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[honoura]

Shaaloani: The Land of Enchantment Part One

Hello again! It's another lore-adjacent post from me about a niche special interest of mine. This time it's Shaaloani, the American Southwest/Northern Mexico inspired zone in FFXIV's Dawntrail.

I want to disclose a few things right at the start just to temper people's expectations: I will not be definitively ID'ing any of the indigenous-inspired structures or visuals as inspired by any specific tribe. That's not my lane! I'm going to link to things that they remind me of, for sure. But otherwise my hyperfocus is going to be on the physical environment, some animals, and the ceruleum as petroleum industry. It's what I recognize best! And what I know best, truthfully.

"Hon why are you doing this?" A variety of reasons honestly. After DT dropped I saw a lot of folks who did at least one of the following:

Commented on the Old West theme park aspect

Called it "miqo'te Texas"

Generally just called the whole map "Texas"

And if I'm honest... it bugged me! Not because I thought anyone was being malicious about it (it's mostly pop culture saturation I'd suspect), but to me it stung a bit that this zone, which I grew up on the fringe of, was... kind of flattened by a lot of people?

I don't know, the response to me just felt like people assumed they knew everything about it because they'd seen it already in movies or TV or Red Dead Redemption rather than the same open-mindedness about what was presented in places like Urqopacha.

This zone isn't just Texas -- yes there are some bits and pieces here (because it's pulling from the Chihuahuan Desert and the Sonoran Desert), but so much of it reminds me of New Mexico, Mexico, and Arizona. There's some Colorado, Utah, and Nevada there too! And the background story going on there is something that still happens in a lot of those states, by both the government and corporations alike.

That variety deserves to be celebrated! So come learn with me about the inspiration for Shaaloani!

Shaaloani Geography

Shaaloani has three major regions in the zone -- Eshceyaani Wilds, Pyariyoanaan Plain, and Yawtanane Grasslands. To get this out of the way, I'm going to tell you the one that reminds me most of Texas.

Ready?

Lake Taori of the Pyariyoanaan Plain.

It's river-fed, with canyons on both ends of the Niikwerepi. The trees crowding around it are cypress trees, as you can tell by the little nubby off-shoots called knees. To compare, here is a photo of cypress trees along the Frio River:

This is also reminiscent of places along the Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers, two significant water sources in West Texas. I also would not call them bayous! Bayous typically have brackish water, are slow-moving, and are way too far east.

However, it could be partly considered a ciénega -- which according to its wikipedia article:

"Ciénagas are usually associated with seeps or springs, found in canyon headwaters or along margins of streams. Ciénagas often occur because the geomorphology forces water to the surface, over large areas, not merely through a single pool or channel."

As a caveat, ciénegas generally don't have trees around them, but I also know that you can't really drown a cypress and they love sunshine. Regardless -- if you see trees in the desert they are typically growing along a water source. Balmorhea State Park has some cottonwood trees native to the area that are going strong.

Yawtanane Grasslands reads as a mix of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Eastern Plains of Colorado. Both are rather arid and home to a variety of grasses that can thrive in such a climate -- which has historically made both areas home to large cattle industries (whether or not this was ever a good idea is debatable, since cattle are very thirsty animals).

Meanwhile the Eshceyaani Wilds looks similar to the Sonoran Desert -- the red-hued soil and rocks, the abundance of cacti with the scrub brush and some drought-tolerant grasses. Here's a shot of the Sonoran within Saguaro National Park in Arizona:

Saguaros also only grow in Arizona in the States! As well as the organ-pipe cactus, which you see in Tender Valley. And prickly pears grow just about anywhere they can get a chance -- as well as barrel cacti, both of which we see in Tender Valley (along with what could be agave!).

You could probably make a case for it being a piñon-juniper scrubland -- everything's very short compared to those cypress trees, including the juniper trees! Piñon-juniper scrubland's found throughout the Southwest. There are also piñon-juniper savannahs and persistent woodlands intermixed in the same places. The difference lay in what plants you find with the piñon pines and junipers.

Visually, aside from the Sonoran Desert, I can also see a lot of New Mexico, like the Ghost Ranch in Rio Arriba:

It matches up with the mountains you can see, and both Yowekwa Canyon and Tender Valley. And of course, Tender Valley is likely a Grand Canyon reference, going by the sheer height of the cliffs. But you could also make a case for Canyonlands National Park in Utah.

