These are my thoughts!!! I think it's a cute romance (and my canon one), but Josephine is so...passive in it? And it's a real jump for how much of her character and arc in and out of the romance is purely self-sacrificing for her family's sake, to yeah her family would be totally cool with her being involved with like, a qunari.
Like her entire adult life has been trying to pull her family from debt and taking on the burden of what that entails, to the point her life is put on the line for an ages old assassination attempt, and then after it's just fine if the oldest child of her family can just...not marry another noble???
That's why I think just a little tweak would help a ton of issues I have, and not make it purely fluffy and give Josephine some agency in her own romance.
Eros: 2, 5
How important is sex to them in a relationship? Do they see it as something essential to their happiness? Would they be able to remain in a monogamous relationship with someone they loved without sex?
I think Zell is best described as an allosexual demiromantic, so in short-term situations sex is the relationship whereas in a long-term situation the sex is secondary to the companionship with his partner. Sex is definitely fun for him, he enjoys it as recreation and as a way to deepen communication with his partner. If his lover wanted to be monogamous without sex, he's fine with that as long as they don't have a problem with him masturbating. If that was off the table, then they'd need to have a serious conversation.
How closely is their opinion of their own beauty (or lack thereof) linked to their confidence? Do they see themselves as more or less worthy of love or sex based on how attractive they feel?
He knows he's attractive and always has been, that's part and parcel with being a Dhampir. Not something he can really get away from without serious self harm that he isn't quite into, so he rolls with it without being particularly vain about his looks. 'Yeah yeah I'm super hot fine whatever did you know I also have A Personality?' is the vibe with him, he has ZERO patience for sycophants who are all about fluffing him up just because he's gorgeous*.
He knows he can get laid regardless, so 'attractiveness' to him doesn't have as much to do with physical looks. As far as being worthy of love… he knows looks don't have much to do with real love, and often worries that he'd fall short of any other criteria.
Philia: 1, 4
Does your OC have a Best Friend? If they do then how long have they known each other and how did they meet? If they don't then do they have a close group of friends they love equally? Or are they more of a loner?
(You just want me to talk about Aslan I SEE YOUR GAME)
For a long time Zell's only friend was his horse Yanga, but then he met Aslan. After running away from Ustalav at 17, He signed on to a security gig for a fledgling merchant crew in the River Kingdoms, where the young Captain Aslan Ciardha (19) was still learning how to leverage his charisma to get things done. He immediately latched on to Zell's (at the time) acerbic but genuinely funny sense of humor and did everything in his power to dig through the layers of Zell's deflective hostility and self-deprecation to find the candy fluff center. Much to Zell's shock, it did not take Aslan long to barrel through his defenses and set up a little Best Friend shack in his heart.
They stuck together for a few years until Zell went on his own to hunt a lead on some of his private research. They reconnected after Zell heard Aslan had become Baron in the Stolen Lands. He headed there immediately, figuring his friend would need all the help he could get keeping things in line. Zell stayed through the campaign until apparently falling in battle, not expecting to wake up in Kenabras half a decade later.
He does slowly begin to grow close to his companions as Knight Commander, though it's difficult to find the space for friendship when he's supposed to also be their boss.
Is your OC able to build close friendships with people very different from themselves? Perhaps in terms of culture, age or personality?
Over time, yes! It can take a while to build that mutual trust, to be sure. It took less time with Aslan bullying him into best friendship pretty thoroughly.
With Seelah and Woljif for example it took a while to really solidify the friendship. He had a shockingly easy time forming a respectful solidarity that could be called friendship with Regill. Ember and Daeran were easier to friend, Ember because he truly vibes with her cause and interests, and Daeran because they have complementary senses of humor. Zell ended up using similar tactics on Daeran that Aslan had used on him, which was especially helpful to strengthen their friendship after Daeran gets conscripted.
Befriending Arueshalae was difficult in that he had to dodge around her hero worship puppy love but once that was resolved they became genuinely good friends.
Lann… They get along in that 'friend you always fight with' kind of way. I'm still not sure how things go with them, but generally the vibe is 'he is my brother but I could be an only child again.'
