1. Sharing honey-black currant mead with my a group of friends at the tavern.
2. Seeing the bard sing with such dedication and love that even the tone deaf music disliking orc bartender will stop ok his tracks to listen and appreciate it.
3. Listening to the young adventurers talk about their reasons for joining the guild.
4. Watching a couple accidentally get one another matching gifts.
5. Witnessing the local alchemist turned barista attempt to convince some poor soul to try her special blends.
Of course there are quite the few of other things as well, these just happened to take place today. Thank you so much for your question, Maev!
Talked to a dwarf in the tavern, the name was Kadoo or something, pretty cool guy but for some reason he started talking about something called "nervous system"? And the tavern keeper looked him dead in the eye and said "I don't have a nervous system for I am a nervous system" and I'm-
What in the name of Nynir is going on in this town???
A friend asked me at one point how I shade the hair in my art nowadays so here's honestly all I do about it:
I literally just happened to find a brush that did what I wanted it to do, and then I started adding layers to see how that'd affect it, though make sure that you draw lines that follow the shape and direction of the part you're colouring.
Also if you don't remember to add each shade on a different layer, it'll smudge and look off. Add the high lights last, adjust the size of the brush to your liking.
That's all there is to it, not tricks, no magic, no sacrificial virgins or goats or anything the sort, just a short cut to a nice looking hair shading.
@nikkistrations2-point-0 you do a lot of artworks from what I've seen, care to try this out a little? I'd be interested in seeing your thoughts on it.
My apologies for making such a poor excuse of a tutorial, I've never attempted to make one before.
Ah, also I tend to habitually merge my layers down and keep them as regular ones, because none of my art supplies (laptop nor tablet) tend to have that much memory, so I usually finish a part, merge the layers down, and move to the next part. Pro artists would cry if they saw me work ahahahaha- 💧
Notice: This is a very much isekai styled start for the story, but please be patient with it, I promise you that I will attempt to make it worthwhile of reading.
He walked through the dusty streets of Vanda, the day was unbearably hot and the mere thought of being forced to work today made him want to cry. This weather wasn't normal for this northern country, so the people of it were suffering, many of the elderly even fainting because of it. And he was supposed to be working at a car repair shop despite of this? Ludicrous.
The car hall didn't have any air conditioning, none of these houses did safe for the convenience store, and on top of it the fumes that came from the oil and gas were already unbearable on a normal day. So how on earth did the boss assume that any of them could get anything done now of all times? The boss.... He thought bitterly about his boss, who got to stay indoors with an electric fan blowing gently into his direction as he worked, how he could just get a glass of ice cold water whenever he wanted, got to eat whenever he wanted, while his subjects, his employees, were suffering. The bastard.
"I don't want to go there. I don't want to be there. I want out. I want out. I WANT OUT." was all that he could think about as he dragged his feet, ruining his work shoes in the process. He'd gone through his entire life up until now like the society had taught him to during his school years. Gone to school, studied until his head felt like it was about to explode, gone to high school, studied more, gone to university, even more studying, gotten a job, worked.
He couldn't even remember the last time he'd taken a break and actually relaxed, all of his vacations had gone with him sleeping and gathering more energy to work. He didn't even afford to have a social life outside of his work, so little time he'd had, and each of his past relationships had failed because of that. Sooner or later the person he'd been going out with would ask "Which one is more important to you, me or your work?" and each time they'd stormed out in rage before he could even explain the situation to them, that he simply couldn't afford to quit his job, that he did want to live and not just work.
As he thought about all of it with bitterness, he heard a voice speak.
"If you could choose a new life, what would your choice be?"
He didn't think much about it assuming that the voice wasn't speaking to him, yet he couldn't help but to imagine. "Maybe I'd have the ability to go wherever I pleased, travel, explore, get out of dangerous situations with ease, have no muscle or back pains, be more flexible, be somewhere where I could meet new people, make friends, have fun, adventure just.... Be alive", his mind showed him a faint memory of the time when he still could play games with people and have fun, such a distant memory it was to him now despite of it having been only few years ago. Or had it already been ten years? He really wasn't sure anymore, after a while time had become meaningless to him as each and every single day was the same, monotonous, monochromatic.
