The Embrace of Love and Death

Huge thanks to @87000beesinapersonsuit, @thesanguinesonnet, @kt-catt, @optimisticgrey, @graysparrowao3 for the tags this week!

I'm still working on Outsiders' Welcome, and I'm actually feeling pretty damn confident that I'll finish it this time (which is 100% thanks to all the sweethearts who've been encouraging me 🫂❤️)

Besides, both I and the characters have finally reached Rilsa Rael, and at this point there's really no turning back

The Kingpin had dealt in cut and clarity long enough to know that most of what walked in dressed as treasure was paste - glass with a good story and a better lamp behind it - and that the only honest way to read a thing was to take it out of the flattering light the seller had chosen for it. So she held the stranger to a plain light, in her head, and began - unhurried, the way she'd have gone over a necklace some grieving widow swore was her grandmother's - to look for the flaw, because the oldest names were the easiest to counterfeit and the most expensive to be wrong about. Did not find it. That was the first unwelcome thing. Even under such handling she could read the cut of her: the true southern line of the jaw, and the sense to know that thrashing got your throat opened and waiting did not. So the woman waited, folded back against Yusef's chest with a thread of her own blood running from beneath the blade and drying in a thin line along her collarbone - where she'd learned this lesson the fast way. Then the chin came up. Beneath it, a pair of green eyes that hadn't the decency to be frightened.

Thank you for the tag @kt-catt !! 🙌🏻 I loved learning about your lovely OCs! 💖💖💖

Here's mine! 🫶🏻

Gentle tags: @unovafarm @rdekarios @eliwyntorleth @losersmidnights @wyfyoyo @galacticsparkles @spillingteanotpermitted @missfortunetherogue and anyone else who would like to join!

I've lost track of the tag titles. My apologies to 🌟@elceewunjo, 🌟@bloodsol94 & 🌟@emmyandthetieflings!

This is a hefty WIP divided into three parts. The chapter as a whole is much worse (steamier). A link is provided for anyone frustrated enough - because yes, cliffhangers, lol. This will be the last WIP for a good long while. I'm retreating to the writer's dungeon, and I have a heap of obligations to tackle (even if this technically counts as vacation)

Enjoy!

18+ below, pairing: Halsin x OC, location: The Healing Springs (waterfall)

Summary: Look at this terrifyingly desirable man realize that the woman he wants cannot stop looking at him, and watch him enjoy every second of it

Open Tags (no pressure, always): @litsenn, @unovafarm, @wasteful-sam, @missfortunetherogue, @saylofwaterdeep, @starlit-serpent, @starlightweave, @ceremorph0sis, @gloura, @babydinosaur930, @woundedsoul12, @thecampjuicebox, @thecampjuicebox @thepickledmermaid, @perpetualmaladaptivedaydream & @toomanyfamiliars

Also..I was going to photoshop in glasses on my cat who is the real expert of fan fic…but the mood board prompt is the only graphic arts project I can deal with today!

There seems to be a general malaise skulking about my fandom friends! AI bots spamming AO3…weird lil’ anons bullying and harassing blogs, the broader world wide bullshit! So.. I’m feeling skippy and full of toxic adjacent positivity, I’m going to take Tuesdays to talk about the wonderful shit I see in the BG3 fandom, maybe other places, and just be annoyingly optimistic.

This is Mische…he is a fan fic expert. I am not. So I’m letting him take it from here!

Today’s theme is elegant gender OC presentations….

In no particular order…

@sanguinescoven

Her OC Bernadette is a level zero employee of Bath and Body Works! Her story is gothic horror meets modern rom com with and incredibly heavy dose of monster f*cking…I love that Bernadette conforms to absolutely no “fantasy girl” tropes. This is a laugh/cry/OMG read every time!

@rdekarios

I’m sure everyone who has touched VP that isn’t console bound knows her mod snapshots, her pose packs, and he collabs with other creators, but I don’t see enough about her Tav, Seraphina…

Phina never becomes a cliche. She is smart. She is grounded. She wants nothing to do with anything that goes on during canon events and it’s as close to cozy modern genre fic as I have seen anywhere. I smile every time I see Phina.

