augustawren

[augustawren]

So You Want To Make a Character..

I’ve got a few generators you can use.

Need some clothes?

Try Here

Here or Here Definitely here Steam punk clothing Char Style preference Dress

Need an Appearance idea?

Humanoid generator? check

Non-Humanoid? Got that too and this and maybe this Need Monsterpeople?  I’ve got you. Maybe you need Cats?

Need some details and shit like that?

Bam

Backgrounds and stuff? yep Personality. you need that shit Need something fandom related? World-building? location? got ya City generator hell yeah make your own god damn laws Oh shit someone died Landscape. CHAR DEVELOP QUESTION GEN Profile Thingy Have some dates Quirks

You thought I was done? Nope. Motha. Fuckin. Names.

So many fuckin names

MOTHERLOAD OF NAMES

Plant Names

Magic Book title

Just search ur ass up some names man

Items. Yeah. You heard me.

Medicine? got it

Items out the ass more items wow

Other shit.

Wow

Yep Plots More writing stuff This site has everything so fucking go for it Need AUs? How the shit did these two meet? Fanfic plots. you bet your ass. (tag me in the shit u write i wanna see what you get) What does it do thing (you come up with a better name for this one. fuckin fight me.

You bet your ass I will continue to update this. If you’ve got something I should add to this hmu. Now, go forth! Make characters and live yo life. UPDATE: Added more shit everywhere.

[augustawren]

*OC kiss week 2018*

so! i still haven’t seen posts about it and i absolutely adore oc kiss week and i want to do it this new year too!

draw your oc kissing another oc! your friend’s oc! fandom ocs and original ocs and ALL OF THE OCS KISSING ONE ANOTHER!

JANUARY 8TH TO 14TH MARK IT DOWN ON YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN!! 

tag everything as #ockiss18 !!

[augustawren]

For millennia dragons have raided and pillaged human villages for gold. Lately, however, they’ve heard of something called ‘wages’ where humans will just GIVE them gold for doing jobs.

[augustawren]

Writing Prompts

“He’s respectable, but, ya’ know, a little bit dodgy.”

“We only want to borrow the bar.”

“You said I’d have proper training!”

“No! I’m tired of doing what you say.“

“You must find it before the others do.”

“You’re too good for this world.”

“Oh my God. You’re in love with her/him.”

“Yeah, well it wasn’t funny.”

“It’s your turn to make dinner.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

“I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”

“I swear, I’m not crazy!”

“Go and live with her/him, then! See if I care.”

“You’re a nerd.”

“Good thing I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

“I’m ready to try again, if you are?”

“If we both stick to the story, they can’t prove anything.”

“Do you think he/she crashed the car on purpose?”

“Is that my sweater/shirt?”

“If only I’d just gone over when she/he called.”

“You must find it before the others do.”

“I think the room is bugged.”

“That’s starting to get annoying”

“The landlord changed the locks.”

“You’re cute when you’re sleepy”

“I did a pregnancy test.“

“You had time to call the police. Why didn’t you?”

“It’s Christmas, don’t be mad at me.”

“It’s cute when you blush.”

“How long have you been standing there?”

“You’re seriously a man-child.”

“Is there alcohol?”

“I told you, no more pets.”

“You’re bleeding all over my furniture.”

“Are you coming to bed?”

“You belong to me and you need to accept it.”

“I’m kind of a big deal.”

“I just want a nice, easy life. What’s wrong with that?”

“A smart alec witch, how original.”

“I have to take you to the doctor.”

“You were meant to be watching him/her!”

  “Well, this is where I live.”

“You make me feel like I’m not good enough.”

“I’m late.”

“I’m early.”

“Get out of the shower!”

“You smell like a wet dog.”

“Oh yes. We’re on.”

“The library is free.”

“You gotta get us a decent place.”

“Well, someone should sue them.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“When I’m as far away from you as possible.”

“That’s brilliant. That’s brilliant! Let’s do it!”

“Oh God, he’s serious.”

