#♡Issal

[sorcerous-caress]

Meme with my bg3 OC and @gith-zeri OCs. Last scene cameo of @@reefman05 Tav

"Birthday party planning for Khal'ian"

[sorcerous-caress]

What you had written about your love space and Sol getting a telescope is so sweet! But when you mention giving sol a gun, all I could imagine is this

https://youtu.be/bqFhzodjpp8?si=9htqjl3Ox11-ZHfu

Pov: Sol after they stole Issal's guns to distract her from the voices in her head, knowing they can outrun her if worse came to worse.

[sorcerous-caress]

Sol, short yet fitting, always thought their name was a great tie in with their storyline, even more so with their "bad end."

The sun itself is a ticking time bomb, and one day, in an untold amount of years, when it chooses to, it will expand and devour the world. The world that It helped survive and nourish. Definitely, it paints a clear picture of what can happen to Sol.

Sol is also sweet on the tongue, can remind someone of gentle summer sunsets; the sun must go, but you'll always remember its warmth.

The name shimmers and glistens, like a sweat soaked smile.

I'm on break, so I'm rambling again before I feel the cold again.

Favorite child? Ahh, kinda? Drow lore is easier to come by, so I have more to work with.

Tbh Khal'ian name was a cruel play on words that just stuck. My friend named him before I joined them at last light during an online game. Jaheira probably wouldn't appreciate it, though.

Your rambling is welcome here anytime my dude, anything to distract from the cold too, I hope you feel warmth soon.

That's a really great analysis, i never thought of it when I named them. It's really nice that it worked in their favour.

Also on the short names thing, it reminded me of this phrase.

"Give your daughters difficult names. give your daughters names that command the full use of tongue. my name makes you want to tell me the truth. my name doesn’t allow me to trust anyone that cannot pronounce it right." –Warsan Shire

And this might be very true in regards to Issal's full name. That only a few would bother to pronounce it fully, speak every syllable with great care.

Like that paragraph about Patroclus describing how most people rushed through saying his name, since it was too long and required many vowel. Everyone who said it, pronounced it as if they were trying to get rid of it, said and done.

Everyone except Achilles. He fully said it each time carefully without rushing through it. He said it as if he was breathing life into it, as if he didn't treat it like a weight on the tongue, a burden like how others did.

Would Issal feel the same thing about her long name? Would Khal'ian say it fully? I have a feeling Minthara would, out of respect because it's in her core believes.

It is also ironic in Sol's case.

Their name is short, easy, a slip of the tongue even. One vowel. It's clear their parents named that so they wouldn't be a burden, so they may never be a burden on strangers.

Sol lived most of their life having to water themselves down, control their nature, forcefully shave down their edges. Their own name cut in half since birth much like their personality and social development was cut in half.

Names are like a self fulfilling prophecy in a way which is very bittersweet.

Short names may never get nicknames either. Most of the companions can have their name twisted into a sweet or funny nickname, but Sol will remain Sol no matter how hard you try because you always end up making it longer, adding your own letters into it and forcefully stitching made up parts into them to humanise the. Their name will always be too much but never enough.

So they make up for it by having a "too much" personality. A known presence. Shoving any and all subtilty out the window much like the sun is blazing in obvious view in the middle of the sky.

You may ignore their name but you cannot ignore their existence. That's what they aim to be, difficult to swallow so much that you might choke on them if not careful. Like how the sun burns the closer you get.

And yeah Drow lore is easier to get by.

But that just means you get to make up your own Gith lore! Let's fucking go dude!

I'm being fr. Make it up, who will stop you? Dnd books purposely have been ignoring and neglecting the gith. It's a gold mine that people stupidly refuse to mine, so pick up a cart and a shovel and let's go golddigging.

For Khal'ian, what was the funny joke? Is it based on Khalid?

If so, Khalid is an arabic name, it means immortal. Which is funny because he dies Ha HA....ha. :"(

Also the first two letters are pronounced as "خ" it's a letter that English doesn't have. Is Khal'ian pronounced as similar way or is the "kh" part pronounced as it is written?

