why did they choose their class(es)? their subclass(es)?
blood hunting runs in the family. her parents are both order of the profane soul blood hunters (or maybe her dad is a warlock? i donât know and neither does ori! itâs pact magic regardless!), and her fatherâs family has been doing blood hunter-y work for a few generations running. she was trained for her initiation into the class, so to speak, for, like. her entire childhood. she is very smart and very fast so she did very well in this training! but as she reached, like, mechanically speaking, level one, some stuff happened to her. that. um. set her back a little bit. sheâs had to figure out blood magic on her own, and sheâs found herself patrons that are very different than those that her parents took.
and then... i donât know how the druid stuff is going to be resolved, story-wise, but iâve wanted ori to multiclass into druid for a decent amount of time, but it just didnât seem possible, given her feelings about herself? but i decided, fuck it, recovery arc, a few months back--especially after i futzed around with the ua wildfire druid for a oneshot character. so. anyway. itâs happening. especially now that her best friend is fucking dead.
but. on her reasons as to why she wants to druid: she really does want to be a healer, is the thing, and there was a moment of realization that she is already a healer, and that the things about herself that she thought were wholly destructive can be sources of healing, too. sheâs thought a lot about the wings. also. druid magic pretty.
what do they need to learn?
that emotions are not a flaw, that emotions will not destroy her. that she was forged in violence, yes, but that doesnât mean she is defined by it. and that the version of her brother that she loved is long, long gone.
Do they sleep with a stuffed animal? If they have multiple, whoâs the favorite?
not anymore but she definitely had like. a comfort toy when she was a child. a polar bear? for the lost reference of it all but also because i know that they canonically are known of in the caeld. he was named breadcrumb. and he was covered in paint. very soft and very kind. well-loved. definitely kept hidden in her bedroom so it was not taken from her when she got older
Describe them in three words. Now let them describe themself in three words
i'd go for. badass (i know it's corny but. she is), gentle, and anxious. she'd go for. tough, tired, and curious.
If money wasnât a limit, what would they wear?
she wants so many baggy layers and cozy stuff. get this kid a scarf! maybe some fun jewelry... she'd have some clasps in her hair. maybe a proper shawl. i think she would kinda have like a. mori? (cymbal crash) style. if given the choice. here's my board of clothes for her
"um, nev is just... she's amazing, is the thing. and i think that anybody would, uh, agree with me there. i'm really honored to know her and to spend time with her, and. yeah. she's also just... so kind, and she gives the best hugs, and i feel so much calmer in her presence, but i'm also, like, free to be myself? she's just... so strong and gentle at the same time. and she's curious! about everything! which is really cool. she's kind of, uh. she avoids cynicism with this... contagious sort of grace and determination, y'know? and her hair is really soft also. she makes me want to be a better person, which i think is amazing. and she's just... she's really funny! i want to take care of her, when she needs care, and, um, i don't feel guilty when she takes care of me. which is new. also she's really good at, uh, kissing." etc etc etc. she will ramble for a long time
Who will they take advice from, no matter what it is? Who wonât they take advice from, no matter what it is?
...nev gives good advice! not just for gay reasons. she's just very emotionally intelligent and kind! and anthe... hm. it's not just because she dislikes him, but ziggy. his advice in her eyes is very self-centered and serves to make himself feel better as opposed to actually helping.
Name one thing their parents taught them.
...that she is difficult to love. also how to cook.
Do they like being called pet names? Do they call other people pet names? Whatâs their go-to?
she loooves pet names. but she doesn't want to annoy people so she only uses them when she Knows it's okay. if someone (for example: her beautiful and strong gf) called her a pet name she would tear up. she goes for standard, like, honey, babe, angel. flower, sunshine, bug. all that shit. she's corny.
xalicas, now, for Purpose And Destiny stuff. nev for feelings stuff. pocket for a reminder of the simplicity of life.
any family scandals? are they aware of it?
Help! My Family Turned To Statues For Ten Years, Right After They Kicked My Tween Ass Out! which is to say i made a character with the premise wow is the fate of the stone family fucked up or what
how indecisive are they?
bitches will panic in the face of being presented with any choice to the point where they shut down entirely and hurt people that they care about, and this spirals more and more with bigger choices being presented, to the point where they can reasonably blame themself for the death(?) of a party member and be like. can't help being a libra!
she's... hm. she doesn't like to talk about her problems, but penance or alba, depending. penance for family/backstory stuff--if nothing else, he'd understand, a little bit. and then alba if it's a Current Issue, i.e. if she's messing up social cues or unsure of party goals. she'd go to juniper for. uncontrollable emotional magic stuff, if they'd had the time, but, uh. i keep answering these with juniedeath stuff but my brain keeps going there!!!
