#otherwise it's with my other dnd oc lol.
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trinketchick · 2 years ago
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okay fine, you've convinced me to share the tracks for the Thacis playlist (it's me. i convinced myself because i simply cannot shut up about anything relating to my guy). turns out i can't count. it's 11 tracks, not 10.
i've tried to make sure that each track flows somewhat smoothly between each other although the ending of the playlist did get a tad sloppy. and yes, i have repeat artists. i still love it tho. anyway, if you're interested, hope you enjoy
Opening Prophecy - Bobby Krlic (Midsommar soundtrack)
Snatched by a God. A twinkle in Their eye, a talon to flesh. The knowledge gained through violence. The Inevitable Pull - Thom Yorke (Suspiria soundtrack)
Utter Devotion. For who can truly know Thacis like They do? FRAGRANT IS MY MANY FLOWER'D CROWN - Lingua Ignota (CALIGULA)
A Blessing Both Horrifying and Cruel The Blessing - Bobby Krlic (Midsommar soundtrack)
A Reaction Vacuum - Pharmakon (Bestial Burden)
A Cry for Retribution I WHO BEND THE TALL GRASSES - Lingua Ignota (SINNER GET READY)
A Reaction to the Heavy Silence from Them Burning Church - Jóhann Jóhannsson (Mandy soundtrack)
A Reflection of Self After a Spiritual Amputation I AM THE BEAST - Lingua Ignota (CALIGULA)
A Veil is Lifted, a Love at First Sight Mandy Love Theme - Jóhann Jóhannsson (Mandy soundtrack)
A Reflection on Devotion. I was molded by Their hands, fashioned into a vessel in Their image; there is nothing that they can do to me that could keep us apart The Warden - Chelsea Wolfe (Pain is Beauty)
Finally, A Happy Ending Gorecki - Lamb (Lamb)
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impbites · 8 months ago
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OCtober day 16 - non-dominant hand 🖐️ and eyes closed 👁️❌ (+bonus impbugs! 🐞✏️)
i skipped a couple of days but i'm back (for now) :3 i also coloured them w my left hand/blind for the full experience lol
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varilien · 2 years ago
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(character uses he/they)
recently got to give bg3 a try n kinda just used it as an excuse to work on a design ive been struggling with. reminds me a lot of making murder lizards in skyrim as a middle schooler it's fun :3
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starryeyed-seer · 18 days ago
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There's this really cool bit in sunless skies that'd id never known if until someone directed me to it, which is SO up my alley I really really wanna make an oc based on it.
Among reoccurring events caused by high nightmares, one is a storyline where you (and everyone around you) becomes aware your life story doesn't make sense. You don't make sense. And the implication is that you are some judgement(-adjacent?) being in a human suit, running some experiment, and that remembering this in full would destroy you. Or perhaps it's the madness. You do eat a guys soul though. That. Seems to actually happen.
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Further bits from it, and then oc rambles, below cut:
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This is sooooo cool. Making an amnesiac with a backstory which is impossible... but just plausible enough to get by. The sense something is wrong with who you are but the truth will destroy you. Maybe the truth will make you destroy yourself.
The thing is oc wise I would LOVE to have a judgement-as-human oc. I Just Think That's Neat. But I don't quite know what I'd do... I think i fear being cliche, or cringe, because "secretly like a god" feels... OP? I dunno. But I feel hyperaware of every choice I'd make in designing them I guess. Idk!
The OTHER point is a surprising one: I've kinda already got an oc who is like this. Except. He was a tiger sword swallower who was without knowing it an experimental blood powered robotic sleeper agent. He didn't know his life was a poorly written backstory for a beta test. He... kinda lost it when he found out, and peeled off all his skin. Who wouldn't.
But yes, it reminds me a lot of a dnd character I played, Bones of Steel (Yes his name was a direct joke on the secret robot thing), but Bones OTHERWISE doesn't feel like he fits into the Neath. Though.... secret robot assassin tiger experiencing an existential crisis might as well exist in the Neath. Just not the judgement part, which is what I wanna focus on with this hypothetical character.
However! Let's look at Bones together ❤️
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He was also the ringmaster bc the actual ringmaster was usually slacking off. He was an incredible sword swallower bc he didn't have an organs, but he didn't know that lol
His further selves:
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After peeling off his skin (it was a real skin from a real person too), he hid under bundles of clothing. The snake look was an illusion someone else put on him for performing. And after creating a killer musical which ended an ancient war in the feywild, he was able to get a faerie queen to free him of blood magic and grant him a true flesh body :)
Itd be funny to put him in fl though, bc of course. I'd just make him an actual tiger. I'm not really sure how an Actual Tiger, construct or not, pulls off sword swallowing.
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pwnyta · 5 months ago
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Speaking of DnD characters... I did draw my lil guys that I dont think I ever posted and I created a lot more characters since then (Coin has an entire team and they all have family & stories lol).
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Stories under the cut!-
Steve was my first DnD OC I made for a friend who wanted to play with us (useless hos who didnt know anything about the game). I dont remember much about him TBH. Im assuming he was a flirty dumbass.
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Dust an Undead Long Death Monk who was my second DnD OC made for literally the exact same reason except we didnt get any where with it. LMAO. I also dont remember much about him except he hated mages (except one).
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Coin (Azriel Kim) is a Swashbuckler Rogue. The youngest son of a noble family who made a deal with a devil to gain their wealth. As a consequence their baby was born a Tiefling and they decided to hide him away from the world to save face as the city they lived in was VERY superstitious and religious.
Coin as a young boy stayed in a windowless room in their mansion, not even being able to see his siblings and while he was not treated cruelly by his parents they did start to neglect him as the years went by and he could start doing things like eat/bathe/etc by himself. He loved his 'fairytale' books and wondered what it would be like to go to the worlds outside and eventually sneaked out of his room and found a window to see the world from his books looked very similar and is struck with a wanderlust.
His mother caught him and told him he couldnt do this anymore because he had a 'condition' that made it so if he left his room for too long his skin would burn and his tail would shrivel and his fangs would fall out (etc) and he is very thankful for the warning and stays in his room for a few more years.
Until one day his elder brother got into an argument with their parents. Angry that they could never go anywhere and since they had a diseased baby they didnt even have servants anymore so they were mostly stuck in their lame home all the time. Which leads to the parents discussing things amongst themselves which Coin overhears. He learns the real reason why he's been locked away was to save face and decides to run away. If what his mother said about his 'condition' was really a lie, things would be fine. He could go off on an adventure like he always wanted... but if not and he dies well... either way his family would be free of him. He leaves a note and sneaks away in the night.
Of course nothing happens cuz hes just a regular Tiefling. The first group he joins wanted the map he had of some cave that supposedly had treasure but after a string of bad luck they start to blame the little Hellspawn which results in them turning on him. Coin isnt much of a fighter so loses badly, losing his fangs that they pull out trying to get him to admit to sabotaging him and almost having the end of his tail bitten off.
He starts fixing himself with the gold he earns in his travels. Replacing his fangs with gold ones and covering the scar on his tail with a band. Whenever he gets injured he keeps doing this. Rings on his fingers, piercings, necklaces, tattoos, etc (a reference to kintsukuroi). He also starts memorizing maps and other things to protect himself from people would otherwise just rob him since hes not a particularly good fighter.
He meets his next group while theyre trying to find a way through a cave system he knows very well and injects himself into their conversation and offers his services. They hire him and things go without a hitch... though at the end of their first adventure together Coin just leaves them- but he eventually comes back for a steady job... and then a steady family.
(Little does he know one of his actual family(his older brother Ardit*) did go to search for him... (he finds out later after an INCIDENT))
*Both Coins siblings are named after gold. Ardit and Gilda... he only noticed some time later which is part of the reason he changes his name to Coin. Since thats what his family seems to value most... he seems to have inherited that from them too.
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A super rough idea for the GANG. The pic is small and illegible on purpose jsyk.
Wicke a Drow/Wood Elf Phantom Rogue whos Drow father kidnapped her older sister to earn some favor with his original clan. She doesnt actually know that, her mother never told her, but she figures it out when her sister shows up (as an enemy). Shes joins the group on and off at the start after they help her fight her sister for the first time. She grows close to Talia and eventually stays in the group for her before really growing fond of the others.
