#although the amount of times i just fully read a word as a an anagram of itself

[psychedelicflyingshark]

For someone who isn't dyslexic i sure am bad at reading words where they're supposed to be

[psionicsua]

Uncommon asks for Ko/kumo

oooh boy. here we go. this is only one of three but they are taking A While ;; long long post under the cut.

1. What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?

Both of them are pretty good at this. Their minds are so busy, no matter how passive they’re being, they’re still somewhat at work. Ko would hate not being active in some capacity after a couple hours, though, his past makes him really hate stagnation. Kokumo could very easily do nothing for hours on end if left to his own devices, he would appreciate the time for introspection, but after like.. A day of nothing else, he would start to feel too guilty to not do Something.

2. How easy is it for your character to laugh?

Ko is very good at laughing as part of a persona, but when he’s not lying he’s not very emotive. I don’t think he would laugh at very much, unless he’s in a situation where he can tease someone like Rowan or Milo. Kokumo laughs a lot easier, and takes a lot of joy from fairly simple interactions, but he’s also pretty uncomfortable most of the time so he tries to stay more serene as a disguise for his negative emotions.

3. How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)

Ko doesn’t like to sleep, and generally spaces out his required meditation during the night, forcing himself to shut down for an hour or two at a time. Kokumo welcomes the chance to meditate, and probably does so as soon as the action of the day has settled and he’s finished with his journal. He’s still up most of the night, though.

4. How easy is it to earn their trust?

Ko’s is almost impossible to gain, taking weeks of almost constant interaction. He only ever fully trusted in like, three people. Kokumo has an inverse of this - an implicit trust in the people close to him, and his belief that everyone has the opportunity to change themselves makes him more likely to offer his trust as a show of faith.

5. How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

Very easy for both of them. Ko mistrusts immediately, and any change in that can be quickly reverted if he’s presented with a reason for mistrust. Kokumo, while much more willing to trust, is not willing to put in the work for those who don’t want to change. If that is evident in their behavior, he doesn’t see the need to trust them.

6. Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?

Ko has no regard for law whatsoever. Kokumo will play by them if he feels he has to, but he doesn’t really believe in them.

7. What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

Ko gets nostalgic for the Denten and his life with Hermione pretty easily, but he also shuts it down as quickly as possible. It hurts too much for him to enjoy his past. Kokumo.. has a very strained relationship with his past. Nostalgia specifically is actually beyond his capabilities.

8. What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child

Ko was kind of a perfect kid for the most part, although Hermione try to keep him from putting himself in potential danger.

9. Do they swear? Do they remember their first swear word?

Not really. I mean, a little? Kokumo would probably swear more than Ko just by virtue of his stronger emotionality.

10. What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them?

This is a hilarious question to me. Ko remembers all of his lies - the one he’s haunted by is the lie of the nightshade, even despite the resolution he found with Denise. I don’t think Kokumo has really lied yet.

11. How do they cope with confusion (seek clarification, pretend they understand, etc)?

Ko absolutely pretends to understand while doing everything in his power to actually figure it out on his own. Kokumo admits to it easily, esp given his circumstances, and he generally tries to both reason it out and work with others to resolve the confusion.

13. How do they deal with an itch found in a place they can’t quite reach?

They would both just ignore it.

14. What color do they think they look best in? Do they actually look best in that color?

Ko feels best in blues, but it looks pretty monotone on him. Silvers and grays are definitely more striking on him, as well as a deep black. Kokumo prefers the brown layered clothing of his youth, which actually looks very well on him.

15. What animal do they fear most?

I don’t think either of them fear any animal.

16. How do they speak? Is what they say usually thought of on the spot, or do they rehearse it in their mind first?

Ko’s speech is pretty measured and controlled, but he’s impulsive, which leads to him saying some wild shit. Kokumo speaks his mind, but his mind is a lot quieter than Ko’s, so he’s surprisingly a bit less talkative.

17. What makes their stomach turn?

For Ko, most other people and the mortal capacity for cruelty. For Kokumo, his own identity issues.

18. Are they easily embarrassed?

Not really, Ko can get flustered but just soldiers on, and Kokumo doesn’t really have anything to be embarrassed by.

