Suvi & Steel look like such badasses in the new art. but we know what's really going on there

@quiddie

You’re so fucking crazy kid.

God Dammit Aabria and Brennan!

me: I love Steel as a character with all my heart. There is an earnestness and a desire to protect those she loves that just speaks to me

also me: here is a 10k word essay on why Steel *is* a cop and that her abuses of power, even those that benefit the party, expose systemic issues within the Citadel that undermines their moral standing and any laws/rules/traditions they intend to enforce

you are raised by a sword. she loves you. she shapes you into something to weild.

A reminder, once again, that Grandma Wren warned Ame that for Steel, the Citadel comes first

And a second reminder that people can do terrible things if they believe in a cause. They will make sacrifices, of themselves and of others, if they think the goal is worth it and consider that price just and honorable, regardless of who is paying

"...at any cost."

"When you believe in a cause, I don't know that there is much of a difference between the things you have to do and the things you choose to so. Maybe that's what peace is, is when your heart unites the things you choose to do and the things that you have to do so that duty becomes a choice and one that you are glad for." - Steel

Steel 🤝 Tula

characters who REALLY HATE that this is d&d

oh god Steel is on the way.

Imagine all this from her perspective. Suvi goes to say goodbye to Grandmother Wren and disappears. When you find her again, you tell her to chill for just a couple of days. She does not. Instead she sneaks out of the city entirely, is very lucky she didn't get her ass handed to her by a great spirit, and commits treason on the way back.

You learn she's been traveling with a witch and an honored friend, and she charms you into giving her less consequences than she probably should have gotten. But whatever. You'll be there soon, and it seems like now she'll actually chill until you arrive and can deal with her and the fact that there's a great spirit trapped under the ocean.

Instead of things being on ice until you arrive, you show up to find that Naram was freed, destroyed the derrick, and killed god knows how many people. And he's the gentle one. His much less gentle wife is also there and going to absolutely wreck shop.

This'll certainly be, uh, interesting.

Steel has done nothing wrong and has been reasonable on all fronts and all of you are being mean.

Steel who has the unenviable position of running a magic military of wizards heard that her adopted daughter has gone missing and is presumed dead and after hearing that she might be alive immediately dropped everything to get on a flying boat to go get her. Steel is a busy person, with innumerable responsibilities yet she made the time to go see if her daughter was alive by charting a sky ship.

When Suvi got in contact she wanted her to stay put and remain safe in Galani's care who she knows can keep her safe. After learning from Suvi about what Morrow was doing she made a reasonable decision to keep this "on ice" till she gets there so she with her authority can free Naram, apologise to him, dismantle the derek and arrest Morrow. Those are all the goals the party wants and Steel wants Suvi to stay safe by not taking rash actions without alerting people. Suvi does just that and leaves without telling anyone and the door to her room has been kicked off its hinges making it seem like someone kidnapped her. After Ame and the rest of the party return after disobeying her orders and Suvi threatens to kill the empire's soldiers for simply doing their job. She gets everyone to answer questions about whats happening, learns that Eursalon is a spirit DOESN'T REVEAL HIM, gives him and Ame the honours they deserve. She offers Ame a chance to learn about her enemies who cursed her and is nothing but polite about it. She basically lets them all off scot free for the crimes they commited, with Suvi's court martial being a low cost for treason and threatening attempted murder. Then after Eursalon free's Naram (a very in character choice, i'm not saying it shouldn't of happened this way), over 150 innocent soldiers manning the witchfires so their city isn't overwhelmed with kudzu they had no part in causing are murdered. Then Ame's curse is removed and she goes catatonic right before she gets there and because of this her life is in danger rather than doing it the safe way at the citadel. She has done nothing wrong and has been extremely reasonable. When she does something bad i'll judge her but for right now, she has done nothing other than be agreeable, be understanding and overall be an ally for the party. Yall have just been burned by Mulligan to many times, Steel being a bad guy at this point would be too cliche.

"You are singular. And the opportunity you have provided for The Citadel cannot be overstated."

@quiddie

A bad video call with your mom.

[ID: An illustration of Steel from Worlds Beyond Number calling Suvi from the sky ship after Suvi was arrested. She looks angry. On either side of her screen there are Azure battalion officers and Galani stands to one side.]

Steel at all times, everyday, everywhere...

a lot of folks have asked why Ame didn’t drop Sly’s name because then surely Steel would have been more amenable

but I’m 99% sure that would have made things so much worse

Stone was in the college of Diviners

Moved there after being kicked out of the Citadel. One of the few to be allowed back in at all

Steel speaks of prophecies and traps like she’s speaking from experience. There’s a fear there.

if I’m right, Steel hates Sly. Because Stone heard a prophecy, one that led her to send her daughter to a witch’s home for the summer, one that put an amulet around Suvi’s neck, one that meant Soft and Stone couldn’t, wouldn’t wait for Steel on that first mission they went on without her

the last mission they ever went on

and Steel doesn’t want that to happen to Suvi, to Ame. She wants to protect them from the trap.

Ame dropping Sly’s name would have certainly added more context and possibly led to a lore drop

But i def don’t think it would have helped her case

[ETA: i got the timing wrong. Stone was Diviner then Abjurer. Still doesn’t stop me from thinking Stone and Sly cooked up their plans from the start and/or were in cahoots]

things I truly believe about Steel:

she loved Stone and Soft with all her heart

she deeply loves Suvi and has done everything she can to do right by her

she is very powerful and very wise

she respects witches and wild ones and spirits

things I also truly believe about Steele:

her loyalty is to the Citadel and the Empire

she is, functionally, a fucking cop

Some more Worlds Beyond Number scribbles for the wizard Steel.

Steel's descriptions in the podcast immediately made me think of Kushana from Nausicaa, and Miquella from Elden Ring, so I wanted some of their influences in the designs. As she is the Sword of the Citadel, I wanted her armour to mirror her own sword, as well as the architecture of the Erien itself.

(Sorry for all the sketchbook stuff lately, my 10 year old laptop desperately wants to die)