Talia Shea a Halfling Light Cleric who had a pretty normal childhood until her village was attacked and one of her dads was killed. She trained to be a warrior to protect her village and once it was secure she went off to protect others. She gets brought into the group from Dante who she befriends in her travels.
Xander Hertz a Human Devotion Paladin who was a guard for a city that was attacked by dragons. The city was completely leveled killing (what he thinks) is his entire family (wife, son, father, cousin) as well as most of the people in the city and is forced to flee. On his way out he finds a young boy who lost his family too and decides to take him to safety. the only thing keeping him going after losing everything is the hope he could find the boys other relatives and when that doesnt work... he just kinda adopts and trains the boy, sort of gaining another son.
Dante Papadopoulos is a Human(perhaps) Evocation Wizard who was raised by his grandmother (who is probably not a Hag) after she died under mysterious circumstances he decided living in an isolated cabin in the middle of swampy woods really wasnt for him so he dipped. Hes very dedicated to studying all sorts of magic and eventually notices he doesnt seem to be aging past a certain point, which is why he grows out his hair/beard to disguise his weird aging. Hes friends with Talia before the rest of the group... she calls him 'Papa' which he hates and has noticed his weird aging but says nothing except to make fun of his dumb beard.
Olivier Ricci is a Half-Elf Eloquence Bard who was from the same city as Xander, losing his family but gaining a new 'brother'. Hes a mostly cheerful, fun-loving type and tries very hard to keep up the positive vibes which can be hard when Xander is such a stern and melancholic kinda guy. Hes quite happy when they find Talia and Dante and help them and eventually join into a bigger group. (not that it helps Xander be less of a worrywart... Olivier would just like some independence now that hes a grown adult man DAD(he would never call Xander dad but thats the vibe)). The guitar he carries was his fathers, it was broken in the attack but Xander had it fixed for him.
Eric Straight is a Human Aberrant Mind Sorcerer whos mother, father (who were famous mages) and twin brother were murdered. Since he was the only survivor of the massacre and was unharmed and 'couldnt remember what happened' it was assumed HE killed them. There was no evidence to suggest anyone else and his older sister has never forgiven him... he wants to find out what really happened and clear his name (if he can, sometimes he thinks maybe he DID kill them but he just cant figure out why he would). His sister wont talk to him but her wife will thinking its kinda suspicious that a boy that young could kill two highly trained wizards... shes the middleman of communication between the siblings.
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LMAO... none of my other characters are that much....
Caligo Zephyrsend is a very particular Owlin(based on a melanistic Barn owl) Grave Cleric with a real love and interest in the life/death cycle of all things. People often pronounce his name incorrectly calling him Zephyrs End which sounds very ominous and not his name! Please. He politely corrects people every time. He only LOOKS spooky and has some spooky interests.
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Bumble is a Plasmoid/Goblin Shepherd Druid who was just a little blob of goop creature until a Witch found and raised her. Teaching her to be a proper lady... tho Bumble doesnt speak common very well and not very often she is very polite. The shell she has is a modified Bag of Holding but it only holds an infinite hive of BEES. Though she is very sweet (personality!) and looks like honey... blease do not try to eat her she does not taste good. Shes lived in swamp water most of her life.
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.... I dont feel like writing anymore you can find my other characters in the tag LOL.
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astarionposting · 1 year ago
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Thank you @korcariiwitch for tagging me <3
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20 TAV/OC QUESTIONS
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I. what do they smell like at their freshest? (and/or after a tenday. your choice)
mint, lavender, rosemary and a hint of vanilla.
II. what would their blood taste like to vampires?
i dunno, like blood usually does lol, or whatever blood with a lot of wine in it tastes like.. maybe she'd get them drunk
III. how would they kiss their LI?
she is quite reserved, so gently/discreetly in front of others (or just not at all), and more passionate in private.
IV. how do they sleep with their LI (what position, does one steal the blankets, is one too hot/cold, etc)?
Always steals the furry blankets, either doesn't really cuddle bc she is sweating under the fur blanket or has her leg over her LI if it is really cold hehe
V. what does their tent area look like? where do they prefer to pitch their tent (next to water, covered on three sides, etc)?
Cozy warm tones with a lot of candles, pretty much a fire hazard, incense and oils burning, a lot of furs for her bedding area, and decorated with dried flowers, medicinal herbs and animal bones, mostly deer. Prefers to be away from water and in a more seculded/quiet area.
VI. if they had a set of dnd dice, what would they look like?
A dark navy with bronze accents. Deer/dragon style engravings.
VII. do they collect anything (gems, bottles, keys, etc)?
Medicinal herbs, dried flowers and animal bones (as previously mentioned) as she believes everything can serve a purpose, even in death.
VIII. if either, are they part of the astarion/gale book club (magic & literature) or the wyll/shadowheart book club (trashy romance novels)?
definitely astarion/gale club, but she mostly focuses on studying history and medical stuff
IX. if they had to be put in a “get along shirt” with a companion, who would it be?
She gets along with everyone pretty much, but I'd say she would butt heads with Astarion on certain things, such as always having half-assed plans and rushing into things, and maybe Sharran Shadowheart due to her own religious beliefs.
X. do they prefer speak with dead or speak with animals?
speak with the dead, as much as she loves animals.
XI. what are their thoughts on clowns?
meh.
XII. their companions are gossiping about them behind their back! who is it and what are they saying?
Not sure who would, but probably talking about her decision to get a giant septum ring of an elk post-resurrection lol... maybe Karlach, but in a good way, like she also wants to get a piercing to match
XIII. what makes them laugh? what does their laugh sound like?
A very quiet and brief laugh; I would say when she is having a genuine conversation with someone she cares about, mostly laughing over Gale's jokes. It is mostly a breathy laugh that comes out of her nose. otherwise, it is mostly a sarcastic scoff at lack of common sense/general stupidity. Having a father who barely smiled/laughed himself, she kind of mirrors the same behaviour.
XIV. do they have any inside jokes among their companions?
She isn't really the type. I also am bad at coming up with jokes :)
XV. what’s the description of their camp clothes in the inventory menu?
my mods are messed up so it just says 'not found' lol... it is jaheria's camp outfit
XVI. what’s the description of their underwear in the inventory menu?
i dont have any on her... lol NOT BC IM A PERVERT BUT BC I JUST NEVER SEE THEM SO I DIDNT BOTHER
XVII. how do they celebrate their birthday?
She is a noble lady, so probably a large feast (with lots and lots of mead and wine) would be held in celebration. A lot of music and dancing, entertainment, often in form of live competitions, are held, gifts, etc... but as she prefers the quiet, she always sneaks away as soon as everyone is too drunk to notice lol
XVIII. what modern day tv show would they binge over a weekend? do they get their LI to watch with them?
Nature documentaries lol, I think she would be fascinated by National Geographic docs for suuure, and she would probably attempt to get her LI to watch them too out of pure excitement.
XIX. do you have a playlist for your tav? if so, what’s the title + description?
I do! It is just named after her lol, I guess the songs align with her personal arc that I am roughly/poorly developing in my brain
XX. if you were to try pickpocketing them, what would they be carrying?
Probably something that reminds her of home or a loved one, maybe a stone or a small gift that is sentimental to her.
I FORGOT TO TAG AGAIN: @julietvoid, @cheekylittlepupp, @dark-and-kawaii, @punk-muffins, @anderwelt aaand anyone else who wants to! if u have already done u can ignore or u just dont have to do it at all lol
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arthurlightstar · 11 months ago
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1 and 3 for durgetash asks! I LOVE the full backstory stuff 🌝
okay okay okay. okay 1. What’s Durges creation myth? Not the ‘and then there was a gore baby’. Give me the details, what did Bhaal actually do for Durge to torment Toril in a few years?
I don't have too many thoughts on this, but my fun thought is that I like to think Bhaal created Arthur in his own image. Sort of. (Full disclaimer I'm trying to learn but I dont know much forgotten realms lore so if I has a canon mortal appearance I don’t know it <3) but I like to think that Arthur looks remarkably like Bhaal did when he was mortal. The way I see it….. Arthur’s kind of…..Bhaal’s human sona / self insert oc. He made himself but cooler. Bhaal but like, a little more hot a little more buff better hair. Etc etc.