[augustawren]

i wanna be a little kid. i feel like trauma matters more when ur still a kid. no one cares abt the adult who survived. they care about the child who is surviving. im so sad how do i move on

[augustawren]

100 Art Objects, Historical Artifacts, and Miscellaneous Loot

A marble bust of a large-nosed woman

A richly woven carpet with nautical patterns

Soft, clean bedsheets sewn with golden thread

A portrait of a bashful looking tiefling

Eight matching silver cups

A ceremonial helm with a daisy motif

A coil of silken cable, intricately braided and tasseled

An ancient fertility sculpture

A nautilus shell

A stack of fine vellum

Richly embroidered blue sleeping robes

A huge tortoise shell

A polished silver looking-glass

A set of gem-encrusted cutlery

Silk handkerchiefs

A necklace thickly adorned with bright feathers

A small dragon skull

A collection of beautiful glass bottles of all colours

A snake skin of tremendous length and quality

Well preserved tapestries depicting an important historical event

A set of fine jewelcrafting tools

A chess set of excellent quality

A set of non-magical but intricately etched daggers

An ermine coat

Soft doeskin boots beautifully crafted for small feet

A collection of flags and banners once flown by nations now extinct

White silk gloves

A satchel made of glossy crimson leather

A rattle made from a cloven hoof

Paper pouches full of dried herbs and spices

A red and silver scepter

A porcelain doll garbed in a beautiful ballgown

A large bismuth crystal

A box containing several elaborately decorated animal masks

A glass orb containing a tablespoon of quicksilver

A vase containing numerous exotic feathers

A golden ceremonial shield featuring an unfamiliar charge

Ten large glass marbles of various colours

A richly illuminated, leather-bound manuscript of local history

A rare coin collection

A massive scarlet crustacean claw

Pots of powdered henna, turmeric, and indigo

A long spiral antelope horn, polished and banded in silver

Two oblong pearls of modest size

An exquisitely preserved fish fossil

A set of lavish quills and two pots of deep blue ink

Three canopic jars, and the broken lid of a fourth

A hand-carved, gold leaf frame, sans painting

A masterful portrait of a stern couple, sans frame

Beautiful horse tack

A glass jar filled with layers of sand of various colours

A snow leopard skin in fine condition

A huge vanilla scented candle

A wooden case containing two dozen bars of sealing wax

A hand-carved mash paddle made from black wood

A silver locket containing a lock of silver hair

A crystal bottle of perfume

A carving made from jet featuring the head of a gorgon

Twelve fine drinking glasses wrapped in cotton

A brass cast of a skull

An ancient ceremonial sword of a powerful queen, its blade half rotted away

A silver flask

A wooden frame containing a complex gear mechanism of unknown purpose

Pouches of very rare seeds that grow into valuable plants

A geode

A tome of forgotten ballads written by a legendary bard

A terribly gaudy cuckoo clock elaborately inlaid with silver and gold

A half-finished bolt of patterned cloth, still attached to the loom

A large tangle of coral

A church bell featuring a religious tale in bas relief

Gold candleabras

A brass statuette of a religious figure

Two oak barrels of alcoholic spirits

A sack of bathing salts

A box of lace

A folder stuffed with dwarven beer recipes

Spools of excellent leather cord

Medicated creams and ointments

A box of colourful makeup

A pouch full of glimmering pearlescent fish scales

A silver dog whistle shaped like a howling wolf

Ivory spice shakers

A jar of herbal honey

A large incisor on a leather thong

Powdered animal parts

Gold false teeth

A bulk lot of mundane smithed items, including locks, hinges, etc.

An empty silver lockbox with key

Elegant red skates

Blue suede shoes

A dried caul

A taxedermied platypus

A censer

Three wax likenesses, one slightly melted

A telescope

A set of tinkling hand bells

Coffee beans

Tortoiseshell combs

Copper bottom cook pots

A flanged steel plug of some kind

[augustawren]

Rations for various RPG Races

[[ Source. Original creator: wats6831. Additional information and images linked under each one. ]]

Universal:

Homemade artisan herb bread, home grown and dried apples and prunes, uncured beef sausage, munster cheese. Made a small bag from cheesecloth and tied it closed.

