Author Answers (March)

 Hello, thank you for submitting your questions for this month's Q&A! As always, answers are divided by General, Spoilers, and NSFW for anyone who might want to skip over any sections!

General

 Cheat sheet for romancing Shery? 

• Show kindness, patience, and empathy to everyone; don't engage in insults or back-talk, or she'll lose interest in you fast. 
• Don't be arrogant: don't agree with her when she's self-deprecating herself or putting you on a pedestal.
• Show respect and interest in her interests, even if you don't agree with them (even regarding the One-God)! You can explore why she thinks these things, but don't try to argue with her or change her mind.
• Don't try to shoulder her burdens or do everything for her; help her solve her problems but don't solve them for her, if that makes any sense.
• She's more attracted to gentle souls than blunt, rough-talking people (but definitely is still into strong women, if you know what I mean)!

How does Riel deal with a MC who constantly, but unintentionally one-ups him? E.g. Riel makes a suggestion at a strategy meeting and MC, who just happened to pass by, pops their head in and comes up with a better idea before wandering off to do their own thing. 

Low-key I think Riel would start to loathe MC but would have other reasons for hating them, like they're slovenly or something lmao, but slowly over time he'd have to confront the fact that he's never been bested in this arena before and has to challenge his own identity as not being "the smartest" anymore! He'd probably always be chilly with MC after but would accept it's a him problem, not an MC problem!

Any fact or snippet with blade and romanced mc please?? whatever crumbs you can offer us

Sometimes Blade wakes up very early in the morning just to stare at MC's sleeping face as the morning light touches her features. It's one of his favorite things and he feels so tender and aching in those moments, but he'll rarely stick around to let her know he was doing it!

Also after being in a relationship with MC, Blade will fight her on looking at his injuries if it requires taking his shirt or clothes off because he knows it's going to lead to a situation where he just injures himself more LOL

How do the romance options treat a mc who has a very obvious crush? like blushy, stuttery, and dorky all of the sudden? normally I'd also ask who would be able to tell but realistically it's probably everyone but trouble and shery 

Thinks it's cute but attributes other reasons for MC's behavior:

Blade

Shery

Thinks it's cute and uses it as an opportunity to tease or flirt with MC:

Chase

Briony

Takes it as an obvious sign that MC likes them and is happy about it, but lets MC decide what to do about it:

Riel

Tallys

Takes it as an obvious sign that MC likes them and uses it as a sign they should pursue MC:

Red

Lavinet

Utterly confused by this behavior or totally oblivious to it:

Ayla

Trouble

ro reactions to mc kissing them all over their face? 

Kisses MC back once or a few times on the lips

Blade

Tallys

Shery

Red

Kisses MC back all over their face

Briony

Trouble

Chase

Tolerates MC's kisses patiently

Riel

Tallys

Pushes MC away, squealing or otherwise

Lavinet

Ayla

I can never get enough of this trope so how would the RO’s react to after receiving a life threatening injury to the mc sleeping beside their bed (maybe perchance holding their hand) in the crushing phase? (or vice versa whichever is easier) 

(is struck by an arrow through the heart and falls more in love with MC, staring at their face like a lovestruck dope, but doesn't make a big deal of it when they wake up)

Blade

Trouble

Briony

Ayla

(is touched by MC's devotion but feels sadly that they don't deserve it)

Chase

(feels bad about making MC worry and puts a blanket over them)

Shery

Red

(gently shakes MC awake and reassures them that they're feeling fine now, MC should go home and get some rest)

Tallys

Riel

(kisses MC on the cheek)

Lavinet

I’m curious about an expanded hunger games ask as if the ros were in the arena with their lover (ignore the boy girl rule for ppl like sherry and riel). And for the sake on angst they can’t volunteer to replace the lover. How would the reaction be of the announcement if the lover would be called first (do they vonlinteer as the next person into the arena?) how is situation in the arena, do they put up the star crossed lovers routine like (like Katniss and peta do? 

Sorry, I don't remember enough about the Hunger Games to fully answer this question! D: I don't remember the boy-girl rule or the fact that people go in at different times. I think each RO would be fully dedicated to protecting romanced!MC and would b willing to die if it meant MC got out alive, though!