Some character design thoughts Arthur’s just supposed to be very conventionally attractive. Like to get the vibe across if I think if he was in a movie today I think Chris Evans should play him. Arthur’s got Ransom from Knives Out vibes.
3. Was kid Durge a usual child before the Urge awakened or were there some signs indicating smth was off about the kid? How did the environment react to them?
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Okay using this as an opportunity to soapbox about Eliander's family! (They are all high elves except Agnes who is a half-elf). Eliánder was dropped off at the temple of Ilmater in Rivington as a baby, and adopted by Thranduin Daenan and Alea Daenan. Thranduin ran a clothing store in the upper city but was in the process of being run out of his business. Eliander never got along well with his dad, but when his mother died things hie relationship really deteriorated. Thranduin was a very traditional upstanding elf, and Eliander rebelled against him by acting out as much as he could. Thranduin was trying to train him to take up the family buisness, but when Agnes grew up, he began to hand off the business to her.
Eliander also had a complicated relationship with his sister. Because half-elves age much faster than elves (im going by just standard dnd lore here lol that elves reach maturity at 100) he was a very protective big sister of her when she was a baby. Thranduin was not a.... super involved father, and so 50 year old Eliander took it upon himself to raise Agnes. Agnes quickly outgrew Eliander, and by the time he was 75, she was a 25 year old adult while he was still emotionally a 16 year old. They both care very very deeply about each other, but their relationship was complicated.
To answer the ACTUAL question - Eliánder got in a lot of fights growing up. He would start a lot of fights by insulting people, and picked a lot of fights that he didn't have a chance of winning. He always got in a lot of trouble with his dad over this. He never killed any animals, but he has a memory of waking up not too far outside his house in the middle of his sleep chasing a cat down an alleyway. But otherwise he was a very normal kid :-)
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thealphabard · 7 months ago
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Hey there, welcome to my blog! This will just be a quick introduction and faq!
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My name is Jace (he|him), and I'm just an amateur artist who's constantly trying to improve! I have really bad ADHD and absolutely crippling anxiety, so socializing can be really hard on me, but I appreciate it all the same!
If you are here in curiosity of my OCs:
This is Akos.
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His bio can be found here if you wish to learn more, but he is a dnd character to a campaign that has since ended :) (my dm has now made a tumblr.) He intends to use it as a look to his creative process on such a wild homebrew. Show him some love. He's an incredible storyteller!
And this is Lae!
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I do not have a worked out bio for him yet (but will update if I do) He's my WoL from Final Fantasy XIV. I welcome new players often, and if you wish to find me in game it's Laeroth Gilorwyn and I'm on primal-famfrit :) I'm a retired savage raider basically who's been playing since HW launch in 2015. I draw him often, though, as well as other wols, so if you want to see those, they are under the #ffxiv tag on my blog
And under the break, here will just be some common questions I get all the time:
Q: Where did your username come from?
A: It was actually something stupid I said in discord voice when I was doing pvp on bard in xiv lol it was to make fun of the whole alpha male mentality. I had wiped out like 4 other bards or something that were trying to take me down, and I was the one who came out victorious so I just whispered into my mic "I am the alpha bard" and it made my friends laugh so hard. I changed all my usernames to it as a joke, but then it stuck so here we are, cringy username and all (but also why I'm adamant people call me by name, not username)
Q: What program do you use?
A: Clip Studio Paint :) I've used many others, but csp is just what I go back to every time
Q: What drawing tablet do you use?
A: I use a 22 in stand-up tablet from huion or an iPad air depending on if I have to leave the house or not
Q: What brushes do you use?
A: a litteral metric shit ton to match whatever I'm doing, but my main drawing brushes are actually just the default ones in CSP.
Q: Can I draw your oc?
A: ABSOLUTELY. All I ask is if it involves interactions with one of yours (I welcome this) to just ask about how either would react :D my DMs are always open! If it's a gift just tag me so I can see!!
Q: Can I use/repost your art?
A: this question is nuanced for me in particular. I've had someone use my art of lae before for their own oc, and I would rather that not happen moving forward for any of my ocs and I often do art of other people's ocs and i feel that would be disrespectful of them too. HOWEVER, if you are one of the people I have gifted art to, i do not mind at all if you use the work! All it ask is for credit in wherever you may use it :D
Q: Do you take commissions?
A: Not usually. There are exceptions to this as I have in the past, but I don't open slots or anything like most artists. I have to be invested in the idea, or it takes the fun out of drawing for me sadly. BUT if you are ever curious if it's something I'd like to take on + pricing, you can always ask. I love doing character creation commissions, as that's mostly what I have done in the past.
Q: What games do you play?
A: I play a wide range of games and love trying something new! I play ffxiv all the time and have been working towards a challenging achievement, but otherwise, I bounce between new games all the time!
Q: Where did you meet your DnD group/DM /how long have you known them?
A: (I'm shocked to get this question a lot) I've known my dnd group and dm for coming up on 5 years now. I met Mr. Snocaps and many of our mutual friends through ffxiv, and we've just been friends ever since :)
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abysskeeper · 10 months ago
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✨🌤️☔️🌪️💫 for the bg3 writer asks!
Ooh, a good list. Thank you!
✨Which is your favourite platonic BG3 dynamic and why?
Gale and Karlach stole my heart on my first play-through. It's such a weird and unique (and heartbreaking) form of understanding and empathy the two of them share given their circumstances and the fact they have to face down death even without the tadpoles. Especially since it's two characters who you wouldn't think have a lot in common at first, but they still develop into pretty great friends and you can see that in their party banter throughout the acts.
🌤️How do you interpret the game mechanics in your fic?
This made me realize...I don't, really? I think just because it's so DnD based already, which feels so naturally like storytelling to me that I just don't think about it? I write more resting than I definitely do in game, that's for sure. I'll make notes of certain crit successes/fails if I think they're interesting (or like, Wyll getting charmed and turning on my Wyllmancer in the House of Hope and decimating her lol), and I think I give character death a little more gravity than the game allows for, but otherwise I just go with it. So much of the mechanics are related to story beats or character beats, it just feels natural to include anyways.
☔️Do you care about wider DnD lore in your fics?
Unfortunately, too much. I've had a fascination with the death god lineage in Faerun way before the game came out (my beloved baby girl OC is a Kelemvor cleric and I try not to think about it too much because she will overtake everything if I do).
And now, writing for a set of ~200 year old elves, I've had to get into a lot of major events (the Time of Troubles, the Spellplague, the Second Sundering, all of the multiple rounds of nonsense surrounding Mystra) and deal with the Descent into Avernus module (and the vampire incursion that happened 50 years prior to set off said module) since the twins are originally from Elturel.
Suffice to say, I do my research. Some may even say I do too much research.
🌪️Is there a nugget of game lore that fascinates you, but you haven’t written about yet?
Uh...see above with the death god fascination lol. Withers' presence (and Kelemvor's silence) in regards to the Dead Three is everything to me.
If I have to pick something specifically from the game, the Thorm family and everything going on there. Isobel's resurrection, the rest of the Thorms corrupted by the Shadow Curse (why the Shadow Curse looks like the Spellplague), the implication that Ketheric was just a pawn for Shar and he fell for it hook, line, sinker...the possibilities are endless.
💫If you’ve written multiple stories, do any of them take place in the same “playthrough”?
I tend towards shorter one-shot or two-shots than long fic, so everything that has the same character in it happens during the same play-through (so all of Nox's fic are from the same play-through, all of Fiona's fic are the same, etc). Additionally, when I start writing for Lux, those fics and Nox's fics will be considered the same play-through, since I write both of the twins filling the role of Tav together.
Fiona's are a separate timeline for now. I have a canon Tav and Durge (drow"sisters") play-through I want to do and write for one day that'll have both of them together, but separate from the rest. Other, various siblings and friends I want to smoosh together or not as I please. I'm a roleplayer at heart, the more characters I can include (my own or other people's; I'm liable to steal Tavs/Durges even though I've been too shy to really ask much of anyone yet) the better, in my eyes.
