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  [EVENT] PMD: Explorer's Log
Posted by: skinstealer - 02-22-2024, 08:12 PM - Forum: [GAMING] - Replies (20)

welcome...to the first official homebrew deviants gaming challenge. we've been wanting to do a group gaming event for a while, and with the help of some friend brainstorming, this came to mind...a pokemon mystery dungeon themed event where the focus is simple: do a run of a mystery dungeon game- any PMD game, any mods/romhacks/randomizers you want, even picking an unfinished run back up- as long as you are posting about it here on our forums!

we cannot legally tell you where to obtain roms but im sure you can figure it out

these posts can simply be status updates, liveblogs, old style let's plays, anything, but you can get ~forum cash prizes~ for adding some creativity to it. we're open to suggestions on more prize options, but for now...

CHARACTER BIOS- get a pokemon you really like? make a bio for 50 forum cash. if you give them a unique design, whether that's in text or whatever other medium you choose, you can get a bonus 50! this can be as simple or as detailed as you want- it's about making characters together. you can also make up NPCs if you like!
AREA BIOS- inspired by the fact that the skytemple randomizer lets you randomize dungeon names...write or make some art for an area in-game or in your own head, whether that's a dungeon, friend area, building, town, whatever. flesh out your story! 50 cash per!
FANART/COMMUNITY INTERACTION- not sure what to do for a writing angle for this one, but...make something as a tribute to someone else's run, with their permission, and get 50 forum cash! maybe you could so something like having your character write a letter to another user's....get funky with it, but ask first! it's recommended that you give blanket perms when posting stuff, but it's okay to let people ask you individually too. 
PASSWORD RESCUE- 20 forum cash per floor if you bail someone out.  no idea if this works with romhacks/randomizers but it's there.
ANYTHING ELSE....? we'll just be handing out cash left and right for people's stuff. please feel free to suggest things for us to add to this list!
 
we are not starting our personal challenge yet, got some stuff to handle first- but we wanted to get this posted so people can decide whether they want to participate and how! discuss away, ask questions, and have fun!

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Trading [TRADING?] PWYW Moodboard Character Thread
Posted by: AceOfNothing - 02-22-2024, 07:35 AM - Forum: [MARKET] - Replies (20)

PWYW MOODBOARD CHARACTERS

Hi everyone! Something new here I’d like to try out
You give me a mood board, I’ll make a character. This will be pay what you want with forum cash.

Very small thing to fill out:
Type of character: (suggested but not limited to: TCP, Morbitian, General Anthro)(Surprise Me is acceptable)
*For TCP: Do you have a preference for a single type cat or a hybrid? (Surprise Me is acceptable)
*For Morbitian And General Anthro: Are hybrid species okay? (Ex: Beatfox/Mothlie, Ferret/Dog) (Surprise Me is acceptable)
Moodboard: (You can request a theme and let me make one but I Need Something. I’m asking for At Least 3 pictures for a Moodboard, or if requesting a theme give me a couple word prompts (Ex: Circus, Pastel, Worn out)or a color palette)
Other Comments:

Once it’s made and posted it’s yours, you can change it or keep it as is, you can give it away. Don’t sell for money? Forum Cash is okay but like…. If you have me 10 cash don’t sell it for 100
If you make something with them I’d love to see!
If you have questions ask! 

Couple things to Note (Aka Rules)
  • I’m not doing this necessarily first come first serve. If someone asks for 3 characters and someone else asks for 1, I might switch between them.
  • I work full time, sometimes I am busier than others. Please understand I might take a bit of time to complete things.
  • If you post multiple Moodboards and want the characters posted together, specify that please. I do plan to post them as completed.
  • You can direct me towards specific things for character species (Ex: Asking for a Karacel hybrid, having mice in your Moodboard) but understand I do want some creative liberty
    • Meaning: Don’t ask me a Goat/Mask type tcp, or specific species morphs. Please. I want this to be somewhat of a surprise, I want you to like the character but surprise is part of this

  • You can post Moodboards here (post them in Quest Assets for an easy BB code) or send them in Discord, but please specify you’re doing that.
  • I’m open to giving them some kind of flavor text but ask/specify what you’d like? Like Hobbies, favorite color, general vibe I got from them. (Can ask me after they’re made also)
  • If you have questions ask! 

I have a couple examples!