[sorcerous-caress]

A name for the Hyde side? Sure, I have a two. I'm split on:

Zar(haunted) avin(guardian/shield) - Zar'avin

Zilv (Fogotten) Uit(Voice) - Zilvuit

Zar'avin is a reference to Issal's original purpose. Her house was sworn to House Baenre as retainers/bodyguards.

Zilvuit is a play on Issal's ever growing memory loss as her mind struggles to cope with an unknown visitor(rightful owner?).

I try and use actual drow naming conventions, here's Issal's full name:

Myr(lost) iira(Harbinger) Oussa(Heirs of) Afin(The Web)

Myr'iira "Issal" Oussafin

Thanks for answering, i will keep that in mind.

You've put a lot of thought into naming her and it shows! The Hyde name is really perfect too, is Issal your favourite child by any chance or does Khal'ian get the same treatment?

For me, I just picked Sol because yk, sun. First name and first choice, thought of it randomly and used it. It's short too, memorable and straight to the point, very unlike Sol themselves so Ha.

[sorcerous-caress]

Khal'ian bringing Issal to his monasteries Ghustil, when her ass landed in Limbo

Made a meme for the two of them based on how I view them.

[sorcerous-caress]

You know what? Fuck it, the audio I'm editing is still buffering. So, heres Issal's reaction to the soul lobotomy.

Sister

Sister

Sister

Some sister she is, the word is like a curse on her tongue

Do you know she taught Khal'ian the meaning of the concept? Gith do not have family structures. They do not have parents nor siblings, fellow hatchlings at most call each other cousins.

Issal will admit her choice to teach Khal was a selfish one. They had just met and with wounds so fresh from fleeing her original home. She wanted someone to feel the loneliness that she had, even if she had to teach them of their loneliness to do so.

But Khal, sweet Khal

He ruminated on her lessons then, after a few days, strolled up to her and declared

"You're my sister and I, Your brother!"

With a nervous, sharp toothed grin and the confidence you wouldn't have suspected of someone with twitching ears. It left her gobsmacked for a while. She had fully begun to believe that the plane of Limbo was finally causing cracks in her mind.

It wasn't until Khal'ian asked if he interpreted her lessons wrong with those puppy eyes of his. That she snapped out of her reverie.

" What makes you think we're siblings? "

" You treat me like a person, and you feel safe enough around me to change your bandages. Family care and respect one another, yes?"

The confession would have been enough for any jaulk to be flayed in Menzoberranzan. She would have to correct him for his own sake-.

"Oh, and I took this from the ghustil. It should help your eye see more clearly! I'm apologize I couldn’t get a better one. They don't like me much here."

Before she could speak, a golden monocle got placed delicately into her hand.

A gift?

Issal was a woman of science, not emotions, but this piece of equipment caused a surge of affection she'd once believe Lolth would kill her for.

It caused Issal to make her decision. With her free hand, she crept uptowards Khal'ian ear and gave it a swift pinch. Savoring the little yelp she got.

" Thank you, little Toad "

She would have a brother from now on.

Unfortunately, like all her siblings before him, Khal'ian would suffer a fate she'd deem worse than death.

In her eyes, to lose one's mind is an unthinkable cruelty, and one she saw time and time again as she grew up. Countless sisters that were broken and molded into the form of driders.

It wasn't the sloughing of skin or the immediate shattering of the hips to make room for new legs that scared her of Lolth's punishment. It was the loss of one's sense of self and intelligence that haunted her.

Terrified her so much that in a moment of pure vulnerability, she begged Khal'ian that if that scenario came to pass. That he'd put her down, and with a shakey voice, he'd agreed.

The pain of looking into a siblings eyes and seeing nothing of their prior self, no matter how strong, beautiful, or smart they were, is a neight indescribable agony.

She could barely handle it then, and she couldn't handle it now.

She had his head between her hands, cradling his cheeks and tilting his head down to look at her.

He had his fluffy hair, scaled cheeks, but his eyes were wrong. By the nine hells, his eyes were so empty and unfocused.

She had barely registered what was being relayed to her.

A soul lobotomy...

Oh, she could almost laugh. After so many years of losing sisters to the spider queen's trials, she would have never suspected her first brother she claimed to be taken down by some decrepit monk.

