#horncleaver asks

[commanderhorncleaver]

Gaius, of the menial tasks you have to attend to while traveling with the warband, what's your least favorite and how do you plan to get out of doing it?

Gaius' eye strays off to the distance while he thinks about that, reclining in his chair and crossing his leg over his knee.

"To be honest, I don't much consider any of it menial? Our band is big enough that our field missions and time spent traveling tends to be rather good for the mind, I think, and we all look forward to time out of the offices."

He pauses and his icy blue eye returns to you. "Well. Phlunq can't walk as fast as us, given the massive difference in gait, so we do tend to prepare a sidebag for him if we need to keep a certain pace. I wouldn't say I vy to get out of that responsibility, but we do pass it around."

[kerra-and-company]

Have you gotten 8 and 15 for Kerra? (@commanderhorncleaver)

I have not gotten those two for Kerra and will gladly answer them! Tyty! :D

8. How willing are they to bend/break the rules for their cause (be it selfless or otherwise)?

Kerra doesn't break rules for the hell of it, and she does understand why a lot of the rules that are in place exist. At the same time, though, if rules are in the way, they're going to be bent or full-on broken if required. By and large she tries to bend rather than break rules, particularly when it comes to dicier diplomatic situations, but is she willing to break rules if she considers that the best route forward? Absolutely, 100% yes.

15. What is their favorite and least favorite part of being the commander (or whatever role they play in your canon)?

Favorite: it's a title she's never going to lose, and it's an important part of who she is, and she's proud of it. Even though she's stepped down from the Pact and any sort of official activity now, she's done a lot of good in the role and made a lot of friends that she wouldn't ever trade away.

Least favorite: it's a title she's never going to lose. She may have stepped back, but she'll never fully step away because she still considers saving the world to be her job. If it's in danger, she's jumping back in at least somewhat, forever and always. Sometimes she resents that a little--that she never had an opportunity to become someone who could step away entirely.

[telltalecoyote]

Charr Posting 2/3 (big cats good)

Oberon Furyhorn

Every society has the "model citizen" that the public all aspires to be, and Oberon Furyhorn was that individual in his time

As talented with a blade as he was with his tools, Oberon was fit for almost every and any task that was asked of this Centurion, his warband was held up to the highest regard and for good reason!

Oberon was living the dream... and then he seemingly woke up from it. Nobody but his closest allies know why, but out of nowhere, Oberon began to neglect his responsibilities, started to show no respect for his fellow authorities, and above all else-- he became disillusioned with charr society.

The biggest display of such was when he intervened with the decision made to include his cub, Sigmund, in a culling. Oberon is no doubt the sire to many cubs, which is what made it so surprising that he aimed to spare this one.

The former Centurion, despite no longer holding as much power as he used to, is still regarded as a man of many talents, and if you could get this brash old man to work with you, you wouldn't regret it! Stay on his good side, or else you may see why he was put on trial more than a few times. As of now, Gaius Horncleaver is the only other charr known to have wrangled this stallion under his control, proving to be a lifelong companion he'd hold dearly.

On a... lighter note, despite his old age, the charr acts with the energy (and libido, hue) of a charr a quarter of his age! He's no slouch, and won't back down from any challenge or trial put in front of him, using his custom blade to cut down anything in his way!

[brightwingedbat]

May I ask about Kheir's duties in the Legion? We memed about him being assigned to watch Horncleaver's crew, but I'm unsure how serious that was--that in mind, how do you think he feels about his kin, whether or not Horncleaver's the commander?

As of right now, he's a typical Ash legion spy. He's young though, and it's clear to his superiors he'll go far despite his short stature. His main role is scouting, reconnaissance, and sniffing out any lawbreakers or traitors. He's always the first of his warband to come back with actionable intel.

He could potentially watch over Horncleaver's crew, if any of them have been acting up. It's a matter of if they're doing anything that Ash legion could find useful.

As for kin, he'd have respect for his grandsire Horncleaver, but it'd be more of a military respect. After all, he's a soldier, while Horncleaver is a centurion. He would probably think August is a bit too unprofessional at times, acts in ways that might not be very soldier like, but then Kheir is probably a little stuck up in that way. He'd probably get along great with Raevik, similar vibes from the both of them as quiet, efficient Ash soldiers.

Kheir has time to really learn to be more himself rather than 'Ash Soldier' though. (And that is when he gets more open about his fondness of insects.)

Oh and, don't bother mentioning his sire Fulvius to him. He thinks his sire is a useless sack of fur and would rather not have his blood relation to him brought up.

