#this... got long

[narcoticwriter]

We Need to Talk about Arnheid.

@storiesconsumemysoul

OP, I apologize for tagging you, but I saw this post and I was compelled to talk about it. I also didn't want to clog up your post with my own reblogging, and I thought this fit as it's own standalone post.

As someone who's recently watched this, I will say that I was decidedly on the fence about all of this until I took the time to think about it.

I don't necessarily see Gardar as an antagonist as much as a product of the setting he was in, as I view all of the characters in this sense. I'd like to give my own two cents on the matter if you don't mind.

If anyone would like to chime in, please by all means go ahead! Just be respectful and aware of the seriousness of some of the subject matter. Please treat it with the respect it deserves.

Everything and more, under the cut.

In the opening scene where we are introduced to Gardar for the first time, there are things to note and highlight who Gardar is even if he doesn't say all that much:

In the house, Gardar did not lay a single hand on the woman or her babe, only killing the male members of the household

It is heavily implied that he was grossly abused and mistreated by his slave master to the point where he was driven to do this in the first place

This shows that in his heart of hearts, it is implied that Gardar was not a man naturally inclined towards violence, only getting to that point due to what he already went through.

Now, I'll touch on Snake who, whether we like it or not, is upholding the status quo. He is a hired mercenary of sorts who is responsible for the safety of the farm and the goods within it. Gardar to him was considered a 'good' and was to be treated as such, but to be frank, so are all of the other slaves. So why do people think that Snake's hand was 'forced' in comparison?

I will admit that at first glance, I did wonder out loud why they were all helping out Gardar when he had cut down so many men, but then I realized something. Something that a lot of people conveniently forgot.

Most people were probably more focused on Thorfinn, Einar, and Arnheid as well as Sverkel and their entire dynamic with Snake, which lulled them into the sense that Gardar was kind of 'interrupting' that. What they (and myself at first) all failed to recognize was that it wasn't as much of an interruption as it was waking up from a nice dream: the reality of the world they are in is much more grim than that.

And most importantly, they forget one specific facet on which all of this hinged: Arnheid.

Now, I'm about to bring up some stuff that will make people uncomfortable, but I believe that it is important that I say these things with the gravity and significance they deserve. Any attempt to censor the words themselves would defeat the purpose of it, so I will be putting this under the cut.

For those of you who have watched it, you know what to expect, but for those who don't, this discussion will include slavery, physical abuse, rape, child murder, extreme violence, and death.

Treat this as a barrier. This is where I go into the meat of the matter in full.

Arnheid's story is one of a person who was genuinely trying to make the best of things that had happened to her, and even with that, it was not going to be enough for her to live. It never could be.

The author wrote out one of the most devastatingly bleak and emotional depictions of why 'Vinland' exists as a concept of 'paradise' and the symbol of freedom... by making Arnheid's experience the reason why people have it in the first place.

The Beginning

Let us go to the beginning of where she was in her village:

Arnheid married Gardar in an arranged marriage set up by their parents, but in a stroke of luck, they genuinely seemed to love each other and were happily raising their son Hjalti together.

The men of the village (including Gardar) decide to go to war over some resources and iron.

Arnheid and the other women in the village were not enthusiastic about this decision, as the village had more than enough iron already.

While the men were away, raiders came to the village and looted them as well as took the younger women as slaves.

Arnheid also has her son Hjalti taken from her and killed as unmarried women fetch a higher price.

This section serves as the cornerstone of everything that happens later in her story and already establishes more than a couple of key points for the entirety of Vinland Saga:

People will go to war for resources that they don't need.

People will raid villages for things that they don't need.

People will be enslaved because they are not seen as people.

People will be killed because they are not seen as people.

Arnheid at this point is viewed through the lenses of the lamenting wife, the grieving mother, and 'refurbished property'.

I use the last term because a mother with a baby likely would not have been 'sold' in the sense that their 'value' would have been perceived, so the raiders took care of that 'problem'.

So with that being said, this is the defining instance of Arnheid's identity of being a wife, a mother, and a person promptly stripped away. She, quite literally, was left with nothing.

