#Hasr'Thal

[acecasinova]

Hasr'Thal is absolutely the kind of guy you could convince (probably closer to when he was new to the surface) that maid uniforms are actually for men TBH

(....But even if he knew they weren't but there was a good reason to be wearing one, he would get INTENSE about the presentation and everything and you would NOT catch him slacking. They're practically mage robes with a dress code~)

[lunarscaled]

A medium sized box sits at lyrics doorstep, bright pink with a blue bow. A note attached reads “I figured our mutual idiot got you something dumb for your birthday. So I took one of his work shirts and made it a pillow case. This is also one of his pillows. As for MY actual gift to you, I’ll message you in the morning! Sleep well, babes! Happy birthday 💜 -Leilani”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYRIC

-> There had been packages in and out of the guild hall all day: Abel sending out prescriptions, Lyric mailing out paperwork, Hasr'thal receiving electric components for whatever computer upgrade he was making now. Mel received his thick, glossy-paged copy of the recent Modern Mage issue he had done a photoshoot for in a manilla package with bubble wrap and sprinted around the halls showing everyone who would take the time to look in excitement, as if every photoset was his first, and inevitably Lyric would also receive several packages. One from the circus, one from Blaire, several miscellaneous advertisements that had their government information to send them coupons and discounts for things they likely wouldn't buy. The largest is a package they must unexpectedly sign for; bright baby pink and a pastel blue curly ribbon stuck to the top next to a tag with their name on it. There is a lingering scent of pine sol on it---whoever sent it must clean often, or have recently cleaned the surface they rested the box on. There is a card ( more like a note: a decorative piece of stationary stuck on the top of the box inside the wrapping ) that they carefully peel away and read.

"... if you get in trouble later for taking his stuff, I hope you know I'm not sharing the blame."

-> The livingroom is too busy to enjoy such a gift---plus, a pillow ought to be placed in the appropriate place: Lyric holds the box under one arm and makes their own way unhurried to the shared large bedroom, which easily held enough space for several sets of bunk beds or individual twins, but the guild had opted for two large beds pushed together instead. Lyric examines the pillow closer now that they are alone, thumbing the edges of the slightly wonky seams where they matched the lines of the shirt, where sleeves had been cut and tucked into the pillow to make it a more uniform rectangle shape. They hold it to their chest. The foam interior is dense but still squishy, and when they press their face into it they can smell traces of cologne, Lei's hand lotion where they handled the fabric, the general scent of Roman's person impressioned on it. Near the edge where the collar of his shirt had been ironed and stitched together they can smell sweat, cigarette smoke that may have been their own, hair mousse. If they had a tail to show for it, Lyric knows it would have been thumping pleasantly on the bed at the comforting scents of people who cared for them, and when nestled among the many other pillows hoarded on the bed near the edge Lyric favors to sleep it is hardly noticable as being a shirt-turned-pillow. They stretch out into the space, face buried into all the soft, plush comfort, the mingling scents all familiar to them. A hearty purr escapes them since they are alone, free to relax and indulge in instincts for a scarce moment. They didn't want Roman to think they disliked his present, but they felt Lei knew their tastes much better. They just hoped he didn't pout too much when Lei inevitably was smug about it.

[lunarscaled]

"Don't be fooled. There are countless guilds and perhaps only two-thirds of them here."

-> One arm crosses their chest and holds their elbow as the hand on their collarbone thoughtfully and politely covers their mouth as they assess what few parties they knew: The Wild Hunt and it's members stood out all their own, donning their black and silver masks in many shapes, but they would not be seeing their guild leader tonight---the ancient Archfey rarely showed himself in public when he did not have to. His guild, hand selected to be the best of best, were his representatives. They see the six-foot tall, furred shape of a white and grey wolf whose every step is the grace of a skilled hunter as her yellow eyes flit between spats of movement indiscriminately, dressed in blacks and blue skirts, and know vaguely that she is the aged leader of Silver Fang, a guild of werewolves so sprawling they had packs in ten different countries and a handful of states.

"Guilds are not guaranteed work or success. All are invited, in attempts to be equal, but imagine the cost of coming here alone. Flights, hotel rooms, your wardrobe, the time off you take to attend this event..."

