u/SkunkStarlight

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

Random Image Time 91 - Dog (Anime Boutique: Doll Maker)

Random Image Time 92 - Aristocratic Infestor

Random Image Time 93 - Year of the Rabbit

Random Image Time 94 - Poker Pals

u/SkunkStarlight — 23 hours ago

▲ 2 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 94! 🎲⏰

Poker Pals - September 2023

Once bitter enemies, Casino Grayleaf and Skunk now enjoy a friendly rivalry.

---

When I was a child, many of the video games that I played included gambling references. From platformers like Super Mario Bros. 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to full-on casino games like Casino Kid and Vegas Dream, I discovered a fascination with games of chance and the glitz, glamour, and grit that surrounded them at an early age.

Casino Grayleaf was my second character after Skunk, and she embodied my childhood understanding of casinos and games of chance.

In the modern day, casinos and slots are more strictly considered adult subject matter, with games like Pokémon implementing and removing them within my lifetime. That era I grew up in shaped me, and by extension my work, into what you see before you today.

It's an indelible part of my series, right down to the hero herself literally being named Casino. Most of my work today is generally rather tame, especially compared to the edgier things that I created as a small child.

As such, I personally consider even the darker parts appropriate for all ages, particularly as many of those are parallels to my own childhood experiences. I think it's good for younger audiences to experience mature themes through fiction, especially those they may have experienced in reality, as childhood is seldom as carefree and innocent as we like to pretend it to be.

Some may consider my work to be too childish for adults, yet too adult for children, but my intention has only ever been to continue the work that kid me began all those decades ago.

This artwork may appear to be nothing more than a poker scene, but there's a little secret to it that you might appreciate. I'm an avid Mega Man fan, and quite a few of my artworks have used the series as reference.

This particular artwork is based on Rockman Poker, a rather obscure mobile game, with Rockman and Forte (Mega Man and Bass) once again being replaced by Casino and Skunk.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

Random Image Time 91 - Dog (Anime Boutique: Doll Maker)

Random Image Time 92 - Aristocratic Infestor

Random Image Time 93 - Year of the Rabbit

u/SkunkStarlight — 3 days ago

▲ 8 r/OverlookedOCCreators

Mint Grayleaf

I finally got around to drawing kid Mint the other day, as well as drawing kid Casino for the first time since 2019, so I thought I'd share a little showcase of Mint over the years.

Mint is the sister of Casino Grayleaf, the hero of my series. Inspired by characters like Tomoyo Daidouji and Roll, she's a support character who prefers to help from the sidelines.

Though seldom involved in direct combat, she's learned a thing or two from her friends and family, so she isn't as helpless as she looks. Mint enjoys making dolls and outfits, which she bestows with enchantments. As a result, her wares are popular with townsfolk and adventurers alike.

Most notably, Mint is responsible for nearly all of the clothing worn by the main cast. Though she doesn't steal the spotlight, her designs certainly do, and there'd be no show without her.

Mint lives with her sister Casino and their grandmother Chance, and operates a shop out of their home. It was Casino's popularity as a hero that initially brought in business, though Mint has since made a name for herself through the quality of her work.

u/SkunkStarlight — 3 days ago

▲ 6 r/OriginalCharacterSFW

Troubled Childhood

"My stupid brother gets all the attention! Let's see how he likes this!"

Hard as it may be to believe, Mint Grayleaf wasn't always sweet and kind. Back when she and Casino were children, Mint was jealous and cruel, feeling overshadowed by her sibling literally being the chosen one.

Far from spoiled, the burden of destiny weighed heavily upon Casino, who knew only despair. She was born and raised as a boy, and forced to endure brutal training to become a man tougher than all. Casino desperately wanted to change that, but had no option but to suffer through the path placed before her.

When the two of them came of age, Casino defied the will of her people to forge her own path, using the power of a wish star to become the woman she always dreamed to be. Mint watched as her friends and neighbors branded Casino a heretic and formed a violent mob. As Casino fled from the village, Mint realized her jealousy had been misplaced, and that she had been a terrible sister to her.

