#it's also my enneagram so I feel like I get it but still

[weirdnerdygoat]

guys... please help... I'm getting really into typology...

[lunitypologynerd]

And what if I said I was considering retyping Simon as so4 instead of a sx5 lately. What if.

[scandistar]

Rolan's Personality Type

So, when responding to @sleketon-or-slekky's post on what Rolan's MBTI would be, I wondered if I should try writing an "essay" on it. Mind you, I have never written a character essay before and I'm not entirely sure how it works, but there is a first time for everything and I thought the topic was interesting enough to share my thoughts on as best as I can. However, I won't make any extreme deep dives as I am not a professional, so I'll keep it pretty basic but still explain my understanding of it. Do take everything I say with a grain of salt.

Before I start, I want to point out that personality typology such as Myers Briggs type indicator, enneagram, astrology and everything else that falls under the term are highly unreliable to use on real people, as every individual is too complex to perfectly fit into one box or another. Personality types are mostly regarded as pseudoscience in psychology, so in my opinion, they shouldn't be applied to anything other than entertainment and fiction.

(I've found most of my information from sources like 16personalities and Truity)

Anyway, let's begin.

MBTI, or Myers Briggs type indicator: The Prodigy

I think a lot of people on the internet have heard of MBTI before, which is a pretty straightforward tool to find your personality among 16 distinct types based on four letters that make up your functions. Introversion or Extroversion, Intuition or Sensing, Thinking or Feeling, and Judging or Perceiving. You're either one or the other of all four of these categories and they explain how you operate as a person. Of course, no one person is strictly a feeler and never thinks logically, and nobody is entirely extroverted and prefers to spend all their time around people. The lines blur somewhere, but the letters are based on how you function the majority of the time.

A lot of us know what Introversion and Extroversion are, but most people don't exactly know what they mean. It's not just about whether or not you like being around people, but when and where you get your energy. Some people prefer to be on their own to recharge, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they dislike people or struggle with being social. Others get their energy from being among friends and family, but that doesn't mean that they refuse to be alone or are unable to recharge in solitude.

As it is with NPCs, we haven't seen enough of Rolan to tell for certain whether he's an extrovert or introvert, but you can get a general idea from your interactions with him. He seems to strive for renown, dreaming of his name being known "far and wide". He wants all eyes on him, and though he could be feigning confidence, I also think it's tightly linked to who he is, as he genuinely seems to value being someone others look up to. He thrives in environments where he gets to show off his skills and he responds well to praise and applause. Those who aspire to be in the spotlight are often rather extroverted people, whether or not it is a coping mechanism. So I'll give him an E (don't worry, babe. I'm not grading you).

Then there is Intuition and Sensing. It means you either utilise concrete thinking as you analyse the world around you (Sensing) or abstract thinking as you regard the "what if"s of a situation rather than the tangible (Intuition).

Rolan is a very concrete and literal person. He's highly focused on the things that are in front of him, and the things that are the most important: The safety of his siblings and his apprenticeship waiting for him in Baldur's gate. He is laser-focused on both, and he's practical enough to act on achieving them by all means. He doesn't stop and let his imagination do the work for him, he's hellbent on continuing forward and learning all that he can. So much so that he didn't think to question if Lorroakan's treatment of him was entirely necessary, as he thought it was the prize he had to pay "to become a true wizard". He saw his abuse as a test and it seemed reasonable to him. He is also very good at taking past experiences into account as a way of learning from them, which is brilliant for his character development. So, I give him an S (because he's S-teir).

Thinking and Feeling are often discussed when it comes to MBTI. If feelers are nothing but illogical crybabies, and thinkers are unfeeling machines. Both are entirely untrue, of course. Some lean more into their feelings than others, while some focus more on the facts, but that doesn't mean that the former can't practice logic and rational thinking and the latter are unempathetic and hold no sentimental values. We're still human (humanoid in Rolan's case).

Rolan comes off as unfeeling the first time you meet him. He wants to leave the grove and the refugees behind to continue onward to Baldur's gate, refusing to stay and help. I've read plenty of great character analysis posts on why that is his stance, and they've all painted a good picture of him as a person and what he has potentially been through as a child when you take his mannerisms into account, which are rather atypical compared to the other tieflings. But I won't get into that, because now we're talking about our feelings! I can say straight off the bat that Rolan is a highly rational person. He does things because they make sense and not necessarily because they feel right. It makes sense to leave the grove because one: They have places to be and he "cannot be late", and two: These people won't make it otherwise. If you and your companions hadn't arrived, he would've been right. Why stay and defend a bunch of strangers that will ultimately die, when you have the chance to bring your family to safety? He doesn't hold anything back either, as he says what he thinks, even if it makes him appear in a less savoury light. But it can also be said that his emotions do fuel the things he says, especially when he lashes out at you in Act 2 after losing Cal and Lia. But like I said, he's a person. So, I give him a strong T (for our Testy grump).

Lastly, we have Judging and Perceiving. Either you're a very organised and schedule-oriented person. You're less open-ended, focus more on efficiency than flexibility and want to have things determined and prepared (Judging). Or, you're a far more spontaneous person who doesn't want to restrict your options. You want to have the opportunity to explore your interests and alternatives freely without being tied to timetables and intricate plans (Perceiving).

I think I've pretty much established that Rolan is single-mindedly focused on getting to Baldur's gate and starting his apprenticeship. Little else can infringe on that plan and whenever he has no choice but to postpone it, he gets noticeably stressed and upset. Speaking to him at the tiefling party, an occasion which is a distraction from the current course of action, he reveals that it wasn't his decision to come, but Cal and Lia's. He's decisive, stubborn as an ass and wants things to go according to his expectations, and when they don't, it tests his patience and puts him ill at ease. With his every plan, he makes it abundantly clear that he will follow through with them no matter what. No matter if it means conquering the shadow curse to save his siblings. No matter if it means being frequently verbally and physically abused to achieve his dream. No matter if he has to rip his newly-acquired tower apart to find a way to help you fight the Absolute. He is stalwart and orderly, which is admirable, but his aversion to any form of help has come with its share of consequences. Thus I'll give our beloved tiefling a J (I don't have a clever joke for that one).

So, that would mean that he falls on Extroversion, Sensing, Thinking and Judging. Or to put it simply: ESTJ.

An ESTJ, also known as the "executive" or "supervisor" (as referred to by 16personalities and Truity respectively), is a hard-working, traditional and dedicated individual who appreciates orderly and methodical approaches to their everyday life. They're assertive and efficient and want structure and control of their physical and social environment, while also being highly resilient and determined. They're grounded and see things for what they are and how they can be improved, often taking inspiration from past problems and solutions, and they're mostly at home in a setting where they're in the lead, therefore shining in roles as managers and directors of both themselves and others. Although they can be unapologetically straightforward and honest, they're incredibly loyal and reliable, staying true to their word and never breaking their promises.

An ESTJ, however, is rigid and unyielding. They can be uptight and have strong convictions in their beliefs of what is right and wrong, making them rather judgemental of those who do not fit their opinion of "right". Due to their extroversion and strong traditionalism, they can put a bit too much importance on status and have incredibly high standards for themselves.

Now, I am aware that it would be better to go into cognitive functions and assess which one of those he aligns with, but that would make this essay twice as long and a lot more convoluted than what I've already made it, but I'm pretty confident in my conclusion either way. I didn't intend to make this a deep dive and I think ESTJ fits him almost to a tee.

I don't know how exactly to conclude this. As I said, I've never done a character essay before and I've always had a hard time trusting my own judgement and opinions on things, but sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.

Anyway, I had fun with this! But if there is anything I missed that is worth mentioning, or if you have any additional thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them! Every perspective of our beloved grumpy tiefling wizard is a welcome one and I am always open to discussion. I wrote this for the Rolan nation, after all!

Thank you for reading! <3

Also, before you go, have a little Rolan dressed as the ESTJ avatar from 16p:

[lavandulawrites]

( ♡ )ㅤfor the cupid’s matchmaking service...

hello! (⁠灬‿灬⁠)⁠♡ you can call me vegaith and my mbti is estj and my enneagram is 5w6. I am a very distant person and I like to have my space but still I love helping other people ♡ my hobbies are taking care of animals, writing and astronomy. I hate loud noises and rude people as well as feeling hurt or betrayed. my favorite things are birds, space and fashion.

fandoms: demon slayer, bungō stray dogs and genshin impact.

The Cupid’s Matchmaking Service

Thank you for requesting! I hope you’re happy with the results, dear anon!♡

Lavandula’s Valentine Event

Your match is…: Atsushi, Ororon and Kazuha

Atsushi:

Atsushi is a gentle man, with a heart of gold. His love for animals is noticeable and he would love to get his own pet someday. The young man loves to help others as he puts others first (this has become a slightly bad habit, but with a partner by his side, he will learn to take care of himself too).

His fashion sense is questionable, but he would love to learn more about fashion. If you help Atsushi understand fashion better, he will suck up every information you share like sponge.

He is a sensitive man, so he would understand your distaste for loud noises and rude people. He himself doesn’t tolerate rude and arrogant people as he finds their behaviour obnoxious.

Atsushi understands that you need your space and he will gladly give it to you. Though he can be rather clingy as you are the first person he has ever had romantic feelings for, but if you tell him you need some alone time, he will give it to you within a heartbeat.

He is not knowledgeable regarding astronomy, but he will try and learn as much about it as he can manage. His need for recognition shines through as he tries to impress you with his facts. (Please go easy on him.)

Ororon:

The only thing Ororon loves more than animals: is you. He eagerly looks after a few animals himself and when he learns that you and him share interests, he will be over the moon. He also enjoys helping other people, but he can be a little awkward at times.

His fashion taste is unique and he tends to lean towards more alternative clothing. He is no fashionista, but he knows how to appreciate good fashion (with a little help from you;) ).

His ability to read other people is handy when dealing with loud situations. He himself hates loud noises (especially since he is a bat-hybrid), so he will always avoid loud places when he is with you. Ororon disliked rude people, but he tries to not seem too bothered.

Alone time is something he values, so he will understand your need for space.

Ororon is very fond of astronomy and he loves to bring it up in your conversations. He will lend you his many book on said topic and he will take you star gazing as often as he can.

Kazuha:

Kazuha is a calm man with love for many things: animals included. His favourite are cats. He often feeds whatever strays he comes over and he enjoys playing with the adorable little creatures. He is always ready to lend a hand and he has helped countless people throughout his many adventures.

As a man raised in a wealthy household, he has a great eye for fashion. Though he enjoys simpler clothing fit for adventurers, he cannot say he doesn’t prefer more exquisite clothing with fine details and beautiful embroidery.

As a samurai who has gone on many adventures with no company except for nature, he knows to value some peace and quiet. Alone time is a precious thing he knows not to waste.

Kazuha has always found solace in the stars and astronomy is something that greatly interests him. He may not been that knowledgeable in the field, but he wants to learn more.

Literature is one of his favourite things and he would love for you to exchange poetry. He absolutely adores your writing and he will sing them praises as often as he can.

Thank you for using our service

-Cupid ♥︎

[youcouldmakealife]

Masking, YCMAL edition

So, after the general info on masking, here's how it specifically looks like and impacts some of the 'verse's characters.

