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galedekarios · 7 months

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elminster & gale

more datamined dialogue, this time idle banter between elminster and gale. as the dev notes indicate, these were supposed to take place at the beginning of act ii when elminster reveals the charge given to him by mystra for gale:

elminster: it took some doing, finding you. gale: well now you've found me, perhaps you can share your purpose. (node context: some impatience) elminster: have mercy on these old bones, m'boy. a short respite will not harm us.

elminster: i am glad to talk to you again, m'boy. even under such circumstances. (node context: sincere) gale: as am i. (node context: sincere) elminster: it is important to cherish everyone conversation as if it were the last - for it could very well be the last. (node context: considering that this may be the last time he ever sees gale)

elminster: it comes with age. along with some less-desirable traits... gale: please. i do not need to hear of your joint aches and privy sorties again. (node context: 'not this again') elminster: very well. not everyone finds such matters as fascinating as i do... (node context: slightly displeased grumble)

gale: you may be proven incorrect - time is not on my side, i fear. (node context: a little grim) elminster: i know what you mean. trust me - for the moment, all is well. or at least acceptable. (node context: reassuring) gale: oh to have but a thimbleful of your confidence at my disposal. (node context: wry)

once again, i find this (very, very sadly) seemingly cut content fascinating. it's very sad it wasn't included in the release version of the game because it shows the deeper bond that elminster and gale share despite gale's impatience and, as it's phrased here, not-this-again attitude. it speaks of knowing each other well, and of the affection between them from both sides.

we get to see this, too, in the gale origin. elminster's visit remains much the same as it is an origin tav playthrough, yet there are slight variation in how elminster treats gale (a softer voice, calling him 'dear boy', etc.).

and that affection he has for gale, gale holds for him, too:

"his disappointment cuts deeper even than mystra's." is so significant considering just who mystra is for gale. gale is hurt by having had elminster witness him as he is now. a shadow of who he used to be. he has disappointed him. he once more wasn't good enough.

elminster, who not only saw potential within him, but "plucked" him from obscurity and offered his guidance, who had become a mentor to him, and a figure to look to for guidance.

as a side note, i can't help but wonder if elminster was perhaps responsible-or at least helped-to have gale attend blackstaff academy:

Blackstaff Academy was a loosely organized group of elite apprentices and students who studied under the Blackstaff at Blackstaff Tower in the 14th and 15th centuries DR. The school was made up of an everchanging roster of about fifty apprentices and students to the Blackstaff, with new arrivals always ready to replenish the ranks as graduates moved on.[2] Acceptance to the Academy was predicated on either demonstrating extraordinary magical aptitude (those who could not cast arcane spells were very rarely admitted) or having a particularly compelling personal history. Joining the Academy was free, however monthly dues were required to continue attendance. These fees started at 10 gp per month and increased as a student gained seniority and required more advanced tutelage. In addition, it was a requirement that any new spell that was discovered or researched by an apprentice had to be added to Blackstaff Tower's library. [source]

anyhow. this bond between the two is also reflected in the aftermath of the visit. elminster sneakily breaks mystra's order, by having tara deliver a letter written by him to gale, trying to reassure gale and make him see that there is another way out of his predicament than the one mystra commands him to follow:

i cannot stress enough that elminster is ready to defy direct orders from mystra for gale. he obviously cares about him and his regreat at having not said more when he was there is palpable in his letter. gale acknowledges this as well:

to a lesser extent, the same is shown in a custom protag playthrough:

gale knows this isn't something elminster wanted to do and elminster himself admits as much, too. yet he is forced to, obligated to, by his status as chosen and the mission he was given by his goddess.

we can later ask gale about this once more:

and here we can also infer just why mystra sent elminster and not anyone else: "for mystra to have sent him... the severity of her bidding could not be clearer. or weigh more heavily on me."

it shows that this was a very much calculated choice-mystra must have been aware of the bond two of her chosen shared-and so it helps to achieve exactly what she intended it to: gale accepts the charge that he is given.

i think all in all, even though the situation is bad enough already as it is, this makes what was asked of elminster by mystra even worse.

#gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #elminster aumar #tara the tressym #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #ch: gale dekarios #ch: elminster aumar #ch: mystra #ch: tara the tressym #vg: baldur's gate 3 #series: baldur's gate #meta: mybg3

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whitebirdnoir · 2 years

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JINX 💣💥

ARCANE act II

#arcane #arcaneedit #animationedit #netflix #netflixedit #league of legends #jinx #jinxedit #flashing gifs #epilepsy warning #long post #my gifs

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lockewrites · 6 months

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Durge!Reader being comforted by Halsin

Reader (gender not specified) x Halsin || SFW-ish (slightly violent) || 2390 words AO3

From anon on Tumblr: I feel like theres a real lack of Halsin/durge fics, specifically him helping her after denying to kill, and I think you’d be amazing for this!!

SPOILERS FOR DURGE IN ACT II - wrote the scene Larian denied us with Halsin as our LI :3

You lie on your bedroll, the stars hidden behind the cloth of your tent, the air within suddenly feeling as though it’s not enough to breathe. Sitting up, a wave of nausea roils through you, bile eating away at the back of your throat; each breath in creates a ripple in your gut. You crawl out of your tent, desperate for the open air; your movements are slow as you push to your feet, fearing your stomach will empty itself.

This sensation is certainly not a stranger; you’ve felt it a number of times since waking from the illithid pod.

The campfire has long since died, and with it is the absence of your companions, each lost in a trance or dreams. You’re grateful for the solitude; they’re aware of your… general situation, or at least as much of it as you know yourself, but they needn’t see you in such a state.

Your eyes flicker to Halsin’s tent; the druid had quickly drawn your interest upon joining the party. It began solely as a physical attraction; the sheer size certainly was enticing, and his Wild Shape, that very nature spoke to the feral instincts inside you. But his gentle temperament despite the power he holds, both physical and arcane, is an enigma to you, and him extending that soft touch to you, someone who certainly does not deserve it… the interest had quickly shifted to something deeper.

And for reasons you still couldn’t fathom, it’d been reciprocated.

Without realizing, you find yourself having approached his tent, your hand reaching to open it.

“He believes you’ve relieved the weight of his worries, returning him to himself.”

