just-norn-things

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@artfternoonteatea doodles!

Back to basics, sticking to greyscale, forever in love with my mechanical pencil.

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One year of Warmaster Torvi Scorchgear!

In honour of her birthday, y'all have 24 hours to ask me anything about her, and I am morally obliged to post it, no matter how weird or silly. Have fun!

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"just write a little every day" ok but what if i write nothing for 3 weeks and then suddenly type like i’m being hunted by god

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Elder Dragon Week 2025

Day 1 - Cycle

Written for Elder Dragon Week 2025 Summary: Glint whispers comforting words to her Scion as she prepares to say goodbye. Prompt: Cycle Content warnings: None, minor spoilers for GW2.

Hush, my child. It will be alright. By the time you hatch, I will be long gone. The other dragons will be at rest, for a time, and you will be alone. And yet. And yet, you will know me. You will know us all. You will have a champion, strong and brave, to guide you as you grow. And once you are grown, you will guide them in turn. Your life will not be easy. You will know fear, and rage, and pain. You will bear the burden of your destiny. But You will bear it well. You will succeed. You will know love. Love for your champion, love for this world and the people in it. Love most abundant, my scion. Rest now. Your guardians will come for you, and you will be safe from what is to come. The cycle will continue.

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Sorry to link spam but...I have a problem.

tldr: Two bars, one spa nook and a sauna.

The larger bar now doubles as a cat cafe.

Can I see your homesteads? I never really got to work on mine and I'm curious what kinds of creative things you guys got up to.

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Come one, come all! Have you ever seen so many merfolk in one place? Win big, and you could take home a rare specimen of your own! Why, just look at how... hale and hearty they all are!

[GORK] is proud to present our first ever MerMay art collaboration! We've spent this past month trawling all of Tyria's oceans and waterways for only the finest, freshest catch! As you can see, most of them survived the journey home, and some of them are even sort of happy to be here! (ㅅ´ ˘ `)♡

All featured OC's and their respective artists under the cut! How many friends do you recognize? :D

Cardamomo, Crow - @starlightsuncrow

Nisa - @dalennaugw | Eon, Haven - @where-is-caithe

Prunéan - @magistersieran | Harley - @antariies | Solomon - @gooseplumes

Uda - @jaded-cactus | Aahrtur & Achilles - @nurllius | Kara - @just-norn-things

Pepiya - @hawkepockets | Alba, Auruim - @sylvaridreams

Makko - @ratasum | Odetta - @wall-legion | Kippa - @ratasum

Eldrid - @commander-wame | Mourynn - @manasurge | Wame - @commander-wame

Harukehn - @harukehn | Saibh, Pliorre - @lackluster-draws

Wolfgang, Beckon, Ratthew - @twilightdomain

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Kara Naga for Mermay?

It's more likely than you think.

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3, 5, 8 for Ka-braham? :3c @ratasum

Non-wholesome Romantic Asks 🖤

Y'all are spoiling me with the opportunities to idiotpost <3

3) In what ways are they good and bad for each other?

Braham is good for Kara in that he reminds her to loosen up and have a bit of fun now and then. This is also the reason he is bad for her, or so she thinks. He's too distracting.

He very much enjoys being distracting, and never misses an opportunity to make her face look like this ^^^. Obviously, he doesn't think it's a bad thing.

She's good for him because she pushes him to be better. Braver, faster, stronger, whatever it takes for him to feel worthy to stand at her side.

She never encourages this or expects this of him, that pesky norn legend culture drives it.

If anything, she think she's bad for him because she expects him to get himself killed in the line of duty. He doesn't think she's bad for him at all.

5) Is the relationship living up to their initial expectations?

I mean, she expected him to die before they could get together, and he expected that she was messing him around and would turn him down eventually.

The fact that they are together at all exceeds expectations!

Beyond that, they always had a tumultuous friendship and one of the reasons they put off getting together for so long was that they worried they would argue a lot and cause drama for the guild.

Turns out, once they got together, the arguments stopped for the most part.

I'll give y'all three guesses why that was.

8) What would it take for them to break up?

After what it took for them to actually finally get together, a lot. One of them would have to do something truly horrific. As I mentioned in another ask, even death managing to part them at this point is dubious.

They did all their breaking up before they realised they were in love.

