#i'm so soft for early campaign nott and caleb

[chockfullofsecrets]

if you’re still taking first sentences, bc i can’t get enough of these: “I am absolutely not ticklish.”

(hi your ticklish!Nott fill was so good that i decided to take a crack at it too - hope it lives up to expectations!)

“I am absolutely not ticklish,” Nott declares to the group at large, and Beau groans.

“Well fuck, Jes, looks like that truth spell of yours isn’t foolproof after all. I’m telling you, the Cobalt Soul has people who can literally punch the truth out of you-”

Jester crosses her arms, tail curling indignantly. “Well, if it doesn’t work, then how would I know if you’re telling the truth-”

“Why would I lie about that-”

As they bicker, Caleb catches her eye - he’s at the very edge of the conversation, as usual, but she knows he’s still looking out for her - and sketches an additional ‘t’ in the air with his index finger before tossing her a questioning look. 

She shakes her head at him. Not that particular trick, not(t) this time - she didn’t need it, anyway, Jester’s truth spell really isn’t as all-encompassing as she’s made it out to be. 

He frowns, tipping his head to the side curiously, and taps the same finger against the back of his neck. But - here?

He’s nowhere close to her, but she wraps a defensive hand around her own neck and glares at him anyway. No one needs to know about that time he was braiding her hair, lost in his own head, and the way he kept brushing his soft human fingers against her spine until she just about fell over laughing-

Shit, just thinking about it makes the back of her neck tingle. She pulls her hood up just in case and brandishes her copper wire, turning away from the girls. “That was one time, Caleb, don’tyoudarereplytothismessage-”

His nearly imperceptible smirk as he turns back to his book makes the tingling even worse. 

[professor-rye]

PLEASE tell me about "hustlecat???"

Oh man. I am so excited about the Hustlecat AU So the shortest answer is that Hustlecat is a really cute little dating sim where you start working at a cat cafe, and you can date your coworkers. This AU is a Hustlecat x Mighty Nein crossover The long answer is that this is a Modern with secret magic slow burn Shadowgast Cat Cafe AU, where early campaign Caleb and Nott are homeless up until they get a job at this very strange and mysterious cat cafe owned by a handsome drow :D I'll be honest though, the premise may be sweet and soft, but I am apparently incapable of not writing angst, so there will also be elements of tragic backstories, mysteries, and magical danger! Ho boy... picking a snip for this one is proving difficult. There are lots of good options. I'm trying to write out the entire thing before posting it, but I've been posting snippets in the Aeor Is For Lovers Discord Server

~(‾▿‾)~ ~(‾▿‾)~ ~(‾▿‾)~ ~(‾▿‾)~ ~(‾▿‾)~ ~(‾▿‾)~ ~(‾▿‾)~ ~(‾▿‾)~

Caleb smirked and shook his head while Nott just shrugged. Then, they entered the cafe. The door opened with a jingle of a bell, and the black cat that had been sitting there darted off.

Inside was a veritable cat paradise in minimalistic but fashionable designs. Counters lined the edges of the room with plush stools tucked underneath, while several traditional cafe tables sat near the side windows. Walkways were built into the walls, one even spanning the front window, and a spiraling cat tree formed a pillar of support for a balcony style second floor. Paintings and photos of cats covered the walls and cat toys could be seen tucked into corners everywhere. A large, circular couch sat in the very center, with no less than three cats lounging on its cushions.

Everything was in shades of black, white or gray, save the occasional pop of bright orange wood or deep purple fabric. It looked modern, fancy, and clean, and Caleb suddenly felt very out of place.

“Oh wow,” Nott murmured as they looked around the massive room. Caleb was trying to find some word of agreement, when suddenly, someone called from up above.

“I’ll be right with you!” a warm southern drawl called, drawing their eyes to the second floor where a tall half-orc was standing up from where he had been sitting with a well dressed drow.

It was the strangest relief, seeing a half orc and drow, and Caleb couldn’t help but glance down at Nott to see if she felt the same. Her reusable cloth medical mask was still pulled up, and her ears tucked in, so her race wasn’t immediately obvious, but if there was a possibility that she would be accepted here…

“Hello there,” the half-orc said, now on the same floor as them. He was tall and lanky, with mottled skin and stark black hair swept back from his face. He was also very attractive.

“Welcome to The Cat’s Tower. Are you here for some of our delicious food, or would you like to learn about the cats?”

Caleb blinked. “Ah, is both an option?”

The half-orc smiled, a handsome and charming thing before he motioned them over to one of the tables. “Of course! We have our menu right here. I can place your order and then tell you about our shelter while you eat.”

[cranesofibycus]

any early speculations/theories for Imogen's backstory and her connection to this campaign's BBEG?

Oh gosh, I have been actively trying not to theorize too much hahaha I mean, there is still a little voice at the back of my mind that is convinced (and hopeful) that we'll be getting Tharizdun as the BBEG this campaign, after it was so clearly teased in campaign 2, but whether that's connected to Imogen? Who knows! I love the very precise, yet mysterious imagery of that red, terrible storm so far. I can see it in my mind, yet I have no idea what it means. How and why did she see Bertrand in her dream? Why was he walking into the storm? Is the storm a representation of death? Was that just Matt adding flavor or is there a reason Imogen saw him that is anchored in her backstory? I'm fascinated by the soft magic approach they are taking to Imogen's psychic abilities. In a D&D game where magic is mechanical and made up of numbers and clear descriptors this brand of unexplained magic is unusual for a PC. I'm curious to find out where it comes from, whether she has always been able to communicate telepathically and how those powers are linked to the storm. So far Imogen seems quite forthright with her backstory, though I wouldn't underestimate her high charisma. She definitely hasn't fully let her guard down yet.

Also: How much does Laudna know? Maybe they have a kind of Nott & Caleb relationship, where Imogen learning more about her powers and the storm would help Laudna reach her goal as well?