#rhowan does all the commanding

[where-is-caithe]

I heard that you wanted more multi-commander ask game questions - I choose 3, 5 and 17!

HI YES TY SO MUCH

3. Were they all present for Claw Island?

Just Rhowan! And while she was in the Vigil, because of her recklessness she was sent to the Priory as a bodyguard for their expeditions and ended up working with Sieran, which turned out to be great for her until she fucked up again and got her killed at Claw Island. Rhowan was injured and barely standing, and Sieran sacrificed herself to let her and Trahearne get away. Rhowan almost abandoned everything after that, but Almorra convinced her to stay.

Yden was trapped in the Nightmare Court for the entirety of the personal story and has never had to deal with the Risen ever.

5. Did all of them, only a few, or just one of them go through the dungeon storylines?

Neither of them actually went through the dungeon storylines, I actually relegated that to a different character who I made to be Caithe's sylvari protege, Charleigh. During the personal story, she worked with Caithe to bring Destiny's Edge back together while also working in the Vigil and the Pact. By all counts, Charleigh would be a better Commander than Rhowan, but she wasn't in the right place at the right time and wasn't around Trahearne during the Pact formation at all. She does become a high ranking soldier in both the Vigil and the Pact, but she is not the Commander. Once Rhowan gets her shit together, she's a natural leader but until then, there are people that believe Charleigh should've gotten the role instead.

(That way of thinking kind of goes completely out the window tho after the airship crash in Maguuma, bc Charleigh gets half mordrem'd and after that no one really trusts her anymore.)

17. Are there any that certain members of Dragon's Watch prefer over the others?

Kasmeer is the favorite, she's both extremely useful and pleasant to be around. She gets along well with Rhowan and Yden, though she had a bit of a rough start with Yden and had to earn her trust. Rhowan's also partial to Braham, both being wolf Norn, and Rhowan considers him to be like a little brother. Marjory was on thin fucking ice for all of HoT and Rhowan def considers her to be more of a coworker than a friend. Yden and Taimi get along like a house on fire, since Yden primarily studies magic and the dragons and had been doing so for like the first 15 years of her life, they have a lot to talk about. Neither of them like Rytlock and Rhowan almost killed him in the desert after Vlast died. Neither of them really care for Canach either.

[where-is-caithe]

1, 6, 9, 14, 20 for THE most iconic lesbian commander couple, Rhowan and Yden 💛🖤

@mystery-salad

HI FOX TY

At what point during the story do they meet up?

Right at the beginning of HoT, in the prisoner camp, right when they find Eir and Faolain, Yden joins up with Rhowan and her team. Yden was in the jungle following a feeling and she stumbled across Rhowan a few days in and followed her until the prisoner camps. Rhowan had known she was following and released a Courtier from her cage which prompted Yden to kill her and reveal herself. After that, Yden is a part of the group.

6. Did they chase after Caithe together or was one/were some on the airship with Trahearne during the start of HoT?

Rhowan's the one who chases Caithe, though she doesn't use the memory seeds. It feels too intrusive, and she respects her friend too much. Rhowan is Norn. It's in her blood to track and hunt and she finds Caithe that way. The only struggle they have is with the door marked by the Forgotten, and that plays out about the same as it does in-game. Yden is busy being confused, she's hanging out in the Silverwastes because she feels Aurene's egg calling to her and she's following that feeling, but she doesn't know what it is.

9. Did any of them join the Shining Blade?

Neither of them did! And Yden isn't involved in this episode at all, even if she is listening in to the calls between Rhowan and Livia. She's bonding with Aurene and hanging out with Caithe in Tarir. Rhowan would never join the Shining Blade, she doesn't trust the Krytan monarchy and DOES NOT want to be on a leash for Anise. She did a lot of threatening to get the information and Anise gave in because Rhowan is better as an ally than an enemy.

14. How close are they? What do they think of each other?

🤞❤

20. Would they pick their co-commander/s over anyone else? Over Tyria’s safety?

Rhowan picks Yden over everything always. If it was a choice between condemning the world or saving Yden, she would choose Yden no contest. No thought. Even if Yden would hate her for it.

By contrast, Yden would probably choose the world, but it would be a paralyzing choice and she wouldn't be able to live with herself afterwards.

[where-is-caithe]

#i love to hear about yden she’s so COOL#i felt that she drifted that way when it came to the gods#i understand though#like thinking of the six gods- just LEAVING tyria and the humans that worshipped them#makes me a bit angry- the power they hold and they decide to withdraw from how active they used it before#anyway anyway#i like the way you described yden’s feelings to it#set in her knowledge after learning about what balthazar had become#i love her#im curious now about the whole balthazar killing rhowan- how did that transpire in your story#since they are like dual commanders in a way (or it seems to me)#how and why did rhowan step up to fight him the first time#where was yden and her reaction to seeing the platform#my gosh im asking so many questions in your tags i hope it’s alright#gw2

@the-mystic-dragon

>:) you've activated my trap card

LOTS of rambling down here

OKAY so during PoF, Rhowan gives Yden a bit more slack, in the way that she's not so. Protective. and lets her like. do things without her (she sends Kasmeer with her instead dkjfg). At this point, you find Vlast's birthplace, Kesho, and you go into it. PoF is not kind to Rhowan and she's pretty torn up about Vlast's death, she chooses to stay outside and guard the entrance, make sure no one follows when Yden goes into the buried city, with the promise that she tells her about everything she finds. Had Rhowan gone down with her, she would not have died to Balthazar.

