I Love The New Locations In The New Yume Nikki! They Are Super Spooky!

(i know i still haven't responded to the last ask i sent you shhh i wanted to draw something and then art block eviscerated me)

Happy about a year anniversary of A Little Game of Cat and Mouse perpetually haunting me! If I may: What is one bit of knowledge about our contemporary world that would interest/flabbergast the regency crew the most? Every time I get really into a new song I imagine the crew being exposed to modern music

Hello Witherydithery!! I am so incredibly sorry for responding so incredibly late to your question. I must check my ask box more frequently- my sincerest apologies.

And aaa I am so happy you think of the goofballs when listening to tunes! I am sorry for haunting you, though! 

And also, oh geez, I think *most* aspects of our current era would be very surprising to someone currently living at the tail end of the Regency Era. Our society has advanced so much in the ways of technology, civil rights, and culture that our world may be somewhat unrecognisable to them! Everything from our dress, the way we speak to one another, our standard of living, and the way our world is so interconnected would take quite a bit of time to get used to! Also, I am no proper historian, so I am probably off in many ways (feel free to correct me!)- but here are some of my thoughts, which go on for far too long. Which is why they are under the cut!

I think the whole crew would be very impressed by how quickly we can travel between one place and another! For context that relates to A Little Game of Cat and Mouse- by car, it takes only 40 minutes to get from Old College, Edinburgh to the Whittingehame Estate- a trip that is roughly 24.3 miles (39.10 km). Since stage coaches averaged around 7 miles (11.26 km) per hour, it would roughly take 3 and a half hours to get there if the roads and conditions were alright! This is also not mentioning that we can fly now? Crazy! Sometimes I can't even believe it, and the airplane has been around for 122 years!

I also believe our modern day clothes would be very shocking to all of them! Our summer wear in particular would be very scandalous! Even in the 1930s it was considered inappropriate to wear shorts in Britain outside of certain outdoor and athletic activities! Also, not to mention how our clothes have significantly less gender regulations than we used to have! I grew up watching period flicks with my mom and a common joke between us was that we would have hated having to always wear dresses- opulent or otherwise. Also, the wigs- ew. I think the Regency era person would believe us to be rather socially liberated! Though they will probably be surprised and disappointed that the wealth gap is still very significant between the economic classes. Also, as I headcanon a great amount of the regency cast to be Scottish (The first location of the institute being in Edinburgh must have been intentional!) Some of them may be discouraged that Scotland is still not independent from the United Kingdom. 

The ease of access to information would also of course be mind boggling! The fact that we can ask the internet a question and get millions of hundreds of answers within a second is astounding. I think perhaps the Regency era person would be pleasantly surprised by our literacy rate and yet also be disappointed with how gullible we can be! The global average literacy rate is 86.81% yet our modern world has a disturbing growing anti-science sentiment. Wild! 

Individually speaking, Jonah’s Harem The characters from the Regency era would also each probably be interested in different aspects of our modern world. So, barring other major historical events and technological advancements that would probably be shocking to them all- here are some thoughts about the individual characters:

Everytime I re-read how I wrote Robert Smirke (fictional) I feel really bad for Robert Smirke (actual famous English architect Robert Smirke not to be confused for the famous English painter Robert Smirke that lived in the same time period.) I am so sorry Sir Smirke, you would have been very impressed by the use of concrete and iron frames in skyscrapers. I wonder what he would have thought about brutalism and deconstructivism?

My version of Barnabas Bennett, as a tailor, would be very interested in the evolution of our fashion today. Our clothes today are so incredibly different and much more casual! I believe he may be embarrassed by the sight of people basically walking around in the regency era version of underclothes. How scandalous! On the more silly side, if Barnabas was somehow introduced to gacha games- he would go into debt for rolling for too many cute outfits. This is how the Lukas family can still win I guess. Additionally, as Barnabas is not exactly a member of the gentry and is very careful with his words, I believe he would also be surprised by how casual we are when we speak to one another. There are certainly less social rules and regulations than there were in the early 19th century, so it would probably throw him off center when confronted with the fact the average person can, like, tweet insults to public figures with little to no push back. Maybe he’d be into it?