"Understood." wait what? He spun around towards what he thought to have been the source of that voice.
.... And found himself to be standing in front of an old looking wooden door with iron supports. There was a sign hanging on it as well, a clumsy wooden one that was hanging from a piece of thread, supported by a single iron nail.
"I... Huh?" the man looked around, only to see that his surroundings had also shifted drastically from the streets of the modern city to a stone street and ancient looking wooden houses. His vision kept showing something weird, shapes, probably human ones, with different coloured glows to them. [SKILL ACTIVATED: MAGIC VISION]
What? What on earth is going on?
Confused and little bit scared, the man turned back to the door, reached out his hand, and turned the knob to open the door.
"Welco-! Oh! It's not everyday you see an elf around here, you here to sign up for the guild?"
I'll be revamping this blog a bit, change it from being a World of Warcraft one to a general fantasy rp/story blog, this will obviously change a lot of things about Efrain and his backstory, but I think that it'll be a nice and good change.
The reason for this change is... Err... Well... Every WoW gamer knows already what the issue with Blizzard is as of this moment, so I don't think that I need to explain it, I also personally feel that staying in the world of Azeroth limits my ability to create stories, since I'll constantly have to consult sites to see if what I'm thinking about makes sense lore wise.
It's been a while! But I reread the rp thread we did some time ago, and I still love it! Thank you for interacting with Maev before💖 ~Mun of @witchs-garden
It was real fun to do! I really enjoyed the little adventure Maev and Efrain had!
"When you have to follow your warchief's doings, do odd jobs for Khadgar, lead rogues, save Suramar's remaining citizens, make contact with other races you had no idea of existing before and still make it home for dinner on time".
Anime screenshots are a mood and I won't stop doing redraws of them
Also those were the actual subtitles as far as I can trust my screenshot dealer
(big wow spoilers about sylvanas for the upcoming shadowlands expansion)
apparently sylvanas has been causing massacres on purpose (teldrassil for example) to feed souls to a Shadowlands entity known as the Jailer, who is in charge of the area of the shadowlands that houses the worst of the worst people in the afterlife. in exchange for those souls, he’s been giving her power. can’t wait to see where that goes
't had been a horrendous day for the sin'dorei assassin so far; the oh so demanding archmage Khadgar had made him run around the city of Dalaran fetching items and taking out threats and what was his price?! Being teleported in middle of a forest with nothing but his gear on his back! Efrain shook his head in displease, his elven senses being haywire from the trip, and the odd new scents and feelings that surrounded him. But he didn't panic, he couldn't, he sat down to think. @efrain-the-elf
@efrain-the-elf
Summer is coming to its end, fall rides on the breeze that blows gently throughout the valley. Maev wanders silently throughout the forest, a basket half full of mushrooms tucked into the bend of her elbow. The trees are dense, and mushrooms are stsrti g to grow sparse as she continues walking. The ones she find are small and inedible. Any other time she would be more than happy to take them, but she's collecting for food right now, not potions and spells.
"Perhaps half a basket will do for now..." she says softly to herself. She doesn't have much to do tomorrow, maybe she can go looking elsewhere then.
She begins to take another step, to start on her way home, but something catches her eye. Or, rather, someone. They don't look like anyone she's ever seen wandering about or visiting the valley. They look kind of lost - but what if they aren't? She wonders briefly if she should approach, but second guesses herself as any witch about to walk into a social situation does - most who know of witches aren't so fond of them...
Have they noticed her yet? She must stand out amongst all the green in her completely black outfit. Her wide-eyed gaze is obscured from view by the wide brim of her hat, but most say they can still feel it on them - she doesn't believe it's a good thing with how they say it.
Efrain took in his surroundings carefully, observing how different the trees were compared to the ones he'd seen in his homeland, the red head's glowing golden orbs darted left and right, trying to decipher the landscape that unravelled before him. As he stands near the stump, he realises that he isn't alone, feeling that he isn't alone.
