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my-favourite-zhent · 2 months

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Fic asks for New Tricks, which I ADORE!

12, 15, 17 and 20 please <3

Awww tysm <3

This is gonna be a little long-winded so forgive me!

I'll tuck it all under the cut.

12. Was there a scene you wished you could have included? Why didn't it fit in?

So in the original draft/plan of New Tricks later on in their relationship Rugan and Izzy were going to be at the same party. One that the Zhents were running security for (see how I cannibalized this for the opening?). One of the attendees basically derides Izzy's taste in men and in response she compares crows and peacocks. Crows are clever and loyal, peacocks are just loud assholes that can't leave the menagerie~

Basically, patriars need not apply.

As I got into writing though I realized I hadn't actually planned their meet cute and ended up reworking it to be their first meeting.

15. Was there anything you had to research for this fic? Do you usually do a lot of research?

I did a lot of listening to the audio files to try and get Rugan's dialect and tone right. It's really easy to go off memory alone and end up skewing the personality one way or another so sometimes I'll give it all a re-listen when writing dialogue. I did some googling of Lancanshire/Yorkshire accents and slang as well, for instances where I wouldn't know what word he would choose based on the audio files alone.

I also spent an inordinate amount of time on the forgotten realms wiki. I generally don't like anachronisms in fiction because I feel it takes away from the world building. In some cases where I wasn't able to find the Faerunian answer I would look up historical equivalents for medieval England (i.e. the use of a garderobe rather than a powder room). It helps that I've also read a bit of Salvatore's novels so I have some feel for Faerun (or at least 1370s Faerun).

Keeping to the lore has a secondary benefit of forcing me to work within given constraints and having to be more creative. For instance Rugan was originally just going to send Izzy till I looked up the price of a sending scroll, too rich for his blood!

On the topic of anachronisms I will also use etymonline if I suspect a word sounds *too* modern for the setting. Some words are surprisingly older than you would think. (i.e: the concept of a dive bar has been around since the 1500s!). I also try to do a pass on my idioms because some of those are surprisingly modern.

I don't generally write fanfiction, or at least not in years and years and years. However I do occasionally play tabletop and I like to approach my character research in the same way. Selecting a country/place of origin, what languages they would know, family background, should all colour the character's abilities and perceptions.

17. What was the hardest scene to write?

Ugh any scene that was not the boys banting or fighting was difficult for me. I can generally be happy with a banter scene after the first draft, fight scenes are alright, but smut I agonize over sounding repetitive and drama is by far the worst for me.

I think Rugan's general asshattery in Ch 14 and 15 and eventual softening, were the most difficult. I didn't want to stray from how he's characterized in his game lines (egoless, pragmatic, adaptable) but still wanted him to have some emotional vulnerability. First and foremost I wanted him to still feel like the same man as the game. I rely on @fistfuloftarenths a lot for feedback when it comes to his characterization, and she reminded me that sometimes he's allowed a little character development *as a treat*.

20. What is something you wish more people noticed about this fic?

Hmmm that's tough one! I don't know if notice is the right word but something I hope people enjoy is the appearance of the other Gates crew Zhents.

In the game we see a bit of Rugan being a mentor to Olly even when he has to be pragmatic ("those that don't value their own skins", "me and the boy are expendable", "you're still alive, that's lucky", "and so does his coin", "painfully, I don't want to talk about it."). Rugan cares about Olly but he compartmentalizes that to do the job.

The other Zhents seem to have similar attitudes. You tell Sal you're one of theirs? In you go. Zarys is grateful you saved them, even though she would've killed them if they stole the chest. Karad warns you about the explosives, and Brem and Garias have the usual sibling banter (despite Brem's kidnapping victim being right there). Bellar outright says what they're all thinking. They're pleasant to you if you're not in their way, but if you are they won't hesitate to cut you down.

For better or for worse the Gate's crew are his family and shape his attitude and world view. This is especially clear in the cut content: he sold them out to survive, but he's broken because of it and can be convinced to leave the Zhentarim altogether.

So for me it was important that even though Rugan is the main character, that the rest of the crew were present as an ensemble for him to play off of.

If you've read this far thank you, and sorry for the rambles!

#ask game #bg3 fanfic: new tricks #new tricks #rugan x izzy #izzy x rugan #bg3

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