#Zilkon tag

[warmhealerr]

Big and not terribly interesting DND chars rambling sorry, but I do find it compelling how central the theme of Gender has become to the Gnome family. I am not just talking about at least two of the siblings being trans (though it is not to be ignored of course), I mean how much of their pain and the tragedy surrounding them is informed by both maternal and paternal families' expectations.

Mother says draconic blood runs in the girls of the family only (untrue, but she doesn't know that) and as such girls are especially important and strong. Father says he is proud of owning the family farm, being his own father's son, and his grandfather's grandson, and his great-great-great grandfather's great-great-great grandson. Neither mother nor father are outspoken dismissive bio essentialists, but their proud, "gendered" heritage and the way they try to nurture its greatness sets up their children for failure, as they all end up at odds with what they deem they are expected to be. Inherent traits and extreme bad luck further fostering insecurities. Zilkon didn't look like the average cis male deep gnome for a while (not bald before BG3) and he was proud of that, he liked standing out. He didn't want to be the eldest son crumbling under the responsibility of his heritage and his physical appearance was the only thing separating him from this depressed mess he had become trying to live up to everyone's expectations, the "strongest". He never let them down but he never got a break to exist for someone else. Mischkit wanted to be a big strong actually useful and beloved by everyone man so bad, especially witnessesing Zilkon's failures, because deep down it was just too hard to admit being a woman to himself and others especially in a family where being a woman had shifted from being grand to being pitiful through Oulmat's birth and their many sisters' painful deaths. Oulmat is nearly always worrying about being eaten alive and stepped on because she's always felt like a weak little thing, being born without draconic heritage and bad with learning the Weave, the promise of "every girl" in her family. She's always been outperformed by men, who supposedly should've been weaker. Even though her family would try to reassure her she only ever grew more scared and bitter and subconsciously A LOT of her issues whether her self perception or how she interacts with the world have stemmed from her failing what she expected she should achieve. The only men she has no issues with are Zilkon and Baltumal, who when you look at them are GNC both in presentation and what she expects men to behave like. She DOES have issues with Joufos' transition too, as he basically abandoned the "sacred woman" role to be just some damn guy, yet another man on top of her with everything she was promised, though she keeps that bitterness on the inside (or tries, it does slip out). Joufos has obviously gone through the hell of gender being an openly trans man, who's spent his childhood with girl if not "powerful womanhood" forced down his throat when he wanted none of it, as he aligned himself with his dad and Mischkit's performance of masculinity. His transition was supported by everyone of course, but gender is a very bitter deal to him. He isn't particularly wise, but sometimes, he notices a bit more than everyone else how generational gender roles have shaped his family despite them saying otherwise. This isn't even discussing all the dead fucking siblings (5 of them, this family is a castle of bones) and how they've both suffered and contributed to the problem individually.

All in all it's the kinda parents that expect a new baby and immediately start planning everything based on gender despite saying they don't care, and when the child actually is here you can tell how the family's perception and desires around the kid's "gender" affects the parenting style drastically even with no hard nos around gendered stuff (as I am currently witnessing with my family raising my own little brother).

I'm not a big fan of gender essentialism nor assigned sex being the focus especially in fantasy, but I really can't look at all these characters and their problems and pretend Gender isn't the thing they should bring up at a group therapy session, neither do I want to erase such an interesting implicit source of conflict as the writer. To think all this started because I gave Joufos funny pink hair and I was like "This guy is trans and the pink hair is a draconic thing" nearly a year ago.

[warmhealerr]

I can finally draw them in a way I actually am proud of. The svirfneblin siblings...The only well adjusted, genuinely nice, reliable guy out of the three is the one with a spider on his head.

From left to right Joufos -that J is a Y- (he/him), Zilkon (he/him), Oulmat (she/her). Guess who the youngest is.

Out of the three only Zilkon got tadpoled, the other two tag along later on when they receive his message (carried by his beloved pet spider).

There is a reason why Joufos has hair and a beard.

Oulmat looks so cartoonishly evil it's a miracle her family hasn't figured out it isn't a fashion phase. They also haven't had the courage to ask her what's up with the warlock stuff. Do not get this wrong she loves them all very much, but aside from them and her patron, that's far as her love extends. Not like you want to be loved by her anyway.

[warmhealerr]

Random OC ask, summer game! ⛱️☀️🌊.

What your OCs or favorite characters would be doing on a beach? In case they absolutely can't go on a beach, what other summer activity do they enjoy?

Bonus level - once answered, pass this ask to 3 other people's inboxes!

Also got tagged by @ardentkurashk (thank you both).

See, I am used to (and prefer) beaches that have more stone than sand, so this answer is gonna be shaped by that.

Focusing on DND chars.

During the day, Ta'rath would sit half immersed where the foam collects in between harsh swimming sessions from one end of the beach to the other. They're definitely doing this naked and people can cry about it. They would hate the drying sand on their skin though, especially as it gets stuck in the creases of their spots and under their feet alongside the cuts they'd earn in the process. They'd most likely wash themself at least thrice after when they get back home, and would still find ways to complain about the particles left.

At night, I can imagine them going back to the beach for some nice peace and quiet. They would sit in the dark, listening to the sea and perhaps few boats creaking, gaze half perceiving the horizon and its subtle orange tint.

(Note : quicksand risks and tide aside, I recommend going to the beach around mightnight-3am once in a lifetime).

Assuming the deep gnomes wouldn't fry under the sun :

Joufos, when he isn't floating on his back, would be sticking to the shore hunting for shrimps, crabs and other edible friends he can reach by hand. Wouldn't catch everything even if he could just because he likes watching and touching the creatures more than throwing them in a bucket to eat later (cat behavior). In a more modern setting he'd be especially into trying to identify every species he can lay eyes on with his phone. Would probably find himself stupid sick or worse because he decided to touch or eat a venomous/poisonous animal, completely ignoring its bright colors.

Oulmat is on her third cocktail and has a big, bright dumb smile on her flushed face. Wouldn't indulge in actual beach activities, she's just here to drink out of the sun's reach and watch people get in trouble.

If Baltumal showed up with her he'd be attempting to sunbathe chilling on a flamingo float, until he eventually drifts off, lost at sea, and rescue teams have to look for him. They've all the time in the world considering he doesn't need to eat nor drink. He'd be back with the most awful sunburned and salt blistered skin you've ever seen but he'd comment he feels no pain and couldn't give less of a shit anyway, he had a good time.

Zilkon shows up with full sports sailing gear, ends up buried in sand and gravel for 5 hours. He has most likely been forgotten by his peers, but as long as he's got sunglasses on he doesn't mind at all. Hopefully people dig him up before the tide gets him.

Mischkit would be annoying everyone at peak hours trying to play frisbee, soccer and volleyball with him in his stupid sexy mankini until eventually enough random strangers agree. He might accidentally destroy a child's sandcastle in the process. He'd be a dick about it and pretend to have no remorse whatsoever but he's gonna have nightmares about it for 3 years.