nemo-in-wonderland - Tumblr blog

[nemo-in-wonderland]

☪️ ZIL-E-QAMAR | FIEND WARLOCK | SELDARINE DROW ☪️

Name: Zil-e-Qamar

Nickname: Zil, Ya Qamar (only Halim called her so)

Title: The Scorching Mirage

Alias: Aranea Baelfaer

Age: ≅175 Years Old (She never disclosed her real age to anyone)

Birthplace: Menzoberranzan, Underdark Hometown: Huzuz, The City of Delight

Current Residence: She is wandering Faerun without a fixed place. After meeting Gale, they would travel together back to Zakhara and reside for a while in Huzuz.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral but sometimes oversteps in Neutral Evil

Race: Seldarine Drow

Class: Warlock - The Fiend

Profession/job: Before the great tragedy that apprehended her life and forced her to flee to Faerun, she worked as a Scribe for the Grand Vizier Alyana al-Azzazi, a work she was immensely proud of. Visual particular traits: Standing at 183 cm barefoot, Zil is abnormally tall for a drow, and this is an anomaly for which she has no answer to give. Scent: Oud, Rose, Sandalwood, Saffron, Amber.

Colours/symbols associated with: The Colours of the Desert at Night; The White Heron that flew at dusk; The Sphinx whose riddles couldn’t be solved and whose smile couldn’t be understood.

Languages: Midani (mothertongue), Jaanti, Kadari, Infernal Language, Common Language, she is learning Undercommon.

Accent?: Before moving to Huzuz to embark on her studies at the Al-Bidr Sallah University, she spent her childhood and early teen years in Ajayib, the City of Wonders. Therefore, she spoke Midani with the regional accent of the Pearl Cities.

Tropes they embody: “Determinator”,” Implacable Woman”, “Deadpan Snarker”, “The Juggernaut”, “Broken Bird”, “Heartbroken Badass”, “Be Careful What You Wish For”, “Lady of Black Magic”, “Addicted to Magic”, “Dark Action Girl”, “Revenge Before Reason”, “The Dreaded”, ”Noble Demon”, ”Troubled Past”, “The Unfettered”, “Excessive Mourning”, “Long-Range Fighter”, “Love Makes you Evil,” “Roaring Rampage of Revenge”, “Squishy Wizard”, “Tragic Heroine”, “Tranquil Fury”, “Trauma Button”, “Violently Protective Girlfriend”, “Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds,” Personality: Determinate, Curious, Mischievous, Resilient, Resourceful, Intuitive, Loyal toward those she loves, Secretive, Mysterious, Empathetic, Charming, Charismatic, Seductive, Ambitious, Prideful, Focused to the point of Obsession, Stubborn, Manipulative, Vengeful, Can become ruthless is pushed, Emotionally Withdrawn, Short-Tempered. Detailed Backstory: Zil-e-Qamar was the adopted daughter of Valakos and Breessa, a couple of Faerûnian tiefling merchants who permanently resided in Ajayib, the City of Wonders in the Land of Fate Zakhara. Zil had a childhood of relative comfort and ease, not wanting for anything. Ever a curious child, sometimes too nosy for her own good, she spent her childhood between school, helping her parents with trading and inventorying the goods they received from Faerûn, and exploring the caves upon which the city had been built. She was a brilliant young woman, with an incandescent personality and a silver tongue and cheeky personality that could easily charm the people around her. She wouldn't take “no” for an answer, especially when embarking on a quest to discover and learn about all manner of topics, though her interest always dwelled on Magic and all its different aspects and how they intertwined and connect.

Ajayib, despite being the cradle that sweetly protected her throughout her most tender years, had very little to offer to her ever-growing thirst for knowledge. Soon enough, she made preparations to move to the Capital of the Land of Fate, Golden Huzuz. After being admitted to the Home of the Seekers of Knowledge, the Great University of Al-Bidir Sallah in the City of Delight, she enrolled in the College of Magic to expand upon her knowledge and understanding of how magic worked. She was a hardworking student, with her nose always buried in any book she could put her hands on. It was around this time that she became a devotee of Zann the Learned, the God that oversaw Learning and Intelligence.

Eventually, under the advice of Imam Renn min Zann, her mentor at the University, she sought to learn more about who she was and where she stood in the world. She enrolled for a period in the College of Fine Arts, taking classes about non-Zakharan history and costumes in the hope of discovering more about her origins. After graduating and deciding to continue her studies as a scholar, she took up the position of Scribe for the Imam, and it was during that time that she met Halim Ibn Tariq, a well-renowned Sha'ir and Vizier of Huzuz, advisor to Grand Vizier Alyana al-Azzazi, in a diplomatic visit to the University to report of its state to the Grand Vizier.

Having been assigned to be the Vizier’s guide, Zil found herself intrigued by this physically imposing yet apparently kind and soft-spoken man, who had all the authority that was expected of a man of his station and background, yet possessed none of the arrogance, a man of exceptional moral strength and vivacious intelligence, known for his even temper and warm laughter.

