#Caldyn insists he's fine

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Sending hugs always!

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

Please and thank you!

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

Hm. That's a hard one. I mean. Most of them really do not like to get hurt, or run for their lives, or fear for their loved ones, or anything else I usually throw at them 😆

Since I recently got my hands on Thorns again, I think I'll go with Caldyn:

He never liked to go to class, to learn or read. Things that have no immediate practical value for him just don't stick, and his slightly differing perception of the world made some lessons harder than they should have been.

He does love to help, to heal people, and to spend hours in the forest, just listening and feeling the energy of life. I like to think he scared at least a few humans when suddenly the bush starts to move 😂

#salad-ask #thebejeweledwatercat #Caldyn insists he's fine

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❤️‍🩹!

Thank you for the ask. From this ask game.

❤️‍🩹- What would your character look like if they were a deity? And what would they have power of?

I think Caldyn would make an excellent god of death :) He'd look like... he looks now. And he'd have the power... of... life and death. Uh-oh.

#salad-ask #writingmoth #Caldyn insists he's fine

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break: What would cause your OC to break down completely? What do they look like when that happens? Has anyone ever seen them at their lowest? - for Eilis and Merry

hide: What does your OC hide? Why do they hide it? - for Caldyn

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

break: What would cause your OC to break down completely? What do they look like when that happens? Has anyone ever seen them at their lowest? - for Eilis and Merry

Eilis is terribly afraid of the dark. If one were to, say, lock her in a dark basement, that wouldn't go over well :) She'd get a panic attack, and might hurt herself trying to get out

No one has seen her. It's dark, Anna.

Merry can't lose any more people. We get a glimpse of that at the start of arc 3 of Glass Shards. If she were completely alone, with absolutely no one remotely close to her, it's likely she'd just give up.

I'm not sure which exactly would be her lowest point, but it's safe to assume people have seen most of those. Well, the start of Nuisance was pretty low, for starters...

hide: What does your OC hide? Why do they hide it? - for Caldyn

Early Caldyn hid part of his magic. It's not what it's supposed to be, and it would scare people, and it scares even him.

Current Caldyn hides his nightmares, when he's in pain, or otherwise feeling unwell. He's fine!

There's a lot of reasons for that. He doesn't like to seem helpless, because people easily assume he is already. He has some trust issues (no shit). He has a hard time accepting help, when he is the one who should be helping. Deep inside, he fears that when he's too weak or needy, those close to him might turn away from him (thanks, fucker).

#salad-ask #starlit-hopes-and-dreams #Merridy steals jewels and hearts #Caldyn insists he's fine #wip: till death #would be a shame if someone wrote an AU for that

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🤎 [brown heart] and 🧡 [orange heart] for the ask game (any characters you want!)

Thank you for the ask. From this ask game.

How about Finnian and Caldyn :)

🧡- what's your character's worst irrational fear?

That's eas— oh irrational. You know, most of them are quite rational when you look at what I've done to them, but let's try.

Caldyn's biggest fear is that people will leave him; because he's too much of a burden, because they find they find something/someone better, because he's just not worth it. Again — it's no wonder, but it will also never happen.

Finnian's biggest fear is ... ok, I'm not sure anything he could be afraid of would be unwarranted, given his past 😅

There always is the fear that something happens to someone he loves (i.e. Eilis) and he is unable to heal her, despite all the magic within him. Which, for some reason, I can understand, but if we go the irrational route, it's that Eilis would hate him for it.

🤎- How much physical pain can your character withstand? How much mental pain?

He, that question makes it sound like they have a choice :)

Caldyn, quite a lot physical pain. He used to even before certain events, as being a healer he kind of knew it wasn't "that bad" and he could fix it and really now that pain is just annoying (but please someone hold his hand 🥺)

Then certain things happened, and he now has chronic pain (he mostly just ignores, until he can't anymore). He has fought half-dead before, and he would again. I think his body would give up before his stubborn self would.

The one thing he cannot deal with is fire. His eyes burning were the worst pain he has (and probably will) ever felt.

Finnian also has some chronic pain, but he is less lucky with shutting it out. It can easily ruin his day, but what can he do about it. I guess his breaking point, however short, was the idea of broken knees on top of it all (and Clayton so would have done it.)