I think I kind of need to preface this with the fact that a lot of my characters have neurodivergent traits because, well. I do. I don't know how a neurotypical person thinks, the same way a neurotypical person doesn't know how a neurodivergent person thinks. You can read about the experience, and, despite shitty stereotypes to the contrary, you can empathize with it, but the wiring of the brain is literally different.

So when I'm listing characters here as neurodivergent, I either a) set out to write them that way or b) in hindsight can't deny that their experiences are written through a very specifically neurodivergent lens. Someone not being explicitly labelled as ND doesn't necessarily mean they aren't, I just..really don't want to go back through my entire 'verse applying diagnoses the same way I happily slap an MBTI or enneagram or kindergarten teacher/assassin label on them, because that feels wrong.

But if you're neurodivergent and see something in a particular character that makes you feel seen, I'm not going to tell you 'nah man, they're actually neurotypical'. Especially because literally every single one of them was written by someone neurodivergent.

Anyway! Canonically ND characters and their masks:

David: masks extensively. Generally does his best for 'unobtrusive, pay no attention', unsure why it doesn't seem to work (mostly because he's talented and beautiful, so it seems less 'unobtrusive' and more 'I think I'm better than you', which isn't helped by the fact that often when the mask does slip, it's to show frustration, contempt, or disdain -- think at the All-Star Game his rookie year, or several points early on with Jake. Also does not help that he often does think he's better than people.)

Bryce: Still laughing at 'straightsona' used to describe Bryce out with his teammates, because it's perfect. His 'I don't care, I'm hot as shit, bitches love me' dickhead behaviour was him picking up those behaviours from popular peers and teammates over the years, partly mistaking that for the reason they were popular (rather than being seen as boy kings making them callous or arrogant), and partly viewing them as the exemplar of someone no one would predict was gay. Jared's worst enemy.

Speaking of, honourable mention to Raf Sanchez AND Julius Halla here, Jared's going around collecting neurodivergent loved ones all through IJ(aoe).

James: 'unobtrusive, pay no attention', much more successfully than David, partly because he has a mouthpiece in the form of Finn. His crashing after road trips is partly extended overstimulation and change, but it's also having to wear the mask more extensively, because he has much less time to himself, especially when he shared a room. (He's mostly unmasked with Finn, that's why Finn is his exception to a lot of No People things, but he wasn't at the beginning).

Holden: Also kind of 'I don't care, I'm hot as shit, bitches love me', but...ironically? He doesn't mask as much as the others, and because of that, he frequently drives away people who originally seem to like him and wonders why. Has been described as 'a lot'.

Fiona: Literally will not leave the house without a full face of makeup and a pair of heels or she'll feel exposed and vulnerable, and putting her make up on is how she prepares to be Outside Fiona. She's very perky and friendly at work. The second she gets home it's an 'uggggh' moment and straight into the shower to decompress/literally unmask. She's more aware than any of the guys that she's putting on a performance, partly because she grew up with all those 'girls are expected to be...' followed by a list of things she definitively wasn't. Has also been described as 'a lot'.

Finn: And How May I Be of Service To You Today?

Now this is where it gets kind of interesting because like -- people often have facades. That's not a neurodivergent only thing. People can be fake, or posture, or pretend to be something they're not. Mike, for example, will lean into the big macho asshole when he's put on the defensive, Willy is Always Performing, Thomas is sunshine even when he doesn't really feel like being that, Robbie will play the buffoon to make people laugh if he thinks they need it, half of Joey's rants are playing to the cheap seats.

Like, there's a difference between pretending you're somebody else sometimes, or behaving inauthentically, and full on 'yeah, they're masking'.

But Georgie is masking. Georgie is, at all times, evaluating his surroundings, monitoring people's emotions and reactions (especially to him), and behaving in the manner he thinks is most likely to lead to his being liked. And he was already doing that when Robbie met him, but it's intensified significantly since.

I think that's where the biggest difference lies between some of the above ND characters and Georgie? David, for example, doesn't care if he's liked (like, yes he does, but also...no). The mask is for safety/to minimize vulnerability. David's in particular was tweaked to get praise and avoid criticism from his parents (didn't work), teachers, and coaches (worked much better), not so much for his peers.

But Georgie's isn't for safety. Georgie doesn't manage his behaviour to avoid harm, Georgie wants people to like him. And he's discovered that people don't seem to like him when he does certain things, or acts certain ways, or needs things from them, so he just...doesn't do those things.

Finn's interesting because he has both forms. Please like him it'll break his heart if you don't.

[floristjimin]

charles and edwin's enneagram types

ok so I’ve been seeing a lot of really good analysis on charles and edwin’s internal motivations and how they tend to react to difficult situations. I’ve also had a deep interest in the enneagram for several years, and I just started reading a book about it, and my brain immediately connected it to DBD. so here are my thoughts on what charles and edwin’s enneagram types might be, how this influences many different aspects of their personalities, how their types complement each other really well, and how they’ve supported each other to be the best versions of their true selves.

What is the Enneagram?

More than just a personality type, the nine types of the Enneagram describe the “basic archetypes of humanity’s tragic flaws, primary fears, and unconscious needs.” Most Enneagram authors agree that we are born with a dominant type, and that this type “determines the ways we learn to adapt to our early childhood environment.”

The types are not static — there are different “levels of development” that describe how each type behaves when they are psychologically healthy or unhealthy. There is also something called the direction of integration/disintegration — each type behaves like another type when they are under stress or in growth (e.g. type Nines behave like Sixes when they are stressed, and Threes when they are in growth). So two people with the same type may not behave the same way as each other, and a person throughout their own life may grow and change, but they will still align with that dominant type.

All this to say, the Enneagram is a really useful tool for self-understanding and for having empathy for yourself and others, because it gives a lot of insight into a person’s core fears and underlying motivations.

charles - type nine

A big part of Charles’s character arc in season one was the repression and denial of his own anger. This was the biggest clue for me that he might be a type Nine.

There are so many examples of this, especially in episode 4:

the scene with Charles and Crystal on the lighthouse where they talk about the events of the devlin house (Crystal: Charles, could we just for one second talk about what happened? Charles: Crystal, I don’t have anything else to say. yes, that guy was horrible. yes, my dad was horrible. yes, I got angry. now I’m fine. Crystal: you don’t have to keep things bottled up)

the scene (1) when Charles is upset that Edwin hid the fact that he saw the cat king again, Edwin directly asks “why are you getting so angry?” and Charles immediately falls quiet

the scene where Charles attacks night nurse — he can no longer hold back his anger, and his friends are shocked (2). It is unusual for him to express his anger like this.

Ok, so why do Nines tend to be out of touch with their anger? Type Nines are “the peacemaker”, described as easygoing, reassuring, and agreeable. The basic fear of the type Nine is of loss and separation (3), and their basic desire is to have inner stability, peace of mind. “They want everything to go smoothly and be without conflict, but they can also tend to be complacent, simplifying problems and minimizing anything upsetting.” Nines want to avoid conflict; they have seen from past experiences that anger can be a huge source of conflict, so they learn to repress their anger.

This could also be part of the reason why Charles decides to stay (4) with Edwin when they first meet. Going with Death would mean having to fully accept the fact that he is dead, and that’s upsetting to him. Nines are also known as “chameleons” and tend to mirror/blend with those they are around (a way of avoiding conflict) — “being a separate self, an individual who must assert themselves against others, is terrifying to Nines. They would rather melt into someone else or quietly follow their idyllic daydreams.” So it makes sense that staying with Edwin feels like the safest option to Charles.

Some other scenes that make more sense through the lens of Charles being a type Nine:

Any time Edwin tries to initiate a serious conversation, Charles’s immediate reaction is to downplay things, and give a lighthearted response in an attempt to minimize tension (ep 6 (5), ep 7 (6)). There’s also that flicker of emotion on his face before he promptly represses it and tries to present a more reassuring reaction (ep 6 (7))

“Every (8) day, I’m fuckin’ smiling. ‘Cause who else is gonna be the one holding it together and keeping spirits up? … What good am I even doing? I couldn’t stop Devlin from murdering his family over and over, I can’t stop Crystal from hurting, I can’t stop whatever it is that’s going on with you, I can’t stop anything! I sure as hell couldn’t stop my dad from beating the shit out of me. No matter how good I was.” — This directly points to his desire to create harmony in his environment (and taking on way too much personal responsibility (9) for it)

The scene in ep 5 where Charles admits he is afraid (10) that he’s like his dad, and Edwin’s response (11) — this is a really important moment where Charles finally allows himself to acknowledge his feelings, and Edwin learns to respond with patience and mirrors the reassurance that Charles himself so freely gives.

edwin - type one

One of the things we learn about Edwin in the very first episode of season one is that he deeply cares about solving cases and helping others.

“Our (12) deaths didn’t matter. No one ever solved them. Now you are sharp and fun, but this is not a game. We are solving cases that would never be solved. Police don’t know what to do with a fucking witch! We didn’t matter. He and I. So these cases matter. They have to matter!”

Type One is “The Reformer”; they are described as principled, purposeful, and self-controlled. The basic fear of the type One is that they are corrupt, evil, and defective (which makes it even more devastating that he spent 70 years in hell), and their basic desire is to be good, have integrity, and be balanced.

This description above reminds me a LOT of the conversation he has with the cat king in episode 4:

Cat King: Why do these cases of complete strangers matter to you so much? Edwin: Not that you would understand, but I help ghosts whose cases would go unsolved. I right wrongs. [after Cat King forces him to tell the “truth”] Edwin: I’m also doing as much good as I can, so that eventually if I have to go back to hell, I can make my case for leniency … I’m ashamed. It’s selfish.”

A lot of Edwin’s repression definitely has to do with the time period he’s from, but I think it also points to that type One desire to be “good”.

Does this not perfectly describe Edwin’s entire journey (13) of self-discovery in season one? See also, his remarks about emotions (14) and human connection (15).

Lastly, I’ll link to this post (16), as well as the fact that it took me a lot of thinking to figure out that Edwin was a One — he does not fit the usual stereotype of a One. He’s not overly perfectionistic or highly critical, he’s not afraid of making mistakes. Instead, we see a One at a healthy level — principled, a person of integrity, who is able to see that imperfections are part of perfection, who is able to work on undoing those patterns of repression. Additionally, type Ones tend to look like Sevens when they are in a direction of growth — Sevens are described as spontaneous and playful, constantly seeking new and exciting experiences. We definitely start to see this side of Edwin, and I think part of why he is able to grow in this direction is because his friendship with Charles has given him an environment where he feels safe and comfortable.

charles & edwin - the relationship between Ones and Nines

Even more interesting, there is a section on the Enneagram site that discusses relationship dynamics between different Enneagram types. This part highlights how the One and the Nine have different ways of reacting to stress and how they express (or don't express) anger:

For Edwin, this perfectly captures his prickliness and snippiness in the first few episodes towards Crystal.

And for Charles, this lines up with his emotions (17)/reactions starting from episode 3 in the devlin house and how he tries to ignore his emotions and repress his anger

Lastly, on a more positive note, this part really describes their partnership and synergy perfectly:

I also think this ties in to Charles’s direction of growth — as a type Nine, Charles would look like a type Three in his direction of growth. Threes are described as adaptable, driven, and energetic (as well as attractive and charming). I think he exhibits all of these traits -- being friends with Edwin for the past 30 years has definitely supported Charles in this direction of growth.

