#thecomfywriter’s 12 days of askmas

[thecomfywriter]

And for the (?) day of askmas, why do people simp for Morreial (no shot I spelled that right) so bad?

hi ilia! it's the fourth day of askmas lol. thank you for the ask! let's get into it!

day four of tcw's 12 days of askmas--the cult of morreial [no spoilers]:

BRO???? I WISH I KNEW? genuinely bouncing this question off to the community because i GENUINELY don't understand? i know pae pae said it's because he's a fun written character, and he is more intentionally funny vs alan (alan is just goofy, awkward, and fun to laugh at lowkey. or he's so melodramatic its a gag). but morreial is sarcastic. he's not sassy, but he does have an over-it attitude. he's the "straight man" in a lot of cases in tov. aka the voice of reasoning. everyone around him might act stupid, but he's gonna act rationally and try to drag those idiots into sanity with him.

he's also got an overprotective soft side to him. and he's slightly suspicious, in a mysterious way where i can see the intrigue. but i'll be so honesty with you, i genuinely didn't make morreial to be this well-received. i just made him this way because he was my best friend's favourite character and i cater everything to her wishes.

maybe it's because he's hot. maybe because he's funny. maybe because he's the first person in the main cast to properly beat the shit out of hilbert and inflict damage. i genuinely have no clue. but bro has a cult fanbase, so i guess that's a win.

thanks for the ask, ilia!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

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@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass

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[thecomfywriter]

everyone getting the short end of the stick (the stick is the barrel of a gun) except anarac feels like favouritism 🤨

starbreaker is about ghost ship right? do any of them come back to life (as in… not as a ghost but tangibly)? do they wish they do? is there a sense of mourning when they return, as if their peace has been disrupted, or a sense of mourning if they have to return back to being ghosts after the voyage is over?

sorry if this makes no sense 😔 i’m not as well acquainted with this wip but i just know mr lizard man is the captain my headcanon is that he’s a sloppy silly affectionate drunk

Yup, Starbreaker is the ghost ship one :D

(For this askmas game)

Throughout the course of Starbreaker, no one comes back to life. The crew is on the mortal plane and can interact with mortals, but they are still very dead. After their voyage, they are supposed to get better positions in the afterlife. Should they succeed, Faalgun gets to escape hell, Nyda gets to go to elf Valhalla, Kaulakri... gets the best seat in her afterlife with a dozen people I guess, Pash gets nothing actually since he just does what the Gloaming Queen tells him, and Anarac's whole goal is to find his people's afterlife while on the voyage. Should this all work out for them, I imagine there'd be... mixed reactions.

Faalgun probably wouldn't feel much accomplishment. He's out of hell, sure, but he still sort of feels like he deserves to be there, so he can't really enjoy heaven. Nyda would hate elf Valhalla - she's not a fighter, but it's better than an eternity alone, maybe. Kaulakri really likes her afterlife, even pre-Starbreaker. The voyage is its own reward for her, so I think she'd be sad when it's over, but eager to move on to other projects. Pash isn't capable of disagreeing with anything the Gloaming Queen tells him to do, so he'd be content to go back to the Next-Door Land so his soul can be used however she pleases. Anarac might be the happiest of all of them if he makes it to his afterlife. That's where his sons are. He's missed them so much <3

As for if they did come back to life? Oh boy, that's a doozy...

Faalgun would like that a lot. He wants a chance to atone for his actions, even if it'd stress him out of his mind trying to do so. Nyda would want to be alive again just because she enjoys the pleasures of life. Also, I think modern Nabafyr would be a lot better for her, as it isn't so martial focused. Kaulakri would be happy to be alive again so she can finish her map of the Janazi Isles and visit her family again. Pash, again, is happy to do whatever the Gloaming Queen says, though he does feel like he missed out on a lot of life since he died young. Anarac, out of all of them, would be the one to freak the hell out over being brought back to life. Nyda would have a hard adjustment to an extent - she'd have to remember how to breathe and stuff after being dead 400 years (Faalgun's only been dead 20, Kaulakri maybe 2, and who knows with Pash, but probably no more than 30). Anarac, on the other hand, has been dead 7000 years. He's gonna need to take a second. Also, his people are extinct, no one speaks his language anymore, he's fucking tired, so what reason does he have to want to be alive again?

So basically, the good ending for Anarac is getting to the afterlife he's looking for, while everyone else would rather get a do-over of life. That tracks with them, yeah.

(As for your headcanon, ghosts can't get drunk, but when he was alive, Faalgun was a very affectionate drunk. He's the type to cry into your shoulder after two drinks)

Thanks for the ask!

[paeliae-occasionally]

12 Days of Christmas Asks!

18th December is magic lore~

I have built a lot of magic for this world and would be happy to answer any lingering questions!

Topics of interest may include:

Ike itself (the particles of magic that exist, how they bond, decay, etc.)