Mint snuck out of the village one night, and vowed, from then on, to be the loving and supportive sister that she should have been all along. Mint sought out Casino and pled forgiveness, and the two of them have been there for each other ever since.

u/SkunkStarlight — 4 days ago

▲ 7 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 93! 🎲⏰

Lunar New Year 2023: Year of the Rabbit - January 2023

"Ready? Am I here? Or here? Or here? Hahahahaha!"

---

In the world of Galmiun, tricksters are a special variety of rogue. Unlike the common thief, who has attained their class through training and experience, a trickster is born into the world with a natural gift, as well as innate abilities that cannot be taught.

Tricksters have an unconscious ability to always be one step ahead, allowing them to quickly set up intricate traps, even when things get far too hectic for a normal person to consciously think such complicated things out.

They also have the innate ability to effortlessly mimic any voice for any length of time. Young or old, male or female, they need only hear a person speak briefly in order to add their voice to their mental repertoire, allowing them to perfectly imitate them from then on.

In folklore and cartoons, rabbits have long been depicted as trickster figures. As such, Rabbit exists in lore as the first trickster to appear in the world of Galmiun. Just as tricksters in folklore have served as explanations for various things in the natural world, there are a great many stories surrounding Rabbit.

She's a living legend, an idol that all other tricksters after her have followed in the footsteps of and aspired to be.

The reality of Rabbit is that she is indeed Galmiun's cleverest trickster, but also an incorrigibly childish prankster with little concern for her own prestigious reputation.

Though skillful in several fields of trickery, Rabbit is a magician who primarily specializes in the art of illusion. As a nod to the fact that real world rabbits are known to multiply, Rabbit is able to make hundreds of illusory copies, far more than any other illusionist is remotely capable of.

Her character is primarily inspired by various Alice in Wonderland characters, most obviously Alice and the White Rabbit, but also the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and March Hare as well. She also takes inspiration from Bugs Bunny, Roger Rabbit, Felix the Cat, and Sonic the Hedgehog's Amy Rose, to name a few.

Her quote for this artwork was taken directly from the evil wizard of a certain game, though it remains a secret to everybody. Or at the very least, no one who caught the reference ever said anything.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

Random Image Time 91 - Dog (Anime Boutique: Doll Maker)

Random Image Time 92 - Aristocratic Infestor

u/SkunkStarlight — 5 days ago

▲ 22 r/OverlookedOCCreators

I remade an artwork from five years ago. 🃏

Melanie Spade has escaped!

And she's formed a new gang, Broken Spades! But her former muscle, Jasper Guest, has formed a gang of his own, Joker's Wild!

Joined by his old partners in crime, Skunk and Nathan King, as well as Chance Grayleaf and Melvin Spade, Jasper and crew set out to take down Melanie and her wretched band of devils!

Spades are broken and the Joker's Wild! 🃏

Melvin Spade, the Lovely Ace of Hearts

The younger brother of Melanie Spade, this charming and charismatic phantom thief is both more likeable and more successful than his deranged older sister. Unsurprisingly, Melanie has more than a little contempt for him.

With rose in hand, this dashing figure can steal a debutante's heart whilst stealing the pearls around her neck, only to steal away from the scene, leaving behind said rose as a parting gift for a very angry inspector.

Nathan King, the Resilient King of Spades

As a child, Nathan King escaped from an abusive orphanage and made a living on the streets. He later joined the Spades as Melanie's right-hand man, but now fights alongside his former partners in crime, Jack and Joker, to take her down.

King isn't very strong, nor is he very brave, but because he lived a hard life, he is a natural survivor, sharp and resourceful.

Chance Grayleaf, the Solemn Queen of Clubs

The grandmother of Casino and Mint, Chance is effectively younger than her granddaughters, as she spent one thousand years in stasis before ever meeting them. Despite this, she has a much more introspective attitude, coming across as mature and aloof.

Darkness once lurked within the Grayleaf clan, and Chance embraced the power of dark magic, hoping to one day steal the power of her descendant for herself. Her ambitions ultimately ended in failure, and Chance came to realize her plans were misguided. She has since changed her ways, making her one of very few dark mages on the side of good.

Skunk, the Cool Jack of Diamonds

The infamous curse flower rafflesia is a mischievous trickster goddess who specializes in ice and poison techniques. Though she was once the hated enemy of Galmiun's most famous hero, Skunk has since changed her ways, using her talents as a guardian to help others.