-> They see a coven of witches in one corner taking up all the sofas, their lace stockings and traditional hats overlapping each other's knees as if they sat in a sorority house and not a ballroom; keeping a mindful eye on their privacy and manners is Dahlia Forewind, her hair braided into rows and then braided again together behind her, gussied with little pink and purple flowers the same rich color as her dress. She wears a gold eyeliner that stands out against her dark skin and gives her a stare like a hawk, a bit of filigree to let others know they are observed by the chemist. Not too far from her is the gentle green scaled skin of the siren who heads Sailor's Song sitting on the edge of a fountain wall with her fingers in the water, her lashes a seafoam color that rests against her flushed cheeks with every blink. Their reputation as a guild specializing in subterfuge and naval command precedes them, as well as their unspoken benefactor position for safe housing for escorts who are also guild members; they called them Mermaid Lounges, if Lyric recalled. ( Hasr'thal sat in the hotel room with one of his three laptops open, reciting pages of information to them, never one to be caught off guard in a social interaction. they're getting a headache trying to think of all the names and faces they should know and show reverence for that he said---why should they be handing out their respects to anyone other than someone who has earned it directly? chatting in groups for hours about international guild efforts didn't feel legitimate at all. ) They turn their body towards him, hand still a thoughtful curl in front of their mouth, because they don't like the idea of someone standing behind them where they can't see even if it's only to get a drink. Lyric could get one, too, but they won't. They didn't care to drink and talk.

"My guild is only here because Mel would rather die than miss a party, so he covers the fees, but my friend is not a bottomless coffer. Even the guilds this event so supposedly supports and employees are not to all reap it's benefits."

-> A flawed system, which they knew. But they could do nothing about it here on the floor, nor even from a conference table where they held not even enough sway to be seated. They were still small fry as far as guilds went, struggling to prove themselves and sink their claws into whatever awful, back breaking jobs they could get to build their reputation. It would be that way for who knows how long, and that was why everyone worked second jobs while Lyric managed all the paperwork and guild meetings and petty, little things. A curved, claw-like nail scratches along the edge of their cheek as they give him a raised eyebrow, palm obscuring the amused twitch of their lips that exposed their teeth. ( they're actually almost angry how imposing and gem encrusted he is---prince indeed, wearing royalty that came from his very bones. they weren't even in the same class of people here, how could they be expected to keep his focus the whole night? )

"Of course I would. I told you I hate being shown up, didn't I? With those horns, who the Hell is the dragon here? You're a honey trap for debutants and there's no way I'm gonna let myself get side-eyed all night cause they want me to leave."

❛❛ misunderstand me , not , dear guild leader. it's serves a purpose , someone lives. ❜❜ Saint drew a tall figure outside of his armor , in this silk and lace these kingdoms knew as finery , and he felt naked in them. his hair is pinned up into an even higher tail than usual , perfect strands of thick hair that neither touched him nor the floor in its straightness. acceptable where his waves and braides , hair matted and dreaded in some places , were less so. by the heavens and the earth , this was their standard. The standard. and he's sure , it makes them feel quite powerful on their age old monoliths. and all he saw . . .

Saint crossed behind Lyric , and grabbed a presented glass of crystal on the table of their backs with a single movement that looked as ridiculously elegant as all this waste indeed was. ❛❛ someone makes their livelihoods doing this. that , that is where this becomes bearable. what isn't ⸻ ❜❜ he pauses to welcome the few guilds of which he holds a specific relationship , who know of him as their prince or as an ally to their wonderlust kingdoms he much preferred. they tried to bow in the customs of these kingdoms that thought his sprawling , wonder of a kingdom to be too rich for the people in it , and he wouldn't argue against it ( though his lips burned to breathe fire and sand ). they had never walked into his kingdom erroneously thinking it small , thinking it good food for adventurers because it was a kingdom of magic users. they would never know the sheer size of corner of the world , and he would never clue them in. there were few , and even fewer still that would be caught speaking about the sheer finery of their own kingdoms. they gathered and had so much fun the browner kingdoms of yore , such unabashed joy to be had. then , there were they.

he turned crimson gaze onto the back of a small , bird-like prince wearing such heavy gold that he looked as though he would tip like cattle , who would be an emperor one day. his hands were smooth , unblemished , and he sneered down over his little bird at everyone he deemed too unsightly for his delicate tastes. this man couldn't even meet his eyes proudly. ❛❛ but I must wonder , who has a livelihood , who eats. they would throw these parties off the backs of their poor and their citizenry , the peasantry. that is where these things lose me. ❜❜

because in Ziira , everyone eats. everyone has a place to earn a living. everyone has a living to earn. while the classes could be considered much more clear and defined in ways that even they couldn't quite establish , it was just a matter of fact rather than something to brag about at parties with enemies and friends. as a prince , he went into the streets and he built for those of whom he considered apart of his ménage , a part of his outer family model. some that were closer to him fell within his kay la , his household, specifically.

he found this wasteful , distasteful , because it went nowhere it needed to but back into the pockets of those who had plenty. he turns from those that likely procured an invitation for existing rather than by works , by recognition , and looks more at those they spot with his own discerning eye. Saint gives a nod to their countenance before he takes a drink from his glass.