[speculist-rinthi]

(@commanderhorncleaver) gimme dat 1, 2, and 12 for Rinthi~

THANK YOU FOR ASK and once again. Sorry I take an age to reply to these. answers are under the cut!

1. Write a basic lowdown of your OC. What's their deal?

Rinthi is a graduate of the College of Dynamics and a notably skilled mesmer who aspires to achieve the next level, aka true, fully-fledged shapeshifting into a variety of forms, including those of other people. She’s just the kind of person who, when she meets a boundary, almost can’t help but push it to see how far it’ll go.

Her work has led her to the Shiverpeaks, where she’s gained the interest and therefore help of Muni Grimgrave, a norn necromancer who does a lot of work with souls as well as bodies. She hopes to integrate his knowledge, as well as that of the traditions of Spirit-powered shapeshifting, in order to achieve her goals.

Starting out, Rinthi doesn’t really have a larger goal. When she seeks knowledge, it’s for the sake of understanding more about the world. Over the course of the campaign against the Elder Dragons (and various other enemies), she grows to be a lot less focused on herself and starts using her knowledge and power to make a better world.

2. What's their class/elite spec? Weapon of choice? Did they purposely train for it or did it just sort of happen?

Rinthi is a mesmer, specifically a mirage! Her main weapons are her axe Pentekonter, which over the years has been upgraded and adapted so much that it’s barely even the same axe it started out as, a pistol I haven’t come up with a name for yet, and a torch that may or may not get a name. She’s been good at mesmer stuff since she was a kid, and though I know in-game only mirages can use axes, I think Rinthi also grew up learning to use axes for… various purposes.

For mirage-specific stuff, in adulthood the Crystal Desert is a notable location for her (she gets involved with the Balthazar stuff via Egg), and I imagine Rinthi as basically. Having macgyvered her way into becoming a mirage by just using what’s around her. She’s a wildly adaptable person who uses her skills in unexpected ways, and mirage abilities would come pretty naturally to her. Not to say that she didn’t learn it with anyone else’s influence, but it wasn’t so much formal training as it was her noticing what other people could do and recreating it herself, as well as asking questions where she can.

12. What's something they could talk about for hours at length?

Pretty much any of her current interests, and probably several of her past ones. Just whatever she finds fascinating and knows a lot about, and if it’s something she doesn’t know a lot about, she’s equally happy to let someone who does go on for hours about it. She especially likes at least thinking a lot about how people work and the complex social interactions that go on in the world, but she doesn’t talk about it much, mostly because it kind of. defeats the purpose of being good at social manipulation if you go around telling everyone how good you are at it.

[havoc-warband]

vague idea that i have yelled at horncleaver about but i want a record of it here as well because i think i am onto something significant and it’ll very likely make it into my own canon as soon as i get it out of the jungle, so

havoc airship. name tbd but it’s either something super on the nose like Havocbringer, something punny like the Flying Ascalonian, or if they let Sivris name it, Bolt (short for “one bolt away from being a giant hunk of scrap metal” she will tell anyone who cares to ask)

they salvage one from maguuma a short time after mordremoth. being on the airship (after the events leading Into the jungle) is scary but so was the feeling of being in the jungle and having so much Stuff surrounding them at all times, so the open air is pretty refreshing, actually.

i’ve been describing scenes with havoc as taking place inside of/in front of a large squad-size tent with small individual compartments, separated by curtains. i want more Scene Diversity dammit. an airship should be (slightly) bigger than their field tent. AND it can move by itself AND sivris would absolutely baby the thing. she would decorate it in her incredibly dubious style (spikes. it would involve spikes. and flags in weird places) and because no one else has the mechanic’s skills or sheer daring needed to rappel over the edge of the thing to remove the spikes, they stay. sivris is also temporarily patching up some of the vine-holes (just until they find large-enough scrap metal, she keeps saying) with suspiciously skull-patterned knitwork. (it’s ako’s)

they can take their airship places and they would use her instead of borrowing various other characters’ ships where the canonical Commander does in the story. they could (Temporarily) Adopt People depending on what i want the layout to be like and if they have spare room. 

this is an opportunity for me to come up with More Guys for the Crew bc we all do trust sivris but we also still want to hang out with her so we should hire someone to mechanic our ship full time. perhaps this mechanic also comes with a little crew themself. i’ve already halfway designed a romantic interest for tavryn amongst this crew and i am dreaming of this being the merging point of the vigil magic-user squad and the warband.

at some points they go back to the jungle and reclaim more ships, with their extended crew. the second ship they yoink will be the stable-ship, because that is Renfrac’s one and only condition for traveling with them this way and Scothin’s getting real glib with his asking about taking Elyra with them.

i am not at all planning out a whole airship village in my brain already, what do you mean, aha

[commanderhorncleaver]

❓🩹🗑️ for Gaius~

Ask Game

❓: Estranged family/relatives they've never met

Gaius is the oldest of his sire Oryen's brood, but because of his dam's escape with him to Iron when he was 2, he's unaware of most of his siblings prior to IBS, and even Oryen himself really, with a few notable exceptions.

