ooc icebreaker/au workshop?

[alliegiance]

OOC STUFF

ok fellas, here's the situation:

- you've been trapped in the shitty valley of barovia by a megalomaniac vampire who is obsessed with one of his subjects (read more here or honestly just ask me if you want more info)
- the megalomaniac likes to play with his food
- so do the powers that be here
- the gods cannot help you
- your gods can't even contact you
- you're not getting out any time soon (the mists are poisonous and will kill you)
- (maybe) you have a modern character that you now have to establish a full dnd/fantasy au for
- what does your character do in this situation

use this post to give people a jumping off point for that, and also to get to know each other/plot stuff maybe

code bases by tricklet

Comments

Vasilka

[corpsebride]

Vasilka is the demure and reticent “daughter” of the Abbot, who presides over Saint Markovia’s Abbey in the village of Kresk. She enjoys cooking and sewing, and often takes in mending work for the villagers in exchange for small tokens and wine for the abbey's storehouse. She loves flowers and animals, spending a great deal of time tending to the gardens that provide food for the long-term patients confined to the abbey’s hospital.

In truth, Vasilka is not the Abbot's natural daughter but a "living doll" created for the express purpose of becoming Strahd's wife. Forbidden from leaving the abbey without her father to chaperone her, she has led a sheltered life, shielded from the many evils and untold suffering of the outside world. With only a crumbling library of half-deteriorated books to serve as her window to the world beyond the abbey's walls, her education is quite limited, and the Abbot has been carefully training her in social etiquette, with limited success. Though she strives to mimic human behaviors to the best of her ability, she is often confused by their irrational behavior and emotional outbursts.

Unbeknownst to her, she was crafted to resemble Tatyana, the woman whom Strahd yearns for, and Saint Markovia, whose portrait hangs above the mantle in the abbey's rectory. When the party first encountered her, they were shocked to see the uncanny resemblance between Vasilka and Ireena. Zhulong performed a Tarokka reading for Vasilka, which revealed that she is "a minion of a greater power" and that removing her from the abbey may allow her to "cut her own strings". Though Zhulong obscured the true meaning of the reading from her at the time, he did imply that she was being offered an opportunity to make her own choices.

At her core, Vasilka is kind-hearted to a fault and believes herself to be a "holy vessel" containing the Morninglord's love for all the people of Barovia. She was made to love the unlovable and to forgive the unforgiven. Even when others treat her with disdain or outright disgust, she strives to meet them with love and acceptance within her heart. Emotions such as hate, anger, or envy are foreign concepts to her, yet the more time she spends around humans, the more she is beginning to learn how fragile the human heart truly is, and how easily it might be corrupted.

Now, with each new experience carved into her memory, Vasilka is beginning to awaken to her own latent emotions, a fact which deeply troubles her. For to become "human" means that she will be unable to fulfill her divine duty, and without that duty driving her every action, she will have no purpose. She views herself as a mere extension of the Abbot's will, and finds it difficult to take initiative or make her own decisions without his input.

Above all, Vasilka finds her true purpose in acts of service—both to her father and to those around her. She is fascinated by humans and wishes to learn more about them. Though naïve and awkward in social situations, she demonstrates great emotional intelligence at times and wisdom beyond her years. She is quite skilled as a healer, both through magical and mundane means, and functions as the party's medic.

[mortarch]

HELLO I think these two have cute friend potential because of compatible personalities even with the initial obstacle of Reilani having to get past Vasilka being undead(-adjacent). I think meeting Vasilka will be a huge eye-opener, she's never encountered any form of undead that seemed to be a thinking, feeling person before, I want to go on a journey of self-discovery together!

[corpsebride]

Hell yeah, hell yeah! It's so funny because before leaving the abbey, Vasilka would not have thought of herself as falling into the "undead" category, but after meeting the likes of Morgantha and Volenta, she's starting to have a vague notion that there are certain details her father hasn't disclosed to her. (Spoilers: there's a hella lot of things he hasn't disclosed to her lmao)

Also amused at the idea that it's specifically tieflings that are being extremely gung-ho about this whole self-actualization "you're actually a person!" thing with Vasilka. An interesting pattern, no? Much to think about.

[bloodtheft]

Most excellent, an entirely different flavor of undead! While he won't think much of her goodwill toward the people of Barovia, he will definitely be her shoulder devil there to convince her to become her own person outside of the Abbot's will (and honestly screw the gods).

[corpsebride]

Honestly, I love how so many folks are volunteering themselves to be her shoulder devil, as it were. Putting her through a "corruption arc," but it's wholesome shit. Like teaching her to swear, or something. Let Vasilka say "fuck," come on...

Probably wouldn't hurt for her to be a little bit selfish, really! It can be a good thing!

[bloodtheft]

Being selfish has served Astarion quite well, he's a big advocate for 'if you want it, take it'. She deserves a corruption arc as a treat. Fuck the status quo!

[corpsebride]

If her dad finds out, he's going to ground her FOR LIFE!!

[bloodtheft]

Welp. Time to gaslight her dad.

[corpsebride]

I do not think he can gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss his way outta this one, fellas.

Just wait until Astarion hears about dear ol' dad's plans to marry Vasilka off to the big scary vampire lord! That's like every girl's dream, right?

[gwilym]

came back from my shower with this thought:

its gonna be really fucking funny for godfrey to roll up on vasilka with the fucking blood of lathander

[corpsebride]

oh my god, that's right

she's gonna be tugging on the abbot's sleeve like "dad, are you seeing this shit? he's got the sun on a stick HALP"

[gwilym]

godfrey arriving in krezk with a mace that sheds real sunlight and holds drops of the morninglord's actual blood

[corpsebride]

time to canonize a new saint, i guess