The Enslavement

Now with that being said, let us explore what she experienced on Ketil's farm. I will preface this by saying that people really like to gloss over the severity of what her enslavement entailed. I will not be one of those today, so this is not for the faint of heart.

In her enslavement, Arnheid was bought for one specific purpose. Yes, she can be a maidservant to the master and his wife, she can help out with domestic duties, and she can be a caretaker for those who need it. But throughout the entirety of the anime, it is glaringly obvious for anyone with eyes:

She was bought for the purpose of the master's sexual gratification and satisfaction.

It is also worth pointing out one major difference between her and the rest of the slaves we focus on:

Pater was able to work to attain his freedom and did so. Einar and Thorfinn are granted the same opportunity to do the same.

Arnheid is not able to work her way out of bondage and was never offered the opportunity to do that.

My reasonings for this are quite simple, actually, and given the setting, it should come simple for you too: she is, for all intents and purposes, a woman. If Arnheid was a man, I guarantee you that she would have been able to work for her freedom because men are supposed to work.

She says it herself in multiple instances while she laments how she got here in the first place. Men decided to go to war, men enslaved her and killed her child, and a man bought her to use for his own wishes.

For people who want to debate this, there are multiple instances that we see, such as Ketil and her in his chambers, how Ketil talks about her, and how his wife treats her. It can be said that Ketil treats her relatively well compared to the others, but it doesn't change the fact that she's an unwilling participant.

Even if she abhors this treatment, how on earth is she going to call them out on it? Can she say no to Ketil? No. So she doesn't have a choice in the matter, and that alone constitutes rape.

Let me say this again. Arnheid was consistently raped.

With that being said, this also points out another batch of realities in her world:

People will be used for their master's own satisfaction and benefits because they are property.

People will be made to do things that they would not do themselves because they are property.

People will be abused, hurt, and violated because they are property.

Even in this bleak reality, it is to Arnheid's credit that she is taking it all quite well despite everything she has gone through up to this point. She could have broken down and she would be completely justified in doing so, but the strength of her spirit, character, and compassion have carried her through even to the uttermost.

This, however, would not be enough for what was to come.

The Reuniting

At this point, despite her endurance, Arnheid has been worn down to almost the barebones. Her husband is gone, her child is dead, and she is simply trying to make it work. Hell, she even finds some companionship with Thorfinn, Einar, and Sverkal. This moment of brief bliss of happiness and (dare I say) contentment is brought to an end by Gardar riding in with only one goal in mind: to find her and go home.

Here is why I think she reacted the way she did initially:

She was living with the mindset of making do with what she had.

She did not believe that a piece of her past, which she considers beyond her, was alive.

She was absolutely terrified of the man that she saw in the state that he was in.

Not only is her son with Gardar dead, she is pregnant with another man's child.

For the last point, the reason I single this one out is in those days, if a woman was thought to have committed such a thing (no matter the circumstance, really), Gardar would have been fully justified in cutting her down. This is just the state of the world she is living in.

She has already gone through so much, and now this instance presents itself and she has to deal with it. This moment was a turning point because it gave her something that she hadn't had for a while: a single kernel of hope. She acts on this, going to help him clean his wounds and perhaps escape.

However, I will also make the point that was touched on in the midst of the original post: Gardar's extreme violence was a product of his treatment. You cannot expect someone who had gone through what he had to be in a normal state of mind. In fact, I would be more surprised if he was intact.

This leads into the scene where Arnheid is tending to Gardar's wounds:

Gardar begs Arnheid to forgive her for leaving with the men in the village all those years ago

Arnheid begs Gardar to forgive her through tears, presumably for the pregnancy and Hjalti, but he's just confused

In the midst of this, Gardar is trying to reassure her that once they both escape, they can go back to how things were

True to this, Gardar kills a man with his teeth in his throat and Arnheid uses the knife from the dead man to cut his ropes

These are two very traumatized and very broken people. I can say this because their mutual experiences have turned them into people that have become so violent and so numb to their own selves. But the hope that they could leave... that is now what will fuel them both, Arnheid especially.

Now, Thorfinn, Einar, and Sverkal participate in her bid to run away with her husband as they too recognize the sorry state of the lot she's been dealt and are loathe to participate in it any longer despite their personal issues. There is also a worldliness about them that offers up how they know that the world they live in is truly wicked, which is why they help in the first place.

