#and looking up refs for the uniform especially

[theonekierce]

I at once spurred alongside Raffles, as he rode, bronzed and bearded, with warworn wideawake over eyes grown keen as a hawk’s, and a cutty-pipe sticking straight out from his front teeth. I can see him now, so gaunt and grim and debonair, yet already with much of the nonsense gone out of him, though I thought he only smiled on my misgivings. -The Knees of the Gods

[purplereina11]

Eleven/Stay Universe - Alexia x Basketball reader

Paris 2024 Bronze Vs Gold

Olympic Bronze Medal Match – Groupama Stadium Germany vs. Spain Final Score: 1–0

You watched from the stands, nerves coiled like wire under your skin, not in your own uniform today. No cameras on you, just a hoodie pulled low over your head and sunglasses tucked on, trying to blend in beside Alexia’s mother and sister.

Her family had let you in, no hesitation, held your hand during warmups, whispered small prayers under their breath, their love for her was as fierce as your own and right now, it hurt to see her like this.

The match had been brutal. Spain fought like hell, chasing an equaliser after Germany's penalty just after the hour mark and then, in the ninth minute of added time, a foul in the box.

The ref pointed to the spot, penalty probably the final kick of the match, a chance to send it to extra time.

Alexia stepped up.

You squeezed her mother’s hand so tightly you felt her bones shift, her sister leaned forward, not breathing, neither were you.

The stadium held its breath, Alexia's face was all steel but you knew that look too well, you knew her tells by now, the way her shoulder dropped half an inch when she was overthinking. The extra second she spent grounding herself, resetting. You wanted to run down to the pitch, to take the weight off her shoulders to remind her who she was, but you couldn’t.

You could only watch, she ran up. Struck it low, clean, and the German keeper guessed right.

Save.

The whistle blew seconds later, the game was over, Spain came fourth, they would get no medal.

You didn't even notice the stadium erupting behind you or the sea of black and white swirling in celebration, you were only watching her.

Alexia dropped to her knees, face blank at first the kind of numb that only comes after everything in you shatters at once and your body hasn’t caught up.

She didn’t cry, not at first, she just stared at the pitch like it had betrayed her.

Her teammates came to lift her up, but she didn’t really stand she just moved because they needed her to. She clapped for the crowd out of instinct, not belief.

Beside you, her mother exhaled sharply, her sister wiped at her cheek. You didn’t say anything. You couldn’t, because you knew how much she’d poured into this. What it cost to carry a country’s hopes on your back and walk away with nothing.

You’d seen her ice her knees at midnight. Cry in hotel bathrooms after matches no one else saw. Fight through doubters, injuries, pressure. You’d seen how much she gave just to be here and now you were watching her leave the pitch empty handed.

Your heart cracked in a way it hadn’t even during your own losses, because this was her, and she deserved better. This team deserved better.

As Spain headed toward the tunnel, she glanced up toward the stands just once, even with the sunglasses, even buried in the crowd you knew the second her eyes found yours, because she stopped walking. Just half a second, but long enough.

You didn’t smile, didn’t wave, just held her gaze, let her see everything in your face, the pride, the pain, the love so loud it made your chest ache.

You were here, even when it broke her, especially then.

The gold medal game was in just over an hour, and you were already late to final prep since the game went longer than anticipated.

Team officials were ushering you through the inner corridors of the stadium, past media zones and closed-off stairwells, toward the exit to get to the basketball stadium. Security had cleared most of the path, and your headphones were half-on, trying to not lock in on your game but your mind wasn’t on basketball.

It was still back on that penalty, on the way she dropped her head after it was saved on the look she gave you like she saw her whole world slip through her fingers.

You passed one of the lower-level exits to the concourse, just before the player families were due to be escorted out.

And then you saw her, walking slowly, jersey untucked, head down, water bottle loose in her hand. Shoulders hunched beneath a team jacket two sizes too big, her bag slung over one shoulder like it weighed more than the loss.

You nearly tripped over yourself.

“Alexia!” you called loud, desperate, she didn’t hear you. You tried again, louder but the buzz of the crowd beyond and the hum of post-game chaos swallowed your voice.

But Patri turned, saw you and scrambled to nudge Alexia’s arm sharply. “Ale,” she said, eyes flicking toward you.

Alexia looked up slowly at first and then her whole body froze, she spotted you just behind the barrier. She blinked like she couldn’t quite believe it then she ran, didn’t walk, didn’t hesitate, she just ran. Straight across the small corridor and toward the barrier separating players from the main concourse.

You dropped your own bag, took two steps forward and then she was there your arms around each other. Clutching, clinging, not caring that a metal barricade separated your hips. Her hands buried in your hoodie, yours in her hers, your bodies pressed together like the only way to stay upright was to anchor yourselves to each other.

She didn’t cry, not properly but her breath hitched against your neck, and you felt the wet heat of her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, voice hoarse, cracked.

You shook your head instantly, fiercely. “No. No. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I missed the penalty.”

“You got them there,” you said, pulling back just enough to look at her. “You don't need to be sorry.”

She tried to smile, but it wobbled. “You have to go,” she murmured, brushing your cheek gently. “Final soon, right?”

You nodded, the weight of the moment breaking you open. “I do. I’m—yeah.”

A breath passed between you hers full of heartbreak, yours full of nerves, she cupped your face, pressing her lips to your forehead. “Then go win it,” she whispered. “Go bring something shiny home.”

You reached down, gave her hand one last squeeze over the barrier. “You going to catch the end when you're back at the hotel?”

Her lips curved just barely, but it was real. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

You hesitated as your team medic tugged gently at your arm and then you let go, stepping back, chest full of fire and grief and love all braided together.

You walked away toward the biggest game of your life and behind you, Alexia stayed watching, even through her own broken heart because she’d never stopped believing in you.

Olympic Women’s Basketball Final Team GB vs. Team USA Gold Medal Match

You weren’t supposed to be here, Team GB wasn’t supposed to be here, but somehow you were.

You’d fought through group stages on sheer determination. Overtime wins, defensive grit, the quarterfinal where you bled from a split lip but still dropped 20. The semifinal where you collapsed to your knees at the final whistle because you couldn’t believe you’d done it. At least Silver secured.

And now this, the final, USA were giants, seven-time reigning gold medallists. A roster of legends, WNBA MVPs, and generational talent.

Team GB were scrappy, unproven, written off before the anthem finished playing, but no one told your team that and no one told you.

From the first whistle, it was war, elbows in the paint, bodies on the floor, sweat stinging your eyes and adrenaline pulsing through your veins like wildfire. They were faster taller deeper, but you were hungrier with a point to prove.

