lydamorehouse (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lydamorehouse) wrote2023-05-25 01:38 pm
lydamorehouse) wrote2023-05-25 01:38 pm
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Now the Sister Has Her Turn
The group of people that I'm playing D&D with has a tradition of mini-arcs in a campaign where they switch to alternate characters, presumably so no one gets bored playing a particular race or class or personality type for too long. As someone who is both, generally, a novelist rather than short story writer and who is in it for the roleplay and not the mechanics, I was initially very dubious about this approach. Like, haven't we all just finally learned each other's character names and are starting to form relationships? But, after playing a session (I missed the first one being on the road,) I kind of get why people enjoy this. With a whole new cast of characters, the entire vibe of the party shifted.
We went from fairly somber and serious to giggly and frivolous.
And I'm honestly here for it.
I'm now playing Ave, Idyril's younger sister. Like him she is a high elf, but unlike him, she's not a racist. She has no preconceptions that elves are any better than humans or tieflings or what have you. She also has zero sense of chivalry or honor. She is, in fact, attempting to live a life FULLY bereft of responsibilities. Ave's dream job is no job at all. She is a wild child, in every sense of the word.
Because, I based her character entirely on a throwaway line in the description of elves in the 5e Player's Handbook. It said in the handbook that elves declare, for themselves when they are adults. Their names when they are children are shorter, cuter, like Ave, and when they are adults their names sound more like elven names with too many 'y's and consonants, like, say, Idyril. Ave has decided that one way to live her dream is simply to never agree to growing up. Just full stop. No adulting. It's not for her. She's 125 year old and has said no to adulthood FOREVER. Her adult name would be something akin to Averylia but she's Ave and will, if she has a say in the matter (and, as it happens, she does), always will be Ave. (Just as a sidenote, I decided Idyril's childhood name was Rei. Despite how I spell it, I pronounce Idyril's name: ID-ray-el, so this make more sense when you're dyslexic, trust me. I could figure out how to better spell his name, but I have decided that Elvish is like Welsh or Irish, it's spelled Idyril and is simply said ID-ray-el.)
So, that's her in a nutshell. Also, if by chance, you have been following along you also know from the one mini adventure I played as her previously, that her backstory is simple. When Idyril was disgraced, the pressure was on to turn the spare into the heir. (Harry has to become William and no one likes it, particularly not the spare!) Ave continued to resist the whole grown-up responsibly thing and so Mother Dearest sent her off to a monastery to learn discipline, and, hopefully, in the Travorian family matriarchal tradition, adopt the Way of the Shadow and become an assassin. Ave hated every minute of it, and if she learned any lessons at all from the ninja goon squad it was when she attempted to escape and was hauled back, over and over again. One time, however, she finally made it over the wall without the ninjas noticing. She then ran straight into the arms of a Drunken Master, whose ability to evade the ninja squads while also partying like a boss aligned perfectly with Ave's lifestyle. She considers this woman to be her true teacher. And now is actually actively learning to be a monk.
That's far more than you need to know to appreciate what comes next. I will note that I'm NOT trying to make these letters self-contained, so if this is your first one, you might just want to skip, anyway. There's probably too much backstory to ever hope to make sense of it. It's cool. I'm posting these for fun, anyway.
----
May 25
City of Stevenrik, Ceyan Empire, maybe?
The Beamwright Estate… or is his name is Brightwaite? Anyway, it’s not like I’m staying for more than one night--
Dear brother,
Yeah, so… I’m not going to call you my dumb brother anymore. I have started this letter a hundred times, wasting all this ink and paper, which isn’t even mine. I’ve just decided this is my final draft, like it or not. I honestly don’t know how you do it. Organize your thoughts, like, how? Before they form or after? I mean, sometimes your letters would start off rough, but you always got around to your point in a way that made the story of your life make sense. I’m not even sure how I got here. Like, I’m uncertain how I even arrived at Neville’s house. A lot of alcohol may have been involved.
The way my head feels this morning? A lot of alcohol was definitely involved.
At any rate, here I am in this new town and not even in the same Kingdom as you, I don’t think. If I could pry that map out of Anges’ fists, I might have a sense of where exactly I am, but she’s secretive as fuck. I think I’m honestly super-attracted to her because she is so serious and militaristic and impossible to fluster. I really, really want to know what Agnes looks like when she blushes, you know? Of course, she’s probably not interested in frivolous love affairs with ladies. Or maybe anyone. I don’t know.
Wait, I never explained how I got to know all these people.
UGH. This is so HARD.
