#aric doesn't know what he's getting into

[seventh-line]

Swtor: Who Gives the Best (and Worst) Gifts

The best gift-givers:

Kira Carsen

Felix Iresso

Risha

Akaavi Spar

Vette

Malavai Quinn (He just knows EXACTLY what to get.)

Ashara Zavros

Mako

Torian Cadera

Vector Hyllus (His gifts are kind of weird, but sometimes end up being practical. Mostly they're just sweet momentos and keepsakes from the places you've been.)

Raina Temple

Lana Beniko

Koth Vortena (Idk why but I just feel like this guy KNOWS how to shop and exactly what to get.)

The worst gift-givers:

Nadia Grell (She's trying so hard.)

Corso Riggs (Gave you a blaster/explosive/weapon for the 50th time.)

Aric Jorgan

Elara Dorne (Genuinely thinks her gifts are great and useful. They unfortunately aren't.)

Jaesa Willsaam (Light)

Jaesa Willsaam (Dark)

Theron Shan

Doesn't even bother:

Scourge

Zenith

Andronikos Revel (Honestly it might be he just forgets to sometimes.)

Kaliyo Djannis (She also might even have the gall to expect something from you, but wouldn't care too much otherwise.)

Arcann (Unless you can pressure him to, he doesn't see the point, and reserves gifts for very special occasions.)

The only gift you need is him:

Doc (Has absolutely no idea what to get you, and all the audacity.)

Khem Val

Lol I started this before Christmas to try and get it done before then. Anyways, as I am creatively bankrupt, send me ideas! Of any kind!

[vals-sims-world]

Because I believe in saving the best for last let's start off going through the family with the most oc filled household, the Ealdor family.

This is Merlin's childhood best friend Will's family. Everyone but Will is an original character, though some are loosely based off of his family in a fic called Sunrise in Ealdor, Sunset in Camelot by mobycotton. We have Will's mother Sarah, his grandfather Aric, and his little brother Evan.

They're a peasant family working as swine herders and hunters, they provide the town's meat supply. However, that doesn't stop Aric and Evan from being massive animal lovers and adding 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a horse to the family over time.

Let's have a quick tour of the house they started with!

Pigpen out the front, two bedrooms, and a kitchen/dining area in the middle. Nothing fancy but enough to get by. The Ealdor Farm is a simple peasant home for a simple peasant life.

Their neighbors kept things interesting though. Merlin, Hunith, and Gaius live just across the road. Will and Merlin followed in their show counterpart's footsteps and became best friends very quickly. They frequently hung out at the tavern together and visited each other's houses. Sarah and Hunith also got along very well. In fact, they took quite a shine to one another and started a relationship. There was talk of moving in together after their boys got settled into their own lives, however this was not to be.

As winter started to approach a sickness swept through the town. It hit the Ealdor family hard. Aric, Sarah, and Will all succumbed to it leaving young Evan alone just as he was entering his teen year.

Thankfully he wasn't alone for long. A kind, but down on her own luck, cousin of Sarah's named Heather heard about what happened and came to take care of Evan. There was an adjustment period as the two got to know each other but they found their own rhythm of Evan going out hunting and Heather selling the meat to others in town. They managed to stay afloat and really bonded while cooped up during the winter.

One day Heather visited the Druid camp to try to sell to them.

While there she saw one of the druid girls bullying another druid girl, the two yelling at each other and fighting with the confrontation ending with one of the girls using magic to light the other on fire. Heather helped put the fire out and brought the girl back to her house to help her clean herself up. There she learned her name was Sefa and the girl she had been fighting with was Kara. Sefa got along with most of the druid camp, especially her best friend Daegal, but she and Kara hated each other and Kara made living there difficult for Sefa. Hearing all this Heather asked if Sefa would like to live with her and Evan. Sefa happily accepted.

Evan had been off on a hunt during all this but sparks flew the second he saw Sefa and he was more than happy to welcome her into their home. The two of them started a romance soon after and before long Sefa was pregnant. As soon as he found out Evan proposed and the two were married before their daughter Emry was born.

Sometime during Sefa's pregnancy, Heather met a kind, handsome knight named Sir Gregory Oliver. They fell for each other hard and fast. Not before long Gregory proposed. Heather accepted but was reluctant to leave Evan and Sefa. They were still so young and had a newborn on their hands. Gregory completely understood and moved in with them to help out as well. When Emry aged up to a toddler and Evan and Sefa seemed to have everything under control Heather and Gregory moved out into their own home. And just in time too cause Heather found out she was pregnant just after they moved. Her son Sean came just as news of Sefa's second pregnancy arrived. Heather and Gregory proved to not be able to keep their hands off of each other and their second son Trevor arrived a day after Evan and Sefa's twins Ari and Rena were born.

And now we've caught up to the present

Evan, Sefa, and their children carrying on the Ealdor family name after the tragedy of losing Sarah, Will, and Aric. Heather and Gregory Oliver starting their own family. We'll see how their story continues.

I'll leave you with some tour shots of their current homes The Ealdor Farm:

The Oliver Fisherman Hut:

Tagging those who asked: @tansyuduri @building-camelot

[ct7567scyarika]

SWTOR OC Headcanons

Just posting some headcanons about my Fem!Trooper, Vim "Wildfi're" because why not. If I can think of anymore, I'll probably just reblog with any additions.

She is very organized. This is thanks to a blend of her parents and surviving post Sacking of Corsuscant when her home had been destroyed. In the Thunderclap or her apartment, things have their place and are kept there until used. (In her defense, it does prove useful in emergencies when they have to quickly grab stuff and go.)

Because her mother is a Mandalorian, she's learned cultures, customs, and their language. Very, very few know she speaks and reads fluent Mando'a, and she'll use it on missions (listening in on conversations but playing dumb, or using it later when working with Mandalorians to gain as allies.) She does teach the rest of Havoc, starting with words or phrases if ever they need it.

On sunny planets like Tatooine, she has to wear a lot of sunscreen due to her fair complexion. But she hates the feeling of her clothes/armor touching her sunscreen-covered skin. But it's this or her face getting so toasted that it's as red as her hair.

She isn't Force-sensitive, but she doesn't deny it. After all, despite how good she is at her job, there is no way she is able to survive the things in her life without some sort of... "help". It's not that she believes in destiny, but something is going on. She likes to talk to Yuun about this.

She is resourceful. Again, because surviving the aftermath of the Sacking of Coruscant, she learned how to use with what she had and how to look for what she needs in her surroundings.

Aric Jorgan, aka Vim's eventual spouse, barely tolerates Hinaal (Vim's mother) to say the least. Hinaal is an exiled Mandalorian champion who still holds their views. Aric being a cathar, well, you could understand why he doesn't particularly like her. Thankfully Vim rejects most of those views and sides with Jorgan.

She'll take Elara for "girls' night out" on shore leave after they've rested and had time to "recharge." Sometimes they'll have other friends join them. Not too much to overwhelm Elara, but enough that she can make genuine connections with others and not just her squad.

[nothing-to-see-hi]

Everything I currently have about the siren Rhian au that I keep bothering his tag with.

Okay so, 1, sirens are typically powerful people who were cursed by other powerful people. Yes, I am basing this off of Persephone's myth.

On that note, no, they are not the bird sirens. Usually. Rhian is not a bird siren at least.

Summing up my previous post about the origins, at the end of Fall, Rhian tries to stab Rafal only to end up cursed as a siren in the middle of nowhere instead. He ends up going kinda feral and is running off of hatred by the time we catch up to him in The Camelot Years.

Hort knows. You cannot tell me that the guy who grew up on Hook's ship doesn't know about sirens. Particularly the one who has been going after the Hook family for 200-ish years.

Anyway, how we get to Rhian in the first place.

Hort, being the guy who's familiar with the sea and whatnot, tells them not to take a right at the fork because that's where a siren is and they end up taking a right at the fork anyway.

Enter the boyo

So who is on this ship? Sophie's on this ship. And what does Sophie absolutely reek of? Rafal's magic. And who does Rhian want to tear limb from limb more than anything in the world? Rafal!

A storm is conjured and the singing begins. To cut matters short, Sophie gets some nice claw marks on her face and Rhian gets blasted off the ship.

Cut to around the time where Sophie has the scims in her ears.

Twins v2. Electric Boogaloo kidnapped their uncle and tried to little mermaid him. It partially worked. Rhian's got legs again and regained a bit of himself. Bad news: the legs go away whenever he gets wet and the scims are in his throat so he can't talk, or sing, or use basically any of what little magic he has left.

Does this stop him from attempting to add a sub romance plot to what is already a subplot? No!

Enter nameless kitchen boy. Who for some reason I gave a vague family backstory. Japeth catches them making out in a closet.

Now why is Rhian in Camelot? The twins v2 want to lure out Rafal because they can't have the healing powers + wife + Aric if he's still alive

Also Rafal kept his limp and at least occasionally uses a cane because the Storian is not letting either of them go unpunished for the events of their books.

How is he alive? Idk. Idc.

Anyway at some point there is a massive battle between twins v1. in Camelot's throne room where Rhian seems to get some of his old powers back. At least temporarily.

Depending on your angst levels Rhian might die at the end of it. Or he survives and goes off to lick his wounds with his love interest. Either one.

They might vaguely appear at the ending in a crowd or something. Maybe Japeth brought his siren reinforcement in case something went wrong with the sword hunt. Idk again.

Misc.

Sophie and Rafal might have a Talk about how screwed up his entire family is.

And if there's anything he can do about her face

Rhian is used by v2. as the proper weapon he is and I could not be prouder

He also uses his undetermined relationship label guy to see what's going on around the castle

Is this all of it? No. Is it most of it? Yeah. If there are any questions they will happily be answered.

[dragormir]

So I'm playing SWTOR, and the sad thing is because I'm a weird gay dude all of my toons are queer and this game is distressingly het until later expacs.

Long post under the cut, it's a wall of text, etc.

Alas, poor Saarai. He spent so long trying to get Talos Drellik to notice him, up to and including dragging him along to watch as Saarai flirted ceaselessly with Cytharat until that kiss. Talos didn't even blink. Saarai went further after that, and romanced Theron Shan, an SIS agent and obviously the worst possible choice for a Darth on the Dark Council. Talos still refused to notice him. Saarai has given up and is now happily planning how to play house with Theron in a way that will piss off the most people in the Republic, starting with Theron's parents.

Nydaki is busy friend-zoning and sibling-zoning Kailyo and Raina Temple, and lives in fear of them hitting on him again. Due to severe interpersonal relationship issues caused by his time undercover with Ardun Kothe and his merry little band of weirdos, Nydaki has lost absolutely all interest in even fake relationships. (It doesn't help that both of them make him very uncomfortable, as he is asexual and aromantic, and even his hold on gender is a bit sketchy at times. Great for work, not great for anything else.)

Jjin Ghael is happy with his best friend Risha, and will one day progress from holding hands to actual physical intimacy. She understands and is happy waiting, because a smuggler captain is the most devoted boyfriend in the galaxy, and she has actual guarantees that he will not be wandering.

Betenor is still processing the traumatic incident that left him the only survivor of identical triplets, and will not be pursuing romance. (He does like Aric Jorgan, though, even if he understands that Jorgan may not reciprocate, as they both have Subscriptions TM.)

Tash just straight up doesn't know what's going on around him, and thinks dating is like next level friendship. He is fine playing with the tooka he collects and will not be pursuing anything until someone can explain why dating is better than just being friends. (Also, yes, Tash is queer. He is demi-romantic, much like Jjin.)

Cuyan is sixteen, and spends most of his time trying to deal with a growth spurt that keeps forcing him to go back to the tailors for new kutes. Like most Mandalorians, gender is an irrelevant social construct, both culturally and linguistically, and he only uses one for business purposes. He may eventually find a relationship, but he's happy just bopping around the galaxy as a bounty hunter.

