3. How did your oc discover themself? Did something cause them to question, or did they always know?
Epiphany is a interesting case. The identity of “Sister Epiphany Goodhope” begins as a farse - it’s the constructed backstory given by Areelu Vorlesh to the result of her seventy year old (if I'm remembering the timeline correctly) experiment, the fused soul of a tiefling girl and her deceased child. The reason they remember nothing when they’re brought to the Market Square - it’s because there’s nothing to remember.
Epiphany’s tale is one of carving out one’s identity while grieving what they believe they’ve lost, then coming to terms with the truth once it’s revealed.
The same can be applied to their gender - to Epiphany, it ended up being both something instinctive and needing the help of a friend.
During Act I, Epiphany felt discomfort at being referred to as a woman, and upon reflection - thanks to talks with Anevia who noticed their plight - they realized it was because while they partially identified with womanhood and femininity, it was too restrictive a label for them, and they preferred being referred to neutral terms.
4. Is your oc's environment supportive about their identity? How does this impact them?
The Companions are pretty supportive (ranging from “I fully Get It and I support you”, “I Don’t Get but I support you” and “I really don’t care”) and all use Epiphany’s proper pronouns, much to their delight <3
Since I tend to project my Catholic Trauma™️ onto the Church of Iomadae I think old guard, high ranking officers like Hulrun would be prejudiced, but probably wouldn’t dare speak about it because that’s the Knight-Commander. I can also imagine Konomi suggesting Epiphany go back into the closet to please the more pearl clutching Iomadae faithfuls. But I’m just spitballing over here.
8. Have they had struggles with their identity, be it due to internal or external reasons?
I don’t think so. Aside from the initial struggle when figuring out their identity, I think Epiphany would be pretty sure of themselves and at peace after that.
1. What's your oc's gender identity? What's their relationship to their gender?
2. What's your oc's orientation? (Romantic/sexual/platonic alterous ect) Do they have opinions about it?
3. How did your oc discover themself? Did something cause them to question, or did they always know?
4. Is your oc's environment supportive about their identity? How does this impact them?
5. How did you figure out your oc's identity?
6. How does your oc feel about labels? Theirs, or in general?
7. Is there something that could cause your oc to question their identity? What?
8. Have they had struggles with their identity, be it due to internal or external reasons?
9. Are there cultural or lore specific aspects to their identity? If applicable, does their species affect it?
10. Does your oc celebrate Pride? How?
11. Is your oc open about their identity? Are they more lowkey or more blunt about it? Why or why not?
12. Does/did your oc ever wish they could change the way they are? Why? If it's in the past, how did they get over the feeling? (this can be about internalized homo/transphobia)
13. Would your oc be open to a poly relationship? Why or why not?
[Not aimed at a specific character] / [Aimed at creator]
14. Do you have ocs on the aro or ace spectrum?
15. Do any of your ocs use neopronouns? Which ones?
16. Did you ever change an oc's identity when they were already established? Why?
17. Do you share identity with any of your ocs? Which ones?
18. Do you prefer to give your ocs specific labels, or keep it unspecified? Why? If applicable, do you change their labels depending on circumstance?
19. Do you have preferences about depicting homo/transphobia in your stories? What, and why? Does it vary by story?
20. Have your ocs helped you in self discovery? How?
i keep thinking of how epiphany's horns are a Hazard™️ when it comes to cuddling no matter which way i draw them. lann and epiphany's cuddling positions gotta be thought out or lann WILL get his eyes poked out
im on baby bitch casual mode so i get to role play as much as i want a run with a dragonblood shifter ancient born dhampir because i love the idea of someone who hates how they look so much that they went through insane efforts just to change it.
