Semi-Hiatus! (Under construction, May 2026)(felixschokehold -> sweetwickednemesis)
'94 🎂 | Upper Midwest 🇺🇸 | Fic Writer | Aspiring Author | Learning To Draw | ANTI GENERATIVE AI* | Neurodivergent | Queer
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Know what they want,
What they're scared of
What/who they love
What/who they're willing to sacrifice
Also their breaking point, what shit do they have to be dragged through before they give up everything just for it to stop.
And if they regret it or not,
Start with something you do understand about them and branch off from there. Personally, I find it easier to write for characters that have some aspect of my personality, amplified and then manipulated into something new or different. Or maybe we share some aspect of childhood. We don't have to be the same people, but my experiences are something I can understand and use to shape new people.
Knowing your characters’ limits and how to exploit them is essential for creating tension, and for writing excellent fight scenes/final battles.
Under what odds is your character able to win? What is their greatest strength?
Now take that strength away.
How do they account for that? Is it possible to still win, or is that strength all they have?
An acrobatic fighter who is shot through the leg. A knight whose trusty sword shatters. A sorceror who runs out of spells and elixers. A dragonrider whose steed is felled.
Find the limit and push past it! That’s how to raise the stakes!
when expanding on a main character, it helps to develop the characters they interact with most often:
do other characters trust them, and should or shouldn't they? what do they base that trust/distrust on? how does this affect the main character if/when they find out they are [dis]trusted? who laughs at them behind their back? who is privately rooting for them? who frequently forgets they exist and who is the first to notice them when they enter a room? what would it take to change any of these opinions, and how good/bad would the effects of those changes be on the main character?
Genuinely whenever I think about Reth saying, "you came to see me?" with his little voice hitch I start taking psychic damage oh my god please help this man know he is worthy of love HELP
Imagine, though, that Character isn't at all aware of kinks or anything and so when Reth confesses to them that he'd follow them around like a puppy if they let him, he nearly evaporates on the spot when Character teasingly asks if he wants a collar.
And then the absolute mortification months later when Character is talking with some friends and finds out the sexual implications of the collar and can barely look Reth in the eye for several weeks.
and then every time they talk with Reth they stare at his neck wondering what if, though?
Going through some of my writings and notes I have for a Reth fic and a scene I have is him almost passing out after Character says "I love you" for the first time lmaooo 😭
Reth being so love-drunk after his first kiss with Character he's blushing to the tips of his ears and smiling so hard his face hurts. He can't form a coherent sentence let alone think of anything at all except the feeling of adoration swelling in his heart.
Imagine Reth just laying there behind the crates, or on the dock under the stars, with Character and staring in their eyes and giggling like a schoolboy after that kiss. Perhaps he has an overwhelming urge to hug them, squeeze them so hard against himself that maybe, just maybe, they can occupy the exact same space and be one and never have to be apart ever again.
The only way Reth is able to express himself for the following hour is just more little kisses; on Character's cheeks, neck, shoulder. Burying his head in the nape of their neck and trying to hide how deeply he loves them but also how terrified he is. Terrified for their safety, terrified for their future, terrified that he may never be free enough to give Character the life they deserve.
But he sees these glimpses of the life they could share, the tender little moments and all the new experiences that are possible together. If he could just work a little harder, be a little smarter, dream a little bigger then maybe freedom is something to fight for.
While Character wishes Reth would dream of freedom and to live a life for himself, they do see it as a good start that he uses them as inspiration.
Can we take a moment to imagine, though, Reth accidentally hurting his Human S/O with his self depreciation and insecurity.
Perhaps one day early in the relationship, Character asks him if he's ever had any doubt about being with them. Reth answers simply no, he's already strayed from his Path, what's being involved with a Human going to do? His reputation can't get any worse.
Of course, Reth doesn't mean this in an insulting way. He really meant it in a comforting way, but of course he's put his foot in his mouth and can't seem to get it out.
Maybe Character leaves him behind in his storeroom and doesn't seek him out. He doesn't seek Character out, either, though. Not for a few days. Not until his gift is ready.
