, you can get by not washing your hair as much and not worrying about having greasy hair the very next day.

More volume - Especially if your hair is typically fine/flat, ditching the silicone will keep your hair cleaner, possibly giving it a more lifted look/volume.

Healthier curls - If you have curly hair, silicone is especially bad for it as it can’t slide off your strands as easily as someone with straighter hair. You can potentially have even greater product build up than someone with straight hair using silicones.

Detox + Exfoliate

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo

Sometimes a good (moisturizing) shampoo isn’t enough and you do need a bit of physical exfoliation to slough off the surface dead skin cells you already have on your scalp. According to Briogeo, “This unique shampoo infuses Binchotan charcoal to draw impurities from the scalp and hair follicle to provide the foundation for optimal scalp health.” Peppermint and spearmint oils feel cooling on the scalp and helps reduce itchiness while tea tree oil helps soothe irritation and inflammation. Finally coconut oil adds a bit of moisture to help prevent future dryness and flakiness. This definitely feels nice to massage on your scalp and you don’t necessarily have to replace your existing shampoo with this (if you already have a favorite). You can just use this micro-exfoliating shampoo 1-2 times a week or as needed. Depending on how bad your scalp condition is, you will have to consistently use this a few times until you get your desired result. Then you can dial back the usage a bit for maintenance. The only downside is that since this is in a jar, I’m constantly dipping my wet fingers into this and I feel like a bit of water from my shower always goes in. I feel like the consistency is watery enough to be in some kind of pump bottle Final Rating = 4/5 (Good but I’m sure the ~$42 USD for 8 oz. might turn some people away). » Buy Product

Soothe + Hydrate

Briogeo Charcoal & Tea Tree Scalp Treatment

I’ve never thought about massaging any kind of leave-in treatment onto my scalp until I came across this product. Similar to the Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo, this also contains Binchotan charcoal (to draw impurities), peppermint & spearmint oils (cools & reduces itchiness), and tea tree oil (soothes irritation & inflammation). Instead of coconut oil, this treatment has witch hazel to help balance your scalp and prevent it from getting too oily. Now this doesn’t feel as cooling on my scalp as the shampoo, but whenever I put this on an irritated spot, I do get a bit of that tingling sensation (nothing bad). With consistent use, this definitely works because I’ve been putting this on an eczema-like patch on the back of my head, and it’s been healing faster than before I started using this treatment. Now the patch is almost completely dry and I just have a few leftover dry flakes. This has made the biggest difference on my dry patches, so if you could only afford one product from the Scalp Revival line, I would recommend this. It comes in a small dropper bottle too, so it’s very travel friendly. I like to use this treatment at night before I go to bed and then use the Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo the next morning. The only thing is that I kinda wished this was in a larger bottle or they offered a larger size. Sometimes I just really wanna slather this on, but since it’s so small I have to restrain myself a bit. Other than that, I love this! Final Rating = 4.75/5 (Small bottle but mighty!) » Buy Product

Refresh + Balance

Briogeo Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo

I’ve only tried one other dry shampoo before, and it was the spray kind. Despite it having a brown tint to better blend into dark hair, it did not make my hair feel refreshed. Maybe because I tend to get a bit oily if I don’t shampoo everyday, but that dry shampoo weighed my hair down and didn’t give much life to it. This Briogeo dry shampoo is the complete opposite. Despite it feeling like you’re just squeezing baby powder all over your head, this actually does a nice job of refreshing your hair. Similar to the Scalp Treatment, this also contains Binchotan charcoal (to draw impurities), and witch hazel (to balance scalp). Clay, tapioca, and rice starches are also included to help absorb oil. And since it does combat the excess oil you might have, it also makes your hair have a bit more volume than before you used the dry shampoo. If I dare say, I looked almost as refreshed as if I had taken a shower and blow dried my hair (keyword: almost). Since the previous dry shampoo I used weighed me down (literally), this Briogeo one is my new standard for dry shampoos out there. I would definitely use this for traveling and lazy mornings. I think as long as you take the time to properly blend the dry shampoo into your hair, you shouldn’t have any issues with it (and I have black hair by the way). Final Rating = 4.5/5 (Unless you really dislike the thought of sprinkling white powder all over your head). » Buy Product

Massage Therapy

Briogeo Stimulating Therapy Massager

This in my opinion is the least necessary in the Scalp Revival line. It does not make it a bad product, just that if you don’t necessarily want to spend $16 USD on a scalp massager, you won’t be missing out on too much. However, if you can afford it/want it, you will find it useful. I like to use this in the shower to help spread the Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo, and I’ll sometimes use this on my scalp to help massage in the Scalp Treatment. Of course I can do all these things with my own hands, but I don’t always have nails to really scrub and massage things in. Let’s just say it’s both a luxury and a convenience - one that I definitely won’t complain about now that I have it. Can you buy a cheaper scalp massager? Of course, but I haven’t tried other scalp massagers so I wouldn’t be able to tell you, if you can find anything comparable or better than the quality of the Briogeo one. Definitely a neat beauty tool regardless, and one I’m happy to add to my beauty tools collection. Final Rating = 3/5 (Unless you already have a scalp massager that you love). » Buy Product