Unsurprisingly he had a much harder time befriending Ulbrig due to his whole being half undead and a sorcerer, and never ended up getting along with Camellia or Wenduag (though that may change with Wendu next playthrough, I feel like they'd come to an understanding.)
Sosiel was the hardest to befriend because he reminds Zell too much of someone else; meanwhile befriending Trevor was incredibly easy, they have a kind of nonverbal vibe together that's very chill. Nenio is Nenio, he loves being her loyal assistant and doesn't mind that she's still getting a hang on the whole friends thing.
He was surprised to learn that Greybor liked him, and really respects Greybor in turn. Zell maybe has too many complicated dadfeels to be truly close with him, though.
Galfrey… It's unlikely they're ever going to be friends, but he does come to understand her better after a while. If nothing else he'd like to prove to her that he isn't a complete fuckup.**
Anevia and Irabeth are his moms when Aslan's mom isn't around so they get along great, haha.
Storge: 2, 4
Does your OC have children? If so then how fiercely do they love them? If they have more than one then do they love them all equally? If they do not have children then is this part of their future plans?
Noooo he is. Abjectly against having children of his own, and unsure if he would be a good father, though he is firecely protective and supportive of all children. Especially little shithead ones, because they remind him of himself.
There are so many awful what-if scenarios about his own shortcomings he agonizes about that the joyful parts of having and raising children of his own are a very distant consideration. However he will always try to be on hand to help rear his close friends' children, and generally has good Kid Energy so they come to him when there are problems anyway.***
He is also known as a favorite uncle of Aslan's children. (There are three, from different mothers. He makes sure they're taken care of and is on speaking terms with their moms, they just never got married or anything.)
Ultimately, Zell would be an excellent parent if he could get over himself, but he probably won't without a lot of time and assistance.
Does your OC have any siblings? If so then did their parents have a favourite growing up? Has their relationship with their sibling changed in adulthood? If they don't have any siblings then do they perhaps feel they have missed out on an important relationship? Do they have any especially close friends who go some way towards filling that role?
As far as he knows he doesn't have any direct siblings, but he's certain he has several Dhampir half-siblings out there in the world. He's not entirely sure he'd want to meet any of them. There's also the matter of any Vampires sired by his father who he also would very much not want to meet. There were plenty of children his own age growing up in Hongli, but once he went to Ustalav he was isolated until his later teenage years put him in the Hellknight Military Academy on the Estate where his father is 'Interred.' He didn't get along with most of his classmates at that point, and the few he did get on with mostly befriended him for protection or clout.
As far as he's concerned, Aslan is his brother, and the feeling is mutual. Woljif and Lann also step into the brother circle; Ember is his sister. He was hoping things might go that way with Seelah, but they aren't quite there yet. Give it time. Arue will get to the sister place when the crush finally dies in like 100 years.
He sees Suture as something of a stepbrother… there's a complicated kind of kinship there he's not sure can be really defined any one way.
Agape: 2, 5
Does your OC feel a spiritual connection to the world around them? Do they have a particular love for nature or living things?
Being half undead gives Zell a really interesting perspective on the life-death cycle, and has turned that to really tuning in to the natural world. Coupled with having lived as a Nomad dependent on the land stewardship of generations past, he's got a long history of loving nature.
He is deeply connected to the land, and tries very hard to maintain that no matter where he roams. He follows ancient traditions of greeting and working with land spirits, and is very keen to learn the customs of those spirits as soon as possible. As such he is something of a thorn in Ulbrig's side for a little bit because of this. For example, his way of greeting and revering spirits and ancestors is based on Hongli traditions, which can differ significantly from Sarkorian methods. They get in lots of debates about the proper methods of spirit work that often come to blows. (it's never really that serious they just both need to blow off steam.****)
Zell is especially skilled with handling horses, but treats all beasts with respect and care, which means he also kind of. Adopts many creatures in his travels. He's not a healer as such, but he does know enough about rudimentary vetinary medicine to help most animals, and this ends in quite a few just following him or finding him. Besides, if he can't heal it, now he's travelling with a bunch of people who can! (Congratulations Daeran on being the unofficial horse doctor of the crusade)
Does your OC find it easy to empathise with their enemies? Or do they see it as important to dehumanise them in order to combat them with sufficient determination?
