10 and 15 and 25 for Siavash and the ask game, hehe. 😁💗
Thank yoooouuuu Sphinx! 💕💕
10. What would be the meal that give them a little ability bonus?
Answered here
15. Which companion do they hate/really don't like?
For a nice, friendly guy who’s willing to give everybody a chance, this is not a short list.
First—Daeran. They get off on a bad foot. Sia isn’t looking past what he sees as a glaring example of corrupt aristocracy, and Daeran is more than happy to prod him until he makes up his mind that Sia’s ok. The two of them exchange a lot of unfriendly barbs until Heaven’s Gate, and then Sia’s willing to cut him a lot more slack—but that still doesn’t earn him a room full of roses. A lot later they're ride or die.
Camellia is impervious to Sia’s charms, which his ego doesn’t take well. He makes an honest effort to connect with her as a half-elf and to probe her about the Sarkorian spirits, but she remains aloof. He still never gives up on her—until she attacks him at Horgus’ manor and he’s forced to kill her. (I think it’s funny that when the KC kills a companion there’s no possibility of resurrection – like he’s sitting on those scrolls going “nope.”)
Siavash also fails to make any headway with Wenduag, who despises him. He wouldn’t admit to disliking her back but even when she joins the Crusade he avoids her like the plague. Her subservience turns his azata stomach. He feels sorry for her, but that’s the fatal mistake.
And finally Regill, saving the worst for last (sorry Uncle Reg, love you king). Regill’s sacrifice in his final quest is touching and there’s something mischievous about all the deception leading up to it, but Siavash just despairs of ever getting through to him, unlike with other rough-edged companions. He’s too deeply put off by Regill’s utilitarianism and joylessness. Still, in the end Uncle Reg is like family and Siavash may not like him much, but he’d do anything for him.
25. How did they welcome the physical change that came with their mythic powers? Did they embrace it/reject it?
Flexible, easily. Laws are just systematized power structures, and people in power are neither always right nor always good. It's often easier to work within the parameters of the law and Sparrow doesn't have interest in bucking against them for its own sake, but she will work against the spirit of the law or against the law entirely to help those she cares about.
22. How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)?
Sparrow internalizes jealousy a lot! She often instinctively doesn't see people she loves as 'hers' or at least hers permanently, so she considers someone she loves showing interest in another a failure on her part to make them stay. She probably wouldn't confront either of them about it, but rather either try and find the cause of why this newcomer is preferred to fix what she had done, or (if she trusts the person) understand it might be her own insecurities speaking and if there was actually an issue her partner would talk to her about it instead of finding someone else behind her back. If it's just a case of her own feelings she doesn't want to upset anyone by implying she doesn't trust the person she loves, and if it's a genuine issue she doesn't want to mitigate their happiness by demanding their affections be reserved for her only. I think if it got very bad or obvious there's infidelity she would confront her partner just to get things out in the open, though Sparrow is very bad about leaving on her end once she's committed.
It's also important to mention that if there's clear communication Sparrow is open to being in a polyamorous relationship, even if it's a triad situation. Again, she would not want to stop someone she loved from loving another because she's aware that there's room in the heart for more than one, and if jealousy does arise Sparrow would work on strengthening her trust relationships rather than taking it out on others.
39. How easy is it for them to ignore flaws in other people?
For most, it's a neutral assessment. Are the flaws going to pose a danger to herself, what she's doing, or people she cares about? Then she accepts them as necessary evils. If they are going to do any of those things, though, she holds no tolerance and either cuts off the person or eliminates the threat (RIP Camellia).For people she cares about though? Anything and everything is acceptable once they've hit that trust and love threshold. She is devoted above all things, even if she really really shouldn't be. I think it would take something incredibly extreme, or for the flaw to pose a critical danger to someone she loved, for her not to either ignore it or accept it because it's the person she cares about who has it.
Your friend and mine!! Always happy to talk about him 😌
[prompt list]
14. What animal do they fear most?
You know what? I'm making it canon. Dogs. It's dogs. He's afraid of dogs. Yes, even the little ones. Even the big goofy nice ones. Balthazar's not especially fond of any animals and treats them all warily, but dogs are especially off putting. He doesn't like how suddenly they move or how quickly their demeanors change. They're defensive and intense and dangerous. The little ones are loud and unpredictable and the big ones are strong and scary. Dogs are just a bad experience all the way around.