@tynithia

Literally no one has more fantastic She-OCs in the fandom!

Ellandra, Morena (not technically an OC, but just roll with it), and Saera all span generations of the Dekarios clan epic and all of them are fully realized, none fall into “woman shoved into traditionally male role” and all of them are rendered in all the roles women navigate, wife, mother, unwitting hero, step mother, ex girlfriend…and all the stories are equal parts solid lore, romantic fun, and occasionally straight up telenovella mellow drama! Always fun. Always hilarious!

Her current fic, dedicated to Morena is a banger. Start there. You won’t regret it!

@missfortunetherogue

Okay, so this one is me telling on myself. I was prepared to roll me eyes reading their stories, the trope pile here is really high!

But damned if the writing isn’t masterful! Sasha, Miss Fortune, is wonderfully complex, trauma informed but not trauma defined. Their gender is perfectly integrated into their story without it being telegraphed at every moment. It is beautiful, layered, sophisticated story telling and my favorite Astarion romance. The intimacy is earned. They are both wonderful and awful to each other. The relationship stutters and gasps for air sometimes and then the romatic payoff slaps you right in the face.

I’m quite fond of their Regency story, but everything is pretty dope. A lot of their pieces I couldn’t find AO3 links, so here’s their Master list post!

Thank you sm @bhaal-battle-beer-bard for tagging me, I had a lot of fun with it.

tag game: Create a VP of your Tav as the main character or your fave character from your favourite TV SERIES — within the limits of photo mode, of course. Make a whole entourage of the cast if you like.Tag your friends, have fun, tag me as the OG creator, and link to the original post here!

Well, the more I was thinking about it, the more I realised how my fav characters influenced me for Ellith, who happens to be a mix between three series characters that you wouldn't imagine cohabitating (or maybe you can, idk.)

(Of course there are also other influences, but those three ones are quite obvious now that I think about it).

I mean, you tell me, but I believe Ellith is a combination of those three.

CW: substance abuse, alcohol.

Ellith as Bojack (Bojack Horseman)

Vain, arrogant, cynical, a creeping alcoholic difficult to love, in complete denial and with a succession of terrible life choices?

YES.

Also, a selfish bastard who tries to hide their existential dread through substance abuse and meaningless sex and parties?

Double yes.

Bonus: Daddy issues.

Ellith as Samantha Jones (Sex & the City)

Do I really need to explain it?

Sam Jones was such an inspiration when I was growing up and she's still glorious af and freaking powerful. I love that energy and I think it appears in El (or so I hope).

Ellith as Crowley (Good Omens)

It's not just the hair and the eyes or the gait; it's also the cynicism, the recklessness, the mischievous bastard who's kind of a good guy underneath it all.

Also, they both complain a lot and are quick to anger. And they're both pretty cool and stylish. If Ellith was a devil, they'd be a Crowley.

[PS: Fuck Neil Gaiman]

And that's it! I hope it makes sense and that you could recognise El in those characters ahaha, even if, I reckon, it's quite a weird cocktail 😅