[discjude]

What are your reasons for liking Japeth and hating Rhian II? I'm just curious because Japeth seems to be a hated character in general.

So i pasted what i wrote before into a google doc and it was over a page long so here is a very condensed version, including my original preface. there’s also a tldr at the end if you don't have half an hour

quick preface just in case people get mad at me for this (dovesso stans are gonna hate me after this one):: I am not trying to convince anyone of anything here,,, this is entirely my opinion and I'm absolutely not trying to insult anyone that doesn't like japeth!! I completely respect it if you like rhian, there's a lot of good reasons to like him and as I'm writing this I realise I don't hate him as much as I thought I did. once again this is my opinion and it's alright if you disagree :)))

My reasons for liking Japeth mostly come from how complex his character is and what role he serves in the story. Though rhian is also very complex and i’m a very big fan of him being everything tedros isn’t as a king, liking japeth is mutually exclusive to liking rhian. Other than that, my two other solid reasons for disliking rhian is the way he treats kei (neglecting everyone else who tries to get close to you because you’re prophesied to marry Sophie? Dick move bro) and the fact that he’s ever so slightly homophobic which is neither here or there

Every other reason comes from me liking japeth, which is because::

1) japeth is very very complex and mostly very well written. Chapters like flesh and blood are very clear on what he’s got going on emotionally, he’s got a very solid motivation, and if you’re really looking for it he’s a clear parallel to Rafal. If you have read any of my other posts you will know i am a sucker for parallels

2) also speaking narratively, i think him being the culmination of every other villain in the series is Very Clever!! He’s evelyn and rafal’s child, rhian’s brother, a parallel to sophie and yknow the other one!! It’s very important to me

3) (this is the big one) i think he’s quite misunderstood and i don’t think a lot of his actions were his fault??? Obviously there’s some unforgivable stuff (if you saw what soman posted last week on tiktok you know) and he’s genuinely quite insane by book 6 but it’s made clear in chapters like Rhian and the Real Thing that there is Some Shit Wrong with him, notably issues with anger and becoming too attached to people. Sort of leading on from this, I don’t think that he’s the one solely to blame for his involvement in Camelot years: i think the two main villains of the last half of the series are Evelyn Sader and Aric. 

I Do Not Like Aric and I believe he’s almost entirely responsible for Japeth’s actions: because of Japeth’s over-attachment to him, he internalises a lot of Aric’s beliefs (the misogyny and only referring to them as “friends” are my best examples) and this ultimately leads to some sort of dependency, which kinda fucks japeth up a lot when aric dies.

Similarly the same sort of thing happens with evelyn and rhian. Evelyn forces a lot of prophecies onto Rhian, and that led to his delusions about becoming king which ostracised him from his brother and gives him this idea that anyone who stops him from being king is automatically wrong. 

It’s worth saying that i Do Not Like Everything About Japeth. Some of his writing and dialogue really falls through, and maybe having your first canon queer couple both be absolute psychopaths isn’t a good idea?? While I don’t think the queer rep done through Japeth isnt horrible, it's. Yknow. Not good. It’s also worth saying that i don’t hate everything about Rhian!! I do think he’s also cleverly written and, again, works very well as a parallel to old rhian. 

I think that’s about it and i don’t want to write any more so if you have any further questions (or if you agree with me somehow) please let me know!! It’s also worth noting that i just really like snakes and went a little wild in 2020 when i read about cool snake villain

TL,DR: japeth’s nicely written and i think he’s generally misunderstood, he’s also got some nice parallels going on, I don’t explicitly hate Rhian but i don’t like him because he treats people around him like shit. I also think that Aric and Evelyn are more responsible for the twin’s actions then the twins are themselves. I condensed this all and it's still so long

also:

[tiredassmage]

from the 25 questions post, let's have 1, 7, annnd 14 for trooper!Tyr :)

[25 Character Questions for the Writer] Kicks my feet! Thank you for indulging me. x3

1 - What is your character's favorite food and why?

Keep your high-rated restaurants and meticulously planned dates. Tyr is scouring the streets for the corner food truck selling fried kebabs and greased concoctions. And Elara has, unfortunately, hooked him on Kaasi brandy. She’s taken to smacking him on the shoulder when he breaks out a bottle from Force-knows-not what sources, but it certainly must be to his fancy for him to risk potentially trading with Imperial interests even by proxy or distantly.

Street vendors range from some of the best food you can find this side of the Hydian Way to downright ireputable, and Tyr would like to think many years running past a fair lot of them back and forth to work before his official days in service to the Republic has given him an alright enough eye to discern what you’re looking for. Point him at something with a bit of spice or heat, or a truck with smoke pluming out the side, and he’s going to be eyeing that menu. Leave no stone unturned. The strongest of his cravings would prefer a spot that forgoes such nuisances as cutlery. Dig in with your hands or it’s just not the right stuff.

As for why? It's relatively universal, and a mash of familiar comforts and whatever might be local. It's a bit of an adventure. And Tyr, admittedly, probably doesn't realize that he likes the adrenaline of such. xD

[And now the rest are about to give me lots of emotions below klsnflsdfs]

7 - What does your character miss the most?

Honestly? I think he misses that exhausted look his mother used to give him… a lot. Because he was… a bit of a handful. They moved around a lot, bouncing from job to job - sometimes world to world - for his mother as she could find employment after the nebulous hole his father left behind in their lives (she’d never talk about it, never tell him more than the man was never present, and he didn’t need to be).

As… tends to happen, her rambunctious teen of a son often told her she worried too much, and gave her the crooked smile to match. Yes, even the day she found out he’d been illegally racing swoopbikes for months without telling her.

He promised he’d stay in touch when he up and enlisted with the Republic SIS. He’s kept sending her parts of his paychecks for years now, but getting into SpecForces put strain on a somewhat already burdened relationship. There’s times he misses coming home with his busted lip and scuffed up knees because he got in the way of the wrong type of crowd trying to make it home from the mechanic’s shop or the tracks, the way she’d tilt his head up and click her tongue in disapproval at him before setting their meager dinner preparations aside to clean him up. It was a gentle and stinging love, all at once. She’d always tell him he was going to get in over his head someday.

I think a part of him sometimes wishes he could tell her, you were right, ma. And it sucks. He’s not… very sure of the man he’s grown into. But his mother's love was unconditional still, despite their imperfections. And he's not entirely lost a younger boy's longing for the galaxy to just make sense. And to be told it's all going to be alright.

14 - Who would your character never betray?

Ough, loredumping warning because this is. This one's got a bit of a loaded answer.

It’s a bit of a contradictory answer, but his core teammates of Havoc Squad come to mean a lot to him. Hyroh (@exeuntlegacy ehehehe new blog tag new blog tag) and Aric have been by his side from the beginning and Elara quickly finds a place among the boys. Even if they drive her to wit’s end sometimes. [Please send her some brandy and maybe get her a raise. She’s dealing with far too much of Their Shit sometimes.]

In short, it’s contradictory because he does, technically, start out betraying all of them before he even knows them. As a plant from the SIS in SpecForce to investigate Garza’s command and rumors of SpecForce defections, and given the two departments’ notorious mistrust for one another, the news does… not go well when Tyr pipes up and reveals the truth about his recruitment to the squad and the general after trading information about Havoc’s reason for being on Nar Shadaa freely with their contact there, SIS Agent Jonas Balkar.

But what follows over the next several years of their continued service together in Havoc is admittedly a roller coaster. There’s some highs in their victories, and there’s some definite lows and fuck-ups on Tyr’s part as a young and relatively inexperienced commanding officer - one of them is, indeed, being a once-SIS plant. But ultimately, Tyr’s left to his place in Havoc by the SIS because the squad’s already in a bad way and by General Garza because Tyr, while he says he won’t fight the general if she wants to strip his rank and position in Havoc and SpecForce entirely, does make a fair argument that she’ll only make more problems for herself, and kicking him out will only draw attention and detract from the hunt for Tavus.

Again, not all of this pleases his squadmates. But they don’t ever entirely give up on him in… a way the SIS seems to. He’s cut loose, essentially, traded over to actually fully live in his position with Havoc. And that stings a little, honestly.

Tyr manages to piss off Hyroh several times. Tyr fucks up, really. They have different opinions because of their exposures to the galaxy, to the Republic’s underbelly and its flaws. Tyr’s a bright-eyed idealist and, early on, pretty damn loyal to it to actual fault. Hyroh actually breaks his nose over it when Tyr puts a blaster bolt through Tavus. And, with time, Tyr eventually recognizes he… deserved that, more than likely. [In time, Tyr will express this as a badge of honor, much to Hyroh's embarrassment.]

Aric and him go… a bit back and forth. Jorgan’s a more experienced soldier, a more experienced leader, and in a way scruffs his new Lieutenant carefully by his little scarves and tries to teach him the ropes as best he can because they might as well try not to get each other killed. Tyr’s an alright kid, he’s just. Inexperienced. An idealist. Aric doesn’t like the truth that he’s an SIS spy, but they smooth things out, eventually. They come back around. Havoc’s really the only place left that Tyr has to hold to at that point. The SIS has left him, Garza’s been successfully pissed off that the SIS went around her. He’s really got no choice but to try to work through it with the rest of them. And, despite the initial blow up, Tyr tries. He does. Genuinely. He learns. And Jorgan can’t hold that against him. And he makes Hyroh happy. That’s… still his younger brother, even if their relationship is… only sort of on the mend, at that point.

And Elara is perhaps the most steadfast of his supporters. Her line of, “I’ve always preferred hard truths to easy lies,” really shows up for him. It’s unsettling, sure, but she recognizes it must have taken a lot for Tyr to come forward with his SIS ties willingly, without official orders from his superiors to do so. While she’s less actively a teacher to him, he does learn a lot from her. And, admittedly, he had his reservations at first, her being a former Imperial. But she doesn’t ever let him down. So, the three of them in particular. The rest of the squad, he’s more distant with but, by the end of things, Tyr learns a lot about how you count on the people actively beside you. He learns kinda what drove Tavus to act as he did, even if its several years too late and after he’s gotten a lot of blood on his hands about it. Havoc's not afraid to challenge him when he’s in the wrong. But they haven’t abandoned him, either. He’s made a lot of fucking mistakes along the way. He has. Maybe he doesn’t really deserve their faith in him, but… to Havoc Squad. Whatever this galaxy throws their way, he intends to do his damned best to see them through it together.

This is all sealed particularly by their experiences together on Oricon as part of the wildly under-prepared rescue operation for the forces the Republic had already lost on the planet and then getting roped into fighting the Revanites alongside Theron Shan and Lana Beniko. Tyr's realization of the... kind of systematic flaws in their operations for the Republic, and the Republic's handling of such operations overall is... a kind of gradual and building experience - something Hyroh and Aric, especially, are familiar with well before Tyr has entirely grappled with that particular serpent. So it's... all the more of a statement to him that they never cast him out.

They get real damn begrudging sometimes, lol. Sometimes it's a bit like, how many times must we teach you this lesson, young man? But. Y'know. What's family if you don't occasionally squabble about ideals and execution, I guess?

[endless-bunny]

Pathfinder Iconics Comparison Part 4: Classes Who Got Demoted

[Part 1: Classes with Different Iconics] [Part 2: Core Classes] [Part 3: The Remaining PF2 Classes] [Part 5: Prestige Classes] [Part 6: Who's left?]

We've now seen all 23 of the character classes from PF2, but classes are only part of the story. PF2 is big on granular customisation and one of the big ways you can customise your character is with Archetypes.

Instead of taking abilities from your main class, you can instead opt to take features from an archetype, representing a more focussed area of combat or magical specialisation. A couple of the classes from PF1 exist as archetypes in PF2.