By the start of Chapter 3: 1) How many Shepherds are there and what percentage of that population is Elf/Ket/etc.? 2) How many of the Order's Mages have magical training or can use magic? Or do they all fight with weapons and MC is the only strong magic user? 

By the start of Chapter 3, there are roughly 120-150 Shepherds in the Order, depending on the MC's past actions. Chase's Thieves Guild brings in about 60, and Riel brings in about 30 (trusted contacts and resources. Obviously there are way more merchants in Merchants Guild who pay dues to him and are members, like Ebert, but these do not add to the manpower of the Shepherds: Riel is in a more precarious position as leader, as he can be outvoted, whereas Chase just duels people to the death). 

So at this point in time (and this point in time only), the Order is actually predominantly Norm. However, this quickly changes in subsequent chapters, and if you're not counting the Guilds as being technically part of the Shepherds, the division among the Diminished members comes out to about:

5% Norm (Trouble)

0% Hunter

45% Mage

25% Elf

25% Ket

All of the Order's Mages can use magic to varying degrees. At the time MC joins, half of them perform non-combat-related duties, and of the half that are deemed battle-ready, half of them are competently magically-trained and can use their magic in combat; the other half use a combination of weapons and small magical skills. MC is not the only one among them who fights with their magic, but is the only one (prior to the joining of Capra's Mages) whose raw power far outstretches that of the others. 

Do all the ros have baths or showers in their rooms? Or is it like communal showers? I have to know how often can Red have his shower sex kink fulfilled without other people interrupting to take a bath

No one has their own bath in their room: every recruit has a wash closet with a toilet and a sink in their quarters, but large baths are shared between rooms (or
"bunks") of six. These are somewhat like baths in bath houses, but people bathe either privately or communally depending on their preferences and culture. Sex in the communal baths is extremely frowned upon, lol. Showers are a thing, but not that common, and are more prominent among Mages and their cities as a rather exotic contraption than a common household fixture. If ShoH were more of a traditional video game I'd make gathering enough gold to renovate and get showers be a thing, lmao!

...*writes down note*

How do the non-Mage Shepherds feel about a MC who specializes in the more 'suspicious' (at least according to the Autarchy) types of magic, i.e. enchanting, shifting, etc.?

Thinks of it only in terms of practicality and how much it can help the Order:

Blade

Thinks of it as cool and useful (or otherwise thinks of ways to employ MC's magic)

Riel

Chase

Lavinet

Doesn't think about it or notice it at all:

Briony

Trouble

Red

Passingly wonders about it once in a while but actively decides to trust MC:

Ayla

Shery

Actively keeps it in the back of their head and it makes them just a teensy bit nervous:

Tallys

Spoilers

 Is it possible to get good endings with all the characters? There’s so many shepherds and so little time 😰 but I want to befriend them all! 

*frantically doing the math in my head* I intentionally made it that way to encourage replays and tough decision-making, lol! I uhhh think it's possible to get decent enough endings for all the characters, but don't quote me on that, and definitely not possible to get all of their best endings in one playthrough! It is, at least possible, to keep them all alive fgjfdg, so if you count that as a good ending, then yes!

Objectively speaking, how bad is Trouble’s real name? #nospoilers but does he have a reason to hate it other than it being awful (ie it’s like his dads name or something) Thank you for answering!! 

I don't think it's that bad of a name but it's like how some people just hate their name Bob and go by their middle name or something like that! Nothing objectively wrong with it, but they might just hate it! And Trouble hates his name because he feels like it doesn't suit him and his personality - no real underlying reason other than that! I think you could argue there's some deeply-entrenched complex stuff regarding his mother calling him that and her early death, but that's all interpretative!

Is it possible to kill all the Faceless Lords without using any Words of Power? 

Yes, definitely! Just extremely, extremely difficult! Think Nightmare Mode on any other video game! You can technically make it through the game without using any Words of Power at all (besides the obvious one at the birthday), but it would involve some tough choices!

(Note: if you feel you can't do that right now, that's because the game is in alpha development and I may not have written non-WOP paths yet!)

Can you give us a little bit of a preview of what happens if you go with Chase to the warehouse instead of going with Riel to the gala? What is Chase thinking if the MC asks him to stay in their tent (on the journey to the Reach)? 

