I Know It's Been Done To Death But I Will Never Get Tired Of Aliens Struggling With Human Emoting And

I know it's been done to death but I will never get tired of aliens struggling with human emoting and body language. It's never consistent, two humans can be raised in the same household by the same people and still use wildly different expressions when reacting, it's impossible to create any kind of guide for those unfamiliar with humanity.

I'm just imagining a flustered alien courting their human crewmate, doing what can only be described as drowning you with praise and compliments because they can't figure out what all the eye contact and mouth shapes you do mean. But damn it they're pretty sure laughter accompanied with a higher heat signature in the face is good, so that's what they're gonna do!

As a VERY white person, I really do appreciate a black creator taking the time to create a resource that I and anyone else can use so any black characters I may write for or create have the same level of depth to them. It's a lot of work to make sure people like me get it right, even though it shouldn't be.

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Lesson 1: "White Man Painted Black"?

Lesson 1.5: "Hair for Thought"- how visualizing affects your writing

Lesson 2: “That One Hairstyle? RETIRE IT!” Black Hair is an Art (pt.1)

Lesson 2.1: Addendum to Hair pt 1

Lesson 2: "It Takes HOW LONG?" Black Hair is an Art (pt.2)

Application! Ice's Lazy Loc Wash Routine

Application! How to: Simplified Braid

Lesson 3: "Defying the Default"- Skin Tones and the Presence of Black Characters

Application! What are Black fans looking for in Commissions?

Lesson 4: "Do Black People Blush?" Bringing brown complexions to life

Lesson 5: "The Same Place As the Music" Lighting & Color

Lesson 6: "Let's Have A Talk, First" Stereotypes, pt 1

Lesson 6: “Why’s she so rude?” (She’s Not)- Stereotypes, pt 2

Lesson 6: "Is He the Threat (Or Are You?)"- Stereotypes, pt 3

Lesson 7: "That's the Black one!"- Imagery and "Black-Coded" Characters

This man singly handedly kick-started my obsession with morally grey, white haired bastards. Absolutely walked so Astarion could run. 🫡

favorite spike looks: s5e14 | crush

Tav is clearly the God of Defiance

You’ll need to excuse the ramblings of a writer that is a bottle of wine deep for this. But clearly, in my mind? Tav is the God of Defiance.

Across all of the companion quests, the ideal outcome is “No, you adorable moron, what this God/Lich/Devil/Vampire wants for/from you is terrible. Choose your own path. These divine bastards can fuck right off.” and that stance just… Works out well for Tav? Even when considering that you are facing down against the Grand Design of an elder brain as the focal point of the main quest, Tav straight up decides, “No - screw you - screw this - I’m not allowing that to happen” with no real repercussions to that.

Across the story, you as the player character come up against what would be to you and I as insurmountable odds and just… brute forces their way through to the outcome that they want?

You anger multiple gods or godlike entities, and instead of being wiped from the face of the Forgotten Realms the story just continues right along as if you didn’t just paint a massive divine target on your back?

In every companion questline, the team you form around you over the course of the story become stronger or more powerful in their own ways BECAUSE they listen to you when you tell them to ignore the powers that be and choose for themselves. Which as a whole makes the team stronger - makes TAV stronger. Because while a God in the context of the Forgotten Realms needs to be worshipped? A God of Defiance wouldn’t need to be. Every day when a mortal in the realms wakes up and chooses to live, to persevere in the face of the entire world around them conspiring to kill them? That’s an act of defiance, and that’s a prayer to God.

So when Gale decides after talking with you that he won’t blow himself on Mystra’s command? Tav gets stronger. When Wyll defies Mizora and refuses to kill an innocent Karlach? Tav becomes stronger. Because the people around them become more empowered in their ability to self determine their own fate.

We could go more meta and argue that clearly Tav is a God because they are operated by the player, a being outside the realm which the story is taking place in. An omniscient being with knowledge the characters simply don’t have. The ability to choose to not accept a roll of the dice, to explore the multitudes of choices available and simply to choose to return to a prior point to make a decision that aligns with your personal story preference the best in the long term.

But why do you need to when quite frankly Tav should have been a name in that book of forgotten/dead gods in the crypt where you first meet Withers?

Do I also like the idea (as a massive brat) of telling Ao, god of all gods, that in fact, no, I will not simply stop interfering with the lives of mortals? That by telling me that I can’t that you have given me all the power in this situation to do just that? Or that I could in theory punch Mystra in the face as Tav for implying that Gale could win her favour back by blowing himself up? It’s at least part of that.

In my mind Tav simply can’t explain this to their companions, that maybe Ao got a little pissy when he realised his mistake. Something along the lines of “Unless they already know or figure it out you can’t tell mortals that you’re a literal GOD. And no - I’m not allowing you to weasel your way out of this one Tav.”

And here comes my fic idea that I may or may not already have imagined at least a dozen chapters for:

Could you imagine the plot twist when you first meet Elminster? Your companions are questioning why the gods can’t interfere and the old wizard is just sitting there like “You do realise there’s already a God among you?” and it turns out Tav put themselves into a situation where they would be tadpole’d because it allows them to directly interfere because this is no longer a problem affecting mortals but also the Gods? The fact that this 1300 year old wizard (who must have figured it out along the way across his many adventures) points out your godly essence allows you in that moment to become this divine bastion against all the shit your companions are facing - people who have very quickly become important friends or lovers to you over the course of your little adventure? And now you no longer have to pretend to be this dumb nobody that just so happened to be spearheading this mission to save Faerun? Damn, I want that fic. I might write that fic.