You spin to find a despicable creature standing behind you; decaying skin stretched taut over sharp bones, beady red eyes looking past you at Halsin’s tent. Sceleritas Fel.

“Such delusions, to think you a savior. As though you aren’t the heaviest burden to wrap around his neck, until he breathes his last, losing himself forever.”

Your mouth pulls into a sneer, and you take a step to block his view.

“You could do so much better, Milady,” the butler says, shaking his head.

“Back off, you rotten gremlin,” you hiss, your fists clenching. “You won’t touch him.”

He holds his hands up, unphased by your words. “I won’t lay so much as a talon on the elf.” His pointed teeth show in his malicious smile. “I wouldn’t rob you of that delight.”

A sharp pain beats through your head as you stare the creature down; the evidence apparent in your expression.

“Your clever mind is penning tragedy as we speak,” he remarks, pointing at you. “Your repressed Urge yearns to kill.” His voice drips with something akin to desire. “And kill you will. Tonight, the moment you close your eyes, your favorite person will be brutalized.”

“But I love him.” Your words are quiet, yet they startle you, spilling from your lips of their accord. Are you surprised by the admission? So early in your journey? Or is it that you don’t know whether you’re truly capable of such a thing?

“We all kill what we love most, in time,” Sceleritas replies. “He is so beneath you; his very presence infects the air with a sickeningly sweet stench. His pure heart would be better served floating in a jar.”

With each utterance, bile crawls further and further up to your throat.

“Halsin believes I’m stronger than this,” you mutter, more to yourself. “He won’t come to harm by my hand. I haven’t even yet told him how I feel.”

“Why not whisper it while you twist a knife?” He smirks. “Or have a love confession be the final words between you.” Sceleritas leans toward you. “It is my duty to ensure you are making the right decisions, Master. There was much disappointment at your reluctance to kill the little Moonmaiden.”

Your glare sharpens, suspicion growing and nearly pulling a snarl from your chest.

“You could kill this one deliberately,” he explains. “I’m sure it will be considered a great show of goodwill. The tithe could still be yours.”

The pain stabs through your head again, forcing your eyes shut as you grimace. Your instinct gnaws at your mind, and your Urge claws and screams beneath your skin.

Forcing your eyes open, you speak through clenched teeth. “Perhaps I sate the Urge by killing you.”

“Oh, my dear Lady.” He shakes his head and smiles. “It’s been many a time I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing your malice personally. But my death means little to your father and the Urge.”

The thought of his death at your hand would be satisfying, but you feel the honesty in his words; it would be far too shallow a victory to quiet the Urge.

“I won’t do it.” Your nails threaten to break the skin of your palms. “I will keep him safe. From you. And from me.”

He tilts his head. “I do not doubt you will act with the decorum befitting one of your rank.” His head dips, giving a bow just as his body glows an eerie red. “Good night, sweet Lady.”

His body disappears in a moment, leaving you alone with your back to Halsin’s tent. With a deep breath, you will your jaw and fists to relax; the lingering pain offering a bit of comfort as you wrack your mind on what to do.

You turn, reaching up to open the flap of Halsin’s tent, leaving a dark spot where your fingers touch. A metallic tinge spills into your nose, and you look down to see your hands streaked with blood, spilling from half-moon wounds in the middle of your palm. Without thinking, you run your tongue across your skin, the taste sending a shiver down your spine as your breath wavers.

Your movements freeze, the Urge rising in your chest, desperate to taste blood spilled from a body you crave.

“No,” you whisper to yourself, as though simply speaking would placate it. “Not Halsin.”

You dare to step through, finding Halsin lying on his bedroll, still deep in his trance, unaware of the looming threat to his life. Kneeling beside him, your bloodied hands hover above his throat; it would be so easy to spill his life with a simple slice of your dagger.

“Stop,” you plead to yourself, to your hands.

They move to his shoulders and give him a shake. “Halsin,” you utter, hoping to not wake the others. He doesn’t react. “Halsin!”

He wakes with a start, sitting up and gripping your arms in concern. “What’s wrong?”

Your lips part, but you struggle to find the words.

Halsin’s hands move to your wrists, turning them to view your still-bleeding hands.

“Speak to me,” he pleads, looking at you with fear and concern, visible even in the dark.

“You’re in danger,” you breathe, not entirely confident your words are loud enough for him to hear.

His brow furrows. “From what?”

“Me.”

His mouth opens, and you half-expect a lighthearted remark, but perhaps your severe gaze makes him hesitate. Halsin’s grasp slides to rest on either side of your face, his warmth filling you and quelling the nausea still tainting your stomach.

“Whatever is going on,” he begins, his thumbs brushing away tears that you hadn’t known spilled, “we will get through it, but I need to know what’s happening.”

You blink, his image going in and out of focus. “I… My… My mind isn’t my own,” you cry.

Each word given steals more and more of your energy, leaving your body on the cusp of failing; your vision grows tunneled and red as a headache splits through your skull, the pain unlike anything you’ve experienced before.

You feel the last of your consciousness slipping, but you must get out what has your heart in a vice grip. You slip from Halsin’s touch, stumbling backward against the tent’s flaps.

“It wants to kill you, and I… I don’t know what to do. I can’t lose you.”

He leans toward you. “You won’t lose me,” Halsin promises. “Our time together has only begun.” He interrupts himself with a heavy sigh. “You’ve shared a touch of your troubles with me, but this is far beyond anything you’ve said. To hold such a burden alone will destroy you. You could have confided in me.”

“I’m…” Even with the absence of any of your strength, you somehow draw further back; your vision becomes nothing more than a blur, the world spinning beneath you, and your throat burns with bile. “I’m sor—” You collapse into the dirt.

Whatever time that’s passed is lost to you, waking near the dead campfire with your hands bound behind your back and any semblance of control over your Urge gone. Your body thrashes, your wrists twisting and pulling against the rope, its flesh tearing into your own.

“Calm yourself,” Halsin orders, his voice sounding authoritative, as if speaking to one of his druids. “My magic cannot penetrate what plagues you. You, your will, will conquer this.”

Your mouth tastes of iron; vile desires gather on your tongue, the Urge itself commanding your body. You try to focus on Halsin, your eyes pleading that he sees you’re trying, even if not successful.