I think he must have been bitten by a neighbor's dog as a kid.
17. Are they easily embarrassed?
Definitely not! As much as he has a fuming, vengeful sense of "this is humiliating" about plenty of things, being actually embarrassed or ashamed is rare for him. He's too used to putting himself through things he'd rather not do or finds humiliating to be personally bothered by much. The ability to endure shameful situations without being thrown by them or becoming emotional because of them is something he takes a certain kind of pride in. There's a way in which he views himself as a kind of tool to further his own goals- not just his body, but his persona and even his own psyche- and this kind of tolerance and flexibility is a part of that tool's utility.
I think the only kind of thing that can reliably get through to embarrass him is discovering some vulnerability he didn't know or expect about himself- especially in a public setting.
39. How easy is it for them to ignore flaws in other people?
Fairly easy, actually. Sure, he notices flaws in other people often (or what he perceives as flaws), but there's not much use to letting them get through to bother him. Notice them, add them to the mental inventory, decide what to do with them. Some of them will make people useless. Some of them are things that can be used. Some are funny. Some will be annoying but you have to grit your teeth through them anyway. And some are annoying in a way that ought to be punished given the opportunity, but for now- push past. Maybe there's a difference between ignoring and strategically overlooking, but I think it's about the same thing.
At any rate, it's not that he's good at it because of some kind of compassion for others. It's just not possible to work a person if you aren't being intentional about your approach to these kinds of things. That's the magic that lets you turn knowledge of how someone ticks into control over them.
Enabling you! How about Zophus starting to realize his feelings for this devil are much more ... complex than they should be? 😏
Title: Borrow or Beg
Rating: General Audiences
Ship: Raphael / Tav (named)
Hope isn't the only thing that teases in the moments between.
The ache of the battle haunts Zophus with each step he took from the Rosymorn Monastery, soreness in the muscles and wounds that quite fully healed, the consistent squirming of the tadpole from barrage of senses of the ancient enemy, the realization that his sword had taken down youths barely older than himself when he wrote his name gravely on the Harmonium recruit forms when he was barely 15 cycles old.
Youth commanded by Vlaakith, and he answered in violence in kind. It was not the first time violence had been necessary to quell the chaos, but it had been the first time the command had been so swift and methodical. No one questioned the command that sung in their heads.
The discomfort he carries was well hidden from his chosen companions who were all trapped in their own thoughts from the events of the last several hours. Lae'zel eyes burned like golden fire, her silence a steel trap while Shadowheart's pensive frown adorned her between the clashes of steel and the mind. Astarion held no personal trauma of the revelation and held little concern for the targets of his arrows.
The golden-flicker glow of the campfire began as a welcome slight as they approached from the gloom of dusk, and it only turned sour on Zophus' tongue when the half elf (aasimar, but only one person knew) caught the scent of brandy soaked cherries along with the scent of cook smoke, tinged with sulfur.
Much to his dismay, to his thrill, he recognized the profile of the man who peeled away from the shadows of the darkness before the figure could speak.
Firelight looked good on Raphael's skin, the copper burning glow highlighted the parcharian features of strong nose and dark brow. The shadow of his most recent shave did little to soften the royal jaw. "And what do I see coming from the shadows of evening's bearing? A forlorn champion among his comrades after glorious victory to firelight, good drink, and good food."
Zophus stops in his tracks, his steel colored gaze an all too bright as he meets the cambion's wine dark gaze. His companions do not, but their subtle acknowledgement of Raphael is varied. Lae'zel brushes brisky by, not quite touching the cambion, her distaste and arrogance muted by her world being shaken. Shadowheart lifts her chin high, pretending she's not drowning in memories that shifted from the fog of her past. Astarion slides into the darkness like well-worn gloves.
They're not quite alone as Raphael tilts his head up to look at Zophus, the brushed back locks mostly perfect and away from his forehead and carved cheeks. A stray curl mars the illusion of a perfect prince. Zophus almost reaches out. Almost.