She and Jasper Guest were the two lowest-ranked members of Melanie's gang, treated with little respect and relegated to muscle. As a result, these two tricksters were often paired together. Though Joker's Wild lacks the strict hierarchy of Melanie's gang, it's more or less accepted that Jasper is the leader and Skunk is his second-in-command.

Jasper Guest, the Spirited Joker

Jasper's childhood was nothing short of hell itself. After years and years and years of misery, Jasper finally snapped. The world was a joke, and he was the fool. Nothing mattered, to care was madness, and he laughed, and he laughed, and he laughed.

He found his way into Melanie's gang, wanting little more than an opportunity to delight in the misfortune of others. Jasper was the lowest-ranked member of the gang, but like everything else, it didn't really matter.

Though Melanie's gang initially focused on robbery and extortion, it became increasingly cruel and violent. After Skunk left the gang in disgust, Jasper noticed it wasn't as fun anymore, started feeling guilt over his actions, had a change of heart, and was the second to leave the gang.

It's been a long time, but the old boss has returned, far worse than ever before. But she isn't the only one who's changed, and Jasper isn't the same devil-may-care thug he used to be. Melanie poses a grave threat to the world of Galmiun, and the trickster of shadows has taken it upon himself to set things right.

---

It was a long time coming, but five years later, I've finally tackled the daunting task of remaking my Joker's Wild artwork.

When I made the original, I opted to do so traditionally rather than digitally, as I was still more comfortable drawing on paper. Due to the nature of drawing on paper, I wasn't able to correct the mistakes that I made at the time.

I had to commit to decisions I'd made once they'd been put to the page, several of which I realized were a mistake only after I could see the end result and think things over.

As a result of the original medium, half a decade of experience, and the benefit of hindsight, this remake includes quite a few substantial changes. The most obvious of these is swapping the positions of Skunk and King, as well as swapping the suits of King and Chance.

In the original artwork, I wasn't able to move characters around or resize them once I'd drawn them, and my priority was finding a way to fit them all on the page.

As for the card suit swap, that was an intentional decision that I later came to regret. The convention of my series is red hearts, blue diamonds, yellow spades, green clubs, and purple stars.

Since this was a gang that flipped things around, putting Jasper and Skunk at the top instead of the bottom, I wanted to reflect that by toying around with the natural order. Much like Melanie Spade is associated with red spades, I had Jasper associated with silver stars, something that I retained here.

However, I had this idea that since Melanie was the ace of spades and King's former boss, I'd have this whole story arc where King confronted Melanie and proved to himself that he was worthy of the spade. Meanwhile, since Casino is associated with green clubs, I thought I'd give Chance green spades.

I realized shortly after that the idea was dumb. The Ruffian War arc takes place about 2,000 years after the Ruffian World arc, and having King remain in Melanie's shadow that long was ridiculous. I also found that I prefer adhering to the suit color convention of my series.

Since stars represent the wild card, I can more easily justify associating it with more than one color, as the two joker cards in a deck are typically printed with one in color and the other without.

I wanted a stronger emphasis on the color theming, so I replaced almost all of the black and brown used in the original artwork's outfits with matching colors. It's especially noticeable for Jasper and Melvin, who primarily wore black. As a result, their associated color is much more prevalent, making them aesthetically consistent with the rest of the cast.

u/SkunkStarlight — 7 days ago

Random Image Time 92! 🎲⏰

Aristocratic Infestor - April 2024

"You look most suitable indeed. I shall take your body."

A counterpart of Dragon from another world, Locust is physically quite frail, but his powers more than make up for this. Able to conjure and control swarms of magical locusts, his most fearsome power is to transform his own body into a swarm of magical locusts and infest another living creature, entering their body and possessing it.

When Locust and his kin invaded Galmiun, Locust made the mistake of attempting to infest Skunk. The toxins in her body are especially potent against insects and proved agonizing to Locust, forcing him out of her and leaving him weakened. Locust had sought revenge against the people of Galmiun for the damage done to his homeworld, though after realizing the culprit was their common enemy, the two worlds worked together and have since been on friendly terms.

Much like Dragon, Locust is a cultured individual with a love for the arts. He is especially fond of classical music, even conducting his swarms of locusts like an orchestra.

