#they taught the people to fear mages and justified it with faith

[lizzybeeee]

Who wants to bet that Anders was planned to be in that post-credit's Executor cutscene montage but they changed it to Bartrand when they realized it would go over real badly with everyone?

[on-a-lucky-tide]

Nightmare of the Wolf: Review

There be spoilers ahead! For both the movie and other canons.

Context: I was really excited about this movie. Really excited. It's no secret that my favourite part of The Witcher as a franchise is the lore behind the witchers. I was hoping this would give me faith in The Witcher: Blood Origin, even if the main show was a complete loss for me personally. Vesemir, Vesemir, Vesemir. Yes, give me more of a hugely overlooked character.

Summary: I am bitterly disappointed, and the more I think about what I've seen, the more disappointed I become. I would like to emphasise that this is my personal opinion, but I feel like the movie overlooked/understated a major lesson of the IP, and that's the power of hatred and prejudice to stir up fear, and how genocide/massacres are always "justified" with lies.

Positives (there are some):

Vesemir's characterisation in the movie will hopefully do a lot to equalise the Papa Vesemir headcanon that many have, but also the one that tries to paint him as an uncaring monster: he's more complex than both. In the movie, he starts off as a rogue that completely dismisses Fil's request for aid. This is a far cry from how we know/see Geralt behave, regularly sacrificing himself and his 'neutrality' to do the right thing (to the point he sacrifices his life in Rivia after finally deciding to live for himself). This is something he learns from his mentor.

By the end of the movie, Vesemir is something of the man that will turn Geralt into what we know. I kept one of Geralt's lines while fighting the Wild Hunt from TW3 in the back of my mind ("Who taught you to fight like that?" "The man you slew."), because it encompasses their relationship for me. Probably because of Cockle's delivery of the line, to be honest.

Luka! Queer representation.

The one-armed witcher and other witchers with visible disabilities and deformities as a result of their profession. I figure he's half-dwarf (because we all know thoroughbred non-humans can't be witchers, right, Hissrich? RIGHT?)

Witchers as roguish bastards. Yes, please. More, I love it. Not all witchers are nice people (like not all humans are nice people); I like the emphasis on Geralt as the exception to the norm (and perhaps Eskel and Lambert too, based on my previous canon analysis).

There is lots of scope to write fanfiction about the relationship between Fil and Vesemir, but I haven't really liked the movie enough to spend time on it myself, so I will look forward to the efforts of others.

The soundtrack! Oh my - it was great.

Negatives (fuck, where do I begin?):

The Leshen. It's later explained that monsters have been spliced and mutated, but what the actual fuck was that? Other than the bursting into bats thing and the vines, it was wholly unrecognisable as a forest spirit.

What the fuck are those Signs? Vesemir makes a literal light display. I know it's "anime", but, c'mon.

Do we not have enough raven-haired sorcerers, Netflix? Could we not have adapted her character model a little to make her more unique and less generic?

They buried their gay because of course they fucking did. Why not behead one of the other witchers? Why not let Luka die in the battle with his brothers? It just felt so... predictable.

"Vesemir gave me my name" - are we to understand that scene right at the end was Vesemir giving Geralt his name? But Lambert and Eskel already had theirs while they were going through the Grasses? And Geralt's already been through, so he had his name? Is this an inconsistency or Netflix forgetting canon again?

Lambert and Eskel are older? Or is Geralt just that malnourished? Not only are you taking away Eskel as Geralt's closest friend from me, you're also going to take Lambert as the last to be mutated? The youngest wolf witcher?

A mage justifying hatred with corruption is... laughable. I think (I hope) we're meant to pick up on the absurdity of that, but I'm not convinced some viewers will.

They could have shown Tetra’s plans a little? Was she conspiring with someone else? How did she gather those mages? Why were they following her lead? Mages sometimes fight within themselves, did everyone support that group? Did the conclave know about it? (Some friends have said it could have been a mini-series; I agree, but then I would have had to endure a greater massacre of the IP I loved, so... you know).

They kinda fridged it (look up WiR or "fridging")? They killed Vesemir's love interest so that he had the motivation to... be a better person? To at least keep some of the promises that he made to her? To move his plot and story along? I... hmm, great.

And here it is. My main one:

They turned the pogrom into something that could be "justified/deserved"/gave it any reasoning whatsoever: the witchers were making new monsters to kill innocent people so they could keep working.

They literally ripped another part of the soul out of the IP. The pogroms were meant to be a product of fear, hate and prejudice. The idea that the Witchers - now they weren't really needed, because they had the audacity to demand payment for their work - were now unwelcome. It was part of a bigger anti-nonhuman sentiment spreading through the Continent; an extension of the one that had consumed the elves and every other non-human race. The "oop, we created this to serve us but now it's slightly problematic so we're going to try and bury them". Not a crusade by a pissed off sorceress that required her to 'reveal proof' of their duplicity.

