#and thanks for asking about pliarr!

[kerra-and-company]

heyyy !! 6, 7, 16, and 17 for pliarr? :D

Late to this game and I apologize for that, but absolutely!! :D

6. What sense do they most rely on?

This might be a very straightforward pick for an asura, but hearing!

7. Is your character an optimist or a pessimist?

Somewhere in the middle? Pliarr's more of a realist than either extreme, but he does tend to think of as many possible negative outcomes as he can and plan for them. So...realist/pessimist, or something like that, maybe.

16. What is their choice of weapon?

Pliarr is proficient in using pretty much anything that's pointy (also with scepters!), but he usually fights with dual swords.

17. When does your character think that violence is justified or deserved?

The Pliarr in the back of my brain immediately answered with "When people deserve it", which is the most non-answer I've gotten from an OC in a while asldkfjsdf. But to break that down at least a little--people/beings who are actively threatening the world or innocents definitely merit being violently taken out in his mind, but there's also some level of grayer morality there. A lot of his later missions involve dragon minion targets or targets otherwise obviously part of a larger threat, but he also works as an assassin with the Order of Whispers. Before the Pact was formed (also when he didn't hold as high of a rank), he'd sometimes go on missions not knowing all the details behind why some particular person was his target, and he was (mostly) all right with that.

[kerra-and-company]

How about a ★ for cio or pliarr from variott?

Gladly!!! Sorry this has been sitting in my inbox for a bit, happy to answer it now and tyty! :D I'll give you Pliarr since I've talked a little about how Cio would feel about Variott before.

Pliarr ★ Variott:

I like you // I love you // You’re one of my best friends // You’re like family // You are family // I dislike you // I hate you // I’d kill you if I got the chance // I want you to like me // I’m scared of you // I would adopt you // I’d date you // I’d sleep with you // I’d marry you // I’m worried about you // You confuse me // You’re annoying // I pity you // I respect you // I trust you // I feel protective of you // I’d invite you with me to parties // I’d lend you my money // I’d borrow your money // You’re good-looking // I’m suspicious of you // I’m hiding something from you // You’re fun // You’re boring // I’m upset with you // You’re nice // You’re mean // I’m envious of you // You’re smart // You’re stupid // I look up to you // I think you’re a better person than me // I think I’m a better person than you // I want to apologize to you // I wish I’d never met you // I never want to forget you // I want to get to know you better

First of all, *handshake* between the two of them re: being small even for asura--Pliarr is Very Tiny too. Second, I think he'd absolutely see a bit of both his sister and himself in Variott, and he'd just genuinely like her. He's not the quickest in the world to trust people, but he'd want to trust Variott pretty fast, and the actual trust would follow from there. (Also evidenced from the "I'd lend you my money" one--Pliarr grew up being very careful with money/spending since it was super limited and is still careful even though he can afford to spend more now, so him being willing to lend money to someone else says a lot.) Also, as someone who has to go on missions to various places but really does not have the best sense of direction, he'd appreciate the hell out of Variott's maps and mapmaking skills.

[kerra-and-company]

🖊️🖊️🖊️

Three pens, very cool very cool, tyty!! :D I shall give you three different people for your three pens!

🖊 - Chieko is very much going to be jumping smack dab into the middle of everything that's going on in EoD right now. She's definitely not the Commander and also definitely hasn't been asked to, but she's been in Cantha with pretty much all of the members of her Pact squad for a while doing a) some research work for the Priory, b) helping to ensure there aren't any lingering Void threats in Dragon's End, and c) being diplomatic envoys in the vaguest possible sense. (Also, she's gotten a girlfriend in the last year.) It's close enough to within her job description that she could look into it, and she's also a very curious person who would want to help and figure out what the hell was going on. So her and her triage squad are going to get to experience The Horrors (TM).

🖊 - Pliarr has been a member of the Order of Whispers for years and is now a part of the Mesmer Collective. I still need to think through a lot of the missions he's gone on and will go on, so I'm not sharing details right now, but suffice it to say for now that this guy deals in a lot of secrets. He is, and always has been, a very talented mesmer. (He's also specifically a chronomancer.)

🖊 - Eethie grew up with parents who pretty much just saw them as a status symbol, if anything. Them doing well was a boon, them doing poorly was ignored. They don't really hate their parents, though that would be understandable; they're just incredibly indifferent. Their parents might as well be strangers.

[kerra-and-company]

🪤💎⚙️ for both Pliarr and Cioffi

Sibling asks hours!! :D

🪤 MOUSE TRAP - what will always lure them into certain danger? a loved one in danger? a promise of something they are always searching for?

For both of them, if they saw the other in danger, they'd absolutely jump in to help even if it was objectively a terrible idea.

For Pliarr, even though he's an expert on mesmer magic, you'd have a surprisingly easy time tricking him with an illusion of his parents if you knew enough about him to play that card. (You'd also probably be dead pretty quickly after that, but hey, just said it would work, not that it was a good idea!)

