So here’s Arion’s regular uniform as a soldier, along with the sketches leading to the final design (I thought they were interesting this time). He will have a modified uniform but I didn’t finalize it yet.
The main body of the uniform is based on concept renders of the Ratnik-3 project, which is a Russian project to try and design “the uniform of the future”. It was incredibly helpful to me since this design is set in a sci-fi world, but looking it up made me kinda uncomfortable considering... well everything in Eastern Europe rn.
For the helmet I wanted to focus on big, recognizable shapes. I started with something kinda normal and pushed it more and more until I found something good. I like the silhouette and the sci-fi elements it adds to the design.
As I said before, Arion hates being a soldier. Because of that, he’s a perfect candidate to be devoted to Thodor, the god of chaos. I want his regular uniform to look restricting, to contrast with his later personalized uniform, where I can visually show how he breaks all sorts of codes.
The helmet comes in two parts, the mouth and nose mask and the actual helmet. Arion is going to use the mask as a way to later conceal his identity. There are two reasons there are wires running from the mask to a back piece. The wires are for electric components in the helmet, and also a visual representation of the shackles that bound Arion. Another representation of the shackles is on his ankles, where a tracker that looks like the ones used for prisoners is.
The bit of red references Raidoon, goddess of reality bending. In the form she takes in Daughter of Death she’s related to war, so this is more of an easter egg for later. Initially I wanted to make the whole uniform red but it didn’t fit the fact they’re made to be used in an urban setting. They also looked more like medic uniforms than soldiers.
In the last photo of sketches there’s some exploration of how different units might look. I was thinking that the round helmet can be snipers, and the cone head can be hackers, but I’m not sure yet.
Lastly, Arion’s number is 13. In us culture, 13 is considered an unlucky number, but in others (like Judaism) it’s a lucky number. I found this fact quite interesting, so I decided that would be his number.
Loki x Reader
You get kidnapped by Loki
TW's: Implied childhood abuse - nothing described in graphic detail
[A/N] Been a while since I posted a Loki fic and I found this one sitting amongst my drafts from months ago so I finally finished it 😘 Hope you enjoy!
You wake up, your head swimming, your thoughts disoriented and groggy. It’s dark and you don’t remember falling asleep. Your throat feels dry and raspy. When you move to rub your eyes you find your wrists are bound behind your back. Panic rises in your throat and you cry out, only to find that you’re gagged as well. You squirm, trying to loosen the bindings when you hear a voice “Ah, you’re awake.”
Your eyes quickly dart in the direction of the sound and they land on your captor. You feel your heart rate increase as you recognise him – he was one of the most recognisable figures right now. He’d been in the news every day ever since he’d arrived on Earth. Loki, the trickster, the Norse God.
Loki stands in the corner of the room, watching you intently. You look around but you can’t figure out where you are. A dark, small room, clearly somewhere used for storage. No windows, just one bulb in the middle of the ceiling that doesn’t produce much light. Your gaze drifts back to Loki, trying to read his expression.
What could he possibly want with you? You’re nothing to do with the Avengers or any of this craziness that Loki has involved himself in. In fact, as far as you’re concerned, you’re nothing special. You work at your local grocery store, you don’t have many friends, your life has been pretty uneventful. So what could the trickster God possibly want?
Loki suddenly pushes off from the wall and approaches you. You shrink back but with your wrists bound you can’t get very far and he squats down in front of you, his fingers tracing the gag in your mouth “I’m going to take this off,” He says, his voice surprisingly soft “I wouldn’t recommend screaming. No one will hear you anyway. It’ll just be a terrible nuisance to me and a waste of breath for you.”
You watch, wide-eyed as Loki gently pulls the cloth out of your mouth, loosening it and letting it hang around your neck “Let me go.” You say immediately. You cough, your throat is so dry – you have no idea how long you’ve been down here but clearly a while.
Loki chuckles, his eyes lighting up “Now why on earth would I do that?”
“I did nothing to you.”
“And?”
“And… I- I don’t know you, I’m not part of this-”
“Part of what?”
You squirm, your wrists writhing in the restraints “Part of your- I don’t know, your world domination plans. I’m just me, I have nothing to do with-”
Loki reaches out, his fingers stroking your cheek. You try to flinch away but it’s hard with the restraints holding you firmly in place “No, you have nothing to do with that. This is… More personal than that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re divine.” Loki whispers “From the moment I saw you, I knew I had to have you-”
“’Saw me?’ Saw me where?”
