#and my obsession with Drow never stopped

[drowxiv]

Fandom peeps to get to know better

tagged by @cosmicharm & @ornerykarakul

tagging: @lilbittymonster, @beanmom-blogs, @houserosaire, @il-mhegs & anyone else who wants to do it! I usually don't talk about myself here, but since multiple people tagged me I figure I can divulge some information. None of this is super personal anyway.

three ships I like:

Link/Sheik (Zelda Ocarina of Time) Funfact: I have a handmade hardcover copy of an ancient M/M Link/Sheik fanfic.

Osha/Qimir (Star Wars: Acolyte)

Illidan/Maieve (World of Warcraft)

Side note: I'm a flexible shipper, so these three are my fav but in the case of Link and Illidan especially, I ship them with so many other characters within their respective IPs. first ship ever: Heero & Duo (Gundam Wing) & I have a photo of my High school locker to prove it.

last song you heard: Bastille - Pompeii

favorite childhood book: Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin illustrated by S. D. Schindler.

currently reading: Rogue Elves of Ardani by Nina K. Westra

currently watching: Yeah not gonna lie my current obsession is watching the Game Grumps play through Danganronpa.

currently consuming: Firehouse Hook & Ladder sub, no tomatoes.

currently craving: Executive function & Inspiration

[roturo]

↷ ⋯ ♡ᵎ I FOUND MY BEST FRIEND LITTLE SISTER FINISHING IN HIS BATHROOM WHILE MOANING MY NAME. So... I fucked her.

tags: smut, unprotected sex, dumbification, breeding, overstimulation, a lot of cum, age-gap, gojo is SO obsessed with you, tummy bulge, sadism, breeding, dacryphilia, cunnilingus, reader gets caught masturbating, objectification if you squint, possesive gojo...

A/N: wasn't my last writing of the year lol, wrote this while watching sinjin drowing so npr, happy holidays!!

You’ve known Gojo Satoru almost for your entire life. It was one day your brother Suguru introduced the both of you just so he could enter the house and have dinner to continue playing with Satoru.

Ever since Gojo has been a daily presence in your house. He was known as “Y/N’s big brother hot best friend” well, mostly to the ones who liked Gojo, because that didn’t stop the other girls from crushing into your brother. 

You told your friends you didn’t like Gojo in that way, since he was off limits for you- Not only because he was your brother's best friend but because it also ruined your hopes thanks to the age difference you had between. 

Being a freshman in college wasn’t easy. Not only you had the weird seniors going for the new girls, but being known as the Geto’s Suguru’s hot little sister didn’t feel like a compliment either. At least Gojo treated you as your own person, not like Geto’s other friends.

Geto invited you over at his dorm, having some of his close friends present, which included Gojo. It turned into an usual occurrence ever since you entered college, your brother making it easier for you to adapt into this new environment. 

All of you decided to take it easy tonight and just watch a movie. Nothing wrong with it, right? Well, there's nothing wrong. While watching, Gojo would try to make small talk with you, most likely because he’s just clingy and Geto is hanging with his girlfriend on the other sofa. Nothing wrong with what’s happening. During scary moments he would lean and hug you. Keeping his right hand on your left thigh, playing with the strings of your tiny small pajama shorts. 

That comment is his, obviously. Keeping the blanket covering both of your bodies and his totally not wrong act. And you’re pretty sure if he just moved his hand a little higher he would feel your wetness coating your shorts.

Gojo was trying to gain your attention. It’s pretty obvious he’s been crushing you for years now, and he’s pretty sure Suguru has commented about it. Taking it as a go to continue flirting with you and adorning your pretty face with reddish colors.

But ever since he entered college, he kinda forgot about his crush and got his head (and dick) into other girls. The first time he saw you again, he couldn’t believe it. You looked so beautiful and.. different in a good way. It’s like his caged feelings escaped and flew all across the room.

And he’s sure that happened to you too, because your pretty face didn’t hide those loving reddish colors he adored.

Coming back to the present, it was kinda weird everytime he hugged you or leaned into you. You seemed uncomfortable… Your thighs caging his hand, making his blood run straight into his cock. But he didn’t think anything about it, and assumed it was normal. 

While he was leaning into you, it became difficult and you decided to go to the bathroom to at least fix the problem going on between your legs and left. After a while, Gojo noticed that you were taking a long time, and he really needed to use the bathroom too to also fix his problem between his legs. He got up, commenting about going to the bathroom too. His friends clearly are not caring about it– too busy in their make out session.

He got out and decided to wait for you to get out of the bathroom. He stood in front of the bathroom door for a while until he realized the door was unlocked so he assumed that you already finished and just went somewhere else. 

He opened the door and then, he saw you.

Never in his entire life did he expect to see such a pretty sight. Your pretty fucking face could make him cum alone. Your mouth making an ‘o’ form with your eyebrows scrunched up, just whimpering his name. Legs opened up trying to find balance sitting down in the toilet.

And you might have an exhibitionism kink or maybe you were just at your limit. Because once you realized Gojo was standing there watching you, it brought you to climax. Taking you an embarrassing amount of time to recover from it.

He couldn’t believe his eyes and shut the door in front of you face and went back to the living room with a raging erection, and never mentioned the incident with you from the remaining time.

As soon as he left, you went up running towards him, begging to not tell anyone about it. And Gojo Satoru, being the asshole he is, saw this as an opportunity.

“Okay.”

“Okay?! Oh my god Gojo, thank you so much- I swear I can explain it was-”

“But,”

Fuck. There has to be a ‘but’

“You have to go out with me and do it on my face.”

Silence…

“I- I’ve never done it before…”

Oh fuck. You’re going to be the cause of the death of Gojo Satoru.

He wasted no time taking you to his dorm, stealing small pecks from you which helped you with the anxiety in your tummy turn into desire for him. Feeling confident enough, once the both of you entered his dorm he closed the door and you attacked his lips with no warning. Earning a groan from him, your hole clenching at the feeling of his clear erection making its presence between the both of you.

He picked you up, a moan leaving his lips once he realized the big difference of size between your bodies, thinking how you would be capable of taking his cock. He had to prepare you enough to fit him.

Your back arched from the bed as Satoru's tongue laps up the slick of your soaking hole, his lips around your clit, sucking like his life depended on it. It's been so long since he felt like this for somebody, the feeling that he just wants to bend you over anything and just... shove his cock in your tight little pussy.

It's like, you're created for the sole purpose of pleasuring him. You just have to be, that's what he thinks as he plays with your body. Fat tears fall out of your pretty doe eyes, your hands finding their way onto his scalp and tugging at his hair.

Why can't you just take it? Look at you now, whimpering and crying, but on the inside you know you love it, being a little whore for your brother’s best friend– you sob as he continues his assault on your poor pussy.

Why do you keep screaming at him to stop? You were just screaming his name some hours again. Is it the overstimulation? But you weren’t prepared enough for his cock!

Gojo knows you better than anyone, he knows you even better than your older brother. Why do you think he’s the one taking care of you this whole time in college? Who do you think has been scaring off the guys waiting in line to have a taste of this pussy? It’s so weird you don’t know about it because everyone thinks you’re off limits right now.  Is it because you’re really that naive? Maybe he loved that of you, how you’re so clueless of how crazy you make him. Being known as “Gojo’s Satoru’s hot next and official last real girl” instead of “Geto’s hot little sister”

 Like- That’s why he's giving your sweet little cunt a lot of attention right now.

“Ssatoru! Please, stop! baby… ‘s too much..”  All your whines fall into deaf ears as he continues without a care. Your pussy felt so stimulated as he sucked on your hole, his tongue licking and his throat groaning at the mere taste of your slick.You can barely lift your hands in exhaustion.

For hours, he didn't stop, continuously dragging orgasms out of you without fail.

“Aww, are you tired? But I finally have the girl of my dreams" You nodded, your tummy full of butterflies, making a mental note to talk about your feelings with Satoru tomorrow- your eyes droopy from all the cumming you've been doing for the past hours.

"But, princess, I'm not done yet~ I have to show you how much I desired you this whole time, how much I have waited for you to finally give and and realize." Gojo purred as unclasped the button of his pants, taking off his own clothing. “ But I guess you were just so dumb to get it all those years ago, at least you kept this cute cunt for me. We still have much time left. Fill you up and break you apart baby” You were faced by his raging cock, hard and full- he sits back down between your legs, lifting them up to his shoulders again, he then rests his hand against your clit. And after that, he slapped your pussy so hard that it made you jump and cry of his name. Never in your life did you expect your dream to become true and have your first time with him. Nor Gojo being a sadist and a have an obsession with your pretty little cunt compared to him

"I'm gonna pump your pussy with all the cum I have, girlie. You made a promise after all."

It's like Gojo doesn’t have a stamina limit in his body- able to go round after round in position after position - but at this point it’s been god knows how many times. He’s addicted to the way you feel around him, the sounds you make when he fucks into you a certain way, or just the look of your fucked-out, dazed face that has him needing more of you. 

“hah- made a big mess down there, huh?” Gojo sneers brashly, heavy hips rocking into you faster at just the lewd sight of his cum from previous rounds smothering your skin. the aching twitch in his cock won’t fade, pleasure burgeoning with every press of his cock into the hilt of your pussy. “I think there’s room for some more, yeah? just one more…”

Your little play doll for him to change, shape, and form. A clear bump showing and leaving your tummy, making Gojo’s eyes go crazier and more full of desire than before. He programs you to do things he wants, and you just nod your head at his words though you don't understand them, just giving him a smile on your lips- your delicate fingers already spreading your pussylips for him, ready to take his cock inside of you. Biting your lip, rolling your eyes as he plunges into you. 

You couldn’t count how many times Gojo’s said ‘just one more round’, but from the fatigue glimmering in his eyes and the raggedness lacing his breath - you can tell this is the last one. So naturally, he’ll make sure it’s the best one of the night. 

“g’na fill you up like you deserve, yeah? lemme fuck this pussy full,” Gojo grunts pantingly between a grin, fingers digging into your waist taut as the heavy smacks of his hips against yours get sloppy and quick. it’s with rasped groans and his hips fully bottomed out that he finally cums for the last time, ropes of white seeping out around his shaft and spilling onto the sheets. he can’t help but bargain and promise to clean the bed if you let him do it all over again tomorrow.