❛❛ I have respect for the guilds , it's the kingdoms of which they sometimes operate that I find my ire moved toward. ❜❜ he smoothed his hand over his countenance and sighed. his crown , golden pits dug into his skull formed into rubies , into broad leviathan horns atop his head and brought arching curled and jagged like his chitan. his skin split apart to show how precious even his bones were , blessed with gold and silver and rubies. the lines were softer , drawn into laurel leaves cascading down his body like victory , like beauty , like sunlight crawling from the pure ruby at the center of his forehead. gold that moved and shifted like molton streams through his skin and shined like sunlight. his suit fell open at the chest to show the thick , blocky lines of gold that framed his body like reverent hands. he cuts an impossible , exposing figure even without armor.

❛❛ why , bleu , you would allow them to ravage me so ? how scandalous for you not to keep me whole and hail as my friend. tis my first time around. ❜❜

[ursamajori]

mutuals’ ttrpg characters (and just ocs in general) that you don’t fully know but have some information either by seeing them post about them or by actively talking to them about are so so special and important. so important.

[acecasinova]

Got tagged by @blackjackkent ! The prompt was to take this Uquiz as your OC and post what they're the saint of~

I had a lot of characters to choose from but let's start with my favorite boys I need to make in BG3 just to see what they'd do~

Lazarus- lil lab grown vampire (who will be a Durge someday...)

Which is....👀 Quite interesting for someone who's been the poster child for people or things who fall through the cracks of society... Who was made and shaped and wanted by people but was never truly alive.

Hasr'Thal- feylock drow with far too much to prove

Bones are also the hardest to burn and brother, he's a falling star~ Hasr'Thal is definitely very rigid- stiff and brittle from being tempered in the Underdark. He's left a lot in pursuit of his goals, and dug a whole lot more than two graves in preparation.... (He also practices scrimshaw in his spare time~)

I'll tag @marseny @deityofhearts @obscurelyscandinavian @telekinetic-hedgehog and @vangoggles

[acecasinova]

Character Songs tag game!

Stole it from @queenaeducan bc I've been having a lot of feels about my terrible little warlock, Hasr'Thal. His playlist is almost two hours long at this point but I'll concentrate it down and add lyrics bc that's -kiss-

Eat You Alive - The Oh Hellos Well, he said to me, "Child, I'm afraid for your soul" These things that you're after, they can't be controlled This beast that you're after will eat you alive And spit out your bones

Survival Song - AJJ And I broke my promise on a very sharp rock And I was possessed by something quite unfriendly And I was haunted by a demon in my sleep And that's how I learned how to survive

The Littlest Things - Streetlight Manifesto Rest assured I have a plan b on my mind If all the webs I weave should ever come and unwind But I've got plenty of time

Liar - The Arcadian Wild I am the host of the hostility. I’m the master magician that makes you believe I’m real, I’m not fake, but in reality I’m a lying man. My life’s become this grand game of deception. My mind’s ignored all my heart’s good intentions.

Even - Julien Baker 'Cause all you ever say is "What's the point? Is anybody there to help me now?" It's not that I think I'm good I know that I'm evil I guess I was trying to even it out

Think a barely 17yr old Drow can succeed at killing a Goddess?

I'll tag @sleepyforestbeast @dapperpea @arcanecartography

And anyone else who has an OC w/ songs they want to yell about~

[acecasinova]

2 and 3 for Lazarus, 9 and 10 for Hasr'Thal, 22 for one or more ocs of your choosing, 25 as well for one or more, 27 for Keev, 4 for Ardezo, 1 for Edelweiss, im very tempted to ask 14 for like any character just because I’m p sure a good few of the ocs are already dnd characters abdjjfkt, that’s all I’ll send for more maybe but I don’t wanna be annoying but wanted to ask for multiple ocs

Not annoying at all~! @obscurelyscandinavian almost always sends a bunch for a lot of different characters when I reblog these, too~ It's fun to talk about multiple blorbos~

Lazarus:

What genre (not counting the one they’re in) would your OC thrive in?

Let him into a grungy movie!!!! This isn't really a genre but Lazarus NEEDS to be a Lost Boys vampire he would thrive SO MUCH. On that note, urban fantasy or perhaps something that's more pure horror than Barovia (He would thrive as a monster, but like, for the WORST reasons bc he probably wouldn't have the morality chain he has now)

What genre would your OC do badly in but it would be hilarious or interesting to watch?

G-dddddd it would be so funny to throw him in a dating sim/slice of life, or more light hearted fantasy/slapstick because any type of focus on feelings would knock him WAY off balance and the "rules" of the genre would prevent him from physically injuring anyone else lmao

Hasr'Thal:

If your OC wrote fanfiction (or if they already do), what type? (fix fic, ship, crossovers, AUs, smut, etc.)