On his side, Halim also found himself fascinated by the young drow, the first he ever had the chance to speak with in his life, with her pale eyes always twinkling with curiosity, her insatiable need for knowledge, and her mischievous way of flirting with him. He found her company pleasant and when away for his duties, he found himself unable to stop thinking about her and her beguiling, infectious smile. Despite their mutual interest, they both believed that, due to the Vizier’s busy life and Zil’s own duties, the few meetings they had at the University were destined to remain as such. Yet, Halim extended an invitation to her to seek him out if she ever needed anything, either a favour or even just his company. Little did Halim know about Zil’s own resilience and way of making things happen the way she wanted. Zil applied to become a Scribe in the service of Grand Vizier Al-Azzazi, to be closer to the man who had completely captivated her. She obtained the position, thanks to her own merits and partially thanks to the good recommendation of the Imam. In time, Zil and Halim became friends and started to spend more and more time together, their mutual attraction growing and blossoming like the beautiful lilies that bloomed in the pans surrounding Hazuz when the rains blessed the city. It grew until being far away from each other felt more torturous than standing underneath the ruthless Zakharan Sun at noon without shade.

With the blessing of the Grand Caliph himself, they married and spent more than 10 years of blissful happiness. But the Court of Enlightenment was not devoid of intrigue, and Halim, with his progressive philosophies and advocacy to abolish the common practice of trading slaves, had drawn upon itself the malcontent of the slave owners in the Caravan District. He had fallen victim to a ploy that resulted in an incrimination for corruption and bribery.

Zil knew that her husband was innocent, having worked closely with him for all those years, and tried with all the means she had available to find who was behind all that scheming and bring them to justice to clear her husband’s name. But before she could do anything of substance, she was apprehended and charged with the accusation of being complicit and accessory to all of Halim’s crimes. Despite all her efforts, despite all her begging, she couldn’t find the resources she needed fast enough, and the accusations against her husband transmuted from corruption to treason that warranted a death sentence without appeal.

All Zil could do was witness the execution from her cell, not leaving her husband’s eyes for one moment, not even when the blade of the executioner came down and shattered her entire heart in the process.

Alone in her damp cell, shell-shocked and broken, Zil waited all night for her own sentence to pass, wishing with all her might that the moment would come soon enough so that she could be reunited with her husband once more. But, much to her dismay, during the darkest hour that preceded the arrival of dawn, the Grand Vizier herself showed up in her cell, maintaining complete secrecy.

All she carried with her was a note, carved in her husband’s handwriting, and the promise that, as a last favor to Halim, she would see Zil out of Huzuz safely. Zil escaped her own death, thanks to her husband’s foresight and protection, and fled away from the Golden City and beyond Zakhara, finally reaching distant Faerûn.

After Halim’s death, Zil assumed a new name, Aranea Baelfaer, and turned to every god and goddess in the pantheon, begging, imploring, and beseeching all of them to grant her the power to vindicate her husband and to see him one last time. But all her prayers and supplications fell into a deafening silence that reeked of contempt. Enraged with the gods for letting something like this befall a man as virtuous, kind, and compassionate as her husband, she didn’t give up and persistently sought the means to gain the power she needed, her mind and resolve sharpened by grief and rage.

Her obsession and focus would reach such heights that they resonated all across the Weave until they attracted the Patron who would finally answer her call and grant her the power she desired: Mephistopheles. Most treasured possession: Her husband’s jambiya dagger and a lock of his dark hair that she wore braided in her own; the last letter that he wrote her, that she re-read every single night before going to sleep.

Sexual and/or romantic situation: After Halim’s death, she decided to forgo any kind of romantic relationship, absolutely refusing to run the risk of facing the same type of pain she went through when her husband was killed. In her grief, she asked Mephistopheles to actually freeze her heart, putting it in a stasis. As a wager between the two of them, Mephistopheles added a small clause that declared if someone were ever able to thaw her frozen heart, she would lose her powers, her soul would be his and the contract would be considered fulfilled regardless of whether she had reached her vengeance or not. Zil humored him, secure in her belief that no one on Toril would ever be able to ever ignite the flame in her dead heart again. Last famous words indeed. Favourite place in Faerûn: She doesn’t truly have one. She finds Faerun excessively cold and humid. But if she were to choose one, it would be the Great Harbor of Waterdeep, from where she can see the City. What makes them happiest: She likes to create small illusions of her memories of her years in Zakhara and stare at them, wishing with all her might that they were more than just echoes from a distant time.   What makes them angriest: Any uncalled mentioning of her late husband was enough to provoke at best a death glare and at worst an outburst of pure ire. She didn’t appreciate talking about her past or about him with anyone, for her memories of him are hers and hers alone. What makes them laugh: She rarely laughed from the heart. But something that did make her laugh and gave her comfort was hearing children’s laughter. It reminded her of simpler times. Biggest secret: Who her Patron is and the terms and conditions of her pact with him. Obsession: Revenge. She sold her soul to Mephistopheles in order to gain the power she needed to grow as powerful as she needed to be and hunt down and kill whoever was involved in Halim’s betrayal and death. If the Gods didn’t want to help her in the path of vengeance, then the might of the Archdevils would.

soooo.

While on vacation, I had sometime to properly sit down and finally write Aranea's (or should I say Zil's?) proper bio, alongside working on her infographic (and I am SO HAPPY with how it turned out. I love doing this kind of things, I have done so many that I haven't shared lol).