There's a shot from Grand View Point Overlook within the park -- the closeness of the canyon walls and the warm earth tones also evoke Tender Valley!

There's also a lot of these sandstone formations in Utah that better fit Shaaloani -- like here in the Valley of the Gods:

Shaaloani Structures

I also at this point want to call attention to one of the two sites with cliff dwellings & adobe structures. We just saw Tender Valley above, which is confirmed to be old Yok Huy structures. But check out these Tonawawta buildings below.

As I stated before, I don't want to state which tribe these two styles remind me of. But I do want to say this again strikes me as another New Mexico and Arizona callback; both the Gila Cliff Dwellings and the Puye Cliff Dwellings are found in two different areas of New Mexico. And the Gíusewa Pueblo, also in New Mexico! Montezuma Castle is found in Arizona, and is pictured below! Look at that rich reddish earth color.

I also want to call attention to the place of worship for the Tonawawta in Yowekwa Canyon:

When I saw it my kneejerk response was to call it an ofrenda. But that's ultimately an incomplete response -- that was just the vibe I felt after seeing them during my life! What it also reminds me of are pictographs and petroglyphs. You find these all over the Southwest (the climate helps preserve them!), but I'm going to link some really great examples. I won't provide images to all though!

Crow Canyon Petroglyphs:

Piedras Madras Canyon at Petroglyph National Monument (New Mexico) Petroglyph Point Trail at Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado) Petroglyph Panel at Canyon Reef National Park (Utah) Nampaweap at Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (Arizona) Horseshoe Canyon at Canyonlands National Park (Utah) and the Hueco Tanks State Park (Texas)

In contrast, I don't want to spend a ton of time on the boom town structures in this zone; they are pretty straightforward references to mining towns during the different resource booms (gold, silver, copper, oil).

Similar blocky shapes, built out of wood. One thing I noticed as a neat addition are the decorative patterns painted on it -- again, I don't want to presume if there's a specific tribe tied to this. But I do think it's a neat touch and I want to think that's a design choice to convey the underlying theme that this is a zone at odds with advancing technology and wanting to keep hold of important traditions.

I WILL talk about the ceruleum wells and pumping though. Mostly because I'm impressed that they went with structures that so closely resemble early 20th century oil derricks. Those were also predominately made of wood (including the barrels, yikes!). The pump part of what's called a pumpjack were covered in the old days -- the ones we're most used to seeing now are made of metal and are thus left uncovered.

However, as you can see from this century old rig, even the wheel's made of wood:

I don't think ceruleum gushes the same way oil did -- it seems to behave more like natural gas. However, most natural gas pipelines do burn off excess, which can be seen as a little spout of flame atop.

Oil's occupied an awkward spot in the Southwest, and still does. Aside from the heinous crimes committed in Killers of the Flower Moon (where members of the Osage tribe were murdered for their oil shares in Oklahoma) and the Teapot Dome Scandal, oil is just... well.

Bear with me, I'm about to rag on Koana a moment.

The people who make the most money and have the most power over the average roughneck's life never live in the Southwest. They work in the c-suite and have more money than sense.

I find it very fascinating that DT chose to recreate this dynamic, this uncomfortable push-pull of a region rich in a resource, and it's being harvested at the suggestion and behest of a power that is physically removed from the area. And to some NPCs it's with a certain level of disregard to traditions and practices in place before, with the focus on the nebulous quantifier of 'progress'. Progress how? It depends!

But the folks at the highest seat of power never have to grapple with those questions, because to them it's a fairly cut and dry answer. This is the way to proceed, and if they want to take this nation into the "future", then this is the clear way to do it. It speaks to Koana's fixation on foreign technology to the point he de-values his own (partly due to his childhood trauma, which kind of prepped him to be susceptible to it).

Meanwhile the locals are the ones grappling the most with this change -- how it affects their plants and animals. Sometimes pits open up in the earth and ceruleum burns (which, Santa Rita New Mexico sank multiple times into the earth thanks to copper mining). On the map there's even discolored plants -- and they only occur in the vicinity OF the bulk of the ceruleum pumps.

This is at odds with core beliefs, keeping up with traditional practices. It puts people in the place of 'do I participate in this system, which promises work and the means to take care of my family, even as it pits me against my cultural heritage?'.