“I know you are still in there.”

His words are soft, sweet… they sicken the Urge.

You lurch forward, your teeth seeking to clamp down on any piece of Halsin, wanting to tear the meat from his bones, devouring him raw.

He doesn’t flinch, but his jaw sets. “I’ve handled the most feral of animals. Your fangs are no threat to me.”

The response sends the Urge over the edge, your limbs pulling with all of your strength, no regard given for any injuries caused by their own actions. The rope breaks through your raw skin, blood soaking the binds.

“Easy, my heart,” Halsin says. “Your strength is greater than this curse, and I will grant you my own alongside. You will not suffer this alone.”

You hold his promise in your chest, hoping it blooms bright enough to allow you to express your gratitude. You try to speak, but all that escapes is a harsh growl that tears through your throat.

“A growl means little from a trapped beast,” he remarks. “But you can escape this. I will see you free of this affliction.”

Tears that feel like acid fill your eyes, and you can’t tell whether it’s frustration and anger from the Urge or fear and dread from you. Your body is beaten inside and out, exhaustion’s hands wrapped around your throat. Still, it fights against your bindings, even as your consciousness slips back into the dark.

“Let your mind rest,” he says. “Your body will soon follow.”

Again, you don’t know how long you’re out, but at some point, you come to. You feel sticky, your clothes clinging to your sweat-slicked skin; your head still pounds, and your stomach still turns, but your mind is once again your own. As your vision clears, you let out a sigh of relief; Halsin remains in front of you, mercifully unharmed.

His gaze holds yours, searching for you. And he finds you.

Rising to his feet, he steps behind you and cuts your binds; your freed arms settle in your lap, the muscles screaming, and your wrists and hands caked in dried blood. Tentative, you flex your fingers, the maroon stain cracking and falling from your skin.

Halsin returns in front of you and sits back down. His expression is relieved, but as the seconds pass, it shifts to something far more serious.

“I am overjoyed to have you back,” he begins, “but we need to discuss what happened.”

Your head drops, shame filling you. With a deep breath, you let everything out: divulging the severity of your Dark Urge, how often it haunts your thoughts and dreams, the little creature that calls himself your butler, your mysterious father you’re supposed to please.

Those hazel eyes are hard, his brows pinched; Halsin is deep in his thoughts, sifting through the heavy truth you’ve just shared. And all you can do is sit and wait, anxiety boiling within as you await his response. Will he claim you too dangerous to live? An unnatural being, something that disrupts the world’s balance? Perhaps simply cast you out, banish you from the camp as he’s unable to bring himself to end you?

Your hands are suddenly gifted his warmth, his own gently caressing yours. He dips a rag in a bowl of water beside him and begins cleaning your wounds, his touch impossibly gentle.

“In all my years, I’ve not come across anything quite like this,” he finally speaks. “But I stand by my words. You will not lose me. And I will not let you lose yourself to this Urge.”

He puts the rag aside and casts a healing spell; the golden glow fills the space between you, and the torn skin pulls back together. Your wrists still ache, still feel some remnant of the deep injuries, but it’s barely more than a pinprick to you.

His hands remain on yours, but you feel disgusted and have to fight the temptation to pull away. You should be left to rot, ended now to protect everyone around, to protect him.

“I’m a monster,” you mutter, unable to meet his gaze. “I’ve taken countless lives. I don’t even know the depth of my crimes. I’m an abomination now, and I know… I just know I was fully embracing this Dark Urge before I lost my memories.” Your throat feels as though it’s being stabbed. “You should end me.”

Your head is guided up, his thumb under your chin and forcing you to look at him.

“The Urge is a monster,” he argues. “You, the person you are now, is utterly incredible. And having learned just how hard a battle you face with this evil, I am in awe.”

The tears fall from your cheeks, and while you still don’t believe you deserve a single utterance he’s given, you’re grateful beyond what words could express.

Halsin wipes them away, and his hands remain along your jaw.

“We will free you from this abomination,” he swears, “and your mind, your heart, your soul, will be entirely yours. And you will see just how extraordinary you are.”

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #halsin #baldur's gate iii #durge #halsin x reader #reader x halsin #durge x halsin #halsin x durge #bg3 spoilers #baldur's gate #fic: treasures the night bestows

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ricky-olson · 2 years

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VIKTOR in ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS ↳ Act II

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galebrainrot2024 · 3 months

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Gale x Tav Part II Enemies to lovers

Part II of Gale x Tav enemies to lovers fic, during the Tiefling party, Gale's POV. Enjoy, galmancers

Tonight was the night, he thought to himself, the one he would finally get a moment with her. A moment without their companions, a moment to share exclusively with her. Although they had only been traveling together for a few weeks, he had known Tav for a lifetime.

Oh, yes, Gale knew who she was. He knew from the moment she pulled him from the portal, her expression dark when their eyes met. Tav. His first rivalry and first crush. Gale had been so embarrassed and bewildered, needing rescuing and then of all people it was her… now, he was in too deep. He had pretended not to know her, although he would have recognized her anywhere. It was a face, like Mystra’s, that was seared irrevocably into his mind. Tav was brilliant - a well studied wizard, a stunning rival, and had almost gained Mystra’s favor.

Almost.

That’s where their story diverged.

She drove him mad, both because she was so stubborn and always insisted on being right, having the last word. Very haughty. He found it infuriating. Still, there was something in her dark eyes that captivated him. They were so emotive and bright. He forgot how these tempestuous pools threatened to drown him. The way her hair danced around her when it was windy, how her face flushed in the heat of battle, how she would tease him mid combat about his choice of attack.

He felt like a school boy again, confused and infatuated, yet irate when Tav tried to invoke the merits of arcane magic over any other form. Gale knew if he didn’t tell her the truth, if he didn't act, Astarion’s gaudy flourishes would win her over before he had a chance and it would like his boyhood all over again. You see, Gale needed time to sort out his feelings, to ensure he was prepared to act on them, and with the orb that threatened to consume him he worried any undue excitement would cause him unnecessary discomfort… or worse.

He was smitten from the moment Tav joined Blackstaff. Her seriousness, the fire in her, how passionate and excitable she was… and then how she had slapped his hand at first when he was stuck in the portal. When he first laid eyes on her in class he had fumbled awkwardly in his introduction. He remembered so clearly how she looked him up and down, smirked and shook her head. That was it. No “hello,” no “nice to meet you,” just a head shake and she walked off.