Hmmmmm... He's a VERY serious little guy, but going off of "drow like playing intense and days long strategy board games" type hc, I think if he wrote fic, it would be really heavy on the politics and really crunchy world building, with the characters as more of a vehicle for that. He'd be VERY intense about the lore but any fic would have to have like 800000 layers of separation from the rest of his life because NO ONE CAN KNOW HE DOES THAT.

How would your OC do in the last book/movie/tv show/game/etc. you read/watched/played?

LMFAO NOT HASR'THAL ON GAME CHANGERRRRRR,,, He'd 100% get way too worked up and competitive about it- absolutely the type to have Brennan level unhinged rants, for SURE (but he's 4'7 so it's far more comical)

Keev:

In a murder mystery, what role would your OC play? (e.g. detective, sidekick, wacky suspect, rival investigator who gets in thew way, red herring, true culprit)

....Can he be the victim~? (I kid, I kid- Bo don't beat me up,,,) He’s a smart cookie! Resourceful and quick minded, but he doesn't really enjoy the spotlight, so I think he would fall into a sidekick roll. Keev is good for tagging along and observing, then bouncing ideas off of others, but he doesn't have a lot of faith in his ability to read people, so I don't think he would want to be the main detective accusing anyone of anything.

Ardezo:

What media does your character enjoy? (For characters in settings that aren’t modern Earth, could be media from their home setting or what they’d like in a modern Earth AU)

He likes reading in his main setting (ayyyyy Faerun)- lots of books and scrolls and music (Not too much exciting stuff when you live in a dragon death temple, though there's lots of access and contact with the Underdark, so maybe drow parties lol). In a more modern earth type setting, he'd probably be REALLY into things like Lockpicking Lawyer, Fascinating Horror, REALLY love audio books so he can listen to books while he works on stuff (different poisons or toxins, maybe histories of how to use that). He'd be REALLY into practical special effects and honesty probably be fascinated by fursuiters. (He's not ashamed by any stretch, about his scales, but he's a little annoyed he can't display or hide them with easy like his siblings can, so sfx transformations would be his sh-t lol)

Edelweiss:

Was your OC influenced or inspired by any particular fictional character(s) when you made them?

Not particularly for Edelweiss! My main influence for him was making the cutest, most pastel and fluffy looking murderb-bard~ (who's going to suspect the airhead who dresses in pinks and gold of being a hag-blooded college of whispers bard~?)

Any:

What type of Avatar The Last Airbender-type bender (or non-bender) would your OC be? Any bending specialties?

So lesse.... Ironically for my dumb drow and vampire, I think Hasr'Thal and Lazarus are probably fire benders. They're both aggressive and driven (to different degrees) and while Hasr'Thal prefers to use his spells to assist the others in his party more than directly fight, his personal beliefs are rooted in passion and ruthless motion forward. Lazarus is more straightforward- he's a monk, he's fast, violent, and gives into his base instincts probably too much, and he is GARBAGE at defense.

Keev and Edelweiss (despite being a direct blood descendant of an ICE hag) are probably air benders- Keev tries SO hard to be a pacifist and focuses his spell choices on things like slow or haste, with abjuration thrown in, he hits hard WHEN he does, but he focuses far more on evasion. Edelweiss is a bit more bombastic, but he's been flighty and nomadic almost his whole life, blowing in and out of town on a whim. His spells (outside of his innate ice abilities) are mainly focused on causing fear, listening to things unseen, and spying. An argument could be made for waterbending but tbh that's a bit clichéd?

Who WOULD be a waterbender would be Fion (boy's probably a little TOO into bloodbending, honestly- he's dancing way too close to taboo spirit work right now and then there's all the murder...) Ardezo is also probably a waterbender- tempted to say he might be a non-bender, with his complex about ONLY being a draconic sorcerer when his siblings are half dragons, but he IS still very magic and his style is very "hang back, don't be seen, poison or strike when they're distracted" and he worships a dual God of death and undeath, so fluidity in all things are his motto

What would be your OC’s My Little Pony cutie mark?

