#that he doesn't really know anything about the parts of being an elf that involve outliving people you love because they will die before you

[rukafais]

today i’m thinking about how it is kind of heartwrenching that one of the themes that tends to pop up in the drizzt books is that drow from menzoberranzan, who are most of the drow viewpoint characters, seem to be a bit less detached from other non-drow races than most other elves re: lifespans once they’re not so....culturally and socially indoctrinated into hating everybody that’s not them

and then you come to the realization that of course they don’t care about lifespans as much, they live in a meatgrinder of a society where a LOT of people routinely do not make it to 100 and do not expect to live well into adulthood, despite having the same kind of lifespan and maturity as every other elf

[blackberreh-art]

Asking about the fantasy AU— how does the OFA AFO showdown go down? In the other AUs we can see either pretty much the canon grudgematch occurring, or whatever lovely eternal duel thing the demons fit going on.

For fantasy au, we’ve seen them kind of playfully banter and challenge each other but,,,,, do they fight 👀 is it a prelude to fucking👀 berreh pls drop the lore I need to know how the dragonslaying goes

Okay okay okay so i feel I need to start with AfO, because, ofc, everything always starts with AfO. I wont get into ALL of it because its a LOT, but to summarize:

AfO is an elder dragon, ancient divine creature, one of the first, old as dust. He's been alive a long long time. He's been a terrible tyrant and a benevolent king, just to give it a go, eager to see how those lesser than him exist in the currents he creates. So you gather he garnered a Very Bad reputation. One day, he was caught and imprisoned and forgotten, and subsequently starved for a couple centuries.

(The sealing was a whole thing involving younger brother yoichi helping humans/elves and betraying AfO, and thats how they got a leg up)

AfO cant die from something like starvation, but it CAN fuck him up a Whole Lot More than he already is. One day something accidently breaks him out and he goes on a rampage that earns him the title of 'Devourer of Countries). He just eats, and eats, and eats, and it's never enough. He's free, but he's now wracked with this persistant hunger that just wont go away. (and there's a part of him thats searching, searching for the brother that betrayed him)

Now during his Enji's kingdom had flourished. It was one of the wealthiest in the world, and as AfO's rampage came to a slow end as he learned to deal with the hunger, he settled in the last country he destroyed - Enji's neighbors. AfO reaches out first with a truce of sorts, because he truly did want to take a break, maybe hibernate for a bit and thats how he and Toshi met - treaty negotiations!!!

Now Toshi is a wild soul, he's grown restless in his role as Paladin General, Enji's right hand - and now desk jockey. And Toshi hates it. He hate's it SO much, he's SO bored, and he sees AfO and his hackles raise and instantly he's like 'this guy is dangerous. I want him' (he's drawn to AfO in a way thats kind of frightening. A part of him yearns to be near the creature because there's... almost kinship. And being near him gets his adrenalin pumping and he's SO BORED!!!!!) So he and AfO start spending time together OUTSIDE of negotiations. Due to certain rules in place they're technichally not allowed to cross the border into each other's countries, so they spend their time walking the border. When the negotiations finished and they came to a deal, thats when the proper flirting started, and AfO first 'invites Toshi over for a drink' (obviously they become very very very close)

It's not as if AfO is actively decieving Toshi. Really, he came to enjoy the funny little elf's presence. But that hunger persisted always in the back of his mind. And really, its funny, he doesnt just enjoy Toshi's presence. He really, really enjoys Toshi's presence. So much so that he doesn't actually want to do anything more than keep Toshi with him by his side. This funny little elf man was ever so entertaining, and got his blood pumping, and he wanted to eat-

AfO sensed something familiar in Toshi one day. The elf had always been rather knowledgeable about dragons and their habits, and he'd always had a bit of a draconic edge to his scent and taste and presence. But that wasn't an odd thing in itself, elves and dragons mingled and procreated quite a bit, so it wouldn't be a stretch if Toshi was part dragon-kin- Until AfO realized. It was similar to... Yoichi. He'd thought Yoichi had died as he'd not been able to find any trace of him. An elder dragon, upon death, is able to continue 'existing' if its soul can be bound to a chosen host. Over the centuries, Yoichi's vestige had passed from one host to another, and now he resided in Toshi. Something in AfO snapped. He was angry, betrayed, and full of such a fierce jealous love he came to one conclusion.

Obviously, he needed to eat Toshi. Then they could all be whole together.

The outcome was... not pretty. Toshi walked away, AfO did not.

(He, of course, doesn't stay down for forever, but I'll end it here lmao)

[wolfscarr]

Nightcrawler and Silver Sable romance. Great potential!

So I tend to not really talk a whole lot about comics, even though I do read them. But recently I've taken notice that one of my favorite Marvel characters(and superheroes in general) and one of my Top 2 X-Men(the other being Cyclops), had his own mini solo with being Spider-Man!

But of course I'm not exactly here to talk about that, it was sort of interesting in that aspect, Kurt being part of the Spiders, though I knew it wasn't going to last. Still for what that was, I found it interesting for him...but let's get into the actual topic here.

So during this time, Nightcrawler(Kurt Wagner) gets involved with Silver Sable(Silvija Sablinova) of Wild Pack(and Silver Sable International). It first comes across as her hunting him for Orchis, though it quickly soon devolves into a more...intimate affair.

Kurt got that blue furry demon elf charm it seems. Along with(according to Silvija) a perfect neck and a remarkable tail.

Now as this short series goes on, before anyone knows it, the two actually become invested in one another and fall in love, to the point where Sable pretty much betrays the Orchis to save Nightcrawler's life.

Ok so I get where people are coming on at this, that this 'relationship' seems extremely rushed, which sure I'll agree that it does appear that way. Honestly this really should have been more than just a 5 issue series, to really flesh out everything, that I can agree with everyone on. Though I feel as if people miss, that time that we don't see between Nightcrawler and Sable, does clearly seem to pass given dialogue between them.

Now sure this isn't exactly the best way to do things, but it clearly had to be done given that the series was only 5 issues. However....with what we got folks? I think there's some great potential between Kurt and Silvija, the way he broke down infront of her and she comforting him really told a whole lot.

This scene right here to me says a whole lot. This right here, cemented for me that Kurt and Silvija can be something when they are actually in a series that isn't some simple 5 shot mini.

The two of them have potential as a couple, there obviously needs to be more conversation/interaction with them more, but it's there. I'm hoping that whoever writes for Kurt or Silvija next just...doesn't forget about this, because not only does Kurt deserve someone....like with all the shit he's been through...he does deserve love.

But given that Silvija isn't a mutant and Kurt is, I feel like this would be an interesting opportunity to explore....like how humans would react to one of their own dating a mutant and vice versa with mutants reacting to one of their own dating a human.

Kurt has always been one of my most favorite characters and it's honestly because....he does his best to not let anyone or let anything bring him down, he's always doing his best for others, it's not really for himself but for those around him.

But honestly, I feel like he's long overdue for a partner in his love life, like he actually deserves someone and I feel like Silvija could be that for him. Of course...given how things go with the X-Men(and honestly comics in general), this relationship probably won't last and honestly...I find that extremely upsetting, why is it that writers can't just let characters have a romantic partner?

I'm absolutely sick of characters breaking things off(sometimes for the dumbest reasons) just to create 'drama', then they get into another relationship and the cycle starts all over again. LET THEM BE HAPPY, there's other ways to write characters than doing this.

....But yeah, I kinda want more Kurt X Silvija in the future, they have a whole lot of potential together.

I mean just look at em!

[just-a-little-cellist]

Lord Of The Rings Preferences: Their Kinks

(A/N: NSFW warning for this one obviously :P have fun and let me know if there's more scenarios you want

!!edited to add characters!!)

(Includes Sam, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir and Faramir x AFAB reader)

Sam:

Praise - Sam absolutely needs to know he's doing a good job when he's with you, and he loves hearing your breathy voice complimenting him so much that he's started to associate compliments from you in general with sex (this has led to some very interesting moments when you're out with friends).

Body worship - This goes both ways. He thinks you're the most perfect person he's ever seen and will spend hours showing you that given the chance. He sometimes struggles to accept when you do the same for him, but you make him feel so good about himself that he can hardly bring himself to refuse.

Blindfolding - The prospect of being blindfolded is a little too daunting for him, since Sam is relatively vanilla, but the couple of times he's blindfolded you have been incredible. He finds it makes him able to relax a little more since he isn't being watched and he can really lose himself in the moment.

Pippin:

Manhandling - Look at this hobbit and tell me this isn't the brattiest sub you've ever seen. When he's been bratting, being manhandled has a tendency to push him into a submissive headspace - he realizes how small he is and how that leaves him fully under your control.

Edging - He will never admit how much he actually enjoys this. He has no patience and will whine every time you deny him release, but he knows from experience that the more you edge him, the better it'll feel when you give him what he wants.

Exhibitionism - Pippin doesn't take huge risks with this kink since it's more a way to tease you instead of actually wanting people to see. It's never anything out in the open, but if you just so happen to be sat around a table at a meeting and Pippin just so happens to be hidden beneath your skirt with his tongue against your clit, that's no-one's business.

Aragorn:

Bondage - Aragorn enjoys taking a dominant role in bed, and part of that usually involves having you tied up in some way. On occasions where you have less time it may just be your wrists, but he likes the intricacy of shibari and thinks you look so beautiful fully at his mercy. (The slightly sadistic part of him also likes watching you struggle when he teases you.)

Roleplay - This isn't something he indulges in as frequently as bondage, but every so often, especially once he becomes king, Aragorn needs to mentally step away from real life with you. Briefly stepping away from those expectations also means he's more willing to experiment and it's when he's at his roughest with you - probably for the best that it's infrequent since on a night he truly lets go, you don't walk properly for the next few days.

Marking - Leaving visible love bites on your neck is less appropriate once he's king, but before then he likes the mark of possession and the rush it gives him whenever he sees them. Aragorn also likes being marked in return in whatever way you like, whether it's hickeys, bite marks, or scratches. He'll wear them proudly despite the teasing remarks from the Fellowship.