But it is in the instance where they are on the cart that there is a glimpse of the man Gardar really is: a man who loves his wife, his son, and the life he had made for himself. He even acknowledges that he won't let his son grow up into a warrior, noting precisely how terrible it —and the world— really is.

As he passes on from the wounds he sustained, she is caught, and this is where another thing should be noted about this:

Arnheid is a person.

Why do I say this? Because a person can hope. Property cannot. She, through this, had reclaimed her identity as a person and as someone who can hope. In the bleak darkness of circumstance, this is her brightest moment because it confirms her humanity.

But even then, it would be, like many others, snuffed out.

The Punishment

This part depressed me, fully and completely. It was unfair, it was unnecessary, and it was undeserved. You could use those words to describe everything that's happened to Arnheid thus far, and you would be correct to do so! Because it is! And that's the point.

So, here is the punishment in full:

She is tied up in a barn.

The guard that is watching her intends to rape her and says as much, making to do it then and there.

He also describes in excruciating detail how he and his comrades would have taken turns raping her for every life lost, highlighting the strangling and torture with sick glee while stating that he can't since she's the master's favorite.

This first section highlights and covers a few things, respective of the points in order:

An animal wouldn't have been treated like that.

Arnheid is not a person to this guard, she is an object.

The guard sees her as property, the master's property.

This brief exchange is unapologetic in how the world at large sees Arnheid outside of the meaningful interactions she has with others. She is not a person to them, but a means of feeling power and gaining their own satisfaction.

Before anything can happen, Ketil arrives with a stick and the guard scrambles away, but not before he poses a question: "Do you know who you belong to?"

He says that he won't forgive anyone who tries to steal his property, even if it's her.

This highlights how she is seen by the person who 'owns' her, stated within these specific points. He sees her as his property and he does not see her as a person. The latter point not only denies her as a person but layers it in the sense that her own personhood could put his property at risk.

She is then beaten with the stick, but in the midst of it, she begs for him to be gentle as she is pregnant with his child.

He beats her and kicks her regardless of this, calling her a liar and a thief.

Snake even stops Ketil from beating her anymore, saying that the crime befits the punishment of a beating, but to do more would kill her.

He also states that it is his right to kill her as she is his, but he ought to intend to do it.

One could attribute this to what Ketil is dealing with at the moment, but that is not the point here. The point is that Snake recognized that Ketil was beating her so much that she could die. While Snake is upholding the statement of her being property, he also takes into account the way that this ought to be handled and the intent of his master. There are no saints here, but I believe that even he knew that this was too much.

When Leif asks to purchase her, Ketil states that she is his and will not sell her.

I don't think I can make it any clearer, but this only goes to show that to the master, who bought her, she is nothing more than property.

Arnheid has been beaten so badly, she is unconscious and cannot be moved.

Pater states that he does not know if she will live as she is extremely injured.

Leif states that this would have eventually happened to her if she had stayed on the farm with Ketil.

This set of points is here to simply illustrate the inevitability of her end. Leif is right. Ketil could have been set off in any way if it was to do with the perceived ownership he had over her. Imagine if he had seen Einar getting too close to her. What then? Do you think he wouldn't have beaten her over that too?

As Arnheid is passing on, we see her with Gardar, Hjalti, and another baby in her arms on the cart.

This implies that even if she was able to make a full recovery from her injuries, either the miscarriage of the dead baby or the dead baby breaking down in her body would have killed her anyway. Just think about that for a minute as Ketil was so ticked off that his 'property' would lie.

The cart stops and Gardar says that she can take a moment to thank Thorfinn and Einar for their help.

She does, and while it is lamentable, her family is waiting for her... so she joins them.

This scene is sad, but it offers me a little happiness. It seems that Gardar wouldn't have killed Arnheid over the other baby. It seems that he would have taken them in as his own. You can say he forgave her, but I would say that I don't think he would have thought there was anything to forgive. They had both been through hell, after all.

Conclusion

Vinland, as a promised land, a slice of heaven, a refuge for those who seek shelter was a dream, an idea, a hope that people had. But for Arnheid, it would have been her salvation. With her death, this Vinland was crystalized and given form.