In the briefest preview terms: Chase takes MC, Blade, Trouble, and a few of his thieves to run a stakeout of the Black Sun factory. This path is more action-packed than the gala is, and there are a few paths to breaking in successfully and uncovering the secrets therein, including some choices about what to do with the voluntary human workers at the factory. But all paths lead to a confrontation with Clochus, the Faceless Lord of Gluttony and Sloth! Also, a choice about what to do with the factory's contents: Trouble and Chase advocate blowing the thing sky high and wiping out Black Sun forever, but Riel and Blade argue for the law-and-order way of handling things and not just running around exploding things like vigilantes, inciting terror and unease in the population. 

Afterwards, if you've impressed Chase and captured his interest, his lieutenant Ari approaches the player and has a conversation about Chase...

(Sorry, was that too vague?)

Chase is thinking a lot of things when he's hanging out in MC's tent, contrary to his nonchalant and lackadaisical attitude. Mostly, he's concerned about MC, wants to help them, is sympathetic towards them because he has bad dreams too, but doesn't want to make it too big of a deal in case they feel embarrassed. Basically, he empathizes with them and just wants to be a good friend towards them, the way he would want, oh but also, MC is very cute, but don't think about that right now you idiot, okay thanks it's out of my head now, hey MC I'm here to help! Rely on me! But also don't rely on me too much, I'm kind of scum and am sure to let you down at some point, uh-oh am I doing MC a disservice by appearing dependable to them, should I be stand-offish instead, whoop too late I'm in the tent now and just have to roll with these punches...

NSFW

Ros reaction getting caught doing the deets? 

It really depends on who discovers them, lol, but assuming it's just a random stranger:

Extreme anger and wrath, potentially violence:

Lavinet

Blade

Chilly "get out", but the mood is lost afterwards anyway:

Riel

Tallys

Utter embarrassment/jumping out the window in an effort not to get caught:

Briony

Trouble 

Shery

Completely casual "do you need something?? No? Maybe gfto then?"/Gives no fucks and resumes afterwards:

Ayla

Dissolves into laughter:

Chase

"OH UM...... THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE"

Red

Can we get the nsfw alphabet for red?

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)  Cuddly and relaxed. He wants to keep doing stuff (not sexual) instead of going to sleep, like watching a movie in a modern AU or sitting up and talking late into the night! 

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)   Secretly thinks his ass is tight, and loves MC's thighs, tits, or butt (or both)

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person) His tastes gr8! He's conscientious like that, if he thinks there's even an iota of a chance he might be getting some in the near future, he alters his diet gkfdgfdg

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) His first sexual experience was with a much older woman, though he later regretted this

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?) He knows his way around lovemaking, though each relationship feels so new he never feels that experienced

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual) I think he likes the standard in bed, but probably entertains shameful fantasies about bending MC over a desk or sitting in a chair while they tease him

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)  It just depends on the mood, sometimes he's light and flirtatious, sometimes he's tender and sweet, sometimes he's passionate and intense

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.) Well-groomed and neatly trimmed down there

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)  Extremely intimate and tender, will groan that he loves you as he finishes and spend the aftermath lavishing you with kisses and attention

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon) Sometimes masturbates after a long day of work to relax or fall asleep. Thinks about MC while doing it and then feels embarrassed afterwards if they're not in a relationship 

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks) Hot tub sex or sex in the bath, also wasn't aware of this but classroom roleplay evidently gets him going

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do) Library, up against the shelves like in Atonement

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going) All it takes is for MC to give him the bedroom eyes, take his hand, and lead him somewhere and he's helplessly entranced. Also if they show him just a little bit of something tantalizing, like the peek of a bra or garter

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) Won't hit or hurt his partner or roleplay as someone else (that he knows in real life) 

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc) Absolutely loves to receive but is also very skilled at giving 

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.) Usually slow and sensual, he likes to make it last 

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)  Not a huge fan of quickies because they kind of make him feel pressured, but he'll go along with it as long as it's somewhere where they obviously won't get caught 

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) Average level of experimentation and risk, I don't think he's that interested in introducing things to the bedroom himself but will go along with what MC wants to try within reason

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…) Two or three rounds is pretty much his limit, but he can make his partner come endlessly and not get tired of it!