Mordechai Lukas would certainly be into it! As my version of him is not very interested in following social decorum, he would be very entertained by our modern interactions and public drama. I strangely think he would enjoy reality tv specifically when it relates to romantic courting. More specifically- I think Love Island would fascinate him in a very not normal way. He would also very much enjoy the option to work remotely- it’s all the man ever wanted. Mordechai would also probably be the most accepting of wearing modern day clothes. 

I have not got quite a good grasp on Albrecht von Closen’s and Jonathan Fanshawe’s characters yet- so I cannot make a good prediction for them. But Fanshawe would probably be very pleased at the development in medicine! You go king- vaccinations are now commonplace.

We do know that canon TMA Jonah Magnus is very well adapted to the modern era! I can only imagine how ecstatic he was when security cameras and IP tracking became commonplace. We also know that he has a fondness for scheduling, which most likely means he enjoys Microsoft Excel. But if my version of 1818 Jonah Magnus was suddenly brought to our contemporary world - barring ancient fear gods - this man would be obsessed with Wikipedia. There’s so much information! For free! It’s incredible! You can click on the citations and be brought to primary sources and research journals! He also would probably be interested in the potential of finding dirt on people through social media, background checks, and public records. I don't believe 1818 Jonah is currently at a stage where he would be entirely comfortable with blackmail- but I think he would just be really fascinated in the potential of learning about the secrets of people so easily without eldritch eyeball power. If Jon had a social media (the man most likely does not, outside of maybe potentially posting one picture of The Admiral) Jonah would stalk the hell out of it. And then feel guilty about it maybe. 

With the knowledge of learning that gay marriage is now legal in the UK, Jonah would immediately begin scheming to formally court and marry Jon so he can fully utilize his companionship and power, and for no other reason, he swears to God. He would probably not get very far, though, as he is still an incredibly repressed person when it comes to expressing genuine affection. Jonah would then fully throttle Mordechai Lukas when Mordechai beats him to it and actually begins courting Jon in earnest. Jon, in turn- would be very confused and concerned.

Also! Music! As the options for music genres and composers were rather limited in the regency era- I imagine that the sheer amount of musical styles would be very compelling to them! Ballads and orchestral pieces would probably be the most familiar and comforting, but I do wonder if Jonah would have a fondness for jazz? Strangely, I think Barnabas would be the most open to different types of tunes! Though I suspect that the crew may be scandalized by how our lyrics today can be very forward or explicit at times. One struggle I had while writing Jonah’s POV was how to describe modern-day sounds like tape-recorder white noise and Nokia ringtones. I settled on describing chiptune ringtones as somewhat similar to bagpipes- but even then chiptune sounds are so alien to what we hear in nature! So I am very curious as to what they might think of the variety of instruments we have nowadays! I wonder how someone in the early 19th century would describe heavy metal or synthwave?

Thank you so much for sending in this ask!! It was very enjoyable to ponder on their thoughts of our modern era! Also, I very much understand art block! I am still trying to fight through my art and writer's block myself! Together we shall prevail! 

Thanks once again Witherydithery! You are so hip and cool, and I think of your art all the time because,,, your really cool jonahjon pieces are a widget on my mobile homescreen.

AAAAAAA!!! oh my goodness you are so talented and I love the way you draw Jonah and Jon! Your character designs and composition skills are 10/10 and oh my gosh, I’m really honored that you made this from my goofy story i’m-

This is a comic I made for @paptato Fic! It’s a time travel Magnus Archive fic and it’s my favorite, honestly fantastic read.

