Aranea Serket
@anyphaenidsGrandeur
Sylph of Light. 8eforan. Cerulean. Please do not inquire a8out my past atrocities.
I shouldn't have scrolled down on my feed. #Dashwatching
i can not help but be curious! it is ok if you do not want to get into it though.
There is just a weariness that accompanies the experience of interacting with many other trolls. The way that there isn't just a division among castes, 8ut 8etween universes. I was initially pleased to 8e a8le to have the chance to engage with 8eforus again, a relic of the past dragged into the present. 8ut it is like oil and water when Alternians and 8eforans interact sometimes. I can't even say I 8lame the Alternians for their frustrations. It serves as a reminder of a guilty wish of mine to have always had 8een hatched an Alternian, rather than what I am and can't change. You can't undo where you come from. It makes me simultaneously nostalgic and a little ashamed.
We're not *that* 8ad, are we? #Iknow #Wearekindofthat8ad
#leijonwriting #eridanweek #longpost You were never particularly invested in the daily melodrama of Eridan Ampora. It had not even necessarily occurred to you to even think a8out him that often. As far as you were concerned, he was just another pawn 8eing used on the cosmic 8oard, 8eing su8jected to Skaia's whims as helplessly as you were. Never even 8reaching his monumental personality flaws. You pinch the 8ridge of your nose as he approaches you. You were expecting a quiet evening at the local tavern. Nothing too extravagant, just people watching. You guess that that was too much to ask as your hopes were swiftly dashed upon the rocks, 8ut there is no steep cliff for you to gracefully 8ow out of this conversation. "Hey," he greets you, his deadpan cadence somehow failing to hide his eagerness. "This place is a fuckin wwash, right? Havve you evven 8een inside the pitiful excuses for a8lution 8locks? You'd 8e 8etter off havvin a soak in the 8ay at lowwtide." Neither of you laugh at his attempt to 8r8k the ice. He shifts uncomforta8ly for a moment, 8row creasing at your lack of response. He sits down on the stool next to you, heaving a sigh of frustration. "Fine, I get it. Can't fuckin 8elievve a wwaste of genetic material like you thinks they're too good for a little chit chat wwith real no8ility, 8ut sure, yeah, I get it. Like I don't already fuckin knoww howw evvery8ody thinks of me." You feel a pang of, no, not pity, *sympathy.* You make it a point to keep those feelings very, very separate when dealing with his ilk. You tap your fingers against your half-empty glass contemplatively. "...How are you, Eridan?" you finally ask. His eyes light up, and you realize with a sinking feeling that his ploy had worked on you. "A8out time you found your tongue," he says. "Anywway, I'm doing horri8ly. Evverythin's 8asically untena8le and we should all 8e collectivvely wwringin our necks ovver how fucked it all is. Me in particular, I'm fucked. You think you could givve me some a that wwisdom you're alwways so purportedly toutin a8out?" You feel your eye twitch. You suppose that you did, at some point, have a conversation with him in the past, though you can scarcely recall it with any sem8lance of clarity. One of your weaker moments. You momentarily consider just telling him to fuck off and to leave you alone, 8ut you are, regretta8ly, a nosy sort of person. Despite everything, you do have a sincere sort of fascin8tion with him. Similar to watching a scuttle8uggy crash in slow motion, you can't help 8ut o8serve with keen interest as Eridan Ampora trips and stum8les over the course of his existence with a profound resign8tion staining his soul. You know that for all of his posturing and grasping at dignity, he su8consciously has already decided that he is not good enough. Whatever "good enough" even entails in a 8road scope. You indulge his emotional theatrics in the 8ar that night. He even sometimes says something funny, although if they were altogether intentional you weren't sure. You reacted positively and that incited him to keep going. You've heard it all 8efore, however. Friends who've cut him off, potential alliances that never made it past the har8or, the occasional 8emoaning of romantic struggles. You're not 8ored. He is theatrical enough to keep you engaged with his performance, 8ut you try not to interject too often, and only say that which he wants to hear. You really don't think you can handle 8eing a pillar of emotional support for him, much less invest yourself into the monumental task of "changing" how he thinks and feels. Hours pass. He stands to his feet and stretches. "This wwas a good talk. Let's do this again sometime, yeah? Yeah. I think wwe can make this into a wweekly thing, wwhat do you think? Actually, scratch that, I'll let you knoww wwhen wwe should hang out again." You say nothing. He seems fine with that. You think you might've 8ecome his friend? You'll 8e honest, you're not sure how many times you've accidentally hung out with him, 8ut you're 8eginning to question if this is a pattern that you've fallen into. Or worse, you're actually his friend. You hope you're not endeared to him. Oh, right, and two guys were kissing at the 8ar the whole time you two were conversing. Yaoi.