“I’ve been keeping tabs on you for a while. You… Intrigue me.”
“Why would I intrigue you? I’m nothing special-”
Loki grins, his eyes bright with amusement “Because we’re alike, you and me.”
Your eyes widen again at that statement “Alike? No, we’re not-”
“Oh but we are. Both underappreciated, misunderstood.” He runs a hand through your hair, almost tenderly “I’ve had my eye on you for a long time. And now here you are. All mine.”
You squirm harder “I’m not like you. You’re cruel and chaotic and- I’m not like you.”
Loki moves his hand to grip your arm “Quit squirming, you’re not getting free. You are like me. I told you, I’ve been watching you for a while. You fascinate me, the way you’ve remained so kind-hearted even to those who don’t deserve it. I found it amusing at first. Such a weakness, to be kind to those who have wronged you. But now it intrigues me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You still care for your Mother even after-”
“Don’t.” You don’t know how he knows but you can tell that he does. You never think about your childhood, not if you can help it. You’d gone to therapy for a while but she’d wanted to discuss your early years and it was too painful. They still gave you nightmares. Your Mother was at the root of most of them.
The truly awful ones though, were about your Father. You tried to think of him even less.
It was true – you were caring for your mother now you were an adult. Not religiously but you were popping in every other day, tidying her apartment, making sure she had everything she needed, cleaning her up if she needed it. As a child you’d promised yourself that the moment you were old enough you’d cut contact with her. But you hadn’t. You’d visited her every week like a good child and then when she’d fallen ill you’d begun increasing your visits.
“Why?” Loki asks you now “Why do you take care of her?”
You hesitate, breathing heavily as you consider this. Why do you care for her? After everything she did to you, after all the promises you made to yourself as a child… Why? Eventually you meet his eye and tell him quietly “Because… She’s my Mom. I’m an only child, I’m all she has. She needs me-”
Loki scoffs “Kindness to the people who wronged you is weakness-”
“Maybe. But I’m still her kid, like I said, she needs me-”
Loki laughs before shaking his head “You’re wrong.”
“I’m not going to debate the philosophy of this with you. Let me go!” You tug on the ropes around your wrists and Loki sighs, his hand grabbing your arm again.
“Stop that. You’re mine now, you’re not going anywhere.” Loki tilts his head to the side as he studies you for a second before asking “What about me? Do you believe I’m worthy of kindness? You believe after everything I’ve done my brother would welcome me back with open arms?”
You hesitate again, not sure how to respond to that. Eventually you stutter out “I- Well- You- You’ve killed people-”
Loki sighs heavily “In pursuit of my goal. Their deaths were… Unfortunate but necessary.”
“Nobody’s death is unfortunate but necessary.”
“This is going to be fun.” Loki says, the smile never leaving his face “Your sense of morals intrigues me, especially with everything you’ve been through. And especially after what happened to your Father.”
You go pale at that but you try and keep your voice steady, not giving him the satisfaction of knowing he’s gotten to you “How do you know so much about me?”
“I have my ways.” Loki strokes his fingers over your cheek again. You try to flinch away and he grabs your chin, forcing you to look at him “I know a lot about you. Where you live, where you work… And I know you’re lonely. Just like me.”
You squirm again, glaring at him “I’m nothing like you.”
Loki chuckles “You can deny it all you want Darling, it doesn’t make any difference. Because I know what happened. I know what you did.”
You keep glaring at him though your heart is pounding with fear and dread. He knows about your Father. What you did. He’s not bluffing, somehow he knows the truth “I had to.”
“Unfortunate but necessary.” Loki says smugly.
You huff but you don’t have a comeback to that “Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re mine now.” Loki says simply “Mine to own, to love-”
You scoff “I’ll never love you.”
“No matter. We have plenty of time and I have my ways…” Loki lets go of your chin and runs his fingers down your cheek again “I’m sure I can persuade you.”
“You won’t, you-” You groan as he pulls the cloth gag back up, tightening it around your mouth. You squirm in the restraints but they don’t give.
Loki smirks “I have things to do. But I’ll be back soon Darling. We have plenty more to talk about.” He leans forward and presses a kiss to your forehead before straightening up. He leaves the room, giving you one last look before closing the door. You hear the sound of the lock clicking. You’re stuck in here. At his mercy until he chooses to return.