Legolas:

Overstimulation - Legolas enjoys this applied to either of you. He will happily pull orgasm after orgasm from you until there are tears running down your cheeks, but he will not even think about complaining if you decide to do the same to him. Overstimulating him does put him in a very submissive headspace though, so be prepared for plenty of aftercare.

Sensory deprivation - Elf senses being so acute can sometimes become overwhelming for him, so taking that away and just letting him feel is such a relief. Not being able to see and hear every little thing quiets his mind and heightens every touch you give him, on top of how sensitive he already is. You are the only person Legolas trusts enough to be this vulnerable with, and he will more than make up for you doing all the work the next time.

Choking - Legolas doesn't enjoy the feeling of not being able to breathe, but choking to restrict blood flow feels better than he ever could have imagined. The head rush makes everything you're doing feel ten times better and he can't get enough. He doesn't choke you in the same way but if he cums faster watching you choke on his cock? That's none of your business.

Boromir:

Authority - Boromir isn't really one for aggressive domination in the bedroom, but he does like to have a level of authority, and this mostly comes out through the use of honorifics. He likes being obeyed, but he's gentle about it - if you call him 'sir' or 'captain' he will melt on the spot and you're certain to get a reward.

Voyeurism - He loves nothing more than to admire you, and there is an element of power exchange about voyeurism that Boromir likes. He'll often make you lie bare on the bed in front of him and touch yourself, and just the trust required for you to be that vulnerable makes him feel a lot. He also just loves watching your cheeks flush when you make eye contact with him.

Breeding - This is a bit more of a low-key kink, but Boromir adores the intimacy of finishing inside you - you also haven't missed how fast he gets going again when he sees his seed spilling out from you. On a slightly more wholesome note, when he's holding you afterwards he can't help but think what a wonderful parent you would be if you did end up with child.

Faramir:

Hair pulling - I definitely think that Faramir is a switch and this is something he likes to be on the receiving end of when he's feeling more submissive. He doesn't like sex to be particularly rough, but lightly tugging his hair adds an extra spark - especially when he's eating you out, he just takes it as encouragement.

Pegging - He was incredibly hesitant about this when you first brought it up, concerned that you might look down on him if you thought he was too vulnerable (bullshit he is perfect), but once you tried it he was amazed by the feeling. He discovered that he likes you taking care of him sometimes, and as hard as he tries he's always a lot louder when you're the one fucking him.

Orgasm control - Faramir doesn't usually edge you very much when he feels dominant, but he enjoys having enough control over you that you start begging him to let you finish. Your begging is normally met with playful teasing comments or praise ("you're taking me so well, my love, just a little longer~"), and if he's fucking you then he makes you wait until both of you are on the edge before letting you cum together.

Bonus:

Facesitting - Ok I was trying to pick who this was best for and realized it's all of them. All of them will practically beg for you to sit on their face at some point. They all love giving oral so much especially from that angle, either because of their submission to you or to watch you struggle to hold yourself up while they pleasure you, and you will usually end up with light bruises the next morning from them gripping your thighs.

[fallloverfic]

@nnayomaise replied to your post “@nnayomaise mentioned you on a post “i don't think...”:

yeah is definitely more headcanon than something explicity backed by canon, (and i highly doubt they would've said outright either) i actually didn't notice i didn't say its headcanon in there until your reply lol i personally just feel that way because what i said before and that he was essentially thrown away by his parents (seemingly without knowing why) to experience literal otherworldly horrors (demon) and to possibly die

I definitely think there is plenty of room to imagine him as having suicidal tendencies before being abandoned by the demon, particularly because of how his parents have treated him and how he might think he's lost the chance to be with someone he loves.

We know so little about any of his loved ones, that there are just a lot of questions. Does elf society disapprove of his mother having a baby with someone who seemingly wasn't her husband, or were there just awkward whispers? This is additionally fun because elves also have very low birth rates, so how does this juxtapose with "we need to keep our people alive, particularly since so many of them keep disappearing to fuck other races, and their kids can't reproduce" (so probably class and race elements are involved, and it makes me really curious about who Mithrun's biological father was). How do his parents currently think of each other? Was sending Mithrun to the Canaries a way to protect Obrin from the same fate, and/or just a way to be rid of the awkward illegitimate son everyone kept comparing the legitimate heir to? Or was there anger there and his parents (perhaps his father) sent him off to get rid of the embarrassment? Did they want him to die or did they assume he'd do fine because of his abilities, at least in comparison to Obrin? Did they have to send one of their kids to the Canaries and chose the one who was more likely to survive the experience? Or perhaps the one they didn't mind losing? Or was it a convenient way to get rid of one of them, and Mithrun was just shocked they didn't choose the one who looked more like the ideal of elfness? Although Obrin's said that Mithrun is welcome at home, is that wishful thinking on his part, or actually true? As for Sultha, what is she up to? Did Obrin ever act on his interest? What, if anything, came of it? At what stage of relationship was Mithrun with Sultha, and did they stay in contact when he went away to the Canaries, and if not, why? Lots of crunch. I've expanded on it a little in a few fics at this point, and I'm planning to do more.

I'm not sure why they wouldn't say anything about his suicidality pre-dungeon explicitly in some respect in canon, given Mithrun does admit to his later suicidality in canon (and there are lots of extras about him). That doesn't mean because it's not there it's not true, but again, I don't see any evidence for him experiencing it based on what we know prior to the dungeon. The only reason I would kind of expect it to not pop up explicitly is because Mithrun isn't as main a character as some other cast members, so he gets less screentime. It'd be cool if he gets even more expansion in the Complete Adventurer's Bible. He's in at least a couple comics there.

For me at least, it would definitely need more to it, though, because low self-esteem/inferiority complex /= suicidality. While these can be part of the psyche of someone who is suicidal and lead into those thoughts, not all people who have low self-esteem and inferiority complexes are suicidal, just like not all folks who are depressed are depressed to the point of suicide, and same with people who've been abandoned by their parents. But it's nice to imagine all kinds of stuff with him, and how these traits and experiences of his can lead down different paths :3 He's a dude capable of much crunch. And even if it doesn't fit canon, it's fun to do anyway.

[honshew]

thoughts on bg3

overall, i had a lot of fun and would recommend to anyone interested! very ambitious game, and i'm amazed it exists tbh. there are so many really, really great aspects of it. however, i'm also glad to be done with it, bc i started to have less and less fun with it at the last part. which is an unfortunate place to have the worst part of the game. i really wish it wrapped up in a more satisfying way, because i became really attached to the characters and the incredibly detailed world. a shame it had to be rushed toward the end of development. it's incredible, though could have been more still.

i'm spending some time trying to figure out what i liked about the game, so this may or may not be updated as thoughts come to me. there will be spoilers all the way thru the end of the game so here's your spoiler warning

i think while people unfamiliar with dnd can play and still have a good time, it probably will feel overwhelming and there will likely be things you won't understand unless someone explains it to you. i can't even really call the tutorial a bad one as much as it's barely there. but i do know plenty of people with zero dnd experience still having fun and simply enjoying learning on the go!

on the other hand, being someone who plays dnd, once you figure out the interface it's a pretty smooth experience. there are some things that are a little different to accommodate how the game works (e.g. second-story work reduces your fall dmg rather than increasing your climbing speed, since the game doesn't really count climbing as distance), but those are pretty quick to learn. seems to me that the devs thought people who didn't play dnd wouldn't be all that intersted in bg3, but a ci'd be curious to see how many bg3 players will look for a dnd group to join from here.

act 1 was solid and was paced well. i really liked how many characters ended up showing up later in the game, as opposed to characters you save once and never see again. i think what was most fun was getting to know what i could get away with LOL not just an exploration of the world, but an exploration of the game itself. i have video of me talking to auntie ethel while my friends set up and set off a circle of flame barrels, so i got a front row seat of her being blown to smithereens.

act 2, also solid. i really enjoy quests that involve impacting a place in a really tangible way, like in okami, so the shadow-cursed lands were pretty cool. unfortunately, the game doesn't really show you this happening except a liiiiittle bit at the end, so it doesn't feel as good as it could. still, i liked exploring the area a lot. all of the mini-bosses of the area were unsettling, but we got past literally all of them via high charisma rolls. actually aside from the exploring, a lot of the fun was seeing how we could cheese boss fights, which carried into act 3

act 3 felt way more all over the place and buggy, which significantly lowered my enjoyment. ofc a game this massive will have issues, but i'm still sad that the last part of the game where everything crescendos is where i enjoyed the game the least. small things not working the way they're supposed to (e.g. certain npcs not running or climbing up a ladder when they are fleeing I'M TALKING TO YOU ZUMBO PUMBO AND FEATHERWEIGHT FALSON, astarion falling sleep to a spell even tho he's an elf during his end-of-quest fight). what sucks about things being so frustrating too was that the main quests had really great setups or concepts, but the execution was messy. still, we had a lot of fun messing with bosses. cazador couldn't do anything bc he was forced to dance while we killed him, orin was disintegrated, gortash turned to stone. kinda wild having a bard with 100% spell hit rate....!

i do wish we got to explore baldur's gate more. i totally get that would be a huge undertaking tho. i had a thought that maybe act 3 should've been its own game, but then i guess you couldn't call it baldur's gate 3 if you never get to baldur's gate. i didn't play the previous bg games, but i liked how they wove in the story from the previous installments and ttrpg modules without leaving newcomers to the series out of the loop too much.

i liked shadowheart's, astarion's, and wyll's quests a lot. the ansur part of wyll's was really cool. i adore trials to test character as a setup, especially ones administrated by some major figure. but also? fuck balduran for what he did to ansur and later to me. he's the city's hero, but he only really looks out for himself. which is cool for me as a viewer, not cool for the character i play as LOL

i have more thoughts but i will type them up here later maybe this has gotten long enoguh

[flowersdaggersviolasandblood]

Fame, Riches, and Music

Name: Nalanthar Arabana (He/Him/They/Them)

Race: Drow Half-Elf

Class: Bard (College of Valour)

Background: Entertainer

Inspiration & Story: Unlike the previous two, I never got to play in a pen & paper or virtual tabletop game with this one. He was originally my Pathfinder: Kingmaker character for that CRPG. During EA (Early Access), I gave the Bard a try and fell in love with the class. Thus, I decided to bring this guy into the mix. The summary of his whole deal is that Nalanthar originates from the Underdark and had a harsh upbringing. He would eventually leave his dark homeland, seeking the pleasures and adventures of the surface world. Upon reaching the surface of Faerun, he fell in love with the various cultures, people, and dangers that it brought. So he dedicated himself to recording such stories and spreading them around for anyone to hear.

WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD!

Nalanthar was visiting Baldur's Gate simply to enjoy the view and record new stories. So suddenly getting snatched up by a Mindflayer ship and having a tadpole forced into his head was less than ideal. He did save Shadowheart, but when it came to revisiting her, I've decided I wanted to see how far I could get without recruiting her into my camp/party. Story wise, I would explain this as Nalanthar having not crossed paths with Shadowheart yet. (I was able to evade her at the Druids Grove lol).

Right now, he has recruited Astarion, Wyll, and Lae'zel into his fold. Gale would've been a part of this too...But I failed the saves lol (I haver Karmic Dice off, so....). Seeing how Lae'zel has a one-to-one solution to their tadpoles, Nalanthar is on board with finding the Gith Creche. However, he has grown interested in the tension and drama involving the Tieflings, the Druids, and the Goblins and their whole Absolute thing.

This isn't out of a desire to do good by the Tieflings or anything, but he wants a good story. In a almost fucked up kind of way, he only chooses to help the Tieflings in hopes of spreading the story of helpless refugees being liberated from a "low-stakes" threat. And considering that he has Wyll, the Blade of Frontiers, on his side, he hopes to write his next piece about him doing such deeds.

In terms of the Absolute, Nalanthar was able to speak with the captured Goblin, Sazza and gleamed some information about this strange little cult. He even got a chance to meet Volothamp Geddarm as they both indulged each other on their fantastical stories about the Goblins.

Companion Relationships:

Astarion: Once again, doesn't know he's a Vampire, but he see's Astarion as a good lad. Nalanthar doesn't have a huge opinion on him just yet, seeing Astarion as a useful blade for hire.

Shadowheart: Once again, I'm purposefully avoiding her, just to see how far I can get without recruiting her lol. As of late, Nalanthar does think of her from time to time, wondering where she went or if she's dead.

Lae'zel: Welp, they fucked lmao. I also hit all the good marks with Lae'zel on this character, however, Nalanthar was a tad bit more willing to clap Githyanki cheeks this time around. Nalanthar isn't looking to make this a serious relationship, only really indulging her because he thought it would be a good story to sing about how he banged a Gith. Speaking of which, Nalanthar's run is probably gonna be "which of you fuckers can I get in my pants and which of you fuckers are willing to share this Drow ass." But aside from the Gith fucking, Nalanthar, seeing how Lae'zel has given him a straight answer on what to do with the tadpole, is willing to trust Lae'zel on this Gith Crech journey. Because of her exotic nature, Nalanthar has been curious of her people and their customs.

Gale: Yeah, so, originally Gale was suppose to be the main guy my Bard would romance...That didn't work out lmao. I failed all the checks that would help Gale out of the portal, so now he's currently MIA. Hopefully, this didn't lock Gale out of me getting that Wizard booty XD

Wyll: Oh they were meant to be! Wyll was the back-up romance option for when I couldn't get Gale. Nalanthar loves to see a famed hero in action, perhaps the first famed hero he's been in physical contact and speaking terms with. Nalanthar hopes to write grand stories of Wyll and his adventures, starting with starring Wyll as the "Blade who Skewered the Goblin Menace!"

Karlach: Haven't met her yet, only has Wyll's word on the matter. However, Nalanthar is eager to meet this famed Devil who has been putting names on gravestones.

[beowlet-spam]

Heloo, Eli!!! How're you doing today? I'm doing good; I'm trying to do this event for Enstars so I can get a free 10pull.

Why don't you tell me about your favorite Genshin characters and/or story quests/archon quest's. Or things about Genshin that you like in general.

I'd love to hear about any Genshin oc you have! I remember that picrew we did where you talked about them, but I'd like to hear more!

If you don't want to talk about Genshin, I'd love to hear about any of your ocs in general. I really like your art, and it's led me to wonder about your characters.

ARIESS!! HI HELLO I dont play Enstars but i am however gonna get into it soon probably- AND THANK YOU I ALSO LOVE YOUR ART💖🙌😭

My favorite genshin character? Hm.. Scaramouche and Tartaglia share the 1st place on my list🙌‼️ Honestly for me to like fictional characters I need to feel like some sort of kinship with them. It's like getting to know someone and slowly growing fond of them. Is that weird idk😭 Scaramouche I feel VERY comnected to him, like staring at him is staring at a mirror. I love his lore and how much potential he has. His story was AMAZING in every way. The redemption arc wasn't really a redemption arc, he just chose to be free and do whatever he wanted to after getting his memories back. His backstory I can understand and relate to A LOT but we dont have to go too deep into it. Childe/Tartaglia/Ajax (mf has so many fucking names) I think the reason I love him is because of his relationship with his siblings and how he is still more caring compared to other harbingers. He has a heart shortly. He loves his family and thats what I love about him.

GENSHIN OCSSS

I have a lot but their lores are still wip

NOW THE ONE I DID IN THE PICREW. NAMI‼️

You might've noticed how her story was short! THAT WAS ON PURPOSE!! You see Nami doesn't remember anything before she joined the fatui. Her oldest memory is waking up in her tent in a camp and having the feeling to need to go on patrol. She is a very succesful agent in the Fatui. Having worked under 2 harbingers. Ajax and Capitano. She never questioned it. She felt like it was her whole purpose. But if WE dig into her story she was taken by the fatui as a child. Nami is an Elf, having powerful magic and a long life. Her family was indebt to the Fatui. They said they were willing to do anything as they wanted to protect their precious child. Well, they in Nami's mother. Her father didn't care about her as much. The Fatui suggested they gave up Nami as they could train her at an early age and make her into a killing machine. Her parents would fight every night and day, arguing about the situation. Nami felt horrible. She hated how she was the reason her parents didn't get along. So one night she ran away from home to join the fatui herself. She started strict training at the age of 9. Was involved in Dottore's many experiments. And when the harbinger decided she was strong enough. He brainwashed her. She was turned into some kind of puppet. Following orders left and right without complaint.

Another oc of mine is Aasha. Not genshin. Sadly😭

A lil baby goat fae in diasomnia. Or more formally Aasha Kurayami. Aasha comes from a rich family. They grew up as a very stoic child surronded with narcissists. Basically a family who expected a pretty perfect girl. They got the pretty perfect part but the girl part? Nah we are going QUEER. Straight hair, straight A's, straight forward. Straight girl. LITTLE MISS PERFECTTT THAAAAATSSSS AASHAAAA‼️ ehem but ye! They were originally supposed to go to RSA but they admired NRC so much even as a child that they begged their parents to go. When Aasha joined NRC, they werent expecting to make any friends. A few students were interested in their apperance as goat fae's are very rare. One of them being Cater. Aasha was still very stoic and distant with anyone and everyone so their first interactions with people were awkward and stiff. But as time went by they got more comfortable with others. They felt weird. Sometimes a smile would creep its way up to their lips! Or a little giggle. They were getting shyer by day. They felt weird and insecure aswell. Did they look normal while smiling? Or do their teeth look weird? But with more time they were fully comfortable with everyone. They felt at peace. They felt loved. And then they lived happily ever after-

what about your oc's? I am also very curious about yours!

[botslayer9000]

I finally got my hands on a copy of Amulet: Waverider. All I'm going to say is that I have loved the Amulet book series ever since I was a kid. My elementary school friend and I would eagerly await every single book release, read it together at the library, all that. I loved seeing the new Amulet books at those Scholastic book fairs the school had.

So. Amulet Book Nine. I'm not mad, just disappointed.

I'm barely even disappointed, really - for the last couple books, it has felt like the author's heart isn't really into it anymore. I understand that sometimes, you're gonna want to just end that goddamn book series already so that people get off your back about it. That doesn't mean I have to like it, though.

My two main takeaways are: The plot is moving way too fast and is given too much weight for the setup it had, and villains need to have motivation.

I don't really understand IKOL's motivation! Or the way Emily defeated them! Maybe I'M the stupid one, but it just didn't really make sense for me. That's probably because, again, the plot moved too fast. Shit just happens in this book, and there's so little time to rest. Yes, its the climax of the entire series, but one thing I like abut the other Amulet books is that they always had some breathing room in between the action-heavy or plot-important sequences, usually involving Emily and her family bonding. This book is missing that element, which makes it feel kind of hollow to me. Additionally, the ending being a straight up "and then this happened" monologue was all kinds of disappointing. Where'd the visual storytelling I loved so much go?

As for the plot being given too much weight, to me its a matter of setup and payoff - not just with the literal events happening, but also the emotional connection. There are a number of characters that are introduced in this book that have some kind of plot relevance or importance, the quarry gang being some of them, and I don't really care enough about them to be invested in their story or struggles. This is something that happens in a lot of these books - I'm being asked to care about characters that I hardly know. When I'm reading these books I'm mainly invested in the core cast of characters - Emily, Navin, The Mom, Trellis, and Vigo (and the robots from their dad's house lmao I love the little guys). Max WAS a part of this group until he sadly retired from life in book 6. RIP Max, my interest in this series largely died with you. Also, Navin's friend Aly counts, sorta? But everyone else is a side character that is minimally developed and oftentimes just not interesting enough to warrant the kind of stakes surrounding their life and/or death. This book is CHOCK FULL of what I just described and I literally do not care. I care about the rabbit mother who dropped her veggies in front of an elf guard after her baby starts crying from book 2 more than these people!

