#for not drawing Dragonborn all that often I am rather proud with how this turned out

[hopitty-hop-hop]

My friends & I started up a 4e game a little while back, & I was struck with inspiration to redraw a panel from an older manga but with our characters instead. If you know the manga the pose is from, then you’re a real one. 😳

[ivisite]

 DRAGONBORN 30 DAY CHALLENGE

Day 7 - Relationships

Sexual orientation:

Straight

Did your character marry? If so, who is their spouse?:

Eventually she does, but not until she’s at least 54. Brynjolf, after years of the two just being lovers, finally gets too old to crouch around the sewers and takes a knee for her, much to her playful picking. He’d be about 60, I’d guess.

“You know lass, Ragnar is doing so well with the guild, I suppose I could step back a bit if you’d fancy some company in my golden years…” Brynjolf said, trailing off a bit all while a playful smile dared to tug at the corners of his mouth.

“Oh aye? Took you long enough, you old codger. Finally feeling a day over 25, are you?” Saoirse cooed back, keeping to brushing out a matted bit of fur on the old family dog. She smiled, too, but did well to have her back to him so he wouldn’t see the joy that twinkled in her eyes.  Across the way, leaning against the sturdy fence post now, the now-greying red-head chuckled heartily. Gods, how he loved her.  “To say the least, Saoirse. I might dare say I feel…26 now.” He chirped.  “You’ve gotten used to a belly full of mead and crawling into a warm bed with me at night, is all this is~” Saoirse said, finally standing to turn to him, leaving the old mutt to bask in the warm sun near the cow pen. 

“You have done well to seduce an old man, lass. So what do you say, hm? Would you marry an old crook?” His eyes stayed pointed at hers, staring deeply into the dark blue seas that had always haunted him since he first met her as a younger, more naive man. 

“Why…I don’t know Bryn, seems rather sudden. And the farm…” She playfully cooed, opting to dusting off her shirt and glancing around the property.

His brows furrowed in concern.  “Now lass, I just asked a very serious question. A man deserves an answer and-” He started to whine, the green of his eyes reflecting what was left of the one fiery red in his hair.  “-Oh you old codger!~ Stop your whining, of course I’ll marry you.”

How well do they get along with their spouse?: 

It evolves as they do, so to speak but they always have a bit of a playful rivalry/cheeky sort of energy about them, regardless of the years. 

Upon being acquainted, when Saoirse is 20 and he’s likely 26, at least, the two have a whirlwind of a “relationship” while she runs around with the guild, initially. Constant cheekiness, not being able to keep their hands off the other for too long- they’re quite the matching set, two peas in a grass pod, so to speak. Their youthfulness has a heavy hand in it all and that also goes for the naivety of it all. They’re both far too smart for their own good and both end up falling far too hard, far too fast and in gets out of hand until they both get scared and start to shut off, in a sense? He starts stealing from her and she eventually finds out and runs off with his things and a bunch of the guilds’ job trinkets/money as a result. Young love, am I right?

 When she comes back around after finally deciding to tie up loose ends and go do the dragonborn stuff, she decides to go to Riften and try to work off her debt. Immediately, the two have their guards up, bickering and arguing often to the point that Delvin has to step in to get them to stop. It’s rocky at the beginning, the two having to learn to open up again and have to discover each other again through various jobs Delvin insists they go on together (he ships it-). They break down eventually after bickering to the point that they kiss and then go get really drunk and open up to one another. After that, and around the time the Goldenglow Estate job lines up is when Bryn starts to see her differently. She’s matured and is the freakin’ dragonborn, that’s cool and he starts to grow an unprecedented respect for her. While the guild is in shambles and she’s probably going to almost die fighting Alduin eventually, they are comforting figures for each other. They’re still cheeky and playful, but more maturely now. 

When they’re old gits, they’re the ultimate old couple goals? Like it goes from him sneaking into her room in the night and romancing her and checking in on their son for years, to him getting spoiled and sleeping in all day and whining about it being cold. Real cute, real spicy. 

Do they have any kids?:

While Saoirse has 2 children, the two are only half-siblings but the eldest, Ragnar is Brynjolf’s. Once she returns to the companions after saving the world and repaying the guild (by saving it, they’re welcome), she finishes where she left off at in the Companions plot, taking out the Silver-hand and curing Kodlak and etc, eventually becoming Harbinger and all doing so while unknowingly pregnant. Everyone assumes it’s Farkas’ considering that her and Farkas as Shield Bros with Benefits™ but Ragnar comes out with red hair (like his father) and blue eyes like Saoirse. Farkas sort of steps up and helps her raise him (And the two accidentally have a son together, whoops) but they aren’t ever more than platonic with some benefits? He respects her for saving himself and his brother and with the two being shield-siblings, he just steps up to help out being a “Father” figure to both kids, despite only being the youngest’s actual father.