You clawed your way into their rhythm, you hit threes when it counted, took charges like they didn’t hurt, snatched rebounds from the hands of players who’d already planned their victory speech and still they came wave after wave.

With 9 seconds left, Team USA were up two, you were out of timeouts, the inbound was yours. 78–76.

The stadium was a roar of noise and tension and breath held so tightly it might never be let go. The ball came to you, they double teamed instantly, you dribbled backward and tripped but recovered. Five seconds left, no one open, no clean pass. You were near half court.

Three seconds.

You glanced at the clock.

Two.

You planted your feet heart thundering, vision narrowed to the rim like it was the only thing left in the world and you launched it with a hope and a prayer, the ball left your hands and the buzzer screamed.

Time froze, you stood, frozen in place, watching the arc watching it rise like hope.

It soared and it fell, swish nothing but net.

Team GB 79. Team USA 78.

The crowd exploded, your teammates mobbed you screaming, crying, pulling you down into a dogpile of disbelief and joy and utter, breathtaking miracle.

You’d done it, you won gold, you lay there on your back in the middle of the court, staring at the rafters with tears streaming sideways across your temples. You won the Gold medal you were Olympic champion.

They pulled you to your feet, arms wrapped tight around your waist, your neck, your shoulders and when the chaos started to settle when the podiums were rolled out, when the national anthem was already to begin you looked to the stands. There she was Alexia, still in her Spain kit, medal-less, exhausted, but beaming, absolutely glowing.

She had tears on her cheeks and her hand over her mouth like she couldn’t believe what she’d just witnessed.

You just locked eyes and she smiled. 🏀

The gold medal was still around your neck, your jersey was soaked with champagne and sweat and tears. The crowd had dispersed, the interviews were over, your teammates were back in the locker room or celebrating somewhere in the joy of being Olympic champion but you’d slipped away, because you'd seen Alexia, you knew she was here somewhere.

You caught sight of her just beyond the security barrier, tucked into the quiet edge of the athlete village courtyard, lit only by soft overhead lights and the warm glow of your victory still clinging to the air.

She turned at the sound of your footsteps and then she smiled, "Alba, let me call you back, I'll call you back, Y/N is here"

Not just any smile, her smile. The one that crinkled her nose just slightly, the one that lit up every part of her face, she gives you when you walk into the kitchen in the morning half-asleep, or when she scores and looks to the stands to find you.

You didn’t slow down, you ran, straight to her Alexia put her phone in her pocket just in time, arms out, bracing and you leapt.

Your legs wrapped around her waist, her hands caught your thighs like she’d done it a hundred times before, steady, strong. You buried your face in her neck, laughing and sobbing all at once, the medal bouncing between you both.

She held you so tight you thought you might dissolve into her, “Joder,” she whispered against your ear, voice thick with emotion. “You did it. You really did it.”

You pulled back just enough to look at her. Her eyes were shining, red-rimmed from her own loss but so full of pride of your win it stole your breath. “I needed you to see it,” you said, forehead against hers. “That last shot, I thought of you. I swear.”

She laughed, tears slipping down her cheeks. “You made half the gym scream. My teammates haven’t shut up about it. ‘That’s your girl?!’” She mimicked one of them with a chuckle. “They’re obsessed now. They want selfies.”

You both laughed, breathless. You dropped your legs and let her set you down gently, but you didn’t go far your hands stayed at her face, hers at your hip now, brushing your skin just above the waist band of your joggers like she couldn’t believe you were real.

“You’ve got a gold medal,” she murmured. “And somehow, I think I’m the one who’s luckier.”

Your throat caught. “I love you,” you whispered, like it had been waiting its whole life to be said in this exact moment.

Alexia leaned in and kissed you slow, deep, unapologetic, like everything that hurt before didn’t matter anymore. Everything had led you to this point, she pulled away just enough to whisper, “I’m never letting you go.”

You smiled, finally at peace, finally home even here, a thousand miles from Barcelona, wrapped in her arms, gold around your neck, nothing else in the world mattered.

🏀

The city was quieter now, no press, no parades, no obligations. Just home.

You were wrapped in the soft sheets of your shared bed, sunlight lazily filtering through the half-drawn curtains. Pain clung to your bones, your body still aching in that deep, golden way, the kind that came from leaving absolutely everything on the court. You’d drifted into sleep mid-conversation, half-curled around Alexia’s pillow, lulled by the sound of her unpacking somewhere in the apartment.

When you blinked awake, the apartment was silent, but not empty. You pushed yourself up slowly, muscles protesting, and padded barefoot toward the living room, drawn by something you couldn’t name and there she was. Alexia stood by the big bookcase the one you’d started calling the 'trophy wall.' It had been hers first, a shrine to a career filled with impossible wins and heartbreak and resilience. Over time, your own pieces had crept onto the shelves. A game ball here. A photo there. A MVP plaque. Your four replica trophies from last seasons triumph. Your story slowly intertwining with hers.

She was gently shifting her Copa de la Reina trophy a few inches to the left, clearing space on the top shelf right in the middle.

You leaned against the doorframe quietly, watching her in the golden hush of the afternoon. She was still in soft cotton shorts and an old Barça hoodie, her hair in a lazy knot, sleeves pushed up as she arranged the shelves like they were sacred, like what she was doing mattered, because it did.

She picked up your Olympic gold medal from where it rested on the coffee table, holding it gently in both hands. Her fingers traced the ribbon like it was the most delicate thing in the world and then, with quiet precision, she placed it beside her own Ballon d'Or.

Side by side, like it belonged there, like you belonged there.

You swallowed hard. “It’s crooked,” you teased gently, voice still thick with sleep.

She turned, startled for just a second then softened when she saw you. “Vete tu” she murmured with a roll of her eyes, but her smile gave her away. She crossed the room, and you met her halfway, falling into her arms without needing to say anything else.

She wrapped herself around you, forehead against yours. “You scared the life out of me, you know?” she whispered, her hand stroking your back. “That last shot? I stopped breathing.”

You chuckled. “Me too, honestly.”

She kissed you then, slow and sure, and the quiet between you stretched long and warm. When you pulled back, you looked over her shoulder at the medal gleaming in its new home.

“You sure there’s space for me up there?” you asked softly.

Alexia looked at you like you were the dumbest person alive, “Always.” You let yourself fully relax, because here in the stillness of your apartment, in the arms of the woman who knew you best you didn’t need to be anything else. You’d won and you were home.

🏀

I'm aware not much happened in this but thanks for reading if you got this far 😂

[flusteredfools]

Lunar themed (future) Snake Husband #1 acquired!

Solar themed (future) snake husband #2 will be next!

Snippets & extra info under the cut <3

[Harpy/n Ref] [Naga'na Let You Go Fic]

As always with my Fics; you're more than welcome to imagine the main characters designs however you'd like while reading (it's the main reason I try not to overly describe details!) but if you dislike making up your own then here's what I imagine Moon to look like.