Yeah, so you remember those two guys I was hanging out with before, Raymal and Thyme? Well, I kind of lost track of them for a bit when time got all fuzzy. I think I did get lost in some liminal Fey space because I seem to have come out the other side, ‘Fey Touched.’
Anyway, Raymal and Thyme were on a ship and so somehow I was too? Don’t ask me how I boarded or where I thought I was going when I did. I lost a full day, Idyril. I drink a LOT, but that’s not even normal for me, but whatever, when I pulled myself up out of a stupor, I discovered there’s been some murders on board and this group of people were investigating it, including the two dudes I knew. So, I decided that I should join the fun.
New to The Party are a bunch of people, including Hanana Nanan, a darling little wood Elf who startles at loud noises and isn’t great at peopling. But, I’ve adopted her, so she’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it. All the non-Elves call her Hana, and she seems to like that, so I do, too. I mentioned super-militaristic Anges, the soldier who only cracks a smile when smited with Vicious Mockery, and who has a map she won’t share. Then there’s also Dax. I really want to spell her name Daxx or maybe Daxxxxxxx, but she insists there’s only one ‘x.’ Dax is a Dwarven lady who has the most amazing braided hair and who has agreed to do mine up sometime! No beard, though. This confuses me a tiny bit, because I thought Dwarven ladies loved their beards, but, like, gender conforming is for the birds, am I right? So you go, Dax, be your non-bearded self! She might have your anger management issues, but I have yet to see it happen.
There’s another guy, who is some kind of secret agent for an evil empire with an incredible name--Rakke DiNova, which is maybe Rakkedinova, but, again, everyone calls him Rakke. He seems super cool, but also SUPER shady and I totally expect a sudden, but inevitable betrayal from that corner, if you know what I mean. I mean, that can also be hot in the right context, but I also have spent my whole life around Mother and her spies, so I’m also pretty burned on World Domination types.
Anyway, I’m not much for murder mystery solving, either, so I left that to Rakke and Agnes. Frankly, I was much more upset that this ship went through two cooks and had no replacements waiting in the wings. Like, who is making the food? Thyme decided to take over and the food was… interesting, but I was just glad someone was feeding us. I have two requirements on any journey: food and drink. Like, without those, what is the point? Anyway, Team Soldier and Secret Agent needed a distraction, so I was happy to entertain the passengers with my minor illusion trick, while other people figured out that the captain was the big bad.
I did end up helping everyone face off against the captain. He had some kind of haunted artifact that I think Rakke was also after, the Rapier of Eternal Killing or Vengeance something to that effect, but some other spy lady who wasn’t part of our group got to it first. The good news is, I bonked Captain Baddie on the head with my quarterstaff and made him fall down and didn’t get myself injured and no one died… because you know what else I found out?
Murder is apparently a crime.
Even when it’s not your fault.
Like, half the reason I ended up shacking up with Neville is because he’s the guy who is responsible for hiring the barristers/lawyers to get the captain out of jail. Idyril, the captain was possessed! Like, it’s so CLEARLY not his fault. I mean, we live in a world with magical weapons and possessions are a known phenomenon. What magistrate would convict? But, everyone else in The Party was nodding seriously, like, yes, poor fellow, he’ll be off to prison.
And, anyway, who knew that murder was a crime? I mean, obviously, I understand that you can’t walk into a room and stick a knife in someone for funsies, but, honestly, Mother has walked into rooms and poisoned people, so… The people we hung out with do it for political gain all the time, so this is a little bit news to me? Plus, I mean, in our circles, people keep diamond dust on little necklaces so that revivify is always an option. It sort of never occurred to me that maybe I should be a bit more cautious when I bonk people on the head with my quarterstaff because I have been to jail and it wasn’t fun! All you get is fleas and the worst bread crumbs and water that tastes of piss. Oh, stop blubbering. It was just a drunken disorderly and only overnight. You nearly got hung for treason, so I’m not taking grief off you, holy crap.
Anyway, where was I? The point is, I am going to endeavor not to murder people where the authorities can see me doing it, any more. I am now doubly incensed that Mom sent me off to learn to be an assassin. An assassin. That’s like a whole business of murder! AND, apparently, I could be tried and hung for that. What the hell, Mom. What. The. Hell.
Anyway, Neville is stirring and I don’t want to be here when he wakes up. So, I’m off to find Dax because she promised to give me a tour of the town’s breweries--did I mention that Dax brews her own beer! LOVE THAT DWARF. Give my fondest regards to Sierra. I hope you’re having fun playing happy families and bartender and studying hard to be a wizard or whatever else you’re up to at the Sloshing Boot. And, yes, I promise that if I run into Aiyu on my travels, I will kick that cat in the balls for you.