Mentally... uh I plead the, actually, no idea of american laws 😂

#honestly this post is just long enough already #salad-ask #sarandipitywrites #wip: lies #Caldyn insists he's fine #I mean. Finnian. Really. Can you think of anything that would be a completely IRRATIONAL fear? #He could be afraid of fire of critters on 4 legs of birds of strangers but also of people he knows #of starving of water fire standing with his back to the door losing eilis losing parts of himself #he could be afraid of the dark of winter and summer #knives quick movements being betrayed being blamed being hunted being left behind #:)

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7 for Cedric and Yvan, 8 for Josephine and Valadan, 32 for Caldyn and Seyonna, and 39 for Finnian and Eilis?

-verkja

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

7. Who is more sentimental?

He, pretty sure that's Cedric.

8. What’s one way their personalities compliment one another?

They both have similar goals, which is nice, considering they can both use someone who encourages them and stops them from giving up. Their goals even change together; first, they wanted to prove themselves, then they wanted to save the people from the evil in a plotline I've yet to determine, then they wanted to raise a family, we'll see where this goes.

32. How do they resolve their arguments?

Yell, get a panic attack, run away, find yourself in mortal peril and decide that in the face of death the argument was silly /s

For real, I don't know. It's. Hard to get into an argument with Caldyn 😅

#salad-ask #verkja #Riordan has fancy boots #Cedric doesn't wanna deal with this shit #Caldyn insists he's fine #Seyonna talks a mile a minute #just gonna pretend you didn't send the last one #geez how do you and anna DO THIS

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Round 2 lol

For Seyonna/Caldyn

8. What’s one way their personalities compliment one another?

For Josephine/Valadan

14. Are they an introverted couple or an extroverted one—AKA would they prefer to go out to a party or event together or would they rather stay in?

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

8. What’s one way their personalities compliment one another?

Oh there's a bunch I think. She loves to talk a ton, and he likes to listen. He is content with little and doesn't easily move on to new places, while she's adventures and drags him along. He is extremely connected to nature with little interest in studies, while she is curious and wants to learn more about science.

14. Are they an introverted couple or an extroverted one—AKA would they prefer to go out to a party or event together or would they rather stay in?

They aren't particularly introverted, but their "going out" time was very much the Order of Fire, adventure, saving the world, and right now, they prefer to spend their free time mostly at home with their kid(s).

They will go to the appropriate social events, but Josephine has seen enough of those, and Valadan is over getting drunk in shady taverns.

#salad-ask #starlit-hopes-and-dreams #Caldyn insists he's fine #Seyonna talks a mile a minute #Josephine is no princess #Valadan doesn't like glass

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🟡 for caldeyn

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

🟡 Yellow- What is something your OC wants but knows they can never have? How does it feel to never get this specific desire?

Really, this salad-man does not want anything. The moment he would voice any material wish, he'd probably have at least 3 friends shouting hallelujah and running to make it possible.

As for immaterial things, it's not much different. He tends to... accept things. He would like to understand the nature of his magic, but he has accepted he never fully might, so he just uses it for what he feels is right (well *cough* mostly). He will always wonder if he could have noticed signs on Gawyn, if he could have stopped him, but he has accepted that he never will.

Closest is probably that at the end of both Thorns (here and the novel), he is sad he has to leave Breannan and his friends behind, because he cannot stay at the tree. To no one's surprise, he has accepted that as well, and he has friends in the jungle he returns to, and he has Seyonna at his side, and he plans on visiting occasionally in the future.

#salad-ask #i-eat-worlds #Caldyn insists he's fine

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Seven Snippets Tag

I was tagged by @sam-glade <3

Today's theme is: I'm fine featuring Thorns.

And I am gonna tag @starlit-hopes-and-dreams @moremysteriesthantragedies @camillenrose

You don't have to use a theme (I mean, you don't have to do it at all, you know), I just felt like it.

I'm fine

When Caldyn put his weight on his left leg, a sharp pain ran through his knee, up into his thigh. He winced. “Are you all right? Do you need help?” “I’m fine.” It hurt, but it wouldn’t give way under him. Probably. “I’ve just been sitting still too long,” he added.

I'm fine

“Please say something.” If only his body would obey him. He didn’t want her to worry. In his despair, he reached out to Seyonna with his mind, only sharing, not reading. I’m fine. 

I'm fine

“Caldyn! Are you hurt?” Was he? His head hurt, but a quick examination told him that all his limbs were still in working order. He touched his hair, finding that some of his branches had broken off. His fingers came back sticky with sap. “I’m fine. I think.”

I'm fine

He leaned his back against the side of the bed. Bending his right leg and propping his arms against it allowed him to rest his head for a moment. His neck and shoulders hurt from the position he must have been in for hours already. He felt something touch his mind, like a meaning, but without words, a silent question. It surprised him. I’m fine, he replied, but he didn’t lift his head.

