#herearedragons

[wolfythewitch]

just wanted to say, big fan of the Odysseus redesign (and the way his curls are kind of shaped like sea waves)

HEHEH THANK YOU

[greypetrel]

Galaxy/stars + ghostly hands that I decided are totally glowing in the dark = happy Arja.

Lorenzo here belongs to @herearedragons, and it's been a delightful revenge to paint! :D

[sun-marie]

PoE prompts: 3, 12 or 31?

31: you survived; no shame in that

I went with Hiravias for this prompt because I feel like this is something he had to say to himself after the Staelgar attack 🥲

Pillars of Eternity prompts (send me a number + a character and I'll sketch them!)

[curiouslavellan]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

aww ty!

the cracked and the care for (ao3)

I really loved this oneshot, it was so fun to dive into Iron Bull's psychology and I always want more content dealing with the sort of everyday fear that comes from being/being near mages in Thedas. we get to see the risks in big moments and quests, but I think it's even more interesting that it's always present even when everything seems normal

content with my share (ao3)

current WIP, soulmate au! honestly having such a great time with this so far and it's really helped me get comfy leaning into tropes for fun

See Fire, and Go Towards Light (ao3)

the long-term WIP I have to mention. somehow I'm slow at writing this despite the fact that I think about it almost every day. Aurelia is definitely a heavy contender for favorite OC I've ever made

A Solemn Appeal (ao3)

currently my only published pillar of eternity fic, this was a great way to open that door. it also helped me nail down the oath of honesty that became a really essential part of Helaine's character

and at a certain age the child is grown (ao3)

this one's a throwback. first fic I ever posted anywhere, for The Adventure Zone fandom. I actually went back to listen to TAZ Balance again recently and definitely got back in my feelings about my ghost au

[blackjackkent]

“rampage” for the one-word prompts?

(Send me a number and I’ll write a micro story using the word or phrase)

-----

Everyone (except Lae'zel) is thrilled about the owlbear cub's arrival in camp. Even Rakha, submerged in dark thoughts as she often is, relaxes a little and watches with attentive interest when he wanders across her path in the waning evening. 

“Fantastic,” Karlach says cheerfully, building up a bed for him in a corner of the camp near where Scratch usually sleeps. “He's fucking adorable, look at him. This is the best thing that's happened to us so far.”

No one thinks, that first night, to hoist the camp supplies out of reach. 

“Holy fuck,” Karlach says, considerably less cheerfully, the next morning. 

The camp is in ruins. The cub, in frantic excitement, ripped open both camp food bags and has strewn every supply pack across the ground in an ecstatic rampage. Everything plant-based lies in the mud with bites out of it; the supply of jerky and fresh meat is completely gone. 

Amid the chaos, the cub lies on his back, his belly rounded from his feast, sleeping the sleep of the deeply contented. Scratch is perched on top of a nearby rock, chewing through a leftover chain of sausage links and looking rather smug. 

“Hells,” Wyll says, rubbing the back of his neck. “What a mess.”

Rakha, joining them, surveys the scene gravely. For a long, long moment, there is a dismayed silence. 

Then, astonishingly, Rakha smiles faintly. “The cub, I see, shows its own dark urge that comes by night.”

Wyll chokes on a sudden laugh and Karlach snickers. “What, you with the jokes?” she says teasingly. “This day really is starting off with a bang.” 

[andnatiabrosca]

21 or 22 for the artifact prompts!

thanks for the prompt! this one really got away from me. it's in the style of a dwarven folk tale - a first for me

an unstrung bow that whispers when touched, or the story of brother treasure-hunter

Before the Roads were new and after the Thaigs were lost, back when the Stone knew your name, a brother of ours was treasure-hunting far from here.  Rockfall had separated him from his sisters; time had taken him from his home.  A great cavern opened before him.

The shine of the stone in his lamplight echoed back its story.  Long before, a city had risen.  Long before, a city had fallen.

“Good hunting,” he said to himself and left the collapsed stone behind him.

Brother Treasure-Hunter was a wise dwarf and knew to watch for the bones of the lost among the rubble.  Here there were many, broken and unburied where their city had crumbled.  Fallen cities are good for the treasure-hunter, and good for the ghost.

Brother Treasure-Hunter’s bag soon grew full with gold and gems, heavy with scrolls of memory, long before even half the Thaig was searched.

“I must bring my sisters next,” he said.  “They will dance with joy when they see the riches here.”

He pulled out his map to mark the Thaig and the rockfall that had brought him there.   And he saw the land around him was unknown.

“How do I find my exit?” he asked to the Stone.  “It is time for me to leave.”

A wind whipped through the cavern, pulling him towards the distant southern wall. Brother Treasure-Hunter followed the path the Stone had shown him, remembering to care for his steps.  No bones crushed under his heels.

The Stone-wind blew out his lamp.

“Thanks,” said Brother Treasure-Hunter.  “I needed that to find my way home.”

His hands found the wall and he let his eyes find the darkness.  The Thaig was different in the dark, as it always is.  The southern wall seemed further, and the wind weaker.  The ruins he had seen just before him were now empty halls.