Gale attempting to figuring her out was worse than him trying to open ancient tomes, tying to decipher text that was unfamiliar to him, washed away by the fingers of time. The stolen glances they shared or how often he caught her staring at him. In truth, it was because he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Too many times he was distracted in the heat of combat, entirely missing his shots because he had been too captivated by her.

Gale watched her flit about the party, her gregariousness and ability to connect with others so apparent. He felt the pangs of envy sink into him as she seemed to get along with Rolan, sharing bottle after bottle. He would be her type, he scoffed to himself. Rolan? Please.

This had been the same problem in their youth. Gale would watch her from afar, smitten, and then in class she would say something so maddening, so wildly inaccurate Gale could not let it go. And neither could she. The first argument they got into was outside the building during a break between classes and were debating the merits of spell sculpting versus defensive magic. Gale smirked to himself, thinking of how furious he’d gotten as she hurled low level spells at him, hurting him rather substantially. Despite his best efforts, she left without a scratch. The way she seemed to flick away each of his attempts was inspiring. And humiliating.

Needless to say she proved her point. Gale needed the infirmary after that introduction to her. He couldn’t see how incredible she was at the time, though. He was a child, clouded by the worry he was inferior. Unworthy.

He was pulled from this reverie, his expression darkening as he watched Astarion approach her and wrap an arm around her shoulder. Gale was many things, free of envy was not one of them. He turned, his face hot as he pushed into his tent. His stomach sank and he paced like a caged animal, worried he missed his opportunity. He felt the orb stir and he groaned, when suddenly he heard a stumble just outside his tent.

There she was.

*******

“No,” he said softly, hoping his voice was steady. His heart felt like it would jump out of his throat as his hands brushed against her skin. He shuddered, a soft smile on his lips. “No I don’t think you’re pathetic.” He felt the lump in his throat grow, wanting - needing to tell her. He felt pulled to her, as if she were his planet and he a meager moon destined to orbit her. The feeling rivaled those for Mystra herself.

Gale was elated when Tav nodded, granting her consent for him to take away her discomfort. This type of magic often felt so intimate, as if Gale was reaching into her core to suck out the posion. Gale’s hand brushed over her head, his fingers just touching her curls as he mended her.

When their eyes met, the room felt stifling. The chemistry undoubtable, the pull he felt to capture her lips in his. He turned away, trying to collect himself and cleared his throat, “That should do the trick,” he murmured.

“I hate to admit that it did,” she said, her voice teasing but gentle. He felt her stand and then there she was, before him. He stood a bit taller, more confident.

Gale inhaled sharply, the words falling from his mouth before he had a chance to overthink them. “I was wondering - hoping that you would find me tonight. Amidst all of the joviality, I wasn’t sure you’d find the time.” He smiled and he saw her curiosity pique. His breath was shallow, his heart thumping, “Would you… want to channel the weave with me? Just a moment for the two of us?”

Do you want to channel the weave with me? He groaned internally, embarrassed by his clumsy delivery. This was it, he thought. Unworthy.

And then he noticed the glimmer in her eye, the lopsided smile, and heard one, simple word. “Yes.”

#gale dekarios #god gale #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 brainrot #bg3 gale #gale of waterdeep #gale #gale romance #fan fiction bg3 #gale x tav #enemies to lovers #baulders gate 3 #baulders gate astarion #baulders gate tav

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jinxedgods · 6 months

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you're totally right, it feels like so few people are in it for vi and jinx. vi and jinx's relationship is the heart of the show and i wish more people focused on it!! and i understand the reasoning behind the lack of investment because vi and jinx, especially in acts II/III, have very little screentime together. but idk i just wish people talked about them more because personally i think it's really interesting to think about how, if they did reconcile, what their dynamic would actually look like. also there is a criminal lack of fan art and fan fiction of them just being sisters..apologies for invading your inbox i am just a desperate creature who thinks about vi and jinx every day

Never be afraid to be in my inbox. Live in my inbox. Move-in to my inbox.

I agree wholeheartedly. Every minute of arcane, I rooted for Vi and Jinx to reconcile. I legitimately think their lives would be better if they did (even if that’s a controversial take for some reason). I will always be reckless and stupid enough to have hope for my favorite characters. I will imagine them reconciling. I will imagine them healing. And yes, I will insist that there was always hope for them.

I feel like many arcane fans think that the ending of the show — Vi and Jinx relationship imploding — is meant to show the audience that their relationship sucks and these sisters should have nothing to do with each other. Others see their falling out as inevitable. Many are saddened, but ultimately okay with their estrangement because they aren't as invested in their relationship as we are.

I’ve posted my thoughts about Jinx and Vi and been meant with skepticism— as if I didn't get the point of the story. I've learned to not care what others think.

They had my heart from the first episode. Vi became one of my favorites because she has so much loyalty and love for her sister. I love Jinx because of her spark and tenacity. Even their tragedy shows how much they love each other. In her darkest moments, Jinx heard Vi’s voice pushing her to keep going. Even in the words “I am the monster you created” show their bond: she was scarred because she loved Vi so much and still does. So no, I will not stop loving them because of the tragedy. The entire show is about sisterly love.

The Vi&Jinx corner of the fandom seems small. In fandom, romantic relationships are almost always more popular than familial relationships (unless its father-daughter like Jinx and Silco — people always go feral for that for some reason). I am a huge caitvi fan but the only reason I reblog more caitvi content than Vi&Jinx stuff is because there simply is not enough Vi&Jinx stuff for me to reblog.

There is some amazing fanart and fics of Jinx&Vi (though I wish there were more 😭).