[meanbossart]

Sorry if you’ve already answered this, but I’ve been wondering what would happen if DU Drow and Astarion were the only people in their party. If they never met any of the others and only had each other for company on the way to Baldur’s Gate.

Btw I love your art! I’m obsessed with the way you draw characters and their expressions in your style.

Ohhhhh god. I think that would be disastrous.

My personal belief aside that Astarion is by no means an idiot (not that I'm opposed to participating in the smooth-brained jokes - but, generally speaking, I think I might give his intellect more props than most), he is obviously not at his best at the start of the campaign at all. He is operating out of desperation and it's only halfway through the game that you get to see some of that emotional intelligence that I'm so fond of. And even so, he still requires a successful persuasion check at the end of his quest not to commit undead genocide (and I think he's the only companion who needs a check at all regardless of circumstance or approval).

Then we have DU drow who has no attachments to anyone around him, a penchant for murder, very little skill for self reflection and a proclivity towards latching onto one person and falling obsessively in love, assuming that the person in question knows how to play him - and Astarion would know how to play him.

Lest we forget, Astarion had practically no influence on DU drow's decision to oppose Bhaal. He just kind of goes along for the ride until you hit the point of no return, and only THEN he's like "Oh, uh, maybe this wasn't such a good idea". Shadowheart is the biggest factor on DU drow's decision to oppose Bhaal, with Aylin and Jaheira making for honorable mentions.

Ironically, DU drow's "base" personality (which he has access to thanks to his memory loss) tends to oppose religion, gods, and organized systems as a whole, but I think if it were only him and Astarion alone, they would feed each other's hunger for strength and power enough that DU drow would arrive into act 3 with absolutely no doubt about what he must do. He would very easily revert back to his old, domineering personality and do whatever he thinks he must to establish his status, and most importantly his power over his loved ones, lest what happened with Orin ever repeat itself.

This circumstance would be perfect for the eventual Bhaalist DU Drow + Spawn Astarion scenario. Which just makes it all the worse that Astarion would have had a HEAVY hand in steering him in this direction. And the cherry on top; he has no one else to turn to here.

On the flipside - this could potentially turn into a situation where Astarion keeps DU drow small enough to where he's able to Ascend, while his Bhaalspawn partner either refuses his father out of fear or loses the duel against Orin. I don't know how viable this is, since Astarion very much needs a strong and confident DU drow if he wants Cazador to die - but I guess anything is possible.

The point is, if left to their own devices there would be nothing stopping either of them from pursuing their very single-minded goals, and I don't think there's a scenario they BOTH come out on top either. Between DU drow's obsessive behavior and been-burned-before attitude, and Astarion's distrust and fear of losing control again, they would constantly wrestle for the opportunity to keep the other under their own thumbs.

And hell. All of this assuming they didn't kill each other on night two.

Thank you for the ask and for your kind words! Hopefully this isn't too depressive/disappointing of an answer, LOL.

[rpgchoices]

Misdirection (Astarion romance route)

BG3 spoilers

I am obsessed with the misdirection in Astarion's romance. I said it before, I was absolutely tricked too. When you read a text or consume media every line is put there for a reason, it is a waste otherwise. By the party scene you kind of have a certain idea of what Astarion is. You know that he dislikes helping others, you know that he lies, he flirts a lot, he is vain, he is a killer, and he wants power (from the conversations about the tadpoles and Raphael).

At this point, if you chose him as a romance, it could also be that you enjoyed the idea of him being a vampire and all the tropes that come with it.

So when, after the first night together, you can ask him "It felt like you weren't fully there" there had to be a reason. From a writing pov, why was that line added?

As a player, you have to wonder. And by this point in the story it seems like a warning there is little that might convince you that what he answers with is not the truth, mainly because it falls right into the classic stereotypes of this kind of romance. Of course he is a danger, he did not want to lose control, be careful in the future - this is how it would sound to me if I romanced him without spoilers. I know because when I got his sex scene, I reloaded and romanced someone else because this kind of aggressive seduction vampire fantasy was not my thing.

If I had read this line, I would have been sure it was a small hint that romancing Astarion could end up very badly. Another small misdirection that could easily end up as a clue is in their second pre-sex scene together. Astarion is making sure the MC will stay with him, and he is very seductive. The funny thing is that if you choose the "yes" (1st option in the pictures just below) you don't get any other information or clue, but just flirting. You actually get even more of the fantasy, he talks about how he cannot stop thinking about you, he even presses on the word "dangerous", and his mannerism is all business

If instead you ask him to be better he goes on and on about his lines, he directly tells the player that these are all fake, basically. You can even ask him if these lines work on Cazador's targets, and he says "well, they worked on YOU".

So at this point as players we know that the player is being manipulated and teased up till a point. I definitely fell for it by immediately cutting the romance short, and never thinking about it again until I got the strenght potion scene. I got that scene as a friendship one, which has different options.

It is a bit different than the romance, he is much more direct in my opinion. He talks about his body as one of the few assets he has, and he is much more confused about why he was being "too precious" about the potion, he is actually surprised by himself.

And as I said, it is much more direct when he says that he never had a choice before (and he is specifically talking about sex). In the friendship version you can also convince him that he needs to use all of this that he has because he might, to protect himself and get advantage, which at least gives credit to our MC if we do romance him.

(TW!! for SA) In the romance scene instead you never get these options, you CANNOT convince him to keep using his body, and if you try to do so he will break up with you, as he should, he is much more confident.

And regarding the whole misdirection if you have not maximized his approval, you won't get his confession but you will find out the whole of his story after the drow potion scene. That is the scene where he thanks you for respecting his consent. I feel like it is such a monumental and surprising one, definitely not one I expected.

And the options are SO SO TELLING. The one sex option you get in this dialogue is the WRONG one. The game directly tells you that by choosing it you assaulted him and disregarded his consent.

There are instead 5 good options. I checked and they all seem to have the same amount of approval.

They are:

1. Showing him that your feelings are real so he can trust them. 2. Showing him intimacy without sex (hug). 3. Confirming that you want to be with him even with his burdens (he often mentions them in other dialogues, especially when you choose between him and Gale). 4. Saying you can be together without sex. And my favourite: 5. ASKING him what he wants, CARING about what he wants.

So yeah, I admit I absolutely fell for it, I was convinced this would take such a wildly different road. Glad to see it did not.

[clalog]

Friendly Collaboration pt.11

Paring: hokeyplayer!sunghoon × onlyfan!reader

Genre: social media!au; academical rivals; smut

Worming: only fans use; smut (mdni please); swearing; probably grammar mistakes (not English speaker/dyslexic)

Synopsis: Sunghoon get obsessed with a only fan creator he casually find on a stressed day and he truly believes he is in love with her even if he never see her face. He doesn't know that behind the screen is his university rival and he doesn't know what kind of deal they'll make

Previous | Next

-I come as fast as I can- Sunghoon said all worried, as if something serious had happened. You find it funny, you never through he would be enthusiastic on the idea of meeting you.

You walk in your room without saying anything and he just follow you there, like a lost puppy. -Sit- You said pointing at the bed and he did, again no question, you are liking it, is a good feeling.

-Your face are not going to be showed- He noded. -I decide everything- He noded. -Want to ask something?- -No- Your mind stop for a couple of second. you have an idea of what to do but you are still not sure if you want this. Sunghoon in objectively beautiful, the way every components of his face is positioned in a perfect way as if he was drow on using a grill as a guideline. There would not be anything wrong on wanting that lips on you, nothing wrong.

You just go sit on him, your leg on each side. He was surprise by your sudden action, but he welcomed you positioning his arm around your waist, not holding you, more as if he was resting them there. You look at him, this close you notice a small mole on the side of his nose, the cutest things on his face on your opinion.

You kiss him, not slow, already passionate, already testing the way he decide to react, how he would use his tongue in respond of yours. He have some second of hesitation but he was fast as passionate as you were. His hand now actually holding you, trying to make you closer to him. An electric sensation go from the bottom of your back to your neck and then it extend on the rest of your body. Now was your time to try to get closer to him, as if you weren’t already.

Then you suddenly stop, brutally. That was too much, maybe because it was your first kiss with Sunghoon but it was enough. His lips was a little bit open, as if he was still waiting for yours to come back. -This could work.-

You get up positioning the camera on the floor. You still feel Sunghoon lips and hands on you but you try to keep it cool, is no problem since you would feel that again soon.

-I was think about a little pov. I do a video about masturbating about my tutor so we can play as if you were the tutor in question- You explained to him and the fact that you hear him laughing makes you a little angry. What does he have to complain? You are the expert here, is your only fans, is your channel so your idea, your business. When you look at him with an angry face he but his hand in the air. -Sorry, sorry, is just… “masturbating after a study section with the class nerd” is the fist video i saw for yours. Crazy how destiny work- -More like a causality- You put some book on the floor and point to him to sit there and he did. You prefer him like this, when he do everything you said without any comment or question.

-What do you want me to do?- He ask shyly looking at the camera that just started recording. -Nothing, just trust me, ok?- he noded fast making you laugh.

You start kissing him again, the same sensation of before was all around your body. You know the kiss was not visible in the camera but the closeness of the body would and you need to set him in the mood. That was the reason why your hand goes slowly in between his legs, you did not grap it just position yourself there, breaking the kiss for looking at Sunghoon. -Yes, please- after his confirmation then you start holding his dick on his pents first. He close his eyes let his head go back, leaning on the bad. You like the way he was already loosing himself, you like it that much that you have to change your position for close your legs and give yourself some friction know that you were getting wet. You start kissing his neck carefully not leaving any mark, you don’t want to hear his joke if you did it.

When your hand goes under his pents and boxer he made a loud noise. -Shh, it’s ok, can you let me play a little?- His Dick was hot at touch, you can feel it, long and thin. -Please- He said once again, that’s the only word you want him to said to you. You take his dick out pushing his pents and boxer a little bit down so it would be easier. You start kissing him and do an handjob at the same time so he can moan in your month.

-Take off everything- You make the order and he executed while you keep watching his haste on the act. He was not lying with the photo, his body look like porcelain, sculpted but not like a gym rat, more like selfcare exercise man cause he want to look good for female gaze, for your gaze.