But honestly, I can't be too angry. The series is finally over, which is what everyone wanted. I'm not mad at the author, Kazu Kibuishi - I can only imagine how much pressure he's been under to write a conclusion to one of the most popular graphic novel series that's still around (and not a superhero comic). None of this is going to kill my enjoyment of the first five to six books - those are still awesome, and I will always love the gorgeous art, loveable characters, and breathtaking sense of adventure that those books still give me. And I'll definitely be on the lookout for anything else Kibuishi writes or illustrates. No matter how strange and underwhelming the conclusion is, I'm just happy that Amulet has finally been put to rest.

Now I can finally start writing my fanfiction about what REALLY happened, with full series context! That's the best way to do it!

[thetavolution]

20 TAV/OC QUESTIONS

Please consider yourself tagged if you are interested in building these details for your tav/oc! Feel free to @ me as I would love to read them

I'm doing this for Minty (shield dwarf cleric, tempest domain) and Laura (high elf sorcerer, draconic bloodline)!

Minty

I. what do they smell like at their freshest? (and/or after a tenday. your choice)

I associate her with elderflowers and apple blossoms. It's what she smells like when she isn't stuck adventuring for a tenday.

II. what would their blood taste like to vampires?

She'd like to think she has hardcore blood, but it actually just tastes like plum wine or, knowing her luck, cheese. It's probably cheese.

III. how would they kiss their LI?

She's madly in love with Wyll. He's a gentleman with her. It's a lot of courtly dances, hand kisses, and gentle yet brief kisses in passing. In public, it usually remains chaste yet loving. Behind closed doors, she lets loose a lot more and gives much more passionate kisses.

IV. how do they sleep with their LI (what position, does one steal the blankets, is one too hot/cold, etc)?

She starts off the night cuddling Wyll, but then ends up on the other side of the bed after she's drifted off to sleep. It's nothing personal. She just moves around a lot. When she wakes in the morning, she goes right back to groggy cuddling, not wanting to let him get up.

V. what does their tent area look like? where do they prefer to pitch their tent (next to water, covered on three sides, etc)?

She carries a lot of herbs to make potions and medicine. She'd be off on her own away from everyone at first. Then she'd just move into Wyll's tent.

She'd have her doodling notebooks with her. While adventuring, she'd mostly just focus on having weapons, spells, and potions in her tent. But she'd also see a few objects she'd want to keep, like the toad teapot and possibly bat-themed decor she found.

She definitely kept that teapot though.

VI. if they had a set of dnd dice, what would they look like?

They'd be black and green. In her original story, here hair is half black and half green.

Photo Origin: MMzakkahappysupplies

VII. do they collect anything (gems, bottles, keys, etc)?

She doesn't really collect one specific thing. She likes to draw and doodle so she has a lot of notebooks.

VIII. if either, are they part of the astarion/gale book club (magic & literature) or the wyll/shadowheart book club (trashy romance novels)?

She'd start her own bookclub with Laura and Ingrid. They'd read a lot of horror or terrible novels.

But she'd also be in Wyll and Shadowheart's bookclub. She and Wyll would definitely read trashy romance novels together and get ideas from them. (These two 100% roleplay in the bedroom, let's be real.)

IX. if they had to be put in a “get along shirt” with a companion, who would it be?

Shadowheart. Minty follows Selûne and Shadowheart is a Shar worshipper. They goth princesses on opposite ends of the spectrum and get into fights about it.

However, Minty shoves it all aside when Shadowheart begins her path away from Shar. She just tries to be kind to her and help her recover from being in a cult.

X. do they prefer speak with dead or speak with animals?

Speak with animals, of course!

XI. what are their thoughts on clowns?

She's not a fan. She also thinks about too many horror scenarios involving clowns. They freak her out a little. She never trusted Dribbles... but she does feel bad about the whole, well. Everything that happened to him.

But she learns to suck it up for Wyll's sake. His love for them is too adorable for her to try and stop him.

XII. their companions are gossiping about them behind their back! who is it and what are they saying?

She's used to being gossiped about. She and her sister are unmarried and the people in her neighborhood gossip about it. As for her companions, they just gossip about how she's kind of ditzy.

They also have a lot to say about her romance with Wyll. Everyone has thoughts on how much of a fairytale romance it is, or that they're probably secretly freaks in the bedroom.

XIII. what makes them laugh? what does their laugh sound like?

She loves dark humor and silly, stupid humor. She won't admit that she thinks Astarion is funny, but she does. She jokes around a lot with Karlach. She also thinks Wyll's sense of humor is very underrated and under appreciated.

XIV. do they have any inside jokes among their companions?

She and Wyll definitely have their little inside jokes, especially lovey dovey ones. They're disgusting and I love it. She'd also have some with Karlach. She and Karlach would try to explain the joke to everyone, but it would fall flat.

They're not technically companions, but her inside jokes with Ingrid and Laura span years.

XV. what’s the description of their camp clothes in the inventory menu?

"For someone so chipper, she sure does like to dress like she's in mourning."

XVI. what’s the description of their underwear in the inventory menu?

"Did she write her name on her underwear?"

XVII. how do they celebrate their birthday?

She loves a good party with friends and family. She's close with her mom and sister so the first half of the day is usually enjoying food and drinks with them. Her father passed away which is the only reason he's not with them.

Laura and Ingrid are, of course, part of the family and involved in the celebration. She always has a DnD/BG3 version of sans rival cake for her birthday.

In the evening, she would hang with Laura and Ingrid while telling scary stories that they wrote themselves. They try to top each other every year.

XVIII. what modern day tv show would they binge over a weekend? do they get their LI to watch with them?

She would definitely get Wyll to watch her shows with her and she'd watch his in return. Would Wyll like them? I think it'd be hit or miss.

Her shows would be Penny Dreadful, From, Supernatural, and Dead Boy Detectives. She'd also love What We Do In the Shadows and Ash vs Evil Dead like Ingrid. Wyll would also get her to watch Bridgerton because of course he would.

XIX. do you have a playlist for your tav? if so, what’s the title + description?

I just prefer to list all of the songs. I don't really title or add descriptions to them.

Groundhog Day - Em Beihold

Victoria's Secret - Jax

Can't Wait To Be Pretty - Cate

Sweet Hibiscus Tea - Penelope Scott

Honey and Glass - Peyton Cardoza

Fat Funny Friend - Maddie Zahm

Diet Coke - Leanna Firestone

If You Were Here - Poe

Sugar Rush - Addison Grace ( for Minty/Wyll)

Fuck the Bourgeoisie — Feral

Strawberry Mentos - Leanna Firestone

Wo Yao Ni De Ai - Grace Chang (for Minty/Wyll)

Diet Culture - Brye

Crypitd (Mothman) - Ratwyfe

Cover Me In Sunshine - P!nk and Willow Sage Hart

W.I.T.C.H. - Devon Cole

Orange Colored Sky - Natalie Cole (for Minty/Wyll)

Cough Syrup - Young the Giant

Uhaw — Dilaw (for Minty/Wyll)

Home — Luke Chiang (for her family, Laura, and Ingrid)

XX. if you were to try pickpocketing them, what would they be carrying?

Herbs. She'd also have a notebook of doodles. She'd have a lot of drawings of her companions and loved ones, especially Wyll.

Laura

I. what do they smell like at their freshest? (and/or after a tenday. your choice)

She always smells like chamomile.

II. what would their blood taste like to vampires?

There'd be something draconic about it, but also a hint of chamomile tea. It'd be like sucking on a dragon with a tea habit.

III. how would they kiss their LI?

She falls for Lae'zel. These two are maniacs who treat making out like it's a fight. It's hot, heavy, and slightly violent (consensually so). These kisses get softer as both of them open up to each other more. She avoids most PDA out of respect for Lae'zel.

IV. how do they sleep with their LI (what position, does one steal the blankets, is one too hot/cold, etc)?

Lae'zel likes to be near her and Laura happily wraps her arms around her before falling asleep. Lae'zel refuses to admit, at first, how much she likes cuddles. Laura just plays along.

V. what does their tent area look like? where do they prefer to pitch their tent (next to water, covered on three sides, etc)?

She loves math so there'd be an abacus. She also has crossword puzzles and other things lying around, and possibly whatever math games she can get her hands on. She would probably make sure she was in the center of everything to see where everyone is. It also means she's covered on all sides.

VI. if they had a set of dnd dice, what would they look like?

They'd be bright orange.

Photo Origin: Reastudio

VII. do they collect anything (gems, bottles, keys, etc)?

If it counts, knitting supplies. She loves knitting.

VIII. if either, are they part of the astarion/gale book club (magic & literature) or the wyll/shadowheart book club (trashy romance novels)?

Astarion and Gale, for sure. She loves to study magic and literature. She doesn't have anything against trashy novels, of course. She'd just only talk about them with Minty and Ingrid. She also loves horror novels.

IX. if they had to be put in a “get along shirt” with a companion, who would it be?

It would be with Astarion. They are very prickly toward one another. Once she starts to understand him and his issues, she chills out a bit. She doesn't totally forgive all of his bullshit, but she's open to letting him have a chance to change.

X. do they prefer speak with dead or speak with animals?

She'd prefer speak with animals.

XI. what are their thoughts on clowns?

She's not a fan. They don't scare her, she just doesn't get it. But she does love Wyll's enthusiasm for them. It's cute.

XII. their companions are gossiping about them behind their back! who is it and what are they saying?

They'd gossip about how she really will not reveal anything about her past. This would happen after her companions begin to open up to her, but she doesn't return the favor. She's too ashamed of her history. She would eventually tell them, but it's spoilers for her OG story.

They would also gossip about her romance with Lae'zel. They all have a lot of thoughts on it, and it's hilarious to watch unfold.