There was a small nod to the fact that some witchers were looking for other work (therefore not all part of this scheme; Vesemir wasn't), but when mapped together with the rest of the movie? What the fuck.

Overall, the lore was a mess. I'm still trying to work out the timelines and where Netflix has decided to place Lambert, Eskel and Geralt. Needless to say, I won't be using any of this canon in my stories. Nothing. Zilch. I made a post saying it never claimed to be "based on anything" (spoiler: it claimed that in the actual credits though) so we could see it as fun, but it wasn't fun for me after the first 15 minutes. Because it so seriously missed the heart and soul of the witcher.

The Rivian Pogrom that kills Geralt is never really explained. You know why? Because hatred is illogical. That's the point. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT. That isn't targeted at Witchers specifically, but non-humans.

But, according to the Nightmare of the Wolf: the witchers invited the sacking on to themselves. Fuck. Off.

And just in case you think you have to acknowledge any of this as canon? Here's the showrunner giving you permission to yeet her entire fanfiction and make your own.

Thanks, SparkNotes. I'll keep that in mind. You need to drop the "based on the books" bit and replace it with "loosely inspired by" (or did we just read two entirely separate series?)

[mimikoflamemaker]

Witcher OC Ask Meme – Neve

In the spirit of @oxenfurt-archives​ January Theme “Something Ends and Something Begins” and introductory ask meme for Neve. Neve is my disaster child and I love her, however it took me literal years to create her – I was fan of the books before the games came out, but it was the Witcher 3 that finally gave me the ground I could work on comfortably. Let’s see what came out of it.

(ask meme by @mollumaukerie)

21. Has your OC ever encountered a sentient monster or a relict? What was the interaction like?

Not yet – she is about to be in a close proximity with a fiend though she won’t directly fight it. And she will have plenty of chances to meet sentiment monsters from this point onward and broaden her knowledge. We’ll see how it goes.

22. Has your OC ever taken the life of a human? Why?

Only once? Neve lost the count of how many lives she had taken – all faces starts to look the same at some point. And it was a simple matter of survival at first. She found herself with choosing between surviving and killing, and the choice was not difficult choice – she chose herself. Time and time again. Then she made a profession out of it – as a mercenary she was often hired to the tasks that one way or another involved killing. And she stopped caring about bloodying her hands a long time ago. It’s work. And it pays.

Thought she did try to balance it out by working with her healing knowledge.

And it’s always difficult to take a life of someone important to her. Even indirectly.

23. Has your OC ever encountered a Place of Power? What did they experience?

She did. She even felt it humming, but she is incapable of drawing from it.

24. Are they religious? Do they keep faith with a regional pantheon, follow the teachings of the Great Sun, or hold no belief in a higher power?

Neve claims she believes in no gods – because if there were any deities out there, they would not keep the world such a shit hole. Alternatively, they enjoy seeing all the evil people are capable of and are enjoying the spectacle. Either way, they do not deserve her respect and prayers. But there are times, the times when nobody sees her or the times of great distress when she could be caught repeating the prayers to Melitele she was taught so long ago. To be honest, Melitele is not all that bad, even if she doesn’t listen, she is at least a deity of peace and nature, to thins that are close to her hear, regardless of everything.

25. Do they have an opinion on Mages, Witchers, and Scoia'tael?

Neve is scared of mages – she is well aware how much power they hold and how easily every single one of them could reduce her to ash. But she is scared of mind reading the most – her very existence depends on how well she could fool other people, so to interact with someone able to see through her act easily is not something she would willingly do. Therefore, she avoids mages whenever she can and tries to avoid attracting their attention when she has no ability to do so.

She heard stories about witchers – just like everyone else. She knew they are renowned swordsmen and wanted to see that firsthand. She was generally rather curious about them. But she never met one until Geralt crossed her path. She was never the one to condemn them for being “freaks” or “mutants” - she knew well enough that humans will fear and loath everything that is different than them. It was therefore easy to trust first Geralt and then the others and learn to appreciate their skills and what they do. Ven if they tend to be broody assholes why doing it. She is no better after all.

And Scoia’tael – she thinks they are fighting the lost battle, even if she understands their desire for freedom. She grew among them true, but she was never convinced enough that it was her fight too. She thinks they would be much better off it they decided to assimilate like she did, but it’s their choice, if they prefer to die fighting for something that they could never get.

26. How do they feel about the Nilfgaardian wars? Do they see it as a conquest or a liberation?

Wars opened plenty of work possibilities for her, so she is not going to complain about it. She saw all the horrors and the cruelty, she facilitated some too, but as long as it did not affect her, she was ready and willing to turn a bind eye to it… to a degree.