When his gift is ready, he shows up at their door with two heartdrop lillies— one representing them both— and a load of home-made chocolate or perhaps cupcakes. He doesn't forget to beg for forgiveness, though he tries to be careful with his words.
With each wrapped treat, Reth has written one reason why he likes Character, and admits he got shooed out of the local stores for buying out their entire shelves to perfect his gift.
Reth will need a lot of guidance and encouraging and perhaps some tough love on working on himself, but he absolutely proves to Character time and time again why he is a good person. He is worth of someone's time, love, devotion, and adoration. He just needs to learn and accept it.
Those days he spent making his apology gift for Character, he had a lot of time to think about all of this. A step in the right direction.
since I'll likely never write the fic I have in mind:
Character running their hand along the tattoo on his arm after learning what it is and telling him he isn't alone, that they're in it together from then on
Character saying "I love you" first and Reth's brain just short-circuiting and him going "haha yeah... but like as a friend tho... or maybe just a really good colleague." because he can't believe they love him
Additionally, when Character mentions marriage, Reth again goes "but like... platonically or...?" because he just cannot fathom someone loves him enough to want to be tied to him forever
Not only does Reth spend months and months cooking for Character and helping them find who they are and what they like, but Character helps him find himself, too, after he finally has the freedom to do so
Character realizing that Reth has extreme talent for cooking, he just needs proper rest and nutrition
Character feels so unaccepted and foreign for being Human, and Reth feels so unaccepted and foreign for not following his Path, and it brings them so close together and creates a very deep bond
Character wanting to usher Reth onto a better path but, like Ashura, being so afraid it would make Reth pull away, they instead try to help him in his criminal activity instead until the Ashura confrontation. Only then when Ashura tells them how highly Reth values Character do they fight really hard to improve his life and encourage him on a better path
Zeki is great, but I headcanon that Character fought tooth and nail to get the funds together to free Reth from his debt
Reth turning magenta constantly and unable to hide his blushing with every sweet word spoken and stuttering through his words
"Misery loves company" ushers in hours and hours spent laying on dirty old blankets crying together and holding each other
Those days he misses his parents and wants to hang until he feels better, if he's working, Character sits at the bar for hours or maybe even joins him in working and will give him small touches of reassurance on his shoulder or arm or back as they pass by each other. If not, then short breaks in the storeroom where he just cries into Character as they hold him and wipe his tears away
What do you think he meant with his pin? As in, how serious do you think he is? How serious do you think he takes your pin? Is he experienced in relationships or do you think this is his first? Or is this his first serious relationship and he's only had flings or short lasting relationships?
Alright, alright, so I see you have a lot of people already throwing in their two cents about this, which is absolutely amazing and I loved reading all of those thoughts. Really, for Reth, everything could be true because he is layered and as has been pointed out, he is an anxious, self-sabotaging mess and that can manifest in so many ways.
Now, my take on this has been the same one from the very beginning and it is also the one I have chosen to take into my fanfic as Reth's backstory, so mind me, I have a lot of thoughts about Reth and romance. ;)
I believe that the relationship he has with the player character is his first serious one. Ever. Seeing as his parents died when he was young, he was always hoping to one day maybe find someone he can cherish as much as his parents cherished each other but with everything going on, there was just no time. And on top of there being no time, he never got the chance to emotionally process everything that happened and everything he had to do to just stay alive. He was (and to an extend still is) emotionally stunted to the point where he just couldn't form attachements because he believes people would leave him anyway since he has nothing to show for and nothing to give.
So during his time in Bahari City, I can see Reth having multiple flings where it's just about sex and nothing else. It's quick ruts in the backroom, suck offs and make out sessions somewhere between his night job and his day job with some person he just met because let's be real, he has no time to actually get to meet people and they were cute and willing and he is just a young Majiri man after all. He needs to let off steam somewhere. He needs an outlet and at least this way nobody's getting hurt, right? No harm done with a little numb-minded fucking. (I have a very nsfw headcanon about his time here and the experience he collected because I feel like Reth would absolutely be someone to stumble into a certain kind of scene and find relief there but that is a whole different story.)