You struggle hard against the restraints but they don’t give. You’re trapped here and he’ll be back eventually, wanting to talk about God knows what. You won’t be talking about your childhood with him though, that’s for sure.
You’d never told anyone the truth about your Father. Not your Mom, not the police, not anyone. And no one had ever guessed. It was a secret you’d planned to take to your own grave. But Loki knew. Somehow he knew. And he didn’t care – in fact, he almost seemed enchanted by it.
True to his word Loki returns a few hours later. You’re exhausted from struggling by this point and your throat is so dry that you’d do almost anything for a drink of water. Loki pulls the gag down from your mouth and you almost whimper “Water, please…”
“Of course Darling.” Loki holds up a bottle of water to your lips, helping you to drink it. He seems almost amused by your desperation and you feel a stab of helpless anger.
He’s brought a tray of food with him and you tug at the restraints around your wrists “Can you untie me so I can at least eat in a civilised manner?”
“As long as you promise not to try any escape attempts.” Loki says evenly. You glare at him but nod begrudgingly. Your stomach has been rumbling ever since he left you alone and the thought of him feeding you like a baby makes you want to curl up and die. Besides, what chance did you stand against a God? No point in running.
Loki unties you and you groan with relief, stretching your arms before hungrily devouring the food he’s brought with him. Nothing special, just a slightly dry sandwich but it’s better than nothing. Loki watches you with a raised eye-brow and you glare back at him “How do you know so much about me anyway?”
“I have-”
“Your ways, yes. What ways are they?”
“I’ve been watching you for years Y/N. Keeping an eye on you. Honestly, I was impressed with how you handled your Father. No one suspected a thing. How-”
“I’m not talking about that. I’m not talking about my childhood, I’m not talking about anything-”
“Okay. In that case, what’s the real reason you take care of your Mother?” Loki asks.
You groan, your head tilting back as you consider his question. Eventually you meet his gaze and mumble begrudgingly “Because… Despite everything… I want to be kind. I want to be a good person. I can’t control her choices, what she did to me but… I can control how I react to it now. And that’s how I win. By being kind.”
Loki rolls his eyes “You’re still lying.”
“No I’m not! I-”
“‘Kindness is important’, blah blah blah. ‘I’m the bigger person’ blah blah blah. Oh I don’t doubt you believe that philosophy but let’s face it, we both know that’s not the real reason. So tell me.”
“You seem to know so much about me so why don’t you tell me why I do it?”
Loki smirks “Because despite everything that she did, you still seek her approval. You want her to love you.” You glare at him, irritated he saw through you so easily and Loki laughs “And how do you think I know that, hmm?”
“Our situations aren’t the same.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“Thor wants you to go home, it was all over the news. You have a brother who loves you, a home waiting for you-”
“They would lock me up-”
“Not if you stop this now. I had no choice. If I’d let him carry on… Well, it was him or me.” You purse your lips together “And at least I stopped with him. I’m not trying to invade a different planet-”
“There’s nothing left for me on Asgard. And I will not return there.”
You consider that for a moment “I never ran away. Thought about it a lot but I was always too scared. There was always something holding me back.” You’re surprised by how open you’re suddenly being with him but now you’ve started you find you can’t stop “I never cared for my Father’s approval. Right from when I was little I knew I didn’t need it. My Mom was different though. She was a victim, like me. It’s been hard. She still mourns him and I get so angry because I just think… I saved us. And now she wants to rewrite history, pretending he was the greatest man who ever lived, even though she still has the scars, same as me.”
When you finally look at Loki again you see that the smug smirk is gone, replaced by a look of sympathy. Not pity, it’s more… Understanding. Something in you softens “You really know what happened then.”
“Yes.” Loki confirms quietly “And for what it’s worth… I think you were brave. Nobody would’ve believed you given his position.”
Your Dad had been a police man. People still left flowers and letters on his grave saying that he’d saved them, that he’d made their lives better. If only they’d known what he was truly capable of.
“I’ve never told anyone.” You whisper.
“A hard burden to carry alone for a mortal.”
You nod, your eyes filling with tears as it suddenly dawns on you just how much the truth of what you’d done has been weighing on you. Loki reaches out, pulling you into his arms and this time you don’t resist. This secret has been killing you. You’d isolated yourself from friends, never letting anyone get close to you anymore. Your Mother was the only person you still saw regularly and she made you want to scream. Every time she spoke of your Father, praised him, talked about how much she missed him, it took everything in you not to tell her the truth. To blame her for not protecting you. To remind her just what kind of man your Father had been.
