Author Answers (October)

General

Just found out that bobbing for apples was a courting ritual in Great Britain... I personally think lots of fall things seem to be good for romance. I'm sure it's the same in Blest! Which ROs would be all over a hayride, bobbing for apples, or a corn maze (etc)?

(I know Riel would rather be stabbed than bob for apples. The germs!)

Ooh, great question!

Blade: like with most holiday/seasonal things, he is largely indifferent to the goings-on, but he does like fall and winter festivities more than spring and summer, if that counts for anything! I think he would enjoy something relaxed like apple picking in an orchard or watching scary movies--he would agree to go to a haunted house in theory, but it would turn out disastrously for all parties involved, for obvious reasons... Like, jumping out at a former assassin (or just someone as paranoid as him) with a fake knife with the intent to scare him won't end well!

Trouble: as with all holiday festivities, he'd throw himself whole-heartedly into fall! He'd be super into all of it: hayrides, costume parties, corn mazes, bobbing for apples, pumpkin patches, candy, you name it! In an AU he'd wear denim jackets and get all farm-y for fall. He'd probably play touch football. He LOVES apple-flavored stuff (one of his strongest memories of his mom is of her apple pie) so he'd be all aboard that apple cider, apple pie, hot toddy train!

Tallys: she'd like the fall vibes and aesthetics but wouldn't necessarily be all-in for the festive stuff like hayrides or corn mazes. She'd go if someone invited her or if a big group went, but it wouldn't be on her list of things she loved most about fall! She loves the chilly mornings, foggy breath, crisp air and muted colors more so than the holiday stuff surrounding that time of year!

Shery: she'd like fall, but it also makes her a little sad to see all of the flowers and green things dying. Still, she finds it very cozy and would love the excuse to start wearing big comfy sweaters, knit dresses and fuzzy mittens... she'd be down for most any fall-related activity, but she'd like calmer ones like visiting a pumpkin patch or a petting zoo, picking fall things like apples and acorns, and definitely baking with them!

Riel: fall is his favorite season as well as his birthday season, so he really vibes with that time of year! You're completely right that he'd probably rather have his clothes set on fire than bob for apples, and he probably would abhor anything to do with hay/dust/animals/dirt/farms, etc., but he'd like cozying up under a shared blanket on chilly evenings in front of a fire!

Chase: he loves fall as a season, but I think he'd lean way harder into Halloween and mischief stuff than he would into cozy fall aesthetics, if that makes any sense! So he'd be all about the dressing up, doing seances in cemeteries after dark, going to haunted houses, and watching scary movies... of course, he'd be down to go to fall festivals or pumpkin patches, but it's the spooky stuff that excites him most!

Red: he loves fall, too, and is totally and unashamedly into pumpkin spice lattes, honey mead, and spiced apple cider! He'd love going on fall picnics or stargazing under a heated blanket, or even going on autumn hikes. He'd love stuff like county fairs, farmer's markets, or pumpkin patches, too--pretty much anything that's not bobbing for apples, which he will politely pass on!

Ayla: she's kind of indifferent to fall and would be one of the last to start dressing appropriately for the season; she's the person who's still wearing shorts just before it starts snowing, but once she made the switch, she'd be rocking that beanie and flannel shirts look! She'd be into the more exciting activities like corn mazes (only if they're haunted) and maybe things like Oktoberfest and beer festivals; she'd also embarrassedly be kind of into line dancing! She'd be the best at bobbing for apples, too 🍎

Briony: she'd take a very playful approach to fall and would love the whole "sweets and color" aspect of it; so candy apples, candy corn, and trick-or-treating would totally be in her wheelhouse! She'd love all of the fall activities, including the big group ones, like running around in corn mazes, going to haunted houses or pumpkin patches, and going on hayrides. She'd love jumping in piles of leaves and wearing big scarves. She'd also love hosting scary movie marathons just so everyone could get in the fall mood!

Lavinet: she likes fall as an excuse to change up her fashion and whip out the infinity scarves, but she's generally less enthusiastic about fall "events" than she is about other seasonal events (she loves, for example, planning a winter dance or end-of-year holiday party, but isn't crazy about hayrides or the intermediary small-time events). She'd like planning a costume party or Halloween masquerade, but it doesn't have the same spark of glamour for her as other holidays like Valentine's Day or New Year's! She'd still enjoy pretty much any fall date someone would take her on, though! (Except probably hiking!)

Vampire-analogues are spooky season appropriate, right? You've mentioned the Fext in passing (about them being relatively chill but still blood-drinking Endarkened), can you share any more about them?  If a Child of the Light were to be infected with Rot somehow, would that be something that a Healer could manage to heal/remove? (I'm not sure if that's possible for an Endarkened normally or not, but let's say a Mage was... experimenting!)  Thanks for bearing with my random questions, I've got a fanfic idea but I want to do my best to do right by you! :) 

Ooh, fanfic idea! I'd love to read any fanfic anyone is willing to share (or I won't if people prefer that lol), so you don't have to worry about me, I'm just honored by anyone wanting to do it, period! ❤️

And good question! I only ever wrote one Fext character (at the time called Upyr); in the novels, he was Croelle's like... manservant/valet/sidekick/only quasi-friend? I called him Heimdall before realizing that's a way more recognizable name than I first considered (I think I pulled it out of like a fantasy name generator when I was 12); he was way more chill than book!Croelle was, but that was sort of what made him sinister; he seemed friendlier and more sensible and understanding than Croelle, who was generally very aggressive, abrasive, and rude, but you started to have the creeping realization you couldn't quite trust him, because he was just as bloodthirsty as Croelle was, if not more so... He sort of had this gentler demeanor about him that made you want to trust him, but you'd eventually realize that it was all a careful facsimile designed to get you exactly where he wanted! He had no qualms about killing people if someone told him to, but usually was content to leave them alone on his own and kind of just floated through life unless directed otherwise. 