For Cio, putting Ari and/or Taimi in danger would lure her right into the danger with them, for sure. On a related note, to this day, part of her's still mildly irritated that she wasn't the one to kill Joko.

💎 DIAMOND - how rich are they? can they live the lifestyle they want to?

Pliarr has enough money to get by--base Whispers agent salary plus some extra for being a specialist--but definitely isn't rich. Luckily, he's really only ever wanted to be comfortable money-wise, so that's more than enough. (Side note, I was trying to figure out what rank/title he'd have in the Order, and I think it'd be Slayer.)

Cio has a smidge more money than her brother thanks to the higher rank she held in the Pact as well as her tech/weapons store that she now runs, as well as her being one of the lesser known experts on dragon magic. And that's plenty for her too! As long as she can get by without having to return to active Pact service, she's happy.

⚙️ GEAR - what are your ocs thoughts on science & art? which do they give more importance to? how much value do they place on each?

Ooh, interesting question!

Pliarr, especially in the years since he's left Rata Sum, puts them on pretty equal footing. He sees them as things that overlap in a lot of ways and doesn't think that either of them are worth less than the other. He himself isn't a particularly skilled artist, but he loves listening to music and seeing art that others have done, and he's also happy to discuss new scientific discoveries/projects with others (assuming they really want to discuss more than they want to brag about whatever it is they've done).

Cio wouldn't say this unless you directly asked her, but she does put slightly more value on science than on art. She sees it as essential to understanding the world and beautiful in its own ways, and she has fought and will fight for everyone to have the opportunity to learn it. She definitely doesn't think art is worthless, though. It's more...that's a lovely thing, and it's important as both self-expression and for morale, but it's not so much her zone of expertise, so it falls a bit lower in the ranks than science. She sees it, in her mind, as a slight difference between important and essential.

[kerra-and-company]

heya :-) i was looking at your ocs and saw you mentioned pliarr as being a bit of a side character. intentionally or not, what's something he might do that would put him in the spotlight? :0

Hi hi!! :) <3 Thanks so much for asking about him!!

So, before I answer that question, I'ma ramble about him for a second:

The side-character thing comes from the fact that Pliarr is responsible for a lot of things that change the trajectory of people's lives, but not in a way that would put him in the spotlight. His attempt to save his sister as a kid is half the reason for the Primordus corruption that affects the rest of her life, though it absolutely saved her life. He's on a "scouting" mission in the Silverwastes when he runs into Nisha and Rel, and he brings them to the Priory. He's pretty much Ari's only friend in the first few years she's part of the Order of Whispers, and even if they weren't particularly close due to the general headspace Ari was in at that point, it did mean a lot to her.

Pliarr also very much has his own life going on, though. He grew up with his sister as the center of his world after they lost their parents. The only reason they didn't go under the care of Progeny Protective Services was thanks to a family friend, who was their guardian in name (and money/housing) but little more than that. Said family friend also is the reason Pliarr ended up in the Order of Whispers; she was a former member who'd retired to focus on her own research and also acted as something of a headhunter for them (entirely of her own volition, but it wasn't ever discouraged, either). He was (and is) a very talented mesmer who focused far more on improving his magic skills than he did on his Statics work, though he still graduated, and he didn't leave to officially join Whispers until Cio left for the Priory.

He specifically holds the Slayer title in the Order--he works as an assassin, more or less. He also holds a crap ton of secrets--some from the general public as a Whispers agent, and a couple from the Order itself. He's also, these days, kind of loosely attached to Chieko's search-and-rescue squad that's currently doing work in Gyala Delve, so...quite a few avenues to go down for things that would put him in the spotlight a little more--past actions coming back to haunt him in either a physical way or a mental one. He's not going to have the most fun down there, that's for sure.

(He's also going to fight against being in the spotlight, though. He really doesn't want that.)

[kerra-and-company]

Do any of your characters have charged secrets - something juicy they can't under any circumstances share?

Hi anon! :D Thanks so much for the ask!!

Nisha and Rel not being born from the Pale Tree and instead having a different Mother was something of a charged secret for years, but it became a slightly more open secret after HoT. It's also worth noting that it wasn't ever a secret that they kept fully to themselves: Pliarr, who was the one to find them in the Silverwastes and help them reach the Priory, figured it out pretty quickly, and a few others very close to them were told as well.

Aysel's childhood experiences are something she chooses not to share with anyone, but that's mainly because they were incredibly traumatizing for her. There would certainly be consequences to revealing them in addition to discomfort, but said consequences would mainly be painting a Svanir target on her back, and she would give zero shits about that outcome.

Daisy kept the truth about the circumstances of her abusive father's death a secret from nearly everyone (besides her mother, who was never unaware of the truth, and her partner Cal) for her entire life.

