#nor is about wooing the princess or running a tavern

[impernious]

I'm going to make a few observations that should be obvious, but maybe they aren't. Anyway, this is inspired by some of my friends talking about DnD.

What you do with a game can have absolutely nothing to do with what the game wants you to do. And that's perfectly fine.

With that said, just because you do things with that game, does not make that game about those things. If I tell you that I use chess to woo strangers, this does not make chess an inherently romantic game.

A game is about whatever it lets you do with its mechanics. If the mechanics facilitate you doing a thing, then the game might indeed be about that. If they actively stand in the way of you doing a thing, then it is definitely not about that.

A game that does not help you contextualize your imaginative roleplay is definitely not doing you any favors. By all means, keep doing what you love, but there might be a game out there that absolutely helps you and facilitates the thing you want to do without leaving you out in the cold to make it all up on your own.

It is perfectly fine to houserule a game to oblivion and back to get it to facilitate the things you want to do. But at some point, you must admit you aren't actually playing that game anymore.

Don't encourage people to play a game without including the context that you are playing an entirely different version of it to have fun.

Read more games.

#ttrpg #dnd #dnd5e #ttrpg dev #ttrpg community #ttrpg design #ttrpg stuff #indie ttrpg #rant #please don't tell me how DnD is a queer game #also no DnD is not about found family #nor is about wooing the princess or running a tavern

[jaskierswolf]

Part of Your World Pt.3/4

Main Summary: Jaskier is a sea witch who finds Ciri crying by the edge of the ocean. She's lonely and desperate to find her Destiny so Jaskier offers to escort her to him. (On AO3) _____________

The night had been an awkward one. Jaskier had insisted it was too late to go after Geralt but Ciri hadn’t wanted to go back to sleep. He wasn’t proud about it but he had charmed the young girl back into a magical slumber. He hoped that she wouldn’t be too angry with him. Geralt had still been nearby, he knew that much but the witcher kept his distance.

Jaskier had changed back to his human form so he could stay with Ciri whilst she slept. He didn’t sleep as much as humans did but he did manage to catch a few winks before the dawn creeped over the horizon. Jaskier rolled over on the ground with a groan. He never enjoyed the sunlight in the early morning. It took him a while to adjust to the light. He buried his face into his sleeves and squeezed his eyes shut.

“She won’t wake up.”

Jaskier yelped and sat up, his head spinning at the sudden movement. “G-Geralt?” He slurred and blinked a few times. Geralt was indeed sat across them poking at the ashes of the campfire. His swords were strapped to his back and his was looking all grumpy in his black leather armour.

Honestly, how did anyone manage to look that attractive with a constant frown on their face?

But Jaskier also remembered how they had laughed together in the water, the bright smile on Geralt’s face. It had been absolutely radiant in its beauty. He also remembered the way they had held hands on the walk from the tavern, he wasn’t sure Geralt had even realised they were doing it but Jaskier had been giddy the entire time.

He’d always had a habit of falling in love too fast, but this time was a whole new level. He wanted to pull Geralt down into the depths of the ocean and never let him leave. It was such a pity that witchers needed the air to breathe.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been staring at Geralt, in his sleepy haze, but it suddenly dawned on him that Geralt had spoken to him, not a question exactly but one that still required an answer.

“Ah umm… yes. No. She won’t.” Jaskier hummed and looked down at Ciri. She was curled up in a ball and her long ashen hair was covering her face. “She wanted to go after you. She almost ran off into the night.”

Geralt let out a low growl. “She could have been hurt.”

Jaskier huffed and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, yes. You see that is exactly why I put the spell on her. Oh don’t look at me like that, Geralt. It is easily reversible.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“What’s… what’s stopping me?” Jaskier threw his hands up and then flopped back onto the ground. “Geralt!” He whined. “You ran away the moment she saw you!”

“Hmm.”

“Oh stop with your hums and grunts.” He muttered. “I’ll wake her and you can explain to Ciri why you ran away like a coward!” He snapped.

Geralt sighed and rested his forehead on his fingers. “I’m no coward, bard.”

“Oh really?” Jaskier grumbled. “Because from where I’m standing you look exactly like a coward.”

“Calanthe would have my head.”

“Calanthe is fighting a force that is greater than all of us, Geralt. Ciri is lonely. She thought that finding you might change that. She’s a good kid. I promised her that I would help find you and I really hate breaking my promises.”

That was true. It was part of a sea witch’s genetic make-up. A promise made must be kept. It could make them feel very sick for weeks if they broke that promise. It was why his mother was so particular in the wording she used whilst when making deals with the mermaids. Jaskier wasn’t quite so lucky. He’d spent many a month in bed after failing to finish a bargain that he’d made.