If so, how do they feel about their kids?:

Brynjolf, being fond of children anyways, was overwhelmed but happy? I’d imagine he low key knew it might happen before he sent her back to Whiterun, but didn’t invest much in the thought until she showed up a few months later with a red headed baby that had his nose. He loves the little lad and always looks forward to Saoirse bringing him to Riften while she “shops” and asks her “old friend” if he minds watching Ragnar for a bit. Ragnar takes an immediate interest in Bryn, of course and the two are rather close despite the distance. Ragnar even runs off once he’s 17 or so on his own adventure to “find himself” and goes and looks for work in Riften on his mothers’ advice and lands himself as his fathers’ second in command in the guild. 

Best friend:

Ria, for sure, but Athis and Farkas are up there, too. When she’s away from Whiterun, however, she leans more towards Iona and Niruin. Ria is her bestie, though. 

Follower (or followers):

Iona, the Honeyside housecarl. She refuses to stay in the sewers once she goes back to Riften and takes time out of her week to become Thane just so she can by Honeyside. Iona comes with it, of course and the two become bros. Iona is rather protective of Saoirse and if any thieves guild members come to honeyside, she watches them like a hawk and keeps a really close eye on Brynjolf, in particular- almost amusingly so. 

Role models:

She doesn’t have one? As she journey’s, she decides that she wants to be the type of person her younger self could look up to and tries to be her own role model. She thinks it best to better yourself for yourself rather than to be like someone else. Now granted, she’s no hero but she takes her morally light gray, chaotic neutral energy and makes herself the best Saoirse she can be. 

Who else would you say your character gets along with? Or doesn’t?:

She’s not fond of the Black-Briars, Maven in particular. She knows a powerful woman when she sees one and the two often dance around with words whenever they have to talk. 

She really likes the Khajiit Caravans, too. All of them, Khajiits in general, to be honest. She grew up with a caravan and really appreciates the race as a whole. She might even offer to go sale their wares in cities if she has the time and they aren’t camped too far out. 

WOOt let me stop before I ramble anywAYS heres my child and her cheeky eventual husband. Things I learned include: making old people look old is hard and hair graying is hard to color but also LOOK AT THAT BACKGROUND!!! I drew that, I’m so proud ; u ; 

[a-d-n-d-journal]

Game Session #21

Characters:

Rysiel "Riceboy", half-elf druid (Circle of the Moon)

Zastu, dragonborn rogue (Thief)

Mirri in the wind, tabaxi bard (College of Worship)

Kix, changeling rogue (Arcane Trickster)

NPCs:

Jimothy Smones (mentioned); human ranger

Tamalin Zoar, ~60yrs female human; runs the inn around which the small village Calling Horns rose

Olivai and Lukai; ~25 & 15yrs female & male humans; sibling barbarians of the Elk tribe on a quest

Writing this a week after the actual session.... Online as usual, but Mirri's player came over to mine to play. This game was entirely in 'the theatre of the mind'!!! That means that we didn't use any maps at all (well, except as I was setting up the the battle with the fire giant.), which was very impressive. I am proud of the players for that.

The game picks up with the adventurers finishing breakfast and relaxing at the inn common room/mess hall/bar.  Tamalin reiterates her quest for them to discover why the trolls keep leaving the Evermoors and threatening their village. She offers a letter of recommendation, which she says will be good in both Yartar and Everlund, to the right people.

The adventurers agree, and head outside looking for the friendly ranger, Jimothy, who helped them defeat a pair of trolls the previous night. They find his trail leading away from the site of the attack, to the north. The trolls' bodies have been taken care of, and the hole in the side of the stables has been hastily patched.

The adventurers walk for several hours, quickly coming to the conclusion that Jimothy has been following the troll trail  in reverse, back to the Evermoors, and is much more skilled than they are (having dedicated his life to such things), and has probably gained several hours on them. Will they ever catch up?

They spend a night in the hills, in a relatively sheltered site that Jimothy himself may have used. Early the next day, Kix and Zastu come to realize that they are being followed, but are unable to pinpoint exactly where or how many they are. Rysiel wildshapes into a dire wolf and takes Kix on his back to investigate with superior senses, leaving Zastu and Mirri behind with they horses (Bobble and Boris)

Very quickly the Kix and Rysiel see a bright (yet shadowy) humanoid shape further into the hills and sparse trees, and decide to follow it. The shape eludes them for a time, but not forever--soon they catch up and discover that the vague shape is just that--a shape, and not a person. The lights disappear as they approach. Rysiel can smell that at least one someone human is nearby, but cannot see them. Kix senses the same thing. There’s not much cover, where are they?

Back at the trail they were following, Mirri and Zastu try to keep a vigilant eye out for trouble. They both sense that someone is nearby, but it isn’t until Zastu zones out and finds herself looking at a scraggly bush that she sees a small child-like face. She calls out to it, but that only frightens him away--an adolescent boy jumps up and runs away through the hills. A moment later he reappears, and Zastu tries to entice him with food. The boy remains wary, so she places the rations on the ground and moves away. The two adventurers hear another sound nearby, and look to investigate. When they turn their attention back, the boy and the food are gone.