MORBITIAN
[Image: 9_22_02_24_7_07_56.png][Image: 9_22_02_24_7_11_50.png]

Bullistic Beatfox/Eel Aquatic Species
Theme: Sunrise/Midday/Sunset

TCP
[Image: 9_22_02_24_7_09_46.png][Image: 9_22_02_24_7_13_43.png]

Dog Pack/Rat type
Edible Modifier, Tail Anomaly
Theme: Pizza Toppings (Toppings Don’t Touch)

GENERAL ANTHRO
[Image: 9_22_02_24_7_10_21.png][Image: 9_22_02_24_7_17_40.png]

Theme: Precambrian Weird

Hope you all enjoy at least seeing what I make!

Also: Thank you to Marxz as this idea is partly based on their Emoji Thread and he gave me the moodboard themes! I appreciate your patience with this taking some time to get to.

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  Ace Misc Journal - Weekly? Let’s see!
Posted by: AceOfNothing - 02-20-2024, 04:08 AM - Forum: [OTHER ART + WRITING] - Replies (7)

Never been good at journaling! But thinking I’ll at least post about dog related adventures from the week as I want to. Pretty obvious but this is inspired by Mortis’s journaling.
Apologies in advance if this is rambling mostly 
 
Dog Blog
 
So not gonna post pictures of dogs here, just don’t know logistics of that and eeeee better to not. 
 
I’m going to be going to three different sleepovers in the following 2 weeks. Starting tomorrow and I think I’m like…. Out till the 2nd? We don’t normally do back to back like this but stuff came up so eh. First one is short, like 3 days so nbd, haven’t had a sleepover with Bloo in like a year. He’s a big spoiled sweetie, pittie.
 
After that is a pittie and a bulldog named Teddy and Polly, then two pittie mixes (Bailey and Journey, who are littermates) and their cat sister (Isabelle). Ma is actually starting the Bailey and Journey sleepover cause it overlaps with the Polly Teddy one, there’s a chance she’s staying on it but not completely sure atm. Think it will depend on her knee.
 
Let’s see quick updates… 
  • Chappo, a pittie dog that’s more my little brother's client, and his dog brother Ace (deaf boxer) and cat brother Austin (old man) are doing good. Not this past weekend, the one before, little brother had them and Chappo ended up very sick. They avoided surgery at least, he’s a bit more like himself, but still hoping he fully recovers soon.
  • JJ, the dalmatian puppy (well he’s almost 2 now but he’s the baby) went away for show training. He’s gonna be gone for 3 months at least so I’ll miss him, have to get him for a play date with Maizy when he gets back. Their owners got puppies the same week, they’re roughly the same age, so they’ve kinda grown up together. That was a hellish week though as the pet sitter lol, partly cause I was still at Rite Aid and things were just about to blow up. JJ’s grandfather, Topper (who lives with him) is a grand champion (I don’t know what he’s won don’t ask me) so JJ has like… family to live up to hah. He’s a wild child.
  • I’ve been doing a few walks to get to know Polly and Teddy before the sleepover, owners are a bit nervous but that’s okay. Door will sometimes open though, so Teddy got out on me. He faked me out, ran into the neighbor's yard barking, then went next door to the grandmother's house after I went looking. That was… Friday I think, he did the same thing to the owners this weekend but with his sister this time. Good to know these things before visits just to be safe, the owners had warned us at the Meet and Greet but you kinda forget things.
  • Drake, or Drakey, is the oldest of the three black labs I walk with in the woods. It’s him, his son (Gauge) and his son (Beneli)(I am probably spelling that wrong). All are hunting dogs, Drake is too old for it now though so ex hunting dog. He was acting a little funny today, think he was sore, and skipped breakfast and treats, which meant he had skipped his pill in the morning. He took it with some cheese, hopefully today was just an off day for him. Walking in the woods is always nice to clear my head a little, path is a bit messed up right now, we had a bad rain storm a few weeks ago and like 3 or 4 trees fell or logs moved so still adjusting a little to not get lost.