Would the promise of Vinland have saved Arnheid? We don't know. But we do know that her experience, her life after the fact, and her death would have been more than enough of a reason to wish Vinland into reality.

However, this does one more thing for her. It confirms that despite it all, she was, is, and always will be, a person.

And that people should never be treated like this.

She lived a life that was hard and quite bleak but even through it, she did her best and she was a person who deserved a world where:

You would not have to fight for resources, for there would be enough for all.

You would not have to worry about raids, because they could not reach you.

You would not have your child killed, because your child would grow up safe, happy, and taken care of.

You would not have your personhood stripped away, because no one would take it from you.

You would not be brutally raped and seen as an object of satisfaction, because no one would have that power over you.

You would not be beaten for acting out of line for property, because you would not be property.

You would be a person, a human being, because you would be free.

In a way, you could make the argument that through her story and her life, she is one of the most consequential and important characters in the entirety of this series.

Simply because she would have loved to live in a world like that.

[dujour13]

Commander as Companion

Commander as companion prompt by @dragonologist-phd

amazing art commission by @arnaerr ❤️

Name: Siavash Mirani

Race: Half-elf

Class: Bard

Appearance:

Medium build, not tall for a half-elf, dressed in assorted pastels/earthtones: embroidered sky-blue tunic, burgundy jerkin, light blue sash, forest-green trousers, doe-brown cloak. Shoulder-length blond hair swept back at the temples in a man bun. In his class equipment he has a guitar slung over his shoulder.

Portrait – leaning on a lush willow tree by a riverbank, legs crossed at the ankles, playing guitar with a soft yet somehow compelling smile.

He has a nice tenor with a slight BBC English accent. His barks sound friendly and on the edge of laughter, but in romance scenes it becomes soft and a little husky.

Favored Weapon/Equipment:

Crossbow, longsword

Default stats are pretty even across the board except for high Cha and slightly less Wis.

Top Skills: Persuasion, Knowledge: World, Knowledge: Arcana, Knowledge: Nature

Alignment: Chaotic good

General Personality: Easygoing, optimistic, kind, confident, lazy, unreliable, prone to guilt

Siavash is rootless and fun-loving, but he can show remarkable determination when it comes to things that are important to him—while needing constant reminding or stimulation to get more mundane tasks done. One thing he is zealously committed to is freeing people from different sorts of chains, whether those are literal chains, poverty, or closed-mindedness. With a high charisma score and high persuasion, he frequently attempts to talk the KC and companions out of their prejudices and toward an egalitarian and compassionate vision. With mixed success.

Because he sees people as ends in themselves and never a means to an end, in wartime he can be accused of irresponsibility by lawful characters more concerned with the possible consequences of their actions.

That said, he secretly carries quite a burden of guilt when doing the right thing does not happen to lead to a good outcome.

In romance he’s fun, sappy, sincere and affectionate but hesitant to commit.

What traits/values do they admire? Kindness, open-mindedness, willingness to bend rules, fun. Chaotic commanders will always fare better.

What traits/values do they disapprove of? Cruelty, closed-mindedness, prejudice, grim dutifulness, dehumanization

Are they affiliated with any deities? Desna 🦋

What do they think of their role in the Crusades, and of sharing the Commander’s Mythic powers? What are their reasons for joining the commander’s party?

He’ll join the crusade saying it’s for the fun and adventure, but you will soon notice he shows determination when it comes to helping people. Everything else is shrugged off.

He’s more inclined to see the KC’s mythic powers as a giant stroke of luck and encourages the KC to embrace them as long as it’s in service to the crusade or other noble goals. An evil KC who uses those powers for personal gain will earn less favor, but he will stick with the party with a certain obstinate optimism that he can convince them to do better. A lawful KC who uses those powers to dominate will rapidly fall out of favor.

Who are their friends among the other party members?

Woljif, Arueshalae, Ember, Sosiel, Seelah (in that order of warmth); lots of snarky banter with Daeran but eventually they’ll be friends in a party with a good-aligned commander; with an evil-aligned commander where Daeran’s cruelty is more on display the banter becomes bitter by Act V.