Brave as black, Brother Treasure-Hunter started walking again, although the southern wall never seemed to draw nearer. He walked for many minutes in the dark and silent.

Who knows me? Something whispered in the wind.

“Brother Ghost, I apologize,” said Brother Treasure-Hunter, feeling something hard and brittle against his boot. “I will move your bones from my path.”

But what he picked up was not cold and dirty bone, but warm and broken wood.

Raise me, whispered the wind, so I may know you.

Brother Treasure-Hunter raised the wood until he could see the fine make of its shape, curving into an elegant bow.  The hand that held it turned cold, the splinters of the ancient wood pricking blood from his skin.

Ah, child of Stone, I have not known a hand like yours, the bow whispered to him.

“And I haven’t known a curve like yours,” replied Brother Treasure-Hunter.  He knew the heavy comfort of a shield and steel too well to have ever been tempted by the safety of a distant shot, indeed.  “I will put you from my path and leave you to rest, Brother Bow.”

Not so quickly, Brother Bow said, I may not know your hand, but I will learn.  You will find my vengeance to me.

Brother Treasure-Hunter had no such plans.  “Esteemed Brother Bow,” said he, “I don’t know your vengeance and cannot shoot.  Besides, you are broken by forgetful time.  If you wait for my return, I will bring you my sister, who can shoot.”

I don’t need to wait, said Brother Bow.  I will learn your hand.

The wood warped before him, recarving itself before his eyes and worming splinters deep into his hand.

See, I have learned your hand, said Forgotten Bow, and now I will find my vengeance.

“Brother Bow,” said Brother Treasure-Hunter, trying to find himself time, “you are still unstrung and have no arrows.  And I don’t know what vengeance you seek.”

I do not need such things, said Forgotten Bow.  Your Stone remembers me.

The cavern lit the flickering green of half-remembered flame.  Brother Treasure-Hunter’s ruins were no more; they had rebuilt themselves to the towering carvings they once had been.  Blue ghosts flickered in and out of doorways.

You see your people, yes, said Forgotten Bow, and now you see mine.

An army of green flowed in from the southern wall, bows like Brother Treasure-Hunter’s in their hands.  Brother Treasure-Hunter knew the wars, and this was one.

“What vengeance do you want?” he asked Remembered Bow.

I will bring the sun to my forgotten ones, said Remembered Bow, and that will be vengeance enough for me.

“I could never be buried in the sun,” said Brother Treasure-Hunter, “What of my forgotten ones?”

They are not here; observe them flee.

And the lyrium-memory did, collapsing the northern exit behind them.  And then fell the southern.

“I will help you,” said Brother Treasure-Hunter, remembering the pain of lost Stone, “if it will satisfy your vengeance.”

You see the light, all the way up there? asked Remembered Bow, Sight me at it and hold still.

And Brother Treasure-Hunter did.

He saw a flash of light, bright and burning past his face. 

He heard the rumble of a rockfall and fell to the ground.

The Stone split open.  The sun found the ground.

Away faded the ghosts of green, and away crumbled Remembered Bow.

Thank you, whispered the wind.

In thanks for its vengeance, Remembered Bow gave us a growing thaig.  Brother Treasure-Hunter remained wise, and stopped treasure-hunting.  He was lucky once; no one is lucky twice.

[avalost]

📝

Thank you for the ask @herearedragons!

Up until last year, the only writing I had to my name were random drabbles I wrote 10 years ago. (They're still here on this blog! They're not very good!) But last fall, I played BG3, and damn did the floodgates open. Suddenly 35k words just kinda poured out of me. I didn't even know I could write like that.

And it didn't even stop there - after that I moved on to Pathfinder KM, and I'm just wrapping up a 20k word series there.

I really credit BG3 with my return to so many things - gaming, writing, art, OCs, this hellsite, the whole shebang <3

Send me a 📝 for a random fact about my writing

[herearedragons]

Why do you write like you're running out of time?

Had this idea all the way back at the end of last year's Dracula season, and since it's upon us again, decided to draw it! (tagged for spoilers for first time readers)

(slightly altered) lyrics from: "Non-Stop", Hamilton

commission info

[en-abime-updates]

En Abime Updates Promo Post

Hello, fellow abimers! Please consider reblogging this blog promotion so we can make keeping up with en abime accessible and enjoyable to more people! Thank you very much!!

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[layalu]

@herearedragons the beloveds <333

[secret-st-waidwen-exchange]

I guess we're doing this!!

Secret St. Waidwen is a Pillars of Eternity-themed Secret Santa exchange organized by @herearedragons.

(header image by @solas-backpack-mug)

Sign-up form

Timeline

Sign-ups end: 9/30/24 12:00 EST

Match-ups revealed: 10/6/24 12:00 EST

Gifts due: 12/30/24 12:00 EST

Gifts revealed: 12/31/24 12:00 EST

[en-abimers]

We made a zine!!!

A while ago, we decided to make a zine with poetry and fanart dedicated to the abime and its residents (we even got one of them to help - thanks Mal!). We had to make some adjustments in order to safely upload it to tumblr, but now we can finally share it here!