He turns around slowly, not wanting to give off any threatening vibes even if he was wearing his red and black armour, his weapons sheathed and strapped onto his back. And he is taken back.
There, almost blending to the forest but not quite, stands a young woman in rather odd clothes. Staring at him as if she'd never seen anyone like him before. He measures the pale human up and down, idly wondering if she might be able to understand him at all. After all, he wasn't that keen on using the common language as it was too rough as opposed to the smooth Thalassian he preferred to use.
He raised his black gloved hands up in disarming manner.
"I seek no harm to you, mage, I am merely trying to figure out in which plane of reality I am in exactly", the only human language he knows falls from his lips with great effort, his tongue nearly being tangled every once and again upon him coming across a sound he wasn't used to making.
He could only hope that she understood what he was saying.
Maev blinks in confusion. She understands what he said, but she's not sure she understands what he meant. The title 'mage' isn't one she's ever heard before, for one. She tilts her hat up a bitbto see better, growing more and more certain that he maybe isn't from this planet at all - she has heard of aliens coming to Moomin Valley once. Her curiosities are on something else at the moment, though.
"Plane of reality?" She tilts her head as she repeats the words in a questioning manner. This is something one hears bits and pieces about, but as she works primarily in herbal wards, tea spells, (a few accidental transfiguration potions) and of course small magical items, it isn't something she's ever had to worry about.
"You're in Moominvalley, if that helps at all." She smiles a smile she hopes is friendly and isn't dismissed by her wide black eyes.
The assassin's eyes narrowed slightly as he thought about what he heard. He silently went through what he knew of the geography of Azeroth, trying to place this "Muminvalley" onto the map. After a while, he closed his eyes in frustration, running his fingers through his long hair, going all the way to back where he brought it down to the back of his neck, this one smooth movement revealing the scars that were the testament of his life and many obstacles he'd faced. He looked back at the woman, directly staring into her eyes with unpleased look.
"I am not in Azeroth anymore am I, I don't recall ever hearing of an valley named like that. Which planet is this?" he intrigued, he was supposedly given a mission that took place in this weird place, but he wasn't sure how far off he was of his mark. Khadgar wasn't exactly the best at teleportation.
She grows more and more certain he's an alien, now. Talks of different realms and planets, she doesn't know if the glowing yellow eyes are necessarily a factor, but it's definitely not something she's seen before. She's not going to be rude, though.
She rocks back and forth gently on her heels as he thinks. She thinks back to Barnabus at his pond and wonders what he would have said to this stranger. Well, he can be a bit rude sometimes, so maybe he would ask something a bit intrusive. Maybe about why his eyes glow as they do, or about the scars she caught a glimpse of. Even if this man couldn't understand Barnabus, Maev wouldn't want him to make anybody uncomfortable upon their forst meeting.
She's drawn out of her thoughts when he speaks again. "Azeroth? I've never heard of such a planet, but I'm no celestial witch." She smiles still as she continues, "Last i knew, though, this is planet Earth."
Efrain blinked in confusion, he'd never heard of this planet either. And what did that other odd word stand for? What was a "witch"? Tilting his head in thought, the elf tries to come up with a polite way to ask her about it even if he hasn't been too polite thus far. At least he did-
..... Not give out his name. Well then. He was an idiot.
"For the Sunwell, I am such a fool!" he said as he slapped his forehead, "I didn't even introduce myself! For the love of all that's good, my sire would be so dissapointed in my actions". He then stood up to his full height, the heels of his shoes clapped together making a small "clonc" sound. The elf took a bow fit for a meeting with a King.
"I am Efrain Sunstalker, Master Assassin of the Guild of the Rogues, sin'dorei, an elf, from the Silvermoon City of Northern Outlands of Kalimdor, Azeroth", he lifted his head, raising his brow in question, "And with whom may I be having the pleasure of talking to?"