I still need to add a few things as I keep playing the game, which is the reason why I haven't written anything about her current relationship with Gale, the other companions, or the Dream Guardian. But as I proceed, I will update this (or make another post, we shall see) and fill in what is missing.

In the meantime, thank you for reading her profile and I hope you will love this brainchild of mine just as much as I love her <3

--Nemo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

template by @arcandoria; abridged profile template by @lairofsentinel)

[nemo-in-wonderland]

☪️ ZIL-E-QAMAR | FIEND WARLOCK | SELDARINE DROW ☪️

Name: Zil-e-Qamar

Nickname: Zil, Ya Qamar (only Halim called her so)

Title: The Scorching Mirage

Alias: Aranea Baelfaer

Age: ≅175 Years Old (She never disclosed her real age to anyone)

Birthplace: Menzoberranzan, Underdark Hometown: Huzuz, The City of Delight

Current Residence: She is wandering Faerun without a fixed place. After meeting Gale, they would travel together back to Zakhara and reside for a while in Huzuz.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral but sometimes oversteps in Neutral Evil

Race: Seldarine Drow

Class: Warlock - The Fiend

Profession/job: Before the great tragedy that apprehended her life and forced her to flee to Faerun, she worked as a Scribe for the Grand Vizier Alyana al-Azzazi, a work she was immensely proud of. Visual particular traits: Standing at 183 cm barefoot, Zil is abnormally tall for a drow, and this is an anomaly for which she has no answer to give. Scent: Oud, Rose, Sandalwood, Saffron, Amber.

Colours/symbols associated with: The Colours of the Desert at Night; The White Heron that flew at dusk; The Sphinx whose riddles couldn’t be solved and whose smile couldn’t be understood.

Languages: Midani (mothertongue), Jaanti, Kadari, Infernal Language, Common Language, she is learning Undercommon.

Accent?: Before moving to Huzuz to embark on her studies at the Al-Bidr Sallah University, she spent her childhood and early teen years in Ajayib, the City of Wonders. Therefore, she spoke Midani with the regional accent of the Pearl Cities.

Tropes they embody: “Determinator”,” Implacable Woman”, “Deadpan Snarker”, “The Juggernaut”, “Broken Bird”, “Heartbroken Badass”, “Be Careful What You Wish For”, “Lady of Black Magic”, “Addicted to Magic”, “Dark Action Girl”, “Revenge Before Reason”, “The Dreaded”, ”Noble Demon”, ”Troubled Past”, “The Unfettered”, “Excessive Mourning”, “Long-Range Fighter”, “Love Makes you Evil,” “Roaring Rampage of Revenge”, “Squishy Wizard”, “Tragic Heroine”, “Tranquil Fury”, “Trauma Button”, “Violently Protective Girlfriend”, “Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds,” Personality: Determinate, Curious, Mischievous, Resilient, Resourceful, Intuitive, Loyal toward those she loves, Secretive, Mysterious, Empathetic, Charming, Charismatic, Seductive, Ambitious, Prideful, Focused to the point of Obsession, Stubborn, Manipulative, Vengeful, Can become ruthless is pushed, Emotionally Withdrawn, Short-Tempered. Detailed Backstory: Zil-e-Qamar was the adopted daughter of Valakos and Breessa, a couple of Faerûnian tiefling merchants who permanently resided in Ajayib, the City of Wonders in the Land of Fate Zakhara. Zil had a childhood of relative comfort and ease, not wanting for anything. Ever a curious child, sometimes too nosy for her own good, she spent her childhood between school, helping her parents with trading and inventorying the goods they received from Faerûn, and exploring the caves upon which the city had been built. She was a brilliant young woman, with an incandescent personality and a silver tongue and cheeky personality that could easily charm the people around her. She wouldn't take “no” for an answer, especially when embarking on a quest to discover and learn about all manner of topics, though her interest always dwelled on Magic and all its different aspects and how they intertwined and connect.

Ajayib, despite being the cradle that sweetly protected her throughout her most tender years, had very little to offer to her ever-growing thirst for knowledge. Soon enough, she made preparations to move to the Capital of the Land of Fate, Golden Huzuz. After being admitted to the Home of the Seekers of Knowledge, the Great University of Al-Bidir Sallah in the City of Delight, she enrolled in the College of Magic to expand upon her knowledge and understanding of how magic worked. She was a hardworking student, with her nose always buried in any book she could put her hands on. It was around this time that she became a devotee of Zann the Learned, the God that oversaw Learning and Intelligence.

Eventually, under the advice of Imam Renn min Zann, her mentor at the University, she sought to learn more about who she was and where she stood in the world. She enrolled for a period in the College of Fine Arts, taking classes about non-Zakharan history and costumes in the hope of discovering more about her origins. After graduating and deciding to continue her studies as a scholar, she took up the position of Scribe for the Imam, and it was during that time that she met Halim Ibn Tariq, a well-renowned Sha'ir and Vizier of Huzuz, advisor to Grand Vizier Alyana al-Azzazi, in a diplomatic visit to the University to report of its state to the Grand Vizier.

Having been assigned to be the Vizier’s guide, Zil found herself intrigued by this physically imposing yet apparently kind and soft-spoken man, who had all the authority that was expected of a man of his station and background, yet possessed none of the arrogance, a man of exceptional moral strength and vivacious intelligence, known for his even temper and warm laughter.