Anyway, all this to say that I don't have too many details on the Fext since I left Heimdall by the wayside many years ago! Fext are the Tainted offspring of Elves and Endarkened, and generally achieve a twisted form of immortality through blood (not only do they live extremely long lives, like Elves, but they can't be physically killed when given access to blood). They're basically vampires, though much more Elvish-looking--they have pointed ears, are usually quite beautiful in appearance, and some have fangs (usually inherited from their demonic parent) and others don't, but they all need to drink blood in order to fuel their powers and continually extend their lifespans. Many have dusky or ashy skin, and some have black sclera around their eyes rather than white. (Like so.)

They don't burn in sunlight, but since Elves have very keen eyesight, Fext do, too, and theirs are usually very sensitive in the sun, to the point where bright sunlight can be quite painful to their heightened senses. Interestingly, while Elves aren't able to tolerate extreme cold (generally falling into a sluggish and eventually coma-like state if deprived of warmth and sun for too long), Fext are the opposite, where they prefer icy, dark places like the North and are unable to tolerate extreme heat, such as in desert environments. 

When given access to blood, Fext are not only capable of self-healing and immortality, but they also become super-strong, super-fast, and develop extremely agile reflexes and even more heightened senses--at least until they "burn through" their reserves of blood. Because they are part Endarkened, their powers grow stronger when they can feed on the blood of Children of Light (and, sadly, violence and pain from Children of Light is also more nourishing to them than that of animals). However, other than this need to drink blood and their distinct appearances, they are usually fairly normal people and can successfully lead semi-regular lives, especially with the aid of glamours and illusions, subsisting on the blood of animals and livestock rather than that of humans in an effort to integrate into society. Of course, they still must hide their own identities from the general public, and a Hunter could still sniff out their Tainted blood in a heartbeat, but they're usually fairly chill and just want to be left alone! 

The exceptions are that there are also a lot of Fext (probably more than half) who are more influenced by their Endarkened heritage and who take direct pleasure and satisfaction from feeding on (and usually hurting/killing) Children of Light rather than abstaining from drinking their blood; and also, any Fext who is deprived of blood for long enough will be driven insane and turn into a rampaging demonic monster intent on slaughtering everybody around them in an incontrollable need to slake their thirst... so associating with them is not without its risks!

Like Endarkened, Fext are capable of eating and tasting normal food, but it doesn't provide any nourishment for them or satisfy their hunger in the way that blood does!

As for the Rot: the "Rot" usually refers to when someone (usually a Thrall) is either possessed by a demon or infected by demonic magic, or it refers to the presence of Endarkened blood within a Tainted offspring. Very, very skilled Mages can extract demons from possessed Thralls (only in the event that the Thrall did not invite the demon into themselves willingly), and such a procedure comes at a high risk of failure; clever demons can hide themselves within the Thralls, jump to other hosts at the last second, or plant corruptive traps or other methods of fucking up the extraction, which is why it's vastly more preferable that a Hunter handles it (I'd put a Hunter success rate at 95% for a competent Hunter, 100% for a trained exorcist, and like 65% for a skilled Mage and 75% for an incredible one)--but it is doable! It's not really a matter of Healing and falls more under a vaguer umbrella of anti-demon magic, which I'd say is a mix of arcane, psionic, and astral magic, but it is possible to try and cleanse objects and people of demonic magic, curses, or influence, depending on the circumstance! 

I hope that makes sense!

I'm sure 'what classic horror movie monster/villain' has been asked before, but since it 'tis the season... What would the main cast be like as Endarkened? What would their demonic shapes/powers be like?

Hmm, good question! For ease, I'm going to say that all of the characters would be Cacophants. As for what they'd look like...

Blade: a slim, eerie silhouette with indiscernible features and only a blank mask for a face. Would feed on and stoke quick, brutal deaths and wide-spread massacre to grow his power.

Trouble: a red-skinned, muscular demon with horns sprouting from his head and a massive wingspan. Would feed on and stoke wrath, anger, and passion to grow in power.

Tallys: a long-necked, bird-thin harpy creature with ragged moth wings, the antlers of a deer, and talons perfect for rending. Would feed on and stoke vengeance, hatred, and retaliation to grow in power. 

Shery: a petite, innocuous young girl whose eyes look increasingly wrong the closer you draw to her. Would feed on and stoke fear, anxiety, and paranoia to grow in power.

Riel: a crisp-suited figure with a head like a Biblical angel's, consisting of a wheel of many eyes. Would feed on and stoke greed, desire, and envy to grow in power.

Chase: a handsome, horned demon covered in snakes and gold. Would feed on and stoke lust, seduction, and reckless abandon to grow in power.

Red: a human shrouded in fine robes and a gentle, friendly manner. Would feed on and stoke thirst for knowledge, curiosity, and obsession to grow in power. 