Please excuse my poor attempt at scales though, creature artists are wonderful and amazing and have way more patience than I do.

Some Moonie facts for the funsies!

Is a test tube baby - was not born, he was created by splicing together various DNA

Was treated very poorly in his first few years - tortured and starved to be compliant

Forcibly encouraged to be violent and deadly

Originally was made to fight other creatures in the after hours Champion Coliseum show for illegal gambling - until his handler mysteriously went missing one day (Helen eventually took him under her care after he was discovered left for dead in the basement of the coliseum)

Fell in love with Sun at first sight but would never admit it

Became friends with Sun at Sun's relentless attempts to not leave him alone

Still struggles to accept the good things that come his way

Feels undeserving of Love (He's getting better with time!)

Will do anything for Sun

Rattle sounds when feeling strong emotions - Good & Bad

Has sharper claws and fangs than Sun (but cannot constrict as tightly/strongly as Sun)

Is very very venomous but has perfect control over it - injects with his fangs or can spit it

Hates Dusty (Dusty also fell in love with Sun and would constantly try to steal his attention - the feeling is mutual between them)

Adores the calm and beauty of the night sky, especially the twinkle of stars

Inside of his Cobra Hood is especially sensitive, as is the underside of his tail near his rattle. (Both spots Sun will abuse to get his way if needed - he rarely ever needs to)

Sun picked out his uniform for him as he didn't care what he wore

His gold bands are slightly too small - the tighter squeeze reminds him of Sun

[multiplicationdivision]

Red Card

Brett loved being a referee in the year of 2048.

Nothing beat that feeling as he ran alongside the swarm of players, watching the tangle of young nanotech enhanced players weave in and out at superhuman speeds through the mud. Brett had been one of them years ago, but he could still keep up with the fleet of speedsters in his reliable living polymer under-armour and cleats. Feeling the rush as he tracked the semi-holographic ball, matching its speed as he streaked down the sidelines, his living clothes acting just as much as he did to keep his eyes trained on its movement through the air.

The sport still retained the same problems it always had, even despite how extreme technology had made it. Players still took every opportunity they could to win fouls, feigning injuries despite their titanium enhanced bones. Coaches still worked themselves up into their rages, caring far too much about a non-name league as if their egos hinged on winning every game. Crowds still cussed at him fro the sidelines at every one of Brett’s calls, whining as if it would make him care.

To all those overwhelming mountains of human garbage though, Brett had an ace up his sleeve. In his established rights as a judge and jury of these games he’d been given certain technological privileges.

If a player, coach or even observer were just a little too distracting, Brett could make something useful out of them. He had admins rights to anyone in his courts and a full copy of his biomatrix ready to fire and upload.

A repeat offender player Ashton screamed at him and in a moment Brett had activated the chip in his spine to repeat the same conversion it went through practically every week.

One moment Ashton was practically foaming at the mouth and the next he was squirming on the grass, likely feeling that ants crawling on the skin sensation of his nanotech expanding and restructuring. It worked off a template it had come to know well, pulsing with a ghostly blue radiation as it worked in overdrive.

Brett had been lured into this sidegig just for these privileges. Hell it was practically expected to be used at least once every day, lest he be unable to keep up with the day of games. Bret couldn’t be in two places at once, except when he had a troublesome volunteer.

Ashton’s blond mop of hair would retract into his head, a pulse of blue changing the sandy yellow into thick brown. The frat boy’s patchy whisps of facial hair thickened into a healthy stubble, just like how Brett had shaved it that morning. Angry eyes turned calmer as Ashton’s biotechnical brain overlaid a fresh perspective, overpowering any of his meager young memories and personality with a copy of Brett’s own dominant mind.

The young man grew much less young as his teammates watched mostly apathetically, although a trained eye could catch envy in some of them, especially as Ashton’s leaner frame gave way to Brett’s own larger set of muscles. Sure, the set now replacing ashton’s body were a recreation by nanotech, but the memory of Brett’s years in the gym filtered in with them, enlaying muscle memory and experience into the guy’s synthetic nerves.

Even the superficial details eventually got transferred. A scar from his own years of playing on his neck. The tattoo he’d gotten months ago reflected back at him, having been drawn precisely as every bit of Brett replaced the angry twenty year old who’d body checked a teammate.

The transformation was complete when the other Brett looked at him, just the same as him in every important way. The same confident grin and a challenging look in his eyes aimed right at him. They were a competitive person, even in his role as a ref.

A few quick transfers of his outfit code to his other self and Ashton’s dirty uniform melted into a copy of Brett’s, down to the same semi-personality running through their living clothes. It enwarpped both of them, urging some semblance of camaraderie.

“Well this is my game to ref now, 1.0” the other Brett said, already talking down to his original. “Why don’t you set up for the game in field 7?”

Brett would narrow his eyes but give up the game to his copy. Let the new guy have a head start as his prime self showed why he was the truest Brett.

It was a game they played to no one else’s knowledge, he and the clones he’d collect over a game day. A game of one-up-men-ship that decided the prime Brett by the end of the day. Losers get turned back into the players and whoever showed the greatest performance by their invisible scores got to go home as the real him. Whether that Brett was the actual original hardly mattered. It was fun like this. Hell it was probably the same for the thousands of other refs across the country, as well as the other folks abusing this tech.

Maybe the Brett who’d set up today would fall behind and get replaced with a template of Ashton at the end of the day. Maybe one of his collection of new brothers would go home the victor and start the next day as if nothing had happened.

Brett was going to win this game. So far he had never been the loser, but that was the flaw of always being the one remembered winning the coin toss. He couldn’t even conceptualize losing.

He was excited to see so many of himself lose. Just like always.

[sweetheartharlow]

Chat im back and I’m going to explode ((ref and extra doodle under the cut!!))

YIPPEEE YIPPEE BREADHEAD!!

My insert’s supposed to have a uniform outfit! Their name’s Fick and they’re the local handyman. With every man for themselves its easy to pick up a thing or two but best to find Fick for any kind of especially difficult mechanisms. I might change their lore but for now they live as the official mechanic/handyman of the gaslight district!! Around the whale belly butcher shop, they’re closest to the establishment in regards of a handyman/mechanic!

Anywhooo! They met breadhead one day whilst trying to look for work, and saw that a few lights in the butcher shop were flickering. They offered to fix them for the low price of lunch and dinner, and noticed how lovely breadhead played his piano!!

Consider them true neutral for now, they would lend out a helping hand every now and then but only if theyre confident they can handle the situation if shit were to hit the fan.