Fast forward to when Tish and him are moving to Kilima. It's a small village, not a lot of people and especially not a lot of young people. It's a harsh change for Reth because Tish is now better and he loves that for her, he is so glad she's able to run through flields of flowers again but they live together...and she has very good hearing. Yikes. So Reth decides to just accept his fate. He's gonna die alone and pent up and if that is part of the price he has to pay for Tish to be alive, so be it.
Canonically, yeah, there was a kiss with Kenyatta but if we take Kenyatta's and Reth's word for it, that wasn't anything serious but instead just Kenyatta trying to drive her mother up the wall and Reth deciding it would be fun because Eshe hates him anyway. Tough luck that Nai'o kinda didn't get the memo that none of that was real to being with and has now made Reth his enemy Nr. 1. Oopsie.
And then, after quite some time, the Humans arrive. And Dragon, are some of them a pretty sight to see. Reth knows that if Humans are anything like Majiri, they like to hear compliments and being flirted with. So he does just that. He flirts and he flirts and collects tips. It makes him feel good, it fills his pockets and it actually (in a really strange way) boosts his confidence juuuuust a little.
But then the player character arrives and suddenly Reth doesn't feel so sure anymore. His usual lines work but they feel corny and he wishes he would have the brain to think of something new to tell them. He wants to create dishes inspired by them, wants to paint the sky with sunshine just so they will come back to see him sooner. It takes him a long, long time to realize what exactly is happening because Reth has never really been in love before. There just wasn't any time. And there certainly isn't any time now, either, but appearently love doesn't wait for an invitation?
Reth doesn't try to get close to the player character, it just happens. It's like his body somehow just shows up everywhere they are, begging to be in their proximity and to breathe the same air. And to his big suprise, they do not send him away. They do not tell him to shut up or leave them alone. On the contray, they seek him out and they keep him company and they just...stay. He doesn't know what to do with that, doesn't know how to behave. All he knows is that this person said 'Hello' to him one day and now he is forever lost in the colour of their eyes.
The first kiss almost sends him to his grave. It doesn't happen out of nowhere, he's not stupid, he can read signs and yet, when it happens, it takes him by surprise just because he didn't think they would go for it. Go for him. Of all the people that live in this village, they chose him. It's weird. He's not muscular and strong like Nai'o, not mysterious or romantic like Hassian, he isn't sharp-witted and entertaining like Kenyatta. He certaintly isn't as beautiful as his sister or as otherworldly pretty as Jel. He is just...Reth. The cook. The criminal. The path traitor. The good for nothing loser of the village.
And yet, despite it all, the player character stays with him, right by his side, kisses him and takes care of him. Everything that happens in the bedroom is a whole different story because my oh my, he has experience and he hasn't experienced that. He's actually thinking about his pin from very early on. He has a plan but he doesn't put it into action because let's be serious? Even with all that is going on, who in their right mind would give him a pin? It's all fun and games but a pin? Nah. That's serious. But the thought won't leave his mind and he can't stop thinking about it, so he asks Sifuu to make him one, just in case and then one night, he can not hold it back any longer.
The fact that they take his pin and keep it right where everyone can see it nearly shoots him into another dimension. It's so crazy to him. He asks about a million times if they are really sure, only to be told that yes, they are. 1000% sure.
For Reth to let go of his abandonment issues and the self-sabotage, it will take years and it will never fully go away. After every argument, he is convinced that he has gone and done it now. Every time he forgets something or fucks something up, he almost avoids coming back home because he doesn't wanna hear the parting words. Only after timeless conversations and promises, he actually starts believing that not everything has to be black and white. That arguments can be had without disaster happening. And that finally, after years of never being good enough, he doesn't need to be anything or anyone else but himself.
You and I think very, very, very alike and I am sitting here giggling kicking my feet trying not to throw my laptop clean through the window HELPPPP
I am in my early 30s and this sad soup man is making me lose my damn mind like I'm in my early 20s again and this post has made me more just... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is such a lack of recent Reth content on youtube that I feel very compelled to make a new Palia account and livestream an entire new playthrough and upload it to youtube.
No speed running or rushing things, either. Just laid back, quiet Palia time while also documenting the evolution of Palian interpersonal relationships.