XIII. what makes them laugh? what does their laugh sound like?

Laura has a similar sense of humor to Minty and Ingrid. She does love sarcasm and dark humor. Jaheira can always make her laugh. She also loves goofy humor and she reluctantly laughs at Gale's jokes.

I'd also say a lot of her jokes are inspired by Jenny Nicholson's deadpan response to things. She loves subtle, deadpan jokes that can be overlooked if you're not paying attention.

XIV. do they have any inside jokes among their companions?

She would definitely have some inside jokes with Jaheira. Lae'zel would be a little jealous about it. Lae'zel would slowly start to have inside jokes with her. At one point, Laura just has to say the word "Bat" at Lae'zel and she'll laugh. Lae'zel knows what it means.

She has a lot of inside jokes with Minty and Ingrid, of course. Those go back years. They might not even remember the origin of some of them.

If Minty and Ingrid were present when meeting Sluck, they would definitely make "tribe?" a running joke. Laura kinda liked Sluck. In another life, she'd have recruited her.

XV. what’s the description of their camp clothes in the inventory menu?

"This outfit tells the tale of someone who yearns for a simpler and bucolic life."

XVI. what’s the description of their underwear in the inventory menu?

"They're brimming with magic, as if it might give anyone who touches it a shock. Depending on what you're into, it might not be such a bad thing."

XVII. how do they celebrate their birthday?

Laura doesn't talk about how she celebrated growing up. She just isn't interested in revisiting those days.

But ever since she moved to Baldur's Gate, she's learned to really enjoy her birthday. She just likes to get together with friends and have a simple picnic.

She also prefers pie over cake. She usually goes for strawberry rhubarb.

XVIII. what modern day tv show would they binge over a weekend? do they get their LI to watch with them?

She's definitely watching From, What We Do In The Shadows, and Ash vs Evil Dead with Minty and Ingrid. She'd also really love Killing Eve, Deadloch, The Great Pottery Throw Down, Barry, and Atlanta. She also would like Numb3rs.

Lae'zel would tell her she refuses to watch her shows... but then stand there and keep watching. Laura wouldn't push it. She'd just Lae'zel slowly get entrenched on her own.

XIX. do you have a playlist for your tav? if so, what’s the title + description?

You Might Not Like Her - Maddie Zahm

Am I Supposed to Apologize - Maria Mena

Father - The Front Bottoms

I've Had Enough - Melina KB

At Seventeen - Janis Ian

Haunted House - Mckenna Grace

Rly Don't Care - chloe moriondo

mad at god - Sarah Saint James

After The Fall - October Project

Wrath - Sir Chloe

Pink Pony Club — Chappell Roan

Give It to Me — Olivia Escuyos (for Laura/Lae'zel)

Numb Little Bug - Em Beihold

Pretty Girl hi! — UMI (for Laura/Lae'zel)

Care - beabadoobee

Killer — Valerie Broussard (for Laura/Lae'zel)

EXCUSES - Ande Estrella

Kiss or Kill — Stela Cole (for Laura/Lae'zel)

Tongues & Teeth — The Crane Wives (for the beginning of her relationship with Lae'zel)

Cottagecore — Aeris

XX. if you were to try pickpocketing them, what would they be carrying?

Spell scrolls when on the road. Other than that, she probably has yarn on her for her knitting when in town.

[aadmelioraa]

Hi, i've seen your pretty and angsty edit about Eärien (saving it for a reblog later in the day), the one where you used the quotes "My trouble has been too hard-won" , and i wonder if you have discussed somewhere the meaning of his quote? I've tried to make sense of it using the cast's interviews but so far it's still a mystery for me. She doesn't seem to be the kind of girl that provokes troubles for her family, the rebel kind (she has a career plan and isn't after boys). So what is it?

Oooh yes I love this question! (Also thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed the edit!).

I interpreted that quote as Eärien letting Kemen know she's not going to be easily distracted or charmed by him (basically "keep your sacred wine, I have no interest in forgetting my troubles"). She's not remotely impressed by him at first lol, and I love that for both of them tbh. I do also think there is some foreshadowing at play.

In terms of the more direct meaning, Eärien has been through a lot for a young Númenórean, and she is wrestling with some major uncertainties in a way Kemen (clearly, to her) isn't. She doesn't have the security/status/wealth he does, she's trying to carve her own way AND hold her family together as best she can after the tragic loss of her mother (and being abandoned, as she or Elendil may perceive it, by Anárion). 

In the show, Elendil and his family have recently moved to Armenelos, and Ema Horvath has stated in interviews that Eärien is excited to finally be in the city and at the center of things, but she's also very cautious to be entering this new world. She's ambitious, but it's a very calculated ambition. She's not the sort of person to do things on impulse (unlike Isildur), and I think she's really aware of the risks associated with each step she or her father or brother take. She's less connected to the world of Armenelos, the Queen Regent's court, the guilds, and has the additional burden of being part of a Faithful-aligned family (a burden that lies heavier since she herself is not convinced of the truth or efficacy of those beliefs). 

I do think it's important to note Eärien says "my troubles have been too hard won" directly after watching Pharazôn make his speech to the guildsmen, which touched on the tension between the King's Men and the Faithful. It also reminded me of Míriel's response Galadriel in the previous ep, when she said that the men of Númenor were not gifted the island, they earned it. G: "It was because of the elves you were given this island." M: "Our ancestors were not given anything, they paid for this isle with the blood of their kin." I find that parallel interesting because it's clear from ep 3 that Eärien is not a fan of Míriel (she refers to her by her name only, no title, and seems very skeptical of Elendil's involvement with her). There's definitely something to be said about how Míriel's statement can be interpreted as mostly political posturing, and she's playing her cards close to the chest for most of the season, but it's a very clear indication of the general anti-elf sentiment in Númenor at this time, and I think Eärien is very aware of this sentiment as well, whatever her personal beliefs are. 

In the context of the whole season, I also think about Elendil's below-deck conversation with Míriel in the finale. M: "My father once told me that the way of the Faithful is committing to pay the price...even if the cost cannot be known. And trusting that, in the end, it will be worth it." E: "Sometimes the cost is clear...we have little choice then but to keep serving, and I for one will see to it that we make the end worth the price." There's definitely a lot to be said about mortality, suffering, loss, who is meant to bear those burdens, and what it means. The "cost" of faith, the presumption that such losses are to be taken in stride, that death is to be considered a gift, vs the position that mortality and the associated expectations are unreasonable or arbitrary at best, cruel and vindictive at worst. I'm really looking forward to the show digging into this tension in future seasons, I'm hopeful we'll see the points to be made on either side, as well as acknowledgement that there are positions which fall between the two extremes (which this post addresses really well imo). Thinking about how Elendil is committed to making Isildur's death "worth the cost," compared with how Eärien is keenly aware of the hardships she's experienced and how they've shaped her outlook and skepticism and work ethic...they both trying to hold it together the only way they know how! And they're kind of on opposite trajectories and can't really see each other clearly! It's a lot!

Based on Ema's interviews, it seems like several of Eärien's scenes which got cut could have provided more context about how her mindset shifts over the season (I am thinking in particular of a dinner scene Ema mentioned where Kemen and Pharazôn were both present, if I can track down the interview she mentioned it in, I will link it below). I get why some of her scenes were cut, but I would love it if there was any way to see them in an extended cut or something…probably wishful thinking though. Anyway, Eärien is a really fascinating character to me and I'm excited to see more of her in s2. They could go a few interesting ways with her, so however it plays out I'm looking forward to writing more Eärien-focused fic and meta. 

[fllagellant]

spare any thoughts about josie and cycii 👀😭♥️????????????

AAHDIBFI OFC ANYTHING FOR MY BESTIE... SO. OK. Their beginnings are kinda lack-lustre? There’s no sudden clicking together or sudden rivalry. Cycii respects Josephine but doesn’t feel one way or the other about her. He respects her careful wording regarding how people talk about him, an elf, and that she doesn't want to repeat things shes heard. She respects him as a good person doing good things, but doesn’t try to seek him out actively. They leave each other be for the most part while in haven, only talking when Cycii comes to make a delivery for Minaeve. They’re just workers for the inquisition at the start, and they’re fine as acquaintances. I think it shifts when Josephine starts backing his choice to go to the mages and confront Alexis. She pushes for him to do what he wants, and tries to argue back even though shes out of her element talking about how to engage an enemy. Cycii can tell, but he feels very thankful she’s in his corner. She wants this as much as he wants it too. This is where their friendship begins. Josephine’s mindset changes from “Ah, Cycii, he’s here to fix things. I’m here to keep the Chantry from burying us underneath lies.” to “We’re both here to change things, for good.” Jumping ahead a bit to the more relevant lore regarding the Silly Josie Trials. When she first comes to him about her family and their falling fortune, Cycii has a bit of a hard time understanding why Josephine is so... panicked. He hasn’t owned money or had debt at all. He only recently had gold via being the inquisitor. Growing up in a dalish clan THEN being put into a circle, it is not like he ever had the option to build a medieval credit score. So he does question her about why she is trying to get her family back to its former glory. There’s nothing wrong with being like him, so he wants her to understand there’s no shame in not being upper class. But then, she talks about her family, and how she want’s them to stop worrying too. And the unfair circumstances surrounding how this started, Cycii’s opinion shifts. She’s not scared of her own fate regarding this. She’d be fine living on little to no gold. She isn’t trying to figure this out to save face. She’s doing this for everyone else in her family. And Cycii wants to help her. He always, always gets heavily involved when someone has an issue with family. He wants them to gain closure and comfort so deeply, he drops everything once someone opens up about it. He never really gained closure about his own clan, his family, and he knows how that eats at people.  He very quickly learns his dislike (read, powerful hate) for nobles and the higher class is well founded once he meets with the assassin following an order from a long dead family. Josephine needs to be allowed to trade for her family to start to gain again, and a dead man’s complaint is still accepted and is still keeping her family from recovering? It makes his head hurt, all of it gets on his nerves. But Josephine needs this, she needs to jump through loopholes and play The Game as good as she does. And Cycii wants to be that person. He wants to help her figure this out so she can sleep easy for one night. Even if letting Leliana dispatch her agents to steal the contract and kill whoever stops them would be so, soo much more easy, he doesn’t. Josephine said no, and even if he would love to stick it to nobility, he’ll respect her wishes. This is her family, she gets the final say  EEP EEP... LITTOL LORE DROP COMPLETE 

[kittykatrattie]

Could you... info-dump about Nerris...?

