#VeluVerse

[rajakaen]

Yeah, ngl - I’ve given Dragon Age Veilguard a go and my thoughts on the game are pretty mixed—honestly, the story and characters didn’t grab me as much as the environment or the combat system. Tho the headcanon mostly Jukkari and I came up with is what I've enjoyed the most about this franchise game <3

Spending some 150h on my first run as a storm mage (I was busy snapping screenshots instead of playing the game) I've decided to share some of V's journey with you. Starting with the Minrathous prologue... [1/...?]

[rajakaen]

I felt like I should provide a screenshot for the scene as this is the angle I have in mind when devouring reading Jukkari's story :>

Shocking to absolutely everyone except for Velu, I actually managed to write something! Just a bit of Alectris and Lucanis fluff about cooking, poisons and absolute lack of self-preservation instinct when hungry.

It is also posted on AO3: <here>.

Alectris found her way back to the Lighthouse at what she'd assumed was early evening. She made her way through the library and realized that the place was eerily quiet. Normally there would be some hushed conversations going on or at least some shuffling coming from either Taash or Emmrich’s rooms. With no one in sight, she made her way towards the hidden entrance in the wall leading to a side room. 

Veryl's things were neatly arranged, but the man himself was conspicuously absent - just like everyone else. She emerged in the courtyard, suddenly feeling alien and unwelcoming with not even Assan in sight and wondered if she’d taken the wrong Eluvian and stumbled into an alternate Lighthouse.

A whiff of antivan cooking coming from the far side had suggested however, that maybe she simply arrived late for dinner. Since Lucanis and Bellara announced taking over the reins of the kitchen, nobody seemed to miss the shared meals anymore. 

She peeked into the kitchen only to find it empty if not for Lucanis who appeared to have yet another argument with Spite.

"No." The Crow sounded a lot more tired than annoyed. He was facing away from the door, by the tension in his shoulder she assumed that whatever dish he was working on was giving him more trouble than he expected. 

"Trust me, no. We can't taste the pasta by putting our hand into the pot with boiling water. " Spite learning about the limits of human experience. She guessed it was an improvement from their initial interactions. 

"Now that is some solid advice right here" she agreed walking in, scanning the kitchen in search of the other members of the Veilguard "Have I missed any party invitations? Where is everyone?" Lucanis looked up at her from above the stove, mixing some sort of sauce with more intention than seemed necessary.

"Rook is out in Arlathan with Bellara and Davrin. Something about a Veil Jumper, floating and needing Assan's help." he answered, focusing again on the concoction on the stove. "Neve took Veryl to Minrathous, to help her with case notes. Emmrich and Manfred are attending to some last moment preparations in the Necropolis and Taash took Lace drinking with the Lords testing if Harding's new stone powers make her more resistant to alcohol." He hesitated for a moment like there was something more he wanted to say but stopped himself before continuing.

"Right. Didn't get the memo that you wanted to cook alone. I'll go find myself somewhere else to be" she's made half a step back towards the kitchen door "Unless you need an experimental nug to test that thing you're making"

Lucanis blinked slowly, his eyes still fixed on the simmering sauce, the sharp smell of hot peppers filling the air. It didn’t cross his mind she’d offer to try whatever he was cooking without asking any questions first. 

“Ah, thank you, but you might want to skip this one, Tris.” He shook his head finally, putting all the effort he could into sounding casual “I’m testing some suggestions Bellara gave me, this might turn out really poorly.” “Well, what else are nugs for, if not sacrifice in the name of cooking?” Alectris laughed, shrugging her arms as she took a spot at the table “Come on, it smells great and I’m starving, you can’t just leave me hanging, can you?” He had to admit, despite the liberties taken in the recipe it did pass the initial sniff test. Which only made it harder to let her down gently without admitting what he was working on. And Alectris never showed herself to be easy to shake off. 

“The suggestions were about masking flavors. In this case masking the taste of deathroot extract to be specific.” Lucanis clarified hesitantly, his voice slightly clipped as if he was unhappy about letting her in on the secret. He had hoped to avoid any questions about poisons even existing in the vicinity of the kitchen. “Poison? Really?” She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly and the crow felt his stomach turn. 

“You alway struck me as an honest type.” a small smile formed on her lips as she continued  “You know, knives and swords and garrotes, not poisons in a glass of wine.”

“Don’t let Viago hear that.” he chuckled, letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. “Oh? Would he try to poison me?” Alectris straightened out in the chair with amusement painted on her face. She was surely going to try ribbing Viago about poisons the next time she got a chance, Lucanis realized. 

