#sprite's scribbles

Thanks for being patient with the radio silence there for a bit, everybody! I'll be getting to asks shortly, but in the meantime ...

I don’t have any specific asks right now, so take this as a free pass to yap!

I had 2 different ideas for this, so I'm going to go with the one I think is less likely to come up in an ask!

*puts on "game show host" voice*

Thaaaat's right, it's time for ...

Yapping About Mer Scales!

At this point, I think it's pretty well-established that young mer in the Linked Seas AU have soft, delicate scales that are prone to damage and disease. That's a big part of why tribes get ultra protective of their young.

But! There are tons of differences in scale types between mer, and the differences come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Similar to how you'd see animal species adapting to their specific habitat over time, certain styles of scales tend to be more common in different parts of the ocean/different tribe lifestyles. The Chain and Wisdom Tribes are unique for their wide variety of scale types/colors. What a mer's scales look and feel like can tell you a lot about them. Two examples ...

Warriors: Metallic, ultra-hard scales are rare, but more common in predator-infested parts of the ocean. Wars's scales indicate that he's a natural fighter, but they require more upkeep than most. His skin/connective tissue underneath his scales is unusually sensitive and vulnerable. Strength on the outside, kindness on the inside. He's also less flexible than other mer and has to work harder to keep up speed-wise because of his scale weight.

I just got an ask from someone who said they accidentally reported my account. I haven't noticed anything reported/restricted on my end, and I've never seen this person on my dash before (even in likes). They said they could show me the ticket Tumblr sent them after the report.

Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing, and if so, is it a scam (it feels scam-ish to me)?

In a way, yes! Most of the characters wear the mer-ified versions of their LU clothes, but there are a few things (like Twilight's pelt) that just didn't work for the world and got cut. In LS, Sky doesn't wear his sailcloth like a cape a la LU, but he does have it tucked behind his belt/sash in a neat square. It's a thinner, more mesh fabric, almost like a tightly woven net. He uses it to catch currents like a sail when he's riding Crimson and needs to go fast. He's also used it as an impromptu weapon before!

Seaweeds/kelps are by far the most common textile in Linked Seas, but there are a few other things! Some mer (including the Chain) scavenge human fabrics from wrecks and litter. There is such a thing as undersea leather, too. It's harder to get since you have to be out of the water to process it (i.e. like on a rock island like the one Legend and Aryll found in Little Sister, Big Brother), so it's a treasured resource. Great for armor if you don't like metal (read: Hyrule) or to keep you warmer in colder climates.

I realized The Chain's Rulebook now has over 4,000 views (?!?!? WOO AND HOORAY THANKS EVERYBODY!!). Up until now, I've released a new chapter for TCR whenever it crosses a new thousand-view mark. I didn't think I had more ideas ... except now, I do. And I'm kind of excited. But I wanted to know ...