Look man, you spend part of a relationship not being able to touch your partner and sometimes it still all feels like a gift.
(Realizing a couple of these last sketches have been a little rough - I've luckily seem to have avoided neuropathy due to the chemo so far, but it still does weaken me - making my pencil pressure a little uneven and unsure.)
Still thinking about Karlach and Tav with wings - one of their many adventures post-Avernus is something that happens in a shared dream in a strange place (the night they're married, no less). There, they're able to enjoy fully functional wings and the joy of flight. The first stretch of them feels SO good, as they've lived their whole lives with them being vestigial and small.
Not being cambions like Mizora or Raphael, their wings aren't really as spikey and attenuated fully manifest like this. They have four long 'fingers' and a reduced but still dexterous 'thumb' instead of five long fingers and a prominent wing spike. They also do not have wing 'elbow bones'. Although biologically they are still too small to lift creatures their size (and have a 'spoon-like' or 'scooped' appearance from how narrow the membrane attachment is at the waist) they are still fully capable of flight due to this being a dream and the ways in which shape-changing and flight work within it.
Karlach wonders why cambions ever even bother wasting their time making deals with mortals when they could be instead enjoying this gift. Both of them are fascinated with this new physicality with each other.
I love Tara. I think she loves Karlach because she's warm (even if she sings silly little ditties to her), and also puts up with Tav who doesn't run AS warm as Karlach, but will do in a pinch - plus Tav is often sitting on the ground, very still while meditating, which makes for a good lap basket while Gale is insisting on DOING things like cooking (I like to think she joins up with the camp in Act III after being discouraged from eating pigeons.) Tav is amendable to being bossed around by an 8lb bag of fluff.
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Baldur's Gate (Video Games) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Karlach/Tav (Baldur's Gate) Characters: Karlach (Baldur's Gate), Tav (Baldur's Gate) Additional Tags: Named Tav (Baldur's Gate), Monk Tav (Baldur's Gate), Tiefling Tav (Baldur's Gate), Female Tav (Baldur's Gate), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Panic Attacks, Comfort Sex, Dinner, Food, Cuddling & Snuggling Summary:
Tav takes Karlach on a "second date" after Avernus – to an old place near the docks. This is not long after they return to Baulder’s Gate for the first time following their escape from Avernus. Karlach is very excited until she realizes long ago Gortash had a meeting there, with her doing her job by his side, the night he betrayed her. Despite the PTSD she goes through with it and is rewarded with a lovely evening. Cuddling Tav later that night she reflects on overcoming difficult memory with Tav at her side.
The worst part about the commission scam shit going after me is like... I dunno man, just ask me nicely if I'll draw your cat for you or whatever. I like drawing animals and if I have time I'm generally amenable to suggestions/requests. I'm an actual human being with a life and everything, but I like talking to people and if you have a sad story about your dog and want a pretty picture just... Ask? Accept that the answer might be no but like, just try being normal. Might get you somewhere.
Hey, I've been seeing a new scam targeting artists on Tumblr. I'm just gonna put a warning out here because I've had to deal with this scam more than once, and reporting the accounts just leads them to making new ones, and it might actually trick less-experienced artists. The scam goes like so:
The idea is to trick you into doing the art anyway, trusting that this is just Paypal being slow (as it sometimes is) and the money will show up eventually. They really pressure you, trying to insist that they sent the money!! It's out of my account already trust me!! So people who are bad at arguing back might not call their bluff.
But of course the screenshot is fake, and they used the email and display name you provided to make the screenshot.
I don't start working without money in hand so all this does is waste my time, but I can see less experienced artists, especially those who take payment after doing the work, getting swindled. This usually comes at me after I've posted a very simple drawing, so they might be targeting people they perceive as younger or less experienced.
Be vigilant, friends. Don't give a finished product without money in hand, and don't do business if something strikes you as shady.
