#zehra delaniel

[adveniogame]

heya author im new here and is wondering bcs i saw zifra and sistel tag, is there's a ship for zehra/sifra or if its more like poly option or something??

the poly is something i’ve thought about for a while - in a world without their jealousies over sir, they could have been quite good friends (and they both find each other attractive). but implementing it is something that would take a while, both because i need to finish the next update (and wrangle with tweego) and because there’s a lot of tension between sifra/sir/zehra because of the awkward dynamic they had when they were younger

[adveniogame]

🔥 for all the ROs?

What’s a surefire way to get them flustered?

Zehra - someone beating her at her own game (in terms of charm).

Sifra - someone being nice to them.

Irin - someone listening to him.

Estel - someone noticing them.

Anahi - someone keeping a promise.

[adveniogame]

🧸 : Into public displays of affection or are they more reserved?

Zehra: In settings that are more professional, she would be more reserved - however, in "civilian life", or away from the city, she'd be much more comfortable with being openly affectionate.

Sifra: Pathologically opposed to public displays of affection - if you saw them and their partner, you'd assume they were friendly work colleagues. Has the capacity to be very affectionate in private or among trusted friends.

Irin: Depends on the display - something like a kiss, absolutely no problems, literally in public or in private doesn’t matter. Something like a hand touch (or, dare I say it, a wrist touch) - that’s a little intimate for public consumption, he’d rather that, if they did it at all, his partner did that in private.

Estel: Would love a partner to be affectionate with them, all the time in any situation if they're comfortable with it. Like a flower to sunlight.

Anahi: The most she would accept would be some light hand-holding - but she would think it was quite reassuring. She would never initiate or ask for it, though. (She would melt if her partner asked or initiated.)

[adveniogame]

ROs’ most sensitive areas / where do they like to be kissed or touched the most?

zehra’s thighs are the most sensitive - so for example resting a hand on her thigh when sitting together would make her shift in place. she likes to be kissed on the lips.

sifra likes forehead kisses, also like. kisses to the temple from behind? (i can see it in my mind, but it’s midnight when i’m writing this so i’m not sure if i’m explaining it right, lmk if that makes sense lmao)

irin mostly likes giving neck kisses and receiving thigh kisses - kissing for him mostly comes in the context of sex, at least at first, so that would be what would appeal to him the most.

estel enjoys cheek kisses (because cheek kisses often lead to making out), not least because they’re “safer” in terms of telegraphing intentions.

anahi is touch resistant (not quite touch averse, but she definitely doesn’t enjoy being touched by people she doesn’t trust), so everywhere’s “sensitive” at first - she is always very partial to hand kisses, though.

[adveniogame]

how jealous do the ROs get? what are they like when it happens?

got a little long <3

zehra actively tries not to be jealous - she tries to make sure that she gives her partner space, but also she finds it deeply unattractive and she doesn't want her partner to think the same. it would have to be something fairly egregious to get a reaction from her, and at that stage she would become much more withdrawn. hiding any vulnerabilities until she has a chance to lick her wounds.

sifra seethes. they've spent the last ten years seething, they're very good at it. they know it's bad, they know it's unattractive and they know they shouldn't but they can't help it. the feeling is too intense, too visceral to ignore, and it awakens too much anxiety. they try to remove themself from the situation (e.g. if at a party, they would leave/go outside to get some fresh air), otherwise they lash out verbally. hurt people hurt people.

irin experiences compersion, rather than jealousy. he'd be the most open to an open relationship, and really just wants his partner to be happy. one thing he would struggle with, though, is not being with his partner - he's more likely to be jealous about something nebulous (e.g. an open-ended contract requires them to leave town for a long time) which means he can't see them.

estel gets "clingier" - terrified of being abandoned, utterly terrified of it, and clings harder if they sense a partner withdrawing or transferring their attention to someone else. you're the only one who's ever stayed, please don't leave now, please--

anahi gets angry. moody, sulky, aggressive in her demeanour, unwilling to hear excuses or apologies. (secretly hopes that you leave - she can stay angry if you leave, she doesn't have to blame herself if you leave).

in terms of game mechanics, estel and anahi would react the worst to the pc having romantic interactions with other characters - it doesn't immediately lock you out, but it will quicker than for the other three.