Then he get his hands on you shirt too, making you take a step away, surprise. -What? You said take of everything, you didn’t specify on who so automatically, it’s both of us- His smirk was hot. You should have know that he would make fun of you a little, he always did. Slowly he comes closer to you all naked and needy, kiss you softly and whispering -Can I- While holding your shirt but one finger, only one, was gently caressed you under it, the chills started at that exact point and went to spread throughout your body. Automatically you noded without stop to look at his eyes who you just notice, never look this dark. You helped him getting you naked, wonder when the table turn; you were the one in charge, how dare him?

Once he finish, you kiss him, so he can’t see you start touching yourself, collecting all your wetness in your hand making purposely loud moan on his month. Your little revenge idea was making you even hornier so you where able to collect a lot of your precome.

After a while you stop both action and smirk at him before putting your hand on his tip making him feel you wetness transfer from your hand to his tip. After looking down you just notice he was holding his base, what a beautiful visual your viewers probably had of you two masturbating while kissing, this is really going to be the best video on your channel.

-What is this?- Seunghoon ask without breath. -It’s me, I can’t touch you bare I need a lubricant so I use myself, want some?- You show him your hand and after some moment of hesitation he lick it. -I think you get mixed up with me- He said know that your precome and his get together in your hand. You notice what he was trying to do and you would not make him get power over you again. -Let me taste- you goes take him in your month. The taste was weird on you tongue, you can clearly understand that there was two different flavors, one almost tasteless at first, but you can feel a bitter aftertaste; the other was too salty, you never know come can taste salty.

You keep doing your blowjob while Seunghoon keep cursing and moaning, you look at him cause the way he turn his eyes backward make you want to give him more, make him so addicted to you that when other girls would try to give him a blowjob he would not even get hard.

You don’t even want to know where this feeling of possessiveness come from, but he ask you to starting this friendly collaboration so there is nothing wrong on wanting obedience.

You where giving him small cat licks when something thin enter you. One finger uncontrollably makes you moan, you give the fault to the exiting of what you where doing and feeling. When the second finger enter you stop your mouth action but keep give him pleasure with your hand. He was so attentive on his finger entering you that he almost didn’t notice you where looking at him. He was red, but not red with embarrassment, red as if he was running a marathon.

-I’m close, can you come with me?- His eyes was open fully, begging you for doing this one favor to him and you would, cause he is the one asking you.

You change position, one in front of the other, he now have three fingers inside you and you were stroking him fast. He start kissing under you hear making you moan louder, hopefully he didn’t understood that is your weakest spot. Your body was so close that your nipples was rubbing on his chest and, as if he know that was the only missing things for making you reach your peak, he start circoling your clint with his thumb.

You stop your action while you where coming on Seunghoon’s hand not making any sound if not you full open month.

You basically fall exhausted on his shoulder so you look at him while his finger come out of your entrance and he use your come for touching himself coming only a couple of second after you.

Seunghoon help you lie down on the ground, breathless but with his arm under you head and his come all over you belly. You close you eyes; you did all of this with Seunghoon? Pain in the ass Seunghoon? And it was fucking good.

You where getting wat again just thinking of it. You want more, but not today, for today it was enough.

You heard him move, turning towerd you, feeling his breath on you face. -Do you want me to clean you up?- You shake your head. -No, I’m dying here, thanks you very much- You keep you eyes closed but the sound of his small laugh was cute, even without seeing his smile with it.

Then the memory of the camera hit you, not that it was a problem, you would edit the video later, cuting eventualy moment where your face was seen end modifying the voice a little, but you can’t have like a 4 hours of you just try to breath again.

-Can you stop the recording, please- he makes a sound of disapproval but his arm left the back of your head. You feel him moving in your room, then you get picked up bridal style, now was your time to make sound of disapproval. -You need to get cleaned up- He said walking out of your room.

There was only one bathroom on your apartment, but for today it was not a problem since none of the girl was there utile later on. You open your eyes when your butt check touch the cold surface of the side of the sink. He ask for a towel for himself first then another one for you later. You looks at him be complity delicate while cleaning you. His pale body was worthy the name prince of ice, full of moles, but you find yourself keep thinking that the nose one is your favorite.

That was the moment when you have a reminder of his previews action he need a smole punishment so you use your long nails and hold a peace of his sholder on two of them before hold tight. After some second he jumps in pain, touch where you left two half moons bleeding. -What was that for?-. -I tell you I was in charge and you agree- After understanding what you mean his shocked face become a grin. -I do everything you say- He justify, butting himself between you legs. -You change my word known exactly what I mean-

-You let me do it-

-Then you try to steal the dominance-

-Me? Never-

-I know what you where doing with the all taste thing-

-You misunderstand me-

-And you touch me- He position himself better, straight his back. -I was couch in the moment, I should have ask consent for that. I’m sorry- You was not talking about that you were just thinking about the way he was trying to steal you dominance with that action too, trying to making you needy for him and not the other way around. You hold his face with your hand. -If I didn’t want that, I would have not let you continue that. But want to makes clear one thing, I make the rules-

-As you wish- He said before kissing you, again you let him be, you like his kiss anyway.

When the kiss stop you start making the rest of the rules clear -Rule number one is like the fist commandment; you would never have another God other then me.- -So we are exclusive?- -If you want to date or have sex with other people, then we broke our friendly collaboration, as you like to call it. I don’t want to be involved in some drama cause of good sex- -Good sex already? We don’t even have sex today- You position your nails on the same spot of before and hurt him again, he fast remove your hand. -Ok, no joke, jesus- -Guess the second rule- -You are the boss?- -Exactly- -Other rules?- He ask showing you a smily face. -Not for now- You stop looking at him. He would challenging you like this all the time, he would fight for the dominance making you do what he want and you know that, even if he agree now he is faking it, and you can’t wait for it, you want this, the idea just exited you.

-Then we have a deal?-

-We have a deal star-

Serie Masterlist | ClaLog Masterlist

⚠️This is a work of fiction, every reference of character sexuality or personality are from the mind of the author for plot purposes and DO NOT describe the real life person

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[karniss-bg3]

So, I don’t mean this in a request way, bc I know those are closed, but I had a daydream where Tav is TERRIFIED of regular spiders of all sizes. They struggled really badly with the phase matriarch and the spiders in the goblin camp. But Kar’niss doesn’t spook them one bit!

So I imagined the group walking down the road and suddenly there’s a tarantula sized spider that crosses the path and Tav screams and dives underneath Kar’niss to be caged under his legs.

And everyone else laughs at the reaction, but Kar’niss is so confused????? Like “True soul, we are a DRIDER, and you are not afraid of us. Why do you hide from a small spider?” “KAR’NISS I TRUST YOU, NOT THAT SPIDER!”

Bonus: to speak to Tav he leans forward with his drow torso and looks at them upside down so he look really silly.

This scenario applies to a good portion of the Kar’niss fandom in general. I can’t count how many “Kar’niss has cured my arachnophobia” posts I’ve seen but I’m not mad about it. I suppose it helps when a humanoid is attached to the creature we find creepy or frightening. They can talk back and communicate their intentions. Spiders are a bit more...unpredictable.

I’ve never considered myself arachnophobic but Kar’niss definitely elevated my interest in spiders ten fold. I feel I have a better understanding of them now than I ever would’ve and I’ve come to appreciate nature’s pest control. I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of watching jumping spider videos and I’ve become obsessed. I’ve even contemplated getting one as a pet but two things have stopped me from having a fuzzy friend.

1) I have a cat and if the little guy ever escapes she will activate murder mode and that’ll be the end of itsy bitsy’s whole career.

2) Jumping spiders tend to live one to two years on average. I don’t think I am emotionally equipped to handle that loss with such frequency. I’d become a blubbering, inconsolable mess for days on end mourning the eight legged pal I spent years bonding with. No can do.

I could imagine Kar’niss being perplexed by Tav’s fear of spiders for two reasons. One being the aforementioned situation that they are hanging around a drider willy nilly no problem. The second, Kar’niss comes from a society that worships and pampers spiders. To him they are as normal as dogs and cats are to us.

“True Soul, why do you fear the spider but not us?”

“The spider might bite me but you wouldn’t.”

“Erm—how much do you know about driders?”

Cue the bosom buddies to lovers story arc. Kar’niss learns to love himself and Tav discovers that spider bites aren’t as bad as they once thought. *wink wink*

Also the mental image of Tav getting sent to spider leg jail anytime they did something stupid does amuse me. Considering most of the Tav’s I make are classic himbo types they may as well situate their sleeping bag under him and get comfortable. Yet another moment where I wish I learned to draw.

Thanks for the ask!

[ratsetflummi]

An Icewind Dale Reunion

in which entreri learns that drizzt is still alive slightly ahead of schedule

-

“I never wanted Drizzt dead!” Artemis angrily burst out.

“Could have fooled me,” Jarlaxle drawled.

Artemis sighed. “I just- It doesn't matter. He's dead. I'm done with you.” He spun around and continued walking down the dirt path away from Jarlaxle.

“What if he wasn't?” Jarlaxle called after him and took some quick steps to catch up with him.

Artemis glared at him, which was at least some improvement, even if his tone remained flat. “Are you going to suggest that we go to the Astral Plane to retrieve his soul?”

“I believe we won't have to travel quite that far. He was in Icewind Dale last I heard.”

“He's what?”

The sky overhead was a beautiful crystal blue, the birds were singing, a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves, and now, with Crenshinnibon destroyed for good, Jarlaxle was finally in a mind to enjoy it. Artemis, walking down the dirt road next to him, gave no indication of liking the nature around them any more than he would like crawling through a sewer, but then Artemis never gave any indication of liking anything.

After enjoying the peaceful quiet for about three minutes, Jarlaxle spoke up. “I was thinking-”

“I don’t care,” Artemis immediately shot him down.

“Come now, this involves you too. I was thinking, once we get back to the city I’ll contact Kimmuriel and tell him that he can keep control of Bregan D’aerthe for now, so we can go travelling some more. How do you feel about the Bloodstone Lands?”

“The hell you are.”

Artemis’ tone put somewhat of a damper on Jarlaxle’s mood. He’d known his companion long enough now to tell that he was genuinely annoyed at something.

“Huh?”

“I’m not travelling with you anymore. As soon as we get back to the city I’m leaving.”

“Oh? But we're such a great team!” Jarlaxle attempted to cheer the man up and change his mind.

Artemis stopped in his tracks to spin around and point an accusing glare at Jarlaxle. “I helped you destroy the Crystal Shard because I wanted the shard destroyed. Don't mistake my professional interest for a desire to work with you.”