On his side, Halim also found himself fascinated by the young drow, the first he ever had the chance to speak with in his life, with her pale eyes always twinkling with curiosity, her insatiable need for knowledge, and her mischievous way of flirting with him. He found her company pleasant and when away for his duties, he found himself unable to stop thinking about her and her beguiling, infectious smile. Despite their mutual interest, they both believed that, due to the Vizier’s busy life and Zil’s own duties, the few meetings they had at the University were destined to remain as such. Yet, Halim extended an invitation to her to seek him out if she ever needed anything, either a favour or even just his company. Little did Halim know about Zil’s own resilience and way of making things happen the way she wanted. Zil applied to become a Scribe in the service of Grand Vizier Al-Azzazi, to be closer to the man who had completely captivated her. She obtained the position, thanks to her own merits and partially thanks to the good recommendation of the Imam. In time, Zil and Halim became friends and started to spend more and more time together, their mutual attraction growing and blossoming like the beautiful lilies that bloomed in the pans surrounding Hazuz when the rains blessed the city. It grew until being far away from each other felt more torturous than standing underneath the ruthless Zakharan Sun at noon without shade.

With the blessing of the Grand Caliph himself, they married and spent more than 10 years of blissful happiness. But the Court of Enlightenment was not devoid of intrigue, and Halim, with his progressive philosophies and advocacy to abolish the common practice of trading slaves, had drawn upon itself the malcontent of the slave owners in the Caravan District. He had fallen victim to a ploy that resulted in an incrimination for corruption and bribery.

Zil knew that her husband was innocent, having worked closely with him for all those years, and tried with all the means she had available to find who was behind all that scheming and bring them to justice to clear her husband’s name. But before she could do anything of substance, she was apprehended and charged with the accusation of being complicit and accessory to all of Halim’s crimes. Despite all her efforts, despite all her begging, she couldn’t find the resources she needed fast enough, and the accusations against her husband transmuted from corruption to treason that warranted a death sentence without appeal.

All Zil could do was witness the execution from her cell, not leaving her husband’s eyes for one moment, not even when the blade of the executioner came down and shattered her entire heart in the process.

Alone in her damp cell, shell-shocked and broken, Zil waited all night for her own sentence to pass, wishing with all her might that the moment would come soon enough so that she could be reunited with her husband once more. But, much to her dismay, during the darkest hour that preceded the arrival of dawn, the Grand Vizier herself showed up in her cell, maintaining complete secrecy.

All she carried with her was a note, carved in her husband’s handwriting, and the promise that, as a last favor to Halim, she would see Zil out of Huzuz safely. Zil escaped her own death, thanks to her husband’s foresight and protection, and fled away from the Golden City and beyond Zakhara, finally reaching distant Faerûn.

After Halim’s death, Zil assumed a new name, Aranea Baelfaer, and turned to every god and goddess in the pantheon, begging, imploring, and beseeching all of them to grant her the power to vindicate her husband and to see him one last time. But all her prayers and supplications fell into a deafening silence that reeked of contempt. Enraged with the gods for letting something like this befall a man as virtuous, kind, and compassionate as her husband, she didn’t give up and persistently sought the means to gain the power she needed, her mind and resolve sharpened by grief and rage.

Her obsession and focus would reach such heights that they resonated all across the Weave until they attracted the Patron who would finally answer her call and grant her the power she desired: Mephistopheles. Most treasured possession: Her husband’s jambiya dagger and a lock of his dark hair that she wore braided in her own; the last letter that he wrote her, that she re-read every single night before going to sleep.

Sexual and/or romantic situation: After Halim’s death, she decided to forgo any kind of romantic relationship, absolutely refusing to run the risk of facing the same type of pain she went through when her husband was killed. In her grief, she asked Mephistopheles to actually freeze her heart, putting it in a stasis. As a wager between the two of them, Mephistopheles added a small clause that declared if someone were ever able to thaw her frozen heart, she would lose her powers, her soul would be his and the contract would be considered fulfilled regardless of whether she had reached her vengeance or not. Zil humored him, secure in her belief that no one on Toril would ever be able to ever ignite the flame in her dead heart again. Last famous words indeed. Favourite place in Faerûn: She doesn’t truly have one. She finds Faerun excessively cold and humid. But if she were to choose one, it would be the Great Harbor of Waterdeep, from where she can see the City. What makes them happiest: She likes to create small illusions of her memories of her years in Zakhara and stare at them, wishing with all her might that they were more than just echoes from a distant time.   What makes them angriest: Any uncalled mentioning of her late husband was enough to provoke at best a death glare and at worst an outburst of pure ire. She didn’t appreciate talking about her past or about him with anyone, for her memories of him are hers and hers alone. What makes them laugh: She rarely laughed from the heart. But something that did make her laugh and gave her comfort was hearing children’s laughter. It reminded her of simpler times. Biggest secret: Who her Patron is and the terms and conditions of her pact with him. Obsession: Revenge. She sold her soul to Mephistopheles in order to gain the power she needed to grow as powerful as she needed to be and hunt down and kill whoever was involved in Halim’s betrayal and death. If the Gods didn’t want to help her in the path of vengeance, then the might of the Archdevils would.

soooo.