[adveniogame]

Your writing is impeccable as always, but that "No" did hurt a lot. Why, Sifra, why do you have to be so cruel?? 😭

i'm glad you liked the update! a little explanation under the cut </3

generally, though, sifra and zehra have different philosophies on how people should engage with the past - sifra thinks you should focus on the present (which means they try not to think about either the past or the future), and on the other hand zehra romanticises the past a lot.

whether or not sifra's been successful at not thinking about the past is debatable...

[adveniogame]

zehra delaniel.

you’ve heard of golf widows, but this is something else.

shoots and board meetings and brand discussions and activist panels and you haven’t seen zehra in three days, three days of wanting and waiting.

her insta’s pretty, though. the benefits of dating an influencer who seems perilously close to being on a time magazine list are many, and one of those is that her social media feed is vivid enough that you feel like you could be there with her. warm, brown eyes and sunny smiles and soft skin you can almost feel under your hands–

23:23pm: miss you.

the message is typed and sent before you know you’ve done it, and you type and delete and re-type and re-delete a follow-up.

23:26pm: nvm, i’ll see you at the weekend <3

the next thing you’re aware of is the harsh drums at the start of naacho naacho, the rhythmic pounding a drill into your temples. light from your mobile stabs deep into your retinas when you look blearily at your phone and answer before processing who’s calling.

“hello?”

“hey, baby.” baby. a flush of warmth floods through your chest at the pet name, one that had started as a joke when you had been “just friends”, and had lingered long after the point of no return, where you could never be “just friends” again.

“hey.” it’s 2 in the morning, and the memory of needy texts slams into your throat. “sorry if i woke you up, i–”

“i miss you too. how was your day?”

for a moment, your mouth opens and closes uselessly before you demur. “yours was probably more interesting.”

“i want to know about yours.” her tone is firm, but you can hear the smile in her voice and you open up, like a flower under sunlight.

[adveniogame]

to address some (admittedly otherwise lovely) asks i’ve received - i don’t publish asks about the characters that use incorrect pronouns, and the correct pronouns are as follows:

zehra - she/her

sifra - they/them

irin - he/him

estel - they/them

anahi - she/her

[adveniogame]

what would everyone do if sir was oblivious to their feelings?

as discord emojis i have:

zehra:

sifra:

irin:

estel, a combination of two:

anahi, a combination of two:

[adveniogame]

zehra delaniel, by @fooltofancy​ (ko-fi here!)

“what about this one?”

she is holding out what may well be the seventeenth new outfit she has tried on today, all for her entry into argeran high society next year, when she goes to join her sister in the shining city. the dressmakers in galaeth have been working tirelessly to satisfy the commissions of the hopeful entrants, and zehra is no exception.

you rather think, though, that she has rather over-estimated your interest.

that is perhaps unfair – it’s not that you’re not interested. it’s more that every new dress is further proof that she will be leaving soon.

“it looks nice.” your voice is flat, even to your own ears, even as you try to smile reassuringly.

she sees through it instantly, and you are reminded, not for the first time, that she is destined to enter life at court.

“what’s wrong?” zehra asks before falling like a felled tree and landing on your spleen with a small huff.

(you don’t mind – that’s how bad it is.)

“nothing, it’s just—” you cannot help the petulance that creeps into your tone, and you sigh (made more difficult by her weight on your rib cage).

“i'll miss you, is all,” you finish lamely, unsure of how else to sum up a decade of friendship or how to put words to the feeling that bubbles in your chest when you think of how she’ll no longer look up at you as she is now.

zehra knows – she always has. her smile softens and her eyes are warm and safe, somehow, and you know that you believe her.

“well, it won’t be for at least another year,” she tells you with a sad smile, before she sits up straight and looks about. grabs a knife and, before you can blink (let alone say anything), cuts a strip from the bottom of the doublet she told you was her favourite, a silver silk that will shine with the opals she earns for years of faithful service to the city.

and then she presses the strip into your hand, with the toothy smile she saves just for you, and you think your heart may burst.

[adveniogame]

From the prompts list! Maybe [necklace] for zehra?

[NECKLACE] - fastening a necklace around another’s neck

sifra is thirteen, and zehra is visiting for the first time in three weeks.