BG3 asks
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optiwashere · 2 years ago
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Do you have any other DnD or BG3 ocs?
So I'm 99% a DM/GM these days! I technically have hundreds of OCs across all the games I've run, D&D or otherwise, but I know what you mean. Other than Asheera, I don't have many characters that I focus on for myself/for games. Lately, an advisor for a duke has been showing up in all of my games, and whenever he's there all of my players groan and instantly hate him so bad. Why would they despise him? He's friendly, he pays handsomely when they do something for him, and he's always good for it. So why the hate? Well, he stole a copper from each of them one time. In another game with unrelated characters.
He did pay them in counterfeit coins a couple sessions ago, but we ignore that. Hugh is a very nice lad, I promise.
But if I describe "a handsome man with clear complexion, a short beard that's well-cropped, and dark hair whose smile is naturally alluring" they all fucking hate him. I love Hugh (named after, and played like an incredibly awful antagonist from a fantasy series by Kate Elliott)
For BG3, I've got Violetta for the Trans Shadowheart AU. She's technically a Spelljammer NPC that's been rewritten to fit in BG3 better, but she's a half-drow cleric of Ilmater and she's a lil softie with secrets of her own that neither the readers nor Shadowheart have yet to notice. I haven't played her in game yet, but my two playthroughs were kinda very similar. The second character I made was not worth expanding on in fic lol.
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parageist · 2 years ago
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im just gonna answer all 50 things and then anyone who wants to comment on my responses can lol
1. so many honestly. im hyperfixated on rain world rn though so probably al the scavengers, slugcats, and iterators xD
2. lighters are so satisfying to use, and don’t create a bunch of waste. plus matches always make me a bit scared that they’ll break or burn me and they just seem so inconsistent. but when you get a match to light, it’s a whole different magical experience. i feel like some post-apocalyptic bunker-dweller lighting my oil lantern to go scavenge through some abandoned train tunnels for supplies. very fun
3. as long as it isn’t too cold, stormy, or there’s wildfire smoke outside, then yeah. some bugs do manage to get in though :/
4. some sort of undefined ghostly entity or energy force that manifests itself into multiple different beings, explaining why encounters with cryptids are always so inconsistent and all over the place
5. dark brown
6. do what? You’re mother?😈
7. hair ties but sometimes they get tangled and i get freaked out
8. i think there’s like one or two somewhere in the corner or in my closet
9. i hate coffee, it tastes vile. i love hot chocolate though, but normally i just drink a protein shake or some soda each morning to get my energy boost. i should try tea more often though
10. mhm :3
11. i wanna start a dnd group but im so overwhelmed and bad at scheduling things ;-; it’s been way too long since i last played
12. like in terms of the weather? it’s overcast and drizzly, like most days from october-march here in the PNW
13. this morning
14. yes please!! fun fact that smell is called petrichor (meaning “rock blood”) and is caused by an organic compound called geosmin. both of those words are really cool sounding imo. bouta make an oc named Petrichor Geosmin
15. i have created several eldritch homunculi chained up in my basement🙂
16. anyone can drive, but not everyone can do it as unsafe and illegally as i can 😎
17. nearsighted i think? up close things appear normal with or without my glasses, but far away things are significantly blurrier without them
18. color-safe shampoo and conditioner. that’s it. lmao
19. if you wanted that :)
20. SODAAAAA!!!💥💥🔥💯
21. so many trinkets that half of my closet is full of them
22. peculiar
23. as long as i have warm clothing or someone to cuddle with then it’s cool
24. chillin, maybe a bit of weedery. either that or a dramatic anime battle where i keep making jojo references
25. both because i’m Normal (OCD) about how i smell to others!🙂
26. there’s so many it hurts to think
27. 6 ish
28. with a smile for hours at a time. jk lmao. if i’m sick, around sick people, at a medical place, or someone asks me to then sure, but otherwise i don’t like the sensation of masks and they fog up my glasses
29. as warm as possible before i meet my pain threshold
30. im eating my plate of dinner right now and there’s a few mugs
31. so fuckin many but im really into mashup week megamix rn. something about all the synchronized beats and tracks and references make my dissociated mess of a brain reassemble some gears
32. no but i hate the towels that like leave bits of fuzz on your skin. fowl
33. some japanese gardens in the city. the whole atmosphere was ruined by a bunch of lawnmowers and wasp nests though :/
34. revenge a minecraft parody by captainsparklez and tryhardninja. and a bunch of other songs
35. pst. it’s currently 501pm rn
36. one
37. nobody 🥲
38. i only use liquid soap
39. sometimes but i should more given how much i bite my lips. completely unrelated but one time i took a huge chomp out of a stick of deodorant for no discernible reason :3
40. i had a brotein par
41. in a hearse. To its grave.
42. discord
43. good but i’m white so i can’t take much
44. trump? putin? jeff bezos? elon musk? idk even if i did kill one of them, it’s not gonna solve much. the system is rotten to its core, evil figureheads just give us someone to point all the blame to
45. uhhhhh i played rainworld instead of going to school, worked on my halloween costume, then played more rain world, finished saint again and almost cried, then i sorted my stickers and made poor life decisions with my sleep schedule :)
46. christmas vacation i guess? idk they all kinda blend together
47. “just really tired (sob puddle emoji)”
48. fourteen. and no that is not something to brag about. i was and still am a very stupid kid
49. i did it once but idk how
50. yes please!! :33
here’s weirder asks
who is/are your comfort character(s)?
lighter or matches?
do you leave the window open at night?
which cryptyd being do you believe in?
what color are your eyes?
why did you do that?
hair-ties or scrunchies?
how many water bottles are in your room right now?
which do you prefer, hot coffee or cold coffee?
would you slaughter the rich?
favorite extracurricular activity?
what kind of day is it?
when was the last time you ate?
do you love the smell of earth after it rains?
are you a parent? (all answers qualify)
can you drive?
are you farsighted or nearsighted?
what hair products do you use?
imagine we’re at a sleepover, would you paint my nails?
do you say soda or pop?
something you’ve kept since childhood?
what type of person are you?
how do you feel about chilly weather?
if we were together on a rooftop, what would we be doing?
perfume/body spray or lotion?
a scenario that you’ve replayed multiple times?
about how many hours of sleep did you get?
do you wear a mask?
how do you like your shower water?
is there dishes in your room?
what type of music keeps you grounded?
do you have a favorite towel?
the last adventure you’ve been on?
is there a song you know every word to by heart?
what’s your timezone?
how many times have you changed your url?
someone in your life, other than a relative, you’ve known for 10+ years?
a soap bar that smells good?
do you use lip balm?
did you have any snacks today?
how do you take your coffee?
an app you frequently use besides this godforsaken site?
what’s your take on spicy foods?
you get a free pass to kill anyone, who is it?
can you remember what happened yesterday?
favorite holiday film?
what was the last message you sent?
when did you first try an alcohol beverage?
can you skip rocks?
can i tag you in random stuff?
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frutitutiart · 4 years ago
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While im on the subject of dnd ufdhhfgjhjc not my current hyper fixation or anything but here is one of my current babies ; v ; “Tulip��!!
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They are a changeling divine soul sorcerer who escaped from a facility where they were raised as a test subject! Sadly their dear friend didn’t make it so Tulip now wears the face of their dead friend ;0;
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Gale was an air genasi druid who grew up with them in the facility. However unlike Tulip, Gale retained their memories of who they once were. You see, the facility was working on a way to turn living beings into changelings, so they were brought in at a younge age and throughout the process they modified all the children’s memories in order to make it easier to not only manipulate but completely change them into this race :< My poor babies
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So they’re now on a quest to stop the facility and prevent the end of the world! ThefacilityhasitshandsinsomanypotsfuckthatplaceHCGHJVFGH
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vergess · 2 years ago
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this is a personal af question that you do not need to answer publicly or at all esp. bc its for fanficish writing purposes but anyway so like how DO you, personally at least, deal with episodes of psychosis? because google tells me that the go to needs to be antipsychotics but 1. the context is a character who does not have regular access to them anyway 2. every one i have looked at has GOD AWFUL PERMANENT SIDE EFFECTS that seem to be almost guaranteed to happen? and my doctor oc would not subject that to anybody. the usual psychosis symptoms i write in my current rps are post-ictal and postpartum psychosis specifically because getting information about that from people who actually HAVE THE CONDITIONS is easy, and there seem to be other methods of dealing with them without antipsychotics (plus, you know, magic dnd for one, and pokemon psychic bs for the other) but finding information on how people with other forms of psychosis (in this case, schizotypal ftr) deal with it from their own perspective is almost impossible? it's ALL ableist bullshit from doctors which is why i am hesitant to trust the idea of "antipsychotics are the only way" :/ even reddit is not helpful here lol and i want to get this right? i know it's just tumblr rp/ao3 fanfic/discord rp that nobody important will read but me and my friends are trying to NOT be ableist shitbags on purpose you know?