NATURAL + PERFORMANCED BASED HAIR CARE

In short, if you have tried everything including those cheap drugstore brands (Head & Shoulders I'm looking at you) and nothing has worked for your scalp problem (or possibly made it worse), then definitely look into the Briogeo Scalp Revival line. I was attracted to the brand in the first place because their Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo had good reviews on Sephora and they had a travel-sized version which I bought during one of Sephora's holiday sales. Of course Sephora reviews aren't always "accurate" in that you can still possibly hate a product despite it getting rave reviews. The small sized Briogeo Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo I tried that time was definitely worthy of praise. I'm thankful that Briogeo reached out to me to try more products after I posteda photo of the travel sized Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo on Instagram. I probably would have tried the other products anyway, but I'm constantly trying to budget so I'm not sure how soon I would have gotten the chance to, had Briogeo not sent me some products to try. Thank you Briogeo and I hope to try your Blossom & Bloom line in the future! If you have any questions about any of the products above, please let me know. Photo Credits: Briogeo

#skincare reviews

[chloecorvid]

For freshman going into art school: the bare bones recommendations

So ya chose to go to an art school... That’s great! 4 years of coffee and easy mac with a tin of paint thinner are in your future, friend! 

But what do you actually need for an art school? Do you need the master set of pastels and oils or do you just need a pencil? Honestly... It depends on the school. 

BUT!! From my own personal experience at the Kansas City Art Institute, I’m going to make a list of things to bring and what not to bring (at least on move in day). 

HERE WE GO!

The dorm.

Every college is different on how their dorms work. Some are communal (like KCAI) some are single room apartments. But these basics should help you know what to buy and what to leave behind 

( NOTE: every college has a different guide on what to bring and what not to bring. Please adhere to your school’s rules to avoid fines.)

YES list--the things you absolutely should bring

-mini fridge (2.5 cubic ft is good, if you share with your roommate you can go bigger)

-microwave; you OR your roommate. no one needs 2 microwaves.

-string lights. for when ya wanna see your desk but your roommate’s asleep.

-small trashcan. bring a pack of trashbags--draw string is the best.

-shower caddy/bag with flip flops. shower shoes are expensive, flip flops work the same. 

-house shoes. for those cold days and walking to the bathroom.

-a small shelf/storage ottoman/storage seat. You want to have space to store your dry foods and textbooks, but you wanna be able to have a seat other than your desk chair. 

-shoe organizer. whether it actually holds your shoes or not, this is great or organizing things. socks, cleaning supplies, hairspray and febreeze are off your desk and out of your closet. 

-door mirror. you can get some pretty good ones for cheap at walmart or target. be sure of your door dimensions first though. 

-2nd phone charger/long phone cable. for charging your phone in bed or at your desk. you never know how far away the outlet will be. 

-fairly new power strip. just to be safe and to plug all your stuff into. 

-body pillow if you don’t like cold walls. 

-a notebook for each class that involves reading or note taking. you might think you can use a binder for all your classes, but easier organization and lighter backpacks are always good. also keep a highlighter and pen with each notebook. it’ll be well worth it, trust me. no one likes losing pens on exam days. 

-at least 2 rolls of quarters (about $20). laundry. it costs $. at KCAI my laundry usually runs at $3.25 because i add a little more drying time. 

-some sort of storage for your desk that isn’t super heavy. I’m currently using both a plastic crate from walmart for books and a cardboard box to keep stuff away from where I work. 

-water filter pitcher. water purity is different everywhere, and even though the water may be clean, a lot of people get sick their first week in a new area just because of the water difference. a filter eases that discomfort just a bit more. 

-folding laundry hamper. I say folding because it’s easier on move in day and it holds more. win win!

-basic cleaning supplies. messes happen. 

-ETHERNET Cable. the wi-fi WILL go out while you’re at school. it’s just going to. so have an ethernet cable the proper length from the plug to your desk for your computer. (Note: ethernet is only best when the wi-fi is out. it connects to main campus computers and that’s dangerous. PLEASE only use when the wi-fi is down.)

___

NO!! list--leave this behind.

-your massive collection of books. I have too many here myself, but you’re not gonna read or use personal reference books as much as you think. Bring only what you use more than once a month. 

-stereo system. no one likes overly noisy neighbors. 