While Yden is down there, she contacts Rhowan through the communicator and tells her about the plan to meet at the spire in the Riverlands, and Rhowan goes on ahead to make sure the area is clear.

It isn't.

Yden knows something is wrong immediately, but she has Forged to fight and a vision to see and I don't know if she even sees the whole vision before feeling Rhowan's escalating panic and getting the hell out of Kesho. Unfortunately at this point Yden is on foot. They'd been travelling on Rhowan's griffon (or her motorcycle) since the Highlands and Yden does not have any kind of mount, so she has to run there, which means Rhowan is left alone with the God of War for a long time.

Rhowan's not stupid, but her confidence is sky high and she knows she's a good fighter. She thinks maybe if she can last long enough, her friends will arrive and she'll live through this.

Another thing! Because of Rhowan and Yden's mental/emotional connection to each other, Aurene has a hard time (as a little baby) distinguishing them. Rhowan has a slight connection to Aurene through Yden and vice versa. That paired with Yden's rising fear, and it makes it difficult for a baby dragon to know which one is the right person when she's flying like a damn rocket all the way from Tarir. It also could be that Aurene is trying to save the person who promised to protect her chosen Champion and goes to Rhowan on purpose. I don't know. Neither does Rhowan or Yden. It's a mystery.

Back to Rhowan dying to a rogue god.

After the third time Balthazar severely wounds her, she's given up on expecting anyone to come to her rescue. This is the point Aurene shows up. Balthazar has Rhowan against a wall, she's struggling to keep her eyes open, she feels burns all over, she's bleeding everywhere, she can't stand. She calls to Aurene and yells for her to leave.

How sad for you to die so far from home.

And Balthazar kills her, his sword straight through her chest. At least it's relatively instant and painless.

From the ground, Yden sees Aurene fly in, a flash of blue through the orange flames and smoke. She's struggling to find her way to Rhowan, feeling the pain she's in, feeling how scared she is. She uses her air attunement to create updrafts for herself and nearly flies to her.

She feels Balthazar's sword, fire engulfing Rhowan's body.

And then she feels nothing.

Balthazar leaves with Aurene, Yden lands on the spire that is still in flames. She's... devastated. Inconsolable. When Canach, Rytlock, and Kasmeer arrive, they find Yden sobbing over what's left of Rhowan's body.

I don't think. Any of them. Would know what to do here.

And Yden is not leaving her side. Her magic is running wild with how upset she is, and no one can go near her without getting a harsh shock.

In the hours it takes for Rhowan to come back, not much really changes. Yden does not move from her side. The others have no idea what to do.

Rhowan returns engulfed in a bright light, her body being knit back together, she falls to her knees and Yden is there with her arms around her, holding tightly, and Rhowan responds, nearly crushing her with how tightly she's holding her.

Overwhelmed, terrified, grateful to be alive if only just to see Yden again, Rhowan breaks down, crying into Yden's shoulder.

It's probably the worst Yden has ever felt? Feeling nothing from Rhowan the moment she died. Watching Balthazar leave with the dragon she's connected to. She'd never felt so hopeless in that moment.

Rhowan doesn't really use her fire anymore after she's killed, she's afraid of it taking over her and killing her again. She also finds herself with a fear of the Forged, sensing Balthazar in the fire that keeps their bodies together.

Rhowan's death causes a shift in their relationship. After this point, Yden is by Rhowan's side as often as possible and fights in every battle with her. She's glad for the company, it's nice to rely on and protect Yden while she's near. They make a great team, with Yden's lightning and Rhowan's blade.

[where-is-caithe]

🪤 MOUSE TRAP - Yden 🍩 DONUT - Nikki ☀️ SUN - Charleigh 👑 CROWN - Mina. 🌪️ TORNADO - Yden again!

MWAH OKAY

🪤 MOUSE TRAP - what will always lure them into certain danger? a loved one in danger? a promise of something they are always searching for?

If Rhowan was in danger, Yden would go of course. Yden also just stumbles into danger, especially if she sees something interesting. She's never been too worried about it, she hasn't come across anything she couldn't handle with her magic. A book could also lure her into danger, if there's a rumor about some ancient text somewhere she'll gladly go wherever that is and try to get it.

And Yden's never actually been to Orr (she's never been around for any of those story beats, busy with other things), but she would love to go just to study the old stone and transcripts. Would've gotten along really really well with Sieran had she known her.

