artbyfinnbrown

[artbyfinnbrown]

Non-player characters inhabiting the village of Oltira, a small settlement with a large number of problems.

[artbyfinnbrown]

Hello Elle,

What do you think the church’s “Ioun”? She’s technically the thing you worshiped for years before meeting your lady, but you don’t really know anything about her.  What do you think she’s going to actually be like? 

Sincerely, a faithful fan.

…I know some things about her now.

Before any of this, I was a child who loved tales of the stars, along with the goddess who used them as her symbol. Then I became an adult chasing after impossible dreams. And now, I'm an adult still chasing impossible dreams—one of which includes finding a way to eliminate Lady Ioun herself.

......

The past Elle had a tendency to admire others even if they hurt or abandoned her. The past Elle had a tendency to believe that everyone can be saved, and that she, too, could save everyone. Naturally, the church's teachings surrounding Lady Ioun were a tempting prospect. Here in this place, you could change for the better. Here, you could help others change for the better. The pursuit of knowledge and growth, the shine of the stars. A guiding light. Lady Ioun is someone who can be anything you need her to be. The past Elle thought that this was admirable. To be useful and helpful to so many people... to inspire others to that extent... wasn't it beautiful?

Wasn't it... exhausting?

Of course, it's all propaganda in order for the church to craft their perfect, all-powerful goddess. One who can be molded and contorted into whatever shape they desire, even above the desires she may have. But I've wondered about this for a while, even before I learned the truth. Ever since I was a child, practically. I looked to the stars because they were pretty, because they were the only light I had while I was lost, but also out of curiosity. And... concern. Lady Ioun was like a fairytale hero to me. But how was she doing, then? What was she up to? Did she have people who did her hair when she was having trouble with it, or people who tucked her into bed, or people who gave her all the hugs and kisses she wanted? Did she even like her job? Surely she must, I thought. But did she have anyone who told her good night? To my childish self, I figured that I'd tell the stars in the sky good night even if I never got a response back. Until...

I grew up in the church after that voice spoke to me in the woods. Years of silence followed. I never took it personally. I just prayed, of course. The same well wishes, the same curiosity. I never expected to be spoken to or visited again, but I still wanted to know more. Of course I did. Lady Ioun... meant a lot to me. Was it so bad to want her to be happy after she inspired me since I was small?

But now I know that at least half of that is full of shit.

The church decided what the current Lady Ioun would be. I suppose it's not unlike a parent with their child, and I'm very aware of how well that can go. If nothing else, I have to expect that the church succeeded in making Lady Ioun as powerful as possible. Her domains and stories call for it. She's just another obstacle to beat with absolutely impossible odds.

So why does the idea of destroying her still... hurt? Maybe my heart is still too soft. Maybe I'm still too sentimental. I've been dwelling on the thought of what to do with her for ages, I should be over this. I suggested the idea of backstabbing Lady Ioun myself, and my heart even felt warm when I saw Lady Leiris smile at the idea of using Lady Ioun against the church only to crush Lady Ioun along with them. I should have less guilt by now.

I should.

Miss Ophelia says I have a good heart. Miss Ophelia says that we can save everyone. Miss Ophelia says that I can. That she believes in me. It feels like she pried into my mind and tore apart every ideal the previous Elles had. What I... what I have. ...she shouldn't do that. She—she can have her ballroom dances and tea parties with her lady, while my lady and I have to scurry around in the shadows. While my lady is in agony, her lady has a whole dream castle. Haha. Hahaha... I hope Miss Ophelia and Lady Ioun are happy while it lasts.

Still, I have ideas for Lady Ioun's survival. Of course in those ideas, she'd never be of the same status she is now. But it's either that or death, and Lady Leiris is quite set on what she wishes to do with Lady Ioun. If I can't find another way and convince Lady Leiris of it, then she'll do what she must. And I must admit that it's pragmatic as well. Poetic, as Lady Leiris put it. I would rather not risk any sort of retribution from Lady Ioun, either. A tool of the church is blood stained regardless. Sometimes it's a rather poor decision to spare certain people.

I should know.

If it's true that Lady Ioun wants to help the Larks, then..... I'll still respect that desire of hers. Miss Ophelia warned me not to betray her lady, after all. So I apologize in advance to her, Miss Ophelia, and the Arcanight… however the Arcanight’s connection to Lady Ioun is. I'm sure they're happy together. But if the church has Lady Ioun under a leash as well...