He and Ulbrig would get along until Ulbrig begins to suspect he’s channeling magic through his music, at which point he will tease him unmercifully, like to psych him out: “When you passed me that mug of beer just now, was it free will or did I enchant you? Will you ever know?” Still they’re on the same moral wavelength and Siavash doesn’t actually look down on his superstitions. (I haven’t played with Ulbrig yet but I sense they’ll be bros.)

What about rivals?

Regill. Daeran but that can change, Wenduag, Lann to a smaller extent (if Siavash would please pull his weight with camp duties), Camellia because she resolutely resists his attempts at making friends.

Are they on any councils? If so, what sort of advice do they give?

Diplomatic council – pro-Andoran / anti-Cheliax; he is always militating for human rights and democracy; likes to bring aristocrats down a peg; has many connections he can call upon but most often in opposition to the Royal Council’s will; neutral about religious issues.

Logistics council – he will always support taxing the rich to improve conditions for the lower ranks, and will not shy away from creative corruption as long as the rich are targeted; will suggest throwing a massive Ritual of Stardust in Act V that will cost little but give a bonus to morale as well as recruitment of mythic units and mercenaries.

Where do they hang out in Drezen? In the Abyss?

Never in the same place. Most likely to be at the Half-Measure, but sometimes chatting on the top floor of the inn, busking or hanging with Woljif at the Market, chilling with Crinukh, playing for the soldiers at the barracks, posing for Sosiel, talking to prisoners, sitting on top of the walls. In the Abyss he won’t budge from a spot near the fire.

What are their idle animations?

The bard groove that’s already in the game (I need to make a gif of that one of these days, it’s hilarious.) Or he’ll whip his guitar around his shoulder and tune it.

If they’re taken to Areelu’s lab, what is their dream?

He’s in Elysium surrounded by adoring naked azata. (Deliberately a superficial fantasy.)

Do they advise the commander to abandon or keep their mythic powers?

“Hey man you do you.” He tells the KC that they should take control of their own destiny, whether that’s by giving up their powers, or keeping them and using them as they see fit. The important thing is not to be a tool of Areelu or any other greater power.

How/when do they join the Commander’s party?

As a game companion he’s not an Andoren Diplomat but a traveling bard. You’ll see him busking at the City Day festivities.

The KC comes across him in Kenabres after the attack, helping people escape a burning prison. The KC overhears his conversation with one of them:

“Malthor, Katia Malthor, is that your name? These people seem to think of you as a leader. Gather them and rally them to defend the city. Help keep people safe. You can do that, right? I’m counting on you.”

“Uh, yeah, sure…” And she runs off.

When questioned he will then explain to the KC that he let the prisoners out of the Inquisition prison when he heard screaming from inside the burning building. If you make a perception check you’ll see wood and straw piled up as if someone lit the prison on fire deliberately. You may be able to question Hulrun about it later. (It was on his orders.) Siavash will pull the KC aside and ask them not to report him. If they do, he’s arrested and out of the lineup.

If a lawful/evil commander objects to his actions, Siavash will say the prisoners didn’t deserve to be burned alive especially without a trial. KC: “Aren’t you worried cultists will wreak even more havoc?” Siavash: “I talked to them. It’ll be fine.” [Radiant smile.]

Relationship with the Knight-Commander:

He never calls the KC “Commander” but in text always by their first name or “my friend” in spoken lines.

The KC will have opportunities to make remarks about his not pulling his weight, being difficult to locate when needed, or generally annoying. These he will laugh and shrug off but they will decrease his approval counter.

A more aggressive KC can harangue him for being unreliable, careless and obnoxious.

His approval is high for Azata, Legend, Trickster, Angel and Gold Dragon in decreasing order.

Describe their companion quest:

Act I – Releasing the prisoners from the Inquisition prison is the start of it.

Act II – Rumors of a cultist cell called the “Avenging Pyre” circulate in the crusade. They have been preying on Kenabres refugees and sacrificing them to invoke demons which they then unleash on the surrounding areas.

