Again fot the OC's Background Relationships Ask Game, 🌶, 💢, 🗑️ for Siavash.👀
@the-raging-tempest I put these together because of your great minds! thank you both 💕💕 Really made me have to ponder.
🌶️ - First intimacy / 💋 - First kiss
Setting aside young teen experimentation and horsing around – he even kissed a couple girls just to see if there was a spark (there wasn’t) – his first real kiss was with a Desnan boy whose caravan camped on the outskirts of Almas. Jinn was the image of everything romantic young Sia dreamed of – a wild boy who had already traveled across Avistan, who seemed to know the secrets hidden in the constellations and claimed he’d fought kobolds and robbed a rich banker’s carriage. Sia packed up his guitar and tried to join the Desnans, but it turned out Jinn was more flattered by his attention than truly interested. They only kissed once. It was kind of magical. A memory Sia holds onto.
In early adulthood, Sia was unfortunately in a rush to be initiated into acts of a more intimate nature and wasn’t as selective as he should have been. His first time was awkward and underwhelming. Just some guy he wasn’t all that into. Extremely forgettable. The first real time when it meant something and it was actually good was on one of his first diplomatic missions in Absalom, with a Katapeshi Pathfinder-in-training he truly vibed with. They wrote to each other for a while after Sia went back to Almas.
💢 - Person they can't stand
Literally had to make one up for this. You really have to show a ruthless lack of heart and zero desire to change to get on Sia’s bad side.
Since we did that “OC’s type” bingo card, here’s his anti-type: treats others like tools and those who aren’t useful as worthless, ambitious at others’ expense, cruel, closed-minded, humorless, joyless, compassionless, judgmental. (Congrats on the bingo, Hulrun, but you’re not background.)
In his diplomatic functions Siavash once had to deal with Chelaxian negotiators in a legal dispute over halflings smuggled across the border by an Andoren lumber company. Turns out it was the Andoren lumber company guy who was the actual worst. Basically stealing cheap labor by making the halflings think they’d be enfranchised. Same guy another time hired mercenaries to terrorize the fey and chase them out of the forest – Siavash was sent to try to smooth things over with the fey but then found out what was really happening and reported the guy. However! Mysteriously, both times he reported him to the Andoren authorities, the guy got off scot free. Luckily Sia covered his tracks well enough not to be on a hitlist, but this is a real blemish on his usual patriotism. All I know about the evil lumber baron is that he’s a nepo baby.
🗑️ - "It's complicated"
Got hung up on this one because honestly Sia has very few complicated relationships in his life. The only complicated one is Areelu after ascension, but that’s not background. There are other asks for his ex and his family and those aren’t really complicated complicated.
The most compelling case would be someone, probably not romantic (but?), who’s not a good person but whom he holds out hope for despite all evidence to the contrary. Kind of like Camellia (also not technically background) – he gave her so many chances and tried so hard to reach her that he almost ended up getting himself killed.
You might think having someone like this in his backstory could change his attitude in some ways, like make him more wary, but I’m not sure. He’s a true believer in the better azatas of our nature. I mean, there are some people he does give up on in this lifetime (Hulrun for example, or Mephistopheles, or even to some extent Regill) but that doesn’t change his conviction that they’re only bad because they’re deluded.
For artist trademark I’d say I can spot your art by your thin sharp lines, while having soft shapes. Your lovely use of gradients really stick out. Clean crisp but creamy colors. Where you put detail also. It’s like it enfolds out. (Hope this makes sense 💕)
In answer to this
First of all, thank you so much Dolly!!! This is so sweet too 🥰
I find the soft shapes part interesting, as it's something I hadn't noticed myself! But I'm particularly happy to hear you talk about my colours in a positive way!!
Color is something I feel I struggle with a lot for reasons and something I feel really self-conscious about. I'm always second guessing myself about it, especially when it comes to shading and render.
I'm glad people think of the way I use color not only as distinctive but in a positive way! And that you find my gradients (I'm guessing you mean particularly the ones I use for shading) lovely. Maybe I'm not doing as badly as I feel (?)
The one-sided one with Maryam here but the earlier, more important one from his teen years was Tamra, an on-and-off part of the friend group with Bardia and Sami. She was tough—physically strong—and hot-headed, which was why it was on-and-off with the boys. Raqim was in love with her but scared to say so, and when he finally did and they were “officially dating” the other kids teased them a lot. It lasted one summer. He was too sensitive to the teasing and the risk of rejection, but looking back he regrets he didn’t stick by her.