Arcanist

Enora (she/her, Halfling)

The Arcanist is an interesting case. In PF1, it was a Hybrid class that prepared spells like a Wizard but cast them like a Sorcerer. In PF2, it's been expanded into an archetype called "Flexible Preparation" that any prepared spellcaster can take, with "arcanist" being specifically the term used by Wizards.

I love the colouring on Enora's new artwork. All of her key features are here, from her cloak to her accoutrements. Looks like she has a sextant hanging off her belt. Although there is that green wand/staff that she seems to have misplaced between editions. Maybe she broke it (Arcanists in PF1 can destroy magic items to absorb their powers).

Interestingly, this specific illustration of Enora doesn't appear in the body of the book, Secrets of Magic, at all. Instead, it's only featured on the contents page. It might be the only illustration that doesn't appear at least nearby the rules it relates to. This is possibly because the Flexible Preparation archetype is pretty wordy and has a big table, so there's not space for a picture. Still, it's a shame that Enora has been consigned to the frontmatter, a fate I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.

The Arcanist appears in the Advanced Class Guide for PF1, and in Secrets of Magic for PF2.

Cavalier

Alain & Donahan (he/him, Human [Taldan])

The main difference between Alain's PF1 and PF2 designs is that he isn't drawn by Wayne Reynolds. Most of the elements of his outfit and equipment are still present, but he's lost some colour in the transition to the new edition (which is the opposite of what we've seen for the Core classes). I do appreciate that Donahan, his horse, gets to share the spotlight in PF2, since his connection to a mount is kind of the thing that defines a cavalier.

The Cavalier appears in Advanced Player's Guide for PF1, and in the Advanced Player's Guide for PF2.

Vigilante

The Red Raven (he/him, Human, PF1 vs. PF2)

Of all the direct comparisons we've seen so far, this is the only one that I would say is a strict downgrade. For some of them, it's just a question of preference but the PF1 Vigilante art is so gorgeous. That vibrant red, the stoic expression, and all the weaponry, it illustrates everything you need to know about the Vigilante class.

The PF2 Vigilante is not just disgustingly coloured, but the expression is so ugly. The pose is slightly more interesting, looks a little bit more like a superhero rogue ("superherogue"?) but I don't think that's a fair exchange for what we lost.

The character's design hasn't really changed much. The design of the boots is slightly different but that might be a side effect of the funny way Wayne sometimes draws feet. He's got a new cloak clasp and he seems to have lost his whip, plus the specifics of his cloak are a little different, he doesn't seem to have the front piece.

The main "deal" of the Vigilante is a secret identity. The Vigilante is a masked persona that the character assumes, and they lead a double life. On a completely unrelated note, here's a human noble from PF1 named Aric. Don't know what he's doing here, he's clearly not the same guy as the Red Raven.

Aric (he/him, Human) (PF1)

The Vigilante appears in Ultimate Intrigue for PF1, and in the Advanced Player's Guide for PF2.

Antipaladin

Urgraz (he/him, Duergar [Deep Dwarf])

The Antipaladin is, as the name suggests, the antithesis of everything the Paladin stands for. While the Paladin is a paragon of goodness, a holy knight that fights on behalf of the downtrodden, the Antipaladin is selfish and craven, and will do whatever they can to get what they want.

In PF2, the Antipaladin isn't its own class. Like the Paladin, it exists as a subclass of the Champion, and like the Paladin it is only one of three Champions of Evil. A Lawful Evil Champion is a Tyrant, a Neutral Evil Champion is a Desecrator, and the Antipaladin is Chaotic Evil. There are also, apparently, Champions of Neutrality, but we don't have any rules for them as of yet, and given that the Pathfinder Remaster is going to remove Alignment, it seems unlikely we'll get them in so many words.

The Antipaladin is also interesting because, while the Iconic Antipaladin is officially Urgraz, as seen above, he's not the character used to illustrate the class. Instead, it's this guy.

As far as I can tell, this guy isn't a character. I don't know if he has a name (I'll call him Viktor for now, after the alias assumed by Clancy Brown's character, the Kurgan, in Highlander).

In PF1, Viktor seems to revel in being evil. He's a villain that's having fun with what he does. He seems to have lost his joie de vivre in PF2.

The second image here is one of my favourite PF1 illustrations. It just raises so many questions. It's supposed to show Seelah suffering a moral quandary, unable to decide whether she should go to the burning orphanage or the Antipaladin's castle, but

Who put those signs up? How long has the orphanage been burning that they felt the need to put signage for it? Unless that's its name, like it's the "Duncan J. Burning Memorial Orphanage" or something. Why is Viktor just standing right there?

The Antipaladin appears in the Advanced Player's Guide for PF1, and the Advanced Player's Guide for PF2.

Shaman

Shardra Geltl & Kolo (she/her, Dwarf)

This last one is sort of a cheat, since the Shaman doesn't exist as a character option in PF2. Instead, this illustration of the Iconic Shaman Shardra comes from Lost Omens: World Guide. She's used here as an example of a Rivethun Dwarf.

Most of her outfit is intact, she hasn't undergone too many changes. Her clan dagger and satchel are still very prominent on her belt, but she doesn't have her mace or censer with her. Her headdress and other accessories are all pretty much one to one.

In PF1, the Shaman was another Hybrid class. Its parent classes are the Oracle and Witch. The Oracle and Witch both gain their powers from abstract entities, and the same is true of the Shaman, who communes with the spirits of nature to gain its powers.

The Shaman appears in the Advanced Class Guide for PF1.

The PF1 Iconic Shifter from Ultimate Wilderness, Zova, also appears in an illustration in PF2's Lost Omens: Mwangi Expanse but it's not an individual character shot like it is for Shardra, so she's not included here. There might also be PF1 Iconics in other Lost Omens books, but I haven't looked through them all in great detail. Do let me know if I've missed something.

Next time we'll take a look at the remaining Prestige Classes from the first edition Core Rulebook. Like I mentioned in the previous post, they aren't characters per se, but it's interesting to see how the characters have been translated over.

[relevant-url-incoming]

aaaaand here is some pre-relationship Aric Jorgan/Trooper nonsense. if you think there's some weirdness about Ven yes i made her a time traveller and i regret nothing. it really doesn't matter to the snippet that much it's just fun flavour

Ven bit her lip, trying to stay hidden as she peeked around the corner. They were almost to Taris, and therefore to the mission. Jorgan would no doubt chew her out for bad leadership or something if she started a conversation that was about anything other than that, never mind that they wouldn’t be able to plan any more until they touched down and heard from the local troops. But they’d been a team for months now, on Ord Mantell and Coruscant, and she felt like she barely knew him. Not that she wanted to know him, really. He was an ass.

But they were stuck together. She ought to be nice to him, and if he kept up his usual behaviour at least she could walk around feeling superior that she’d been the good one of the two of them. Just like when she fought with Nalyan as a kid.

Ven had never been above petty revenge.

“Armory still have the same number of blasters as yesterday?” she asked, leaning casually in the doorframe as though she hadn’t waited behind the wall for minutes, debating with herself. To her disappointment, her entrance didn’t faze him at all.

“This may shock you to learn, Lieutenant, but blasters require regular care,” he said. Ven scowled, snatching the one in his hand up before she could think better of it. Deftly, she disassembled it and inspected the pieces. He’d already cleaned it, to her chagrin.

“Missed a spot,” she grumbled, shoving the offending piece back at him. He narrowed his eyes, but said nothing as he cleaned out the small cranny she’d pointed out. When finished, he held his hand out expectantly. Ven passed him back the blaster pieces one at a time, hating herself for rising to his bait.

“You’re pretty good with a pistol,” he remarked, startling her. “Seems smaller than your usual.”

“We all get pistol training, Jorgan,” Ven said. “And blaster rifles, sniper rifles – Basic training hasn’t changed in the past… how long’s it been since you went through it?”

He glared at her.

“Most heavy gunners don’t bother to keep the skills sharp. And I don’t remember those flourishes from Basic training.”

Ven blinked. Was he talking about the casual spin she always gave a pistol when drawing it, the same spin she’d used to snatch this one from him? She didn’t even know where she’d learned that. It just felt better.

“Military family,” she said. “Including some very… unorthodox fighters for uncles. My uncle Cody used to give seminars on the best ways to punch droids without breaking a finger.”

To her surprise, Jorgan laughed.

“So this was a family thing for you?” he asked, setting the pistol down. Ven couldn’t muster any words for a second, startled. Was he actually reaching out? The thing she’d been trying to convince herself to do so she could have the moral high ground?

Damn him, now he had the moral high ground!

Ven refused to be outdone.

“You mean the army,” she said. “In a manner of speaking. I’m not exactly some officer’s daughter, if that’s what you’re implying.”

“I was just curious,” he said. “Touchy subject?”

“My family’s great!” Ven snapped. Jorgan bristled at her tone.

“Excuse me for asking,” he said. “Sir.”

Ven grimaced. That one was her fault. Moral high ground, indeed.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them,” she said. “I… may not ever get to see them. Again.”

“Sorry to hear that,” he said.

“My dad’d be pissed that I bit your head off just for asking,” Ven admitted. “Especially – commanding officer and all. I’m sorry.”

He studied her for a long moment.

“You mentioned him before, when we… talked about leadership.”

Ven snorted.

“You mean when you confronted me and all but accused me of not being good enough?”

“I don’t think you really want me to apologise, given how happy it makes you to prove me wrong,” he retorted. Ven laughed, startled. Was Jorgan actually smiling?

“Take it your dad’s the reason you ended up here?”

“He raised me to fight,” Ven said. “We never really had another choice growing up. So he taught me what a soldier should do, and what a commanding officer owes the people under them, and – he taught me how many people don’t do right by that code. So I do right by it.”

That might have been too much information. It certainly left Jorgan quiet and thoughtful as he checked another rifle.

“You grow up in Imperial space, then?” he asked finally. For a moment, she wanted to really answer his question – yes, but she was born Republic, and the Republic she’d known only briefly had her heart more than this healthy one ever could, because it was her father’s. Yes, but the Empire was a revenant, a parasite, not a being in its own right the way the Empire Jorgan knew was. Yes, but nothing Ven could tell him would convey the truth.

But she didn’t owe Jorgan the truth anyway. They were a team, and a good one, but they didn’t have to be friends. Ven didn’t think he wanted that any more than she did.

“Believe me when I say this isn’t personal, Jorgan,” Ven said. “But that’s really none of your business.”

[literaryscribs]

Long wall incoming because character breakdown for mr Aric of Jorgan today.

Sooo I cheated a bit and looked up the Aric date night stuff since I'm holding off for special reasons.

I found his responses rather interesting, particularly when the initial flirty mood subsides a bit and he voices some of his feelings. Actual concerns and worries. Fears that he'll someday miss a vital shot and someone he cares for will get hurt.

This wasn't the kind of thing he'd used to voice, much less write more that a quarter of a page's worth about in letters.

Which in turn, leaves some implications in it's place instead.

I've noticed a shift in his attitude pre and post KotFE/ET. Pre Kotfe he was much less willing to be open for fear of appearing soft in front of the eyes of others.

When it came to his feelings and expressing them it was always on the ship when he and the fem-trooper were near guaranteed to be alone. Flirting he was confident with, implying that he'd done such things before and probably had experience in at least the tension release aspect of things.

Go further and he starts expressing insecurity, he's not sure how to handle himself when things get serious. Much less know how to act considering the person he really really likes is also his CO which in RL military their relationship would get them automatically split up, if not thrown out due to conflict of interest and issues with the power dynamic. Doubly so if you chose him for promotion over Dorne.

Though he's largely unaware of his own emotional impact on his partner. How they'd feel if he was suddenly lost in the line of duty. The game unfortunately doesn't capture this aspect well but I'll save the rant on the player character's emotional range to the end.

