At the left is Nova wearing an Agarthian exoskeleton uniform. At the rightmos is Nova in a casual Agarthian dress raising her arm to someone while Thekla tries to reach around her waist. In the middle are detail sketches of Nova at the left and Thekla at the right. Their names are between them with a decorative Agarthian emblem.

I haven't done drawings of these two goobers for too long. #Psychosomatic_Existence #OC

Thekla leads Rowan back to their quarters. Thekla: "Oh, they've installed your bed already! Well, they replaced it with a bunk... I want you on the top." Rowan: "So what is Agartha like to live in?" Thekla: "How can I say? It's much like sex. Agartha is both powerful and embracing." Nova appears suddenly into the room and pounces on Thekla. Nova: "<Theklo, I'm back from the shower and miss you!>" Thekla: "<Careful, Novao, you are very strong... in your embrace.>" Thekla points to Rowan while Nova is snuggling over her. Thekla: "Rowan is above us. Remember: Dress protocol!" Nova starts changing dazzling patterns of color in her skin. Nova: "Oh! Uh... don't worry. I'll make us invisible!" Rowan: "Nova, didn't you have tiger stripes on your skin?"

#Psychosomatic_Existence Nr 18 #OC #OCsky #webcomic
Nova's shared room with Thekla is quite small, but also cozy.
I've acquired a drawing tablet from Huion. The comic should be done like this in Krita from now on. Line sharpness and amount of detail is much larger now.

Portrait view of Nova. She has short hair, with bangs covering the ears, but it shortens much more at the back of the head, like a messy bowl cut. She looks at your eyes smiling softly. Her sheepish look being deceiving of the great strength and determination of her personality.

Here's a close up, attempt at a realistic drawing of my favorite person in the world, Nova. It has been about a year since we met.

I should make it into a painting, eventually... once I feel more confident I won't mess it up.
#Psychosomatic_Existence #OC #OCsky

Rhioko encroaches uncomfortably on a rookie's personal space to appear menacing. Rhioko: "<It works until you get spooked or distracted.>" At the end of the training, she stands to address the whole squad. Rhioko: "<Today you, rookies, did outstanding. Tomorrow we'll be back for fieldwork. The task now is to take a shower and you are dismissed.>" As they leave the training floor, she stops Nova for a private issue. Rhioko: "<But Novao, you wait... I know you have an adityo partner, and ynow you also need to attend a danavo. I understand it can be hard. I won't require you to come training if you need a break. Just tell me, okay?>" Nova: "<Thank you drill sergeant Rhioko. But know that I trust my partner and she is who handles the guest.>" Rhioko: "<Be well...>"

#Psychosomatic_Existence Nr 17
The evening training session for Nova ends, marking night time.

Nova punches a cardboard shooting target while expanding the goo around her arm to cut particular shapes. Showing off the creative shapes she's punched, Rhioko comments... Rhioko: "<Puncturing funny shapes into cardboard might seem impressive, but isn't that useful, is it?>" Nova: "<That's just because the goo isn't strong enough to punch other things.>" Rhioko demonstrates manipulating her goo to make colorful shapes all around her arm. Rhioko: "<Smart goo is better at signaletics. But you need to have good practice using your imagination.>" Karso: "<It's just sticking to everything instead of doing what I want!>" Ano: "<I use it to hold on to things. Is that okay?>"

#Psychosomatic_Existence Nr 16 #OCsky #OC
This page and page 17 where drawn months ago, still on paper, but they were wrong in the continuity of the story and couldn't post them.
Nova and the Nymph-9 rookies learn about the smart goo that's part of their uniforms. 🧵

Renio: "...That might make you lose your telepathic abilities, so good mental hygiene and media safety are paramount!" Renio kisses Theklo's forehead, to signal trust and respect. Renio: "I was wondering where you were. I couldn't find you inside. Theklo: "We are okay, don't worry." Renio: "Just don't go past the outer walls, please, okay? Theklo: "There's a pleasant breeze here, Renio. You don't get that in Agartha." Renio extends her hand to the wind and leans the head to the side to feel it in her hair. Renio: " It's true, you are right... Interesting... You are may little investments, so stay safe. Bonfarto por... Thekla interrupts while Renio is walking a back inside. Theklo: "...xiu Agarthoi. Stay well, Renio."