“I didn’t want to.” You sob “I didn’t want to, I didn’t want to-”
“I know Darling, I know.” Loki whispers “I was… Wrong. Earlier. We are not that similar.”
“No, you were right.” You sniffle “I’m bad, rotten. A killer. Just like you.”
“No, you’re a survivor. And I believe you would’ve run away. What held you back was knowing you were leaving your Mother alone to fend for herself. And if she couldn’t protect you then she wasn’t going to protect herself.” Loki hesitates “Darling… It was him or your Mother. You did what your Mother could never do.”
He presses a kiss to the top of your head and you find yourself relaxing into his embrace. Loki gently rubs your back with his hand, allowing the silence to wash over you both for a while. There’s some truth in his words, you realise. No matter how angry you are at your Mom, no matter how much her praise of your Father is hard to hear – you know she was a victim too. Terrified to leave him, terrified to be anything other than the good, loving wife. You’d stepped up. And if you had your moment again… You’d still make the same call. Loki’s right. No one would’ve listened to you. He wouldn’t have been stopped by the law. No one was going to protect you or your Mom.
“Come with me.” Loki whispers, breaking the silence “You and me can go anywhere. To any corner of the universe.”
“What about your world domination plans?”
“The world pales in comparison to you. You are the world to me.” Loki cups your cheek with his hand “I have had time to fall in love with you from afar. I know we’re a long way from you loving me in return. But… If you come with me, I promise you this. You will never feel alone again. You will never know pain or suffering or grief ever again. I won’t allow it. My life will be dedicated to you, my love.”
You hesitate “My Mom…”
“You have done everything you can for her love. You deserve to live for yourself now.”
You look up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. Something you never thought you’d see from the God of Mischief himself. Not that you ever expected a God to have been watching you from afar for all these years. His arms around you feel comforting. When was the last time someone comforted you? It had been so long that you couldn’t even remember anymore.
You take a deep breath. You must be insane – this is Loki, the one who’d killed multiple people in pursuit of his twisted goals, the one who was planning an alien invasion in New York… A villain. If anyone saw you with him…
Regardless, you hear yourself saying “Okay. Okay, I’ll go with you.”
Loki’s eyes light up and he smiles, pressing a kiss to your forehead. Maybe you’ll live to regret this. Or… Maybe you won’t. Perhaps you’ve finally found someone you can share your burden with, someone who understands. Who hasn’t judged you, who understands why you did what you did.
You’ll take your chances. This could be the start of something good. For the first time in your life, maybe you’ll finally understand what it means to be truly loved and protected.
A merchant who freely travels between the Overworld and the Underworld. He acts like he is everyone's friend, is enthusiastically humorous, and is good at bantering.
No. 1 con artist in nrc, manage to get away with anything thru sweet talking as well being fast on foot. Always just one step ahead of trouble—if something goes wrong, they are coincidentally somewhere else.
Speaks in a laid-back, almost sing-song tone, making it impossible to tell if they’re being serious. They have way too many connections around NRC. Need something? They "know a guy."
Claims to be “an honest and hardworking student,” but nobody believes them (except maybe Kalim).
Wears their uniform loosely—tie undone, sleeves rolled up—giving off the vibe of someone who "works hard" but never seems to actually do work. Somehow always has snacks or money on hand but never seems to spend their own.
Can disappear just before getting caught—Crowley is suspicious but has no proof. Or in other words the proof was not enough to pin point sampo!yuu as the main culprit so they got off scot free.
Makes deals that sound good at first, but later, people realize Sampo yuu got way more out of it. Basically there's this one rule in nrc is risk on your own self to trust sampo!yuu because the deal that they offer might be a double edge sword that can be good to badly for yourself.
Has a talent for "borrowing" things but always returns them before anyone notices. Whether or not you can consider borrowing or not.
Can read people like a book and uses that skill to get out of trouble or negotiate better deals. Immediately you can guess a person's hobbies just by how they look, act and demeanor. As well manage to recognize if someone is suppressing themselves
Acts broke when asked for money but somehow always has enough for exactly what they need. They would casually ask for ace and deuce lunch and then eat half of it saying they didn't bring money.
Has an ongoing “business rivalry” with Azul. They love outmaneuvering each other, and Azul is both impressed and deeply frustrated by them. Basically just two con artists trying to con each other.
