#elias thorncroft

[solarwreathe]

look at them... couple'a cards. a little style divergence with @bleaksqueak's characters

read solivaga here

[bleaksqueak]

Finally I have internet again! This is a week late almost due to the internet outage, but a (better late than never) Happy Halloween from the Thorncrofts. (or some of them, plus one gremlin.) edit- decided to add detail shots. I made special brushes for this painting because I wanted that specific sherpa and yarn textures for Elias’ costume and the frayed edges of Audric’s... also, a close up of Mochi :>

[bleaksqueak]

By the way, maybe you remember me posting about "Haha, well, I went to back up a nearly finished two-page spread and accidentally hit Delete instead of Duplicate. Only one panel survived." (in a grave ragged voice limped out by a banshee that's long lost the will to haunt) Today's pages were the victims in that accident. I was so grateful that I had a backup of the top panel, but I lost *everything* else. Everything that went up today was a re-do. I preferred the first drawing I had of Audun for the second panel and for whatever reason just couldn't recapture it, and didn't have the time to spare to needle at it, but whatcha gonna do!! Sometimes that just happens. (I wanted to find a mountain to scream and wail from, but disassociating at a wall is just as good when none are available) Anyway, Elias' little, uh, friend, in the second panel is named Wheejibo and was designed for me by my good buddy @lesserkey

And here's the asset I made from their design.

Supplemental artwork provided by Elias Thorncroft (age 3 and a half). Anyway, time for food and chapter 3 work!

[bleaksqueak]

Uhhhh Character flower association! Maia and the Thorncrofts and whoever bonus character(s)!!!

Hm hm! That's a fun one. but I would think... Lotus for Audric, though Gladioli are a good fit as well Purple Hyacinth and Asphodel, though i was also tempted to list Wolfsbane for Elias Chamomile and Dandelions for Lyra Marigold and Ivy for Audun

[bleaksqueak]

okay sorry I reread and is the veil a second world? and wards are people from the world that resembles ours?

Hey there! I'll reply here instead of to your first ask (unless you want a reply to both, just lmk) , but yes that is correct! The Veil is a secondary world, full of citizens and creatures both as originating natives of its lands and Wards that have found it, or in a sense "been invited", from the outside. Exactly how and why wards are brought in has not been directly explained yet, but I believe we'll understand why in time. As well, we'll understand how the veil itself exists alongside the outworld (as in, our world). Elias is a good source of information and has been recently fully introduced in the story-- the only issue is, of course, that he's not the most... reliable, socially. Well, he'll have to be, since he agreed to tutor Maia under Gwennebat's request. In your other ask you asked about the dangers of the world, and while they've been teased, I'm afraid to say they'll be More than teased before much longer. Maia's got a lot of her own problems, but she's been largely sheltered from the Veil's wider reaching problems. Most magi that live in protected Spires and follow the cautionary rules are. Granted, she may be sheltered, but that's only physically-- she's fully aware of these dangers, fueling almost all of her anxiety. She's just never really experienced them first hand (unless we count The Shrew incident), so, like with the chapter 2 opening, we only have her imagination to go off of. The Thorncroft boys and the other reaper cast members have more than just their imaginations to rely on for those dangers, though... Maia might soon find herself lucky if she can just continue focusing on her school woes instead.

[bleaksqueak]

There is little evidence that love language is an actual thing but people still have preferences so I was wondering what was the thorncrofts + Maia’s preferred method of receiving and giving affection?