I already knew I was going to romance Lann just because he was funny, but something about him genuinely calling Fawn beautiful fucking sold me.
what do you mean they're both two cursed beings that found beauty in eachother
what do you mean Lann has like 5 more years left in him while Fawn has another hundred
I found out today that there was a (thankfully very ill-fated) attempt to have the entire Wikipedia article on discrimination against transgender men deleted. At first I thought the perpetrator was yet another bargain bin transphobe/TERF act of disruption but apparently not so, she is a trans woman. The user in question had been disputing the use of transandrophobia in the article as being inappropriate, but as other editors pointed out, the way in which it was used was as to be expected (basically saying “hey this term is being used commonly right now in places to describe this phenomena”). When attempts to get the article edited to remove any mention of the term failed, this user instead decided to just nominate the whole article for deletion instead. She even went as far as to say “you will never be a man” to the editors disputing this, though it was quickly deleted. It’s the actions of only a single person, but I find this indicative of how the chronic devaluing and othering of transmasculine people and voices in faux-transfeminist spaces leads to action basically indistinguishable from cis transphobes. Resorting to attempted vandalism of an online resource and blatant transphobia is a symptom of this trend that deserves absolutely no patience at this point.
My liege im sorry to break it to you but your advisor that's actually evil and wants you dead turned out to be straight. I know you really wanted to have an enemies to lovers situation with him. Yeah I'm afraid the poisoning didn't hold any romantic intent behind it. The king of the enemy kingdom is bisexual though, I could send him a letter? Yes, I'll make sure to include multiple threats of homoerotic nature. You will have your toxic yaoi, my liege
Not sure why it's a new trend among fic readers to assume if the fic has not been posted within the week it's inappropriate to comment on it, like the fic has to be hot out of the oven to give feedback for.
I got a comment on a fic that is less than a year old and it was mostly an apology for being a comment on an "old fic" and how late they were in commenting.
Just comment on the fic. Doesn't matter how old it is.
Aloth being the first companion you get is great because his introduction is insane (guy gets into a barfight because he tells a guy to go fuck his sister and then backpedals and goes 'oh uh no I Did Not Say That' and then immediately goes 'I did say that' but in a different accent) but then from his perspective the introduction to the Watcher is just as insane. Rando who helps him out during a barfight wakes up in a cold sweat, makes a beeline for the corpse tree, and stares intently at the body of a dead dwarf for 15 minutes. freak matched at unparalleled levels.
Something about Epiphany had been relentlessly eating at Lann since they first met only a scant few hours ago. Something stated in cold fury, that even Wenduag in her eagerness to needle the tiefling had not seemed to pick up on.
“You think our forebearers sullied themselves by mating with demons like yours did?” Wenduag cast a contemptuous look at Epiphany, smirking scornfully as her words sunk in slowly, painfully for the tiefling. “No, our ancestors would never sink that low.”
Epiphany’s brow furrowed, amber eyes narrowing as they glared at the mongrel woman “You do realize there are many ways for tieflings to come about, yes? And even if it happened as you say - not that I’d remember - most such unions are not sane and consensual?”
The phrasing - “not that I’d remember” instead of “not that I’d know” - why emphasize lack of memory instead of lack of knowledge?
It bothered Lann, scratched like a bad itch and spread goosebumps over his human skin, scales standing on end on his lizard half. But before the small scratch of lingering distrust could fester into the open wound of outright discord, Epiphany did the impossible.
The damp and dark caves making up Neathholm were illuminated by a bright angelic light as Epiphany raised their arm to the unreachable skies and the Light of Heaven materialized in their hand. Their voice was solemn and echoed clearly in the cave for all mongrels to hear and believe. “Lann speaks the truth.”
In that moment, all doubts were cast from Lann’s mind. He would follow Epiphany wherever they went.
And he had an apology to make.
***
In the end, it was Seelah who brought it up, when they set up camp after clearing up the Shield Maze but before progressing through the innermost gate.
They had just finished eating a meal of grilled skinned rats, courtesy of Lann (while there was food in the pantry, which Camellia had been very keen on pointing out, they were on enemy territory, warranting every precaution - including poison) when the paladin moved to remove her armor for the night. Epiphany offered their help, deftly aiding Seelah in shedding the full plate.