Meanwhile, Kix and Rysiel are trying to figure out what to do when a rough voice laughs from the brush nearby. A woman’s voice mocks them for not being able to find her, even as she moves hiding spots. Eventually she appears and compliments them for surviving in the hills. She openly admires Rysiel’s wolf form, showing no fear at all. She knows that he is a person, for she has been following them for a while now. She says that he has great potential--they all do, and maybe they could help her with something? The two of them are intrigued by the idea, but have trouble getting her to say much more. When they suggest they ‘find’ their friends, she says they have no need, she knows exactly where they are. She has been following them after all.

The barbarian woman introduces herself as Olivai and leads them back to the trail they were following. A teenage boy appears from behind a hillock and tells her that they have food. She introduces him as her brother, Lukai.

Once back at the trail, the six of them sit down for a midday meal, with the adventurers sharing their food. Olivai explains some things about the barbarian tribes, notably their distrust of magic. She believes that they must move forward, away from this thinking, in order to survive these trying times. She herself is something of a shaman, a magic user, but she needs something to challenge her tribe’s leaders. She can’t get it though, as tribe members are forbidden to touch sacred things without getting cursed. It should be fine for these outsiders though. The adventurers express some concern about being cursed, but Olivai convinces them it will be fine. She continues to compliment Rysiel, and tells him how much potential he has. He lives in the world, he is of it. These others? They still look like they live in wood and stone boxes. She obviously likes that he is a druid, and capable of changing shape. The others seem to think she is sexually interested in him.

They agree to go along with the two barbarians after being promised that there will be some magical treasure for them as well, and so they leave Jimothy’s trail, hoping he can continue to fend for himself. At one point they stop for a short break. Olivai has been extolling for benefits of being a barbarian, but Rysiel doesn’t understand the way she speaks, so she decides on a practical answer. She sucker-punches him in the gut, and tsks, shaking her head. See? Your body needs work. Lukai stands by, unsurprised. She did this to him not long ago--the whole tribe did. That’s how he got strong. Olivai encourages, then goads Rysiel into striking her back. She lives her furs to reveal clearly defined abs underneath a healthy layer of fat. Rysiel punches with all he has, scoring a direct hit. Olivai laughs, not flinching at all. See? Strong body. She can teach him to be like this. He has potential.

They continue on. Olivai reveals a little more about their quest. She left the tribe, maybe willingly, maybe not, but she needs a sacred tool from a sacred place to return to her family in power. All tribe members are family, and she misses them. Also, they must do as she says, or something bad may happen.

When they stop for the night, Olivai reaches into a hidden pouch, drawing forth a handful of bones. She tosses them to the ground and spends ten minutes humming over them, peering at them from different angles. When she finishes, she stands up, appearing to have decided something. She wishes to take Rysiel aside, saying she will help him use his body properly. The others joke again about how she wants to have sex. Olivai scoffs at this, Rysiel hasn’t even offered her a wolf (or other worthy kill/totem/prize), how could she even consider it? No, this is about the druid’s potential. She offers the group a pipe with some strange herbs in it, and the vision of those who imbibe goes sideways for a moment. These are sacred plants, and she would use them, along with some intense physical training, to help Rysiel live up to his potential. During this time, the party shares why they have entered the hills--to investigate the trolls. Olivai nods, yes, she has seen that the hunting has been poor lately--it’s probably related.

Lukai builds a second small fire nearby for the two of them, and they spend several hours punching each other and performing other strange physical tasks. In between each, Olivai pulls out another strange plant, crushes it, chews it, or lights it on fire before offering it to Rysiel. The druid hesitates each time, until Olivai goads him into it. She knows what’s best.

Rysiel wakes the next morning covered in bruises. His hitpoints are below maximum. They continue on. It’s not long before they landscape shifts slightly, but noticeably... Everything takes on a slightly grey-ish tone, and the valleys between hills are damp and marshy. The bushes seem to have half the leaves they should, and the trees are crooked. Crows replace sparrows, and rats replace rabbits. They have entered the Evermoors.

Lukai and Olivai have been taking turns scouting, with the boy being the one to leave the party most often. When he returns from one such trip, he whispers urgently to his sister. She disappears for a long moment before returning. There’s something they should see, maybe the thing they came out here to see. They follow along stealthily, leaving Lukai to watch the two horses. Soon they hear it--a loud, gruff voice belittling a smaller, raspy voice. Kix and Rysiel understand the language as giant, and quickly realize its nature. They use the cover of sparse brush to hide as they approach the top of yet another hill, spotting a fire giant in full plate shouting at a rather skinny troll. She holds a familiar rode of silvery metal--resembling the one the two fire giants at Triboar carried. The giant seems capable of yelling at the troll for a long time, it, her slave, has failed to find any food for them for a while now.

The adventurers quickly formulate a plan. Rysiel will turn into a giant Elk and lure the troll away, while the others ambush the giant. Then Rysiel will double-back and help out. The druid scoots away from the party to kick-off the plan. When he emerges as an elk, the giant points at him, sending the troll to hunt him down. Sadly for the troll, an elk is very fast, and Rysiel has to slow down to keep the troll following. Soon the two of them disappear, and the others move into position.

To be continued...