A Game of Cat and Mouse:

 https://archiveofourown.org/works/23988727/chapters/57704170

Text in the comic (because my handwriting is not good):

[First panel] “Magnus’s face is unreadable” [Second panel] “He barely hears the clacking” [Fourth panel] “He is not being made to speak the words of a mad man. He is in control. He is safe. He is no longer a puppet.” [Fifth panel] Magnus says “Jonathan I-” and Jon cuts him off saying “Don’t.”

Listen up!

You see a post like this? Where OP might hurt/kill themselves? You hit that button that I circled

Hit that.

Click Suicide or Self-harm Concern

Yes.

Fill in the rest of it, and hit submit. The "content you reported" will fill itself in

Tumblr will follow up and help them.

Warning: this is only for mobile. If anyone knows how to do this for desktop, please add it!

This could SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE.

YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE NOT TO REBLOG THIS.

I DON'T GIVE A FUCK IF IT DOESN'T GO WITH YOUR BLOG'S THEME.

And yes, REBLOG. Liking does no shit at all. This isn't ig.

You reblog, people see it. You don't, people don't see it. This shit's that simple.

This could save someone's life. It's not a joke.

Jonelias thought of the day is that Elias must come across as so stuffy and boring to those at the Institute - which, you know, very much helps hide his true nature - but as an avatar of the Eye and a man determined to avoid the End, Elias is someone whose entire being revolves around the interplay of knowledge and experiences. He's compelled to Know it all and his efforts to avoid death invite him to Experience it all too, a fascinating combination of passive observer and, by virtue of being a 200+ year-old in search of true immortality, an active participant too. This is a man whose longevity and thirst for knowledge invites an obsession with life that contradicts the 'Sits in his office doing nothing but spreadsheets all day' image he's learned to cultivate. (Though, to be clear, he does love the spreadsheets.) And I don't just mean "obsession with life" in the sense of him avoiding the finality of death, but actually loving the act of being alive.

I think a lot of what the fandom (rightly) jokes about in regards to his characterization is a reflection of that obsession. Elias has a relationship with Peter Lukas that goes far beyond the cold practicality of an alliance, hinting at a romance (if you steer towards a LonelyEyes reading), or just Elias' desire to still be able to place bets with someone while he's trying to end the world. Similarly, his powers ensure that he's never truly alone - if he dies, he takes the rest of the Archive with him - forever supplying him with a warped companionship that doesn't threaten him like he perceives he was threatened as Jonah Magnus, with his acquaintances working to complete their own rituals. In true Beholding style, he's got the heart of a fucked-up scientist who's endlessly curious about the world around him: 'Oooh what happens if I let my friend waste away in the Lonely?' He shows up at Jon's birthday party not just to secretly gloat and keep an eye on things (ha), but because he legitimately wants cake. Who wouldn't want cake? What's the point of living forever if you can't have cake?? Well, for an avatar the exquisite sweetness of fear is just as good, but my point stands. Beyond his fear of death, that enjoyment is at the heart of Elias' goal, with Jon describing his experience as the Pupil as a kind of agonized bliss and Elias confirming this by saying he was having the most wonderful dream. Morality aside, he likes interacting with the horror of the Entities, something we saw all the way back during the "[PLEASURED EXHALATION]" scene. Learning new things feels good. Experiencing news things is enjoyable. Learning and experiencing Bad Things is especially nice given his patron. Consistently, Elias' setbacks are met with interest, or a mild annoyance that then eventually settles into satisfaction because they are also new experiences for him and the Eye: going to jail, getting to psychologically torture Martin, having his own secrets exposed. There's a lot throughout the series to imply that Elias enjoys watching Jon become the Key, not just because it means he's succeeding in his goals, but because there's genuine interest and pride in seeing him "grow" by Elias' standards. The repetition of "our world," "our patron," etc. implies a connection; the intention to experience this new world with another, to enjoy it rather than simply exist in it for the mere sake of existence. Elias is a man whose entire essence boils down to, "I NEED TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS, EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING, AND LIVE FOREVER WHILE ACHIEVING THAT, TO UNDERSTAND IT ALL SO I CAN CONTROL IT ALL AND HAVE A DAMN GOOD TIME IN THE PROCESS, EVEN WHILE I SUCCUMB TO THE PRIMAL FEAR THAT DRIVES ME I WILL PARADOXICALLY EMBRACE IT, AND YEAH THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE I SERVE THE LITERAL GOD OF JUDGY SURVEILLANCE BUT ALSO THAT'S JUST ME."