#Psychosomatic_Existence Nr15 #oc #ocsky #webcomics
Renio comes to check out the protagonists while they're sitting outdoors. She overhears some of the conversation on the last page and gives her input. 🧵

Thekla is monologuing about what it feels like to kiss and have sex as an Agarthian, given their telepathic abilities. "When I kiss Nova, for a moment, I can't tell the separation between her and myself. Then her thoughts are my own and I feel the sensations on her body and she feels my body. When you first start having sex as an Agarthian, you begin to understand the reason not all people can transmigrate. You need to be willing to feel all the strange new bodies of others as if your own. You then learn how troubled about sex you are, even if you think you are okay. When being penetrated by Nova initially, it feels like she is infecting my soul. The feeling of her spreading in my body as her taste becomes me... Our telepathy makes us particularly vulnerable to bad memes as we find anything in another person's mind more compelling. Their dangerous ideas make sense to them and we will perceive these ideas the same."

I'm posting #Psychosomatic_Existence Nr14 this week because it was an easy one to draw. It's also kinda wordy. #oc #ocsky
The word "meme" used here refers to the original meaning of a cultural analogue to genes.
"Transmigrate" is when an outsider is recruited and enters Agartha, changing their body.

Thekla and Rowan are retrieving their meal trays before taking a walk outside. They are musing about speaking like an Agarthian. Rowan: "Say... Bonfarto... por xiu... Agartha? I get that word!" Thekla: "Yeah, close enough. «Well-being to all Agarthians». It's our motto. Rowan: "If you can use telepathy, why would you say anything out loud?" Thekla: "We call it «kissing» because it requires contact of our moist parts, like the tongue. Our mucous carries ectoplasm, which... How do I explain?..." Thekla and Rowan sit on the wall of the bush bed. There's also an illustration of two people about to kiss with the intention of talking mentally, represented by neurons, which produce the ectoplasm. Thekla: "Did you know the antennae of insects is how they taste and smell?" There's a trail of ants crossing between the hands of Thekla and Rowan, that they use to lean back on the wall. Thekla "Ants touch around them to taste what's there. They also leave behind their smell so others follow them. They talk by touching antennae and sharing their smells. They can tell who the other is and the trails they left. Agarthian kissing is the same, but ectoplasm conveys much more information. Our bodies communicate manifestations of the brain and as such we mind meld." "

#Psychosomatic_Existence Nr13
#OC #OCsky
In this issue, the characters take a walk outside and Thekla explains the special way Agarthians communicate. All conscious organisms interact with a kind of radiation called orgone. 🧵

Re-iteration of hand-drawn linework using image generation. It's based on the art of Page 13 of Psychosomatic Existence. Two women are retrieving food trays. Then walking outside where there's a fancy pattern on the entrance wall and a row of bushes at the side of the path. The two women sit on the wall containing the bushes. They look worried. Two people are about to kiss with pictures of neurons around them. A trail of ants walks between the hands of the two women. Close up of a mouth screaming.

I hope AI filters don't flag me too hard for this, but... I want to show something funny.
A friend asked if they could try using AI to make my art to look cleaner. So I gave them the raw scan of the linework for Page 13 of #Psychosomatic_Existence (yet to be released). This is the result:

I watched a video about how to explain a story we wrote.
My #Psychosomatic_Existence comic doesn't really have a direction on purpose. It's a series of transitions from beat to beat to expose lore. The lore is that of a strange high tech society hiding from our IRL world civilization. 🧵

Nova looks aside to show her cringing and says: "My launch break is running out. I'm going to return to my instruction..." Thekla nuzzles Nova and sends her off: "<You don't need to be embarrassed. I love you." Nova: "<I love you too.>" With Nova gone, Rowan asks: "What is that language you Agarthians speak?" Thekla: "Well, if you stick with us, you are bound to learn it too." Thekla close-up: "Here's something you'll hear a lot: [Agarthian Writing]: "<Bonfarto Por Xui Agarthoi>"

#Psychosomatic_Existence Nr12
Nova's lunch break has come to an end and Rowan asks Thekla how to speak Agarthian. Little does she know that despite their vocal language, the most important and difficult language of theirs is based on "love".
#oc #ocsky 🧵

I've updated the Agarthian writing system and wrote a guide that can help learning it. It's the native script meant for the native language of the characters in #Psychosomatic_Existence and #Cross_Pollinator.