Anyway despite that, he knows what he wants and is unwilling to let you go but prefers expressing it physically over fancy language. Waiting until the very end before saying that he loves you. His gifts are things that're useful and in one case, also appealing to him (if that body suit attachment gift is still present).

But hey, the future's bright and he can dream about kids and a white picket fence maybe ten years down the track yeah?

Nnnnope.

During Kotfe/et his personality shifts a bit. He's become disillusioned with the Republic, not enough to fight against them but enough so he can't fight with them either at current. Upon reunion with his wife (who he wasn't told by Theron that she survived) his first immediate reaction to being hugged is to respond in kind.

Toward the end of the chapter when all hope seems lost, he'll actively say he loves her in front of others. One last set of words to make up for what he missed last time.

As chapter 11 goes on you can see his leadership style has also changed from how you met him on Ord Mantell to something mimicking yours (interpretation can be seen differently depending on if light or dark choices were made in leadership). Either way he's more calm and authoritative rather than the usual order barking he used to do to you. Seems like he's done some reflecting.

At the camp he's more open to expressing himself to his wife. What he'd been up to. How he'd been losing sleep, implying that he missed her immensely. Even going to active reassurance that her nightmares weren't real when continuing their relationship.

He almost punches out Theron to go look for you on Iokath claiming that he just "wanted to go for a walk with his *favourite* commander". He'll also threaten to grab you from the giant droid during that segment on open comms so everyone definitely heard him.

He'll do it again but in front of the entire Alliance during chapter...12 or 13 (I think, it's been a while) provided you choose Kaliyo over him and try ordering him to stay back. He'll also do it once more if you execute him which...that option can go die in a hole. Sorry I hate the fact that it's there and that it exists.

That aside, as the chapters go on his attitude shifts from simply majority expressing his feelings physically to actually saying them. He worries before you go to fight Arcann that she's not going to make it and gets annoyed when you try to deflect with humor.

You can inspire him or kiss him for luck on the Gravestone as he tells you to be safe, something he hasn't done before. Come post Umbara he'll send mail noticing the irony of the situation with spy boi and comparing him to Tavus. However he'll state that he "always fought for you" making clear where his allegiance is, not just in reassurance but in telling his wife that he always has her back no matter what.

Then cue a long long radio silence until date night.

Don't get me wrong, I was well aware of Timothy Omundson's stroke and health issues. The poor guy's been through the wringer in not just recovery but also GETTING work in general. I'm just wishing there was more mail from all love interests in general to see their views on things as they happen since I feel their input can be valuable. If not just limited to support.

Now we come to date night and I'm glad for the gold mine of feelings. I love the dynamic he and his partner have, I like the fact they're actually joking and tormenting one another. He teases, she responds and vice versa. I like the fact that they clearly have a healthy sex life to boot. But I like the fact that here and via his letter after the date, he's actually expressing himself.

However, he also expresses fear. Concern that he'll miss a vital shot and someone will get hurt. The pressure and what's riding on him is getting heavy since he didn't quite anticipate things going to the degree they have been. The Alliance, regardless of who they've allied with, is still a military group flying by the seat of it's pants despite it being shredded somewhat by the loss of the Eternal Fleet, people who weren't willing to defect from the Empire and now currently the Mandalorians being in shambles. There's a possibility our original faction might likely get sick of the Alliance existing as well.

On the positive, Aric actively states that he tries to emulate and live up to his partner's example of leadership and command. Still overworking the troops a bit since he and Aygo get on like a enabling house on fire but a leadership style that's calmer without the belittling or insults attached.

He admires his partner and he beams with pride as he watches her take her shots. But there's no mocking or anything if they choose to relax and miss a few. Just some light teasing instead since he knows how good they can be when the situation counts for it. He also knows damn well how he can get under his partner's skin if he wants to, saving that round 3 privately for inside.

The pressure's real heavy and it's something he warned his partner about all the way back in vanilla.

Regardless he appreciates his partner's support, reassurance and general presence despite how busy they are off screen (presumably. I'm hoping that dev department isn't keeping the 1:1 ratio of RL = Game time passing at the moment). He makes it clear as such in his letter. But he's never expressed how lonely he's been at times, he's aware of his attitude tending to cause a level of distance between himself and others, but he's never let on how isolated he's felt despite making no apologies for it.

Particularly when in class story Aric romance he gets heavily injured but all parties just shrug it off and continue like he didn't almost die on the floor that afternoon and spent a solid week in the medbay afterward. I get remaining stoic for the job but just...something extra in the worry department.

This kind of self assessment never happened before and I find that I like the change. He's aware of his faults but also appreciates his partner for making up for what he lacks like two halves of a whole. The same but also completing one another.

I also have a hunch he has a degree of survivors guilt over what with the Deadeyes despite the arc with Zane finishing, what happened to their partner when Arcann first attacked, as well as what happened with Havoc twice over. With the trooper's Havoc basically falling apart or being ripped apart by Saresh and his Havoc basically sacrificing themselves for a near fool's errand due to mismatched team personalities. It doesn't surprise me he's trying to make up for lost time as well as live up to the lives that were lost.

I like on the end how he wants to make more time more frequently for his partner too. I'm hoping that it leaves some implication that we'll see and have more content with him yet even though it's slow. Though at this rate I'll happily pay for more date night content if it means it goes to where it should be in the dev process, hiring more people and just providing game support.

Anywho, onto the player character. Even though a lot of people hated Kotfe and Kotet for what it did to their toons, I liked what it set out to do. I also liked that it gave the player character a bit more of a personality in terms of teasing, being afraid or in pain which vanilla did a bit of but not enough. Though this was dependent on class story and even then what I deem as emotion depiction is very...subjective. What I see won't be what someone else does. Since then I'm reminded of having the emotional range of a brick with a face pasted on outside of specific moments in time.

However I do miss something that was present in kotet that i really really wish was available through all game content where comps have a active role. Quick example: "Aric Jorgan is amused". It appears in chapter 11 of Kotfe where you make jokes about being rusty taking his orders again.

I MISS THIS. I WANT THIS BACK.

Reason why? So, I'm on the autistic spectrum. Part of this lovely condition is that other than being relatively face blind, I have difficulty reading facial expressions. I know the big happy, sad, angry ones. It's the finer ones in between.

I was so happy seeing those little pointers telling me someone's mood. Particularly Aric being happy besides approving about something. It gave me silly excited giddy feelings and I want those back. The notes, the giddy feelings also help hah. But mainly so I can understand how the companions are feeling about things rather than just guessing by tone or looking at the scene context.

For extra bonus have a clip with Tim/Aric singing about a little dragon from 8 years back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iCzOllSjLU

[x-ceirios-x]

jensen

template based on this post

Basics

Name: Jensen Adrián Ashfair

Birthplace: Idris

Places Lived: Idris, New York

Current Residence: New York

Birthday: February 14, 1995

Age: 11-12

Species: shadowhunter/nephilim

Appearance

Hair: light brown/dirty blond

Eyes: green

Height: 5'6

Clothing style: basic jeans, tshirts, sometimes basketball shorts if it's hot out. comfort over fashion

Face Claim: Bryce McKenzie

Family

Mother: Mollie Ashfair (deceased)

Father: Aric Ashfair

Sibling(s): Rowan Ashfair

Other Important Relatives: Patrick Penhallow (maternal uncle), Jia Penhallow (aunt), Aline Penhallow (cousin), Guinevere Verlac (maternal aunt), Émile Verlac (uncle), Sebastian Verlac (cousin), Élodie Verlac (aunt through marriage)

Closest Friends: Max Lightwood, Emma Carstairs, Julian Blackthorn

Romantic interest: none

Past Relationship(s): none

Personality

Jensen is, in a word, a lover. He's never been a fan of fighting and the shadowhunter life, but he'll put up with it if it means he gets to see his family. He loves with all his heart and is constantly trying to find ways to make people's lives easier with little things around the Institute. He likes small trinkets and shiny things, even if it means an acorn from the park where he and Max like to hang out a lot. He's an artist at heart and sees the world in such a different way compared to the rest of the shadowhunters---not in a way that requires he always watch his back, but in a way that makes him look forward and see what potential is ahead of him. He's never met someone that shares his view like that and it's particularly isolating.

Likes: reading (specifically modern fantasy novels), doodling, hiding in his little attic space with max until odd hours of the night to finish that one book together, cozy blankets, flowers

Dislikes: loud noises, the Big Light in his room, plain/bare walls that have space for decoration

Hobbies: going on walks, reading, random walking around places with max

Fear(s): spiders. and a little bit vampires, but that's mostly because of the places they hang out (which have spiders)

Shadowhunter Information

Familial Symbol: mountains for the Penhallow family, ashfair family doesn't have one

Institute Base: New York

Weapon: he doesn't have a distinct weapon considering he's still in training

Fighting Style: undefined

Favoured rune(s): friendship/parabatai rune, guidance, healing/iratze, voyance

Parabatai (if any): would-be Max Lightwood

Favorites/Least Favorites

Food: Maryse's famous chocolate chip cookies

Drink: slushies or a good hot cocoa from java jones with rowan and izzy

Colour: green! or yellow

Season: spring

Scent: burning wood

Music: 2000-2010s indie rock

Time of day: sunrise

Movie: LOTR series

Background

Jensen was born in Idris in 1995 to parents Aric and Mollie Ashfair, three and a half years after his older sibling, Rowan. He barely remembers the time he spent in Idris---most of his memories start with the New York Institute. He learned about his mother's death and then found himself halfway across the world with new people. However, there was another young boy like himself there, and the two got close quickly.

He and Max spent a lot of time together---when given the option, he preferred to go with Maryse and Robert when they left New York. He liked traveling and didn't like being without Max for weeks at a time. Growing up, Rowan was busy with their own friends and the "big kids" didn't want to play with their baby brother.

He did his lessons under Hodge, but since he was younger and less naturally apt, he fell closer in line with Max's training. The two would play-fight with swords most of the time and did a lot of book work together. They stayed attached at the hip most of the time, one always just behind the other in whatever they were doing.

He was eleven when Maryse received a panicked call from the Institute and was informed she and Robert needed to return urgently. He didn't really know what was going on, but they rushed home from Idris much sooner than he wanted to. It was rare he got to see his dad, and when they visited was the rare time he did.

to be continued

Extra Family Information:

Mollie Ashfair+ (formerly Penhallow) is the older sister to Patrick and Guinevere* Penhallow.

Patrick married Jia Ke and they had their daughter, Aline Penhallow.

Guinevere* married Émile* Verlac and they had a son, Sebastian Verlac. Émile* is the brother of Élodie Verlac.

all characters with a * are canon, unnamed characters that I gave namesall characters with a + are ocsref

[cinlat]

Whiskey and Tihaar: Rishi - Part Three

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three

You can read it by following the above links (for better formatting), or below the cut.

--This AU is purely self-service. Most chapters will feature a mutual’s OC that they have graciously trusted me with. Everything about this universe is my excuse to play with Fynta and Aric in different roles and have them interact with all the original characters in this fandom that I’ve come to love. Thanks everyone!

Chapter Summary: Aric and Fynta continue to butt heads with no clear winner in sight. There are lies, spies, pirates, and disappointment.

Word Count: 7,753

Guest Character: @sleepswithvillains​ lovely Elenora

Rishi Raider’s Cove Safe House

Aric sat in the corner, eyes closed and senses attuned to the room surrounding him. To his left, Agent Shan tapped out a methodical rhythm on his datapad, neurons firing too rapidly to be natural. While the spy projected aloof awareness, Aric felt a stir of frustration from the man any time one of his devices malfunctioned. No doubt the Sith women sensed it too.

A rat scurried along a beam in the ceiling, distracting Aric with its frantic drive to reach the end of its journey. He admired the animal’s single minded determination, longing for the days of his youth when everything had been either right or wrong. Where working with the enemy didn’t equal the greater good. 

When the rat broke through a hole in the roof, Aric felt the creature’s exhilaration. Then, its life was snuffed out, replaced by the keen intelligence of the gull whose nestlings would eat another day. Aric sighed at the inevitability of life and death and brought his focus back to his self appointed task.

“Is that wise?” The whispered words wouldn’t have registered to a human, but Aric picked them out easily. Lana and Fynta stood across the room, heads together while they carried on a jerky conversation. 

Aric studied the women through the Force, keeping his meditative ruse while memorizing their patterns. Fynta stood out in the void, boiling magma beneath an eroding crust of self control. In contrast, Lana was a durasteel cage. There was an unprecedented power in the woman, and no way through the defenses that she’d meticulously cultivated. Had she not been his temporary ally, Aric might be tempted to search for a weak spot. As it stood, he could only handle the attention of one Sith at a time; Fynta occupied more than her share of his concentration. 

Even now, Aric felt the filament-thin strands of her essence reaching for him. They tangled around his thoughts like vines, always searching for access. Each dissolved with minimal effort, but there were more to replace them. Were it not so bothersome, Aric would have been impressed by Fynta’s ability to multitask. 

“No,” Fynta snorted as Aric dispatched another attempt to breach his shields, then lowered her voice. “But, I don’t see a choice. I can bribe, threaten, or torture every dock worker on Rishi, but until I know what to look for, it does me no good.”

Lana’s quiet said more than her words. “She would make a powerful ally, but dragging her into this mess might cause unforeseen complications in the Empire.”

The heavy sound of a hand against thick fabric made Aric jump. He peeked open one eye to find Fynta gripping Lana by the shoulders. “I’ll be vague, but Darth Nemesis is our best bet.” 

The name sent a chill up Aric’s spine. He’d been tasked with finding Nemesis three years ago when the woman’s reputation for unchecked violence had reached the Order. His palms itched with the need to act, but Aric calmed his breathing and listened while Fynta continued. “She doesn’t know I’m here, and I doubt she’ll want to once she does.” Her face split into a brilliant grin that made Aric uncomfortable. “Trust me.”

Rolling her eyes, Lana sighed. “Very well, but be sure that you aren’t followed.” Aric’s ears twitched with an unnatural buzzing, and his pulse increased before he could stop it. 

Just as quickly as it had begun, the hum settled back into silence. Aric sank into the stillness, eyes closed while his senses reached outward for movement on instinct rather than conscious thought. If not for the sudden spike of pain in his left temple, Aric wouldn’t have realized that a threat loomed over him. 

With a gasp, Aric’s eyes snapped open to find Lana studying him barely a foot from where he sat. Blinking, he searched the room for Fynta and found it empty. The pull at the corner of Lana’s mouth was the only indication that she suspected Aric had been eavesdropping. “Sorry, Master Jorgan, did I disturb you?”

Aric pushed to his feet, finding his corner smaller than he remembered when Lana didn’t give ground. Burying his irritation, he glared down at the woman. “Where is the other one?”

“Other one?” Lana’s head tilted, then she effected a soft laugh. “Oh, you mean Fynta. She stepped out for a moment. Don’t worry, she’ll return shortly.” 

Growling, Aric shoved past the Sith. Theron sat up and offered a quizzical look, made the connection between Aric’s temper and Fynta’s absence, then let out a curse. “Find her, Jorgan.” For her part, Lana’s casual acceptance never slipped, though Aric assumed she had a way of warning Fynta.

Aric snatched his cloak from the hanger by the door and stormed into the evening humidity without a word to the humans left behind. Once outside, he paused to take in his surroundings. Aric knew that he wouldn’t find Fynta’s Force trail. She’d proven herself adept at hiding it in the alleyway where he’d been ambushed, but he had her scent, and that carried well in the heavy air. 

Taking a few subtle breaths, Aric let the air wash over his sensory palette until something familiar registered. It was spice and blaster oil combined with the heat of a raging storm. He started in that direction, unsurprised when the trail led him to the docks. Concern settled in Aric’s stomach as he recalled Fynta’s threat against the people who worked there. She was searching for something, and Aric knew that a woman like Fynta would go to any lengths to get it.

A brisk wind ruffled the edge of Arics robes and brought the smell of salt and rain. He lost the trail, triggering a moment of dismay, until a door snapped open in the side alley. The cool air carried Fynta’s scent, along with greasy food, stale bodies, and bad ale. Aric found himself beneath a sign that read Den of Thieves. It shouldn’t have surprised him that Fynta had chosen such an aptly named venue to conduct her interrogation.

Aric waited for a patron to exit, then slipped through the gap into a dimly lit room that was smaller than expected. Instead of thumping music and rhythmic lights, the wood paneled walls carried a feeling of intimacy. A staircase at the opposite side advertised room prices and time limits, making it clear the sort of establishment Fynta had led him to. 

Before Aric could choose a direction, another door in the back slid open to reveal the path his quarry had taken. Ignoring the intrigued glances from the numerous females lounging around the room, Aric ducked his head and followed Fynta’s trail. He’d expected to be stopped, but no one barred his path. Perhaps once a customer left the establishment, they were no longer the owner’s concern. After all, credits spent in the back alley didn’t benefit the owner the same as credits spent upstairs.

Low voices and throaty laughter steered Aric away from the main street. He found Fynta and her prey in the shadows of a balcony, their bodies close together. Fynta held the man against the wall, hand splayed across his chest while her other worked out of sight. The couple was nothing more than a silhouette from Aric’s angle, two shades against a grey background.

The man grunted, and Aric ducked deeper into the gloom cast by the storm. He could leave and let Fynta have her way with what was sure to be a criminal. The man likely deserved whatever fate the Sith had planned for him once her task was complete. But, what if he’s not, a small voice sneered in the back of Aric’s mind. Could Aric leave this stranger to untold torture at the hands of a Sith simply for the sake of expediency? If he did, how did that make him different from his enemies?

“Ah,” The man laughed, though his breath wheezed with effort. “Easy there, I’m not a young man anymore.” 

Fynta did something that jarred her entire body, and the man hissed. Aric moved before he realized that he’d made the choice, a growl building in his throat before calling Fynta’s name. Both Sith and man went still at his approach with matching expressions of alarm, though likely for different reasons.

The atmosphere charged with an unnatural electricity, but the man pinned to the wall didn’t seem to notice. Angry tendrils snapped at Aric like whips through the Force. He pushed on, letting them deflect off of his shield while maintaining eye contact with Fynta. They communicated through body language and will, having reached the conclusion that neither would concede by the time Aric’s steps brought him even with the pair.

Pulling away from her mark, Fynta folded her arms with an expectant glare while the man cleared his throat. “You uh...you her handler?” 

With effort, Aric kept his eyes away from the human, a weathered old man with at least fifteen years on the woman he’d followed into the alley. Instead of answering, he focused on Fynta. “This is your brilliant strategy?” He could see the edges of rumpled clothing out of the corner of his eye, and forced his mind away from the implications. 

Though the man hadn’t seen it as torture, Fynta likely would have turned to that eventually. Sith had a reputation for using sex as a weapon. The endorphins released during such acts addled even the best mental defences, allowing Sith to slip into the minds of their victims and destroy them. Given the lack of arousal in her scent, Fynta had no intention of following through on whatever promise had lured the man there.

“Have you got a better one?” Fynta asked, unmoved by Aric’s scorn. Her defiance was tangible, bitter on his tongue as it pressed against his mind.

Sighing, Aric turned to the man, meeting wide, brown eyes, and added another layer of command to his voice. “You will give this woman the information she seeks, then go in peace.”

The man blinked, then wet his lips. “But, she ain’t asked me for anything yet. We was just negotiating price when—”

“Di’kut,” Fynta spat, cutting the man off. Her fist shot out before Aric could react. The man’s expression when slack, eyes rolling back in his head, then he crumpled into a heap against the wall. Fynta let out an irate snarl and shoved Aric hard enough to move him back one step. “You don’t think that was my first choice?”

“So your next best plan was to seduce him?” Aric felt a hint of defensiveness edge into his voice and batted it back down. “Crawl inside and gut the man’s mind while he thanked you for it?”

Fynta squatted next to the man, rummaging through his pockets while she spoke. “You’d rather it be painful?” 

It wasn’t a denial, and Aric grappled with a response that wouldn’t sound petulant. Fynta let out a cheer and rocked back onto her heels. With open arms, she gestured at the unconscious man. “Do me a favor, strip him.”

“What?” Aric’s protest fell on deaf ears as Fynta balanced the man’s datapad on her thigh while fishing the comm out of her pocket. A moment later, Agent Shan appeared in her palm.

“I need some advice on slicing a burner datapad.” Fynta set the comm on the ground next to Aric’s foot while she gave her attention to the stolen device. Huffing, the Sith turned the screen towards Shan. “Got any ideas?”

The spy’s gaze fixed on the unconscious man Fynta had set him in view of. “Is he dead?”

“That’s the Jedi’s fault,” Fynta replied. Her glare lifted to Aric, and he took a step away from everyone and folded his arms. He would not take the blame for the state of Fynta’s mark, nor would he debase himself by undressing the man for dubious purposes. 

Rolling her eyes, Fynta steered the conversation back on task. “He’s fine, now can we move this along?” She tapped a finger in the corner of the screen to drag Shan’s attention to where she wanted it. 

While Theron and Fynta discussed the finer points of slicing, Aric watched the older man’s chest rise and fall with the peaceful rhythm of sleep. Fynta had moved before even Aric’s honed defenses could register the threat. He recalled the way she’d struck in the alleyway, with viper-like speed and a precision that raised chills along his spine. Despite her casual persona, Fynta Wolfe would be a dangerous foe. 

“Finally,” Fynta growled, and Aric nearly missed the datapad that Fynta tossed to him. He fumbled the device for three terrifying seconds before finally securing it in his grasp. For her part, Fynta carried on without acknowledging his almost slip. “Regi here is a foreman for the unregistered dock system. Since you’re so squeamish, I’ll do the grunt work, and you can dig through his files.”

Aric gripped the datapad in front of him like a shield. “Why are you—” Fynta snapped her fingers and pointed at the device without looking up. With a grumbled curse, Aric complied. 

The burner device held little by way of personal identification, which Aric assumed was the point. There were several notes about meeting places and times scrawled in shorthand that gave no indication of what they were for. If Regi didn’t wake soon, he’d miss the next one. Another file flashed images on the screen that Aric backed out of as soon as he opened them, deciding that he would not find the information Fynta sought there. He had just located the information on several docks hidden in the jungle when Fynta started on the man’s trousers. 

Curling his lip, Aric initiated the transfer to his personal device and dropped the burner next to Regi. “Can’t leave the man with some dignity?” Fynta had torn the buttons from his shirt and left it hanging open, one boot tossed across the alley.

Fynta chuckled, closed her eyes, and pressed the tips of her index and middle finger to the center of Regi’s forehead. The man groaned, twitched in his sleep, then puffed a few breaths in quick succession. Fynta’s eyes popped open and she smiled. “There. He’ll wake with a smile on his face. Did you get what we needed?”

“Yeah,” Aric answered, frozen between fascination and horror. “What did you—”

Fynta interrupted the question that Aric wasn’t sure he wanted an answer to. “Come on. That took longer than expected and a storm’s blowing in. We need to reach these points before it blows over.” She grabbed the sleeve of Aric’s robe and hauled him down the alleyway without a backward glance at her victim. He followed in a state of shock. The thought of pulling away from her didn’t occur to him until they broke onto the main boardwalk.