“Hey, you’re pretty good at this!” Seelah praised “I’m so used to putting this thing on and off by myself - definitely feels nice to have someone help out!”
Epiphany smiled. “Glad to help. To be honest, I didn’t know I could do this until a few minutes ago.”
“Oh! Are you remembering more things? How’s your memory?” Seelah asked.
Lann perked up at that, stopping his motions of testing his bowstring and shifting to look at Epiphany, who seemed to sense his gaze and turned to meet it. Camellia had also deigned to lift her head from glaring at her grilled rat to stare at the tiefling, who saw it in their peripheral vision and seemed to wilt under their collective gaze.
“It’s okay. We trust you.” The words flew from Lann’s mouth before he had even registered saying them and he quickly turned his reptile half to Epiphany as he felt his human half flush. Epiphany’s eyes widened and their own cheeks darkened as Lann’s admission stunned them into silence.
Seelah grinned and drew Epiphany in a half-hug. “Of course! We’re among friends here. Right, Camellia?”
The half-elf lifted a dainty hand to her chest and her mouth curved in a polite smile. “Right. Tell us all your secrets.”
After a few seconds, Epiphany sighed. They gently disentangled from Seelah and once again busied themselves undoing the straps that held up her plate before speaking again, voice soft. “So… Lann. To put it plainly - a large amount of my memory's missing. In fact, when I first woke up, I didn't even remember my name.”
More pieces came off, Epiphany gently depositing them on a cloth Seelah had laid out. “But since I fell down here I've been remembering a few things. Bits and pieces. And deduced a few others.”
Seelah had fully shed her armor now and smiled gratefully to Epiphany, who smiled back. The tiefling went over to their bedroll, carefully sitting down with a tired “oof!” and smoothing the creases in their dress, then raising two fingers. Lann, ever the hunter, followed their every move with rapt attention.
“I know two things for sure. My name is Epiphany Goodhope, and I am a Cleric of Pharasma - may She forgive me for forgetting Her for even a moment, no matter how brief.” This gained them a sympathetic look from Seelah. “I remember some spells - the basics, if you will - but my guess is that I used to know many more, and as such I presume that my memory loss has somehow affected my abilities.”
“Well, your name doesn’t give us many clues” Seelah mused, idly scratching her chin “but if we go by your by your accent, you’re probably Mendevian.”
“The largest - and closest - temple of Pharasma is in Nerosyan, I hear.” Camellia supplied. “Of course, that doesn’t guarantee it was your temple. It could’ve been a…. quainter place.”
“Well, that’s nice and all” Lann sudenlly cut through the chatter, an uncharacteristic steeliness in his voice “but I think what’s more important is not who Epiphany was but who they are and who they want to be.”
All eyes turned to Lann, but he paid them no mind - except for a pair of surprised amber ones, staring directly at him.
So he spoke to them.
“You’ve been a leader since you fell down here. You’ve commanded us all in battle, showed the Light to Sull and gave the mongrels hope, and even when I told you to your face that I though you were a cultist and demon spy when we first met - you forgave me with a smile.” Lann breathed deeply. “All without memories. Because you have character. You have strength and beliefs.”
Lann held Epiphany’s gaze.
“You already know what to do. So point, and I’ll shoot.”
Epiphany was silent for a long moment, long enough that Lann feared he had put his foot in his mouth. But soon enough a genuine, relieved smile bloomed on the tiefling’s face. “Thank you, Lann.”
Lann felt his blush return tenfold and quickly rearranged himself on the bedroll so his lizard half faced Epiphany. “Y-Yeah, no problem.”
Seelah burst into a hearty laugh while Camellia rolled her eyes, which only served to aggravate Lann - but he couldn’t bring himself to regret speaking his mind when the sound of Epiphany’s own laughter followed.
In that moment, all doubts were cast from Lann’s mind. He would follow Epiphany wherever they went.
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