I've been getting a LOT of these lately and ignoring them. I'm used to this sort of thing (there have been other variants in the past) but if anyone ever tries pry you into a commission and is not willing to be up front with payment via normal means just block them, it's not worth the frustration. Usually you can tell things are fishy right off the bat if they insist on contacting you through unusual means (such as DMing them first rather than approaching you) or ignore clear statements on your page about your commission status or process.
It's particularly insidious because this behavior is preying on young and inexperienced artists who are often the most hopeful and desperate for commissions. While a number of these are just looking for free art, I've seen worse that take things further and are trying to steal bank information, PayPal login info, or other identity information.
Another shameless Karlach reffed off Rhea Ripley - the look is too good, I couldn't not.
Eh, I'm not above these movie poll things. Here's 100 movies I have seen and have various feelings about, have you seen 'em?
(No Disney, no Pixar, no Don Bluth, no Dreamworks we die like men. I tried to pick things I've seen that I specifically feel ways about, and almost entirely positively.)
This took a surprisingly long time to put together, honestly if you look at one of these posters and go 'what the hell is that it looks neat?' check it out!
Young Karlach, in her early twenties - not long before Gortash betrays her.
Also here's a short piece of writing to go with;
One Last Round (2262 words) by QuietPinions Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Baldur's Gate (Video Games) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Karlach (Baldur's Gate), Fitz (Baulder's Gate) Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Break Up, Post-Break Up, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Comfort Food, Platonic Relationships Summary: More than a decade before the events of BG3, just a few weeks before Gortash sells her away to Zariel, Karlach’s most recent relationship (and the last she has before she’s in hell) fizzles out. Fitz, her long-time friend and housemate, comforts her (platonically) as Karlach is starting to figure out she doesn’t just want someone who will keep the bed warm for her, but is still young enough to be kindof stupid about it. As per cannon, Fitz and Karlach have been friends for years, and share a place together. Similarly, Karlach’s parents passed a few years ago now, and she’s been working for Gortash all the while. Kalrach is in her early 20s.
Mature content
They literally just had sex.
(Based on stupid shit I have informed my husband, @fullyfunctionalminiaturebeehive - we are all so very capable of dimwitted sentences.)
The author has indicated this post may contain content not suitable for all audiences.
Rules: Post the last line you wrote of one of your current WIPS and tag as many people as there are words.
This is from a young Karlach bit that I should be putting up soon. Not sure if that will be the final draft of the line.
She doesn’t know it will be a decade before she can.
Tagged by @blackjackkent - thank you!
I do not know enough people to tag (who I know have active writing WIPs - life is tough right now) for this but I'll tag @joasakura @bottomvalerius @holy-muffins @xx-sharpfawngz-xx
While Tav and Karlach are being dipshits at karaoke, Wyll and Lae'zel absolutely CRUSH it at Dance Rush at the arcade in the same center (I think the two of them would absolutely kill it at rhythm games - Wyll has more flourish and flow but Lae'zel has laser precision.)
Consider: Tav on her period with cramps and big feels, Karlach cuddling her being like a giant emotionally suportive heat pad
Funny you should mention! I had some thoughts on that here!
Did you know that humans are in an extreme minority of mammals that overtly menstruate? Only humans and our very closest primate relatives have overt menstruation with bleeding from the uterus through the vagina (some other simians, bats, mice, and the elephant shrew also menstruate, but it is considered 'covert menstruation' without bleeding - the uterine lining is re-absorbed into the body.)
Long story short - Tav and Karlach both lucked out in the genetic lottery that their mixed tiefling heritage brings, but they are both kind to their friends who have to go through it - and are both willing to be emotional support heating pads (although Tav doesn't run as warm as Karlach - she does give great massages though.)
Curse of Strahd; Off the Shits continues a pace as our DM kindly works to let us play out an endgame we've been building towards for years.
IN THE MEANTIME more of our bullshit;
And one last thing - Mortimer banishing his father, who has been DEEPLY UNKIND TO HIS BOY (and the Morninglord's specialist baby!)
(dumb photoshop from Domenichino "The Rebuke of Adam and Eve")