Overall, I think all of this really speaks to how realistic and complex these characters are. If you read this whole thing, THANK YOU. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this, if you agree with these types, if you have any more examples you can think of in the show, if you think they fit better with a different type, etc.!! And if you’re interested in learning more about the Enneagram I’ll leave some sources below.

The Enneagram Institute website

The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher L. Heuertz

Sleeping at Last podcast feat. Chris Heuertz, about type One and Nine

One by Sleeping at Last

Nine by Sleeping at Last

references: 1 - @that-ineffable-devil 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 - @mellxncollie 3, 7 - @homoquartz 4, 13 - @nikossasaki 9 - @asidian 16 - @abeautifulblog 17 - @melefim

[linkons-most-wanted]

Sylus 🏎️ The Challenger

Enneagram deep dive

-> All LIs here <-

Summary

Type 8 (Challenger) with both a strong seven wing (The Independent) and nine wing (The Bear)

The powerful, dominating type: Self-confident, decisive, willful, and confrontational

Fear: Of being harmed or controlled by others, of violation

Desire: To protect themselves, to determine their own course in life

"I am good/okay if I am strong and in control of my situation."

Eights love to challenge both themselves and others. This type captures Sylus's calm, unphased quality along with the sudden, strategic violence that secures his goals. In his businesses, he leans into the 7 wing, though he still prefers to mostly deal with things behind the scenes, as befitting a strong 9 wing.

When with the people they care about, healthy eights with a strong 9 wing express surprising warmth and depth, and are deeply protective while not being controlling or constricting.

A high-energy type

Here's a key quote from Wisdom of the Enneagram (cited below as "WotE") about type 8s:

"Eights have enormous willpower and vitality, and they feel most alive when they are exercising these cpacities in the world. They use their abundant energy to effect changes in their environment--to leave their mark on it--but also tkeep the environment, and especially other people, from hurting them and those they care about. At an early age, Eight sunderstand that this requires strenngth, will, persistence, and endurance--qualities that they develop in themselves and that they look for in others."

-- WotE pg 289

Power without peacocking

I am a 9 with a strong 8 wing, which is part of why I find stepping into Sylus's head to be so natural. Eights are particularly compelling in that they seek power and control, but they aren't moved by or interested in peacocking or shows of force.

"They are pragmatic, practical, and competitive and are not overly concerned with pleasing others or with putting up with what they perceive as weakness or inefficiency." (WotE p293, about 8w7)

The bear

We primarily find how Sylus treats Luke, Kieran, Mephisto, and MC in the 9 wing. 8w9 is called "The Bear" for good reason:

"People of this subtype combine strenght, self-confidence and determination with quiet roundedness and a certain laid-back quality. [...] They are also warmer and more family-oriented, asserting power and leadership through protectiveness. [...] These people seem to have a dual nature, manifesting themselves differently in different areas of their lives. For instance, they can be warm and affectionate at home but highly determined and aggressive at work. People of this subtype generally like to live quietly and unobtrosively, preferring to control their affairs from behind the scenes." -- (WotE p293-294, about 8w9 at healthy and avg levels)

Comfortable on their own

Regardless of their vocation, eights are "rugged individualists" who desire to be in control and see the changes they've made on the world around them. To open up to another person is to accept a weakness, a way that they could be controlled or hurt. This is why in "Greedy Heart", when Sylus asks MC if she's worried that other people will consider her his weakness, he's also indirectly confessing the vulnerability he feels getting closer to her.

The childhood patterns

Eights often were forced to grow up quickly in dangerous environments. And having all your kin abruptly slaughtered will do that to you. There are often intense feelings of betrayal or rejection, so they harden their hearts to cope. Often, young eights play the role of "scapegoat"--Beyond Cloudfall specifically mentions how the fiend's crimes were fabricated. The fiend serves as a scapegoat for the entirety of Philos, making clear its own internal emptiness and lack of honesty. It's clear in Beyond Cloudfall that Sylus and MC are the only ones following their hearts--which may make them the only two of their kind (ie, they are "the same", they are kindred spirits).

The Sexual Eight

Wisdom of the Enneagram presents three different "instinctual variants" (sexual, self-perservation, social) which add further nuance to how eights show up in the world. It's hard not to quote the entire passage for the Sexual Instinct in the Eight (pg 295-296) because it just describes Sylus so perfectly:

Taking Charge. In the average rage, Sexual Eights are the most quietly intense and charismatic kind of Eights. They are passionate about whomever they care about and want to feel that they have a major impact on the lives of those in their sphere of influenece. [...] Like Social Eights, they enjoy rabble-rousing good times, although therei s more of a rebellious streak in Sexual Eights. They have a sly sense of humor and enjoy being "bad." SExual Eights can be deeply loving and devoted[...] They can play rough with intimates, are stimulated by a good argument, and can be impatient with niceness. Like the Self-Preservation Eights, they can be competitive, but more for the trill of competition and less for security reasons. In fact, Sexual Eights lose interest if they win too easily, and this extends into their intimate relationships as well.

Notably, people often have secondary instincts as well, and the Self Preservation Eight ("the survivor") hoards prized posessions, working hard to gain the material possessions necessary for the security and control they crave. Sound familiar?

It's a dog eat dog world

Eights often feel justified in their aggression to defend themselves with the idea that everyone's working with the same environment and the strong survive and the weak fail. To take on a "charity case" is to defy the rules of the road. An Eight might genuinely feel that someone providing too much support is coddling them and will doom them to failure or even death later down the road. They don't feel guilty for taking something from someone who lacked the power to defend it.

That being said, Eights also like to leave their mark, so mentorship is deeply appealing to them. Taking someone under their wing and giving them the tools to survive is deeply gratifyin to an Eight. (We see this repeatedly, especially in Beyond Cloudfall, Innocent Birdcage, and with Luke and Kieran.)

How adaptive vs. maladaptive this tendency is depends on the environment. When resources are plentiful, this perspective can be unnecessarily cruel. But when the stakes are truly that high, and it's not possible to save everyone, Eights pull ahead with a decisiveness that allows them to truly carve out a safe place for the people they love. We see this both in how Sylus relates to Tarus and the N109 Zone.

The wake-up call

If Eights do not feel like they can look to others for support without losing their autonomy, they tend to feel at-war with the world. (WotE pg 297) Their combative tendencies will escalate unless they're able to realize that it's impossible to be truly independent and learn to trust others to support them.

I think we get to see this wake-up call for Sylus on-page, and it's so compelling. During Long Awaited Revelry, Sylus is initially combative with MC, seeing her lack of memory and inability to resonate as a challenge to be conquered. However, Philip is able to point out to him that his behavior is actively repulisve to MC--this isn't a fun argument like they used to have, this is serious. While Sylus is brusque with Philip, the entire reason he brought MC to him is that Sylus trusts Philip and is willing to depend on him. Philip reminds Sylus that not all things are challenges to be conquered, and he needs to be sensitive to MC's feelings and inner world here. Once he has his wake-up call, he's able to accept his lack of control and engage with MC in a more open and vulnerable way.

The social role

Eights see themselves as "the rock"--a steady foundation upon which others can depend. However, this desire to be immovable can lead them to inadvertently reject the very things they may be seeking--such as the care and intimacy of others.

Radiant Brilliance is such an excellent depiction of what it looks like when an Eight starts to step out of that social role--Sylus allows MC to see that he loses fights sometimes. She's at first startled to have this image of the invicible Sylus challenged, but she quickly adapts and accepts this more vulnerable side of him, sincerely cheering him on. He shows a different side of himself and allows himself to look to her for support and encouragement.

The Passion: Lust

WotE describes this as "Lust and 'Intensity'" (pg 299):

Eights want to feel strong and autonomous; simply put, they want to feel solid and alive. Thus, the traditional Passion of lust (their "Capital Sin") copels them to act in ways that stimulate feelings of aliveness, leading them to live intensely. Interactions with others must be intense, work must be intense, and play must be intense, as if Eight shad to constantly push against life.

The more they push in this way, the less energy they have for the intimacy and connection they actually crave. Ironically, this craving for intensity, power, and control can itself become a "lust" that controls the Eight. Instead of going after what they truly want, they can become trapped in patterns of going after adrenaline highs.

It is no mistak that as a dragon, Sylus's curse is to go mad with desire. Blind, unthinking lust takes over--and this is the loss of control that he fears most of all. So, the Sylus we meet in the main story timeline has largely grappled with this tendency and has found ways to sate and direct those desires so that they no longer control his fate. This is such a strong and compelling theme for his character that I wrote a whole essay about that, too.

Testing boundaries

Eights are forthright, honest, and blunt. They expect the same of others and are often confused by those who take more subtle or tactful approaches.

[...] Eights need clear boundaries; they want to know where they stand with others and, on an instictive level, where they end and where others begin. They want to know what others will tolerate and what they will not. Eights discover boundaries by testing them. If a person in relationship with an Eight does not react to [them], the eight will continue pushing the boundaries until they get a reaction. Sometimes this can take the form of needling or teasing the other. (pg 303)

Sylus actively expects and enjoys with MC pushes his boundaries--it's one of his favorite things about her. Given my theory that MC is a Nine herself (more on that soon), she has an Eight wing to lean into to provide this kind of push-back.

This is one of the unexpected twists of Sylus's character--while he will initially push boundaries, once he knows where he stands, he's very respectful of MC's assertions. We see this really strongly in Razor's Dance--he's basically been seeing how much "pestering" he can get away with, and he's getting a consistent reaction from her that she's not appreciating it. Once he feels like he's explored his options, he's willing to back down--giving her the ultimate say of whether she wants him in her life or not.

This is not a contradiction or a heel-face-turn at all, but rather something that flows from the same source of wanting to get to a practical and clear understanding of where he and MC stand with each other.

When integrated, Eights become helpers

When Eights become healthy, they naturally lean into the traits of healthy Twos, "The Helper". They learn to open up to others and face the possibility of being hurt with courage, grace, and inner strength.

When Sylus makes his promise to never betray MC in Beyond Cloudfall, we see this type of courage. He knows it will hurt, and he's able to access a deeper inner strength to do what must be done.

Eights are already attracted to mentorship, and when accessing the energy of healthy Twos, they become supportive and open-minded, helping others find their true potential vs. trying to mold them into something useful for the Eight. This tenderness becomes more and more frequent in their interactions as their relationship develops. We see sincere expressions of care and support--"[...] they clearly comminiate their profound respect and appreciation of other human beings" (pg 311).

In conclusion

Something that I find so compelling about the Enneagram, and about Sylus's character, is it leans into the nuance and these seemingly contradictory traits. Sylus's tenderness and romanticness isn't able to co-exist with his power and dominance simply because it's fiction, but it's actually a very nuanced portrayal of a very real set of traits. It's profoundly humanizing and gives the storytelling so much depth.

If you enjoyed this, you'll probably want to check out the pillar post with the other LIs, or this essay on Sylus's intimacy and desire.

[alliskit]

BG3 Headcanons Nobody Asked For.

Part 3: Enneagrams.

If you’ve never heard of the Enneagram, it’s a personality type system. You can learn more here.

I love the Enneagram (helped with some serious family healing) because it is in-depth, but I’m gonna to do a little “fly-over” of each type and who I feel best fits each. Feel free to give other types you think each embody!

The layout: Motivations // Core Fears

Enneagram 1: Minthara

Want to be right, to strive higher and improve everything, to be consistent with their ideals, to justify themselves, to be beyond criticism // being corrupted, defective

She is deeply upset that she broke her oath to Lloth, even if it wasn’t her fault.