While on vacation, I had sometime to properly sit down and finally write Aranea's (or should I say Zil's?) proper bio, alongside working on her infographic (and I am SO HAPPY with how it turned out. I love doing this kind of things, I have done so many that I haven't shared lol).

I still need to add a few things as I keep playing the game, which is the reason why I haven't written anything about her current relationship with Gale, the other companions, or the Dream Guardian. But as I proceed, I will update this (or make another post, we shall see) and fill in what is missing.

In the meantime, thank you for reading her profile and I hope you will love this brainchild of mine just as much as I love her <3

--Nemo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

template by @arcandoria; abridged profile template by @lairofsentinel)

[nemo-in-wonderland]

Also, fml, I am going to AMP UP the self-indulgence, and I am just going to draw myself as a freaking Tiefling Bard, always looming in the shadows of all the TAVs and OCs lololol.

BECAUSE I CAN.

AND WE ARE GOING WITH A BARD DROW CHARACTER FOR ASTARION!! WHOOO HOOO LET'S GOOOOOO.

A.K.A.

Nemo is just looking for excuses to draw characters with beautiful, elaborate fantasy outfits because my eternal itch to design characters CAN NEVER BE FULLY SATISFIED.

Seriously, it's an itchy festival in my brain, when it comes to create characters. I just thrive on this. I LIVE FOR THIS.

[nemo-in-wonderland]

No matter what, she will always be my Best Girl <3

So, while taking a moment of respite from playing from BG3 in order to read some lore, I HAD to actually put on (digital) paper the vision I had of how my Dorothea would look if she were a Cleric busy running around in Faerûn and omg I am so happy with how she has turned out :D (a cookie for whoever guess the Deity she is affiliated with - and no, it's not Selune, that's Mathias's lololol). Seriously, the role of Cleric for Dorothea is just *perfect*. Even the weapons used by this class complement her! I am trying to read some lore in order to figure out her backstory, and I am loving what I have so far (but omg the fear of Missing Out details because this whole setting has SO MUCH LORE. It wasn't since the time of VtM that I haven't felt so overwhelmed lolol).

I have a small idea that I want to do with all the 5 original characters that I have for this particular fandom (Aranea, Azriel, Mathias, Dorothea and the Tav for Astarion that I am YET to name lol), so we shall see what will come out of this.

In the meanwhile, I hope you will enjoy my Cleric!Dorothea! <3

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

So.

The brainstorming is still going STRONG, and I am pretty satisfied with the direction it took.

so allow me to show you a small sneak peek of my SWASHBUCKLING, HEART-STEALING, ERROL FLINN-ESQUE TIEFLING.

MY ADORED AZRIEL, HERE TO STEAL HEARTS AND MAKE RAPHAEL GO *INSANE*.

The Lady doth have skills alright!

Seriously, I am SO HAPPY I was able to *finally* create a character whose whole vibes was inspired by The Musketeers (just wait until you see her with her feathered hat. I drew it, but I am still deciding on the colors lolol), and Princess Bride and Stardust and Robin Hood!

GODS, I AM SO HAPPY WITH HOW SHE IS TURNING OUT! :D

Cannot wait to finish her and properly work on her background! --Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

ARANEA BAELFAER - BIO Name: Aranea Baelfaer Age: 150 years old Height: 1.83m (6'0'') Race: Seldarine Drow Class: Warlock Background: Sage Hometown: Huzuz, The City of Delights (Continent of Zakhara) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral LI: Gale Dekarios

SO.

I am finally done with Aranea's design and lemme tell you, I AM SO HAPPY WITH HOW SHE TURNED OUT.

Now I am working on her general backstory and background, but because I am a noob at D&D, I have a bit of Lore to catch up with 😅😅😅.

For the moment, I have decided that she hails from the far-away continent of Zakhara (ngl, I love desert settings), and that she entered a pact with a Fey to escape an unfortunate situation she found herself into.

Buuuut I am looking forward to add more to her and to her love story with Professor Dekarios (ohh the bantering. So much bantering. She has a silver tongue that match the silver in her hair!)

I hope you will like her <3

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

ARANEA BAELFAER - BIO Name: Aranea Baelfaer Age: 175 years old Height: 1.83m (6'0'') Race: Seldarine Drow Class: Warlock Background: Sage Hometown: Huzuz, The City of Delights (Continent of Zakhara) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral LI: Gale Dekarios

SO.

I am finally done with Aranea's design and lemme tell you, I AM SO HAPPY WITH HOW SHE TURNED OUT.

Now I am working on her general backstory and background, but because I am a noob at D&D, I have a bit of Lore to catch up with 😅😅😅.

For the moment, I have decided that she hails from the far-away continent of Zakhara (ngl, I love desert settings), and that she entered a pact with a Fey to escape an unfortunate situation she found herself into.

Buuuut I am looking forward to add more to her and to her love story with Professor Dekarios (ohh the bantering. So much bantering. She has a silver tongue that match the silver in her hair!)

I hope you will like her <3

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

YOU KNEW IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.

YOU KNEW IT.

Leave me at my desk with music that just touches the most profound chords of my heart (and this man has done it, fml), and I will give you DA FLUFF.