Jarlaxle was serious now too. “Abbil, where is this coming from?”

Entreri had been fairly certain that he had made his displeasure clear, but evidently the drow was more of an idiot than he’d thought.

“You killed- You made me kill-” He trailed off, looking down at his hand–the hand that had plunged into Drizzt’s chest.

Jarlaxle raised an eyebrow at him. “Is this about Drizzt again? I thought we were done with him.”

“I was done with him. You were the one who dragged him back into my life.”

“Oh please.” Jarlaxle rolled his eyes, and Enteri had to try very hard not to plunge his dagger into the idiot’s eye then and there. “You were still obsessed with him.”

“So you force me to kill him,” Entreri growled.

“Force?” The idiot drow dramatically flailed his hands in the air. “You'd been trying to kill him for years!”

“I never wanted him dead!” He angrily burst out before immediately deflating as the truth of the words sank in. He hadn't let himself think about it, but he had truly never wanted to kill Drizzt.

“Could have fooled me.”

Entreri sighed. “I just- It doesn't matter. He's dead. I'm done with you.” He spun around and continued walking down the dirt path away from Jarlaxle.

Jarlaxle frowned at Artemis’ flat tone and at the sigh. Artemis wasn’t someone who sighed. He growled and snarled and sometimes even laughed mockingly, but he didn’t sigh.

Jarlaxle liked riling his companion up, but this wasn’t that. Artemis wasn’t getting riled up, he was shutting down.

Maybe this was one of those times where honesty was the better choice that he had heard so much about.

There was a certain risk that came with telling Artemis the truth about this one thing in particular–there had been a reason why Jarlaxle hadn’t said anything before–but…

“What if he wasn't?” He called after Artemis and took some quick steps to catch up with him.

Artemis glared at him, which was at least some improvement, even if his tone remained flat. “Are you going to suggest that we go to the Astral Plane to retrieve his soul?”

“I believe we won't have to travel quite that far. He was in Icewind Dale last I heard.”

That finally got a rise out of the man again. “He's what?”

“I employ some powerful clerics,” Jarlaxle shrugged.

And there was that fire again that Jarlaxle found so fun to play with. “And you didn't think to tell me this?”

Jarlaxle raised his hands placatingly. “I thought you would be upset if you learned that he’s alive.”

Artemis took a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of his nose, and for a moment Jarlaxle thought that this might be the time where the man actually stabbed him.

When after a moment no dagger came flying at his face he asked, “So we're going to Icewind Dale then?”

-

The walk to the city had been quiet and somewhat awkward with Artemis in no mood to talk to Jarlaxle. So, very much the usual, really. With the major difference that Jarlaxle thought it best not to bother his companion too much. At least at first.

The ship they’d bought passage on was halfway up the Sword Coast when his impatience finally got the better of him. The waiting was making him antsy, and the silent treatment from his partner was making him annoyed. He needed a distraction, and there were some questions he needed to ask anyway.

He found Artemis leaning on a railing at the back of the ship, looking out over the sparkling sea tinted pink and orange by the setting sun.

Jarlaxle leaned on the railing next to him, but rather than looking at the sunset, he looked at his companion, catching him in one of the few moments where he looked relaxed.

He almost felt bad about breaking the peace. Almost. “So, what are your plans for when we find Drizzt?” And because he was feeling spiteful, he added, “What was the point of chasing him all over the world if you didn't want to kill him?”

Artemis tensed, and the serene look on his face was immediately replaced by a scowl.

“I told you before,” he ground out, levelling a glare at Jarlaxle. “It was about proving which one of us was the better fighter.”

Jarlaxle did his level best to convey how unimpressed he was in a single look.

“I thought you'd proven that quite thoroughly when he was lying dead at your feet.”

Artemis’ scowl deepened and he fully turned to face Jarlaxle now. “In a fair fight. I didn't beat him without outside influence.” His anger mellowed out a bit and turned into a quiet bitterness. “He would have killed me if your lieutenant hadn't interfered.”

Jarlaxle studied him silently for a bit, thinking back to that moment. That wasn’t what had happened though, now was it? He almost felt bad about voicing his observation. Almost. “He wasn't going to kill you. You were going to kill yourself on his blade.”

Artemis growled at him.

“Oh, was that the part I'm not supposed to say out loud? Whoops,” Jarlaxle deadpanned. “So, we find him, and you fight him, you get yourself killed, and I get to put you back together again. Does that sound right? Well, unfortunately I'm not interested in watching you kill yourself.”

Artemis grit his teeth and turned back towards the ocean.

“I never asked you to put me back together.”

The whispered response was quiet enough that Jarlaxle was sure he wasn’t meant to hear it. He wasn’t feeling quite spiteful enough to open that can of worms just yet. His voice turned softer as he thought that Artemis might start to shut down again.

“So what are your plans for when we find him? You don't want to kill him and I refuse to watch you die. What then? Will you ask to become one of his companions? I'm not sure if he is that forgiving.”

Artemis sighed. “I don't have plans for him. We're going to check if he's still alive, and if he is then I don't have to kill you.”

-

Drizzt jumped when somebody sat down in the chair next to him–somebody he hadn't heard approaching–full mug of mead coming down on the table with a heavy thunk.

Drizzt jumped again when he recognized the small man who was now sitting next to him.

He was halfway out of his chair when the man's hand clamped down on his forearm, not forcefully enough to hurt, but with enough force to pull him back down onto his chair.

“Calm down,” the man growled, releasing Drizzt's arm as soon as Drizzt was sitting back down again.

“Entreri?” Drizzt hissed, hand going towards his scimitars just in case. He had been having a nice day, but his mood instantly soured when he saw the assassin. “I thought you were done. You've killed me, what more do you want?”

The human didn't answer, instead staring intently at the mug he was holding in a death grip.

“I don't want to fight you,” Drizzt said, in what he assumed would be a futile attempt to dissuade the human from violence.

To his surprise the human just sighed. “I know.”

“Then why are you here?” Drizzt asked, still suspicious.

The human sighed again. “I wanted to see if it's true. See if you're actually alive.”

Drizzt narrowed his eyes at the man. “To make sure I'll stay dead this time?”

He'd never heard the man sigh this much before. Or at all really, now that he thought about it.

“I didn't intend to kill you.”

“Could have fooled me.”

The assassin barked out a laugh, seeming lost in a memory.

Drizzt squirmed in his chair. Something was very wrong with this situation. He couldn't say that he had ever known the man particularly well, but he'd never been anything like this.

After a moment the human shook his head and grew sombre again.

“I didn't want to kill you.”

Drizzt studied the man for a moment where he sat hunched over, head lowered. He still hadn't looked at Drizzt.

Drizzt knew that the assassin was speaking the truth. He very clearly remembered every second leading up to his death; Clearly remembered the human loudly running up to him, loud enough that Drizzt couldn't possibly be taken by surprise; Remembered taking a wide swing that could have easily been blocked, had the human so chosen. The man hadn't even tried to defend.

Drizzt had tried to avoid thinking about it until now.

But looking at the man now, the deep weariness that seemed to permeate his entire body, didn't leave him a choice.

Artemis Entreri had wanted to die.

Had tried to kill himself on Drizzt's blade.

Drizzt didn't know what to do with that. The sudden bout of empathy he felt didn't change the past. It didn't mean that he had to like the man, or even that he had to forgive him.

“Why,” he asked, not sure which part he was referring to.

Entreri shrugged. “Why does anyone do anything?”

Drizzt hummed noncommittally in response. Fair enough, he supposed. And there was a good chance that Entreri didn't know the answer himself, especially with how vague the question had been.

They sat in silence for a moment, Drizzt wracking his brain for something to say. What did one say in a situation like this? Had anyone ever even been in this exact kind of situation before?

Then the assassin whispered possibly the most shocking thing Drizzt had ever heard.

“I'm sorry.”

“What was that?” Drizzt asked, sure that he must have misheard.

The man grit his teeth, staring daggers at his mead. “I have to apologise,” he eventually ground out, vaguely waving his hand. “For all of that.”

Drizzt was at a loss for words again.

He knew what the usual response to an apology was supposed to be. But was he supposed to actually forgive the man?

No.

He thought back to the everything that Entreri had alluded to. The kidnapping, maiming, murder- Drizzt wasn't sure it was something that could be forgiven.

It might have been years, and the man might have changed, but there was only so far his newfound empathy for Entreri could go.

Should he lie then? Pretend like everything was alright now? No. He couldn't do that to himself. And he doubted that Entreri would believe him anyway.

But he had to say something. The apology can't have come easy to the man.

“I acknowledge your apology.”

It didn't quite sound adequate, but it was the most honest thing he could have said.

The human huffed in response and left it at that.

They sat in silence for another moment, and when nothing else was forthcoming of the human, Drizzt asked, “Now what?”

“Hm. That's exactly what Jarlaxle asked me before we came here. ‘You're going to find Drizzt, and then what?’ I still don't know. I figured he was lying anyway. That you wouldn't be here.”

“Well, I am.”

“Hm.” The human was silent for a moment. “I should leave.”

The tavern’s front door had barely fallen shut behind the man when Drizzt heard someone talk to him outside. Based on what he had said just before leaving, Drizzt could make an educated guess on just who that may be, even if he himself wasn’t overly familiar with the voice.

“So?”

“You get to live.”

“Marvellous! Can I come inside and have a drink now?”

“We're leaving.”

“You're leaving. I'm sick of standing around in this snow. I won't go anywhere before I've warmed myself up by a fire.”

The voice got louder halfway through the sentence as the tavern door was pushed open from the outside.

“I'm leaving.”

“Artemis!”

The door fell shut again and Drizzt heard their footsteps rapidly move away.

[iworshipsappho]

c!tommy for the headcanon ask game :DDD

🧸👻🎭🥇📚💔👽😶😭

(you dont have to answer all/more than one of them, idc I´m just really curious lol)

OOOOH this is gonna be funnnn >:333 strap right in!!!