It was fun though, and quite enlightening in terms of unconscious inspirations 🤭

Thank you @cursed-nyxan and @optimisticgrey for the WIP tags 🖤

Still working on this... it's getting hotter in this forge, isn't it? 🔥😏

“Shouldn’t you be on your way to deliver my message to Moonrise, True Soul?” “Shouldn’t you be cleaning that mess and follow that trail to the temple, as the general’s orders commanded?” Nere was lounging on a few cushions, drinking an old vintage. There was no Duergar in sight. “Hm. You have some guts for a new recruit of the Absolute.” He smirked, and there was something utterly dangerous in the way he was scrutinizing the bard. “I can appreciate that trait, if it’s well- targeted.” “And I would appreciate a drink, if that’s all the same to you.” Ellith smirked back, stepping closer and watching him expectantly. The drow snapped his fingers but stopped mid-motion. “Ah, yes… no more slave to serve me.” “They’ll be more useful out of this tomb.” Without waiting for Nere’s invitation, the bard picked up a glass and poured themself some wine. The drow’s eyes followed their every movements. “I would hope so. I cannot allow any more disappointment.” Ellith scanned the man, tall for a drow: He was clean now, dirt and ashes gone from his dark skin, and he had discarded his cultist robe and cloak to replace it with a loose shirt. His stance was that of authority and pride, and there was, in the way he held his chin high, an undeniable desire to prove himself in control of the place. Something called in the bard’s guts, the urge to break him, to step on his pride and rob him of his so-called authority. They wanted him whimpering and powerless under their thumb… between their thighs. Had they already done such a thing before, breaking a man of authority and relishing in his pathetic moans? Why did it feel like that was their favourite thing to do to such men, those who thought themselves above them. A delicious shiver of anticipation ran up their spine. “Where is Sergeant Thrinn?” Ellith asked, scanning the surroundings. “I haven’t met her on my way here.” “Hm?” Nere arched an eyebrow. “Two other duergar corpses were found by the elevator. Poisoned. I suppose one of those ridiculous gnomes is behind it. Thrinn is taking care of it.” Ellith repressed a chuckle. The Drow didn’t need to suspect who had actually poisoned those drunkards. “Good for her.” The bard nodded. “I’ve heard you retrieved her boots, half-blood.” His scornful label barely hit the bard, and with a smile, they sat down next to him, waiting not for an invitation. The Drow gauged them but said nothing. His eyes lingered on their naked legs, as expected. “I had no use for dirty boots… and they were too small for me anyway”. The careless statement reached its target: Nere chuckled, and peeked at the bard’s feet, tucked in high stockings. “And just so you know, Nere, I’m not taking mine off.” They smirked, rubbing their knees together in the most lascivious way.

Thank you for the tag @deianestormborn!! I sent myself into a meditative state while putting all of these dots on the page, I loved it :3

Character Sheet Template <<here>> ** I used the transparent version so I could put the gingham background on!

I was tagged by @starlit-serpent and @taras-toe-beans; thank you, it was fun 🌟

I'm doing it for post game-events Ellith (pre-tadpole Ellith would be slightly different on several points)

There's nothing about wisdom and/or being reasonable, but if there were, Ellith would have 0 point.

"A Show of Trust"

Word Count: 1,580

CW: masturbation, light exhibitionism

Read the full second part of "The Journey Home" on AO3

Miss Fortune was no stranger to having an audience in the bedroom. Voyeurs and limp-dicked codgers who wanted to see a pretty young thing get off had paid them countless times to stroke their cock, rail themselves with all manner of toys, and myriad other lewd acts.

But they'd never put on a show for a man they loved, and they were at a loss for how to start. Not because they'd forgotten the art of pleasure, but because for so long it had been exclusively that: a performative art, mastered as one might any other family profession unwillingly inherited.

Can't start this show clothed, they urged themselves. That part, at least, was obvious.

Thank you for the tag @helyanwe4608 and @kt-catt 💖

Since I'm still in a hiatus with Song-Hexed (just temporarily while I write a novel), I am going to continue to post previous chapters.

Song-Hexed: Chapter 12

I lie here comfortably on the sofa with baby Jenevelle curled up in my arms, swaddled in the beautiful cloth blanket that was made for us by Kairon’s mother Elsabeth. I’m underneath my mother’s handmade quilt that I kept for all these years, and today couldn't be a more perfect time to have it on my body. Kairon is kneeled down next to me, his gaze shifting between Jenevelle and myself, yet his wholesome smile lingers.

“I'm so proud of you. I know I've said it a thousand times and more than likely, I'll say it a thousand more. But you…” Kairon delicately massages Jenevelle’s soft cheek with his thumb. “You brought our perfect little girl into the world, and I can't wait to see what kind of person she grows up to be.” 

I take a deep breath as I feel my body finally relax, my heart skipping a beat as I stare down at my sleeping baby girl. I love her so much and can't imagine a world where she doesn't exist. 

“Thank you Kairon. You're already such an amazing father, and I knew you would be.” I turn to face him, and we kiss for over a minute, our tongues intertwining as we enjoy our perfect family moment. Shadowheart is cooking all of us a meal, and my mother is in the other room speaking with my brothers and father. Speaking of which, here they come now. 

