#oc: francis randolph carter

[rangerofpelor]

every now and then my spotify weekly will throw up some song that reminds me of francis randolph carter and every time that happens i always think about how while hashing out his character with my dm for that two-shot, my dm was like “hey, btw, is francis gay or bi?” and i respond “he’s gay,” and then my dm immediately responds with “cool cool hey btw completely unrelated, here’s this npc he totally may or may not end up crushing on”

like we literally joke about a meet-cute where they run into each other and they both lose their glasses a la velma dinkley and then that’s more or less how he has their initial meeting in the session 

[verbjectives]

it’s been a hot sec since i’ve done any kind of digital art so here’s my character for a modern/urban fantasy dnd mini campaign: francis randolph carter, descendant of randolph carter, and unwitting warlock of nyarlathothep. he’s joining the ranks of my disaster boys; he’s got a wisdom of 7. 

[rangerofpelor]

working title :: the cosmic case of francis randolph carter

A dark cloud lingers in the eyes of my parents. It isn’t disappointment; they know that what happened wasn’t necessarily my fault. It’s something more akin to loss. A sorrowful resignation and acceptance of the fears they had when I first exhibited interest in the family’s dirty little secret.

I have too much of my great-grandfather in me. And that is a cause for shame.

[rangerofpelor]

DM: Yeah, [Collin] is very handsome and he is very saving your life right now. 

[rangerofpelor]

d&d oc: francis randolph carter // warlock of nyarlathotep

“the sky calls to us. if we do not destroy ourselves, we will one day venture to the stars.” – carl sagan

[rangerofpelor]

i’m looking at the vague scene outlines i have for the cosmic case of francis randolph carter and... like almost everything that happens to francis would be cause to go see a fucking doctor if he didn’t have 7 wisdom

[rangerofpelor]

mmmmm trying to figure out the precise nature between francis and nyarlathotep’s relationship/dynamic and it’s something between master/servant, teacher/student, and something vaguely erotic and fear inducing (for francis) that i can’t quite...define....

so i mean it’s the usual patron/warlock dynamic but like it’s also really weird because...francis didn’t seek the power out or get a chance to negotiate terms so like...eventually francis is grateful for the abilities/help nyarlathotep gives him but also there’s an uncomfortable power dynamic that is inescapable here 

[rangerofpelor]

Have fun answering all multiples of 5 on the chara solidifying meme~

5. Were they overprotected as a child? Sheltered?

francis was relatively sheltered as a child, yeah. i mean...mostly as a young child. he was raised by nannies mostly and his parents did his best to keep him from his great-grandfather’s old study/works but...when francis went off to fancy east coast all boys boarding school for 6-12 education he...was exposed to a lot of stuff that his parents and nannies tried to keep him from (like his great-grandfather’s works and legacy (ie, how the genius author randolph carter went mad and committed suicide))....which naturally made francis want to find out more about his ancestor and that turned into an ongoing obsession....he also had his gay awakening at that boarding school and went on to become other boys’ gay awakening so there’s that too

10. Is your character street-smart, book-smart, intelligent, intellectual, slow-witted?

answered here.

15. Did they graduate? High-School? College? Do they have a PHD? A GED?

he graduated from his prestigious all boys 6-12 prep school and got into miskitonic university (where his great-grandfather, his grandfather, and his father attended) where he graduated summa cum laude with a double major in history and astronomy. he’s currently attending the university of toronto pursuing his phd. 

20. What were the most deeply impressive political or social, national or international, events that they experienced?

i mean he’s lived most of his life in modern day america so like...all that....he’s not terribly involved politically or socially but he for sure was part of the March for Science in DC.

25. What are their hobbies and interests?

he’s a big fan of stargazing and likes going into the countryside where there’s less light pollution to just sit around and look at the stars. also going through his great-grandfather’s works and his journals to see if he can figure out anything more about the man. 

30. Are they holding on to something in the past? Can he or she forgive?

in a sense. he’s kind of holding onto what’s left of his great-grandfather. ever since finding out that there are some aspects of his writings that are rooted in reality, he’s been wanting to find out just how much of his great-grandfather’s work is true and it’s become an obsession for him

35. Do they always rationalize errors? How do they accept disasters and failures?

answered here.