[scratch-house]

revolutionary girl utena characters as their real ages (1/?)

commission me here! and u can find more of my art in my art tag #fartposting

heyyy!!!! so i'm working through the block, still trying to finish old wips, and consistently, the thing that keeps me working on these is just letting myself be messy. i hate hate hate having to have super polished art, especially lineart, so i was like, if i'm going to be able to work on this and finish it, i've gotta just throw that out the window. and i think it looks pretty cool! i enjoy it!

the background was kind of just a bunch of miscellaneous improvised shapes. i tend toward those bar-like rows of rods in the background when i do this + some kind of dark framing shape, but this time i was actually going for the like ruins of the duelgrounds. also, i've started drawing characters with really big ears and it is very artistically satisfying for me like i don't know why, but utena had so much hair in this drawing i decided it looked better and less confusing if her ears were just covered. also, i forgot about her boys' uniform shdjshdjshd i was so focused on just other aspects of the piece that i just looked up the regular girls' uniform as a ref, but i think it kind of suits the vibe of this painting. to me, this is like, young utena standing up for someone being bullied so it has this childlike desperate, slightly scrappy feeling about it; the boys' uniform feels more polished and princely to me. i think that was the motivation behind all the hair too. i'm not a girl, but when i was a kid i was known for having a lot of very long thick hair. i would've been younger than utena is in the series, but i think there's sort of an association with childhood there

[andromeddog]

Oooo jumping off the previous anon ask, do you have any websites/books that good for reference that you’d recommend?? Or is a simple Google search/going from there good enough to start with

I’ve always been interested in uniforms n stuff but idk where/how to actually FIND info (especially for accuracy) but idk if Wikipedia/Google is the best for that lol

i’ve talked about this (here) and (here) before, but i will elaborate a bit more (a lot more) for you!

again my first response is to ask, what kind of uniform are u looking for? bc there’s just more info on some types than others. like, ww2 american paratroopers? sooo so so much stuff out there, maybe bc there was a wildly successful miniseries that is often listed as one of the best tv shows ever made and it mythologized the paratroopers and now everyone has a big ol boner for them and their uniforms and you can’t got two searches deep without tripping over those jump boots (said w all the love in my heart). but that being said, sometimes just a google search is enough!

this is where being familiar w each of the components of the uniform comes in handy. like oh damn i need ref of that one specific small pouch the marines have on their guns, what was that called?? oh duh it’s a carbine butt stock pouch, sometimes they wore it on their belt, i can just google that and get the exact result i want

buutttttt sometimes the online sources/pics u get are undated/unlabeled, and you have to piece together what ur looking at based on ur own knowledge of a uniform. this is especially true the older you go, and ive run into this issue with ww1 stormtrooper uniforms specifically, where you don’t have an exact date and u have to be like “welllllll i can’t be 100% sure if this is from early or late war, if this is german or austrian, but it’s close enough to what i need and i can’t find any other source that even comes close and ive spent four hours looking so im going to use this” and then you get someone in ur dms like “well actually 🧐 they didn’t wear those specific suspenders/have that patch on their uniforms/use that limited issue pouch in this theater” and then you feel kind of silly. but it’s like damn dude i spent hours looking for ref and found the only like five jpegs still remaining of this uniform pls cut me some slack. ig this is just me saying that i dont get it right all the time and inevitably there will be someone out there who has a better grasp on it and will clock your tiny error from 200 yards

to stop my pointless rambling and actually get to your question, google is a pretty good place to start but u gotta know what to be looking for. wikipedia can b helpful for kind of an intro/getting names of items. pinterest is a big one for me, i mostly like that you can save pics and organize them. i’d also check out reenactment websites/forums; those guys are dedicated to being 100% accurate and can also provide some good action shots. youtube is also a resource that i forget exists haha. following artists who are into that kind of shit, taking notes from the uniforms they draw (careful w this one, as i said earlier even ppl who draw uniforms a lot still mess up occasionally). honestly any big website is bound to have some military history enjoyers and so u can do a general search and see what comes up, that can help point to users/a community that will often have their own sources/discussions that can be helpful. ive said it before but watching movies/shows about the specific era ur looking for is great, you can see how a uniform sits and moves with a person 👍

also books! there isn’t a single catch all book for uniforms, again (again) it’s all by era/country you’re looking for. ebay is GREAT for finding super specific books on topics only you and five other people care about. sometime u can get lucky at an old used book store but that’s a real gamble and only happens veryyyyyy rarely hahah

i always use these sorts of references in tandem and double check to be sure, i swear i have like 12 tabs open and two books open per drawing just so i can get everything as close to accurate as i can. but like ive said im kind of obsessive about details (negative) and can’t be chill about anything ever. what a super cool and very practical skill set that makes me very popular amongst my peers and interests everyone once i have two beers and won’t shut up about it

ending this with my standard “did any of this make sense?” i’m going to turn on my computer now and spend the next eight hours staring at reference pics and drawing my silly little war boys have a great day everyoneeeeeeeee

[emiplayzmc]

Aaaaand... finally a ref sheet for Gabriel Lecter, my Deltarune Human OC! HE LOOKS SO SWEET IN THE LIGHT WORLD FORM ACK

Also thank you to @turntableart for helping with the skin + hair colour of Gabe'a Dark World design because I was STRUGGLING with it hjgfss- ty Turnip 🙏)

The Lecter Lore:

-37 years old, standing at 5'8, he/him

-3rd year medical student in Hometown, automatonophobic*

*Fear of robots - technically automatonophobia refers to HUMAN-LIKE robots and figures, but that was the closest fear I could find that encompassed SPECIFICALLY the appearance of robots rather than just 'the advancement of AI and technology in general' or 'the fear of robots taking human jobs' - technophobia and robophobia, respectively. If I'm able to find a more accurate phobia to just 'the appearance of robots in general' that's being changed.

♤~~♡~~♤

♤~~♡~~♤

Gabriel fell into the Dark World in the Librarby computer room while he was studying for an exam and needed to do online research. When he arrived in the Dark World, his appearance enhanced and cyber-fied the looks of his college uniform and bag - as well as some of the colouring and traits of Ambyu-Lances, mainly the giant needle and the red-blue colouring.

Unfortunately for Gabriel, he had ended up in a world full of robotic creatures - his first encounter was with a Werewire in the Cyber Fields, launching him into a battle where he sees and feels his literal SOUL leaving his body to fight - a purple heart. Terrified of his new surroundings and unsure of whether he's having an incredibly elaborate nightmare or not, he fled the battle and subsequent ones with other Werewires, a few ViroViroKuns, and ESPECIALLY from Sweet Cap'n Cakes.

