#variott

[ascalonianpicnic]

Wrelia isn't allowed into the priory with anything remotely sticker adjacent anymore after the abaddon googly eye incident. Her pact gear is heavily sticker'd and heavily keychain'd up though

Brandellyn has a lot of stickers and sticker sheets but those are to give as little gifts or for patients to use as they please

Variott buys a lot of stickers then gets anxiety about placing them so put them all in a massive sticker book

which of your characters goes ham with stickers? which of them has a bunch but is avoids actually putting them on something?

[mystery-salad]

Happy Valentines Day

I haven't had the time or energy to take any new screenshots, but wanted to post some older ones celebrating some of the couples between me and my partner @ascalonianpicnic 💖 It's been so many long years in gw2 together, building so many bonds and connections. And these relationships mean the world to me 💖

[ascalonianpicnic]

so... here’s all my gals who currently use the masc body option

in order they are:

Feidhelim - butch lesbian and bandit prince - he/she/they/it

Brandellyn Shay - pact therapist of my heart - she/they

Variott - bigender cartographer and college drop out - she/he

Pink Sherbet Punch - I don’t know she’s still level 2 - she/it

Molassius - steadfast and vengeful dreamer - she/her

Anghrian - sun-corrupted woman on the run - she/they

[kerra-and-company]

I'd be interested to hear who you'd match up with Variott in any way, an absolutely tiny asura who flunked out of college and became a cartographer and explorer in the priory instead

Or if you have anyone you'd think would be a good friend or enemy for Aildyn

I hope you're having a good day <3

Ooh, okay okay!! :D (And tyty, it's going all right <3 Hope you're having a good day too!) Going to do both, because why not ;D

For Variott, Cio would greatly enjoy being friends with her! Cio didn't struggle in exactly the same ways--she had to deal with the negatives of the asuran education system (and Rata Sum in general) because they thought she was dangerous, not incapable--but she'd still understand a lot of that struggle, and she left to join the Priory just like Variott. Also, Variott would remind her a lot of her brother in some ways, including the size--Pliarr is nearly as short as him xD She'd be curious to learn/understand the ins and outs of mapmaking if Variott ever wanted to show her, also.

For Aildyn, you get Cyp! Main canon Cyprian would...not exactly be enemies with Aildyn, but would definitely never be on good terms with them. Cyp's own history with the NMC would make him incredibly wary of Aildyn, assuming he knew the basics of their background, and though I think they could be at minimum casual acquaintances over time, it'd take a while for Cyp to get to even that much trust. On the other hand, Commander!AU Cyp is ex-NMC and Soundless himself, so he'd not only be okay with that but would very much understand it. I can see them starting off on not-the-best terms even so--this Cyp is a little abrasive, and Aildyn's not the most open person in the world, lol--but Cyp would want to get to know Aildyn. And with enough time I could see them being (hopefully good) friends--assuming Cyp's emotional projection abilities didn't bother Aildyn to the point that that isn't possible.

[ascalonianpicnic]

😭💙💚💙💚 THIS TURNED OUT SOOOO GOOD!!!!

commission for @mystery-salad of their laighe and @ascalonianpicnic‘s variott!!! this one was so fun thank you so much <3 <3 <3

[mystery-salad]

3, 10, 11 For Laighe for the commander ask game :3

(@commander-winterberry)

Oooh for the og commander, my beloved, Laighe 💚

3. What does/what would the general population of Tyria think of the relationship?

Laighe keeps her latest relationship fairly on the downlow, she's gotten very good at avoiding public news on any concrete details. But if the general public knew for sure about Variott ( @ascalonianpicnic ) there'd be a fucking field day over the size difference immediately. Laighe's partner can take a nap in the hood of her jacket comfortably. And how did some little college dropout get with the legendary commander anyways? There'd be a lot more confusion than solid positive or negative reactions!

10. Are there any events in the story that happen differently because of/to/involving them?

Nope! Laighe's deviations from canon plot happen independently of Variott entirely. Variott is very handy and sweet, and does help her manage her stress and work habits better, but the actual plot checkpoints happen independently of the relationship status and the two are very business-oriented when at work.