Growing up in West Texas, one of the weirdest things to me (to this day) is how many people will claim they love the land. They do! They love the outdoors, they worry over how certain species of animals have become scarcer. But they also work in the single most damaging industry because it pays the most money. It lets them cover bills and give their kids what they never had.

That same push-pull is in Shaaloani narratively; when progress has been thrust upon you, how do you survive it? How do you make sure what's dearest to you comes along with you?

In Conclusion

I want to call it here for Part One -- Part Two after this will cover more observations I had regarding flora and fauna in the Shaaloani zone, and how that also shows the attention to detail given this zone! It's a good time! There will be dinosaurs!

[honoura]

Shaaloani: The Land of Enchantment Part Two

Hello again! First of all thank you so much for your responses to these posts -- I've really enjoyed reading your reblogs. I'm glad folks are enjoying this!

As I mentioned in the first post -- here is the second half! It's covers the plants and animals I thought worth special distinction. By that I mean animals that communicate how much research was done regarding this zone. So no rroneek, no uxtena. It's pretty clear they are both meant to be buffalo and rattlesnakes.

And if you're somebody who hadn't caught that, um... surprise! That's what they're based on.

If you're somehow getting this post without reading or seeing Part One first, here is a link to Part One. I'd recommend giving it a read first.

With that taken care of, let's pick up where we left off before!

Shaaloani Flora

Aside from the cacti, there are a lot of plants I recognize as native to the regions discussed in Part One! First is this scrubby, short and wide tree. It took a few screenshots and a lot of scrutiny. I was torn for a bit thinking it was a creosote bush, but upon zooming in close I'm of the mind it's a redberry juniper tree instead!

The leaves are long and thing, and the shape gives to mind of juniper needles more. Juniper 'leaves' kind of scale over each other and between texture resolution and my horrible eye sight I can't tell if this does the same. Still! There's a photo below my two screenshots for further emphasis:

These are also the trees turned red near the ceruleum fields -- junipers tend to do that when they are dying. They are also incredibly hardy so typically when you've managed to kill one it's likely not good.

I will say when I was out here I noticed the botanist gathering log has mesquite beans on it -- and you harvest them from these trees! Which is too silly for me; so here's a link to the the wiki about honey mesquite, and a photo of the beans on a tree.

It's probably a reach to try and ID this grass in the Yawtanane Grasslands, but given that it caught my eye I felt inclined to make a pitch. For context child me thought a fun and engaging after school club project was to learn how to identify grass and other plants native to Texas. So when I looked at it I wanted to take a guess based on other regional clues:

To me I think it could be cane bluestem, a grass that's drought tolerant and popular for grazing animals. And its seeds are dispersed from these little fluffy heads like this.

I will say as a caveat that a lot of grass in this area can be dispersed by wind. So it might not be cane bluestem -- hell it's a stretch to even try this. But I like to think they also considered the grass.

The bush above I also hmmed and hrmmed about for a bit before positing if it was meant to be black persimmon. It's commonly called Texas persimmon or Mexican persimmon -- and it's found in Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Neuvo León. They generally just look like big shrubs instead of trees.

I mentioned this in part one, but I'll go ahead and reiterate here a few things:

One is I think Lake Taori's about the only place that reads as specifically Texas

Two is it's not a bayou. That's an East Texas ecosystem and way too wet for Shaaloani

Three is there are cypress trees west of San Antonio growing along the Frio river, and doing quite well! Garner State Park has quite a few of them

I stand by this because these trees are show to be reproducing by making 'knees' -- offshoots from their root system. Think of it like Pando.

I also feel cypress is correct; the trunks are wider at the base than higher up, and the leaves are the right shape. I also appreciate there's Spanish moss hanging from them, which is also pretty common.

The last plant I want to cover is this flowering bush -- I'm going to admit this one was a struggle because I don't know of a lot of bushes with large white flowers like this. I've seen flowers of this shape, but most tend to be ground cover plants that grow very low to the soil.

What I think it might be, which would feel appropriate, is a take on the datura. They can get a bit higher off the ground than most wildflowers. And they were used by several native tribes for cultural practices.

The flowers are bigger in real life than depicted here -- so this is a reach! If someone has a better suggestion I'm open to it.