Ayla: a demon with the upper half of a woman and the bottom half of a snake. Would feed on and stoke isolation, loneliness, and desperation to grow in power. 

Briony: the golden-skinned form of a beautiful valkyrie or warrior spirit. Would feed on and stoke a desire for strength, guardedness, and eventual war to grow in power.

Halek: the tall, hulking figure of a warrior with the silent, unmoving head of a deer skull. Would feed on and stoke resentment, loss of control, and oppression to grow in power. 

Lavinet: a buxom demon with deep purple skin and horns; essentially a demonic version of herself. Would feed on and stoke ambition, thirst for power, and ruthlessness to grow in power. 

Happy spooky season! What would the characters pick as their costume for the All Hero’s Eve festival in Capra?

Huh, good question! Barring Blade, Chase, Red, and Ayla, who obviously picked their hero costumes in the game...

Trouble: Oskan Boomthale, an eccentric Mage explorer who had a hand in inventing many modern pyrotechnics and split an enemy army with a bolt of lightning (accidentally). The mask of a dragon. 

Tallys: Queen Ashaniel, a famous Elven queen who established a famous knighthood under her reign and built the city of Lycae (now lost to time). The mask of a leopard. 

Shery: St. Klianthe, Blesser of the Waters--a saint who was said to be able to purify water and restore memories with her incredible singing voice. The mask of a seahorse. 

Riel: Loquan, the famed genius advisor and military tactician to a general who liberated the Western kingdoms many centuries ago. The mask of a quail. 

Halek: Mathin the Valorous, a famous Hunter who was raised outside of the Reach and was forced to prove himself to his people despite his status as an outsider; said to be a distant ancestor of Halek's. The mask of a mouse. 

Briony: Lady Aeryal, Dragonkiller--a famed heroine with fiery hair who slew the infamous Nightdrake Grita Maur. The mask of a firehawk.

Lavinet: Dame Jovienne, one of the first lady-knights in recorded Norm history. The mask of a lioness.

Halloween costumes for the Shepherds this year? I know you did it for past years, but we need a 2021 version!!  🎃

Blade: Cloud Strife from FF7 (the irony being he's a dead-ringer for Noctis in FF15, but no one tell him)

Trouble: Indiana Jones (this year, he gets to whip the shit out of people)

Tallys: San from Princess Mononoke 

Shery: Tina Belcher from Bob's Burgers

Riel: Squid Game VIP (he was originally going to be Gamestop's stock, but was convinced to do something more relevant)

Chase: a sexy demon

Red: Sora from Kingdom Hearts (this becomes an object of contention between him and Blade because come on, how did you guys pick two separate Square Enix characters and not coordinate)

Ayla: Squid Game contestant (she spends much of the party subtly threatening Riel with a pocket knife and getting a little too in-character)

Halek: Paul Hollywood from The Great British Baking Show

Briony: Commander Shepard from Mass Effect

Lavinet: Cruella DeVille 

Mimir: Squid Game minion (no, she did not know Ayla and Riel were going to do their thing... or did she)

Hi Lena, what would the characters be like in a Dark Academia AU?

Hi anon, normally I wouldn't feel equipped to answer an AU like this, but coincidentally, I just attended a (CDC-compliant, fully vaccinated) dark academia murder mystery LARP, so I kind of know things now! My character was named Jocasta and she was obsessed with Freudian psychology and reviving a secret society of architects 😌None of us found the murderer, but I did get to see my partner obsess over what it's like to lie in a coffin and suffer from the terrible ennui that besets a young man when his parents get divorced!

Anyway, let's set up this dark academia AU! It takes place at the Haven Preparatory Academy, a collegiate gothic boarding school that subdivides its students into several "houses". Ishkur House focuses on math and sciences and is led by Professor Dedham; Althea House focuses on history, philosophy, and literature and is led by Professor Alden; and Orgael House focuses on fine arts, languages, and niche interests like botany or cartography, and is led by Professor Abnoda.

Haven Preparatory Academy is known worldwide for its prestige, academic prowess, and the general wealth and mystique of its student population. However, there's a darker undercurrent to the ancient campus that few know about: secret societies, esoteric underground clubs, and sinister mysteries abound--there are even rumors that the library stacks in the basement lead to a sprawling underground crypt from the days when the grounds housed a monastery! But less historic skeletons begin to be unearthed from the deaths of the Academy upon the death of new student Prihine Naveen... (sorry, girl, you're prime murder fodder in school AUs)

Althea House:

Red: the head prefect of Althea House, he nurses a passion for literature, classics, and mythology. He's a grade-A student, popular, on track to become valedictorian, and dabbles in the rowing crew in his spare time. Secretly, he is also the head and founder of the Daedalus Club, a secret student association dedicated to investigating esoteric mysteries that would normally be dismissed by "rational" academia, from cryptids to curses, the supernatural and the occult, conspiracies and forgotten Masonic texts, and more. The Daedalus Club is strictly opposed to the values of Haven Preparatory Academy and is kept a deadly secret by all members, who must swear an oath upon their induction to never reveal the club's existence. 

Chase: the bane of Althea House, his propensity for rule-breaking, mischief, and pranks leads to frequent point deductions for his house. He would be wildly unpopular amidst his peers for this behavior if he wasn't so charming. Although he seems to come from a wealthy family (like most of the students at Haven Preparatory Academy), he prefers to "slum it" and often sneaks off-campus to spend time with "the townies" in the nearby town, often showing up to class dressed out of uniform. Although he adamantly does not believe in the supernatural and actively makes fun of those who do, the Daedalus Club's anti-establishment rebellious streak piques his interest, and he helps the club keep its activities a secret from the school as a way to puncture his perpetual and unending boredom with the status quo. 