And that scene.

GODS THAT SCENE.

THAT SCENE RENDERED ME A BLABBERING CRYING MESS.

IF YOU KNOW ME BY NOW, MY LOVE FOR THE STARS AND THE SEA, YOU *KNOW* THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE ON ME AND THAT IT WOULD INSPIRE ME TO DRAW.

Gods, I love this man.

WELL, LET ME GO BACK AND WORK PROPERLY ON THIS (also for the love of the gods, be merciful, I have been this WIP of Aranea and Gale for an hour, so I am still learning all his traits lololol)

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

MAN-BUN IT IS.

As the brainrotting continue without rest, the real question now is

Drawing Gale with his manbun or without it??

ngl, with manbun he gives me LOTS of Alexios vibes

[nemo-in-wonderland]

@dominas-bg3-bullshit it's the smile.

THAT'S A KILLER SMILE IF I EVER SAW ONE (and I saw *MANY*).

Bloody Hell. the brainrot is REAL.

FML.

IT'S REAL.

I have been rewatching non stop a particular scene with my Chosen Companion, AND BLOODY HELL.

THE FEELINGS.

GODS.

ALL THE FEELINGS.😭😭😭😭😭

IT GAVE ME AN IDEA FOR DRAWING SUCH SWEET, MAGIC KISS.

GODS, ALL THE SWEETNESS.

GODS, ALL THE FLUFF.

THIS MAN HAS ME BY THE THROAT (in the gentlest way possible).

[nemo-in-wonderland]

As the brainrotting continue without rest, the real question now is

Drawing Gale with his manbun or without it??

ngl, with manbun he gives me LOTS of Alexios vibes

[nemo-in-wonderland]

So.

As I said earlier this afternoon, I caught a case of the Baldur's Gate 3 Fever and, despite being unable to play the game, I couldn't resist and start brainstorm around the appearance of my Tav. (If you have been with me for a while, you know that I can never pass the opportunity of coming up with a new OC and their fashionable wardrobe).

So, allow me to present a small wip of my newest brainchild, Aranea, my Seldarine Drow Warlock. I am still in the brainstorming phase in regards of her personality and past and general story, but for now I have decided that she is going to fall in the "fashionable sassy" category of my ocs. She is one sassy smartypant, lemme tell ya.

I already love her. 💓

(I dare you to bet who she is going to romance. I DARE Y'ALL.)

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

Update: since I saw this WIP keeps getting reblogged, please, do consider taking a look to the final version here

So.

As I said earlier this afternoon, I caught a case of the Baldur's Gate 3 Fever and, despite being unable to play the game, I couldn't resist and start brainstorm around the appearance of my Tav. (If you have been with me for a while, you know that I can never pass the opportunity of coming up with a new OC and their fashionable wardrobe).

So, allow me to present a small wip of my newest brainchild, Aranea, my Seldarine Drow Warlock. I am still in the brainstorming phase in regards of her personality and past and general story, but for now I have decided that she is going to fall in the "fashionable sassy" category of my ocs. She is one sassy smartypant, lemme tell ya.

I already love her. 💓

(I dare you to bet who she is going to romance. I DARE Y'ALL.)

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

"I found a love, for me Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me 'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love Not knowing what it was I will not give you up this time But darling, just kiss me slow Your heart is all I own And in your eyes, you're holding mine Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, With you between my arms Barefoot on the grass Listening to our favourite song When you said you looked a mess I whispered underneath my breath But you heard it Darling, you look perfect tonight."

"Perfect" - Ed Sheeran

Hiyo everyone <3

Long time no see! I am sorry for going MIA, but I found myself in need to spend time away from the internet and social media in general, and complete rest from drawing or writing and sharing it online. My mind was a mess, a whole buzzing beehive and I felt like drowning too often, so I needed to take a small step back and rest up a bit.

But, for my bday, I decided to post one small artwork of my best boy and best girl together during their wedding day (because I realized that I never truly draw them when they became Wife and Husband <3). I hope you will like this <3

Take care!

Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

Hiyo everyone <3

I hope you are all doing ok!

I am sorry for going MIA, I consciously took a hiatus from the internet for my own mental health's sake (the Winter Big Sad is still lingering around, I am afraid).

But I have been active offline, creatively speaking, and putting my mind into trying to experiment a little with my style and find one that would please me! So, after so long, allow me to share just this small practice I did with my darling Dorothea (I did them all in under an hour, please be clement with me😅) and I like the direction I am taking :)

Please take care everyone, it do be rough out there!

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

Dover, 26th December 1872

The house was quiet, as the middle of the night approached. The staff of the house was peacefully sleeping in their beds, all resting and dreaming of the past festive days as the snow outside danced away, shimmering crystal swirling in a waltzing tempo, twirling with the wind that blew from the sea, not so far away. It was a gentle snowfall, one that had enveloped the entire world in its protective cover. Dorothea had been sitting by the windowsill of her childhood bedroom in Dover for the greatest part of the evening, lost as she was in that dance that always entranced her like nothing else in the world. A book - Alice through the Looking Glass - was sitting just besides her elbow, still opened to the page where Dorothea had interrupted her reading.