Shaaloani Fauna

When Fate farming out here, I've seen several players comment like 'huh, there sure are a lot of dinosaurs on this map'. And you're right! Because a lot of this region is home to some incredibly rich fossil formations.

Big Bend National Park contains part of the Javelina Formation -- home to large creatures such as the Quetzalcoatlus, a pterosaur that boasted a 39 foot wingspan. You can read about fossils found in Big Bend here. The Javelina Formation has its own wiki article that details some of the specimens found within it, including the Bravoceratops and the Torosaurus. The Ojo Alamo Formation in New Mexico is home to the Ojoceratops. Just south of these is the Aguja Formation in the Mexican states of Coahuila and Chihuahua. These formations are home to fossils of all three types of scalekin above -- as well as alligators, who are also on this map!

Other Formations in the Southwest home to great fossil finds are:

Kayenta Formation (Colorado & Utah)

Tepetate Formation (Mexico)

Black Peaks Formation (Texas)

There's even a fun sightseeing lore blurb which acknowledges this!

I think this is a fun addition to the zone that strengthens the real world inspiration sources and have fun with world building -- a lot of the formations near the Permian Basin were along the shore or under the waves of the Permian Sea!

And that's all I have! Thank you all for indulging me, and by all means take any and all of this to do with what you will in roleplay. Have fun with it!

[snow-and-sea]

There's a darkness at the heart of my love That runs cold, runs deep The darkness at the heart of my love So cold, so sweet

[snow-and-sea]

Beneath the Canopy

The Wild Beasts Do Roam

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

SOMEONE FINALLY BROKE VIC MICHAELIS

[snow-and-sea]

[rhotano-rose]

When The Snow Melts

( A short story in response to Under the Ice by @snow-and-sea​ )

Rosa knew that it was bad. Knew that Khargis faced tremendous struggle, endured discomfort of ceaseless loss and regeneration of flesh, fought with the trials of each sun to live as normal a life as possible under his circumstances.

And yet, despite acting as his personal nurse, working to stem the proverbial tide of destruction, she still hadn’t realized the full extent of Redmane’s devastating necrosis.

Following her and Erimmont’s bonding and subsequent honeymoon, the woman had worked tirelessly, researched and exhausted every avenue of contact she had within the lands of Hingashi and Othard as a whole. She was looking for someone– a woman whom she had only spoken to perhaps a handful of times years ago, and yet remembered distinctly as a master of poisons in her line of shadow work. ‘Chitose Orin’ had been the name in what records she had managed to scavenge up from their former company, and yet it constantly led to dead ends. An assumed name, it seemed..

But a Sekiseigumi regional record of ruling Daimyo lords had been her saving grace; how she had acquired it was a question better left unanswered. Written within its contents, the succession of Kaneuchi no Chitose over her father, Kichirou, had been noted, deep within the mountains of Yanxia. It was little wonder why Rosa couldn’t find her.. But then again, hiding had been Chitose’s specialty. 

By Express Moogle Mail Rosa had reached out - and paid a pretty gil for the expedient service. Miraculously, Chitose had accepted Rosa’s request for help– and so the two women reunited, and the full breadth of the situation discussed in swift order.

“I will need samples,” Chitose explained in the foyer of Shroudheart Boutique, the Raen’s Yanxian accent lacing her words rather thickly; her use of Common had become terribly sparse, in the years she had spent leading her village. “Flesh, and blood. You have brought.. a scar- scalpel, syringes, and b- ah, vials, yes?”

“Yes! Yes, I’ve everything in my kit,” Rosa nodded her confirmation with a bright smile, hefting the strap of her big leather bag. “I mixed far more restoratives than we’ll likely need, but I hate to take any chances at this point..” Her expression sobered some, a wilt to her shoulders. 

“There is no such thing as prepared too much,” Chitose affirmed simply, the dark beauty pausing to consider her grammar. But she shook her head after a beat. “Let’s not waste more time." 

"Of course, you’re right,” Rosa agreed softly, and quickly led the way to the chambers Khargis occupied. A chilled draft brushed her fingers through the doorframe as she went to knock and paused, a puzzled knit to her brows. “What’s he done now..? Khargis? I’m opening up with a guest, so I do hope you’re decent!”