---

Locust is one of my older characters, making his debut in the late 90's in a Klik & Play game called Starlight Shooters. Despite the long history, he's always been one of my least utilized characters, and even now, this remains my only drawing of him.

Though this artwork is from 2024, I used a character model of Locust from 2020 that I made in Soulcalibur VI as a reference for this drawing. I've largely moved away from attempting anime style in favor of simplified cartooning, as I find creating this sort of artwork to be far too tedious for my liking.

I have an immense fondness for old-fashioned attire. Many of my male characters are rather androgynous and dapper, and wear accessories like top hats, bowties and jabots. Locust is an especially strong example of that, a beautiful gentleman who always conducts himself in a refined manner.

The original 90's incarnation of Locust was primarily inspired by StarCraft's Zerg and The Fantastic Adventures of Unico's Baron DeGhost. Later on, I took inspiration from Castlevania's Abaddon, and once again drew from StarCraft, specifically StarCraft II's Abathur.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

Random Image Time 91 - Dog (Anime Boutique: Doll Maker)

u/SkunkStarlight — 7 days ago

▲ 4 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 91! 🎲⏰

Dog (Anime Boutique: Doll Maker) - August 2019

Dog is one of the zodiacal gods, the twelve old gods that were first to appear in the world of Galmiun.

Dog, along with fellow zodiacal god Tiger, is in charge of a place known as the Divine Sanctuary.

This sanctuary was created to hold divine beings who have proven themselves a threat to society.

Gifted with remarkable strength, speed, and tracking abilities, even the most dangerous of inmates are helpless to overpower or escape from her.

Fortunately, Dog is also gifted with an exceptionally kindhearted and gentle nature, ensuring that she uses her power for good, rather than abuse and harm.

Dog is playful, energetic, and quick to make friends, even with inmates. She believes that kindness has the power to inspire others to be kind as well.

---

A heavily recurring theme throughout my work is stories that involve being cursed, stuck, trapped, or confined. I have a strong personal fascination with these topics, something which I believe may be the product of numerous childhood experiences and traumas.

The very first video game that I ever created as a kid involved children being held captive, while the first game to feature my characters opened with a prison escape. For Skunk and the Sanctuary, I decided to go all-in on this theme, with the scope of the story being almost entirely focused on the Divine Sanctuary and its inhabitants.

Dog was once a minor character in my work, guardian of the infamous yet mysterious Divine Sanctuary, a subject that I wrote about but rarely ever actually showed. With Skunk and the Sanctuary, she's been elevated to being part of the main cast.

Inspired by the likes of Raggedy Ann, Pippi Longstocking, and Punky Brewster, Dog is very sweet and kind, though also somewhat old-fashioned. Despite being far older than most of the main cast, she's also quite childish and naïve.

Her signature red overalls are meant to convey aspects of her personality. Overalls are a popular attire of choice for strong hard-working folk like her. Not only are they functional, but they're also be fashionable, with colorful overalls being quite trendy for children when I was a kid.

I had a pair of overalls much like hers when I was a kid. It's actually that childhood outfit that I based her outfit upon. As an adult, I hunted down another pair of red overalls in my size, which I've used both as a reference for my own artwork once my skills improved, as well as to bring things full circle. She dresses like kid me, and in turn, I dress like her.

Dog embodies an ideal for me, the sort of sweet, kind, gentle, and friendly person that I idolize. She's a guardian entrusted with incredible power, and rightfully so, as the very notion of abuse of power deeply offends her.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

u/SkunkStarlight — 9 days ago

▲ 21 r/OriginalCharacterSFW

My characters, but it's all pre-2022 artwork from before I got my iPad.

They aren't strictly in order this time, though they're all from 2018-2021.

u/SkunkStarlight — 10 days ago

Random Image Time 90! 🎲⏰

Iron Brute Magnus - March 2023

"C'mon, you can do this. Just gotta... stab that bastard through the back... while he's distracted... and it's all over..."

---

In the old days, Casino and Skunk were archenemies. After Skunk turns to good and becomes Casino's ally for the rest of the series, the void is filled by a rogues' gallery of villains far worse than Skunk ever was.