This is it now, for better or worse.

art by @/starlightsuncrow

dividers by @/soulbeastdragon

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ooooh, let's do 2, 6, and 13 for haelga and sigfast maybe?

Non-wholesome Romantic Asks 🖤

Thanks for the ask! I'm still developing these guys so it was super fun to think about!

2) Is their relationship toxic or unhealthy in any way?

Honestly, no. They have the odd spat and recurring gripes, but nothing worse than the answers to question 13.

6) What made them become a couple? What keeps them together?

They had been lovers on and off for a long time before they got together, but what made them become a couple was when Haelga found out she was pregnant with their eldest, sometime around POF.

They both adore kids and wanted large families, and so it seemed to make sense that when they found out that they were expecting a child together that they would give things a go officially. They had always gotten along for the most part, and it was very important to Sigfast that his kids had both parents around while they grew up, unlike his own upbringing.

What keeps them together is that they've found it just...works. They have similar tastes and...uh...appetites...shall we say? They are different enough that neither of them gets bored, and they have their own interests and jobs within the Lodge so they aren't in each other's pockets all day.

They have five children to date, and they are very happy.

13) Are there any regrets or unresolved issues between them?

Haelga sometimes wonders if their child was the only reason Sigfast decided to ask her to be his mate. She has no doubt that he loves her now, but it does bother her that he might have only initially asked to be with her out of duty, or because of his kid. They had known each other for a long time before that, and spent many a night together with no mention of feelings, so it is in the back of her mind that he had a very sudden change of heart.

She does bring this up in arguments.

He voraciously denies it.

She is correct, but he'll never tell her. He thinks all that really matters is that he fell for her roughly a year later, when he asked her to marry him.

He doesn't see any reason to upset her with the truth.

Sigfast thinks Haelga prefers it when the Commander is in her bed to him.

She argues that prefer is a strong word, and Kara is just better at it. Perhaps he should ask for tips.

And that's when the fight starts.

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Here for the ka-braham with a side of 7, 13 and 17

Non-wholesome Romantic Asks 🖤

Thanks for the ask! Let the idiotposting commence!

7) Is there anything that could have kept them from ending up together?

Oh gosh, many things.

Death, perhaps, though I think (given the opportunity) the survivor would have gone to the Mists guns blazing to drag the other back.

Failing that, each other. When they weren't getting along they were outright vile to one another, and any one of the things that were said and done could have kept them apart had they not been forgiven.

Failing that, other people. See, in spite of everyone seeing a mile off that these two adored each other even before they knew it themselves, nobody really wanted to see them together. Too complicated, too dramatic, and crucially, when getting along, too much mischief and drinking and norn debauchery.

The only thing worse for Dragon's Watch than ka-braham fighting, is when they aren't.

13) Are there any regrets or unresolved issues between them?

In a post EOD world, Braham's injuries meaning that he can't travel with her and fight like he used to causes a decent amount of tension.

In the early days, it's because he wants to and he's both annoyed about being incapacitated and worried about her because he's not fighting at her side. In turn, she knows he's not fit for battle and would be putting himself in danger, and after his life hanging in the balance while he recovered from his bond with Primordus, she doesn't want to risk losing him again.

Come JW, he's found his niche at home and is at least feeling useful, but part of him does still miss the excitement. She's still overprotective. He feels like he's being babied. She feels like he's being rash and stupid.

They still have that same fight.

That said, watching him heft rocks and lumber around their homestead in Janthir is starting to change her mind about his capabilities. We'll see what the future holds for them.

17) Is there a secret that they don't dare tell the other? Why? Will they ever say it?

Kara will never tell Braham that she has a weird thing about Eir's bow. To a point where she doesn't even like touching it.

She had her own bow when she and Eir met, and she learned to shoot from her folks as a kid, but once Eir was her mentor most lessons were with Eir's significantly superior bow, and having it in her hands brings back too many memories of "Head up!" "Both eyes open!" "You can do better! Again!" being barked at her. Even worse, it brings back memories of proud shoulder squeezes and triumphant grins and "Well done, Slayer."

And if anything, those memories hurt more, because Braham never got to have those moments with her, and she feels incredibly guilty about that to this day.

She never thinks of the bow as his, and she thinks that would hurt him too.

