#iriel lovelace

[heavensdog]

dunno if this has been asked before but what kind of body types does everyone have??

Trigger warning for diet talk! Especially Lapis's. Umm, breaking it down more logically, I'd say. . . . Iri is the chunkiest -- they have a decent amount of both muscle and fat. They're pretty active, and they eat a lot. Rosewood does not have muscles. There is a line in Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incidence where the main character is trying to get on a moving train and Mr. Colfer describes him as never having lifted anything heavier than a cell phone, and that's pretty much Rosewood's activity level. They aren't fat exactly, but they do not have tone. Abaddon is tiny on all counts. They're thin and wiry to go along with their shortness, and even though they will eat constantly if you let them, they do not gain weight. This is weird spirit shit. Abaddon is always starving because no one believes in them, so their body reflects that sense of being "underfed" even if they actually eat a lot of physical food. They're probably the least comfortable with their body because of this (though like I've mentioned before, Iri is also uncomfortable with their body -- it is not a coincidence that both of the spirit characters have a hard time with the material forms they're taking on for the people they love .___.;; ) Emi is pretty toned in the sense that their work-out regime is very regular and also consists of more light reps rather than less heavy ones. They used to have a personal trainer, but depression hit them pretty hard. . . so they've lost some of their muscle and some weight. They're probably the most regular about exercise in general. Like Iri and Abaddon, they tend to eat a lot, but they're a bit pickier about the culinary experience since that's their passion. Lapis is very svelte. ._____.;;; du Mirage has them on a very strict diet, so after the series ends their body type would probably change the most, but during the story they are a little ballerina-ish. They have the most food anxiety, since that food is being used as a means to control them, and it probably takes them a while to recover after everything is over. That said, though, whatever feels most natural for the character is probably what you should go with!

#iriel lovelace #abaddon knight #lapis du obsidienne #e. nymbostratus #aconite rosewood #Anonymous

[heavensdog]

Trivia

Gonna be thinking about Iriel today -- namely the kinds of tattoos Iri definitely has (and also like . . .the implications of Iri being the MC’s number one source of safety and comfort when Iri is like, built and has a lot of piercings and tattoos, and doesn’t like talking to people who aren’t the MC + Rosewood + Flint, and then taking that up a notch for MCs who like cutesy styles lololol you can definitely get a “cute tiny pastel baby + tall bruiser who looks like they can and will break your bones if you mess with them” vibe /tangent) and also thinking of giving them face piercings? I’ve already given them extra earrings.

But is there anything anyone would like to know about Iri specifically?

(Sidenote: I just realized that I broke the pinterest board link, so I’ll fix that up sometime soon.)

#iriel lovelace #this is a little rambling but i think i got it out clearly lolol #with iri i kind of struggle trying to balance out they come across to Everyone Else and then how they come across to the MC because #it's completely different -- and then they come across to rosewood like they do to the MC because they're determined for the MC to have #friends . . . even though they don't like it #because they know what the MC needs to be happy and are prioritizing that #and overcompensating because of it

[heavensdog]

Could you describe the character’s facial features in detail? I’m tempted to make fan art

Hmm. .  I can do my best, but before I do I wanna say that when I started this project, I was heavily influenced by how much creative freedom people had in the fandoms for Samurai of Hyuga, Wayhaven Chronicles and Fallen Hero and the like -- so I really do want people to feel like they have a certain amount of free reign in terms of character design.

So when it comes to the visuals for each of the characters, I have some “key elements” and touchstones that I come back to, but in terms of specific details (like narrow eyes or broad noses or the like) I don’t really have anything pinned down.

But this is what I’m working based off of!

Iriel Lovelace: Iri is supposed to be kind of bulky -- they take up waaaay more space than they used to as a rabbit, and this shows in their height (they are the second tallest -- only Emi is taller than them!) and also in their body posture -- they tend to hunch over and try to minimize themselves physically. They give off a kind of “I used to be a delinquent but now I’m reformed” vibe in their dress -- lots of casual clothing paired with comfier pieces like sweaters and the like, and they wear too many layers for the circumstances. They’ve got rose gold hair and used to have silvery gray eyes but I might change them to pink for the Rabbit Vibes; extra piercings on their ears, possible facial piercings, and they always seem really sad. With all that in mind, I imagine broader facial features would suit them, as well as wider set eyes -- things that make them seem more like “prey” than like “predator”.