What on Alternia have my eyes chanced upon this eve.
I saw a challenge and I welcomed it, as a nice little 8ow to wrap up Eridan week and 8e rid of the whole thing.
Hm. #Vague #Almostasvagueasitgets
#Rankings I'm 8y no means all that invested in this game(I'm more of a Fiduspawn troll), 8ut I at least wanted to share my own categoriz8tion of the starters in terms of pure personal preference. 8ear in mind that I don't dislike any of them, some of the designs just don't speak to me as much as others. https://i.imgur.com/MN3R3xm.png
I just find it to 8e exemplary among grass type starters. It's quite the stand-out among its peers.
Oh! I should mention...I am always availa8le to listen to interesting stories or esoteric historical facts! I try to gather as much relevant data as I can, 8ut sincerely, if anyone has any inquiries a8out certain matters, I am a pretty well-versed scholar of history and folklore. Don't hesit8te to DM me questions and we can make an exchange! ::::)
I don't 8argain with unidentified extraplanar identities in the 8est of circumstances.
We would 8e here for over twenty sweeps of I just kept ela8orating on game lore constantly, 8ut I suppose I'll share with you this tid8it. The Denizens A8raxas and Yalda8aoth have 8een theorized to 8e a rare "duality" set of denizens, their opposing forces not necessarily 8eing as straightforward as aligning with any particular aspect like many of denizens do.
There was a certain point where I had hit a halt in my studies on certain aspects of Alternia...particularly those related to that of its sinister orchestrator. Certainly there were legends aplenty a8out the Demoness and her duty towards a mysterious master, 8ut most of the mythology directly regarding the actual lord she served were frustratingly vague. This was no dou8t 8y design, though. I already struggle to glean meaningful writings from the church of the mirthful messiahs, 8ut there is strong evidence suggesting that there certainly was something that they knew a8out the apocalypse and how it correlated to the Lord of Time. What has remained a frustrating mystery has 8een the machines. Twin gates decorated with cheru8 heraldry and a certain key. It's really a shame that there isn't a relia8le source of recollection I can uncover. May8e in due time I'll 8e a8le to find out more.
oNE TIME, i THOUGHT i SAW, tHE dEMONESS, bUT IT WAS JUST, a FENCE,
May8e she really was there and the fence was a mere distraction.
tHAT IS WHAT, i TOLD MY LUSUS WHEN HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME, bUT HE JUST, sNRFFED, aT ME,
Initially I was rather excited to see a few iter8tions of figures from 8eforan history occasionally popping in on this we8site, 8efore I remem8ered that the luster of gr8 trolls of legend loses a little 8it of their allure once you realize who they actually are. Which I suppose is simply people. Still! There is some historical merit to 8e gleaned from it that I hope I can actually use. Even if this particular social media site doesn't seem to 8e the most useful for more scholarly pursuits. If you look at it in a certain way, taking on the role of a more passive o8server would 8etter suit my research on Chittr users? I'll have to think on it.
it's not really a big help, but i think if you were just observing you would miss out on a lot of the inquisitive opportunities that come from saying stuff!
Certainly a fair point, which is why I've thus far stayed my hand on going completely radio silent. Never even mind the fact that I would get a little 8it lonesome.
yeah, being lonely sucks! plus you're really good at describing and talking about stuff!
There's a certain human cele8r8tion tomorrow of some manner of anthropological intrigue! The hop8east of "Easter" is actually a 8it more of a nuanced figure than just some animal doling out eggs. Apparently, it also acted as a judge for human children, similar to the "Saint Nick" that is cele8r8ted with another Christian holiday. Now, much like with the jolly old human, the Easter Hare also has alleged associations with paganism and old gods, specifically to that of springtime, 8ut there's never 8een any real evidence of this other than popularized hearsay.
