#locke artorius gaude

[ohnoestherestadpoles]

Press ''keep reading'' for the entire comic.

Gale's just happy to have another nerd to chat with.

Please forgive me if little details are missing from characters from time to time, it was a lot of work and these things just tend to happen.

[rielzero]

Mmmm Green atmosphere, yummy.

That's pretty gay, sirs.

[rielzero]

Pls draw ur oc sitting in Astarion's lap, I will die for them 🥺

ok >:D

Anyone else have doodle requests? Will probably finish wips like this later but this is nice to do in between my comics.

[rielzero]

You have got your hooks in me.

[rielzero]

Tfw your dark consort eyeballs you like this.

[rielzero]

sleep token invading my brain and all i can think about is these stupid vampire queer elves doing tender lovin'

anyway wip in between all the other projects on my table

fuck me i guess

[rielzero]

There's like 22 hours on the poll left, but this was the obvious winner.

I really should draw characters kissing more, why in my 13 years of digital art (literally half my life!!!) HAVE I NOT DRAWN CHARACTERS KISS MORE??

(Its probably because my gay ass was closeted, rip.)

[rielzero]

Uhm. So I know I have other wips, but

[rielzero]

Smash Or Pass (Tagged)

Tagged by @nenalunes

Rules: pretty self explanatory. include physical descriptions or pics, and propaganda. the “other” label can be used for “sexuality misalignment” (ie: oc is masc and you’re not into men, vice versa or you aren’t into smashing but a specific thing you wanna do with them like perhaps hug or study them under a microscope idc).

Locke Artorius Gaude

quick facts:

height: 171cm (5'6?)

age: 26

gender: male

pronouns: He/Him/His

sexuality: Homosexual

pros:

Pragmatic, sees value in seizing an opportunity.

Strategic and well-organized (usually)

Reserved, won't press for private information unless it becomes a necessity.

Stubborn, will not back down from a challenge easily even if he's afraid.

Will Take responsibility for the party even if he didn't choose to, simply because he was put in the position.

cons:

Suffers from an eating disorder, bad health.

Abandonment / Trust issues, might push people away.

Hyper-vigilant, might lash out and struggles to confide in others. Even though he values honesty he might hide details about himself due insecurity.

Does not value himself above his friends, even if he seems survival-oriented.

Can be a bit of a hypocrite since he's morally greyer than some.

I'm not sure who to tag, so if you see this and like the meme consider yourself tagged by me :P

[rielzero]

Bestie, Have you done Astarion and Locke ballroom dancing yet with masquerade outfits? im just saying-

Haven't drawn characters dancing before.. Eh, here's a quick wip haha.

Might refine later.

[rielzero]

Me: I'm feeling down, I should draw some vent art again.

Also me: *somehow makes it.. gay instead of sad*

I blame the summer for this.

[rielzero]

tfw stupid season makes sleep bad.

Where energy goooooo :( Give back >:(

[rielzero]

I have to ask after seeing your sleep token inspired piece with A!Astarion and your Tav, I wanted to know what song you think fits A!Astarion?

I’ve seen folks say Ascensionism and the Summoning fit

But I personally think The Sacrifice is a fitting song too, and for angst, Bloodsport

I haven't listened to all of Sleep Token's music yet, but the song I'm obsessing over is Rain. It's a brainworm at this point, I wake up hearing it. There's just A VIBE about it that I love.

The opening lines are really powerful, I write poetry in a similar fashion to how this musician writes his lyrics and I'm just enthralled by it. These keep popping up in my head.

For so long, I have waited So long that I almost became Just a stoic statue, fit for nobody And I don't wanna get in your way But I finally think I can say That the vicious cycle was over The moment you smiled at me

And just like the rain You cast the dust into nothing And wash out the salt from my hands So touch me again I feel my shadow dissolving Will you cleanse me with pleasure?

AA is Astarion with mask off, no longer hiding or pretending. Loki and he don't have a relationship basked in deceit, because one of his core romantic values is honesty and that is instilled into Astarion during pivotal moments in act 2. (I will explore this in the comic)

But in act 1, Locke isn't very open, he suppresses his feelings a lot and if you noticed in my previous work or read my comic, you'll see Locke rarely ever smiles. He only smirks when he's messing around, otherwise he's the gloomiest and edgiest fucker in the series so far. Always one moment away from throwing his guts out.

The way I engorge on romance writing, I like to think that first impressions matter a lot, but what about secondary ones? Just a glimmer of something, and the way you look at someone changes entirely from that point. I want to visualize the moment Astarion starts viewing him romantically without words. A quiet realization, love at second glance.

And it lingers, and it's just.. Ugh, ''And just like the rain, you cast the dust into nothing'' With that crypt funk gone, no more acid water on his skin, he starts drowning into that feeling.