……..

I hope that Lady Ioun doesn’t look too much like Lady Leiris. In that case, it'll be easier to… dispose, of her.

And if Lady Ioun already knows all of this information about me? …Go right ahead and watch my reckless plans all you want. You seem to have been doing it for a while. You deserve to have at least a few freedoms of your own. I still have the heart to do what needs to be done. I can’t save everyone, I’m sorry. I’m—I’m not risking anyone I care about again. I’m not. I can’t just trust you. I really can’t.

Good night. I hope you have sweet dreams.

[artbyfinnbrown]

❄❄❄❄❄

Drew besties characters from our dnd campaign because got very inspired by song "kid and leveret" by yaelokre :3c

Characters belongs to @immaclaire-ify and @geesewashere

[artbyfinnbrown]

Hello Pearl, 

If at some point in the future you got married, what would you like your wedding to be like?

Sincerely, an anticipatory fan.

Oh!

I will be honest, the precise details of the ceremony itself is not something that I have thought in depth about.

Perhaps this would be good to talk with Hannah about! It seems like something she’d be quite knowledgeable of!

Ah, speaking of her, I would certainly wish for her to be in attendance, as she is dear to me, and I to her. The same of course goes for my teammates and my pod, that being my sisters, Grandmother, and Father. This would mean the wedding must take place on the shoreline, for the convenience of my pod. I would have chosen this location regardless of the necessity for my family, as I do still hold a fondness for the place I once called my home.

……

I wish for my pod’s happiness, despite my absence, and I wish for a brighter future for my team. I hope that, in the end, I am not the only one to achieve my happy ending.

[artbyfinnbrown]

"Blorbo from my shows" this, "blorbo from my videogames" that. What about "blorbo from my DnD game" that only three other people know. Do you ever think about that-

[artbyfinnbrown]

Goddess Leiris!

What do you think of that silly little catboy!

(Let’s say you’re caught up with the plot including how the contract was initiated by him and the Augustian Elle stuff for the purposes of this question)

Sincerely,

A believer!

I do-not have a-ny strong fee-lings on Fle-ance. 

He cer-tain-ly made a notable first impression. No-one has gained en-trance to my Sil-ken Cham-bers through sheer luck a-lone be-fore. He was al-so the first person to e-ver receive one of my ble-ssings di-rect-ly from-me, ra-ther than gai-ning it through my cho-sen one. 

He wants to-help Bee-zle-bub, so I can appre-ci-ate him for-that. 

The-role he-played in ma-king Bee-zle-bub’s new form was also one-that, acc-ord-ing to Bee-zle-bub and Pea-rl, was done out-of a de-si-re to help-her. So I do-not feel any resent-ment towards him for-that.  There is still-a part-of-me that won-ders if Bee-zle-bub would-have been bet-ter off for-get-ting I exis-ted. 

So o-ver-all, Fle-ance has-been of help to-me, both as some-one who knows of-me, and some-one who helps Bee-zle-bub. That makes-me think well of-him.  I do-not have any stron-ger opinions-of or attachment-to him be-yond that. 

(Version without the stylized speech under the cut)

I do not have any strong feelings on Fleance. 

He certainly made a notable first impression. No one has gained entrance to my silken chambers through sheer luck alone before. He was also the first person to ever receive one of my blessing directly from me, rather than gaining it through my chosen one. 

He wants to help beezlebub, so I can appreciate him for that. 

To role he played in making Beezlebub’s new form was also one that, according to Beezlebub and Pearl was done out of a desire to help her. So I do not feel any resentment towards him for that.  There is still a part of me that wonders if Beezlebub would have been better off forgetting I existed. 

So overall, Fleance has been of help to me, both as someone who knows if me, and someone who helps Beezlebub. That makes me think well of him.  I do not have any stronger opinions of or attachment to him beyond that. 

[artbyfinnbrown]

Andros, Caelum, and Mielle, three NPCs from “the Larks” D&D campaign.

Andros is Elle’s older brother who she thought was dead, only to recently rediscover him working for the same group she works for as a convicted criminal.

Caelum is Angelica’s Younger brother, who made a deal with a vengeance entity to try and free her from prison. This didn’t end up going as planned, and now he’s on the run from the law too.

Mielle is Flea’s childhood best friend, who also should be dead, but seems to be fine, although she’s missing a lot of memories. She has also been spent the last 4 years living with Flea’s worst enemy, but hopefully that won’t complicate things!

