Today's doodle pages included some focus on Kaayras Adaar's uniform to the winter palace; specifically, Halamshiral in his first life. He's significantly more jaded in the era of the winter palace but not nearly as much as he will be in the story following.
notes:
-a fuck you to Gaspard choosing the colors the inquisition is allowed to wear, Kaayras got fancy with the fabric. technically followed every stipulation.
-not pictured, the inquisitor's uniform also includes a long coat that is worn to the palace, removed on entrance. It's a dark leather matching the rest of the leather accents.
-The uniform plan changes pending status. This is the Inquisitor's outline. The inner Circle and the Advisors have a very similar version using the same fabrics, but lack the Scarf, lack the asymmetrical gold embroiders on the shoulder cuffs, have symmetrical gloves closer in design to the unmarked hand's side, and have a looser waist sash design that is custom embroidered along the edges. Other inquisition staff use simplified fabrics instead of the pictured layered embroidery, using solid fabrics instead.
-Kaayras, Josephine, Vivienne, Dorian, and Leliana all contributed to the designs and plans over all. Kaayras hand-embroieders the additional patterns to each of the inner circle member's uniforms; these patterns are customized. Each uniform, his own included, is also customized to suit each member with various hidden pockets and reinforcements as needed. Kaayras and Leliana handled these alterations personally.
-The Vitaar color and pattern Kaayras wears to Halamshiral as pictured above is NOT the one Josephine and Vivienne specified in the plan.
-There was a large movement among the outfit planners to try and get Adaar to wear jewelry of some kind which he strongly resisted for mobility and logistics reasons. The compromise was gold leaf body glitter and gold hair thread.
-Not pictured, but There is a single braid of hair hidden within the knot. Kaayras requests Liliana braid it for him before the Ball. Between this strange 'secret', his resistance and unusual disobedience with the jewelry and vitaar color, and general behavior during preparation for the ball, has most of his staff on edge.
-He's trying to be calm. someone might get stabbed. coping mechanism? pick pocketing and stealing from half the ball. and violence toward jester assassins.
There’s unspoken Drama to come in book 7 of Purple Vitaar and im currently writing the chapters of book 7, so i’m all wound up about it rn. And i just got hit with the inspiration for the future ‘cover page’.
Drama. Lots of secrets. you know, the works. (Probably my favorite book of my story plan)
Anyway- I may start posting book 2 sometime next week, if everything goes to plan. I’m super busy with trying to find new work and make rent, so if nothing... goes wrong, I might have the time to start posting the chapters on Fridays.
For some reason the fate of the world is literally in the hand of a traumatized autistic awkward rouge vashoth. At least he has one friend so far.
The first Book/Act of Purple Vitaar, “The Face of The Maker” is posted, with it’s first two chapters. It will be 8 chapters: the third will come out on Friday, and each afterward will post consecutively for the next couple Fridays.
Consider Act 1 the “Introduction” of Purple Vitaar.
The excerpt below is a coming soon part, from chapter 3: Concessions! This chapter will be posted this Friday!
They certainly enjoyed each other's presence many times, and fairly often; usually settled in the center of Haven’s safe, freezing walls, sat around the fire Varric often delegated himself to maintaining.
They’d sit around, and usually Varric would read, and Kaayras would… well, Varric wasn't sure what Kaayras really thought he was doing.
Varric had imagined, on occasion, that Kaayras was ‘giving Varric a break’ from his self-appointed task of fire keeper, especially when the herald would shift the burning embers with a prod and add wood to the burn.
Other times, Varric simply figured Kaayras was just lonely, maybe. Or maybe he was just cold, and really liked Varric’s well-kept well-tended fire. Or maybe he just thought Varric wasn't keeping his fire well enough! (Varric chuckled at the thought.)
Other times, Kaayras would be stiffer than usual. He would keep his gaze to the outer walls, and the gates, and Varric would put together a descriptive internal monologue: describing a haunted man, appointing himself guard duty. A weary man, unable to rest, plagued by a looming sense of danger.
It was a lot of that kind of thing, most nights. Long, quiet, but in shared company. The first night, Varric had been neck-deep in writing correspondence back to Kirkwall- including some coded letters to assure Hawke that he was fine and wasn't being held against his will (anymore, anyway.) and that a grand rescue was not necessary.
Varric had only noticed Kaayras just as the man had knelt to sit, but it had only been a passing glance. He’d been pretty busy, trying to write a code that Daisy would understand and would know to tell Fenris who would know to tell Hawke and that Hawke would believe and not come charging in to be a hero (again).
Varric had looked up some two hours later, already moved on to an entirely different letter, and there Kaayras had still been: keeping Varric’s fire well tended while he was busy. A soundless thing, simply existing nearby. Varric had looked the man over- clearly not waiting for Varric, not trying to talk to him or anything… and Varric had simply accepted it as that, and gone back to his writing. Kaayras had remained, as well, and… like that they had stayed.
It had been that one time. And then it had been more than once. Some point along the way, it became more common than not.
Varric didn’t mind the quiet company in the least, and Kaayras seemed to feel of the same notion, if the frequency he showed up was any sign.
So Varric would read, or write his letters, and Kaayras would do what he does.
It wasn't uncommon for Kaayras to come around, two portions of whatever rations had been prepared by the camp’s harried cooks in hand, and settle into a seat closer with Varric than he might normally sit in order to hand Varric his own portion. Sometimes, that jostle of food changing hands was the most they’d really say to one another up until exchanging goodnights when one of them went to bed first.
Varric had, of course, appreciated that. It was often when Varric was busy that Kaayras happened to come by with dinner, after all. Sometimes Kaayras would even be there first- fireside lit and tended in the place Varric often would, and he’d nod with a smile when Varric settled in- mindful to sit the same distance away Kaayras often would settle when joining Varric’s company. On nights when Kaayras was tense, that would help, for whatever reason. He just really seemed to like his personal space, which, alright. Varric can respect that, too. Other nights, Varric isn't sure what exactly feels different. But some nights just are, and Varric sits closer. Close enough to pal around and tell extravagant stories.
And as their interaction remained consistent… like reciprocation, it wasn’t particularly unusual for Varric to get to the campfire a bit later than he would usually settle down, and come bearing two sequestered drinks from the sudo-tavern that is The Singing Maiden.
Kaayras would, very often, be there as the appointed backup fire-caretaker. And Varric had started… using that as a kind of signal, an invitation. Because Varric had come to notice that if he left the firepit unlit as the sun set, Kaayras would be there to light it for him by sundown. It was the best guarantee to have Kaayras there, and worked nearly every time.
Yet, as often as Varric ‘ran a little behind’ to invite the herald’s company and the man consistently responded by showing up, still Kaayras always seemed surprised by Varric’s token offering of drinks.
It was definitely a pattern, and for all that Kaayras seemed surprised that Varric expected to see him, or surprised that Varric took his presence into consideration at all… Despite all that, it was a comfortable habit they had formed.