Aconite Rosewood: They’re meant to feel kind of like a fish out of water, and this shows in how they dress like they’re making themselves into performance art. They give off a very Innocent Demeanor, so rounder facial features in general fit them, but they also have a very hard-to-pin-down aura. My major themes for them, design wise, are a very on/off aesthetic (they’re either Vintage Magician or Grundgy Occult Graphic Tees) and their body language tends to be very awkward and anxious. They gangle, but not as much as Emi. Dyed pink hair (it’s naturally dark brown, so they bleach it like crazy too) and brown eyes that sometimes seem red in the right light. They wear a necklace with a jeweled ring on it at all times.

Emi Nymbostratus: They’re tallest and they gangle the most. They’ve got more angular features, probably, and they tan really fast, so combined with the fact that they used to bleach their hair, they give off very beachy/surfer vibes. They’ve stopped bleaching their hair since becoming an Agent of Heaven, so their roots are growing out, and they favor a lot of blue clothing. Kind of posh vibes -- Emilio, as mentioned, has an undercut, while Emilia favors more demure partial up-dos.

Abaddon is a shrimp and is to be treated accordingly. I think heavier features would be a nice contrast with their build and coloring -- they’re tiny, favor incredibly frilly clothing (masc!Abaddon still wears a lot of piratey blouses) and have long silver hair with red eyes. Perpetual angry face. Touchstones for them are just the juxtaposition of their constant grouchiness with the ridiculously frilly styles.

Lapis rocks quarantine fashion, let’s be honest. Back in school, they dressed very poshly because that’s what du Mirage wanted, but they’re more of a free spirit, so if they have the opportunity to go around in boxer shorts and a too big t-shirt, they will, and they tend to really like things that bare their midriff especially around the mc which has nothing to do with them being proud of their abs. They have dark hair and reeeeeaaaaally dark lashes, and their skin is tawny -- they’re whole vibe is supposed to bring to mind lost treasures, so gold and blue crystals and obsidian and onyx all suit them.

#iriel lovelace #abaddon knight #lapis du obsidienne #e. nymbostratus #aconite rosewood #i'm sorry this is probably not helpful aaaaaahhhhhh #but thank you for your interest and i wish you good luck with your arts!!! #Anonymous

[heavensdog]

What are the ROs’ favorite holiday?

Haha. . . ha. . .oh boy.

Rosewood obviously loves Halloween, and Abaddon tends to be mostly in agreement with them about that.

Emi loves loves loves Christmas and winter holidays in general.

Iriel doesn’t really have a favorite holiday, but they do tend to become “active” around Valentine’s day. I don’t know how to describe it, but they’re a little more affectionate around the second week of February, even if they don’t seem to notice it.

Lapis doesn’t get a favorite holiday because du Mirage doesn’t believe in them :)))

#aconite rosewood #abaddon knight #e. nymbostratus #iriel lovelace #lapis du obsidienne #i'm sorry to do this to you specifically #imvietnamesenotchinese

[heavensdog]

Motifs

I’m reworking some of the motifs/background imagery I was planning on using for the Agent of Heaven’s anger problems. The imagery I was using before (torrents of rain) wasn’t linking to anger in my mind the way I wanted it too, so I’ve shuffled it around to being more deserty -- the water becomes a motif when the Agent starts dealing with what’s underneath the anger, but when they’re just angry it’s like . . .dusty windstorms are the imagery I wanna work with.

And then I looked up the poem Ozymandias for reasons, and I miiiiight start working in some Ozymandias references for the Agent of Heaven as well; I already link them to Molosser dogs in my head (which plays off the title, and is kind of the concept the title is referencing lol) so . . . we’ll see where this imagery goes.

It already plays a bit interestingly with Abaddon, Rosewood and Iriel, who all have some rabbit imagery associated with them -- Abaddon being the rabbit Rosewood figuratively pulls out of their hat and Iriel being an actual rabbit.

#rambling #motifs #agent of heaven #aconite rosewood #abaddon knight #iriel lovelace

[heavensdog]

What do you imagine the characters' ethnicities are? And welcome back!

This one is gonna be a little vague because half the cast is . . .not human?? So they don’t necessarily have human ethnicities, but I’ll do my best!

I uh. Accidentally spoiled things here though whoops!