Types of casters (Ahinti - mages, Somni - Tiel’Drysar, Druids, Sorcerers, Gods, Runics)

The origins of magic and how it spread

And obviously anything else you are curious about.

Happy askmas!

Tag list:

@thelovelymachinery, @an-indecisive-nerd, @the-letterbox-archives, @oliolioxenfreewrites, @winvyre

@happypup-kitcat24, @wyked-ao3, @leahnardo-da-veggie, @alnaperera, @dearunreliablenarrator

@rumeysawrites, @urnumber1star, @seastarblue, @thecomfywriter

[thecomfywriter]

What meaning does von doro have to you as the author? What insight would you like to share?

OOOO THIS IS INTERESTING. thank you for the ask, wyked! let's dive in!

day six of tcw's 12 days of askmas--the author's analysis of von doro [EXTREME SPOILERS TREAD WITH WARNING I HAVE NO FILTER RIGHT NOW]:

oh boy... i'm going to do one more disclaimer before i actually go on a tangent. it is past 12am, i'm listening to evan's playlist, and my filter is gone so let's see how yamble-y this gets.

DISLAIMER: I AM GOING TO BE GOING ON A TANGENT. BE WARNED FOR SPOILERS !!!

--

we're good? okay cool.

what does von doro mean to me as the author? there are so many ways i can interpret this question: her symbolism, her role in the narrative, the type of character she is, her archetype, her ending... everything. but if i had to summarize it into one word, i'd say this:

tragic.

von doro, in my opinion, is one of the biggest tragedies in the entire duology. more than alan. more than caramel. more than all of them. von doro was born and groomed from the very beginning to inherit a curse, and despite fulfilling her duties perfectly, she never got liberated from it in her lifespan. nothing about von doro's story is fair, to the point where it honestly pisses me off.

the more i think about her, especially the story from her perspective, the more AWFUL i feel for her. she was born for this role. locked away from society and trapped inside the volcano so she couldn't develop any attachments for anything, and she didn't accidentally disregulate her emotions. she had no social life. no forms of happiness. no family. no shot at ANYTHING. she just stayed locked away in the volcano for centuries. all with one task, which was to not let the volcano explode.

the smoke destroyed her lung and voice. the sounds of the gods in her head rattled her brain and made her lose her sense of reality. she forgot her own name at one point. she didn't see the sunset. didn't get to take a breath of fresh air. she didn't even get to see the kingdom she was born to protect. all the while, everyone curses her out as the "beast that threatens us with explosions".

and she does everything without complaint. she takes care of the cairoyas and the dragons. she raises those eggs and watches them from the distant shadows they cast over her den. occassionally, her jervees visit her, but no one ever stays. no one can.

that's why jer'vazir meant so much to her. he stayed. he visited. he helped her remember her name again. he helped her feel for once. and that was dangerous.

and then, the age of limiouses. it was glorious. it was a walk in the park. it was easy. life was getting easier. she was getting closer to liberation.

and then HILBERT.

THIS BRUIBIFNJF.

i can't even begin to describe how much of a villain i see hilbert as. because bro unravelled her entire life with his pride, arrogancy, and "ambition." he literally tore everything apart, brick by brick, piece by piece.

turned soilaila against her. caused riots and a civil war. don't even ask about the other limiouses. hunted down and massacred every single dragon. the last straw was killing the last dragon, then laughing in jer'vazir's face and telling him he did it "proudly".

she broke. the resolve of apathy she had mastered had been slowly crumbling with her new feelings, but the loss of all her dragons completely shattered her. and what was soilaila's response to her grief? to try and assasinate her.

CENTURIES of taking care of them. CENTURIES of protecting them. and the one goddamn time she breaks down, they freakin villainize her???

holy shit--the jervees and jer'vazir were the only people who tried to console her and show her compassion.

AND THEN HILBERT ATTACKS HER.

no wonder she snapped. i would have a long time prior.

AND THAT'S ONLY THE PRE-TOV LORE. HER ENDING UPSETS ME VISCERALLY.

i can't even say the ending of tov makes me happy. every thing that i thought i wanted from the ending just made me feel viscerally upset, dejected, and hollow, because that's the point. by the time you get to the point where you get the "aha! this person is finally getting punished," i no longer wanted her to be punished. at least, not like that?

i don't know bro... von doro's breakdown in sai really hurts my feelings. i can't tell you why. i just feel so deeply for her.

“So you think you can spear lightning at the beast who survived the volcano for three hundred years? Is that it, daara? You think the storms of the heavens hold a flame to the rage of the underworld?”