She will never tell him.

art by @/crownedinmarigolds

dividers by @/soulbeastdragon

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Non-wholesome Romantic Asks 🖤

1. Do they actually love love each other? Has it changed over time?

2. Is their relationship toxic or unhealthy in any way?

3. In what ways are they good and bad for each other?

4. Is there someone else who would be a better partner for either of them?

5. Is the relationship living up to their initial expectations?

6. What made them become a couple? What keeps them together?

7. Is there anything that could have kept them from ending up together?

8. What would it take for them to break up?

9. How do they feel about each other's exes and people who flirt with them? Is jealousy an issue in general?

10. Have they ever cheated on each other or considered doing so? If not, would they ever?

11. Have they ever hurt each other, be it physically or emotionally, intentionally or accidentally?

12. Do they argue often? About what?

13. Are there any regrets or unresolved issues between them?

14. What's an opinion they'll never agree on? How do they deal with that?

15. Do they have doubts about each other? Are those doubts well-founded or exaggerated?

16. How much do they actually trust each other? Was their trust ever broken? Can it be mended?

17. Is there a secret that they don't dare tell the other? Why? Will they ever say it?

18. What was the lowest point for them as a couple?

19. What's something they can't stand about each other?

20. What's something they'd change about their partner?

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Don't believe me if I tell you Not a word of this is true Don't believe me if I tell you, especially if I tell you I'm in love with you

Thank you to @starlightsuncrow for capturing their vibe perfectly <3

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Kara and Braham: 9, 12 and 30

Oooooh you picked some good ones, thank you!

Threw some below a cut as it got kinda long, but enjoy!

What is the most embarrassing thing they have done in front of each other?

Depends on your definition of embarrassing, I suppose. For this, we'll consider the POV of the sorry individuals who have to watch the absolute mess that is their early situationship.

The most embarrassing thing people have witnessed Braham do in front of Kara is deliberately get up to mischief/get lightly injured so she is forced to tell him off and help him out. This mostly happens during downtime in Sun's Refuge, when she is busy being a diplomat and Braham is feeling a bit like a spare part because nothing needs bashing at the moment. He's bored. He's slowly realising he's into her. He's watching her pay attention to everyone BUT him. He's watching her hug her vigil buddies and whisper in corners with Canach and have drinks with Rytlock and he doesn't know how to make her want to do those things with him, so obviously the answer is to get into a teensy bit of trouble.

Everyone can see it. Everyone is cringing. She is oblivious.

The most embarrassing thing Kara has done? Be very obviously jealous, whilst claiming she isn't jealous.

Picture the scene: Grothmar Valley, very early on, welcome drinks before things kick off, people milling around. Ka-braham has loosely admitted feelings back in late S4 but mutually decided to do nothing about it and continue to see other people until the whole dragon situation is resolved. Can't let feelings interfere with the task in hand, you know?

Well...

Kara is doing Commander stuff. Braham is enjoying some attention from a woman he just met. Nothing major, she's just sitting in his lap, giggling, stroking his braid, feeding him food, you know.

Now, bear in mind, everyone knows they like each other. They've been denying it to the hilt, but everyone knows. So everyone is watching. And everyone sees when Kara's nostrils start to flare and she starts tapping her foot, and nobody is fooled for a second when she saunters over, leans between them and casually starts eating off Braham's plate, stroking his neck and smiling benignly at this poor woman who is now utterly mortified.

And nobody is fooled for a second when she makes her excuses and leaves, damage done, and Braham storms out after her with a resounding:

"KARA, WHAT THE FUCK?"

Nobody uses her first name. Nobody. Until now.

What first changes when it starts getting serious?

The sneaky little touches.

Nothing obvious. Brushing hands and fingers, hidden in the folds of their coats. A hand on the back when nobody is looking. Standing a little bit too close. Hugging a little bit too long.

It's years before either of them will claim any of that means anything, but that's how it starts.

Why does it work (or not work) between them?

It works for the same reason that, early on, it doesn't.

By the time they get to S4, they are very similar. Kara's experiences over the years have made her more vicious and short-tempered, and for some reason, seeing her like that quells the fire in Braham.

Equally, she used to have a lot of patience and give him a lot of grace, being traumatised and young [they are the same age, but only physically], and once that is gone, it flips a switch in him. In short, he instantly grows up. They almost switch places in temperament, and they bond over working through it together.