🗑️ - "It's complicated"
His Pure Legion captain was a xenophobic prick who was relentlessly on his case for his Qadiran/Sarenrite origins but it never even crossed Raqim’s mind to blame him for it. Instead Raqim took it on himself, constantly trying to prove himself without it ever crossing his mind that the captain was the problem. He died for the Pure Legion and it still wasn’t enough for that bastard.
Dolly 💕 thank you for asking for both of them. I tried to keep it short and failed.
Character questionnaire
off the top of your head: notes for characterization? what are the most essential traits of this character to you (personality traits, important connections/dynamics, voice)?
Raqim
As the favored son, Raqim was given both privilege and responsibility that he can never live up to. (I still haven’t dropped the big trauma reveal but it’s coming.)
Because he holds himself to the highest standards, he tends to need to show off his competence, and because he holds others to high standards, he can be judgmental. His atheism gives him a need to be in control. He can’t trust the gods, so he takes the burden on himself.
That atheism comes from a belief in reason and the self-sufficiency of mortality, but what he doesn’t fully realize is that it’s much more emotional. He’s obstinate because he had to reject his Qadiran roots to fit in when he arrived in Rahadoum as a child, and he has some unexamined guilt over being cruel to his Aba.
His character arc is learning to accept that irrational, emotional, spiritual side to himself and others.
As a child he was a goatherd. He cares for his flock. What he values most is community—mortals looking out for each other. The other side of that coin is that he hates feeling excluded, which is a big frustration in Mendev. On the one hand he sets himself apart as a proud Rahadoumi, but on the other he just wants to be one of the gang.
His high wisdom comes in the form of being perceptive and thinking things through. He passed the Occularium entrance exam with hard work, not natural smarts, and he would much rather spend time outdoors than studying.
As for his voice: he tries to express himself clearly and often formally; he can be brusque, especially when he’s embarrassed; dry sense of humor—you can’t always tell when he’s joking. He has that eyebrow lift when he thinks somebody’s talking nonsense. His gestures are practiced, deliberate and graceful.
Siavash
Siavash’s flavor of high charisma is his genuine warmth. He gets people to open up by listening and empathizing. He’ll tune into your wavelength to try to win you over. Luckily, he’s well-intentioned in his manipulativeness.
He’s curious, open-minded and impulsive. He’ll seize any opportunity put in his path by Desna’s luck, with faith that it’ll work out in the end. His big secret is that it’s completely on purpose – that hopeful faith is his guiding principle, without which he cannot exist.
Corollary to that, in order for the karma to work its magic, people have to be free. He abhors subjugation of all kinds. Especially the rules of fashion.
On the other hand, his faith is not rock solid. Beneath all the charm runs a deep insecurity that he’ll let people down. One part of that is not always believing in his own ability to come through, and the other is just his deep abhorrence of hurting people.
Still he trusts his heart. Bardic magic is occult magic. Deep inside is a mystical, emotional alchemy that his music comes from: joy, sorrow, wrath, compassion, love, courage.
As for his voice: informal most of the time, a lot of joking and teasing, but he can use diplomatic formality when it’s useful. He’s very “yes, and” in his approach to life as well as conversation. He’s also an active listener who asks a lot of questions, sometimes leading questions. Devastating smile and infectious laugh.
adjacently—do you think fandom does the above traits justice? why or why not?
(taking this to mean how they could be misinterpreted)
Raqim
Just because he’s lawful and plays the straight man doesn’t mean he’s cold-hearted or has no sense of fun. He’s judgmental but not impatient with people – he can see when they’re trying and he’ll support them.
Siavash
Don’t take him lightly just because he fully embraces the azata sillies. He is going to break the universe.
throw this character at any other character of your choice to bounce off each other as outsider pov to each other— regardless of timeline or logistics (crossovers allowed if you're interesting about it). why this combination? what insights would they have on each other?
These two would be friends with some reservations.
Raqim would so easily be drawn in by how welcoming Siavash is, but be deeply envious of his lightness of spirit. Siavash doesn’t seem to carry the weight of his burdens. In that sense he would remind Raqim of his little brother Amir, but Amir was more fragile. Siavash has a surprising strength, which I think Raqim is perceptive enough to sense. The way Siavash appears to throw that strength to the wind would worry him.
Siavash would really like Raqim but would be on a mission to get him to lighten up and stop taking himself so seriously. Siavash doesn’t like how judgmental Raqim can be, but he knows it all stems from those impossible standards he holds himself to. He’d be like, “Just let go, buddy, it’s ok. You don’t have to fix everything. Just let the dice roll.” But without faith, Raqim can’t do that.
how do you think you would react to this character in real life and vice versa? would you prefer to be a million miles out of range, be amicable classmates, or fall desperately in love? (bonus: arrange a hypothetical date between yourself and this character. getting silly with it is encouraged (fakedate them! escape a dinner date through a bathroom window!))