-pots and pans. unless you live in a swanky apartment dorm with a kitchen, you’re never gonna use that stuff. a coffee mug, bowl, and a microwave are as about as 4-star restaurant as you’re gonna get.

-movies in cases/videogames WITH cases. use a cd binder. works the same and saves space. 

-a bunch of fancy clothes. you’ll really only need 2, maybe 3 nice outfits in art school. pack 2 weeks of tops with 1 week of pants. saves space and laundry you have to do if you alternate weeks. coats, jackets, and cardigans are up to your style.

-anything that takes up more floor space than your fridge or ottoman. UNLESS you know for a fact that you’re gonna set up your desk under your bed in a “T” formation, there’s not much room. so consider a floor pouf or a cushion to go behind the ottoman to make a seat with a back.

-a bunch of purses, shoes, or hats. Again, UNLESS you know exactly how the room is laid out it’s hard to figure out space. if you use a purse, 2 maybe 3 is the most you’ll need. shoes are basically this: everyday, everyday #2, shoes for rain/snow, 2 pairs of nicer shoes, and flip flops for the room if you don’t use houseshoes. 

-your vast collection of coffee/tea mugs. I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to pick favorites. at most you’ll use 2-3. I personally only have 1 here and then I have my water bottle. 

____

Other than those things, check with your school list when it’s available to you to see what you need and what you don’t. Once you’ve filled the checklist THEN you can start bringing other things like books, pillows, electric kettles, irons, etc.

Every school is different, and KCAI has its own guidelines on what is or isn’t allowed. See what rules you can wiggle around and disguise based on your own needs. (aka not illegal stuff. duh. but like mattress pads and extension cords. 

Now that the dorm is covered, let’s get to actual art stuff! 

The short answer: every school’s different. and KCAI’s freshman/ foundations year is unique compared to other schools’. The reason being is that aside from animation and film, foundation year is like a free sample buffet on what majors there are. We have still lifes, charcoal, woodshop, illustration, writing, sculpture, painting, and individualized work all year. 2nd semester is when classes get more focused but still. it’s kinda crazy but really nice in the long run.

The budget that’s recommended IS a bit um... well... depends on the teacher. I personally had a teacher who liked for us to do a bunch of stuff without fully using our materials or would have assignments where new materials would run out and we’d have to buy more. 

A safe budget for supplies is about $200 per semester. Now, that’s for supplies only. Take into account food and amazon shipping and emergencies for the rest of your $. 

___

Stuff you’ll need that they don’t tell you in the beginning of the year

KCAI offers a “FOUNDATION KIT” at the beginning of the year that is about $250 all together. The list they give you is well organized so you can buy stuff on your own to save money. See what you already have or can buy for cheaper prices before you buy the kit. 

Now, again, every teacher is different. Here’s the BASIC list based on mine and other friends’ experiences. 

-glue gun.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. usually comes with foundation kit. I got a nice Superbonder dual temp. gun at Hobby Lobby with a stand. Works great and has a long cord. 

-more hot glue sticks than you thought was possible. sold in the KCAI campus art store. sculpture and cardboard are gonna be big parts in the beginning of the year, but you’ll be thankful later on. be SURE you’re using dual temp. sticks and the proper size for your glue gun. 

-sandpaper/ sandpaper block.   sold in the KCAI campus art store. not too expensive, like $5. the sanders are gonna be busy in woodshop. 

-safety goggles. sold in the KCAI campus art store. wood dust and/chips hurt. just get some simple safety glasses.

-masks. sold in the KCAI campus art store. not too expensive. get a new one every 3 weeks. about 2 needed in total. 

-measuring tape.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. OR go to walmart/home depot for cheaper. mine is a 12 ft self-lock one. it’s pretty good. 

-painter’s tape.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. I think it comes in the foundation kit, but you’re gonna run out. get at walmart for cheaper.

-(not a need but it’s super helpful) trashbag taped to your desk. saves trips to the trashcan and helps your space stay tidier. 

-speedball carver.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. to carve screenprinting rubber stamps when you get into pattern. PERSONALLY I ordered a set of wood whittling tools on amazon that work the same, were cheaper, and work on more than just rubber stamps (pumpkin carving!!) 

-baby wipes. you don’t really NEED these, as sinks exist, but when you work with charcoal and you don’t have enough time between the next drawing or lunch, these help a bunch. 

-push pins.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. teachers recommend the metal ones, I just use the clear plastic ones. less distracting when critiquing. 

-BIG ruler, more of a yard stick.  sold in the KCAI campus art store(?) I think it comes in the foundation kit, but you can always just buy a cheaper metal yard stick or share with a friend. 