@williamyew @williamy3w @fortunateisle @malsdesktop

Content warning for disturbing imagery, eyestrain and unreality content.

Find the full pdf here!

Contributors: @anomalouscorvid @herearedragons @remylong @thatonerandompigeon @aliflower88

@pixiepixells @ell-if-i-know @clowninthecoffeehouse @misnomerrr @malsdesktop

@stellarstarryyy @toasted-valentine

Editor: @herearedragons

[ndostairlyrium]

Eighth Art Fight attack goes to @herearedragons of their precious child Neilar Lavellan 💛

My profile

[sun-marie]

Aloth for the character breakdown!

How I feel about this character: Aloth my beloved <3 I love him to pieces, I love how he balances snark with kindness. He's uptight and nervous and just a tad hypocritical at some points, but I find him really compelling in the first game and especially the second game. I appreciate how they handled his backstory, in my experience abusive parents in media often justify a "hardened" character's behavior (when they're really just assholes), but I appreciate how the abuse Aloth went through + the fact he had to hide Iselmyr for most of his life have worn him into more of a nervous wreck than some kind of a "badass", and there are several routes he can take to healing. And I really like how in between games he reconciles with his mom and is straight up like "you don't have to approve and I'm glad I did it" to the Watcher, I appreciate that he has boundaries and it gives depth to his unseen relationship with her. I think he's a flawed and well-rounded character, and even though I went into the games expecting to like him I was still surprised by how much!

There are moments in the second game where I did feel like his... attitude, I guess? was a little much for me. I think in the DLCs especially he suffers from just a little bit of flanderization, where nearly everything the group did he had a comment like "we're not seriously doing this, right?" or "wonderful, another x uncomfortable thing" that give the feeling that he's just being dragged around by the Watcher and doesn't wanna be here. And idk by the end of the Forgotten Sanctum I was kind over it? Like I'm sorry you're not having a good time my dude but nobody is. BUT I try not to hold that against his character bc to me, I more have issue with the quantity of the comments rather than the quality, and I can easily see a situation where the writers wrote his reactions to certain situations in isolation, not realizing that it might be too much when it all came together.

Overall, though, I generally prefer him in the second game and think his second arc was handled even better than his first, both paths are incredibly crunchy.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: ...Is it cheating to say my Watcher? Idk I enjoy his very lowkey Deadfire romance a lot <3 I like how a lot is left up to interpretation re: how far they go in their relationship (with Sabina, at least, I don't think they get very far at all), and it has such sugary sweet vibes for such a dark setting.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: As I mentioned in my answer to this question for Xoti, I feel like the entire Deadfire crew could fit this spot for each other, and I also referenced how much I enjoy her relationship with Aloth. For Aloth specifically, though, I have to go with his bromance with Edér, which really benefits from spanning across two games (and with Matt Mercer having great chemistry with... himself). I also read this great fic a while ago that really sold me on the potential of his relationship with Sagani and Grieving Mother!

My unpopular opinion about this character: I have no idea what ending people prefer for him in Deadfire so idk how popular/unpopular this is, but for me I prefer the ending where he gives up his work dismantling the Leaden Key, mainly because it feels like an immense amount of pressure to place on a guy who seems to be under plenty, and the steps he would have to take take to continue feel eerily similar to how Thaos operated. Plus it means he can stay with my Watcher but as an avid tragedy enjoyer I promise it's not just that it's just a bonus

Also, I'm not a huge fan of the "Elves have a super long lifespan" bc I feel it unnecessarily complicates things and I kinda wish he was just his actual age instead of like 65

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: While I like how lowkey his romance is, I would have appreciated just a few extra crumbs. Also, I would have loved to see more Iselmyr if he didn't suppress her, bc while she's fun and I enjoy her I sometimes forget she's there 😅

GIVE ME A CHARACTER: and I’ll break their ass down:

[curiouslavellan]

Fic asks: 1, 22, and 62 for See Fire?

Do you daydream a lot before you write, or go for it as soon as the ideas strike?

I am a constant daydreamer, sometimes to my detriment because it means I put off actually writing the thing. I've been getting better at taking notes when I think/ramble about a story for too long so I don't puzzle something out and then immediately forget it lol

22. Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

this is different for all my fics but for See Fire specifically, I love the writing of the Chant, and I love that the major quests in DAI are named from it, so I just decided to do that as well. It felt extra appropriate for Aurelia because obviously all Inquisitors are tied to the Chantry whether they want to be or not, but she's also literally got it stamped on her face.

The specific lines for this title, "She should see fire and go towards Light / The Veil holds no uncertainty for her" are obviously related to her fire magic but mostly they're sort of aspirational/hopeful

62. In [insert fic], is there a deleted scene/idea you wish you could have included? Why did it get cut?

Aurelia and Dorian had a much more extended argument about why time magic doesn't make any sense in the original draft of ch8, but I had to cut it down because it didn't make sense for her to have done that much thinking about magical theory yet. RIP heated discussion of the mechanics of the haste spell

[sacherali]

Seventh attack goes to @herearedragons and it features a legit cutie 🌕💛

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Art Fight