🌪️ TORNADO - what is the biggest change you’ve ever made to them? how have they changed from their original version?

Yden's changes have been relatively drastic? She started off green, for one.

and then i turned her purple but kept her glow pink.

And finally she became what she is now. Her personality hasn't really changed since her inception, a little bit of backstory changed and I scrapped the full nightmare court she was originally intended to be. She's also goth now, which she wasn't when she started.

🍩 DONUT - favourite sweet treat?

Nikki seems like the type who would like dark, rich, chocolates, accented with fruits like raspberries. More of an indulgence than anything. She doesn't really seek it out.

☀️ SUN - are they a morning person? what is the first thing they do in the morning?

Charleigh is a Crystal Bloom commander, she'd need to be awake pretty early most days. Her body is used to being awake early, it's been trained into her since she was a sapling when she was a Warden in the Grove.

Taking care of herself isn't that high on her list of things to do, so she'd probably drink a cup of coffee and go straight into exercising or meeting up with Caithe to discuss what they're doing. If she was on an assignment she'd be strategizing all morning with her officers and also Nikki because can't get rid of her. Breakfast would come later, if at all.

👑 CROWN - what does your oc want to be remembered as? why?

Mina is my Robin Hood type thief, steal from the rich, give to whoever. She hates the Noble system in Divinity's Reach and is not fond of the Crown, the Shining Blade, or the Gods. She's charismatic enough to get herself into wherever she needs to be and is such a smooth talker she could talk you out of every cent you had.

She'd like to be infamous for this, if she isn't already.

[where-is-caithe]

Sometimes I feel like Braham doesn't understand that he's a norn and what that means. Like, obviously he knows he's norn, that's not really what I mean, but with how angry he is at Eir and with how angry he is at the commander (specifically a norn commander) when it comes to Destiny's Edge vs Dragon's Watch.

I understand why he's angry at Eir, I do get it, and this is by no means me hating Braham. Braham is a good boy and he's important to my commander and I like his character (for the most part). He's a good character. However. He acts really weird.

He's angry at Eir for abandoning him. Sure. But he doesn't seem to understand that Eir left him to pursue her legend like every norn wants to do. The whole CULTURE is about furthering your legend and becoming the greatest norn history can remember. Eir didn't believe she could do that while raising a child. Which is her choice. She left him with his father, and Borje didn't seem upset about raising him.

Okay, no. I don't understand why he's angry at Eir. She didn't abandon him. She left him with the parent who would be able to raise him and then went on to further her legend. Like. What's not to get Braham. She did what most of the people in your culture aspire to do. That's the whole point of being a norn. You want to be remembered forever.

And onto my other point. This is the same problem. Specifically talking about a norn commander. First of all, Braham said nothing to any of the other members of Destiny's Edge before forming his own version of it (comprising of only norn, by the way, which is completely disregarding the reason for the guild in the first place), and secondly, Destiny's Edge just disbanded at your mother's funeral, which you would have known if you had Fucking Been There.

Now, onto him being angry that you don't want to continue Destiny's Edge. Listen. As a norn commander. You're not going to want to attach your name to a guild that is already legendary. That feels cheap. And it would feel cheap to any norn who cared about furthering their legend (which Rhowan does. That's like. a huge part of her character). So to any norn commander, just joining up with Destiny's Edge and taking the place of Eir would be not only incredibly disrespectful, but it would hurt their own legend.

Making a Brand New Guild, however, and protecting the world and doing legendary feats with this guild that you founded would further your legend much, much more than joining or remaking an old one that had just disbanded.

Braham very obviously Does Not want to have a legend. And he doesn't seem to understand that other norn do.

[where-is-caithe]

🍧, 🌙, 📎 for Rhowan? :0

aaaa thank you!

🍧 SHAVED ICE - do they still have any objects from their childhood? what significance does it have to them? what would their reaction be if they lost it?

I've gone through and redone Rhowan's story so many times, I'm not sure how to answer this. The only consistent thing she has from her childhood is her family's homestead, where she grew up. When her family was killed, it was ransacked and ruined. A lot of priceless things and memories were lost. Years later, she would go back to face the ruins and rebuild on the same foundation. She rebuilt her home with her own hands. It was part of her getting through the tragedy.

Despite all she goes through, protecting the world, traveling to distant lands she's never seen before, she always returns home. It's become a little different. Shelves of books and a small greenhouse to the side, for Yden who likes to grow things (poisonous plants mostly), and a room closed off for Rhowan's bike and her tools. It makes the living area a bit smaller, but she doesn't mind. It's nice, warm, familiar.

🌙 MOON - what is your oc’s greatest wish? how far are they willing to go for it?