“Oh? And I am so selfish? [...] Three hundred years, daara! You say these pompous words now, but wait until the years tick by and you find an Apa you are willing to slaughter the world for! Wait until that curse steals them away from you and tortures you with isolation and betrayal! Wait until the clock ticks centuries by and you are stuck within the same walls, quelling the same voices that drive you insane, reaching for the same happiness you were never entitled to, [REDACTED]! [...] This place destroys you, daara. It turns you vile, and lonely, and desperate to leave. But no… You are so much more noble than I, that of course you would have just gambled away your freedom and your chance to live and rest in peace if I had just asked you to. Like you were not seeking out death to escape pain only an hour ago. [...] Oh please, daara. Give me a break.”

is this... a sai excerpt?

yes.

you're welcome.

--

as for insight as the author? i'll say this:

von doro represents the cyclic nature of vengeance. the entire curse reflects it, but also her entire cycle of revenge with hilbert.

hilbert was acting in revenge -> he attacks the dragons -> the dragons death cause von doro's grief -> the explosions -> hilbert attacks von doro for the explosions -> he triggers the full extent of her wrath -> the incident -> half of soilaila dies + magic ban -> alan seeking vengeance

and it just keeps continuing. she is a tragedy, but worse than that, she is the generational cycle of suffering passed onto the next. misery who wants company.

thanks for the ask, wyked!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

@thelovelymachinery @the-letterbox-archives @illarian-rambling

@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass

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[thecomfywriter]

Why do you think Hilbert has so many simps?

okay! welcome to hilbert day! starting it off with a fun one. hi sol! thanks for the ask! let's get straight into it!

day five of tcw's 12 days of askmas--hilbert's peculiar fanbase [no spoilers]:

this is goofy because i think i actually know the reason why (unlike morreial). there are a couple of reasons i've picked up on for why hilbert has "simps".

(1) he's an interesting character:

i feel like this is the biggest factor, but i might be wrong. hilbert as a person might suck ass, but as a character, functionally for the narrative, he's FASCINATING. bro is mysterious. he's a villain, sure, but he's conflicting because in his pov, he's almost persuasive. not only towards alan, but (as i have experienced it) towards the reader as well. i feel like while reading hilbert's chapters, i found myself liking him more and justifying his existence in the story. he might be rotten to the core, but the guy exudes presence and a certain level of charisma that keeps him intriguing and entertaining.

plus, there's the entire desire to figure out what he's actually like. what is his true face? how does he look when he's not manipulating someone? who was he before the plot started? a big part of hilbert's character is the uncertainty behind his lore, which kinsa incites people to figuring him out. you almost want to make a definitive opinion about him, but each pov represents him in such conflicting ways, its hard to set your mind on if he's actually a good person or not. alan is deadset on believing hilbert has changed and wants to redeem himself. caramel refuses to even entertain the idea. morreial is just pissy at him, and cara has an odd sense of neutrality and fondness. soilaila hates him enough to try and mob him on the first day, but no one is actually arresting him for some reason. even without his limious status, he seems to hold the most power in this situation, and it begs the question why and how.

(2) bro was a dilf:

I KNOW THIS ANSWER IS WAY MORE UNSERIOUS THAN THE LAST ONE. LMAO. HEAR ME OUT.

hilbert in his prime is the entire reason why i personally started to feel conflicted about him. apart from being gorgeous (bruh... the luscious silver hair, the battle scars over his muscular body, the striking baby blue eyes, the slightly blushed cheeks and his maleficent smile? bye-- i had no business making him that majestic 😭😭), he also had this glory to him. there was a slight arrogance, but it almost felt like he deserved it. bro held the limious title for SIXTY YEARS. he went from being a nobody earth-elemental to one of the most powerful people in soilaila. he rose the ranks, got knighted by von doro herself, and became markum's biggest rival. he has this esteem to him that is simultaneously commanding and hot as balls.

THERE. I SAID IT. ARE YOU HAPPY?

all of hilbert's young chapters in sai just had me simping in the comments of the annotated draft LOL. i was so far gone it was embarrassing.

(3) the narrative:

the narrative purposefully tricks the audience a lot of the time, mainly because alan has the most chapters, and he sees hilbert in this truly respectable light. paired with how much magic hilbert knows, there's a certain degree of fascination to him that is naturally developed over the course of the book.

--

again, i could be totally wrong about all of these. for all we know, it was that one hilbert edit and the fact that bro has a v-line of the gods that caused him to develop his fanbase. you'd have to ask them. but these are personally my reasons for being on the fence with this guy. as i said previously, he's rotten to the core, but my god is he fascinating.

thanks for the ask, sol!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

@thelovelymachinery @the-letterbox-archives @illarian-rambling

@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass

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[thecomfywriter]

Who is Fdryx (probably misspelt but oh well) like what's his purpose?

no no you spelled it correctly! lets get into it :)

f’dryx’s purpose?

narratively, f’dryx’s role in the story is as a fallen hero (go figure. i seem to love those). he doesn’t really start off as a hero tho ngl. he kinda just starts off as an idiot lol

he was a regular guy who ended up in the wrong situation. unlike alan or evan, who fit more of the “chosen one” category, f’dryx could have been anyone. he wasn’t fated for this. he wasn’t described in a prophecy. he wasn’t born for this role, neither was he special. he was just your average drunken fool who made mistakes and lives life. i think that’s what i like about his story the most.