Meanwhile, the medical Ambyu-Lance named Ware is ALSO in the Cyber Fields, having chased after a ViroViroKun that he was supposed to watch for a law enforcement Ambyu while they called in backup. Searching for the Viro, he comes across Gabriel cowering on the other side of a puzzle. Being the impulsive Ambyu-Lance that he is, Ware got ECSTATIC to meet a Lightner, and also immediately launched into a battle with him. Unable to escape the puzzle area since Ware is blocking the entrance (unknowingly), he tries (and mostly fails) to dodge Ware's attacks.

Gabriel eventually gets to very low HP, hit with cuts and scrapes and electrical burns, and Ware finally notices that the former isn't attempting to fight back and seems to be trying his hardest to get away. Ware ends the battle and approaches Gabriel carefully, wanting to heal him and understand why he wasn't fighting back. After a while, Gabriel VERY reluctantly relents to letting Ware heal him, and Ware figures out that Gabriel has absolutely NO idea what's going on, meanwhile the human is panicking and hyperventilating and seemingly trying to pretend that he's in a very intense nightmare. After some deliberation, the Ambyu-Lance hesitantly offers to bring Gabriel to the main city so that he can meet with QUEEN and attempt to leave the Cyber World, to which Lecter (equally as hesitantly) agrees.

Skip to a while later, Gabriel Lecter figures out that he can't go home. A Lightner can only leave the Dark World if their current Dark Fountain is closed, or if they're near a Grand Fountain (aka, Castletown's fountain). Since Gabriel doesn't have the power or KNOWLEDGE to close a Fountain, nor do any of the Cyber World residents know where exactly a Grand Fountain IS... he's stuck in the Cyber World.

Ware, feeling like he's now RESPONSIBLE for the Lightner's safety, offers to let Lecter stay in his apartment and allow him to work at the Cyber City hospital, while also offering to teach him about the residents of the Cyber World and how to fight / live there. Over time, Gabriel becomes somewhat of a nurse to the hospital, and grows more comfortable around Ambyu-Lances and learning to be around other Darkners (Addisons and Werewerewires, especially, terrify him and take him the longest to get used to - the humanoid appearance of Addisons and the sheer size and strength of Werewerewires doesn't do favours for his phobia).

♤~~♡~~♤

♤~~♡~~♤

Gabriel is a Perserverance SOUL, since even despite him being thrust into a terrifying world, he ends up trying to push through and make the best of his worst situation. His casual clothing tends to lean more towards light academia and comfortable clothing, although he certainly hasn't been opposed to walking around his house in scrubs all day - he doesn't really care about the texture of clothes as long as it's stuff that he regularly wears (in other words... he can sleep in jeans.).

He's almost always seen wearing an Alzheimer's Awareness pin on his clothes and with his messenger bag. In the Cyber World, the pin translates to two ribbons on either side of his coat, a golden button on the bag strap turns into a small gem on his breastpocket (as well as three smaller blue ones turning into gems that dot the perimeter of the bottom of his coat, and his bag and syringe pin turn into a strap for his main weapon - a syringe that can shoot out streams of liquid-based attacks and defense.

He's more of a reserved person, but he was a well-liked student in his class in the Light World with two or three close friends, and he got good grades. In the Cyber World, at first he's quite terrified of going around the city by himself, or even going out at all besides the hospital and Ware's townhouse. Eventually, he learns to somewhat step out of his comfort zone, and at first goes out with Ware, then slowly going on to do his own thing in the city as long as it's on a set route (such as to and from the hospital, shops, or the park).

He's also got a little bit of voice blindness (phonagnosia), which makes it hard for him to discern between voices - that's not made easier by the fact that Ambyu-Lances all have very similar voices: think of the Turrets from the Portal games, and that's very close to what I imagine for their voices (Ware, specifically, with a malfunctioned Turret voice). Gabriel noticed that a lot of Ambyu-Lances had distinguishing decals and stickers over their bodies, but he still ended up losing Ware in a crowd of them, especially if Ware took off his little moon decoration. So, Gabriel decided to put a large, glittery golden star on Ware's syringe-head (with the latter's permission, of course) so that he could identify his ally / friend easier.

♤~~♡~~♤

♤~~♡~~♤

Aaaand there's the Gabriel Lecter lore!! I actually love him now lol.

[pha5ed]

You Play a Sport || LifeSteal Headcannons

type :: fluff

tw/cw :: none

members :: clown, mapicc, parrot

note :: never played basketball or tennis but i have a lot of friends who do so im relying on what they told me TT

Clown

Everyone has played basketball lightly growing up so when you said you play basketball he went “Oh cool”

But when you say you’re on your school’s varsity team and playing club he knows you’re deep in

Clown isn’t a huge sports guy but he knows clubs are expensive as fuck and far 99% of the time

He’s really curious and asks a lot of questions

When he hears you’re spending roughly $1,000 alone on the club he feels his wallet cry

Then you mention how expensive shoes, jerseys, and gas is and his wallet literally crumbles

He could never imagine spending that much on a sport

What’s even crazier was when you admitted you didn’t plan to play on a WBNA/NBA level

You said you just wanted to play during college and most likely go to open gyms every once in a while

Bro was so shocked and was about to doubt your spending habits

But when you mention how it’s not too different from buying skins, emotes, and games,,,, he gets really quiet

He’d love to try playing with you once or twice

He’ll probably make a gamble of some kind

“If I get 10 points you owe me $20”

And then you whoop his ass

“Double or nothing”

Now you doubt his spending habits…

He’s not really big into shoes and stuff but he likes looking at them with you

When you start sliding the shoes across the floor he’s so confused????

Why are you ruining shoes in the store???? Aren’t you embarrassed???

But then you explain it’s to test the grip of the shoes he goes “ohhhh”

He’s so clueless about shoes it’s so funny

“What about these?” And he holds up a pair of Jordans 1…

If you let him try on a pair of basketball shoes he instantly gets the hype

He might even buy himself a pair

But he’ll never use them for actual basketball, just going out

When he wears his new basketball shoes outside you can see allll of the sports player cringe

Literally 3 people come up to him and go “bro you forgot to take your court shoes off”

Mapicc

When you said you play volleyball he always thought you were just joking

No way a loser who plays Minecraft all days and streams could be on the volleyball team

Especially since practices and games can last until 9pm sometimes

But when you send him clips of you playing, he’s shocked

He always thought volleyball kids were super cool, popular, outgoing, drinkers, smokers, etc

And Mapicc thinks you’re the exact opposite LOL

He actually admires the grind a lot

He likes going to gym and plays basketball every now and then

The football coaches at his school always asked him to join but he didn’t really like the sport that much

He def asks questions about your games and rules and stuff

Probs says cocky stuff like “I could do that”

If you ever meet in person and try to make him dive, spike, or even server he’ll definitely suck

Once he actually tries it, it appreciates the sport a lot more

If he goes to any of your games he’s definitely SCREAMINGGG

Shouting, whistling, clapping, stomping, everything

Probably provokes the opposing team

Definitely argues back with the ref even though he’s not a player and not from your school

He doesn’t understand the uniform difference between the girls and boys though

“If you dive in booty shorts wouldn’t it hurt your thighs???”