-drawing pencils.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. comes with foundation kit. I’m not talking #2 pencil you use all the time, I’m talking 4B and 6H and such. Get a decent set with a sharpener. 

-vine charcoal.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. comes with foundation kit. this charcoal goes away FAST. get an extra box before classes start. 

-white chalk.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. for when your charcoal is just not erasing. 

-X-acto knife.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. comes with foundation kit. the blade is gonna dull down eventually so get an extra for later. 

-box cutter.  sold in the KCAI campus art store. think it comes with the foundation kit. Now, I personally am terrified of box cutters because I over-think injury possibilities, so I just use my x-acto knife (hello dull blades). But unless you’re a scaredy-cat like me, a simple box cutter is needed. 

-cutting mat, self-healing. sold in the KCAI campus art store (I thiiiiink). those weird green mats you see in sewing sections or on artist speed-draws? yeah you’re gonna need one. Big is good, small is fine too. 

___

Other stuff depends on the teacher. Trips to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Blick, Creative Coldsnow (kansas city), or other places for supplies IS gonna happen. If you don’t drive, find friends who are doing supply runs too and carpool. 

Art school is crazy and it’s fun, but it IS college. So keep a weekly schedule, take notes, and do your homework. 

Good luck! 

#kcai #art school #college life #sorry this was later than expected i got sick last night randomly #any other specifics ya wanna know message me

[1nkweaver]

DnD Question Masterpost: Pick

Here we go again 

If your character wasn’t an adventurer, what livelihood would they lead?

Pick really enjoys playing the drums so he would have actually enjoyed being a performer like a bard or part of a band or something. Being a goblin probably makes that kind of hard though.

Who in the party would your character trust the most with their life?

I would say mostly Kai because Kai wouldn’t want anyone in the party to die he’s quite sure, but knows deep down someone like Ida would save him and that pisses him off. He wants to be responsible for himself and not a burden on someone else.

What are your character’s core moral beliefs?

I should help the people that help me, and I want to make sure that what happened to me never happens to anyone else ever again. He’s Chaotic Good I believe, so he’s more inclined to helping people but he’s very ‘do to others as what is done to you.’

What relationship does your character have with their parents and siblings?

Pick had a lot of siblings in his clan and probably didn’t know who his parents were? I always imagine that Goblins just kinda...breed a whole lot. In a way your whole clan is basically your family, but it’s very competitive, so he probably didn’t care for them really. There was however another goblin he ended up meeting named Sprout who was like a sister to him.

Does your character have any biases for or against certain races?

He has a particular bone to pick with half orcs and elves, and a very complicated view on humanity as they have been both the best and worst to him. Honestly a lot of the more normal races he is inherently...jealous of, I suppose? He likes the freaks, weirdos, or small folk, which thankfully covers most of the party.

What is your character’s opinion on nobility? On authority?

Fuuuuuuck that shit dude. The little people are gunna rise up and tear that shit down.

Describe your character’s current appearance: clothes, armor, scars they’ve picked up along the journey, etc.

Standing at about 3′6′’ Pick has a sort of cloak/jacket with short sleeves and a hood that’s kind of a grayish blue, and then down his arms is various bandage wrappings, then his iconic bright red gloves. Under everything he has his leather armor which is dark blue, almost black, with a few little vials slipped into sleeves.A tunic under the armor which is what he mostly wears when not wearing armor. Handaxes strapped onto the back of his armor in his belt hidden away, a belt, simple tight trousers and little boots with buckles and a dagger in it. 

He has red tinted goggles and a scarf that he uses to hide his face when in town, and a strange big bundled up thing on his back at all times. He has yellowsh green skin, messy dark blue almost black hair, dagger like ears, snarled teeth, and a bat like nose with yellow eyes and red slit pupils. He has four fingers and toes, and a cow-like tail. His face is covered in dark green freckles and his whole body is covered with various scars, mostly on his palms and under arms, but also has a split lip and a large scar on his torso.

What location encountered in the campaign has your character felt the most “at home” in, or just generally liked the most?

I believe he and Anders may have spent some time in the town of Daggerford, or at least a small town near it, which Pick really enjoyed. The environment was nice and being close to the ocean was cool.

What deity, if any, does your character worship? What’s their opinion on other people’s worship?

Pick doesn’t care too much about the worship of gods by other people, but has a specific disdain for clerics and people who use healing magic, refusing to let it be used on him entirely. For himself, he takes a tip from game of thrones, “There is only one god and they are death, and what do we say to death? Not today.” That’s the majority of his faith, but he is at least a little spiritual.

If your character had time to pick up any artisan’s tools, game set, instrument, etc., what would it be?