in every way, f’dryx was unspecial. that’s what makes his descent as probably one of the worst villains in elayza since hilbert so iconic to me. he was a regular joe who got mixed up with the wrong people, got tested too far, and reverted back to his animalistic desire to survive. THATS why he ends up getting “chosen” later on. not immediately. not fated for it. lemme see if i can find the drafted scene where it’s described to him on “why me?” (why him?)

you say you [redacted] yourself out, f’dryx, but that is what i loved about you. you degraded yourself, accepted absolute humiliation, tore your soul and esteem apart and stomped it into the dirt, all for a chance to survive. you sold your dignity to survive. and you don’t even know why you wanted to! you don’t even want to survive! you don’t even want to live! you accepted that you had no purpose and yet you still fought to keep your meaningless life! that sacrifice… that self sacrifice… that mindless drive to live… i wanted it. i needed it. and now, i have it. because now i have you. you are mine, f’dryx. we are bound by eternity.  - CoE [DRAFT], P

i’m not gonna spoil who is talking to him in this scene, but that’s the bare bones essence of his purpose.

thanks for the ask, sol!

[thecomfywriter]

How would Hilbert react if I gave him a snickers

this is so silly goofy lol. half the asks for hilbert day are just gaffs and it's honestly hilarious. let me answer this way too seriously lol.

day five of tcw's 12 days of askmas--hilbert's reaction to modern day delectables [no spoilers]:

okay so, per lore, hilbert's diet consisted of primarily fruits, vegetables, and hearty vegetables, with plant-based proteins since he was of the purists in soilailan society that considered the consumption of meat as "monstrous" and "animalistic" because of the semblance it carried to dragons. as a result, i feel like the modern american diet would give him an aneurysm.

mcdonalds as a whole would send him on an impassioned monologue about the blithe of society and the regressive tendencies humans carried in their woeful nature, and then compare them to cairoyas to explain how "our abstinence from such monstrosities is why we carry the light of yozar within us. not even the war commander of the gods would have reckoned with such pitiful platters."

bro was so extra for no reason lol.

he'd probably carry the same sentiments about a snickers bar. it would enrage him for NO good reason. he'd see it as an insult to offer something so, "destitute of nutrition and purposeless for the consumption of the soul and body." as you can tell, bro is an almond-mom to the bone, and he'd see anything sugary like chocolate as an insult to his limious status.

"bah! do you truly consider me so simpleminded, foolish child, that i would indulge in the temptations of the cane snakes? the intoxications of the soul masquerade in different forms, but all my eyes have been sharpened towards wisdom. you cannot harken a fool out of me, to have me indulge in such pitiful attempts of joyless delicacies. tell me, fruitless child--have you ever tasted the ambrosia of the gods? the ichor of their golden blood flows within the natural currents of this earth. why would a man such as i, who has taken seat at the zaverena's throne room--why would i entertain anything less than ambrosia? my lips have tasted more finer tarts that your feeble snickers only evoke pity from me. present me a platter worth feasting upon from the sight alone, and i shall take a chair to dine. but do not insult me with your horridities. my answer shall be my blade, next time."

--

that being said, if bro was old, haggardly, and starving like he is in tov, he would wolf i done like a freakin dog and not even thank you for the sweet.

thanks for the ask, ain!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

@thelovelymachinery @the-letterbox-archives @illarian-rambling

@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass

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[thecomfywriter]

Give me Morreial as cute/ funny animal gifs

you said memes and i said "bet."

day four of tcw's 12 days of askmas--morreial memes [no spoilers]:

-- almost forgot the revived tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

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@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie

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[thecomfywriter]

Why exactly did von doro go on a killing spree? Can she be redeemed or is redemption beyond her?

hi again wyked! ooof okay i kinda explained this in my tangent in the last ask, but i'll reiterate it here.

day six of tcw's 12 days of askmas--von doro redemption [tov and sai spoilers]:

honestly, i'm lowkey getting tired so i'll answer this ask with a quote from sai.

"omg naveena--from sai?" hell yeah, plebeian. from sai 😎

“I want him dead. I want his heart ripped out. I want his brain exploded to smithereens. I want his limbs chopped up and strung on a garland for me to wear every day around my neck. ‘Proudly’, he said.” Her sobs echoed in another burst of the volcano. “I will slaughter him proudly. No— No…. [...] I want you to kill him for me, Markum. I want you to decorate the streets with his blood and mix it with broopasha for me to feast on. I want him to suffer, first by your hand, and then keep him barely alive so he can spend his last moments suffering by mine.” - Von Doro’s oath for vengeance, Chapter 5, SaI

long story short, hilbert killing the last dragon and saying he did so proudly sent her into a grief-ridden spiral. she lashed out on all of soilaila unintentionally, because of the curse. however, at the end of the day, she didn't care to save any of them either, because every single person in soilaila had a role in the dragon hunts, and therefore, they were all irredeemable in her eyes.

as for if she can be redeemed? honestly? i believe if she was given the opportunity, she 100% could have. and she was on the path to as well. but alas... her story is a tragedy, so although she had it in her heart to seek redemption, she wasn't allowed to be redeemed. and that's why her ending hurts.

thanks for the ask, wyked!