What is something that never fails to make them excited?
third time answering this but i do like thinking about happyori. so. she is excited by having friends! she likes (and is confused by) being liked! hugs (though she tends to avoid them because they are scary)! dancing and ice skating and other high acrobatics modifier activities! tattooing! yeah!
What is something they think theyâre bad at, but are actually pretty competent at?
answered but she also would probably also insult her own healing, because it's just. so limited. but she's very well educated (and then very adeptly managed to self-educate) about mundane medicine, and she literally created a spell to make sure her friends aren't hurt as much, so, like, dude. c'mon.
28 answered!
How would you describe their decorating sense?
cozy? idk she's only really had one space to decorate and it was mostly. just lots of fabrics and paint and ink all over the walls. artistically she likes plant motifs a lot, and also she has a Thing for the golden ratio. she'd want things that are just very soft and comfy. darker colors, greens n browns n burnt oranges.
Two asks time (Two of Them) 3, 10, 15, 24, 39 for anthe!
3 & 10 answered!
Have they ever had their hair washed by another person?
i think. siblings and elders, definitely, when she was young? but nothing in adulthood, no. she said to nev that she's never really had a romantic relationship, just hookups, and. yeah. that's true. she has her intimacy issues and she is working on them.
What do they think theyâre good at, but arenât?
she thinks she is much more go-with-the-flow than she is. she is aware that she has her issues of course but she thinks people perceive her as chill. lol
Would they rather have a picnic in the woods or a picnic on the beach?
beach! i mean she likes the woods a lot but the beach is just a bit more fun, you know? the ocean's right there, and it's just lovely.
What is something that would break them emotionally?
for ori. well. her best friend being kidnapped, killed, and replaced with a monstrous doppelgÀnger would certainly do the job, i think. seeing her family again. seeing any of her friends get hurt without being able to interfere.
anthe... also seeing her friends hurt without the means to interfere. mass rejection. perceived mass rejection. etc.
What is something that never fails to make them excited?
technically i answered this for ori but here's more! interesting mysteries to solve! good books! flowers growing where there shouldn't be flowers! blankets! chocolate!
anthe is very excited by skeletons and fucked up plants and her cat and people being honest about their feelings and sunsets and kissing nev and and and
What do they want most in life?
ori wants warmth, not the destructive kind. she wants to embody it, and she wants to share it. she felt it the other night, and she wants to keep feeling it.
and anthe... wants to love and be loved. it's a simple need, but it's a need nevertheless.
1, 3, 10, 28, 30 for anthe AND ori bc i love them both
who do they look up to?
ori used to look up to... people like vos, people who lack emotional attachments and people who live without fear, but... that's just not healthy! that's not safe. so now i think she looks up to nobody; she just tries her best.
anthe looks up to. hm. like ori she's sort of realized that the people she admired are flawed; she definitely looks up to nev in terms of faith, but not overwhelmingly so.
what would it take for them to betray the person they love?
fully. neither of them would. all i do is collect paladin tropes and throw them onto my special guys. they would both die first, without question.
sacrifice the one to save many, or save the one no matter the cost?
ori's opinion on this just changed because she'd literally never lost anyone she cared about before. logically, she understands that one loss is better than a hundred losses, but--her best friend.
and anthe is. the first one, all the way, but if possible, she'd rather sacrifice herself than anybody else, if it takes one death to safe people.
when left to their own devices, how would they spend a free day?
ori will work out a little bit and pamper clarence and read and draw and just sort of allow herself a vague sense of calm. if she has something she wants to study she might go buckwild with that and just focus on that all day.
anthe will do something ridiculous! probably get a tattoo or make an impulse purchase. wander around wherever she is and just get stuff done that she'd not get done with other people around. maybe do some baking?
what is their ideal sleeping situation?
answered for ori!
but anthe... um. you're in a pillowfort with a beautiful paladin and sh
what is something that never fails to make them excited?
talking about her art! or the gentleness of nature. or animals that are friendly. clarence is an emotional support animal and he is very good at his job.
who is their favorite person(s) to spend time with?