And frankly sometimes she thinks that Nilfgaard can at least eradicate the hate and the prejudice so rife in the Northern Kingdoms. And make her life a little bit easier.

27. Has your OC been affected or caught up in the war? If so, how did it affect them?

Neve saw so much violence and cruelty, that she became very nearly desensitized o it. And of course, she got caught up in the war – it’s a great source of work after all, for people not afraid to get her hands dirty. She worked for both Northern Kingdoms and Nilfgaards depending on who paid more, though she picked her contracts carefully, when it became apparent that the Nilfgaard was the winning side.

Did it affect her in any way? If anything, it just convinced her that caring is overrated. Survival of the fittest or something. And through one thing or another it made her realize how tired she was of such existence. Alas, it was the only one she ever knew.

28. Has your OC been betrayed by someone? Have they ever betrayed someone else?

More than once – Neve has a long history of using people to her advantage and then betraying them. And she has even longer history of being used/betrayed by other. Even the elves from her commando were quick to label her as a traitor. Usually she doesn’t care, but it always hurt a bit when the betrayal comes from someone, she considered an ally – even if she always expects it. And she feels guilty whenever she had to betray a person that became important to her. It happened more times than she is willing to admit, despite her trying to be honest with the people she came to care about.

29. Do they trust easily, or do they suspect others too much?

Is trust even a thing? Neve was taken advantage of way too many times to ever trust someone on the spot. She expects others to have ill intentions and more often than not she is right to expect the worst of people. On the rare occasions when she is surprised by people, like with Geralt, she is willing to extend a tentative trust towards them. And with time maybe even trust them fully, but it will always take her a long while.

30. Are they the kind to forgive and forget, forgive but never forget, or never forgive and never forget?

Definitely, never forgive and never forget. She is used to people hurling all sorts of profanities at her and that sort of thing no longer bother her. But there always will be acts that are too much even for her. And then, there is no force that can stop her from extracting her revenge. Even if it would take her a long time to get it.

31. Has your OC ever had to sacrifice something, or someone? Do they feel guilty for it or justified?

Neve habitually uses people. And just as she is willing to betray them when needed, she is equally fine with sacrificing them if it furthers her goal. She doesn’t really care about those betrayals seeing them as necessity. Now, if she had to sacrifices someone she truly, deeply cares about, she would much rather take the fall herself. And if that was not possible, she would be wracked with guilt.

32. Do they believe in destiny? Or do they believe more so in chance and chaos? 

If destiny was a thing it would mean hers was a shitty one from the day she was born. And it’s much easier to deal with if she thinks it’s all a matter of coincidence. Maybe there is something more out there for some people, but very clearly not for her.

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

[bubonickitten]

So what do you think are anders best traits (other than him worrying about mage rights and him being a compassive healer?) I really love him and I love the way you write about him so I'm just curious.

There’s a lot I love about him :0

I mean, on a personal level, he’s a really relatable character for me, so that’s part of why I like him so much.

But I also like him as a character in general. (I’ll put this post under a cut bc it got long.) 

Him being a compassionate healer and being incredibly passionate about mage rights are huge parts of his character and they’re honestly two of the biggest things that make me like him so much. 

Like, here’s a person who was subject to systemic abuse for most of his life, who knows full well the repercussions of rebelling against the status quo, but does it anyway, because his convictions are just that strong. He knows that the Circle and the Chantry are fundamentally wrong. He’s experienced and witnessed firsthand what happens to people who fight back. Hell, when we meet him Awakening, he’s only just recently been released from a year of solitary confinement for running away - he just got out and as soon as he was able to, he ran again. If he gets caught and sent back to the Circle again, he’s going back into solitary confinement at the very least, and by the time he’s in Kirkwall, he’s also possessed by a spirit, so he’s risking just being killed outright. He’s risking everything by fighting back so openly and actively, but he does it anyway. 

And it’s not just Justice’s presence that makes him so willing to fight. Even when he was running, he was fighting back, because by constantly running away, he was refusing to submit. But in Awakening, Anders did feel like he couldn’t have any impact on the status quo - he believed that things would change eventually, he believed that the way mages are treated is inherently and fundamentally wrong and one day things would be different, but he didn’t think he’d ever see it in his lifetime, and he didn’t believe he of all people could do anything to enact change. Justice helped him realize that he could be an agent of change, but that fire and that strong sense of right and wrong were already there - it just needed to be validated and encouraged, which Justice did for him. 

And I do like that Anders needed support to be able to get to that point, bc I feel like that’s... realistic, y’know? I don’t like the idea that everyone should have to fend for themselves and not have to rely on others to stand up and fight. He couldn’t do it alone, and there’s nothing wrong with that. He hasn’t gotten much support from others throughout his life, so I like that in this instance, he had someone to lean on. (And I still wish there were more opportunities to support him more actively in DA2.)  