“Emmy, is it alright if your brothers come out now and see the baby?” she asks. “Your father will be out soon, he wants to give you all some space at this time.” I nod in approval, ecstatic at having my brothers by my side during this very special moment. I kiss Jenevelle’s little forehead as she stares up at me with curious eyes, looking comfortable as she observes me. 

“I'll leave you and your brothers to it. I’m going to help Shadowheart finish cooking, you just stay right here and be beautiful,” Kairon murmurs in my ear, smiling down at me as he stands up. I watch my husband walk away, but quickly shift my eyes over at my brothers, who kneel down beside me. 

“Hey you,” Fanden mutters quietly as he smiles at me, with Therran kneeling to his left. “I'm so glad you and the baby are alright. I've…never witnessed a woman in labor before, so I was a little distraught.”

“As anyone would be,” I mumble quietly, smiling back at him. 

“But we’re so proud of you. And what a beautiful baby she is. If there's anything you need from us, just say the word.”

“Thank you, Fanden. I…I feel like a whole new person. You guys, I'm…a mom now. Just like that…” I stare down at my little girl, who seems rather alert as she listens to the voices that aren't my own. As I admire Jenevelle, it hits me how it just felt like yesterday that Kairon and I met. We were young kids at the age of six; he was the new neighbor who ended up becoming my best friend. In fact, he was the only friend I had growing up as a child. We didn’t realize how truly in love we were until we found ourselves on the nautiloid together, terrified and confused. Now look at us: more in love than ever with a newborn daughter. 

“Our baby girl has a baby girl,” Therran mumbles, smiling down at their niece who begins sucking on her own fist. 

“Would either of you want to hold her before I have to nurse?” Fanden’s eyes widen, and he appears to be a little nervous. Therran, on the other hand, smiles and nearly explodes from the excitement built up within him. I hand Jenevelle over to Therran, watching him smile down at my little girl. 

“Hey you, I’m your Uncle Therran. You know, we’re going to have a blast when you grow up. I hope you know that. You're so stinking cute,” Therran whispers, the heartwarming smile still lingering on his face. He delicately touches her silky black hair with his thumb, locking his gaze on her but being very careful as he cradles her in his arms. A light smile curls on Fanden’s lips as he contemplates on whether he wants to hold the baby. Therran must notice his nervousness too, because he studies every part of Fanden’s face, trying to figure out what's on his mind. 

“What?”

“Do you not want to hold the itty-bitty munchkin, Fanden?” Fanden hesitates for a moment, but then releases a heavy sigh as he prepares his next words. 

“You broke me, Therran. Hand her over.” Therran hands the little one over to our brother, and as Fanden finally has her close to his chest, I notice all tension leave his body. He seems more relaxed as he keeps an eye on my darling daughter. 

“I'm sorry I'm bad at this, little one. I've never held a baby before.” Fanden clears his throat, and Jenevelle doesn't even seem fazed at either of my brothers, considering they both have vibrant, colorful eyes and large horns that pop out from their heads. “Hi, I'm your Uncle Fanden. And…I can't wait to commit debauchery together.”

I roll my eyes playfully at his comment, hoping they don't actually partake in ridiculous nonsense. I don't know too much about Fanden, but he does give off a mild vibe that he could be a rogue of sorts. Not one that steals and threatens you; more like a swashbuckler. 

“I’m kidding, Em. I would never.” After a couple minutes, Jenevelle really begins gnawing on that fist of hers, so Fanden hands her back to me so I can feed. The others are chatting in the kitchen while I have my blanket covering my little one as she nurses for the first time.  Gortash comes into the room shortly after I finish nursing Jenevelle, sitting down next to me while everyone gets the food prepared. Kairon has a hot bowl of mushroom soup ready for me to devour.

“Hello daughter. I know we haven't had time to bond and it'll be awhile before you can fully trust me. But I’m proud of you, and I can’t wait to watch you experience motherhood. Your mother and I will be here for you if you need anything at all.” 

After a moment of silence trying to figure out what to say, I finally say what's been on my mind for a while now. 

