#I just like putting Acre in different dynamics where I can daydream about him!

[cryptidcalling]

I’m updating some stuff about Acre!! I’ll make a more in depth post eventually, but here’s a simple list. 

-He’s no longer just elf! Instead he’s half elf (on his mother’s side) and half Fae (on his father’s side).

-His name is  Acre bc It’s supposed to kinda represent how he’s one with the land. 

-I’m giving him more scars! Originally he only had one, but with the life he’s lived it would make sense he’d have way more. 

-He can, in fact, swim! However, due to trauma, he’s terrified of getting into water. I’m not sure if you remember the story I wrote forever ago where Acre fell into the river, but it’s basically that repeated many times over until he learned to swim. His father didn’t teach him so much as force him to learn (he would save him before he drowned, but Acre came close more than once).

- The reason he struggles so much to access his magic is because of him being a half species. His elf magic and his Fae magic are conflicting sources, so it’s harder to summon it. He could with training and practice, but he’s had nobody to teach him. 

-Speaking of teachers, I should mention Acre’s friends! Or, more accurately, future friends. I’m still working through many concepts for Acre’s story, but since he was originally a DND character I’ve always liked the idea of him having a party. He functions mostly as the mysterious loner until he finally learns to bond with them. At first it’s because they’re mostly strangers he doesn’t trust, but once he gets to the point where he trusts them his anxiety kicks in. He feels scared that he’s been too distant from the party for too long, so nobody actually wants to be friends with him anymore. He starts to do more work to prove how useful he is, because the anxiety turns into a fear that they’ll kick him out if he stops being useful. He tries his best to bond with them, but his upbringing and anxiety leave him pretty socially inept. 

 This party consists of: 1: A half-orc named Rhogan! He’s around Acre’s age. He dislikes Acre a lot at first because he and Acre struggle most to communicate. When Acre does things to try and befriend Rhogan, he typically will mistake them for threats or passive aggression because Acre doesn’t talk to him or explain himself directly. For example; Acre will leave dead grouse or rabbits near his seat around the campfire (Acre has one too, but he never sits because he doesn’t think he’s wanted). Acre does this to be friendly. He’s hunting for Rhogan. Food is important to surviving and staying healthy, and it’s hard work to get. However, while Acre sees this as ‘leaving food for Rhogan’, Rhogan sees it as ‘the little creep is leaving dead animals around me.’ Eventually, they do come to understand each other.

2: A Firbolg named Fen! He’s a gentle giant and the party’s healer, and quickly takes up a fatherfigure role for the entire party. Acre, who has zero positive older role models, doesn’t trust him at first. But it doesn’t take him long to get really attached to Fen. He’s the first one Acre trusts enough to open up to, and thus is the first party member to see Acre as the vulnerable young man he is instead of some mysterious highly skilled archer. 

3: Aurora is a dragonborn scholar and sorcerer! I haven’t decided her exact area of expertise, but she’s bubbly and highly intelligent. Acre admittedly intimidates her a lot, but she ends up helping to fill him in on a lot of societal stuff. She’s the party’s link to high society, having served as a sorceress under royalty, and has a lot of kindness and professionalism. She’s not really used to adventuring, but she’s trying her best and learning a lot.  

4: A changeling named Dria, Dee for short, who is Rhogan’s bestie and also a badass B! She’s essentially Rhogan’s Dakota, teasing him and knowing how to read him when others can’t. She’s mostly indifferent towards Acre at first. She thinks he has no interest in being close with the group, so she doesn’t spare him an extra thought. However, she definitely takes up an older sister role in his (and Rhogan’s) life. She pities him, especially when he trusts her enough to tell her about Juniper. She honestly kinda hates Juniper, and wants to fill the sisterly role Acre clearly desperately relies on while actually fulfilling his emotional needs. She doesn’t take any shit, but also cares a lot for the entire party. Fern is the soft and gentle dad friend and she’s the “touch my kids get your ass beat” mom friend.  

5: Dakota eventually!! He, like El, joins later. However he joins up bc Acre is on his hands and knees B E G G I N G him to come with pretty please with a cherry on top. 

6?: Eledwin possibly!! El is canon to the story universe, but I haven’t decided if he joins the party or if he’s just a minor character. 

-Basically, Acre goes from being “that creepy weirdo” to “Our little weirdo.” He’s the youngest person in the party in terms of mental age and development. Fae and elves live way longer than other species, but in terms of common age he’s still the youngest. Barely an adult, since 21 is the common age of adulthood in this world. They all grow to care for him a lot, just like they care about everyone in the party.   

-I’m really debating between this found family Acre has and Acre’s grandparents! The grandparents aren’t nearly as developed, but I still like the idea of Acre finding biological family that loves him. I’m thinking maybe I’ll have the whole party get homes in the village where the grandparents live so then I don’t need to pick. However, I know that it’s rather redundant to have both when they fill the same role. I’m also thinking that maybe I’ll just have them be two separate universes. One has the whole party, one just has Dakota and adds the grandparents. This is also the one I’d use for RPs and stuff. Less character dynamics to manage, and Acre has more growth to do with the RP partner’s characters that he hasn’t done with the party.