Act III – With Siavash in the party, there will be a random encounter with cultists wearing special black robes bearing a flaming design (Avenging Pyre). They have burned a bunch of crusaders alive. A few escape the ensuing battle and say something about their leader “Malthor” as they flee. Siavash asks to talk to the commander when they get back to Drezen.

He looks really upset and says he thinks Malthor may have been one of the prisoners he freed in Kenabres, and admits that it may have been a mistake that he needs to make right. The KC can: 1) (lawful) give him a chewing out and regret not throwing him in prison himself; 2) (chaotic) tell him he did the right thing and he couldn’t know the consequences. Lots more approval for 2 obviously. In Crusade Mode more reports of the Avenging Pyre’s depredations continue to accumulate.

Act IV – Siavash is found at the Bad Luck tempting fate with busking and the KC has to intervene to prevent him being torn limb from limb. He then tells the KC that he overheard rumors Hepzamirah has been funneling Nahyndrian crystals not only to Xanthir Vang but also to a cultist cell in Golarion. In Colphyr, Mutasafen confirms that Malthor is getting crystals and she is preparing to unleash an augmented demon.

Act V – An army of demons led by an augmented balor shows up in Crusade Mode. Captain Odan reports after the battle and confirms that it’s Malthor’s work. The KC gets the quest to talk to Siavash about it but after a short search is approached by Anevia, saying he’s left Drezen.

Alternatively, if romanced, he will be found in the KC’s chamber sitting on the bed playing guitar. He’ll confess about the guilt he’s feeling and how important it is for him to fix things, and ask the KC to accompany him.

In the Worldwound the party will find him preparing to sneak disguised into Malthor’s camp and fix this or die trying. The KC alone will accompany him, and you’ll have to avoid alert guards and dogs/demons. When the two of them get to Malthor’s tent they find that Malthor is not Katia but her sister!

The sister has been leading the cultist cell believing Katia was burned alive in the Kenabres prison. This is her revenge on the Inquisitors and crusaders. The KC can then 1) (LE) execute her on the spot – Siavash will turn on the KC and be killed too, 2) (LN) take her prisoner – Siavash will disapprove strongly or 3) (LG) take her prisoner but promise a fair trial and to help find her sister; the KC will berate him for being careless – Siavash will disapprove less but all of these choices increase his bad ending counter.

4) Chaotic – let Siavash talk to her, in which case he tries to convince her that her sister is still alive by an act of Desna’s grace and that he’ll help find her. If the KC has been supportive up to this point he will succeed. If not, he will fail and she’ll attack. Best outcome is she comes back to Drezen and atones by joining the crusade (ending slides will say she found her sister eventually and they lived out their days making up for the damage she did). Talking to Siavash after the final quest you can forgive him and relieve a significant burden of guilt but he will be pensive about the consequences of his actions.

Obviously the party has to fight the augmented balor to escape!

Are they romanceable? Describe their romance quest/scenes if you want!

Restricted to male commanders. In Act II the KC will get a dialogue where he’s singing about admiring someone mysterious and exciting from afar, and you can ask him if it’s about you. He’ll give you a really cute grin and say “It is if you want it to be.” Hard to tell if he’s joking. He’ll also do this with a female KC and then if pursued in Act III will friendzone her. (Deliberately annoying. He’s a flirt.)

With a chaotic commander, there will be a camp cutscene where he says “This crusade is turning out even more fun than I expected. There’s never a dull moment with you, is there? Sometimes I thank Desna she put us in each other’s path.”

Act III – He will show up at the command room and ask the KC to take a day off and have some fun. He then disguises both of you with a cantrip and takes you to the Half Measure to drink and listen in on gossip, and from there you tail a cultist together, prank Hulrun if alive / Horgus if not, and finally climb up and walk along Drezen’s walls so you can stargaze. In the dialogue you can either resist his ideas or add your own, earning more approval, in which case at the end of it he tells you you’re a lot of fun and that he finds you fascinating.

If you press for more, he’ll sleep with you but be gone the next morning. The next time you talk to him he’ll be friendly but a little reserved.

Act IV – After the Battlebliss you get a dialogue where he’s off by himself and you realize he’s been crying. He tells you the Abyss is getting to him and that he was terrified when you were taken prisoner, and asks for a hug. You can press for more but he’ll say not here. He will then hold you close and sing a lullaby until you fall asleep in each other’s arms, and you will have no nightmares for once.