 
Other thoughts for here um…
Mini list of “we have too many animals with these names”
  • Maizy (Maise, Mayze, Macy)
  • Callie (Cali)
  • Daisy (Daizy)
  • Blue (Blu, Bloo)
  • Buddy
  • Also for some reason girl dogs being called something Mae (Callie Mae, Daisy Mae)

I’ll have to actually count sometime but Maizy and Callie we have like 5 each
 
Oh I have three pet starfish now, Ravioli is a chunky boi and spaghetti and macaroni are two long wavy bois. They’re in the elephant jar.
Yes that’s the explanation you get
 
Creative Corner
 
Someone remind me to update my art thread sometime
 
I have two forum things I’m trying to work on, the forum profiles are part of one of those. Have to think of a user name for Lance, my stitched up cut type. He was a Paradise tcp but I wanna move him to Haven or somewhere in Hearth, thinking I’ll give him a motorcycle and some Sipsappers as pets (maybe give one one of those Spikey jackets they put on small dogs)
Wanna do more with Field Factor in general, honestly I need to think of some more AITA stuff (it’s fun). Maybe Streamy being a jerk to Medea (they get along, Streamy just has to be a little annoying okay? Okay.
Trying to be pretty quiet about things but I need to bully myself into making the mood boards I need for the one thing. Gonna do that after this, if I can focus.
 
Drew a couple wattplants this week! You can see three on Streamy’s profile: Streamy FF Profile
Maiden has some plants now too. I was gonna just doing a like… joke meme with them, but the three she got are really cute so now I wanna draw them. Maybe instead of being with their food, they could be attacking an enemy? Maybe a tiny seed…. Idk we shall see
 
I use procreate on my iPad to draw, and they recently came out with Procreate Dream which is for animations…. Yeah. Just got that. Would just like to do some small stuff, have to learn how to download audio mp3 first (I am stupid and there isn’t a lot of videos yet about the app. I also just… haven’t wanted to sit down and commit to learning at the moment)
Don’t hold your breath on seeing this any time soon
 
Other
 
Uh… hi
ADHD is kicking my ass a little right now but I’m in good spirits
…. I need to pack my suitcase for the overnights shoot. I hate this a ton okay, packing suitcases and unpacking them and repacking them ahhhhhh
 
Anyway, that’s it for now

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  [DISCUSSION] Morbit In-Universe Media/Brands
Posted by: skinstealer - 02-19-2024, 05:06 AM - Forum: [WORLDBUILDING] - Replies (9)

hmmm i want a casual discussion thread for talking over official in-universe morbit media stuff. might make a thread for fan-made/RP stuff later. more fleshing this thread out after a bit, but for now let's just get it started.


blanket rules:
- community members (non-team) can suggest niches that could be filled, such as going "what about a piece of media inspired by [x]", but you can't name it or come up with huge details or anything because we would rather keep that in-house to team members. if we want suggestions on a specific thing, we will ask! at that point, you can go crazy.
- you CAN however ask questions about a piece of media to be potentially answered, though expect the team member working on it to possibly not have an immediate response if it's not in their wheelhouse.
- have fun and keep it relatively SFW- suggestive mentions are okay, but we'll probably be making a NSFW thread for this later due to working on stuff like horny game mods and pinup mags and shit like that.


CURRENT PIECES OF MEDIA (off the top of my head please remind me)

Fields of Red Grass-
post-apoc stardew/animal crossing-like, primarily played on handhelds, 2D pixel art
Playmates- anthro toy/object focused game that's kind of a cross between second life and the sims, has a huge modding scene, 3D art, played on PC, TCP developed
Friendzoo- haunted pet game, TCP developed, The Pets Are Real
Shriek's Books- no specifics yet but shriek writes and publishes horror romance novels, primarily about monsters and ghosts and etc. mostly found in Calliope. 
Unnamed Rhythm Game- DDR-like, found commonly in Plaza, has a dopple mascot
Flip- sonic-like media
Spacies (real name pending)- star fox mixed with tatsunoko serials
Unnamed Fighting Game- fighty fight game
Nutmeg and Maple- in-universe comic
Wattplants- petsite, has a lot of neopets-like features, Sort Of plant themed
[FELID_FACTOR]- forum run by TCPs for TCPs
The Pickled Corvice- generalized chat room for morbitians, lots of casual discussion
Unnamed Horror Game- somewhere between silent hill and hotline miami both gameplay and style wise
Angel Horror Show- it's like darker doctor who
Unnamed Monster Catcher- it's pokemon but for morbit! themed around crafting your monsters.