OOF god. Rhowan's greatest wish would shift all the time. As a young norn, she would've wished to be the greatest norn to ever live, like almost all young norn. Then it would be to bring her family back. She still wishes for them, sometimes, when she thinks about everything she'd like to show them, everything she'd like to tell them. Her little sister would be enraptured by her tales, hanging on every word, and her mother would roll her eyes at some of the more incredible parts. Her father would wrap an arm around her shoulders and grin.

For years her wish was to see Yden again, when she was dead and Rhowan was just starting out as the Pact Commander, leading an army to an impossible goal. Traveling through Orr, she thought of Yden often, knowing how fascinated she would be by the ruins, by all she could learn there.

She wished she was the one to crack the tooth in the Great Lodge, and lead her people to a victory against the greatest enemy they'd ever faced. The jealousy and anger she felt for Braham has since faded, but still she wishes. What a legend she would've had if it had been her.

Her wishes are never something she can achieve. They're greater than anything she could accomplish. She knows this. If there had ever been a sliver of a chance to do any of them, she would have taken that chance. And damn the consequences.

📎 PAPERCLIP - a random fact.

When she was a gladiator in Lion's Arch (around 1319ae) she spent a lot of time with this iron legion gladium after hours, who taught her everything she wanted to know about machinery. The charr had been an engineer that worked on the big charr tanks and knew pretty much everything there was to know about how they worked. It gave Rhowan the idea to design her bike and she took a lot of inspiration from charr tanks as a result, both aesthetically and mechanically. She'd already had an idea for it after being in Rata Sum as a kid, but the charr filled in some of the blanks.

[where-is-caithe]

Collision, crying, fearful for Rhowan my beloved

thank you so much ✨

💥 COLLISON - what emotions do they have trouble dealing with?

Rhowan is an empath, she feels so many emotions all the time, from so many people. She wouldn't trade it for anything. She's charismatic and most who meet her end up liking her, she knows how to deal with almost anything, knows how to cheer up someone sad, knows how to celebrate with someone happy (of course she's better at it if she knows someone personally).

Her own emotions, those are where she has her problems. She grew up in a loving family, she knows love, she knows happiness and sadness, bitterness and loss, and dealing with them has never been her strong points, but with her family it was easier. But her family dies. They are killed and suddenly she's alone, to deal with these emotions on her own, this rage and this loss and this sadness. 18, not even grown, and she's alone and she's lost.

Sadness and loss has never been something she's been good with, and these circumstances continue to happen to her. With Yden. With Sieran. Apatia, Eir, Trahearne. Almorra. Piling onto her like stones, heavy and unmoving, dragging her deeper down.

She drinks to chase it away. Alone. For hours. Days, maybe. It's better when she's moving, she's fighting, she's talking with other people and concentrating on the problem at hand.

But her sorrow is always there waiting for her.

😭 CRYING - what makes them cry? do they cry easily?

Rhowan is bad at crying, evidently. She is The Commander, the one everyone looks to, the most powerful leader on the planet, they cannot see her cry. They cannot see her loss. They cannot see what is beneath the facade she wears.

Not many can say they've seen the Commander cry. Caithe has. Yden has. Taimi, maybe. Kasmeer (but Kasmeer is good at seeing through someone, even if that someone is Rhowan).

Rhowan has been through a lot, and she's lost so many people. She cries for them, for lives never lived. She also definitely cried when she was dying, and when she woke from being dead, hours later, alone in a tent. Dying painfully does something to someone.

😨 FEARFUL - when scared, do they go into “flight” or “fight”?

Rhowan is all fight until everyone behind her is safe, and then maybe run, but she's never really run from a fight, either. Fought the God of War, alone on a plateau, because it might've given her friends time. She has no time for running. She can deal with the threat NOW. There are people counting on her. She must.

Running away never even crosses her mind.

[where-is-caithe]

OC Interview: Rhowan

Draw (or use an old drawing, don’t worry!) or take a screen of your character in an interview setting and make them answer the following questions!

Thanks for tagging me! @long-journey

INTRODUCTION

Can you introduce yourself?: “Rhowan, sylvari secondborn, Commander of the Pact and leader of Dragon’s Watch.”

What is your gender identity, orientation and relationship status?: “Trans woman, lesbian and,” she grins, “very much taken.”

Where and when were you born?: “I’m secondborn, and I awoke at the light of dawn. I was one of the first.”

What is your weapon of choice and fighting style?: “Oh I fight with a good many weapons, and I’m always picking up more, but my sword is my best and the weapon I’ve known the longest.”

Lastly, are you happy?: She ponders for a moment, humming to herself, “I am not unhappy. I’m happy most of the time, I suppose, I have many things to be glad for, and many more to be stressed about.”

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

What’s your family like? What is your relationship with them?: “My family? I make my own family. If you’re referring to the Pale Tree, I haven’t spoken to her since the death of Mordremoth, and even now I have... complicated feelings around her.” She shifts in her chair, her mood has changed slightly, though she still acts as the poised and confident commander.

Have you ever run away from home?: She laughs at the question, a raspy, knowing chuckle “I am still running from home.”