The potential of their relationship is so good especially domestic fluff skdjcbdndnd

A fic I love (please read the warnings tho)

#arcane jinx #jinx arcane #jinx and vi #vi and jinx #arcane league of legends #arcane netflix #arcane spoilers #I REFUSE TO PICK A SIDE I LOVE THEM BOTH #arcane vi #vi arcane

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yourehotcupcakke · 1 year

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1 year since Caitlyn and Vi met

Arcane Act II (2021)

#arcane #caitvi #caitlyn kiramman #vi #lesbian #gay #lgbtq

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illumiera · 9 months

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keeping the stars apart

a fic by Lumiera and Pelinalblancserpent (@pelinalblancserpent) for @tes-summer-fest

Rating: M | Words: 12819 | Chapters: 3/8 Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cosmic Horror, Family Dynamics, Friendship, Grieving, Haha Get Hobbited Idiot, Haunted by Tolkien, House Telvanni, Improper Use of Magic, Levitation Act of 3E 421, Severe Lack of Washing-the-Dishes Wizards, Temporary Character Death, Time Loop, Unreality Characters: Elentari (LDB), Shurik (LDB), Miraak, Orvas (Nerevarine), Lucien Flavius, Hermaeus Mora, Neloth, Talvas Fathryon

"I will go, and I will live as long as you live, as our souls are intertwined. I will look for you where I cannot see, for you call for me still." ⭐⭐⭐ As Fate would have it, the Wheel turned upon Akatosh’s most beloved children. Yet, at the Summit of Apocrypha, where soul meets soul and knowledge meets knowledge, three doom-driven would-be heroes are caught in a battle of good and evil, Aedra and Daedra alike, and between time itself. No one realized that the Realm had no stars.

I. Chapter One (prompt: Arcane and Beast)

II. Chapter Two (prompt: Ritual and Beloved)

III. Chapter Three (prompt: Starlit and Teeth)

#tesfest23 #tes #skyrim #fanfic #oc: elentari #shurik #house of fate #keeping the stars apart

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spellbookss · 2 months

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DISCLAIMER

Although I've gone through numerous YouTube videos covering practically all of Rolan's dialogue options, the story of this NPC is pretty vague and leaves a lot of room for creative interpretation. While I try to stay true to Rolan's character as portrayed in the game, I'll use headcanons to add depth to him.

BACKSTORY

Rolan's early years in Elturel were tough. He spent his early childhood in an orphanage where he endured neglect and abuse because - you guessed it - he was a Tiefling. He eventually fled, finding himself struggling to survive on the streets.

Fortunately, not for long.

Rolan's luck turned when he was taken in by the mother of Lia and Cal. Embraced into their family, Rolan, Cal, and Lia formed a close bond; they’ve been thick as thieves ever since.

It was a loving home, but a poor one. They struggled to make ends meet.

Despite the family's financial struggles, Rolan harbored aspirations of becoming a renowned wizard - he always has. He wanted to be someone. However, the cost of arcane education was way beyond their means. Still, whenever Rolan got his hands on a spellbook, he’d study relentlessly (Lia probably stole books for him whenever possible). What he lacked in knowledge, he made up with ambition.

Over time, the family's situation improved, and they attained a solid middle-class status.

Things were looking promising, for all of them. Especially when Lorroakan answered Rolan's letter and accepted him as an apprentice! Oh, he was overjoyed. This was a dream come true!

Unfortunately, that happiness was short-lived. When HELL broke loose in Elturel, literally, everything they had worked for was lost in an instant.

Their mother died before they could flee.

Rolan didn't handle it well. He latched onto the idea of becoming Lorroakan's apprentice; it was a means of escaping the harsh reality of his situation and despite facing the same hardships as other refugees, Rolan convinced himself that he was somehow “better”, superior. It was easier for him to play pretend than to confront the painful truth that he was just as broken.

PERSONALITY

Due to his past, he is a very guarded person. He doesn't like to rely on others and asking for help is a struggle for him. Rolan is very ambitious, would take an arrow for those he loves, and his heart is bigger than he lets on because oh boy, we don't need more emotional pain and being a prick is a great defense mechanism.

He struggles with feelings of inadequacy hello childhood trauma and neglect, so behind all that ego is actually a very vulnerable man who puts way too much pressure on himself and is terrified of disappointing or losing those he loves.

VERSES

(pre-) ACT I ; Refugee

During or before the Emerald Grove. Having been through so much suffering, he will try to mask his fear with a cold, arrogant demeanor. Despite his apparent indifference towards others, he genuinely cares, but he suppresses it because the well-being of his family is paramount. He cannot risk losing them.

ACT II ; Lost in the Shadows

During the events at Last Light Inn, either before or after the rescue of his siblings.

ACT III ; Apprentice (main verse)

He desperately wants to make a name for himself and provide his siblings, as well as himself, with the life they deserve, enduring even Lorroakan's abuse in the process.

ACT III ; Master of the Tower

Post Lorroakan, maybe even post the events of the game. Aspiring to become the greatest wizard of Baldur's Gate. Scratch that. The greatest wizard of the Sword Coast.

#; && * 💫#ABOUT #rolan hc #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 rolan

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haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll · 5 months

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Tracklist:

Rebirth Of The Nemesis (Enuma Elish Rewritten) • Ladders To Sumeria (Arcane Spiritual Machines) • Deluge Of Delusional Dreams (Act I - Cast Tempest From The East; Act II - Enlil's Retaliation) • Touching The Spheres Of Sephiroth (Embracing The Spheres Of Qliphoth) • Gyroscope • Double Helixed Sceptre (Where Both Ends Meet) • The Scribes Of Kur • Leper Jerusalem (The Paradox) • Sand Grain Universe (The Release) • Emissaries And The Mysterium Magnum (Annunakian Revelations) • Extemporized Ophthalmic Release

Spotify ♪ Bandcamp ♪ YouTube

#hyltta-polls #polls #artist: melechesh #language: english #decade: 2010s #Melodic Black Metal #Arabic Folk Music #Folk Metal #Black Metal

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lullabyes22-blog · 1 year

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𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓛𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓓𝓻𝓸𝓹 - 𝓐 𝓟𝓵𝓪𝔂𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽

Youtube playlist inspired by the ambience of The Last Drop in Act II. Techno, rock, heavy metal and fusion beats ahoy!

Tw: drug use, explicit language and smutty content.

Other playlists:

𝓕𝓸𝓻𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓝𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽/𝓧𝓞𝓧𝓞

More Arcane Stuff: Here

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space-blue · 2 years

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Hello, I happened to come across today the post you made about Jinx and Silco's relationship and you mentioned that you dislike Cait. It's not a really common opinion in the fandom, and because I more than dislike her a little I would love for you to elaborate on it.