So anyway, I keep thinking about how this characterization could intersect with S1-2 Jon: prickly, awkward, semi-isolated, desperate to be recognized by someone whose authority he believes in. AKA the boss who, at an unprecedented young age, rose to the top of the Institute they both work at, perceived by those around him as far less interesting than he actually is. Parallels, anyone? Imagine Jon getting to really talk to Elias, realizing how much he has to offer after 200 years of life (though of course he doesn't know that), and just constantly being blindsided by not just the knowledge, but the enthusiasm for everything he's learned and been through - the good and the horrifyingly awful that, despite himself, Jon is equally drawn to. Elias recognizes every quote Jon drops into a conversation and has another witty line to pair it with. He doesn't just indulge his nerdy rambles, but participates in them. He's refined in all the ways that Jon expects - books, opera, music, etc. - and also casually drops in references to acid trips and fucking orgies. Imagine an early series Jon who forms a strong bond with Elias outside of the web (ha x2) he's been weaving, becoming dependent on his friendship and just a little bit completely in love. Elias is inherently fascinating, but he's also just Some Guy, and the combination of that is just perfect for a necrotic Archivist who simultaneously wants to be guided by his 'betters' and prove that he's an equal. Why Elias would be interested in turn barely needs stating: Jon is literally Elias' everything, in a horrifyingly tragic and like, Gothic Romance sense? What would that kind of relationship have changed? It would have likely made Elias' job even easier, but what about Jon?

...I'm not saying that Jon's drive to protect humanity would have been warped into something tragically dangerous if he'd first come to see his intelligent, complex, shockingly kind (from his nonexistent self-esteem POV), secretly-an-eldritch-monster boss as the epitome of humanity... but I'm also not saying it couldn't have!

Reblog if your school is to switching to online classes for coronavirus

The Date a Cryptid Project has been approved!!!

I'm really excited to work on this game! I will try my best to post and notify you all when something's happening!

In the mean time I can give you some info about what the game will be about:

* the game will be PG-13 and it's for an assignment so there will be will be no gore, suggestive or explicit material

* the game will be some what of a parody of dating simulators but don't worry you still can romance your monsters ❤

* there are four planned routes but hopefully I will be able to add more after the demo.

*the demo will come out near the end of feburary so keep your eyes peeled

Unfortunately I can not post more professional art of the game because my computer screen is busted, but in the mean i hope you enjoy this silly concept art

Icon I made for Jonelias Week 2024 :)

This is how the game ends right?

Oh my gosh!! This is stunning! Your style fits these two so well and I love how you illustrated them interacting!

They way Jonah is slightly bending down because of his height and looking unbearably smug + fond-- and the annoyed expression on Jon's face!!! Also his braid!!! The character designs and outfits you gave them are just so fantastic and they really bring these two to life! Also the texturing and the background??? Phenomenal, show-stopping, 10/10!

I'm loosing my mind. Thank you so, so much for bringing these two to life- your art is incredibly fantastic oh my gosh

A piece of art for A Little Game of Cat and Mouse by @paptato on ao3 :’))

I just know these guys will be friends soon maybe hopefully??

It is single handedly your fault that I adore regency Jonah. And I would die for your Barnabas Bennett. I hope you know how beloved your writing is by many of us. Truly inspirational 💖

!!!! AAAA thank you so much! I’m really honored and touched that you like the stuff I’m doing with Jonah and Barnabas! I’m a big ol’ blob of emotions 

Also this is really humbling coming from you because your writing is really, really good! Your fic about mag 161 is 10/10 great atmosphere and fantastic spooks and i love it