Act V start – Choosing Devil, Lich, or Aeon will trigger a cutscene where he breaks up with the KC politely but firmly, with barely disguised bitterness. With Swarm he’ll just get eaten I guess. With Demon he’ll hold out longer, and there will be a lot of pleading and tears before the end, but eventually a Demon romance locks him into his bad ending.

Act V – At some point when you exit the Citadel into the city he’ll run up and grab your hand and ask you to come with him. He takes you to a secluded spot outside the city walls where there’s a nice little brook and a picnic already laid out, and plays you a really sweet, sappy love song. If you respond positively he’ll confess:

“I messed up. I didn’t want to fall in love with you. At first it was because I didn’t want to be tied down to Drezen or to this crusade, but the longer I stayed the more I knew I wanted to stay, to be by your side wherever that took me, even if it meant going to the Abyss—and even if it meant staying here.

“The more I stayed the more I felt drawn to you, the more I began to care about you. Your happiness means everything to me. Just the thought of your smile lights up my whole world.

“The real problem is, I know myself. I’m afraid I’ll let you down. And that I couldn’t bear, because I… I love you. With all my heart.”

You can accept in one of two ways: you can ask him to stay with you in Drezen, in which case he will commit but with some trepidation (A little shaky: “Staying here with you will be a whole new adventure.”) The best outcome is if you tell him you dream of a day when you can leave this behind and travel the world together. He will say “Your smile is like Elysium—it fills me with joy and wonder. I want to walk in your garden forever.”

After that if you suggest spending some time together it will be in your picnic spot, not in the Citadel bedroom.

At Threshold he’ll gush and promise never to leave you, but he will not propose.

What would their ending slides be like?

Good non-romanced ending with Good!Woljif – they are inseparable and it’s strongly implied romantically involved. They gathered a cult following in Razmiran and were subsequently run out of the country; the KC had to pull some strings to get them out of jail in Druma; their infamy grows as their scams funnel money to Woljif’s charities.

Romanced endings: 1) staying in Drezen – he is forever in the KC’s orbit like a bright, wandering planet, always full of love songs and romantic escapades, but he sometimes gazes out over the walls with a longing expression—until his eyes meet yours. 2) travelling – inseparable, you travel Avistan, then across the Inner Sea to the Golden Road and beyond, finding love and adventure and always seeking to help the downtrodden; he says his soul has taken wing.

Bad ending – Siavash was last seen on the run busking in Kerse, having displeased the Thrunes with his attempts to interfere with the slave trade in Cheliax. The KC received a letter from him posted in Katapesh but that was years ago.

Any other fun facts?

Gargoyle attack – he is one of those who are carried off. You find him on the road to the Lost Chapel rallying scared crusaders. His HP are at 50%.

Taking Drezen – if the KC goes azata he will be overjoyed; he and Aivu tend to one-up each other in terms of mischief

Wintersun – at the waterfall, with or without Daeran’s suggestion of erotic bathing, he will try to turn the event into a skinny dipping party

Battlebliss – he will make a rescue attempt in disguise and get thrown into the ring with the KC

Fleshmarket – he’ll fully encourage an azata commander to raze the place, but even with a non-azata commander he will frequently comment, and when Daeran offers to buy the aasimar he’ll warm to him

Ivory Sanctum and Ivory Labyrinth – will insist on freeing every possible prisoner, getting the party into a couple of scraps

Provide some dialogue/bark examples!

Hm? Oh, sure. / Anything for you, hon. / It’ll be fine.

Too many clicks: Ugh, can’t someone else do the boring bits?

Perception check: Hey, check this out!

Skill check success: No problem. / Ha, luck and looks.

Skill check failure: Oh, well. I’ll… make it up to you.

Attack: Oh man, not again. / When will people learn?

Crit: You were asking for that. / Tremble before my mighty lute!

Rare: I don’t manipulate people; I just get them to reconsider what’s in their best interest.

Provide some examples of companion banters!

(Act II) Daeran: You do understand that if I frequently mock your clothes, it’s because I’m inviting you to remove them.