Discussion thread here.

Dwarf:

Garlic chicken livers, smoked and peppered cheese, spiced pork sausages, hard tack, dried vegetables, dried wild mushrooms.

Discussion thread here.

Elf:

Top left to right: Evereskan Honey Comb, Elven Travel Bread (Amaretto Liquer Cake with custom swirls), Lurien Spring Cheese (goat cheese with garlic, salt, spices and shallots), Delimbyr Vale Smoked Silverfin (Salmon), Honey Spiced Lichen (Kale Chips), and Silverwood Pine Nuts.

Discussion thread here.

Halfling:

From upper left: “Honeytack” Hard tack honey cakes, beef sausage, pork sausage mini links, mini whole wheat toast, cranberry cheddar cheese mini wedge, mini pickles, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, lower right is my homemade “travel cake” muesli with raisins, golden prunes, honey, eggs and cream.

Discussion thread here.

Half-Orc:

Wrapped in cheesecloth and tied in burlap package. Forest strider drumsticks, molasses sweet wheat bread “black strap”, aged Munster, hard boiled eggs, mixed wild nuts.

Discussion thread here.

Orc:

Orcs aren’t known for their great cuisine. Orcs prefer foods that are readily available (whatever can be had by raiding), and portable with little preparation, though they have a few racial delicacies. Toughs strips of lean meat, bones scavenged from recent kills, and dark coarse bread make up the bulk of common orc rations.Fire roasted rothe femur (marrow is a rare treat) [beef femur], Strips of dried meat (of unknown origin) [homemade goose jerky], foraged nuts, only edible by orcs….nut cracker tusks [brazil nuts], coarse black bread, made with whatever grains can be pillaged [black sesame bread], Pungent peppers [Habanero peppers stuffed with smoked fish and olives].

More images here. Discussion thread here.

Gnome:

Pan fried Delimbyr smelt, spiced goat cheese (paprika crusted hand pressed Fontina), Gnome shortbread (savory pistachio), glass travel jar filled with Secomber Red (wine), hard boiled quail eggs packed in rolled oats (to keep safe), dried figs from Calimshan, and Southwood smoked goat sausage (blood sausage).

More images here. Discussion thread here.

Lizardfolk:

Lizardfolk are known to be omnivores, forage for a surprising variety of foods found within the confines of their marshy environs, in this case the Lizard Marsh near Daggerford. Fresh caught boiled Delimbyr Crayfish on wild chives, coastal carrageen moss entrapping estuary brine shrimp (irish moss, dried brine shrimp), Brackish-Berries (blackberries), Blackened Dart-Frog legs (frog legs) on spring sprouts (clover sprouts), roasted bog bugs on a stick!

More images here. Discussion thread here.

Drow:

From top left: Menzoberranzan black truffle rothe cheese (Black Knight Tilsit), Donigarten Moss Snails (Escargot in shallot butter sauce), Blind cave fish caviar in mushroom caps (Lumpfish caviar), faerzress infused duck egg imported from the surface Realms (Century egg), Black velvet ear fungus (Auricularia Black Fungus Mushroom).

More images here. Discussion thread here.

[augustawren]

Honestly, I think the whole “don’t pay the writers” thing boils down to the notion that everybody thinks they can write. It’s the old saw about the novelist at a cocktail party having to hear someone say, for the millionth time, “I’d love to write a book someday.”

Someone–Stephen King? Pretty sure I saw this in a Stephen King foreword–once said they’d like to say to a brain surgeon, “Boy, I’d love to do brain surgery someday.”

We treat “the ability to put words into a sentence” like it’s just the same as “the ability to form a coherent narrative that engenders a variety of emotions within the reader and puts them in a scene and shows them what they didn’t see before”.

And that’s like me drawing a stick figure and saying I’m an artist.

Writers are constantly devalued because everyone thinks they have a book in them and don’t realize the level of skill and commitment it takes to finish even a short story, much less a whole book. 

This goes well beyond fandom, but man, I would’ve hoped fandom would know better.

[augustawren]

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE! Don’t ignore this in your writing!