Thanks for the ask, Anon. I'll try to elaborate without painting too big a target on my back for Cait lovers, who, as I understand it, are a majority in the Arcane fandom.

This answer is 2.8k words, so have fun, and I'm hiding the rest because nobody needs that much on their dash.

First off I'd like to stress I don't hate Cait as a character, and that I'm capable of making the difference between what I'd like to see and what the show runners wanted us to see. A lot of my distaste for her lies in that in-between space. None of this applies to fanfic Cait, as of course people can take her any direction they want.

Cait, as a concept, is an interesting character. There are ways for her to develop in season 2 that can make her more loveable for me... But I admit I'm sort of pre-disposed to dislike her.

I think there are some ways the script could have been doctored to make her inherently more likeable, and for her to not ruin Vi's character so much. That's right, I'm showing my soft belly for Caitvi lovers to bite into: I actually don't like Caitvi as a season 1 ship, and think Cait contributes to making Vi's act II-III character worse.

Ok, let's take it slowly.

Cait is the top 0.01% of the uber rich in universe, in a show asking us to sympathise with the people who are being controlled, exploited and killed by that ruling class. (And polluted!)

Cait is a cop. Cait went out of her way to become a cop, it's clearly not what Cassandra wanted for her. I'm rather on the ACAB side of the fence, so again she doesn't quite recommend herself.

She is shown to be more of an investigator at the start, so I was actually curious at first. Would she be some sort of Sherlock type? But no. Turns out Cait is the entitled kind of vigilante.

So, like, of course the show frames this as good. It's good that Cait goes to investigate, because Marcus is corrupt. The truth would never air, and she'd never figure out who is behind the bombings if it weren't for her private investigation. Private detectives who go rogue are typically the heroes of their stories, and we usually root for them.

But the issues pile up with Cait: She refuses to take her firing as having any meaning. She keeps wearing her uniform after she knows she isn't on the force, and forges documents (and Jayce's seal) to get what she wants.

Although she acts "for good", that's not her actual stated motivations. Cait's only stated motivations are to catch the perp. Funnily enough, she's a lot like Jinx. She wants to prove herself. She thinks she's right, she's close to wrapping her case and she doesn't trust her colleagues to do it, so she goes and usurps power and impersonates an officer to do it herself.

My issue here is she does all that NOT KNOWING Marcus is corrupt. This would be a totally different vibe if she knew he was a pawn for a powerful undercity "industrialist".

There is also the aspect that she studies Zaun and its criminal underground extensively... And yet never went?

I've been told "her parents must not allow her!"

And I reply: So what? The moment she has a good reason to go, she just straight up goes, and suffers zero repercussions for doing so! She never voices any complaints or anything about the Undercity being off limits to her.

She doesn't know about the suffering in Zaun. She says she had no idea it was this bad... How sheltered can you get, that you study a place and its rampant crime, fill up a map, get called "obsessed" over it, but you somehow never had the motivation or curiosity to go there?

This ties into another aspect of Cait which I dislike, which is again completely involuntary and an artefact of the show's strict timetable.

She doesn't share anything about herself. Not even to Vi. We virtually know nothing about her except that she likes to shoot guns and looks up to chief-ACAB Grayson (my beloved). Even on the bed scene with Vi, it's only ever Vi opening up and sharing. And you may say, "yeah but we only see a glimpse, I'm sure Cait shared stuff too". And yes, sure... But Vi is making a comment about the place when they break in... That reveals she has NO idea it's Cait's home!

That's one of the thing I'd suggest editing out to give the impression that Cait has explained things and that Vi doesn't learn she's a Councillor's daughter until after breaking her into her own home.

Cait learns about Vi's past, again and again, and shares nothing about herself. Even when faced with the Firelights, she "knows a friend on the Council" but fails to mention her mom is there too. In front of Ekko, I get, but... What does Vi know about Cait? Canonically???

Back on track.

Cait being surprised that a city riddled with violent crime is actually a miserable place to live in left me feeling like she needs to see the misery to feel it, and somehow failed to extrapolate and empathise from all her "obsessive" research.

There's lots and lots of good reasons for her to not have gone there yet... But it's half her city and again, she's a cop!! I've once been told "Maybe her parents don't allow for her to be sent to Zaun" and I'm like, all right, so her colleagues were totally right for making fun of her, she's an over-privileged and sheltered kid.

And HEY, that's a fine character trait. My issue with it is that it doesn't come across as intentional. It comes across as the writers showing their hand through her. Cait needs to show shock at the poor Zaunites... A real world Cait would probably not be shocked, because she could hardly discover such stuff at her age and station. The show also doesn't expect us to criticise Cait for being the way she is. Show Cait is "naive" and at the start of her character arc, but I really didn't get the feeling she was meant to be seen the way I perceive her. She's very much "uwu good girl protagonist, also she's hot and smart, please don't think about her actions too hard haha".

On to the meeting with Vi.

I feel like there Cait shows us that she also doesn't have a very strong sense of Justice or Fairness. Again, that might be intentional, but I doubt it. She knows that Vi is in the worst prison around because "No reason actually, there wasn't even a trial".

This is as unfair as it gets. She asks, Vi gives her a flippant answer, and bam, Cait doesn't show enough interest to get to the bottom of this. Vi wouldn't help, so fine, Cait just leaves.

She won't free Vi out of her good heart, but only once her fear makes her act, when Vi threatens that the Undercity will eat her alive.

My fix, to start Caitvi on a better footing, would be this:

Vi is flippant and refuses to answer. Cait shrugs and leaves, and when Vi says the undercity will eat her alive, she leaves ANYWAY. Cut to Vi hearing the Warden come and tensing... And she's actually being released. She walks out of the prison, and down to the dock, perplexed. Cait is waiting there next to the boatman she hired. She waves Vi over and says she may as well share the ride.

Vi is surly and silent for a while, before asking Cait why she had her released. Cait would shrug, say it was the fair thing to do, considering she was never even tried.

THEN Vi would accept to guide her in Zaun, knowing that it might lead her to her sister. Mutually beneficial thing, but on a better footing. This would establish that Cait has a moral compass, and give a basis for Vi to trust that maybe this enforcer is not entirely rotten.