[bursts into sobs] but uh. juniper. like i've sent you a bit about the ways ori felt about him but genuinely, they just... connected, from the beginning. i expected ori to sort of try and maintain a distance from the party, when we started playing, but juniper and she just latched onto each other immediately because they were both just... quiet and lonely and lost, and i think that they both saw those similarities. and for ori, specifically, who had never had a real friend before (row & family associates aside), it just... meant the fucking universe to her. she felt cared for, with him, and she hopes that he felt cared for with her in return. i'm really going to spend a lot of time these next two weeks trying to figure out how the fuck ori will even begin to process this loss, because, like? i think she's going to regress to a point similar to her last major loss, (read: her perceived loss of her own humanity) and that's... difficult. god. um. yeah. i'm fr writing ori/remei Dumb Teens Meet Once fic to distract myself from thinking about how the fuck ori's gonna handle this. lol
what is something they think theyâre bad at, but are actually pretty competent at?
i don't think she considers herself very nice. pen calling her nice as if that is a defining quality of hers a few sessions ago really shook her up. i'm not sure if this is a solid answer to the question but she is i think probably my kindest character? and she is entirely unaware of this fact, because she was never taught kindness. just. [thinks abt the pearl hunter oriole "6 charisma" oscines telltale of the high holy order of the mirzha] [cries]
what is their ideal sleeping situation?
curled up into a ball, surrounded by her friends, covered in cozy pillows and blankets in a place that is warm and safe and lovely. some incense is lit, and candles, and the vibe is just excellent. nobody dreams.
blanket fort or tree house?
blanket fort inside of a treehouse. fucking duh. i think ultimately she'd choose blanket fort but she'd claim she wants tree house more.
before they met their party, what was their main goal?
keep running and see the world and perhaps stumble upon a path to redemption along the way. a lot of early ori was just... very lonely and aimless and sad. i made backpacking jokes but i do think that a lot of her personal journey was like... searching for selfhood when she's very much in a place where she'd want to deny it from herself. its late. does that make sense
if they could learn one spell that isnât available to them at present, which spell would it be?
i mean the druid dip is soon so i won't say any druid spells... and druids have find familiar as of tcoe too! darn. i think she would--to the point where i fully homebrewed an extremely nerfed version of the spell for her--use life transference a lot. on a less bummer note, she'd also loooove pally spells like. thinks about ori with aura or vitality or blinding smite. weeps.
how do they feel about nicknames, titles, or labels that have been given to them? how do they feel about their name?
lol! uh. ori is a name that she is comfortable with. and were it not for the alliteration (not her or my vibe) she would probably use her mother's surname. but that's not what this message is implying! uh. the title. the title, it's. a thing. the pearl hunter oriole telltale of the high holy order of the mirzha! a cool name, with. a lot of implications. she hates what her family stands for and she hates the empire in general, but she also understands the value of a name like hers, so. she uses it when she needs to.
also, sheâs pretty sure that it would piss her dad off to hear her associate their title and his name with the shit she gets up to, so thatâs a little bit of a win, you know? and she likes the sort of contrast between her being A Pearl Hunter and her very... DIY, emotional brand of magic that sheâs built out of her own broken pieces. or whatever.
what do they smell like?
burning wood, flowers, and iron.
what do they need to learn?
self-love. uhhh. that she is allowed to be human and emotional and alive. that sheâs allowed to show vulnerability to others. that she isnât a bad person. that her anxieties are not personality flaws. et cetera.
done with sections one and so letâs answer this!
what is their goal right now?
oriâs goal is fully to just. stay with her friends as long as possible, and also to free the island. she wants to learn how to heal ebtter and she wants to just... be a better person, for these people that she loves so much. she wants to be worthy of their gentleness towards her.
anthe wants to just... protect the party? both of these kids are so defined by their relationships to their party (which is a sign of good dnd imo) that it feels like these answers are repetitive but i think it sort of boils down to, like. anthe is like this because she wants to be cared for, ori is like this because she wants to be the type of person who deserves the care they receive.Â
anyway. their goals are literally just protect their little found families and also understand their new relationships with spirituality.
do they trust their party? why or why not?
ori hates the word trust, but she would tell the party anything, if pressed--the only reason she keeps things from them is because she is worried that focusing on it will make her break again. she owes these people her life, and while she doesnât always think they make good decisions, she values them and needs them very much in her life.