[augustawren]

How's the writing going?

[augustawren]

Ship Street by reeks

There’s something about Tudor buildings I just love. The silly imbalance and top-heavy design of them always makes them look like they should fall over. I always imagine Ankh-Morpork would be full of them. The wizard staying at the Ship Street inn here is *obviously* up to no-good in his room..

[augustawren]

a small wisdom that I need to remember 🌿

[augustawren]

The most blindingly obvious, yet somehow elusive to my dumb ass, bit of writing advice I’ve suddenly understood because of this writing workshop is this: 

Your character needs to have a goal. 

In every scene, you character needs to have a goal. 

If you’re stalled out or having writers block over a scene have you asked yourself: what is my character’s goal in this scene? 

Link little goals together in a chain backwards or forwards from what you want the climax and end of the story to be, and now you have a road of little goals getting to the big goal. 

That is called a story. 

Why am I so goddamn stupid that it took half my life writing to figure this out???

[augustawren]

i even turned my NSFW porn blog Wren themed

[augustawren]

reblogging this to writing blog so i don't lose it!

screamingtofu

replied to your

post

:

tfw you try and make like an entire d&d party so…

That sounds pretty cool. Can you tell me about your characters?

Ummmm you wonderful beautiful person????? That’s so nice?????

It’s a little confusing, but I’ll try! This party is based around some AUs of my actual old d&d character, Wren, so you might need some backstory. But first I’ll just describe them!

Nova Hollytoe, a 25yr old halfling wilder. Neutral good.  -She has brown curly hair with a white streak in the front, a lot of freckles, and hazel eyes (one of which is half brown). She’s very slender. -A little reserved, careful, but has an intense inner fire. A “hot head” when she’s mad. Sarcastic and dry humor, but fiercely loyal. -She was born in northern halfling lands, and given to the innkeeper for him to find her a family before her mother disappeared. She was adopted by a couple, but after a year, orcs destroyed the town and killed almost everyone. Her adoptive grandmother managed to grab her and flee south, where she raised her. After her grandmother’s death, she travels to the nearby city of Dolbry, where she meets…

Devana Goodfellow, a 24yr old halfling bard. Chaotic good. -She has brown curly hair, brown eyes, is kinda chubby and curvy, and has very light freckles on her nose. -Sweetest person you’ve ever met. Cheerful, silly, kindhearted, generous. -Devana is the result of an affair (well, not really, he was technically separated) between Devlin Goodfellow, a v famous hero, and the not so famous, evil as hell mercenary, Lily Swiftheart. She was raised by Devlin and his wife, the (arguably even more famous, depending where you are) hero, Wren. She’s very close with Wren, and considers her to be her mother.

Sam Swiftheart, a 32yr old halfling ranger (and his yellow viper, Noodle). Chaotic neutral/borderline neutral evil? -Very ruggedly handsome. Blue eyes, dark brown hair to his chin that is always kind of windswept, light brown skin, and stubble over his strong jaw. -Surprisingly tender to his sister, Devana. Lacks empathy for almost everyone, but once someone makes it into his heart, they stay there forever. Selfish and charismatic. Doesn’t mind being brutal, possibly starting to enjoy it, though a part of him still worries he’s turning into his mother. Deep down is jealous of Devana’s happy childhood and hates Wren, and Devlin especially. -Lily Swiftheart’s son, that she was pretty horrible to. She moved him around, hiring people to take care of him, only showing up when she needed to use him as a pawn. Lily was imprisoned when he was 9, and Sam continued to be raised by the mercenary Lily had hired, very much raised in mercenary life. As he got older, Devana started to write to him, so whenever he was traveling nearby, he’d visit her. They became fairly close, and he let her name his snake.