Yanking his arm free from the woman, Aric glanced up at the sky. Angry clouds swirled overhead with the promise of natural violence. Thunder rolled closer with each wave that struck the boardwalk, and the smell of sweat and body odor had been replaced by the scent of foreign wind. The first spatter of rain struck Aric between his eyes, and he lifted the hood of his robes to protect him from others. “What do you mean, wake with a smile?”

Fynta turned an infuriating grin on Aric, one that left little doubt in his mind what she’d done, only, he didn’t know how. Reaching out, Aric searched for untapped potential that she could have hidden from him earlier, but all he found was a void in the center of the maelstrom.

“Nice try,” Fynta laughed, turning his advances away with ease. The woman lifted her face into the misting rain and drew in a deep breath. The sound when she released it got caught between amusement and resignation. “Come on, Jetii, I need to make a call.”

Rishi Raider’s Cove Hawker’s Alley

The peels of thunder grew closer together, and the wind strengthened by the time Fynta and Aric crossed the boardwalk. The Cathar glanced at the sky, then huddled deeper into his hood. “Will this take long?”

A steady mist had begun to slick Fynta’s hair to her face. She clawed the tie off her wrist and pulled the damp strands back for some relief. “Afraid you’re going to melt?” Aric’s cold eyes glowed with annoyance from the depths of his cowl. Sighing, Fynta looked for a respite and settled on a covered alcove. With a shove, she moved Aric under the awning and crowded in behind him. 

Between the two of them, there was barely room to shelter from the rain. Fynta wedged herself between Aric and the wall, then fished her comm out of the pocket jammed against his hip. When Aric started to protest, Fynta pressed a finger against his lips. “Not a word, or you’ll get us both killed, understand?” She shouldn’t make this call with a witness, but the Cathar had proven troublesome to shake. Besides, if matters went the way she expected, Aric might benefit from the information.

Fynta took the Cathar’s narrowed eyes as compliance and dialed a frequency that she wasn’t supposed to know. Usually, Fynta tried to avoid direct contact with Ucevi’s associates, especially when they veered into the murky status of friendship, but this was an unprecedented circumstance, and Fynta didn’t have time to traverse the normal lines of communication. Hopefully, the Sith Blooded woman would understand.

The combination of Fynta and Aric’s breath warmed the small space. He shifted, pressing her elbow deeper into a surprisingly firm stomach. Fynta found herself distracted by the movement, noticing the places where she could feel the heat of Aric’s body against hers between armored plates.

“This had better be important.” Red eyes blinked in the bright light from her holo, and Fynta scrambled to remember the reason for her call. 

“Forgive the hour, Darth Nemesis.” Fynta had neglected to factor in the time difference between Dromund Kaas and Rishi, but it was her counterpart’s reaction that gave her pause. Lightning flashed in Aric’s eyes as he stared at the Chiss in Fynta’s hand. She brushed his consciousness and found the recognition that she’d dreaded. Jedi Master Aric Jorgan knew who Darth Nemesis was, and Fynta had just introduced them.

Elenora yawned, tucking a strand of pale hair behind her ear while gesturing for Fynta to continue. Taking a breath, she crossed a line that there hadn’t been time to draw. “I understand that you are the closest thing Darth Nox has to a political rival. I’m in need of any intel you might have.”

The change from half asleep to fully alert was visible as Elenora sat up and tugged on a robe. “Does Grandmother know that you’re calling me?” There was a note of suspicion in the Sith’s voice, and Fynta let her eyes lift to Aric for the briefest moment. She hoped it was enough confirmation for the woman to understand that they weren’t alone.

“This is time sensitive,” Fynta answered. She felt Aric’s chest expand against her arm, then his breath on her cheek when he exhaled. Chills erupted on Fynta’s skin, heightened by the cold wind that whipped through their shelter.

“So, that’s a no.” The Chiss rolled away from the camera. Fynta fought down the vertigo that came from being carried while not actually moved. Within minutes, Darth Nemesis was seated at what Fynta assumed was her desk with datapad in hand. “I’d heard that you were on special assignment. What can I do for you?”

Though the nature of their relationship was still cloudy, Fynta knew that Elenora spent time at the same organization that employed her. Given the way that Ucevi acted around the Chiss, Fynta assumed they shared a bond that went beyond simple politics. She had never been curious enough to ask, and spying on the woman who had saved her life went against Fynta’s personal code.

“I’ve got a lead.” Fynta wasn’t sure how much Ucevi had shared about her time on Rishi, so she wouldn’t volunteer any information that wasn’t pertinent. Whatever conclusions that Elenora drew would be limited only by her imagination. “I need information, namely about any habits or weaknesses that might prove useful. Travel methods too, if possible.”

A single, white brow lifted. “An interesting request.” Elenora made the comment as if they were discussing dinner plans that neither intended to keep. For one terrifying moment, Fynta wondered if the woman would refuse her.

Darth Nemesis wasn’t the average Sith, even by the standards that Fynta knew. She was soft, kind, and the image of fairy-tale royalty. It didn’t take much to picture the regal Chiss on a throne of pillows, surrounded by beautiful servants with a delicate tiara atop her mass of pale curls. And yet, Fynta had heard the woman speak, and knew the authority in her voice. Elenora was a leader who could incite movement within the Empire. That, along with Ucevi’s endorsement, had been enough for Fynta.

When Fynta didn’t offer more detail, Elenora’s other eyebrow joined the first. “You’ve found him.” It wasn’t a question, so Fynta didn’t answer. Tapping on her datapad, Elenora nodded. “Very well, I’ve sent you the most recent report from my spies within his employ. They can’t get close, nor will I ask them to, but perhaps you can find something helpful in it.”

Fynta’s datapad chimed, and she released a careful breath. “You have my thanks. Wish me luck.”

The other woman tipped her head, a single ringlet frozen mid-fall in the split second between the call disconnecting and Elenora’s image flickering out of existence. Fynta tucked the holo away, then twisted to retrieve her datapad. Aric grunted when her arm bumped him, but Fynta ignored it and scrolled through Elenora’s report. It was less than half of what Fynta had hoped for, but there were mentions of three different ship models, an observation of a limp in the morning and after he’d sat for long periods, and a bare bones description of the weapons Nox favored. It would have to do.

“It’s not much, but…” Fynta turned the device around for Aric to read, holding it close enough that the Cathar had to lean back to focus on the words. If they were going to work together, there was no point in hoarding information. “If any of these ships are still here, they’ll be at one of Regi’s secret docks.”

Aric’s gaze shifted from Fynta’s screen to her eyes, and she felt his trepidation like a punch to the stomach. They would need to discuss Darth Nemesis before long. Instead of voicing his concerns, Aric pressed closer to Fynta until they were chest to chest. He fumbled his personal device from beneath his robes. After swiping across the screen a few times, Aric pointed to the map they’d stolen from Regi. “Only a few of these fit the requirements for the type of ships on that list.” Aric rubbed his chin, then poked one of the points to enlarge it. “This has the clearest escape route.”

“Works for me. And look, there’s a break in the rain.” Fynta started to squeeze past the Cathar, but he held her back. Strong fingers gripped her upper arm in a way that might have been painful if not for the beskar weave in her armor.

Fynta tensed as her back pressed against the wall with Aric’s body blocking her escape. His eyes added to the chill of the wind. “How do you know Darth Nemesis?”

“How do you?” Fynta countered, jerking away from Aric’s grasp. It shouldn’t surprise her that the Jedi Order had a list of Sith Council members and its hopefuls, but the fact that Aric knew of Elenora on sight didn’t bode well. Folding her arms, Fynta pressed her lips together and lifted a brow.

Aric’s jaw worked, his eyes searching Fynta’s face while his signature cold surrounded her shields. He pushed, sending a spike of pain down her neck that she hoped didn’t show on her face. Eyes narrowed, Aric straightened and inhaled, nostrils expanding far wider than necessary for a normal breath. At last, the Cathar spoke. “She’s a person of interest to the Order.”

This time, Fynta grabbed Aric’s arm when he started to turn. “Is she one of your marks?” There was a note of concern in Fynta’s voice that she hadn’t been able to hide. Aric glanced down at her, his sealed lips answer enough. 

Fynta shook her head. “You don’t want to do that, Jedi. Nemesis is one of the decent ones.” Fynta stopped short of calling Elenora good for the sake of reputation. She went by that moniker for a reason. No matter the cost, Fynta couldn’t let Aric complete his task. 

The Cathar snorted and stepped into a stray beam of sunlight that had broken through the ceiling of cloud. “Clearly, you don’t know her that well.” Fynta jogged to catch up while Aric began ticking of Nora’s sins on his fingers. “Debaughtery, murder, sedition, betrayal...should I keep going?”

Fynta waved a hand. “Those are personality quirks.”

Aric stopped in the middle of the street, ignoring the curses of locals who scurried to their destination before the storm renewed its deluge. “Murder is not a personality quirk.”

“It is if you’re a Sith.” Fynta’s grin didn’t affect the Cathar. He bared his teeth, then began walking again. Sighing, Fynta ran after him and fell into step. “Listen, these are Sith we’re talking about. Those are run of the mill traits that don’t phase Imperial citizens.” And all lies. While Fynta didn’t boast the same social status as Elenora, she knew that the Sith in question wouldn’t commit any of those crimes. Not in the sense that Aric assumed. They were a smoke screen to make her appear powerful in the Sith political circle. 

The Cathar didn’t answer, and Fynta made a mental note to derail any potential leads he had on Darth Nemesis. Granted, not even she knew where the Chiss lived, but there were other ways to distract a hunter. “Why is the Order so interested in Darth Nemesis?” 

Thunder rumbled again, and Aric spared the sky a grimace without answering Fynta’s question. The smaller swells preceding the main storm front were growing closer together. “We need to get going if you plan to use this for cover.” He gestured above them, then hunched deeper into his robes and trudged ahead, splashing through the water that had already gathered on the street. 

“Fine,” Fynta called after Aric. “Keep your secrets.” If there was anything she could do well, it was uncover things others wished to keep hidden. In time, Fynta was sure that she’d break the frustrating Cathar. Until then, she had a different Darth to kill. 

Rishi Western Shoreline Unmarked Starship Dock

Fynta kicked the zealot over with a growl and angled her blaster at the man’s face. He’d fought to cover his comrades' escape and had taken wounds that would be fatal no matter how quickly aid reached him. “Where is Darth Nox?”

Dark brows furrowed, and Fynta’s attention was momentarily drawn to the blood that frothed between the man’s lips when he answered. “What do you want with that—” his words cut off with a ragged cough that popped one of the larger bubbles and produced a red tinged phlegm that the man spit into the grass. “That old lunatic?”

“That’s my business.” Fynta knelt, putting pressure on the dying man’s chest. He wheezed a curse, but the determination in his eyes never wavered. The muzzle of her blaster dented the skin at his temple. “Last chance.”

When the man’s lips squeezed tighter, Fynta’s hand came back in an arcing blow. Aric grabbed her wrist before it could fall. “That’s enough.” The disapproval on those stern features shouldn’t bother Fynta, she wouldn’t let it.

Aric stumbled forward when Fynta jerked away, rising to jab an angry finger at the dying man. “Think you can do better? Be my guest.”

Aric waited for Fynta to move away from their prisoner, then squatted next to him. “Do you know where that shuttle was bound?” His fingers splayed across the still weeping hole in the man’s chest.

“Hope you plan to wash that later,” Fynta snarked and folded her arms, watching the leathery pads of Aric’s fingers sink deeper into the crimson pool. She felt the Force leave Aric and enter the man, gathering around the wound.

A shudder shook the pirate, and he managed a deep, smooth breath. Drawing himself onto one elbow, the man gathered an impressive glob of pink saliva. Aric should have seen it coming, Fynta had, but the Cathar jerked back with a snarl when it struck his cheek. With a ragged chuckle, the man leaned closer. “I hope the emperor eats you fir—” Fynta didn't remember drawing her verpine or deciding to pull the trigger.