There are a lot of fights along the way, mostly canon compliant, but once the furious fire dies, the embers stay warm.

And then, slowly, they begin to burn again.

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ship headcanon meme

Who? What? When? Where? Why?

I’m procrastinating. If you fancy it send me a ship and a number and I’ll tell you my headcanon.

1. Who makes the first move and how? 2. Who is the most insecure and what makes them feel better? 3. Who is the most romantic? 4. Who can’t keep their hands to themselves? 5. Who says ‘I love you’ first? 6. Who would they ask if they ever had a threesome? 7. What do they get up to on a night out? 8. What do they like in bed? 9. What is the most embarrassing thing they have done in front of each other? 10. What two songs, two books and two luxury items do they take to a desert island? 11. What do they hide from one another? 12. What first changes when it starts getting serious? 13. When do they realise they should get together? 14. When one has a cold, what does the other do? 15. When they watch a film what do they choose and why? Who gets the final vote? 16. When the zombie apocalypse comes, how do they cope together? 17. When they find a time machine, where do they go? 18. When they fight, how do they make up? 19. Where do they go on their first date? 20. Where do they go on holiday? 21. Where do they get nervous about going with one another? 22. Where does their first kiss happen? 23. Where is their favourite place to be together? 24. Where do they first have sex? 25. Why do they fight? 26. Why do they need to have a serious chat? 27. Why do their friends get annoyed with them? 28. Why do they get jealous? 29. Why do they fall a little bit more in love? 30. Why does it work (or not work) between them?

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Send me character development questions!

Anon or not, send in anything you'd like elaborated on, anything you're interested in, anything that's been left vague, or anything that strikes your fancy. For multimuses, be sure to specify the muse!

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for the ship ask game: torvi and gearstrip!

Ooooooh the lesser spotted ship! Thank you!

Who said “I love you” first

100% Torvi. Mangonel was very cautious about their relationship starting out, but Torvi wears her heart on her sleeve. Even if he didn't say it back, she wanted to say it, so she did.

He did say it back.

Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background

Mangonel for sure. He's very proud to have her on his paw, and keeps a picture of her in his pack at all times.

Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror

Torvi. She puts on a serious front when she has to, but she's definitely one to try and wring a bit of fun out of her day, by any means necessary.

Who buys the other cheesy gifts

This is fairly even, depending on your definition of cheesy. She tends to make trinkets out of scrap. Carved wooden charms, steel bangles, various totems for her warband etc, and Mangonel is no different in receiving these items that the warband finds very weird, but assumes is some sort of norn gesture of affection that they don't understand. Mangonel tends to go for gifts that are more practical, but also significantly more cheesy. Literally. Cheeses, meats, snacks that are easy to carry on the road. Women like snacks, right? Give that girl some snacks. He does his best.

Who initiated the first kiss

Kissing in a traditional sense is a bit of a challenge when you have certain...anatomical differences. Torvi initiated by rubbing her cheek against his, followed by a lingering kiss to his whiskers. He returned it by rubbing his muzzle on her shoulder.

Who kisses the other awake in the morning

Mangonel does have a tendency to gently headbutt Torvi awake. Kissing, not so much.

Who starts tickle fights

Torvi. The claws kinda make it unsafe for Mangonel to return the tickling, and it's good revenge for being headbutted awake.

Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower

Not generally necessary. The warband usually bathes as a group, usually in the bathhouse or a stream. Its quite rare that they aren't bathing together anyway.

Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch

Mangonel - see gifts and snacks. Torvi is usually much busier over the course of a day and does forget to eat if she's interested in what she's doing.

Who was nervous and shy on the first date

Mangonel for sure, and he didn't even know it was a date. He'd never been interested in anyone who wasn't a charr before and was terrified that she would take offense to his staring, or worse, that he'd hurt her.

His worries were unfounded.

Who kills/takes out the spiders

Neither are concerned about spiders, though they do have arguments about Mangonel eating them when Torvi would prefer they be released outside.

Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk

Mangonel adores his mate and doesn't care who knows it.

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SEND ME A SHIP and I’ll tell you:

Who said “I love you” first

Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background

Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror

Who buys the other cheesy gifts

Who initiated the first kiss

Who kisses the other awake in the morning

Who starts tickle fights

Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower

Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch

Who was nervous and shy on the first date

Who kills/takes out the spiders

Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk