Kelp Forest

if you saw this on bluesky- no you didn’t .

On that note

DQXI Characters’ Starbucks Orders!

Erik

I cannot tell a lie he’s giving me caramel ribbon Frappuccino vibes. Or just an iced latte with nothing fancy.

If he were going for a hot drink I think he’d go for a white chocolate mocha.

I don’t think he’d be a huge coffee snob, or even a fan of coffee for that matter. It’s just a beverage. He gets nauseous if he drinks too much.

Veronica

They will not serve her coffee because she is a child. She is very mad about this.

I could see her ordering a few things— Definitely a strawberry crème Frappuccino, maybe a kiwi starfruit refresher?

She does enjoy coffee, and she asks Serena to order it for her. For some reason I see a sweet cream cold brew in her hands.

She has like, the best caffeine tolerance in the party behind Sylvando.

Serena

Tea enjoyer! Iced passion green tea lemonade girlie and you will not convince me otherwise. Very surprised that she enjoys tea iced and not hot.

Doesn’t hate coffee, quite likes it actually! But it makes her feel jittery if she drinks it too fast or on an empty stomach.

I could see her enjoying a mocha cookie crumble Frappuccino if she’s feeling daring.

Sylvando

He IS the pink drink and the pink drink is he. No one else in this world deserves it except for he himself. Gonna project a little and say he likes the blackberry sage refresher, too (because that’s my fav!)

Coffee does not affect him even a little bit. Could drink it like water. I think he’d have STRONG opinions about the sweet cream cold brew. I don’t know if these opinions are positive.

Would probably enjoy the most menu items out of the entire party. Macchiato, Frappuccino, lattes, Americano, I don’t think he’d really /hate/ any of it.

Jade

Not very much a coffee person at all, but damn. She was born for the iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso. It just feels right in my heart.

A pretty classic cappuccino would also satisfy her. If she’s feeling something sweet, I actually think she’d go for a hot chocolate.

Definitely a “coffee helps me wake up” type of person. Doesn’t need it to function, but it certainly helps.

Rab

I think he’s also a refresher enjoyer, specifically the blackberry sage. Also enjoys a good tea.

He’s definitely the most overwhelmed by the massive menus. Jade ends up ordering for him. Gets him a cinnamon latte. Later he goes back to the counter and orders an espresso macchiato.

Hendrik

Coffee gives him heartburn. He orders chocolate mocha. He drinks half of it and then has to stop.

My partner came up with this headcanon that coffee plants aren’t native to Heliodor. Like, there’s coffee in Gallopolis, Gondolia, Arboria, Phnom Non, almost everywhere except Heliodor. I’m considering this canon.

Jasper

Coffee also doesn’t always sit right with Jasper, he’s got a sensitive stomach imo. But he’s much a bigger coffee enjoyer than Hendrik.

Would rather kill himself than admit that he loves Frappuccino’s. He’s got such a sweet tooth and I’ll die on this hill.

Thinking about the cliche “what if [X] characters got transported into our world” and how that could relate to DQXI but like, I feel like something a lot of people fail to consider with this AU is that [X] characters’ currency may be functionally useless. Like if we’re taking the Luminary and Sylvando on a Starbucks side quest, that bedazzled pink tumbler is going on my credit card.

“Oh but they have gold pieces” and you think I’m letting those outside of my house?? In this economy?? Nah mf leave your important items purse on the kitchen counter.

Furthermore. Introducing them to cars. We are NOT walking to target. No horses. 2015 Subaru. Let’s hop on the LIRR. Leave the swords in the trunk or we are going to be forcefully removed from the Barnes and Noble.

keep your eyes on the produce, hero!

I think about this constantly. Hendrik is only 36 years old and he’s endured so much trauma, both physical and psychological. He was alive for long enough that he has memories of his homeland and of his father teaching him how to dance. I imagine that he was only six or seven years old when Zwaardrust fell. Maybe not old enough to remember everything, but old enough to remember the darkness and the screams and the unyielding terror. At the same time, do you think he remembers waking up alone and scared? Do you think he remembers seeing the helmet of the Helidorian knight that dug his body out of the rubble? Do you think he remembers the shock in their voice when he coughed, when they realised he was still breathing, that he’s alive? Do you think he remembers his own birthday?

Hendrik’s service to Heliodor is simultaneously all he has to live for and a constant reminder of what he lost. If things were just a little different, he never would have been here. But what can he do about it now, y’know? He owes his life to King Carnelian, to Jasper as well frankly. According to the official character book (iirc), he was skin and bones, still crying for his family, and only fell asleep after Jasper shared some sweets with him and read him storybooks. What a privilege to grow up alongside such a patient, ambitious, utterly brilliant prodigy. What a fraud I am, standing next to this genius. Hendrik’s undying dedication to his oath is a fight for his life, for the right to feel as if he’s even worthy enough of a man to fight in the name of Heliodor, of a king who shaped the course of his life in ways he would never imagine.

I also think it’s not unrealistic that his trauma, the consequences of it, and how he’s processed it inadvertently contributed to his rivalry and fallout with Jasper. Obviously that doesn’t make it his fault, but things tend to affect other things like that.

The fall of Dundrasil was probably so horrific for Hendrik. Being knighted as a general afterwards probably felt entirely undeserved. Growing up, training at Puerto Valor, putting his soul into becoming a valiant knight, all for what? To let a kingdom die? He was forced to confront a question he never asked and always feared the answer to.

“If I were stronger, could I have stopped it?” No. No, you couldn’t.

Also I’m sure it wasn’t fun finding out that king carnelian was possessed for at least 16 years and exploited Hendrik’s ignorance of the fact while also exploiting his fractured relationship with his childhood best friend

Do you guys ever think about how Hendrik survived the fall of both Zwaardsrust and Dundrasil? The fact that they both fell due to monster attacks must have been horrible for him.

Nice things the DQXI Party would say (or think) about Veronica ❤️

Erik

She’s such a pain! But he respects her for sure.

He sees her self assuredness and intuition as her most valuable skills. Being able to make quick decisions without flinching of looking back is very important to him.

Serena

That’s her dear sister, her role model and guiding flame for most of her life. Always admired her independence and dedication.

Loves her with all her heart. They’re so much more more than two halves of a whole.

Sylvando

Cutie patootie that packs a punch! She can take things so seriously but she’s got a lightness and sense of humor to her that he adores

I think he thinks of Veronica and Serena like his own little sisters that he never had.

Jade

I think she both relates to Veronica and sees her as someone to look up to.

Veronica is unstoppable. Her dedication to her cause, her sister, and the sheer force of her power despite being half her size? It gives Jade a lot to think about.

Rab

Always jokes that it took him 70 years to learn about half the magic that Veronica knows.

Out of all the girls on the team, Veronica reminds him most of his daughter.

(Spoilers for Act 2 below)

Hendrik

Tenacious is the word he’d use to describe her. In a complimentary way, I promise.

In his eyes, she manifests a lot of values in the knight’s oath. Unyielding bravery, fearlessness, and putting it all on the line without a second thought.

Say something nice about- Veronica!

DQXI Characters’ Niche Talents

This was an ask from @valeriewarrior137 but I accidentally posted it without fully answering and then deleted it 😭

Erik

He can guesstimate most measurements just by eyeballing them. Height, weight, distance, circumference. When you’re a thief, you’ve gotta know if your loot can follow you through the escape route.

Veronica

She’s an excellent climber, even with her shorter stature. She can scale trees, ledges, and even hop fences like nobody’s business.

Serena

She’s got a knack for learning new languages very quickly, and it helps out with how much traveling the party does. Her musical talents give her the ear for it!

Sylvando

With a stage presence like his? How could there ever be a talent the Great Sylvando hasn’t— it’s hunting. His father taught him. He can hit a target with a crooked crossbow from further away than any man should be able to.

Jade

She can forge someone’s signature to the point where it’s indiscernible. She’s never used this talent, despite how much Erik tries to convince her to

Rab

He can finish a sewing job with a good amount of competency! He taught himself how to when his daughter’s teddy bear ripped, and he was always there to help Jade out if she needed something hemmed!

Hendrik

He really enjoys gardening. He doesn’t get many opportunities to do it, but he’s read several books about botany, foraging, etc. and would love to keep his own plants one day

Jasper

He’s a very good singer! And he’s horribly embarrassed about it, surprising no one. It’s nothing professional, but it helps lift his mood when he’s feeling down

Hendrik, teaching Sylv Zwaardsrustian, holding up an apple: Appel. Sylv: Okay, that's easy. Hendrik, swapping the apple for a potato: Aardappel. Sylv:

イレブンくんとカミュ

How to begin a sustainable way of life

This is a draft of something I've been writing for a couple months. It is mainly focused on the culture of the USA. Feel free to repost or otherwise share, with or without credit.

Do not tell people what to do—help them do it! 

Give the gift of relief from being forced to engage in society’s unsustainable ways of life. 

“People need to eat more plant-based foods.” ->Talk about your favorite recipes, give others recipes, cook for them, and grow vegetables and plants in your garden and give them away as gifts. 

“People need to repair their clothes.” -> Offer to repair others’ clothes, and teach people how to repair their clothes. 

“People need to buy less clothes.” -> Give them old clothes that you don’t want, help them repair their clothes

“People need to buy less plastic stuff.” -> Learn to make things that can serve the same purpose, such as baskets, and give them as gifts. Let people borrow things you own so they don’t have to buy their own. 

“People need to stop using leafblowers and other gas-guzzling machinery.” -> Offer to rake the leaves. You can use them as compost in your own garden. 

“People need to be more educated about nature.”-> Learn about nature yourself. Tell people about nature. Be open about your love of creatures such as snakes, spiders, and frogs. Do not show awareness that this could be strange. You are not obligated to quiet down your enthusiasm for creepy crawlies to demonstrate awareness that it is weird. Point out at every opportunity how these animals are beneficial. 

“People need to use cars less.” -> Offer rides to others whenever you must go somewhere. Whenever you are about to go to the store, ask your neighbor or your friend who lives along the way, “Is there anything you need from the store?” 

You cannot control others’ behaviors, but you can free them from being controlled. 

If you think to yourself, “But this would be so difficult to do!” ask yourself WHY? Why does your society coerce you into less sustainable ways of living, forcing you to consume excessively? After thinking about this, consider that it is less simple and easy than you thought to make more sustainable choices, so why would you judge others for not doing it? 

Do not act alone—act with others! 

Environmentally friendly behaviors that can be done alone, without collaborating with or consulting another person, are the least powerful of all. Whenever an “environmentally friendly” behavior is suggested, figure out “How can I give this as a gift?” or “How can I make this possible on the level of a whole community?” 

“Personal choices” do not work because every single person has to make them individually. If you are focused on making your own personal choice, you are not focused on others. If you are not focused on others, you are not helping them. If nobody is helping each other, most people won’t be able to make the “personal choice.”

You inherently share an ecosystem with your neighbors  

            Start with your neighbors, the people physically close to you. You live on the same patch of land, containing roots from the same plants and trees. You can speak to them face to face without traveling, which means you can easily bring them physical things without using resources to travel. 

            Always talk to your neighbors and be friendly with them. Offer them favors unprompted and tell them about how your garden is doing. Do not be afraid to be annoying—a slightly annoying neighbor who is helpful, kind, and can be relied upon for a variety of favors or in times of need is a necessary and inevitable part of a good community. If you make the effort to be present in somebody’s life, they will have to put up with you on some occasions, but that is just life. We cannot rely on each other if we do not put up with each other. 

Simply spending time with someone influences them for good 

Every hour you spend outside with your neighbor is an hour your neighbor doesn’t spend watching Fox News. Every hour you spend talking with someone and interacting with them in the real world, eating real food and enjoying your real surroundings, is an hour you don’t spend only hearing a curated picture of what reality is like from social media. 

            Isolation makes it easy for people to become indoctrinated into extremist beliefs. When someone spends more time alone, watching TV, Youtube, or scrolling social media, than they do with others, their concept of what other people are like and what the world is like comes more from social media than real life. TV and online media are meant to influence you in a specific way. Simply restricting the access these influences have to yourself and others is helpful. 

A garden is the source of many gifts 

If you grow a garden, you can give your neighbors and friends the gift of food, plants, and crafted objects. This is one of the foundational ways to form community. When you give food, you provide support to others. When you give plants, you are encouraging and teaching about gardening. It is even better when you give recipes cooked from things you grew, or items crafted from things you grew. You can also give the gift of knowledge of how to grow these plants, cook these recipes, or craft these objects. 

More on gift-giving

            Some people are uncomfortable with receiving items or services as gifts. They want to feel like they are giving something back, instead of having obligation to return the favor hanging over them. 

            It can help to ask a simple favor that can be easily fulfilled. People generally like the feeling of helping someone else. 

When you give someone a gift, it can help to say something like “Oh, I have too many of this thing to take care of/store/eat myself! Do you think you could take some?” This makes your neighbor feel like they are helping you. 

When allowing others to borrow items, you might not get them back. Don’t worry about that. It just means the item found a place where it was needed the most. You can ask about the item if you think it might have been forgotten, and this can create an opportunity for a second meeting. But don’t press. 

If the person you give to insists upon some form of payment, this is a good opportunity to negotiate a trade. 

Ask to be given compostable or recyclable things 

Ask your neighbor to save compostable scraps, biodegradable cardboard and paper products, and any other items that might be put to use. Use them in your own compost pile. Or, start a compost pile at the edge of the yard where you both can add to it. Remember that “wet” compost like vegetable and fruit bits needs to be mixed with twice as much of “dry” and “woody” compost like cardboard, leaves, small twigs, paper and wood bits. 

Use the front yard for gardening

Overcome the cultural norm that the front yard is only decorative. Use the front yard for gardening so you can be seen by others enjoying your garden, and others can witness the demonstration of the possibilities of land. In the front yard, anything you do intentionally with your land can be witnessed. It also makes you a visible presence in your community. 

Grow staple foods 

Don’t just grow vegetables that cannot be the core component of a meal themselves. Grow potatoes, dry beans, black eyed peas and other nourishing, calorie-dense foods. Grow the ingredients of meals. You could even build a garden around a recipe.

Invite neighbors and friends over to eat food made from things you grew 

Be sure to send them home with leftovers.  

Grow plants for baskets 

Containers are one of the fundamental human needs. If we had more containers, we wouldn’t need plastic so much. You can learn to make baskets, and to grow plants that provide the raw materials for baskets. 

If someone rakes their leaves, ask to have the leaves  

If you see someone putting leaves in bags, don’t be afraid to ask if you can have the leaves. More likely than not they will be happy to agree. 

Collaborate with neighbors to plant things in the no-man’s-land of the property line 

In the border land between your neighbor’s yard and your yard, it is almost always just mowed grass because no one can plant anything without it affecting their neighbor. But these border lands add up to a lot of space. It would be much better if you talked to your neighbor about what would be nice to plant there, and together created a plan for that space. 

Give others the freedom to wander 

Make it clear that you will not get mad if the neighbor’s kids play in your yard or run across it. Invite the neighbors onto your land as much as possible. Tell them they are allowed to spend time in a favored spot whenever they would like.  

The power of the hand-made sign 

If there is a yard sale, you always know about it because of the hand-drawn signs placed around. Therefore, a cookout or unwanted item exchange can be announced the same way. In rural areas I have seen hand-made signs that say: FIREWOOD or WE BUY GOATS or EGGS. This is one of the few technologies of community that remain in the USA. If someone who looks to buy and sell can put up a hand-made sign, why shouldn’t you?  

Religious people or people with strong political opinions like to put signs everywhere. If they have the confidence and courage to do so, why shouldn’t you? 

So if there is a message you would like everyone to see, use the simple power of the hand-made sign. Proclaim “BEE FRIENDLY ZONE!” above your pollinator garden with all the confidence of a religious fundamentalist billboard. Announce to the world, “VEGETABLES FREE TO ALL—JUST ASK!” “WE TAKE LEAVES—NO PESTICIDES.” Instead of YARD SALE, or perhaps in conjunction with YARD SALE, you can write, PLANT EXCHANGE or SEED SWAP or CLOTHING SWAP. Who can stop you? 

Someone has to do it for society to change  

Some of these ideas might be eccentric, strange, or even socially unacceptable, but there is no way to change what is normal except to move against it. Someone has to be weird. It might as well be you.