I'm fine

“Give her a moment,” Breannan’s voice sounded instead. Caldyn turned his head, listening to Breannan’s steps as he came closer and sat in front of him. “How do you feel?” Caldyn shrugged. “I’m not sure. I guess I’m fine.” He moved his fingers, as if to prove he could. “I just can’t believe… that it took so long.”

I'm fine

“I’m so sorry, I forgot about your feet. We should have gone home. Or stayed home. You shouldn’t—” “I’m fine, really.” He gently pulled her closer. “I didn’t want to stay at home. And I am glad I was there to scare those ruffians off. And now I am glad that I can show you this place.”

Bonus: It's fine

“I wanted to check the bodies. See if there is any hint where they came from, or what poison they used. The one I searched had bags, but—” He hesitated. “I’m afraid to reach in there. If there are any more of those projectiles and I hurt myself on them…” He didn’t really want to think about what the poison had done to him. “I’m sorry, I know this is probably pretty disgusting. It’s enough if you can look into the bags, if you don’t want to touch them.” “Don’t worry, it’s fine. Though,” she added, and he heard her shift, “one of them probably doesn’t have much left to examine. Sorry about that.”

#salad-tag #seven snippets tag #Caldyn insists he's fine #Had to tag it with his tag LOL

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🥭 [MANGO] What colours best represent them and why? Does this differ from their favourites?

🍍 [PINEAPPLE] Pineapple on pizza or not?

🍏 [GREEN APPLE] How do they differ from the norm and how are they punished for it?

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

I have the sudden urge to answer that for Caldyn.

🥭 [MANGO] What colours best represent them and why? Does this differ from their favourites?

Well. He is. Very green. I would say he's best represented by green. Much green. So much green. Green.

He always liked green, soft grass and the vast canopy. He doesn't have strong feelings about colors anymore. It's the thought of yellow and soft pink he likes now.

🍍 [PINEAPPLE] Pineapple on pizza or not?

Go away, all of you.

(Caldyn despises cheese. The pineapple wouldn't be the main problem.)

🍏 [GREEN APPLE] How do they differ from the norm and how are they punished for it?

Well, since we are on this site, punished does not mean a whumper with a whip standing behind him, mkay?

His magic is different. It is unheard of for a single individual to have both life and death magic, and there's something else as well, something he can't really put into words.

He wasn't always aware, and when he was young, the other saplings often made fun of him for not understanding things that were so basic.

He was captured because of his (well known) healing magic, but the moment he used his magic to kill, he became of greater interest to the Scourge. Which is. Not a good thing.

#salad-ask #clairelsonao3 #Caldyn insists he's fine

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Parietal Lobe (physical sensation) - Are there any physical sensations (e.g. temperatures, textures, etc) that your character extra loves and can't get enough of? - for Cedric Occipital Lobe (vision) - What do they consider the most beautiful thing to look at? (e.g. colors, scenery, a person) - for Damien Wernicke's Area (language comprehension) - Do they prefer to listen or read? Are they speed readers or very slow? - for Merry Midbrain (pain signals) - What is the most physically painful thing they have ever experienced? - for Caldyn (or Damien if he's taken already)😅

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

Parietal Lobe (physical sensation)

We're keeping it sfw, yes? Yes. I mean, Cedric likes warmth (or rather, he absolutely loathes the cold), and comfortable clothes, but that's nothing special. He also likes to touch crystals and gemstones. They are easiest for him to manipulate with his magic, and touching them gives a special magical sensation he enjoys.

Occipital Lobe (vision)

When Damien is not currently busy looking at Merry and thinking about how lucky he is, and how much he loves her, he loves nature. The sky, the ocean, flowers... He'll never get tired of watching the sunset, or the stars, or the waves,... Or Merry.

Wernicke's Area (language comprehension)

Merridy prefers reading to listening, with one exception :D Guess which that one is. She's a fast reader, and doesn't always have an easy time following something while listening to it.

Midbrain (pain signals)

Well uhhhhh... 😶 Sorry Caldyn. I think burning eyeballs take that price.

#salad-ask #starlit-hopes-and-dreams #Damien is his own nightmare #Merridy steals jewels and hearts #Cedric doesn't wanna deal with this shit #Caldyn insists he's fine #eye whump #lol just in case

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🎬 What was the very first scene or image that popped into your head before you ever wrote a word for your OC?