Right off the bat, though, Nymbostratus is mixed latino/white. I’m not sure what kind of latino they are? I don’t think they’re going to be Mexican, though now that I’m thinking about it I do generally go towards Mexican traits when I’m thinking about them, so they might be Mexican! Since they’re a book two character I haven’t really finalized them. Technically, it would probably be mixed Mexican/Italian. . . their biological father is an Italian mobster *sweats*, but their mom and stepdad were/are both Mexican. That means that Harper is also mixed Mexican/Italian, even though “Reed” is not an Italian surname.

(Sidenote: The romance between Nymbostratus’s parents is loosely hung on the very famous Lancelot/Gwenivere/Arthur love triangle and I’m very excited about that. Which I think makes Harper a Mordred analogue . . . . ??)

Rosewood is a little confusing, so bare with me -- over time, they’ve turned out to be Chinese ethnically? This is not currently reflected in the demo, but we’ll see how it plays out over time. They were given up for adoption and taken in by a white family in a small Southern Town, so culturally they relate more to your Being White + Racism + Queerphobia, yay, and they feel very estranged from the Chinese part of their culture. They might also be mixed white, but they’re visually very much East Asian. I’m not actually 100% sure if they know they’re Chinese or if that’s just their “best guess”. They were definitely very white at the beginning of the project, but . . . that changed.

The Agent of Heaven is obviously whatever you the player decide the Agent of Heaven is.

Abaddon is roughly Greekish. They’re an offshoot of an offshoot of Apollo, if that makes sense? So you could consider Apollo to be like their past reincarnation + grandpa in one + older brother. They aren’t culturally anything, and have spent time all over the world, but they look Greek and they kind of come back to Greek culture when they’re stressed out.

Lapis’s people simultaneously “predate” known history, and grew up alongside ancient Sumerian cultures, in the same area. It’s sort of like an entire genre, but basically Lapis’s people existed alongside the Uruk that appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh, but was wiped out from history later I guess; appearance wise, they’d appear Iranian the most. Culture-wise, I mean. . . . Sumerian. . . .?

If you’re wondering about their name, it’s because du Mirage is a francophile and renamed them with a rough translation of their previous name (Lapis Lazuli of House Obsidian being the English version). Phantome du Mirage herself is literally the ghost of a cave woman, so I guess maybe a neanderthal. . . ???

And then finally, for Iriel, I’ve struggled the most with them, but as I’m writing this it has become pretty obvious that they’d appear to belong to a similar background as the MC, and I’ll flavor the text going forward appropriately -- they were a rabbit, and when they took on a human form they’d probably take on a form that made the MC most comfortable, so that’s definitely a thing. They did have a previous experience with someone during the middle ages that will be gotten into, and for that they were a lot more grounded in roman/celtic sorts of cultural touchstones I think? But that would probably be easiest viewed as a previous incarnation of sorts or a past life, rather than their current life.

#agent of heaven #e.nymbostratus #aconite rosewood #lapis du obsidienne #iriel lovelace #abbadon knight #if you're wondering why there's so much cultural estrangement with rosewood #it's because my relationship with my race and the culture associated with my race is similar #i'm mixed pakistani but didn't grow up with aaaaaaany pakistani influences and it's like. . .rough idk #Anonymous #spoiler #mild spoilers like you'll forget about them before their relevant it's fiiiiiiine #it's right in the beginning of this post though sobs

[heavensdog]

WAIT A SECOND— Iri has tattoos??? 👀

They didn’t originally, but I decided to give them some just now haha~ I already gave them extra piercings a bit ago . . . I really like the punk look paired with someone more shy or reserved haha

I’m thinking at least one rabbit tattoo, something like this or this, and then something with wings, though I’m not sure if I’m gonna go with the big back tattoos of wings or something over the wrists and extending over the backs of the hands. . . I’ll have to do some more inspiration research heheh

#iriel lovelace #i fucking love tattoos so i can't believe Iri is the first one to have them here #except obviously i've been brainstorming tattoo ideas for the mc for a while already #emi might have tattoos too but theirs would all be words decorated in flowers #Anonymous

[heavensdog]

Snippet

Just one last one from today’s wordcount~

“Abaddon,” Iriel says, warningly, and then, in a slightly different but still definitely scolding tone, “[Name].”

“Your owner wants your attention,” Abaddon hisses, and then turns away from you.