19. What embarrasses them?

For Ko, since it’s only applicable to him - acknowledgment of his feelings or personal desires.

20. What is their favorite number?

I don’t think either has one.

21. If they were asked to explain the difference between romantic and platonic or familial love, how would they do so?

Oooh man. To be frank, I don’t have the energy to get into it, but Ko has detailed theories about the three that boil down to - romantic love incites change, desire, and faith; platonic love incites understanding, acceptance, and trust; and familial loves is the foundation and the synthesis of other loves, combined a need to protect and to care for. Kokumo would agree with Ko’s theories, but has little further understanding in the matter.

22. Why do they get up in the morning?

Ko wants to keep moving forward always. Kokumo wants to do what he has to do.

23. How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)?

Ko is pretty possessive, and if truly jealous, would become pretty clingy in order to get attention. Kokumo would go aloof and sulky in the hopes he’ll be sought out.

24. How does envy manifest itself in them (they take what they want, they become resentful, etc)?

Ko works to change his worldstate so that he has what he wants. Kokumo isn’t very envious, but I imagine he would try to self-actualize and understand the cause for his envy, then try to find fulfillment in the life he has.

25. Is sex something that they’re comfortable speaking about? To whom?

Nope on both accounts.

26. What are their thoughts on marriage?

Ko doesn’t like the idea of institutionalized romance. If people want each other, they will choose to be together, and if things change they should be free to leave. Kokumo sees the grounding aspect of marriage and likes the romantic notion of that stability.

27. What is their preferred mode of transportation?

I think they are both fond of traveling by carriage, bc it moves you along at a steady pace and you can sit on top or in the front in order to still be a part of the world. They also really love going walking quietly at night.

28. What causes them to feel dread?

Ko is a fairly calm person, but he also operates on plans, so when things go wrong he’ll start to feel unsettled. He’s incredibly perceptive, too, and when people around him begin to act counter to his expectations that can throw him off. Kokumo is probably similar in these situations but I’m not sure yet; he seems to be a bit more matter-of-fact when it comes to his surroundings.

29. Would they prefer a lie over an unpleasant truth?

They would both prefer to hear the truth, and tell a lie.

30. Do they usually live up to their own ideals?

Ko had a lot of character development in this area! So like, for most of his life, not at all. He was very blind to himself and to the world around him. But his main goal for most of the campaign was to reconfigure his ideals and embody them - I would say he almost began living up to them. Kokumo doesn’t really have a solid view of his own ideals, so, he’s pretty adrift in this regard.

31. Who do they most regret meeting?

Ko really regrets meeting Aengus - the influence and the manipulation he suffered from that relationship had really long-lasting effects on him. Kokumo kind of regrets meeting Hoth, though he understands that he should be grateful for it.

32. Who are they the most glad to have met?

Ko is really grateful to have met Hermione and Jean, but his relationship with S deeply changed him and his life goals, and his love for them was the greatest hope he had for his future. Kokumo.. Is honestly glad to have met himself. He feels that Ko’s inability to self-examine was a horrible way to live his life, and now Kokumo thinks he can start life over in a healthier direction.

33, Do they have a go-to story in conversation? Or a joke?

Ko picked up a conversational game, a question for a question, very early on. And that just stuck. Kokumo doesn’t have a go-to, but he also doesn’t have a lot of reservations, so casual conversation is pretty easy for him.

34. Could they be considered lazy?

I really don’t think so.

35. How hard is it for them to shake a sense of guilt?

Pretty hard for both of them - Ko just didn’t experience it as easily or as often.

36. How do they treat the things their friends come to them excited about? Are they supportive?

I think both of them would be fairly impassive about it, unless they were genuinely very close to the person coming to them and/or they were also excited by the topic.

37. Do they actively seek romance, or do they wait for it to fall into their lap?

Ko is pretty romance-oriented, he wanted very much to experience it alongside the newness of friendship. Kokumo also has that drive, but he’s in a pretty tricky situation wherein pursuing anything would be kind of uncomfortable.

38. Do they have a system for remembering names, long lists of numbers, things that need to go in a certain order (like anagrams, putting things to melodies, etc)?

