The Art Of Violence

THE CAKE WAS TRUE

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A pair of red crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) perform a courtship dance in Hokkaido, Japan

by ted smith

so uhm ultrapop au where Gabriel is an idol and there's a underground machine punk band something something...idk i just wanna draw modern setting...also there is hidden romance gabv1el yay yay

forget freak. who's gonna match my cringe.

I could talk extensively about how I think Vere represents hedonism, whereas Mhin symbolizes self-repression, and that’s why they’re both enemies and foils. And I will. 

Hedonism. In broad terms (and without getting into distinctions between axiological and ethical hedonism), it could be defined as the theory that describes the pursuit of pleasure and satisfaction of desires as the end goal of life. 

Good music, fine clothing, quality champagne, drawing, sex. Vere gives himself to everything natural to the soul without restraint. One may even argue that his predilection for suffering (and I quote, it is precisely suffering that makes MC’s soul “so irresistible” to him) may too be related to this. What is wallowing in sorrow but yet another excess of the heart? 

Vere is an ancient, supernatural being that seemingly exists purely through self-indulgence and physical demands. Hunger is a relevant theme to his character; he embodies both the primordial need for sustenance AND the fear of being preyed upon, a terror most animals —humans included— share. He craves what is authentic, and, despite his continuous teasing and lying, he is undoubtedly the most honest character so far in letting us know what he is and does. Vere is natural, raw, and, for now, unashamed. 

Now Mhin, to me, they embody the concept of resistance. We’ve seen how their fatal flaw states they will try to resist change at any cost. They’re a newcomer plagued by a curse they do not want, a monster that lives within them and they resent. If you look closely at their “monster forms” in the trailer, you may be able to appreciate that Mhin’s (along with Kuras’…chest…face thing) is the only one that seems to be crying. 

There seems to be a clear divide between Mhin’s human consciousness and the monstrous bird form that takes over them. This gap is insurmountable enough for them to feel as though their transformation involves a breach of emotional consent: they resist this metamorphosis, yet it happens violently regardless of their desires. This makes them repulsed by anything that side of them represents, sickened by what is inherent to them. 

If we consider Mhin’s constant rejection of natural desires in opposition to Vere’s embracing of them, it is easy to understand why they don’t get along. They are what the other despises the most, and have a disposition towards life so antinatural to each other that any chances of meeting in the middle are immediately discarded. 

This just makes me want to see more of them interacting together, though. 

That is all. 

How I imagined Princess. She looks a bit too normal for a soulless but I think my design is cute, hopefully. I made her be a pitbull because of the common misconception that they’re all horrible violent dogs, when they’re really not. In the game the Soulless were portrayed as ruthless killers, but when the MC met Princess and she’s just a silly little dog, uh yeah !! I lost my train of thought, but I hope that makes sense in why I made her be a pitbull. Also the lines are messy along her spine, those are the finger spine things that the soulless has. There’s also random cuts on her because I feel like she’d have those.

Guys I forgot she has six legs please add an extra pair of legs thank you

🌺 I really like the coral forest in silksong 🌺

Smell of dead flowers

Your Touchstarved headcanons are wonderful! You are almost single handedly keeping me sane while I wait for the full game. Truly, you are a blessing to this fandom.

I was wondering if you had any thoughts about what any of the LIs would think of an MC who is a Writer/Artist. Maybe they had to give it up for a while when they left to go to Erridia?

Or...

Since MC is broke, what do the LIs think of them showing affection through gifts, even if they haven't got money? I can imagine they make simple, inexpensive things like paper flowers for Leander or friendship bracelets for Ais.

Anyway I hope you have a great day, keep up the good work and thanks for posting so much good stuff.💐🌼

I’m actually crying you’re so sweet THANK YOU SO MUCH?!! AVCKHVCEBFC 😭😭

I took it a step further, I hope you don't mind.

This is 1/2 :)

Disclaimer! They/Them for MC because we love inclusivity!

Kuras

Writer

He’d probably figure it out rather quickly. The way they would meticulously jot down notes, the endless stream of ideas, and their thoughtful insights into various u̶n̶c̶o̶n̶v̶e̶n̶t̶i̶o̶n̶a̶l̶ topics. Or perhaps he had caught glimpses of their constantly ink-stained fingers. Either way, it became another entry in Kuras' catalogue of fascinating things about them. Undeniably intrigued, he couldn't help but wonder if their writing reflected their innermost thoughts and desires—if each word they wrote held a piece of their soul, waiting to be discovered by someone willing to delve into the depths of their imagination—or perhaps if it was simply a creative outlet for emotions they couldn't express otherwise.