Lavinet: a skilled orator and heiress to the school's wealthiest donor, she is interested in law and rhetoric and is head of the debate club, the etiquette and charm club, and the burgeoning fashion club. She serves as Vice Prefect to Red and is initially unaware of his role as the Daedalus Club's leader, believing that they've both been tasked by the school to track down the club's members and shut it down. After the death of her cousin, she becomes more disillusioned with Haven Preparatory Academy's practices and comes to realize that it's concealing even uglier truths than she expected. She is predicted to become a powerful politician upon her graduation from Haven Prep. 

Ayla: a student of archaeology as well as a scholarship transfer student, she is adamantly disinterested in both her grades and the general goings-on of the school, initially preferring to focus purely on sports (namely track and field as well as field hockey). This (along with her scholarship status) ostracizes her from many of her wealthier peers, who consider sports to be a thoroughly secondary aspect to their education at Haven Preparatory Academy. While deciding to explore the rumored crypts underneath the campus on her own, she unknowingly stumbles across the Daedalus Club's secret meeting place and winds up joining their ranks (and making friends)! 

Ishkur House:

Riel: the head prefect of Ishkur House, he is a renowned child prodigy, chess grandmaster, and mathematics genius. Because he is a few years younger than the rest of his class, he can come off as especially arrogant and know-it-all, seemingly naive about the darker threads of the social life at the Haven Preparatory Academy. He is tasked by his head professor to discover a certain student, "Demosthenes," who has been publishing op-eds and manifestos critical of the way the school is run following the death of one Prihine Naveen, as well as leaking vital information to outside newspapers and increasing external scrutiny of the school's administration. Little does anyone know: Riel is Demosthenes himself, and his young and "innocent" exterior is merely a front for a much shrewder, more ruthless side to his personality. Although he is a model student and teacher's pet, he is actually deeply dissatisfied with the way the school handles its affairs and believes that new management--perhaps leveraged by the Syndran family--would vastly improve the academy's standing. He comes from "new money" and is looked down upon by many peers for not coming from an older, more established family. 

Trouble: another scholarship student, he is nevertheless immensely popular and beloved by most of the student class at Haven Prep and is almost certainly going to be elected king of the Winter Ball (their version of Homecoming). He plays lacrosse and is also on the school's boxing team and has been described as espousing "the refreshing vigor of the working class". It is rumored that he has some connection to the school through his father's side of the family, but of the man himself, Trouble remains extremely tight-lipped. While charismatic and well-liked by students, he can't stand elitism and snobbery, especially towards other scholarship students, and has been known to get into fistfights over the matter, meaning he's always just toeing the line ahead of expulsion. He is Riel's biggest headache, as his inability to control his temper has led to his house having massive points deducted throughout the year. He is surprisingly adept when it comes to understanding engineering, physics, and kinetic systems in science. 

Blade: the second heir from one of the oldest and prestigious families in the upper echelon of Haven, he finds the protocols and social restrictions of his class insufferably restricting and has trouble expressing his emotions as a result. While his social life is lacking and he has fallen in with a disreputable crowd in recent times, he is a hardworking student and has an extremely sharp mind for mathematics and business--a good thing, since he is expected to take over his family's business empire someday. However, rumors abound that he is actually more interested in the law and may switch to Althea House to pursue a career in criminal justice; something that causes his family no end of concern. He is captain of the school's fencing team and joins the Daedalus Club after realizing that the corruption of the school may have led to a coverup in the recent murder of a fellow student. 

Mimir: described as an "odd duck," not much is known about her other than the fact that she's interested in astronomy and claims that there are ghosts haunting the school dormitories--and that the spirit of Prihine Naveen has been speaking to her, leading to popular student Lavinet denouncing her for using her cousin's death to gain notoriety. The only one who believes Mimir is Briony Stormbreaker, local enthusiast of the occult. She is an early member of the Daedalus Club and claims to be able to read people's auras. 

Orgael House:

Tallys: a languages student, she is also at the Academy on scholarship and eschews socializing with the wealthy snobs that surround her as much as possible. While she is fascinated by languages--especially antiquated languages like Latin and Ancient Greek--she also has a strong affinity for botany and can often be seen in the greenhouse on school grounds. Some students find her to be very mysterious and believe she might practice the occult, putting hexes and curses on people who displease her. Due to this rumor, the Daedalus Club attempts to consult her on a supernatural matter, only to discover that Tallys herself is a rationalist and does not believe in the occult. However, she agrees to the keep the club a secret so long as they keep it a secret that she has a menagerie of animals in her dorm room--yet another violation of school rules. 

Shery: a scholarship student focused on writing, she also has a strong interest in bookbinding and needlework, leading to her placement in Orgael House. She aspires to become a librarian after graduation and has very strong grades; she would have been prefect of her house had she not declined, feeling that having the spotlight on her was too much pressure. She is a devout churchgoer and attends mass in the campus cathedral every week. She is extremely perceptive and observant (though quiet and unassuming), and was the last person to see Prihine Naveen alive after following her out of a party. 