Listen, if Stephanie Meyer can Mary Sue her way into a multiple book/movie deal I’m just saying that I should be allowed to get away with this in fanfiction.

Tav is the God of Defiance

Headcanons/ Fic Plot Overview

A/N: Has life been kicking my ass? Yes, but let’s not get into that. The whole Tav as God thing has really been burrowing deeper into my psyche and I need to get it out here or I may actually just go insane.

Enjoy some quickly thrown together headcanon type ideas - I may expand on these later if I can find the time in between work and everything else.

See prior drunken ramblings about God!Tav here

Before BG3:

Tav has been living almost exclusively in the material plane since the events of the Second Sundering. While they are empowered to live amongst mortals because Ao forbids it they can’t exactly risk returning home in case they get stuck there. It's sneaking back in when your parents are distracted sort of situation.

I imagine that at one point that Tav was traditionally worshipped, but as the other Gods pulled further back on Ao’s command the mortals around Tav likely began to question why their God was still walking amongst them. Or maybe a wandering God is simply too hard to keep track of in legend - especially when they can no longer disclose their godhood to followers. The old ones die - and no one was there to replace them. The traditional faith simply died out.

Tav has been adventuring for centuries, strengthening the resolve of their companions in the face of dire circumstances and impossible odds. This defiance they demonstrate in close proximity to the God enough to sustain Tav even if it wouldn’t grant them the same power they had before from temples and clerics.

I think regardless of the class you choose Tav is at least a little bit of a bard - if only to hide their godly magic as some form of bardic inspiration during a battle.

They always inevitably end up alone as their companions leave them behind, either leaving adventuring to retire or more likely dying despite Tav’s best effort.

While they can defy almost anything, there’s a finality in death that’s much older and primal than even Ao and there’s nothing to be done against that. Tav takes the pleasure they can in staving off death for their beloved friends as long as possible before it comes to claim them.

Tav doesn’t just simply gravitate towards the longer lived races on Toril, there’s something more potent probably in the defiance of a mortal that is risking their almost comically short life in comparison to that of an aged elf. Though longer lived races do allow Tav to go longer before losing another friend or lover.

During BG3:

As a God, hearing whispers of a new God calling itself the Absolute isn’t what you want to hear. Not when they - like you, appear to be directly interfering with the lives of mortals. Tav gets away with it purely by the nature of their domain. This new God may not be so lucky.

Combined with the increase of murders in Bhaal’s name in Baldurs Gate, and stirrings at Moonrise Towers which Tav knows all too well to be a Shar cursed land - Tav is compelled to investigate.

Finding themselves aboard a nautiloid has Tav panicked - this is looking to be a much larger threat to their beloved mortals than previously expected.

They have no allies with them though - no angered cries or acts of defiance to power them in this moment. Not that it matters. Interfering in the lives of a handful of mortals is one thing - but fighting against multiple Gods for the sake of all mortals would be a step too far for Ao.

This all changes when Tav is infected with a mindflayer tadpole.

Those infected with tadpoles are a threat to all those around them for many reasons. An individual with secret and forbidden knowledge is a tantalizing target to add to an illithid colony’s hive mind. What would happen if a God were to be transformed? Tav’s hand is forced, they’ll need to escape - gather allies and fight.

Upon crashing the nautiloid near the Emerald Grove and realising that most of their innate abilities are dampened by the psychic powers of the tadpole, Tav has to scramble to form an adventuring party. Thankfully - a group of desperate adventurers all with their own tadpoles to remove and lives they desperately want to return to just may very well have enough defiance in them for Tav to kill a God.

Tav just has to convince them to fight long enough to get the job done.

This is so sweet and adorable!

Imagine having a sleepover with an alien, whos species specifically only rest around those they've formed a very deep connection with. But they understand that humans are different, and they enjoy the sleepover traditions you introduce, like eating unhealthy food while gossiping about other crewmates and playing games truth or dare. There's a certain comfortable intimacy they didn't expect, you two talking and laughing late into the night like it was what you always did. They're hardly even flustered when you stretch and yawn, letting your eyes close in a subconcious display of trust.

If you suggest building a pillow fort they almost decline. You're asking them to take your personal bedding and create a nest for the two of you to share, together? You want them to sit beside you, in a den you built as one away from the rest of the universe, that smells like you and you only?? But they can't just stand there and let you make one by yourself, and they know you don't mean anything else by the gesture. But that doesn't mean they aren't trying to subtly show off how good they are at making a nest, be prepared for the most plush and inviting pillow fort you've ever experienced.

And once you're both comfortable inside with a movie and snacks, they can't deny that they don't want to leave. Knowing that you trust them enough to share in this ease, knowing that you want to be this close, regardless of why, is enough to make them fall asleep beside you without any anxiety.

Don't be surprised if they suggest you do it again. Every night.