“Thanks dad.” I finally called him dad, and it actually felt right this time. Thank you, Sêlune, for redeeming this man into someone much more likeable. Someone who wants to do the right thing and turn his life around. He’s fighting tears at my words, and his quivering lip gives away that he really doesn't want to cry. But…what I said, it made him happy. 

Kairon comes in with a bowl of mushroom soup, placing it on the small table next to me so I can hand him our little baby girl. God, that food smells delicious. 

My family leaves shortly after I finish eating, and my brothers did offer to babysit if we ever needed it. Granted, it will be a few months before we can have a date night and the day I leave my baby will be tough as shit, but I’m so grateful for them. 

“Alright, you two. If you need anything, you know where Astarion and I live. Is there anything I can get you before I leave?” Shadowheart asks, kneeling down next to me. I shake my head but smile graciously at her, feeling forever grateful for her company and helping me get through child birth. 

“Thank you, Shadowheart. Come by anytime. I love you so much.” We hug one another, and neither of us want to let go. 

“I love you too. If I see Karlach, I'll let her know you had the baby. Though, I won't be surprised if she comes here first before I have the chance. Good luck on your first night of parenthood, you two.”

As Shadowheart steps out of the tower, shutting the door behind her, Kairon and I both glance at one another, preparing for our new journey of being parents to Jenevelle Larina Gehenna.

Thanks for the tag @deianestormborn!

ɃȺSƗȻS

Name: Wander Greyhorn

Aliases: Faithwarden (official title), sapling (by their mentors), soldier (by Karlach), my druid (also by Karlach), unrevealed birth name

Background: Outlander

Gender: Agender

Sexuality: Bisexual

Pronouns: They/them/theirs

ØŦĦɆɌ

Family: For their biological family, Wander is the only child of a half-drow ranger named Mayquiri and a tiefling wizard/alchemist named Elwyn. They were both formative, supportive figures in Wander’s life and, for a long time, were among less than a handful of people that Wander felt like they could truly trust. However, they never knew much about their grandparents and never had much chance to get close to any of them—their paternal grandparents were human and deeply neglectful of their tiefling son, so Elwyn left them behind a long time ago, and their maternal grandmother died when they were still quite young. The fate of their maternal grandfather is unknown, but he was a Lolth-sworn drow who was planning to defect after falling in love with their grandmother, only to disappear completely before one of their usual meetings. However, over the course of their adventure, Wander does come to think of the other members of their party as family, even if it’s in many different ways. They might all be very different people, they might not all get along, and they might not all be particularly close in a friendly way, but they would fight and die and live for each other. Karlach and Wander are particularly close, both as friends and then as lovers, but Wander also considers Gale and Shadowheart to be two of their dearest friends, and all three of them are people they now feel like they can’t live without. Likewise, Halsin is a close confidant and somebody that Wander both inspires and is inspired by (as well as another potential lover much later in their canon timeline and relationship with Karlach).

Birthplace: Wander was born on their family’s homestead in a small forest about a day’s travel from Baldur’s Gate. The homestead itself is simple, consisting of a cabin, a garden (for food and alchemical ingredients), and a few outbuildings for storage and the occasional work animals and/or familiars. Most of the family’s food is from foraging and hunting, so they don't need much space for farmland. There’s a few other homesteads nearby, as well as a small druid Circle, but it’s otherwise pretty isolated. Even as much as they love to travel, Wander will always feel a connection to that place.

Job: When Wander was a child, they would frequently help their father with his alchemy pursuits, whether that was in the lab or by gathering ingredients while hunting and foraging with their mom. They developed quite a knack for it, which translated well into learning to make medicines and advanced potions once they started their druidic training. While the first isn’t exactly a career in a traditional sense, if you asked Wander what their job as an adult is, they would answer with both druid and adventurer. As for the specifics of what they do, their frequent traveling means they tend to pick up a variety of jobs and tasks. A bit of healing here, a bit of hunting there, almost anything goes. They just prefer to avoid things that have to deal with any sort of negotiating.

