A Quick (not-so) Little Post To Sort Of Show Off, Explain Lore, And Slightly Contrast Some Designs For

A quick (not-so) little post to sort of show off, explain lore, and slightly contrast some designs for the Devil and Maiden story.

So we got the previously introduced minor antagonist, Jasper Rodriguez with the purple/brown hair - and the male protagonist, Markus Marken, with the wavy hair. These two were like brothers before they got split up to go into the human world ("The Corporeal Plane") and the experience served to change them and their friendship forevermore.

More story info under the cut!

These two are both Incubi, male-presenting demons who feed off strong emotions and are released into the Corporeal Plane to gather souls and sow the sin of lust, but (theoretically) are unable to feel love and compassion for themselves.

All Incubi have the ability to masquerade as human, though how good at it they are depends on their control of their own emotions. Pictured here, rough designs of their "real" selves (prior to me changing the designs of their horns):

As I've noted here, Jasper is actually taller and leaner than Markus. Their armour should be a deeper red but I don't quite have the pencil and that paper couldn't take that much punishment.

Masquerading as a human makes them slightly shorter, dulls down their eye and hair colour, plus hides their fangs, horns and other markings. Jasper prefers to wear bright greens and golds when in human form and has much better control over his emotions, so his eyes appear a more natural honey brown colour. Markus on the other hand is just passable; deep brown - borderline red - eyes, and warm reds and black clothes to match.

Plus a better comparison:

The thing is, when glamoured in human form, the younger Incubi still have some "tells" that aren't too noticeable unless you look for them. Feeling more strongly than they're supposed to can result in an Incubus slipping up and losing control of their glamour, resulting in teeth returning to fangs, glimpses of the tail and horns (and wings in worst cases). But the biggest tell is still their eyes. Not just because of the colour changes, but that dark, eyeliner-esque marking around the eyes of almost all glamoured Incubi is a trace of their true form impossible to get rid of, and staring into them for too long is likely to put you under a spell, make you pliable to suggestion, and have you thinking of things involving a bedroom (unless the Incubus is trying purposefully to cancel out the effect). Alcohol both helps and hinders the glamour; it makes people more susceptible to magic and suggestion thus luring you into the idea that nothing is wrong, but can also be enough of a relaxant that the brain is no longer consciously working to process the glamour and it can be seen through, instead.

Here is where I feel like Jasper and Markus are similar but contrast; whilst they've both got the "same" eyes as previously mentioned in that comic I put up (because everyone thinks they use a boatload of eyeliner), Jasper's eyes are not often his focal point due to their colour. He's a smooth talker, so the focus when I draw him is normally on his mouth and nailing that. In contrast, when I draw Markus, though I feel like if I don't get his smile right when I draw him the drawing isn't 100% correct, the focal point is always his eyes, because he's a lot more expressive and emotional than he thinks he is capable of.

And finally, what happens when Jasper realises the extent of how Markus has changed in the human world:

He doesn't take it well.

(wow, a LOT of faces in this post!)

Ladies and gentlemen, an idiot

【ROCKET!】

idk. Made me laugh. Rocket grunt trio of baddies that could very well defeat any opponent, but are too polite and stupid to do anything close to evil. They just accidentally end up saving the day every time.

Tip me!

When the wind is slow, and the fire's hot

The vulture waits to see what rots

Oh how pretty, all the scenery

This is nature's sacrifice

Finally, finally after forever, the next part of FTGFTF is done. Sorry if the pacing is a bit janky, I may go back and fix it up, but I hope you enjoy the long-awaited Atlas fight and I hope it delivers. Put a lot of work into the actual fight itself.

Shout out to @dumpsterfirepropaganda for keeping me going and hyping this one up, and to @copper-sands , who despite knowing nothing about MMZX, has still been cheering me on!

THE DREAM MASTER

He comes within the night, in corners of darkened rooms

A shadow in your sleep, above your mind he looms -

You scream in the night, terror and fright

The Dream Master takes you away

A landscape of horrors, he himself is the worst

Awaken or his prisoner you’ll stay.

You smile in the night, joy and delight

The Dream Master takes you away

A fitful sleep he provides, your guardian he resides

Awaken to the brightness of day.

Sweet dreams or worst terrors?

What will he bring?

He is the only one who knows.

He forever lurks in your mind

In brightest light

And darkest shadow.

----

Rough poetry drabble/in-universe lore for an OC of mine (that I know @copper-sands quite likes :) ) known as the Dream Master.

He's essentially the Personification of Dreams and he can either be friend or foe - on what it depends, no-one knows. Dude always looks a little bit shadowy at the edges, slightly "off," and only those with sleep paralysis can see what he truly looks like.

And for reference, he's this dude:

With very clear influence from Bret of Blue Stahli.