[artbyfinnbrown]

Hello Elle,

Even if you have your friends by your side, even with the aid of your goddess, do you really think you will be able to stand against the chruch? They control everything. How can you expect to win?

Sincerely,  an outmatched fan. 

This is not something I ever want to admit in front of anyone, but I don’t.

I don’t expect to win.

I don’t know why I bother. I don’t know why I’m still fighting. I don’t know why I’m still trying to find “solutions”. All previous iterations of Elle failed. The second one was just a tool who became useless almost immediately from conception. But the first one? The first one was a gullible, naive idiot at best, and a manipulative, haughty braggart at worst. Someone who thought they were doing the “right thing” for the “greater good”.

All Beezlebub Fonacier has done is betray me.

So I could be even more selfish. Why should I try to make anything better? Why should I try to meddle any longer? Why try? I could throw away my sword, grab all the friends and family I have left and leave Inghtar. Or take up my sword and actively wreak havoc to pave a way for a nation ruled by vengeance. Or maybe staying in the middle crossroads like this is still selfish, because I’m back where I started with what somehow feels like less than I had.

I am less. I’m just some random church scraps, another one of Augustian's leftovers, and whoever made the stars shine that night when I was a child was probably another naive idiot at best, egotistical manipulator at worst. By all means, I should give up. And, shamefully, I want to give up. I've hardly done anything good with my life, and all the good things I've done is overshadowed by all the bad. Lied too much when I shouldn't have, told the truth in front of the wrong people when I shouldn't have, loved the "wrong" people, had too much pride, didn't have enough—whatever. Whatever. I couldn't be perfect like I wanted, and now I'm fucking tired of losing. The only thing I can still control is holding myself back from doing anything more drastic and more stupid than this. That's it.

But as long as I'm not killed, I could live for a long time. This is just the natural pattern of my life. I never know when to quit. I never die when I should. Fine. I have people to look after and people to look for, anyway. I want to see my lady again. I want her freed from being the loyalty test. So I have to. I have to get back up and look for a way to claw into the church's core. Just another mission. There isn't much to me than that.

Now if only everyone else could just stop looking at me like I'm a ghost, that'd be great.

[artbyfinnbrown]

Hello Pearl,

Do you think you have a soul now? Randolph appeared to have reciprocated your feelings of love for him. Does that mean you got your wish? Do you feel any different? 

Sincerely, a thoughtful fan. 

I… am not sure. I should assume so, as he has proclaimed that he wishes to marry me, but… the Sea Witch told me that if I do not win his love and allow us to marry then I can never have a soul, and the day of our union has not arrived yet… I wonder if the act of marriage itself is a requirement, and not the desire to marry?

I am truly delighted, that he has reciprocated my feelings, and that we will stay together for the foreseeable future. I have gotten my wish, in the sense that I will be able to be by his side every day, and for as long as we stand beside each other, I will take care of him, and love him, and give up my life for his sake.

Although, despite this, I do not feel any difference in myself; I feel the same as I always have, as when I was first granted a human body and as a Marineid.

……

I am hopeful of my prospects, and in great anticipation for the day that we should marry!

[artbyfinnbrown]

Dave, you were previously asked what you thought of each of the Larks. Since then, have any of your opinions changed? Are you worried about any of them getting into the same kind of trouble Elle got into? How is she by the way?

Concerns. I had “some concerns” about the Larks in the past.  Now I don’t know what I can feel but concerned.

Of all the Larks, I feel my thoughts on Calypso have changed the least. I still think she is a talented mage, and I still feel those talents are perhaps not being put to their best use as a member of the Gracers. Knowing what I now know about the other Larks, I feel as though they have been prevented from choosing a normal life for themselves. Calypso is different. She has the opportunity to live a better, happier, future, that the others do not. And I don’t want her to waste that opportunity. Then again… perhaps I’m being to unfair to the other Larks. Perhaps they, too, could choose to live a better life for themselves. They’re just the sort of people who will never make that choice.  Maybe Calypso’s just like them in that regard. Maybe she could never make that choice either.  I feel truly sorry for her in that case. I’m sure her talents will be of help to her teammates wherever they go next. 