Raqim
This has made me realize I have committed the ultimate cringe of creating an OC I would be pathetically in love with irl. His arrogance would drive me crazy though. I need him to walk into a pole.
Siavash
I confess his character is partly based on an irl friend I adore but who I am glad moved far away. He’d be too much for me. I’d love him, but small doses only please.
ideal flavor of rotating for this character? crack them open and dissect them— do you want them tormented, pining, or being loved + comforted? do you have any specific scenarios you like to think about?
Raqim
I’ve tormented him enough in his backstory. Now I want him comforted. Lightly mocked and covered in smooches. That said—I become absolutely gleeful when he fails a check and gets taken down a notch.
Siavash
This man needs tormenting. He needs to face darkness, especially his own. I love pulling the rug out from under his confidence in those moments of doubt and insecurity, just to watch him bounce back.
I want him terrified of loneliness. I want him finding a kindred soul who understands him and accepts him as he is, who lets the lark fly but is always there for him. Someone who believes in him.
weave a web of dynamics through the cast for this character: which dynamics are you most interested in? both canonically and through extrapolation/speculation— which dynamics are the richest to you, and why?
Raqim
Ember is like Raqim’s personal Fury. At first he’s spooked by her because her burns remind him of his sin—the time he lost control and unleashed fire on an enclave of Sarenrites. Then as he listens to her he realizes she’s not just a traumatized child but strangely wise, which is even more spooky, because they’re in perfect agreement about both atheism and mercy, except that she pushes his principles to their extreme by extending forgiveness even to demons. It’s like she haunts him. He doesn’t like the way her crow gives him such knowing looks.
When he finds out Soot’s true nature, he’ll feel as betrayed as Ember does, but maybe it will help open his mind to a new way of looking at things.
Siavash
I’ve already done this so much for him & the companions in the past that instead I’m taking your twins as companions 💕
I love his friendship with Lariel, although it's tragic. He sees in her a kindred spirit. She’s curious and kind and fiercely values freedom. He doesn’t understand the source of her torment until much later. Due to that torment, Lariel is wary of him even though she adores him as a friend. She knows what uncontrolled power can do, even with good intentions. The bittersweetness to me is that in order for her brother to be free from his own torment, she has to hand him over into Siavash’s hands, and give up the closeness she had with her twin. Even though she was Zrise’s closest confidant since childhood, and becomes one of Siavash’s best friends, she forever remains somewhat estranged from both of them. It hurts my heart.
In the AU with Zrise as romanced companion, Siavash is almost as surprised as Zrise that he begins to return his affection. At first glance Zrise is kind of the anti-Siavash: standoffish, brooding, false, violent, a willing tool. But Calistria and Desna are both Elysian goddesses... Zrise has a wild spirit, and hidden deep, deep inside where he thinks no one can see it is what he considers a despicable weakness: he craves approval and affection. He can be incredibly gentle and generous. Once he opens up the transformation is hilarious. He can match Sia’s sappy, goofy sillies but there’s still this awkward edge to it that kills me.
Zrise and Siavash force each other through much-needed growth. Siavash has to come to terms with cruelty: not only that it can be inflicted by regular people, but that it does irreparable damage. He loves Zrise because he works hard to heal himself of the effects of the cruelty inflicted on him, but it’s still a part of him, and Siavash also loves the dark part. Siavash has to realize he can’t love the world and people without also embracing the dark side—including his own. It’s paradoxical but ultimately healthier for him.
Lariel is so right. Together they are a danger to the universe.
do you have particular niche takes on this character? defend those takes. (openly controversial takes are permitted, but also: hyper-specific headcanons which you believe in and no one else has considered enough to disagree with yet. pick a hill to die on.)
Greedily picking one from each section. Siavash and Zrise 💕 2, 16, 21, 25
Greedily collecting these 💕 Thank you, I love these asks for them. So much juicy pondering
OTP asks here
2. If they could each describe each other in one sentence, what would it be?
(Sorry corny Siavash poetics incoming)
Zrise is a velvet-dark iris growing from poison soil and longing for the sun, and all I want in the world is to shine on him and watch him unfold.
16. If they broke up, what would be their opinions of each other?
It depends so much on the reason for the breakup.
If it was for the same reason Kristov left him, Siavash would be devastated by guilt, but at the same time he would have to come to the hard realization that a lot of what he believed about Zrise was wishful thinking. He feels safe that Zrise understands him and accepts him as he is, but if Zrise left him for not being present enough, that would mean he didn’t really understand and/or accept Siavash after all. In a way that would be even more devastating, because Sia would have to face the idea that he’s destined to hurt everyone he loves. Killing his hope is about the cruelest thing that could happen.