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@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

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[thecomfywriter]

See, I won't ask you about Von Doro's simps because I get it this time, but what would you say her style of rule is? Is she more conniving, more a fan of shows of force, more willing to delegate or is she apt to do anything important herself?

hi ilia! you've got the first von doro ask for today. let's get straight into it, shall we?

day six of tcw's 12 days of askmas--von doro's ruling style [tov and sai spoilers]:

i'm going to start my answer off with an excerpt from tov, oops. from markum's words himself...

“She was… magnificent. Glorious could not describe those days adequately. Von Doro is much older than all of us, with centuries of experience on her roster, and she showed for all it in her geniality and remarkable leadership. She was made to be a Queen. Soilaila deserved nothing less than her and could receive nothing better. [...] Politics were her mother tongue, and she was fluent in the languages of peace and stability. The image you know of Von Doro is a democratic campaign to mar the great reign she truly inspired. Because if Soilaila remembers its golden age in under her rule, this democracy will seem pathetic. [...] Life was in balance when she was our Queen. They say she spoke for the Elements and that they spoke to her through the volcano. Nature was in harmony and Soilaila thrived in agriculture and magic alike with her reign. Dragons still flew above, with wingspans that combatted the clouds, and they roamed our streets like free beings. [...] Do you see the width of all our streets, boy? Makes no sense for the Bazaar to be so wide and large in now’s age, but then, both our population was robust, and the dragons were our friendly siblings. [...] What more can I tell you? The economy thrived in her wake, as the Bazaar acted as a trading hub between the dragons and the Families. With magic still very well alive and active, the Day of Gold still occurred every decade to bolster our queendom’s wealth, and the decennial volcanic explosions fertilized the lands so our resources were never lacking. [...] See our lovely abode, my boy? This was the architecture in her reign. These tall ceilings, these elmwood doors, these arches and curves—high beams and branches running along the entire spine. Its entire design was meticulous, crafty, and entirely aesthetic. The Artists of her era were inspired by her visions and conscripted by her Council for a remarkable city planning, not like the insultingly cramped slums the Jervees’ new architectural design inspires. [...] Do you see now, my boy? The glory of her era? The honesty of her character? You have not had the privilege to witness one of her courts, or you would never the mind to ever accuse Her Majesty of any wrongdoing. She was so noble and true in character, there was not a single claim she made without taking a blood oath in commitment. That is the nobility, the loyalty, the honesty of her character.” - Throne of Vengeance: Volume One, Chapter 18: ALAN and the monarchists

note: this quote is not all one paragraph in the book LOL. i just did it to condense the scene for you. the highlighted portions are to emphasize the most important parts. but now, let me actually expand on it.

von doro's monarchy was built on the principles of her indefinite authority, which was sponsored by the gods themselves. in exchange for providing soilaila with wealth, protection, and magic from the gods, she expected unshakeable loyalty to her rule and command. any deviations from this assumption, and she would rather call one of her limiouses to take care of the problem, or one of her counsellors. she rarely got involved herself, because von doro never left the volcano.

most of the common politics of the monarchy were discussed amongst her counsellors and advisors (the original purpose of the jervees), but the final decision was made by her authority alone. her counsellors couldn't overturn her rule, even if their objection carried the majority over her, simply because she was considered the voice of the gods. HOWEVER, once jer'vazir had entered von doro's courts, she considered his opinion worthy enough to challenge her own. therefore, if he opposed her, she would actually heed his counsel.

the blood oath part is a huge principle of von doro's monarchy, and why people to this day (in modern soilaila) retained their loyalties to her. a queen who was willing to sign every promise she made in blood was essentially her telling her subjects: "if i fail you, nature itself will take my life." the very fact that she still breathed was proof that she made no empty promises, which is why she was trusted.

THAT BEING SAID...

there's a reason why hilbert's debut in society as a limious started to shake the foundations of von doro's reign, and that's because he was the antithesis to her reign's weakest link: its opacity.

this isn't explored until markum and iyzela's memories in sai, where you watch the rise and fall of the monarchy first hand. i LOVE these chapters (i've said this so many times before lol oops) but MWAH MWAH. there's a line in iyzela's memories specifically where she basically tells markum "the reason why the pendulum swings his way is because he answers the questions about von doro she refuses to share. her mystery will be her downfall."

anyhow... i'm yambling at this point.

thanks for the ask, ilia!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

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@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass

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[thecomfywriter]

OH ITS EVAN DAYYYY

Gives him the most spectacular jeweled necklace that shines like a rainbow in the sunlight

I had to, anyways. He is gem boy. He is..tragic girlfriend boy. He is THE EVAN

What’s his dream home? Would he prefer to live in peace? (Please give him some peace..) who’s his favorite person and who does he dislike the most? Can I give him pie too. What’s his favorite dessert?