OH HO HO ANON. WHERE DO I START.

They're autistic and ADHD, queer and genderqueer (doesn't know how to identify feelings very well, and feels more like an elf than any human gender) and asexual (sex-repulsed until around 18, then starts leaning towards sex-neutral). They use they, xe, and elf pronouns. Those are the basics

Most of this stuff is from roleplaying with @metasactreon!

We have them becoming a Wiccan witch at around 13 in typical AUs (sometimes changed if a particular RP has them before 13 and we want them Wiccan anyway). So they do Wiccan/Pagan magick, holidays, etc. Harrison even ends up just doing their Pagan holidays with them and ignoring Christmas/Easter because of his own religious trauma. Ex-Catholic cult boy marries a Pagan witch :3 it's very cute

Xe's party ends up being xem, Harrison, Preston, Nikki, and Neil. Sometimes the other campers join a campaign every so often, but those four are the most involved. Xe loves being DM the most (that autistic little girl "plays by telling other people what to do" that xe seems to canonically do at least a little bit, judging by Nikki's Last Day on Earth) but Neil and Preston take turns being DM too

(Discussion of grooming/pedophilia, skip this paragraph if you want! Happy ending tho :)

One thing we've developed a bit because it keeps hitting us both in the feels is making us sad is that one line from Ered Gets Her Cool Back that everyone seems to forget... "My DM says if you fail, you still get experience. Or, he did, before he said he wasn't allowed to talk to minors anymore." We have this scenario really fleshed out... He was a family friend, part of elfs dad's party, who decided to do a "kids' campaign" so the kids could have their own adventure... One of the other kids reported to their parents that the scenes were getting kinda weird... and luckily he got arrested and fully removed from the party and friend group before he managed to do anything. Still though, when elf realizes it happened, elf... gets really upset. Obviously

(End grooming tw)

I kinda based their parents and family off of my own family. Goofy ADHD dad and the autistic mom that keeps them both alive, which is where Nerris got both of them! Dad loves to cook, but mom bakes snacks for the D&D party every Saturday when dad is hosting. (Oh, and parents are Murphy and Melanie) Pretty much we both love their parents so much... They're such GOOD parents!! Like the only healthy parents we see on the show. They lova Nerris so much :3

Hmmmm I think that's all I can think of for now. Feel free to ask questions, anon!

[sweetcherrypie1967]

Narcissa’s Secret

It was a little known fact that Narcissa Malfoy was a skilled legilimens and occlumens, even more so than her sister Bellatrix. It was how she was able to be part of the Death Eater meetings without having a Dark Mark herself. It pained her that she wasn't able to save her son from the fate she was able to avoid. It pained Narcissa that her husband was foolish enough to jump into such a fate head first, damning the rest of his family without so much as consulting them.

She had begging Lucius to let their son choose his own fate, Narcissa would have begging the Dark Lord himself not to do it but it was her husband who insisted on it. It shattered her heart, hearing Draco's pain filled screams echo throughout the Manor.

Her baby boy, forced to be just like those monsters.

Narcissa tried talking Draco into leaving, run off to any corner of the world to get out and start over or even go to Dumbledore's group. In the beginning Draco had scoffed at the idea but the more she pushed, the more she could see him consider it. While he never went out and said it, there's been a definite change in him compared to when she first brought it up all those months ago.

Now she was standing silently, watching as they brought in the Potter boy, one of the Weasley's offspring and the muggleborn girl. Narcissa noticed a shift in Draco that no one else but his mother would catch, she began watching him closely. She tried to hide a smile as he lied about knowing their identity, Draco's ears always turned pink when he lied. It was a tell that she made sure no one else knew about, not even Lucius.

"Take them all to the dungeons...all except for the Mudblood,"

Narcissa could practically feel the anger radiating off of Draco. It confused her why his reaction was so strong, she knew he didn't want anyone to be harmed let alone someone he knew -he wasn't a monster- but he was always going on about how much Draco 'hated' Potter's pet.

Then it clicked.

The change in him, his reaction earlier and his now. They were all connected, it was because of her!

Just to be positive she cast a silent legilimens on the girl while everyone else was distracted. Her mind was very strong, but once Bella had her way..it weakened significantly. Narcissa didn't have to look to see how pained he was when the girl's screams began. Echoing throughout his own home while he could do nothing but stand there.

What Narcissa saw in her mind shocked her beyond belief.

She searched through her memories, looking for anything to do with her son, when she stumbled upon something no one was supposed to find.

It was Draco and Hermione...kissing! As if they'd done it millions of times before. It was the most prominent memory she could find with him in it, and it was only a few months old. But..too soon to be in Hogwarts. Narcissa's mind instantly went to one of the days Voldemort wasn't in Malfoy Manor, he had left the Manor to visit his friends at Zabini Manor. Narcissa had suspected he was leaving something out of his story, but allowed it. Now, she knew what he was really up to.

She went through what seemed like hundreds of other memories, them sitting together on a couch talking, in the Astronomy Tower after curfew watching the stars and laughing with many more. Narcissa has never seen Draco look as happy as he was in these memories. One in particular caught her attention, unlike most others she saw it was more sad than happy. It was in the Astronomy Tower.

"Please Draco, don't go," Hermione begged in a whisper through her tears.

Draco gave her a sad smile, he wanted to oh so badly. "We both know that I need to go, it's what's best for the Order," Draco said.

"You don't have too! It's too dangerous, please. Dumbledore will understand. Don't leave me," Hermione begged, looking at him with glassy eyes.

They stared at each other for a moment, both hearts breaking at what had to be done.

"Hermione, you don't know how much I wish I could stay. I'd never leave your side through all this rubbish, but you heard the Headmaster. The Order needs me to spy on them. If I can earn their trust, if I can prove to Dumbledore and Potter and even bloody Weasley that I've changed. That I can be who you deserve, then I have to do it," Draco said.

"I don't care what Harry and Ron think-" Draco gave her a disbelieving look, "ok yes I do but I'm going to be with you no matter what. If they don't think you're worthy of me then that's their own bloody problem because I know you are and..I love you,"

Draco's eyes snapped to hers, searching for her sincerity before his face broke out in a grin, "I love you too, Granger."

They both kissed and the memory faded.

Narcissa's son was in love with Potter's pet? Hermione Granger? More importantly, he was working as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix?! Part of her was ecstatic, her son found love and took her advice to get out of this life Lucius had lay out for them! Another part, however, was scared. Being a spy, let alone for spying on Voldemort himself, was very dangerous business. If one was spying on the Dumbledore, they wouldn't have the guts to kill them but Voldemort wouldn't think twice about it.

Narcissa's focus was abruptly interrupted by the whole ordeal with Potter and Weasley saving Hermione and escaping with Dobby. She wasn't expecting her ex House Elf to be their savior but as long as they were going someplace safe. Narcissa knew Dobby used to enjoy listening to Draco rant and rave about the Potter boy and his little group. It was plain that he became fascinated, she wasn't sure if he simply didn't understand her son's sarcasm or just read between the lines.

Once the whole ordeal was done she practically dragged Draco into a separate room and cast every silencing charm she knew on it. She rounded on him and she could see he was guarded and..scared? Draco's fists were shaking along with the rest of him, probably trying to gain enough self control not to go after Bella for what she did.

"Would you mind telling me what that was all about?" Narcissa asked him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean with the Granger girl," she said and he set his jaw defensively, "I saw her memories, Draco. I know you switched sides..and I know you love her."

His shoulders dropped slightly but he was still on guard. Just because she knew doesn't mean she wouldn't tell, it pained Narcissa that Draco would even think she would put him in danger like that.

"What's there to tell if you already know everything?" Draco said.

"Well I didn't have quite the time to see everything, and I'd like an explanation," Narcissa said.

“How do I know you won’t go off and tell Father or the Dark Lord himself,” he said.

“Because I’m your mother, Draco,” she said softly, “I would never intentionally put you in any danger if I could prevent it. I love you more than life itself.”

He sighed in defeat, "Hermione, she caught me..in a vulnerable moment. I was overwhelmed by my task and the fact my plans never seemed to work. She offered for me to join their cause, even full immunity for me and you. After all you've said, I've been thinking about it and I accepted. I think it surprised her almost as much as it surprised me," Draco said with a slight laugh remembering, "we went to Dumbledore and he made a plan. It was decided that I was to spy in His ranks and give information back and forth, though only the bare minimum of members knew about my involvement. Me and Hermione began meeting secretly if I received any information and she would keep me updated with anything she was allowed to inform me. As time went on though, it wasn't always about the Order. I fell in love with her and she says she loves me too," he concluded with a warm smile.

"That settles it," Narcissa said sternly. Draco waited anxiously for her next words, "we're getting you out."

"Out? I'm a spy, I can't leave," he said confused.

"The Order already has spies in the Dark Lord's ranks, you don't need to be one of them. I'll even send information if that's what it'll take. You need to be there for your Hermione," she said. Narcissa expected an argument but he sighed and agreed with her.

Only on one condition, she wasn't to act as a spy. 'Too dangerous' he said, the little hypocrite.

They had snuck him out that very night.

Months and months went on without so much as a word from it about Draco. This was good. He was keeping a low profile, it would be dangerous for him to send her anything. But Narcissa couldn't help but worry. What if he hadn't found them? What if something went wrong with Potter or the Weasley boy? What if he got hurt?

So many questions that would have to remain unanswered until it was all over.