Siavash: I’m afraid my tastes run toward the more plebian, as you’ve wasted no opportunity to point out.

Siavash: (singing) …you are ensorcelled by my music…

Ulbrig: LA LA LA I CAN’T HEAR YOU.

Regill: Will you cease this inane singing? Not only are you a distraction, your noisemaking attracts enemies and provides them with a most tempting target.

Siavash: Distracting, attractive and tempting, eh Regill?

Woljif: I got a good one. I’ll put up handbills and talk up the show, but on ticket sales we hit ‘em with a service charge and then say it’s sold out and double the price. Tell ‘em the proceeds go to veterans of the crusade.

Siavash: Not bad! I’m up for it, as long as the proceeds really do go to veterans of the crusade.

Woljif: Hey, you talk a good game about tiefling rights, but I ain’t seen you give to the cause.

Siavash: Here, you can have my cherry roll.

Siavash: Woljif, you have such a funny expression when I play, like your eyes go all dreamy and your tail curls up. I guess you like music.

Woljif: Huh? I don’t know what you’re… I mean, everybody likes music. Hey, sing that one about the orphan pickpocket who strikes it rich again.

(Act V Good!Woljif / unromanced) Siavash: If you’d taken Ygefeles’ power you’d be living it up right now, but you wouldn’t have real friends. Like the chief. Like me.

Woljif: “Friends” huh? Yeah, I guess things could be worse. Could be better too though… uh, you know.

(Act V Good!Woljif / unromanced) Siavash: Are you all right, Woljif? You look cold.

Woljif: You look warm.

Ember: You sing carefree songs and make people feel hopeful, but you never talk about how scared you are.

Siavash: Everybody’s scared, Ember. I just want them to forget about it for a little while.

[akumanoken]

Caresses your cheek because you're a precious thing to him.

Caresses your cheek because comfort is so rare and comes so sparingly but he has endless amounts for those who need it.

Caresses your cheek because for so long he never knew the feeling, but knew that people seemed to love it, so he wanted to give it freely to those who stuck around for him.

Caresses your cheek because it should be a form of love comfort and support and he knows what it's like to have comfort turned against you.

Caresses your cheek because after so much pain and hardship he will always choose love.

[itsscaredycat]

so ok yeah fine i watched gravity falls again and read the book of bill

[mintaii]

take responsibility

[gongyussy]

make men slutty again.

HEAT STROKE | GQ CHINA Photographer: Wintam; Editor & Image: Shawn Gao Ding; Makeup: Lucas; Hair: Tao Liu; Art: Grade 2 & Lei Min; Art Assistant: Jiang Mi; Models: Kim; Ye Hao, Yu Hang, Ho Jun; Fashion Assistant: Yiyi, Coco; Photography Assistant: Li Zhenxi; Song Luanyi

bonus as rightfully added by @polyabathtub:

[fwicksart]

how long you think it'd been since he'd last seen his reflection?

[buzzrds]

here's my wonderful isopod child, handcrafted in leather

[datcravat]

DANDADAN

[daeyumi]

I am what you made me 🩸

[eggwishing]

I ONCE TRIED TO WASH THAT SCUFFED OLD THING WHILE HE WAS TAKING ONE OF HIS NAPS, BUT WHEN I TOOK IT OFF HE WAS WEARING ANOTHER IDENTICAL ONE UNDERNEATH! AND ANOTHER! I GOT THROUGH TEN MORE LAYERS OF THE SAME THING BEFORE HE WOKE UP. I WAS SO FRUSTRATED! WHERE DID HE EVEN GET THOSE FROM? THEY ALL EVEN HAD THE SAME STAINS!!

[kingzombear]

Can I Axe-ya a question *audience laughtrack*

Anyway she should've been given the axe, fuck the hypocratic oath

[windwenn]

UHURA!!!

[incredubious]

MODERN AU ACESAN !!!! first impressions with a guy who barely passes the No Shoes No Shirt No Service rule

[eydilily]

would you bite the hand that feeds you?

[gongyussy]

"we know how to move our bodies, but i didn't know how to manage my heart, so you need help for this"

hi we need to talk more about judo gold medallist christa deguchi.