Without spoiling too much, AA (and how I write him) is intoxicated with it. It's everything, by the time we get to act 3, Loki has gone from nothing to him to ''I don't just want you, I need you. Need. I can't go on otherwise.''

Fuck tadpoles, Locke's a brainworm like how this song is invading my brain and GIVING ME GAY FEELINGS THAT ARE OVERWHELMING LIKE SIR??? I HAVE OTHER PROJECTS TO WORK ON WHY ARE WE DRAWING SOMETHING ELSE-

(cough cough, I'm normal now)

NO IM NOT I WANNA DRAW QUEER VAMPIRES DOING GAY SHIT ALL DAY- (alas I need to be disciplined, so I will tease instead)

Refracted in light, reflected in sound I'm coiled up like the venomous serpent Tangled in your trance and I'm certain You have got your hooks in me

[rielzero]

Hiii, let's see! This one is for Locke

(I guess this first one is dumb because, comic but)

-Does he have a specific story quest and can it end differently given the circumstances and choices?

TW: ED

-I know he has an ed(me too but shhh) how does that manifest throught the story, does he feel comfortable sharing info about it with the rest of the party or is he more guarded with sharing about it?

-And as a bonus question, how does he reacts/thinks about Astarion Ascending?

Thank youuuuu💫

I was originally going to answer these with drawings, but both questions require me to spoiler massively for his story, stuff you will eventually see pop up in the comic in some form.

So yes, MASSIVE Spoiler warnings for Locke under the ''read more'' You've been warned. TW: ED, gore, implied child abuse, suicidal ideation, illness

Locke's personal quest is a bit complicated because it keeps devolving from simple things to bigger issues, but he's actually hiding the fact that he's terminally ill as the result of a mix of problems with things being wrong in his body. The first being: Locke is a cannibal. He has suppressed this side of him since early adulthood by trying to get his body to consume normal food, but even if he's managed to somehow survive doing this for 8 years it has severely impacted his health. While he was consuming the flesh of other beings, he didn't do so willingly, nor was he healthy. He was forced to do this since he was a very small child. Everything tastes putrid to him, and even if its the only meat his body will digest without issue, He was doomed by it from the start.

If Locke was an ingame companion, the goblin camp dwarf meat will trigger a ! above his head. This is were you get a first real route marker for him, as it will severely impact his mental state when you progress towards act 2. An alternative trigger location would be any place that has a lot of gore and bodies. (like the gnoll's victims.)

If you succeed an insight check, the narrator would say the following:

The half elf appears troubled, but not by the sight of the roast, it's the smell. The corner of his mouth is involuntarily twitching. His eyes say it all, He wants to leave. He has to leave. Now.

If you succeed a high persuasion check to convince him to talk, he'll note that he will only talk about it during a long rest. Afterwards you need to persuade him again before he feels safe enough to drop the bomb that he was, or used to be a cannibal, including some more info notes about his horrible childhood in the sewers. Dialogue options would allow you to judge him, but also answer neutrally, or suggest that he should've fed from your enemies.

Locke will respond incredibly negative when you suggest he'd start eating his fill, he will not tell the player that it won't change much, and avoid mentioning that he is ill.

Coercing him into eating humanoid meat with intimidation/persuasion is where his main route splits in two, causing act 2 Locke to behave differently. He will behave more erratic, and begins spiraling, he has unique reactions to the act 2 bosses when they unalive themselves, he's putting up a tough front, and you will eventually have to talk him down from the ledge.

If you do not coerce him, instead ask him how he's been dealing with the situation, he will be more emotionally available and open about his past bit by bit.

Of course these two routes would have side effects, since he has insomnia, he can only short rest in the beginning of act 1, so a long rest has the potential of him waking up with his warlock slots but not full health. Coercing him into going back to his cannibalism will allow him to long rest earlier, but it will be harder to persuade him to talk about his story as his mental health declines. It also soft locks you out of romance if you keep pushing him too much.

IF you support Locke in his battle with his ED, he'll tell you about the amount of things he's tried, what kinds of techniques he's cooked, or types of meat, in hopes of getting his stomach to be normal. He'll even tell you about how his patron tortures him by transplanting the memory of flavors into his mind on a whim, flavors he can't taste. He'll rest easier knowing you don't judge him for his past, or allow him to manage his ED on his own pace.

When he opens up, he'll sound friendlier, even joking about his experiences sometimes.

2. Locke's survival is dependent on Astarion's ascension. I don't think he can coexist in the narrative if someone else romancing Astarion. By act 3, Locke encounters an npc relevant to his backstory that will cause his shaky health to rapidly decline, and the only way to safe him is to become a vampire.

This is why he wouldn't work as a canon companion, because I don't have alternatives for him, so you should think of the player being either an Astarion or Gale origin, or companions are actively romancing each other.