Like, it was difficult for Anders to admit to those feelings of powerlessness - which is entirely understandable, because in his experience, showing that kind of vulnerability could get him killed or worse (if the templars considered a mage to be weak-willed, they might not even give them a chance at the Harrowing and just make them Tranquil outright - and Anders is canonically mentally ill, which I imagine added an extra burden in terms of hiding his vulnerability). So, outwardly, he talked a big talk about only being concerned with his own freedom and pretends to be more apathetic and careless than he actually is. 

This also shows a lot in terms of his sense of humor - it’s a lot of morbid sarcasm, irreverent joking, gallows humor even - because he uses it as a shield and a coping mechanism. Ngl, I love that aspect of him, it’s one of the things that started endearing him to me in Awakening first. I play my Hawke as having a similar sense of irreverent, snarky humor, so they play well off of one another. Humor as a coping mechanism is a character trait I tend to appreciate and relate to a lot, haha. 

Anyway, I think in actuality he cares so much it hurts. It might not seem like it when we first meet him in Awakening, but I think it’s just that it’s easier and psychologically safer for him to pretend he doesn’t care than it is to admit that he does care but feels powerless to change things. It takes a lot of strength (and also support from others, which again, is something that Anders hasn’t had much of throughout most of his life) to be able to confront your own vulnerability and try to channel it into something that benefits others. 

But even in Awakening, his actions often contradicted the “I don’t care about anyone but myself” talk - if you tell him to run away in the beginning of the game, he’ll do so, but he shows back up like five minutes later because he felt like he couldn’t leave the Warden to fight the darkspawn alone (he jokes about being “bad at the whole ‘fugitive from justice’ thing”, which... turns out to be way more accurate than he may even realize in that moment). In the endgame, he’s not eager to go along with the Warden to Amaranthine, but if you do bring him, he’s one of the companions who will argue against leaving Amaranthine to burn - his instincts might tell him to run, but he cares too much about the survivors in Amaranthine to leave them to their fate. 

Not to mention, canonically, spirit healers are kinda rare. They derive a lot of their power from spirits of compassion, which means earning spirits’ trust and cooperation. A person who isn’t compassionate probably wouldn’t be able to earn that cooperation of a spirit of compassion in the first place. Not to mention his interest in being a healer in general - it’s a big part of his identity, to the point where in DA2, one of the things he worries most about is not being able to heal anymore because he’s so afraid that he or Justice will accidentally hurt one of his patients.

I think a lot of his attachment to the healer role is also tied up in his own internalized belief that he has to be a Good Mage in order to deserve freedom - it seems contradictory, it’s something that goes against his stated principles, mages shouldn’t have to prove themselves and be ‘good’ mages according to the Chantry’s fucked up doctrine to deserve freedom and life and love, but he lived in the Circle for at least half his life and he definitely internalized a lot of the hateful messages they taught about mages. Fighting against those teachings is a constant battle for him - which also ties into his occasional crises of faith, because he’s an Andrastian and all the spiritual authorities in his life have taught him that he’s a non-person, that he’s inherently sinful and cursed and deserving of subjugation because he’s a mage. 

So, he has a lot of moments of self-doubt. He has a lifetime of trauma and abuse that affect his present well-being. He has a lot of self-loathing and a lot of fear of himself (the latter esp after merging with Justice). He doesn’t see himself as worthy of love or care, even if he talks passionately about how mages deserve those things - he often doesn’t give himself the same consideration that he’s willing to give others. He has an incredibly complicated relationship with his own anger - because his anger is totally and completely justifiable, but it scares him, because he associates rage and anger with demons and loss of control. (I think a big source of the conflict btwn he and Justice is how they differ re: embracing and accepting anger. For Justice, that anger is righteous fury, it’s justified, it’s a source of passion and change. For Anders, it’s a source of fear and insecurity a lot of the time. I think a lot of their miscommunication is rooted in that fear.)

But Anders works himself half to death trying to help as many people as he can for as long as he can, and even though he’s barely making a dent in all the suffering he sees in the world, even though he’s risking everything, he just keeps going, because that’s how strongly he believes and that’s how much he cares. Every mage he helps escape the Gallows, every patient he helps in his clinic is worth it to him. That kind of perseverance in the face of hopelessness and doubt and a world set against you is really admirable to me.

And I also like how clear it is that it doesn’t come easy to him. It’s not just some inspiration porn “you can do anything you set your mind to if you just try :)” thing. He stumbles a lot. He fails a lot. He spends most of DA2 in a constant state of anxiety and desperation (esp since he really doesn’t get much support from the people closest to him, except like… Justice and Hawke, if you play Hawke in a supportive role). He’s idealistic, but he can’t help but dip into periods of hopelessness and depression and doubt - partly because he has a mood disorder, partly because that’s just… expected for someone who’s seen as much shit as he has. His life is messy and he’s tired and it shows. But even when he’s running, he’s fighting. Sometimes, survival is in itself a form of rebellion and he’s a walking example of that. He is stubborn and although sometimes it’s a negative, it also has its perks. And that passion doesn’t just manifest as rage - it’s also love, because lbh, he is a hopeless romantic (in a dorky, endearing way at times) and in his romance route he loves Hawke fiercely.  

