iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

My beloved is gonna be running a fabula ultima game set in the project moon verse soon and I’m very excited . gonna be playing a queenie bonded former lob corp agent ^-^

A mid-dark skinned individual dressed in light blue and pink frilly attire, with cream coloured frills and accessories. Their hair is dark, with a pink sparkly inside. Their eyes are also pink and sparkly. They carry a staff with a pink winged star. They have blue wings. They’re smiling without it reaching their eyes.

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Ana Marie Cox @anamariecox.com · 15/08/2026

TW: Suicide If you tell people you have SI, many are likely to suggest you call 988 or text the suicide lifeline. These are good resources *if you need to be kept physically safe;* they are not as helpful if your ideations are passive. Allow me to share some things that have helped me. /1

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may 👑 @fawndly.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

mental illness really is a fucking scam what do you mean it's this hard for me to motivate myself to start playing a video game, which is an activity i love and have enjoyed for most of my life,

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rae 🪸 @cosmateria.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

🌹thank you for protecting my dream. #minfilia #ffxiv

lineless illustration of minfilia warde as she appears in shadowbringers as the oracle of light. behind her is a blue background that is the same color as her eyes. her hair is visibly looser and blowing in the wind, and is backlit by a golden glow. the ribbons in her hair have also come loose. she faces the viewer with a gentle and relieved smile.

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Gender Census @gendercensus.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

The 13th annual international Gender Census 2026 is now open until at least 13th August 2026! survey.gendercensus.com It's for anyone whose gender (or lack thereof) isn't described by the M/F binary. It's short and easy, and results are useful in academia, business and self-advocacy. #LGBTQ

Promotional image. Title: Gender Census 2026. Text: If you can't easily put yourself into just one of these two boxes, you are invited to take part. Images: On the left, a box with a Venus/female symbol on it, patterned with tree bark. On the right, a box with a Mars/male symbol on it, patterned with grass.

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Art fight #2 • a vengeance piece for @/softfairies on tumblr !! Estelle’s design is beautiful ☀️ #artfight2026 • #TeamMystery • #artfight

Estelle, a fat black woman with darker skin, red hair and golden eyes, in a sitting position. She has pointed ears with golden earrings, and wears a sunny yellow dress. Shes smiling.

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

First artfight attack of the year !! I don’t believe she has a bsky account, but this lovely sylvari of the same name belongs to &/Caelleth on artfight !! #artfight2026 • #TeamMystery

A green and orange sylvari (plant people from the property guild wars 2) wearing a blue gradient outfit made of twisting leaves and petals. She has two large orange flowers in the leaves that form her hair. Shes carrying a staff made of rounded lily flowers.

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ZliDe @zlide.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Been wanting to do more grayscale stuff again and even though I might have picked the wrong month 🌈 for it, I think I chose a fitting character! With GW3 on the horizon I thought it's a good time to go back to the roots (almost literally) with Caithe 😊 #guildwars2 #gw2

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Lir 🦈 @sharkgay.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

happy National Indigenous Peoples day to all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis oomfs as well as native and indigenous people from far beyond canada's borders!

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

lateee because I was entertaining drawing a custom pfp but alas, I'm in tha trenches (read: experiencing the disability) artfight soon !! *:･ﾟ✧ artfight.net/~Mossylocks

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I’m going art fight this year but I’m gonna be slowwwww just keep this in mind . I’m in the fog but a vision of perhaps The Character will emerge from said fog eventually

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DAVE 🔥 @shadowbingers.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

#FFXIVMODS #XIVMODS #XIVMODDING ✨ Happy Juneteenth! I'm INSANELY happy to present the FFXIV Black Modding Compendium! ✨ Please read the first tab for important notes and disclaimers. More details in the thread below. 🧵 docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Hunter the Vigil guyy for a oneshot I'll be playing in ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ Doc Katsaros, who everyone calls Ross

A tan greek individual, with long dark curly hair put back in a large ponytail. Wearing the shirt of dark green nurses scrubs. This image is decorated with pngs of the moon, a flower, and coins. There's largely transparant text reading "I am one of them"

A tan greek individual, with long dark curly hair put back in a large ponytail. Wearing the shirt of dark green nurses scrubs. This image is a transparent-background png.