Hehe, how odd it seems that she is laughing.

Laughing

Crying

Sobbing

Soul shattering, wailing, her fingers digging into Khal'ian cheeks; he wasn’t flinching,he hated having his scales pulled. Why wasn't he flinching!

This is Cruel

She had to kill him, she couldn't protect him but she knew she could kill him and give him peace. She was able to lower her hands down to his throat but couldn't squeeze. The damned tears were getting in the way, and her vision was too blurry. When did her monocle fall off?

Oh, people were pulling her away. Was it Sol? Tav? maybe one of the druids? With her luck, it might be the bloody Baenre.

Oh, Brother, I love you

I'm so sorry

"Little toad" MY HEART

wow this was so beautiful and touching. Their relationship as siblings seemed so sweet and playful omfg I can't. The way he adorably called her sister and how she pinched his ear AAAAA.

The way she is forcing herself to attempt to kill him because she sees it as an act of mercy, knowing she has lost her brother.

Especially with someone who always puts science over emotions, who claims they are pragmatic and efficient. The only solution she has to this unsolvable problem is to destroy it. She can't accept the fact this person is still her brother after losing so much of himself, so she rather blames herself and carry the burden of killing him.

If it was Tav pulling her away. It could be interesting depending on who Tav romanced, was it Khal'ian? Then, this would make this just more painful. Both feel so much love for him, and both want the best for him. I don't even think Tav would be angry at Issal, they'll definitely understand her emotions better than anyone.

If it's Minthara, then it would be like a trip to the past. Back when drow matrons would chastise her for going to look for her sister's remains in the driders. Even if Minthara abhors Lolth now, there is definitely something to be said about her ways that are typical of any drow matron. She'd tell Issal to stand up and pull herself together because it's the softest thing she can force out.

Oh and if it's Sol. They'd be furious at Issal for thinking she has the right to end his life just because they considered themselves family. They'd see it as throwing away Khal'ian's legacy and how to live weak is better than a pathetic death where he can't even defend himself.

That it is not just Issal's fault or burden to carry, all of them here are responsible for handing Khal'ian to the monks and all of them must bear the shame and guilt. Not take the easy way out and bury his remains, you cannot erease what happened. We commited to this, we must see it to the end. Face it because it because this is his reality and this is who he is now. Or was Issal's love so conditional that she cannot bear the thought of loving her brother at his weakest and worst?

"How much I'd love to see the look on his face right now if he was to witness how low you've sunk. " Sol sneered, "you want to throw away his legacy so you can fail him a second time in a row?"

Probably Sol would end up getting shot in the leg or something, but hey, at least Issal isn't wallowing in her sadness anymore, which was the original purpose. They can handle a bullet or two, as long as Khal'ian stays alive, no matter what state he is in.

Also, Sol would probably tend to Khal'ian's scales from time to time since his empty vessle wouldn't bother to do it anymore. Gently clean them whenever they clean their own, try not to let the empty stare get to them.

[sorcerous-caress]

Issal Tadpole projects this to the entire party when Minthara joins

It's so much funnier since both are drows, and Issal definitely knows a lesbian drow woman when she sees one but can't break Khal'ian's heart.

Minthara turns out bi at the end.

[sorcerous-caress]

Githzerai anon:

Another Issal Voice Submission. When it comes to her sudden outbursts, I wanted to slightly lean into the Dr jekyll and Mr. Hyde aspect, but the actual dynamic, not the misconception.

The angle of Hyde just being a disguise Jekyll uses to do anything and everything he wants, rather than a complete alternate personality whose actions are divided from him.

I wanted Issal's "otherside" to be a mixture of her own rage, trauma, and Lolth's muddling of her brain. It's just that you don't know the measurements of the mixture.

It is just Issal's compounding mental issues coming to a head, and Lolth is just being the small push that allows her to let go.

Or

Is Lolth pulling on the threads of Issal's psyche so hard that the majority of her emotions have nowhere to go. As a result, her mind forces her into this fugue state as an attempt to protect itself from destruction with unforseen consequences.

Either way, Lolth is enjoying it