I mean.. Kind of? They both have an incredible and unforgiving memory, but they don’t have any devices they use to keep that memory fresh bc literally all of it is recorded in the journals.

39. What memory do they revisit the most often?

Hilarious. Ko often thinks about the night he lost Hermione - it informs a lot of his decisions because he sees it as his biggest mistake. And this is a big nope for Kokumo.

40. How easy is it for them to ignore flaws in other people?

For Ko, nearly impossible. He’s incredibly intolerant unless he’s devoted to someone - and then he will excuse almost anything. Kokumo is a lot more willing to, if not ignore, understand and forgive the flaws he sees in others.

41. How sensitive are they to their own flaws?

Ko sees himself as pretty flawless. Even when he makes mistakes, it’s because of his circumstances, not anything wrong in and of himself. Kokumo is very hyper-oriented on his own flaws.

42. How do they feel about children?

Ko really wants to be a father. Kokumo might, but I’m not sure yet.

43. How badly do they want to reach their end goal?

Ko would have (and I guess did?) given anything to achieve his goals in some way. Kokumo still doesn’t have any real goals.

44. If someone asked them to explain their sexuality, how would they do so?

Ko would flirt. But objectively, he never regarded gender in terms of attraction - I think both of them prefer the term ‘queer’ to any direct labels though.

QUESTIONS FOR CREATORS

A) Why are you excited about this character?

I was - and I guess still am - very excited for Ko’s growth. He was amazing to watch and to understand as he began to change. Kokumo almost feels like.. A stumbling block in Ko’s narrative, to be honest. But I think he’s important to it, because I don’t think either of them is a ‘true self.’ Ko was almost entirely shaped by his experiences, specifically his traumas, and he really needed to overcome that. Kokumo is entirely shaped by his present and the core traits that define the character. I have thoughts on how to resolve these essentially constructed personas into a complex individual, but unfortunately, the current story arc is not the best in terms of facilitating those ideas.

B) What inspired you to create them?

Honestly, I wanted to play a warlock, I wanted to play an evil character, and I loved the mythos of The Man in the Moon as a patron. So I was more inspired to think of what patronage to The Man in the Moon would look like, and Ko kind of arose from that. He’s also very similar to me, moreso than any of my other pcs.

C) Did you have trouble figuring out where they fit in their own story?

I’m definitely struggling with Kokumo, which is partially due to the structure of the game right now - I don’t have much of a chance to understand how he interacts with the party, which means I don’t know some really important aspects of him. I’m also struggling a lot with his identity - is it real? It is a fugue state? How much of a “person” is he, and how much of a “person” was Ko? I think they’re both individuals, but I also think they’re two halves of a self-actualized existence.

D) Have they always had the same physical appearance, or have you had to edit how they look?

He’s looked pretty much the same from early drafts. I always knew he’d be my blue-haired anime boy, that he would be pale, and that his pact with Aengus would given him that silver eye. Even his clothing style and his build have been pretty consistent. The big visual change that happened in the story was definitely an edit, but one that I was fairly prepared for.

E) Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you?

God, okay. I am obsessed with both of them. I don’t think either of them would be a particularly nice person, but I would really want to be around them anyways. I think they would both find me over-emotional but otherwise pretty alright. Although realistically they would hate me for making their backstory so fucked up.

F) What do you feel when you think of your OC (pride, excitement, frustration, etc)?

Pride. Lots and lots of pride, for both of them. Ko came so far and Kokumo is coping extremely well. But also frustration because they’re not where I want them to be yet.

G) What trait of theirs bothers you the most?

Ko’s arrogance definitely grates on me, and Kokumo is also kind of self-righteous.

H) What trait do you admire most?

They’re both incredibly strong. And not only strong, they’re willing and wanting to adapt to their world based on what they learn about it.

I) Do you prefer to keep them in their canon universe?

For sure. I can’t imagine either out of context.

J) Did you have to manipulate or exclude canon factors to allow them to create their character?

Yeah, kind of. The godly-cleansing-memory-wipe was entirely based in the rules of the narrative rather than dnd itself. But like. I’m chill with it.