🧸 A headcanon about their childhood mmm so ykn choomy was just 9 during the whole first war right? well uh imma take his childhood to be before everything went down. He was a summer child, bright vibes, all toothy grins and scraped up muddy knees. c!wilbur was a damn worrier, every time he saw c!toms all bloodied up mans would get anxious as fuck despite the obvious joy on tommy's face. and so when will wud bandage tommy up, tommy too would take a couple bandaids and stick them all over will's face and colour them in. so like when they're done wilbur wud just be a mess of awkwardly stuck bandaids covering his face while tommy would be haphazardly patched up :')

👻 A headcanon about what scares them mmm well, we all know about the tnt. im not too sure if the phantoms are canon or not, but to me ctoms is definitely terrified of them. and dont even get me started on bodies of water. both remind him of sleepless nights during exile and just utter helplesssness. im sure we all remember him waking up drowing every single fucking day. so yeah...

🎭 A headcanon about what they lie about oooh he's such a fucking liar man. he lies about almost everything, but not in a ooh im a teenage boy who's an idiot way. he just doesnt think that anyone would actually be interested in what he has to say. the only person he didnt lie to after exile was revivedbur, even with tubbo sometimes he wouldnt know whether or not to tell him how fucked up he actually was and wud lie that he was fine all the fucking time. another person he never lied to was probably cjack, he just didnt care what jack thought of him. oh he also probably lied about all the times shroud inadvertently hurt him, to chommy thats just how the spider shows affection and acknowledgement

🥇 A headcanon about what they’re best at he's the bestest boy ever. period. uhhh but liek if i had to specify smth uhhh my boy loves to crochet and he's ace at it. i personally dunno much about crochet but like i know we as a fandom widely headcanon the blue sweater knitting thing but like, imagine crocheting man. he'd just go full brrrr mode with it. like, someone wants smth? boom he fucking crochets it for them, in my mind, c!beeduo have a bunch of crocheted alliums that chommy made. (alliumduo my beloved, id give my life for them)

💔 An angsty headcanon ooofff my boy is the embodiment of angst man ffffffff. mmm so ykn how ctom's limbo was just utter darkness? well what if it wasnt. what it instead of darkness, he had every single "mistake" he ever made replayed over and over like a dream sequence? what id he spent months just unable to escape from visions of his life on the dsmp. the community house, cgeorge's house, the foirstever time lmanberg blew up, nov 16th, doomsday, techno killing tubo, etc etc. all things that tommy think he couldve stopped, all the things he blames himself for. what if his limbo was both complete isolation, but being hounded by his past. what if

👽 A headcanon about a weird quirk of there mmmm c!tommy with braids my belovedddddd. i do it, so he does it to. whenever he gets anxious or fidgety, he just plucks out the front few strands of his hair and just starts teisting or braiding them. over and over, undoing and doing htem again, just to keep himself grounded and his hands occupied. he also adresses every bee he meets as if htey're ctubbo's messenger, calling them a big man and trying to leash them. oh and when he picks flowers, he comes up with whole backstories for each one :333

😶 A random headcanon! oooh he was sooooo a loom band kid man istg. he would be obsessed with them!!!!! like henry's horns would be completely covered in like absurdly coloured sets of loom band bracelets even his own hands would be coveredddddd in them up till his elbows. at least. and like he even managed to drag ranboo into it and to tubbo's absolute chagrine they both would just sit for hours on end making bracelts. c!techno was also roped into it during exile, and phil would just look at them amused. ooooh if only c!phil had a camera, he would have soooooo many pictures of techno's supposedly "deadly" base littered with torn pieces of loom bands

💜

[witchyfoxelf]

[book review] forgotten realms: the halfling's gem by r.a. salvatore (1990)

if you look up “mixed bag” in the dictionary, you’ll find a picture of this book. wait, i’ve used this analogy a lot, but i’m not sure i’ve ever seen pictures in a dictionary? whatever. maybe it’s a really weird dictionary. i mean, it has pictures in it that only seem to be there to help people make rhetorical points.

basically, a lot of this rules. i’m thinking specifically of all the sadism on display from entreri. i’m thinking of bruenor cutting his way through the duergar like a boss. i’m thinking of drizzt’s disguise slipping in front of the pirates and them being initially shocked & horrified, but then ending up just being the absolute best boys and timidly interrupting the captain’s meeting with drizzt to let him know that they have drizzt’s back, and hope blossoming in drizzt that maybe he can change the way the world sees him.

look, i know the depictions of race & racism have been an… issue in these books. these days, r.a. salvatore is fortunately among the first to say so. but, just… fuck. drizzt getting that moment of profound relief & hope really meant a lot to me. like, he’s very explicitly described as just bracing himself for the worst and then feeling like a weight has been lifted from him, and while i haven’t had that experience with race i’ve had it with several other aspects of my identity, and i just related to drizzt so intensely in that moment.

… speaking of this series’ fraught relationship with fantasy & real-world racism, though… yeah, it’s time to pivot from the good part of the mixed bag to the bad part. although it was also present & accounted for in this book, the weird handwringing about catti-brie’s killing of a fellow human when she was a self-confessed slayer of orcs/etc didn’t even last one book as the most racist shit i’d seen so far in this series, because holy shit the depiction of calimshan is just… i mean, wow.

oh also, i kind of super don’t care that much because the hints of romance that have shown up so far are definitely not among the best aspects of any of the books, but given that i can pretty much already tell where the whole wulfgar/drizzt/catti-brie stuff is going (despite limited time spent on it, it’s… not especially subtle), i just want to get ahead of this and mention that polyamory is totally a thing that exists. just for when catti-brie inevitably starts angsting about her terrible choice between human cock & drow cock for a book and a half or whatever.

(drow cock is objectively the correct choice, btw. i’ll take him if she won’t.)

honestly though i think the closest i come to shipping anyone is drizzt/bruenor. and i’m not even, like, into it? i just think out of the pairings there’s even been hints of, theirs would be pretty chill. if i were gonna write messy fanfic about any pairing, though, it would 100 percent be drizzt/entreri. raise your hand if you’re even slightly surprised. (and then smack yourself in your face with that hand for lying.)

the main things that tip the scales here in favor of the things about this book that are pretty good are basically drizzt’s sublime swordfight with entreri and drizzt’s more hopeful outlook towards the end of the book. first of all, i love when he reflects on the fact that entreri is probably never going to stop being obsessed with him, but he doesn’t actually have to give a shit about entreri. he can let their bloodfeud be entreri’s problem, and just defend himself & his friends as needed. added to that, the breakthrough where he decides that the world’s racism towards him is their problem, not his, meant so fucking much to me.

i just super want the best for drizzt, y’all. i don’t care how silly that probably sounds. so every little way he finds to make his life a little bit better is going to meet with my hearty approval.

b-rank

[malach-te]

headcanons/backstory for my tav, willow

this is definitely gonna have spoilers for baldurs gate 3 but i just wanna write down stuff for her

so shes in her 30s, no set age, and is from a small village thats not near baldurs gate at all. in terms of geography shes been very separated from the places in game and had only ever heard of baldurs gate but had never been.

when she got pickwd up by the nautiloid it was not long after she was setting off on an adventure for the first time. she had gained an interest in necromancy as a teenager but becoming a wizard in a village in basically the middle of nowhere isnt very easy so she had to study a LOT and finding materials wasnt easy but her parents helped her.

willow is a half drow, her fathers a human bard that settled down in that village after stopping there for a night and meeting a drow, her mother, that he fell in love with instantly. she didnt fall for him at first, she had recently left the underdark after rebelling and going against lolth (she was a paladin before) and was hiding in the woods by this village only going there to occasionally buy clothing or food but they werent really fond of her. bc of this willow also had some difficulties growing up but was mostly well adjusted. until she found a book about necromancy and became obsessed with it and would threaten other children with it which her parents were supportive of her studying magic but told her to keep her threats to a no threats.

i know half drow dont actually have any sun sensitivities in canon but i like to believe its more like theyre prone to sunburn and are like allergic to sunlight not that it would burn them alive. one time as a child she played in the sun too long bc her dad convinced her mom to let willow play and then she had the worlds worst sunburn and was peeling for weeks.

getting into the astarion hc’s bc yes she dates him YES its predictable BUT. i love them

when she first met him she could tell he was undead just by looking i mean. she’s obsessed with necromancy she has a nose for these things. and also that she could smell the undead on him no matter how much he masks it.

she actually likes that scent and does hug him to smell it. along with hugging him because she wants to hug him bc she loves him LMAO

she calls him star and starry but that one is for when she wants to annoy the hell out of him.

at first in their relationship, before it was really any relationship, she was happy to hook up with him as often as he offered but the more she was told about what he had been living through the less she wanted to do that. it felt to her that was both his way of manipulating her because he told her that but also that it was almost transactional like it was him wanting her to like him so he offered his body. the more she began to fall for him the more gentle her gestures of love would become. shed give him hugs or kiss his hands more often than wanting to sneak away together at night. its not like theyd stopped having sex all together but its not the main way they would show each other affection like it had been at first.

post game, willow and astarion continue adventuring together but at first its more like wandering. they can only travel at night ofc bc he didnt ascend and shes still half drow but they still go around together and she takes him back to her village. then they go on their way finding situations a vampire rogue and a necromancer can help/benefit from LMAO sometimes shadowheart joins them, sometimes they go to the underdark to check on the spawn. theyre just exploring the world on their own terms and their own pace.

willows trying to find a way to extend her lifespan so she can spend as much time alive with astarion as she can. immortality is really the dream for her. shes also looking for a way to help astarion walk in the sun again.

her and shadowheart are best friends FOREVER, thats her first party member right there. did her best to help shadowheart with all the tough decisions she had to make and stood by her choice in the final decision with her parents. they are practically sisters!!! willows parents would happily treat shadowheart like family.

she tries to keep in contact with everyone as much as she can. its not easy with lae’zel since shes off in the astral sea. karlach and wyll being in avernus also makes it difficult for her. gale just disappeared to look for the netherese crown, she tried to dissuade him but he didnt listen 💔

i just love her a lot shes my silly scrimblo neutral necromancer

[moondrops-and-ink]

It hadn't meant to be a sad discussion, and Caleb had repeatedly apologized for ruining the mood, but Essek wasn't focused on that. Essek had a mission now.

The first year after the Nein settled into their home lives had presented some challenges for Caleb. The man had not had a home since he was a teenager...making a home for himself had caused a different kind of stress. What did one do when they didn't have to run anymore?

Caleb obsessively checked the wards and locks every night before bed in the same order. He had taken up gardening and was growing green beans on the windowsill outside the kitchen, but he still sometimes forgot to water it when he got busy. Some nights, Caleb told him how he'd sit alone in the quiet and feel like he couldn't breathe, it was too peaceful. He missed the chaos. Sometimes he'd drop a vase on purpose just to have something broken to fix. To feel useful.