All in all, it could have 8een worse. Some of the Trickster Frenzies I've seen were...w8, Troll 8runo Mars what?
Comparing heights is always an interesting social engagement that crops up every so often. Height has always 8een somewhat of a point of asserting dominance on others, hence why high8loods 8eing tall is actually slightly more common than low8loods. It could certainly 8e a cluck8east or the em8ryo situation in which taller high8loods were more successful at 8reeding over the eons or if high8loods are just naturally inclined towards 8eing vertically gifted. Naturally, there are excpetions...
If I were a lesser troll, I'd say "I told you so."
honestly it was not actually that bad! i just hope no one severely regrets it when they sober up.
if anyone does then i hope i might be able to comfort some of them. it was fun but i can understand if some people felt they went too far.
I pro8a8ly should have 8een tagging my posts regarding the lollipop juju as su8tance a8use. I just 8arely conceive of such an o8ject as an actual drug rather than...I don't know, a cosmic o8ject? Jujus are in that strange territory 8etween actual magic and game logic in some situ8tions, after all. I would more hearken it to a "power up transformation." Your 8oundless potential made manifest in glittery colorful form! It just so happens to also completely o8liter8te your impulse control. So. I guess it is a 8it of a drug. #su8stancea8use
One of the facets of the lollipop juju that I find to 8e strangely compelling is how it constructs a certain narrative in an im8i8er's mind. The trickster juju doesn't just serve as a happy drug that kills your rational thinking, it also has a secondary effect. It also has one effectively attempt to "crush" whatever pro8lems they could 8e undergoing, psychological or otherwise. It's why it's much more useful as a stimulant for cheru8s, who don't ordinarily have the social capacity to work out whatever insecurities they might 8e dealing with. It leads to an interesting phenomenon wherein one under its effects undergo rapid "character development," or at least try to frame their actions as such. Overcoming adversity and worry with just a lick of a lolly rather than the muck and toil of gradual healing. The tempt8tion is understanda8le.
Imagine 8eing capa8le of venting all your frustr8tions and fears without the anxiety that accompanies vulnera8ility. A total release of inhi8itions alongside the sincerest 8elief that this is *good* for you. Scary thought.
i mean venting can be good but i feel like vulnerability is an important aspect to it! otherwise everything that comes out is just like toxic sludge. i can see why people in the know advised against attending the event haha.
Naturally, I and my altern8tes had the good sense to not only not attend, 8ut advise against it as well. Still...is it wrong that I do want to know what people would say a8out me while in such a st8te? Or what secrets that they might have 8een hiding that they weren't even aware of?
i can understand the sort of voyeuristic side of it in that regard yeah. i don't think it's wrong, although it is difficult to get consent from someone to witness that considering what the candy does to you!
Don't say voyeuristic!! You make it sound like I'm 8eing some kind of pervert a8out it!
voyeuristic does not inherently mean in a perverted way! i just mean being let in on something you are not supposed to under normal circumstances.
May8e so. Still, rest assured, the trickster juju is...mostly not harmful, save for the hangovers that accompany them. And the social consequences.
I am curious...no. I have my limits. It would 8e murder on my thinkpan anyhow. #iwantcandy
maybe you should? i dont think anything as bad as yesterdays bombing could happen again
You all have fun this evening, 8y the way. Or at least don't 8e killed in the midst of some manner of violent frenzy. #EridanWeek # Staying At Hive
I always found it very...how do I put it? Interesting would 8e the kindest word that I can muster, I think. Interesting. I find it interesting to amass a collection of supposed "doomsday devices" in order to eventually "o8liter8te the impudent landdwelling curs." Particularly when the majority of said doomsday devices were 8uilt 8y a landdweller for the purposes of what I can only assume are out of some sarcastic egocentric mindgames. It had certainly tickled my fancy, at least on a strictly technical level. How would one implement such a machine upon the creatures of land and not have that leave a profound negative effect on the seadwelling popul8tion? (Spoilers: it can't really 8e done.) I still always considered at least the practical applic8tion of such a thing to 8e of some intrigue to me. What immedi8tely comes to mind is, naturally, simply flooding the landscape. It's 8een done, 8ut I wouldn't consider the illustrious Alternian empress' apocalyptic takeover to 8e particularly fruitful for her. I mean, she *did* succeed, 8ut it didn't even seem as though it netted her significant 8enefits. Her su8jug8tion only lasted...a couple hundred sweeps? I got off-track. Six sweep olds trading and manufacturing weapons of mass destruction is nevertheless darkly humorous.