“[ I don’t mind if he’s not ],” Chitose murmurred in her native tongue behind her, as the door was opened–

But the playful comment fell upon horrible silence, as frigid mist poured forth and the wretched sight of Khargis’ withered, frozen form was unveiled. Chitose heard Rosa’s heartbroken scream of the man’s name, watched the terrified redhead hurry forth, and followed her in.

“Twelve above, what did you do?!” The tears that rolled down Rosa’s cheeks practically steamed in the freezing room as she desperately looked over the Xaela’s atrophied figure, shaking hands brought to his frostbitten features. “I- I’ve never seen– How..” Her fiery head dropped to his chest, listening, fearing the worst.. before her eyes widened in shock, and immense fear. “H- He’s still alive..”

“We have to work fast,” Chitose directed, keeping the door open for the icy air to escape in the hope it would help. Somehow. “S- Thaw him, before his heart stops.” Both women dove into Rosa’s massive bag– Chitose for the medkit, and Rosa herself for her crystalline lily.

“You must be calm,” Chitose chided evenly amidst their flurry. “'When the snow melts, what does it become?’”

“Snow? It- Water?” Rosa evidently struggled to comprehend the inquiry as she readied her focus, a bewildered look cast to the Raen. 

“'It becomes Spring’. An old Yanxian proverb. You must become his Spring– bring him warmth, and renewal.”

Quiet realization came over Rosa– and with it, restored calm and understanding. She couldn’t panic now, of all times..

Once she delved into concentration, from her crystal foci in her hands came a warm glow of energies. Her grasp of the White had grown so much more powerful, bathing the frozen room in radiating waves, and dispelling the magicked ice that imprisoned its lone occupant. 

And as the redhead worked her magicks, Chitose slipped behind Khargis with the tools she’d need ready to prep for the eventual anti-toxin and end to his moons-long suffering. Spying the mess of his back, she couldn’t help a sickened grimace. “We are going to need all of your elixirs.." 

It was to be a very long day ahead.

[snow-and-sea]

3. Do they have any bad habits? 31. Do they have a comfort item? (for anyone!)

Erimmont 3a) I'll give two, with the first being his general need to verbally bully Rosa whenever they're out and about. It's kind of but not really malicious? He's just as much fishing for information as he is looking to colour her cheeks. Either set of them, he's not against a good ass slap after a well-done job.

3b) Though Monty has drastically improved when it comes to conversation with strangers, he instinctively weaves subtle threats throughout general conversation when someone just isn't getting the hint. Don't ever agree to a demonstration. It's bait.

31) Unknown to most, Erimmont tends to a small pack of wolves that have stayed within the forest since his arrival. They're less pets and more respected companions, Monty has constructed something of a den for them near his hut while allowing them to clean up any would-be carrion left behind by his duties. Other times, they simply hunt together. Having that connection is something that's kept what little sanity he has left intact.

Khargis 3) Khargis doesn't take compliments well. Either seeing them as exaggerated praise for his own sake or dismissing them as empty words, he's much the same with gifts. Gifts are just a way of getting yourself close enough to his throat to cut a line across it.

31) A dragon stone was entrusted to him by a dear friend prior to their falling out and has since been both an experimental catalyst and temporary housing for his familiar. Now it serves as something of a memento and reminder.

Darren 3) Cursing and being a stubborn dickhead are trademarks of his to the point he doesn't trust anyone who makes a point of avoiding a good F-bomb once in a while. It's only human to let loose with a good twenty-minute long tantrum describing thirty different ways to fuck.

31) His shades. Mostly because without them he's like the opposite of Cyclops where instead of firing freakin' laser beams outta his freakin' eyes, he flashbangs himself and sits there cursing blindly and gripping his face.

[snow-and-sea]

Wizard: What does your character consider more important - natural talent or work ethic? Regardless of their convictions, do they rely on their training or their talent more often than not? (for any :D OR ALL)

Erimmont "Work ethic. Natural talent has a way of making most people far too arrogant, unwilling or unable to realize the flaws in their form. The eyes of a Wildwood have aided me in many a strike but are useless without knowing when to let loose the arrow. Only dedication teaches that."

Khargis "I... I'm uncertain. Much as I'm capable of cracking someone's skull like an egg ( tested and proven ), can't very well deny I'm finding myself drawn more and more into the books. I might well be damned to this fuckin' chair but I can still make the gods damned earth shake."