Eethie actively works to obfuscate the fact that they were part of the Inquest. They're not necessarily ashamed of all their work there (grey morality kiddo here), but they definitely know others don't care for it and keep that secret accordingly. That being said, their immediate superior in the Pact did her research before they joined her team, and she is indeed aware, though they don't know that.

[kerra-and-company]

love to hear your take on number 11 from the headcanon ask! - @cycleof-dusk

Ooh, gotcha, one of the magic questions--sounds good to me! :D

11. Are magic abilities learned or are people born with them? A combination of both?

I'd say a combination--people are born with magic, but in order to actually be able to use any of the magical abilities that we can use in-game, you have to train. I've tried to think through whether people are naturally attuned to a class or if magic is more malleable until trained, but I've come to the conclusion that it's closer to the first one than the second.

My OCs who explore this the most would probably be Ari, Minei, and Pliarr, so I'm going to talk about them real quick here. (Well, I might ramble, so not sure how quick it'll be, but still, haha.)

Ari's a guardian. The first ability she was ever able to perform as a cub, before she understood what classes were, was Aegis--she'd seen it somewhere, tried it, and found much to her surprise that it was easy for her. She got teased/bullied relentlessly for being a guardian and for pursuing her magic on her own, but she did it regardless--her magic, her class, her stubbornness, her decision. Could she have learned a different class? Maybe, though it wouldn't have been the one that came most naturally to her, so it would have been harder. Would she have been as good at it? Maybe. Did she want to learn a different class of magic? Hell no. Guardian was hers, and she was keeping it.

Minei's a necromancer who happens to have a natural talent for summoning minions. She managed to teach herself how to summon those little bone minion guys by the time she was 8, completely accidentally, but everything else related to the class required her to learn from someone more experienced. (I should write the story of how she did this some time, but the gist of it is that the poor kiddo was lonely and wanted a friend, so she ended up making one.)

Pliarr managed to save his baby sister Cio by using his untrained mesmer magic. They ended up in a destroyer cave when he was 7 and Cio was about 2, thanks to their parents' stellar (/s) parenting skills. While they were running, Cio almost fell into a destroyer fissure, and Pliarr reached out with magic to grab her and keep her out of the fire. His still-untrained mesmer magic reacted with Primordus' and gave Cio her hair and eyes, as well as a less obvious attunement of sorts to fire. It reacted like this specifically because Pliarr was untrained. His magic was still malleable enough to react in odd ways, which both saved Cio's life and made said life a lot stranger.

Anyways, in conclusion: a combination, and magic is complicated!

[kerra-and-company]

For the dialogue asks:

⭐️or 🤕

For whoever you feel inspired to talk about :)

(@uselessidiotsquad)

Hmm...I think both is good @uselessidiotsquad :D I used the random generator to pick characters for these, and honestly? It did a pretty good job.

⭐️ Write what your character wishes they could say to another character.

Weylon (to Pol): "Burn me. Even in my head, I don't know what to say to you. 'I'm sorry' doesn't remotely cut it. And I have a sneaking suspicion that you'd forgive me before I said anything, which makes the whole thing worse. You were always too nice. Or maybe I just really hope you'd forgive me. I don't know. I probably never will.

But for the record...I'm trying to be better now. As long as I'm still alive, I'll keep trying. I hope you know that, somehow."

🤕 Write what your character would say to defend someone getting bullied. (If your character is the meaner sort, write what they’d say to insult someone else.)

Pliarr: He very deliberately calls up just enough magic to make his eyes glow. "I highly recommend that you leave them alone. Now. Or your day will become exponentially worse."

[kerra-and-company]

OC Question time if you would like one :D For whoever you'd like to chat about: What is one aspect of their current job/role that they did not anticipate when they first started? Do they resent that it has come up or do they just sort of roll with it? -uselessidiotsquad-

All righty, sounds good, let’s go! Thanks for the ask @uselessidiotsquad! :D

Random thing picker has chosen the following (very vague Icebrood spoilers in Lifa’s answer at the end):

Rel: He never anticipated the scale of what his job became. Healing, dealing with all sorts of patients, even fighting when necessary? Sure. Being a leader as well? Not really. But he makes it work, and though it’s never his favorite role to hold, he does a decent job.

Tanza: The way she’s looked at by people when they first learn and understand exactly what her “job” is (specifically the being-connected-to-the-mostly-dead-Owl-Spirit part). They knew they’d make a legend for themself, but not exactly this way, and they’re slightly uncomfortable with the way some people look to them for answers (and angry at the way some people call them a liar). But she deals with it; there’s no other “job” she’d rather have.