Boy I really just don't answer tough asks over the winter months, huh.
I started keeping a closer eye on how media that I otherwise recommend depicts psychosis since getting this ask, and I'm disappointed to announce that over the last two months only two (2) pieces of media have been Normal About Psychosis.
So, the first thing to remember when writing a Psycho is: WE ARE WHOLE ASS ADULTS WITH ADULT BRAINS OKAY, we're not small children lost in a fantasy. We're not violent monsters out for blood. We are people who sometimes see, hear, etc things that aren't really there.
Writing a psychotic character competently isn't about curing them, or even about reducing their symptoms. It's about showing how they cope with those symptoms while carrying on with their daily lives.
I'm currently on the lowest possible dose of antipsychotic right now, and I will say two things about that. 1) the meds make reality checks and other coping skills MUCH more effective. 2) Even at a low dose, abstract and creative thinking are hindered. I don't feel hindered; but I have a 24 year long writing portfolio that says I sure as shit am hindered.
Whether a character will benefit from going on meds is going to be a balancing act. But since you aren't actually looking for meds advice, lets talk about those Other Coping Skills.
Broadly, I would split my skills into three categories: stuff for hallucinations, stuff for delusions, and stuff for dissociation.
So, first off, reality checking is my #1 go to for hallucinations.
You pick this skill up pretty quickly as a kid; everyone does. The difference being that where a non-psychotic person eventually gets to stop relying on others to tell them what is real, we get to keep on asking forever.
It's actually super exhausting to be in a crowded space because most of the nonverbal cues you come to rely on (eg, no one else flinched so that noise probably wasn't real) become INSTANTLY useless. Every noise, movement etc may of may not be real, and your only option is to either gauge other people's lack of reaction, or ask someone you trust for a reality check.
Sounds like an easy way for an abusive shit to control your entire life with no effort? It is!!
THAT'S WHY PSYCHOTIC PEOPLE ARE WAY MORE LIKELY TO BE ABUSED THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION.
Once you know if something is real or not, you can decide to ignore it. Like ignoring anything obtrusive, this is easier if you are in a good mood, physically comfortable, etc. An absurd amount of "coping with psychosis" is just constantly monitoring yourself and others to make sure you are reacting to the right things at the right volume.
Ignoring something that your brain insists is real and a threat is very tiring, so there's also a lot of sleeping.
Delusions are significantly harder to manage than hallucinations, IMO. Not just because, as a multiply marginalized person there are myriad ways that an ambiguous "them" is actually trying to ruin my life for real. Being on terror watchlists due to racism REALLY makes it IMPOSSIBLE to manage my paranoid delusions because some of the more insane shit is just real.
But there are other delusions that are easier to handle. Mostly, this comes down to self monitoring again. I can take an extra second to ask myself, "hang on, statistically speaking, how likely is it that this total stranger ACTUALLY wants to kill me?" The answer, of course, is "violent crime has been trending down for years, and everyone in this area thinks I'm white as long as I don't go outside during the summer, so I'm safe."
It's all about finding the information that helps keep you calm.
Because the absolute certainty that this is a murderer and you are walking into the slaughter will not go away. You just... take it on faith that this time will turn out as safely as the last 399 times.
It's just a shitload of observation, mimicry, and forcing myself to do things that feel dangerous by reminding myself that they aren't.
That shit sounds simple, but it's a CONSTANT fight; it never really gets easier, you just get used to it.
Which brings me back around to my meds again: I think I prefer it this way. My writing sucks, and I keep crying when I read it because it's wrong, it sounds like a field amputation. But god, I went to a cafe during the morning rush a few days ago, and the overload of noise and data only left me bedridden for ONE day. ONE!!! Not a WEEK!
Maybe losing my only art is okay in light of how much less bad things are.
Anyway, I can't remember the name of the 2014 short story about the One Person With Psychosis being wrongfully shunned by her colony because she doesn't feel affective empathy, in spite of her constant and perfectly reasoned moral code ensuring she is, if anything, the least dangerous person in town. I wish I could remember it!! It's a good example!!!
I haven't read it yet, but people I love and trust seem to generally agree that the psychosis in Harrow the Ninth is well written, too, so maybe check that out IDK
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mareenavee · 2 years ago
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Hi there! I was wondering if there's anything you're happy to share about your original writing? I'd also love to hear about your writing process in general, from first conception through to finished product, and how it varies for you for fic vs original writing. Thanks so much for your time! 🌻🌷
Oh hello new friend :D Thanks for asking!
So I can talk a bit about what's been happening with me lately lol I think it can be important for a lot of us, especially in kind of the climate we're in as creatives right now. And while the story might not seem very happy at first, I am still happy to share so others might not feel alone if they're wandering, too.
Something about my original writing:
So I went to college for Creative Writing. I had started in English Edu, and switched about halfway through for many reasons but suffice to say if I didn't do what I loved, that degree would still be unfinished. My goal was to get into editing, if I could, and eventually write a book. After college, my full time, in-office jobs at first had nothing to do with writing. I was doing things like tech support, sales and data entry until I got into advertising. And I was editing, using my degree, but I was also more using my skills from sales. And here we stumble into something of a burnout problem. I was working so many hours on unrelated nonsense that I simply did not have the energy to stay awake half the time, let alone write. And I was away from the desk for so long that when I returned, I felt couldn't manage a single good thing. I kept trying even during the dumpster fire the last few years has been collectively.
I'll time skip for the sake of the story. The cure for burnout is simply rest, regardless of it's professional/career burnout or creative burnout or a combination of the both of these things. One doesn't always realize this in the middle of the issues, though. So here I was barely writing anything that I'd be willing to share, frowning terribly at the blank page every opportunity and just being down on myself and my work. I wrote a couple flash fiction pieces, and plenty for dnd but I'd kind of lost track of my goal of writing THE BOOK, ya know? So I decided I was done with feeling so, I guess, unmoored about it all and I wanted to return to longform projects without second guessing myself at every turn. And I broke the spiral, because it was a spiral, by returning to fandom and starting my fic.
So my original writing, long story short, is short form for the most part! And I want very much to finish a novel. I'm giving myself the space to practice again with fic and prove to myself what I am capable of. It's a slow process, healing, but I am and it translates back at every step. I don't tie my original works to this screenname but a few of my fic writin' and Skywind writin' friens have read a bit here and there of both my dnd and my original short stories. It feels good to not feel bad about them as loudly anymore and to have people interact in a positive way with what I've done. I lost a bit of that after college, and writers really ought to stick together. It gets lonely and difficult without friends otherwise. (:
Something about my writing process:
I am a planner and a fragment writer! This is a result of my schooling. When I was younger and didn't hear a different way, I would pants the entire story. Now I suppose it's about 85% planning, and 15% finding ways to cause problems on purpose for my characters and running with a scene idea. (and cutting it if it doesn't work, saving it for later of course.) I outline plot points usually and if I have specific details I want to elaborate on, I have in-depth pages for that in the planning docs. I tend to treat my character sheets sorta like dnd without the build stats. Just break down into sections describing how they'll look, and their backstories. I also really enjoy the tumblr asks regarding OCs, too, because a lot of that ends up in my planning docs too, where it hadn't been thought of before. I like to really KNOW my characters and where I want the story to go as I proceed, but again -- sometimes I just cause problems on purpose for them and for myself (: But that's the fun of it. There's room for unmitigated creativity if you let go of all the headspace nonsense whenever possible.