#also neither the agent of heaven or iriel protest against this #snippet #iriel lovelace #abaddon knight

[heavensdog]

#Iriel Lovelace #Though the bottom sketches are actually lapis and rosewood related #*related

[heavensdog]

a possible iriel and abaddon poly romance? keep taking (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) like, what would their dynamic be? how would their personalities fit together? whatever you know and are willing to share, of course! sry i just love them both and i have too many questions haha

Ooooh! I’m glad to hear Abaddon is getting some love! Spoilers under the cut!

Iriel and Abaddon actually have a . . . turbulent history already. They both loved the previous incarnation of the Agent of Heaven and then lost them, and both of them blame themselves for it, while being vaguely aware of the other as equally at fault. Iriel doesn’t recognize Abaddon at first because they essentially have amnesia, while Abaddon is World Weary and not in the mood to pick fights over things that happened centuries ago.

It’s a pretty standard opposites-in-every-way kind of dynamic, where the Agent of Heaven is providing both of them with a second chance. . . while they are able to learn to forgive each other, and through forgiving each other able to finally forgive themselves. Their poly route would be about letting go of regret and coming to accept the choices that have been made in the past. . . .

In the beginning, it’s one where Iriel is Vaguely Uncomfortable around Abaddon (they’re kind of mad and repressing it lol) while Abaddon is aloof and occasionally makes weird digs at Iriel that are cryptic as hell (and Rosewood is like ? ? ? what was THAT about? later and Abaddon is like IDK I don’t like their face is all) and then when things fall apart at the end of book one/beginning of book two, Abaddon finally starts having complicated “WHY DO YOU ALWAYS DO THE WRONG THING” feelings towards Iriel, and Iriel starts using Abaddon as a bit of a punching bag, emotionally, because they’re really mad at themself but they don’t know why and Abaddon basically pushes Iriel to start using their own judgement again and learn from their mistakes while Iriel starts pushing Abaddon to actually be there for the people they care about. . . and in the end of book two/beginning of book three, right before Iriel’s fall, Abaddon finally actually offers understanding to Iriel, which is kind of the straw that breaks the camel’s back, which Abaddon feels guilty for . . .  spurning Abaddon to make a bunch of other mistakes lol

Abaddon and Iri are also both spirits, so there’s a little bit of that “we’re immortal and you’re not” towards the MC, where they’re both resolved that when the MC dies, they’ll wait for their reincarnation over and over again, just to be with them.  . . obviously it doesn’t have to be romantic at that point, since it would depend on when in the MC’s other lives they meet, but just like. ..always there as someone the MC can depend on, even in their next lives. . . .like guardian angels (or like . . . I guess shoulder angel/shoulder devil really lol)

#abaddon knight #iriel lovelace #spoiler #book three spoiler #book one spoiler #Anonymous

[heavensdog]

Snippet

“I was under the impression they’ve been fighting a war,” you feel a bit agitated, having to defend Iriel like this.

*fake_choice # Since you don’t like or trust them. It feels weird having someone dig their way in like this; Iriel was your personal problem, not something you aired for all the world to see. # Since they’re all you have. Maybe things aren’t perfect — maybe there are a lot of things you don’t know, but Iriel isn’t trying to deceive you, and you don’t like what Abaddon is implying.

#all the tabs in my scrivenir document are driving me up a wall #abaddon knight #iriel lovelace #basically just a reminder you can choose to have an antagonistic relationship with Iri if you want

[heavensdog]

Snippet

#Wondering if Abaddon was right, you tentatively reach out, wrapping one arm around Iriel’s elbow.

The effect is instantaneous; Iriel freezes, and color slowly creeps up their neck to their face and the tips of their ears.

#iriel lovelace #i'm sorry i'm spamming you guys but #snippet

[heavensdog]

So, I can't wait to get explore the relationships the MC can have will all these lovely sounding characters, but I'm really excited for Iriel and seeing how the dynamic between them and the MC has changed in the years since they've met and how it may change again when the story takes place. Will we get a glimpse of Iriels inner thoughts on the MC in the past and the present?

HMmmmm . . . I’m not quite sure if you’re asking about in HD proper, but I think that’s how it sounds?

There are some major perspective changes at certain points -- while we don’t get a lot of insight into Iri’s thoughts during some key moments in the MC’s life previously, during the present day when major things happen we’ll get scenes with the rest of the cast to kind of like  . . . I dunno, establish where that leaves everyone?

Spoilers!