11. What parts of the commander do they get to see that nobody else does?

There's a few solid years in there where Variott is the only one to really see Laighe off-duty. At all. By the point after PoF she's all business and no longer even going back to her home in the Grove. She pretty much lives in her office and handles on and off site work constantly. If it wasn't for Logan taking over the marshal position she'd be doing that too. But Variott managed to find a workaround! Having her join Variott for scouting missions occasionally so that she knows the layout, gets outside, whatever excuse can work on a given day. It gets her actively away from work with the excuse of what ends up usually just being a nice hike and a meal. And even with work on the mind she's able to relax a bit with just being able to take a long walk and breathe. She gets to slow down for a moment and be quiet, and Variott gets to experience that with her during these stolen moments.

[ascalonianpicnic]

Variott sure makes a lot of good faces

[kerra-and-company]

How about a ★ for cio or pliarr from variott?

Gladly!!! Sorry this has been sitting in my inbox for a bit, happy to answer it now and tyty! :D I'll give you Pliarr since I've talked a little about how Cio would feel about Variott before.

Pliarr ★ Variott:

I like you // I love you // You’re one of my best friends // You’re like family // You are family // I dislike you // I hate you // I’d kill you if I got the chance // I want you to like me // I’m scared of you // I would adopt you // I’d date you // I’d sleep with you // I’d marry you // I’m worried about you // You confuse me // You’re annoying // I pity you // I respect you // I trust you // I feel protective of you // I’d invite you with me to parties // I’d lend you my money // I’d borrow your money // You’re good-looking // I’m suspicious of you // I’m hiding something from you // You’re fun // You’re boring // I’m upset with you // You’re nice // You’re mean // I’m envious of you // You’re smart // You’re stupid // I look up to you // I think you’re a better person than me // I think I’m a better person than you // I want to apologize to you // I wish I’d never met you // I never want to forget you // I want to get to know you better

First of all, *handshake* between the two of them re: being small even for asura--Pliarr is Very Tiny too. Second, I think he'd absolutely see a bit of both his sister and himself in Variott, and he'd just genuinely like her. He's not the quickest in the world to trust people, but he'd want to trust Variott pretty fast, and the actual trust would follow from there. (Also evidenced from the "I'd lend you my money" one--Pliarr grew up being very careful with money/spending since it was super limited and is still careful even though he can afford to spend more now, so him being willing to lend money to someone else says a lot.) Also, as someone who has to go on missions to various places but really does not have the best sense of direction, he'd appreciate the hell out of Variott's maps and mapmaking skills.

[ascalonianpicnic]

Wrelia loves sweets and bakes all the time with her wife, Embrant, whenever she's home. The two are both decently good bakers, but they also tend to have flour fights while baking and make an absolute mess everywhere, then both just laugh really hard at how cute the other is coated in flour. They also tend to eat half the batter or dough raw while waiting for the other half to bake and make themselves sick. While Wrelia is away and busy with the newest plot, Embrant has pulled a bunch of wardens together and is sending her care packages of homemade cookies weekly

Variott stress bakes, and as head of the Pact scouts, she's stressed a lot. She's kind of a master baker at this point, and her specialty is muffins. She always bakes in huge batches and brings what she made in to share with everyone. Her scouts always grab a few extra along for lunch when leaving for missons

Astorin is a decently good cook when it comes to simple stuff, but he can't bake for the life of him. He's been trying to branch out and learn, and it's just been disaster after disaster. So many fires. So many broken teeth. He just wants to learn to make some bread. He isn't giving up though! Even if his fur may be permanently stained white from all the spilled flour by the end of this

I’ve been making cookies literally all night so…who’s got some fun cooking/baking headcanons about their characters? What’s their favorite things to make? Have they ever made a huge mess in the kitchen and looked straight up adorable covered in flour? Caused some kind of kitchen disaster?

[ascalonianpicnic]

Boss fight for Variott

ooooh yeah that'll be interesting! thank you!!!