Instead of seeking Lloth for forgiveness or redemption, she believes that she is too corrupted and would rather be an oath breaker than face her old goddess.

She does not like being wrong

Is often right which justifies her desire to never be seen as wrong

She is organized, orderly, and fastidious; maintains high standards — earned her place as the grey warden

She is critical and perfectionistic (cue my fave companion analysis conversation lol)

When first out of the cult she is moody and angry (and a bit irrational about her vengeance and her circumstances)

As she grows, you get ‘silly’ Minthy, the drow comedienne (“it was a beautiful webbing” lol)

Enneagram 2: Shadowheart

Want to be loved, to express their feelings for others, to be needed and appreciated, to get others to respond to them, to vindicate their claims about themselves // being unwanted, unworthy of love

“My Lady Shar must love me”

Not to mention her feelings of insecurity being reinforced by the stupid rats in shar’s temple: “unworthy!”

She is the mom/nurse companion, thinks her servitude is how she will be wanted

Acts aggressive and stand offish (leaning into 8 stress response) when feeling threatened/angry

She starts off prideful, deceptive, and self-deceptive and grows to be self-sacrificing, nurturing, and generous

As she grows she also becomes more comfortable in herself and finding ways to express herself outside of others (new hair!)

Enneagram 3: Gale

Want to be affirmed, to distinguish themselves from others, to have attention, to be admired, and to impress others // being worthless

50% of romance arch is him trying to impress you so much you pick him despite you consistently romancing other characters

Other 50% is him trying to impress you with trying to be a god so you will stay with him

Someone made him feel worthless as a kid so he summoned a fireball and a tressum and then finally got attention from a goddess so now he has to continue to prove his magic is worthwhile

After being cast out by Mystra, he doesn’t recognize it’s because he basically tried to give her the weaves version of a Trojan horse virus instead of him being “deficient” or a “failure” in some way. Sadly, the dumbest wizard in the realms solidifies this belief by saying “you know where you failed”

He was the definition of apathetic and disengaged the year in isolation (3s need people badly) when he was taken and started healing he embodied what he had always wanted to present: authentic, compassionate, and more easy going.

Ambitious is the name of the game! He would be the god of all 3s.

Enneagram 4: Astarion

Want to express themselves and their individuality, to create and surround themselves with beauty, to maintain certain moods and feelings, to withdraw to protect their self-image, to take care of emotional needs before attending to anything else, to attract a “rescuer” // have no identity or personal significance

Despite having not seen his face in 200 years and having only attention because of it you’d think he rather be ugly so he isn’t used for his body but nope he needs to be reassured that he is in-fact still gorgeous

A terrible combination is a narcissist abuser and a partner who will do anything to hold onto a sliver of themselves

“I called on all the gods but no one answered”; willing to entertain new kinds of slavery (basically prostituting himself to tav from his pov, entertaining Raphael, and the tadpole) if it meant being saved

All about the ✨aesthetic✨

At his worst he does things to manipulate to keep people close (believing they won’t stay otherwise) and is moody and violent (emotional turbulence of getting approvals and disapprovals almost at the same time sometimes lololol)

At his best is balanced, introspective, and vulnerable (vulnerable in a way that's not to garner sympathies/manipulations)

He starts off very hopeless, self-destructive, and very indulgent (has addictive tendencies for coping; Minthy's observation is excellent), taking everything personally and is paranoid

Is a creative (embroiders!)

Enneagram 5: Jaheira

Want to possess knowledge, to understand the environment, to have everything figured out as a way of defending the self from threats from the environment // Being useless, helpless, or incapable

She is epically tired and living in survivor's guilt in a leadership role, so she will seem like an 8 taking charge (this woman is a researcher and explorer with a sense of justice, just take a look around her incredible study!)

Secretive and independent are the titles of a 5 and she embodies both. Once again: her basement lair.

She stuck it out for 20+ years in the Shadowlands because she is a problem solver and won't leave until the problem (Ketheric you wrinkly ass) is solved. (Also someone explain to me how she is gone for 20 years yet 2 little human kids know her like she's their mommy? Come on larian....)

She is high strung and intense, yet an inspiration. There is a reason even Halsin is in awe. She is a force. He had to leave to survive, yet she was the one who found Isobel and created a safe haven. This woman might feel useless and isolated, but she is resourceful.

She is the ultimate defender, which makes her the best Harper. She studies her opponents before she attacks and she uses her warriors like chess pieces who rarely fail. The Harpers are known to be efficient because she is efficient. She wastes no lives. She needs them all.

Enneagram 6: Wyll

Want to have security, to feel supported by others, to have certitude and reassurance, to test the attitudes of others toward them, to fight against anxiety and insecurity // being without support and guidance

They are known for being the ultimate friend and buddy. They are the ride or dies. Wyll is the companions' favorite.

He is engaging not because he was socially trained, he is that way naturally.

He is both rebellious, but also not a risk taker. He defied his father to be warlock, yet won't hop on the tadpole train for power. There has to be a positive payout for the risk.

He can be one the of the most encouraging, but also one of the meanest.

He wants to be recognized. He likes his moniker. He will act like it was gifted to him, but he leans into it and hides behind it arrogantly. ("My friends call me Wyll", so everyone else has to know him as the Blade FIRST.) He thinks it hides his true failure, which is that he has to depend on a devil for any of the power his moniker gives him. ("A story of two men" when you find out he's basically a prince... as if that is a bad thing. Gods. Face palm.)

He is wary of authority figures and most literally chose to be his own authority by becoming the Blade and not the next Ulder.

He is a champion of the people, the bards aren't being paid by his PR team. 6s fight injustices big time. They may not defy EVERY authority, but they will stand up to them to help others (8s take a seat you're coming...)

In a safe space, he is laid back and fun. (Dancing with tav around the fire!)

6s do a really good job at saving face during stress, even if they are crumbling inside. (He totally is and I highly suggest you don't let his dad die.)

Enneagram 7: Karlach

Want to maintain their freedom and happiness, to avoid missing out on worthwhile experiences, to keep themselves excited and occupied, to avoid and discharge pain // being deprived and in pain

Karlach wants to taste, touch, see, smell, and hear everything life has to offer.

Getting trapped in Avernus was literal hell for her. It is an empty place where she was on a leash. Getting to literally touch grass is life-giving.

She can endure a lot, but if she could just turn it off, she would.

Her screaming "I'M FREE" even if Zariel is hunting her (versus Astarion's constant paranoia despite also being free)

She struggles with impatience and impulsiveness. She literally runs from her fears.

With growth she leans into true contentment, even if it means living in Avernus.

She is overtly optimistic even in the face of death (would rather die than go back to Avernus and is willing to back it up with wanting to use her time left to live to the fullest even tadpoled)

Enneagram 8: Lae’zel

Want to be self-reliant, to prove their strength and resist weakness, to be important in their world, to dominate the environment, and to stay in control of their situation // being harmed or controlled by others

Unlike Minthara who knows she has weaknesses, but has to overcome them, Lae'zel believes that she has to do everything to never be weak. She can't abide weakness.

Githyanki are conquerors and she must dominate all her foes and cirmcumstances.

They fight against oppressors (ghaik) to stay in control. She will fight Vlakkith once she realizes her queen is just another controlling oppressor.

You have to roll a wisdom or persuasion check to get her to be vulnerable or else she's not unless you're romancing her. And to romance her, you have to let her dominate you or you show your dominance. Literally.

She keeps things close to the chest until her proverbial armor begins to melt after the incident at the creche. She is terrified underneath it all. She is about to become the thing she hates most and her own people would rather kill her. She is no longer worthy of being alive. She stood her ground and made her place in pursuit of becoming one of the greatest only to be made weakest by the tadpole.

She starts off being completely self-interested and isn't willing to help others, but by the end, she is using her talents and self-confidence to save her people and the Sword Coast (she deserves a line like Shadowheart about "you know who I never cared about? Desperate people.")

Enneagram 9: Halsin

Want to create harmony in their environment, to avoid conflicts and tension, to preserve things as they are, to resist whatever would upset or disturb them // Of loss and separation

When asked if he will miss being First Druid and his answer is "Gods no!" is on brand 9. They make fantastic leaders, yet would rather not deal with the politics of it all.

He, like Karlach, is a runner. Even though he wrapped his avoidance in a "I must cure the shadowlands" bow, he saw a chance to get out of the Enclave's issues he felt he couldn't fix to go somewhere he felt he would be needed more.

A big complaint of Kagha's is that Halsin was inattentive. He was disengaged. He was clocked out internally while trying to give everyone what they wanted to "keep the peace". Only 4 other druids in the busy grove are against Kagha on this.

He defers responsibilities to have his own peace. He asks a lot of the companions for his own quest, while not joining them on theirs (I know this is a Larian issue, but there are so many lines with Halsin that are "Wait, why am I doing this for you?" and "Is he finally joining us?" indicating he was just chilling while the rest adventured)

He spends most of Act 2 trying to make up for a major loss. He clings to tav because he doesn't want to lose them too. The more he grows with the group, the more autonomous and self-assured he gets. Especially after reuniting with Thaniel.

He becomes one of the best and beloved companions as he heals: 'Optimistic, reassuring, supportive: have a healing and calming influence—harmonizing groups, bringing people together: a good mediator, synthesizer, and communicator.'

I know I left Minsc out but he’s a 7 from what I can tell! He’s a fun add on companion, but I’m going to omit him from this line up.

This was A LOT. But such food for thought. Thank you for enduring my mindFULL imaginings this time. This could have been so much more detailed but it's already so long.

[forbidden-salt]

Me: draws a siren literally plotting murder

Also me: sighs “Wow, this is so romantic!”

Suffering from Epic: The Musical is the kind of song that completely messes with your head. The siren gives you everything you think you want—everything. She becomes Penelope, Odysseus’s wife, and suddenly, he’s not fighting through wars or monsters. Instead, he’s standing face-to-face with the dream he’s been chasing all this time. She’s begging him to join her in the water, to leave everything behind and be with her forever.

But Odysseus? He’s not fooled. He’s onto her. He sees through the illusion. She’s pretending to be Penelope, offering him the one thing he’s been fighting for all along—the appearance of his wife, and yet, it’s all just a trap. He’s using her. He’s using her manipulation to get closer to the information he needs to finally return to Penelope, to the woman he truly loves.

And God, when he sings “The things I’d do for you,” it’s like a gut punch. There’s such longing in his voice. He’s willing to sacrifice everything for his wife, and that kind of devotion? God, give me a man who would burn the world down for me like that. The things I’d do for him…

But here’s the thing—the surface of this song is so romantic. It sounds like a dream. “Come play with me in the water.” That sweet, almost innocent request. That feeling of being wanted, needed, loved in the purest sense. But underneath it all, it’s a death sentence. The siren, even though she appears to be Penelope, is trying to lure him to his death.

And here’s where my mind goes: how much of this is like maladaptive daydreaming? The siren’s voice is seductive because it offers the dream—that idealized version of love, the one you’ve been imagining in your head, the one you’re always chasing but can never quite hold onto. I’m so guilty of it—falling in love with the vision of someone in my mind, or a fictional character, the fantasy of them that I’ve created. But the problem is, that love isn’t real. You can’t love someone who doesn’t exist, and in doing that, you rob yourself of living your actual life. It’s like dissociation: the dream world feels so much easier, so much more comforting than the real one.