Thekla is looking over the shoulder to find Nova and says "Kie, estis vin, Novao?" Or "Where were you, Nova?". Nova is looking devious with an arm behind her back and says "Mi diras al [sic] poste via kiso", meaning "I'll tell you after your kiss".

A bit of a silly drawing of my #OC Thekla and Nova from #Psychosomatic_Existence. Also demonstrating some native speech which I've been practicing.

Drawing made on the infinitebook. Nova is wearing a tank top, dog tags, military style trousers with knee paddings, a climbing harness with a carabiner attached and heavy boots.

Nova from #Psychosomatic_Existence in a danavo soldier uniform.

For Windback Wednesday, here is a #Cross_Pollinator concept character where I first used the name "Nova Zeta", before recycling it for the character in #Psychosomatic_Existence. This alternate version was made to look somewhat slavic, rather than asian as in the comic.

Nova, Thekla and Rowan are at the Symposium buffet bantering. After Rowan finds out that Agarthians can read each other's minds, she can't hesitate to test that out. Nova is not amused an each new thing she learns about Rowan bewilders her. Rowan: Quick Nova! Guess what number I'm thinking about! Nova: What do you mean? Thekla: That's not how that works. Nova turns to Thekla... Nova: So, Thekla, can you tell me what's "Heterosexual"? Thekla: You remember what a man is, right? Nova: Yes, you used to be like that. Thekla: Well, Rowan is a woman, can only be attracted by men. Those who don't look like herself. Nova then turns to an embarrassed Rowan to clarify... Nova: We look like women to you, don't we? Rowan: Yeah... Nova: So you wouldn't have sex with us, right? Rowan: You don't arouse me. Nova: Thekla, she's weird!

#Psychosomatic_Existence Nr11
I've been taking a while to get this issue out. But let's do it now just because #LesbianVisibiltyWeek
I experimented using a different technique to draw this page, and unless you like grungy linework, I guess it isn't all that great. #oc #ocsky 🧵

Thekla sits with open legs while leaning back into Nova who spoons her with legs wrapped around Thekla's waist. The text says: "You enjoy to be near me, I want you to have my company." An Agarthian language translation in small font is placed underneath.

I've been experimenting using my new special notebook with erasable pens for my drawings and #Psychosomatic_Existence comic. So that's why there's not much of a comic story continuation going on. But here's a drawing that I did with my #OC

Nova at the left and Thekla at the right, in interesting symmetrical poses while undressed.

I'm still experimenting with using my new notebook to draw.
My #OC from #Psychosomatic_Existence, Thekla and Nova, are doing a sort of dance.

Nova notices Theklo once she arrives the eating mess. Rowan is giving some small talk that can be heard at a distance. Rowan: "You sure have a lot of varieties of soup..." Nova: "Oh great, there's an empty spot next to Theklo!" Nova meets Thekla and kisses her, but for a moment both leer at Rowan in synch, which befuddles Rowan. Then Nova finally sits with her food tray. Nova: "I wish I was there to see that!" Thekla: "You had plenty of fun yourself." Rowan: "What are you on about?" Thekla: "Nevermind. Nova is telling me about her day, telepathically. Rowan: "Seriously? You can talk with your mind?"

#Psychosomatic_Existence Page 10
Today I got a bunch of new followers in one go which is odd. If you are coming for gamedev, I'm sorry today is for posting about my little dumb personal webcomic.

#Psychosomatic_Existence Trivia:
12) Mind-Machine interfaces were invented after discovering that neurons secret small amounts of ectoplasm. Genetically engineering neurons to be able to read information encoded in ectoplasm allows people to receive computer data.

The Nymph-9 are getting some hand's on practice with different kinds of handguns. Rhioko helps them on how to aim and operate these weapons. Rhioko: "<This time we are getting to know handguns. They are similar to our zatarc, but you can't aim them. You have to actually point at the target.>" Nova confides to a colleague at her side. Nova: "<My partner once shot themselves in the head with one of these. They got better...>" A few hours of training later, Rhioko is collecting and stowing equipment back from the rookies while they make a row. Rhioko: "<I suppose you are getting hungry by now, so let's have a lunch break.> Rhioko: "<The task now is to assemble in the eating mess. You are to return in 1 hour. Well-being to all Agarthians!>"

#Psychosomatic_Existence Page 009
Zatarcs are a Agarthian designed pistol where the receiver stands on a robotic arm above the grip. This arm is synchronized to follow the focus of attention of the shooter, so they don't need to mind a target picture or even gun orientation. A "mental aim".

