#vaeltis

[svartalfhild]

Sitting here being ill about Vaeltis because they fit together so well.

Occtis is very used to being ignored, devalued, and looked down upon, but Vaelus is a creature of devotion, and she has repeatedly expressed amazement at his abilities and chosen to stay at his side unflinchingly.

Vaelus has been alive so long and seen so much, but Occtis is something new.

Occtis craves knowledge, and having lived so long, Vaelus could tell him things that books can't.

Vaelus grieves the past; Occtis grieves the future he will never have.

Occtis is not physically very strong, and he finds in Vaelus a protector. In return, he sticks up for her when others treat her as a problem. (That Nat 20 intimidate on the druids was SO GOOD.)

Occtis doesn't have to be alone while the others sleep at night. Vaelus is there with him.

When all of this is over, if they both make it, they could go on together long after everyone else has passed. The world will change and move on, but they could remain each other's constant through it all for many ages to come.

Vaelus has a cause she is willing to die for, but Occtis is someone to live for (and I think this is perhaps what she doesn't understand about why she's drawn to Occtis for more than just what he can do; he makes her want to live).

[scarlet-it-was]

IS IT THURSDAY YET?

[aspirant-tyranny]

artist critters. it is time for vaeltis art now please

[svartalfhild]

After that brief conversation between Occtis and Vaelus about how she didn't think at all about what would happen to him when she sacrificed the stone broke my heart. That really confirmed for him what he already felt: that Thaisha and Thimble are the only people in the whole world who give a single genuine damn about him as a person.

I have to wonder if Vaelus feels guilt about that. I have to wonder if she's afraid to care that much about him, because she's lost so much. Hannan had an advantage in starting to worm his way into her heart, because he was an elf and that brings so much with it, but now he's gone before she'd barely had a chance to start really knowing him.

And nights are going to be so awkward now between the two of them. I think they may have to hash some things out before they can be totally comfortable with each other while everyone else sleeps again. Occtis seems like he's going to be bitter about Vaelus' lack of consideration for him, and while I don't think Vaelus regrets the decision she made, she may regret not having at least thought of him, or at the very least, she may regret having hurt him by admitting she didn't think of him. Regardless, I'm very interested to see where that goes.

I really want to see Vaelus overcome her trauma and learn to let people in, and I really want Occtis to have more people who really care about him and to accept it as true. If they can do that together, so much the better.

[svartalfhild]

As someone who ships both Wicanny and Vaeltis, I have to say, Tyranny's sisters thinking that Occtis and Vaelus were Wick and Tyranny in disguise was very juicy to me.

[svartalfhild]

My favourite dynamics in Campaign 4 so far:

Vaelus and Occtis - I desperately want to see more of whatever the fuck is going on there. I don't care if it's platonic or romantic. I want more of it. The goth levels are off the fucking charts.

Thaisha and Occtis - I just love so much how Thaisha cannot stop herself from being like "my son now". And he deserves a new mom! His family is so fucking shitty!!! And she's a goddamn delight!!! Who cares about him so much!!! And desperately called him back from the grave after his family brutally murdered him!!!

Thaisha and Julien - Listen. I just need them to hatefuck like at least once. I'll take the rest however it comes. I just want their dynamic complicated and messy as hell. I love their drama.

Vaelus and Julien - I mean so far their whole vibe is this delightfully weird "I don't know you but feel free to traumadump and go full ride or die," and I'm super here for it. Can't wait to see where they end up. Kinda hoping it'll be something like Fjord and Beau.

Wick and Tyranny - Ship it. Ship it so hard. I am an absolute sucker for angel/demon ships and this one is so tasty. The angst. The guilt. The religious devotion. The codependency. The mutual struggle for redemption. *monster devouring noises*

Murray and Azune - Ship it as well. There's like a softness between them that I really love, and they're clearly already quite close. I wanna know more about that.

Murray and Bolaire - I loved Percy and Keyleth's friendship so fucking much and I feel like this is gonna be another spectacular m/f bromance brought to me by Marisha and Taliesin. I love their shady academic buddies vibes. Would watch/read a whole series that was just about them solving mysteries.

Hal and Thaisha - They got me with the "He made art so beautiful that she fell in love with the world and had to go explore it," and it being an amicable, loving, open relationship, which is just lovely.

Honorable Mention (b/c one is an NPC):

Julien and Aranessa - The motherfucking Courtly Love of it all, my god. Matthew Mercer, your angst game is as strong as ever and choosing Knightly Yearning as your vehicle this time is simply *chef's kiss*. I don't even need this ship to happen, I just deeply enjoy that Julien's got classic knight angst going on.