“I’ll talk to her, but she’s too young for the path. We’ll take her back to Cintra.” Geralt muttered.

Jaskier snorted. “We?”

“You started this mess.” Geralt smirked.

Jaskier raised his eyebrow and sauntered over to the witcher, cupping his cheek in his hands. “Why, dear heart, it’s almost as if you want to spend more time with me?”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm yourself.” Jaskier licked his lips and then leant forward to brush a kiss on Geralt’s cheek before the nerves got the better of him.

Geralt grabbed his wrist before he could properly pull away. “Jaskier.”

“Yes, Geralt?” He asked, his cheeks heating up as he tried not to overthink what he’d just done.

“That’s. That’s not a good idea.” Geralt closed his eyes and threw Jaskier’s wrist away as if it had burned him.

Jaskier’s heart clenched in his chest and he pulled his arms around his chest. “No. Of course not, witcher. I am a monster after all.”

Geralt grunted and nodded towards Ciri. “Wake her. We’ll, I’ll take her home.”

Jaskier sighed. So it was ‘I’ now. Well that wasn’t entirely unexpected and he did need to get home. If he headed west from this part of the forest he would be back to the coast sooner than if travelled to Cintra with Ciri and Geralt. His mother would be wondering where’s he’d gotten to by now. It had been a long time away, even for him. He chewed on his lip, pulling at the rough skin. He didn’t want to leave Geralt. It was foolish, he’d only known him for a few waking hours but he wanted to know more. He just felt that if he let the witcher go now then he would regret it.

He’d regret it for a long time.

“Cintra is by the coast.” He said, his voice cracking. “It would be safer to travel together.”

Geralt fixed him with a fiery stare but Jaskier didn’t back down. They were still close enough to the river for him to be able to use his magic but he honestly didn’t believe Geralt would hurt him. He stared back with as much fierceness as he could muster and put one hand on his hip. Eventually Geralt snarled. “Fine.”

“Fine.”

“Just wake her already.” Geralt grumbled.

Jaskier stroked his fingers through Ciri’s hair. “Time to wake up, little lion cub.” He sang in her ear.

She groaned and rolled over. Jaskier smirked at Geralt. “See, she’s fine.”

“Hmm.”

___________________________

The journey back to Cintra was not an eventful one. Geralt and Ciri glared at each other for the first couple of days whilst Jaskier filled the silence with tunes from his lute. He tried to make sure he kept the lyrics as far away from love as possible but every time his gaze met Geralt’s he just wanted to sing of his desire for the witcher. As a result he frequently resorted to singing more bawdy, not entirely Ciri appropriate songs. He couldn’t help it. They were just less embarrassing than pouring his heart out in front of Geralt.

After the first few days, Geralt had grumbled an apology for running away to the princess. She had lit up and pulled him into a hug. Geralt had given Jaskier a look of sheer surprise and Jaskier had cackled about it for days but after that moment things had settled down. Ciri told Geralt all about her life at Cintra and Geralt in return told them both snippets of his life on the path.

Jaskier mostly listened. He still hummed and sang in the background, strumming happily on his lute but he absorbed the new information about Geralt and Ciri like a sponge. The poems and ballads already forming in his head.

They were a days ride away from Cintra when he caught Geralt staring at him across the camp. Ciri was already curled up asleep with her head on Geralt’s lap. Destiny was a funny thing. Ciri seemed to already see Geralt like some kind of parental figure but had accepted that they would go back to Cintra until she was older. Geralt for his part seemed to have settled into the role of parent with an ease that neither witcher nor sea witch had anticipated. Jaskier supposed he should have known really, despite all his grumpiness, Geralt was at his core fiercely protective over those he deemed to be worthy. It hadn’t taken long to work that one out, and Jaskier was certain the reason the child surprise scared Geralt so much was that he didn’t believe himself to be worthy of her.

It was utter bollocks.

Geralt had given the girl more care and attention in the few weeks he had known her than Calanthe had given her in the years she’d spent in court. Jaskier could relate to that one. Being the child of royalty was not all it cracked up to be. His mother spent more time on her potions and her contracts and spells than on her only son. He had had to entertain himself for years, and it seemed Ciri had been the same. She was thriving under Geralt’s care. She soaked up the storied he told as much as Jaskier did. Jaskier even noticed that Ciri had started mimicking Geralt’s actions and manner of speaking. It was all fascinating. Humans were a funny bunch.

But now Geralt’s attention was solely focussed on him whilst the girl was asleep. Jaskier felt his cheeks heat up under the witcher’s gaze and he put away his notebook with a heavy sigh.

“You know, dear heart. The way the fire dances in your eyes is absolutely sinful.” The words fell from his lips before he could stop them.