The most evil of these is Magnus Spade. The father of Melanie Spade, one of my oldest villains, Magnus lived a life of boundless cruelty. Magnus died a decrepit old man, passing away in his sleep. His only regret in life was that there was still so much suffering he could have inflicted upon the world.

Magnus awoke, not in his deathbed, but rather a very strange realm. This place existed within the subconscious of the devil himself, a realm best known to mortalkind as 'hell'. Unlike the fire and brimstone of typical mythos, the devil of Galmiun is an eternal child, and so the hell inside his mind is instead a bizarre playland filled with toys and amusements.

Magnus Spade wandered through hell, seeking out the devil, and grew increasingly desperate to escape this place and return to the realm of the living. Eventually, the two of them crossed paths, and the devil granted the new arrival an audience.

The devil recognized that Magnus' soul was the cruelest that he had ever witnessed, with a darkness that eclipsed even his own. Seeing value in Magnus as an earthly pawn, the devil deigned to grant his wish.

Restoring his life and his youth, as well as bestowing a portion of his own demonic power, Magnus was returned to Galmiun as the devil's main man. So long as he gathered sufficient life force, the devil would return Magnus to the realm of the living again and again.

The once-decrepit old man was now a hulking brute, surging with unnatural power that far exceeded human limitations. Tasked with gathering life force, Magnus was all too happy to serve his new master, using his overwhelming power to bring suffering and death to as many living creatures as he possibly could.

Thus, the iron brute became one of Casino Grayleaf's most dangerous adversaries.

In addition to inhuman strength, Magnus Spade was also gifted with magnetism, rendering metal weapons ineffective. Casino and Skunk find that out the hard way during this battle, with their own weaponry turned against them.

His name is a play on 'magnets', and his mustache is meant to resemble a horseshoe magnet. At this stage, his magnetic abilities are limited solely to metal. Later on in the series, he receives a power boost that vastly increases his strength and size, as well as removing the metal limitation from his magnetism.

This artwork is a censored version, with the original version featuring quite a lot of blood and impalement.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

u/SkunkStarlight — 11 days ago

▲ 1 r/DrawMyOc

Anybody down to draw Melanie Spade?

Melanie Spade is a ruthless mobster, and the boss of the notorious Spade Gang. She might look like a puny pink-haired pipsqueak, but she's the undisputed leader for a reason.

Melanie is one of my oldest characters. I created her when I was nine years old, with more than a little inspiration from The Goonies' Mama Fratelli, to serve as ringleader of my first ever villain group.

That was back in 1996. It's been 30 years since then, and nobody else has ever drawn her before, so now seems like as good a time as any to ask.

Please and thank you! ✨

u/SkunkStarlight — 12 days ago

▲ 20 r/OverlookedOCCreators

My characters, but it's all scenes from the olden days, so they're presented in sepia. ⌛

For optimal enjoyment, please enjoy some of Scott Joplin's classic ragtime while viewing.

I actually really adore ragtime. Like, an ungodly amount. My character King, he's the guy in the tattered Victorian era outfit, and he's all about ragtime. 😁

u/SkunkStarlight — 13 days ago

Random Image Time 89! 🎲⏰

Metroidvania Concept - February 2019

Some ideas I've had for abilities in a metroidvania-style game.

---

I'm a longtime fan of the Castlevania series, both the classic and IGA era, and it's one of the series that has most profoundly influenced my own work.

To be honest, making something like a metroidvania is far beyond my capabilities, but it's fun to daydream. That's exactly what happened when I went for a walk one day and pondered what sort of abilities Skunk would have if she was the protagonist of one.

There's a bit of Knuckles the Echidna's climbing and digging for treasure, some morph ball style shenanigans with the eight ball, and of course an overpowered final ability that would make exploring in the post-game much more manageable.