I was never really into MLP so these might be funky.... Hasr'Thal has an ouroboros (He's mad about it but that's what you get when you want to end the cycle of violence with an act of incredible violence) Lazarus might not HAVE one yet, or it just recently showed up, as a red vine climbing into stars. Keev has maybe a pie, or a simple hearth (bc despite being an adventurer, all he wants is to be a baker). Edelweiss also probably had a late.... branding?? But it's a storm cloud ;3c Ardezo just wants to have stronger dragon blood so baaaaaad that his is probably just a shadow dragon silhouette lol

Any:

If your OC was a Dungeons and Dragons character, what would their class be? And/or: If they were playing D&D, what kind of character might they play? (these aren’t necessarily the same thing)

LMAO almost all of them are! BUT we've done games inside games or thought about it before so I can answer what class they would PLAY in addition to what they are lol

Keev- He's a shadow sorcerer (with a few levels in abjuration wizard) and also a forever DM when he ran it IC, but if he were to make an idealized version of himself, he would be a Paladin of Devotion - though he wouldn't draw his power from a God, just faith in other people

Lazarus- Shadow monk! We did a one-shot where I DM'd as Laz but he would make an assassin rogue (because he's a cool edgy boy~)

Hasr'Thal- Warlock, mainly pacted with an archfey but he kinda maybe made a second pact with the Void that desires the heat death of the universe oops??? If he made a character it would be an INSUFFERABLE wizard because he's definitely not bitter at ALL about not getting to finish schooling to become one himself.

Edelweiss is, as listed above, a College of Whispers bard, and would probably play the same in a game, though he might play a "nicer" college (and maybe not use a fey type race)

Ardezo- draconic sorcerer~ (shadow dragon lineage- NOT a black dragon thank you very much) He might play around with rolling up a rogue, but he'd multiclass bc I think he would miss the magic lol

[acecasinova]

Arash: 04, 11, 15

Ardezo: 06, 14, 19

Edelweiss: 02, 08, 16

Ellitdor: 00, 05, 18

Galvus: 01, 12, 17, 20

Hasr'Thal: 09, 10, 21

Lazarus: 03, 07, 13

Arash: 04, 11, 15 the emperor: How much respect does your muse have for authority? Why is this? I think he has.... a BIT of respect for authority. He'll defer when doing otherwise will probably cost him his hide, like when he accidentally got pulled into Sincerity's meeting with Asmodeous, or when the Bright Queen sent someone to find out if he had committed treason (not on purpose). But he also uuuuhhhhh.... touches a lot of things people tell him not to, was TRYING to hit on the Traveler, started a heretical cult that preached that maybe the Bright Queen shouldn't be the ONLY voice of the Luxon, and sort of definitely thinks he's a gift from the Luxon itself (and like he's not EXACTLY wrong since we found out he's sort of just straight up a Beacon and consecuted souls that are near him actually get pulled IN and get reborn...) He's mostly just incredibly flippant about EVERYTHING and if he doesn't take himself seriously, why would he take authority seriously?

justice: Does your muse find it easy to be impartial in emotional situations? No but it depends? He sort of seems to shut down in particularly emotional situations, because he knows humor isn't appropriate, but that's what he defaults to and if it won't help, he just gets withdrawn. He's very impulsive in high stress situations but if it's heavy and sad he's more at a loss, and even when someone he was interested in died, he was at a loss. (He HAS healing magic, but it's limited and he can't actively or purposefully resurrect anyone)

the devil: Is your muse addicted to any substances? Is there anything that could possibly make them quit? Surprisingly, he isn't! He's definitely dabbled in party drugs, alcohol, weird magics, etc, but he's actually fairly careful about limits, and even if he leaned into it more, he kinda stopped cold turkey when he left home and landed in a breakneck speed adventure, was comatose in the Shadowfell for a while after channeling hundreds of souls at once (whoops), then found out his cousin's whole family had been kidnapped. REALLY makes it hard to go figure out how to source some fun, you know?

Ardezo: 06, 14, 19 the lovers: How important are relationships to your muse? Do they value having a significant other? Not... suuuuuper important? He's probably had some flings or little casual friends with benefits, but he's not really focused on finding a significant other at the moment. Before, it was because he's obviously undesirable as someone with weak dragon blood- he's only HALF covered in scales and you can see fleshy bits!

temperance: Does your muse make plans? How impulsive are they? Has this gotten them into good / bad situations and how have they dealt with them? ....Well considering he's currently barricaded inside a temple that's only recently had one of the fires keeping them inside extinguished, and THAT happened because he decided he needed to travel halfway across Faerun to join a sect of the cult of the dragons that his siblings AREN'T already involved in... I'd say he does SOME planning. Is it good planning? No, probably not. But he HAS been sitting on this one and letting the grudge build for at LEAST five years now, so I wouldn't say ALL his plans are impulsive. (This situation is VERY out of the ordinary for Ardezo- he really prefers to be sneaky and not be out in the open or directly involved, but what can you do, eh?)

the sun: In general, how optimistic is your muse? Does your muse appreciate the small things in life? Fairly optimistic, actually! He grew up being prepared to be an assassin, and ended up serving a temple to both death and undeath, so you learn to appreciate the small things and savor them as they come. Never know when Null might take you! And in addition to being surrounded by death and dying dragons, he also went through two Rages in his more formative years. But he rather strongly believes that he's on the right divine side and tends to think on the bright side (which probably puts him at odds with most shadow dragon ilk, but that's never really bothered him much) he knows things can go wrong and FAST so when they don't, he's pleasantly surprised!