Darren "Ever have a guy throw his credentials in your face? I'm being literal because I've seen a collection of those fucking weasels lose that same arm after insisting they go prod at the big ticking chronometer. Y'know. The one strapped to a bomb as a decoy because who the fuck is that stupid as to make it so obvious? With the pressure plate, they've already tripped?

I can't say either or, really. Wouldn't've made it if it weren't for the blueprints provided. Might have a talent for reading those I suppose"?"

[snow-and-sea]

✨Lavish: What would you do with a million dollars?

Erimmont "If nothing else, the wealth would go toward the upkeep of the boutique itself and the inevitable spoiling of my wife. Maybe a suit or six to keep up appearances. Too much wealth leads to interested parties sniffing about and I've no mind to entertain it."

Khargis "I'd find a solution for my spine," he murmured softly as his eyes cast themselves toward the wheeled chair that bound him. "It was something I thought I'd overcome when I was young, losing them. For a time, I thought perhaps I had. Yet, as I await word for any form of a solution, I find myself deteriorating further. If nothing else, a surge of income would slow the process."

Darren "It'd go to the fellow Brume Rats still lurking about in Ishgard. Maybe other places, who knows? Sure would've put a fuckin' smile on my face to wake up to a heavy purse of gil under my pillow. May as well make it happen for a few, eh?"

[snow-and-sea]

Paladin: Does your character have an oath, a mantra, or a code by which they live their life? Do they ever defy this code, and if so, what are the consequences?

Erimmont Erimmont has essentially adopted the oath of Woodsin itself; should any disrupt or upset the balance of the forest and with it, the Elementals, he is duty-bound to intervene on their behalf. With the Final Days having thrown everything into turmoil, he's been rather busy as of late.

There are no outright consequences for defiance but there's rarely a time he permits himself to rest.

Khargis "As the glacier out to sea tears an agonizingly slow path through ice and stone alike, so too must I. To allow redirection is to allow destruction. To hold fast and carve out the hollow I so desire, I shall endure and ignore the erosion of the world around me and concern myself only with my destination.

Darren "If you don't do it, someone else will. And they'll probably fuck it up."

And then they do.

[snow-and-sea]

🤞 - what’s the most impulsive thing you can picture your muse doing

Erimmont It's rare for him to immediately act on any impulse due to his severe lack of trust when it comes to other sentient beings. That said, Erimmont doesn't care to let anyone who presents themselves as a threat linger once their use has ended due to the danger they could eventually present should they be left to fester.

It's nothing personal, of course.

Khargis Khargis has already acted on it repeatedly. He's not someone who lets disrespect stand and this has led to him outright siccing his familiar on his employer after they'd made the mistake of dismissing the blade he'd taken on the bastard's behalf.

Darren Pick your poison. Drugs, drinking, or getting shit-faced and hanging onto his Queen by the wings because he doesn't want to get his feet wet. He doesn't have much control simply because he sees little value in himself.

[snow-and-sea]

9- What’s your favourite headcanon(s) for this character? For all current active characters, please!

Erimmont I'll admit I've been kicking around an idea for a while that Erimmont has perished many a time throughout his journey, yet each time such occurs, he is reborn years younger. It would explain that little retcon I did a while back and I'm a bastard and enjoy tormenting his mental well-being. After all, imagine coming to find a map of locations and under each is yet another iteration of himself that failed.

May or may not have been partially inspired by this.

Khargis Less of a headcanon and more of a deep yearning at this point but I can't wait until we finally get some more information on the dragons and their escape, lands, culture, etc. Given his origin, it would really iron out a lot of wrinkles that I've just had to deal with due to lack of information.

Darren It's been years since I have actively played Darren in-game but I like to imagine that throughout this entire time, he's effectively become a saboteur on behalf of the Alliance. Which could lead to some rocky times what with Garleans starting to file on in after their liberation.

[snow-and-sea]

♫ - What is your muse’s taste in music? ☮ - How much your muse worries about appearance

Erimmont ♫ - I'd have to say anything along the lines of swing and jazz, along with the orchestral.

☮ - It depends on his current environment. While he often dismisses any form of formality within the forest, he has something of a dress code to uphold when walking civilized soil. Nails clipped, beard groomed, eyebrows plucked, suit ironed, etc. All the more to lure others into a false sense of security about the true nature of the man.