CURRENT BRANDS/CORPORATIONS
Minipix- tamagotchi-like toy, has a large following, has TCP scale and complex scale devices
SnugCo- anything branded by the Snuglin Corporation, includes products made for snuglins like liquid supplements and vitamins
Invaderz- alien themed aquapets-like toy


if there are any i forgot please remind me, discuss away

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  [USER PROFILE] [FLOWERDREAMZ]
Posted by: AceOfNothing - 02-19-2024, 04:30 AM - Forum: [USER_PROFILES] - No Replies

USERNAME: [FLOWERDREAMZ]
REGISTERED: 312 
PRONOUNS: They/it/she 
MOOD:  [Image: tcp_blushstare_small.png] [Image: tcp_blushstare_small.png] [Image: tcp_blushstare_small.png]
STATUS: Online
ABOUT: 
Writer/Actor/Horror Enthusiast
Lily here! 
You might know me from Doctor Screams Monster Dreams, my passion project and my life's work (hah)
I came up with the show & play the main character, it's my live letter to the horror genre
We aren't the most polished show out there but that's part of the fun
Anyone have pictures of me from that last convention? Sorbet says I didn't take enough myself.

Not currently accepting episode ideas, the enthusiasm is appreciated but legally asking you to please stop, I'm sorry thank you we can't use them
Thinking about getting a pet, anyone got tips? I really like Tillman and Peripods but they probably need more space then I have
[Image: tcp_frown_small.png]  maybe a Sipsapper? Probably not good either ah

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  [USER PROFILE] [KISSKISS_LOVE]
Posted by: AceOfNothing - 02-19-2024, 02:25 AM - Forum: [USER_PROFILES] - No Replies

USERNAME: [KissKiss_Love]
REGISTERED: 1-7-313
PRONOUNS: She/Her, any
MOOD: Pleased
[Image: tcp_smile_small.png]
STATUS: Online
ABOUT: 
Heart Heart Heart
Flesh type on a mission to help any cat of any type feel comfortable in their skin. If you need tips or advice please feel free to message me, worst case I can direct you towards someone else. Always looking for other cats to collab with, or products to test out.

Remember: "Perfect for all types" is a lie, just like "one size fits all". We are all beautiful and unique cats and should treat ourselves as such, what works for a weapon type probably won't for a creature. Be careful! Treat yourselves with the love you deserve!

Heart Heart Heart

Find me on ReelWorld: KissKissLoveStudio

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  [USER PROFILE] [MEDIABOIXXX2]
Posted by: AceOfNothing - 02-18-2024, 08:33 PM - Forum: [USER_PROFILES] - No Replies

USERNAME: [MEDIABOIXXX2]
REGISTERED: 10-17-315
PRONOUNS: He/Him
MOOD: ENERGIZED  [Image: tcp_chuckle_small.png]
STATUS: Online
ABOUT: 
HI IM STREAMY! real mario [Image: tcp_chuckle_small.png] TCP Yippee
Send me your Wattplants account! Let's be friends!
[Image: 9_18_02_24_8_23_41.png][Image: 9_18_02_24_8_24_21.png][Image: 9_18_02_24_8_24_56.png]


Charmer, Goat, and splishy all need new friends

Gamer for fun, menace by nature  Cool

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  [USER PROFILE] [MINTY_FRESH]
Posted by: AceOfNothing - 02-18-2024, 08:31 PM - Forum: [USER_PROFILES] - No Replies

USERNAME: [MINTY_FRESH]
REGISTERED: 4-7-314
PRONOUNS: She/Her
MOOD: Jolly!!
STATUS: Offline 
ABOUT: Not big on computers, won't be here much but hi
[Image: tcp_blush_small.png] Heart
Scritter Lover

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  skinstealer journal- a misc collection of postings
Posted by: skinstealer - 02-14-2024, 03:07 AM - Forum: [OTHER ART + WRITING] - Replies (17)

percy mortis

thinking a lot about old style blogging lately. about how social media used to be, and the fact that our interests remain in a weird quantum state of "being talked about frequently but desiring deeper engagement even if it's just with ourselves." we've run a dreamwidth account before and did very much enjoy that, but didn't stick with it for whatever reason. tumblr blogging feels like it falls under shit that's just too close to Modern Social Media Tactics and maybe we just want to have a little corner of the web that's ours to post stuff in. as it turns out, we do in fact have a website and that website has a forum and you can make little blog posts on forums. no one can stop you!

so fair warning: this is gonna get self indulgent. really self indulgent.

we'll try to image describe where we can!