I'm losing my mind at the sketch you sent, I have been since I first opened it yesterday!! Like, OTP territory. I *love it* I'll probably answer the actual question here a little sparsely since little "love language" details are things I want to show in story proper and not tell too early, but... Maia's hard to gauge. She doesn't really let anyone in or seek anyone out. She doesn't really know what to do with kind gestures, either, as evidenced by how she reacted to Maddie... though that exchange had many layers of reasons for Maia to be uncomfortable, it's safe to say she's uneasy around affection. Still, she appreciates kind gestures... she just would rather they happen spontaneously and from a safe distance. Lyra's an exact opposite in every way... She's very open in almost every regard, easy going, likes making others happy, and definitely holds a romantic heart... the problem with her romantic heart tends to be she's a bit *too* much. She's hyper, hyper fixates hard, info dumps and can easily overwhelm others by how she shows affection. Her first relationships and dating attempts weren't the best match... not that that stopped her, obviously lol. Sicne audun's not properly introduced yet, I'll leave him mostly blank... but we can just say Lyra found someone who liked her enthusiastic passion. Audric i'm going to also leave to the narrative for now, *but* I will say you can see hints of how he shows affection in the chapter 1 opening. Elias.... well. Isn't that just a mystery.

[bleaksqueak]

A two for one! First question! What would be the Thorncrofts' and Maia's like did class? Second question! Why mythic animal would those characters be associated with?

Howdy! Thanks for waiting a lil bit, My sleep schedule's been wacky and I was strong arming it the past couple of days lol. I'm having a tiny trouble deciphering the typo/auto correct on the first question tbh, but is it most liked class? If so, I thiiiink I answered that one a little while back if you check the tag, but if you want a more specific or different take on it, I can always answer it again if you lmk! As for the second question. Audric's is easy- Phoenix, since he already has a reputation/nickname for that around the island due to his aura. Maia will stick by her guns and say wolpertinger, but I'll be nicer to her than she'll be to herself and say, if they count, hesperides (nymphs count right?) but if they don't... a moth girl. Kikimora exist in soli as moth people maven, so that's what I'd put her as. Elias.... lol maybe I shouldn't say. Lyra, after a lot of debate, i'd say... sphinx. She's just worthy of both awe and little kitty peets. Audun ... gogmagog. at least, according to his youngest.

[bleaksqueak]

There's a clip from Acchi Kocchi with Io pen spinning. Do Maia and the Thorncrofts have enough patience and time to spin a pen around? Would they do it to annoy someone? Boredom?

I can 100% absolutely guarantee that Audric is your man in this case.

Lyra would have probably taught him a simple version when he was younger. Grown now though, I'm sure if Audric really wanted he could do a similar trick with his loci lol

Maia's probably tried to do this before, but if it drew any attention to her, especially on a goof-up, she'd hurriedly Cease and not try again any time soon. Elias, well....

[bleaksqueak]

What would Maia and the Thorncrofts be like in a no magic au? Would Elias still have a scar and his glasses?

Ohh, I pondered over this question a bit when I got it a few days ago... It got a little long, so I'll put it below this cut~

If treated like a true blue AU, so, say, the characters are all coincidentally in the same general area of the world, and simply exist in a parallel reality? I think Lyra would have continued on with the same general career that she ended up in. Being a ward in the first place, she wasn't born into the veil and did enter already with a rapt fascination in wildlife, biology, their habitats and tinkering with devices invented to aid her. She would have gone on to become an environmental researcher, and may or may not have accidentally diverged her career into a sort of Bill Nye/Beakman trajectory after the ratio of "Get the Kids Excited About SCIENCE!!" talks and TV guest spots overtook professional allotment. It could absolutely go either way. She'd make a name for herself again though, that much is solid.

Without there being any need for the duty reapers perform in the veil, Audun would have a much more quiet, simple life. Maybe he'd have some normal office job, signing papers and having An Office, or maybe he would get roped into being a part-time producer in the event Lyra Nyes herself.

Or maybe he'd just own a little ferry service completely opposite of all of that, blissfully unaware of the grueling job his Other Self maintains as some little ducks toot on by. The boys would probably live much different lives. Elias would probably still easily find himself in a myriad of situations to end up with a Scar or Two, but nothing would be like what marred him in the veil. Much less reserved, more open in general, with at the very least a close-knit group of friends that are left wondering Where the Hell He Is when he seems to vanish for hours (or days. or more) at a time without word, absorbed in his interests and goals. Following after his mother's footsteps.... more or less. He'd still have a pet stoat. Though she might just be a ferret in this Normal Slice of Life Au.