Mutual respect as fellow hustlers, but Ruggie is way warier of them than he lets on. Sampo!yuu immediately recognize this and use it to their disadvantage.
Always manages to get the easiest job while making it seem like they contributed the most.
Whether it’s reselling snacks, doing “favors” for students, or trading information, Sampo yuu always has a side hustle going on. Has a "Secret" Hideout, no one knows exactly where, but it’s the perfect place to lay low when things get too chaotic.
Crowley constantly suspects Sampo yuu is involved in something, but there’s never enough proof. "Yuu, explain this!" "Oh, Headmage, you wound me. I’m innocent!"
Everyone at Nrc knows Sampo yuu, but no one can fully figure them out. Are they trustworthy? Are they a menace? The answer is .. yes.
Despite being a trickster, they have a weird charm that makes them hard to hate. Even students they’ve scammed begrudgingly respect them, they scam Leona and instead of getting angry he just went "touche".
Even tho they may seem to be a bad person Sampo!yuu has a good heart and as well care for who they see as close willing to do a favor but their payment will be cut in half than why they actually owe towards Sampo!yuu, it's not they are bad, they just use their own way to do good but people may question whether their ways are good or not.
Idek how to make this post but uh. Yeah. Just gonna go full send.
I am a big Welcome Home fan. I've been apart of the community for a long time now and I actually kin one of the characters, Wally Darling!
It's been a experience for me, roleplaying and learning the characters through those experiences.
So. I present to you: the NOCTURNAL STARS AU!
Information under the cut <3
So - I'm still working out the details and stuff but here we go.
The Nocturnal Stars AU is set in a wintery landscape. Everyone is some form of Nocturnal creature, bats and moths being the most common. Home is a Coastal Redwood tree that protects the characters who live amongst his trees, and is almost worshipped like a god.
What most of the residents don't realize is that Home is not as nice as he seems... Recently, more and more residents have gone missing and nobody can seem to figure out why!
Maybe someone will come around to solve this mystery? Anyway! Let's get a look at this cast!
Takeshi
Well! He doesn't match the theme at all, does he? Why! He doesn't even look like a puppet! That's because he's not. Beyond the control of Home lies the real world. A world filled with mystery and enigma.
Takeshi here is a kitsunohinji, a subspecies of kitsune known for their trickster antics. He's constantly warning people not to go into the forest, but who would listen to a trickster?
(Cismale, He/Him. Bisexual.)
Shade Shadowling
One of the younger puppets to reside in Home, they've been personally taken in by Wally, who's raising them like his own. Trying to feed someone who runs on blood definitely isn't the easiest, though! They were discovered when they were younger, alone and afraid with no chance of survival. Wally felt a connection and here he is now with his chaotic pup.
The sweetest neighbor around! You can often find her within her home, which she shares with Howdy Pillar, or in her bakery, baking baked goods to be sold in Howdy's bugdega! She's been around the longest of the neighbors, and yet she still treats Home like a deity...
(Transfem, she/her. Lesbian. Giant Scops Owl)
Atlas Starstruck
The youngest of them all! Atlas was lovingly taken in by Eddie and Frank when he was just a little caterpillar. Now a full-fledged moth, he has to relearn life from a whole new perspective. He often delivers orders from the bugdega for Howdy so he can discover how to use his wings!
(Cismale, He/Him. Aromantic Asexual. Atlas Moth.)
Wally Darling
The bat everyone knows and loves! Wally is the the sort of- "head person" in the neighborhood. Its rumored that Home speaks directly to him... But all he wants is for his neighbors to stop disappearing. Don't mind the fact he can't keep his hair clean!
The only neighbor permitted to go to the real world! He delivers fan mail all around and is all about kind soul! Stop him for a chat and you're guaranteed to get to hear about his spouse, Frank, and their adopted son, Atlas.
(Cismale, he/him. Gay. Greater Mastiff Bat.)
Howdy Pillar
The owner of the bugdega. Howdy lives with his best friend, Poppy Partridge. Despite the two being very different species, they really make it work! He has a bad habit of giving people he's close with 100% off at his store... Which is everyone that lives in Home.
(Transmasc, he/him. Demiromantic Asexual. Luna Moth.)
Barnaby Beagle
I wouldn't necessarily call this Coyote a Beagle! His ears are permanently floppy due to having an erectile ear dysfunction. He's Wally's best friend and a good person to laugh with when times are tough! He's been doing a lot of comforting ever since Julie went missing...