The siren, in a way, represents that distorted vision of love. She offers everything you’ve ever wanted, but at what cost? Sure, it’s romantic, but it’s toxic. It’s a trap, and the real love—what Odysseus has with Penelope—is what he’s fighting to return to. Even though the dream looks perfect, he knows it’s not.

But as an Enneagram 2, as someone who wants to love so deeply that I’d take on others’ suffering, I get it. It’s that temptation to make someone’s pain mine, to save them, to turn their suffering into something I can manage because maybe, just maybe, they’ll love me in return. It’s romantic in the most disturbed way—yeah, but also, it’s human. And it’s real.

In the end, I’d take the suffering from anyone I loved—friends, family, anyone—because I’d do anything for them. And maybe, just maybe, that’s the real power of love: the willingness to carry that pain and still try to make something beautiful out of it. So long as you don’t kill both of you by drowning in love.

[maaarine]

Is My Husband a Doormat? (Lidija Hilje, The New York Times, March 14 2025)

"He had been irritable for days because of an Enneagram personality test I’d sent him a link for.

When he came out of our room with his results, his face was ablaze, furious, which was odd: My husband is the calmest, most easygoing person I know.

“I’m a Nine,” he said with disdain. “The Peacemaker.”

“That’s great,” I said, a bit envious. I was a Four, the Individualist, what seemed to me to be a frivolous and self-serving type compared to the altruism and kindness of a Peacemaker.

“I’m an official people-pleaser,” he said. “My personality is a doormat.”

That whole day he brooded over his results, and I found it hilarious. Who in their right mind gets upset about a pop-psychology personality test?

“That’s what I love the most about you,” I said. “That you are understanding, collaborative, considerate.”

But he shook his head as if I didn’t understand it, didn’t understand him.

And in the following days, he grew increasingly irritable, bursting with annoyance when he had to take out the trash, or when the children didn’t line up like soldiers the moment he barked orders to “Brush teeth!” or “Go to bed!”

It culminated on the day of the fight, when he spewed those words at me, that I’d been abusing him.

When he said that, I laughed — the accusation was ludicrous. (…)

Over the years, my husband told me stories from his childhood that he thought were normal but struck me as neglectful or that made him feel like a burden, like his mother not visiting him in the hospital when he was a toddler or acting as though his lunch money for school was a big expense.

My husband cut ties with his parents some years ago, but only after I grew upset at the way they treated me. I guess he hadn’t deemed himself worth fighting for.

He may have cut ties, but the feeling of being a burden remained. He was still censoring himself, making himself invisible by not asking for anything.

It wasn’t that I was controlling. It was that he was preemptively trimming his own wings before even asking for what he wanted or needed — and then resenting me for it.

I came back home to find my husband sitting on the couch with his head in his hands.

He looked at me, all the fight already drained from him. “I’m sorry I took it all out on you,” he said.

“You weren’t abusing me. I can’t believe I said that. That damn Enneagram. It really got to my head.”

He had been doing some reckoning of his own while I was away, and he realized why the Enneagram had triggered him so much: It hadn’t shown him the person he was but the person his childhood experiences had conditioned him to be.

And there was a deep chasm between those two versions.

After the Enneagram held that mirror up to him, he couldn’t reconcile himself to it, but he also didn’t know what to do about it. It overwhelmed him completely.

“I thought that cutting ties was enough,” he said. “But there’s still work. So much work.”

“I know,” I said, and held him."

[autistic-gale-dekarios]

BG3 OC Lore: Fenton

This little meow-meow is Fenton, my utter trainwreck of an embrace Durge from my third BG3 playthrough. I finally had time to make a post about him if anyone cares

Basics

Full name: Kroniban Del’yviir (<- His birth name. Do not call him that unless you want to get murdered) (He’s gone by “Fenton” for the last ~50 years)

Race: Lolthsworn half-drow

Gender: M (cis) (he/him)

Birth date: 16 Uktar 1415 DR (age ~76 during game events)

Class: Storm Sorcerer

Background: Haunted One (Dark Urge)

Stats: 8 STR | 13 DEX | 15 CON | 12 INT | 10 WIS | 17 CHA

Moral alignment: CE

Personality (MBTI, Enneagram): ENFP, Type 7

Neuro stuff: BPD, C-PTSD, dissociative amnesia, type 1 bipolar

Sexuality: Bi

Romanced character: Astarion (ship name: Bloodslay)

Media

Tags: #oc: fenton; #fenton core

Pinterest board (CW for blood/gore/horror imagery)

Character playlist

Bloodslay playlist

Backstory infodump under the cut <3 (CW for descriptions of abuse, fantasy violence, mental illness and substance abuse mention; and ofc BG3/Dark Urge plot spoilers)

Pre-game

Early life

Fenton was born and grew up in the Underdark city of T’lindhet, Great Bhaerynden. His mother was a Lolthsworn drow, the first daughter of the minor House Del’yviir, and his father was a human slave who was executed before Fenton was born. He had four older half-siblings (3 sisters, 1 brother), all full drow.

Being a bastard, half-human AND male, Fenton was dealt the shittest hand possible in drow society. The first two decades of his life were miserable. He was essentially imprisoned and enslaved by his own family, enduring pretty much every kind of abuse, most of it from his mother.

From early childhood Fenton had regular hallucinations. He would see flashes of blood and gore where there was none, and hear voices telling him to commit unspeakable violence. But these barely fazed him; they were an almost pleasant retreat from the horrible reality of his life. He already hated everyone around him so much his Urge to kill them felt pretty appropriate, actually (like that one text post, "demonic possession wouldn’t even affect me, with all the other shit I got going on").

The first time Fenton saw Bhaal was the night before he turned 25. He’d just been locked into his room after a bad beating, and was lying half-conscious in his own blood. Bhaal appeared to him as a reflection in the blood and told him that the next day he would wake up with arcane powers, and he must use these to free himself, travel to the Surface and seek the temple of Bhaal where he would “fulfil his destiny”. Fenton had never heard of Bhaal at this point, and initially assumed he was just delirious from blood loss, but the small possibility that this was real -- that someone was watching over him, that he might have a real purpose -- was too tantalising to ignore.

Fenton woke the next morning feeling like a new person. Where he should have been sore and weak from last night, he felt impossibly strong and deeply in touch with magic, like he could reach into the Weave and pull out whatever he wanted. His Urge was also amplified tenfold, to the point of compulsion, like his actions were entirely automatic. The exact events that led to Fenton escaping home were mostly a blur, except the memory of killing his mother, which remained crystal clear (best moment of his life).

Now convinced that a god really had spoken to him, Fenton found his way to the Surface and spent the next few years searching for Bhaal’s temple. At first he was incredibly maladjusted, couldn’t speak a word of Common and didn’t really know how to interact with people. But he picked up the social skills and language surprisingly quickly, and discovered he was actually quite extroverted. He’d spent so long with no one to talk or turn to, he was now desperate for interaction in any and all forms. Fenton genuinely liked the Surface folk and tried to integrate himself. He was still subjected to prejudice for his obvious drow heritage, but it was a cakewalk compared to his treatment in the Underdark. He ditched his birth name and started calling himself “Fenton” after the first name he saw written on a poster on the outskirts of Baldur’s Gate.

Fenton became increasingly gregarious throughout his time on the Surface, seeking friends and lovers in everyone he met. This devolved into an unhealthy spiral of toxic, short-lived relationships that always ended with him either getting distracted and abandoning the other person, or getting too intense and scaring them off. And as a side effect of his promiscuity, he got involved in petty crime and other generally ill-advised behaviour. Fenton lost sight of his mission to find Bhaal for a couple years, quieting his Urge with recreational substances, bar fights, unsafe sex and the like.

Cult of Bhaal

Fenton eventually discovered the temple pretty much by accident during a drunken wander through the sewers. But once the cult found him and took him in, it didn’t take much to get him back on board with the whole Bhaalspawn thing. He was just happy to be part of a community. The ritualistic butchering of innocents was a worthwhile trade for a supportive family (“Look Daddy, I slaughtered all these people for you! Are you proud of me? Do you love me? Tell me I’m good!”)

During his ~45 years in Bhaal’s cult, Fenton continued to lead a pleasure-driven lifestyle. He gained notoriety among Bhaalists for his “murder parties” and “murder orgies” which were exactly what they sound like. But through all of this Fenton never lost touch with his emotions. He could be incredibly affectionate in his fucked up way. Fenton loved Orin like a sister, and was utterly oblivious to her envy of his power. Later, Fenton and Gortash became fuckbuddies close friends while working on the Absolute plot. (Fenton even tried it on with Ketheric once, without success)

During game

Although Fenton lost his memories after the Orin incident, his personality was mostly unchanged. The Urges were a little disconcerting at first, but they were also familiar, weirdly comforting.

Fenton warmed up quickly to the rest of the party. Despite being kind of a weirdo, he was almost charmingly pathetic and an endless supply of comic relief, making him relatively likeable on a surface level. And he remained horny as ever, sleeping with half the camp by the end of Act 1. Minthara was his proudest lay (he helped her slaughter the Grove purely because he had a crush on her), but when she left for Moonrise, Astarion got his claws in him, and Fenton fell hard and never looked back.

Fenton and Astarion were an obvious match (chaotic evil, traumatised, slutty gayboys with a thing for blood). The only stark difference between them was, unlike Astarion, Fenton had zero sense of pride or shame. Nothing was below him. He’d lick a stranger’s shoe for a pat on the head. And this made him extra vulnerable to exploitation. (Not that he was naive or gullible per se -- more that he was so desperate, he’d knowingly let himself be exploited in pursuit of intimacy.) Ofc Astarion took full advantage of basically having his own simpy little attack dog following him around.

Fenton embraced his Urges throughout most of the game events. Being a good Bhaalspawn was simple early on, since Astarion generally approved of murder and the like. But gradually tensions arose as Bhaal and Astarion each became more possessive and controlling, and Fenton tried frantically to please them both. In Act 3, Fenton helped Astarion ascend, and agreed to become his slave consort, but he also accepted Bhaal’s charge after defeating Orin. In his desperation, he failed to realise that these two destinies were incompatible.

(Sidenote: by this point he is Slayer, half-illithid, and a vampire spawn. That PLUS being a half-drow on the Surface = literally the most fucked up little freak you’ve ever seen. But Fenton likes being a freak, he likes being different because that’s all he’s ever known. Anyway)

Fenton’s plan was to take joint control of the Netherbrain with Astarion, use it to take over the world, and eventually enact Bhaal’s will. But once he had the Netherstones and was ready to dominate the brain, Bhaal spoke to him at the last second, and told him that in order to prove his loyalty, he would be compelled to kill Astarion as the very first sacrifice of his new reign. This was exactly the opposite of what Sceleritas had told him (that he could “keep” his lover if he killed everyone else). Fenton realised he’d been played. If he obeyed his Father, he’d have to lose the one person he didn’t want to kill. The reward for his service to Bhaal was to be alone forever. In that moment, he saw too many similarities between Bhaal and his late mother, and the need to rebel overpowered all else. So he destroyed the Netherbrain -- not for any heroic reason, but out of blind indignation. To him, saving Baldur’s Gate from illithid armageddon was an unfortunate side effect of pursuing his own catharsis.

Fenton told Astarion what had happened, and while Astarion was a little annoyed that Fenton had destroyed their chances with the brain, he also empathised with the feeling of being used, and admired Fenton for rebelling for once instead of just letting himself be trodden all over as usual. Unfortunately, this would all be for nothing. Bhaal was PISSED and determined to make this everyone’s problem.

Post-game

After game events, Fenton went to live with Astarion in the Szarr palace. It went okay for a while. That was until Fenton started getting blackouts and episodes of crazed, insatiable violence that he had zero control over, and these became increasingly frequent and intense. He would attack everyone and everything in sight, including Astarion. Bhaal was wreaking havoc on Fenton’s sanity to such an extent that Astarion couldn’t even compel his spawn to behave, and was eventually forced to keep him locked up and even chained up for hours, days at a time. Fenton was back in captivity, back to the cruel isolation he knew so well.

With Astarion ascending toward vampiric royalty and Fenton descending into madness, their relationship grew increasingly cold and toxic until there was very little real affection left. Astarion eventually tired of the thankless burden his consort had become, and one night he had his other spawn forcibly remove Fenton from the palace and dump him in an alleyway at the other end of the city.

Fenton is a tragic character, and I wanted him to have a suitably tragic ending. So there he is, abandoned, alone, completely losing his mind, allergic to daylight and riddled with a hunger for blood that can never be satisfied. He spends the rest of his tragically indeterminate existence malingering in the shadows of Faerûn: by night, killing anyone and anything unfortunate enough to cross his path, and by day, dreaming of blood and guts, but also -- in a small, unreachable corner of his mind -- dreaming of another life where he could make people proud, where he could make people love him.

Trivia

Fenton’s favourite colour is blood red (who'da thunk), his favourite season is summer, his favourite food is cherry pie or was, back when he ate food and not people, and his favourite animals are scorpions and diregoats.

Fenton’s birth name, Kroniban, literally means “sick joke” in drow Elven, because that's all he was in his mother's eyes

Fenton was raised in such isolation, he lowkey thought the Surface was a myth until he saw it for himself

Fenton is just so silly. He's loud and kooky, he loves to laugh and loves making other people laugh, which he’s pretty good at (even if much of the time, people are laughing at him rather than with him)

Fenton is the kinkiest most sadomasochistic mf you’ve ever met. Naturally he’s a bratty bottom, but he’ll try anything and has done p much everything at least once

Characters that inspired Fenton include: Klaus Hargreeves (TUA), Jinx (Arcane), Roman Roy (Succession), The Joker (esp Heath Ledger’s Joker) (DC), and Jack Sparrow (PoTC). Also, not fictional characters, but musicians Jon Davis (KoRn) and Keith Flint (The Prodigy) each get a mention because their respective styles as artists/performers both DEFINITELY went into Fenton

Fenton’s is the angstiest OC lore I’ve written to date. Maybe one day I’ll top it

Other OC lore posts: Hugo | Ernest | Casper

[cinderella-ish]

JuJutsu Kaisen Personality Types: Kento Nanami

After Megumi, Nanami may be my favorite character in JuJutsu Kaisen. There's a lot about him that I relate to on a deep level. I only wish I were anywhere close to as good-looking as him. Seriously.

Nanami reminds me of Hatori Sohma from Fruits Basket in many ways. He seems aloof and even cold, though in reality he cares quite deeply (especially for those younger than him).

I have three suspicions for his Enneagram, and no real sense of his MBTI, so this should be interesting!

Kento Nanami's Enneagram

Wound: We don't know a ton about Nanami's life prior to entering JuJutsu Technical College, but we do know how much losing Yu Haibara affected him.

Wounding message: Unclear without knowing his wound.

Core desire: His core desire seems to be for his life's work to have meaning.

Core fear: not doing his part to make the world better

Defense mechanism: Nanami is rigid, has high expectations of himself and others, and sticks firmly to his personal values.

Strengths: Nanami is deeply kind (though it's not obvious at first), dutiful, calm in a crisis, rational, and has a strong moral code.

Challenges: Nanami is rigid, critical, blunt, secretive, and not terribly friendly.

When healthy: Nanami becomes more relaxed, more relationship-oriented, and able to enjoy life's pleasures (even when they're entirely in his head)

When unhealthy: I assume the view we get of Nanami immediately after Haibara's death as well as while he's working as a businessman are both examples of him at less healthy points.

Looking at all of this, here's what connects when I go back to the Enneagram post:

Wound: possibly 1 or 6?

Wounding message: possibly 1, 5, 6, 7, or 8?

Core desire: 1 or 7

Core fear: 1 or 3

Defense mechanism: 1 or 5

Strengths: 1, 5, 6, or 8

Challenges: 1 or 5

When healthy: 1, 3, 6, or 9

When unhealthy: 1, 3, 7, or 8

Nanami is an Enneagram 1.

This was actually my initial guess for him! His focus seems to be on things like how the world "should" be, what he "should" be doing with his life, etc... which is very One-ish of him.

Ones live in the Gut center, and tend to repress anger. From Personality Path:

Anger is typically repressed by Type 1s. Type 1s try hard not to express anger as they associate it as a “bad” emotion. Instead, they report a lot of irritation. Interestingly, when their anger is eventually expressed, it can be intense, with a laser focus. Shame or Sadness can get triggered when they realize they made a mistake or if they feel they have behaved inappropriately.   Fear enters the picture when they feel a loss of control or anxiety over potential errors, mistakes, and missteps in the future. A harsh inner voice dictating rigid internal standards is often at the bottom of each of the three core emotions for Type 1s.

Suguru Geto is also a One.

Wing

The Enneagram Institute calls 1w9 "The Idealist" and 1w2 "The Advocate".

I think Nanami is a bit tricky when it comes to his wing, but I do think 1w9 is a better for for him. From Enneaapp:

Focus on theory and idealism while still trying to be a peacemaker

Usually introverted and reserved; can be impatient, rigid, sarcastic

Won't speak up until sure of correctness; less inclined to take action

Passionate about ideals; reflective and curious; generally considerate

He shares this wing with Hatori Sohma as well as Kazuma Sohma, both from Fruits Basket.

Subtype

Nanami's focus tends to be on whether he's in the right role for himself, relative to his effect on the world around him. For this reason, I think he is most likely a SO 1w9. From Enneagram Explained:

Focuses On:  The need to be correct/right with their groups and communities. SO 1s often take on being the teacher or role model with those around them; trying to show others the right way to live. These 1s are often concerned with fairness and justice. Relationship to Their Vice (anger): SO 1s often suppress their anger but are also a bit ok with showing it. Potential Mistypes: SO 1s can often look like type 3s or type 5s.

Nanami again shares this subtype with Hatori Sohma.

Tritype

With 1 as his Gut type, I think Nanami's Head type is likely 5, and his Heart type could be 2 or 3.

After reading the descriptions, both seem to fit him quite well, but I am having a bit of pull toward 2-5-1, "The Mentor" over 3-5-1, "The Technical Expert". Here's the description of 2-5-1 from Katherine Fauvre's website:

If you are a 125, you are diligent, caring, and knowledgeable. You want to be ethical, helpful, and wise. You are idealistic and see what needs to be done and the simple and effective ways to do it. You seek practical systems and procedures to measure results and effectiveness. You are intensely private but care about people and what is needed. So, you readily offer your time and energy when you think something is needed. 

Kento Nanami's MBTI

Sticking with my more recent format, here's how I see Nanami's mental processes:

Information-Gathering:

Everyone uses both iNtuition and Sensing, but one will be more natural to rely on. Everyone will also introvert one of these processes, and extrovert the other.

Someone who introverts iNtuition and extroverts Sensing will be able to cut to the core of understanding something in a state of deep, solitary focus. They will gather sensory information through their experience in the present, preferably with others.

Someone who extroverts iNtuition and introverts Sensing will tend to brainstorm aloud, connecting many possibilities at once, and will rely on comparisons to past sense-memories in order to understand the present.

I am leaning toward Nanami using Ni and Se, with a preference for Ni out of the two, making him an -N-J type.

Decision-Making:

Just like with the two information-gathering processes, everyone uses both Thinking and Feeling to some degree, but will use one more naturally. And again, they will introvert one, and extrovert the other.

Someone who introverts Thinking and extroverts Feeling will use their own internal logical framework to come to decisions, and will base their decisions on outcomes for the people around them.

On the other hand, someone who extroverts Thinking and introverts Feeling will use external logic in decision-making, such as rules, laws, procedures, checklists, etc... and will base their decisions on the kind of person they want to be, or the kind of person they see themselves to be.

I think Nanami is very likely to use Te and Fi, and I suspect he prefers Te of the two, making him an -NTJ type.

Of his two preferred functions, I think Ni is more likely to be his dominant function, with Te as his auxiliary, making him most likely an INTJ ("The Mastermind").

Let's look at what Dominant Ni looks like:

Can appear visionary. Connects unconscious images, themes, and connections to see things in new ways. Brainstorm internally with themselves. Trusts and relies on inner insights, which may be hard for others to understand. Keyword: Visioning.

When exaggerated:

unrealistic visions, only accept data that supports their theories, make things overcomplicated

Inferior Se:

obsess over external, small, unimportant details, overindulge in sensual pleasures (overeat, over drink, etc.), see environment as hostile and dangerous

While I don't think we see Nanami overindulge in sensual pleasures, the rest does sound like him.

And the description of INTJ:

Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance—for themselves and others.

This is a great description of Nanami! He shares this type with Prince Zuko of Avatar: the Last Airbender.

I initially expected Nanami to be ISTJ rather than INTJ, but I just don't see him using Si or Ne.

Kento Nanami's Personality Summary

Enneagram: SO 1w9 (The Reformer/The Idealist)

Tritype: 2-5-1 (The Mentor)

MBTI: INTJ (The Mastermind)

Nanami is rational but idealistic. He's detached but deeply caring. He's dutiful, though he doesn't necessarily agree with others on what that means. He's quick to act when needed and has his own firm moral code.

What do you think? Do you agree with my analysis or not? Why?

JuJutsu Kaisen Personalities Masterpost | Character Personalities Masterpost

[stars-n-spice]

Clone OCs: Dusk Company

I made these guys waaay back in March (?) of last year and for some reason never posted them here-

Randomly I decided to go back to them because I think I stopped working on them simply because I couldn't decide on a name for the group/color scheme but I got ideas and the time/motivation to digitalize my initial doodles, so introducing members of Dusk Company!

Dusk Company specializes in (surprise, surprise) stealth missions, thriving in the darkness and all of that. They're great to have when you need a retrieval or assassination mission done! Still working on their Jedis though.

Check out Dawn Company as well!

Close ups and brief Introductions under the cut!