And what’s his spirit animal

hi hi! i'm a day late, forgive me... BUT I'M FINALLY DOING ASKS AGAIN INSTEAD OF WRITING WOOHOOO

a win.

anyhow! this is a fun one. hi smihi! let's get into it. :)

day seven of tcw's 12 days of askmas--evan's ideal life [coe spoilers??? heh??]

alrighty! first of all...

He is..tragic girlfriend boy.

not yall dogging on my boy 🤡

ANYHOW.

let's get into the questions portion of the ask.

(1) what is his dream home:

i think anywhere where he is surrounded by family who loves him would be his first answer but then, if you insisted he answer properly with a legit house, he'd describe the mountains of ividor, where the coastline of kehm's heavenly waters (the iconic beach where that one evan-faer scene happens oop-) and hellash's base lies on the other side. it's surrounded by lush forests (the non-cannibalistic kind) and has a river that travels up the mountain and down the other side. aqueducts bridge the water from the mountain to soilaila, so tall structures tower over the entire lands in a romantic architecture that adds to the city rather than takes away from its natural beauty. and, of course, the prayer's peak where he rides up to every morning and watches the sunrise would be his favourite place to rest, which lies nearby the cave of glowing crystals as rare and sparkly as glittering stars.

that's not where he ends up living though lmao L

(2) would he prefer to live in peace? please give him some peace...

LMAO OF COURSE. that's all he wants. in terms of where evan actually ends up living and what his life post-lotf series looks like, you'll be happy to know he lives at "the heavenly crossroads" in a place you guys don't know about yet, where "the golden palace" is also called "the healer's palace", aka the home of khos ja evan-yozar.

and oh my GOD it's beautiful. literally, stunningly gorgeous. you only find out about this place when fdryx ends up getting hospitalized there, and as he roams the halls during golden hour, he realized why they call evan's home the crossroads of manyar itself.

so yes, he gets peace. takes him a while, but he gets there eventually. evan is probably one of my only ocs who lives happily ever after (oops).

(3) who is his favourite person and who does he dislike the most?

his favourite person would be noctem, his manny/his family, or bimyllis, who is like a motherly figure to him. his least favourite person is probably sebastian (lmao L).

(4) can i give him pie? what's his favourite dessert?

well... see... that's complicated lmao.

for the first 5 years of evan's life, he would have answered with fruits, specifically the kespian berries that they give him on a platter during the summer (i think the scene where he canonically eats them while lounging is actually a deleted scene now womp womp). and post-lotf series, he would probably answer with kespian berries again, but this time drizzled in broopasha syrup and alongside sliced up oranges.

HOWEVER...

if we're talking about the majority of evan's series? bro hates food. can't stand it. refuses to eat. to the point where he tries to learn how to photosynthesize to avoid consuming anything edible. he literally despises eating.

(5) what's his spirit animal?

my immediate answer was hawk. i don't know why. he has a pet hawk--maybe that's why. his pet hawk is animated fire, so it sleeps in a torch and has no flesh, bones, or organs. he's just fire.

thanks for the ask, smihi!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

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@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass @real-fragments

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[thecomfywriter]

Ok, so it's Evan day and everyone loves Evan, but I want to know, what's your least favorite thing about him? What's his most irredeemable trait in your eyes?

okay! welcome to evan day! this is not the first evan ask i got in my inbox (that honour would go to satoh who sent an ask at 12:33am i believe? wild). but this one was ON MY MIND so i had to answer it first.

thanks for the ask, ilia! let's not yamble and get straight into it.

day seven of tcw's 12 days of christmas askmas--evan's largest vice [lotf series spoilers]:

okay it took me a while to put it into words what evan's biggest vice is, but i think i finally got it.

bro has the WORST coping mechanisms ever, mainly because he refuses to let people in and instead keeps everything to himself, causing the people around him to not only feel rejected and cast out, but straight up HURT.

there's no bigger example for this than evan's breakup with ____.

tbh, evan's entire relationship with X was so uncomfortable, mainly because bro had NO BUSINESS BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP AT THE TIME. he was so messy during that relationship and it was genuinely so unfair to his partner. from start to finish bro was not mentally checked in, and while i don't blame him for that, i do blame him for deciding to enter a relationship when he knew he was mentally not in the right place. that was more than an L. he literally broke her heart.