Pondering what unforgivable things could otherwise cause a breakup isn’t easy because Siavash has a high tolerance for Zrise being Zrise. He managed to coax out Zrise’s secret gentler side, but that doesn’t mean the rabid side isn’t still there—just constructively redirected. Mostly. Sorry Harmattan but there won’t be a trial for the attempted coup, and a funeral was definitely not how Sia wanted to handle the situation. Still even that’s not enough to drive Sia away.
I think the only thing that would drive him away would be if for some reason Zrise regressed into the worst of his self-destructive behavior and Sia couldn’t pull him out of it. It’s not the infidelity per se but the self-harm. It would hurt him deeply to watch Zrise spiral if he didn’t believe he could help, and he would not enable the behavior, so it would cause friction. The only solution would be to give him distance. Still it would take an awful lot for Siavash to lose hope. In that case Sia would see it as his own failure. He knows Zrise has the potential to live, and if he somehow lost him he would blame himself bitterly.
21. How have they changed each other for the better/for the worse?
I don’t like to compare Siavash’s relationship with Woljif to his relationship with Zrise because I need to keep those two parts of my brain separate, but the comparison intrigues me for this one. Woljif is smart, practical-minded and cautious. He’s a grounding force for Siavash, and tempers his wilder impulses especially after ascension. Extremely important to have that “slow down chief” influence when you’re a demigod.
Zrise on the other hand is 100% an enabler. Totally on board for all the chaos no matter how ill-advised.
Another thing I think Zrise does for Siavash is get him to face the darkness. Sia has a tendency to deny and deflect anything truly difficult. As a Calistrian (or ex-Calistrian) Zrise incorporates Elysium’s darker side—the lust, the sting and the venom—that help balance Desnan kindness, hope and good intentions. Because you can’t win a Crusade, or free the Fleshmarket, or defeat an Archdevil without violence, and you can’t turn a blind eye to the consequences of your decisions. He helps Sia integrate his Shadow. That’s essential to his growth and the one thing that may save him in a universe where he’s being enabled in his megalomaniacal post-ascension project to defeat death itself.
25. What moves do they know work on the other?
The moves HAHAHA I don’t know why this makes me laugh so much. Sia’s moves
If Zrise goes for sweet words of affirmation, he hit the jackpot with my goofily poetic, sincerely silly bard. Also the physical affection jackpot. Sia will tip his head onto his shoulder, lie with his head in his lap, give him hugs... and Zrise seems to eat it up. Like, very hungrily. Bottomless pit.
At first Sia’s cautious with him about expressing desire, because Zrise has been objectified by so many people for so long that Sia’s uncomfortable with the implications. Going instead for the affection angle and working from there. Which works. But as they come to trust each other he can more openly start giving him smoldering looks from across the room. And trying out moves I guess HA
💕Hehehe I also must send some more. I must know 4, 18, 24, 34 💕
HAHA YESSS I too have more.
4. Does this change over time? What will always reliably make them melt with how much they adore the other character?
Zrise’s true smile. It always feels like a miracle. Siavash has these before/after images in his mind of Zrise when they first met and Zrise with a lighter heart, and it’s the contrast that really melts him. (He doesn’t take credit for the transformation—it’s Zrise who did the hard work. Sia feels like he was just cheering him on from the sidelines. All the more rewarding.)
Surprisingly, the other thing is this pout he gets. Unfortunately a hold-over from darker days. He frowns and his lower lip sticks out, and his eyes go blank or sharp. It’s a dangerous look that often means he’s about to lash out. These days he’s more likely to fidget or smoke than actually punch somebody though. For some reason it makes Sia a little crazy, like he wants to smother him in kisses until he can get a genuine laugh out of him. It's like there's my Zrise
Also when he’s with Siavash, there’s this innocent, sincere awkwardness that contrasts with Zrise’s Calistrian persona from before. Zrise is new at this. He tries so hard to be romantic and it comes out in a way Zrise thinks is pathetic and cringy, but Siavash absolutely adores. Kind of like watching a baby predator get its legs and wobble over for hugs and scritches.
18. They’re going through something incredibly difficult—perhaps they’re very sick, have lost a loved one, or have gone through a traumatic event. Do they ask for or accept support and care from their partner, or try to isolate themselves?
When things get truly overwhelming, Siavash does lose control of his deflection powers. He cries. These are the moments when he needs someone who isn’t just there for the good times, but who really sees him and gets him like Zrise does. Sia has a lot of friends who do care but would probably panic if they saw the cracks in the façade.