It wasn't exactly the way he was supposed to be introducing himself, but then again Quel'Thalas had fallen long ago and the proud elves had changed their name from high elves to Sin'dorei, Children of the blood, in honour of their fallen brethren.
While waiting for the human to answer, he took one last glance at her, taking in her over all being.
From the redhead, he could feel that she indeed had power, but it was a different kind of magic than what he was used to as opposed to the demanding nature of the arcade magic, the lusting and gnawing nature of the fell, or the nurturing and calming Sunwell which he felt even now feeding him its warm and loving energy. Just what kind of a mage was she? Or better yet, was she one at all.
Maev's smiles never falters - though she does flinch slightly at the sudden movements as he had been relatively still before. She had expected a simple exchanging of names. That's not necessarily what she got.
She purses her lips before smiling again. She gives a small wave, "I'm Maev," and that's it. She's almost embarrassed that her introduction is so short, but she has no fancy titles or anything like that. "It's nice to meet you."
She wonders what she should do now. Most times when she meets new people she's near her cabin and can invite them inside for tea. While her cabin isn't incredibly far away, she's not sure if it's the appropriate time to extend an invitation.
His eyes widen ever so slightly in confusion, no titles, no nation, no race nor profession said? No last name? Was this... Was this usual for the humans of this land? Golden orbs travel towards the basket and it's now his turn to flinch, had he been interrupting the woman with something important? This was not good, not at all.
As the elf's mind kept racing at the speed of light, panic seeping into his bones. But he was an assassin, he mustn't panic! That'd be the most unprofessional thing to ever be done in the existence!
Efrain forced himself to relax, his sharp nose telling him that-
"You may wish to soon find shelter, it'll be raining at any minute", he stated slowly, still feeling embarrassed by his stumbling with his own introduction. Avoiding the stare of those inky black orbs, he took a quick glance around, looking for a potential shelter for himself. He'd manage in the wilderness would he have no other choice but to. Perhaps he'd be able to find some edible herbs and berries while he was at it.
The witch looks up to the sky. There are some clouds beginning to roll in. They're dark and heavy. "Oh, it might be one of those very long rains." There are times when the rains come down heavy for days at a time. The area might flood, and those are not ideal conditions if you're staying outdoors. She decides now to be an appropriate time to invite him along.
"I was just about to head home." She starts, shifting her basket elsewhere on her arm after it pinches her. "I have an extra room, if you would like to take it while you're here. Or, even just until the rain passes, whichever you like."
Head tilted to right, he pondered for his options. This woman, Maev, was currently his only lead to his location and had information regarding the area that he needed, so staying with her could be useful. However, she wasn't exactly comfortable around him, which he couldn't blame her for, and he wouldn't want to have her feel awkward. His need for information was much greater at this moment though, and therefore he accepted the offer.
Gesturing the witch to lead the way, Efrain noticed the stare he was being given, more specifically towards his eyes. This amused him greatly, humans were the same no matter the planet or universe they were in weren't they.
"As a member of elvish tribe, I am connected to a source of power, which provides me with stability and magic of my own to be used. For us who are Sin'dorei, or high elves as some prefer, it is the power of the Sunwell which floods through us, to the night elves it is the power of the Goddess Elune", seeing the confused, and even a little alarmed, look on Maev's face, he left out a small chuckle. "You were rather focused onto my eyes and their glow", he explained not bothering to hide his amusement, "the colours of our eyes, and the glow, depends on the power source we're connected with".
Following the woman with black eyes, he glanced last time around the place he'd been transported to. "I am aware of this not being usual for humans, often explaining this, so please do ask me if you find something in my appearance to be odd for you".
Maev trots along the path, leadi g the way back to her home. Perhaps a little embarrassed about being caught staring, but she doesn't let it shake her up too much.
"Well, I hope it doesn't sound rude, but just about everything about you is a little odd. We don't have any, um... elves around here. At least not that I'm aware of. There are Hemulens and Mumriks a-plenty, a family of Moomins, and another few witches here and there. But I've not heard of any elves."
Eventually the trees give way to a path that runs through the forest. Maev turns down it to continue walking, now quite close to home.