For example, after the MC joins the Kingdom of Fear, I have a scene planned to establish their dynamic with Lapis and Harper, but also a few scenes detailing the falling out between Rosewood and Iriel, a scene between Rosewood and Abaddon so we can get an idea of what Rosewood’s motives are and how their relationship with Abaddon changes during that time, and the first meeting between Iriel and Nymbostratus, which is told from Iriel’s perspective.

The scene between Iri and Rosewood will also allow for the reader to choose who’s perspective they want to read from (so will the scene with Rosewood and Abaddon; Nymbostratus would be too new to the narrative at that point for a scene from their perspective to maintain the flow haha)

There will probably also be some scenes where the MC has the opportunity to eavesdrop on people, and in that case there would definitely be a chance for them to hear Iri explain themself to either Rosewood or Abaddon, since there’s a few squabbles they have to go through even in book one; Nymbostratus might also have the opportunity to make a case for Iri’s feelings for the MC, if the MC lets them lol

#iriel lovelace #spoiler #book one spoiler #i'm glad iriel remains so popular though huhuhu~ #i was worried people would find them a bit boring but it hasn't been that way at all~ #Anonymous

[heavensdog]

Are we going to get a Iriel/lapis poly?

At this point in time, I’m not entirely sure! I’ll meander about it for a bit under the cut, but I think when I initially switched to a trilogy format, I decided against it -- both because Rosewood + Abaddon can be a poly route, and because Lapis and Iriel don’t quite fit together in that way as much . . . Iriel and Abaddon might be a possible poly fit though.

Romance genre rambling under the cut! Also spoilers!

So romance as a genre is fundamentally about two things: wish fulfillment, but also character development. The way romance narratives work for me is by taking a theme or motif that is central to a character (for example, the Agent of Heaven’s Anger Problems) and using another character’s theme or motif to challenge or evaluate it (so for example, Iriel and Lapis both respond to anger very strongly, even though neither of them are comfortable with their own anger -- Iriel is focused on turning that anger into passion, because the core of Heaven’s Dog is about accepting our anger as something that isn’t inherently destructive, so Iriel’s arc is about finding a way to use that anger to make something better and what needs to happen in order to do that) while Lapis is focused on controlling and suppressing that anger (because the flip side of accepting anger is also acknowledging how destructive it can be, and so Lapis’s arc is the argument for why we need to accept that anger even when we don’t know how to make it productive or “good” -- which is why Lapis eventually leaves behind the Kingdom of Fear once the Agent of Heaven is able to reach them!) In the beginning, neither Iriel nor Lapis have a complete understanding of how to deal with anger, because neither of them can face their own anger -- but they can sympathize with and be angry on behalf of the Agent of Heaven, because that’s someone that’s important to them . . . and through this, Iriel is able to face the mistakes they’ve made in the past by being too emotional, and Lapis is able to face the mistakes their making in the present by being too obliging.

So in order for me to write a poly route for them, I would need a way to combine those themes in a way that doesn’t make the Agent of Heaven redundant -- as it is, the Agent plays the same way for Iriel as Lapis would (provided Lapis and Iriel were closer?) and the same way for Lapis as Iriel would . . . but with a stronger emotional bond than either Lapis or Iriel have for each other, and also while being the main character  . . . I’m not sure if that will come to me over time! If it does, there will definitely be a poly route (because a) there needs to be more poly routes in fiction and b) other poly options automatically involve someone who is gendermatched to the MC, which isn’t necessarily what everyone is looking for in a wish fulfillment poly romance in a text based choose your own adventure game! And that’s valid!) but if I can’t . . . I’m just gonna make sure and plan for a poly route from the beginning. There’s no sense in expecting any of my projects to stay a reasonable length |||orz the reason Lapis and Iriel are designed the way they are is because I didn’t want to have too many love interests since it’s my first project and it was supposed to be a standalone and then . . .things happened . . . .

#lapis du obsidienne #iriel lovelace #spoiler #book three spoiler #i think it'll be book three anyway #beginning of book three end of book two #Anonymous

[heavensdog]

Yeah I gotta admit I'm torn between Lapis and Iriel. Probably gonna go with Lapis tho :)

Huhuhuhu~ Well, we’ll see how it goes~ I hope you enjoy your time with them either way <3

#lapis du obsidienne #iriel lovelace #michael-crank

[heavensdog]

By the way, Iriel would be all about the current Dalgona Coffee craze . . . since they can’t have too much caffeine, though, they probably would end up experimenting on all sorts of things.

#iriel lovelace