When I drew this, the most recent metroidvania I had played was 2008's Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. The series had more or less died after that game, and a decade came and went before I knew it. A spiritual successor, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, released later that year, and I ended up enjoying it quite a lot.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

u/SkunkStarlight — 13 days ago

▲ 13 r/YourOriginalCharacter

My characters, but today's secret word is 'yellow'. 💛

I can't hear you over the screaming, there's too much yelling about yellow.

u/SkunkStarlight — 15 days ago

▲ 1 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 88! 🎲⏰

Kid (Gacha Life) - March 2020

In a past life, Skunk was a mortal child who lived in our own world. Fate was cruel to her, and she would often look up to the stars and wish for her life to end. One night while she was asleep, she was visited in the dream world by a strange imp named Lumstigethers. Skunk was granted a wish that would end her current life, whisking her away to the magical world of Galmiun to live a new life as a goddess. However, the wicked imp had an ulterior motive for helping her, as granting her wish created a link that would allow him to one day escape from the dream world and turn reality into an everlasting nightmare.

---

I borrow from life quite a lot in my work, and one of the most extreme examples of this is Kid. Appearing in my 2018 prequel story 'A Deal with the Devil', the unnamed child is supposed to literally be my real-world child self, though her future soon ends up being radically different from my own.

I wasn't always known as Skunk, and that's true for Kid as well. Her birth name is never revealed, and Lumstigethers offers her the name Skunk, which she gladly accepts. The true name of the devil in my series is also my birth name, so it's likewise never revealed.

Devil and Kid both look very similar and shared a name, though they are separate entities connected by fate. Since Kid is reincarnated as the skunk goddess, that connection becomes one between Devil and Skunk. Though it's seldom touched upon throughout the series, it comes to the forefront during the final villain arc, when the devil finally makes his move.

As for Lumstigethers, he originated as a recurring figure in a series of nightmares that I experienced in my younger days. He takes inspiration from the likes of BTAS' Scarecrow, spooky things in general like scarecrows, jack o' lanterns, and the grim reaper, as well as tricksters like Rumpelstiltskin and Mephistopheles, and Skull Kid from Majora's Mask, to name a few.

He looks like a cute and unassuming little scarecrow doll in his base form, but as the elder god of nightmares, he's capable of assuming horrific forms beyond all human comprehension. Sadly, my limited drawing capabilities have made it impossible for me to truly do him justice.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 66 - The Hectic Misadventures of Hector Guest

Random Image Time 77 - Forest Trickster/Forest Friend

Random Image Time 84 - Casino Grayleaf (Hero Forge)

u/SkunkStarlight — 15 days ago

Random Image Time 87! 🎲⏰

Lucky Curse - July 2020

Lucky Curse is the name under which the Shining Silver Starlight series and any other works I create exist.

Named for Casino Grayleaf, the Lucky Star of Galmiun, and Skunk, the Curse Flower Rafflesia, both are featured in the logo as mascots.

---

While I dabbled with the likes of BASIC in years prior, I took my first real step into game development in 1995. My family purchased a home computer, and soon after I discovered a game development program called ZZT.

Though it's always been a one-woman operation, the idea of a game development studio is one that goes all the way back to those early years. It went through several iterations, most of which involved the prefixes 'Jack', 'Silver', and 'Skunk', and the suffixes 'Games', 'Soft', and 'Works'.

Kid me was dismayed to one day discover that 'Skunkworks' was already very much taken, long before I was born. I played around with some alternate spellings of 'works', but ultimately abandoned the idea entirely by the early 00's.

Lucky Curse is, relatively speaking, a much more modern invention of mine. I started associating my character Skunk with rafflesia flowers, bestowing her with the title of 'Curse Flower Rafflesia' after playing Animal Crossing: Wild World for the Nintendo DS.

In this game, taking poor care of your town will result in the appearance of a rafflesia, a large and odorous flower that can't be removed by normal means. It's essentially a curse that you're stuck with, a concept that I, and by extension my self-insert, am very much about.

Casino Grayleaf had the title 'Lucky Star of Galmiun', and Skunk now had the title 'Curse Flower Rafflesia'. Putting them together resulted in Lucky Curse, and I knew then and there that I finally had something good. This was two decades ago, and I've kept it ever since.

---

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u/SkunkStarlight — 17 days ago

▲ 9 r/OriginalCharacterSFW

My characters, b- MOON! ✨🌛🌝🌜🌝🌛🌝🌜✨

✨🌛🌝🌜🌝🌛🌝🌜✨ MOON! ✨🌛🌝🌜🌝🌛🌝🌜✨

Au clair de la lune,
Mon ami Pierrot,
Prête-moi ta plume
Pour écrire un mot.
Ma chandelle est morte,
Je n'ai plus de feu.
Ouvre-moi ta porte
Pour l'amour de Dieu.