Water starts to drip lightly, gently falling into the hair of the assassin, on top of the large hat worn by the witch, making a tiny clinking sound as it hits the dark armour of the elf, who is now taking in his surroundings with care. You'll never know when he will be leaving this place.
"Well... We aren't that many in numbers back at my home either", he pauses for a brief second to catch up with his thoughts, "Or at least not as many as there used to be. It has been a bit unsafe for the past century". He carefully tries to avoid dwelling into the topic, even with him being as old as two centuries, he didn't favour talking about the current politics or the past in general. He'd lost too much back then.
"And if you find me to be not too normal, you should see the draenai, I can assure you that they are even weirder to witness. And I work with few from time to time"
Maev decides not to push the subject. She wouldn't want to make her guest uncomfortable. A small wooden fence shows itself along the path. There's a gap where a gate would go, but there's just another path leading through a well-kept garden, each plant is marked with it's own sign and warning. The path leads to a small, plain porch and a steep-roofed cabin. A steady stream of smoke flows out of the chimney. A large, patient bullfrog waits on the porch.
"Here we are." Maev says, leading the way down the path and up the two stairs of the porch. She opens the door, letting the bullfrog and her guest inside.
Her cabin is cozy as ever. It smells of herbs and tea, and lightly of the fire crackling under the cauldron.
The second he steps in, the elvish man is assaulted by multitude of scents and foreign sensations, his nose twitches slightly as he tries to get used to them, but he already knows that it'll take a while. At least he didn't smell iron rich items.
The cabin is.... Different from what he's used to coming across, less filled with dust and unused scripts and books and more filled with herbs and earthy items. The man is at loss of what to say or do when inside this oddly comforting place.
Efrain was more used to the golden halls and white stones, scarlet fabrics and painted shields, cities build by beings who live and breathe magic.
It takes few blinks for him to get used to the dim light, his golden glow eyes soon scanning the items presented to him. Herbs, flowerpots, cauldron being warmed by a cozy fire, crystals and flowers and... Is that a skull? The man cloaked in scarlet and pure shadows turned his attention on the witch, the blades in his back humming and whispering within his mind. They recognised this odd kind of magic.
"It's... Different. In a good way", he says carefully as he glances at the skull on the table, where it lays accompanied by a deck of cards, "So.. You mentioned that you are a witch... What kind of magic do you command? It appears to be rather different from the magic of my world and its users".
Maev carefully moves the skull and cards off of the table and into a box with her other divination tools. She's still not any good at it just yet. She speaks as she does so.
"I mostly do herbal spells. Mostly protections and wards, but I've been trying to learn other types. Transfiguration only seems to backfire, though... I got stuck as a cat for a whole month once." She laughs softly at that. "I can do some minor healing with tea magic, too. Things to help against light illnesses and promote good health."
She looks back at her divination box for a moment, but shakes her head. "I'm no good at divination, though. Seems that's a skill only my granma has."
She finishes straightening up the table while the bullfrog makes its way over towards a blanket on the floor. It sits itself there and makes itself comfortable as it stares at Efrain in a way only a frog can. One never can tell if they're glaring or staring or what they might be thinking.
"Divination? As in seeing into the future? I only know of one person who is capable of such feat, but more often her ability is a hindrance", Efrain says as he looks around in search of a stool to sit on before his eyes land onto the familiar. As the bullfrog stared at him, he stared right back at it. The way how it seemed to have thoughts of its own was very unnerving to the being who grew up seeing that even the tiniest critter might attack him. "I've never seen anyone attempt to see into the future through remains of the living though, most I know try to raise the dead, which, now that I think about it, doesn't exactly work out well. Warlocks and their demon slaves are a lot more dependable than necromancers if you ask me".
As he stared at the toadlike being, it left out a loud croak making Efrain raise his brow at it. He really didn't know how to feel about the bullfrog. It was obviously thinking without thoughts, very disconcerning. Unsettling.