anthe... trusts nev and vic! completely and totally, no questions asked. and nol, usually, when the wizard in question is not caught up in a nightmarish storm of her own ego. and raelian--whoâs well-intentioned, but misguided. she doesnât understand pat, but doubts heâd betray her unless she did something really stupid, and she still thinks that ziggy has no value for her feelings.
what is a promise theyâve broken?
recent promises. hm.
ori has promised her brotherâs help, which, lol. thatâs broken far in advance. and anthe will break a recent promise next session, probably, because things have unfortunately gotten there in Presidential Alert news.
older promises, thatâs like... oriâs promised a lot to her family that she can never give, that she couldnât morally bring herself to give. allegiance 2 the high holy order and want to make the family proud et al. and anthe told her family that by the time they woke up (from death, she assumed), sheâd be back home, too. (which. she intended to mean as she will be dead. dude. ritual sacrifice will not bring your family back.) sheâs past the whole ritual sacrifice thing, and she has no need to go to her literal home ever again, so. hey.
which party member do they worry for?
i think ori has her fairly obvious bias toward pen--she knows that juniper and alba have their weights to bear, and in juniperâs case, she understands some of them very well, but, well. those two are at least used to their problems, you know? whereas pen is... you know, leaving a very sheltered noble life for the first time with magic he canât fully understand, which is, uh, oriâs whole deal.
anthe is a homosexual, but even without that factor, she thinks that somebody really ought to worry for nev, because, well. sheâs very amazing and wonderful, but because of that, the group relies on her a lot, and she really ought to have a break from time to time! she very much dotes on the other two og goodkids in general tho, like. tank bitches unite. protect your fellow tanks, etc.
what was the best moment of their life?
for ori, the first time she managed magical healing. i think that when she can manifest the wings voluntarily, (...level 9? or 10, iâm still figuring out build)) that might take the cake, but for now. healing magic. for anthe, all of her good moments are tinged with bittersweet, but. waking up from being dead and having her little richard alpert âi just realized i wanna liveâ moment. and the cat iconography that followed.
alternatively: the past week has just been. many thoughts head ori. emotions and flame and herself have never really been sources of healing, only hurt, but, well. sometimes your best friend is suffering a fate worse than death and in your panicked grief and horror you manifest wings made of fire and you revive and restore him. so maybe her old thoughts about where healing can come from are changing, just a little bit?
Anthe!! 11. (I think?? It's Vic if I'm not mistaken) 12, 30, 45, 63, 75, 92
dumgeons questions
letâs do this
describe your characterâs current relationship with the player character sitting to your right.
vic. is... vic. she sees a lot of herself in him, obviously--thatâs been clear from the start. but thereâs also a very protective element to her thoughts on him, which i sort of got at last session--she knows heâs not going to look out for himself, so anyone putting him in (what she perceives as) harmâs way is going to upset her, even if she knows itâs a well-intentioned action. she also just wants to see him happy. sheâs still on her own little path to recovery but she is dragging him with her, damnit.
what is your characterâs current goal, summed up in one sentence?
answered! but hereâs another one: maintain friendships for first time in her life.
what would most people think when they first see your character?
jesus christ is that a fucking gremlin? or. maybe. more likely. sheâs got a very awkward presence to her, i think? and we saw her make a first impression on somebody last session--sheâs sort of weird and loud and awkward but she still has that air of intimidation to her that makes very little sense. the flowers probably make people think she is a little woodland bastard. which is correct.
what is your characterâs most recent or frequent nightmare?
...being abandoned. itâs her biggest fear and it pops up in pretty much every nightmare sheâ ever had. i think that--as good and stable as the avandra breakup was, that was a manifestation of a nightmare sheâs had before--she is not worthy of her family name, nor is she worthy of holy power; she is not worthy of love or worthy of being wanted or worthy of being out in the world. all that jazz. itâs... bad. itâs bad!
is your character willing to risk the well-being of others in order to achieve their goal?
only if theyâre actively evil and terrible. like she is fine risking everdinâs skin. she wouldnât risk nolâs.
if your character had the chance to rename the party/give the party a name, no questions asked, what would it be?
she likes dreamteam! but i think that she would fully say âhaha whatever you guys want <3âł and then be mad if it was something corny and bad.
what does your character hope for the afterlife?
i canât get into that without getting into a lot of anthe mental stuff that is like. darker than i expected it to be when i wrote out the document titled âanthe is mentally illâ so i am pleading the fifth here. basically: she doesnât expect anything good, even now that she has a different deity! there are better worshippers more deserving of that sort of thing!