Briony: a student interested in painting, she has a rebellious streak against her wealthy and controlling family, who would rather see her learning finishing skills to become a proper lady and suitable wife after graduating school (rumor has it that she's already engaged, but no one can verify this as truth). As a result, she has Bohemian interests and is obsessed with all things worldly, exotic, eccentric, and somewhat scandalous. She is fascinated by tarot and the occult and has a variety of small-time "spells" and charms on her person, earning something of a reputation as an enthusiast of witchcraft. She is one of the earliest members to join Daedalus Club and becomes convinced that something sinister is haunting the school. 

Halek: his twin brother is the head prefect of Orgael House. Meanwhile, Halek himself is a drifter, preferring to smoke behind the old library and wile his days away watching the clouds. While his family is wealthy, and powerful it also has strong and old connections to the church, with a child from each generation eventually joining the seminary to become a priest after graduating school. This is expected to be Halek's fate, which he attempts to sabotage by doing drugs, smoking, skipping class, and having sex with as many people as he pleases. While his brother is in the choir, Halek is interested in music as a secular study and has demonstrated proficiency with multiple instruments. He is often found taking naps in odd places, which is how he overhears the Daedalus Club without them realizing initially that he's even there. 

A very important question for the ROs, Croelle, and Halek - everyone's gotta change up their style for the week, and the choices are Punk, Goth, or Grunge. Who chooses what? 😂

Ooooh this is a tough one! (Partly because I don't have a great eye for knowing the differences between them if you told me to break it down... 😅 Is it dumb of me to look up moodboards for every little thing in my life?)

Grunge:

• Trouble
• Ayla
• Briony
• Tallys

Goth:

• Riel
• Lavinet
• Shery

Punk:

• Chase
• Blade
• Halek

How do BFF!ROs respond to platonic flirting? Do they merely tolerate it? Flirt back?

Blade: completely ignores it or rolls his eyes if it's particularly obnoxious

Trouble: he definitely flirts back, but does not register any of it as actual flirting

Tallys: she might flirt back teasingly a little bit, like if MC was like, "You're so pretty, I'd totally sleep with you," she might say with a smirk, "My door is always open," but it's not super constant or overt. Most of the time it's just tolerated

Shery: she blushes and stammers and never knows how to react and gets quite shy before stumbling past it, acting like it never happened

Riel: he doesn't even acknowledge it and just continues the conversation without batting an eye

Chase: he ramps up the flirting, usually until it all ends up not being very platonic

Red: it kind of depends on the vibe; he generally only flirts back if he's legitimately interested in making it non-platonic; otherwise, he sort of just laughs it off or acts good-humored about it

Ayla: she's pretty casual about it; if MC is like "Damn Ayla, you look hot!" she'd sort of shrug with a smirk and say, "I know", but she wouldn't initiate platonic flirting on her own

Briony: definitely flirts back playfully and enthusiastically, to the point where everyone thinks they're a couple with great chemistry; however, it's only strictly platonic, and she usually views such BFFs as something like a sibling. It's only when it's not platonic that she gets weird about the flirting... 

Lavinet: she flirts platonically with gal pals and gay male friends, but usually does not with straight male friends (usually out of fear that her tone or intentions will be misread). If a straight male friend flirts with her, she goes along with it or brushes it off playfully, but doesn't flirt back

The MC has been cursed with ability to read minds for a day. What's one thought that they'd hear from the LIs in the crushing phase?

Blade: hnggg... my heart... ...what is wrong with me?

Trouble: holy shit, MC is hot... no, don't think that, you're just friends, friends don't think their friends are hot, don't blow it, you fucking idiot!

Tallys: what I wouldn't give to climb them like a tree right now

Shery: oh, I'm so nervous... should I have hugged her when she came up just now? Would that have been presumptuous? Or would it have been friendly? She hugs Briony all the time... but they're friends... are we friends?... but what if I want to be more?... maybe it's better if I don't act strictly platonic?... !!! oh my gosh she's talking, what did she just say?! 

Riel: MC looks tired. I should do something to help him. Perhaps propose a solution. Inquire if he's sleeping enough, see if I can do anything to help. Should I comment on it as a way of opening the conversation to the matter? No, remarking on someone's physical appearance as "tired" comes off as insulting. But saying nothing indicates indifference. I am not indifferent. I am anything but. Surely he knows that. Yes. I'm sure he knows. I need not say anything at all...

Chase: oof, my heart just skipped a beat... that is so lame... play it cool, just smile and say something charming and they won't notice...

Red: oh, God, did my voice just crack? I must look like such a dork right now... so much for "sounding hot," thanks a lot, Pan. I'm just going to play it off, hope they didn't notice... why is my brain total mush right now?

Ayla: ugh, their smile is so cute. disgusting. i hate them...

Briony: [devil on her shoulder, pounding fists on table and yelling] KISS THEM, KISS THEM [angel on her shoulder] shut up shut up!!!

Lavinet: is my smile natural? am I wearing enough perfume? too much? yes, I must laugh at his joke, and place my hand on his arm, lightly, just so. that will gain his attention. no? it didn't? where on earth am I going wrong? how does one say politely, "I would like it very much if you kissed me right now?" Oh, this is hopeless... No! I need to try harder! No one could resist me for this long...

What are the ROs’ favorite cuddle position?

Hi, this has already been answered here and here for Briony!

how has the game changed as a whole since the first demo?

Good question! A lot has changed since the first demo, but let me try to outline the major things that stand out...

