#bazzoxan

uthodurnian elves are known far and wide for being hairy like their dwarven neighbors but also as stocky as them too. even those without any dwarf blood in them tend to eat a lot more, especially carbs, and ignore the poshness that just doesnt work in uthodurn. it's not unheard of for elves to be deeply, bara-like muscular & fat there. king imathan, grace of molaesmyr, among them, with a bit of scruff and a body that will never know the trial of running from home again.

while they arent as known for it, drow of the kryn dynasty just dont care what other elven cultures may think about them, and jewelry is braided through their beards, and the most handsome & beautiful of their houses are often seen with soft frames. almost any elf with testosterone stationed out in areas like bazzoxan or asarius is lumberjack-like in fur growth, often encouraged & peer pressured & celebrated for it all at once by beastfolk friends.

The Savior of the Damned

Relationships: Verin Thelyss/Original Demon Character, Verin Thelyss & Essek Thelyss, Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast

Rating: Mature

Chapter 1/?

This is technically CR fanfic but is truly an off-shoot of my Netherdeep campaign. Please take a chance on this even though it’s got an OC!

Taskhand Verin Thelyss will do anything to close the planar rift allowing Abyssal demons access to Bazzoxan. He’s desperate to save his people from the threat, and, though he won’t admit it, desperate to get a much deserved break.

So if it comes down to fucking a demon, he will fuck that demon.

But when said demon divulges information about his long lost father, he enlists the help of his brother, Essek, to journey into the Abyss for answers and, hopefully, solutions. At the same time, this messy thing between him and his demon guide seems determined to develop into something more—if it doesn’t kill him first.

So, meet: Mairon, a demon mage with a sweet tongue and rocking bod who almost certainly has a hidden agenda. 😉

And of course, Verin: little brother of Essek Thelyss, the dutiful son, the Taskhand of Bazzoxan, and my precious lawful good cinnamon roll who seriously wants to get laid (but craves emotional intimacy even more).

Tags:

lawful good x neutral evil, mutually manipulative relationship, both the characters are bi sluts and I can’t keep their pants on, non-graphic sexual assault that’s not between the main pairing, Road-trip Fic! if a roadtrip is slashing your way through Betrayer’s Rise and journeying through the Abyss on foot with your captive/maybe boyfriend?? and your brother and his partner

people from elsewhere in xhorhas having the same visceral reaction to headlines about bazzoxan residents that we have to the words "florida man," and dynasty parents threatening to send their kids to bazzoxan when they misbehave.

locals telling visitors dropbear-style stories about the demons they might encounter (which absolutely do not actually exist) just to freak them out, because why deny the rumors that the town is constantly overrun with demons when they could have fun with leaning into it instead?

religious leaders and worshipers who openly give placatory offerings to betrayer gods and demon lords alongside the luxon and other gods/beings without persecution or even judgment, because no one's going to argue over the philosophy of it when the utility is so clear.

on that note, a general tolerance for religious deviations that most members of the dynasty would call heresy and mock or punish, because being so far from the seat of the theocracy and so deeply embroiled in a conflict that no amount of faith will solve makes it difficult to care much about how others choose (or refuse) to worship.

an abundance of abyssal tiefling children and low-level warlocks in pacts with demons, because in a place where demonic presence is so concentrated near where people are living, of course more of those people will be touched by it.

teenagers sneaking past the guards and into betrayer's rise to drink or smoke or make out or stay the night on a dare or leave graffiti or haze a newcomer to their group or just try to fuck with the demons the way kids at a sleepover might play with a ouija board.

wild conspiracy theories circulating about what's really down in betrayer's rise and what caused it, from "the demons aren't real at all" to "they were intentionally unleashed by a spy posing as one of the original miners to sabotage the town" to "the empire planted them to use up military resources".

extreme circumstances leading to more extremist sentiments weaving through the town – survivalists who insist on preparing for a catastrophic incursion exponentially more deadly than even the worst so far and zealots who claim that one such grand incursion will kickstart an apocalypse of calamity-level proportions, secessionists who insist the town should leave the dynasty entirely and insurrectionists who encourage more drastic action against a political hierarchy that they feel has failed to properly address the gravity of the town's situation.

legends and ghost stories about what happens to people who go down into the tunnels – how they might be trapped or transformed by it, or what the demons might use them for – that are used to scare children into not running off alone or told around fires just for the thrill of the fear.

numerous research outposts from knowledge-seeking groups across exandria, most with research groups at least a dozen scholars strong living there year-round to do their work, and at least one relatively high-level wizard there to study the abyssal magic out of personal interest, all of whom are given protection on their trips into the tunnels in return for presenting their findings (and any solutions those findings reveal) to the military.