Because in the show, so far, we only know that Cait is a cop because SHE LIKES SHOOTING GUNS and the one woman who could out-shoot her showed her the way. It's never established that Cait has some great inner sense of Justice, or a drive to save the people or anything. Grayson, in that one speech about why she needs to know how to shoot, inherits a greater sense of her dedication to peace and being a Good Cop TM than Cait ever gets. Cait is show to want to solve mysteries, and does the right thing in the fire... but so do all the asshole cops, rushing into a burning tent to rescue a little girl.

Cait becomes a vigilante to prove she "can do it". She's not a Good Cop TM.

Right, on to caitvi specific grief.

For me, I see absolutely zero reasons for Vi to be anything but hyper-wary of Cait. She's an enforcer, literally the type of person she has all the reasons in the world to hate most, and we're shown and told all of those reasons. She's spent her entire late teens being beaten in prison thanks to an enforcer. She's seen enforcers shoot people point blank. She considers her mother killed by enforcers.

Do you think anyone IRL would have this level of hate for authority/oppression tools such as enforcers, come out of a multi years stint in the worst prison possible, and fall in love with one such enforcer overnight?

"But Cait is hot and Vi is horny, and Cait is a good cop and—"

And canonically it's never shown that Cait is good actually, just that she abuses her power, is entitled, and has terminal main character syndrome (meaning she does all that while it being cast as a "good thing" by the show. We're meant to consider this all Good-and-Fun).

And I'm sorry, but I can't. Cait finds Vi in prison, being chronically abused, and that budding relationship starts within hours of her freeing her. I can't associate that with "healthy".

I don't think it's Good or Fun that Vi immediately starts having feelings for an enforcer (and the 1% to top it off), no matter who that enforcer is, or how cute they are, and that this enforcer would allow it/go for it without having the wherewithal to see how potentially unhealthy this is, and that this person (Vi) needs time to find themselves outside of prison first.

I just don't buy their relationship on that spectrum. Begrudging, hard earned respect, I can get into. But the show doesn't give us time or opportunity to get there.

I think the show chickens out of taking the time to make Vi scary and broken. To make her hate and distrust Caitlyn, who is the pretty face of oppression, who didn't even think to release her on her own after finding she was wrongfully imprisoned, and instead needed to be threatened.

They unrealistically sped up their relationship, most likely because they wanted to give the fandom an (implied, F/F) relationship to keep everyone buzzing until season 2.

Anyway, a better caitvi dynamic, imo, is a dark Vi who hates and distrusts Cait, and a naive, entitled Cait but with a strong sense of justice, who earns Vi's respect by not falling into the typical cop or one-percenter grooves, or trying her best when called out on it.

Leaving Vi's warming up to Cait for season 2, and for them to actual common grounds besides "you're hot" and "we spent 48h together" would have been ideal.

Cait going on to not become Sheriff (maybe more of a PI?) and Vi not becoming an enforcer, would also be ideal, but I guess I'm demanding too much. Especially when it comes to Vi, who was all over the place in that last act.

Poor Anon, you'd also be shocked to know how much I dislike act II-III Vi, considering how much I write her myself. But Vi is an interesting character who gets shafted by the narrative and its time constraints, and is a pleasure to write in fix-its, while Cait is a 1% cop gone vigilante as the core of her narrative, so, yeah...

The firelights come in as a final point of dislike... They muddy the waters in the show, casting Silco as a moral-free villain while offering no solution for the whole of Zaun in their rebellion against him and Piltover both. They also give Cait a safe soundboard to tell a Zaunite to please "not do violence because violence is not the solution uwu". Try saying that to Silco's face lol

I just... really disliked that from the show, not only from Cait, because it felt like this was the middle ground message I was meant to accept. Both Silco and Piltover get vilified, and the Firelights and Cait are these half baked middle grounds of true goodies, who offer nothing tangible.

At the very least she has no ground to stand on to tell Ekko, or any Zaunite, that violence isn't the solution. The show went out of its way to establish that piltover and the Council will stop at nothing to keep Zaunites oppressed and working for them. It's in every arc.

IMO that justifies Silco's revolt. I mean his violent revolution plans, not whatever undefined stuff he has going on in act II-III. But then I'm French and I grew up being taught that decapitating kings was a Good Thing. And I strongly believe that violence CAN be a necessary part of revolution. The show proves that protests, violent or not, were not even cutting it.

Cait comes down to Zaun, sees the misery, hears from Vi about losing her parents to enforcers... and tells another Zaunite to chill and not attack her people.

Yeah, to me, that looked like no arc at all. She's justified in her actions by the reveal that Marcus was a mole/owned by Silco... So everything she did to uncover Jinx was justified.

Then there's this one good thing, in the final bit, where her story for a brief moment mirrors Vi's.

Remember how Vi makes her first grown up decision, to take responsibility for her actions and stand up to protect her family... And Vander takes it away from her, throwing her down into the basement?

Then Vi and Cait face the Council, and Cait steps up and looks like she's about to LIE to the Council to protect Vi. She's about to ruin the entire point of her going on a vigilante trip in the first place by hiding the truth she's learnt about Jinx...

But Vi stops her, pushes her hand (and her help) away, and throws her own sister under the bus by naming her to the Council. (Yeah, for the LIFE OF ME I cannot comprehend what Vi is meant to think she's doing there. She's basically condemning her sister to death or the rest of her life in Stillwater. What other things does she think she's achieving? A question for another time).

Finale Cait is very much used to just play with Jinx's projections and doesn't do much as a character that would make me feel either way.

As a result I'm left with a Cait who has no great personality. She likes shooting. She liked science a bit, maybe, as a kid? She doesn't mind forgery or abuse of power if it's done by her. She's got a good analytical mind (reconstructs crime scene) but very low empathy (literally can't fathom people would be miserable in Zaun despite years of obsessive research). And that's it. Jayce has more character than her. Heck, we know more about Heimerdinger than Cait, and he's at least fun to hate lol.

She comes off as an entitled brat who doesn't do a whole lot of growth, doesn't learn any valuable lessons, and doesn't see any issues with falling in love with someone like Vi, despite the insane power imbalance between them and Vi's crazy baggage.

And most of this is not "her fault" but the way the writers characterised her, in a show with a shit ton of characters with very complex plot intermingling.