Phobias/Fears: Wander has a few deep-seated fears from both before, during, and after the events of BG3. One of their oldest ones is a nasty combination of rejection/betrayal and ending up alone, which leaves them both wanting to open up to people but being terrified of it. While this duality isn’t something that they’re really consciously aware of, it causes a lot of internal conflict around how they approach relationships with people. One that develops over the course of their adventure is ceremorphosis, which they find both directly and existentially terrifying. It mostly resolves after the fall of the Netherbrain, although they’re left with the occasional nightmares and a lingering fear of mind control. Another fear they develop during their campaign against the Absolute, especially as the scope of the crisis was revealed and the pressures of leadership begin to mount, is the fear of failing or hurting the people in their charge. Wander is someone who very much had to grow into being a leader and, while they become a very good one, it’s not something that comes particularly easily to them and they’re terrified of messing up. This is another one that gets somewhat better with time, but not completely. Post-game, some of that fear morphs into a more specific form of being afraid of failing to help Karlach with finding a solution to her engine—especially due to the risk of her falling into Zariel’s clutches again. That scares Wander more than they would be able to say.

Hobbies: One of Wander’s main hobbies is art, whether they’re compiling detailed drawings of the flora and fauna of the places they’ve visited or making sketches of their loved ones around the campfire, it’s one of the things they can often be found doing in their downtime both on and off the road. Post-BG3, I can imagine them trying to learn to paint between their travels. They’re also a big tea drinker and, since they spend a lot of their time foraging, they enjoy making their own blends with whatever they can find, which leads to a lot of innovation when it comes to different seasonal plants. It’s also something that many of their teammates come to appreciate (once Wander has warmed up to them enough to share, of course).

MØɌȺŁS

Alignment: Wander is generally Neutral Good. They have a solid moral code and follow a set of religious tenets, but they generally err more on the side of following the spirit of the law rather than the letter, and they’re willing to be flexible or pragmatic about their interpretations if need be. Sometimes their moral code can seem a bit odd to others because of both the way they see the world and that they tend to prioritize nature in ways most people don’t, but their compassion for living beings in general means that they wind up being a generally kind, caring person overall. When it comes to the laws of society, Wander doesn’t usually go out of their way to break them, but they will in a heartbeat if they think that those laws are unjust (or just plain ridiculous).

Flaws: One of Wander’s most personally detrimental flaws is that, even with people whom they’re close to and that they trust implicitly, they struggle to open up about their emotions. They’ve spent so much of their life keeping their feelings close to their chest that they don’t really have any practice with it and those skills are slow to grow. Thankfully, gentle coaxing from Karlach and their other companions helps them with that, but it’s something that they’ll likely always struggle with. This also leads to them being prone to running from or pushing people away, or even lashing out at them if they feel like anyone is prying. Another one, while it’s equally as likely to be useful, is their stubbornness. Once Wander has set their mind on getting something done, not much can dissuade them, even if it means they wind up going down an unnecessarily self-destructive path.

Virtues: Wander is, in most situations, a very level-headed person. It helps keep them safe over the course of their travels and adventures and, once they become the leader of their party, provides a useful counterbalance to some of their companions’ more rash potential decisions. It helps them to be more effective when it comes to helping people. Despite their struggles with opening up about themself, they’re also a good listener and a good friend. They might not always know the exact words to say to comfort someone, but they’re happy to lend a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear for some venting, or just sit with a friend when they need it. This also ties into what might be Wander’s greatest virtue: they are deliberately kind. Wander has been hurt deeply and has very little trust in the world, but they want to show compassion in the face of that pain, even if it gets hard sometimes. Sure, they’re a naturally pretty compassionate person and that does help, but Wander’s kindness towards others is also an active choice that they make.

ŦĦƗS ØɌ ŦĦȺŦ

Introvert/Ambivert/Extrovert, Organized/Disorganized, Closed-minded/Open-minded, Calm/Anxious/Restless, Disagreable/In-Between/Agreeable, Patient/In-Between/Impatient, Outspoken/In-Between/Reserved, Leader/Follower/Flexible, Empathetic/In-Between/Apathetic, Optimist/Realist/Pessimist, Traditional/In-Between/Modern, Hard-working/In-Between/Lazy