lu-dao-writes

[lu-dao-writes]

Erick the Cloaked Wolf

I redesigned my Hound MC’s childhood friend. Meet Erick, the Robin Hood-esque leader of their former thieves crew.

Pronouns: He/Him Birthday: May 2 Height: 6’0 / 183cm Personality: Dutiful, pragmatic leader. He has a lot of older brother energy to his crew and the kids in the slums. Likes: Rooftop views, stupid jokes, strong alcohol, dogs, card games, when things go according to plan Dislikes: Shitty ale, brutes, the rich, tight spaces, surprises, owing debts Fatal flaw: Will always take the safest path, no matter what Other: He’s a decent guitarist. Once suggested, when he and Alon were kids, that they start a band and become the most famous bards across the land. And then he heard Alon sing…They became thieves instead.

More info about him below:

Erick is the childhood friend of my Hound!MC Alon. They met when Alon used their curse on his abusive father, and they escaped together.

In contrast to Alon’s friendliness and spontaneity, Erick is more introverted, calculating, cautious, and thoughtful. He never takes action without a well thought-out plan.

Their differences made them work well together. They challenged each other, each friend pushed the other a little outside of their own comfort zones, and in doing so, they made each other better thieves. Better people, too, for that matter.

One summer night when they were still children, on a lonely rooftop, Alon revealed to him their greatest secret — their cursed hands — so that he'd know the truth of what happened to his father on the night they met. She was prepared for him to run, but instead, he made her a promise. They would gather enough coin to find a cure and leave the walled city. Together.

Over the years, more and more misfits, runaways and victims joined him and Alon, and they became the Greycloaks. Grey for the stone walls that tower over the Outer District, for the mine smoke and factory smog, for the Fog and the Soulless that creep into the Shade and disappears its inhabitants to the indifference of the affluent Inner District.

Erick, being the one who usually formed all the plans and kept things in order, became the de facto leader of their motley crew.

Erick wasn’t born into a great family. His father often beat him before Alon did him in with her curse. Life at their old orphanage wasn’t much better. As far as he’s concerned, the Cloaks are his family — and he’ll do anything to protect them.

At first, they stole and did jobs together for their own crew’s survival, but as time passed, they started to give portions of what they stole to people who needed the coin and the resources, those in the slums where they grew up.

Eventually, they become something close to folk heroes in the Shade (slang term for the slums in the Outer District, which sits right at the border, hence always being in the “shade” of the city’s walls. It could also refer to the sunless mines and factories where the majority of the working class labour away, but it originally referred to the poorest parts of the district).

A little bit on Erick and Alon’s friendship:

It took Erick a while to warm up to Alon — after all, they didn’t meet in the best circumstances. Eventually, though, their goofy and friendly demeanour became safety. A respite from their hellish childhoods. A home.

Erick and Alon were very physically affectionate with each other. Having known each other for years, they’d fallen into a natural rhythm when it came to sharing physical affection. Even though he's one of the few people Alon trusts with touching their bandaged hands, Erick makes sure to avoid them, going instead for headpats, wrapping an arm around their shoulders, forehead touches, piggybacks, fireman carries, and using Alon’s head as a chin or elbow rest.

Alon doesn't often use their hands for physical affection but when she does — like when she plays with his hair, cradles his face or rubs soothing shapes on his back — he trusts them implicitly. 

He enjoys hearing Alon sing. They’re atrocious and he knows that, but he also knows they love singing and it makes him happy to see them having fun. That’s why he’ll always be her accompanying melody, even though there is absolutely no chance they’ll earn any coin from it whatsoever.

He gifted Alon their glasses, they were a commission. Erick, being Erick, was meticulous about making the glasses practical for their work — they were made to be durable and long-lasting, shatter-resistant so Alon wouldn’t suffer injury to their eyes if they broke.

If you have heard about sun and moon pairs, posing the question to either of them, they would see the other as the sun. A bright constant in the centre of their universe, bringing warmth and hope to all those in its orbit. I think others would see the two of them more like binary stars. They are each other’s sun, orbiting around each other, so closely intertwined that from a distance, others would mistake them for a single entity.

I made their relationship ambiguous — they could be read as very close friends or lovers or friends who pined for each other but never pursued romance for whatever reasons. But they were definitely family, and they loved each other deeply. The both of them would have been content just living out the rest of their lives together, wherever they ended up.

At first glance, he seems more serious and put-together than Alon, but once you warm up to him, you’ll discover that they’re both massive dorks.

He loves terrible jokes and dumb humour. He’d laugh at any dad joke. Fortunately for him — unfortunately for everyone else — Alon has a whole arsenal. They’d trade goofy dad jokes back and forth to the rest of the Greycloaks’ chagrin.

Erick has an eidetic memory, which comes in handy for casing a joint or making a profile about a mark.

He prefers to be a careful observer instead of the centre of attention, but if the heist calls for an impromptu performance, he’ll play his part. Even if he’s not looking forward to the teasing from the other crew members afterward.

Did a brief stint in underground fighting, where he met another future Greycloak. Later on, after he and Alon had formed their thieves crew, they stole her contract and freed her from the brutal business.

Wields a shortsword from his time as a Sentry, the guards at the city walls that exterminate the Soulless and other creatures of the Fog that manage to slip in. Although he has left the watch, he keeps the sword for any monsters that appear in the more vulnerable slums of the Outer District. Usually, he keeps his sword sheathed if he’s going up against humans. Soulless and other non-sentient creatures from the Shroud get the flash of steel. 