Especially in the Abyss, Zrise shows that he notices and cares and that he won’t balk if there’s a breakdown. I think it’s because he’s been through a LOT himself and became practiced in his own way at disguising vulnerability. He can see through Sia’s persona. Just as Sia recognizes the good heart Zrise tries to hide, Zrise recognizes the self-doubt and insecurity Siavash tries to hide, and they both love that about each other.
24. What would their partner do that would really turn them on, perhaps unintentionally?
To get back to that pout. Yes. And the fidgeting and smoking. When Zrise is bored and starts lighting things on fire or throwing knives. It’s the dangerous nervous energy. Funny because when they first met Siavash was not as put off by it as he should have been (he looks dangerous 😳)
But also practicing bladework. Watching him get sweaty and impatient until he comes over and holds Siavash from behind to correct his stance. Being disarmed and unbalanced. The look on his face when Sia starts singing to try to distract him. I think those lessons were more erotic for Sia than Zrise realized (or than Sia would admit).
The fact that he’s ticklish. Zrise could break Sia in half but Sia has a secret weapon and he will use it.
34. Under what circumstances would they feel protective?
It’s a good thing Zrise doesn’t know how often Sia has come to his defense when people are talking shit behind his back. Zrise has antagonized a lot of people and I’m sure he wouldn’t be surprised at what they say, but he might be surprised how Sia gently corrects them every time.
In some ways Zrise is the face of Siavash’s crusade. The Fifth Crusade embraces some darker, more chaotic elements that previous Iomedean crusades didn’t. It’s what makes it successful. (It’s Lona the Goth Queen who says this in our Dance of Masks fic – a crusade isn’t all sunshine and butterflies.) Calistria is also an Elysian goddess. There are shady dealings and violence, just channeled against a common enemy. Incorporating the collective shadow. In that sense Zrise is a perfect balance to Sia. So anyway I’m off track but what I mean is that Sia is protective of him but not trying to hide his dark side. Trying to get people to see what’s good about who he is instead of distorting who he is.
Siavash is also protective of Zrise’s past wounds. Once Zrise gets the courage to talk about his past and Siavash really starts to understand, he does everything he can to help him heal. And not to reopen old wounds. Someone else might callously tease Zrise for his fear of water (even shallow) but Sia is careful of his tender spots.
And finally. Very few people evoke the Wrath of Siavash. Usually pretty chill. But Zrise’s family (with the exception of Lariel ofc whom he adores)... along with a certain “azata counsellor”... he would go out of his way to severely inconvenience.
3. How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)
Well, he’s a bit of a chaos monster so it really depends. The one thing you can almost always catch him doing is playing guitar in the evening, with a glass of wine if he can get one, staring off into the distance and just vibing and winding down. It might be the only thing that saves his sanity during the Crusade. It’s absolutely canon that he reads Ophenia Thwait novels in his downtime too.
He’ll usually try to make his way to somewhere in the bed vicinity to sleep because it is comfiest, but in which direction and whether dressed or not is a coin toss. Once Woljif starts coming around evenings he develops more regular habits.
13. What color do they think they look best in? Do they actually look best in that color?
HAHAHAHA
Love how this is phrased.
He knows he looks amazing in an assortment of pastels and earth colors, but especially sky blue. Lilac, mustard and leaf-green are good too.
In reality I think he would look great in earth tones with just flashes of color here or there. It would complement his hazel eyes, tawny-blond hair and tan skin really well. Alas he only wears browns, beiges and deep greens as accents and not the other way around.
18. What embarrasses them?
This is a hard one because with that laid-back attitude and that Cha score I think he can easily fake his way through even some of the most awkward situations. (usually. no one is above a nat 1)
Because of his guilt/failure complex he can’t always disguise his feelings when someone rightly criticizes his performance, whatever kind of performance. He’ll crack a self-deprecating joke and laugh it off but you can tell he’s a little peeved underneath it all. To his credit he will try to do better.
42. How badly do they want to reach their end goal?
When the end goal was leading the Crusade to victory, he wanted it badly enough to stick with it even when things got bad, even when gargoyles destroyed the camp and Woljif ran off, even facing swarms of vescavors, even being exiled to the Abyss. For him to commit to that extent is extraordinary. I joke but he is actually capable of committing when his mind is made up about something. He’s a lazy, flaky, careless person until some strange, unpredictable flame ignites in his heart and then he’s unstoppable.
Post-crusade he’s just as committed to his new goal of ending mortality but the stakes are quite a bit higher and there are forces aligned against him that he has no conception of. I’d still put money on him but I’m not sure Woljif would.