He really likes his drums so I could see him maybe wanting to learn a new instrument, but he also would really like to take up sketching- not painters tools per se, but like little charcoal drawings perhaps. I think he’s mostly just unaware of what things you can learn otherwise I think he’d want to learn a lot! Music, tinkers tools, thieves tools, smithing? Sewing? He’d find it all interesting in the end.

What is your character’s current goal, summed up in one sentence?

Find him, and find him.

Does your character ever want to “settle down” with a spouse, children, house, etc.?

I think if Pick spent enough time thinking about it he’d realize that he does, but he needs to learn a few things first, he doesn’t know what it’s like to have a spouse and children really, he’d need someone to teach him what that’s like.

Has your character ever been in love?

I think he has but he doesn’t have a frame of reference for what love is.

What battle in the campaign has been most memorable to your character?

His introduction! Being introduced to the campaign as a pit fighter is great because you get to really play up the crowd, which includes your future party- and then I got chased by guards! haha, I’m in danger!

If your character wasn’t whatever class they are, what would they be instead?

Before Pick became a bloodhunter he was a different class! He would have been a Champion Fighter.

What is your character’s favorite season?

He likes the summer, the warmth is nice and it’s just the best choice in his mind out of the four. Spring has too much irritating pollen, winter is too cold, fall feels depressing. I suppose Pick is a sweet summer child.

What would your character’s Zodiac sign be, following stereotypical astrology?

Pick is a cancer

Where in the world does your character most want to visit?

He doesn’t know many places, he’s heard of cities like Waterdeep and Neverwinter which are interesting, and Baldur’s Gate has seemed kind of cool. But where he wants to visit he doesn’t know where it is, he’s looking for it.

What is the biggest mistake your character has ever made?

He wasn’t strong enough.

Does your character have any noticeable scars? If so, what are their stories?

Covered in scars all over his body, like a split lip and various other wounds (probably has torn up ears, etc) but the worthwhile story ones are:

-Cuts on his palms and arms from using his blood rites, and also emotional issues

-Scars on the back of his hands that he wont show anyone

-A wound on his torso from his time with Anders, either a bite mark or puncture wound

What animal best represents your character?

A big cat like a lion or tiger that you would see in the zoo.

If your character could go back in time and change one thing about their life, what would it be?

Not have gotten fucking caught.

Which other player character does your character find themselves having the most in common with?

He see’s a lot of himself in Jin’s personality, and in Ida for other reasons.

Does your character regret any particular choice the party has made?

Haven’t spent much time with the party but he fears staying in Baldur’s Gate for a few extra days might bite them in the ass.

What would your character say their best trait would be?

His tenacity probably. The boy doesn’t know when to quit, in a fight or in other areas, he’ll keep pushing and pushing. If someone is asking him to back off though that’s a different story and he will.

What is your character’s greatest fear? Deep, irrational?

Pick cannot stand silence for too long, especially for sleeping, there needs to be noise, and so he normally absentmindedly is playing his drums in like a stimming way or even like an OCD tendency. He also doesn’t like closed off spaces.

What is currently motivating your character to stay with the party?

He was told to find them, basically, by someone he trusts.

What are your character’s hobbies and interests outside of their class?

He really does enjoy playing his drum, it makes him happy in a way that fighting doesn’t. Even if he’s not an artist he also likes to draw. He also personally loves to collect things like badges and medals, signs of authority. He finds it funny.

What would most people think when they first see your character?

What the fuck is this little angry man (if disguised) or maybe “Oh fuck a goblin?”

What stereotypical group role does your character play in the party? (The Mom, the Mess, the Comic Relief, etc. Optionally: What role would your character play in the “Five Man Band” structure?)

I guess right now he’s the guy that’s...forcing everyone to get their shit out, but he’s also kinda the loose cannon spitfire to accompany Jin.

What is your character the most insecure about?

He knows he’s inherently aggressive and thereby normally unlikable. He’s aware that he like talks to much and is kinda brazen and out there and sometimes he wishes he could like...cool it for a hot second.

What person does your character admire most?

Anders. It’s no question.

Why is your character’s lowest stat their lowest (the in-character reason, not “because there’s no reason for a wizard to have 16 strength, duh”)?

I made Pick’s lowest stat charisma because while I think he has a charismatic way of speaking he’s also meant to come off as kind of graty and annoying because he’s so IN YOUR FACE about things, that and the fact that as a goblin I dont see him as being particularly attractive, and so puts people off just based on his race alone.

What would be your character’s theme song/favorite band/favorite genre of music?

Hard rock or punk music, and anything with some really sick drum riffs. I think he could like anyone from Muse to AC/DC

What stereotypical role would your character play in a high school AU/if they attended a normal high school? (Nerd, jock, bully, goth, etc.)

He’s kind of jocky, like I can see him being sporty but almost...picked on by the other jocks because of his size? He might also be like the “bad boy”

What treasure/item/artifact that your character has collected during the adventure is the most important to them?