I’m glad Angelica decided to trust her teammates about the situation with her siblings.  There is a small part of me that wonders if she had been a little less honest, would that have fixed things? Would things be normal if it wasn’t for that one conversation the Larks had while Achern was listening? But “normal” now could mean some disaster in the future. There’s no way to know. I can’t be saying that trusting people is a bad choice. Not while I’m hoping people can still trust me. As for her more recent actions, I can’t say I approve of her choice…. But she’s not really a Gracer anymore. It’s not my job to be concerned for her.  Still. the worry remains. I hope she is doing well, and she thinks her descions through before she commits to any reckless plans. 

There was a question I decided not to ask Pearl when I had my private discussion with her.  I wonder what would happen if she had to choose between loyalty between her friends from the land, and her family from the sea? If her duty to the people of this kingdom required her fight against marinieds, against her own kin, would she be able to do that?  I didn’t ask it, because all it would have done is cause unnecessary distress. It was only a hypothetical, after all.  I think if confronted with that choice, Pearl would destroy herself trying to find a third option between those two extremes.  It always seems to be extremes with Pearl.  She wants to be a regular Gracer, yet continues as though she posses an authority that no member of the Gracers possesses. I think Pearl has the potential to bring about great change in the world for the better, if only she gained a sense of responsibility and patience for things. And I don’t believe that she is going to gain that responsibility and patience if she continues to live her live where she currently is. I hope to have her removed from the Gracers before she takes any more careless actions. 

There is a part of me that is mad at Fleance. I know what I feel is irrational, he had every reason to do what he did to Elle. He had firsthand experience with the corruption that can make its way into the chruch. He has a clear and obvious reason to distrust us. So of course if he had an archfey that he could contact to help his friend, he would make use of that resource rather expecting us to be of any actual help. I shouldn’t blame him. And yet I wish he could have had a little more faith and let us help Elle. …. Of course, knowing what I now know, Fleance has, in a way, been of help to me, as his decision to contact his patron has lead the chain of events that has allowed me to… understand my place in things better.  Perhaps the most fair way to put it is that Fleance is as wrong for taking his actions as I was for taking mine.  We both did what we did because we thought we were helping Elle, and neither of us really understood what the consequences of our choice would be. 

There’s a lot that could be said about Elle, or about me, or about the many, many choices that lead to where Elle and I stand with each other. Countless mistakes, countless questions about how things would be different if someone knew better. But that is unfortunately, the nature of us mortals. We don’t know everything. We make these mistakes, because we don’t always know what the best decision is. It’s just sad these mistakes have been so harmful. …. Where I stand with Elle isn’t even a bad place, necessarily. It’s just unfortunate, that this turn of the events seems to be the only way we could have worked together like this. I can only wish a world existed where Elle and I had been able to share what we know with each other without having to have undergo this pain first.  Yet here we are. And all we can do now is make the best of it.  … I know it’s wrong of me, to think that I’ve grown close to Elle, considering what I did to them. Yet I feel that first week I spend with them while they were without their memories was the closest I have ever felt to someone in a long time. That suggests something rather despicable about me, doesn’t it?  ….. I can’t say how Elle is doing. I don’t think I will ever have the right to say that. What I can say is that I have more respect for Elle and the person they are than I have ever had before. And I hope they are able to reach the future they desire without having to lose any more of themself.

[artbyfinnbrown]

Hey Mielle,

How are you feeling about that conversation with Fleance last night… he looked really bad for a moment after you mentioned Elaina at the end.. what do you think that’s about?

Sincerely,

A worried fan

I thought it went okay? 

Maybe I was a little harsh with Fleance….. but he needs to know that I don’t need to be protected!  He shouldn’t have to worry when he leaves me, and he shouldn’t have to help me with everything when he’s with me.  I won’t be able to feel as happy as I do around him if I know I am always making him worry. 

I don’t know if it was Elaina specifically that made him upset. I think he just didn’t like that I didn’t want to accept all the help he was offering. I should apologize to him. I’m sure normal people don’t feel bad when people care for them. Maybe I’m just being ungrateful.

[artbyfinnbrown]

…hey randohr… how are you holding up after your entire team is. gone……..

- a sad fan

I- I’m fine. 

I’m sorry to say that Steve’s loss didn’t effect me as much as the loss of a teammate should. We never exactly got close.  I did my best to be an approachable and helpful leader, but I think Steve was intent on not getting close to anyone. He was set on viewing the Gracers as nothing more than his captors, and I’m not sure any amount of positivity could have changed that.