The Battle of Hogwarts had taken many lives, including her insane sister Bellatrix. She'd have to thank Mrs. Weasley later, Bella has always caused more harm than good.

Narcissa was especially thankful that when it was all over, her son was still standing and with the Granger girl by his side. Not a perfect ending, she thought, but at least it can still be a happy one.

[beautifulterriblequeen]

The Thief and the Tinker, Part 4: Circles and Cycles

part 3

Part 4

Viren: *smirks and plinks Runaan's coin to Ethari*

Ethari, furious: You throw another Moonshadow at me and I'm gonna lose it.

Circles and Cycles

Angst rating: 8/10

Back to Ethari, because we're not done with him yet. Ethari is soft, but he isn't weak. He won't be a willing pawn for Viren. He loves Runaan to the point of invention, and his devotion is more constant than the moon itself. He'll agree to do what Viren says, and he'll be Very Sad. But his spirit is in no way broken. Viren bribing him with the coins containing his family will only have the opposite effect. It'll give Ethari something to fight for.

We could get Focused Chaos Ethari. We could get Angery Trickster Ethari. We could get Rules, What Rules? Ethari. Let him try to steal the coins, try to break them, try to kill Viren, and be stymied at every turn, until he settles and seems cowed. And then all he does is craft his way out of the problem.

What if we are gifted with Iron Man Elf Ethari, who pretends to build a fake Key for Viren, but meanwhile he's really building a coinbuster with whatever he can get his hands on - primal stones, magically imbued gemstones, stolen artifacts, his own arcanum, his own reputation as the Master Craftsman of the Silvergrove. He'll use almost - almost - anything, to stop Viren and free his family.

Ethari may have to choose between those two things, though. And he's a hero, deep down, just like his family, just like his daughter. If he has to choose, he'll choose to stop Viren and save Xadia. He'll pay the same price as his family has if he must.

He'd let Viren think he was motivated purely by wanting his family back, but Ethari is far too steeped in the illusion and sacrifice for that to be all there is to his motives. It's a so-close-and-yet-so-far thing, how he and Viren almost embody the same ideals. Almost. Ethari would take one look at Viren, who just burnt down his whole Forest, he'd see the biggest threat in Xadia, and he'd say anything to get a chance to stop this juggernaut of destruction from getting his hands on whatever that ultimate power really is, locked behind that missing key. If he has to abandon his people and bawl his eyes out to convince Viren he's in, then he will.

And Viren wouldn't make it easy for him. He knows clever when he sees it. He went through all this trouble to persuade Ethari to work with him. He would need to keep Ethari as off-balance as possible to ensure that he keeps working as he should.

Angsty jewelry, anyone?

Viren giving Ethari his husband in pendant form to remind him what he's working for, when Viren and Ethari both know full well that only dark magic can open the hellcoins. Ethari wearing another pendant of his love, except it's not a metaphor this time. It's literally his love, in a coin around his neck.

Viren would love making Ethari stay close to him of his own free will if he ever hoped to free Runaan. Making people bind themselves to you is a big power flex. Remember that TDP stream future-season teaser note about Bait being in a creepy restraint in a future season?

This card is written on in all-caps, so that really could be "Bait" or "bait," or--knowing this show--both. Viren's been using Runaan as bait for Ethari all along. Putting his coin in a dark magic pendant casing for Ethari to wear would be a great parallel for that. Oh god. Oh man.

Maybe he'll stab the coin's scary casing right through that circle on Ethari's chest, right over his heart, make that Iron Man reference really obvious. Ethari also losing his shirt at some point, for angsty Viren-related reasons? It's more likely than you think. I mean... Ethari is literally involved in both forms of forging at this point. Shirt's gotta come off for uhhhh work reasons. And because he's hot. Because of all the forging. Mmhmm. I mean how else are we finally going to discover what his markings look like this is research I swear

I mentioned that I liked god-tier villains, right? Yeah, this is amazing. I haven't wanted to die and ascend over an idea for quite a while, but Ethari vs Viren in a drawn-out battle of wills would kill me in the best way. Especially since, while it looks like they're essentially fighting for who gets Runaan, they're truly fighting a much larger battle with much higher stakes. They're fighting for the future itself. It's an epic struggle between the Narrative of Strength and the Narrative of Love. And we've seen what happens, over and over, when the Narrative of Strength gets to call the shots.

On a meta note: If Ruthari's story arc isn't a love letter from one trauma survivor to another, and on a broader scope to all survivors who see it, I don't know what is. Sometimes life just chews us up and spits us out and we can't stop it and it breaks us. But sometimes we can reach out and grasp the chance to help each other, even after that, even when it hurts a lot, because we know what it means to be loved, and to love, and to want a safer future for each other and for people we'll never meet. The future is worth standing together for, helping each other back up for, fighting side by side for, even if you can't see how it'll end, or even how to begin. We are stronger together, and sometimes we need to fight for our "together" before we can fight for anything else. And that's worth it, every time.

This is glorious, it's beautiful, it's tragic, it's amazing, it makes me want to dance, it makes me want to scream into the void, it makes me want to slap someone with a semi truck. No, someone specific, don't worry, and he super deserves it.

Because Ethari is going to win. He was always going to win. He's soft, and he's clever, and he hasn't forgotten what love means. It's what he's fighting for. Not power, not control. Love. He doesn't want to dictate Runaan's future or anyone else's. He just wants his husband--and everyone else--to have one at all.

So he's going to win.

What thwarting Viren looks like, I couldn't possibly guess. TDP is no stranger to angst, so there will probably be a high cost involved in outwitting the dark mage. Maybe not everyone can be rescued from the coins. Maybe Ethari will lose his life, or his soul, or his vision, or something else really angsty. Viren could even kill him and resurrect him as a smoky craftsman, or a zombie craftsman, or something equally biddable but horrible. The only thing I'm sure of is that Ethari would never willingly make a working Key of Aaravos Ethari as long as there's a chance Viren could possess it. But I do believe that if he gets the right opportunity while he's busy saving the world from Viren's dark intentions, he'll break his husband's hellcoin open somehow and set him free, even if he has to smile at the devil to do it.

Ethari understands the difference between "you can" and "therefore you should." He might sacrifice his own world to save his husband, but he'd never sacrifice someone else's world. That's one of the Moonshadow cultural limits I've noticed: they accept boundaries when it comes to other people's autonomous rights, especially regarding life and death.

These limits could get pushed. Ethari will be under great duress and emotional strain if he goes through this kind of interaction with Viren. And maybe he will choose some dark things. Everyone else has. But I'm placing all my eggs in the basket labeled "Saved By Love." Either I'm right, or I'll get the best angst omelets in the universe. And I do love omelets. A villain invented them, you know. ;)

Another support for Ethari not making the key for Viren: the real Key exists!

Callum has it right now. The plot doesn't need Ethari's key (yet? ever?), but it does need Ethari to learn what he's made of, to stand up for something, or against something, or both at once. And once he learns what he will and won't do and the universe has rewarded his discovery with the return of his beloved husband then Ethari will be ready to take on whatever else the plot has in mind for him.

Depending on the plan, all of these events could happen in S4, as a setup for even bigger things to follow. Viren's wishes can be thwarted here and the show's overall tension will only continue to rise. It would let Ethari flex yes pls his skills so we know who he is, it would show how driven Viren can be for a long-term goal, it would let Claudia saunter further downwards, it would reveal some human/Moonshadow history, and it would resolve the seasons-long tension regarding Runaan's fate, allowing for the cycle of speculation, feels, angst, and Ruthari fanart to begin again. ;) Viren would need to find another way to pursue his long-term goal. And Callum's Key will get a little more clarity on just how important it is to the fate of the world - which will make everything he does, and everyone he talks to, and anyone who knows what he's carrying, intensely important.

Nyx is gonna steal it isn't she, omg chaos birb

To Viren, Ethari was a main course, meant to be devoured and consumed in his lifelong quest for something that will finally satisfy. But to Ethari, Viren was just empty calories to be passed over in favor of ordering his perennial favorite dish, one more time.

Once Ethari escapes Viren's clutches with as much of his family as he can rescue, Viren may turn back to looking for the real Key, especially if someone's seen it recently. Hunting a kid probably seems easier than hunting a full-grown Moonshadow craftsman who just outsmarted him. okay so maybe Nyx stealing it would be a good thing and save Callum's life

Ethari could go on to help repair the Sunforge, or rebuild the Moonhenge, or work on constructing Moonshadow villages in Katolis if he hasn't been ghosted for abandoning everyone after the forest fire. He might build magical devices for any number of reasons, to help all kinds of characters. Hopefully, wherever he goes, he'll have Runaan with him, in some way, for at least a little while. Cycles be like, and I feel like Runaan will not want to remain still for long, for whatever reason. Does he need revenge, atonement, justice, a new body, to find Rayla, to find Ezran? He'll be back in action as soon as he can, I think.

Okay, but, I'm so soft at the thought of a scene where Runaan and Ethari come before King Ezran. The husbands tried to save their people Runaan's way, the old way, and it only continued to endanger them. Following the cycle, as Moonshadows do, was the wrong move. But the son of the last human Runaan killed reached out with mercy and broke a thousand years of suffering and sorrow and hatred. Ezran did what Runaan couldn't: he saved the Moonshadow elves from total destruction. And that, more than anything else in the world, could soften one very broody assassin's heart toward humans again.

What would Runaan do, if his heart truly changed toward humans? What would he say to Ezran? I could see him struggling for a long moment before dropping to one knee to pledge his heart as he once had to do before the Dragon Throne. He doesn't know any other way but to serve. Ezran, reading the whole room and everyone's feelings before he tells Runaan that No, we don't do that here. That he's free, and free means free. No chains, no oaths. Just trust and friendship. He should get to make his own decisions for a change, even though that can be hard and scary sometimes. Runaan being genuinely scared, because that's too much freedom. But he's not alone. He has Ethari, and Ezran, and Rayla, and Callum, and their people, and their allies. And no matter what else happens, the people of Katolis - elven and human - will find a way forward. Together.

part 5

[crescairis]

I was wondering if you had another source that otherlinkers were explicitly excluded from the original definition of otherkind in 1990? The source on AnOtherWiki leads to a 2001 FAQ that doesn't mention anything like that. Also, otherlinkers aren't the same thing as KFF.

