#samekh

This ask has been in my inbox for 3 WHOLE MONTHS because I had an Artistic Vision™️ that turned into a bigger project than expected, realized what I’d done, got scared and procrastinated the hell out of it, cursed myself for falling into this trap yet again, redrew and reorganized and rewrote it several times, then finally just ripped off the bandaid and finished 3 pages in like 2 days. Oops

The idea that sparked this whole Artistic Vision™️ came from some themes of the realm that I’ve found fascinating for a long time. Sky devs have said before that Valley represents civilization at its “peak” and was inspired in part by the Renaissance period. In addition, the Elder designs were each themed around a single word: Creativity for Forest, Protection for Wasteland, etc. And for Valley, that word is simply “excellence.” These themes reminded me of the concept of a Renaissance man, or someone who took advantage of that period’s artistic and scientific advancements to maximize their potential in all areas. Valley is home to all kinds of art, technology, music, athletics, and more, and I like to think that in the process of figuring out their identity (ies), Samekh would try it all. I see them constantly trying new things, constantly competing to be the best at those things, and getting frustrated when they still feel like something is missing. It’s something they’d always struggle with, I think, but they’d find balance eventually. Mostly.

I also like the idea that each of the Elders came along as a response to some collective need in society, using their various specialties to help people advance through the ages. Samekh are obviously different in a way that would stand out, and since that comes with a disability, I think they’d struggle to figure out why they are the way they are. And to some extent, I think the answer is “they just are,” but I also think they’d find meaning in having each other to compete against. They motivate each other to improve themselves and their realm. They never settle for less than excellence.

The downside to this, of course, is that infinitely “maximizing potential” on a society-wide scale is very unsustainable. But that’s a topic for another time LMAO

So that’s how this ask about childhood turned into a story of growing up which then turned into “how the fuck do I convey all these headcanons in a drawing”. And then I did a bunch of drawings. I’m sorry I went a little insane with it, I’d say it won’t happen again but like…It might