The thing on his back for sure, that he keeps all bundled up.

Is there any particular weapon, item, etc. that your character longs to find?

He’d love to find something that could change how he looks like a hat of disguise ( that he doesn’t know the party has) or just something that allows him to...be different visually I guess. In terms of weapons I mean I think he’d love any kind of badass sounding weapon, like a sword that catches on fire. Or a sentient weapon, he’d think that’s SUPER COOL.

Where does your character feel the most at home?

In a tent in the middle of the woods by the campfire with Anders.

Does your character care about how they’re perceived by others? How do they change themselves to fit in with other people?

He both really cares about it and really doesn’t. He used to have some resentment issues of like “I wish I wasn’t a goblin” but Anders tried to squash that feeling in him and it mostly worked. He is trying to love himself but also I think feels he’s incapable of like...getting actual love from someone bc he’s a goblin.

What does your character think is the true meaning of life?

He was asked that a while ago and he’s still trying to figure it out before he meets that person again.

What is your character’s scent? (Bonus points for a description that sounds like it could be from a bad [or awesome] fanfic.)

God he probably smells disgusting. He doesn’t really bathe much and he’s all dirty and covered in dried blood and other shit...he probably smells really bad and smells a lot like gore or blood.

Does your character think more with their heart or their brain?

He would say he thinks with his gut, but with that not an option I’d default to heart.

What is your character’s most recent or frequent nightmare?

Being back in that place again.

What opinion does your character have on [CERTAIN ESTABLISHED GROUPS/AUTHORITIES IN THE GAME WORLD]? (Dragonmarked Houses, royal crown, etc.)

Pick has learned that there are certain power structures that are enjoyed by the elites of society that he really, really hates. They dont stand for good things and only seek to exploit, and he wants that to end, mostly through him committing a lot of violence on some people.

How did your character spend their childhood? Where did they grow up/who were their childhood friends?

Pick grew up in the north with his goblin clan, though most of his memories from that time aren’t super well known. A lot of them were his siblings, cousins etc, and he was regarded with a little respect as he was a bit smarter than the average goblin, so he was good at trapping and hunting. The rest is a blur.

What aspect of your character’s future are they most curious about? (If they could know one thing about the future, what would it be?)

Where the fuck is he.

What colors are associated with your character?

Red red red, and like faded steel grays and blues.

Who in the party would your character prioritize rescuing, in dire circumstances?

Probably Kai or Siril, but more in a stand in between them and an enemy rather than like, pulling them out of a burning building.

Is your character the most swayed by ethos, pathos, or logos?

Somewhere between pathos and ethos but mostly ethos, he wouldn’t really speak on things that weren’t in his knowledge base.

If your character was granted a single use of Wish, what would they use it for?

God I dont know if one use of wish is enough. I suppose he’d get started by using it to finish the task that was given to him.

What is your character’s favorite spell? If they don’t use spells: what is their favorite personal weapon/combat maneuver/skill/etc.?

He only uses it as a last resort, and it hasn’t come to that yet.

How does your character feel about keeping secrets from the rest of the party?

Pick fucking hates secrets. He wants everyone’s shit out and in the open including his own as soon as possible because  he needs to know if they can help him or not.

What type of creature in the world is your character the most intrigued by?

Since his becoming a blood hunter, which he doesn’t really know that’s what he is, he’s found himself drawn to their specific quarries, and he’s curious about why that is. Things like fey, fiends, etc.

When they were a child, what did your character want to be, or think they were going to be, when they grew up?

Pick dreamed of being the “leader” but figured he’d die way before that happened.

The player character to your left admits that they’re passionately in love with your character. How would your character respond?

Doesn’t matter who it is because clearly you’re just making a joke at him.

If somebody (an NPC, someone from their backstory, etc.) your character trusts/loves asked your character to do something against the party’s best interest, who would they side with?

Oh he’d 100% go with the person from his past because he’s only with the party to get back to them. He’s just not been with the party long enough to care.

Does your character value their own best interest more than the party’s?

Most definitely, he just met them and I think unless things get real serious real fast it will be that way for a while.

What decision would the party have to make in order for your character to consider splitting off from the group?

Not respecting the boundaries he set, or doing to someone what was done to him.

How does your character imagine the way they will die?

Right now he’s holding on to the fact that he can’t, and wont, and will go kicking and screaming against a God if he has to to not.

What is your character’s greatest achievement?

Surviving, through everything. Being a champion when he was supposed to be the fodder.

Is your character willing to risk the well-being of others in order to achieve their goal?

Yeah I think he’d consider it the greater good.

What is your character’s opinion on killing others?

