oce

And we do need to apply a critical eye at times to our own work and the works of others because we can inch down that sliding scale towards those takes. We need to be more media literate, we need to read and engage things that aren’t romantasy or new adult novels. Get out of the bubble.

Because the same “argument” can be applied there. Well, they’re just having fun and enjoying themselves, aren’t they? They’ve just changed things about the character and it’s “not that serious”. But we can all recognize how grave and problematic such changes are.

But filing edges off a character can stray into uncomfortable territory negotiating authorial intent with regard to arc (see: Astarion and trauma) or with regard to diversity. Certain things may seem small but pave the way for horrific takes like white Wyll or male Aylin.

I will never voice criticism to an author unless they ask explicitly for concrit, but that doesn’t mean I’m prohibited from criticizing something internally. And others are free to enjoy works as they please.

But shaping a character into what a fan author wants them to be can run into problematic territory even if you’re “just having fun”. Enjoyment is separate from criticism. You are free to enjoy an activity or work and others are free to critique it, so long as that is not aimed at the author.

You can write AUs etc but you have to understand what defines said character and how to translate that into a separate setting. This is always something difficult with adaptation and especially with “retellings” of things.

When we view visual art we have an expectation of features to recognize as a character or individual. Without those features it becomes difficult to associate the image with the character. Writing is the same. Without particular traits and tics and defined views, it’s hard to recognize a character.

Agree hard and a couple things:

This isn’t geared at OCs because they don’t have an official canon the way an established character does. But internal consistency is something to consider when writing a character original or otherwise and something I see many struggle with.

#vigilmaker nsfw practice using old sketches

And I’m not being nice anymore. Not with a history of homophobia etc. behind this individual. Maybe nobody is giving you comments or reading because you’ve burned so many bridges.

Seeing “gentle reminder to comment and kudos fics you like because I’ve stopped getting comments and I can’t motivate myself to write” from someone who openly brags about only reading her own fanfic is a fucking take. What happened to all your “write for yourself” posts you reblogged??

Love how that whole Age of Scorpius pity soapbox blog post conveniently leaves out the part where Winter was seeking angel investors for the “multimedia studio”. When are we going to stop giving this individual the benefit of the doubt amidst changing narratives and straight up lies?

#vigilmaker bonding time

One of the things you learn as an ancient historian is that when you sit next to a white guy on a plane and they ask you what you do, you are going to to need to tell them that you are an accountant.

Because we can’t afford to eat or…???

The Creative Essence of Zohran Mamdani's Ascent The sentiments that drove his inspiring campaign should be familiar to any artistic soul.

“Or as the Ancient Roman author Pliny the Elder wrote, ‘How many things, too, are looked upon as quite impossible until they have been actually effected?’”— the splendid @hrag.bsky.social on Mamdani’s win.

Say his name and pronounce it correctly. It’s a new day, y’all.

So sorry Rose, feel better asap ❤️

Think back to how you felt a year ago when Trump was reelected.

Now think about how you feel after last night's election.

You volunteered. You went to protests. You didn't check out.

You put in the work required for our democracy — and it's paying off.

Remember this.

‘Royal’ road, ‘royal’ needs: a GIS-based approach to Achaemenid court logistics between royal capitals of Susa and Persepolis | Antiquity | Cambridge Core ‘Royal’ road, ‘royal’ needs: a GIS-based approach to Achaemenid court logistics between royal capitals of Susa and Persepolis

Listen, this GIS-based approach to revising ideas about the Achaemenid Royal Road (550–330 BCE) is a great example of why digital humanities continues to be necessary and transformative within history. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Pose referenced from the Pose Archives!

Mamdani: "We believe in standing up for those we love. Whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the many Black women that Donald Trump has fired from a federal job ... your struggle is ours too."

Quick sketch because I miss the wizards. This was intended for thunderweave week but life fell apart then and I wasn’t able to finish it. #thunderweave

MSNBC calls NYC for Mamdani

Mamdani won… In the trend of Chicago and now New York getting high quality mayors after utter trash fires I’m now manifesting a good mayor for Los Angeles. 🤞

An ancient four-sided clay stone inscribed on all sides with cities and their rulers

The Sumerian King List is one of the most famous objects in the Museum, and one of the most important records from ancient Mesopotamia.

It lists a succession of cities, their rulers and the length of their reigns from the beginning of time to around 1800 BCE.

Absolutely ridiculous that an unpaid volunteer position (which I’ve been involved with for 6 years) is now subject to layoffs and mandatory reapplication. My unpaid labor is too good for this and I’ve been through too much already, so au revoir.

it's time for journos to start asking Johnson meta questions

"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"

I’m making my 2026 resolution 2 months early, and it’s just “stop interacting with people”. 😔

Death at the feast. This memento mori mosaic once decorated the dining room floor of the House of Polybius in Pompeii. A grinning skeleton holds a wine jug in each hand as a reminder to enjoy the delights of the banquet while you can. 💀

A memento mori (remember that you have to die) mosaic featuring a skeleton with the Greek inscription Γνῶθι σαυτόν (know yourself). From the excavations at the convent of San Gregorio, Via Appia. Dated to the 3rd century AD.

Baths of Diocletian Museum, Rome.