🩹 : Someone who was a source of trauma

Among his family, the World's Freakiest Dad award goes to Oryen. Technically speaking, he doesn't know much about him personally prior to Citadel of Flame, but knowing your sire is a war criminal shaman is typically more than enough, growing up. Coupled with the understanding that Oryen is the cause of his dam's Final Patrol (abstractly; Gaius remains unaware that Oryen is also literally made her do it) all of this shaped Gaius into who he is at the start of Personal Story.

🗑️: "It's complicated"

Among his siblings that he knows, some of the more complicated relationships go to his brother Wrygle Lifedrinker, younger by 3 years, and his sister Artificer Lucasta, younger by 32 years.

Wrygle is a complicated situation because he is the start of their sire's "project" to breed a better shaman, and is by Oryen's open and vocal measure, a failure--something Wrygle has been reminded of his entire life. He finds himself simultaneously envious of and disgusted with Gaius for how his absence has shaped his life.

Lucasta, meanwhile, Gaius has known since she was 12, when her dam, an Ash Legion spy, pulled a similar escape to his own, getting her daughter out of Flame before returning to her own mission. For a period, Gaius is her primary guardian while she struggles to adapt to the Iron Legion fahrar, trying to support and instill Iron-typical values in her in much the way he had to find for himself. When she goes missing, he may or may not have looked for her. When she returns some two years prior to Personal Story, pushing 16, a member of the Priory, and with an asuran scholar in tow, he seems plenty content to resume his mantle and see how willing she is to adapt now, and failing that, he'll teach her rat in her stead.

[commanderhorncleaver]

📎 ✨ 💎 for the old man

Ask Game

📎 - Siblings/close family

Gaius is closest to his sister Lucasta, and his cubs Augustus and Raevik. As discussed before, he had SOMETHING of a paternal role for Lu-- after they recommence contact and begin to interact, they spend very well most of their time around or in direct contact with one another. This presents challenges for them as they grow and age over the course of story, especially during IBS and the time after. Gaius loves her, and is proud of her, but at its base, they are both extraordinarily emotionally stunted, and due to their VERY different upbringings, struggle to show how they care, or do so in unhealthy ways.

Augustus is Gaius' oldest cub, at almost 25 during personal story. It would be accurate to say that Gaius' insights from his interactions with his son in the fahrar, and later on stepping in to keep him from being discharged as gladium (or worse) have shaped how he views younger soldiers. Raevik is a week younger than his older brother(s-- August does have a twin, who is not nearly as interested in the family). Raevik first meets his sire circa LWS3 and begins to hang around, initially--largely-- spying and looking to learn about Gaius and his warband. Gaius for his part is eager and excited (or as excited as he can be) and pretty openly allows Raevik the time and space, for he genuinely seems interested in learning how and why Gaius is successful, and who Gaius and the others are. In turn, he begins to take after the Horns as well.

✨ - Children (current or future)

Gaius... is a prolific sire, and has a good many cubs. However, the most notable--he does keep track, and there are methods for guessing if he named them or not-- are Augustus Silverhorn, Fulvius Smokelash, Raevik Flowscryer, Brutus Quietflame, Malcolm Boneslake, Gloryana (she's like, 3.), Almorra, Magpie, Jackdaw, Regulus...

💎 - Chosen family (including warband)

THE HORNS!!!! He adopts children like no tomorrow, and many can't take on the Horn name, but among them include Pythus Swifttail, Kudo Pyrehorn, Phlunq Blighthorn.

[commanderhorncleaver]

Thax was laying on the ground next to August, one leg resting on his knee while he swayed a footpaw in the air. He was quiet for a while before suddenly speaking up.

"Sometimes, I want to hurt you like I hurt the others. That's horrible isn't it? You're my friend, understands me better than most. Yet still I want you to understand me through feeling the same pain."

He looks over to August, uncertain and somewhat scared.

Augustus is quiet as he reclines, considering these words from his best friend in the world, alive or dead.

"I might deserve it," he answers rather simply.