Kerra: That she’d grow into it as much as she has. She’s gone through so many steps with regards to being Commander. First, it was her duty and what she was meant to do. Then, it was an obligation she’d committed to and would return to for the sake of the world. And then somewhere along the line, it became...part of her, in a way, if that makes any sense at all. She’s at a point now where she would like to retire (or at least to spend more time with her family), but she is the Commander now. It’s a title and a role that she believes she fits, and even when she steps down, eventually, it’ll have shaped her in a way that only things you accept fully can do. I feel like this explanation is weird, but...yeah. From duty/destiny to obligation to job to mantle, or something like that.

Pliarr: That he’d be good at it. It sounds a bit silly in some ways--he’s a Whispers agent, who also happens to be a very powerful mesmer and spent a decent amount of his childhood learning what secrets to tell who and keeping his sister safe. It seems like it’d be the perfect job for him, skill-set-wise, and it is, but he was very scared of using his magic for a long time because he blames himself for what happened to his sister. But he finds that he’s a good agent both with and without mesmer magic, which surprises him and boosts his confidence.

Lifa: That it would be easy (at least at first). There’s a peculiar and disturbing sort of peace in blindly following, in believing so much in an ideology that you’ll do anything for it. So “easy” might not quite be the right word here, but for her, it gives her tunnel vision, and she welcomes it. She doesn’t have to focus on all of her very complicated feelings about the world and her former friends and her former partner, and she can instead just channel them into her magic and throw it wherever Bangar (and, eventually, Ryland) tells her to. (No, this is not even remotely healthy; yes, she does kill a lot of people because of this mentality; and, no, this does not end well.)

[kerra-and-company]

Hi there! Could I request 🌼🌈💧🌲 for Pliarr if that’s alright?

From @commander-coppercogg

That is perfectly all right! Thanks for giving me a space to talk about/develop him more; he deserves it :D

🌼- What's your favorite thing about this oc?

I give a little bit of myself to all of my OCs. Sometimes it's on purpose, and sometimes it's by accident. I just realized that one of the things I gave Pliarr is the fact that he's skilled at things (in his case, being a mesmer), but a decent-sized part of him truly believes that he isn't. That might sound weird to pick that as my favorite thing about him, but he helps remind me that I can do things that the piece of my brain that's depressed/anxious/self-doubting/whatever doesn't think I can, and I appreciate that.

🌈- What does this oc like and dislike about themselves?

Lots of things on both ends, haha, but to pick one for each: He's proud of his sense of humor. He can always make his sister (and later his friends) laugh, and he credits himself with teaching Cio sarcasm. He dislikes that he can't let go of people. No matter how much someone he cares about hurts him, he'll be tempted to forgive them.

💧- What is this oc most passionate about?

Most passionate about? Hmm...his job, which is both good and bad. He's a Whispers agent through and through, even once the Orders join together to form the Pact, and he's very dedicated to solving the dragon problem. There are a lot of reasons behind that, ranging from the big idea that he wants to make a safer world to revenge for the loss of his parents to seeing this as a way to make up for the fact that it is in part his magic that made life different for his sister. But the end result is that he's dedicated more to his work than anything else (barring his sister), which is a bit lonely, as well as an odd and somewhat backfiring form of self-defense.

🌲- What is this oc's greatest strength and weakness?

Pliarr is excellent at reading others, which comes a bit from natural skill and a bit from training. It's a big advantage when it comes to spying, which is of course why it was part of his Whispers training, and it's also a skill he shares with Kerra (though their skills come from slightly different sources). However, where she tends to see the positives in others more than the flaws, Pliarr tends to see the flaws more than the positives. That's a great strength when it comes to finding ways to take people down, but it's a huge weakness when it comes to his ability to trust others. It's also partially why it's so hard for him to let someone go once he's let them in.

[kerra-and-company]

Not based on a prompt or anything but a) hoping you are doing well and b) if you could take any of your OC's out for a picnic or go out to eat and hangout - who would you take with you? And why/why not? Bonus if you know what they'd bring to eat or order at the restaurant.

(@uselessidiotsquad)

a) Thank you <3 Doing better! Mostly! Still working on it, but I'm feeling better than I have in a bit, so I'm calling it an improvement at least :) Hope you're doing well too!

b) Thank you very much for the ask!! :D This is an interesting one, let's see here...

Well, first of all, you've now made me imagine having a picnic with each of my OC folks, and I'm minorly disappointed that it's not actually possible asldfjad. Second...hmmm, god, this is hard to choose!

Kerra is someone I'd really enjoy being able to spend time with, regardless if it was a picnic or not. We'd definitely find things to talk about, and if we went to a restaurant, she'd probably have very good recommendations. (At least, good for her--Kerra has a much wider range of foods she likes than I do, lol.) If it was a picnic, she'd almost certainly bring muffins (and potentially more main dishes too; muffins would just most likely be there xD).

Rel has a taste for coffee that I don't share, but I do share his taste in sweets, so we'd be on the same page there. He's another one of my OCs who I would just really love to talk to. I think we'd vibe pretty well if we were actually to meet IRL. (Okay, that's two sentences in which I accidentally made a rhyme. Not on purpose. xD) But...yeah! He enjoys the outdoors, and for him in particular, a picnic would be very cool. Jam session :D

Weylon's someone who I doubt would specifically enjoy being dragged out for a picnic/meal with a human he doesn't really know, and thus I can't say the interaction would be particularly fun on my end, but he and Cyprian are both people I'd put as honorable mentions here because I'd love to explicitly tell them some things they need to hear. Pliarr as well, actually!

Nisha, Chieko, and Tanza also get honorable mentions. I'd love to talk books with Nisha and history (well, Tyria's history at least) with Chieko (or Minei for that matter, but Chieko would be more talkative about it), and Tanza's also someone I'd vibe with well (not to mention that I'd love to hear them talk about the Mists).

[kerra-and-company]

All of p and w1 and x1 from the alphabet asks...for ALL your characters because I'm curious!

Oh good lord this is going to be So Much Character Talk, why do I keep creating characters aaslkdjf (but I am not upset about this whatsoever, to be clear :D ) Thanks a bunch for the ask, and let's get started! P: Personality 1. what is their best personality trait? Kerra: Her resilience. Literally everyone on here is resilient at least a little, but Kerra's (arguably) the best at it, and it's the answer she'd give if asked. Nisha: Xyr determination. Could also be labeled stubbornness. You don't find xem giving up very often. Rel: His forcefulness. He's kind and understanding (and stubborn like his sibling), but he's a force of nature when he wants to be. Cyprian: His kindness, even though it's not always at the forefront. Cody: Her faith, though it's not in the gods or even, really, in her Mother. It's just in the fact that the world will get better if everyone keeps working hard. Rhi: Their adaptability/flexibility. They enjoy and seek out new things, and though that doesn't mean change is always easy for them, it's easier, at least. Tev: His perceptiveness. Even as a kid, it's very hard to hide anything from him--which can be both good and bad, of course, but I'm putting it here. Ia: Her intensity/dedication. She's an elementalist who favors fire, and it's evident in her personality. She's the kind of person who plunges into everything at 100%. Sindri: His charm. Sin is very charismatic, which serves him well with paparazzi trying to mess with his family as well as whenever he visits the Mists. Tanza: Her protectiveness--again, a trait shared by a lot of my folks, but I'm specifically noting it for her. Tanza adores their mothers and would do anything to protect them. Aysel: Her ferocity. In part a defense mechanism and in part just how she is, Aysel takes zero shit, and you don't want to take her in a fistfight pretty much ever. Chieko: Her adventurousness. She's a noble and then a Priory scholar and then a trusted member of Pact search-and-rescue, and it's in a large part due to her desire to see/learn about more of the world. Minei: Her ability to trust. She probably wouldn't give that answer, but this kid has been through So much and yet still is able to bond and trust and accidentally adopt parents/siblings wherever she goes. Ari: Her practicality. Ari's determination is also worth noting, for sure, but if you need someone to clarify the basics and cut through arguments/political stuff/posturing, she's very good at that. Weylon: His adherence to principles. They're specifically his own set of principles rather than any legal code, and the way he's followed them has shifted over the years, but...yeah. Lifa: Her loyalty. It's a double-edged sword, but Lifa would gladly fight and die for people she's loyal to without a second thought. Casca: Her resourcefulness. You can leave her alone, tied up, with a pin and three socks nearby and out of reach, and she'll find a way to get out. Brook: Their intelligence. They have plenty of other good qualities, but I wanted to highlight this one. They can and will insult you in several different languages. Pol: His compassion. Also his undoing, arguably, but Pol would be the first one to reach a hand out to anyone who needs it. Cio: Her confidence. It's something she's fought hard for and something she should be (and is) proud of. Pliarr: His tendency towards forgiveness. It's a dangerous trait as well as a positive one, but Pliarr very, very rarely holds grudges. And now that everyone's seen how long this will be, proceed under the cut at your own risk! xD

2. what is their worst personality trait? Kerra: Her tendency to blame everything on herself. Nisha: Xyr fundamental dislike of xyrself, which xe still struggles with. Rel: His tendency to feel like he has to do everything himself. Cyprian: His viciousness. It can be an advantage, too, but he's not afraid to hurt or kill should he need to. Cody: Her tendency to put people on pedestals. Rhi: Their overconfidence. In part because they're still young and haven't really faced a lot of adversity