He empathises with his enemies just fine, and has no problem beating or killing them anyway. While he doesn't like to turn to violence as a first resort - negotiation is always first, followed by intimidation, then cunning, then violence - he's not shy about being really, extremely good at violent problem solving.
He tries not to revel too much in combat; as a Bloodrager the risk of completely losing his head and harming a friend with spells or weapons does not appeal to him. But there are some foes, especially certain demons, that are literally too delicious for him not to go after. At that point, they're prey.
Ludus: 1, 2
Does your OC have any particular favourite chat up lines? If not for themselves then perhaps ones they have suggested to a friend? How effective do these tend to be?
Flirting is very situational for him; if he's interested in someone it's usually after he's listened to them talk for a while - at least long enough to get a decent cold read on their sense of humor. His opener will always be something lighthearted and funny to set an easy mood, and if he gets a positive response he keeps up the banter. He has a pretty decent success rate with this method.
Alternatively he goes the bratty body language route, by getting in someone's space and goading them into chasing him. He rarely goes this route unless he's really just down to fuck with no strings.
Is your OC particularly skilled at flirting? Have they had to practice this or does it just happen naturally?
Zell is usually pretty good at flirting, and even when he isn't he has enough charisma for a corny ass goofball line to flip right back around to charmingly effective. Part of it is looks, part of it is (much practiced, somewhat feigned) confidence, some of it is cool emotional reservation, and the rest is just genuinely wanting to have a fun time. He's not into using people or stringing them along and that comes through strongly in his demeanor.
He did have to practice to get to this point. In his younger days he was more bratty and forceful, which got him into a lot of short-term, short-fuse situationships that weren't good for anyone.
Pragma: 2, 4
What is the biggest challenge that your OC has had to overcome in a long-term relationship or friendship? What helped them get through this?
It's always accepting that he's wanted, and not just being kept around. It's purely an internal, emotional reaction to a lifetime of displacement, and he knows that, but it's hard not to feel it. Getting past the fear that no one would want him around just for being him is hard enough as just a regular person; being an undead freak and (depending on who you ask) walking harbinger of death and pestilence doesn't make that any easier.
With Aslan, he got hardcore bullied (affectionately) into accepting that not everyone saw his condition as a contagion, that his life was worthwhile, and that he had things to look forward to that weren't just sacrificing himself. It was relentless and merciless and Aslan simply would not allow him to live without having to do stupid shit like putting a gold piece in a special savings pouch every time he said a self-depricating joke. They are best friends your honor.
Where romance is concerned… losing a chunk of his memories and then suddenly becoming a mythically, historically significant individual with a world-shattering responsibility and massive cultlike following makes keeping up the self-love way harder.
It is a very good thing that Daeran isn't the type to get dazzled by power, or care overmuch about mythic status. The fact that he dismisses and jokes about it outright is something that draws in Zell's affection and devotion completely. If anyone is going to see him for himself, and not the overblown myth surrounding him, it's Daeran.
After the initial fires of passion cool to some degree, what would keep your OC engaged in a relationship? Shared goals? Similar values? Or contented companionship?
Contented Companionship definitely, and also a sense of shared goals, though they need not necessarily be grand ones. He wants very much to find and be around his person, to enjoy living and holding space with them. Being with someone who can stand to be together for long stretches of time is the ideal after all, because there will always be opportunities to travel.
Philautia: 1,5
Does your OC have a healthy sense of their own worth and value? Or do they see themselves as failing to live up to their original potential? Perhaps they are convinced of their own sinful or inadequate nature?
Oh indeed he does not. Zell is constantly at war with feelings of outrage, misplaced regret, sorrow, and despair over being born a Dhampir, as well as the Celestial lineage he taps into as a Bloodrager.
As a Dhampir, and one of the very few related to His Majesty, there are many levels of self-loathing that only started coming at him once he was taken to Ustalav. In Hongli it was understood that he was a little more sensitive than usual to the sun, would have to hunt demons from time to time for extra nourishment, and would need extra special weapons training to reign his shit in. No problems.