Geralt rolled his eyes and smirked. “I told you, it’s not a good idea.”

Jaskier pouted. “I know, I know. I don’t expect anything, dear witcher, but it would be a tragedy if you didn’t know how beautiful you are.”

Geralt tilted his head and smiled at Jaskier so softly that he thought his heart might explode. “Says the creature who could woo a thousand monarchs.”

Jaskier winked. “Only a thousand?”

“Hmm.” Geralt gently lifted Ciri up and carried her to her bedroll. She wiggled in his arms as he moved her but she didn’t wake. Jaskier hummed gently under his breath to weave a spell so they wouldn’t disturb the sleeping princess. Once she was settled Geralt came to sit next to Jaskier, bumping their shoulders together. “A thousand monarchs and one witcher.”

Jaskier choked and turned to face Geralt, his face burning hotter than the fire. “I’m sorry, What?!”

Geralt chuckled.

“Oh ho ho! No!” Jaskier gaped at Geralt, trying to stop his magic from going feral and turning him back into his natural form. “You do not get to just laugh! Weeks, Geralt. I have been pining over you and your gorgeous eyes for weeks! And then what? You suddenly flirt back! It’s just not fair.”

Geralt raised an eyebrow at him. “You changed your mind?”

“What?! No! No!” Jaskier groaned and leant in to bury his face against Geralt’s shoulder. “No.” He mumbled. “I just want to know when you changed yours.”

Geralt sighed and leant his head against Jaskier’s. “You were always beautiful to me, when I saw you watching me. I thought you were beautiful and your scent, it reminded me of the ocean even before I knew what you were.”

“You reached for your swords.” Jaskier reminded him.

“You wouldn’t have been the first human to try and kill me.” Geralt muttered. “When I realised you were looking for me, I assumed the worst. I was wrong.”

“But I’m a monster.”

“No. You’re just not human. Neither am I. Doesn’t make us monsters.”

Jaskier laughed and snuggled closer against Geralt’s chest. “So when exactly did I woo you, oh great witcher? I thought I’d been more subtle.”

“Jaskier, you are as subtle as a Roach on a rooftop.”

Jaskier furrowed his brow. “I. What? Geralt, that doesn’t even make sense?”

Geralt laughed. “Long story.”

“Tell me.” He joined in with Geralt’s laughter and linked their hands together.

And Geralt did. He told Jaskier of the time where he’d come back from a contract to find his horse standing on the top of the tavern. To this day no one knew how the the mare had managed to end up on the roof. Geralt suspected a mage had been trying to get back at him for something. Either way, the entire village had gathered and darling Roach had ended up with her own Gwent card to mark the occasion.

Jaskier had been in fits of laughter by the end of the story, muffling the noise in his hands. “Oh, darling.” He frowned and looked around the camp. “Where is she now?”

Geralt looked up. They’d retrieved her from the tavern before heading back towards Cintra but Jaskier hadn’t seen the mare since they’d made camp earlier that evening. Geralt gave a sharp whistle and the mare came trotting out of the trees.

Jaskier grinned. “Well now, isn’t she a clever girl?” He cooed at the mare who flicked her ears with a snort.

“Hmm.” Geralt said fondly as he stroked the horse’s muzzle. “She is.”

“Why wait until now, Geralt?” Jaskier asked, holding up their hands when Geralt gave him a confused look.

Geralt shrugged. “I was losing you anyway, thought you should know, before we part.”

Jaskier groaned. “But I could have had weeks of kissing you, and now we only have tonight!” He pouted.

Geralt hummed and held Jaskier’s cheek so they were facing each other in front of the fire. “Then let’s not waste time.”

Jaskier surged forward and claimed Geralt’s lips with his own, a kiss that he had been dreaming of ever since their eyes had met in the tavern and every time Geralt looked at him ever since. Every song that he had been repressing and every shimmering glow of love in his heart bloomed under Geralt’s kiss. Geralt’s hands wrapped around his waist to pull him closer and Jaskier hummed happily, not noticing the glow that begun to weave around them, the water in the air responding to his call without him even realising it.

They kissed until they couldn’t breathe and then they kissed some more, holding each other close until the dawn began to rise over the horizon and it was time for their adventure to end. ________

Tag list: @alwenarin @slythnerd @davidtennan-t @flippinfricks @awitchersbard  @innocentcinnamonpun @marvagon @elliestormfound @geraskier-trashh @panerato @moonysourenza @artistsfuneral @victorieschild @hailhailsatan @pheebs0612

#the witcher #sea witch!jaskier #non-human!jaskier #geraskier #geralt of rivia #jaskier pankratz #cirilla fiona elen riannon #part of your world #wolfie's witcher writing