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?) No toys, he's never needed them 

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) He can get in a tease-y mood and enjoy making his partner beg, but he won't torture them for that long  

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)  Normally not that loud, he's generally pretty quiet out of habit (started having sex in the dorm rooms where people could hear lol) but when he loses control he can get quite vocal!

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice) Way too many people have the strange urge to grab his ass randomly, despite having zero sexual attraction towards him... it's just an air he gives off I guess

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words) Substantial and thick, but not fantastically enormous

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?) He could have sex every damn day and be good to go afterwards

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) He takes fairly long to fall asleep after sex, it makes him content but alert. Sometimes he has epiphanies in the afterglow right afterwards LOL like breakthroughs in his work!

Can we get the sex meme for lavinet?

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex) She's content and giddy, but gets warm and sweaty afterwards and wants a bath right away, not to be cuddled

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) She thinks her face is lovely and her boobs are fabulous, and she'd love her partner's biceps/forearms!

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person) She doesn't particularly like swallowing cum but will happily have it all over her body

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) She's a little bit of a pillow princess, she'd love nothing more than to just lie back and be endlessly pleasured

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?) Sexually not experienced at all, she's messed around a bit with people but never actually done the full deed. However, she is adventurous and confident!

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual) Lying on her back while her partner eats her out; otherwise, being fucked from behind while she's laying on her front

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc) She's rarely humorous, though she will get very sly and teasing

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.) The carpet does not match the drapes (her hair is dyed) and she shaves down there!

 I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)  She's extremely intimate and lavishes her partner with loving words and praise

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon) She masturbates probably every other day, more if MC is driving her crazy!

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks) I think being in a situation where she might get caught turns her on, as well as the thought of someone maybe hearing her and MC and even getting off to it. Also, mirror sex!

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do) Definitely the privacy of the bedroom, it's very rare that she'll want to do it anywhere else

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going) I think just being in love makes her constantly horny, lol. Also, being dominated in a certain situation (or MC taking firm charge) is going to have her dragging him out of there in a flash

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) Extreme masochism (she'll play submissive but she won't degrade herself), anything to do with bodily fluids other than cum

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc) Loves, loves, loves receiving, enjoys giving only in the pleasure it gives MC but not for the act itself

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.) Slow and sensual for sure, she gets indignant if it goes too fast and wants to spend hours having luxurious wanton sex

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.) Hates quickies, take the time to romance her and make her come multiple times!

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) Is pretty open to experimentation and some risk, she'll try lots of things in the bedroom but is not super excited to have sex in broad daylight, for example

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…) She can go for MANY rounds in a single night: at least 3 would be perfect! She doesn't last very long and comes quite quickly unless MC forces her not to, but she wants to do it over and over again quite a lot.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?) I uh don't know if vibrators exist in Blest, but in a modern AU she'd definitely own one and would like it if MC used it on her during sex!

 U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) She can get in a wicked mood and tease if she can get something out of it (like forcing MC to admit they lost an argument or something), but otherwise she likes to the one who's teased and begging

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make) Extremely loud, she does not keep quiet or hold back at all and you can hear her moans from across the building

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice) Secretly wants to be tied up by MC and mercilessly teased but doesn't know how to bring it up artfully

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words) Exquisite pussy energy

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?) Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) She passes out right after the requisite after-sex bath lol

In honor of her winning the poll like the queen she is. Can we get Ayla’s first few letters for the nsfw alphabet meme?  

 A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex) She wants to fall asleep tangled up in a sweaty heap in her partner's arms

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) She likes the look of her arms and abs, and I think is enamored with her partner's neck!

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person) She doesn't mind cum but doesn't have any particular desires for it either!

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) She's fascinated by the idea of a threesome but doesn't have any actual desire to participate in one in reality; it's just the thought that she gets off to

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?) Has had sexual experiences and knows what she's doing, but isn't like some great connoisseur and doesn't have an arsenal of sexual techniques up her sleeve. All of her previous encounters were quick and very straightforward

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual) Sideways in bed, or otherwise 69

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc) She can be funny when the mood hits her; it depends on how long she's gone without sex with MC and how horny she is!