things this blog will probably contain
- petz gameplay and graphics experiments (vs Hexing Work, see petz general thread for that)
- second life avatars, adventures, photography, etc
- misc OC work unrelated to official projects
- pokemon, especially romhacks/randomizers/fangames
- system ramblings, both on mundane shit (probably nothing super personal, just things we'd casually talk about in morbchat anyway and think is interesting for people to know) and "mechanical" stuff- we find it's really valuable to read about how other systems work, and would love to contribute our own stuff to the discussion
- toys, both collecting, photography, etc
- rambles about object sentience and attachments
- kin....things....? maybe?
 
subject to change and include more stuff. enjoy, and feel free to comment/discuss!

today's topic...i'm revisiting a personal pet i made last year as an attempt to make a petz "kinsona" i could use for photography. i decided to make a cat based on the animal crossing wild world horse mackerel, seeing as i've got big time feelings about a lot of our experiences with that game. aquatic cats seem to be a big thing for me, and i had a lot of fun making this guy...and then proceeded to do absolutely zero things with him. he doesn't even have a name yet! but now he is here, and i'm going to try playing with him a little every day while fronting. i hope you like him!
 
[Image: 2_14_02_24_2_13_25.png]
[image description: a collage of petz screencaps, featuring an unnamed petz hex based on the animal crossing horse mackerel. he's a soft looking, chunky cat with big, shiny fish eyes, blushing cheeks, a dorsal fin, and a little fish tail. he's got a blue gradient on his body, with white and yellow accents. he's in a mix of poses, but they all show off his massive, silly eyes. to top off the nautical feel, there's a AC:WW wallpaper texture depicting a seafaring ship for a background.]

trying something a little new with the graphics here...what do you think? i think if i make any more animal crossing guys (tempting....it'd be fun to make him an apple companion, or something more based on fashion design for krowling...or more fish and bugs!) i'll do similarly for a background, seeing as the textures are pretty readily available on nookipedia, and they look super nice!

[Image: 2_14_02_24_2_13_33.png]
[image description: more screencaps of the horse mackerel cat, this time wearing orange heart glasses and a matching starry party hat. he is playing, sleeping and posing! the background's also changed to a seaside wallpaper texture.]

dressup was fairly simple. i considered trying a proper sweater/pants combo like we usually do, but it didn't feel right to cover his body gradient. maybe i'll make some proper animal crossing shirts for him to wear. orange seems to be a good accent color, which is awesome considering it's a favorite of mine. plaid orange shirt maybe...

[Image: 2_14_02_24_2_13_44.png]

[image description: another collage of the horse mackerel cat on the same background, this time featuring silly faces and a new toy based off of a horse mackerel 3D model.]

@gyiyg hexed us a special toy for this guy!! he is so spoiled already. he loves playing with it and i hope he loves this thing forever. it looks so good next to him!

[Image: 2_14_02_24_2_13_54.png]

[image description: one last petz collage, featuring the horse mackerel cat making disgusted faces at a little mouse treat. he hates it.]

last discovery of right now: this guy fucking hates most food. he is picky as hell. he apparently has high food finickiness, which we're not super familiar with! our toxic trait is not actually feeding our petz often, whoops. but this guy HATES most treats and we've yet to figure what types he's actually good with. maybe another thing to hex him when we do figure it out? extremely funny though considering my attachments to food and being a lazy villager.

but yeah, this guy! please tell us your thoughts on this guy. open to name suggestions, but i'd like it to be animal crossing themed in some way.
one more thing: some custom infinite fusion plushes we ordered got here today!

[Image: 2_14_02_24_2_14_03.png]
[image description: two infinite fusion plushes facing the camera, based on porygon-z/jolteon fusions. they have wide eyes and little noses! the one on the left is relic, a blue and red poryeon, and the one on the right is phong, a white, purple and yellow one.]

we love them very much! they're about beanie baby size, and are made to take a variety of poses without needing wire. we'll probably take lots of photos of these guys.

off to go watch yu-gi-oh with como and write a oneshot! enjoy!

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  [PCA] UNIVERSAL CONSTANTS
Posted by: skinstealer - 01-30-2024, 09:33 PM - Forum: [OFFICIAL PROJECTS] - Replies (29)

[Image: 1-cover.png]
[image description: a cover image for the project, titled:
Universal Constants
Episode 1: First Blood

on the cover image itself is a desk covered in different objects, split between two colors. red objects include: a strange, railway track-like weapon, a split heart pin, and a photo of abstract shapes that while hard to parse, resemble an eye. green objects include: a surgeon's scalpel, a folder with a strange heart insignia, and a photo of 3 anthro cat children, doing their best to support each other in a nervous embrace. a lime green image exists as well, underneath the other objects- a photo of a canine shadow, featuring frightening teeth and a pearl necklace.]




content warnings for this project can be found here, for both overarching themes and individual episodes.