"Bar that, we've scavenged wine almost tasting like vinegar and overly ripe vegetables," Not that Zophus could scorn that meal in his youth between Mum's death and being just old enough to lift a glaive. "What do you want, Raphael?" Zophus changes from common to vulgar infernal, the fiendish language is rough on his lips though he knows it well enough. He has a rougher time with the more formal tongue with its turns and triple meanings.
"Oh, could you not smell the swine? The crackling of fat as it drips into the fire?" The cambion gestures towards the fire, the sweep of his hand graceful and tone companionable, "You'll eat better tonight than you have in weeks."
"Not as honestly," Zophus resorts, turning from the cambion to the shadows of the camp, his fingers working to remove the Harmonium surcoast covering his half plate. "Is that even real pig or is a nalfeshnee?"
"Pig of course," The laugh that escapes Raphael reminds Zophus of velvet, "Would I truly waste a prize on someone I've not yet won over with promises of hope? Speaking of such, tell me angel, did you borrow from the gith or did you beg?"
"Neither." The paladin replies, punctuating with the drop of his armor on the ground. "You know as well as I do if the gith had a way to cure ceremorphosis, their tactics would reflect that." He reaches for the clasp of gorget, the memory of Shadowheart's fingers lingering there bright as a penny.
The memory does nothing to warm him as a shiver goes down his spine when Raphael's long fingers unclasp the gorget, "Good," The cambion says softly, "I would hate only to hear about the later."
Zophus turns, his gray eyes narrowing, the shadows of the night and the contrast of the fire highlighting every angle of his jaw and the dappled burn scar across his face. He should look ferocious, his expression should be stoic as the frozen wastes of Stygia as he reaches for his glaive. But the glaive isn’t there, and Zophus is suddenly glad for it.
The aasimar’s eyes meet Raphael’s and he knows the horrors this creature before him has done. And perhaps if that moment had stretched out longer, Zophus would have lingered the horrors woven by the cambion.
A bright bark interrupts into the dark thoughts, and Zophus turns his head to see Scratch, wagging his tail to greet him. A smile cracks across the aasimar’s handsome face before it quickly dies.
The heart-beat of these moments is all that’s needed for Raphael to take his leave, the scent of brandy soaked cherries, the tinge of sulfur, and roast of pork in the air in his wake.
Aaa, a little late, but 😭, 😨 and ❤️ for Tishlia please!
😭 CRYING - what makes them cry? do they cry easily?
Simply and everywhere Tishlia does not show it, but tears are definitely not unknown to her.
She cries not only with sadness, but also with joy.
Seeing a friend again, from whom she was separated for a long time, definitely makes her cry. She never holds back tears of joy.
Feeling guilty towards a friend also brings tears to her eyes, especially when she apologizes.
But of course, worrying about a good friend, also makes her cry. She has a good enough grip on herself to hold back her tears if it would insecure someone, a seriously ill friend for example. As soon as she is alone, this self-control fails completely.
😨 FEARFUL - when scared, do they go into "flight" or "fight"?
There is not much that really scares her. She tends to laugh danger in the face and fight with a certain stubbornness.
Even when a combat situation becomes difficult, she is rarely willing to back down. Should it come to the point in a fight that flight is the best option, Tishlia is certainly not the first to admit it, but she doesn't say no either. In such moments she relies on the opinion of her companions and covers her retreat.
Her biggest fear is to lose someone she loves, to prevent such a thing she will always fight. However, keeping this fear in check when she is justifiably worried is difficult for her and it often robs her of sleep.
Her only rather irrational fear is of caves. She broke into a cave system as a child, injured herself, and was not found until three days later. Even though the experience had positive aspects at the time, some unease has remained. Only a few know about it and even fewer notice it themselves. But the deeper the cave is under the surface and the lower the ceiling, the greater her insecurity becomes.
❤️ RED HEART - their love language(s)?
Tishlia loves to touch Daeran whenever it is possible. Even more she loves to do it secretly, when it is actually not possible. She likes to be a bit provocative, but never meets with resistance.
She also likes to say what she feels and always lets her partner know how much she loves him and also what she desires.
For herself, she enjoys very much the simple touches that express deep connection. For example, the hand that all the time rests on her lower back, while she has to discuss unpleasant problems with anyone
Philautia 5, Ludus 2 and Agape 3 for Woljif please 😁💕
Sphinx! 💕💕 Thank you! Well-chosen...
Philautia 5
Has your OC always had the same opinion of themselves or has this changed over time? Have they learned to love themselves - perhaps with the help of others - as their journey progressed? Or have the consequences of their actions only served to erode their sense of self-worth?
Aw 🥺 My boy is such a bundle of insecurities, the worst of which I think is his meta-insecurity that those insecurities will show – because if they do you can bet someone’ll use them against him.
What he finds out over the course of the Crusades is that he’s valued. He sits on two of the Commander’s councils and makes himself useful in the field, notably by coordinating under-the-table supply chains. In my fic he even creates a Midnight Council to smooth out friction between the Thieflings and the Fellows of the Crusade in Drezen. People are skeptical at first, but he succeeds in avoiding a turf war, and people in the underground start to look up to him.
The sense of having worth in people’s eyes is new and highly gratifying for someone like Woljif, who despite himself puts a lot of stock in others’ perception of him.
And of course, learning he’s loved and most of all, that he deserves to be loved, is a turning point.
So his self-esteem grows immensely over the course of the story, and there’s a risk that it could go to his head, but Woljif’s too down-to-earth, smart and cautious to get overly cocky.
Ludus 2
Is your OC particularly skilled at flirting? Have they had to practice this or does it just happen naturally?
He will certainly claim to be a world-class flirt and knows all kinds of lines that are guaranteed to have them swooning at his feet… but I think when he really tries, which is rare, his insincerity is so obvious it immediately puts people off. And that’s in the case he does succeed in using a smooth line or two, because in the Ten Thousand Delights he gets tongue-tied meeting a certain succubus.
Short answer—he’s terrible at it.
With Siavash the situation is different because they’re friends, and Woljif’s already implicitly aware that his feelings are way beyond the pick-up line stage anyway. In fact instead of flirting he’s consciously trying to hide his interest, with more or less success, and as I wrote about before when he does make up his mind to confess it’s the accidental sincerity that wins.
Agape 3
To what extent does your OC believe in the value (or even existence) of true altruism? Do they see an unselfish concern for the welfare of others as being naïve or foolish? Or as a moral quality to which people should aspire?
Going for the throat with this one. OK so obviously caring about other people’s welfare is a scam. People will try to convince you friends and family look out for each other, the easier to fleece you when your back’s turned.
Right? Right chief?
11. How do they cope with confusion (seek clarification, pretend they understand, etc)?
Siavash is laid back in conversation and unashamed about asking for clarification if someone says something he doesn’t follow. That turns out convenient because Woljif can get going on a story and forget not everybody’s as quick-witted as he is, and he’ll go “You see what I mean?” and Sia will go “You lost me,” and then Woljif will patiently explain what seems to him to be the very obvious moral of the story. (So fun to write.)
He’s also curious and asks a lot of questions to get to know people and where they’re coming from. Part of his skill as a diplomat.
27. What causes them to feel dread?
Loss and separation. (It’s not insignificant that that sounds similar to a certain Sarkorian witch.) This is ironic because he’s the one always flying off on adventures and leaving people behind, but he needs to know they’re still there to come home to, metaphorically or literally. He’s terrified of losing people he loves.
38. What memory do they revisit the most often?
Answered here but I’ll give you a specific memory. When he stepped out of the trees and caught sight of Woljif sitting on that absurd “throne” with the Baphomet cultists he had a religious experience. Truly Desna’s luck brought him to the right place at the right time. And then Woljif screwing up his face and waving the Hail Baphomet hand sign at him in a desperate attempt not to blow his cover… It still makes him laugh.
Hey you know how sometimes I let stuff get trapped in my inbox. This is Technically Not One Year Old. Thankssssss for asking last February ahaaaaa
[prompt list]
Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.
I guess this might be a little bit cheap because it's such a well known part of the character, but I really can't think of something more useful than the fact that Balthazar is very well attuned to other people's feelings. He's good at knowing when something's off and teasing out the origin of the feeling. He may not always have the tools to actually resolve something and he may still escalate some problems (he's a problem causer as often as not), but being able to take the temperature of a moment fairly intuitively and react to it is a powerful asset.