“No, but he might give you a long winded speech and at least 17 reasons why the use of poison is just as honest and professional as knives. He’s very… sensitive on this topic” It may have happened that such a comment slipped out of his mouth once or twice in the past. The first one was entirely accidental, the other… Well, as bets lost to Illario went, that was not the worst outcome. 

“Sounds like he just hopes you poison yourself while he talks.“ 

“I wouldn’t put it past him” He nodded, stirring the mixture again, still not entirely happy about the texture. The kitchen felt silent, the fire crackling softly and the metallic clanking of a spoon on the pan. Alectris sloped down in the chair crossing her arms and watching Lucanis with a slightly furrowed brow. 

“So, how will you know if you masked the flavor if no one's gonna eat it?” Alectris asked him finally when the silence stretched out too long. There was a glint in her eye and the tone of her voice only suggested curiosity “Are you trying to poison Davrin?” 

“I’m gonna eat it” the assassin corrected. He would not entertain a thought of actually hurting the Warden. Teasing him about it however, that would be a different topic entirely. “No!” she sat up straight immediately “Don’t worry I have antivenom, things are not looking that bleak.” he joked, but realized it may not land as well as he hoped with someone who was not raised a Crow “ “Wouldn’t be able to write down the outcomes either” 

“Ah, so I can eat it.” she grinned happily, which was not the reaction Lucanis was anticipating. “It’s poisoned” he repeated slowly, somewhat unsure if she was teasing him or was serious or if it was something else entirely. “You just said you have antivenin!” Mage protested with a nonchalance appropriate only to someone who rarely hears no. Whether it was by her birthright or her insistent nature he wasn’t sure. Clearly, it worked like a charm and was used often. “If it’s good enough for you, it’ll be good enough for me” 

“Alectris, this is a really bad idea” he knew her well enough by now to know that arguing would only make her dig her heels in and insist further. “Come on, I could eat a dracolisk.” she laughed, waving her hands “And you’ll get a second opinion. Everybody wins!”

He allowed himself a defeated sigh, taking the pan off the heat and placing it aside. He caught her stare for a moment looking for any signs of hesitation or discomfort on her part but the mage appeared perfectly content with the situation. He looked away as he made way to the back of the kitchen to retrieve the antidotes, glad he had stocked up recently. He certainly didn’t expect to share this particular experience. 

“Last moment to change your mind” Lucanis returned from the pantry carrying two small vials with murky, brownish liquid inside. In the fireplace light she could see the sediment swirl inside making her wonder if he was about to make her drink old swamp water. 

“There really are easier ways to kill me Luc” she insisted again, rising up for her chair to reach for one of them without hesitation. “There’s no need for theatrics”

Their hands brushed as she snatched the bottle from his grasp. Lucanis froze for a split second and Alectris hoped that he hadn’t noticed her face turning at least a shade redder. She’d blame it on the fire if he did. 

“I know.” the words escaped him before he could really think them through. “It is also not what I’m trying to do.” he added fast realizing how this must have sounded, but was met only with a wide grin and not a hint of worry. 

“Then I’ve nothing to worry about, do I?” Mage uncorked the mixture and raised a little toast with it. He returned the gesture suppressing the urge to reach over and stop her. Of course, she wouldn’t listen. Alectris never backed down from anything, even when she probably should. He sighed, wondering—not for the first time—how much trouble she would’ve been as a Crow. They both drank the liquid like it was a shot of the worst spirit in a shady tavern. It left a sandy feeling in the mouth and burned in the back of the throat. Lucanis coughed to cover his reaction, but couldn’t hide a smirk when he watched Alectris scrunch her nose and shake making a disgusted face. She clicked her tongue a few times like she was trying to get rid of the taste but failed. 

“Tastes like a morning in Minrathous” she finally managed to grumble, her face still sour and voice slightly raspy. Lucanis raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching.

“What could you mean by that?” He took the bottle from the table and tossed it into a small bucket filled with soapy water standing in the corner of the room. “Somewhat dump and muddy, surely fishy and vaguely depressing” she clarified, sounding a bit more sure than before. He kept an eye on her as she grunted and shifted in the chair while he was splitting the pasta and poisoned arrabbiata on two plates. 

“Didn’t think you’re a poetic type” Lucanis admitted, placing the plates on the table with a soft clink. 

“I’m not” Alectris shook her head looking slightly offended. She stabbed the dish with a fork a few times, as if she was trying to make sure it wouldn't attempt biting her back. 