40. How is their sense of humor? Do they have one?

i mean he’s a scientist...he likes good old fashioned science puns...anything that can get a “sensible chuckle” out of him. but also like...generic gay humor? “i can’t do x i’m gay,” or “[something mildly annoying] is homophobic”

45. Is your character pragmatic? Think first? Responsible? All action? A visionary? Passionate? Quixotic?

he’s the type who very much wants to be pragmatic and think things through and like...he sort of does....like he can come up with a plan it’s just that he...has trouble executing that plan...usually he just freezes up like a deer in headlights until someone either tells him what to do or physically yanks him out of there.

50. What are the prevailing facial expressions? Sour? Cheerful? Dominating?

answered here.

[rangerofpelor]

i just had the dawning realization that francis is my dark academia oc....

[rangerofpelor]

a brief summary of the emotional state of my current dnd characters...

valko: still very sad and apprehensive about what’s in store upon returning to the solitude islands and verina

brynja: angry and (at level 8) willing and wanting to punch a major god in the face

francis: BIG CONFUSION???? but rolling with it because “adult life is so goddamn weird this might as well happen”.... also he’s crushing on collin

[rangerofpelor]

6, 10, 26, 35, 50 for all three you want~ :')c

this is p long so under the cut! thank you!!!!

6. Did they feel rejection or affection as a child?

VALKO. from his parents? affection for sure. god mila and damien fejes loved their kid so goddamn much and he loves them so goddamn much in return. as for the thieves guild...well there was no affection there, but the threat and fear of rejection ensured that valko was a good little pawn so.....yeah... 

BRYNJA. oof...she felt both. rejection from her father because she could never seem to be what he wanted and she always felt that he resented her for being the reason why her mother left. but she also received a lot of affection from her older sister dagny and many of the clan’s elders (and later grettir, the stormgiant who became a mother figure) 

FRANCIS. i suppose all things considered he felt affection more often, but really he was pretty much left to his own devices. His parents weren’t really around because they’re wealthy east coast socialites and one of them is carrying on the Carter legacy by continuing to write short stories and novels based on the mythos left behind by his great-grandfather (so the family can retain the rights and keep getting richer). he knew his nannies and tutors better than his parents but they always encouraged him to pursue his interests.

10. Is your character street-smart, book-smart, intelligent, intellectual, slow-witted? 

VALKO. he’s for sure more street-smart than anything else (as he should be given his backstory). he’s also pretty damn good at reading people and tailoring his interactions with them to suit their needs. he interacts with faylen differently than he does with ovak for example. and also he’s just...generally pretty good at predicting behavior and actions (particularly those of villains). he’s smarter than he gives himself credit for.

BRYNJA. she’s....nature smart? she’s better at survivalist type stuff in the wilderness than she is navigating the streets or a library. i think she’s also very...self-smart? she’s very comfortable and confident in her knowledge of her self which i think lets her act as a rock or pillar for her party members to hang onto sometimes. 

FRANCIS. he’s for sure significantly more book-smart than he is street-smart and more intellectually minded, but really he’s socially smart. he learned proper etiquette at a young age and he knows how to use his name and his privilege in order to pull strings sometimes. 

26. What does your character’s home look like? Personal taste? Clothing? Hair? Appearance?

VALKO. he hasn’t had a home since he was like...seven years old. that was a rustic little farmhouse that his parents had and it was very very nice and cozy. he briefly lived in the slums of the crown city after he and his parents moved there, but quickly ended up in the thieves guild barracks in order to move his parents out of that place. he stayed in those barracks until he fled the city and then he was living in the woods/wherever he could find or make shelter. he prefers function over form with regards to his clothes, so as long as they’re durable and help him blend in with his surroundings, he really doesn’t care much what they look like. his hair is closely cropped to his head right now but he prefers to wear his hair long (as is verinian fashion).

BRYNJA. she doesn’t really have a home anymore lmao....back in the greypeak mountains she lived in what was essentially an old norse compound and she was living communally with everyone. so like....very viking aesthetic (minus the boats and water). she wears very standard viking women’s dresses, usually in various shades of blue and grey. her hair is light brown and pulled back in various braids and fastened with metal beads. and over everything she wears some +1 plate armor.