But in Ustalav? Social pariah. Blight on the face of Golarion, a Sin in the eyes of Pharasma, only kept alive by the pact between this specific group of really weirdly anti-Iomedaean Hellknights and his father. Forced to learn a new language, new etiquette, new rules (that were HIGHLY contradictory ALL THE TIME), wear new (terrible, uncomfortable) clothes, and constantly being told he should be grateful for the privilege really. Fucking. Sucked. He held on to what bits of self-worth he could with whimsy, mischief, and unhinged violence until he could get himself out of there, but the experience had left its mark. He wouldn't be the same after.
As for his Celestial ancestry… he isn't sure entirely where it comes from as his mother is a complete unknown and his father is enigmatic and unavailable. All he knows is that it causes him pain when he uses his abilities that lingers in his body for days at a time, and that he feels nothing of the supposed holy ecstasy one is supposed to feel when thinking of literally any god. A complete atheist with a celestial heritage who also happens to be half-vampire sounds like a joke character from a pulp novel, but it's his life.
He can't connect meaningfully to either of those parts of his heritage without potentially completely abandoning the other, or his sense of self, in the process. He never asked to be born into a bizarre legacy and fucked-up body but those were the cards he was dealt and he wishes he could truly forgive himself for not already having found a way to cheat the house and fold in a better hand for himself.
He is slowly, very slowly, coming to accept his own worth again. It's a long road, but he'll get there.
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?
He certainly had a dip with the ol' teenage depression as you have previously read. Truly it was through being open enough to ask Aslan (and later others) for help that he's been able to start remembering what it's like to just be a person and not be completely consumed by anger and pain.
Meeting and befriending Arueshalae was also inspiring for him. Arue's constant grappling with her own self-worth made him re-evaluate some of what he was doing to himself, and in turn help her as well.
*Woljif only got away with it because Zell could tell he was trying to pull a con and he's not immune to furthering mischief.
**He suspects, though he can't outright confirm, that Galfrey would appreciate knowing that he isn't just out for a fling with Daeran. If nothing else, he respects custom enough to be forthright about his intentions, even if he doesn't really get how Mendevians do things.
***[Minor act 4 spoiler]
'Adopting' Xorges doesn't do much in-game but in my head Zell takes full responsibility of ensuring Zorges gets set up for success. He doesn't want to be intrusive because clearly the kid can handle himself, but he also wants Xorges to know he has support. As a test-run for parenthood, he does all right.
****IF I HAD KNOWN HE WAS ROMANCEABLE like maaan Dae you would've had some competition for once.
My partner and I are both bi and demi! I'm glad for you finding labels that fit. If people say the flag doesn't have enough room then get a bigger flag ffs.
Oh man, the day I found out there was a Demibisexual flag....
I spent twenty-some years trying to figure out what the hell my heart and my hormones were doing, thinking I was some kind of aberration stuck between bi and ace, that maybe I was the only one who felt this way. Then I'm introduced to the term "demisexual," which makes a lot of sense. And then I find out there's an entire FLAG just for this weird little niche I'm sitting in.
Which meant I was NOT the only person feeling these feelings. Which meant it was real.
Cue the fucking waterfalls. I cried real tears.
This right here? This is my pride flag. And if there's one for me, there's probably one for you too. And if there isn't, we'll make one.
Just popping in to welcome you to the "my Inquisitor is a Warlock now" party! I love Fael's new look! My Quizzy Ladwyn was the first D&D character I ever rolled (Hexblade) but I was out of campaigns for years so I re-interpreted her as a Dalish elf. Now she's back in Faerun as a Drow Raven Queen warlock.
ahah, Fael is a Hexblade warlock now instead :D Eldritch Blasting around like a proper warlock. And I did the Edgy Thing and his mechanical arm ended up being the actual hexblade. Because this whole situation is not traumatic enough :PAlthough this is a very specific situation I put him in, I think in D&D he would fit very well with the Sorcerer class, with either Storm of Phoenix bloodline!
Oh I don't feel beholden to, more than me trusting my intuition when my stones say someone would like them. I'll be working with them regardless, so I'll send you pictures of what I make when I'm done! If you want something, I'll set it aside for you.