[In campaign canon, Wren had a miscarriage, but in this, she doesn’t end up having one, and she never tells anyone (namely, Devlin, the father) she’s pregnant. She abandons her party, goes off to have the baby, gives her up, returns to the party just in time to help end the war. In that time, Devlin hooked up with Lily, Lily betrayed him and left him for dead. After the war, Wren hunts her down and is going to kill her, but Lily says she’s pregnant. They give her to the guards who imprison her, and when the baby is born, Wren and Devlin raise her. A few months go by, Wren is wracked with guilt over the baby she gave up, and she tells Devlin about it. This is around a year after that first baby was born. Devlin FLipS out because, um, WHAT?! They go in search of the baby, only to find the town destroyed and no hint of survivors, even in neighboring towns. This makes things incredibly strained between Wren and Devlin and it takes them several years to heal and get past this, but they’re dedicated to each other. When Devana is 4, they try for another baby, but Wren has a late term miscarriage and they lose him (she has a lot of womb related issues). Hits Wren and Devlin especially hard because it feels like the second baby they’ve lost. They don’t try again until Devana is 11, but then the babies start coming and they don’t stop coming!

Dates are arbitrary, just to show ages and spacing, not actually the date. 

Wren and Devlin build up a town for halflings, it prospers, Devana starts doing some work with them, traveling to Wren’s home city as she goes around discussing trade, which is where she by chance meets her (unbeknownst to her) half-sister, Nova! They have an instant friendship, and decide to travel together, and meet up with Devana’s brother, Sam, who immediately starts to give Nova the eye…]

They go on to meet more party members… I just haven’t made them yet and I feel a bit silly about it, tbh.

ANYWAY. That was WAY more information than you wanted, but I take any invitation to talk about my characters and run with it…

THANK YOUUUU

[augustawren]

Blog Name Change~

just lettin yall know that augustaqynn is now augustawren

the name of my blog changed to Always Aiwë, too. just in case you had no idea I was a massive dorkhole.

AND new icon, though I’m still on the fence about it.

[augustawren]

Kindred Spirits

Characters: Nova Hollytoe and Devana Goodfellow Universe: Flutter lives AU, mixed with an alternate Devana AU

Nova had never seen so many people in her life. Dolbry had always been close by, of course, but Grandmother Hollytoe would never take her. She said the people there lived unclean lives, against the teachings of Yondalla. So naturally Nova had always been drawn to it. It’s not that she hated Yondalla, but a life beyond the strict, pious rules of her grandmother was irresistible.

Nova’s eyes were wide as she looked around, the people bustling and pushing past her. A few older people did double takes at the sight of her, but then they shook their heads and walked on. Everything was… Dirty. Filthy, even! There were beggars, and kids in gangs slipping through the street. Merchants yelled out about their wares, or yelled at customers as they haggled. Everyone seemed to be yelling. It was so loud, especially compared to Lowhill, where nothing ever happened.

Nova reluctantly pulled herself out of her daze, and forced herself to move before she was run over. Her first order of business was to find an inn. She walked down the street, hiking her pack a little higher on her back and keeping her eyes open.

Dolbry had a funny smell, but for some reason she didn’t find it all together unpleasant. Nova didn’t mind the noise much, either. She felt strangely at home here, and grinned as she walked down the street, looking every bit the part of the tourist. She pushed her wild, brown curly hair behind one ear, the white streak immediately falling back into place across her eyes. She never could seem to tame that. She sighed and tossed her hair back so at least she could see, and went back to scrutinizing the signs. She took her time, eventually adjusting to the signs and dialect of those that occasionally gave her directions, working out that things like “glug house” meant pub, and “oink gallows” meant butcher’s. She never found the directions, or signs, particularly helpful, however, so eventually she just guessed and took a chance that The Shallow Tinker was an inn. It looked to be in fairly good repair, and a glance in the small windows revealed a halfling woman at the bar, which encouraged her. Nova took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.

“So then I said he better get lighter fingers than that if he hoped to steal from a Goodfellow!” the halfling at the bar was saying. The older man behind the counter laughed and slapped his thigh.

“That he’d better!” he agreed, then looked up to see Nova. His eyebrows raised.

“Oi there!” he called to her. “You lookin’ for a drink?” He leaned in a little closer to the girl at the bar with a chuckle and muttered, “Thought that was your mother for a second!”

“Gods, I hope not!” the girl said, “She probably wouldn’t be happy with how many ciders I’ve had!” She turned around on her stool to look at Nova.

At a passing glance, the two young women looked vaguely similar. The girl had curly brown hair very similar to Nova’s own, only without the streak, and looked to be around her age. Her body was more solid and chubby than slender Nova, however, and where Nova’s freckles covered her entire body, this girl’s were only very lightly splattered across her nose. Her features were rounder as well; Nova’s were almost elfin, so much so that her grandmother had sometimes wondered aloud if she had been left by faeries.

The girl grinned when she saw Nova, and waved as if she knew her.

Nova, still standing awkwardly in the doorway, gave her a tentative wave in return.

“Come on in!” the girl cried, and patted the stool beside her. “It’s good to see some other halfling girls in here!”

“I’m…. looking for a room?” Nova said, stepping forward a little.

“Ah, rooms we be filled up on, just now,” the man said. “Sorry, lass.”

Nova’s face fell and she chewed at her lip.

“Oh. Okay, thanks anyway.”

“Aw, c’mon, Arthur!” the girl at the bar said. “Can’t you find some room? She looks nice enough!” She turned back to Nova. “What’s your name? Are you a thief?”

Nova looked affronted and frowned.

“No, I’m not a thief,” she said, her voice tight, and turned to leave.

The man named Arthur chuckled again and the girl jumped down to cross over to Nova, touching her arm to get her to turn back.

“Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. Around here, thief isn’t an insult! Both my parents are thieves, and my mom is like a hero to this city!” She grinned and extended her hand. “I’m Devana Goodfellow, it’s a pleasure to meet you…?”

Nova studied her a moment, then took her hand and shook it.

“Nova,” she supplied. “Nova Hollytoe.”

Devana shook her hand more emphatically, her grin widening.

“Well! Nova! I was asking if you were a thief, because I was going to offer to let you room with me! You look new around here, no offense, and I won’t be in town long anyway, so you can have my room when I’m gone.” She looked over her shoulder to a disapproving Arthur. “And don’t worry, she’ll still pay you half the price of a regular room. How’s that sound?”

Arthur grunted, but Nova’s eyes narrowed.

“Why?” she asked, finally managing to pull her hand from Devana’s.

“Well, you don’t know me yet, Nova, but I love meeting new people, and I love helping out folks who look like they need it! It’s just the Goodfellow way!”

Nova cocked an eyebrow.

“I thought you said your parents were thieves. And… wait, Goodfellow?” She’d been too flustered to make the connection before.

Devana laughed.

“Yep! As in the Goodfellows. Heroes of Saumermere, Prince and Princess of Taber’s Run, along with Mom being the Dark Lady of Dolbry!” She laughed again. “Anyway! What do you say?”

Nova hesitated.

“Are you… Serious?”

Devana crossed her heart.

“As serious as serious can be. They’re the ‘rents! Right, Arthur?”

The old man nodded.

“Wren and me, we go back some thirty years! She’d send folks here when I was just starting out, and I’d give her a cut. Crafty little shit, but with a good heart. Brought this little lady here when she was just a few years old.”

“And… left you?” Nova asked, her frown deepening. Maybe leaving children at inns was common practice with halfling women...

“Gods!” Devana said, bursting out laughing. “No! Brought me to visit! Mom’s from Dolbry, we were just visiting!”

Nova shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t want to keep talking about being left at inns by mothers anymore. She was new to this city, it would be easy for someone to take advantage of her… But if this strange girl were the daughter of heroes, surely she’d be safe with her? And she seemed so open and honest, it was hard not to immediately trust her. Nova smiled tentatively.

“Well… Okay. I guess. I don’t have anything worth stealing, though. Just so you know.”

Devana giggled and clapped her hand on Nova’s shoulder.

“Come one, I’ll show you the room and then we can come back and get some food in you. You look exhausted.”

“Thanks,” Nova said dryly. Devana grinned.

The two went up the stairs and Devana led Nova to one of the doors lining the hallway. She opened it to a cramped room with one halfling sized double bed, a small table with chairs, and a dresser.