As for fragments -- sometimes scenes come to me out of order or in ideas that don't have a place in my current project. I keep idea docs and an idea notebook on hand almost always and write down stray thoughts either as more of an outline, or just a jotted down piece of a thought -- OR something more. Like a whole in-prose scene. That's what I mean by fragments. I've found, especially lately, considering what I wrote above, that if inspiration strikes, let it distract you from everything whenever you can. Write that shit down and save it for later. (:
The last part of it, of course, is the editing process. I try to fire the editing brain for drafting purposes and then go back in to proofread and then do editing passes two or three times before I post / consider a piece to be finished enough to possibly share. I enjoy that part of the process so much. It's like finishing a good jigsaw puzzle lol. That said it's not always sunshine and rainbows, it can be a brutal difficult process. And I am not always right. It's different looking at editing your own work than others' just due to how close we can be to our own writing. Worth it, though, all the struggle (:
Is it different in my original work than fic?
Nope! I mean I suppose the glaring difference would be I need to spend more time in original with worldbuilding than I do in fic, as fic kind of has a bit of a safety net in that department. That said, there's still plenty of worldbuilding to do, lots of hcs to write about, and lots of planning how the pieces will interact. And asking -- why tell this specific story? (Always the fun part for me.) The process, regardless, still remains the same. Plan, write, cause problems on purpose, plan around those problems, write more and EDIT, EDIT, EDIT. (:
Thank you so much for asking this!! I hope this was insightful!
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campgoth · 2 years ago
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loetta and/or cricket (i rly like the first name and the second one sounds like a non-binary Choice and i wanna know if i'm right)
I’m gonna do BOTH!! Thanks for sending the asks!
(Please other people do this too, it’s been so fun for me)
(Ask game is to talk about my OC’s. OC’s that haven’t been asked about are Lottie, Fern, Cammy, Kacy, Linna-Zin, Xena, and Bree)
Let’s start with Loetta (my dnd character)
1) Full Name: Loetta Doeson (but technically it’s Aubrey Roe, Loetta is a fake name)
2) Best Friend: Omes (the cleric in our party)
3) Sexuality: Bisexual
4) Favorite Color: Maroon
5) Relationship Status: So so very single (couldn’t let anyone in if she tried)
6) Ideal Mate: she isn’t thinking about that much right now, but probably someone with an investigators spirit, curious and smart, and someone who would would join the sword dance (join in a revenge mission if needed)
7) Turn Ons: Muscles, and a strong will
8) Favorite food: trail mix
9) Crushes: none at the moment (okay lowkey this buff orc that wants to kill the party but that isn’t gonna happen)
10) Favorite Music: Shanty’s
11) Biggest Fear: Dying without ever finding a cure for her disease (she’s slowly being consumed by a carnivorous plant). Sometimes she’s not afraid of death though, sometimes she feels ready. So that or never truly having any close relationships ever again.
12) Biggest Fantasy: Being cured
13) Bad Habits: Secrecy, not trusting friends
14) Biggest Regret: The way Loetta got sick in the first place was by trying a drug in order to get a little extra money she desperately needed. Being a guinea pig. Even though she needed the money, knowing now what it did to her, it’s her biggest regret
15) Best Kept Secrets: Her real name, and the fact that she has a secret underground lab where she grows plants and tries to find a cure for herself.
16) Last Thought: the last thought she had was something along the lines of “wow, I love talking to this tree, it’s really peaceful”
17) Worst Romantic Experience: it’s not like a funny one but probably choosing to have sex with her clothes on because she was afraid the person she was with would see the plants growing in her skin
18) Biggest Insecurity: can I again say the plants growing inside of her? Lol. Probably that, but otherwise, I think sometimes she feels like a selfish person, and that bothers her, but she doesn’t know another way to be.
19) Weapon of Choice: her willingness to die at a moments notice (she’ll do some crazy things in battle, like get willingly stabbed with a harpoon just to pull the chain closer, and thus the person wielding it). Her greatest weapon is her willingness to hurt in order to obtain her goal. Also wolves teeth (she’s a druid)
20) Her parents were here role model, but they’re dead. Now, it’s Archibald. He said worked with her on a ship once, before she got sick, and now they are working together again. He’s like a father figure.
Okay now I will do Cricket! She’s from my book.
1) Full Name: Cricket Hanlon/ Cricket Allan (name changes)
And because you asked, I wanna tell you WHY her name is Cricket. She’s not actually non-binary, her parents named her Cricket. Everyone in the family is named after a different type of animal, and her siblings Lottie and Cammy have full animal names too ;)
2) Best Friend: Her sister Lottie has always been her best friend, but after her disappearance, and some time, her best friend became Martell
3) Sexuality: Bisexual (I don’t think I have any straight characters)
4) Favorite Color: A muted teal/turquoise blue
5) Relationship status: Married! To Martell Allan :))
6) Ideal Mate: An all around partner. An open communicator, a good parent, a total sci-fi nerd, someone she can cry to, someone good in bed, someone supportive of her small business. Martell is perfect.
7) Turn ons: An encyclopedic knowledge of old and long running sci-fi classics, and long hair.
8) Favorite food: does whip cream count?
9) Crushes: Crushin pretty hard on her husband, Martell
10) Favorite Music: Indie-pop
11) Biggest Fear: her daughter suddenly disappearing, like her sister and parent
12) Biggest fantasy: A world where her sister never died. Where they could open their antique store/bakery, like they planned. A world where her best friend didn’t die. A world where she didn’t have to move back home at 19, back to the room they used to share. A world where she could have saved her.
13) Bad Habits: I see cricket as a nail biter
14) Biggest Regret: Lottie dying. She could have prevented it. She’s thought of a million ways she could have prevented it.
15) Best Kept Secrets: Well she’s an alien living on earth and only one person knows so probably that
16) Last Thought: The last moment I’ve written of her is her crying to one of her moms as she realizes Lottie is gone
17) Worst Romance Experience: Probably that girl who didn’t know what Doctor Who was and thought it was a medical show
18) Biggest insecurity: that she’s not helpful enough
19) Weapon of choice: her hope
20) Role Model: I think her role model is probably a fictional character from an old Sci-fi movie that I haven’t figured out yet
Thank you so much for this!!! Feel free to send me more, anyone!!
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perfectpaperbluebirds · 3 years ago
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‘Do You Know How To Take Care of a Sick Person?’
@sicktember Prompt #1
Fandom/OCs: DnD Party OCs
Title: Bad Day
Words: 3568
Inspiration: Read the first DnD OCs fic here
Author’s comments: The first fic of course turned out to be one of the lengthiest. I kept basically every other prompt to under 2,000 words except this one lol. It just didn’t work for me unless I set the scene properly. The quote felt too abrupt otherwise, especially when using OCs that most people don’t know.
I still love my DnD OCs, and was very glad to use them again! For those that care/don’t remember, Filius is a Human Cleric, Kandry is a Halfling Rogue, Gundor is a Dwarf Fighter, and Lorellyn is an Elf Sorcerer. 
You’ll see them again during this month of prompts, so if you liked this, then keep your eyes peeled! I still have at least one more idea for them after Sicktember as well :). As always, if you guys have any inspo for them, drop it in the ask box!
It was always a bad day when Filius was away. It was as if the universe conspired against the adventurers to ensure the worst possible things happened when their calm, competent cleric was not with them. Having seen this pattern play out time and again, the other three party members always tried their best to lay low and avoid trouble when he planned to leave for a period, but trouble always managed to find them regardless. 
One memorable instance occurred in Filius' own province. After a successful raid on a marauding band of orcs, the party retired to their hidden woodland camp to rest and recover. The local land was excellent for hunting and gathering and the nearby village was well-supplied with needed materials for replenishing their inventories, so everyone agreed it would be beneficial to take a few days off here. With the party in a (seemingly) safe place, Filius was eager to take the opportunity to see his friends and family, and the party happily encouraged him to go. With firm warnings about staying safe while he was gone, he rode away early one morning, accompanied by a local hired sword for safety. He planned to return in four or five days' time, as it would take a whole days' travel one way to reach his hometown.
The party tried to keep their word and stay safe, but luck was not on their side. Some hours after he had departed, in the late afternoon of the first day, Gundor was doing some basic training maneuvers with his axe, spinning and swinging and practicing his footwork with the trees as his targets. He had cleared the area well, aside from a few small stumps, which he was managing to avoid–until he overlooked one, and tripped spectacularly. He went down hard, all his weight falling on one leg, and gave a strangled cry of pain as he landed. Kandry and Lorellyn rushed over, preparing to battle some unseen foe, since they hadn’t seen what transpired. However, through his gasps of pain, the dwarf made them aware he was not being attacked. He was definitely injured however, and in severe pain. 
His party members managed some basic medicine checks and determined he had broken his knee, which had immediately begun to swell and discolor and was already looking grotesque.
"What do we do?" Lorellyn asked, biting her lip. "I know next to nothing about injuries."
"You know I don't either. But we have to do something," Kandry groaned, unable to look at Gundor's pain-stricken face. 
"Wha' abou'... A local healer," Gundor gasped. "Anythin'..  ta help th' pain… an' ta help th' leg… heal proper."
Lorellyn nodded enthusiastically.
Kandry looked very skeptical, but also nodded after a moment, her face grim. "I'll ride to the village. I'm fastest." The other two agreed immediately. Within moments she had pulled on her boots, saddled her pony, and was galloping away toward town.
She returned within the hour, a gaunt healing woman on her own steed in tow. The woman was silent as she examined the dwarf, her face a pinched line, as if she'd eaten something bitter. After a few minutes she grunted out the same diagnosis the party had come to, and began to align and wrap the knee, also applying a poultice for the swelling. The joint made unnatural sounds as she worked, and Gundor's face was pale with pain, and beginning to go green, though he kept his lips tightly shut. Only his soft groans and the sweat popping out on his brow revealed the agony he was in. 
Finally the knee was splinted and stable, and the dwarf could stand with support. The healer grunted a few more terse instructions about keeping weight off of it and allowing some weeks to heal, and how to make another poultice if the swelling persisted. She turned to leave without another word, striding back to her donkey.
"Please, can't you give him something for the pain? He's clearly miserable," Lorellyn called. 
The healer turned, and looked the dwarf up and down once more, her eyes narrowed. "He don't need nothin'. He's a dwarf, ain't he? I ain't got anythin' to treat pain fer his kind." With that she mounted her steed and rode away without a backward glance.
The three glanced at each other, each with anger or hurt in their eyes. 
"She doesn't trust us," Lorellyn whispered, her lip trembling.
"She don' trust dwarves," Gundor grunted, clenching his fists.
"Well I don't trust her. I didn't even when I first saw her. But she's the village's only healer. I checked. So I guess we're on our own until Fil gets back," Kandry said. "Will you be okay, Gund?"
"I'll survive," the dwarf grunted. "I'll jes' need a walkin' stick or summat. I got all the pain killer I need in me sack."
Lorellyn quickly fashioned him a crude but sturdy crutch. He stumped over to his tent, maneuvered to grab his saddlebags, and pulled out an amber flask. He downed the first flask in a few gulps, then opened a second. He sat down with this one and began to nurse it, his back against a sturdy tree. 
The rest of the day passed without further incident, except that Gundor got himself comfortably drunk. He made no trouble though, and sat against his tree the rest of the night, singing loudly and polishing his armor and weapons. Lorellyn went into town once more to replenish his liquor, but otherwise the three stuck close to camp and entertained themselves with their own pursuits. After much discussion, the group agreed to not post a watch at night. It was impractical for two people to do all the watch duties. They would have to hope their protective charms and talismans would suffice until they were back to full strength.
Kandry went to bed early without a word to the other two. This wasn't terribly unusual for her, so Lorellyn thought nothing of it until she helped Gundor get to bed. She sensed the temperature dropping and knew it was going to be a cold night, so she made sure the dwarf was warmly bundled in his tent as he snored away drunkenly. The elf considered waking the halfling to make sure she was aware of the impending temperature changes, but Kandry was likely to stab first and ask questions later if she was awakened, so Lorellyn decided to leave her be. It had been a long, eventful day, and the elf settled into her evening meditation gratefully, happy to forget the world for a time.
The temperature did indeed drop significantly overnight, and the morning was unseasonably cold, but bright and clear. Lorellyn was up with the sun, and she patiently waited for Kandry to join her for their morning training as she always did. However, when the halfling had not emerged after an hour past their usual start time, Lorellyn went to investigate. 
Kandry was bundled up, still on her bed roll when Lorellyn peeked her head into her tent. The halfling stirred at the sound of the door opening, turning to meet Lorellyn's eyes, her own heavy-lidded and hazy with fever. 
Lorellyn cried out softly, falling to her knees at Kandry's side, pressing a hand to her face immediately. Kandry shivered violently under her touch.
"What happened?" Lorellyn questioned, doing her best to examine her friend.
"W-what d-does it l-look l-l-like? I'm s-sick," Kandry croaked through chattering teeth. "C-came down with a f-fever during the n-night."
"Oh, you poor thing! But you were fine yesterday!"
"H-halflings d-don't do w-well in the c-c-cold." 
Lorellyn clicked her tongue sympathetically, stroking Kandry's hair. "What can I do for you?"
"Another b-blanket, p-please," Kandry said, with a hacking cough for emphasis. 
"Of course, right away." Lorellyn dashed off and returned in record time with Kandry's winter blanket, wasting no time in wrapping the halfling up in the extra layer, then sat wringing her hands as Kandry tried to get warm. 
"Oh this is just awful. First Gundor, and now you! What is happening to us?”
“It’s b-because Filius l-left. We’re c-cursed,” Kandry mumbled, burrowing deeper into her blankets. 
“It certainly feels that way,” Lorellyn sighed. “Should I run and get the healer again?”
“No! Th-that woman isn’t s-setting foot in this c-camp again. We’ll s-survive until OUR healer g-gets b-back.”
“If you’re sure,” Lorellyn sighed again. “Then let me go find something to help warm you up.”
In the time it took Lorellyn to get a hot drink and meal for the sick halfling, Gundor also began to wake. He hobbled his way out of his tent and managed to stand, swaying beerily as he held onto his walking stick, squinting at the world. Lorellyn called a greeting, which he returned with a half-hearted wave as the elf scurried into the halfling’s tent, laden with cups and bowls. He wasn’t quite sober, but nor was he drunk anymore, and the pain in his knee was raging. After only a few moments of consideration, he located his liquor bottle where it had been left the night before and polished it off, then immediately cracked open another. Until Filius returned and (hopefully) healed him, the dwarf saw no point in being miserable and in pain. 
It took a further few moments for it to dawn on him that the elf had disappeared inside halfling's tent rather than her own. Just as he had made up his mind to be curious about this and perhaps go investigate it, Lorellyn reemerged with the same speed she had entered, and was speaking equally quickly, though whether to him or herself, it was hard to be sure in his current state.
"We have nothing to make soup with, no tea, no oatmeal. Nothing for a sick person to eat. I've got to run to town. Maybe I can find her some medicine too, something we can make without Filius."
"The little 'un is sick?" Gundor interjected, as her words at last began to register on him.
"Yes, yes, she's burning up with a fever," Lorellyn said, wringing her hands again. "We must find some way to bring it down. I must go into town again and see what I can find." She hurried over to Gundor and clasped his hands. "You must stay and look after her, and make sure she doesn't get any worse."
"But I–"
"You'll be fine." She hurried over to her horse and began to saddle her. "Just go sit with her and keep her company. I think we have some potions around somewhere in case of emergencies. Make sure she has what she needs. I'll be back as quick as I can."
With that she leapt onto her horse and was gone, leaving a very confused dwarf in her wake. Gundor didn't move for several moments, deciding what to do. Finally, with a ponderous sigh he hobbled his way to Kandry's tent and edged his way inside. 
The halfling was unchanged from when Lorellyn had first seen her, aside from the addition of the second blanket. Of course Gundor didn't know this, so when he saw her huddled and shaking miserably on her bedroll with hazy eyes and clammy skin, such a far cry from her usual boisterous self, his eyes filled with tears immediately. He dropped to her side as Lorellyn had done, albeit much more awkwardly due to his knee, and ran a rough hand over her hair. 
" 'm okay, Gund," Kandry croaked. "Don't cry. It's just a fever."
"I can't seein' yeh this way, though. Yer so pale and still." Though the words were tender, he seemed to have lost the capacity to regulate his volume, as his voice was three times louder than it needed to be in the small, quiet space. 
"And you're d-drunk," Kandry winced. "Speak s-softer. My head is killing me."
"Sorry, sorry," he loudly whispered. "What can I do to help?"
Kandry looked around listlessly. "A c-cold rag? For my f-face? Feels like it's on f-fire."
"On it," the dwarf grunted, struggling to his feet. He seemed destined to topple over immediately due to the inebriation and the injury, but he managed to stay standing and hobbled his way back outside at a good pace. He returned as quickly as could be expected, holding a rag in his hand. Poor Kandry was shocked by a splash of icy cold water as he pressed it to her face however, as the rag was sodden and dripping wet. She yelped reflexively, jumping away, her teeth chattering harder than ever 
"Gundor! You n-need to r-ring it out m-more, I'm s-soaked n-now! D-don't you know how to t-take c-care of a s-sick person?"
Gundor took the rag back right away and clumsily wrung it out through the tent door, his face redder than ever as he returned.
"Sorry, lass. I ain't had much practice at this nursin' business. I don't wanna hurt yeh none." He gently replaced the much drier rag on her forehead. Kandry sighed in relief.
"You w-won't hurt me. H-halflings are h-heartier than we l-look. D-don't worry s-so m-much."
"Anything else yeh need?" he asked anxiously.
"No. Wait, actually, y-yes." She held out a shaking hand. After a moment of confusion, he handed her his liquor bottle, and she took a deep drink before handing it back. 
"You can't c-catch my germs, r-right?" she asked belatedly.
"Nah, dwarves are quite different from halflings, lass. Yeh couldn't get me sick if yeh tried."
"Good. Th-then you'll s-stay and s-sit with m-me?"
"O' course. I wouldn't dream o' doing otherwise." With that he promptly sat down once more, taking his own swig from the bottle. 
"C-can I ask… one last f-favor?"
"Anythin' " he hiccupped.
"Would you… c-consider laying under the b-blankets with me? I'm s-so c-cold," she mumbled, unable to meet his eyes.
"Why didn't yeh say so before?" he cried. He immediately moved to her side and freed a corner of the blankets, gingerly sliding in beside her, being mindful to keep his bad leg on the outside so it was safe from the risk of accidental kicking. She nestled against him eagerly, curling into his warmth. She didn't go as far as wrapping her arms around him, but she did tuck her hands and feet under his side. He was not so bashful though, and looped his arm around her tiny shoulders, drawing her tight against himself. She heaved another grateful sigh as his heat began to warm her immediately, and her shivering began to ease at last. She quickly fell into an exhausted doze, with Gundor watching over.
Lorellyn returned in due course with more provisions than they would know what to do with, but nothing she found satisfied her, so she bought it all, hoping something might suffice. Of course she immediately barged into Kandry's tent, but took an apologetic step back upon seeing the scene within, for Kandry had been sleeping peacefully against Gundor's side. The elf earned one of Kandry's trademark glares for waking her. Gundor smiled and waved blearily upon seeing her.
"I'm sorry," Lorellyn whispered, her face red. "I just wanted to let you know that I returned. I can start making the soup right away, and see about those medicines… but Gundor, do you need to take a break? I can sit with her for a while."
Kandry gave the dwarf a pleading look. He shook his head no. "I'm fine righ' where I am," he said with a smile, patting Kandry's back. 
Knowing well how much the pair favored each other in all ways platonic, Lorellyn smiled too. "All right then. I'll leave you be. Please call if you need anything."
And so the day passed. Kandry slept on and off, usually accompanied by Gundor, for she shivered relentlessly without him against her. When she was awake, Lorellyn plied her with medicine and food. By evening it became evident that the medicine was relatively effective; her fever went down by a good margin. This satisfied Lorellyn, and she showed it by fussing all the more. Kandry tolerated this with as much good grace as she could muster, but by evening she was fed up and asked to be left alone for the rest of the day unless she called. Lorellyn, who was by this point also exhausted and more careworn than usual, agreed without much fuss. 
In fact she looked so careworn that Kandry couldn't help but scrutinize her as she prepared to leave for the evening. The halfling frowned at what she saw.
"Lorellyn, come here for a moment."
The elf complied immediately. 
Kandry sat up to better look at her. Gundor also looked on curiously. "What's all over your face? Are those… hives?"
Lorellyn covered her cheeks with her hands. "Oh… it's nothing! Just… the heat… And all."
Kandry narrowed her eyes. "We've been a party for almost four years, Lor. I know you break out in hives when you're stressed. You must be miserable. I've never seen you have so many."
Lorellyn hung her head. "It's not just the stress… there's so many bayberry bushes in these woods and in the village. I'm terribly allergic, and I can't get away from them. They're everywhere. I didn't notice until Fil was gone. He usually makes me a potion for my allergies."
"You poor thing," tutted Kandry. "Your skin must be burning."
"And my eyes. And my throat," mumbled Lorellyn. "Everything hurts and itches."
"Then why are you running around taking care of us? You need to go rest," Kandry said firmly. 
Lorellyn nodded. "I'm going now. But you will call if you get worse?" she asked, giving the pair a stern look.
They both nodded, mainly to appease her. She was the worst off of the three of them now that Kandry's fever was down. They could fend for themselves long enough to let her get some rest. 
And rest they did, all three of them. Thanks to Lorellyn's more-than-adequate supply run, they had no need to leave the camp again in the remaining days until Filius returned. They were all drained from their various ailments and hardly left their tents as they slowly recovered. Lorellyn stayed out of the sun and liberally applied poultices to her abused skin. Gundor kept his knee well-wrapped, and kept himself comfortable the way he knew best, though the constant aching, shooting pain and subsequent immobility was trying. Kandry simply slept much of the day, often with Gundor at her side. Though her fever never reached the heights it had that first day, the constant-low grade fever drained her and made her light-headed and fatigued. 
Since they were all in their beds so much, no one was outside to greet Filius when he returned late the fourth day. The camp was eerily silent as he dismounted and unsaddled his horse, and he was on high alert. However, Gundor limped out of his tent just as Filius was about to explore the area, and the cleric breathed a sigh of relief. Upon seeing their fourth companion, Gundor squinted blearily, shaking his head as if to clear it. 
"Day izzit?" the dwarf mumbled to himself, feeling around for his watch with a hiccup.
Filius approached and clapped him on the back with a smile. "It's Wednesday, my friend. I returned a day earlier than anticipated. One can only see so much of one's family before starting to go mad. But I see you've been enjoying yourself in my absence," he said, glancing at the heap of empty bottles beside the dwarf’s tent. 
"I've been injured, yeh see," Gundor protested, gesturing to his bandaged knee. "This here was the only remedy while we waited for yeh to return to us. But now here yeh are!" Gundor threw his arms around the human for a belated hug, almost knocking them both over in the process. 
Filius freed himself with a laugh, and knelt down immediately to examine the knee. However, Lorellyn had been alerted by the commotion and poked her head out as well. Upon seeing Filius, she dashed out with a happy cry, running to him and flinging her arms around him, almost knocking him over yet again as she said his name again and again. 
"I'm so glad you're back," she mumbled into his shoulder. 
He shifted to better return her embrace. "I'm glad to be back. But what's wrong, dear? You're acting as if I've been gone for a month." He pushed back her curtain of unruly hair, frowning as he saw her raw, broken skin.
"It feels as if it's been that long. We've had the most awful time without you."
"You're certainly looking worse for wear," he agreed. "Did something happen or…?"
"Just rotten luck all around. And this town's healer is horrid. We've had to fend for ourselves since you've been gone and it's just been a mess."
"And what about Kandry?"
"She's sick too. Sure has a horrible fever and has been in bed for days. I don't know what to do."
"I'll take care of it," Filius reassured her. "But first you, Lor. Your poor skin. I think I have something that will help. You can't get so worked up, though. You get yourself into the worst states that way."
"It's your fault I'm in this state," she said, still embracing him. "You're never allowed to leave us again." 
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