[Image: 1-1-1.png]

[image description: a reddish brown canine furry takes up most of the frame, sitting down in a waiting room chair. his black hair is covering most of his face in a curly mess. large, round glasses obscure his eyes, and his expression is calm and stoic- a singular canine fang sticking out of his mouth. he's wearing a red turtleneck sweater, maroon high waisted pants, and a reddish purple cape with a holographic, starry print. there's pins on his shoulder, where the cape hangs off of his body- a no-entry sign and a heart split down the middle.

the room itself is simple in what we can see in-frame, a door off to the side with a distinctly alien handle compared to what we have on earth- with a smaller upper grip laid horizontally, and a much larger lower grip angled vertically. there is alien writing on the door's sign, indicating who works there, and arrow-like patterning on the door's surface.

color-wise, the room is a rather sterile white and gray, made to feel warmer by the piece's overall cozy lighting. shiny particles hover around the dog's cape, leading to a dream-like feel.]


Charon rubs his fingers against the edges of the folder in his lap, his documents kept nice and neat inside. He'd be meeting up with the head honcho of the Menagerie, a facility staple on this continent for its medical importance. A renovation job for someone with a very specific skillset, that's what the guild explained when he took a look at the contract.

The waiting room is clean, almost too clean to be inviting- the entire facility felt clinical and cold, and this area is no different. The only audible noise is the hum of the lights up above him and the unintelligible discussion in the office ahead. No one else is left, all other people having gone through the office before him, and a sense of unease begins to settle in.

He tries to see if he can get any sort of sound or look at whatever was going on inside, just to know what he's exactly about to deal with. This lab had many stories behind it, stories that spread and snowballed into the thing of myth and fables. He couldn't say his family would approve of him taking a job with the reputation the previous owner had, but he was assured things were... mostly different.

As if to confirm his worries, the voices inside escalate in volume, someone bursting out of the door and scrambling to get out of there as quickly as possible. The dog tries not to mind it too much, probably just an anomaly. At the very least it means that he’s about to be called up.

He gets to his feet and gets a quick stretch in...he'd been in that lobby too long. His whole body starts clanking and clattering as he does so, a mix of his metal limbs and his fluffy tail, adorned with porcelain plates, making a racket.
 
????: Next.
 
Charon shuffles over into the next room as quickly as possible.
 
The office is tidy, everything clearly having its own place- though a little sparse, with no decorations or knick knacks to be found anywhere. The karacel at the desk sits with straight posture, her hands clasped in front of her and a stoic expression on her face. Her brown fur contrasts with her green accents on her nose, ear tufts, and eyelids- the latter currently half lidded over what looked to be black prosthetic eyes. It’s an exasperated expression on her face, barely turning to acknowledge him in her exhaustion.

 
????: Sit.

 
The dog creeps on over to his chair.
 
CHARON: I take it you're in charge?
????: You'd be correct.


 
She doesn't react much, keeping her posture steady.
 
 
????: Maes Artag, I run this facility and act as its head surgeon.
CHARON: Mm. I'm here for the job regarding renovation of the lab, you certainly have some... interesting requisites for it.
MAES: You're the contractor that Synna wants me to hire, then.
CHARON: Mmhmm. I'm not entirely sure why you need a knight for this but I take it you have bigger issues than roaches in the basement.
MAES: You could say that.
MAES: Synna says that your resume holds up well, but I wanted to see it myself.
MAES: You see, Mr...?
CHARON: Judgment.


 
He slides over a file.
 

CHARON: All my documents are in there... I heard that touch script copies were ideal in this office, so I brought those too.
MAES: ...Thank you.

 
 
She seems a little impressed at the touch script inclusion, opening up the folder with care.

 
MAES: You see, Mr. Judgment, I have immensely high standards for the kind of work we do here at this lab, and your work will be especially difficult.
CHARON: I've been through the worst work of my career, it's all uphill from here.
MAES: I highly doubt that.

 
She grimaces, just enough to be noticed.
 