😎 Pick one thing about your OC and describe it in detail. (their smile, their eyes, the way they walk, their voice, etc.)

For whichever OCs you want to talk about. :)

-verkja

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

🎬 What was the very first scene or image that popped into your head before you ever wrote a word for your OC?

Now the problem is, for most I cannot remember that anymore. They were chars in the game before I started writing, and... it's been like a decade.

Fun fact: Cedric, for example, did not pop into my head before I ever wrote a word. I literally hadn't planned further ahead than getting them out through the sewers, and he just happened while writing :D

😎 Pick one thing about your OC and describe it in detail. (their smile, their eyes, the way they walk, their voice, etc.)

I knew someone would send this, and I knew I'd hate it. I barely know how my chars look, and then it's because I made a picture in game. I do not imagine them at all, ever. Not their voices. Nothing else.

So, another fun fact (that's loosely related to the first question): Caldyn came from the moment I saw in the character generation how one of the default headpiece options for necromancers - Wraith Masque - blended in with the green of the skin option to make it look like his eyes were white. The game's very own lore was a great inspiration for how that could have happened, too!

In the story now, they are completely white - because they are not eyes. His eyes are gone, and what's there now is kind of some planty scar tissue without pigments.

He is, for the lack of a better word in my brain right now, in denial about it. A part of him, being a healer and all, must know something's not right, but he never thought about it.

#salad-ask #verkja #Caldyn insists he's fine #yes yes a decade and lots of research later I know there's a bunch of problems with the #white eyes = blindness trope #but also he's not exactly a human 😅 #ehhhh #eye whump #lol

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1 - MASK - Would your oc recognise their love interest even if they're fully masked? - for Caldyn *snickers*

6 - ARMOUR - What comforts your oc most? - for Eilis

11 - HERO - What is your oc's greatest dream? - for Finn

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

1 - MASK - Would your oc recognise their love interest even if they're fully masked? - for Caldyn *snickers*

😂 Thank you for the ask, Anna, I think chances are pretty good he can! Probably also his friends and acquaintances! I'm sure he'd also recognize his enemies! Perhaps if they're wearing a nice, distinct perfume :)

6 - ARMOUR - What comforts your oc most? - for Eilis

Depends on why she needs comfort. If she had a nightmare, she needs light, and sometimes goes outside, because the walls are too close. If she's nervous in general, she often finds something to do with her hands, creating something with colors and textures she likes. If she's sad or lonely or similar, she'll go find a goat to cuddle.

11 - HERO - What is your oc's greatest dream? - for Finn

A whole different life, he'd say. He doesn't like anything about it. Not possible? Then at least better drugs, so he can forget the shit life he has.

#salad-ask #starlit-hopes-and-dreams #wip: till death #Caldyn insists he's fine #those answers are all pre-story #otherwise we get the boring mushy love story stuff #🙄

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Incorrect Quotes

... a baby post. I had those in a doc, and they were so good, but I got distracted before I found more, so I’m throwing them out as is.

Breannan: What happened to Seyonna? Caldyn: They died. Breannan: They what? Caldyn: They died, but they’re okay. Breannan: …Can you please clarify? Seyonna: Clarification is for the weak.

Caldyn: We’re playing Scrabble. It’s a nightmare. Seyonna: Scrabble? Scrabble’s great. Caldyn: Not when you’re playing with Breannan, it’s not. They put words like “ephemeral” and I put “dog.”

#wip: thorns #incorrect quotes #Caldyn insists he's fine #Breannan really likes books #Seyonna talks a mile a minute

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Pre-relationship 7 for Caldyn and Seyonna

General 5 for Josephine and Valadan

Love 7 for Merry and Damien

Domestic life 1 for Cedric and Yvan

?

-verkja

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

7. What would their lives be like if they had never met?

Well, uh, Seyonna's life would be over, so that's that.

Caldyn would most likely spend years living in the valley, and he would not get the [redacted] to return. Bit of a draw between staying there, even when Cecelia and Marian eventually leave, or returning to the tree despite his discomfort because he is too lonely.

5. What’s their height difference? Age difference?

Already answered (I admire you. You managed to pick the same one for the same chars as Anna. Here's a ⭐)

7. What are their favorite things to do together?

Well, let's get past the "dying together" stage first, ok?

They do not necessarily share any hobbies, except for their love of stories, so they will sometimes read together, or to each other. But even if they're not doing the same thing, they will happily do it next to each other; they're just a tiny bit clingy 🤏 for absolutely no reason.

1. If they get married, who proposes?

Listen; no matter what I say now, it will come bite me in the ass one day.

