burnt manuscript

Without planning it, our two drow somehow turned into two incredibly charismatic Swedes.

I'm generally not a huge fan of putting characters into modern settings, but this one ended up being surprisingly wholesome.

Since this happened outside of Tumblr, I thought I'd dust it off and share it here.

Aren

Early 30s. Frequently changes where he lives. Originally from Sweden.

Calm by nature. (Nordic, not married. 😄) He grew up in a large, close-knit family on a farm in Småland. He has several brothers and sisters, all of whom eventually settled in larger cities. Unlike most of his relatives, Aren changes not only where he lives, but also what he does for a living rather often. He studied astronomy. Charming, open-hearted, and able to strike up a conversation with almost anyone. Thanks to that, he's exceptionally good at defusing conflicts.

Favorite food — a medium steak. The more rosemary and pepper, the better.

Favorite drink — a cocktail of his own invention made with chili, whiskey, and sarsaparilla. An absolute fire hazard. He came up with it while working as a bartender.

Favorite color — sea green.

Hobbies — photographing people, with the sole goal of capturing a genuine smile (which he's remarkably good at). Pretending he knows martial arts (fortunately, nobody has ever put that claim to the test). Playing guitar (he's genuinely talented and even had his own garage band once). Astronomy and traveling—often at the same time, since Aren has no problem dropping everything to chase an unusual astronomical event.

Favorite season — early summer, when it feels like the best part of the year is still ahead.

Favorite place — behind the wheel of an old but stylish Volvo. Aren's favorite place has always been somewhere on the road.

Style — leather jackets, jeans, and band T-shirts that reflect his taste in music.

Music — classic rock. AC/DC, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi... though there's always room for ABBA in his playlist. 😅

Loa (belongs to @twilight-sanctuary) 26, nurse

Favorite food — a medium steak.

Favorite drink — lemon and cucumber infused water.

Favorite color — the gray-blue sky just before a thunderstorm.

Hobby — stargazing.

Favorite season — a cool, rainy summer.

Favorite place — by the window in her rented attic room.

Style — casual, perhaps. She loves well-made leather shoes because she walks everywhere, and anything with star patterns.

Music — Scandinavian metal. (Trees of Eternity, Sylvaine, Draconian, Tiamat, Mortal Love.)

She was born in Knutby, Sweden, into a family belonging to a religious cult. As a teenager, she began showing signs of the same mental illness her father struggled with. Because of lengthy rehabilitation periods, she didn't finish school until she was nineteen—which, in some ways, saved her from falling deeper under the cult's influence.

After her father's sudden death, she was finally free to leave the community and moved to Uppsala. She managed to become a nurse, though recurring relapses and the stigma surrounding her condition kept her from advancing professionally. Even so, she knows far more than her position actually requires.

Far across the emptiness I walk the night

And search the silence in the dark you left behind

I seek the stars above the world to be the guides

I've had my Borderlands AU for a while now, and I've been working on a lot of things dedicated to it.

It's a passion project of mine that combines everything I love and crave in media: an old-fashioned cartoon look, 2D animation, Atlantis- and Sinbad-inspired visuals and storytelling, and characters and dynamics that I personally enjoy. My dream is to create an actual cartoon one day, but for now, that's too much work for one person xD

I started learning animation because I wanted to bring Vaughn, Hedwig and my other characters to life, and I'm slowly getting there 🐸 I haven't posted everything here, and there's a lot more on my Patreon, take a look if you're interested.

I’ve also spent most of this summer struggling with my health after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, which is why I haven't posted in a while. I'm slowly getting better now, though. Working on this project gives me life and helps take my mind off things 💀💅

P.S. The three-eyed mutant frog is supposed to search the ground for truffles and other edible things, like chicken-flavored larvae, lol. That was my idea.

Don't forget to look for more frogs hidden in some of the artwork!

If forever is the price I pay In your arms I choose to stay

"He is like the cold waters of a mountain lake: serene and crystal-clear, yet hiding a current strong enough to pull you under"