Would you consider marriage or having children?: “Marriage? Sure. Children? Not in this day and age. It’s not something I’ve ever considered, and she doesn’t want kids, so no.”

Do you secretly hate one of your friends?: A short laugh, loud and booming, “Trying to get to juicy gossip of Dragon’s Watch, are you? If I hate you, you’ll know about it, I promise you.”

Which friend knows everything about you?: “Caithe. It’s always been Caithe. She is one of the people I trust most in this world.”

ASKED BY FANS

Are you literate? Have you been to school?: “Please, I’m a secondborn. In 30 years do you think I haven’t learned to read and write? They didn’t have mentors or schools when I awoke, so I never really had schooling. Most of what I learned was from the firstborns, Aife helped me a lot when I was young.”

The eeriest prediction you made that later came true?: “I’m not sure about predictions, but I’ve always had an uneasy feeling about Minister Caudecus, long before he revealed himself.”

What is something you were embarrassingly late to realize?: “Next question.”

Do you have mental health or physical issues?: She lifts her leg to the table, “took a brand crystal to the knee fighting Kralkatorrik, it hasn’t been the same since. I have to wear a brace when I fight and it hurts during bad storms. The shiverpeaks were hell,” she sets her foot down heavily, “as for mental problems, well. Being an inquest experiment days after you wake up kinda does bad shit to your head. I’ve had nightmares for as long as I can remember, and on top of that there’s all the dragons and especially Mordremoth, and I think you get the picture.” She’s stiff in her chair now, agitated, wanting this interview to be over.

What is your current main goal?: “My main goal is whatever Aurene says it is.”

CHOICES

Drink or food?: “Definitely drink,” she snorts and sits back heavily, “I could use a drink right now.”

Cats or dogs?: “I don’t really have a preference, I think they’re both great animals. Not for me, I prefer machines mostly. I can fix it if it breaks.”

Early bird or night owl?: “When you’ve got chronic insomnia and you wake with the sun, you become both. I like the night as much as the morning.”

Optimist or pessimist?: Another cheeky grin, full of teeth, “pessimist.”

Sassy or sarcastic?: “Seems to me a lot of these are ‘both’, but I suppose I prefer sarcasm.”

HAVE YOU EVER

Been caught sneaking out: “I learned to sneak from the best. Do you think Caithe is ever caught?”

Broke a bone: She holds up her left hand and wiggles her pinkie and ring finger, “these two fingers were completely cut off once, grew them back good as new. Bet you didn’t know sylvari could do that, did you?” It’s unclear if she’s joking.

Received flowers: At this she smiles wide, “Yden brought me flowers once.”

Ghosted someone: “When you look like I do, you ghost a lot of people.”

Pretended to laugh at a joke you didn’t get: She sighs heavily, obviously bored, “hasn’t everyone? Are we done here?”

If any of you guys want to do this, go ahead!

I am going to tag my gf though 😘 @lackluster-plays

[where-is-caithe]

1, 5, 8, and 10 for Rhowan my beloved 💛💛💛

@mystery-salad

yes of course 💞💞 @mystery-salad

1. Who was your commander’s first love?

WELL Rhowan was never one to stay long enough for love to develop, and she felt like it was... dangerous. Her family had all been killed, if she loved someone, they'd just get taken from her too. More of a one-night-stand type of girl (one-night-stand, oh, and also make her breakfast in the morning and make sure she gets home okay). Yden really snuck up on her. So, it's Yden, like so many other things.

5. Does your commander want to get married?

Rhowan can't wait to get married. She's so excited to introduce Yden as her wife and she would be so obnoxious about it, "yeah, I'm married to the champion of an Elder Dragon." I read on the wiki once that Norn tend to marry people with similarly-sized legends and I think she would be very proud to be married to Yden.

Not that she's going to ask, no, no. This big idiot is going to wait until Yden asks. She lets Yden take control when it comes to decisions like this. They've obviously talked about it, but ultimately it is up to Yden, gives her a bit of control over what she wants.

8. Does your commander prefer a night out or a night in?

Most definitely a night in. Especially if she grabbed a new book for Yden, or if she wants to bake something, or if they've been away from home for a while. She'd much rather spend a night at home with Yden, just relaxing in front of the fire after a home cooked meal.

10. Is your commander a fan of PDA?

Yeah they're both pretty big fans of PDA. Mostly just touching. Always found within inches of each other. Part of that is reassurance, the "she's really here with me," and a bit possessiveness, "yes, this beautiful woman picked me, and not you."

[where-is-caithe]

if you’d like, 3, 40, and whichever creator questions you haven’t answered yet for Rhowan and Yden! :D @kerra-and-company

ty so much! @kerra-and-company 💖

3. How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)

Rhowan will usually just think while she's laying down in bed. She has lots of trouble sleeping, both getting to sleep and staying asleep, and she has chronic insomnia (has since she was a sapling). She also can't sleep when the sun's up, so if she does get to sleep then she's forced awake by the sun rising every morning whether she wants to be awake or not. If Rhowan wants to sleep she will just lay down. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't.