As for Andros…

…

Andros…. I don’t think I’ve quite processed the fact that he’s gone? It was so quick. I don’t know how it happened. It shouldn’t have happened. I was only away from him for a few seconds it should have been fine-

I’m going to find him. He isn’t safe out there with whoever took them. 

Apparently, Dave wasn’t able to use magic to track him down. So I’ve asked him to allow me to be a part of whatever group is sent to retrieve him once he has been tracked down, and he said he would consider it.  Even if I’m not allowed, which I wouldn’t call an unfair choice due to my emotional outburst at the debriefing, I will be spending any free time I have between my work as a Gracer to do whatever i can to assist in the investigation.  Solving mysteries is my specialty. I’m sure I will be able to find him.

We may not have been on the best of terms when he was taken. Perhaps he will not ever care about be again after… whatever happened to Elle. But I still need to make sure he is safe. 

[artbyfinnbrown]

They say that smiling can help me seem more welcoming, I wonder if it works?

[artbyfinnbrown]

Hello Flea.

What type of undead are you? I am curious to learn through what means you where able to return to life.

Yours,  Lena 

Most Honorable and Distinguished Queen of Winter, 

My good witch, I am terribly afraid that this missive has found its way to the wrong hands, for I have not the faintest inkling of who this "Flea" might be. And yet, I must admit, the subject of your inquiry is nothing short of fascinating. To defy the grave itself and return to the realm of the living—especially in a manner unknown even to the great and most illustrious Madam Snow Witch—is a feat most unsettling, and perhaps, one might dare say, awe-inspiring—

Pfft. Hahahaha.

Sorry! Sorry! Couldn’t make it through the entire bit without laughing. 

But congrats! One point to Lena! You have deduced my identity correctly! I have returned! And I am going to change everything.

And pretty confident in this whole undead hypothesis aren’t we! Doesn’t seem like the makings of a good scientific mind to be so sure. And rude! I’m plenty interesting, many entities want me. You might even be familiar with a few.

Regardless, you’re totally right.

I’m a spooky vampire. 

Are you spooked?

If you’re curious about how this happened invite me to the castle and I’ll tell you all about it best friend!! 

…

You should fix that overconfidence of yours or this game is gonna get really boring. 

(not) Yours,

Flea

[artbyfinnbrown]

Hello Angelica, 

If you never had to turn to a life of crime, what career would you have liked to have had instead? 

Sincerely,  an entrepreneurial fan 

Never thought of it, it's hard to imagine. If my parents had not taken all our already meager savings away, maybe I could have kept up some of the small jobs I was already doing to keep us all alive. Then maybe I would just continue doing some random odd jobs until I could save up enough to send Yvainne and the others to school. But I doubt it, I don't think it'd be enough. Even if our parents had not left, it would take a lot more than just hard work to earn enough to sustain ourselves, especially with alcoholic parents who keeps blowing our savings on gambling and alcohol.

I know Yvainne and the others wanted me to stop stealing now that we are decently well-off, she's been really successful with her job as a jeweler and Castor been working hard with his studies insisting to me that he would make sure to get a job that would earn enough that would stop me from stealing and Caelum? Well we know where Caelum ended up, that big idiot managed to throw everything away just for me.

Maybe that's why I wouldn't stop stealing, I believe in my siblings I truly do, but knowing that one day something might cause us to lose everything. I guess a part of me still fears that something would just happen and someone would take everything away from me again. If it wasn't for that entity that gave Caelum that power, he would have stayed put.

Honestly, it was my fault for getting caught. I warned them to not get involved in my own matter. I suppose I should have taken better care of them. But this isn't the point, I don't regret a thing.

I appreciate everything my mentor had taught me, if it wasn't for him, I would not have this chance to give my siblings a better life. Even though he just up and vanished leaving me, at least I found him recently still up to no good. I wonder if he would get mad at me since I am the one who left on my own without a word this time. At least maybe I could call it even? Hah! What's 5 years compared to just a few days I wonder? I am sure I will meet him again now that I know he is alive.

I guess in the end, my answer would be that I am a thief and will always be a thief. Someone like me doesn't deserve to be redeemed. I am just a small weak petty thief who is horrible at trusting her even own family. For the larks to have place this much trust in me and reached out their hand to help me, I guess it is only right I try to live up to their expectations and help them from the shadows. But how much I can trust them would be a whole other matter now, would it?

[artbyfinnbrown]

in this baeutiful world. straight up "enjoing it". and by "it". haha. well. let's justr say. My frands

[artbyfinnbrown]