its cuz violets are a buncha blowhards who think they the biggest fish in the sea
I try not to speak ill of other castes, I promise I try to. We should all 8e candid with ourselves and confront the reality that just 8ecause they're royalty doesn't make a violet any more or less...incapa8le of making completely illogical decisions. # Violet Vagueing
yeahh you can talk yo righteous game til the cows come flyin ill never begrudge you a that serket. a lotta them are stupid as fuck tho n u can say it
I mean they are. They're idiots. 8ut that's just not very polite to say now, is it?
Not all of us are capa8le of 8eing a 8ad 8each without a care or thought for our reput8tion. Nor are all of us as adept at evading certain individuals who just love to preach of "caste equity."
cause you aint even tryna be one! and skill issue serket. you eva need a hiding place ill share some a mine just ask
Oh no. I'm not falling for that. You say "just ask" with the unspoken fine print including "helper's fee due upfront." I will leave the practice of 8ad 8itchery to you.
I feel morally o8lig8ted to follow my teamm8tes from SGRU8, regardless of my personal opinions of them. If I don't have their 8acks, who does? # 8eforan Solidarity # Reluctant Loyalty
Fun fact for Eridan week...fun fact for Eridan week...hm. I...genuinely don't have any interesting lore tid8its for this one. Sorry everyone.
...Okay, I have one, 8ut this is kind of a secret, so don't go and spread it around. It is discussed in academic circles that Eridan was meant to 8e a prophesized hero of Hope with a gr8 destiny, 8ut rumors a8ound of a malicious and evil time-traveling wizard that thwarted said destiny from hatching. ...It's just a wiggler story, though.
- Holy. Freaking. Moly. 🤯 - I had no idea... that wizards and timme travel and heroes of "Hope" even EXISTED. Unless it is just a wiggler story. Which is fine, even if that sort of thing is a flight of fancy or whatever. 🤣🤣 - But if you had a Grubstack or a Grummblr where you mmight keep other such "lore." I would be VERY interested in reading mmore of your writing. 👀😆
- Ooh, yes! Most definitely! 😄 I always need a little sommething to soothe the pan before I hop in the old 'cupe at day. 🙂↕️🙂↕️ - Uh...why do you ask? 😀
Nothing, nothing! That's a completely normal thing for someone to say, after all. You liked it, you wanted to read more! 1+1=2 and all that.
- Yes, mma'amm! I friggin' loved it! 😄 Another slice off the literary grubloaf for mme, please, because I amm HOOKED! 🙌😁📘
W8. Are there individuals seriously considering im8i8ing the lollipop juju? For like, fun? I'll have to remem8er to log off that day whenever that rolls around. #Just Say No To Hyper Sugar Dayterrors #Trickster Critical
Of course they are. It is being presented as a fun activity at an event someone else is organizing.
Insane. Where did they even get that. How even. I'm closing all eight of my eyes. I don't want to know.
Yeah. People are. Something. My kid ate one before.
it's excellent for celebrations! bUt like any drUg, it mUst be Used in moderation.
I suppose. I know I'm 8ehaving like a 8it of a prude a8out it, 8ut I always thought that there was a very good reason that it was a su8stance unique for cheru8 consumption. It's meant to 8e a pick-me-up for a species that must fly thousands of lightyears in total solitude across the vastness of space. Even trolls on the highest hemospectrum would 8e challenged not to go totally over8oard! Oh, I'm sorry. Look at me, lecturing the cheru8 on their species.
no, no, i always enjoy seeing new perspectives! as a largely asocial species, it's easy to go fifty years or more without knowing mUch aboUt oUr "cUltUre," sUch that it is. certain important points are conferred to Us via genetic memory - myths, rUles, etc. bUt something like the intent behind oUr jUjUs is largely anthropological, and thUs evidently omitted.
Well, I do so enjoy discussing cheru8 history and culture, even as mysterious and difficult to parse 8etween different star systems as it is. There is quite a lot going on, never even mind the landmine that concerns the seven Zilly-kingdoms. I'm just a scholar, though, so please, don't 8e afraid to correct my cheru8icological musings.