“Seven siblings,” Devana said, stepping in. “So I don’t mind sharing tight quarters, if you don’t!”

“Seven?” Nova repeated, her eyes wide as she followed Devana.

“Yep!” Then she shrugged a little guiltily, as if she were perhaps prone to exaggeration. “Well, five, really. One of them is older and I didn’t live with him. And another one died.”

Nova winced.

“I’m sorry,” she said out of reflex.

Devana smiled, but this one seemed forced to Nova.

“It was a long time ago. I was little. Do you have any siblings?”

“Um…” Nova shifted uncomfortably, slipping her pack off her shoulder and onto the bed. “No. I don’t think so.”

“Oooo!” Devana said, hopping onto the bed and sitting cross legged. She patted the bed beside her. “That sounds complicated! I love complicated! We’re kindred spirits, I can just tell. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours!”

Nova awkwardly sat down on the edge of the bed, picking at the side of her thumb.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t even know you. It’s kinda personal…”

Devana made a “pffftt” sound and waved her hand.

“Nothing’s personal between besties!”

“We’re…” Nova was baffled by this girl, but she chuckled in spite of herself. “We’re not besties!”

Devana grinned at Nova’s laugh and bounced a little.

“But we’re gonna be! I can just telllll!” she said in a singsong voice. “Okay, I’ll go first if you really want.”

Nova bit back a smile and shrugged. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t at least a little curious to know Devana’s story.

Devana straightened up and nodded.

“Okay, well, you obviously know of my parents, Wren and Devlin Goodfellow. Everyone knows them.”

She stretched out and flopped onto her back.

“But Wren’s not actually my mom, which a lot of people don’t know. The woman who gave birth to me was named Lily Swiftheart, which is ironic because she didn’t have any heart at all.”

Nova’s eyebrows raised and she cocked her head. Devana glanced over at her and gave her a wry smile.

“My dad got together with Lily when he and my mom were broken up. Then Lily betrayed him and almost killed him. My mom hunted her down and almost killed her, but Lily said she was pregnant, so my mom couldn’t kill her, lucky for me!”

“She was going to kill her?” Nova said, unconsciously scooting a little closer to Devana.

Devana wrinkled her nose.

“Yeah, Mom’s a little… She can be real serious when someone hurts someone she loves. You shoulda seen her with my first boyfriend broke up with me. It was all my dad could do to keep her from going after him.” She cleared her throat, like she was little embarrassed for Wren. “She’s been through a lot. Anyway! Lily went to prison, and when I was born, I went straight to live with my dad and Wren. She’s been my mom ever since!”

“Have you ever met your mom?” Nova asked, drawing one leg up to rest her chin on. She was so curious, and to learn that Devana also hadn’t been raised by her real mother made her have an instant affinity for her.

Devana gave her a wry smile.

“Of course I’ve met my mom, she raised me! But if you mean Lily?” She sighed and shrugged. “Yeah, I got curious when I was a teenager. They took me to see her, though my dad really didn’t want to. I think it was Wren who actually set it all up. She didn’t want me to have to meet Lily in a dungeon. She was trying to make it a good experience for me, and hoping the best from Lily, I think. So we met, with armed guards, at a little park. She’d made, like, a little knife thing, though?” Devana sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “She tried to use me as a hostage to secure her release. She even cut me on the neck a little.”

“By the Seven!” Nova cried, looking horrified.

Devana burst out laughing, looking over at Nova.

“My dad says that!” She shook her head. “But, yeah, it’s appropriate here. It really wasn’t what any of us were hoping for, that’s for sure. She said a lot of terrible stuff about my mom and dad, too, so I haven’t tried to see her again. She’s evil.”

“Gods, I’m so sorry,” Nova said, and found herself instinctively reaching toward Devana. “That’s awful.”

“It’s really not!” Devana chirped. “Like I said, Wren’s been the best mom. I never feel like I’m missing out.”

Nova swallowed her wince.

“You said you had an older brother? Is he Wren’s son?”