She turned her eyes away from that spectacle of silent beauty, and glanced over her shoulder, finding the antique clock nestled on the mantlepiece. Almost midnight. Boxing day was almost over. Had it not it been that late, she would had taken her violin and played a merry tune. She felt her fingers tingling with impatience, her mind running as fast as wild horses in a prairie, as she chased melody after melody. She sighed in quiet resignation as she snuggled once more against the soft worn out hostelry of the old love seat that she had pushed against window, to better behold the spectacle that the wintery night was offering her. She reached out toward the window and opened it, uncaring about the cold, just so she could hear the far away crushing of the waves against the shore, a sound that always brought her peace of mind and spirit. Despite the difficulties in breathing that her swollen womb brought and the sharp pains in her legs each time she tried to rest in her bed, she was always careful in her movements, careful not to wake the little one she carried, the sweet love that was finally sleeping inside her belly. An elated smile widened on her face, her nose wrinkling with absolute mirth as her thoughts about her son started to chased one after the other . Somehow, she always saw a tiny dark haired baby, with joyous hazel eyes and beautiful freckles all over his tiny face, dimples on his chubby cheeks and a small mouth always smiling in mirth. She was never one to care about flight of fancy, but the closer she approached the estimated day of her little one’s birth, the more she found herself awake and wonder which one of her thoughts would turn out to be the truth. “You’ll catch a cold with that window opened, Goldilocks,” Dorothea turned and her smile transformed in an even sweeter one at the sight of the man standing at the door, his voice husky from sleep.

“I needed a breath of fresh air, dearest. It can be so stuffy in here,” She said, opening her arms in a silent invitation to reach her and sit with her. “What are you doing still awaken? You need to rest, love.” “ I wish. I could not find a way to be comfortable in bed, I am afraid. I have the moon in my blood tonight. What about you?” Jacob yawned, as he sat besides her and took her in his lap. “Couldn’t find a way to be comfortable either. The bed felt too empty.” he grinned, winking at her and tickling under her chin. “You were so tired after taking care of that situation in London, I did not have the heart to disturb you,” she murmured, giggling when she felt Jacob’s lips brushing against her collarbone, kissing her skin ever so gently. “You should have though, Dottie,” he whispered back not unkindly, wrapping both of them with the soft bearskin that Dorothea had been using earlier. “Wake me up, if you aren’t feeling well. I might not be able to do much, but I can at least be of company,” “Oh dearest, I was feeling perfectly fine. Just unable to enter Morpheus’ realm.” She giggled when she saw his brow raising, a skeptical light lighting up on his face. She cupped his cheeks with her hands, resting her forehead against his, allowing the warm fuzzy feeling of happiness blooming in her chest when she looked at those eyes that she loved more than anything in that world. Yes, she caught herself thinking again, she truly hoped their child would have his eyes. “I promise, I am completely fine, Jacob. Had something been wrong with me, I would have told you right away. Your son just decided that it would have been a tremendous idea trying to stretch his legs around,” Jacob’s face lit up again, sweet fondness transforming his face entirely. “Emmett’s being a little rascal?”

“No more nor less than his father usually is, I assure you,” She chuckled, as she pressed a long kiss against his temple. “He has been tumbling around all evening, poor sweetling. Not much space left in there,” Jacob’s warm hand brushed her swollen womb, resting a little longer when he could feel the soft outline of his child’s head. “It won’t be long now, little one,” he murmured, the tone of his voice sweeter than ever, despite the worried look in his eyes. Dorothea furrowed her eyebrows, her gaze turning inquisitive. “What’s wrong, Jacob?” He stood quiet for a moment, lips thinning as thoughts after thoughts mulled all over his face. “I just realized now…it really won’t be long now until Emmett’s here with us,” he started whispering, locking his gaze with his wife, trying to find some comfort in those sweet eyes that always looked at him as if he had put the Sun in the sky. “And…what if I end up being like Ethan? What if I end up making mistake after mistake, ruining our child's life because it will turn out I am not so different from…from him?“ She caressed his cheek, her knuckles following the outline of his face with delicate attention, trying as she might to give all the courage she carried in her heart through that small contact. “I know you are terrified. I know. I share your sentiment. I am petrified that I will not be able to fill my role as I should, that I will not give our child what he deserves and needs, just like my own father did to me.” She sighed, turning sad for a moment. “I cannot lie and say that we will not make mistakes, Jacob, because… we are humans. To err is in our nature. It is inevitable,” she scooted closer, now enveloping the man in her arms, bringing his head against her chest, gently kissing his dark hair. “But I also know something else, something that always gives me strength and bring me comforts when I lie in bed, and worriment takes over my senses: we are in this together. We know what our sires’ mistakes were, what they had caused us with their actions, so we already know what path not to follow. So long you hold my hand and I hold yours, so long we walk together side by side, we will not stray away. You will see.” Jacob’s lips thinned even more, his grip growing stronger around her body, as he felt his chest tightening as it always did when a particular thought squeezed his heart without mercy. “I don’t want to lose you,” he murmured, allowing her perfume of orange blossom to envelope his whole being and tear him away from his biggest fear. “My father lost my mother, and it broke him. I can’t lose you, Dorothea. I can’t. I just can’t. Not after we found each other again. It-It will break me. Completely.”