(just as a warning, this is going to be a LONG post, but i'd rather not put it under the cut for archival reasons, in the case that for some reason this blog disappears)

firstly, i'd like to apologize for phrasing things as if KFFs and otherlinkers were the same thing; a better phrased way to say things would be for me to say that i think many KFFs would be otherlinkers, were they to acknowledge that their experiences don't fit the definition of otherkin.

something else i'd also like to note that i've been thinking about (while it isn't exactly related to this question) is that perhaps people are misinterpreting the terms "voluntary" and "involuntary".

i feel that many people think "voluntary" simply means the initial decision to willingly take on an identity, which is, in part, true! however, voluntary identities are very likely to become involuntary, simply because it becomes too emotionally/mentally difficult to separate oneself from the identity that they've chosen.

being drawn to something, or someone, enough to take it on as an identity can often be a sign of something deeper! i would see this as a form of awakening in and of itself—like cracking open a geode, or perhaps like putting on training wheels before you experience the real thing.

but back to your first question: the way i initially phrased that post was also rushed, as we were trying very hard to write it during a single lunch break at work.

the term otherlinker is a very recent invention (coined in 2018 on the alt-h discord server, while copinglink was coined in 2015 by who-is-page), as being otherkin has always largely been considered a serious, personal experience. only recently have people NEEDED to specify that it's involuntary, so the only sources i can give you are ones that cite otherkinity as being intended as a serious identity, as well as those that state that otherkinity is not as shallow as a game or roleplay.

also important to note is that many of these pages were made and existed before fictionkin were a largely documented (let alone accepted) presence, thus they are scarcely mentioned, (and typically with skepticism or even scorn,) save for on their own, smaller pages. for our own personal comfort, we will not be listing sources that discredit fictionkinity completely.

firstly, here's a full timeline of otherkin history by orion scribner, to show the scope we're looking at

Otherkin Lexicon by Orion Scribner: "Otherkin are real, non-fictional people who identify as other than human. Otherkin identify as creatures from myth and legend, usually elves, faeries, and dragons. This is a sincere identity, not role-play. Many otherkin identify as other than human for spiritual reasons; that is, they classify their identity as otherkin as a personal spiritual belief. Being otherkin is a very individualistic thing: each otherkin reaches his own explanation for how and why he is an otherkin. Some of their common spiritual explanations include that they are other than human in spirit, or they were other than human in past incarnations.187 Although spiritual belief is often involved, “otherkin” isn’t a religion. As such, each person who identifies as otherkin practices whatever religion he individually wants. It has always been the case that most of the otherkin community practices Neo-Pagan religions, and so that religious perspective shapes the common views and ideas in the otherkin community. Some otherkin don’t use spiritual explanations. Some otherkin believe that they are physically other than human, or that their ancestors were."

A Field Guide to Otherkin by Lupa: "The definition for Otherkin I will be using for this book is: a person who believes that, through either a nonphysical or (much more rarely) physical means, s/he is not entirely human. This means that anyone who relates internally to a nonhuman species either through soul, mind, body, or energetic resonance, or who believes s/he hosts such a being in hir body/mind, is in my own definition of Otherkin. Some people do have more stringent standards. However, for the purposes of this book, I am including a wider range of people.

"This is not a roleplaying game. When a person says s/he is a dragon, or a wolf, or an elf, s/he is not referring to a character that s/he only becomes during a gaming session. That which is Other is a constant part of the person; s/he is the Other at all times. Grey, a wolf therian,says it marvelously: “Perhaps I should say that if a being is a color, or a sound, I am two items merged to form a different color/sound. The two are within each other. Sometimes plain to see, sometimes deeply mixed.”"

A Simple Introduction to Otherkin and Therianthropes by Orion Scribner: "Some real people think of themselves as kinds of creatures from mythology. These people call themselves “otherkin.” An otherkin has the belief that he is a creature from mythology, such as an elf. He says that elf is his true self. It is his identity. This is real to him. It isn’t a pretend person that he plays in a game."

The Otherkin Resource Center: "1 : one who identifies with various mythological archetype as vehicles of spiritual evolution and self-expression, similar to Native totemism only with a stronger level of self-identification.

"2 : someone who believes in reincarnation, and that not all of their reincarnations were as a human."

What are Otherkin? by Tirl Windtree: "By far the most common explanation from those who fit the definition (even if they don't claim this specific label) is that whilst their physical forms may be human, their essence, soul or equivalent term is not.

"Of those, the majority make their claim based on reincarnation - what they have been in a previous incarnation so strongly affects their current incarnation that they still identify with it. Obviously this requires a belief in reincarnation, and in the transmigration of souls. Both are reasonably common in a number of religions and spiritual beliefs across the world."

"The most frequent accusation is that all otherkin are lost in fantasy, they've played one too many D&D games and gone over the edge. Personal study seems to indicate this is actually one of the least frequent explanations. Most roleplayers know they are roleplaying, even if they are also otherkin, and roleplaying can be a very useful tool in self exploration."

The Lostkin Project by Gazer: "Otherkin are the supernatural among us. They are the elves, dragons, nymphs, and trolls that used to live more openly amoung humankind. Some are from other dimensions and other places. You may occasionally see them refered to as Otherkind. Otherkin is the more generally accepted term."

Otherkin Coalition by Kreyas: "What is Otherkin?

In a nutshell, Otherkin are a coalition of people who share in common the belief that some internal part of them is somehow incongruent with the rest of the human race. Beyond that, beliefs vary too widely to classify them into any one group.

Some of the most common beliefs are that the soul is somehow different from human. This may go in hand with a belief in reincarnation and “imprinting” (in which a past life as another species leaves an imprint on the soul which is then carried over into the next life), or the individual may believe that this is his/her first life and they are simply different.

Above all, Otherkin is a spiritual belief.

"Are Otherkin really a bunch of delusional, socially maladaptive kids like I read on that website?

NO. As with any group, not everyone fits the stereotype. Any community is going to have its bad apples which stand out in people’s minds better than the typical members. In my experience, Otherkin are usually levelheaded and able to question their beliefs and function in human society.

"Is it a Roleplaying thing?

NO. While some Otherkin may participate in roleplaying, strictly speaking the beliefs are separate from the roleplay - even if they are roleplaying as their identified “kintype”."

Otherkin FAQ v 4.0.1 by Arhuaine, Miaren Crowsdaughrer, Thistile Kachunk, Golden Syrpent, Knight of Ghosts and Shadows, Jarin Dreamsinger and The Crisses: "The Otherkin are those people who believe themselves to be spiritually and/or physically other than human. While mythological species (elves, satyrs, fairies, dragons, and so on) are widely accepted as being included under the term "Otherkin", many people in the community prefer to include aliens, vampires, furries, extraterrestrial humans, and other nonhuman races. A mythological or literary equivalent is not necessary to be included under "Otherkin"; there are types of otherkin that have not shown up in known legends or fiction (star-dragons, Elenari, etc.)."

What are Otherkin, Anyway? by Adnarel: "Otherkin is a term that is generally used to describe people who, In some way or another, physical bodies aside, do not feel that they are “human” in the conventional sense of the word. We (they) feel as though their spirits are not human, nor have they ever been, despite our physical bodies and outward appearance. Some otherkin have testified that they feel that this is their first time on this plane of existence, a.k.a. Earth. Others feel that they have been here numerous times to teach and to heal people. Maybe once they were here in their “true forms”. Otherkin use the term “true form” to describe what they feel to be the shape and nature of their true selves."

What Are Otherkin? by Arhuaine:

"Put simply, someone who is Otherkin feels that they have a soul (or souls) other than human. Usually this encompasses what are commonly regarded as mythical beings such as elves, dragons, fae, satyrs and so on. A broader view of otherkin might also include therianthropes (were-creatures) and those with animal souls (such people are sometimes known affectionately as "furries"), and also perhaps people who consider their souls are alien (often called star-born). The lines between Otherkin and Furries or Star-born are often blurred.

"Most Otherkin feel for most of their lives as though they don't belong. Human society seems alien and unfamiliar in many ways. They may feel isolated and unhappy, yet unable to explain these feelings at first. Then, perhaps they may begin to remember a life other than their own. Sometimes it is not easy to understand such memories, and sometimes the awakening to Otherkin-ness is a difficult and frightening process, especially if they are going through it alone. It is something not easy to share with others, for fear that they may consider you crazy.

"Being Otherkin is not something to crave, nor is it glamorous. It is a difficult and lonely path to tread, and sometimes it seems to bring only sorrow. Memories of loved ones long lost, a home that can no longer be reached, cause great pain. And yet, the life of the Otherkin is not all sadness. It is a life filled with wonder and magic, and a way of looking at the world that humans can never understand. Because magic is so much a part of an Otherkin's outlook, they may be drawn to Paganism or other New-age philosophies."

Are You 'Kin? by Gazer: "To really find out if you are otherkin takes searching. No, not on the internet, inside. You have to reach inside yourself and really look at yourself. This ,for the most part, is an inner journey. You have the answers, not me or anyone else. If you are otherkin then it is a PART of you, but you may be the only person able to find it.

The best others can do to help you is to provide pointers. Show you ways to search inside yourself, tell you how they found something inside themselves. We can hold a mirror up to you, but you won't see anything unless YOU do the looking, and what we see from our side of the mirror may not be the truth."

Otherkin Phenomena: "Otherkin are people who believe themselves to be something other than a human being on a spiritual, psychological, energetic and some even on a biological level, and choose to identify with that non-human fragment of themselves to the point where they count it as a permanent and ingrained part of their personal mythology and/or identity."

and there's plenty more! i'm just tired

i hope this helped answer your question, and perhaps gives others some insight as well!