Another problem had come up about a week ago. Caleb and Essek had been sitting on the couch together reading, Essek had been able to visit for a few days longer than normal. The man had seemed on edge since he had arrived, but the Drow had not pushed it, not wanting to make it worse.

"....I am thirty five now." Caleb had murmured quietly, looking down at a book. Essek blinked and sat up more, looking over at him quizzically. "Since when?" He asked.

"As of twenty two hours and thirteen minutes ago." Caleb stated, schooling his face into something neutral.

"Today was...your birthday." Essek's stomach had dropped. He hadn't known. It had never come up. Essek hadn't celebrated his own in so long. The most thought he gave it had been the business letters of birthday recognition with a small basket of treats. He had always been much too busy.

But this was Caleb. He was human. Every birthday was so special for a short lived species.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked quietly, setting his book aside and moving closer. Caleb sighed, head leaning back against the couch to stare up at the ceiling. "I wasn't sure if it mattered." He shrugged, a frown now tugging at Essek's lips.

"Of course it matters, Caleb Widogast. Did you think the Nein would not want to celebrate? Did you not reach out?" He inquired further. Caleb's cheeks seemed to redden in shame. "...I...thought they would remember. But...perhaps they did not with how busy they all are now. Fjord and Jester have Moll-I mean Kingsley to take care of..." Essek noted the slight crack in Caleb's voice when he said Molly's name, there was some unresolved guilt there he knew he couldn't take from him. "Yasha and Beau are hard at work...Beau is so busy assisting me with Ikithon's case...and Veth has her family...Caduceus has the Grove to help run..." Excuses.

"And me? What? Was I too busy for you?" He asked. Caleb shook his head. "No, my friend. It...well. It is my first birthday alone since...I was a young man." He mentioned. Essek immediately put it all together. This was Caleb's first birthday in his homeland since his parents had died at his hands. He had no memory of his time in Vergesson...this was a first for him.

"Caleb-" "They used to make apple tarts for me...on my birthday." He whispered. Essek closed his mouth, scooting closer until their legs were pressed together. "My parents could not afford ingredients for cake...but making apple tarts was easier. My Mutter would caramelize the top to make it crunchy...usually I got a book. Some years I didn't. But my birthday always had two things: apple tarts and dancing."

Essek took all of it in, reaching for Caleb's hand shyly. "....You were afraid, then? Of today?" He asked, watching Caleb nod. "I spent so long ignoring my birthday. Pretending that mark of time did not exist. Now I have nothing to hide behind. No world ending demigod...no grand adventure...no war to stop...I am thirty five years old..." The statement hung heavy. Caleb was thirty five years old, but the way he said it translated effortlessly to Essek. He was able to focus on himself as an individual for the first time in decades, no longer a part of some machine. He was older, he was no longer the young man trapped in Trent's clutches. He was Caleb Widogast now, a man who lived in a cottage right outside of Rexxentrum, a retired adventurer, a full time scholar.

"It is hard to contend with feelings you have kept buried for so long. I understand." Essek murmured, squeezing his hand. Caleb let out a shaky breath. "I just miss them so much...I'll never see them again. I destroyed my only solution to. There is no more planning...no more searching....I will never have my mother's apple tarts again, and I will never dance with my father, or hear that they are proud of me." His voice shook as he spoke, Essek's heart breaking. He knew Caleb made the right choice, but it didn't mean it was painless.

He laid his head on his shoulder and dared to hold his hand properly, fingers twining with Caleb's. "Tell me how the tarts tasted...every detail." He said gently.

And Caleb had. Essek had left the following morning for Uthodurn, a promise to return soon. His stay with Reani had not been for penance this time. No, he came to her with a simple request. "Teach me to bake."

She had. They had spent the week going over basics and Essek had read books and scrolls and recipes.

"Essek, what are we going to do with all these tarts?" Reani asked, looking at the multiple trays they had done. Blueberry, lemon, strawberry, and apple. "....Eat them? Ah...I will take what you do not want and give them to the Nein. I'm sure they'll enjoy them." They weren't perfect. But they were good. Essek wasn't satisfied though, he couldn't make caramel to drizzle over the apple tarts. Burnt. Burnt. Burnt. He let out a frustrated "uuuuugh!" At the fourth attempt, nose wrinkling the smell.

"We don't need the caramel, buddy. It's okay." Reani soothed, frowning when Essek shook his head. "No. I have to get it right. The recipe had it. Caleb's mom made it with this topping." He was determined. Sighing, Reani began to clean the pot. Her house was going to smell like burnt sugar for weeks.

---

All of that had led to Essek standing outside of Caleb's door currently. He had a covered basket filled with the different tarts, and on top were the apple ones. Essek had finally made it. He was worried the caramel was slightly burned, but it had the right color and had poured over the tops of the tarts nicely.

"Hallo?" Caleb opened the door, blinking at the familiar face of Essek's disguise. "Oh, my friend it...I was not aware of your return. This is a very nice surprise, please come in." He stood aside and held the door open, Essek smiling some as he walked in, no footsteps heard. Once the door shut his disguise melted away, leaving Essek feeling much better.

"It was a matter of importance, but I was able to solve it rather quickly." He informed, removing his mantle and cloak and setting them on the hooks Caleb had begun to leave empty for him.

"And you have brought gifts?" Caleb questioned, Essek nodding. "Yes. Um...the kitchen," He floated towards it and set the basket on the counter. He was nervous...he wanted this to be good. He had hated seeing how unsure and scared Caleb had been.

"Sit down please." Essek ordered, Caleb blinking but obeying as he took a seat at the small table. "And...close your eyes." Caleb raised an eyebrow, but did so. "Essek, are you giving me a surprise?" He asked, lips twitching in a smile. Essek blushed and nodded, only to realize Caleb couldn't see it.

"Yes. Now hold out a hand." Caleb did so, looking rather cute in his white poet shirt, sleeves rolled up...no shoes and his brown pants. He looked so at ease. Essek took an apple tart from the bag and set it in his waiting palm. Caleb pursed his lips and tilted his head. "Was?"

"Open." Essek said. Caleb's eyes slid open slowly and he started down at the tart, recognition flitting in his gaze. "Oh, you bought some pastries?" He asked, Essek shaking his head. "No um...I...made them." He explained, cheeks darkening.

Caleb's eyes widened. "You...made...wait-" He looked closer, the scent familiar. The man sat up more and took a bite of the tart, Essek watching nervously. Caleb's face went on a quick but complex journey. Recognition, confusion, slight distaste...oh no.

"Ah, the caramel topping proved to be quite difficult. I understand if it is not the best. Here, I have others that turned out much better, let me just..." Essek turned and began looking for a different flavor, feeling a little disappointed that he had failed. It wad such a simple thing Caleb had craved..

He jumped as arms embraced him from behind, a familiar nose burying in his shoulder. "Caleb?" He froze where he was, not used to him being so forward. He thought he heard a sniff, and he panicked. "Oh my...was it really that bad?" He asked, wincing. The arms held him tighter.

"You tried to make mein Mutter's tarts, didn't you?" Caleb asked softly, voice tight. "I did, yes. I...was that not the correct action? You seemed very nostalgic last time we spoke...I thought maybe I could...you know..."

"Danke..." Caleb pressed closer. "You spent the whole week obsessing over it, didn't you?"

Essek bit his lip. "....Reani's house might have a...permanent burnt sugar smell now." He confessed. Caleb laughed quietly, the sound wet. "Caleb, I am sorry if my actions upset you, I truly did not mean-"

Caleb turned Essek around forcibly and hugged him tightly, Essek clinging to him in surprise. "I do not deserve this kindness...you went out of your way...this is very sweet of you, Essek. I am overcome with fondness right now, I am not upset." He assured him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Essek held on a little tighter.

"They were good then?"

"Oh, nein. Das ist nicht lecker. The caramel was still burnt and the apples were still hard." He said, chuckling. Essek's ears drooped. "Oh..."

"No one has made those for me since I was younger...I am so happy." He pulled back to hold Essek's face. "You...made me my favorite dessert. Even if it wasn't good...you tried. For me. That is the nicest thing I have ever gotten from you." He wiped his own eyes and smiled at him like he had hung the moon, gaze warm.

Essek couldn't stop the smile he had if he wanted to.

"Happy Birthday, Caleb Widogast." He murmured.

"Thank you, Essek..." Caleb replied.

do you think Essek taking up knitting and baking is not only for presents for caleb, but to give Caleb homemade gifts in the way he used to get and misses from his family

imagine Caleb's first birthday post-nein, without his mother's apple tart, him quietly and sadly telling Essek. Essek immediately taking it on himself to learn to bake and give him something. It can never be the same but he can remind Caleb he is loved.

[meanbossart]

so uh stop reading aaaabout here if you care about spoilers for the original baldur's gate games (no idea if you have/planned on playing em just wanna be safe) but ANYWAY in 2 you can choose to split your soul with Sarevok to bring him back to life and, if you choose to play it that way, give him a second chance. i'm not going to subject you to my Sarevok rants because lord knows you did not ask but i find that concept really really interesting especially in relation to Durge and Orin so after way too much rambling here's my question. what would DU Drow do in that kinda situation? i know post-tadpole he doesn't really hold any warm feelings towards Orin (if you could count whatever he had going on before as "warm" lol) but would any part of him want to give her a shot at living her own life without Bhaal's influence?

oh my god this got way too long i am. so sorry

I've been thinking about this one for a while. Honestly it's a really sweet concept for them.

I think if DU drow were to somehow find out about what he did to Orin over the years (the pressuring, the low-key harassment, how utterly obsessed he was with her, how, unbeknownst to himself, he played a part in making her worse and actively helped her erase more and more parts of herself) he would be a little horrified with himself. Not immediately, perhaps not outwardly, but he'd get a little grossed out feeling in his gut and a churning that is at it's worst whenever he looks at Astarion.

It's only really because of Astarion that he learned what the hell love with boundaries is. He started off by trying to cross them, only to be humbled when his urges wouldn't let him fulfill any carnal desires in the first place and forcing him to appreciate the comfort in Astarion's company alone, without the sexual factor, and in turn coming to understand that that's not even what he wanted in the first place. Then, through learning about his past experiences, he'd grow to abhor the very concept and take slow incremental steps to fix that within himself. He realizes that if he had done the same with Orin, their situation could have been very different - or it could have not. Either way, he never had the self-awareness to try.