personally, they don't have a proper sense of how unprepared they are. Tev: His perceptiveness--double-edged sword trait, here. He hears and sees a lot more than he should, so it's "worst" in terms of the fact that it hurts him as well as helps. Ia: Her carelessness. Again, this is a "she's a kid" thing mostly, but she jumps into things without considering consequences. Sindri: His cynicism. He tries to hope for the best but generally expects the worst from people. Tanza: Her indecision. This improves with time, but they have significant trouble actually choosing a course of action for a while. Or a favorite, for that matter. Aysel: Her tendency to run away from problems. She will face them, and fiercely, but she has to be cornered before that'll happen. Chieko: Her chip on her shoulder, which comes from being noble-born. Yet another thing that gets better with time. Minei: Her tendency to take on responsibility--basically, what you'd get if you combined Rel's flaw with Kerra's. (Ex: "My dad died, which I'm blaming myself for, and therefore I'm going to earn money to help Petra by running headlong into the fight against Zhaitan.") Ari: Her capability for denial--usually of her own feelings, but it can be more than that, too. Weylon: His temper/hostility/tendency to just lash out at everything. Lifa: Her loyalty, because it's way too often blind and out of a desperate desire for security. It's how she ends up following Bangar during the Icebrood Saga. Casca: Her tendency to hold grudges. She gives second chances occasionally, but pretty much never gives third ones. Brook: Their trouble with trust. They don't make friends easily, and honestly, their prickliness is a bit like Weylon--but tell them that and you'll probably get whacked in the face. Pol: His gullibility. He's basically the opposite of Brook this way--despite being an Ash soldier and trained to spot deception/to spy himself, he still tends to trust too quickly. Cio: Her inability to let things go. Grieving is really hard for her. Pliarr: His tendency towards forgiveness--same as his best trait. It's nice some of the time, but other times, he's let people back in who have really hurt him. 3. what of their personality do others love? Kerra: Her warmth. Kerra has a smile for almost everyone. Nisha: Xyr strength. Even when xe's falling apart inside, xe can lead an army if necessary. Rel: His stability. Similar to his sibling, Rel is a pillar in crisis, something that serves him well as a medic. Cyprian: Ia would say it's how much he tries, and how hard. "He really cares, he's just...not good at it yet." Cody: Her gentleness. Don't get me wrong, Cody's a deadeye and a damn good soldier, but she's also just got a soft touch that's generally appreciated. Pink contradictions sylvari kiddo, here. Rhi: Their authenticity. Rhi doesn't pretend, pretty much ever. Tev: His sweetness (and, at the moment, his larger-than-most-small-children vocabulary, which charms a lot of adults). Ia: Her fire. She says and does everything like she means it and like it needs to be done as fast as possible. Sindri: His charm/charisma--same as what I put above for his best quality. It's rare that Sin meets someone he can't befriend if he tries hard enough. Tanza: Her joy. She can look up at the sky and feel happiness, on a good day. Aysel: Her humor, for people who don't know her well, and her resilience for people who do. Chieko: Her generosity/willingness to give. It helps balance out that chip on her shoulder. Minei: Her ferocity, though that's both feared and admired. Ari: Her care and the fact that she tries (badly, sometimes) to hide it. Weylon: His determination to be better than he has been and better than he is. Lifa: Her passion for things. (Also, this one is making me sad, because out of all of these characters, Lifa is the most alone right now.) Casca: Her sense of humor and her absolute intolerance for insults directed at herself or her loved ones. Brook: Their dedication to the causes and people that they choose, even if those causes or people

could hurt them. Pol: His intuition combined with the fact that he's a sweetheart. Pol actively looks for ways to help when he can. Cio: Her sarcasm (though some people also hate it, Ari is a firm proponent of the "love" side). Pliarr: His determination to make up his own mind about things and situations rather than take someone's word for it. 4. what of their personality do others envy? Kerra, Nisha, Rel, Minei, Ari, Cio, Tanza: Some variant of "strength" is the easiest answer, and the most general. They're all leaders in some way, shape, or form, and though they're different people, their ability to lead is something people envy. Cyprian, Rhi, Casca, Brook, Aysel, Pliarr: Their individuality. It's something present in the others as well, but it's particularly admired and envied in these six. Cody, Tev, Ia, Pol (and Kerra, too): The way they love the world, even when it's hurt them and even when it's complicated. Sindri: His ability to listen and not judge. Chieko: Her idealism. Lifa: Her will to live, honestly. 5. do they hate anything about their personality/about other’s personalities? For their own personalities: Tev, Ia: Generally speaking, no. Kerra, Nisha, Rel, Cody, Tanza, Aysel, Cio, Pliarr: Conscious of the "worst personality trait" I listed above and sees it as a flaw. Rhi, Sindri, Chieko, Minei, Ari, Casca, Brook: Aware they're flawed, but they wouldn't acknowledge or recognize the one I mentioned above for them (or they'd recognize it, but not as a flaw). Cyprian, Weylon, Lifa: Has a general hatred of themself, not targeted. For other's personalities*: Cody, Rhi, Tev, Ia, Sindri, Chieko, Minei: Condescension. Nisha, Rel, Cio, Pliarr: Arrogance. Kerra, Weylon: People thinking they're superior because of their power or for any other reason (a cousin to condescension, in some ways). Cyprian, Tanza, Aysel: Cruelty. Ari, Casca, Brook, Lifa, Pol: Inconstancy/betrayal. *Note: these have some overlap, but I've only listed everyone's name for one of them. W: Water 1. do they drink enough water? Nisha, Cody, Tev, Ia, Tanza, Aysel, Chieko, Minei, Ari, Brook, Pol, Pliarr: Yes. Kerra, Rhi: Yes, but they need less water than most people. Rel, Cyprian, Weylon, Lifa, Casca: No. They're either busy and just forget (Rel, Casca) or don't bother to take care of themselves properly (Cyprian, Weylon, Lifa). Cio: No, and she needs more water than most people. Her brother bugs her about this quite often when he sees her. X: Xylophone 1. what is their favorite genre of music? Kerra, Cody, Tev, Tanza, Brook: Folk music, or stuff like it--instrumentals, strings, meaningful words. Nisha, Rhi, Ia, Minei, Ari, Lifa, Cio: Anything with a good beat; something that you can bob your head or dance to. Rel, Cyprian, Sindri, Pol, Pliarr: Pretty much anything at all, as long as it means something to them personally. Aysel, Chieko, Weylon, Casca: Things along the line of Metal Legion--heavy rock, heavy metal, maybe some screaming thrown in.