Devana shook her head. “Nope, Lily’s. His name’s Sam and he’s really cool, but he’s had it really rough. Lily was an awful mom to him, and hired another mercenary to basically to raise him, stepping in sometimes to, like, abuse him? I don’t really know, he doesn’t talk about it. Lily’s really terrible and messed with him a lot. But he and I keep in touch and he’s pretty shiny! That’s actually where I’m going in a few days! To meet him. In Avelry.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Nova said, feeling weirdly disappointed that she wouldn’t have much time to get to know her.

Devana nodded and rolled onto her side to look at Nova.

“Don’t tell my dad, though. He would not be happy. I’m just supposed to be here talking trade for Taber’s Run. They’re trying to teach me the meaning of hard work, I guess. They won’t even let me use magic to get around! I have to ride everywhere!”

Nova looked at her blankly. She had to walk everywhere.

Devana nervously cleared her throat.

“So, yeah, I have a lot of siblings, like I was saying! There was Garlan, my baby brother. He came when I was four, but…” Devana winced and for the first time, Nova saw her happy-go-lucky appearance slip slightly, and even though she was obviously in pain, it comforted Nova a little to see there was more to her beneath the surface.

“He died even more he got born,” Devana said. “‘Complications’ is what the midwife said. He started coming too early.” A little harsh laugh burst from her. “I guess I don’t actually love ‘complicated’. Not in this case, anyway.”

In the next moment, she had brightened and was smiling again.

“But then came Fisher! My parents were real upset about Garlan, obviously, and I guess they had lost a baby even before I was born, which was why they had broken up? Or something.” She scrunched her nose up, cocking her head. “They don’t like to talk about it. Anyway! So, they didn’t have Fisher until I was like… Eleven, but then they just kept having babies!” Devana giggled. “I loved it actually. I always wanted to be a big sister. There’s Fisher, Elora, Gillian, Dawn, and Pippin. In that order!”

“That’s so many kids!” Nova said.

Devana laughed and nodded.

“Well, Pippin was a surprise! He was just born last year!”

Nova sat back, shaking her head.

“Wow. That’s... intense.”

Devana grinned and sat up.

“Your turn, your turn! C’mon, Nova! It’ll be bonding! Share with meeee! I shared alllll that with you and now you don’t wanna tell me anything about you?!” She stuck out her lower lip.

Nova had to look away, trying not to smile. There was definitely something about Devana that made her seem trustworthy, and she really seemed genuinely interested in Nova.

“Uh, well, I was adopted,” Nova explained. “So I don’t know my real parents.”

“Oh, no way!! We’re both adopted?! Well, I’m only half adopted, I guess. Sorry, keep going. Oh, where are you from?” Devana asked, resting her chin in her hands.

“The Rillands,” Nova said, relaxing a bit. “My mother, she gave me to an innkeeper, to find me a family. Then she disappeared. So I was handed off to a couple to raise, but well, it was right after the war, and all that was happening with the orcs. They didn’t hardly ever come down so far, but you know they were expanding before the Gor’akai battle… and we were Northern Rillands and… Well. I only lived with my adoptive parents about a year before the orcs came. Destroyed it all and killed nearly everyone. Grandmother Hollytoe, my adoptive dad’s mom, just barely managed to grab me and escape. We fled as far south in the Rillands as we could, ended up in Lowhill, and that’s where she raised me.” She cleared her throat. “So, no. No siblings.”

Devana’s eyes were wide as she stared in wonder at Nova.

“Whooooa,” Devana said. “That’s so wild! Exciting!”

“I mean, I don’t remember any of it. And… Yondalla rest her, but life with Grandma Hollytoe was kinda boring. And she didn’t let me…”

Nova quickly snapped her mouth shut, but Devana’s curiosity was already piqued.

“Wouldn’t let you…?”

“Um, do anything,” Nova said, but she was not a good liar, and Devana, though Nova didn’t know it, was very good at reading people.

“Mhmmmm,” Devana said skeptically. “Well. Thanks for sharing! See, what did I tell you?” She beamed. “Best friends already! Why don’t we go get some food, huh? I had like two ciders on an empty stomach!” She shrugged guiltily again. “Well, nearly empty, anyway.”