Audric maintains his position as The Most Normal One and strives to live that ideal to its fullest degree (Strives, tries. Same thing.) No need for reapers, after all! He'd actually have a quiet life here, if not for his gremlin brother. His renowned mother... and the family name attached to her. And one of his closest friends, who may or may not have used their One Phone call on him asking to bail them out after getting into yet another heated brawl at an anime convention. With the anime convention? The answer is "Goku Would Win", at any rate. Life remains ever vigilant for Audric. He can always go join his father and enjoy the ducks on the river. Just sitting. Looking. At the ducks. Bonding. As for Maia... Mm. She'd be unhappy. Desperately so. I have trouble shaking the feeling that in a no-magic AU, she wouldn't still be that tiny kid that had shoved everything they owned into a backpack and taken her chances in the downpour. I could go into what I think she'd be doing, job, her goals, but all I can really focus on is where things would have gone if nothing had taken her that night.

These are just my general sleepy thoughts for a Slice of Life AU where the veil doesn't exist. Wonder how they'll change over time or with a different genre? I think the lesson learned here is "So much of their story/lives depends entirely on the veil that I had to really think about that question."

[bleaksqueak]

Actually that idea of the Veil characters being the night guard in fnaf is kinda hilarious. It would be like the haunted house idea. Only mostly alone.

Or they're just playing the game. Who's the best gamer between Maia, her suitemates and the Thorncroft brothers shines through. Probably none of them. Just silly veil hours.

Oh, no anon I'm sorry! I missed this one between some spam. Also the only candidate for a spooky situation where they're forced to be alone is Maia, the others would be too competent in the situation by either embracing the horrors or being far too capable of incinerating them As for the best gamers? I think Maia would actually be a great gamer if she still had regular access to most games! Autumn, however, would be the absolute champion.... out of Eli's suite, it would be Nikolai So it sounds like they need to have a face off. (I still stand by my saying that Maia would be great at it. Elias I think would be a little uncertain, but would like certain genres-- he'd probably like pokemon a lot lol. Audric would oddly enough not have the patience for it. He's incredibly patient in every other corner of his life, but for games? I can't see it. He'd get frustrated so quickly lol...)

[bleaksqueak]

🧍🏾‍♀️

How much weight can Maia and the Thorncrofts hold before being weighed down?

You know, I'll freely admit I have zero brain for exact numbers and averages when it comes to the body's ability to lift things and my brain tends to work in realms of actual application, so how about I answer this as How Long Can Each of them Hold Bradley (while enchanted, so the stones are not completely dead weight) Maia: ... Maia could not lift Whole Bradley at all, but can hold his head and a forearm for at least a few minutes before she'd start to feel like noodles. Elias: Cannot lift a whole Bradley either, but manages to hold up about the same as Maia, maybe a little more. Throw in a finger or an elbow. He doesn't last long either. Audric: Can successfully lift Half of Bradley and wonders why they can't lift something more sensible or measured. While enduring for as long as possible, he finds himself praying the enchantment holds, because dead weight returning to The Eldest would result in a trip to the infirmary Audun: can lift the whole Bradley, but may or may not have cheated a little. He is refusing to make eye contact, as this makes being bullied by a toddler an even worse look. (Try again, don't use magic... the results would still be impressive, regardless) Lyra: Lifts Bradley all the time, and declares herself having Already Won. (In reality, she'd be about the same as Elias.)

[bleaksqueak]

How do the characters, namely Maia and the Thorncrofts, feel about the topic of "destiny" or "fate"?