MAES: What kind of job do you think this is, from the requirements and briefing alone?
CHARON: I'd say you want me to dip my toes into hell and clean up some old regrets.
MAES: Regrets?
CHARON: Failed projects that need more than a mop and a dustpan to get rid of.
MAES: And what gives you that impression?
CHARON: The application mentioned the job requires an immunity or heavy resistance to horror and experience in security.
MAES: Facilities are built on horror vents all the time, any kind of building can be- especially in this area.
MAES: What makes you think there's regrets involved?
CHARON: Because this lab has a bit of a reputation, one that uttering it may be distressful to any staff within ear shot.
MAES: Mm.


 
Her grimace worsens.


MAES: Go on.
CHARON: This lab built too far into a horror vent, farther than most are willing to go.
CHARON: Now you need someone who can deal with them when they eventually leak and give trouble to your construction crew... and off the record, the stories around this place make it plausible those vents were used for more than basements.
MAES: Every major facility has stories around it. Do you believe these?
CHARON: I'm prepared for the worst should any of it be true, but I rather they be exaggerations.
MAES: The reasons why the underground needs renovations do not concern you. Getting the job done and done effectively does.
CHARON: I do need to be aware of all safety hazards that may come out of this. I don't want to have anyone injured on my watch, if I'm frank.
MAES: The only people who will join you in the cleanup are people who are similarly equipped.
MAES: I don't risk lives if I can help it, Judgment.
CHARON: That's good to hear, I'd refuse if I heard anything otherwise.

 
 
She runs her hand over the first paper, taking a proper look. The resume itself features a mention of involvement in a relatively well known investigation involving sensitives, users of scraps, those who can supposedly connect to spirits and remnants….

Maes’ frown twitches.

 
CHARON: Is... something wrong?
MAES: You believe in magic.
CHARON: Pardon?
MAES: It says here you've worked with...spirits.
CHARON: I've worked with sensitives in the past, yes.
MAES: And you believe in it.
CHARON: Is there an issue here?
MAES: We'll see.

She continues reading, her brows just the slightest bit raised now.

 
CHARON: It should not impact my ability to work if you are worried.
MAES: It better not.
CHARON: It won't.
MAES: I suppose I'll have to take your word for it.

 
 
It comes out cold- possibly more than she intended, by the look on her face- and she hurriedly gets back to her reading.

 
MAES: Are there any other problems I should worry about, Judgment?
CHARON: Define problems.
MAES: I simply don't want to hear that you're looking for ghosts in our underground levels.
MAES: It concerns me.


 
She flashes the slightest bit of teeth as she says it. Charon just barely catches a glimpse, his heart rate speeding up and a little intake of breath at the sight of it.

Shit.

 
CHARON: I don't plan to.

Maes pauses, ear twitching almost too subtly to be seen.
 
 
Shit, she noticed.


She reads more of his file, but there’s something about the way she speaks that makes Charon feel…scrutinized.

 
MAES: You seem tense, Judgment.
MAES: Do I have to worry about you cracking under pressure?

 
She makes sure to almost snarl the last word.


CHARON: Please, an interview doesn't scare me.

 
Charon focuses- he’s grateful to be blessed with the ability to gauge subtle elements and emotions, an aspect of his family line. He tries to see what he can find in Maes, nervous about what he might find.

[Image: 1-1-2.png]

[image description: a dutch angle shot over charon's caped shoulder, showing maes at her desk. her face looks tired, but  has a difficult to discern intent. she's a brown-furred cat furry with large, horizontally positioned ears tipped in green tufts, long, fluffy black hair, and an hourglass build. her outfit is a black tight dress with green accents, featuring sleeves with cutouts at the shoulder and a much looser green scarf. her prosthetic eyes are portrayed as black filled in shapes, her eyelids green and half lidded over them. maes' posture is upright, and it's clear she means business. even with all of the gravity of her pose and expression, the atmosphere of the image and textures on maes are warm, as if charon's emotions are tinting the situation.  on the desk, charon's folder sits.]


She’s curious, testing him. Something about him’s off, and she can't quite place it yet...and more than anything, she wants to see more. She flashes her teeth quickly as she exhales, too fast to be read as intentional...to anyone but him.

Charon’s tail flicks in a half-wag, anything but a fear response- the porcelain plates on it clattering just loud enough to be audible.

The karacel in front of him’s ear twitches again, but she continues.
 