Edelweiss: 02, 08, 16 the high priestess: How does your muse make decisions? Do they trust their instinct or would they rather trust their heart/their logic? Instinct! Then heart, then logic. For all his ice themes, Edelweiss is a very emotion and impulse driven being, though that could also be the fey blood influencing him all the same. He's more calculating in social situations, but as soon as it isn't a job, he's completely unmoored from trying to be "logical"

strength: How does your muse use their energy? Do they tend to work towards their goals steadily or in bursts? Definitely in bursts- he's very impulsive and it comes across heavy in his actions and motions towards goals. Heck- he saw a guy he liked and immediately set about trying to flirt with the subtlety of an iceberg,,,,,

the tower: What event drastically changed your muse’s life? Do they resent that event or are they glad of it? Well his 13th birthday kicked off his ostracization by the community and foray into magic.... He does resent it for the grief and guilt it caused, but I think he's a bit more at peace with it now.

Ellitdor: 00, 05, 18 the fool: What are your muse’s thoughts on new beginnings? Does it frighten them or excite them? A bit of both, but probably a bit more fear at this point, given what's happened so recently.... He WANTS a new start and he WANTS it to work but he's so so so sheltered and his practical skills outside his parents estates are.... almost non-existent.

the hierophant: What are your muse’s morals/ethics? Do they follow their moral code strictly? He believes in following the rules- they're there for a reason and are a good guideline for the expectations a place has, which are helpful for knowing what you can and can't do, or what's acceptable- a thing he desperately needs at this point. Ellitdor has an impulsive streak, though, and he believes that everyone is worthy of respect and being treated fairly, so if there are rules that seem cruel or purposefully unfair, he's less likely to acknowledge them. His moral code is definitely still a work in progress- there's not much testing of it when you've lived in a gilded cage at home all your life, but the party has already butted heads about Elli sticking to his morals and wanting to do the more "lawful" thing, so he's far from spineless about it.

the moon: What does your muse long for? Is it a realistic desire? To anyone else, it likely would be a realistic desire, but Ellitdor is a noble sun elf from a rather notable family, and as such, there are certain rules and expectations he must follow, and that.... makes his desire a lot more out of reach than it otherwise might be. Is his loyal knight by his side forever such an impossible thought?

Galvus: 01, 12, 17, 20 the magician: How does your muse feel about fate? Do they believe they can change their own destiny? He believes in Fate rather strongly. The fabric of fate has held together for so long, and his Matron, Queen of Ravens, is rather keenly aligned with it. He thinks it can be warped, or in certain cases, perhaps changed, but he's quite content with his own. Galvus has lived his whole life serving those who ran the course of their lives, and recently has started perhaps exerting some sway over it, but he defers always to the Raven Queen for the final say, and he doesn't shy away from his calling.

the hanged man: How open is your muse to new opportunities? Do they constantly look for them or do they simply take whatever comes their way? Galvus is fairly passively open to opportunities. He doesn't go seeking them, but he'll accept what comes with an open, curious mind and hey! Dude finally discovered that he might like men, so that's a new and exciting development!

the star: What does your muse take inner comfort in knowing? What guides your muse? He takes comfort in knowing that he, as an aasimar and a shadar kai, has a fate set out for him. He's comforted by the fact that everyone and everything ends, and he can be there for those who are at the end of their lives, or those they leave behind. He's studied death in all its forms, and his faith in that one consistency and his part in it guides a lot of what he does as a grave keeper and a grave cleric.

judgement: Is your muse forgiving of themselves? How about of others who wrong them? Depends on what's been done, quite frankly. I think he lets a lot of small things go like water off feathers, but if you trespass against the sanctity of life and death, you've got the divine wrath of a scourge aasimar coming down on you. He's not above second chances, though, or letting people learn (if you f-ck around, he'll let you find out), but he's less forgiving if you start proving you won't learn. (Then he gets a little bit snappy and harsher)