[kerra-and-company]

For the ABC questions - all the I, L, and Os for Cioffi?^w^

Cio questions time! Thanks a bunch for the ask! :D I: In the closet 1. what is their sexuality? Cio is panromantic and grey-ace! 2. have they ever questioned their sexuality? Yes, more the second part than the first. She's thought about that bit a lot. 3. have they ever questioned their gender? Yep yep, though not very much. She's pretty sure she's okay with her current pronouns/gender label and hasn't ever felt the need to think too much past that. 4. would/was their family be okay with them being LGBT? Yep, absolutely! :) 5. how long would/did it take for them to come out? She came out to her brother when she was around 14 or so, but it wasn't a big event, more just her asking his advice on dealing with a crush. (Side note, Pliarr did not know how to give her good advice about this asdljkfasd.) L: Lemons 1. what is their favorite fruit? Strawberries and cherries are tied for that title. 2. what is their least favorite fruit? Grapefruit. That specific flavor of citrus is not her thing. 3. are there any foods they hate? Outside of bugs (if those count as a food by this question's definition), not really. Though she definitely has foods she dislikes, like the previously-mentioned grapefruit, as well as pudding, for some reason. 4. do they have any food intolerances? As in allergies/other things like lactose intolerance? No, she doesn't. 5. what is their favorite food? S'mores, or "sweet campfire treats" as they're called in-game. O: Optimism 1. are they optimistic or pessimistic? Realistic more than either one of those. If Cio leans in either direction, it's related to her either being particularly happy or particularly not happy. 2. are they openly optimistic, throwing it on others? Not really, no. 3. are they good at giving advice? She's pretty decent at giving advice, but if you want it sugarcoated, don't ask Cio. She's not exactly painfully blunt, but she does "say it like it is", so to speak. 4. is there anyone in their life that throws optimism on them? Sieran used to do that, a bit. Now, if anyone does, it'd be Kerra. 5. were they always optimistic? No; there's definitely been some times where Cio has been very much Not optimistic. Part of her time in Maguuma, for example, and occasional bits of time during PoF.

[kerra-and-company]

Ooh how about Tanza for the list ask game? - astralarias

I got another ask for Tanza here, so she's already been covered! But I'm going to steal this ask as a free space and answer for Cio, courtesy of the random thing picker, if that's okay :D And thanks a bunch for the ask! 01. Full name: Cioffi (Archon, if you want her title) 02. Best friend: Nisha, Ari 03. Sexuality: panromantic, gray-ace 04. Favorite color: sky blue 05. Relationship status: very much taken 06. Ideal mate: passionate (like not in a romantic/sexy way necessarily, just cares a lot about things), willing to banter, brave 07. Turn-ons: deep voices, smirks, skilled fighting 08. Favorite food: orange cake (what she tells most people who ask), fire flakes (tied for first place but mostly a secret) 09. Crushes: Flynn (previous, a school friend), Sieran (previous), Ari (current partner) 10. Favorite music: things that approximate nature sounds and/or rainfall 11. Biggest fear: becoming truly corrupted by a dragon (any dragon) to the point where she loses herself 12. Biggest fantasy: opening a tech shop with Ari somewhere and getting to grow with her partner and her family without war and dragons 13. Bad habits: pretending she's fine so well that she fools herself too, is occasionally too jaded 14. Biggest regret: Sieran's death 15. Best kept secrets: any number of fast/hidden routes through Rata Sum, her actual self-confidence level 16. Last thought: "Hmm, need more paper--wait. Where are the extra pencils?" 17. Worst romantic experience: being dragged off of Claw Island away from Sieran 18. Biggest insecurity: her hair--it's hard to not be insecure about something that's the first thing everyone looks at 19. Weapon of choice: rifle, turrets, anything else at hand in a pinch 20. Role Model: Pliarr (her brother), Snaff, Zojja, Nisha, Trahearne

[kerra-and-company]

Slides in again, Hoi. I love your writing and I wish Tumblr made it easier to talk to each other through tags cause tags are wonderful.