There’s some people that really need to die like right now, no issue with killing whatsoever.

What is your character’s favorite food? Beverage?

I think he’d like something savory over something sweet, definitely something nice and buttery like a really good corn on the cob.

How generous is your character? Especially to those they don’t know?

His twitch instinct is to be an asshole, and then immediately feel bad and try to do something nice and be giving. He was told that the thing you do second is who you really are, and your gut reaction is what you were taught. He’s trying to reteach himself.

What is your character the most envious about, regarding anyone in the party?

How someone can have so much more than him and not even understand how good they had it, and then still seem so upset.

The player character to your left and the player character to your right are both telling your character two different versions of the truth. Who does your character believe?

Whatever version of the story is more exciting or funny.

What is your character’s sexuality/relationship with sex?

I think sex to him is a very like...animalistic instinctual thing? Kinda just by nature of being a goblin I think he really feels the need to have sex in that sake. But also I think sex might have been messed up in his brain, and so now he’s just all confused about it. He needs someone to teach him what healthy sexual experiences are. If he explored that he would discover he is probably homosexual. 

What is your character’s biggest pet peeve?

Someone who always thinks they know the best thing to do, a self appointed leader. Someone who writes off others.

Describe how your character feels about the party’s current situation/objective/etc.

What exactly are you all doing?? Do you actually want me here?? Why are you all so dang secretive even with each other, how the fuck is this going to work.

Who in the party would your character trust the most to keep an important secret?

Siril, I think of the percy quote “Your secret is safe with my indifference” and I think that’s just how Siril would treat a secret.

If your character knew that they were going to die in a month, how would they spend the rest of their life?

He’d be doubling down on what he has to do because now theres a time limit put on it. Or he’d have to find someone he trusted real fast to get them to do it. He’d also probably be crying a lot.

What makes your character feel safe?

An open space, being able to choose where he can go at any given moment. 

If your character had the chance to rename the party/give the party a name, no questions asked, what would it be?

The Breakfast Club

What memory does your character want to forget the most?

I think it was too long to be able to forget all of it, but lets go with the first night.

If your character had to multiclass into a class they currently aren’t the next time they level up, what would it be and what reason would they have for doing so?

Fighter, it’s the closest to what he is and it would basically just be a case of “going back to basics” with what he used to know.

What television/book/video game/etc. character would your character be best friends with? (Or: what media character is your character the most influenced by/similar to?

Deadpool

What unusual talents does your character possess?

I always thought his skill with alchemy and the drums would impress people, and I like to think maybe he can do like weird body things like pop a joint out or contort his body in a weird way to freak people out.

How does your character feel about receiving/giving orders? Are they more of a leader, or a follower?

It’s the most complicated thing for him because he’s gone back and forth being in charge and being a follower, and he’s followed good people and bad people. He understands orders are needed but also sometimes someone tells him what to do and it just makes him absolutely snap.

What does your character’s name represent to them? (Or: why as a player did you choose your character’s name?)

“He’s small, green, crunchy and sweet (or sour), he’s Pickle!” sung like a jingle to a commercial.

Is your character more of an introvert, or an extrovert?

I think he’s pretty damn extroverted.

How far is your character willing to go to pursue the “greater good”? Do they believe in a greater good at all?

He’s prepared to go pretty damn far, and that’s also what I think Anders saw in him, because Anders was also just as willing.

What does your character want to be remembered by?

That that stupid little goblin that everyone overlooked fucking won.

What would be your character’s major in college?

Chemistry? Or maybe music, because he likes music a lot. I think he’d honestly maybe just drop out tho lol.

Does your character consider themselves a hero, villain, or something else?

I’d say maybe he’s an Antihero? Or like a vigilante kind of deal? He likes seeing people he hates consider him their own personal villain tho.

What major arcana tarot card best represents your character?

I’ll go with....judgement

Where does your character see themselves in 20 years?

Hopefully with all of this long behind him, everything is solved and he’s got a ton of gold and anything else he wants.

What is your character’s relationship with magic? Are they scared of it, wish to know more about it, indifferent to it?

All magic was made to hurt people.

Who is your character’s biggest rival?

Sebastian.

What is your character’s guiltiest pleasure?

That he enjoys hurting people for money in fighting rings. Like he’s got this weird pleasure with gore and crushing bones and things like that, but then also really hates that he likes it, he thinks he’s fucked up.

What does your character hope for the afterlife?

I think it scares him so he ignores it. I guess he hopes he’s seen as doing what was right.

Who in the party does your character trust the least?

Siril, just because he’s unpredictable.

What is your character’s biggest flaw?

He’s someone that needs help and knows he needs help but he’s both too aggressive and too prideful to ask for it.

How did your character learn the languages that they speak?