Your sister,
Ave
We went from fairly somber and serious to giggly and frivolous.
And I'm honestly here for it.
I'm now playing Ave, Idyril's younger sister. Like him she is a high elf, but unlike him, she's not a racist. She has no preconceptions that elves are any better than humans or tieflings or what have you. She also has zero sense of chivalry or honor. She is, in fact, attempting to live a life FULLY bereft of responsibilities. Ave's dream job is no job at all. She is a wild child, in every sense of the word.
Because, I based her character entirely on a throwaway line in the description of elves in the 5e Player's Handbook. It said in the handbook that elves declare, for themselves when they are adults. Their names when they are children are shorter, cuter, like Ave, and when they are adults their names sound more like elven names with too many 'y's and consonants, like, say, Idyril. Ave has decided that one way to live her dream is simply to never agree to growing up. Just full stop. No adulting. It's not for her. She's 125 year old and has said no to adulthood FOREVER. Her adult name would be something akin to Averylia but she's Ave and will, if she has a say in the matter (and, as it happens, she does), always will be Ave. (Just as a sidenote, I decided Idyril's childhood name was Rei. Despite how I spell it, I pronounce Idyril's name: ID-ray-el, so this make more sense when you're dyslexic, trust me. I could figure out how to better spell his name, but I have decided that Elvish is like Welsh or Irish, it's spelled Idyril and is simply said ID-ray-el.)
So, that's her in a nutshell. Also, if by chance, you have been following along you also know from the one mini adventure I played as her previously, that her backstory is simple. When Idyril was disgraced, the pressure was on to turn the spare into the heir. (Harry has to become William and no one likes it, particularly not the spare!) Ave continued to resist the whole grown-up responsibly thing and so Mother Dearest sent her off to a monastery to learn discipline, and, hopefully, in the Travorian family matriarchal tradition, adopt the Way of the Shadow and become an assassin. Ave hated every minute of it, and if she learned any lessons at all from the ninja goon squad it was when she attempted to escape and was hauled back, over and over again. One time, however, she finally made it over the wall without the ninjas noticing. She then ran straight into the arms of a Drunken Master, whose ability to evade the ninja squads while also partying like a boss aligned perfectly with Ave's lifestyle. She considers this woman to be her true teacher. And now is actually actively learning to be a monk.
That's far more than you need to know to appreciate what comes next. I will note that I'm NOT trying to make these letters self-contained, so if this is your first one, you might just want to skip, anyway. There's probably too much backstory to ever hope to make sense of it. It's cool. I'm posting these for fun, anyway.
----
May 25
City of Stevenrik, Ceyan Empire, maybe?
The Beamwright Estate… or is his name is Brightwaite? Anyway, it’s not like I’m staying for more than one night--
Dear brother,
Yeah, so… I’m not going to call you my dumb brother anymore. I have started this letter a hundred times, wasting all this ink and paper, which isn’t even mine. I’ve just decided this is my final draft, like it or not. I honestly don’t know how you do it. Organize your thoughts, like, how? Before they form or after? I mean, sometimes your letters would start off rough, but you always got around to your point in a way that made the story of your life make sense. I’m not even sure how I got here. Like, I’m uncertain how I even arrived at Neville’s house. A lot of alcohol may have been involved.
The way my head feels this morning? A lot of alcohol was definitely involved.
At any rate, here I am in this new town and not even in the same Kingdom as you, I don’t think. If I could pry that map out of Anges’ fists, I might have a sense of where exactly I am, but she’s secretive as fuck. I think I’m honestly super-attracted to her because she is so serious and militaristic and impossible to fluster. I really, really want to know what Agnes looks like when she blushes, you know? Of course, she’s probably not interested in frivolous love affairs with ladies. Or maybe anyone. I don’t know.
Wait, I never explained how I got to know all these people.
UGH. This is so HARD.
Yeah, so you remember those two guys I was hanging out with before, Raymal and Thyme? Well, I kind of lost track of them for a bit when time got all fuzzy. I think I did get lost in some liminal Fey space because I seem to have come out the other side, ‘Fey Touched.’
Anyway, Raymal and Thyme were on a ship and so somehow I was too? Don’t ask me how I boarded or where I thought I was going when I did. I lost a full day, Idyril. I drink a LOT, but that’s not even normal for me, but whatever, when I pulled myself up out of a stupor, I discovered there’s been some murders on board and this group of people were investigating it, including the two dudes I knew. So, I decided that I should join the fun.