Kuras found himself wanting to uncover the layers of complexity that made up the enigmatic individual behind the pages of their notebooks. And he was more than willing to take on that challenge.

Taking into consideration the fact that perhaps the MC wouldn't be able to afford fancy writing tools or notebooks, often writing down messy notes in napkins with worn-out pens and crayons left behind by patrons at the Wick, Kuras would gift them a brand new notebook and a set of pens, hoping that the small gesture would encourage the MC to continue expressing themselves through writing and perhaps even open up to him about the deeper secrets of themselves they had yet to reveal.

Vere

Artist

As a fellow artist himself, Vere knew to recognize talent when he saw it, no matter how subtle or unassuming it may appear at first glance. After all, true artistry is not just about skill but also passion and dedication. He didn't miss the way the MC's eyes lingered a moment longer on the brush strokes of a distant painting in a random Eridian shop with such reverence, as if trying to capture the essence of the art itself, before moving on, or the way their eyes focused on the lightning dancing across the sky and their fingers twitched with an unspoken desire to create. 

Vere could sense the raw artistry bubbling just beneath the surface; he saw in them the same hunger for self-expression and longing for freedom that had driven him to pursue his own artistic endeavours. 

So he carefully crafted a plan. He discreetly left behind pens and paper in the MC's vicinity. He didn't directly hand it to them, opting to let them stumble upon the supplies, hoping that the MC would take notice and feel compelled to pick up the tools on their own accord. Don't ask him why he did so; he doesn't know the answer himself. Perhaps because of an inexplicable curiosity and a desire to see if he could spark something within the MC, to see if he could ignite that same creative flame that burned within him. Or maybe it was simply a gut feeling. Regardless, he watched from a distance as the MC began to tentatively pick up the pens and paper, their eyes alight with newfound inspiration. It brought a g̶e̶n̶u̶i̶n̶e̶ satisfied smile to his face, his tail wagging back and forth in contentment.

Leander

Dance

Leander figured the MC used to be a dancer. It was obvious if one paid close attention; their perfect posture, precision, strength, and flexibility in their body were a dead giveaway. He'd notice the gracefulness in their movements, every step deliberate and full of confidence, and the fluid transitions between postures.

Leander found himself bewitched. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the MC as they'd effortlessly glided around the Wick, their feet barely making a sound against the hardwood floor. It was effortless, seamless, and utterly captivating. He will admit he couldn't help the small smile once he'd noticed the subtle way they would often tap their feet to the rhythm of a song roaring throughout the tavern.

It was a talent that couldn't be hidden, no matter how hard they tried.

His plan was simple: He needed some sort of opening, somewhere to insert himself into the situation without coming across as intrusive (o̶r̶ a̶g̶g̶r̶e̶s̶s̶i̶v̶e̶… o̶r̶ d̶e̶m̶a̶n̶d̶i̶n̶g̶… o̶r̶—). He would simply attempt to start a conversation with them and praise their dance skills, hoping to learn more about that talent of theirs—maybe even ask them for a dance later in the evening—while also finding a way to subtly steer the conversation towards more personal matters.

N̶o̶, i̶t̶ w̶a̶s̶n̶'t̶ n̶e̶r̶v̶e̶s̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ f̶l̶u̶t̶t̶e̶r̶e̶d̶ i̶n̶ h̶i̶s̶ s̶t̶o̶m̶a̶c̶h̶. I̶t̶ w̶a̶s̶ p̶r̶o̶b̶a̶b̶l̶y̶ t̶h̶e̶ e̶x̶c̶i̶t̶e̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ o̶f̶ t̶h̶e̶ u̶n̶k̶n̶o̶w̶n̶ o̶u̶t̶c̶o̶m̶e̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ a̶w̶a̶i̶t̶e̶d̶ h̶i̶m̶ a̶n̶d̶ b̶l̶a̶h̶ b̶l̶a̶h̶ b̶l̶a̶h̶—

Mhin

Sculpture

They noticed something was up because the MC. wouldn’t. stop. staring. at their face. The way their eyes lingered on Mhin's features made them feel self-conscious, as if every flaw and imperfection were being scrutinised under a microscope.

Mhin couldn't decipher the intent behind the intense gaze, but it left them feeling both uncomfortable and strangely flattered. They couldn't help but wonder what it was about their appearance that captivated the MC so intensely. It was as if they'd seen something in them that no one else did—something worth examining closely.

They tried to maintain a neutral expression but ended up shifting uncomfortably in their seat, trying to break the look that seemed to be piercing through their very soul. 