Raised knowing goblin and he just knows common otherwise babey.

What is your character’s favorite school of magic/type of weaponry?

He really does take a liking to using his axes, but I think he’s still trying to find the perfect weapon, they’re all interesting. He wishes he could just punch things but he’s not that strong.

What is most important to your character: health, wealth, or happiness?

Happiness, wealth, health. Fuck health it’s always shit.

What advice would your character give to a younger version of themselves?

You are way way stronger than you think you are, fight.

Are there any social or political issues your character feels strongly about?

I think if he learned that theres certain power structures in place in the world that are pseudo-legal he’d get very very upset.

What, currently, is your character the most curious about?

How the fuck do I talk to Ida

[albertobelanger018-blog]

Is it possible to build custom smokers?

If you build your own custom smoker, you will be able to get just the features you need, with your preferred source of heat. Whether you are using charcoal, gas, or electric, there are several considerations that go into the basic design. Learn the important choices to make when building a smoker.

Smokers are actually basic cooking devices. They generate smoke and heat in controlled portions while providing the space and versatility needed to smoke a wide range of foods. The basic idea is to have two areas in the smoker. One area is where heat and smoke are created at the necessary temperatures to do the cooking while the other area holds the food in a temperature controlled, smoky environment. The vents and connections between these spaces provide the airflow necessary to keep the heat and smoke traveling so that an excess of smoke doesn't build up that can make food bitter.

Airflow

Airflow is the most important part of a smoker. Connecting pipes bring smoke and heat from the fire chamber into the food chamber and smokestacks vent smoke out of the cooking chamber. This is important because an excess build-up of smoke will ruin your barbecue. In a working smoker, convection draws in the air over the fire. The heated, smoky air rises into the cooking chamber and then vents through the stacks.

Traeger Junior Elite Review http://www.bbqdelish.com/traeger-junior-elite-review-versatile-pellet-grill-smoker-at-its-finest

Temperature Control

You can achieve temperature control through adjustable vents which limit airflow or you can do it by using a controllable heat source. A controllable heat source the easiest way to smoke because you don’t have to deal with fire tending and vent adjustments. This also allows for a very simple smoker design. Take for instance an electric trash can smoker. The design is very simple. An electric hot plate provides heat while wood chunks in a pan on the hot plate provide smoke. The temperature control of the hot plate allows for direct heating of the cooking chamber. This can also be accomplished with a gas burner.

Portability

Now while you've got the basic principles in mind you first need to think about whether or not you want your smoker to be portable. Portable doesn't necessarily mean it can be loaded into the back of a pickup, but simply that you could move it at all. Smokers can be permanent fixtures on your property or they can be set up and moved if necessary. For instance, you could have a beautiful brick unit with lots of versatility and plenty of smoking space, however, you won't be able to move it to another location in your backyard.

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Materials

Brick or stone smokers have a lot of advantage over other kinds of smokers. Brick holds heat, so once one of these smokers is up to temperature it will hold that heat very well. This levels the heat spikes that can occur in many metal designs. With a permanent structure smoker you can also add in all the features you might want. Electricity and plumbing can be added to the unit giving you a lot more versatility to your outdoor cooking area.

Of course, just because you want to use bricks or blocks doesn’t mean you can’t make a temporary or non-permanent smoker. For example, you could make a temporary hog cooker out of cinder blocks filled with sand and some tin roofing. It is perfect for a temporary smoker if you are planning a big “pig pickin’” or even a luau.

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Skills

Now that I have you thinking about whether or not you want a permanent, fixed smoker you need to access the most important resource you have on hand—your abilities. If you are up to welding and masonry then you probably have all the skills you need to make any kind of smoker. However, if you don’t feel you have the skills or perhaps access to the tools you should try looking at a different type of smoker. It’s best to start out with what you know and work your way up from there. Many of the people who have made impressive smokers have started out small and worked their way up. Nothing counts like experience.

DIY Smokers

In recent years, the hot item in the build it yourself smoker is the Drum Smoker, or Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS), though increasingly they are not very ugly. Made from a 55-gallon steel drum, these are easy to make, easy to use and work very well. While there are a number of people making this style of smoker, there are also several making DIY kits that include everything except the drum. These kits tend to cost around $200 (again, without the drum), so this isn't exactly a discount proposition, especially when you consider that you can buy the Pit Barrel Cooker for around $300. The advantage to making your own drum smoker is the experience and that it can be customized however you wish.

Whatever material you choose to use it needs to be durable enough to withstand the temperatures. It needs to take the abuse over time and not contain parts that will break down or produce fumes. Stone, brick, and metal are all good choices. Beyond that, you could get into trouble. So no matter what type of smoker you choose to build, plan it out well, experiment as you go and have fun.