Variott isn't one much for a straight up fight. He's a scout and a cartographer, and while he can defend himself, he prefers to do so at a distance. The arena would be a circuit around a large tree. The area is filled with environmental hazards as well as rocks and sticks that can be grabbed and used for spare crowd control against Variott, who is perpetually retreating from the player. He is always backing away, setting up traps as he goes and shooting at the player with his long bow. The player in turn must constantly advance or risk losing him in the foliage, leaving them open to Variott hiding in the brush and attacking until found. If her breakbar can be broken, Variott will be stunned for a decent pause, allowing the player to approach and attack in melee range. Once she shakes it off, she will retaliate with a greatsword until she can manage to stun the player in turn and retreat again, starting the cycle over. At 25% health, Variott begins igniting his arrows, leaving extra burning hazards whenever she doesn't hit the player, but otherwise, it's just a matter of catching her and doing what damage you can before she retreats again.

[ascalonianpicnic]

before pride month ends: bi pride Variott~

[ascalonianpicnic]

Variott - “Why don’t you sit down, have a muffin, and take a moment for yourself, okay?”

Asura Guardian - bigender, he/him and she/her, bisexual and slowly starting something with Pact Commander Laighe (who belongs to @mystery-salad)

Variott isn’t the smartest... well, by asuran standards, Variott is considered an idiot and a bit of a failure. She never did well in class and was bullied pretty badly for it. She tried to attend the college of statics, but she ended up flunking out. She’s got pretty bad ADHD, something that was officially diagnosed in her later in life, and something the colleges wouldn’t have taken seriously if she had been diagnosed sooner anyway. Asuran society and its systems aren’t built for her or people like her, so when the priory offered her a job as a scout, putting her actually pretty damn impressive map making skills to use, she jumped on the opportunity.

A coworker in the Priory was actually the one to recognize Variott’s symptoms and urge him to speak to one of the professionals on staff. The Priory was glad to accommodate Variott’s ADHD, as well as accommodating his unusually small size, even for an asura. He worked for several years as a well respected explorer and cartographer for the Priory, making good friends and finally feeling like maybe he wasn’t wrong or the problem, finally feeling welcome somewhere.

He was there the day Claw Island was reclaimed, and he was one of the first to sign on to the brand new Pact, easily settling into the role of scout. Between his experience, skill, and determination, Variott quickly rose to Head Scout for the Pact. He still gladly and proudly holds the position. He gets to know every scout who works under him, and with his team, he does solid preliminary work so everyone knows what they’re walking into for each challenge the Pact faces. Because he’s so hands on, and because he’s the one checking and delivering reports, every loss feels like a personal failing to him. It’s hard to lose scouts, and its hard to know that even though your information and work saves lives, it can’t save every life.

During her down time, Variott bakes to try and work her stress out. She single-handedly feeds the Pact with her stress muffins on some days. She’s also mindful about regularly visiting the Pact’s resident therapist, Brandellyn. She keeps in good contact with her parents, who have always been loving and supportive, and she spends time with her coworkers and friends just trying to have a little fun between near apocalypses. She also frequently invites Laighe out on walks, little area surveys that often turn into just a nice hike and a picnic together for the two of them to sneak an extra “break”.

---

Despite her small stature (around 2 feet? I’m always uncertain on asura heights), Variott is incredibly strong, and quick on her feet. She can scale even seemingly impossible cliffs with a little time to think it through first. Her combat style is heavily focused on laying traps and luring enemies into them while heckling them with her bow. She isn’t the strongest in combat, but she’s an annoyance and a good distraction, allowing allies and her traps to do the real heavy lifting when she has to fight. On and off the field, she’s incredibly supportive, very much a mother to her scouts. She’s always willing to lend an ear and a shoulder to cry on, and to bake someone’s favorites for them on a down day.

(end notes: i mentioned it on the other two as well, but I made variott on the same day as astorin and oriphio. I was making them during dinner with friends at my colleges dining hall because i was just so damn excited to have new character slots to work with lmao. My laptop died when I was partway through making Variott so I actually had to go back and make her again. Guardian is hands down my Worst class in game, but I adore Variott despite that. She’s just a little guy, you know? A little friend! She’s reckless and impulsive and so sweet and kind and she has so much love to give so by the eternal alchemy shes gonna fucking give it!)