You know the scene in Cazador's dungeon? Where you meet up with the caged spawn and you have the option to confront Astarion about it when he lacks the empathy towards them? About how, in another life, that could have been you? Perhaps there would be something similar here. Where DU drow tries to justify his past-self's actions and Astarion holds a very ugly mirror of himself up to his face - if I say no, if I ever change my mind, is this what you're going to do to me?

That hypothetical would make him sick.

So yes. I think in that situation where he has a slightly fuller picture, he would find it nothing but fair to share a little bit of his soul with Orin so she has a second shot at life - It's basically what she did for him, after all.

[umihoshi]

My silly Dungeons and Dragons characters

Robin 'Mosquito' Fioril (Half Elf-Human Wizard: War) Born between an Elven royalty and a human traveler, he was rumored to be cursed by the gods, as he was the only one in his clan who had no druid magic. This never stopped him from trying, though. When his sister mysteriously vanished, he set out to find her and stumbled upon a Deep Dragon, Skugg-Aaska, an ancient and shrewed information broker. In trade for his eye, to see the world and gain information, Skugg-Aaska gave him the ability to cast magic. He chose to go through life as 'Mosquito, the greatest wizard of all time', vowing to learn every spell (except his clan's much begrudged druid spells) and save his sister.

Robin Fioril jr. (Half Elf-Dragon Sorcerer: Draconic Bloodline) Mosquito Fioril's nephew, born to his sister who was protecting dragon eggs in the Feywild. Raised in the Feywild among fairies and draconic half-siblings, he grew a tad naïve to the world outside. Once venturing outside, he witnessed cruelty towards monsterraces, becoming target as he protected a young kobold. His horns broken, his eyes damaged, and beaten bloodied, Robin could only worry whether the kobold got away safely. After this event, also having heard many adventurous stories of his uncle, he vowed to set out to better the lives of minorities, forming a bridge between humanoids and monsterraces. As such, he joined the organization 'Black Tree', believing in their ideals, but not knowing what was their actual plan.

Mallet Fioril (Human Monk: Path of the Astral Self) For as long as Mallet remembers, she was fighting in a colosseum. her mind little more than a beast's, she mindlessly destroyed her opponents. That was until she was bought by her now adoptive father, Robin Fioril jr., who raised her to be more human and treated her with love and care. But Robin had a dark past. The fraction he had been part of, now changed to the name 'Black Hand', required his assistance once more. When Robin refused, he was taken along by them. Mallet had been send off on an errand at the time, but it had been an excuse to keep her safe. Finding an empty house upon her return, she set out to get her beloved Robin back. She'd be the one to safe him this time.

AID000738 Lydia (Laila Myuud) (Drow Elf Rogue: Soul Knife) Growing up, Laila always admired her big sister, Lydia. And as soon as she came of age, Laila joined the same army-fraction, hoping to be of help to her. But it was not to be. During a nightly training, she was forcefully drugged and taken along. She awoke in the presence of a man named doctor Zero. For some reason, the man was obsessed with her. What turned out was: she had been confused for her elder sister. Realizing this error, the enraged dr. Zero forced her into becoming the ideal image he had in his mind of Lydia, making Laila forget her identity all together. Now nothing more than an empty doll, she one day finds herself lost in enemy territory. Plagued by the protocol she is forced to follow, she does all she can to make her way back to her owner.

[ttrpg-smash-pass-vs]

Ok, I'm cutting myself off after this because I cannot let myself fall into the elven lore obsession again, but that's just a scratch. I should mention it's mainly Gold Elf aristocracy, they will disappear up their own ass within a generation or two if left alone. Off the top of my head alone-

They were the last to leave the world of the fey, and only left because thier rampant use of high magic destroyed thier home down to 50 people, almost killing the entire silver elf species.

Created the Dracorage in order to destroy draconic rule. The Dracorage made all dragons lose control of themselves and kill everyone that wasn't a dragon whenever a certain comet with an irregular cycle drew near. This immediately got the flying elves killed, and yes the "don't kill other dragons" part was supposedly part of the plan to make them stop killing elves??? Even after the dragons lost power, guarded that dracorage's powersource to the bitter end. Note, it had been tens of thousands of years, the dragons were just saying "ok we'd like to stop randomly trying to kill all humanoids within 30 miles every few years."

Ripped a chunk out of heaven to make their eternal elf-only home. It only "succeeded" because their pantheon physically manifested to run damage control, and it still wiped out most elves and life in general with the tsunami. Dark elves were still banned though, for daring to point out this plan might be destructive beforehand.

When they did go to evermeet, some elves were lost. They never bothered coming back for them until deciding to subjugate them thousands of years later (to free them from competition with humans and firbolg of course). The elves at that point had become mixed elves, Llwyrr, who worshipped archfey and got along fine with dwarves, saving their hatred for Gold Elves.

Speaking of Evermeet, that event ripped a hole in spacetime and actually affected (in ways we don't fully know) multiple other points in history. like The Second Sundering, where worlds were separated and realms revealed by the overgod. Also influenced the Sundering. I hate them if nothing else for calling Evermeet The First Sundering when the Tearfall event (dragons appearing) is also known as the Sundering.

Thier hatred of Dark elves seemed to be rooted in them being more dominant despite Gold Elves being The Best God's Specialist Little Children (TM). The was due to them being some of the first to arrive, the second wave of elven activity after the scouts like green and winged elves, actively coming here instead of being forced by bad decisions. Dark and green elves made the original kingdoms and did most of the work. But you know, all elves should strive to be more like the Gold because they're the best, so pay attention to meeeeeeeee! Dad said I was in charge so you have to listen!!!1!!1!

I should mention there were Gold elves opposing them in some of the lands they conquered. It was the nation that was almost entirely gold elves that did this, the nations where gold elves were only PART of society fought and were subjugated by them. This is distinctly a problem with gold elf nobility, they need someone to keep them in check

I talked about the war already, but did you know that thier main reason for joining thier side was a small cult worshipping Lolth? Well Lolth had a right-hand-angel who fell alongside her. and was the focus of a hidden cult comprised of upper Gold Elven Society, to the point that some even made second homes in hell. Yeah, gold elves who were pushing for war were actively doing the thing they were declaring war for.

Speaking of which, after the dark elves were twisted into drow they decided "oh shit, that can happen? time to kill all high mages and priests everywhere so it can't happen to us." Eventually a high council of the gods was made and found them at fault, telling them to stop. They decided they were incapable of fault (sounds familiar) and tried to fight, but eventually fell.

They did not learn from this and did the same to another nation of elves a few thousand years later, speedrunning the whole process (minus the nuke) and falling to darkness.

I cannot emphasize enough that while most elves think thier race superior to most others, Gold Elf nobility has a whole ranking of where other elves fall underneath them, with themselves as the superior version of all others meant to guide everyone else to perfection. Only seeing Sea Elves as near equal, saying they're the Sun Elves of the water. This is bullshit, all their points on why are blatantly untrue. "They spread elven culture underwater" my ass, sea elves avoid most other species and call for elves to break down the walls between thier subraces, I think it's just how they cope with being worse at swimming

"Sun elves could be incredibly prejudiced, to the point of some even refusing to aid a dying human if it mildly inconvenienced them. Many sun elves objected to speaking in any language other than Elven or even to speaking with members of other races at all. These prejudices were partially rooted in past wrongs done by humans unto sun elves, though in truth they often only served to heighten present tensions." I'll admit that this one I ripped off a wiki for convenience, but I do have "Races of Faerun," I know it's there.

I might be forgetting things, this was off the cuff. but yeah the Gold Elves in lore are actually some of the most destructive things around. Their solution to SO many things I didn't even mention was to chuck high magic at it, magic of the gods. It almost always ended horribly. Oh, and those warring times? Just fun fact, that's when dwarves finally emerged from thier underground kingdoms to see the sky. They also saw gold elves terrorizing the world in a civil war and dropping magical nukes. When dwarven wisdom demands they distrust elves for being too frivolous with the power they have, they are specifically talking about that thousands of years of war that were the first things they saw. Oh, and since I won't get a chance to mention this again most likely, the dracorage? one of the dragon's solutions was to band together, putting old feuds aside to make a MAGICAL ANTI ORBITAL LASER spell to blow it the fuck up. they missed, grazed the moon, blew a chunk into an asteroid field and...caused a goblin war. Goblins saw the sky was brighter now, thought humans must be trying to grow more moons to see them with or something, and kicked off a mass panic.

Wait what's the thing about gold elves killing eilistraee followers as big eilistraee simp i never heard of this. What do I have to blame Corellon "Known Bitch" Larenthian with now?

...oh boy. I don't have the most time today, but I can always rattle off elven lore. idk why, I just got obsessed in the rabbit hole for a year for some reason, despite not being my favorite.

Ok, are you familiar with the evermeet debacle? Gold elves decided to make a new elf-only land by ripping out a chunk of heaven itself and throwing into the sea? Dark elves mentioned basic water displacement exists, and how every time gold elves try high magic it goes wrong and even wipes out entire elven species? Got banned for eternity even after being proven right, basically for insinuating that a Gold Elf plan is capable of fault. Well after everyone rebuilt from the widespread slaughter of most life on continents worth of coast, thier arrogance boiled over and the main gold elf nation tried to subjugate all other elves. Starting with the country which was Eilistraee's capital of worship. That was the start of the Dark Elf decent, as the country on the other side of the coast started fighting thier way through every nation between the two, using worse and worse means in a desparate attempt to get to dark/green elf nation they'd subjugated. Starting with fire, eventually leading to demons and undead. but. Um. Gold elves got sick of 3000 years of failed subjugation I guess, because they made a magical eternal nuke that wiped it off the face of the planet. Specifically with high magic, which comes through Corelleon and he has sole control over, able to just turn it off at any time. note that it took drow high mages running in and having to manually turn it off, even if Corellon somehow didn't register it happening he still had to approve for it to keep going endlessly. Remember, this nation that was vaporized was Eilistraee's place. The prime dark elf nation realized this was now a war for survival, went full feral cornered animal, and the other elves turned the dark elves into drow. Corellon even barred them from the afterlife, took away much of thier elven powers and cut them off from his love. like, for all elves and nations, even those in other planes or completely uninvolved. If you wonder why Lolth even has power, it's because when they made thier descent there was just her, a god of hedonism, and the slime god. Eilistraee had lost most of her influence because all her worshippers had been vaporized. The gold elves had destroyed all influences of good, so lolth had free reign. I made an unhinged video on it after like a year of reading up on every elf I could find and trying to boil the script down. not the most proud of it since I was barely conscious by the end of editing so there's weird pauses between some lines, and...holy shit looking back I forgot subtitles. I'll need to add those when I have a moment. but if you're interested in the full story. 13:05 for the war, 14:35 for the dark elf part. Or the whole thing if you want to hear a listing of all elves, as I learn that I'm not actually biased against them like I thought, just specifically against the Gold elves and Shadar-Kai. And the lythari, but I don't actually have anything against them, I just think the insistence that they aren't lycanthropes is a bit dumb.