• Caine. Caine became a much more significant character than I was originally planning when I first introduced him in the demo. Initially I planned for him to be a convenient plot device for the MC to explain things about the world of Blest (for the reader's benefit): there's usually no reason why a character doesn't know basic things like what the Castigation is unless 1) they have amnesia, 2) they're a visitor from another world, or 3) they are a young child, so Caine was introduced to fill that gap and act as a stand-in for the reader. If he lived, he would have stayed a mostly off-screen fanboy of MC; however, due to fan response, he ended up having the option to join the Shepherds and even get his own day off scenes! 
• Actually, before the first demo, there was the first draft of the first demo, and this went radical changes multiple times before I even posted it on the forum. For example, in the first draft, the game starts with MC encountering a demon in an alley behind a tavern in Haven, dispatching it, and then deciding to join up with the Shepherds the next day. Riel was the first character they met (he was already a part of the Shepherds in that iteration) and they had to fill out a form (the character creation part of the game) and there was a whole training sequence before they joined the Shepherds. Trouble was their drill sergeant, and there was
• a "final exam" that determined their starting stats--so this whole beginning was super different! Prihine and Caine and that whole thing didn't even exist, lol!
• At the time the first demo was posted, it was still in flux exactly who the late game recruits would be. I knew everybody up to Blade - Trouble - Tallys - Shery - Riel - Chase - Halek, but Red/Ayla, Mimir, Lavinet, and a book character named Wintry were in severe flux. At some points, Mimir was axed, then brought back in, then axed again. Ayla and Red were originally going to be interchangeable: if one showed up in your playthrough, the other wouldn't, so you could only recruit one of them, not both. (Same with Chase and Riel: originally, you could only recruit both by having insane charisma or making a set of very specific choices.) In other drafts, Ayla and Wintry were going to be introduced in the same chapter, and would have been juxtaposed against Lavinet (commoners vs. nobles, and you could only pick one faction to side with). In still other drafts, Lavinet was going to be a late game villain (a minion of the Autarch/Autarch's son who invites you to a gala on the pretense of celebrating your recent heroism) and wouldn't have been recruitable at all. And, of course, Briony was only created later, and Wintry was phased out entirely.
• The plots of most chapters were severely different in my outlines when the demo was first posted versus when I started writing them. Chapter 1 (the Equalists) and Chapter 2 (Thieves Guild vs. Merchants Guild) were pretty much the same, but Chapter 3 (Capra) played out differently--one of the Mages in the Circle was possessed by Quiial and the MC had to figure out which one; failure to find the possessed in time would have ended with pretty much everyone in the Circle dying, and there wasn't any of the Phantom Shore stuff at all. I'm pretty sure the Mekduk subplot in Chapter 4 also wasn't in the original drafts, and, of course, neither were the gladiator's arena (since Briony hadn't been created), the Elementals, or even the swamp! There was more stuff planned in Haven, including a vampire priest, evil Lavinet party, and uhhh maybe a haunted house, something like that!
• This will shock many people, but the day that the demo was first posted, Trouble wasn't a romance option... 😅 His romance had to be patched in due to high demand! 😂

Thanks for your question! I'm sure there's more, but those are the major beats that I remember!

Spoilers

Question 1: What were the ROs thoughts when the MC comes back with the gladiators in tow after having received the title Dragon Slayer?  Or how did the ROs react to the letter about the MC passing out after recreating the holy tree for the elementals? (Forget the name of it)

Honestly, at that point, no one was surprised... at all... they're all kind of used to MC doing incredible things at this point in the story! Of course they were worried and wanted MC to get back as soon as possible, but they didn't have differing reactions enough for me to outline them individually; it was a mix of impressed nonsurprise, like "yeah, of course they did that..." and worry, like "man, does MC have to jeopardize their life every time they're out of my sight??"

Question 2: Can we possibly kiss Blade in the swamp chapter…?  I’m so excited to see what’s coming regardless, so if no kisses I hope some angst haha!

No, no Blade kisses (or any kisses) in the swamp chapter, unless it happens at the festival that isn't written yet! In fact, it's a good rule of thumb that kisses don't happen during work or story missions unless there's specific downtime like the girls stopping in Rivercross before reaching Lockwood in Chapter 6! Otherwise, it's safe to expect that kisses usually happen between story chapters, with some exceptions!

As for angst, I don't think there's a ton of angst on the part of MC in the swamp chapter, necessarily! There will probably be one specific angsty scenario in the event of severe failure, but otherwise, most of what's going on in the swamp is dread and terror, not angst!

It’s been hinted at, but will we get to see Feral Chase in action? 👀

Yes, one way or another, you will see Feral Chase if you spend enough time with him... 😅

So can you tell us about Blade rescuing MC in chapter 4? I know it isn't written yet, (no pressure on that, you need to work where your muse takes you), but have you decided if that is still going to happen?

(If you fell down the cliff and sent Mekduk on with the lachryma, I mean.)

Yup, my plans for that chapter haven't really changed, so Blade potentially having to rescue MC if they fell down is still in the cards! Keep in mind that it only happens if MC massively fails everything else and can't get out on their own, though. I've flirted with the idea that the twins come to help MC instead--after realizing that the thoret in the cave would suppress their blood-rage enough for them to remain sane and composed enough--but I don't have any concrete plans to implement that instead of a Blade rescue yet! We'll see how I feel after writing Chapter 7!

why is the current Autarch so lenient in comparison to her predecessors and why did she have a second child?