tons of drow who finally figured out sunscreen and sunglasses and other sun protection, because everyone knows none of the rich wizard fucks in rosohna are going to bother giving them the safety of constant darkness and the town's own mages have far bigger things to spend their arcane reserves on than the sun.

a general sense of casual disinterest and disregard for the brewing war and the politics of dynasty vs empire in general because they live on the defensive side of a very different fight, which is far more real and urgent than a bunch of powerful people's bickering as far as they're concerned.

streets decorated and full of music and laughter on festival days, with all the games and food and other pleasures you would expect anywhere else, including on festival days that only they celebrate, like the anniversaries of famous victories against the demons or improvised events thrown together with the sole purpose of lifting the townspeople’s spirits in harder times.

cuisine specific to the town, known for unique features like its much heavier incorporation of sun-grown crops than most kryn food and its utilization of enough spices to make even demon flesh taste good (a feat that many people living elsewhere would think is impossible, but when you have more access to abyssal corpses than livestock, you learn to make it work).

despite its lack of a true inn (because frankly, very few people ever think to visit), the town having a variety of places to eat and drink and shop and relax and be entertained, because no one needs leisure more than people who live their entire lives on the brink of very immediate mortal peril.

logically, of course it would make sense for people to flee when they realized how dangerous bazzoxan truly is, but are people ever really logical when it comes to their home? how many would truly be willing to leave after devoting themselves to building something there, and how many would insist on staying and adapting and eventually outlasting the demonic presence there?

Vasselheim, Issylra: Vasselheim, also known as the Dawn City or the Cradle of Creation, is the oldest surviving city in Exandria. It is the capital of Othanzia, and is known as a major spiritual centre and the origin or headquarters of multiple religions.

image is BTS content by creators of the legend of vox machina

Bazzoxan, Wildemount: Bazzoxan is a Kryn military outpost in Xhorhas. It exists to defend against demonic incursions from a nearby Betrayer God temple. The Mighty Nein visited while trying to solve the mystery of the Angel of Irons.

Writing my Netherdeep story and the characters have finally reached Bazzoxan (after150pages) and are talking to the Taskhand. And just from his description in both books (EGtW&CotN) I loved him already. 

But writing out his mannerism and his dialogue. He is a good person with a lot of weight on his shoulders who takes it all very seriously. Also such a good juxtaposition to Essek. Where Essek turned his responsibility in a way to further his own ends and goals, Verin is all about protecting others. 

I imagine when he first showed up at Bazzoxan all fresh faced and eager, friendly the soldiers and townsfolk laughed. “He won’t last through his first attack” they sneered. After all, many like him don’t. Bazzoxan isnt a place of hope.

But Verin tried to change that. And his first incursion was absolutely a life-changing experience for him. People could warn him all they wanted about the horrors of the city, but it never really speaks to actually living the nightmare. But he also didn’t give up, or give in. He persevered, he mustered moral (imagine moral in Bazzoxan!) and they won the day. And afterward he didn’t quit.

And he didn’t really change. He continued being friendly with everyone he meets. He is that commander who tries to learn everyone’s names, and rememberes your face as well. You can pass by him on the street and he will greet you by name and ask you how your children are, or if those vegetables sprouted. He’ll ask how you’re getting by without your wife or parents and make sure you aren’t struggling.

The Aurora Watch members laugh at him still, but instead of the mocking sneers betting on him leaving, they joke about how he calls them by their given names more often then their ranks and titles and surnames. “Rowenda... er Seargent Luer’ig do you have that report.” “Pfft, yes sir”

Verin Thelyss has breathed life back into Bazzoxan. Whereas before they survived, and worked to continue surviving. Now they survive, but they’re also starting to thrive. They know this war is endless, but maybe they can somehow make a life out of it. Find some peace and tranquility in the calm despite the loss and hardship.

It’s a heavy weight, but one Verin is glad to bear. This is why he’s here, to protect these people and bring back their sense of hope. To see the smile on a parents face as they watch their kid complete a task for the first time, and to ensure they can keep doing so. 

Title: Dappled Shadow and Penumbral Light Relationships: Shadowgast, Beauyasha, Fjorester Rating: Mature Set: Post Aeor, Canon Divergent from Episode c2e140 on Tags: LuxonChampion!Essek, Secrets Revealed, Political Shame, Antagonistic Dierta Thelyss, Good Brother Verin Thelyss, Found Family, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Trent Ikithon, Kidnapping, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue, Multiple Arcs

Chapter 76: Ire of the Abyss Current Word Count: 370,702