That being said, hoooow about 19 from the hurt/comfort list 😱

<3 <3 <3 Thank you very much @arcadios-v! I love your writing and art as well, and very much same re: talking through tags.

And that being said, have a prompt response :D

19. “Take all the time you need.”

Warnings: none that I can think of

Day 3

Dear Nisha,

I hope you did not forget that I promised to write you letters. This is the first one I managed to send; the Priory informed us of the courier system but figuring it out in practice is more difficult than I’d anticipated.

I have not traveled very far yet, but Lion’s Arch is…I suppose “incredible” might be a good word for it. When we traveled through it with Pliarr, we didn’t stay long, but I’ve been here a few days now. Do you remember the celebrations in Maguuma, in the center of our village? Lion’s Arch feels like that, but all the time and more chaotic. I’m not sure it’s to my liking, but it’s most certainly fascinating.

I will be in Applenook Hamlet for a few days if you wish to send a response. You may not believe me, but I miss you. I’m sorry that I could not stay.

- Rel

Day 10

Dear Nisha,

Would you mind asking the Priory to invent waterproof paper? Or, if they have already, could you send me some? Attempting to write you a letter in a rainstorm is giving me even more of a headache than usual.

One might also think it would be more difficult for centaurs to set these humans’ villages on fire when there’s rain involved, but they are doing their best to prove me wrong. Part of me is curious why they are so violent, but the part of me that is treating the injuries they leave behind could not care less.

It's getting late here, so I should sleep. I hope you’re getting enough rest—if you must stay up later than I am, at least let yourself wake up later. You deserve a break, Nish.

- Rel

Day 24

Dear Nisha,

I thought Gixx had taught me all possible insults other races had for sylvari, but I have been proven wrong by a particular very drunk individual in a tavern here in Claypool. (I suppose it’s possible that humans are simply more creative than asura, but please don’t tell him that.)

I know you’ll worry, but please don’t. His superior officer put a stop to the situation before it could escalate beyond insults. Aside from this incident, Queensdale is quite nice, though nothing like Maguuma.

Have you been getting my letters? Please send me a message, even a short one, if you have—to Claypool or Overlake Haven (I’ll be there soon). I told you not to worry, but I am worried for you.

- Rel

Day 27

Dear Nisha,

This is my first day in Caledon. The other sylvari seem kind, though (unsurprisingly) they are not all like Sieran. I thought you might be happy to know that. They were a bit shocked when I told them about you—apparently, we (as twins) are somewhat rare.

I am choosing to believe that you’re all right. When you’re ready to talk to me again, I’ll be here. I may be in a different city by then, but I’ll be waiting for your letters.

Take all the time you need.

Love,

Rel

Day 33

I understand why you left. And I believe you.

I’m sleeping enough. Are centaurs flammable?

I can handle myself. Stop worrying.

…I love you, too.

- Nisha

[kerra-and-company]

OC question time! For if you would like, for whoever you would like:

Say your OC had several choices open up for them, but they had to choose one quickly or else they all vanish. Which of these would they choose and why?

A. Glory and recognition for all their hard work.

B. Riches that would allow them to live comfortably from that point on

C. Knowledge that could potentially turn the tide for their problems, but could also be a dead end.

Or D. Guaranteed peaceful natural endings for those they know (no war, disease, famine, etc).

-uselessidiotsquad-

Heya! Thanks for the OC question @uselessidiotsquad! :D

Okay, let’s see who we get from the random generator today:

Kerra: D. It would be an immense relief for her to have that type of security, even if it’s for those around her and not for herself.

Ari: She wouldn’t trust this situation at all, but if she picked one, it would be C, on the off chance that it panned out. She doesn’t think about money all that much (unless she’s collecting coins), and she doesn’t believe peaceful endings exist. And she’d rather be ignored than recognized.

Cio: Probably C. She’s willing to take a chance on information. If it wasn’t that one, though, it’d be A, solely for the ability to rub it in the Arcane Council’s face.

Pliarr: B. He and Cio grew up short on money, and he always wanted to do more for her than he could afford. He’s not greedy, but, like Kerra, it’d give him security (and a way to provide for his sister, though she no longer needs it).

Tanza: This very much depends on when you asked her. As a child looking forward to making her legend, she’d answer A. As a young adult in the Pact learning how to deal with dragons, they’d answer C. And if you asked them during Icebrood, it’d be a toss-up between C and D; she’d choose whatever she thought was most likely to help her mothers.