It wasn't until the MC finally spoke up, complimenting Mhin's bone structure and suggesting they would make a great model for a sculpting project, that Mhin made the connection.

The revelation made Mhin feel incredibly flattered and intrigued, as they had never considered themselves to be particularly striking or noteworthy. The idea of being immortalised in stone by someone talented was… intimidating. And somehow humbling.

Ais

Architecture

He is observant, and can easily notice a person who seems particularly interested in a specific thing. He observed them, their body language, facial expressions and the way they looked at things around them, their eyes tracing the fine details from afar—it was almost like they were analysing them.

What made his suspicions clear was...the Seaspring. F̶i̶n̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ t̶h̶e̶ d̶a̶m̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ w̶a̶s̶ u̶s̶e̶f̶u̶l̶ a̶t̶ s̶o̶m̶e̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ b̶e̶y̶o̶n̶d̶ b̶r̶i̶n̶g̶i̶n̶g̶ d̶e̶s̶p̶a̶i̶r̶

It was the way they looked at the building in particular; their eyes darted around, as if examining every inch, every line and curve of the temple. He’d smirk to himself, eyes following their every move, as if he could read their thoughts.

He’d bring them anything; from papers, inks and rulers to wood and other building materials. He’d let them demolish, remodel, completely renovate the fucking thing—he couldn’t care less, as long as he had somewhere to rest at night. Besides, their smile was worth more to him than any amount of power he could be offered.

I could make another one with Singing/Music, Theatre and Design or Ceramics perhaps….

So this is part two of the lines that stuck out to me for Leander so go look at the first one if you haven’t seen it yet 😗🤪https://www.tumblr.com/cacaobean760/735020263224360960/ok-so-this-is-my-first-ever-post-but-i-actually?source=share

So if we are picking up from right where I left off we are still outside talking to Leander and he is trying to get us to touch his hand and so he of course, has to pull this ICONIC line when we say that he does not know what he is asking us

ok bud, hold on, we literally just met you, why the heck would we trust you. It's pretty weird when you think about it especially after you see the next situation.

The next options we have are to touch him or hold back. If you do choose to touch him, nothing happens, everything goes fine. But if you choose to to hold back well.......this happens

Leander fully expects you to touch him and not hesitate, he fully expects you to trust him. Which is definitely weird because well, why would we, we just met him. So Leander must be really used to people trusting him even when they just met which means this is not his first rodeo with this. Also I have no idea what actually happens here, weather our curse actually effects him for a bit or he is just playing it off because I feel like he deff knows he done messed up when he grabs our hand but...

He plays off the whole thing no matter what actually happened to him after touching our hand! He makes it seem all fine and dandy even when it's not because it would be a shock for someone to just grab you like that even if you kinda suspect it happening. I mean I feel like any normal person would remember and take notes of what went down. This kinda goes back to when you consider how if you choose to refuse the flowers when he first offers them to you he just pretends like he did not hear you. But if something even scarier happened to you, for example, Leander getting effected by the curse, you would kinda forget about the fact that he forcefully grabs your hand. And then he touches you AGAIN??!!?! This is meant to be comforting and establish some more trust between the two of you because he seems like a safe space after this.

Then he says this??????

Bro might as well just say that he is the only person you can trust.

Also if we rewind a bit, So far Leander has been very kind, open, and friendly towards us but then he says this uhhhhhh.... very unusual line

This is actually talked about a lot I feel like when it comes to Leander because I feel like it sums up his character with just this line and the one other line about flowers not lasting long but leaving an impression.

When we finally go back inside he finishes off our chat by saying this

By doing this, he is saying that he is a safe space to go back to, he is someone you can trust. Which I feel has been the whole point of this whole conversation, to establish some trust and build up a relationships. And when you look at it from that point of view, one could say that Leander is actually using our vulnerable situation to make us feel like he is the only one we can turn to.

And I think I am finally to the last line, but it is about Leander and his escapades

Listen, I am not shaming, you do you boo, but like I feel that Leander does this for more then just some good ol' fun. First off, even if they are one night stands, there establishes more of a relationships then if they were strangers. I also feel that Leander KNOWS how much of a pretty boy he is and so he fully expects for people to want to.....meet up again lets say. And also this feeds into the illusion that he is a perfectly good, fun loving guy. No one like him could be bad right? It feeds into his act of being a party animal, someone that does not take life to seriously. But I think that is all part of his plan.

So ya, I could just be super overthinking everything but I actually kinda hope that Leander turns out to be the most morally gray or bad out of all of the LI's because I think that would be such a good twist.