MAES: Your file...says you boast exceptional pain tolerance.
CHARON: It's the peak threshold for any non-synthetic being.
MAES: And how has this been tested? I assume to know such a thing, you'd have to have survived some incidents.
CHARON: I've endured electrocution and varying slash and bite based injuries without passing out, screaming, or going into shock. It's in my medical records.


She drums her claws on the desk, her expression purposefully flat- as if she’s trying to hold a straight face and not let anything slip.

A soft noise of her own escapes, barely perceptible.

Charon’s ears perk up.


MAES: That...should come in handy.

 
She tries to veer things back on course.


MAES: Such durability will hopefully be unneeded, but it's definitely interes- a perk.
CHARON: A perk?
MAES: It's better that you're more well prepared, that's all.


 
That was clearly not all.


CHARON: Prepared for what exactly if I may ask?
MAES: It's an old lab, many parts of it untouched for over a decade- like I mentioned prior, I refuse to send anyone down there that isn't ready for the potential risks.


 
She keeps her voice even.


CHARON: I'm more than prepared for something like this, I'm not too worried.
MAES: I suppose that makes up for the occult interest, then...

 
She flips to the next page, studying its contents.

MAES: It also says you have an expertise in old technology. Am I to expect difficulty with operating modern equipment?

Even with her attempts to remain straight-faced, her teeth seem to show more and more when she talks, or at the very least, Charon’s attention keeps getting drawn more and more to them.


CHARON: I should be absolutely fine with modern equipment, and anything I'm not familiar with can be explained with ease.

 
The dog tries his best not to make a sound but he’s fidgeting more than a little, and audibly, in no small part due to the damn porcelain.


MAES: Is something the matter, Judgment?
CHARON: Nothing, why do you ask?
MAES: Nothing.
MAES: Perhaps I'm just reading you wrong.

 
She closes his file, sliding it across the table.

MAES: You're coming off rather...agitated.
CHARON: I've been sitting quite a bit today, so it's a little difficult.  

 
The dog takes his file back.

MAES: You seem like a fit for the job, at least... though we'll have to see how you perform.
MAES: I have big expectations for you, Judgment.

 
She rests her hands in her lap, clearly trying to ignore how tense the room had become.

MAES: And quite the first impression.
CHARON: Oh?

 
The dog leans forward in his chair.

CHARON: I'd assume they're quite good ones based on what you've read for the most part.
MAES: We'll see if you live up to your records.

 
She leans in just as much, without realizing.

 
MAES: Don't get cocky before you've even had a chance to show what you can do.
CHARON: I don't underperform, I have too much reputation at stake.
MAES: So you've told me.

 
She sits up straight once more, trying to get back to her professional posture from earlier.

 
MAES: You should go discuss lodging and your duties with Synna, she's a few departments down.
MAES: I'm sure she can get you up to speed on how we do things here.
CHARON: Mm, room number?


 
The dog gets to his feet and brushes himself off.

 
CHARON: I'm not familiar with this place so I need a point of reference.
MAES: 173. It'll have her name on the door. Oh, and, Judgment?
CHARON: Yes?
MAES: There's a single occupancy restroom just outside the waiting room.
MAES: I would personally recommend you...compose yourself, before meeting with Synna.


 
She keeps her tone clinical, the slightest bit of blush crossing her cheeks.

 
CHARON: Excuse me?

 
He raises a brow in response.

 
MAES: Just a suggestion...I have work to get back to.
CHARON: I think I'll manage fine. Thank you for your time.
MAES: Don't fail me, Judgment.
CHARON: I do not plan to.



 
[Image: 1-1-3.png]

[image description: a close up shot of charon leaning against the wall, his expression tense and strained. he's sweating and gritting his teeth as he attempts to calm down. his glasses are fogged up to the point of just barely showing his red eyes- portrayed in a cute cartoony style in this panel. he's holding his cape around himself, almost protectively.
around him float little red sparkles, as if he's still in a daze.]

 
He makes his way toward the hall quickly. Maes gets up to shut the door behind him just as fast, sliding back against the door.

Charon leans against the waiting room wall, trying to catch his breath. She caught onto him, hopefully that doesn't deduct.

He can't help but worry that this is all a setup to catch him screwing up. That was too tense for his own good.

He’s a little tempted to take her offer to use the restroom. Fuck. Not right now.

He takes the time to breathe deeply and relax himself. Whatever just went on during that interview was more than he was expecting.  Nothing that can't be managed though...hopefully.

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