FRANCIS. right now, the apartment he shares with his roommate is pretty simple and has basic amenities and....it looks like two college students live there....his room is his bed, a dresser, a desk, a bookshelf, and a telescope by the window. he’s got some posters of star charts or other astronomy themed things. his personal tastes are...very east coast....is the best way i can describe it....he tends to dress business casual most days but underneath that he’s almost always wearing some heavy metal band t-shirt. his hair is blond and wavy (just shy of being curly). What he’s wearing as the mini-campaign is taking place is a nice pair of dark jeans, a tweed jacket, one of his many band t-shirts, and a pair of converse (and of course his glasses).

35. Do they always rationalize errors? How do they accept disasters and failures?

VALKO. llllmmmaaaoooo not great. his mistakes and failures are the root causes of his angst (and also the reason why nerull’s champion sits on verina’s throne). they....weigh him down and for a really long time he just let them drag him down....but then he made friends and pelor chose him as his champion and he’s been fortunate enough to have been granted so many chances to accept responsibility and right the wrongs of his past....

BRYNJA. she mourns for those hurt in the disaster or failure (if there were any) but overall she tends to see failure as something to be learned from or at the very least be used as incentive to ensure that something similar doesn’t happen again. 

FRANCIS. i mean it depends on the error/failure/disaster. if it’s in something like his research or his math is wrong then like...he checks his work to see if he made a mistake somewhere in there and if not, then it’s all part of the scientific method. he figured out what doesn’t work, so now he’s one step closer to figuring out how it does. as for larger scale stuff....i don’t think he has any real experience with anything like that. he’s lived a very privileged life. 

50. What are the prevailing facial expressions? Sour? Cheerful? Dominating?

VALKO. sad and regretful....usually with some watchfulness/alertness overlaid on top of it when the gang is travelling/adventuring...but when making camp (or whenever someone brings up verina....)....he sad....

BRYNJA. i feel like determined is probably her prevailing facial expression. there’s anger has been beginning to kindle and burn inside her for a while now. I don’t know when and i don’t know how, but someday all of that is gonna come out and i can’t wait.

FRANCIS. it oscillates between curious, bored, and exhausted in equal parts.

[rangerofpelor]

was thinking abt francis getting his hands on the necronomicon n then i remembered that within the story of the mini campaign there is a book from ancient rome that iirc is bound in human skin and it was his desire to see that book that got him involved in the plot so like...it’s not the necronomicon but like...it’s close enough

[rangerofpelor]

collin: *allows himself to be possessed briefly so francis could talk to an elder god, the force/power of which starts to make him crack and begin to deteriorate, and falling unconscious when the elder god departs*

francis: hmmm...well i really don’t want/know how to explain this to hospital staff so i guess i’ll just root through his pockets, find is driver’s license and take him back to his place and hope he’ll just sleep it of???

[rangerofpelor]

francis...might be easily manipulated but i also feel like that as he gets more involved in being a warlock he starts to develop his own manipulative tactics in order to get others to aid him in his goals serving nyarlathotep....

[rangerofpelor]

hmmmm....the most likely natural conclusion of francis’s story as a modern day warlock of nyarlathotep is....that he accidentally becomes the leader of a cult....

[rangerofpelor]

🏨❀☆ for francis cuz i lov him

*squints* marty is that u?

🏨  : How well does your muse sleep?

he used to sleep just fine, but for the past few months (since he finished his undergrad project) he’s been suffering from bouts of insomnia due to the droning in his head being louder at night. he’s gone to see doctors about it, but they were never able to find anything so he’s just like “well....guess this is my life now...might as well use this new free time productively” 

❀ : What is your muse’s opinion about flower crowns?

answered this one for him here. 

☆ : Of the sun, stars, and the moon, which is your muse’s favorite?

the stars. i mean he likes all of the celestial bodies because like...he’s an astronomer, but he’d say the stars are definitely where his interests lie. their gravitational pulls, their composition, the way that they just don’t make sense sometimes....he loves it and he loves trying to solve their puzzles.