He turns and props himself up on an elbow, his long braid falling over his throat and onto the grass, and the typical pink glimmer that masks his eyes' natural color now absent--the eyes that look at Thax are a drab mustard-y yellow.

"I don't think it's right," August says. "I don't think it's fair, either--you know what I've gone through to keep you alive and free. But I'd take it, if you felt it was necessary for where we're going."

[commanderhorncleaver]

How do you think fahrar’s work? We’ve had glimpses in game here or there, but I’m curious to your interpretations

Ooh, first of all, thank you for the ask! It's an in-depth topic, but I really like the establishment of the fahrar system, even with how vague it seems to be. We don't know how many there are, though it's implied that even just the Citadel has multiple-- the Fahrar of Young Heroes is known as the Citadel's main and best fahrar.

We all know the basis of "combination daycare+military academy" but the actual structure, I imagine is pretty interesting. One big thing that's important to consider is the essential schooling, but also the consideration of how cubs wind up in positions that are interesting to them: I think assessments as well as interest-check field days are common. It's from these that cubs wind up figuring out what they'll actually be wanting to commit themselves to, and it's these classes that give them the groups they choose warbands from. While I know the military state they live in doesn't necessarily mean cubs are given jobs they want to have, but I've noted a lot of charr who surprisingly don't seem to mind having what would generally be considered not-fun jobs. There are warbands whose jobs are just scrapping, and it's explained that they don't mind it (sorry, I can't remember where this is specifically and I did briefly look where I thought they were on the wiki). Rox's warband were miners, etc.

Essentially, the early days of the fahrar are focused largely on your propaganda, general educational stuff--even soldiers have to count--, and fitness. All classes have drills and team-building exercises. As cubs get older and pick up interests, they get their warbands and learn more focused stuff for what they're going to be doing when they graduate. This structure is likely adhered to rigidly, because charr love structure.

[commanderhorncleaver]

asking 1, 2 and 5 to August on the mount ones (specifically skyscales, since it's relevant)

Ask Game

Does your character have any specific mounts?

Augustus specifically owns a skyscale, as he is the one to do all the work for it during LWS4. Its name is July!

2. Do you have any canon mount skins / coloration for them?

I haven't figured out a skin for it yet, but what I do know is that it is an obnoxiously bright pink, especially when July and August go for any particularly long flights. This is because, as many know, August uses his own magic to affect his clothing (and even eyes) and this is why he himself is so pink--July eating his magic over the course of his pubescence, and whenever he needs a snack, results in him getting even brighter, while August gets dimmed the fuck down to his natural colors.

5. Do they keep their mounts stabled, take them with them, or some secret 3rd thing?

I like to imagine August has found some way to make it so that July can be more easily traversible in like the Citadel, but because it's not currently a feasible thing, July is often stabled in the Hero's Canton when August has no need for him.

Being the nature of mount-calling, I imagine he can still just straight up summon him to wherever he needs anyway.

[commanderhorncleaver]

Trying to read up on as much Gaius lore as I can. Gaius having been a Gladium ks really interesting especially since he ends up becoming the Pact Commander later! In terms of interaction, Leo was never a Gladium, but he was a mere foot soldier nearly his whole life and he was always looked upon them more favorably than he should, just another streak added to his already existing empathy for things hes told he shouldnt feel that way for re: Ascalonian Ghosts. And often found himself conversing/spending speaking with them more then his own warband or ranked charr, as long as they were friendly enough to accept it. So! How would Gaius react if he was approached by Leo just for conversation? Especially if he had already known about the rumors of Leo being a bit of an outcast for being "Too soft" (Refusing to kill to gain ranking, especially if he can avoid it in missions, being too merciful) and spending more time with ghosts than charr? Since he grew up in the black citadel despite being Blood!🤔

(Oop realized this was a bit long, but im down for any sort of interaction even if its conflict! Im also adding a soft invite if this is too long and you would rather head to dms thats totally okay too! I love talking ocs, Gaius seems so cool from what Ive learned abt him) 🫡

FIRST OF ALL, I DO NOT MIND RUNNING LONG-- however this response is gonna run long too, and if you do wanna message on dms I'm more than fine.

I think it largely depends on when in the timeline of the game Gaius would learn about Leo, for the question of how he might respond to being addressed, and the like? Because Gaius has a very funny habit of attempting to "adopt" younger soldiers to "help get them on the right track"-- and where Gaius was indeed a gladium, he didn't much respect any gladium who wasn't actively trying to get back into active duty. He had this interestingly conflicting thing where even AS a gladium himself, he spent as much time as possible sleeping with ranked soldiers so he didn't have to be in the gladium's canton.