Hasr'Thal: 09, 10, 21 the hermit: How introspective is your muse? How often do they self-reflect? ...He DEFINITELY gets lost in his own head, but it's less.... self inspection and more just keeping his plans and his ideas tactfully to himself. (Bad idea, probably) Hasr'Thal could really do with some self reflection, but with no one to actually hold up a mirror and say "Dude- you good?", he's not gunna go there on his own. (He's a young drow who has NOT done as much deconstruction as he probably should have)

the wheel of fortune: How well/badly does your muse take setbacks on their goals? ....Well I would say he doesn't take set backs too bad, but when his sisters kidnapped him, he DID sort of sell his soul a second (third?) time to an eldritch Void beyond comprehension so. He tries to have contingency plans for EVERYTHING, but a big setback WILL piss him off and he might try to rashly overcorrect. Hasr'thal tends to be a nag when it comes to set backs within the party and when THEY don't stick to a goal, though, lmao- to the extent that he sought out a way to speak through his familiar, Mesmer, so that he could chastise the others when she accompanies them in more split scenes lol

the world: Is there one thing in life that your muse must accomplish? What will they do when they complete that goal? Everything he's done since fleeing the Underdark has been to kill Zahana, the goddess of Darkness who leads the cult he grew up in. He WILL end the cycle of violence with one incredible act of violence- he WILL cut off the snake's head and cauterize its neck. (He may be just as deep in the cycle as any of them. His main motif might be the ouroboros and bloodstone). Hasr'Thal is fully prepared to die or go completely mad and become a bbeg himself in order to accomplish this, and the fact that spells below 6th level don't even affect Zahana is actually one of the setbacks that's pissed him off the most, as a lvl 15 warlock....

Lazarus: 03, 07, 13 (Previously answered) the empress: Does your muse have parental/nurturing figures in their life? How do they impact them?

He does~ Eurydice, our party paladin, sort of decided she was going to be this scrungy vampire's mother, even if that just meant leaving clothes and blankets out by her orphanage's barn until he got comfortable enough to show his face without hissing (And legally, as far as Valaki is concerned, she adopted him even if Strahd forced her hand and made her sign over custody for a year recently) She's sort of been where Laz off-loads moral choices to and kind of enables him because she used to be feral too, but hey, she HAS managed to make him bathe SOMETIMES and actually domesticated him enough that he'll TALK to other people, even if he was her glorified undead shadow when the party first met them both... ....She also frequently scruffs him if he says something TOO off color and knows how he ticks, so she can generally get him to listen or do what she needs him to do

(Esmeralda is more of an aunt than a parental figure, and while uuuuuh Kindness DEMANDS that Laz is her... son/dog thing, she's sort of the culmination of the WORST aspects of what a 'mother' might be and while she does garner some obedience when she shows up, it's mostly fear based and everyone hates to see it)

[acecasinova]

Probably my most fleshed out is Hasr'Thal, lmao~

He collects and cleans bones while the party is on the road, and he uses them to make beads, jewelry, or for scrimshaw~ He also does a lot of reading and studying (his rapier skills are getting a little lackluster now that he isn't busking as a blind swordsman w/ a circus, though)

He uuuuuh.... also has a gun to clean and futz with now,,,and his hygiene rituals are UNPARALLELED,

Arash mostly does people watching with the party- he had a lot of picked up and dropped hobbies back at home, but it's hard to carry all that on the road (especially when you left in secret) so the only one he brought was his tarot card set~ (he also does a lot of flirting, especially with the party druid, but we don't need to talk about that)

Lazarus is a lazy little sh*t who doesn't do TOO much- his main activities pre-party were skulking around in the woods for stuff to kill or minor crimes around or outside of Valaki, but now he has one (1) WHOLE FRIEND so he spends a lot of time teaching her swear words, trying to get HER to do crime, or getting on people's nerves lol

Characters

Does your TTRPG character have a hobby? Preferred way to pass the time?

One of my favorite ways to flesh out a character is to imagine what they do on their downtime. Before bed, at home, during rests, etc.

[acecasinova]

Repostober throwback to 2021~

Old illustration of Hasr'Thal sort of inspired by the Magician tarot card~ I threw quite a bit of symbolism in this one, like the bloodstone in the necklace and behind him, his hands and familiar forming an infinity shape, and the ouroboros belt.....

[acecasinova]

"Skill issue" was such a dangerous phrase to get slam DUNKED into my vernacular bc now I get SOOOOO tempted to use it IC during ttrpg games regardless of if the character would canonically say something like that

HOWEVER

Imagining an extremely tightly wound Poindexter of a teenage warlock, saying, words DRIPPING with condescension, "Skill issue." Is HILARIOUS

[acecasinova]

Oh boyeeeeeee

Hasr'Thal uhhhhh came face to face, at least in a dream, with the BBEG Goddess we've been trying to thwart (and that he wants to kill, specifically)

She called him short and made some valid points about the mortal Condition, but for all his kinda evil scheming and talks, Hasr'Thal DOES still believe that the downtrodden should have a chance and this version of the world shouldn't just be destroyed for a hard reset.

It did KINDA freak him out that she found him and could still very much destroy his 78hp a-- though, but this IS the culmination of all of his plans and why he sold his soul lol

(He also met w/ the god of fire and madness who was horrified to learn he doesn't drink, asked him NOT to usher in the Unknowable Void until maybe after they were back pls, and complained that the goddess of life doesn't like blood sacrifice pffft) (Hasr'Thal is going to feed their tether blood like as soon as he comes out of his trance now and told them he'd immolate a cultist or something as soon as they were in the proper area of the castle to bring the gods back)

[acecasinova]

OCs for reference below the cut~

[acecasinova]

Your character has been challenged to a duel by a skilled fighter. What incentive would convince them to accept? How would they prepare for the fight? Do you think they would win? (bonus: which other character do you think the challenger could be?) Give me. The funniest option.

....Visual hilarity wise, Hasr'Thal's introduction to the party was pretty funny. Before he started adventuring properly, he did some street busking as a blind swordsman (he was using Mesmer, his familiar, as his eyes) and the previous party warlock challenged him to size up his training, but they're both noble born and a little ruthless so it went RIGHT past first blood and the rest of the party had to intervene before these two shrimps actually KILLED each other.

.....But the other warlock was a gnome genasi and Hasr'Thal is a 4'7 drow so to the average layman unfamiliar with distinguishing fighting styles, it absolutely just looked like a baby fight. (But incentive? Money/a show, and there wasn't much preparation. It was a draw but Hasr'Thal DID join the party because of it, so thats sort of a win~)

Serious (funny) answer:

Edelweiss! He's just a little fey guy!!! You're gunna sword fight the twinky little bard??

In the interest of making this hilarious, the challenger would definitely be Thesseus, his bladesinger boyfriend~ Challenging him maybe for training or teasing him too hard, but Edelweiss can't turn down a challenge from Thesseus~

It'd be a .... very horny fight- lots of innuendos and swordplay, if you know what I mean~ And Edelweiss would absolutely lose, but that's not exactly a BAD thing when losing means being pinned somewhere or having the tip of your boyfriend's sword under your chin, right~?

[acecasinova]

We're in the end stages of the campaign and Hasr'Thal hasn't even used his gun yet aaahhhh

I want to save it bc it's Rare Banned Gnome Tech but also he's a horrible little teen with a gun I GOTTA use it sometime

[acecasinova]

🍋

for the oc asks!

🍋: What is your OC's most painful memory?

OH FUN lessee...

Lazarus is tricky because he only has about 7 years of memory to fall back on... but he's really Going Through It rn,,, His most painful memory is pretty recent- about a week ago in game he got arrested for murdering a guard and carted off to Castle Ravenloft to be "re-trained". He was bound, gagged, and blindfolded and spent 5 hours getting broken down by one of Strahd's right hand spawn, Kindness, on the way there. Physically? He's had way worse. But psychologically? She hit ALL his sore spots. He's never felt smaller, stupider, or more useless in his unlife and he REALLY doesn't want to talk about it.

Keev- probably when he found out his parents knew that he would die if he was apprenticed to the wizards, but they still let him be placed there. (And then he DID. Sort of. He got better and woke up buried alive. This beat that out) (his sister also found out before him and didn't immediately tell him. That hurt too lol)

Edelweiss: no contest- the night his hag heritage woke up and he accidentally iced his whole family.

Hasr'Thal: he HAS died canonically and was blinded when his Patron dropped him on the Surface in the middle of the day- But I think the most painful memory his has was the first time he realized his whole culture was stacked against him. The first time his opinion and his word was completely discarded in favor of his sisters'. Drow boys don't really get a say in things and the memory of trying still stings in the back of his mind. Still pushes him forward.

Will O'Wisp: ALSO HIS DEATH BABEYYYYYY. He doesn't remember a lot of when he was alive, but he DOES remember being jumped and scared and killed. ....And then he woke up. And things are still bad and people are still wary of him but the worst is behind him! ....Right?

Fion: as a changeling trying to scrape by outside the Davokar forest, he's got a LOT of bad memories, but probably the most painful one was when his elven features began to show through and he was cast out at barely 10 years old. Pleading and having the door to what he thought was home just wordlessly shut in his face.

Galvus: He's had to prepare and bury some children before, and as a Steward of life and death, it hurts to see one lost so soon, but the best he can do is offer comfort and peace to those left.

Thacker: Once the party helped him bust his former party member out of the demiplane's jail, found his other companion, and then immediately lost them. Hope yanked /right/ from underneath him.

Arash: He's been low-key coasting and pretending lots of little things didn't hurt but MAN when that dragon destroyed a whole tavern of folks and he couldn't bring anyone back, and THEN not two days later his maybe-boyfriend got SUPER murdered and his Counterspell failed and again, he couldn't revive him. That!!! Really hurts! To think about! As a healer!