Mostly personality as well as generational distance. This Autarch is only the fifth Autarch, so the ones who came before her were directly connected to the first and most brutal Autarchs. (AKA, her grandfather, the third Autarch and among the most bloodthirsty of the rulers, was the grandson of the first Autarch--so each of them was more directly tied to the brutality of the reigns that came before them.) This latest Autarch, Ironel, is the first to have many of the previous and worst ones dead before she was even born, so I would argue that she's the first to have a little more leeway and generational distance and freedom to take a slightly more lenient path than her predecessors. She's also generally just more... empathetic? Sensible? Pragmatic? I don't really have an explanation for that other than that's her personality. I mean, she's still super cunning, ruthless, and at times merciless and exacting, but she also didn't grow up in an era where Diminished people treated Norm people kind of terribly (unlike the first and second Autarchs, who had firsthand experience to fuel their hatred, and the third and fourth who inherited that hatred directly from their forebears), so she doesn't have the inclination towards vengeful bias like they did, if that makes any sense. Her perspective is shaped by the historical context around her, I guess? In her mind, Diminished people are still her constituents and deserving of her protection, even if "necessary actions" may have to be taken in order to maintain order and prosperity throughout the Continent. It also really helps that the Endarkened returned during her reign, giving everybody a common enemy to focus on rather than having a lot of infighting and violence between each other. 

Her second child was definitely unexpected, so she didn't really intend to have him. The timeline is super fuzzy, but her husband was assassinated, she went into seclusion and there was a kind of panic among the Sun Court because it seemed like she was either too ill, unwilling, or even slightly mad and unfit to rule, and people were scrambling to find a suitable regent for Enik (then probably 8-10)--but then there was Ornos, and there's a lot of mythos about how he showed up: theories range wildly between secret affair, miracle pregnancy, immaculate conception (the literal way, not the Catholic understanding), stole the baby from a young maid who was going to give him up anyway, like who freaking knows lol. All anyone knows is that having Ornos cut through the fog of her grief over her husband and gave the Autarch a sense of purpose and the will to live again, which is partly why she dotes on him so much--he was her miracle baby, the one that saved her. So yeah, it's less about why she had a second child and more about why she favors him so much!

You can also read more about the Autarch's family situation in the spoilers section of this Q&A from April!

NSFW

Okay, so we know that fire elementals can turn their body heat low enough to not hurt other people. And we know that they do engage in sexual acts. So, could/would Some Certain Fire Elementals (no names of course) be willing to engage in the horizontal tango with Certain Humans? If ya know what I mean 😏

Yes, this has happened historically, though exclusively with Mages (no one else is crazy enough to be like 'hey, sex with a fire demon? you only live once!' You think Ket would fuck around and find out? Nah. It's just the horny Mage grad students who will try anything to satisfy their curiosity. Like a Red). It was extremely rare, like maybe three or four unverified accounts in centuries, and more than half of those stories ended with the Mages in question being accused of laying with Endarkened (most commonfolk couldn't tell the difference) and, well, it didn't end that well for them.

But yes, it has technically happened before! You might be disappointed (?) to learn that Flamelings don't exactly have sexual organs analogous to human ones; like I'm pretty sure Angant Hainn isn't packing huge meat, per se. (I'm pretty sure. I haven't thought too much about it, so I'm leaving myself room to retcon this if I change my mind...) Since procreation for them is a separate thing (it's like... more magicky and energy-based), they don't really have a need for penetrative sex, ejaculation, or any of that, so... no benises or bussies. (Why did I say it like that? It's too late, I'm leaving it.) The way they have sex with each other is like a kind of melding together of their nervous systems and entering this feedback loop of sexual stimulation and pleasure, where they experience each other's pleasure, which then feeds and stokes their own? It's kind of like uhhh more energetical and sort of psychic-y or nerve-based or mind-meldy sex rather than strictly physical, if that makes any sense... It's sort of hard to describe, lol... 

Anyway, when a Flameling has sex with a non-Flameling, it's a bit more one-sided; the Flameling pleasures their partner and derives and feeds off of their pleasure in turn, but the non-Flameling can't, like, give them oral or anything like that, because they don't have physical sexual organs to stimulate. Mostly it involves the non-Flameling laying back and receiving pleasure from the Flameling, which in turn stokes the Flameling's own sensations. They can and do achieve climax this way, but it is different from when they have sex with partners of their own kind and is rooted entirely in the non-Flameling's experiences and enjoyment first. It'd be more like having sex with a living, sentient flame or, like, the Force or something, rather than some guy who happens to be on fire, is what I'm saying! 

Flamelings generally only tend to be interested in doing this with non-Flamelings when extreme trust, respect, and an emotional connection has been established. Their sense of aesthetics is vastly different from Children of Light, and in general, most humans are just fleshy meatbags to them, so they're not generally inclined to be sexually curious about non-Flamelings unless there's something much deeper there. Even kissing is something of a foreign concept for them! But, by all accounts, the sexual encounters (when they do happen) are always extolled as life-changing, so there's no shortage of people who'd be willing to try it if the opportunity came up. However, Flamelings are known to be a bit... merciless? in terms of stamina and generally don't let up until after their non-Flameling partner is quite sexually exhausted and weak, leading to false rumors that sex with Flamelings saps one's life force. 