Gaius is/was very big on the idea of doing whatever it is one can to contribute as much as possible to their legion: he himself is not particularly capable in most Iron-typical subjects, but he's a great strategist, and takes his job so seriously it kind of works out because he's sort of allowed to do what he wants insofar as... he didn't have a warband for a long time and was mostly just overseeing engineer bands: with mostly paperwork and drills, he was allowed to be a justicier of sorts, doling out punishment for gladium and awols. He was proud of this.

SO the big thing to consider I think is like. How much is Leo willing to put up with some almost 50 year old trying to figure out a lesson plan in "being a better asset to my legion?"

Despite how insanely unflattering this description is, I don't think Gaius would actually find what Leo's up to as hugely disgraceful. I don't think he'd have ADVICE, but this is somebody trying to solve one of the Big Problems Iron (and the Legions at large) are dealing with: the ghosts. He might struggle to understand the point Leo's coming from, with empathy, but this is something more than worth the investment of attention. To note, Gaius circa Ghosts of Ascalon did not personally advocate for the Ebonhawke Treaty, he was adamantly "fuck the humans," however he did A) understand exactly the circumstances and issues as the charr are in the middle of a war on three fronts, and B) he will support his Imperator first and foremost--again, at this time.

FOR THE SAKE OF NOT RAMBLING ON FOREVER, I THINK IT'S A VERY INTERESTING CONCEPT, THE TWO OF THEM TALKING, AND BEFORE I CLOSE OFF, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW: Gaius' daughter (born after IBS) has the exact same mission: I imagine her revenant magic allows her to literally channel the ghosts of the dead, including those of Ascalonians, giving them their memories and such for an extended period of time. Currently (as in when they first discover this ability of hers) they do not have an idea on how to refine or how she can make this permanent.

[commanderhorncleaver]

🔪👑 for a character of your choice!

Ask Game

I'm gonna do it for Wrygle, since he's just been on the mind!

🔪 : Enemy/nemesis

His nemesis is his Dear older Brother! I haven't done a lot to really introduce him yet, only a number of my closer friends are super familiar with him, but essentially the idea is that Wrygle is very carelessly pushed into the custody of Gaius and company during Citadel of Flame (Explorable Mode?), and Wrygle is! Extremely unhappy about this! The general gist of his displeasure is founded on his disdain for Gaius, who as I've said numerous times throughout these asks, has literally no opinion of him at this point in time.

Wrygle's core conflict is founded on... "why are you dad's favorite, why can't I get his attention," and the very awkward understanding that he doesn't know what being Oryen's favorite even entails, or what he'd do with positive attention. And anyway, he's 44 at this point in time, lmao. Pathetic, right?

👑 : Person who raised your OC and/or was important during their formative years

:) It's Oryen, who isolated him, abused him, berated him, and then basically traded him out for free labor

[commanderhorncleaver]

🧸 for mr wrygle,,

Ask Game

🧸 - Childhood friends, lol, lmao

Wrygle, on top of his various other issues, was not exceptionally well socialized as a cub. Part of this is directly because of Oryen's intent to isolate and see what his magic would in turn be, but another part is, once he was deemed a failure, he quickly wound up becoming a babysitter for his younger siblings. He didn't have much time or opportunity to learn and explore himself.

This is part of why he's just so. Awful to be around, he's selfish but doesn't know what he wants for himself, so he just DOES shit.

[commanderhorncleaver]

gw2 ask meme 4

3 - Gaius

10 - Phlunq

Ask Game

3. Do they have actual expertise in the other weapons their profession can wield or just the ones they currently use?

Gaius is mostly proficient with bladed weapons, and prefers knives, longswords, and on occasion, greatswords. Watching/training with Naz has actually given him some proficiency with axes as well, but for the most part he prefers short-to-mid-range weapons that are good for throwing and quick movements. He likes knives because of the different ways grips can be adjusted for a variety of attacks.

10. What is/What would be a lie about them they WISH was true?

Phlunq is mostly indifferent to others' opinions of him, but I think he does wish he could be as empty-minded and sole-focused as people think. Unfortunately, that head is not empty.

[commanderhorncleaver]

You asked for asks so I would like to ask how your day is going and also what is your favorite vista in GW2

I have to be 100% honest with you, though I vastly prefer GW2's vistas over FF14's sightseeing logs, I don't really commit many of them to memory. I know there are a lot that I like! But I can't tell them to you because I rarely pay much attention to them, and I'm so so sorry.

As for how my day's going--I've been sick lately, my head and eyes are aching, and my mood's been really low. I do really appreciate your message though!