New to The Party are a bunch of people, including Hanana Nanan, a darling little wood Elf who startles at loud noises and isn’t great at peopling. But, I’ve adopted her, so she’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it. All the non-Elves call her Hana, and she seems to like that, so I do, too. I mentioned super-militaristic Anges, the soldier who only cracks a smile when smited with Vicious Mockery, and who has a map she won’t share. Then there’s also Dax. I really want to spell her name Daxx or maybe Daxxxxxxx, but she insists there’s only one ‘x.’ Dax is a Dwarven lady who has the most amazing braided hair and who has agreed to do mine up sometime! No beard, though. This confuses me a tiny bit, because I thought Dwarven ladies loved their beards, but, like, gender conforming is for the birds, am I right? So you go, Dax, be your non-bearded self! She might have your anger management issues, but I have yet to see it happen.
There’s another guy, who is some kind of secret agent for an evil empire with an incredible name--Rakke DiNova, which is maybe Rakkedinova, but, again, everyone calls him Rakke. He seems super cool, but also SUPER shady and I totally expect a sudden, but inevitable betrayal from that corner, if you know what I mean. I mean, that can also be hot in the right context, but I also have spent my whole life around Mother and her spies, so I’m also pretty burned on World Domination types.
Anyway, I’m not much for murder mystery solving, either, so I left that to Rakke and Agnes. Frankly, I was much more upset that this ship went through two cooks and had no replacements waiting in the wings. Like, who is making the food? Thyme decided to take over and the food was… interesting, but I was just glad someone was feeding us. I have two requirements on any journey: food and drink. Like, without those, what is the point? Anyway, Team Soldier and Secret Agent needed a distraction, so I was happy to entertain the passengers with my minor illusion trick, while other people figured out that the captain was the big bad.
I did end up helping everyone face off against the captain. He had some kind of haunted artifact that I think Rakke was also after, the Rapier of Eternal Killing or Vengeance something to that effect, but some other spy lady who wasn’t part of our group got to it first. The good news is, I bonked Captain Baddie on the head with my quarterstaff and made him fall down and didn’t get myself injured and no one died… because you know what else I found out?
Murder is apparently a crime.
Even when it’s not your fault.
Like, half the reason I ended up shacking up with Neville is because he’s the guy who is responsible for hiring the barristers/lawyers to get the captain out of jail. Idyril, the captain was possessed! Like, it’s so CLEARLY not his fault. I mean, we live in a world with magical weapons and possessions are a known phenomenon. What magistrate would convict? But, everyone else in The Party was nodding seriously, like, yes, poor fellow, he’ll be off to prison.
And, anyway, who knew that murder was a crime? I mean, obviously, I understand that you can’t walk into a room and stick a knife in someone for funsies, but, honestly, Mother has walked into rooms and poisoned people, so… The people we hung out with do it for political gain all the time, so this is a little bit news to me? Plus, I mean, in our circles, people keep diamond dust on little necklaces so that revivify is always an option. It sort of never occurred to me that maybe I should be a bit more cautious when I bonk people on the head with my quarterstaff because I have been to jail and it wasn’t fun! All you get is fleas and the worst bread crumbs and water that tastes of piss. Oh, stop blubbering. It was just a drunken disorderly and only overnight. You nearly got hung for treason, so I’m not taking grief off you, holy crap.
Anyway, where was I? The point is, I am going to endeavor not to murder people where the authorities can see me doing it, any more. I am now doubly incensed that Mom sent me off to learn to be an assassin. An assassin. That’s like a whole business of murder! AND, apparently, I could be tried and hung for that. What the hell, Mom. What. The. Hell.
Anyway, Neville is stirring and I don’t want to be here when he wakes up. So, I’m off to find Dax because she promised to give me a tour of the town’s breweries--did I mention that Dax brews her own beer! LOVE THAT DWARF. Give my fondest regards to Sierra. I hope you’re having fun playing happy families and bartender and studying hard to be a wizard or whatever else you’re up to at the Sloshing Boot. And, yes, I promise that if I run into Aiyu on my travels, I will kick that cat in the balls for you.
Your sister,
Ave
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Also, I have to say, with regard to names and their pronunciations, I'm not a linguist or anything remotely related to one, but it seems to me that names just Do That King of Thing and people just have to deal.
P.
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And, thank for letting me know this silliness amused you as well.