Au clair de la lune,
Pierrot répondit :
"Je n'ai pas de plume,
Je suis dans mon lit.
Va chez la voisine,
Je crois qu'elle y est,
Car dans sa cuisine
On bat le briquet.

Au clair de la lune,
L'aimable Lubin;
Frappe chez la brune,
Elle répond soudain :
–Qui frappe de la sorte?
Il dit à son tour :
–Ouvrez votre porte,
Pour le Dieu d'Amour.

Au clair de la lune,
On n'y voit qu'un peu.
On chercha la plume,
On chercha du feu.
En cherchant d'la sorte,
Je n'sais c'qu'on trouva;
Mais je sais qu'la porte
Sur eux se ferma.

✨🌛🌝🌜🌝🌛🌝🌜✨ MOON! ✨🌛🌝🌜🌝🌛🌝🌜✨

u/SkunkStarlight — 19 days ago

▲ 2 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 86! 🎲⏰

It's Gonna Be Okay - June 2018

The Divine Sanctuary, also known as "The Divine Prison" or just "The Sanctuary" or "The Prison", is a facility equipped for holding divine individuals, especially powerful gods and goddesses, who have proven themselves a threat to society. It is primarily guarded by two zodiacal gods, Tiger and Dog. Both of them are physically very strong, and residents are unable to leave their rooms, leave the facility, or use magic in this place unless granted permission.

Unlike the sort of jails and prisons that the kingdoms of mortals often utilize that are designed to punish, the sanctuary is a beautiful place, and prisoners are given luxurious and spacious rooms equipped with a desk, a canopy bed, a kitchen, and a bathroom, among other things, as well as the possibility of more furnishings and customizations at request. Also unlike mortal prisons, there is no strict dress code or uniform, nor are prisoners expected to keep to any sort of schedule. All of this, of course, comes at the cost of freedom, and the intended purpose of the sanctuary is to keep dangerous individuals separate from society, with the hopes that being treated with compassion would help them learn empathy and learn from the error of their ways. It is not, however, a place entirely devoid of punishment, and abrasive prisoners who refuse to be civil may find their stay more uncomfortable than it needs to be.

Having been defeated by Casino Grayleaf and her party, Skunk was brought here to what would be her new home. Scared, despondent, and filled with regret over the harm she has caused to others and to herself, she had fallen into despair and believed she was a monster, that she deserved to rot here forever, that she had ruined her life, and that her life was over. After Skunk had a bath and changed into her nightgown, she still felt miserable, and Dog came soon after to check in on her. Dog consoled her, reassuring her that it's not so bad, that she'll get to be free again someday, and that it's going to be okay.

---

Development on Skunk and the Sanctuary, as in the actual RPG Maker mapping and coding, began in October of 2018. However, the project as a whole began well before this, with a script and several assets being completed before development proper.

This screenshot appears identical to a particular moment in Scene 7 - Kindhearted Keeper, though it's actually from a proof of concept mock-up that I created months prior. The mock-up demo featured only this image and a single line of dialogue, for the sole purpose of providing a teaser image and some lore.

Though Skunk is the titular protagonist, Dog also plays a major role, being the most prominent sanctuary guardian in the story. She's one of the twelve old gods, making her roughly 2,000 years older than Skunk, and is my personal favorite of the twelve.

I created Dog in the latter half of the 90's, primarily taking inspiration from Raggedy Ann and Pippi Longstocking. She's sweet and lovable, albeit rather childish and naïve, yet also ridiculously strong.

During the original run of my series, she and the Divine Sanctuary were severely underutilized. Now that the Divine Sanctuary has become the focal point of my series, Dog has become part of the main cast.

In keeping with her namesake, she's like a guard dog, ensuring that nobody gets in or out of the Divine Sanctuary without her permission. And just like man's best friend, she's incredibly likeable and friendly, as well as a formidable protector, keeping those who are under her care safe from harm.

During the story, Skunk quickly finds herself looking up to Dog, inspired by her kindness to be more like her. By the end, she becomes a guardian, the once-feared villain now soft and friendly like her mentor.

---

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