bro literally asked her out immediately after the bathtub scene with nyla. WITHIN THE SAME HOUR. that was quite literally one of the stupidest things he could have done, but the bathtub scene with nyla had him so disturbed, he ran to X for comfort, then decided to blurt out his feelings to her, and then landed himself in a relationship that he was not ready to commit to because the bathtub scene had happened literally 30 minutes ago.

he never opened up to X. never told her anything. never let her into his life or even the details of it. he purposefully kept her in the dark because it was too overwhelming to tell her things (fair enough. i wouldn't even know how to open that closet of skeletons to be fair, but i also wouldn't be pursuing a relationship if i had a closet of skeletons THAT FRESH). and obviously, when your partner is keeping secrets from you of that intensity, it causes some relationship drama.

the way they broke up was literally her begging him to tell her anything truthful about himself. it wasn't even that evan hesitated--he straight up didn't respond. didn't even look her in the eye. just looked at her feet, said "im sorry" and LEFT.

HE LEFT.

BRO WHAT-?

AND THE WORST PART IS, HE WENT RUNNING STRAIGHT BACK TO NYLA.

bro it was so bad, the freakin gods had to get involved. yozar straight up stopped evan from calling nyla because he was like, "nuh uh. stop that. you don't need her anymore, evan. why do you keep running back." and bro just broke down into tears until someone walked in, his tears completely dried up, and he pretended like everything was alright and that he was fine.

HE ALWAYS DOES THAT. THE FIRST TIME HIS SKIN GOT MELTED OFF, HE JUST COVERED IT UP AND SAID HE WAS FINE. the second time it happened, he went to noctem for help (at least), but then completely ignored the larger issue and pretended he was fine. when he lost that person in his life, he pretended he wasn't super close with them to convince everyone their death didn't affect him that much even though bro was in shambles. he didn't even tell anyone about his breakup with X because he didn't want to ruin the facade.

AND FOR THE RAHEER ARC?

it took this guy getting attacked, breaking his arm, and notbeing able to heal it for everyone to realize something was seriously wrong with him. and then they find out about the skin and they're like hehhh????

evan only lets people into his life when he's cornered into it, he has no other options, or they find out and he has to make excuses. he has such severe trust issues and such a bad habit of rather (a) coping terribly; or (b) hiding his pain, that is sabotages himself and everyone else as well. it's a learned behaviour, so i don't fault him for it as much as i need him to get his shit together and stop being messy. but until he overcomes his dependency on nyla (bruh i could go on a hyperanalysis on his relationship with nyla don't even get me started on that mess), he STAYS MESSY.

he's honestly one of the messiest characters i have.

thanks for the ask, ilia!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

@thelovelymachinery @the-letterbox-archives @illarian-rambling

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@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass @real-fragments

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[thecomfywriter]

Alright….sigh..here we go…checks notes

Did Hilbert ever love Caramel.

—

I remember you saying how being cruel and manipulative had to become second nature to be a limious, but before that…

Where did it begin? When compared to Alan’s character arch, did he have a similar “fall”, was it always going to happen? Would he be happy without being a limious? And does it have anything to do with this mysterious lover I keep hearing about..?

But most importantly, was Caramel ever more than a tool?

okay! finally finishing hilbert day oops. this is such an interesting ask. let's get straight into it.

day five of tcw's 12 days of askmas--hilbert's love for caramel [tov and sai spoilers]:

okay this is a multiparter so i'll answer this in sections. starting with his relationship with caramel:

(1) Did Hilbert ever love Caramel.

that's complicated.

once again, hilbert's genuine feelings towards everyone is unknown. however, i'll indulge you a little bit and answer what little i know about their relationship pre-tov, considering i have author privileges.

caramel was the closest thing hilbert ever had to a daughter. so in some twisted way, althought he mainly calls her "child" to piss her off, it wouldn't be far off to say some deeper part of him truly was attached to and cared for caramel. he was a terrible father, without a doubt, and he truly was bitter and horrible down to the bone. however, if you were to ask him if he ever loved caramel, he would say no, but he was proud of making her as good as she was today.

(2) Being cruel and manipulative had to become second nature to be a Limious, but before that… Where did it begin?

i actually don't ever remember saying this LMAO L on my behalf. my horrible memory strikes again. whenever i said that, allow me to clarify my previous miswording to accurately convey the burdens of being a limious.

alan's infamous (and i'm talking his most notable in BOTH books) monologue is called, 'Hindsight is a cruel power' monologue. i'll copy it down below for reference and highlight the portions i'm going to be using to clarify my previous point.