If anyone is wondering, this works pretty much the same way for all Elementals, so... 😳

how do the male r/os act while receiving a blowjob/head? do they get overwhelmed and flustered, or do they guide mc patiently, or are they dominant and somewhat forceful - yanking hair for example akdjfhfjsjf

Blade: he gets kind of quiet and tense, jerking intermittently and swearing under his  breath and gritting his teeth in an effort to retain control

Trouble: he's very weak for oral, so he gets flustered and overwhelmed, trembling and then yanking his partner up abruptly with a groan, like "Ahhh, shit, I'm not gonna last if you keep that up"

Riel: he turns into a little bit of a mess, super flustered and heated and twisting in the bedsheets, trying not to beg (and failing) as he bites his knuckles

Chase: he gets kind of loose and languid, stroking his partner's hair and murmuring praises to them as he patiently and gently guides them in what he likes (unless they don't want him to be gentle, which he can do)

Red: he's just enjoying the ride, closing his eyes and biting his lip with a little smile as he revels in the sensations

nsfw! ok so we know who's vocal in bed  but now I'm dying to know whats being said 👀 who's talking dirty and who's singing sweet nothings

Chase is by far the person who employs the most explicit dirty talk and enjoys a constant exchange of words, like "You like being good for me, huh? Tell me you like being good," etc. Trouble is very vocal, but it's mostly exclamations, groans, and shouts of praise more than actual words. Blade is pretty quiet and is more expressive through gasps, grunts, groans, and curses, with the occasional whispered praise or confession of love. Red is pretty vocal, but it's less "dirty talk" designed to egg his partner on and more describing what's happening or what he's feeling--like flirty quips or asking if so-and-so feels good, or occasional instructions like "turn so I can see you, you're so beautiful like that," things like that! Riel is fairly quiet and usually communicates in stifled moans and panting unless you're trying to make him beg, in which case he's very vocal about cursing you out passionately!

Shery is very vocal, but generally only in desperate moans and gasps; her brain is too fried to try to communicate in words. Similar with Briony; she says more words than Shery, but they don't mean anything, like "please no no yes yes more god please help yes!" Tallys is quite the salacious dirty-talker, but exercises it frugally, in that she'll occasionally come up and whisper something like "I love it when you beg like this," but she's not constantly talking; it's well-timed. Ayla doesn't talk much at all, but cusses a LOT, so that could be considered dirty talk?? "Like just fuck me already you fucking--bastard--" Lavinet is a heavy talker and provides a consistent dirty commentary to accompany sex, like "I was thinking about you all day... thinking about that sound you make when I lick you here... or when I touch you here..." Etc.! 

Hi Lena 💙 Could you please tell us about everyone’s afterglows? And if it involves pillow talk, what are the topics? Deep, casual, lovey-dovey?

Hi there! I think I did a pretty good job of covering everyone's afterglows in their NSFW alphabet asks in past Q&As, so you can read more about those there! In terms of pillow talk:

Blade: he doesn't tend to talk much in the afterglow, preferring to hold MC and caress her silently or murmur loving words (oftentimes nonsense) or not much at all as they hold each other through the afterglow

Trouble: he's just very happy and just keeps talking about how great the sex just now was and is very affectionate and lovey-dovey and praising every little thing MC did and how wild he was for all of it; there really isn't anything else on his mind other than that!

Tallys: she tends to get more pensive and thoughtful after sex, and if there is pillow talk, a lot of it is deep or talking about what's been on her mind lately--just stuff she's been processing underneath all of the everyday busyness!

Shery: she's pretty weak and boneless after sex and doesn't talk much; she usually likes to cuddle and drift off to sleep rather than talk!

Riel: he's not really one for pillow talk; he tends to get up and shower fairly quickly after sex, so there's not a lot of lingering. If there is chatting, it's after he's freshened up and is walking briskly around, making himself tea or something, and it's usually back to business; the deep or intimate talks happen at other times, not necessarily directly after sex

Chase: he gets very languid and affectionate and sort of sleepy, and pillow talk ranges from deep to casual and light-hearted to downright sexual if he's in the mood for more. Generally, for sexual partners that he's not in a committed relationship, pillow talk is always SUPER casual and sometimes out of left field. Like "so I heard a new squad member joined your team, how's that going?" Just idle chitchat, that sort of thing.

Red: he's very lovey-dovey and just keeps saying "I love you," over and over again in different ways. Unless it's with a more casual sexual partner, in which case, he doesn't really linger or have pillow talk at all!

Ayla: she gets pretty quiet and calm after sex and just prefers to listen, if MC feels like talking. If not, they cuddle and cool down and generally fall asleep, or they get up and clean up, depending on the situation

Briony: she's usually out of breath and so dazed by what just happened that she's like, incapable of talking, lol. She's one of those that passes out like five minutes after great sex, so there's not a ton of pillow talk... if she does stay awake, the conversation that follows is usually a play-by-play of what they just did and lots of praise, like "it was amazing when you did X," "that was so hot when Y", etc.! She glows with happiness and just can’t believe her luck at getting to do this with MC!

Lavinet: she's a little bit demanding in her aftercare and wants to be pampered and looked after! Pillow talk tends to be deeper and is usually about what's been on her mind or what's been stressing MC out, stuff that she's noticed, more delicate or fraught topics that she wanted to bring up when MC was feeling calm and relaxed... that sort of thing!