Frank Frankly
The enby who enjoys studying bugs back at it again! They tend to keep to themself, studying their bugs with quiet fascination. They've been trying to convince Eddie to take them and Atlas on one of his mail trips! Still no luck, though. Eddie keeps saying it's too risky, for whatever reason...
Okay so @jungkooksvape asked me to match all thirteen members of SVT to a DnD class last night and I personally thing I absolutely ate down so now I'm sharing it with you all but adding reasons why.
SVT AS DND CLASSES
Seungcheol - Fighter
Literally he is such a fighter. Leader in battle (literally just the industry... hello, his song Jungle) and master of discipline and strength. I think he represents the fighter class' resilience and commands respect.
Jeonghan - Rogue
Literally the most obvious choice. He would specifically be an Arcane Trickster rogue and I will basically accept no other feedback. His got quick wit and he is super charming, and you never really know what his next move is going to be. He is 100% three steps ahead of everyone at all times.
Joshua - Cleric
OKAY I KNOW THIS FEELS CHEESY but he clerics are literally conduits of life and healing and I get that vibe so much from Joshua. I think one of the most valuable assets of Joshua's is how he is a comforting force and you can tell the members rely on him for mental fortitude a lot and I really think his calm turned unpredictably to break tension is why I stick him here.
Jun - Monk
Again it feels sort of 'easy' or 'cheesy' to put him here but he literally is the embodiment of discipline and elegance but also fierce ass physicality. I think he is the perfect balance of cool temper and absolute mania like a monk is!
Soonyoung - Warlock
Literally would be the person to pledge himself to a deity for power. Sorry I do not make the rules. He is chaotic and volatile and has a reckless and magnetic edge - he is literally made for the warlock class I have never been more sure of something in my life.
Wonwoo - Wizard
Sorry to state the obvious for the millionth time. This man is a wizard, dedicated to his craft, hauled up in a tower somewhere. He is intellectual and careful and very thoughtful. Like this is Wonwoo entirely, I do not care if this feels like I'm reducing him to a single aspect of his personality, he is so wizard and if I'm being specific, he is School of Conjuration.
Jihoon - Artificer
Literally crafts and makes music. I bet you thought I would have him as a bard but PSYCH. HE'S AN ARTIFICER. Literally builder of wonders and craftsmanship. He's grounded in logic and artistry and is a total tinkerer. This class was made for him.
Seokmin - Bard
SEE THIS IS THE TRUE BARD. Charismatic, loves music, radiates joy and his voice is acttttuaaal magic. I literally would trust DK to give me bardic inspiration naturally just by being around. Everyone jokes that he's a happy pill, which in DnD world is literally giving a bardic mid-combat. He was made for this.
Mingyu - Paladin
I almost gave this glass to Joshua, but honestly, Paladin are guided by conviction and sometimes stubborn, but incredibly kind and warm and it just really made me think of Mingyu. He's super loyal to his friends, he protects what he loves, and he's just !!! Happy to be here. I love Mingyu Paladin leave me alone.
Minghao - Druid
There has never been a more druid to druid. I bet you thought I would give him monk. WRONG!!! He's a DRUID!! The tea ceremonies he likes to do in nature?!?! He is deeply connected to his own spirit and nature and he's got that like half-wild half-serene thing druids got going on. He's versatile and able to shift between calm and chaotic and that's my druid!!!!!
Seungkwan - Sorcerer
Literally innate talent. That's all you need to know. He is born with power and it comes so easy to him. Seungkwan is literally exactly that not only with his voice but his confidence and charm and athleticism. Shit comes so easy to him like magic to a sorcerer, there is zero other class I would put him. I would also argue he's a storm sorcerer.
Hansol - Ranger
Literally the most ranger to ever ranger. Besides the fact this motherfucker is always wandering off and getting lost in places (the ocean... laying down in the grass dressed as a power ranger... watching a deer while everyone hunts one another) he has like effortlessness of a ranger - AND THE KNOWLEDGE. This mf is walking wikipedia. He is sooo adaptable and intelligent and is so nonchalant. RAAAH.
Chan - Barbarian
CHAN I'M SORRY BUT YOU GO INTO A RAGE TOO MUCH NOOTTT TO PUT YOU HERE. Chan is fucking relentless and his endurance and mindset is so tough and ongoing. Like I know it's weird to put him here in a sense but also its not - he is ready to take on literally any challenge and he's so quick to fight the other members idc this man is a barbarian. Lmfao.