It’s a shame that he didn’t get more positive character development in DA2 (it’s no secret how resentful I am toward the writers, he and Justice really deserved better). I headcanon him over time learning how to communicate and coexist with Justice; learning to practice self-care and be kinder to himself; more fully accepting that he has a right to be angry and he doesn’t have to prove that he’s deserving of personhood or love.

And he has a fair amount of flaws for sure - he has a tendency to project his insecurities onto others (e.g. Merrill), he’s not a good ally to other marginalized groups (e.g. elves), he sometimes lashes out at others when they don’t deserve it (which, although I understand why he behaves that way, it still isn’t fair to others who are on the receiving end), he was manipulative in the ‘Justice’ quest (I understand his motivations but despite his intentions it wasn’t acceptable behavior) - but I think he has an ability to better himself in those areas and I like to headcanon that personal growth for him. (That’s not to say I want him to be a flawless character - nobody’s perfect, and a flawless character would be pretty flat and unrealistic, but I also like when characters are allowed to have personal growth in a positive direction.)

I guess, in all, he’s an interesting, likable, and relatable character for me - I wish the writers treated him better, I have a lot of criticisms wrt how he (and Justice) were written (including how Anders was treated as a bipolar character), and I’m also willing to criticize him where it’s deserved (I have a whole tag full of meta w/ my criticisms of him) - but overall he’s one of my faves.

 Tbh the reason why DA2 is my fave game in the series (despite all of my criticisms of the writing in it, esp Act 3) is the characters. Hawke is my favorite protag and DA2 has probably my favorite companion group - like, Anders, Merrill, Fenris, Isabela, and Varric are some of my fave characters in the whole series - so the characters are ultimately what make me like that game.  

[framboisezakuro]

101 Questions with Fram

1. What is your full name? Do you have a nickname? Framboise Zakuro. Though most of the company has taken a liking to the nickname “Fram.”

2. How old are you? When is your birthday? I am 23 at this point. I was born on the 21st Sun of the 1st Umbral Moon.

3. Where were you born? Where do you live now? Are you patriotic? I was born in the Jadeite Thick, located in Gridania. As for patriotic…hmn…I wouldn’t consider my feelings towards Gridania ‘rigorous’ or akin to 'devotion’…but I am fond of my homeland, yes.

4. Who are/were your parents? (Names, occupations, personalities, etc.) I do not know my parents very well. I was raised by my older siblings.

5. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like? I am the eighth eldest of my siblings. When I left home, there were twelve of us total. I don’t think you wish to be bored by the minutiae of my siblings respective personalities. The one thing we all share in common, though, is that we are all intelligent.

6. What is your occupation? I am a magic user. Most people think of me as a Healer primarily, but I aim to master most of the magical arts.

7. How tall are you? How much do you weigh? 5 Fulms 11 Ilms…as for weight, er…I haven’t checked lately. I’m afraid to find out.

8. What color is your hair? What color are your eyes? Erm…(And this is why she keeps her hair short, so she can’t really think about it.) My hair is an icy pale blue with berry-ish highlights (the blue came in as I got older…I was born with primarily berry-colored hair, which is where I got my name). My eyes are pink. Albino pink.

9. What is your race? Miquo'te, Keeper of the Moon

10. To which social class do you belong? Adventurer seems to be its own social class, wouldn’t you think?

11. Do you consider yourself to be attractive? Do others? …the timing of this question couldn’t be worse. I do try to take some pride in my appearance, keeping myself properly groomed and dressed, but…well, I don’t consider myself to be above average.

As for others, well…several girls seem to think so, but they’re my friends, so I’m certain they’re just being nice.

12. What is your style of dress? Typically it’s practicality vs. frivolity, however I tend to favor pastel hues.

13. Do you have any scars? Tattoos? Birthmarks? Other unique physical features? Outside of my usual tribal marks, no. Some people consider my coloring unique, but otherwise, I’m rather ordinary.

14. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses? No allergies, fortunately. As for physical weaknesses - I get cold rather easily, and start to get dizzy when there’s lightning out. I’m not very strong, though I do think I have fairly decent stamina. I just cannot carry a lot.

15. Are you right- or left-handed? When using a staff or wand, I am right-handed. I write left-handed, however.

16. What does your voice sound like? Japanese: Kuwashima Houko English: Kelly Sheridan

17. What kind of vocabulary do you use? Whatever best suits the situation, really. I was told once that you needed a dictionary to hold a conversation with me, but I believe that to be exaggeration.