Dorothea sighed, her eyes turning sad: she knew those thoughts were always there, keeping him their prisoner with their invisible chains. She had seen it in the way he had been throughout her whole pregnancy, the way he would always pace around the house whenever she wasn’t feeling as energetic or as active, the way his own sleep had become so incredibly light he would wake up at sounds so faint, she could not hear at all. With a gentle hand, she raised his chin, and as he had done earlier, now she locked her eyes with him, pure determination blazing within her chest. “It will not happen, Jacob. I promise you, it will not happen. No force on this Earth or beyond this Life will pull me away from you. My time is not up yet, and I have every intention to grow old with you, so long you will have me by your side,” she caressed a wayward lock of dark hair away from his eyes, and smiled. She felt his shoulders relaxing a little, but the tension in grip was still palpable. “How about we go back to bed together and try to sleep some more? You truly need to rest,” she suggested as she tenderly kissed his closed eyelids with all the sweetness she was capable off. “I have the feeling that tomorrow will be an eventful day,” “Will you read me something first?” he asked, still feeling the tension in the way his jaw tightened. Her voice was one of the few things that always helped soothe his nerves. “Of course, my love. Anything for you.” Carefully leaning, she took the book still standing on the windowsill when suddenly, she felt a small nudge on the side of her belly and laughed. ”Apparently, your son is awake again,” Jacob placed one hand over the spot Dorothea was pointing, and was rewarded with another nudge. A smile widened on his face once more. His worries were all still there, still swimming just beneath the surface of his composure: but he knew that Dorothea’s words were true, and they brought some peace in his soul. She was right. They would make it. Together.

“ He decided that he wants to go back to Wonderland with us, eh? We have a Alice’s admirer at our hands,” he murmured, his smile growing wider. Dorothea laughed, as she combed through the book to find the piece she was looking for. “If he is anything like you, more like a Cheshire Cat in the making,” Jacob chuckled at the thought. He felt her snuggling even more comfortably against his solid frame, as he wrapped the bearskin tighter around them. Then, with clear silvery voice, she started narrating that poem that, by now, they both knew by heart.

“'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!"

SOOOOO.

I AM SORRY FOR THE DELAY, BUT I ACTUALLY MANAGED TO FINISH THIS PIECE and OMG I AM SO HAPPY I WAS ABLE TO DO SO, AND TO ADD ALSO A SMALL DRABBLE TO IT AS WELL. (truth to be told, my husband nudged me to finish it, so, if you see this posted, it's thanks to him and his encouragement lol)

The festivities do bring miracles, don't they?😂😂

I don't have much to add to this, just that I loved working on it and that I was truly truly happy to write for Jacob and Dorothea again, especially in this particular setting! (I mean, if you remember the info I gave a long while ago, you know what's about to happen lolol).

I honestly love doing these kind of Festive Artworks with them, I wish the festivities actually last longer, so that I would be able to draw more of them lolol.

well, I hope you will like this just as much as I loved working on it!

--Nemo

[nemo-in-wonderland]

"Children sleeping, Snow is softly falling Dreams are calling, Like bells in the distance

We were dreamers, not so long ago But one by one, we all had to grow up

When it seems the magic slipped away We find it all again on Christmas Day

Believe in what your heart is saying Hear the melody that's playing There's no time to waste There's so much to celebrate

Believe in what you feel inside And give your dreams the wings to fly You have everything you need If you just believe

Trains move quickly, to their journey's end Destinations are where we begin again Ships go sailing, far across the sea Trusting starlight to get where they need to be When it seems that we have lost our way We find ourselves again on Christmas Day Believe in what your heart is saying Hear the melody that's playing There's no time to waste There's so much to celebrate Believe in what you feel inside And give your dreams the wings to fly You have everything you need If you just believe If you just believe If you just believe If you just believe Just believe Just believe"

"Believe" - Josh Groban

Hi everyone!!

As you can see, I have finally managed to finish the artwork I started a while ago (and omgomgomomg, I also managed to finish it BEFORE the 25th, you have no idea how happy I am about it lolololol).

I can honestly admit this is probably one of my most successful artworks, in terms of how it turned out, and I am SO HAPPY that I managed to work on the background as I wished and that it somewhat turned out the way I wanted! May this be the first of a long series of complete artworks with proper colorful backgrounds!

I also was happy to try my hand at the 1840s garments for Jacob, Dottie and Emmett, and after researching for it, I can say that now it's probably one of my fave decades along with the 1810s, 1820s, 1870s and 1880s (yes, I love many decades, but I love the XIX century fashion to bits, so what did you expect of me?lololol).

But overall, this whole artwork was a TRUE JOY to work on, and I loved every single moment I spent planning it out, choosing the colours and what and how to do it.

And I adore the context of this artwork: Jacob and Dorothea and baby Emmett finally spending their first Christmas together, after all the sorrow and hardship they had to go through to create a future for all of them. It was a long journey, a solitary one, but they did it, and now they are finally spending the festivities together as a family, enjoying the gentle snow falling after a whole afternoon spent ice skating together.

Well, I hope you will like this just as much as I loved working on it!

HAPPY FESTIVITIES FROM THE STARRICK-FRYE FAMILY (and from myself too lolol).

--Nemo