[ascalonianpicnic]

lil Variott pic because I needed refs of her and I liked how this one looked~

[ascalonianpicnic]

A prompt for you! :) “what did you say? hey! what the hell did you say to them?!” -kerra-and-company

aha! finally got this done lmao <3 here you go @kerra-and-company

Warning: bullying

     "You bookah!"

     "No way! She's way too small to be a bookah!" a little girl cuts in with a grin. 

     The other progeny laughs. "You're right, she's way too small for that!"

     "She's like a baby bookah," a third progeny jeers, pointing at Variott, who just sniffles in response. "Dumb and ugly, but not big or scary at all!"

     "Hey!" an older asura shouts at the group of kids. "What the hell did you just say! No, get back here. What the hell did you just say to her!" The kids try to make a break for it, but the fuming adult manages to grab onto all three of the little bullies while Variott stares up in awe through tear filled eyes. 

     "We didn't say anything! We were just hanging out!" one boy cries out, trying to squirm out from under the adult's arm. 

     The other just sticks his tongue out at Variott, who's sitting on the ground with a scraped knee and dirt on her face, still sniffling and trying to not fully cry. "It's true, though. She's super dumb. What kind of asura can't do basic math."

     The adult, a vigil crusader by the looks of their clothes, lets go of the second boy long enough to knock him over the head. "You if you don't shut up." The little girl held firm in her other hand is just wailing now, and the crusader looks to be getting a headache from it. "Alright, apologize. All three of you. Apologize to her right now."

     The first boy protests loudly. "I didn't do anything! This is so unfair!"

     The second boy kicks out the dirt a bit before mumbling an apology to Variott. "I didn't mean it… and your art is kinda cool…"

     The little girl keeps wailing, managing to get an "I'm sorry" out somehow around it. She and the second boy are both let go, and after she wipes at  her eyes, she comes over to Variott and offers her a hand. Variott takes it hesitantly and stands up, smoothing her skirt a bit. The boy comes over after a minute too. 

     "I, uh," he starts, staring at his feet, "I'll help you with your math homework this weekend… if you draw me a cool wizard…"

     "Oh, sure! We can meet at the dawnside quay!" Variott smiles a bit at the boy, who smiles awkwardly back. 

     "Heyyyy! I wanna cooooome!" the little girl bellows, and Variott giggles and nods. 

     "All three of us then!"

     The other boy is still held firmly under the crusader's arm, arms crossed and frowning. The crusader is giving him a stern talking to, but he doesn't seem to be listening at all. He looks over at Variott and sticks his tongue out at her. The crusader gives him a firm shake at that. 

     "Alright, you little brat. I'm taking you home. Maybe your parents can deal with you."

     Variott giggles a little again. "Thank you!"

     The crusader waves as they turn to leave. "Any time. Just give me a shout if these two or anyone else bothers you, okay? And, don't worry if you struggle with class okay? School isn't everything."

     Variott nods emphatically, and waves goodbye. 

[ascalonianpicnic]

15, 20, 23 for the most recent ask!

Gonna do Variott for these at the suggestion of @mystery-salad

15. are they opinionated or more willing to change their minds? Variott was a pretty meek kid who wound up joining the priory after college didn’t work out, so he’s really taken to being open to new information and always being willing to change his mind. You never know what new thing you’ll learn and how it might shift your views! He finds it pretty exciting

20. are they vengeful? Nah, he never saw the appeal in vengeance. He’d rather put as much kindness and care into the world as possible

23. what is something really dumb that irritates your oc a lot? The top shelf. Things are already hard enough to reach as an asura, but Variott is especially small for an asura, being maybe 2 feet tall at most, and he already has to climb to reach literally anything, so the top shelf just feels like an extra little insult. All the top shelves in his home are empty.

[ascalonianpicnic]

hey remember when sab was still happening? aka i’m finally posting some old screenshots ive had just sitting around Anyway Variott cut all her hair off during season 4 and it’s been in that regrowing phase ever since