“Maybe that’s why it’s weirdly accurate” Crow murmured looking judgingly at his own plate, a cloud of steam rising from it. It still smelled alright and looked completely ordinary. He only hoped it tasted as 

“Best neither V nor Neve ever hear this one” mage laughed while studying the pasta carefully, neither of them were fully eager to eat now that it came to it.  “Do I want to know what one makes an antidote for deathroot from?” she asked finally as if she wanted to delay the inevitable. Lucanis had to fight a reflex to remind her, she didn’t actually have to try it. 

“Not before eating” he said instead taking a deep breath wondering if the whole endeavour will pay out. 

“Great. A mystery for later then.” she nodded and bit down on the pasta before she could change her mind. For a moment nothing happened and then she burst out in a coughing fit, her eyes watering. Lucanis nearly jumped out of his chair, but she waved him away with an uncoordinated gesture as she fought to get through the bite while both laughing and crying.  

“I think it might be spiced up for Taash” she managed to get out after a few minutes and a glass of cold water that Lucanis offered “Might want to calm down with the peppers next time” 

[rajakaen]

Arlathan Forest Ritual Site [2/...?]

[rajakaen]

I had another interesting interfleet experience 😂 This error was simply caused by logging in. Never seen this before 🙈

I feel lost here 😶‍🌫️

[rajakaen]

Sketch concept of a Dragon Age Desire Demon

[rajakaen]

First of Many >.> Jumped into PTS with @jukkariart as heal and @myrddinvonnebelstein as dps to try our luck with the lair boss that seems to have 180% more health than it supposedly should in SM—18 minutes of pure joy. Mr. T was getting splattered with 'biomatter' nonstop while kiting this so-called fleshdroid. He's not happy about how he acquired his new chievo.

[rajakaen]

Here's a personal post I should have tackled a while ago. It's about SWTOR and the recent Character Art Modernization events. Like so many other players, I'm pretty disappointed with how BroadSword executed this project. Ever since I first saw the modernized faces in November on the PTS (and it didn’t get any better with the second overhaul), something in me just broke. Something that used to drive me to launch the game at least once a week. I choose to give constructive feedback in the forums as many others of you, too but Mods decided to take it down not only once but thrice.

Don't get me wrong - I've been with this game for a long time, met tons of amazing people, got motivated to learn how to draw humans at all and delved way too deep into characterization. This Tumblr account only exists because of the SWTOR community here :D Also, my storytelling and English have improved a lot since then; although I don't really share what I write—I just can't bring myself to do it ^^; I deeply care for this game and love the joy it created not only for me but for us all. But it becomes harder and harder to make me invest in something that (from my POV) is already lost and dying.

So, some SWTOR updates over the years were half-baked, some introduced more problems and left the game worse or even made less interesting over time. Patch 7.0, for instance, was a disaster on PTS with its raised boss difficulty to 344 (we only had access to 326 gear if I remember right) and the restructuring of the overall skill system. 7.0 was already poorly received before going live. And oh boy, it got life. It's clear that if a Publisher or DevTeam want something to happen in their game/project, they push through. We as players have little to no influence here. You're allowed to express your opinion, but whether it's heard is anyone's guess. I won’t even start on the implementation, as this is a different topic.

What I’m getting at is that my excitement around SWTOR has significantly dwindled. Thankfully, after much persuasion from others, I decided to release Tahr'rys from the Inquisitor's storyline and replace Ashara with a similar character named Relah. The stories and possibilities have incredibly increased since tho Mr T stays a rather static construct. To keep him believable, he can’t just frolic joyfully through fields and become cheerful. He is who he is, shaped by his story and how he dealt with events. He influences what happens—just like we all do in our lives. But we don't have any influence over a game studio’s decisions. And as for my SWTOR art, things are going to get a bit quiet here.

I’ve never posted much because drawing humans, especially Tahr'rys, has always been a real challenge for me (yes it is). It's very time-consuming and not very rewarding. To make things worse for him - I've been drawn into the Veilguard vortex by @jukkariart and got deeply invested in her stories; hence the shift in focus on my blog. We're constructing our own narrative around the Veilguard events under a common rook and right now, our companion characters (Alectris and Verinius) offer much more dopamine. T and Co will remain and I’ll occasionally post about them- but it'll be even more infrequent than before :>

Thanks for reading this far and staying with me ❤️

[rajakaen]

I've seen these OC questions and thought I could try to answer them for T. I'd call it random curiosity and it was fun so, here are the results. Nobody needs to ask any questions as I love to answer them for myself lol It's not much but I think it counts as content and some of you are at least somewhat interested in what this Tahr'rys character has to offer & what kind of stupid ideas I can come up with

1) Does your OC have a voice claim, if so who? The German voice actor Joachim Pütz (not only the voice of the German mSI but also the presenter of the ARD weather report for over 20 years lol)

2) Who's your OCs best friend? How did they become best friends? He had some throughout his life. The Chiss Kitan from his days when he was with the Imperial Army and the Dar’Manda Neongard who found T when he was aimlessly wandering, lost in his mind. T believes that Kitan is the reason he was sent to the Sith and that Neo lied to him about his status as an outcast for years. The closest thing he currently has to a best friend is with the former Sith, Erin Akhalen. Somehow, the two have developed a type of friendship based on mutual antagonism and despite their frequent disagreements, neither would want to lose the other, although they would never admit it. Also, there's Relah, who has been with him for a long time and he deeply cares for her. They're more than friends but not quite a couple. His affection stems not only from their shared past but also because she is a constant beacon of light in his otherwise dark world—even when he couldn’t see things clearly. They were separated for years because Tahr'rys was too consumed by his own darkness, becoming delusional and accusatory towards her during his time with the Sith.

3) What song describes your OC? Both, ”Assemblage 23 - Spark” and “Xenturion Prime - Embers” describe him astonishingly well.

4) What song describes your OC and their partner/love interest? There are some, depending on the state of their relationship: “Rotersand - Speak to me”, “State of the Union - Stupid Song”, “ Dismantled - The Hero (Noonatac club mix)”, “Seabound - Castaway” and “NeuroticFish - Invisible” >.> their relationship is as troubled as is T.

5) Do you ship your OC with a Canon character? If so who? Actually, it was Ashara, but I've decided to replace her with a character that better fits my needs. Otherwise, I had to reinvent the base idea of who she is. And that’s not what I was aiming for.

6) If your OC is in a fantasy setting, what profession would they be in the modern day? Soldier, Sharpshooter, Non-Official-Cover Hitman, Freelance Contractor, Ethnobotanist and Healer.

8) What hobbies does your OC have? What do they do to unwind? He enjoys reading high-fantasy novels, caring for his plants and tending to the tiny lizards that inhabit his vivarium. He’s also quite inquisitive and can spend hours trying to solve problems that have recently arisen. Lately, Tahr’rys has discovered a passion for fishing and Erin would say no better hobby fits him so perfectly. When he finds the time and nothing is pressing to do, he tends to seek out a spot and sit by the water for hours, patiently waiting for a fish to bite. Relah and Erin both swear that he barely moves a muscle while fishing.

9) How does your OC handle their physical health? Do they take care of themselves? He does and needs to. The extensive chemical burn requires close monitoring and careful attention. It must be kept clean, moisturized and covered to protect it from excessive sun exposure. He also needs to perform daily exercises to maintain the flexibility of the scar tissue. Additionally, he pays close attention to his diet, especially when he eats something other than Nutripills. 

10) How does your OC handle their mental health? Do they take care of themselves? Over the years, Tahr'rys has been through a lot that has inevitably damaged his psyche. He has become a product of what he has endured—both self-inflicted and externally imposed. He’s painfully aware that he’s (not only) mentally unwell but is currently working with Relah to address the issues he has repressed for far too long. Both know this will not repair the damage that’s already done and T can only heal so much. He is also very stubborn about the whole topic and does not want to be pitied or patronized. He won't seek help beyond Relah; the Sith would only force him to his former role and he doubts he would have the strength to escape their influence again. The Jedi would try to turn him into something he is not. He remains extremely sceptical of all factions.

11) What was your inspiration for your OC? The Sith Inquisitor from SWTOR - obviously - but he became a mix of many stories I like and what I find interesting or worthwhile to think about.

12) Does your OC interact with other people's OC? If so, who's their best OC friend? Already answered in point 2 - it is Jukkari’s little gremlin.

13) Does your OC have a rival? How did it start? Tahr’rys doesn’t care enough for others to have a real rival.

14) Who's a character your OC cannot stand! It's on sight when they see them! Vask'ita'nagi! Tahr’rys becomes disproportionately aggressive whenever the topic comes up as he believes his then-best friend revealed that he was a Force user—a fact he didn't know by himself at the time he saved Kitan from being crushed by falling debris. It's best not to think about what would happen if they met in person. While Kitan holds no grudge against his old friend, Tahr’rys blames him fervently for everything that happened to him after his service.

15) Will your OC ever retire? Do you see them making it? He did run away from the Sith to hide from their influence. They never caught him, tho the threat of being tracked down persists—even after 12 years. He was lucky the Empire faced other problems during his escape and had to undergo restructuring. No one misses a Sith that officially never existed.

16) How's their relationship with their parents? Are they alive? Before T insisted on becoming a soldier, the three had a great relationship and his parents, Tahsin and Sahr’ra Nelubin, are still alive. Still, Tahr’rys is deeply ashamed of what he has become over the decades and is haunted by the knowledge that they were right all along—if only he had listened to them. They believe he died in action during his last mission as a soldier and Tahr’rys knows better than to disturb their peace with the truth of who he is now.

18) What are their pronouns? What would they like to be called? T is a cisgender male - a random guy that goes by he/him but he doesn’t care about how he’s addressed.

19) What's their sexuality? What's their love language both giving and receiving? Hetero oriented AroAce I guess? The rest is quite challenging, as T dislikes being touched—it's not out of fear, he simply prefers to avoid physical contact. He gives a lot, but it's more through his actions—it’s the attention he pays to Relah and how he interacts with her. He becomes less abrasive and very protective, yet he remains detached. What he receives from Relah is a mix of encouragement and challenge, paired with an understanding of his needs and the time he requires to sort things out.

20) If they fight, what's their weapon of choice? He prefers his old military knife but makes use of his double-bladed saberstaff (teal blade with white core) if necessary. Tho T is a rather sneaky guy. If he doesn’t have to pull out his knife and can stay hidden, he tends to cause cardiac arrest in his enemies. He can’t cast full-fledged lightning arcs but quick bursts of lightning.

21) What song best describes their relationship with their enemy? T doesn’t have real enemies but let’s take Kitan instead: “Silent Theory - Fragile Minds”

22) Fight or Flight? Are they a lover or a fighter? Freeze -> Flight -> Fight. Tahr'rys is a thinker, not a brute force. Neither is he a lover.

23) Is your OC reliable? Can I call them up at two in the morning if I have a flat tire? Tahr’rys is one of the most reliable people you could meet—if you manage to get his word on something, he will stick to it no matter what. However, coaxing a promise out of him can be challenging, as he is quite evasive.

24) Can they play any instruments? If so, what do they play? Nope. He never showed any interest in music besides consuming it. He’s listening to stuff close to the genre “chillgressive” but only with headphones on and when nobody’s around. 

25) Are they the kind of person who can't resist a good song? Can I catch your OC singing to themselves while they do the dishes? Tahr’rys is one of those eerie individuals who makes hardly any noise. He's not much of a talker (huge understatement), so he doesn’t sing or hum either.

26) What flower do you associate your OC with? Cichorium intybus, or Wegwarte as we call it in German, loosely translates to “waiting by the wayside.” There’s a little anecdote about a maiden who waited in vain at the spot where the flowers now grow. Her knight had joined a crusade and never returned.

27) What's their spirit tamagotchi? Or an animal you associate them with? A housecat. They’re as unpredictable as T is lol

[rajakaen]

While cleaning out old files I found these Logos 🙊

They're handmade. Think about this like a challenge to see how close I can recreate the source images >.>

[rajakaen]

Don't ask about it

[rajakaen]

Don't mind me - just enjoying this DAI moment a little too much rn

[rajakaen]

Did I mention that I'm always impressed by the positioning in SWTOR?

[rajakaen]

While trying to craft a scene exploring the interactions between Tahr'rys and Ashara during his time as a Sith, I found it challenging to visualize the overall setting. It's not that I lack imagination, but I often need to write down places themselves before they become vivid in my mind. (This is especially true for my art process.) Perhaps it's just the way my ADHS-plagued brain processes information 🤷‍♀️

Hope you find this insight intriguing. Also, I'd appreciate any feedback! I'm not as deeply versed in the Star Wars Universe as one might think ;)

This time, I'm bypassing the hassle of Tumblr formatting. Here's a direct image from the document:

[rajakaen]

"Phantom Stride" or "Why it's cool to be a Sin" ;)

It's not like I haven't already yeeted myself off several maps and into Nirvana… but I hope you don't expect me to play the game seriously and all straight-faced.

[rajakaen]

Living on the precipice of sanity

[rajakaen]

WIP Tag

@frauleiiin tagged me to tell you a bit about what I'm working on at the moment...

There's not much to tell - the old projects like the ref of Tahr'rys itself still have to be finished - overall, it depends on what I want to work on at the moment :) Recently I've been writing quite a lot, but I don't feel comfy about sharing those stories ^^; Besides that, I was invited to a cozy little Discord and am now allowed to spam the members with my headcanon >:D mwahahahaaa Blablabla - have some WIPs featuring T (who else should it be)

No pressure tags (don't mind them if you were already tagged) @generouspicklesaladhumanoid @stellorc @kemendin @baraste-legacy @serenofroses

post a paragraph, snippet, screenshot, or drawing layer of your current project! (✿◕‿◕✿) tag 5 people to post teasers of their wips too