“Hindsight is a cruel power. If I may relay anything to you now, as I describe my story from the memories that haunt me, it is endless rage and frustration that arises within me. For, at every turn of the way, I had yet another person warn me of his malevolence. Belittle me for my naivety. Yet what did I do about it? Fell into the inevitability that was my fate. Blaming fate would be easy, in truth, for it removes the blame off my person. But if we speak in truth, then the truth says only one thing: I should have known better. Better than to make a blood oath. Better than to stick by it. Better than to commit all my mistakes in secret. I should have known better, been better, listened more. For Morreial was not speaking in vain when he warned me of this curse. To be a Limious is to wear gloves of scarlet and ice. I did not see its harm because I did not realize those gloves would never come off. I should have listened. But I cannot change the past. Only grieve it.” - Alan in narration (‘Hindsight is a cruel power’ monologue), Chapter 25

becoming a limious doesn't necessarily turn a person into cruel and manipulative person. 90% of the limiouses didn't become that way. that was just hilbert, and whomever hilbert mentored (aka alan and caramel). but it does force a person to become capable of losing themself in that way. there are unspeakable lengths a limious has to be capable of going to for the sake of soilaila. for some people, they die in the process, but those who survive usually morph into what hilbert had become.

when it comes to the precise turning point of hilbert, it is undefined for a reason--we don't know, and we never find out. who hilbert was before he became a limious is just as undefined as the type of limious he aspired to be. hilbert as a sane and noble limious, as 'the noble child' he calls alan, is forever left as an unknown, because the point in which he changed, or whatever had caused him to change, is never detailed to the audience. you're left to wonder if he had reached a breaking point, just as alan had, or if the nature of the job itself--the glory of the power, and the magic he had gained--if those forces had corrupted him instead.

(3) When compared to Alan’s character arch, did he have a similar “fall”, was it always going to happen?

alan and hilbert are meant to be parallels to each other. in all the ways hilbert's lore and arc is undefined, the parallels to alan are supposed to fill those gaps. by that assumption--yes, he did have a similar fall. but what caused that fall, what edge he fell from, what his breaking point was, how inevitable it was compared to alan... these are things we never find out.

(4) Would he be happy without being a limious?

if hilbert had never become a limious, he might have been sane and 'happy' in a more typical manner, but not truly. he wouldn't have been satisfied, because he wouldn't have succeeded for what he strove for. hilbert set out to be a limious. if he had never become one, sure, he wouldn't have become the miserable excuse of space that he is in tov, but he wouldn't have been happy either, because he would have never fulfilled his life's greatest ambition.

(5) And does it have anything to do with this mysterious lover I keep hearing about..?

your theory isn't far off, but i also can't confirm or deny anything, because i have chosen to keep myself in the dark about this as well, despite being the author. i don't know the extent to which eden, her lore, and the end of their relationship played on hilbert's downfall. it's funny you say this though, because i actually went on a 30 minutes mockcast episode asking all the same questions you ask me now.

the truth is, i don't know. and i don't think i ever will, because i will never write canon lore for all these unanswered questions. keeping hilbert a mystery from myself is what makes him, in my opinion, the best character i have ever written.

--

thanks for all the questions, smihi! and sorry it took me so long :((

happy writing! cheers!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

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@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass

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[thecomfywriter]

If amaka was a cat what kind would she be? What would the attitude be as well?

hi hi! first amaka ask from technically yesterday. i am putting evan asks on pause because there are too many and i'm getting behind schedule.

thanks for the ask, wyked! starting off silly. let's get straight into it.

day eight of tcw's 12 days of askmas--amaka as a cat [no spoilers]:

bro i don't know cat personalities, but she wouldn't be the hissy combative type. i imagine her as a maine coon but i don't know why. maybe like... she'd be shy and reserved. not very social, not approachable, but gentle. she wouldn't get defensive, but she wouldn't be super affectionate either. not unless she scared.

i feel like she'd be known for sitting by a windowsill and watching the rain.

thanks for the ask, wyked!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

@thelovelymachinery @the-letterbox-archives @illarian-rambling

@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass @real-fragments

[please tell me if you don't wanna be tagged i promise i will stop 🥺]

[thecomfywriter]

yall... i'm taking a break from asks to write. i am too antsy and desperate to write. lmao L

i'll finish the remaining 16 asks (double L) after the break.

or maybe i'll just hijack amaka day tomorrow. womp womp

[thecomfywriter]

Does the mother dragon have any hatchlings?

oof. lemme jump straight into it because the clock is ticking.

day six of tcw's 12 days of askmas--von doro's hatchlings [tov and sai spoilers]:

tldr: yes. yes she does. plenty, actually. not many of them are directly related to her, but in the now non-canon version of the story, she had 2.

in the current draft, i'll say she has hatchlings that are hers, but how many and when they are introduced, i shall keep a secret.

cheers!

-- the holiday limited-edition tag list --

@wyked-ao3 @an-indecisive-nerd @drchenquill

@paeliae-occasionally @theink-stainedfolk @inseasofgreen

@thelovelymachinery @the-letterbox-archives @illarian-rambling

@bunnymermaidwrites @the-golden-comet @sm-writes-chaos

@leahnardo-da-veggie @corinneglass

[please tell me if you don't wanna be tagged i promise i will stop 🥺]