But it's also a show from a game that has her as a sheriff, has hot police skins, and used to have a bunch of police brutality jokes as Vi's voice lines. So yeah, I don't think her creators consider people like me Cait's target audience.

I have, however, read some excellent fics that made a great use of Cait, though not often because I simply don't browse the Caitvi tag. But plenty of fans like her without liking her sheriff/cop side and have done fabulous work to characterise her away from that and give her... Depth, personality, all of that.

So yeah, not holding my breath for season 2, but who knows.

#arcane #arcane meta #anon ask #thanks anon #vi #cait #arcane ask

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whitebirdnoir · 2 years

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JINX | ARCANE s01 act II, act III

#arcane #arcaneedit #animationedit #netflix #netflixedit #league of legends #jinx #jinx arcane #my gifs

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mor-alternate · 2 months

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Dungeons & Dragons (inspired) AU

Mozart is a Kalashtar Bard

If you disagree, you are wrong /j

Bards are basically based on him fr

Kalashtars get a +2 in Wisdom which is really funny, and +1 in Charisma which he would

They also get advantage on Wisdom saving throws and resistance to psychic damage

Salieri would 100% know and abuse Vicious Mockery

I mean just look at the musical, he's doing it already and Wolfgang doesn't seem to be hurt or even touched by his words so I assume he's defended against it in some way

Also, the Quori spirit his family is linked to is named Euterpe

She's big on music and really close to him, but barely talk to his dad and sister

She used to talk a lot to Nannerl but stopped at one point

She appears to him as a younger version of himself, not unlike in the German musical "Mozart! Das Musical"

She calls herself "Amadeus" with him for some reason, which explains the "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart"

I swear Kalashtar make sense for him

Also he's trans

He's level 12, high but not too high

Salieri is a Yuan-Ti Pureblood Warlock

+2 in Charisma, +1 in Intelligence, tell me this isn't perfect

Yuan-Ti are associated with poisons and know the Poison Spray cantrip and have poison resistance which considering the rumors, is perfect

Yuan-Ti Purebloods are seen as somewhat outsiders in both Yuan-Ti and non-Yuan-Ti communities, being too humanoid for one and too serpentine for the other

Salieri was seen as too much of a German composer in Italy, and Austria never forgot where he was from despite his best efforts to fit in

That being said, Yuan-Ti are usually pretty detached from their emotions and act pretty cold

Also, it allows him to know 3 languages which fits his real life repertoire (Italian, German and French to my knowledge)

Basically, it's perfect

As for his Patron, it's a Homebrew called the Shadowmaster

Essentially it works like Archfey but with reflavoured spells

He knows Dissonant Whispers

I will not explain why this is absolutely perfect

His Patron eventually kills Mozart and Salieri can't do anything about it

It's very sad

Oh, and his brooch is actually an Arcane Focus

It used to be an Orb but it shattered and the shards were used to make his brooch

And his dagger is his pact weapon

Pact of the Blade, of course

He doesn't have a single Bard level but he did learn Vicious Mockery on his own and doesn't need his Patron's approval to cast it

It does count in his known cantrips

He wishes he had learned healing cantrips instead

My man has the stoopid

He'd be around level 14, or at least that's the level I'm basing him on

The Weber Family are Eladrins

Both parents change with the seasons while the daughters stick with only 1 season

Josepha is Autumn

Aloysia is Winter

Don't try to argue, it's perfect

"Contemplation and dolor, when the vibrant energy of the world slumbers"

I see Aloysia as a deeply hurt character, very in touch with her emotions and cursing at them, not unlike Salieri, but also trying to find a way to use them to her advantage instead of just shoving them away

Tell me this doesn't fit well with what we see of her in Bim Bam Boum

Speaking of Bim Bam Boum, she has 6 levels in Lunar Sorcery

Again, it makes sense

And eventually she multiclasses into Bard (College of Glamour ofc) because her aspiration was to not just practice magic but also get some base understanding of how it worked

My girl did NOT want to get into a Wizard school tho

When Mozart sees her again, she took 3 levels in Bard and was feeling more confident than ever in her magic, both learned and innate

Constance is Summer

She's a Wild Sorceress, not that her parents care much for her magic

She's kinda jealous of Aloysia for being able to cast a spell without risking blowing up the place

Sophie is Spring

Level 2 Life Cleric, surprisingly

She was a nurse IRL, that's why

Joseph II is a Human Paladin

Level 18, Oath of Conquest

His deity is probably associated with Light due to his link IRL with the Lumières and the enlightenment period thing

"He has been ranked with Catherine the Great of Russia and Frederick the Great of Prussia as one of the three great Enlightenment monarchs" (Wikipedia)

Basically, I'm right

People still called him an Enlightened Despot or smtg so Oath of Conquest? Makes sense

Those only need to make sense to me

He's an Emperor, he needs to be powerful

Gassmann was an Half-Elf Cleric

Cleric of Milil so Light Domain

Salieri wanted to be a Cleric too at first, but no deity believed in him enough due to his race

Gassmann is actually the one who suggested he finds himself a Patron

He believed in Salieri

He was right to do so

He would be so proud

Also a little sad to see all the self hatred but eh

Basically just a good dad

We love ourselves a good "second dad Gassmann"

I do at least

Colloredo is a Human Cleric

Ambition Domain

Not very open about his deity

I swear it made sense when I wrote it

Everyone else are commoners

Level 0

People don't realize how powerful even level 1 actually is

Rosenberg is a Kobold

Small, cowardly race used to servitude and who basically needs to be in a group or have someone tell them what to do? Perfect

Da Ponte is a Changeling

Unlike Salieri, in real life, people often forgot about his nationality, so I think that him being an exotic race yet no one noticing is fitting

Cavalieri is a Half-Siren

I will not explain

If I didn't name them, either I named direct family members (Léopold and Nannerl are Kalashtar for instance, but Anna-Maria is Human) or they are Human

#mlor #mozart l'opera rock #alternate universe #dungeons and dragons #au #dungeons and dragons au #dnd #dnd au #mlor au #mozart l'opera rock alternate universe #salieri #mozart #mozart x salieri #mozalieri #rambling #idk how to tag this #yuan-ti salieri

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