Khargis ♫ - Battle Tracks. Fast-Paced Epics. Sonata Arctica was a big influence in his original design, same with Power Wolf and other top tiers like that.

☮ - Due to his unnatural beginnings, there's an extreme amount of care taken to try and pass himself off. Scales polished and trimmed, claws filed, constant training to keep the herculean aspect. Driven by that fear of capture and butchery yet again, he's incredibly particular.

'Darren ♫ - Brute Justice would 100% be in character for him to have that music pounding in his shop while tinkering about with things. He thrives on that heart-shaking sensation you get when the music hits just right.

☮ - Fuck all! He doesn't mind a bit of soot nor a few oil stains here and there and he's generally incredibly crass in rebuttal. There's no point in wearing clothes if you're not going to get them dirty, after all.

[thecomposerofstories]

Character Ask Meme! Drop in a random character plus a number (Can be used for OC’s, Comfort Characters, or anything really to do with fictional characters)

1- Favourites thing(s) about this character?

2- What song(s) remind you of this character?

3- Do you like this character?

4- Would you write about this character?

5- What do you not like about this character?

6- Favourite thing this character has said?

7- What do you like most about this character?

8- Do you think this character is underrated or overrated?

9- What’s your favourite headcanon(s) for this character?

10- Who do you like to ship with this character? (If you do of course) Is it another character from the cast or is it an OC?

11- Who do you not like to ship with this character?

12- Have you read any fics about this character? (if it’s not an OC)? Can you recommend anything good?

13- Contrary wise if it is an OC, what’s your favourite story with them in it you’ve written?

14- What outfit would you really like to see this character wear? Or what’s your favourite outfit of theirs?

15- Favourite line of theirs?

16- What do you think would improve this character? Like, character-arc wise?

17- Have you ever had a crush on this character…?

18- What’s something you associate this character with? E.g. a certain colour, object or scenery?

19- What would the show/book/movie be like if this character wasn’t present? (if it’s not an OC)

20- Contrary wise, if this character is an OC, how does their presence change the story?

21- Wild card! Talk about anything to do with this character! Anything at all!

[magnolias-court]

Misc. Ask Meme

❣️ - What are their love languages? 🌙 - What’s their sleep schedule like? 🎁 - How do they feel about their birthday/birthdays in general? 🧑‍🦰 - Have they ever dyed their hair? Ever cut it themself? 🍷- How do they feel about alcohol? 🗣️ - How do they handle public speaking? 🎮 - What’s their favorite game? 💓 - What are some signs they’ve fallen for someone? How do they show their affection? 🤡 - What’s something dumb they’re embarrassed about? 🌱 - Do they have a green thumb or are they a plant killer? 📱 - What social media do they use the most? 👪 - What’s their relationship with their parents like? 🐒 - What’s their favorite animal? 🧳 - What countries have they been to? 🤔 - What’s something they’ll never understand? 🎨 - What’s their favorite color? ☂️ - How do they feel about rain? 🎶 - What’s a song they really like? 🖌️ - Do they have any hobbies? 💤 - What do they absolutely need to have to fall asleep? 🎢 - Do they like amusement parks? What’s their favorite ride? 🗺️ - What languages do they speak? 🍳 - How well can they cook? 🍪 - How well can they bake? 💘 - What do they find attractive about their partner(s)? 👗 - How comfortable would they be wearing a skirt or dress? 💝 - What gestures do they really appreciate? How do you get on their good side? ☕ - Coffee or tea? 💀 - How do they feel about horror movies? 🧸 - Do they have any stuffed animals? If so, are they decorative or do they sleep with them? 💖 - How and how often do they try to impress their partner(s)? How and how often do their partner(s) impress them? 🍽️ - What’s their favorite food? 🧑‍🍼 - How do they feel about kids? 🐾 - Do they have any pets? 💬 - What are some filler/buffer words they use? (Like, um, etc.) 🏳️‍🌈 - What do they identify as? What are their pronouns? 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 - Do they have any siblings? 🥰 - What pet names do their partner(s) use for them? How flustered do they get by them? 🌳 - What’s their extended family like? 🎲 - Pick a random question to answer from this list.

[clotworthyskeffington]

are you not afraid to dance with me?