#salad-ask #verkja #Caldyn insists he's fine #Seyonna talks a mile a minute #Cedric doesn't wanna deal with this shit #Damien is his own nightmare #Merridy steals jewels and hearts #also known as: I have no idea

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🦹 vigilante shit : tell us about the significant events that shaped your ocs - for cedric

🍬 sweet nothing : do your ocs give or take? do they expect things in return? - for caldyn

📸 hits different : what song/lyric do you associate your ocs to?

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

🦹 vigilante shit : tell us about the significant events that shaped your ocs - for cedric

Hm. I guess most important one was *gestures to Cold & Warm* the shit that happened in the mine. He got together with Yvan, and also became way more cynical and willing to put family first, no matter what. That guy later became his first kill :)

Which also lead to him leaving, because his magic was not well known there, and he wanted to keep it that way, after uh, that guy ended up in a sinkhole with his house on top :o

Later important events would include meeting Laurent while with a trading caravan and staying in touch, and some drunken night where they decided "hey what if".

🍬 sweet nothing : do your ocs give or take? do they expect things in return? - for caldyn

*sigh* If you asked, he'd probably give you the leaves off his body.

📸 hits different : what song/lyric do you associate your ocs to?

Nope. Not gonna happen. I do not.

I forced myself to create playlist for most of my WIPs, and I am done with music, I hate it. Even then, outside the song Damien for Damien (LOL), most of them match a situation of the OC(s), not their whole self. If I added One Jump Ahead for Merry while she's on the streets, that doesn't fit her anymore.

#salad-ask #starlit-hopes-and-dreams #Cedric doesn't wanna deal with this shit #Caldyn insists he's fine

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15 Questions Tag

Got another tag by @sergeantnarwhalwrites so now Caldyn will get the questionable honor.

Thorns WIP Intro  

*sneaks up to @alittlewhump and peeks over her shoulder to see who's suffering today* :) If you want? I think everyone already had multiple of those, so otherwise open tag.

1 Are you named after anyone?

"No. Some of us… some know their name when they awaken, or quickly find one. I didn't, so eventually someone made a lot of suggestions, and I picked the one I liked most."

2 When was the last time you cried?

"I cannot cry. Not anymore."

It's clear he has no interest in elaborating further.

3 Do you have kids?

"That's not something that's possible."

4 Do you use sarcasm?

"I don't think so? I don't fully understand what that is, but I try to always say what I mean."

5 What's the first thing you notice about people?

"Their voice." He laughs. "That's too easy, isn't it? I don't know. I try to figure out how they move, how they express their emotions, how they behave towards others. It isn't always easy with the other races."

6 What's your eye colour?

"They… they say it's white now."

7 Scary books or happy endings?

"I do not like scary things."

8 Any special talents?

"I'm a good healer." He smiles. "It wasn't easy to learn how to heal humans, but I am glad I did it. I think… I think my magic is different from others'. The way I can feel the energy. And use it." His smile falters. "Life and death shouldn't exist together, yet… here I am."

9 Where were you born?

"I was not… born. My kind grows in pods on the branches of our parent tree."

10 What are your hobbies?

"Hobbies? Oh, what I like to do in my free time? Isn't all my time free?" He obviously tries to make sense of the question. "I guess... when I am not healing. Which is most of the time, because people don't get hurt that often. Then I like exploring the forest. I can feel the energy in all living things, but that doesn't mean I automatically understand what those are. And if the weather is too bad for that, then we stay at my cave, and play the games the humans gifted us, or Seyonna reads to me from the books she borrows." He laughs. "I don't understand much of it."

11 Have you any pets?

"Yes, a dog. Its name is Aska."

The leaf-covered creature sitting next to him, wagging its tail happily, is certainly no normal dog.

12 What sports do you play/have played?

"Sports?" He thinks for a bit. "I have heard of some. I think. Like, with balls? I did never… play? Any."

13 How tall are you?

"I am 2,05m! It's a normal size for my kind, but me, and my head, quickly learned humans are usually smaller."

14 Favorite subject in school?

If his expression is any indication, there was nothing about school he'd consider his 'favorite'.

"History," he says. "We'd spend so much time listening to Bre- our mentor telling us about the world and the other races. I always liked listening to him, and it wasn't as much of a problem if I kept forgetting the things he told us about."

15 Dream job?

"I'm a healer, and that's all I ever wanted to be."

#salad-tag #wip: thorns #Caldyn insists he's fine #OC Interview Tag