What deity, if any, does your character worship? Whatâs their opinion on other peopleâs worship?
ori... i mean, milo, this is a big can of worms to open. she follows the beings that give her magic, whether they are the animal spirits or this odd, healing version of fire? and i think she is more interested in investigating the latter, after last session, because, uh... it gave her wings and helped her bring someone back to humanity. however. on impulse, she distrusts any being that claims by itself to be a god. she's so wary of the lady of delights because she was raised in a society where the so-called "god" was just a man!!!! whose closest advisors and guardians worked with devils! and both of her parents made deals with demons in that god's name, and they were really fucking weird about it, especially her dad, so. yeah. she trusts beings like the fanes or the animal ladies or the fire spirit more, who associate with the natural world and who--at least in the case of the animal ladies--don't demand much in return from those they try and help.
anthe is an even bigger bucket of worms but. currently, she follows xalicas the wounded, who she genuinely, really admires. the idea of working for a cause, an aspiration, it's very good n healthy for her i think. as compared to a deity like avandra, she appreciates the clarity, and she appreciates the potential she has been granted by xalicas to help others. uh. in terms of others' worship... i think she very much is looking at nev (without pressure! she doesn't want to put pressure on nev; maybe they work together!) for something to mirror in terms of their shared patron. and she is just... sort of exhausted with the gods being so fickle; she has the opinion that they think it's sort of funny to fuck around with mortals. like the big part of her backstory that i was going for is that, like, avandra not letting her revivify or tiny hut or do anything like that to save her brother until right after it was too late was this... really world-shattering realization for her. she stuck to divine magic because she wanted to prove to the gods that she's worthy of fixing those shattered worlds in return. blargh.
des follows gelaria, the goddess of mourning, because mourning is sort of the one constant in their life? the idea of trying to make something good out of mourning strikes them as really lovely and wonderful, even it they have trouble with that when they think too hard on it. i think that they see religion as something that some people--themself included--rely upon to understand why the world is the way that it is, so they can't judge anybody for faith, y'know? it's a source of balance. a helping hand!
What is your characterâs current goal, summed up in one sentence?
ori: protect these people and make the world a better place alongside them.
anthe: understand how to heal others and herself now that she's removed from false convictions she thought she was supposed to have.
des: find their dad and find lethe again and achieve happiness đ
What is your characterâs favorite season?
autumn for ori, spring. for anthe, winter for des. this is mostly for color palette reasons
What is currently motivating your character to stay with the party?
ori... i mean. what can be said about the arsonparty's love for each other that i haven't already cried about alone in my car? what could ever fucking motivate her to leave? she's never known anyone like them before, and she has never known that she could be both... respected and cared for at the same time. i don't think she could verbalize how much she loves those weird fucks, and how much they've changed her outlook on... everything. while i'm still mostly freaking out over the phoenix imagery because. sexy. i think that if juniper had been stuck like that, she would've fully just. been inconsolable. she would break, again, and she can't burden the party with that, so, therefore... she had to make juni better. you know?
anthe, similarly, fucking adores these people. nev, vic, and nol specifically. but raelian is slithering her weird little way up the list. unlike ori, though, she still feels a need to. prove herself to them, and feels that she is just. failing at it. (she is also a bit less dependent than o, however!) i think that also like. there is the absolutely terrifying and wonderful realization that she is [REDACTED]. ahem. and also liiiiiiike. it's just fun to have people to be around again, you know? and even if she's sort of socially floundering around them, she knows that at least two of them will probably still like to be around her! also she loves them in general.
des... hm. des is interested, but not attached. they are very much in that sort of teenage No One Understands Me! zone but also like baby. you are a compulsive liar who represses any unchill emotion; you do this to yourself. but they're interested! and they like adventuring âșïž
What would be your characterâs theme song/favorite band/favorite genre of music?
ori... is a mountain goats bitch. i have been crying about her and "maybe sprout wings" all week (on the nose? yes, but it. works too well). and also i remembered that post about like. "what kind of bitch does no children at karaoke night?" like. that's ori. sorry.
anthe listens to dreampop and also like. punk and metal and that's it. i think she'd have a loooot of bad brains on her like. hype-up mixes. lots of against me! and then like. sidney gish in the middle. penelope scott--"sweet hibiscus tea" is a good anthe vibing song, lyrically, gets me into the headspace.
des just fully vibes. i think the song i'd use for describing their general taste, but also, like, suiting them lyrically is "i'm too good" by ARTHUR