I maxed Reth out as fast as I could and basically everyone else is still level 1-2 (3 at best) and I just think a clean start would be nice, knowing what I know now.
What do you think he meant with his pin? As in, how serious do you think he is? How serious do you think he takes your pin? Is he experienced in relationships or do you think this is his first? Or is this his first serious relationship and he's only had flings or short lasting relationships?
Pardon my reblog, I don't think all this may fit in a wee comment hgfdsjkhfk.
I see Reth as the self-loathing + self-sabotaging kind, but he plays it off as being a little, smug rascal. There's also anxiety and self-doubt served to the side. In short: he's one emotional trainwreck.
Imho, he may have tried to have some relationships, but given his actual "line of work" (IYKYK), there may have been a point when he could've panicked and subsequently broken up. Because getting deeper in a relationship means he may have to be morer open and honest with his S/O about what he really does (and maybe why too), and he has always struck me as someone who's quite adamant in not wanting to sharer this tidbit of personal life (understandably so).
I think he also tried something with Kenyatta at some point (IIRC, there should be some random dialogues hinting this), probably thinking that if he ever got lucky enough to ahve a stable relationship with none other than the daughter of a Magistrate, then even own financial situation could've improved, as well as Tish being also (indirectly) affected (wealthier life for Reth = better chance of helping his sister in a lot less illegal ways). But in the end either Kenyatta saw through his whole ruse and dumped his bum without a second thought, or Reth (once again) panicked and dumped/ghosted her first.
As for all the flirting, I think that's his attempt at keeping up the "bad boy" act; he's already considered an outcast for rejecting his family's Path, so why not spice things further up?
So, when given a pin from his human S/O, someone who doesn't really care about Path & Stuff, and who's been knowing him long enough to also know about his (unwilling) ties to the cartel, of course he goes PANIK!™️ once again. Probably followed by a sense of denial, because there's no way anyone with enough functional braincells would ever want to commit to spend the rest of their lives with someone like him.
Nnnope, nossir, Reth is a little scumbag constantly lying, who rejected his Path and is also clearly living a double life. Who and why would ever want to be in a serious relationship with him?
Sooo it might take a moment or two for the human concerned to get into that thick skull of his that yes, Reth. They are serious. The pin is for you. No, there's no mistake and no concussion suffered beforehand. Take the pin and also all the time you need to process that, you walking disaster (affectionate).
As for him to give a pin back, it may take another while (while he may have accepted the one from his S/O, there'll always be doubts & stuff playing in the back of his head). His process to get his S/O a pin back might involve plenty of internal screaming, panicking, weeping, and in the end he may basically "do it scared" (to quote one of the many internet memes).
For a dreadful moment, he might also expect his S/O to probably drop the act, laugh in his face and tell him that they never meant it from the start, that they were just f@cking around with that loser.
But nope. Contrary to what Reth's trollbrain may say, his S/O will accept his own pin in return. A very tight hug may follow (if you want to picture some added kissing too, be my guest). Some "walking disaster" might or not might not also drench his S/O's top in tears.
Signed: A fellow Reth romancer who romanced also Reth.
Reth is absolutely self sabotaging on account of he's so insecure but he also wants to keep everyone around him safe. He thinks he needs to take the world on alone, with criminal buddies ofc, to protect the good people. He also seems to struggle to see that good people do bad things, too, and that non-criminals have done plenty of bad.
My take on the Kenyatta thing is just that Reth deliberately flirts with people for that bad boy act, and Kenyatta misunderstood, and Naio got upset because she thought Reth was sincere when he wasn't.
I think Reth giving a pin is so akin to a promise ring (headcanon I've seen a few times now) and I think he'd absolutely be in denial when his human S/O gives him one. Like. "Ah, they don't know what this actually means haha it's fine iT'S FINE IT'S!!! FINE!!!! they're not serious!!!"
GAWDDDDDD Reth has such a complex and I want to fix him so bad I have so many ideas for a fic
Okay well now that I know there are Rethmancers out there... is there a discord server? We need a group. Where do we group up and yell into the Rethbyss??? I have fic ideas and headcanons and!!!!!!!