When you say it does hurt your thighs sometimes he’s even more confused

“Then don’t wear it????”

But he doesn’t understand that it’s just the culture of volleyball at this point

He lovesss looking at players volleyball shoes

He’s tempted to join volleyball just so he can get a new pair of shoes

But when he finds out most volleyball players don’t actually buy volleyball shoes but instead buy basketball shoes he’s a little confused

“Why not buy volleyball shoes???”

And then you have to explain how a majority of volleyball shoes kinda suck ass and how basketball shoes always have extreme grip

And he’s like “???Why don’t they make volleyball shoes with more grip???”

He helps you realize how dumb volleyball culture is sometimes…

Parrot

When he finds out you also play tennis he gets so competitive

He LOVES tennis with his whole heart man

Asks what your schools name is and what division you’re in and your rank and your average win rate and and and

You two bond over tennis constantly

He can finally send someone the tennis memes he gets on his feed

If you’re worse than him, he’s always giving you tips and and even offers to train you if ever meet irl

But if you’re better than him, oh boy, he’s gonna train so hard

He definitely sends you clips of him playing and asks you to rate it

He’ll ask for clips of you playing as well and he might or might not make fun of your form

Whenever he wins a match he’ll take a picture and send it to you ASAP

If he loses,,,, he pretends he never even went to the game

One time he broke his racket and he let you pick the color

You picked an ugly ahh puke color but he laughed it off and actually bought it

If you do meet irl, you guys are INSTANTLY playing tennis

No hugs no greeting, he comes to the airport with a tennis ball and racket in hand

If he wins, he will make fun of you every day and will constantly brag to you

But if he loses, he deflects and constantly blames random stuff

“The sun was in my eye” It was sunset and cloudy

“I’ve never been in this country so my racket’s not used to it” What?????

Definitely makes you redo your serve at least like 5 times just to make you angry

[artsygirl0315]

Oooo, if you're still doing these? I've got one for Ramsay/Numbuh 350F (totally ripped from his F.I.L.E), if that's cool?:

"Despite appearing as a bit of a bully, he softens immediately with cadets and- for the most part- other kids and sometimes teenagers (as long as they aren't being a-holes with him). He's been known to bring in warm treats (usually brownies and some hot cocoa) to the cadet classes down at the Arctic Base. He also has a soft spot for baby animals, especially kittens and puppies."

(Ref below)

Thank you!! 😁

(Thank you for the shared description, He's super cute and I just love the reference!!)

A few itty bitty hcs of my own for this boi (if that's okay, of course);

•He doesn't mind being calm and soft around the cadets, He likes to bring treats and drinks for them after their training but he won't be as much when he's around enemies or anyone remotely threatening to him.

•I won't doubt he would use the phrase 'Idiot Sandwich' on someone, It's only in the heat of the moment.

•He cares deeply but can't express that through his words so he does so in actions like for the cadets but he doesn't mind other kids his age or even teens, for that matter!

•He probably has a few kittens and a puppy from his parents around his younger years to which he still adores till this day, he would make them 'fancy meals' in which would be plated so delicately that his parents would scold him for using the plates from the dishwasher sometimes, but he means well!

•He looks up to his grandfather that he got an almost replica of his old uniform but it was just from a costume store at the mall, Still he dreams to make wonderful dishes such as his grandfather one day.

•He does get stressed a lot so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him drinking soda mixed with hot chocolate, he's a chef but he knows his limits.

(That's all I have for him, Thank you for the request! Stay awesome!!💙)

[astronyu]

Sketches and commentary on the Folly ref sheet for RAT's newest plush! (info below the cut vvv)

(note: RAT commissioned me to make the character ref sheet, which is NOT the plushie schematic that Makeship actually uses as reference to produce the plushie)

This is the first sketch we sent to Makeship!

I'm starting to add details to push Folly's identity a bit more and differentiate her more from RM (Rat Maid), i.e. neckline, nose, gloves, blush. Lots of curves! (And I also added two rats instead of one <3O~ <3O~)

At one point we considered giving her the eye design shown on the right (red thread embroidered around her eye) as a reference to her MC skin's glowing eyes, but we decided eye shadow was a better look. also it looks like sans undertale

This is the back! The Folly skin has a long pretty bow, but it's scrapped by the end because A. her hair obscures everything on her back and B. as we went along we increasingly afraid of the sheer mass of fabric building on this plushie.

Most of her palette is colorpicked from the original minecraft skin by Arathain (who also made RM!) but iirc we made the ears pinker and lighter. You can see their OG tweet featuring the Folly skin here!

Onto the dress design!

RAT wanted the Folly plush to feel like more than just a recolor, so he had me redesign her dress. I started off with an inspo board focused on elements we wanted to keep-- Folly's lighter palette, the middle slit of her dress, the off-shoulder straps, and the overall maid theme.

You'll notice that Folly's expressions here are kind of all over the place (I don't think she's ever looked that sympathetic in her life). I think I made these sketches before I finalized her face, where RAT requested some mixture of murderous intent with mischief, but in a subtle way. Later down the line the specific smirk Folly has actually gave the physical plushie a lot of trouble (faces do not scale easily on cone shaped snouts).

The first alternate dress designs!

RED: RAT (paraphrased), PURPLE: me ofc More refined sketches! As you can see here RAT's working me to the bone with all of his requests. It's okay though, b/c after I sent him the completed ref sheet I got to watch him turn on Makeship. (KIDDING, KIDDING)

Overall, I was looking for a dress that felt regal, beautiful, and unconventional, while still feeling like a maid dress. Wow, after physically typing that out I feel like face palming. "I need a dress for a GODDESS also a uniform good for housekeeping please" (???)

After feedback, I focused more on variations of the 2nd option.

You'll see at the last Folly, I combined the 2nd variation with the tie ribbon, the layered dress design, and long puffy sleeves. I decided to bring over the long puffy sleeves specifically because I hoped that they would give Folly a more interesting silhouette that of course contrasts with RM.

(To be fair, this contrast isn't very visible on the plushie itself but it is fun to draw.)

And finally, the second and last ref we sent to Makeship!

imo Makeship did an INCREDIBLE job translating the design to plushie!! I'm sure there's plenty of challenges Makeship's plushie makers have to deal with that we don't see, so I always specify that I'm only responsible for the initial drawing when people ask me if I "made" the plush.

One really delightful surprise were the 3d rats; we didn't think they were possible but they were (ilu makeship)!! You'll probably also notice that Folly's eyes look pretty different--- they were changed slightly in each step and ultimately ended up softer, which is interesting because I feel that it kind of mirrored how RAT's approach to Folly as a character changed in the months of the plushie's development (and up to her release!).

And that's all I have for my part of the plushie! I always love working with RAT on projects and plushies are a highlight. They're especially surreal to think about when we all used to joke about them before RAT really blew up.

ofc, the shill if you want to get her: Makeship Folly plush and RM's ref sheet if you're curious: Rat Maid plushie ref

i think the campaign ends about October 7th, 2023, but you and i are very likely to be in different time zones so if you're interested doublecheck with the site. if the date has long past then ig this is just a fun little time capsule for you, which can also be pretty cool :)

[peachyskyes]

What is your process when jt comes to making reference sheets especially for artfight? :D

OMG FIRST ASK!!!

Okay so usually I start by just getting the main character part of the ref done - I actually sketch and line all of my ocs a one canvas (I work on procreate btw) and then insert my drawing to a new canvas, and then I crop it to whatever size I want (for me, I like 1352x1455 px)

Then I’ll color and shade, making sure to pay extra attention to key details another artist might look at - eyes, hair, face shape, build. And since all of my ocs wear school uniforms, I try to customize them to each person.

Next is the intermediating part - the overall layout of everything. For some characters, I’ll just look up “no background linesd paper” and then copy and paste.

But the real question is what is your oc like? Do they have a devoted instagram acount?(if so, then copy and instagram format) do they take pretty notes?(try to emulate that then!)Do they have sloppy handwriting? Do they scrapbook? Code? Get creative with your base and writing, think of what your oc would do!

I always include birthday,fav color, mbti test results (take it and think like ur oc idk), and even tho I don’t belive in it, astrology sign is always cool to include. Pronouns, sexuality, and nationality are always there too

You might also notice how in the back there are flowers - I’ll look up flower meanings and draw some I think align with my ocs personality. You don’t even have to draw particularly fancy - just block in similar shapes with color and then apply some Gaussian blur.

Always include height!!

I have Pinterest boards with look alikes,outfits, aesthetics, features, etc. I always love to add some model references from my PINTREST board because my style often oversimplifies faces sometimes.

Another nuance I add is “characters who match their freak” - I love to add some similar characters from media because oftentimes, that’s the easiest way for another artist to get an easy scope of your ocs personality.

Finally, fill up empty space with stickers or things your ocs have. Give them a phone with their playlist open. Or a page of their note/sketch book. It’s all up to you! You can also draw alternate styles or “zoom in” on miniscule features like eyes and nails. And when in doubt, doodle!

Overall, just get creative! Think how they would think! Draw what they have, or what they like! Make your character seem like a person!

Sorry for the big yap btw ;3

[flusteredfools]

Golden naga (future) husband #2!

Snippets & extra info under the cut <3

[Harpy/n Ref] [Naga Moon Ref] [Naga'na Let You Go Fic]

As always with my Fics; you're more than welcome to imagine the main characters designs however you'd like while reading (it's the main reason I try not to overly describe details!) but if you dislike making up your own then here's what I imagine Sun to look like.

A very golden boy who's too sweet, gentle giant with a heart of gold to match his scales. He has some Frilled Lizard dna mixed in, hence the frills, but you're welcome to remove that or shape them however you'd like; I tried to stick to traditional shape/behavior for him.

Creature artists are amazing and talented and if you know one I hope you let them know that. (though I suppose I would say that about any artist and especially any artist that can draw more than one species, the amount of work and time that must have went in to learn...)

Some Sunny facts for the funsies!

Is a test tube baby - was created by splicing together various DNA (this is true of every Naga in my fic)

Has always been treated well and with kindness by Helen since the very first days of his sentience

Has an insatiable curiosity

Is very social

Will mimic words and behaviors - even if he doesn't understand them

Fell in love with Moon after Moon saved him from the rockslide - though he didn't realize what the feeling was yet

Refused to let Moon be alone after meeting him - he had a strong desire to always be around him

Cried a lot the first few times he had to hunt his own fish - Moon and Helen helped him get more used to accepting it

Is actually a big romantic - dreams often of a domestic life spent with his loves

Has no venom but has extremely strong grip strength - has accidently killed things because of it - is now extremely anxious of his control

Has lingering damage in the end of his tail from getting crushed - the end of his tail feels more numb compared to the rest (leads to him not realizing where it is or getting pinched in places)

Pinching pressure/pain does additional mental damage

Was close friends with Dusty before he meet Moon - the earthen naga was always a bit mean but Sun was happy to have a friend - Dusty became more aggressive after meeting Moon and the friendship waned

Get excited easily and has a ton of energy to burn

Likes to mimic human activities/games

Loves swimming, second is sunbathing near or on the water

His neck under his frills is extremely sensitive, the frills themselves are a bit less so

Moon helped him decide his uniform - went off of colors that could match Sun's scales

Has a heart shaped spot on his chest to represent his kind heart <3

[dei-ryuu]

Symbiosis OCs (as of Chapter 53)

I got asked by @juliadesforges for some descriptions of some of the characters I created for the casefics. Some I don't have the strongest mental images for (especially in terms of how AA designs characters), but here's what I have for most of them. (Notes: If there's a character from another series I think is a good design ref, I'll include their name/series. If I don't specify skin tone, hair/eye color, etc, I don't have one I've settled on. Also leaving out the victims because I have very little in mind for them) Hickfield Clinic - Wilhelmina "Billy" Hickfield - Mid 60's. Fair skinned, wispy, light brown hair that's almost entirely greyed. Falls to her shoulders. Tall, wiry frame. Wearing medical scrubs and a lab coat. (Somewhere between Olivia Octavius and Aunt May from Into the Spiderverse) - Robert Hickfield- Early 30's. Looks very similar to his mother, same frame and complexion to his mother. Also the same outfit. Short, black, overly styled hair. Looks perpetually bored - Nora East - Shorter and curvier in comparison to her coworkers. Dressed the same with the addition of a cowboy hat she wears hung behind her head. Would use medical equipment like stethoscope in her animations. Dirty blond hair in an up-do.