Yden will read forever if you let her. Rhowan has to drag her to bed most of the time and she'll continue reading until she falls asleep. She goes to sleep late and wakes up late, with Rhowan having to wake her up in the mornings as well.

40. How sensitive are they to their own flaws?

They're both pretty sensitive to their flaws, both of them struggle with guilt and feeling like they're not enough. Yden especially has had her doubts as Aurene's champion, she doesn't feel worthy of it, and for a while wondered why Rhowan or Caithe was not picked. Rhowan thinks about other things, mainly the doubt she had about being the Commander. She's since grown into her role, but the beginning was difficult. Now she feels overwhelming guilt for all the pact deaths and people who die around her. Some thoughts never go away.

And I'm gonna answer A & D for the creator questions

A) Why are you excited about this character?

Both of them are my favorites! I love Rhowan so fucking much and she's someone I always always go back to. I've taken her through so many games too and it's made it more fun to play other games because I know who I'm gonna be in every game. Yden originally started out as just a gf for Rhowan and she developed and became more and more as time went on and now she's one of my most developed and well-loved characters I've ever had. I love them both more than almost anything.

D) Have they always had the same physical appearance, or have you had to edit how they look?

I wanted to answer this bc it's really fun to look at what they used to look like because they both changed quite a bit.

Rhowan was purple and she was a thief! She's been pretty much every single class since then except elementalist and necromancer. Go figure. I changed her color scheme pretty quickly and also decided she was connected to the sun and she stayed as a redhead for a long long time. Recently I went back to her as a sylvari and I wanted her to look more like the sun so now she's brown and yellow and red with a nice yellow glow. She's my favorite version so far. (not gonna talk abt norn Rhowan bc me and norn are not on speaking terms rn and she also just went from a redhead to blonde)

Yden went through a lot of changes, the main one being her species.

I bet none of you knew she was green once. When I changed her to purple, she became the most beautiful sylvari I've ever made and I still have this version of her. She's very pretty. Definitely the favorite of a lot of people. I made her into a human on a whim and loved her so much she became the Yden I use now. I love her skin tone and I love her hair and how she looks and her tattoos and her makeup and she just looks beautiful.

[where-is-caithe]

🏹🚓💌 for rhowan/yden and charleigh/nikki!

and MORE OF MY OWN because i wanna give you some more questions for the pairs:

🎁: what type of gift would they give to one another

💧: what they would do together if it rained the entire day and they were stuck inside

🌸: who would buy a bouquet of flowers and who would receive them

⚔️: how each of them would react to the other in danger

omg thank you so much? 🥰🥰 these are such nice questions

🏹 | how they would fight together in a battle

Rhowan and Yden fight back to back! Protecting each others' flanks and weak points. Yden is mostly ranged (lightning arcs and flies across battlefields) and though she can handle it if anyone gets close, Rhowan will usually step in with a cut of her sword if they get too close to her. If they get separated, they always try and move back together.

-

Charleigh and Nikki are different because Nikki is a fucking incredible sniper and Charleigh mostly has to trust that she won't shoot her. Constantly aware of where she's positioned and where she can shoot from, Charleigh will keep the fight where Nikki can reach and Nikki will take out whoever she likes. If they have the means, Charleigh will talk to her over a radio about what's going on, but Nikki usually won't talk back. She will be where Charleigh asks.

the rest are going under a cut!

🚓 | which one is most likely to get arrested

Always Rhowan. She's brash and pissed off and gets in trouble all the time. Definitely got in trouble more when she was younger, with plenty of arrests in every major city. It's unlikely she'll get arrested now as the Commander, but the possibility remains.

-

Charleigh is more likely to be caught and arrested, but Nikki is more likely to be arrested for actually committing a crime. She was arrested early on and spent time in the Grove's jail and she entertained herself there for a little while before figuring out the lock and escaping. Charleigh keeps her out of jails now with her formidable vigil, pact, and now crystal bloom influence.

💌 | a love note from one to the other

My memories are starting to come back to me, and yet I still cannot remember the time I spent with you. My mind is clouded and it does not line up with how I feel for you. I've loved you, and I still love you, but I don't know why. When you're near, I'm comforted, and when you're gone I ache. My mind is mine, but my heart is not, and it never will be. It's yours.

(worn edges and heavy creases indicate the paper has been folded and refolded dozens of times)

-

Remember who you belong to, my love.

(there is a dark red lipstick stain in the middle of the parchment and a faint scent of flowers, found among crystal bloom commander Charleigh's belongings, well worn)

🎁 | what type of gift would they give to one another

Rhowan is always giving Yden sweets, like pastries and chocolates, because she loves them so much. Sometimes Rhowan will find a book that she's never seen and give it to her, and then see Yden later reading it cover to cover. Yden doesn't really give gifts, but sometimes she'll clean Rhowan's armor for her if she's exhausted or she'll make her go to bed or eat (like Rhowan does for her a lot of the time), and that's better than a gift for her.

-

Charleigh will get Nikki a pretty knife or a new scope for her rifle, a gift she knows she'll secretly appreciate. Nikki will... acquire... things that Charleigh needs, like wood cleaner and shine for her staff. Thoughtful things, and never often.

💧 | what they would do together if it rained the entire day and they were stuck inside

Rhowan and Yden would do what they normally do, and maybe be a bit lazier about it. Lay on the couch with a book or Yden would nap on Rhowan. Rhowan would probably bake something in the evening.

-

I can't keep it sfw for Charleigh and Nikki so read between the lines here.

🌸 | who would buy a bouquet of flowers and who would receive them

Rhowan will get Yden flowers, and she loves it every time. If you've been reading this far, you'll notice a theme here. Rhowan is always giving her things, but when she reacts like it's the best thing anyone's ever done for her, it's not like she's gonna stop doing it. Yden likes to display them and keep them alive for as long as she can.

-

Nikki has given her a rose before, dark red. She brushed the petals across her cheek and her lips before pressing the stem into her fingers, the thorns digging into her palm and leaving marks. Charleigh holds it close as she leaves, and keeps it hidden away with her belongings.

⚔️ | how each of them would react to the other in danger

Rhowan and Yden react similarly, if Rhowan is injured, Yden will rage against whatever hurt her and stay by her side until the danger passes and she can see what's wrong. Rhowan would do the same, killing what hurt her and immediately start healing her when she can.

-

If Charleigh is hurt, Nikki will kill the enemies in the area before descending from her perch very quickly and stay by her side, patching her up and taking her to safety. Talking to her the whole time. If Nikki is hurt, Charleigh rushes to her immediately, calm and expressionless, and killing her enemies ferociously and mercilessly. Nikki doesn't go out of her way to get hurt, but she admits to feeling a little excitement when she sees Charleigh coming to her with that kind of rage for her enemies.

[where-is-caithe]

25, 29, and 30 from the oc ask game thing for both the gals? 👉👈

OOO HELLO thank you 💕

25. what does it take for your oc to trust someone?

OUGH Yden has a hard time trusting anyone (especially after the shining blade, before all that she trusted much easier and she trusted Rhowan immediately. Granted. Rhowan was hired as her bodyguard so if there was no trust then? what’s the point). There’s very few people she trusts completely at this point, but she’s getting much better. It mostly just takes time for her, she has to get to know people and get a feel for them. Kind of watch them. She grew to trust Taimi pretty quickly because they would talk together a lot. Kasmeer took more time. Rhowan’s an empath. She trusts people based on their feelings and what they feel towards her. It takes less for her to trust than it does for Yden, and Yden will often ask her about people.

29. is your oc detail oriented or do they focus more on the big picture?

Yden is more detail oriented, she’s a perfectionist and also has really high anxiety and focusing on smaller details keeps herself grounded and she likes looking at things step by step. Rhowan will look at bigger pictures, but she’s also trained herself, as the Commander, to see the finer details as well. She’s kind of a happy medium between the two.

30. which highschool movie stereotype would they fit best?

Rhowan is definitely a Jock who is secretly smart and also an asshole. Yden’s a booksmart goth. She’s literally just that trope.

[where-is-caithe]

🍅 🏀 🔮 and ❤️ for Rhowan

I've already answered 🏀 so here's the other three! Thank you so much for asking!!

🍅 How easily is your OC embarassed? What subjects make them flush and why? What event has made your OC the most embarassed they’ve ever been?

This is gonna be boring as hell, but Rhowan doesn't get embarrassed. She has too much self confidence and better-than-you energy. She's also not afraid to be silly and stupid! She is a dog.

🔮What does your OC think is their best trait. What is actually their best trait? What about their flaws? Are they one to admit these flaws or do they like to pretend they’re perfect?

GOD which trait would Rhowan think is her best??? All of them?? Just kidding Rhowan's a mess! Her confidence is fake. She feels so much guilt and self hatred for things that she can't change. This is especially apparent during the Zhaitan campaign, when she doesn't think she can be the Commander, when people are constantly dying around her and she has to watch them grotesquely rise from the dead to be killed again by her own hand. She drinks to help numb the pain, but how can you numb the pain of everyone around you? She works on her motorcycle to be away from people, so she can't feel what they're feeling. She cleans her weapons of the blood and the gunk and the grime over and over and over and over. Her best trait is that she feels so much and it weighs on her so heavily. She sees herself as her flaws. She'll put on her mask of confidence and pretend to be perfect and flawless around everyone but she knows she is not. You have to be close to her for a long time to see the real Rhowan, the real Commander.

❤️ What inspired you to make this OC? How long have you had them? How have they changed in the time you’ve been developing them?