Aric fell back onto the sodden vegetation, jaw agape and eyes fixed on the dead man. When he turned a questioning glare on Fynta, she shrugged and slammed the weapon back into her holster. “He wasn’t going to talk, and I’m tired of standing in the rain.”

It had been easy to forget about the raging storm during the heat of battle, but now, cold torrents of ocean spray and rain washed away the vestiges of Fynta’s adrenaline. She offered the Jedi a hand up, then stomped towards the speeder once he was on his feet. Nox was gone, and had been for nearly three hours by the time she and Aric had raided the docks. The entire day had been a waste, leaving Fynta soaked, cold, and furious.

“Let’s just get back.” Fynta threw one leg over the hoverbike and waited for Aric to mount his. Without speaking, she kicked the bike into drive and sped along the beach towards Raider’s Cove. With each mile, rage boiled hotter in her veins. Nox had been on Rishi, an hour away from their safe house, for at least a week. She hadn’t felt his presence, nor had she been able to track him through the Force. It ranckled further that he’d likely known she was near, and predicted her path with terrifying precision. 

By the time Fynta and Aric reached Raider’s Cove, her mood was foul enough that only a stiff drink would serve as decent company. When Aric turned onto the side street to reach their safe house, Fynta continued straight, masking her Force signature and hoping that the stinging rain would erase her scent. She pulled up to the cantina where she’d met Tama the morning before and left the speeder by the door. She no longer cared if it went missing.

Inside, the warm smell of boiled wara nuts filled the room. A droid chirped at Fynta as it scuttled around her feet, mopping up the water that she dripped onto the floor. The bouncer, a heavy set Devaronian lifted a brow and folded his arms. “Looks like you could use a place to freshen up.”

“How much?” Fynta had enough, but she enjoyed the back and forth of haggling. There was something exhilarating about beating a man with words instead of her fists; sometimes.  

A salacious smile curled the corners of his mouth. “We could work something out.”

Laughing, Fynta patted the large bicep and lifted her hand towards the wall behind his station. “I’ll pay full price.” A key card detached from the wall and slapped into her palm. Fynta offered an innocent grin, then started for the door that led to guest accommodations in the back.

The room Fynta had chosen wasn’t the worst that she had slept in, but she’d hoped for more. There was a closet sized fresher with dubious stains on the wall and inside the shower. The beds likely were infested with bugs, but she could drive them out easily enough. Lightning circled Fynta’s fingertips as she charged the air, sending all manner of vermin scurrying towards the window. 

Once satisfied that her room was as good as it could get, Fynta unzipped the front of her beskar weave armor and let it slide from her shoulders with a groan. Water pooled around her feet on the durasteel floor, so she shucked her boots and pants as well. Thanks to the quality of her armor, the kute that she wore beneath was relatively dry. It hugged her curves in a way that wouldn’t be acceptable on Dromund Kaas, but Fynta didn’t think that a few raggedy pirates would mind.

Fynta avoided the mirror while she wrestled with the damp strands of her hair until it had been put back to rights, squeezing rain from it as she walked. The droid waited outside Fynta’s room, then rushed inside as soon as her door opened. Its sibling followed her back into the cantina, humming while it cleaned up the last of her footprints. 

Signaling the publican, Fynta eased onto the stool and let her muscles relax. The man, a Twi’lek with green skin and a bright smile, stopped in front of her. “Looks like you’ve had a hell of a day, what can I get you?” His baritone voice washed over Fynta, wrapping her mind in a warm blanket of devilish intent. 

“I don’t suppose you carry any...exotic flavors?” Fynta’s fingers flashed in a sequence that the barkeep would recognize, or not. 

With a tip of his head, the Twi’lek bent beneath the bar and returned with an opaque bottle that Fynta hoped was Tihaar. As he poured, the man continued in a carefully conversational tone. “Haven’t had one of your kind in here in a while.” He set the glass in front of Fynta, but didn’t leave. “What brings you into town?”

Fynta had heard rumors of other Mandalorains on Rishi. Some even claimed that there was an established clan somewhere in the jungle. She accepted the drink, lifted it to her nose, and let out a throaty hum that made the barkeep’s lekku twitch. Tossing the drink back, Fynta shoved the glass at him for a refill. “Just passing through.” She watched his hands as he poured, long, tapered fingers deftly measuring the perfect amount with practiced ease. She met his lavender eyes, her fingers brushing his as she took the glass from him. “I don’t suppose you know of a way for a girl to unwind around here, do you?”

The Twi’lek’s gaze darkened. “My shift ends in a couple of hours. I, uh, might be able to think of something.”

Fynta lifted the glass to her lips, holding the barkeep’s attention while she drank. “Leave the bottle. It can keep me company until then.”

The man chuckled, then turned to the call of someone down the bar. Fynta poured herself another round, giddy with the anticipation of what promised to be a good time. She could blow off some steam, then report back to Theron and Lana in the morning, loose limbed and relaxed. The Tihaar warmed Fynta’s chest on the way down. Until, it didn’t. The chill that swept through the room didn’t appear to register with the other patrons, and Fynta realized why moments before Master Jorgan slid onto the stool next to her.

“Haar’chak,” Fynta sighed. “You’re one tough bastard to shake.”

“Is this your plan?” Aric asked when the Twi’lek winked at Fynta. Master Jorgan curled his lip and continued without looking at her. “Drink and fuck your way through Rishi?” 

Fynta poured another deliberate shot, then turned her bemused smirk on the Cathar. “You had a better idea?” She gestured down the bar to the broad back and narrow hips of the publican. “Because from where I’m sitting, that looks like a hell of a lot more fun than listening to Theron and Lana bitch about missed opportunities.”

A low growl bubbled up Aric’s chest, but before he could scold her, Fynta held up her hand. “You like whiskey, right?” She knocked her knuckles on the bar and signaled for a shot of the Corellian that she’d delivered to Aric earlier. The Twi’lek tipped his head, and Fynta didn’t miss the disappointment in those pale eyes when he registered Aric’s proximity. Just like that, Fynta’s evening plans evaporated.

“How did you...” Aric’s question trailed off, replaced by the deep inhale of a man who’s reached a conclusion. “Damn it, that was you in the bar yesterday.”

“You’re quick, Jetii.” Fynta reached for the bottle of Tihaar, then hesitated when the room shifted. She took a steadying breath when the publican arrived with Aric’s whiskey. “My friend here is looking to get out of the rain. Got a place for him?” Perhaps she could still salvage the night if she bribed Aric with room and board.

The Twi’lek shook his head, and Fynta registered the same resignation in his posture that she felt. “Afraid not. You got the last. Smugglers have the run of the town tonight. They’ll be gone tomorrow.”

“It’s fine,” Aric answered, reaching for the glass of whiskey. He waited for the man to leave, then looked back at Fynta. “Looks like he’s moved on.”

“Yeah,” Fynta muttered, saddened by the knowledge that she’d regret letting him slip through her fingers. Still, at least she could have some fun. “Guess you’ll have to take his place.”

Aric tensed, but he didn’t display any other signs of discomfort. “I was thinking of something else, actually.” Fynta lifted a brow and propped one elbow on the bar to rest her temple against it. He took another sip before continuing. “Why don’t you tell me more about Darth Nox.”

“Better idea.” Fynta pushed from the bar, dropping extra credits on the counter as an apology for their ruined plans. “Why don’t we get a shower and discuss this in the privacy of my room.”

“Isn’t that what the safe house is for,” Aric asked, though he followed nonetheless. 

Fynta chuckled. “The safe house is full of spies.” She felt Aric’s mind press against hers and glanced over her shoulder to find the Cathar’s gaze focused on her ass again. After his condemnation of her chosen leisure time, Fynta couldn’t stop the huff of laughter that accompanied his persistence. “See anything you like?”

“What sort of weapons are those?” Aric asked without acknowledging Fynta’s question. 

Stopping, Fynta looked down at the chakram hooked to her belt. She hadn’t meant to bring her weapons to the bar. Arming herself had become a habit, trained into her from the age of six when her mother had fashioned her first rudimentary knife. It had been nothing more than a sharpened stone, but it had been hers. “That’s what you’ve been staring at?” 

“I didn’t get a decent look at them before.” Aric’s head tilted, and Fynta wondered if the man had any idea how blatant his attention looked to an outsider. Slowly, his gaze lifted to Fynta’s single, raised brow. She could pinpoint the moment when he realized what she’d meant. The Cathar’s eyes widened, then his teeth flashed. “Don’t flatter yourself, Sith.”

Fynta stretched her grin, wondering if Cathar could blush beneath their fur. In a rare act of self control, she opted to let the comment slide and unhooked one of the curved handles from her belt. “Help yourself,” Fynta offered, holding it out to Aric. He accepted, and she watched with fascination while the Cathar turned her weapon over in his hands. When he ran one finger along the inside, his claw caught on a barely perceivable latch. Fynta remained quiet while he worked it out.

Without looking up, Aric held out his free hand. “May I see the other one?” 

Scanning her card, Fynta unhooked the mate to the chackram Aric held and passed it over without a second thought. While she unclipped her belt, Aric found the matching catch, then fit the blades together to form a perfect circle. “This is what you threw at the acolyte on the dock?”

Of course, Nox had left his students behind. Young ones who barely had control of their own facial hair, much less the Force. Fynta had dispatched them like the others. As far as she was concerned, she’d done the kids a favor by ridding them of Nox’s control.

“Chackram,” Fynta answered, then took the weapon from Aric to demonstrate her preferred technique. With a little nudge from the Force, she could direct the weapon wherever it needed to go, and the design glided smoother than a traditional lightsaber. “It’s not safe to keep a burning circle of plasma near your body.” Fynta activated the blade, being sure to hold it away from Aric so that he wouldn’t perceive it as a threat. 

White light hummed to life around the outer edge of the chackram, forming a halo of death that could cut Fynta as easily as her target. “But, it has its uses.” With a flick of her wrist, they broke apart to become the curved handles she’d fought the Tonvarr pirates with. In this form, she could wield each the same way she would a dagger. “This is better for hand to hand, though.”

Aric nodded, folding his arms as he leaned one hip against the rickety desk in Fynta’s room. “Got to get in tight for those to be useful.” 

Deactivating her weapons, Fynta smirked at an innuendo that she didn’t have the energy to chase and set the weapons down next to her blaster. “Not usually a problem in my line of work. If someone’s too far away, well…” She patted the Verpine where it nestled in its holster, letting Aric fill in the blanks.

Fynta checked her gear, found it still damp, and rummaged in the closet for towels. “There’s two beds and a decent fresher. You’re welcome to both.” When she emerged, Aric hadn’t moved, his frigid gaze measuring in a way that Fynta couldn't interpret. “What?”

“Would you have really slept with that man?” Fynta sensed genuine curiosity surrounding Aric's question. 

“The barkeep? Without hesitation.” Fytna hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her kute and tugged them down her legs. It was nice to feel the air on her skin after days in the snug material.

As expected, Aric’s daring stopped at watching a female disrobe. He turned his back, hands on hips while he continued to question the door on the other side of the room. “Not him. The old pirate.”

Fynta paused with her shirt tugged up to her chin. “Regi? I guess. He was sweet, and I’ve certainly seen a lot worse.” She saw the tension in his shoulders and laughed while pulling her shirt completely off. “Easy, snowflake. I always have an escape plan. Besides, he used to be one of your lot.” 

“My lot?” Aric half turned, caught sight of Fynta’s state of undress, then snapped back around. “What do you mean?” 