Locke is supportive of ascension, he is pragmatic. Letting loose 7000 vampire spawn while the Absolute crisis is going down sounds like you're just eager to end the world. He will die at some point after the ritual if Astarion does not ascend. I can picture there being an unique cutscene for this. If the absolute is beaten before a long rest, then he will drown in the water and the companions will have to fish his body out. Withers cannot bring him back because his body is the problem, not his soul.

Anyway I'm not a game dev so it ain't perfect :P

[rielzero]

Character Associations

tagged by : @ascendedastarionapologist

LOCKE ARTORIUS GAUDE / LOKI WREN 🐙 GREAT OLD ONE WARLOCK

ANIMAL: Rats, Bats and Cats

COLOURS: Purple, Indigo, Violet, White, Black

MONTH: December, January

SONG(S):

Dangerous - Set it Off Red Flags (Run) - Disco Face Wallflower - Artio Bloodshot - Sam Tinnesz Cannibal - Naethan Apollo Sharks - Imagine Dragons Bones - Imagine Dragons Something To Hide - grandson Time is Running Out - Muse Everybody Dies - Billie Eilish THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND - Bad Omens EVIL - Melanie Martinez Easy's Never Been This Hard - Citizen Soldier Attention - Charlie Puth Daylight - David Kushner Eat Your Young - Hozier Down With My Demons - Lø Spirit WARNING LABEL - Neoni The Summoning - Sleep Token

NUMBER: 13

PLANTS: Purple Lilies, ivy, Nightshade

SMELLS: Lavender, Cherries, Something Earthy

GEMSTONE: Onyx, Black Garnet

TIME OF DAY: Dusk

SEASON: Fall, Winter

PLACES: Shady & Gloomy, Riversides, Forested, Crypts & Morgues

DRINKS: Cold Water, Red Wine

ELEMENT: Lightning

ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn

FOOD: Probably Bread... (coughs awkwardly)

SEASONINGS: Garlic, salt & pepper. He's Basic.

SKY: Dusty Purple

WEATHER: Rainy, foggy, a little chilly

MAGICAL POWER: Eldritch blast / Vicious Mockery

WEAPONS: Daggers, Shortswords, Rapier

SOCIAL MEDIA: If he had any, it would be a tumblr blog to post spooky witchcraft aesthetic things on.. Or Modern Day Punk/goth fashion.

MAKEUP PRODUCT: Eyeliner, a lot of eyeliner and some concealer to hide his facial scars.

CANDY: ....Cherries..?

METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL: Waypoints.. Otherwise, old fashioned walkies. (These boots have seen everything.)

ART STYLE: Emotional, raw

FEAR: Survivor's guilt, solitude, snakes.

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: Ouroboros

PIECE OF STATIONERY: Colored pens.

THREE EMOJIS: 😒👁🔪

CELESTIAL BODY: Taurus and Orion

get tagged idiot (affectionate):

@cambion-companion @iizuumi

[rielzero]

OC Profile

🐀Locke Artorius Gaude 🐀

Tagged by @bananasfosterparent I tag @ascendedastarionapologist @romantic-bloodless-nights @cambion-companion @iizuumi @alienrat-art You don't have to do it but could be fun to see more about ya'lls tavs c:

Basics

Full Name: Locke Artorius Gaude / Loki Wren

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Chaotic Homosexual, polyamorous

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Other

Family: The Ratmother (Raised him) The Undertaker (Adoptive parent) The Ratboys group

Father: ??? GeneticFather (Spoiler territory)

Mother: ??? BirthMother (Spoiler territory)

Birthplace: Baldur’s Gate (unknown location)

Job: In youth he was a ''Cook'', Thief, Lockpicker, Worked for the guild for a brief period before becoming a Necromancer's Apprentice and morgue assistant. He was a Warlock at 16. Eventually in the afterstory he becomes Astarion's Dark Consort.

Phobias: Autophobia, Ophidiophobia

Guilty Pleasures: Eldritch blasting people off high places. Putting people in their place.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral / Later on Lawful Evil

Sins: ..Those would be spoilers. Hehe.

Virtues: Pragmatic, loyal.

This or that

The one the > points to is what reflects him better. He is more organized than he is disorganized.

Extroverted / In Between / Introverted

Disorganized / > / Organized

Close Minded / > / Open Minded

Calm / Both / Anxious

Disagreeable / Depends / Agreeable

Cautious / < / Reckless

Patient / < / Impatient

Outspoken / > / Reserved

Leader / < / Follower

Empathetic / Depends / Apathetic

Optimistic / Both / Pessimistic

Traditional / Not Applicable / Modern

Hard-working / < / Lazy

Cultured / > / Uncultured

Faithful / Not Religious / Unfaithful

Loyal / < / Disloyal

Relationships

OTP: Astarion, additionally Gale. (No ship names, Have no creativity for that personally? idk I never could come up with anything.)

BroTP: Seldazr, Zane, Shadowheart

NoTP: Wyll (They're friendly rivals but Locke envies him)