Commander Milo:

- Just thought it would be a neat name - Mom Friend (Squad jokingly calls him 'Commander Mom-lo") - 2W1 on Enneagram - Constantly stressed and worried over his men (it's a wonder he doesn't already have gray hairs) - A very good listener - Hanging on by a thread guys please do not push him, he is one really bad mission away from completely snapping

Captain Eclipse:

- Eclipse because of night and also because he likes to 'eclipse' people and show off whenever he can - He's like subconsciously a show off though, he doesn't really mean to, it just happens - 3W2 on Enneagram - Has a tough time talking about his feelings and likes to pretend nothing is wrong and will laugh anything off - On a completely unrelated note, totally having nothing to do with all his bottled up feelings, but does someone want to hold him tenderly? He just wants to be held. - Incredibly stubborn to the point where it's almost reckless; has cheated death probably four times now

Ranger:

- Just thought it would be a cool name - Sharpshooter - Mute, uses sign language to communicate - Tongue piercing and eyebrow slit just because - Cool older vod kind of guy; will give you candy before dinner and won't tell your parents kind of guy - 6W5 on Enneagram - Really great at keeping secrets - One of the more reasonable clones in the Company and keeps the others out of trouble (if only they'd listen and take his advice)

Chip:

- Got his name because he's a technology buff - Was born with a mutation in his eyes for some reason and now needs cybernetics (like Wolffe) to see - Has orange tattoos just because why not? - 4W3 on the Enneagram - Doesn't like to talk much and will talk when needed (so he gets along with Ranger pretty well) - Eyes give him an advantage in the dark (sees a little better than his brothers) - Eyes are also reflective when you shine a light on them in the dark and this has scared a few of his brothers shitless as a result

Clicks + Buttons:

- A set, do not separate - Clicks has a nervous tic that causes him to make a 'clicking' noise, hence the name - Buttons likes to push buttons, both in a literal and metaphorical sense - Buttons is their pilot (he's not a great one but in his defense they haven't died from a crash landing yet) - Clicks is a 6W5 - Buttons is a 7W6 - Fives and Echo type of dynamic (Clicks is the only one who can tolerate Buttons) - Dye each other's hair

Tats:

- Clone Medic - Got his name because of all his tattoos and because he's the one to go to to get them done (he's got a ready steady hand) - Really chill kind of guy, has an incredible amount of patience - 9W8 on Enneagram - Keeps the Company together (is usually the voice of reason outside of Ranger) - Whattaman wattaman; knows how to treat people right - Extensive hair care routine

ARC Trooper Shark:

- Thinks sharks are cool (pretend there's sharks in Star Wars) + used to bite people as a cadet - Are his teeth sharpened? Maybe. - Not much of a conversationalist; mainly speaks in grumbles, growls, and groans - 3W4 on the Enneagram - Usually grumpy and tired (he's gotta put up with all the other knuckleheads of his company) - Honestly has no idea how to interact with others in a normal way - Is a little off-putting but I swear he's trying his best. Maybe.

ARC Trooper Leo:

- No real reason why he's named Leo, just thought it was a cool clone name - He's an ARC trooper and sometimes people question how and why - A little cocky and stuck-up but means well - Loves his time off (don't ask him what he does during it) - 7W8 on Enneagram - Dyes his hair that color; tends to dye it different browns/reds at a time - Got clawed by a juvenile Nexu once (hence facial scars)

[elaho]

Stardew Valley MBTI x Enneagram: Abigail

Following my last post about the Stardew marriage candidates and their MBTI types, I've been learning more about Enneagram, how it pairs with MBTI, and how it changes some of the typical characteristics of each type.

The Enneagram and MBTI complement each other wonderfully, providing greater depth and understanding of how a person interacts with the world [Cognitive Functions] and their motivations why [Core Desire/Core Fear].

Here are my thoughts on Abigail's MBTI and Enneagram pairing.

Abigail - ENFP 7w8: “The Opportunist”

“ENFPs are the campaigners of the MBTI typology. They bring good vibes and excitement that’s hard to ignore. You’ll also agree that their happiness and charisma can be infectious. It’s not a surprise then that most ENFPs identify as type 7 in the enneagram of personality.

[ENFP 7w8s] enjoy a good adventure and good conversations. They can also easily be the life of the party when they are excited. However, having a type 8 as their wing makes things a bit interesting, [creating] a lot of changes in this type of ENFP.” - Personality Hunt

Abigails’s Core Desire: To be happy

The core desire of the ENFP 7w8 is to be happy. ENFPs need consistent intellectual stimulation and external engagement to be truly content.

Bringing their ideas to life is incredibly important to them, and the 7w8 tries to achieve this by reaching their goals and getting everything they desire.

“The birds were happily chirping today. They're too simple to understand the future. It's better to be like them, isn't it?”

“I always loved this place, long before you moved in. Now I can explore the farm whenever I want!”

“There's always something new happening on our farm... I love it.”

"The sounds of the night are louder out here. I'll never stop enjoying that."

“It's pretty cool that we have a cave on our property. It's something I always dreamed about.”

Abigail’s Core Fear: To be deprived

The core fear of the ENFP 7w8 is to be deprived. Because they lead with Extroverted Intuition [Ne] ENFPs get bored quickly and easily if they aren't given enough freedom and flexibility to explore new ideas and chase after their dreams [both old and new].

Because of their fear of deprivation, ENFP 7w8s do everything in their power to ensure they'll never be in that position.

“Hey, this is my favorite magazine! My Dad won't let me have a subscription, so I have to get it on the black market like this...”

"Don't tell anyone, but I snuck into the old community center last night... I think it's haunted!

"I heard you've been exploring the old mines. That sounds like fun! ...I'm working up the courage to go there myself...”

*sigh*... Can you believe my parents were ever young? They don't understand my perspective at all. I know, I know... they grew up in a different era, with different values. It still ticks me off sometimes, okay?”

----------------------------------------------------------------------

How Enneagram 7w8 changes typical ENFP behaviour:

New Strengths

1. More Direct

"ENFPs are feelers. This means that they use emotions as their first point of call. However, you get another vibe with ENFP 7w8s. While they retain their emotional intensity, they can now express these feelings directly and clearly. This can make the ENFP better public speakers." - Personality Hunt

Abigail isn't afraid to speak her mind or speak up when her values are threatened. Although she can come across as blunt in some instances, her emotional awareness allows her to temper her responses so that she still gets her point across without going overboard.

Examples:

“Hey. Sorry in advance if I say anything rude. I didn't get much sleep last night. What do you want?”

“I felt like making some soup for dinner. I hope it's not too disgusting.”

“I hope you'll still like me when I'm old and shriveled. It's going to happen some day!”

"Stop trying to make me feel guilty. I appreciate that you and Dad are helping me out, but expecting me to dress the way you want is ridiculous. I'm not a little girl anymore, Mom.”

2. More Likely to be Assertive [ENFP-A]

ENFP 7w8s are more likely to be Assertive [A] than Turbulent [T]. Because of their more direct nature, they can come across as opinionated or assertive. This can make them seem more determined and focused in the long term.

More information about the ENFP-A can be found here.

Examples:

"Ew, I hope I don't get a tan this summer."

"I used to think Pelican Town was kinda drab, but lately I'm starting to love some things about it."

“No matter how much we clean, the house keeps getting dirty again. I guess farms are kind of dirty.”

“Congratulations on the marriage. I guess this means Sebastian won't be moving to the city like he always talked about. That'll be nice. I'd be kind of sad if I never saw him again. We've always been good friends.”

3. More Disciplined

ENFPs aren't typically known for their discipline and following through on plans or projects.

Their Extroverted Intuition [Ne] constantly makes connections and seeks out new opportunities, and an idea that once had merit can no longer seem relevant or the best use of time, especially when more information and opportunities are made available later on.

Though ENFP 7w8s also struggle with procrastination and follow-through, this is reduced thanks to their 8 wing; however, the extent of their follow-through will depend on the strength of their wing.

Examples:

"I'm still mad that you beat me at the egg hunt last year. You'd better start practicing..."

"Feeling pretty good about the egg hunt, huh? Well, next year you won't be so lucky...

“Hey, the egg festival is tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I won't go easy on you because we're married! I plan on winning that egg hunt. Go ahead and try to beat me.”

"I guess you're wondering why I'm in the graveyard at this hour... Well, I'm here because it's the best place in town to find some privacy. And I'm all sweaty because I've been practicing my swordsmanship.”

4. More Ambitious

ENFPs are the adventurers and campaigners of the MBTI world. While they have big dreams, they don't crave financial success or riches. This is also true for ENFP 7w8s, but they realize that having money or power is one way to achieve the life they want. Thus, ENFP 7w8s tend to be much more ambitious when compared to typical ENFPs.

Abigail doesn't seem ambitious in the traditional financial sense, but her ambition is clear when it comes to making a name for herself: she wants to do something memorable with her life.

Examples:

“See? You understand why I'm out here, then. I've lived in the valley my whole life, but I've never really done anything memorable. I want to go on an adventure!”

5. ENTP Look-Alike

"ENFPs and ENTPs are cousin types. Thus, it’s only natural that they look alike. However, ENFP 7w8 will look a lot and behave like the ENTP to an extreme level.

They will be more rational, charismatic, and argumentative than your normal ENFP. Thus, a lot of ENFP 7w8 can easily misidentify themselves as ENTPs." - Personality Hunt

ENFPs and ENTPs have the same dominant and inferior functions: Extroverted Intuition [Ne] and Introverted Sensing [Si]. However, the main difference comes from their 'sandwiched' functions: ENFP ENTP

Extroverted Intuition [Ne] Extroverted Intuition [Ne] Introverted Feeling [Fi] Introverted Thinking [Ti] Extroverted Thinking [Te] Extroverted Feeling [Fe] Introverted Sensing [Si] Introverted Sensing [Si]

On the surface, Abigail may appear to be an ENTP. However, when considering the cognitive functions and their application between ENFPs and ENTPs, Abigail uses Fi much more readily to determine and defend her values and Te to implement her values in real life [ENFP], rather than use Ti to ensure her decisions are logically consistent and Fe for external feedback as to whether her logic is taking other people's values and opinions into consideration [ENTP].

For this reason, I believe there is strong evidence that Abigail is an ENFP 7w8 rather than an ENTP, though she does share qualities of both types.

Examples:

“Hey! I'm just debating what I should do today. I'm not used to having this much freedom!”

“Oh, that's right... I heard someone new was moving onto that old farm. It's kind of a shame, really. I always enjoyed exploring those overgrown fields by myself.”

“Disgusting... I love it!”

"Whoa... Where'd you find this? The workmanship is fascinating...It's a little too rusty to use, but I'll add it to my collection."

“Sebastian mentioned that he heard strange music while having dinner the other night...I didn't tell him it was us! It seemed better to keep it a mystery.”

“I may fight with my parents a lot, but I know they're just looking out for me. They're doing what they think is best. I dunno why I'm saying this to you. Don't tell anyone.”

6. More Focused and Determined

"Their wing beings a steely attitude to the ENFP. Thus, they will be more focused and determined. This might show in school, the workplace, or even at home.

ENFP 7w8s are go-getters and will achieve their goals or get close to doing so. You’ll see a clear difference between this ENFP and the stereotypical ENFP you have probably heard about." - Personality Hunt

Examples:

“*sigh*... so I've been playing 'Journey of the Prairie King' for hours and I can't even beat the first level...”

"Hey, I finally beat the first level of Journey Of The Prairie King! Watching you play helped a lot.”

“Maybe I'll boot up Journey Of The Prairie King today... one of these days I swear, I'll beat the whole game”

7. Less Impulsive

ENFPs aren't the best at considering long-term implications when jumping into something.

Their Extroverted Intuition [Ne] is great at taking advantage of opportunities in the here and now; however, their Introverted Sensing [Si] function is the weakest in their stack, meaning they aren't the best at examining past experiences to help navigate potential pitfalls in the future.

This can cause them a lot of trouble and lead to repeating avoidable outcomes that could have been prevented with some reflection. Depending on the strength of their wing, ENFP 7w8s will be slightly less impulsive and more considerate of the consequences when putting themselves in a position that may lead to the loss of power or control.

Examples:

“Whoa, that's a creepy looking book... I love it! *Flip* *flip* *flip*... Ooh... It's full of monsters...I'll have to study this before going into the caves... Thanks!”

“If I knew how to use a sword I would be exploring those caves by the mountain lake right now. It's probably nice and cool in there.”

New Weaknesses

1. They Have a Temper

"Type 8s are known for being confrontational. So, no matter how soft and emotional this personality type might seem, they have this in them.

Thus, ENFP 7w8s can have quite a temper. This might only be displayed when they are pushed to their wall or when their feelings have been hurt. It can be quite scary." - Personality Hunt

Examples:

“Hey, I heard you and Sam got together... He's a really good guy! We've been friends for a long time. You'd better be good to him, or you'll see my bad side!”

“Oh, it's because I'm a girl... isn't it? Ugh...Why? I'm just as strong as you! I'm not some fragile princess… I can take care of myself.”

"Mind your own business [Dad]! You think I should be at home cooking dinner because I'm a girl, don't you?!"

2. Manipulative

"This personality type will be more manipulative. Type 7 loves to have influence over others while type 8 loves power.

These two types blend to form an individual who knows how to control or influence people’s decisions.

While this is true, this does not necessarily mean that they might use this to hurt others. However, it is definitely part of their arsenal." - Personality Hunt

Though Abigail isn't manipulative throughout most of the game, when her marriage to the farmer is on the rocks, her manipulative tendencies start rearing their ugly head:

She becomes passive-aggressive, wondering out loud if she'll eventually get bored living on the farm.

She also asks if she could have done better than marrying the farmer and brings up her old flame Sebastian in front of them.

A low blow, if you ask me.

Examples:

“I wonder if I could've done better... I was very good friends with Sebastian before we met. He was probably the one...”

“I wonder if we'll live here our entire lives? I might get bored.”

3. Distrustful

"There’s a lot of talk on ENFPs being naïve. While this personality type loves ideas and wants to trust others, they can be especially distrustful.

They realize that people might not be exactly what they sell themselves as. Thus, this personality type might play the fool but understand exactly what is going on.

You’ll probably know where you stand with them when the chips are down." - Personality Hunt

Examples:

“One thing I've learned living here... everyone stares at you if you look different.”

“I can't trust a person who doesn't like animals...Oh, don't worry! I know you're an animal lover!”

“Hey. I know you're smart, but I still worry about you sometimes. The world is full of monsters. Just promise me you'll be careful. I don't want to lose you.”

“Hey! What... you think I'm too weak to swing a blade? Sorry, I guess I'm getting a little defensive.”

------------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusion

Abigail is everyone's favourite goth gf in the Stardew Valley community: she's outgoing, quirky, energetic, and marches to the beat of her own drum.

However, there is a lot more to Abigail than her renegade lifestyle:

Though her character arc isn't as dramatic as other bachelors and bachelorettes, Abigail struggles to find what many of us yearn for in our lives: happiness.

Though she hides it well, Abigail is deeply unhappy with her life and life circumstances. Her parents are overbearing and controlling, demanding she conform to their traditional lifestyle and manipulating her into doing what they want by holding financial support over her head:

"Stop trying to make me feel guilty. I appreciate that you and Dad are helping me out, but expecting me to dress the way you want is ridiculous. I'm not a little girl anymore, Mom.”

"Mind your own business [Dad]! You think I should be at home cooking dinner because I'm a girl, don't you?!"

Even her community doesn't seem to understand her or make an effort to. There are few people she feels she can trust to be herself around, and those are few and far between.

“One thing I've learned living here... everyone stares at you if you look different.”

Her Enneagram type 7 desire for happiness, paired with her MBTI cognitive strengths as an ENFP, leave her wanting more than what Pelican Town can offer her. That is until the farmer arrives and embraces Abigail for who she truly is: encouraging her to follow her dreams, and supporting her in all her adventure-filled endeavours.

“I always loved this place, long before you moved in. Now I can explore the farm whenever I want!”

Do you agree that Abigail is an ENFP 7w8? If not, what type do you think she is? Let me know your thoughts in the comments :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------- References:

Personality Hunt: ENFP 7w8 - The Complete Guide

[turbo-tsundere]

oooh that post about gonta being sanguine/phlegmatic made me curious, do you have any other headcanons for gonta in line with stuff like mbti, enneagram, stuff like that? (also very curious what you'd see gonta on the alignment system, both in a "salmon mode"-esque universe and in canon 👀) there have been some depictions of gonta being a mischief-maker in his own right which i find very interesting (with how apparently sometimes he helps with kokichi's shenanigans especially in summer??)

Hmmm, maybe a few, but none I'd be overly attached to; Gonta brainrot has very much missed the phase where I was into that sorta stuff, and even back then my interest was rather casual and selective. That sanguine-phlegmatic descriptor was a shortcut to quickly and loosely convey a broader idea, but I don't actively categorize characters, even if digging into their brain and inferring canon is fun.

With that in mind though, I could try elaborating or justifying those few assignments that do I have, or opinions on database entries like this one, if that's of any interest?

In that case...

That personality database entry seems good afaik (but tbh I don't know every single one of those terms). I kinda like that Gonta's stated as 9w1 instead of 2w1. Someone argued that he should be 2w1, but to me that's rather superficial reading (it takes Gonta's people-pleasing tendencies at a face value). I have OC that's very much 2w1, and imo the core vibe and thought process is subtly but fundamentally different. But then, depending on your focus, 2w1 still seems a perfectly valid choice for Gonta, so I'm not surprised it's there. ESFJ assignment seems also best, even if I might have some comments depending on online source.

I personally wonder if he might not be a pure extrovert, but ambivert with extroverted leaning. I'm fully open to the idea that this might not be the case tho.

I also find him being Aquarius very hilarious, but paradoxically could be rather fitting on some more obscure levels.

There's this curious thing called "the Neurotype Chart", and imo Gonta's an Externalist, aka slightly lateral but quite impressionic thinker. People type him as "Clearsighted", but dunno if Gonta really is so purely linear-thinking. There might be a lot of supporting it, but I'd argue it's partly fault of Gonta's desperation to be of use, while unfairly berating himself. It makes him prone to getting tunel-vision, outright give up on attempting intellectually demanding tasks without trying, auto-dismiss reasonable observations or inklings he might have, effectively stunting his natural insight and judgement (and really, I get how blinding, limiting, and self-gaslighty this can be, more than I'm willing to admit).

But linear-lateral thinking spectrum aside, he's imo definitely mostly impressionistic/visual thinker, given his preference for illustrated books; things like roughhousing serving as means of getting to know another person; finally, ability to communicate with animals.

As for that DND alligment, I dunno, somewhere here?

Not separating, because it's all the same guy in different circumstances. In my eyes, the potential for murder was always there xD (And Gonta's DR:S convos with Rantaro and Teruteru really validated my thoughts on him and his views on life vs death, sacrifice etc. but I digress).

And that would be it, really.

Sorry if my choices feel obvious, but this stuff is very easy to get stuck on and overthink for me. Even that alligment chart, like definitions of "good" vs "evil", and even the distinction between "bad" vs "evil", "right" vs "wrong", or even "fucked up", and how all these overlap, all that.

Other factors that make Gonta difficult to type for me is his mental health. That can really skew one's thinking or behaviour, and make one come off as a different person than they normally would be, not just during extreme situations, but on day-to-day basis as well. And emotionally, Gonta is in a very bad place, even before the killing game begins. I simply don't have enough detailed knowledge about these personality charts to find a perfect label that accounts for such nuances, and prefer not to spend much time on doing so, as opposed to understanding blorbo on his own terms. So these picks are best approximation I've got.

But yeah, in all truth, I think that... Gonta had very little chance to be fully himself in his life; he abides by many things, despite their negative impact on his mental health, only because he sincerely trusts other people's judgements on how the world works, wholeheartedly thinks their mistreatment of him is fair and justified, and his self-hatred and compassion effectively dismiss any sort of doubts he might have. He comes off to me as incredibly repressed in general, and thus we might've never experienced his true, undiluted self, more like flashes or distorted facets of it; Not to say that he's dishonest or inauthentic, no, quite the opposite. He's just... really, really unwell, and overly adapted to it. Tangled in the web of lies and misconceptions about his own self, that he's learned to accept as factual truth. And imo that muddles the picture of the real Gonta.

As for mischief-maker? I think I can guess which DRS or UTDP scenes could be seen this way, but I don't think that's what those moments were ultimately conveying about Gonta's nature or intentions. My understanding is that causing mischief needs to be a deliberate point in on itself to begin qualify as one, and I don't think this is where Gonta's focus lies, even if he ends up causing some troubles - but rather in enjoying the sense of togetherness and participating in fun activities with others. But I don't have the mental capacity or energy to discuss it, so you do you xD 👍

[ditzyblues]

Dumb question but what is an Enneagram?

Not a dumb question at all! I'm happy to answer ^_^

In recent years, the Enneagram has been sensationalized into another "personality" typing system, much like MBTI. However the Enneagram isn't exactly concerned with your personality, but rather your pathology.

The core idea is that as a child, you learned that your needs would only be met if you behaved a certain way. This developed the way you interact with the world around you, yknow, to get your needs met.

The Enneagram outlines 9 types, and splits them into gut, heart, and head triads.

"But how does every single person in the world fit in only 9 boxes?" Excellent question, I had the same one. That's where a lot of the sensationalization came in. I implore you not to think of it as a personality system, but as a problem identification system. That reduces a lot of the (correct) notions that humans are able to fit in small boxes. It's more like your problems and what you do to address them that the Enneagram focuses on. Plus, there are a few subtyping systems within the Enneagram.

(Diagram not mine) (Also ignore the "the" labels those don't matter)

Let's take my own type for example. I have a 4 fixation, right in the heart (shame, feeling) triad. I know this because I've read through every type description and found myself relating most to the 4. This wasn't easy, because initially, you don't fit every single aspect of the type description.

That's where two systems I personally favor come in: the wing and instinctual variant.

My wing options are 3 and 5, since they're on either side of the 4. I recognize my behavior and mentality favors one side, the 3, so I'm a 4w3.

I couldn't be a 4w6 or 4w8 because they're not beside the 4 on the chart.

Now I'm closer to my truer self. Wings open up 18 more possibilities, which is a lot more than other "personality" typing systems.

Another important system is the instinctual variant. I honestly suggest reading this article detailing the TWENTY SEVEN instinctual variants. It's very helpful and comprehensive, and you'll pick up quickly what it means to favor an instinct (social, self preservation, and sexual.) I'm still learning about this, so I don't wanna feed you my half baked understanding.

I also love You've Got A Type's channel on everything Enneagram, especially if you're in it for the intended purpose of the Enneagram: self help. This system isn't supposed to be a neutral personality thing, it's a system built to identify your levels of unhealth and help you reach health beyond your afflicted type.

It's helpful for identifying character motivations and growth points as well, hence the reason I spent FOREVER going through each type with April in mind, and settling on one fixation for her. I also did this with Casey. It might not be the end all be all truth bomb system, but there's a reason our problems (and characters problems) are able to be "categorized" in one system. There's just human patterns we all work to recognize.