Oh hey! This ask was hidden under some spam, so apologies for missing it at first...but I saw it now so let's answer. That's a good question for Maia, since I think she both heavily believes in destiny and fate, but not in the positive way that it's ever leading her to anything good. She'll still attribute something that goes *right* to be in the supernatural hands of a guiding force, like quipping that a Cheeky Little Oracle is trying to tell her that she's in for a good day after her uniform sigil didn't blow up in her face, but I can't guarantee she believes it too strongly. It's more a way to deflect any disappointment to come out of her own hands. She seems convinced fate has it out for her, and maybe she's not wrong. Likewise, the belief amongst the Thorncrofts varies. Audric and Lyra are generally both optimists, though different flavors each respectively. One holding a cautiously pragmatic approach, where fate is a nomadic ally who won't always be there on the journey, will be waiting on you at the end of the journey, while the other believes that if the entire world is crumbling around you, then you're the one fate has chosen to Fix It. So, get to fixin'. Leaving the other two... Both hold a much more pessimistic outlook on the notion, while Audun seems troubled by the question, Elias simply leaves without a word.

[bleaksqueak]

Do any of the characters, namely Maia and the Thorncrofts, know how to swim? Are they afraid of the sea? Would they like the octopus and the squid????

It would be a complete travesty if Audun couldn't swim, given the form his magic takes and the ferry design on his loci... so the temptation to be mean to him and say that he can't is strong, but I'm pretty sure he can swim. Audric for certain can, and has more than taken advantage of the pond near their house. No one really seems to know if Elias can swim or not... If Lyra's efforts to introduce him to the idea resulted in her choosing to never speak of it again, we can only be left to ponder. It's unlikely though that Maia can swim, having never really had the chance or option to. Ironic considering she now lives on an island, but it's a fairly cold island for about 9 months out of the year, and dedicated swimming spots would require Interacting with others in a Vulnerable environment... all of those things sound kind of not fun to her, so she'll stick to the skies on her scooty puff jr. for now. As for the squids, and the octopi... Audric would love to cook with squid. Lyra would just love them bc they're odd and certainly cute.

[bleaksqueak]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but are the Thorncrofts side characters? If so how often do you think they will appear?

It’s not dumb! no worries. They’re main characters! Very main, actually… to the point where, unfortunately maybe, the next time Elias shows up he will be incredibly difficult to get rid of him.

You can’t spray for those things, and fencing doesn’t work either.

[bleaksqueak]

Kinda weird question but, rate the Thorncrofts on a scale from 1 to 10 on how likely they are to do something stupid and/or unhinged, racoon style (speak about examples if you'd like [I like their family a normal amount])

You say it's a weird question, but I have an established chart of (Voted Most Normal --- Sicko Mode) for them



I'm going to leave Daddio out because he's not been introduced yet, so you can have fun planting him on the sliding scale of idiocy if you want: Lyra is the king goblin, and even should I try to dethrone her, I would not be strong enough. The raccoons all bow before her, and each has a cute little Mad Scientist theming more Adorable than the last. This in reality is just her joke wallet album she spent way too many nights on to entertain herself during boring fundraising galas.

Elias is only slightly trailing behind her, but his unhinged raccoon nonsense manifests in slightly different ways. He unfortunately takes after his mother but in possibly every horrible-not-good-way possible. He's bypassed the joke trash panda album and gone straight to simply manifesting as one. It's easier to do crime things behind people's backs that way. Possibly all of Lyra's worst traits.

Meanwhile: Audric was voted "MOST NORMAL (VERY APPROACHABLE)" several years in a row now, beating out Bradley by technicality of being Less-Rock-Like . So, needless to say, they depend on him to do the grocery shopping.



Maia disagrees wholeheartedly on that whole 'approachable' thing and just kind of, in general, wants to stop meeting her idol in these roundabout not great ways.

Edit: lmao i’m so sleepy I missed the 1-10 rating.

ok: Daddio: (N/A unintroduced)

Audric: 1, maybe a 2 if the mood strikes.

Bradley: 4 (he’d be a solid 1 if he wasn’t a rock being puppeted by Lyra. Alas.)

Elias: 10

Lyra: 11

anyone else related to this trash fire: 5.5 until proven guilty.

[bleaksqueak]

The entire Crowthorn family my beloveds <3

I agree whole heartedly! (Also Elias would be incredibly into the idea of being Crowthorn instead of Thorncroft. If anything because he could pester his brother about it.)