He prefers not to, but he can, has, and will rock someone's shit if forced into that situation.

He has a “no killing” rule — he’s a thief, not an assassin nor a vigilante. He has no desire to play judge, jury, and executioner, his only goal is to take enough to take care of the people he's promised to protect. Though that rule is swiftly abandoned after his betrayal.

He’s good at card games. Almost unfairly good. People have accused him of cheating before.

Has a soft spot for children, especially those who have had a rough go of it, similar to himself and the rest of his crew. If life had been different, he probably would have opened up an orphanage in the Outer District.

Has a high alcohol tolerance — he could probably drink a sailor under the table.

Erick is claustrophobic. Much of it is due to trauma from his father’s abuse, having been locked into small spaces as a punishment. He sticks it out whenever he has to, like on a job, but those who know him would notice the new tension in his frame.

His zodiac sign is a Taurus. 

MBTI type is INFJ.

Enneagram is 6w5.

And here’s his new full design:

I draw traditional, and I felt it when he extended beyond the page. But I didn’t want to start over so I just. Taped his feet on. XD

And here are some songs I associate with him, if you wanted to give them a listen:

“Dear Friend Across the River (The Bridge)” by Samuel Kim ft. Rachel Hardy I believe this is the song I listened to while creating his character.

"A Million Dreams" by Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, and Ziv Zaifman The promise theme. For the Hound origin, I liked to imagine the childhood friendship as something hopeful for the MC, and this song, being filled with innocent optimism and hope, is fitting for that.

“In the Cold” by Vincent Lima Erick's character theme.

"Eight" by Sleeping At Last A backstory theme that also fits him in the present.

"Safe Ship, Harbored" by The Crane Wives Too much has changed since that promise they made when they were children.

"Guns for Hire" by Woodkid Another Arcane song, it just fits so well for the betrayal.

[lu-dao-writes]

Yall mind if I publish this random smut idea I got?

Like the idea of a reader who runs a channel and occasionally pranks his bf, but his newest prank was a “staying out late/fake cheating.” Blah, blah, blah—reader gets his back broke while boyfriend uses the camera to record since you’re so into recording everything

(Was gonna do an anime character but can’t think of any for it so might just leave it as an OC / open character)

[lu-dao-writes]

HEY important, but there's a site called Citron Games which have been taking games off itch.io and uploading it to their site and claiming they're the publisher/copyright holder of them!

I've seen a lot of vns on there from devs I know/follow, but I've also seen some IFs on there as well.

I'd recommend checking the site to make sure your game isn't on there and if it is, issuing a DMCA takedown!

[lu-dao-writes]

he bit me and i said thank you

[lu-dao-writes]

Damn… I’m in one of them moods where I just simply can’t ignore the word “girl” being brought up over and over again in a oneshot/fic.

[lu-dao-writes]

What my depressive episode has lead me to🤪

[lu-dao-writes]

[lu-dao-writes]

Channa ✦ The Solaceful Singer

"I'll be the voice of your silence."

In the moonless dark of dawn, a beast sings to the prince's sorrowful sitar melody. Undead feast over the song they created, yearn for more eerie lament.

︎︎𓂃⟡.·

Original TS NPC? Original TS NPC ✋🙂‍↕️ or possibly an original Love Interest? 👀

He's finally here, y'all 🐅✨ one of the beasts that reside in the Kingdom. Channa, the royal singer, is often seen with Asmara, accompanying him on his sitar performance. Would you join and hear their stunning music? 🤍

[lu-dao-writes]

the only reason anyone bothers coming here is for the cheap rooms and cheaper drinks. perfect conditions for terrible mistakes.

[lu-dao-writes]

Mhin: The Hermit

[lu-dao-writes]

Wolfsbane reference masterpost yessir

[lu-dao-writes]

Me giggling at the others, and then I read Cirrus’s-

How do you think the LIs feel abt Vesper's endless rizz and their popularity with the audience?

Oooh, this is a bit meta, huh? We'll assume each fella is coming from the perspective of his own route.

Francesco He is not surprised! After all, he is deeply affected by Vesper's rizz, too! (And he's delighted to be the one on the receiving end of their rizz)

Keir Bafflement. Like, he likes Vesper after getting to know them (not that he'd want to admit that out loud), but what's with all these other people???

Oleander Is his ego a little bruised? Yeah. But it's pretty easy to soothe that ego when the rizzmaster is his assistant. Not to mention it's a confirmation of his excellent taste in people.

Cirrus He's fine with it. Of course they're a beloved figure — but that's what makes his ownership of them even more delicious ♥

[lu-dao-writes]

we all hope for your generosity, kindness and humanity with us. Please feel us, We have not eaten any food for two whole days! We do not know how to sleep because our intestines are torn from hunger. My children cry a lot 💔. Can you help us by donating $50 to buy flour for my children only? My heart breaks for them a lot 😓💔. We need your humanity very much. Please do not ignore our situation.🍉 I will be very grateful 🙏

I can't donate, but sharing to see if anyone else can help

[lu-dao-writes]

IM FROTHING AT THE MOUTH AT THIS SONG. GO LISTEN IF YOU WANT.

GOT ME LEVITATIN LIKE THIS-

[lu-dao-writes]

So I preordered Ateez’s Golden Hour part 3: Your Fantasy. I pray to the universe that I get Mother Hwa things 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[lu-dao-writes]

Drawn to moonlight

[lu-dao-writes]

SUCH BEAUTY

Oooo you want to pet his ears, ooooo you want to pet his ears so bad