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Kou Mengue - the second being their given name, the first their family one; it’s been changed from Kou Sanagi ooc, bc when I first named them I hadn’t decided they were Doman yet !! Wanted to shift the name origin since Doma seems more Chinese inspired than Japanese

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Y’Shtola watched a 17 year old Kou encounter ascians three times over, and decided ”okay . you need to go somewhere people can keep an Eye on you, it Cannot just be me. What if you join my secret society.” Which worked out mostly !! Ifrit was not planned .

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Rami Ismail (رامي) @ramiismail.com · 08/04/2026

And this beautiful game on grief is out now! If you want to support Arab-made work about the Arab world, history, arts, and culture -especially in a time of destruction and erasure towards our people- I cannot recommend this game more. store.steampowered.com/app/3451680/...

store.steampowered.com

Save 10% on The House of Hikmah on Steam

The House of Hikmah is a fully voice-acted, narrative-driven 3D adventure game exploring grief, legacy and the search for answers after profound loss. Solve puzzles, encounter historical scholars of t...

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mizBun @mizbun.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

A few weeks ago, when The Merchant's Tale dropped in FF14, a GREAT Tumblr post was made about the stuff that the content does RIGHT, and the things that are just Orientalist slop. Some ppl requested the post in image form and so I reached out to the OP to get permission to do just that! Spoilers! 🧵

Merchant’s Tale from FFXIV, Part 1

Credit where credit is due. FFXIV’s latest Variant Dungeon, Merchant’s Tale, came out this week in Patch 7.45. There’s been a lot of well-deserved criticism levied towards it already, because some of the most prominently marketed aspects of this new release - the gear, some of the bosses, etc. – have been Orientalist caricatures that are demeaning, racist, and frankly rather disappointing. It’s obvious why this is (sex sells and Disney’s Aladdin sells; hence the “exotic” belly dancer gear, the blue genie of the lamp, the flying carpets, etc.), and I won’t rehash those points here because that isn’t the focus of this post.

The point is this: there’s been some actual research & work that’s gone into Merchant’s Tale, and those facets should be recognized and praised and discussed, even as we are justly and rightfully denouncing the aforementioned Orientalism. I’m an Iranian-American; I may not be the best person to speak on this on account of how I am diaspora, but my grasp of Farsi/Persian and my cultural upbringing gives me enough background to recognize the work that Creative Unit 3 did put into this latest release. It’s my personal belief that we should be encouraging more and better representation, not less and worse, and until matters & industries & reach improve enough that we can enjoy homegrown representation developed in the countries best suited to represent themselves, we ought to give companies feedback to encourage them to do better (hire natives and first language speakers, do their research, understand what not to do, etc.) rather than to become entirely avoidant (“why bother with representing this culture when we’ll only get slammed for it”) or, worse, to start disregarding our feedback entirely in favor of what sells best. There’s enough good representation in Merchant’s Tale that it’s worth not losing sight of it, and I’m going to be covering all of those things in this post.

Be warned: spoilers await you.

Finally, before we start: please pray for the people of Iran.
The Framework

The first thing about Merchant’s Tale to reckon with is that it isn’t current-day Corvos, which is to say that it isn’t FFXIV’s closest analogue to the Middle East. It’s Corvos as depicted by a fictional collection of stories. Sound familiar?
Several textboxes from Y'nazqha follow:
If you have no objections, I would start right away. Now, will you journey into the pages of ancient folklore with me?
It is a beautifully illuminated manuscript that bears a treacherous enchantment: it can draw the reader's very mind into its pages. Needless to say, such a rare tome is notorious among collectors of unique and dangerous documents. Now, I hope you understand the reason I requested your company. Might you keep me safe while I explore this world of fiction? Yes, er...I am...very thorough. But enough about me- surely you're curious about the book! It's entitled The Merchant's Tale, and it is a well-known fable passed down in Corvos, located in southern Ilsabard. The protagonist is a shrewd young merchant, and the story describes his journey to find the perfect gift to win the heart of a young maiden.

The tale in question also suffers from having countless versions:
Screenshot of a textbox from Y'nazqha again:
However, over generations, countless versions of the tale have been passed down and retold. I can't say for certain how this particular manuscript ends.

One aspect of the story is about as traditional as it gets in folklore. A young man winning the heart and hand of a woman:
Another textbox from Y'nazqha:
The protagonist is a shrewd young merchant, and the story describes his journey to find the perfect gift to win the heart of a young maiden.

If there’s any doubt as to what’s happening here, the reward for unlocking all thirteen routes of Merchant’s Tale is an eye mask that looks like sleepwear. Something you’d wear to bed.
A screenshot of the FFXIV facewear item "The Faces We Wear - Comfortable Eye Mask" which is a white eye mask with a black and yellow head strap.

And, of course, there’s both the genie and the flying carpet(s) which call to mind Disney’s Aladdin, based on Aladdin, a tale that originates in a certain collection of folktales. I’m not including the picture of the genie here, you’ve all seen it, but we will revisit the carpet later.

FFXIV’s Merchant’s Tale appears to be based on, or heavily influenced by, One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of mostly Middle Eastern stories. I say mostly because some are mostly inventions added to the collection at later times by Westerners. The prime example of this is Aladdin; look that up if you’d like more details.

The majority of stories found within One Thousand & One Nights aren’t very well known in the public zeitgeist, and we can probably attribute a great deal of that to vast gulfs in culture and sensibilities (old vs. modern). The most common and universal aspect of the collection, however, is the framing device: the stories contained in the collection are presented as stories told by Sahrzahd (commonly known as Scheherazade) to her husband the king starting on the night of their marriage. She regales him with these stories throughout the night, and ends mid-tale each time come sunrise; intrigued and possessed by the need to know how each story ends, the king always delays her execution (long story, you can look it up) until the next day.

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CarmahnArt 🩷 @carmahnart.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Afro Index has finally launched! It’s a visual reference library of Black hairstyles, good for artists, animators, writers, and anyone want to learn more about Black hair! Check it out at afroindex.org 💛✨ #digitalart

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

I'm gonna be in a chronicles of darkness, pirate era game soon :3 drew up a portrait for the character I've got schemed up Nobody "Noddy" Reilly, a changeling of Cloakskin kith and Fairest seeming

a character for the chronicles of darkness system, changeling the lost. A pale individual with dark blue hair formed with ocean water, decorative seaweed sprouting from it. They have pearlescent eyes, and gold freckles. They wear several necklaces, over a nacre and gold lock embedded in their chest. Their tapering ears also end in nacre patterns.

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✨HEX @ comms! @hexlix.art · 19/03/2026

introducing labisa لبس a guide to various fashions & garments across the SWANA region note: this will eventually have more ethnic groups as i do more research, but this is what i have to start. thanks for looking; i hope this helps you with your character costuming. labisa-info.carrd.co

labisa-info.carrd.co

labisa - a resource for SWANA fashion

a resource for SWANA fashion

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mimi (caffeine biased) @coffeerow.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

the moon - intuition, complexity, secrets commission for @itsd.bsky.social of her OC cal #coffeedraws #commission

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

I’ve gotta try and post here more often Seraph has been Experiencing and it’s left a mark :3 #cainttrpg • #cainrpg

A digital drawing of a lighter skinned black person, a scar on their cheek, with stained-glass eyes.
Their hair is done in locs and tied back into a ponytail, with strands loose framing their face.

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leo 🦈 @darlingthresher.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

it's finally FINALLY time: INFINITE REVOLUTION, my star-powered, zodiac-inspired exosuit dogfighter RPG, is finished, crowdfunded, and publicly released!! Spin up your Revolver Drive, defend the stars, fall in love, burn up, and remember—THE ONLY THING BRIGHTER THAN YOU IS MORE OF YOU🌠 Link ⬇️

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🌙 Fray ✨ Comms Open! 🇯🇲 @fraymoth.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Happy #BlackHistoryMonth!! I’m Fray, a black digital artist and college student. I love drawing cute girls, animals and witchy stuff. I’m open for commissions on vgen.co/Fraymoth Thank you for the opportunity!!

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

I amm trying things. With colours. My CAIN character Seraph

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dirt implied @wardeneater.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

yua fashion whimsy #wardendraws | #wardendraws:yua

a drawing of a tall woman in a couture outfit. it consists of a high black corset over pleated pants with a sunset gradient lightening towards the ground into a tall pair of black geta. on the upper half he wears a short sheer white jacket and wide pearly hat covered in blue flower. the same blue flowers drip down the veils attached to the hat and line the bottom of the corset and pant windows that leave her hips exposed. her blue winding tattoos are visible on her arm and hip, her face painted with delicate yellow lines

same as the last image but just the lineart without color

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Houseplant reference completed!! My bitty sparkly commander who is never Out of the salad spinner

A reference sheet of a small purple sylvari with an amber glow
#gw2

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

eehehehe :] || artfight.net/~Mossylocks

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Sam Guay @samguayart.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Will-O'-Wisp, 2016 At some point I'd really love to redo one of my older pieces. This one is a contender. There are always so many things I want to work on...

a watercolor painting of a figure shrouded by glowing hair and moths.

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saba sabaton @ gateway fate 501 @sabato-n.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

i very rusty at traditional inks

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Nyx @nyxxtar.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

A weapon younger than you, bolder than you, that has been cradled by those younger than you, stronger than you. You wield the sword and fail to realise it speaks to the beginning and end of your legacy as well. [ #gw2 #trahearne #art ]

An illustration with a detailed border cropping the sides. In the middle of the of the illustration is Trahearne, a Sylvari man made of leaves and bark, who is slumped on his open knees, his weight on the sword plunged in the ground in front of him. He is mostly in shadow, lit only by the golden hues of the sunlight breaking through the jungle like vegetation blurred in the background around him. The expression on his face is a mixture of forlorn and longing as he gazes upon the sword made of bark and twisted vines.

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

some friends are planning an unofficial rwby ttrpg game and I'm SO excited I've been normal levels of fixated on the faunus I'm going to play ᓚᘏᗢ

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

upgrading to a pc soon and the keyboard I ordered for it is HERE and it's so!! pretty!! o(≧▽≦)o

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

gently poking my head out from my hiding place. I'm still alive hiiii ᓚᘏᗢ hands you my lancer pilot 13-e. My flashclone medic I like them

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

I have been. deeply obsessed with my Lancer pilot XIII-E recently. Woe; a sense of yearning for the beauty of the universe even amidst the horrors of an endless, pointless war be upon ye

a depiction of a silhouetted figure against a horizon aflame and the swirling night sky above them. The stars are depicted as sputtering embers twisting into points of light. Text onscreen reads: If I have a home, it's here. How awful it is. How beautiful

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

realising I've never posted my pfp as an image :3 kbibby

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 24/10/2024

I need you all to know that as much as I draw rowan, of my wizards Moira is absolutely the one that drives me the most insane, ,, girls who defy the natural order and have to deal with the horror that unfolds. and then she had to go to wizard highschool

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 24/10/2024

I love you goth wizards of complex gender and eternal readiness for physical violence

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Moss🧶 @mossylocks.bsky.social · 24/10/2024

I've definitely drawn Rowan the most out of my w101 critters, Necromancers can be a little overly combative as a treat

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