Almost everybody knows House is based off Sherlock Holmes, and, therefore, Hilson (House x Wilson) is based off Johnlock (Holmes x Watson). If you know both well (and I do), you can see the glaring, purposeful similarities. Here's a key difference (Acebook theory incoming)
James Evan Wilson does not give a SHIT that Gregory House is a genius, or a famous doctor. House could be dumb as a rock and as famous as one too, Wilson is attracted to the chaos and the fun! Wilson would still be at House's side if House wasn't a genius.
John Watson is attracted to Sherlock Holme's genius. Yes, he's an adrenaline junkie who lives for the chaos and the fun too, just like his counterpart, Wilson. However, Holmes, without his intelligent, wouldn't bring chaos and fun. In every rendition, when Holmes doesn't have active work, he's despondent on the coach. If Holmes had been born 'ordinary', who knows what he'd be doing with his life, but he wouldn't be leading the exciting life Watson is attracted to.
House, on the other hand, when he's off duty, is still a chaotic, insane menace. His intelligent does not drive his insanity. He's a pranker child and an asshole to his heart, and he'd be that person without his genius. His trickster nature isn't reliant on his mind the way Holmes' career is, and therefore exciting life, is reliant on his mind.
I'm not sure Watson would be attracted to/want to be with Holmes if Holmes wasn't a genius, because that would change a lot about Holmes fundamental personality.
I think Wilson would still love/want to be with House if House wasn't a genius
Because if I'd been the one writing Merlin (since I could have done it better, obviously) I would have killed Uther off like half way through season 2
See, if I wrote Merlin it would play out as such:
- Merlin would have left home and gotten sidetracked on a druid adventure, coming into his magic a little more, and having a better understanding of himself as a whole. He'd know he's Emrys, he would know there's this once and future king he's supposed to serve but for some reason no body is telling him who the once and future king is (how annoying)
- Merlin is already pretty chaotic, but in a more grounded boyish way, I'd lean into a more fae/trickster archetype
- overall not very concerned with this destiny he's been told about, very "what happens happens" in that regard. He is, however, focused on coming into himself as the most powerful sorcerer. He's like "damn, that sounds pretty neat, how do I do that?"
"well you could go see Gaius, he's a highly renowned teacher but he's a little out of practice last I heard."
"I mean it doesn't hurt to look where can I find him?"
"Camelot."
"Sorry I think I misheard you what did you say?"
"Camelot."
"...."
- Arthur is complicated. I like him being younger than Merlin. Not a whole lot. Honestly for my purposes they could be the same age, but I digress.
- obviously still that highly regarded warrior. Not as antagonistic, however, I'd like to see a quieter, silently judging character to juxtapose Merlin's louder personality. Instead of actively mocking his servant in the first meeting, he's watching. Letting his men do as they please because it's just a servant and they won't actually hurt him. And if they do he'll make sure the kid gets to Gaius and has a few days off it'll be fine.
Que Merlin, stepping in because why are you being such assholes, this is what Camelot has to offer??? What a joke.
So now, Arthur gets to reflect (briefly) on why he let his men act like that.
Perhaps someone who's more complacent than he'd like to admit 👁️
A performer at heart, Adder knows the power of presentation, leaving an impression, and going out with a bang. She also knows how to divert an audience's attention and how to always have the winning hand. Her voice always sounds amused and jovial, so it's hard to tell when she's being serious. But she loves a good game, whether it be cards or dice, though you may find your coin purse much lighter after talking with her.
Though she is suave and cunning, she also loves to test people's boundaries. Standing just a little too close, saying something very off-the-wall, it's all just to get attention and a reaction, to see how people react. She intentionally acts very unlike a drow normally does - she's large and loud, demands to be seen, and is almost always laughing and smiling, even if no one else is. It's hard to tell when she's being genuine and has trouble understanding her own emotions.
But in just as many ways, she's still a drow at heart - she can be quite sadistic and brutal when it comes to her kills, as she prefers to make examples out of people that have slighted her. Touching her mask intentionally will cost you a finger, if she's feeling merciful. No one currently alive has ever seen her without some kind of face covering.
Full Name: Only known to other members of Death's Toll.
Aliases/Nicknames: Adder
Age: 400
Pronouns: She/Her
Race: Drow
Height: 6' 2'' (188 cm)
Background: Charlatan
Hometown: Death's Toll
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Favored Weapons: Hook Swords, Daggers
Deity: Vhaeraun
Story: Toll of the Trickster, an original D&D story in the Forgotten Realms setting.