"My own magical abilities aren't honed enough to do much else than to give me a quick power boost, help me with applying poisons and giving me immunity towards potential magic attacks", the red head said as he tapped the wooden table with his gloved finger thoughtfully.
Feeling slightly faint, he stepped away from Maev, shooting her an apologetic smile. With a quick movement, Efrain brought his hands up. The result was instant as the witch could observe from the quick concentration of light speeding up towards the elf's feet, soon disappearing into his boots. Whatever it was that he called upon, it seemed to go through his body just as fast as it'd arrived, as seen from the way how his eyes flashed briefly brighter.
Efrain took a deep breath, now completely relaxed.
"The skull isn't really for much, just a gift from my granma. She said it helped her concentrate, or charge the cards, or something like that."
Maev was about to ask if he was okay, was about to fetch her extra stool before whatever happened... happened. She's not sure what had happened at all, but quickly moved a stool from the corner of the room to the table with a quick wave of her hand. Ah, yes. Basic magic of moving things around and making them float is common for all witches, no matter the type of magic they use most regularly.
She looks back over to Barnabus, who gives another croak. She nods. "He would like to say hello, and also introduce himself. His name is Barnabus." She's unsure how well timed Barnabus' introduction is. She has questions about what just happened, but she has no idea how to begin to ask them.
Efrain released the hair that had been gathered up onto a chieftain hairdo, ruffling it a little before starting to tie his hair up onto a bit more armour take off appropriate hairdo, in middle of this little task, he stops, his eyes darting to the bullfrog.
"A pleasure to meet you Barnabus, I am Efrain", he says with a calm voice before resuming to his hair situation. He could sense the confusion that was coming off of the witch, but he was waiting for her to ask the questions she wanted, nay needed, to ask.
He concentrated a little, allowing his own magic to unbuckle the armour made of dark metal and leather which was protecting him like a shell of a lobster, and was just as uncomfortable after a long day. A dark red undershirt was revealed from beneath the protection layer along with the fact that he was, as many of the current generation of humans would say, ripped. He really needed to get a new custom shirt.
The armor was soon put beneath the stool he decided to sit on to be out of the way, his hair again being released, this time to stay free as he tied the lace around his wrist with calculated moves, observing Maev.
"You're concerned, confused and intrigued at the same time, whatever it is you have on your mind, you may ask it without being concerned over being polite or such. As an assassin, I've found it to be better to go straight into the business"
Perhaps all she needed was a permission to ask? He was in her home after all.
Maev removes her hat and puts it on the rack next to the door. Perhaps her jitteriness is coming off as nervousness, but in all actuality she's quite excited. Everything about magic, especially new magic, always intrigued her.
She walks into the kitchen, just on the other side of the table, to find something to busy herself with so that she can think of a way to phrase it. Maybe start some tea, or get out some cookies. Make dinelner?
Oh, but she bursts before she can decide on what to do. She doesn't get loud, mind you, or overly excited. She just doesn't think of what to say before she says it.
The best phrasing she can find as she tirns bsck to face her guest is, "I just... what was... that?" She hopes what she's referring to is obvious. In her excitement, she tends to lose her words.
Efrain took a bit more comfortable position on his stool, flinging his leg over another and balancing his elbow onto his knee, soon leaning onto the hand itself. Reading this little lady was a lot more difficult as opposed to the Allied.
"It's called an arcane torrent, a little trick that so far only those of Thalassian descend are capable of using. It", he paused trying to remember what he was told in his childhood, "helps us to restore energy and better work with sudden changes in the environment".
He shifted a little on his seat again, it wasn't exactly easy to explain the gifts of the Sunwell to an outsider. But also...
"I'd been on the move for a long while without being able to rest before Khadgar sent me here. That sorry excuse of an archmage never really concerned himself with the wellbeing of those who he commissioned", he said without mentioning how his job as the master assassin amplified to the tiredness he felt, "Therefore me absorbing the magic, arcane magic to be precise, from the air was something I needed to do to keep myself healthy".
After all, this gentle thing wouldn't like to hear of his tedious work would she now.