[glitter-garbage]

12. — thread

Shadowgast, ~1600 words, gen, red thread of destiny, soulmate au (spoilers for the eiselcross arc)

Sent by @quinn-of-aebradore 💜 ...ps: this is not edited at all (one word writing prompts: send me one and a pairing if you like. I might fill them some day!) ---

When Bren learned he had magic, he also learned that he could see things that not everyone did. It wasn’t natural, he had to focus, and later on, he even found out there was an actual spell for it. Still, on more than one occasion growing up, Bren would see the delicate red threads that connected people around him.

“Those mean whoever is connected to you is your soulmate,” his mother explained, “Can you see mine?”

And, sure enough, his mother had a little thread connecting her ankle to Leofric’s. He longed for his own thread to appear, though his mother explained that not everyone had one.

Bren didn’t have to worry, though. He was only fifteen when not one, but two threads connected his ankle to his best friends of all people. By that time, he had already been whisked away to the Academy along with them and the experiences they shared, the successes, the pain, the power, all of that just cemented their connection in his mind.

Until he broke, that is.

After the fire came the Sanatorium, and for eleven years Bren, now Caleb, did not think about that again. Only when he got out did he notice that his ankle was free. Nothing connected him to anyone anymore. It was okay, he was a garbage person. He didn’t deserve love like that anyway.

---

Nott had a red thread. It vanished out to the horizon, and Caleb never saw the thread move in a way that indicated that her soulmate was closer. He wondered if she knew, for a while. Then, he learned the truth. Veth’s soulmate, her husband, kidnapped, imprisoned. He was happy she had met him though, and confident they'd free him. She deserved happiness, he would help her in any way he could.

Two couples in his little group had threads connecting them to each other from the start. Fate worked in mysterious ways, Caleb thought. Beau and Yasha did not seem that close, though Beau’s attraction was obvious, and cringe-worthy at times, but Caleb was sure things would go well for them in the future. Jester and Fjord’s thread almost made his heart break- he had allowed himself to get way too attached to the two, but neither of them were for him, obviously. Destiny had other plans.

Molly did not have any threads, like him. After learning about his past, Caleb wondered if he had gone through something similar to Caleb, the snapping of a thread after a traumatic event. He allowed himself to grow closer to the tiefling tentatively, allowed feelings to bloom slowly. Molly was warm to him, and he thought perhaps it was another form of destiny that would tie them together.

That had been a mistake.

The last one to join their family was Caduceus. He had no thread too, and Caleb had no curiosity about it anymore. His interest in destiny had all but faded.

He loved his friends. He had friends. That was enough, for someone like him.

---

“The Luxon is the basis of how we've been able to free ourselves from the binds of the lineage the Betrayer Gods left for us and to carve our own fates, choose our own paths and sidestep these destinies placed upon us nonchalantly by gods that use us as playthings.”

The Shadowhand was interesting. Dangerous, powerful, enticing. Caleb considered what he said about freedom from destiny, the ability to find your own way. He had certainly strayed from his path, but perhaps that was not the worst thing.

Essek Thelyss, too, had no thread attached to him.

Perhaps because Caleb was no longer obsessing over what destiny had in store for him, perhaps because he was beginning to accept that his own imperfect path was better than the one that had been set for him, Caleb felt empathy towards the drow even after he had betrayed them.

They were so much alike, and Caleb kept his heart more closely guarded now. He did not feel his heart breaking when they learned of Essek's schemes, and that too helped. In any case, he did not see Essek again for a long time. Did not think much about him. There was too much on his plate for that.

---

Astrid smiled at him from across a dinner table and his stomach dropped. Caleb felt the wheels of time turning, felt again like Bren, determined and ambitious and blind to the truth. Eadwulf looked at him with a raised chin, a smirk on his face. He too remained handsome, impossibly so.

When they walked out of Ikithon’s tower, Caleb could make out the thin red thread that still connected their ankles. He thought he was stronger, that perhaps he was ready for this.

“Race you to the top,” said Astrid with a childish smile, before turning back to the tower.

It hurt. He could feel the emptiness of what could have been, what would never be again in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.

---

Imagine his surprise when arriving at the Vurmas outpost in Eiselcross, the powerful figure of the Shadowhand could not meet his eyes. Imagine his surprise, when he saw his eyes lighting up when they chose him instead of his old teacher to go down into the ruins. Imagine his surprise when he saw Essek battling, using gravity itself as a weapon, and felt only fondness and admiration for the man. When he showed off his tower and saw the same in the drow’s eyes. And attraction, of course. That went without saying.

It all came to a head when, together, they worked to cast a spell that would shorten time itself and give the Nein their much-needed rest.

Thought it might have felt like seconds to their friends, Caleb watched for long moments, holding magic in his palms to assist, as Essek opened a gash through the fabric of space and time. Real fabric, made of threads of all colors that together seemed to make up what he saw as the world around him. Time seemed to stop around them as Essek carefully worked around the fibers.

“This… Have you been able to see this the whole time?” he asked.

Essek’s jaw was clenched and there was sweat running down his forehead, but he nodded, “Not really. It takes a lot of effort to see this. A lot of energy.”

Caleb hesitated but gave in once Essek’s questioning gaze found his for a moment, “I have always seen the red threads. I- I had my own, for a while.”

“Annoying little things,” muttered the drow, focusing again at the slow-going task of weaving time with his bare hands, “There was a time when I hated them more than anything.”

“You used to have yours, too?”

“Hm? No,” said the drow distractedly, “I hated them because I had none, and I thought I should. The Dynasty looks like a tangled web if you watch for them since so many entanglements are made complicated by consecution. But I never had one, and even though I looked for… someone that could perhaps make it appear, it never did.”

He moved his wrist to the side, and the universe seemed to shift with it. Caleb felt a little dizzy.

“But I had never heard of someone who lost theirs. I thought they were supposed to be, ah, perfect,” Essek smirked, “Unless you did what we are doing right now to yours. That is, changing it fundamentally. Somehow, I do not think that is what happened.”

“Nein,” Caleb chuckled wryly and then held himself straighter, keeping the spell steady as Essek continued his labor. “I… strayed from the path, I think. I did something that was not meant to be.”

Essek looked at him like he was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen, even though the elf himself had the building blocks of reality in his hands at the moment. Caleb flushed.

“I think Caduceus would say that you did exactly what you had to do.”

“Maybe so. But isn’t it hard to know that others will have this… this gift, this sure thing while we will not?”

Essek looped a bright white strand against a colorful, prismatic one while he hummed, thinking.

“I felt the same way for decades. But whatever we will have or not, in that sense, will be of our own making. And isn’t that a gift on its own?”

---

The moonlight shone down on the beach, turning the sea a glittering mass of waves. Other than the full moon, magical globes and luminescent beetles illuminated the space around them. Their friends gathered around smiling tearfully in perfect dissonance. Caleb himself felt his heart beating so fast he thought it might leave his ribcage and seek quietude somewhere far away from his anxiety-ridden body. He stood beside Caduceus, who hummed a sweet song under his breath as they waited.

Finally, the glittering door at the end of the path opened, and Essek slipped out, bare feet delicately touching the sand. Jester came from behind him, and once their arms were locked, they walked on slowly, passing their friends and family on the way to Caleb and Caduceus.

He looked stunning in delicate iridescent robes, and Caleb tried to swallow down his anxiety. Violet eyes framed by silver lines, mouth poised in a gentle smile, cheeks flushed, Essek walked slowly until he was face to face with his intended.

Essek reached for his hand, and they stood silently, gazes locked while Caduceus conducted the ceremony. When it was time, Caleb drew a small spool of red thread from his pocket. Gently, he took Essek’s hand in his and tied a knot around his little finger. He offered the spool, and Essek repeated the gesture, biting his lips nervously. Caduceus cut the remaining thread, leaving their hands connected.

“You are now joined together, not by destiny, but by your own choice. I think that’s very nice,” Caduceus smiled placidly until Veth cleared her throat, “Oh yeah. You guys can kiss now.”

Caleb smiled at the phrasing. He lifted his hand, pulling Essek’s forward until the drow was close enough for him to count his freckles. Their hands tingled as he came impossibly closer. Essek’s mouth was warm against his.

For the first time in Caleb's life, he felt destiny favored him.

---

[sky-ham]

how did you get into lol?

Sometime around 2009-10? My cousin was playing DotA and he switched to LoL cause he got tired of his team. The DotA characters he played had names like Crystal Maiden, Invoker, Drow Ranger. The LoL ones had names like Ashe, Sivir, Heimerdinger.

I was immediately drawn to the LoL characters because they had personal names instead of descriptive ones. I was also obsessed with the champion splash screens. Kept a number of them in my flash drive, and that was the first time I seriously contemplated a career in art.

I played my first LoL game in 2011 during a break between classes. I got my bff to play 3 rounds of L4D2, and in return I had to play 2 rounds of LoL. Didn't really enjoy it because they threw me straight into PvP.

In 2012-13ish I was in an online friend group, one of them offered to teach us how to play the game. It was then that I actually started enjoying because we had someone guiding us. I got into the esports scene that same year and have followed it to this day. That was also the time when they started releasing very interesting characters and incredible cinematics, so it was a formative time for me as an artist.

The downside was that my ping was always between 300-700 on the north american servers, so I never got good at the core skills needed to be competitive in any capacity. Eventually they all got better than me and it got to the point where they started losing games because I couldn't keep up with the skill levels of the opponents we were matched with. I don't really like playing the game without a team, so I stopped playing altogether in 2017, and moved on to RPGs.