18. List three quirks or other defining characteristics. I rub the back of my neck when nervous or tense, or ruffle the back of my hair…I tend to hold my chin when I’m thinking hard. 

19. How often do you bathe? Do you wear perfumes? Every day, if I can help it! It’s one of the few luxuries these days I make time for. As for perfume, I tend to favor orange blossom, rose, or lavender.

20. What kind of facial expression do you commonly wear (dour glare, wry smile, etc)? Wide-eyed wonder is a facial expression, right? That or a thoughtful stare.

21. Do you use body language? How? I fear that I am quite an open book when it comes to conveying my emotions. I shy away, shrug, hunch my shoulders, the whole gamut. Sometimes I don’t realize I’m doing it, other times…well, I just wish others would be attentive enough to pick up on non-verbal cues…

22. Do you have a commonly used saying? Not that I’m aware of…though I’ve found myself calling others 'reckless’ more often than I’d like.

Childhood

23. What is your earliest memory? I do not remember how it was done, but I had broken my leg when I was very tiny. One day my siblings hid my crutches from me and I had to spend the entire day crawling with one good leg until I could find them.

24. How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy it? Before pursuing my magic, I was taught to read by my older siblings. All other schooling was entirely self-instigated.

25. Where did you learn most of your knowledge and skill? Primarily from the masters of Conjury found in Gridania, though I’ve been gleaning so much from the other guildmasters in Thaumaturgy and the masters of the Arcane…they don’t realize it, but I learn a great deal from my friends in the Company and, well…every day is a learning experience, when you’re someone whose calling is in nature and the life-force around us.

26. How would you describe your childhood in general? I would rather not describe it at all, thank you. But if I must…it was noisy, chaotic, and you had to look out for yourself. Everyone had their 'favorite’ siblings, but that didn’t mean you weren’t ridiculed by them, even if it was all in good fun. I rarely saw my parents, if ever. They may have been aunts and uncles, or siblings, for all I know.

27. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Something other than “Number Eight.”

28. When and with whom was your first kiss? …it is not common knowledge, but…(now she feels bad for lying about it) It was shortly before I left. I had feelings for someone, but they were family. Who else would it have been? We were very insular, so…I couldn’t leave without telling him - my uncle - how I felt. Had he answered me different, perhaps I never would have left. But here I am.

29. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity? My first time time was around three years ago with my adventuring partner and co-owner of the Floating Leaves, Galen Aubrey. As of two years ago, he is no longer around, though I aim to find him.

30. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? Does that affect you? (Fram mentally rolls her eyes. Her entire family is notorious.) No.

Influences

31. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far? Leaving home, by far.

32. What do you consider your greatest achievement? I do not think I’ve done anything worth bragging over. Perhaps becoming an archon mage, though I have much further still to go.

33. What is your greatest regret? See: First Kiss.

34. What is the most embarrassing or shameful thing ever to happen to you? See: Greatest Regret.

35. Do you have any secrets? If so, what are they? If I told you I had none, you wouldn’t believe me. So instead, I’ll tell you: I have plenty of secrets. Truth always comes out in due time. This is not that time.

…and, erm…perhaps I fib a little bit about how naive I am. That doesn’t mean I enjoy talking about it!

36. What is the most evil thing you have ever done? I suppose that depends upon who you ask. I have slain many creatures in my travels. I would be shocked if that hasn’t contributed to the wrath of the elementals.

37. When was the time you were the most frightened? My first thunderstorm away from home. I quite sincerely believed I would be washed away or struck by lightning.

38. Have you ever traveled outside of your country? If so, to where? I tend to stay close to those I am familiar with. If I were to travel further, I would want company.

Beliefs

39. What is your alignment? I try to do what is right and fair for all involved. I shy away from breaking rules when I can help it. (Lawful Good)

40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic? Primarily optimistic, I like to think? Though perhaps pessimistic in certain realms…

41. Do you believe in a god? If so, which one and why? I believe in the existence of greater powers. Often others find themselves worshiping these greater powers as their 'gods.’ While I do not deny their existence, I do question their sovereignty.

42. Do you believe in an afterlife? I believe in Reincarnation, if we wish to go into the specifics of what happens when you die.

43. What is your greatest fear? That all that I am putting myself through will be for naught.

44. What makes you angry? Sad? Happy? Why? Suffering makes me sad. Ignoring it makes me angry. Putting an end to it is what brings me joy. If you have to ask why, you are part of the problem.

45. Do you think people are basically good or basically evil? I think people are basically selfish. You’d assume that such a quality would mean that they are evil, but everything requires balance. If you neglect self, those around you will suffer as well. I believe everyone is capable of balance, though it may require more work for others.