#Psychosomatic_Existence Trivia:
11) The Noosphere is a quantum field that conveys the information patterns of consciousness. Conscious beings drive this field around Earth, much like the rotating metal in the Earth's core produces the Magnetosphere.

Today I have the military uniform concept for the Agarthians of #Cross_Pollinator. They will act as powerful mini-bosses.

You can also see Rhioko using this uniform in #Psychosomatic_Existence, while the rookies only use the vest but with a jumpsuit instead of armour and exoskeleton/holster parts.

Meanwhile the events of previous pages, this comic page shows a row of Nymph-9 rookies presenting for another day of basic military training with Rhioko. The whole dialogue is spoken in the Agarthian native language. All the Nymph-9: "Good Morning, drill instructor Rhioko. Well-being to all Agarthians!" Rhioko: "Welcome Nymph-9, my marvellous rookies." Rhioko walks to the opposite end of the row. Rhioko: "Today we start with familiarity on danavo weapons." Unidentified Rookie: "Again? It's never our own guns..." Rhioko: "You are going to perform 30 push-ups right now and I won't accept any more whining!"

#Psychosomatic_Existence Page 008
I could be doing simpler drawings of my OCs, like everyone else, but I feel like the setting requires a bit more explanation and that's why I'm making it into a comic. I don't think it will run for many pages, but at least a couple of days in the lives of my OCs.

Thekla places a grape at the tip of her tongue which is able to quickly curl around and retract before it can slip off. After performing this trick with her unusual tongue, it ends with a satisfying crunch and she swallows the grape. Thekla: "This is a quirk of mine. Nobody I know has chosen to have a long tongue like mine." "Once you become Agarthian, your body is arbitrary, a whim at your discretion. Its design is your 'Avatar'." "It just needs to comply with the body mapping in your subconscious mind. Usually people fail the adityo test because they would suffer somatic dysphoria, meaning their mapping wouldn't match some standard requirements of Agarthian bodies. Think like... basic quirks all of us have."

#Psychosomatic_Existence Page 007
Thekla demonstrates this one weird trick that gets the attention of all the girls at a party.
Or maybe just her joyfriend, who is biased...

#Psychosomatic_Existence Trivia:
10) Inside Agartha, most technology is reduced to diegetic interfaces and mind-constructed devices. But outside they require hardware to support these devices. Anything with a computer will be thought controlled and therefore reliant on special neurons only they have

Thekla: "So we are alone now... What's next?" Rowan: "'Popcorn'? Sounds cute, but what's that about?" Thekla: "Well, you see, I have this kind of party trick that Nova found amusing, so it became like our in-joke." Rowan: "Now I have so many questions!! Why is your tongue so long? Are all Agarthians like you? What's the trick?" Thekla: "So here's the trick. I'm going to use grapes here, but originally I was teaching Nova to eat using popcorn."

#Psychosomatic_Existence Page 006
When I was developing the Agarthians, I needed some sort of hidden or civilization and ideas included aliens and Atlanteans. They were supposed to feel alien and exotic, borderline incomprehensible and Cronenberg-esque with HR Giger aesthetics.

#Psychosomatic_Existence Trivia:
8) All Agarthian medics have expertise in psychology. Mental health is of special concern to them because there is no machine that can fix that.
9) Agarthians never had a space program and although they could, they never developed spacecraft.

Renio: "How do I explain... Theklo probably understands this. So... Rowan is strictly heterosexual. We can't guarantee her well-being when connecting to Agarthians." Nova: "Is 'heterosexual' a kind of disability?" Thekla: "Ask me again once you have more time after work." Renio: "Indeed, it's about time for Novao's instruction! Tak, tak! I suppose all introductions are handled anyway so I'll be leaving too." Thekla: "I'll se you again soon, my supersoldier.~" Nova: "Don't miss me too much, Popcorn."

#Psychosomatic_Existence Page 005
If you are confused with change in spelling between character names, it's because in Agarthian language, all names should end with the letter "o". Rendering names in latin script as such is what's a formal transliteration.