first post back on tumblr is of my shepard from mass effect!!!! their name is astraea- mindoir and akuze survivor, big tech and sniper user! theyre an engineer! :)
This ref has been kicking around for 2 years but finally finished it up for art fight - My first shepard and my Garrus romancer, Alanis!
More character info under the cut:
Age: 29/31/32 (ME1/ME2/ME3)
Morality/leaning: Paragon
Personality: Generally appears friendly, patient and easygoing, but actually quite high-strung. Very perceptive except when it comes to people - fairly emotionally dense. Tends to subconsciously keep a distance from people. Huge romantic but unsure with handling it in real life. Has a competitive streak, especially when it comes to shooting and dance.
Sexuality: Bisexual (preference for men)
Likes: Dancing, math, practicing on the firing range, brain teasers/puzzles, hanging out quietly with one or two close friends
Dislikes: Hero worship, trying to navigate without a map, false reads, bureaucracy
Romance: Garrus
Best friend: Jacob
Alanis was born as the only child into a military family, and so spent her childhood moving from ship to ship with her parents' postings, from miltary school to military school. Thanks to some of the programs offered for military kids, they were able to keep up some activities through moves, which allowed them to pursue ballet and dance over the years. Still, he got used to never being in one place for long, and so constantly having to make new friends and try and fit in a new community. It was a lonely sort of existence for Alanis, but it was one they were used to, and life among the stars wasn't so bad.
Alanis had never lived planetside until training camp in Brazil, when she joined the military at 18. Easygoing, friendly, and adaptable, she fit in quickly with her peers and excelled in drills, thanks to her years of military upbringing and athletic training.
However, most of their renown in the military is from their role at Akuze in 2177. Alanis was part of a team of fifty-one marines sent to investigate a distress signal from the colony. When camping for the night, the unit was attacked by Thresher Maws. Almost everyone was killed in the resulting bloodbath- except for Alanis, who managed to make his way back to the landing zone thanks to his perseverance, ingenuity, and sheer luck, leaving him with a nasty face scar and and even larger emotional one. To this day, Alanis still chalks her survival up to luck and although she is good natured about it, dislikes the spotlight and glory she received as a result, believing it isn't fair to the memory of her squadmates.
In the years after this, Alanis eventually went for their N7 designation and became the Commander Shepard we see at the beginning of ME1.
After everyone is recruited in ME2...
Miranda, walking into the mess: Would anybody like to explain to me why Shepard is currently blocking the elevator right now?
Tali: Oh! They just laid out in the middle of the floor, said they were "too bisexual for this shit," and started screaming into their hands.
Miranda: ...?
Miranda: I'm afraid to ask, but is this normal?
Tali: What? Oh, yeah, they used to do this sort of thing on the original Normandy all the time. Joker has vids to prove it.
Garrus: You'll get used to it.
I have gathered some pictures of my first character. Their story is nearing its end and their memory will be with me, no matter what shape the next Shepard may take.
Gym rat Star doodle. Fun fact the scars on their wrists are from surgery after fracturing both wrists punching through an Atlas cockpit. Just 6’3” Vanguard vibes.
Trying to get better at darker skin and masc (ish) bodies. GNC blorbos have been therapeutic for me.