Backstory
Adder was born in a Vhaeraunite town named Death's Toll, in the Dessarian Hills. She was born to a drow father and a moon elf mother. When she was a teen, her parents were killed in an attempted raid on the city. Be they Lolthite or confused and scared humans, she can't remember anymore. She was raised instead by the other members of the city, and was taught early on how to fight and survive.
Before she hit 100, a man who went by Murder of Crows started personally training her. He gave her a place in his business, the Night Stalkers, an assassins-for-hire mercenary group. She was a quick learner and he took a liking to her, though she ended up becoming much more eccentric and loud than he was expecting.
She liked to travel and see new places, and found a circus that she would occasionally travel with around to new cities. While she was in a new town she would take any jobs that Crow assigned her, killed a few people, bedded a few others, all while performing her heart out and enjoying life to its fullest with all of its indulgences.
After Vhaeraun's death, all of that came to a grinding halt. She returned home to Death's Toll to grieve with her community. Although she isn't the most religious, she was still a very devoted follower and the loss of her Lord was deeply felt. During this time of grief, she spent time becoming closer with a wizard named Shardrin, and the two practiced learning more spellcasting together. After years and years of being pressured by the community to help contribute to the population of the town, she begrudgingly had kids with Shardrin, a set of twin girls.
Unable to handle the grief around her, and with her peers (in their own grief) accusing her of not actually being that sad that Vhaeraun was dead, she decided she needed some space away and left Death's Toll, leaving her two young toddlers behind for Shardrin and the rest of the commune to raise. She continued to work for Crow, picking up her work as an assassin again and trying to cope with drinking, hooking up with strangers, and gambling. Over time, however, these indulgences (as well as some poorly made gambles) started to add up, and she borrowed a lot more money from Crow than what she could pay back.
While on a trip to Yartar with her circus, she met a young high elf woman, Xaris, and the two ended up enjoying each other's company. But their intense, albeit short-lived relationship had to come to a grinding halt. Crow demanded his payment with a warning, by taking off her finger. She did the only thing she thought she could do - faked her own death and ran; but her faking wasn't quite as clean as she thought. Now with a heartbroken ex-lover, a spiteful loan shark, and even one of her daughters determined to find her, the places she has left to run are starting to seem few and far between.
Links
General Tag: #adder
Art Tag: #OC: Adder
Toyhouse Page
Artfight Page
Relationships
Xaris
#Ship: Hazel Venom - Adder and Xaris
Xaris and Adder met in Xaris' hometown of Yartar when Adder's circus group was performing there. Xaris was immeditely infatuated, and the two started seeing each other nearly every night. They enjoyed each other's company, going to shows and dinners and inn rooms every evening. Adder found her cute and innocent, but knew despite how much she liked her, that she couldn't be tied down or give as much as Xaris was needing. Xaris became frustrated, not wanting her to leave and wanting to know more personal information, and it all ended on a night where Xaris went too far and tried to remove Adder's mask. Adder nearly killed her, but held back, and left her.
But Xaris can't let go so easily, and she strikes a deal with Crow to try and find Adder again. If she can't have her, nobody can.
Jaelrae
#Ship: Snake's Nettle - Adder and @mmigrainee Jaelrae
Adder and Jaelrae met back in Death's Toll while Vhaeraun was still dead. Jae was checking on their comminity and assisting in any recovery efforts from the latest attempted attack on the city. Adder took a deep interest in Jae, but their meeting was short lived, and Jae left once her work in Death's Toll was done without saying goodbye, only leaving one of her daggers behind.
They would meet again after Adder was on the run from Crow - Jae, now the newest chosen of Vhaeraun, and Adder much more down on her luck than she ever had been.
Murder of Crows
Adder started working for crow when she was just barely becoming an adult. Without her parents around, Crow took a sort of mentor role in her life, teaching her how to fight. Crow found her eccentric but funny and charming, if a little annoying, but a very skilled assassin who was irreplaceable in his company. She loved to tease and bother him all the time and would often hang out in his office. He loaned her a lot of money over the years and was willing to let most of it slide, but it became too much over the years and he demanded it back. He started actively trying to hunt her down after she attempted to fake her death.
Visual References
Original design by @/linaisabluepancake
Dividers by @kodaswrld
