by @marathemara

The Land of Wind and Shade (hereafter LOWAS) is John’s planet, and the first we see of the Incipisphere. Its appearance sets the tone for the whole Beta Earth session. And it is frikkin’ beautiful.

Dark blue rocks, black seas of oil, glowing blue fungi tended by pale yellow salamanders, and gray firefly-studded clouds make LOWAS a relaxing place to wander around as John gets his bearings and is introduced to the universe of SBURB.

It’s got some quirky features too, like pipes sticking out of the rocks. Some of the pipes are part of a vast mail delivery system which uses wind power to push parcels and stone tablets through the interior of the planet to their destination.

The wind is important–it must be, since it’s in the planet’s name and the planet belongs to the Hero of Breath. The Breeze, as it’s called, as well as the pipes it flows through, are not just a convenient postal service. In fact, the whole planet is a pipe organ.

Unfortunately, those of the organ’s pipes which don’t deliver mail are clogged by the same oil that fills the oceans. John’s quest is to clear away the oil and the clouds, make the organ playable, and play it to show that he’s mastered his Breath powers. The quest serves as a test of John’s retcon powers as well, and he passes with flying colors in a way that’s as dramatic and beautiful and soothing as the planet itself.



[Awesome pipe organ music here.]

Clearing away the oil and the clouds changed LOWAS’ aesthetic in a big way. Its sky became stark white (though that may have more to do with John moving the planet outside of canon), and the swarms of fireflies freed from the clouds joined the planet’s population of interesting living things. Not to mention a few stowaways without whom the state of Homestuck going into the Omegapause would not be nearly as awesome as it is.