46. What are your views on politics? Religion? Sex? My family either manipulated politics to their benefit, or acted starkly against them. I tend to operate independent of them, though I suppose that’s impossible after a certain point, considering the current Eorzean climate.

While I do not subscribe to a current faith, I do find religion to be something that is typically of benefit to society. If religion is what drives people to do good for others, I find the end justifies the means.

I have heard many differing views on sex. I do not find that the possibility of dying is justifiable reason to bed with anyone you fancy. After all, what if you survive the next day and regret it? You have to weigh one regret against the other, and I would rather not deal with that.

47. What are your views on gambling, lying, theft, and killing? If someone chooses to gamble, that is their own business. Everyone lies. Sometimes it’s for their own sake. The truth always comes out, and they will have to face the consequences when it does. If that’s the choice they wish to make, so be it.

Theft is unacceptable. There are plenty of groups and parties who distribute goods out of charity. It is only a matter of finding them.

Killing and murder are different things. Both are unfortunate, while murder is something that must have its consequences.

48. How far will you go to defend your beliefs? It depends on what’s at stake. Different beliefs can co-exist, after all.

49. How much do you value money? I like to have enough to afford the creature comforts I’d rather not do without. But I do not feel the need to hoard all that I earn.

50. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do? The torture and slaughter of innocents.

51. Do you believe in self-sacrifice for the greater good? Only if you are absolutely certain it will work.

52. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love? …I haven’t given it much thought.

53. Are you superstitious? Oh, no! Haha…absolutely not.

54. How much do you respect the beliefs and opinions of others? I…believe I am pretty respectful? I at least try to be. That isn’t really a question you should be asking me.

55. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings? I may not give the entire truth, but I always give the truth. Almost always.

56. Do you have any biases or prejudices? I tend to favor those who exhibit some form of self-restraint. I do not find such behavior to be difficult, so I cannot exactly wrap my mind around why people would be so reckless, loud, or flamboyant.

I also tend to look down on those that are lazy. Inexcusable.

Dealing With Others

57. Who is the most important person in your life, and why? I…don’t know. (those words feel so strange coming out of her mouth) I mean, it sounds strange, but I don’t feel as though I deserve to claim that any of my family is, but I haven’t really known anyone that long, and…I don’t know. I don’t have anyone. (Which is strange. She’s never fancied herself a Lone Wolf.)

58. Who is the person you respect the most? Despise the most? Why? There is such a fine line, how quickly love can cross-over into complete hatred, isn’t it? (That may be the best answer she has to offer.) As for respect, there are several. Perhaps what attracted me to Galen so long ago was the respect I had for him.

59. Do you have a significant other? Who? I did, once.

60. Do you have a lot of friends? Who is your best friend? I have several friends. Who I may feel I am closest to may not be reciprocated. I’m afraid to say.

61. How do you relate to members of the same race? Class? Sex? I have found that I have yet to run into any other Keepers that have quite the same outlook as I do. They are usually much sharper and cunning than I am. I fear they typically run circles around me. They are usually in much better shape physically than I am, too. More ruthless, more dangerous. I really am no match for them.

I’ve noticed a peculiar dearth of Healers so far. I wonder where they all are?

62. How do you relate to members of a different race? Class? Sex?

There are too many variants to the 'race’ aspects that I could not even endeavor to answer that concisely. I seem to get on best with Arcanists, since they are the next closest thing to Conjurers. I have a healthy respect for Disciples of War, for they do something I would never be capable of.

As for members of the opposite gender, as long as they are polite and not over-bearing, I think I am able to carry a conversation with them. I’m not sure if I can 'relate’ to them, however…

63. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened. How does any young girl fall in love? A man, often older than you, pays you the smallest amount of positive attention, extends an act of kindness, and in a matter of seconds - minutes, at most - he becomes your world. He is none the wiser, and ultimately, all the better for it.

First love is always foolish, and nearly always doomed. It is often romanticized as some magical moment, but for me, it was poison. It was the only thing that kept me nailed to complacency, and it wasn’t until I had destroyed it myself that I was truly set free.

64. What do you look for in a potential lover? I don’t look. Even if he were to push me, challenge me - love is for comfort and settling, is it not? There is no place for the word “love” in my vocabulary.

65. How close are you to your family? …I am close to my family in varying degrees of intimacy. Some I would rather not engage with, others I miss daily.

66. Do you want a marriage, family, and/or children? Perhaps when I am satisfied with the person I have become. I have not reached that point in my life.

67. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict? I am rather fearful of confrontation, though if someone states something that is blatantly false, I consider it a duty to speak out against it.

68. Are you a listener or a talker? …I have been known to veer on both sides of that extreme.

69. How long does it usually take for you to trust others? Longer than I would like, and with good reason.

70. Do you hold grudges? I do not forget patterns of behavior, but everyone gets one slight against me. After that I tend to keep at arm’s length.

71. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations? Oh, I would really rather not. There are far better people for those sorts of roles. Zi, for one. A’Mirah, Arcene…anyone, really.

72. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? The larger the group, the easier I blend in…

73. How well do you express yourself? I think I am proficient at expressing myself when necessary. There are times when others don’t understand me, but I don’t think that’s my fault?

74. How quickly do you judge others? Quite quickly. And usually–though not always–I’m pretty well on the mark. I think.

75. Do you care what others think of you? Not terribly. I tend to keep to myself. (She totally cares.)

76. Do you have any enemies? How or why are they your enemy? I have people I like to stay away from. Why would I ever want to mingle with unsavory sorts? I’m not sure if I would call them enemies…they would have to know who I am, for starters, and I’m just a nobody.

Personal Taste and Opinions

77. What is your favorite pastime? Color? Food? Possession? Bathing. (Totally serious.) Aqua blue and pink (wasn’t she asked this a few times before?). Fish and other seafood.

And I have a beautiful knife with a pearlized handle adorned with jewels. It’s…rather expensive-looking, so I don’t usually pull it out unless necessary.

78. What are your preferences in arts and/or entertainment? Culinary arts is my preference, actually. I haven’t had much exposure in most other arts, I’m afraid. I find literature to be my favorite form of entertainment.

79. Do you smoke, drink, go whoring, or use drugs? Why or why not?. …I’ll drink something if it’s sweet or floral enough. Typically it’s if I’m too tense or if I’m mentally stumped on a problem. Other than that, I do not partake in any other indulgences along those lines.

80. How do you spend a typical Saturday night? Either working or practicing some alchemy.

81. What is your most cherished fantasy? To make a noticeable dent in the world’s suffering as a result of my knowledge.

82. How long is your attention span? …admittedly not very good, unless I isolate myself. My mind never really stops going, and it’s quick to derail any train of thought I might have…Perhaps if I were to focus better, I’d be further along my studies by now.

83. Do you laugh a lot? What do you find funny? I’ve never thought about it…I suppose I laugh when I find something amusing, or if I’m flattered by something…which is often enough, so, I suppose I do laugh more than average?

84. Is there anything that shocks or offends you? If so, what? Oh, far too many to list. I strongly believe that there are many things that should be kept private, so when I hear people talking about their affairs in such lackadaisical ways, I find myself at a loss.

85. How do you deal with stress? I bathe. Or read. Or–both, actually! Usually with a nice cup of rose or lavender tea.

86. How much athletic ability do you have? Artistic? Athletic? Absolutely none. I am a complete klutz. I’ve been that way since early childhood. (See: Earliest memory.) Artistic..? Hmm…I don’t really think I have anything along those lines, either. I’m more analytical than creative.

87. Do you like animals? Do you like children? I like both of those things very much! Enough to want to dedicate my life to protecting them.

88. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan? Always. Plan. Ahead. Always.

89. What are your pet peeves? …spontaneity? –And laziness.

Self-Image

90. What is your greatest strength as a person? Weakness? My intellect is my greatest strength. My weakness is most certainly my inability to focus. (At least, this is how she sees it.)

91. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? …it’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing. I suppose that lack of focus would be a good place to start. And maybe that thing that seems to summon rain whenever I step outdoors…(but she’s not superstitious or anything) My near-sightedness would be lovely to rid myself of too, come to think of it. My inability to wear a longer hairstyle? Though I suppose short hair is more practical…oh! And it’d be nice if I could be a little more intimidating. Perhaps then thugs and rabble-rousers would stop pestering me. I’d also like to be a lot prettier. Maybe larger breasts?

92. Are you generally introverted or extroverted? Most definitely introverted, unless around others of my profession.

93. Do you like yourself? …well, nobody’s perfect.

94. Do you have a daily routine? How do you feel if your day is interrupted? Nothing is routine, except for my hot bath at the end of my day. If that doesn’t happen, the morning to follow will be horrendous.

95. What goal do you most want to accomplish in the next six months? Your lifetime? Next six months? I would like to master all of the magic arts there are to learn in Eorzea. As for my lifetime…I would like to see a time of tranquility before I die, even if it’s just within my small circle of friends.

96. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? I cannot even begin to imagine. Perhaps founding a magic school of my own? I think I would do well as a teacher.

97. If you could choose, how would you want to die? Peacefully, surrounded by those that I love. Barring that, saving someone else.

98. What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for after your death?

I don’t need to remembered for any one thing. I would just like to be recalled fondly.

99. What three words would you use to best describe your personality? Diligent, studious, private.

100. What three words would others probably use to describe you? Gullible, boring, bossy.

101. Why are you risking your life to adventure? For the sake of knowledge, and to make adventuring less “risky.”