“Regi was a Republic soldier, part of the Navy, I think.” Fynta hung her shirt over the back of the chair and wrapped the towel around her body. “His ship was taken by pirates about ten years ago and he made the best of a bad hand.”

Aric didn’t look back when he spoke again, and Fynta wondered if the Cathar would stare at the door all night if she crawled into bed and fell asleep. “What did you do to him before we left?”

Creeping forward, Fynta couldn’t fight the urge to tease the Cathar. She waited until she was nearly touching Aric’s back before whispering. “Would you like to find out?”

Aric jumped away, whirling to face her with one hand on his lightsaber hilt. Fynta grinned at the obvious struggle to keep his eyes on her face. With a soft laugh, she retreated to her side of the room to collect her underwear. “It’s a trick I learned from my old master. I can project brief images and vague sensations into the weak minded.” When she straightened, Fynta lifted one shoulder while hugging the fabric to her chest. “It felt wrong to promise him a good time, rob him, then leave him wanting when all he’d been was polite.”

Aric’s teeth flashed in an annoyed grimace that Fynta was beginning to appreciate. Now that she was somewhat covered, Aric relaxed back into his stance of crossed arms and desk prop. “You were going to tell me about this former master.”

Sighing, Fynta flopped onto the bed and lamented the shower that she still hadn’t gotten. “The fact that you don’t know his name, but you do Darth Nemesis, should tell you something. Nox is a council member, has been for too many years. The man wields powers considered perverse even among the Sith. He is unlike anyone you’ve faced before, Master Jorgan.”

“And he was your teacher?” Aric’s question gave Fynta pause. She’d expected the standard bluster of past Jedi. The assurances that he knew what he was doing and how to take down a Sith Lord. Fynta had silenced many such boasts by utilizing the skills that Nox had taught her.

“He was.” Fynta tugged at loose strands of cloth poking out from her towel. Even now, she hated talking about that man, as if speaking his name somehow gave him power over her. “I escaped nearly a decade ago. I imagine he’s only gotten stronger in that time.”

Aric lowered himself onto the opposite bed, forearms resting on the still soaked fabric of his pants. “He scares you.” The words were spoken without malice, but Fynta bristled all the same. When she looked up, the sympathy on those spotted features drew her up short. Aric held up his hands in a placatory gesture. “I meant no offense, but I’ve seen you fight, and I sense the emotions that he stirs in you. That tells me something about what we’re dealing with.”

Deciding that she wasn’t nearly drunk enough for this conversation, Fynta pushed to her feet and placed an order for more whiskey to be brought to their room. “I’m going to get a shower, make yourself at home or don’t, Jedi.” 

Fynta stopped at the fresher door, then looked back at her maybe roommate one more time. “There are fates worse than death. If Nox ever captures you, fall on your sword.”

[silverstarchildd]

The school for good and evil movie... I like it a lot actually, after waiting for 7 years for a movie, i liked it. It was not the worst movie adaptation out there but it was......hmmm.

From what i remember of the books(i did read them several years ago so-) there was a lot wrong with the movie.

1: The school master is NOT supposed to be seen by his students and he doesn't leave his tower unlike in the movie where he pretty much freely presents himself. Rafal also wears a mask to hide who he is from everyone???? which he just didnt do in the movie for some reason???

2: They butchered the trial by tail........ like wtf was that scene?? From my memory, it was supposed to be the girls school against the boys school, and it was EVERYONE. And in the trail by tail, Aric is supposed to be there, he's so important to the later story and he's just?? not in the movie for some reason, they just didnt introduce him to the story which i really dont get.

3: They changed Sophie's character, she isnt supposed to be ACTUAL friends with Agatha, she isnt as nice as she is in the movie, she's literally only being nice to Agatha so that she gets into the school for good but she actually thinks Agatha is a freak, and that was throw out of the window for the movie.

4: why the fuck is gerard way hort

5: The school for evil just.....doesnt exist in Gavaldon? Even though in the books its a BIG thing, the readers know about it, kids STRIVE to get in there, that's why Sophie befriended Agatha in the first place because of SGE, but in the movie they're like what? Different universes? worlds? Like wtf was that? 6: They skipped so SO SO MUCH and crammed three books into one two hour long movie and it felt like...awkward. Dont get me wrong, i liked the movie i think all the actors did an amazing job with what they were given but....it just felt weird having read all the books, it felt like so much was left out, so much development, so much plot, a lot was missing from it.

7: Why did Agatha and Tedros like each other so easily???? It took them a while to like each other from what i remember. There was no development of chemistry between them like in the books when Tedros choses Agatha in the glass coffins. Or the stuff in the trial by tale.

8: This is just a personal thing but it really bothered me how it showed what happened between Rafal and his brother RIGHT away, it took a while to learn about that stuff in the books and it just threw it at us so fast, that's just a personal bother though.

In all i think it's a REALLY good movie, i personally like it a lot i just wish they had done things differently and added Aric in there because if they plan on making more movies and, i assume base them off the books, he's kinda vital to the later story especially in ACOT and OTK (probably QFG too but i dont remember that book too much it was my least favorite in the series) If i think of more things that i had issues with i'll probably make another post but thats all i could think of rn.

EDIT : ANOTHER THING I JUST REMEMBERED. it's kinda important for Tristan to die, especially if they plan on continuing down the line of books because if they're going to introduce William into the book, one of his big traits is hating Tedros for how he treated Tristan and he blames Tedros for Tristan dying which didnt happen in the trial by tale so idk how they plan on having Tristan die or if they're even going to bring Will in (which i'd be pretty mad if they didnt put William in the series cause he's like one of the only characters that gives any type of representation in the series cause yk... him and Bogden are gay)

[filipofmounthonora]

Jaric

ummmm ok! but im being noncanon and tangential about it 🥰 whatever all our souls are made of ours are the same [deep unrestrained weary sigh] ft sophie

send me a pairing and/or prompt idea and i'll write something about it! <3

"Aric…?"

Sophie clutched her arms, her skin crawling with the sickening realization: "All this… Kingdoms ransacked and pillaged, people slaughtered—my friends hurt and killed! And it was all for… for—"

"For love," the Snake said softly.

A horrified laugh burbled out before she could stop it. "Love? What would you know about love?" she spat. "Your brother told me everything. Drove your mother away, did you? I can't say I'm surprised. Only a murderer with just as rotten and sadistic of a soul could 'love' a monster like you—and that's to say you even have a soul at all!" The Snake rose from his seat, but she stamped out her flash of fear. "I'm sorry, did that strike a nerve?" she taunted, fighting down burning bile. "Go ahead. Kill me. At least that creep won't get to live again."

For a moment, they were at an impasse, eyes locked and jaws tense and shoulders rigid. Sophie's chest heaved in angry, shuddering bursts, but the Snake remained as glacial as ice. She watched for any hint of movement, bracing for a sudden attack…

"What makes you think you're any better than me?" he asked instead.

Sophie froze. "Excuse me?"

The Snake shook his head, hands settling on the teapot. "During your First Year you terrorized and attempted to kill the entire School for Good, you did kill all of the wolves and fairies, tried to seize the power of the Storian to serve your own gain—" he narrowed a glance at her as he smoothly poured two cups— "now doesn't that sound familiar. But shall I go on to the wars you started? Shall I mention Rafal?"

Sophie colored scarlet, whether out of fury or terror or shame, she had no clue. "But I've—"

"Changed?" The Snake scoffed loud enough to make her jump. For a moment, she expected him to whirl back to her furious, teeth gnarled and scims sharpened to points—but his shoulders sagged and a long-held weariness crept into his bones… In a blink it seemed as though the Snake was gone, and in the monster's place stood just a boy.

"There's no changing Evil like us. We'll never be satisfied alone. Not until we find love as brutal and selfish as our own." He sighed, as if he knew exactly how hard it was to try. "But you know that already."

Sophie watched him, pulled uneasily closer as he settled the teacups on their saucers. His body seemed to shrink into itself, much more cautious than the confident villain Tedros had fought. Was it a trick of the light, or had his face changed as well? Gone was the hard, cold glare, replaced by unfocused, dark and sunken eyes. It was getting harder to see him as Rhian's copy, two sides of the same manipulative coin. She had very nearly been swayed by the Lion. How did she know this wasn't some kind of trick as well?

"It's why you were drawn to my brother," he continued, "and Rafal, and Tedros before him. All your life, looking for the one person who'd complete you, who would love you despite every foul thing your soul was tainted with. But here you are again. With no one."

"I have Agatha," Sophie insisted weakly.

He met her gaze. "And I had Aric, once."

There was a force behind his eyes, a simmering fire that made her own eyes water and sting. Conviction and rage that had been tamped down to resignation, a person just like her who'd tried so hard to be Good, only to fail over and over and…

Japeth gestured at the chair opposing him.

Sophie took it.

[meanbihexual]

18 for obligatory OC asks for everyone

(bonus points if you include a picture of our fur baby)

How likely are they to have fur babies? How many and what kind?

Safi: She's been pretty busy saving the galaxy every 6 months since she was 18 so the idea of a pet hasn't ever even crossed her mind, but I can definitely see her adopting an animal or two after she settles down, especially after she and Theron have kids. Probably something sturdy like an akk dog, because you know their children are a hot mess.

Amytis: She wouldn't say no to a pet, but she's horribly allergic to anything with fur, so she's never had one. Maybe she and Lana will adopt a Hairless Space Cat one day.

Phila: While she's active duty she doesn't really have the time or space for a pet, but like Safi, she and Aric would probably add some to the family once they have kids.

Katt: She's not really the responsibility type, but she will take any change to cuddle something cute and fuzzy.

Ynnara & Ixaila: They keep tuk'atas at their estate on Dromund Kaas; Ixaila's family has bred them for a long time and so they just kept the kennels going when her mothers retired to the country (I am positive there is a planet analog for this concept but I don't know what it is so if anyone has an idea I'd love to hear it.) They have a Ziosti Shepherd that travels with them named Kalvea and they spoil her like a child. (thanks to @fluffynexu for the tuk'ata lore!)

Tsia: She has a loth cat called Rundi. I imagine he looks like the space version of that 1800s robber baron cat that makes the rounds on tumblr every now and then.

Jy'tana: She doesn't have any now because she doesn't think she has the time to devote to them, but she loves animals, and her retirement plan is to take all those shiny bounty hunting credits and spend them opening an animal rescue farm on Dantooine or somewhere.

Adira: Does the uxibeast calf she "rescued" when she was 7 count? You know, the one that still lives in the Jedi temple because it had to be domesticated after it imprinted on Master Cabrail?

And, so that I get a good grade in tumblr asks, a thing that is both normal to want and possible to achieve, here is my Very Good Boy with muddy feet and his favorite outside toy, the waterhose:

[whitepadi]

Who are your 3 least favorite Swtor companions and why?

I haven't finished 70% of class story so I'll just go with what I had so far + alliance alert/reunion.

1. Rusk

Nothing againts him in general, he's not annoying or whatever but his story is just not interesting his personality is also kind stiff. Like he's the one companion in JK story that I had convo only because I want to get rid of mission mark on him, not because the story or interaction with him.

Not to mention, his reunion in Alliance Alert gave us basically no story.

2. Tharan

I actually starting to like him now after reunion BUT

I really doesn't vibe him especially on how he talk to us player, he's not that bad I know and I skipped like few last convo with him simply because I'm not interested and I just doesn't vibe on how he talk to my character.

3. Aric Jor *gunshot*

Lmao kidding, Kresna kinda disliked him tho but I don't.

3. Zenith

I'm contemplating about putting him here because I haven't reach his reunion with my consular.

The reason is basically similar like Tharan, but in lesser degree. I don't dislike the way he talks but I'm just not invested with his story in base game.

This is not final opinion tho, like I said I haven't meet most of the available companion yet and most likely will change my opinion the more I play.