-Rowan Kipper (Alan Ias) - College age. Rust-red hair, several short swooped, back spikes like waves (comes to a point behind his ears). Has a widow's peak. Very bushy eyebrows, dark blue eyes, and small goatee in the middle of his chin. Some kind of jewelry (an earring or necklace) in shape of a fish

Athens Hotel

-Charles Drinker - Early-mid 30's. Similar build to Edgeworth, tanner complexion. Light brown hair, wavy bangs that part closer to the side of his face. Has a green snake tattooed on his right arm, its head near his wrist and wrapping up to his shoulder. Tends to wear short sleeves to show it off. - Sila and Charis - (I honestly don't have ideas for them, they just exist to fill a role and as a mythology nod to Scylla and Charybdis. They'd be that sidekick/minion duo who are polar opposites design wise. Sila is the more active and serious of the two, while Charis reads more passive and can come off as lazy. Wearing some sort of security uniform, probably with some nod to their namesakes) - Argo Notte - College senior. Curly dark hair. Fairly unassuming since he's trying not to be too noticeable. Carrying around a laptop/laptop bag with the image of an ancient sailing ship on it

Museum of Natural History

-Shadow Morrison - Early 20's. Darker complexion, black hair mostly braided back. Wears all black and grey, but business casual style. Carries a clipboard -Xena Stynct - 30's. Short, wears oversized glasses. Always has some sort of slight visible damage on her (bandaids, broken glasses, small rips or stains on clothes) due to clumsiness. Medium length hair that's she's attempted to pull back in a messy ponytail. (Sheska from Fullmetal Alchemist) -Christine Agate - 40's. Very tall, weightlifter's build. Tanner complexion. Short, pinned back hair. Mostly a dark, reddish brown with streaks of grey (like an agate stone). Dressed like a typical detective with the trench coat (Luisa Madrigal from Encanto) Hope this is helpful/interesting and don't be afraid to comment if there's something you'd like me to clarify!

[albywritesfiction]

Heyo, I wanted to ask about clothing. What do people usually wear? Armour? I want to draw the characters, but I don't know what they look like ;-;

I currently imagine clothing for nobles as the garments seen in England and France in the 18th and 19th centuries, but I don't know for sure.

I'm sorry if this has been asked before.

Have a good day! <3

Hello Anon!

(Okay I know I said I may not be able to squeeze in any responses to the asks but then I saw this one again and I was so honored that anyone would want to draw my characters that I couldn't resist answering it :') If anyone else feels like drawing them please tag me! I would love to see how you guys bring these people to life in your art :') )

So uh, I'm not very well versed in fashion trends 😅 But what I can give you though are some manhwas/webtoons where the clothes are pretty close to what I can imagine the characters would wear!

From a Knight to a Lady (Prince Eozif's attire in Episode 99 is what I imagined Ædan's ceremonial dress uniform would look like for the wedding if you just switch out the dark green for blue, either a dark blue or the shade of his eyes. The uniform that Zed wears is also close to what I imagined for Sir Bertrand and the other knights. Oh! and Florence and Lucifela's wardrobes are also good refs for the dresses that would be worn)

Men of the Harem (especially Ranamun's and Latil's wardrobes for MC and other nobles)

The Age of Arrogance (Prince Carlisle's attire in Episode 2 minus the cape is pretty close to what I imagine Ædric would wear! He'd also have some versions where the gold accents are violet instead, and some where the black fabric is violet instead)

Aaand that's all I can think of at the moment 😅 For the armor, I'll have to get back to you on that after I do some research (aka go through the webtoons I haven't read in quite a while for some more art refs 😅) Really hope this helps and I'm so excited to see the art that you guys come up with!

[skullhaver]

Night, informal, wardrobe, makeup and alternative for Athren

This set of prompts truly is well-tailored (hah) to Athren's interests. And it gives me an excuse to share the art you created of him!

wardrobe: How big is your character’s wardrobe? Do they wear things threadbare, or can they afford new clothes often? Are they any good at mending and repairing their own clothing?

Prior to coming into a small fortune during the events of Dragon Heist, Athren's financial situation was like:

Food $200 Rent $800 Clothing $3,600 Books $150 someone who is good at the economy please help me budget this. my family is dying

He definitely spent way disproportionately above his means on both quantity and quality of clothes. Happily made sacrifices in other areas of his life in order to dress better. In his former life as a noble House servant in Menzoberranzan, not only did he have to spend all his working hours in a uniform, but his clothing choices during his non-working hours were heavily restricted by both his finances and his caste. Now that he's on the surface, getting to express himself through clothes is HUGE to him.

Athren likes having a lot of clothes, especially by the standard of renaissance fantasy pre-industrial-manufacturing. For him, clothes are an art collection. He never throws anything out. If something he wears frequently starts wearing thin, he'd mend, modify, or get it re-tailored into something new. For statement outfits (like the outrageous Sean Connery Highlander look worn to the Cassalanters' midsummer ball), it will have a place of honor in his closet forever as an art piece to display and enjoy.

He doesn't have the skill to make his own clothes, but he does know how to mend simple tears, replace buttons, etc. The kind of thing anybody who grows up poor or middle class would know. And he also knows a lot about maintaining clothing to keep things in excellent condition, although he is very happy to have enough money to pay other people to do his laundry these days. And I love watching YouTube videos about historical clothing, so I have definitely thought about how his clothes get washed.

I was having so much fun with these!! I'll put the rest under a readmore.

night: What does your OC wear to sleep? Do they have a favorite pair of PJs, or are they more the birthday suit type?

Going to take you through my thought process verbatim on this one.

Huh, never thought about this. Even sleeping/in reverie, he'd still want to feel luxurious. But he'd prioritize comfort, too. And what's physically comfortable would be something that's familiar to him. I wonder if spider silk is soft. It would be so funny if he used his Dragon Heist earnings for super special Underdark-imported spider silk pajamas. Hey isn't Rae's Dragon Heist PC Kiarhys from a merchant family specializing in textiles, with business operations both below and aboveground?

Something something I think there is a worldstate where Athren and Kiarhys meet via his quest for fancy pajamas.

makeup: Does your OC wear makeup? How often? What kind? Why do they wear makeup, and do they like it?

Rarely, but for special occasions or to coordinate with certain ensembles, sure. I'm quite partial to the way in The Mask of Mirrors men casually wear metallic eyeshadow/eyeliner sometimes. Also I think highlighter on his already nice cheekbones would be devastating. Davil should get to be quietly dazzled on a date where he sees Athren wear makeup for the first time.

informal: What’s your OC’s lazy-day look? How do they like to dress when they’re winding down?

Although I devote a lot of time to finding sumptuous Elizabethan outfit refs for Athren, the man does actually own regular, comfortable tunic-and-trouser renaissance fantasy staple clothes.

alternate: What would your OC’s alternate universe look be? If they’re a fantasy character, what’s their modern look?

The best way to capture Athren's sartorial sensibilities in a modern AU would be to put him in a semi-alternative fashion that looks flamboyant but still sharp. I'd dress him in the Black Dandy revival style. Some examples: The Iconic Dandy Wellington:

From Meet the Black Dandies: