#elliania blackwater

[izzi-illustrates]

I have become more insane: I've extended the Farseer family tree up to the end of The Tawny Man trilogy.

(original version here)

It got a wee bit messy; design choices and spoilers below the cut.

PHEW.

First: Dutiful came out looking both like Fitz and Kettricken, but also a little like Regal, which was an unexpected but not unwanted development. Dutiful's parentage is muddier and more complicated than I've drawn it (this being an "official" family tree) but since I personally feel Verity is Dutiful's father in ways that matter more to me, I made sure he had Verity's nose - the Farseer nose - and his big dark eyes.

I spent longer on Elliania, drawing from archival photographs of young inuit women, and deliberately using cooler browns for her hair and skin than the warmer Farseer colouring to distinguish her. The Farseers are distantly related to the Outislanders, but they've also intermingled for generations with other Duchy folk, and I wanted to distinguish Elliania's look and style significantly enough that she'd stand out; I think I succeeded.

And then there's Molly's marriage to Burrich... Burrich is such an important character to me personally, and his connection to King-in-Waiting Chivalry so important to the story, (with his raising of Nettle also being key to the story) that it felt wrong not to include him, and his and Molly's sons, in this tree, even if they're none of them Farseers.

I had fun thinking about who would take more after Burrich or more after Molly, and settled on most of the boys taking strongly after Burrich, with Chiv being the most like his father in looks (down to being in the process of growing his hair out in baby locs), the twins having the greatest mix of both parents, but all the boys having Molly's hairline, even if their curl texture isn't hers. I gave Just her hair colour because I don't care that red hair is a recessive gene; this is fantasy and I'm having fun. I also gave Nettle her mother's "surname" (since Nettle remarks that her mother wants her to learn her trade) and the boys are all Burrichson except Swift, who chooses to go by Swift Witted for most of his book appearances so far.*

Nettle is as clean a combination of Molly and Fitz as I could make, taking after her mother in colouring and brows, but taking after Fitz in her chin and eyes. I also deliberately gave her Chivalry's nose, since Fitz's is the product of a severe break.

*If I make a further family tree up to the end of The Fitz and The Fool trilogy, I'll probably name Nettle as Nettle Skillmistress or Nettle Farseer. Similarly, I named Hap as Mishap Badgerlockson, but he'd be Hap Gladheart by the end of the RotE series.

[brbarou]

Would you draw Elliania? 🙏

little girl...going through horrors..

[heyitsrink]

Even the small fandoms deserve a Barbie meme ✨

[starling-illu]

Narcheska and Sacrifice

[spectrum-color]

Important question for the RotE fandom. I will not provide reasoning for any of these characters but trust me I did actually think about this.

Just note that they don’t have to fulfill the role to Fitz; many of them do for another character.

(Also, this is supposed to be lighthearted so don’t get offended on Robin Hobbs behalf; I’m not actually accusing her of using shallow character tropes)

[chloristoflora]

I found my voice. "I'm going to—"

Riddle crossed his arms on his chest. His nostrils flared and he exclaimed defiantly, "I don't care what you do. Understand that. Do whatever you wish, but it won't change anything."

"—be a grandfather." I choked on the word. Incredulity melted his face and he stared. It gave me the moment I needed to organize my thoughts. Words tumbled from my lips. "I have money saved. You can have it all. You must leave soon, before travel is too difficult for her. And I think you must flee the Six Duchies entirely. She is the Skillmistress; she is too well known for you to..."

"We are not leaving!" Anger tightened his slack face. "We refuse. We were lawfully wed—"

Impossible. "The king forbade it."

"The king can forbid whatever he likes, but if a man and a woman make their vows before the Witness Stones, with at least two witnesses—"

"Only if one is a minstrel!" I interrupted him. "And the witness must know both parties."

"I wager the Queen of the Six Duchies knows us both," he said quietly.

"Kettricken? I thought Kettricken was a party to forbidding the marriage."

"Kettricken is not the Queen of the Six Duchies. Elliania is. And she comes from a place where a woman can marry whomever she wishes."

It all fit together as tightly as the blocks that make up an arch. Almost. "But your other witness had to be a minstrel…" My words trickled away. I knew who their minstrel had been.

"Hap Gladheart." Riddle confirmed it quietly. A smile almost twisted his face. "Perhaps you've heard of him?"

Fool's Quest, by Robin Hobb (Fitz and the Fool Trilogy #2)

[mouseinamushroomhouse]

[spectrum-color]

My first fandom was Pokémon (I was on the forums and everything,) and I have many current fandoms, but my biggest one is prob Realm of the Elderlings. So I will make signature Pokémon for Rote characters! I ran into the 10 image limit with this post, but if enough people like it, I will do a second one with characters that weren’t covered here.

Fitz-Lycanroc

I am mostly trying not to go too literal but there was no way I wasn’t gonna give Fitz a wolf Pokémon. It’s too intrinsic to his characterization; he doesn’t just bond a wolf, his personality reflects it. I decided on the Dawn form because it gave me the most Fitz vibes, though Midnight form would have been funny (werewolf Fitz!)

Beloved-Mew

I know it’s cheap to give my fave a mythical, but I am genuinely not trying to be. The mystery and playful personality of Mew just fits his character so well! Plus he’s the White Prophet; having a special Pokémon fits.

Kettricken-Alolan Ninetales

Take one look at this thing and tell me that is not Kettricken. The icy elegance that still has a hint of warmth is all her. I promise the fact it’s a fox is a coincidence!

Bee-Ralts

I love this one because Ralts is basically what if an autistic child was a Pokémon, but it’s also a three stage line that evolves to be very powerful. It even has a gender split evolution in case, like her White father, she grows up to be GNC.

Chade-Malamar

Look at this thing doing Plots and Schemes. It would gladly take up residence in the walls with Chade and within a month they would probably have successfully overthrown the government.

Burrich-Mudsdale

This is a steady, reliable, hard working Pokémon with an earthy vibe, just like Burrich. It’s even a horse to live in the stables!

Dutiful-Shinx

Something about Shinx’s cute earnestness really brings TM era Duti to mind. Plus it will eventually evolve into Luxray, a very appropriate Pokémon for a king.

Elliania-Sneasel

Ice/Dark is the perfect typing for an Outisland Narcheska, and Sneasel also has Ellis scrappy toughness.

Patience-Florges

I went back and forth over a lot of flower Pokémon, but I think this one strikes the balance of being feminine without being too cutesy and demonstrating unexpected strength like our favorite former Queen in Waiting.

Nettle-Tinkatuff

I am in love with both this evolutionary line and Nettle, and this one in particular captures her spunky attitude and fortitude

combine your first real fandom with your current one to create a terrible, terrible au

[anxiouswizardart]

Elliania and Peottre Blackwater

[relpda]

(*) iconic, not favorite (my favorite isn't on here either because he is not iconic enough),

I didn't include Fitz & Fool & Nighteyes for obvious reasons (they would win) but honorable mention for all of them

Most iconic fitz moments according to me: murder spree while laughing in front of everyone at buckkeep & "that game was taught to me by a woman!!!" when dutiful was being sexist about the stones game, because that moment is hilarious to me

Beloved has many iconic moments, two of my favorites are the plumbing rant in AQ, and "fool you were never with molly" ".....but I was with you" in FQ

Nighteyes is just iconic in general

[spectrum-color]

Needs so much therapy and would willingly attend: Beloved, Verity, Nettle

Needs so much therapy and would need to be dragged kicking and screaming: FITZ!!!! Burrich, Chade, Starling, Regal, Bee, Shrewd, Shine

Does not need much therapy but would go: Dutiful, Molly, Patience, Hap

Does not need much therapy and would never ever go: Elliania, Kettricken

Is the therapist: Nighteyes

blorbo alignment chart where one axis is "doesn't need much therapy" vs "needs SO MUCH therapy". and the other axis is "would willingly attend therapy" vs "needs to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to therapy"

[imjustsoscaredallthetime]

if fitz and the fool started dating and came out to kettricken she would be very happy and supportive of their relationship, and would punish anybody who dared mistreat them because of their love for each other. If they came out to elliania she would immediately legalize gay marriage in the six duchies and begin making arrangements for their future wedding.

However, Neither of them would say anything to Dutiful, and would just leave him to figure it out himself. If he ever tried to be weird about it they would both be able to shut his mouth about it permanently with a single look.

[starling-illu]

Dutiful and Elliania wip

[spectrum-color]

“There is a saying there [in the Outislands.] ‘Every mother knows her own child.’ When Elliania draws up genealogies, you are Patiences’s son.”

WHOLESOME AND TRUE

[roteladiesbigbang]

Elliania my QUEEN 💜 You fierce, tragic, fantastic little lady!! I love love love her expression in this one, and the textures are so pretty - the shine of her hair and on her lower lip versus the woolly texture of her clothes is just 👌👌 Love a good Elliania work always!!

Elliania for the prompt mist over water

[chloristoflora]

It was Kettricken tugging at me, lifting my arm to put it across her shoulders. And then she stood, not effortlessly, for the years weighed more heavily on her than they did on me. I tottered as she escorted me to a chair near the hearth. I sat, feeling confused and older than I'd ever been. I did not understand what was happening until her cowl dropped and I saw that her head was shorn.

The others gathered round us. Dutiful spoke softly. "Oh, Mother, I told you we must be restrained."

"Restrained?" This from Elliania. She snatched crown and scarf from her head, revealing only a short brush of what had always been her glossy black hair. "Restrained?" She lifted her crown as if she would dash it to the ground. Prosper caught her arm and she let him take it. She sank down to the floor, her royal robes puddling around her. She put her hands over her face and spoke through her fingers. "We have lost a child. A little girl! A Farseer daughter! Gone, just as my little sister was gone for years. Must we have this agony again? The not-knowing? The secrecy of the pain? Gone! And we must be restrained?"

She threw her head back, baring the long column of her throat, and keened as if she were a wolf mourning her cub. Prosper sank to his knees beside her and put his arm around his mother's shoulders.

Fool's Quest, by Robin Hobb (Fitz and the Fool Trilogy #2)