I love this question because it lets me talk about Bound and I have nothing bad to say about Bound except that Corky is the reason this bitch exists!!! It's her fault! The idea was to have a hot lesbian I can project onto and connect with as well as having a character who just! Doesn't want to be the Commander! She didn't want it. She didn't want anything to do with it. She started off as this messy depressed lesbian who lost everything and that really hasn't changed much she's still that person but she's also grown a lot since then! Both as a character and in canon as a person. She's doing a lot better now. She's come to terms with a lot of her guilt and her grief.

Anyways I made her as a direct result of watching Bound for the first time and she went through a few iterations before I really settled on a base for her and then she just developed from there. I think it's been about two years now which is so cool! Wild! I still go back to Corky as an inspiration for her. Corky is one of my favorite characters of all time and it was inevitable that I made an oc inspired by her.

This is the bitch.

[where-is-caithe]

7, 13, and 19 from the commander asks

thank you so much for asking! I’m answering for Rhowan as if I have anyone else to answer for

7. How does your commander feel toward their position of power?

Despite how much she’d like to settle down and just have a house somewhere in the Shiverpeaks, she does really like being in charge. She doesn’t like taking orders and she’s kind of ornery (at this point the only one she’ll take orders from is Yden because she’s the Champion). It’s really difficult to make her feel guilty about her past actions as the Commander because she feels like she had Tyria’s best interests in mind (Joko I’m looking Directly At You). Her guilt stems from all of the deaths of people close to her, not really from her actions as a leader.

13. How does your commander feel about Caithe?

Rhowan loves Caithe, and despite what the game would try to make me believe, she never really mistrusted her. Rhowan’s an empath and she can feel the emotions of people around her, but especially Caithe, who she is pretty close to, and she could feel the strong mess of emotions she was feeling before HoT, all of her confusion and mistrust. Since Rhowan isn’t Aurene’s champion, she knew the egg was important but she was more worried about Caithe, who was scared and running through the jungle. While Yden is in Tarir with the egg, Rhowan goes out and finds Caithe to make sure she’s okay.

19. How does your commander unwind?

She day drinks.

[where-is-caithe]

5, 6, and 20 for Commander Ask Pt. 2!

5. Where does your commander live?

Rhowan has a little house north of Hoelbrak in Snowden, kind of hidden well into the forest. She lived there with her parents when she was growing up and when the place was ransacked by Svanir she eventually came back and fixed it up. She lived there for a few years with Yden before she disappeared and Rhowan thought she was dead. When she joined the Vigil she didn’t really go back to that house for a long time after that. I don’t think she went back until after HoT and she had repair it all over again. She and Yden went back to it after War Eternal to start their lives again.

6. Who is always by your commander, through thick and thin?

Yden! Though I think it’s kind of the other way around. Rhowan will follow Yden into anything, both to keep her safe and just to be with her.

20. Does your commander go by name or title?

It definitely depends on the person, with the people she’s closer to she’ll go by her name, like with Yden or Caithe. If Yden is mad at her she’ll call her Commander. There are a few people she always goes by her title with, world leaders obviously and any random soldier, but also Rytlock. She never lets him call her by name.

[where-is-caithe]

Can I get 6, 8, 17, and 21 for Yden, and 22 for Yden, Rhowan, and Dhizzi?

OH BOY questions about Yden!!

6. Have they ever committed a crime, or something they felt was wrong? What was it?

Yden: while she was in the court she was one of the courtiers who tortured saplings and other sylvari to turn them. if they wouldn't turn she'd hand them off to be killed by someone else, but she considers what she did to be the worst of it, death would be a mercy.

8. Does your character have any enemies? If so, who and why?

Yden: the nightmare court was not pleased with her leaving and any and all who recognize her would kill her on sight.

17. Is your character afraid of death? Why/why not?

Yden: she doesn't fear death, it would be nice reprieve from all the pain and suffering she's caused as well as any she has received.

21. Does your character have anyone that they really care about, to the point that they would give their life for them? If so, who are they and what is your character’s relation to them? If not, do they wish they did? Is there anyone they wish they could build such a relationship with?

Yden: RHOWAN. Yden would immediately and without hesitation at any point give up her life to save Rhowan, even while she was a courtier she would have done anything as long as it meant keeping Rho alive. She would do anything for her, anything so that she would be okay.

22. If they could change just one thing about themselves, what would it be?

Yden: she would get rid of her scars, all they do is remind her of her time as a courtier and everything she's done to cause pain.

Rhowan: Rhowan would change her dream and her Wyld Hunt, she doesn't want to be the savior of the world, she doesn't want to be the commander, but she has a duty to her people, to Caithe, and she can't give it up.

Dhizzi: Dhizzi would bring her arm back, when she merged with Ipos her arm was badly mangled, either because of the demon or perhaps someone had tried to fight back, but when she woke from her crazed rampage through the snow her arm had been amputated at the elbow.

thank u thank u these questions are v good