(it has been the best two weeks, six days and thirteen hours of their life.)

and yet $ogname is nowhere to be seen, halfway to talvane on a barge down the argent, and sifra is left to entertain zehra. alone.

they would sooner die.

after much huffing and puffing, zehra turns to sifra, breaking their fantasy with a hesitant pout.

(fuck, she’s pretty. bitch.)

“can you help me?”

no, no no no, can’t shan’t won’t--the words linger on their lips, but then they picture $ogname standing in front of them, disapproving and hoping that they magically get on through sheer force of will alone.

“sure.” their fingers are long, more deft than she was expecting, but she startles and shifts in place each time their long fingers brush the column of her throat, and sifra feels their brow knit.

“hold still.”

“sorry.” she sounds breathless, as if she has run a mile, and sifra’s brow may never unknit again.

“fine.” she turns to face them at that, long, rich, treacle-dark curls falling lazily past her shoulders.

(she really is pretty.)

[adveniogame]

Can you elaborate on the genders of the Advenio cast like you did with The Golden Harp? Thank you!!

ofc!

zehra’s trans - her family are wealthy, so they were able to get a moonstone for her so she is now “moon-blessed” (a full legal/quasi-religious transition).

sifra’s agender - they literally could not give two shits about their gender, but they/them feels comfier for them now.

irin’s agender but he doesn’t feel the need to change his pronouns at all - so while i wouldn’t call him a cis man, his pronouns and general presentation do match his agab.

estel is non-binary - they specifically want to be gendered differently than masculine or feminine, and it’s a conscious choice they’ve made.

anahi is a cis woman - i think if she interrogated her own feelings a little more and had a little more opportunity for introspection she might also end up considering herself agender, but (hopefully as will become clear as we get into the plot) she has bigger fish to fry.

[adveniogame]

Uhmmm 🧠 for everyone please 🥺❤️

What is their most mentally attractive attribute?

Zehra - limitless patience. That's not to say that she is never frustrated, but a lifetime as a mediator for others’ troubles has made her very adept at seeing an issue from both sides, which means that in a conflict she can be very calming. Very rarely loses her temper, though again, that's not to say that she does not stand up for herself.

Sifra - utter devotion. Whether that be to their responsibilities as Commander or to their (admittedly few) loved ones, they are the epitome of ride-or-die - whatever is needed, they will not rest until they have given it.

Irin - boundless curiosity. He has a deep appreciation for even the smallest things, and cannot wait to share that sense of wonder with others. Willing to pursue lines of enquiry as far as he can (that is, after all, why he’s on the run)

Estel - endless kindness. They have been beaten down and beaten back and still they know no other way than to be kind, without question or expectation of reward.

Anahi - undying determination. She is willing to do anything to both achieve her goals and to help a very trusted friend or partner achieve theirs. Very resilient - she has faced knock-backs before and has used them to get stronger.

[adveniogame]

What ethnicities would the ROs be in irl terms? I just want to be respectful!!

hi! ethnicity doesn’t quite function in the same way in argeran, but in terms of (at least rough) faceclaims:

anushka sharma (zehra’s at least rough fc) is indian (from uttar pradesh, in the north)

sifra doesn’t have a fc (i’ve not yet settled on one i like) but they’d be white european

adonis bosso (irin’s fc) is afro-canadian (ivorian-canadian specifically)

jamie clayton (estel’s fc) is white american

aiysha hart (anahi’s fc) is saudi-british

[adveniogame]

how would the ROs react to a Sir that can bench press them? ;)

zehra: in her element, keep going. did she say you could stop?

sifra: i mean first off, sifra’s tall and well-built so respect to a sir that can. they wouldn’t enjoy it that much (only if they think about what it means in a more general sense)

irin: thinks it’s fun, will ask for repeated demonstrations, will wriggle about to be a brat and get sir to drop him so they’re in a tangled pile on the floor.

estel: gets very flustered about it - enjoys it, but will never ask. again, like sifra they’re much more interested in its more general implications.

anahi: doesn’t like it - isn’t necessarily averse to being lifted generally, but the hold isn’t particularly secure and it would take about 15 years for her to trust that sir isn’t going to drop her.

[adveniogame]

if the ROs were in an orpheus/eurydice situation, would they look back or make it out without looking?

<3

makes it out: zehra, irin

looks back: sifra, anahi

makes it most of the way, then looks back at the last second: estel

as an additional ouch:

sings the song: sifra, estel

carries on living: anahi