avalaughs | lore dump time

Magic & Familiar Meme!

inspired and built on the familiar meme by AL✨

Tell us about your character's familiar and magic!!!
Skip any questions as applicable.

Copy & paste below!

Character Name: Canon: Familiar Name: Species: Why did you pick this familiar for your character?: Explain its significance (if any!) Special features: Powers/charm point/anything else worth mentioning How do they communicate?: And can/do they speak with anyone other than your character Personality: Relationship with your character: are they close? Do they get along, or is there friction? Visuals: images! Magic Magic Types: Why did you pick these types for your character?: How does your character cast their magic? What does it look like/are they flashy or subtle/do they use a mana focus (wand, etc) of any sort How does your character feel about their magic?: What magic and familiar would your character choose for themselves?: If different from what they got! Anything else?:

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Character
Name: Chris Lightfellow
Canon: Suikoden III

Familiar
Name: Holly
Species: Holly Elf
Why did you pick this familiar for your character?: Originally, I had planned for Chris' familiar to be the similarly-themed Holly Boy, who has been a recurring enemy type through many Suikoden games. But then I saw the close-up artwork for the Holly Boy and...eeeeeeeeeehhhhhh. So I instead decided to go with the Holly Elf/Fairy because that way she could be an actual secondary character I could control, and so far she's proven to be a delight. So it worked out better!
Special features: She's a shit-stirrer but also has some good advice for Chris about learning how to use magic and with the spider quest thread she did with Claire, there is a connection there. She's mostly just funny for me to write.
How do they communicate?: The usual way; try to get Holly to shut up, really. No doubt Rinea's gotten her fair share of Holly thanks to being Chris' roommate.
Personality: A bit abrasive, and not shy about making herself heard because Holly has a lot of Big Ideas on a variety of subjects and no filter. Also a bit of a lovable coward-type.
Relationship with your character: That said, she does show concern for people she cares about and that does include Chris, despite the ribbing, and it is mutual (she tackled a giant spider that was trying to eat Holly).
Visuals: I was about to say there were no good pictures of Suikoden III Holy Elves, but lo and behold!

Magic
Magic Types: Elemental/Siphon
Why did you pick these types for your character?: I tend to choose magic that best replicated their abilities/home world's magic. In Chris' case, Elemental lets her mimic the Elemental Runes that are so common in the Suikoden world, and more importantly, the True Fire Rune she bears. Siphon I picked for a more "crunch" reason since I like the idea of being able to make Chris an anti-magic tank (and being able to cure curses makes her more than a little Paladin-y, which is fun).
How does your character cast their magic? Chris learned to use her gear as a channeling focus for her magic, so she often channels it through that. Rather than cast a fireball or summon an icestorm, she enchants her sword, usually with fire to make it a good old fashioned blazing sword. She uses ice to create temporary summoned shields. Wind magic she channels around her boots to help her jump or move more quickly. It helps her not to think of "herself" as the source of her magic, but rather her gear, though this would have the side-effect of making it harder for her to cast spells without it.
How does your character feel about their magic?: Chris struggled a bit at first, but with Holly and Claire's help she's figured out a method that works for her, and that she needed to stop trying to emulate her own world's magic, which she was never very good at. She's not a wizard, she's a warrior who uses magic to supplement her combat abilities. Once she had that realization, it became easier for her to wield her magic and use it more effectively. I kind of used Ezra from Fairy Tail (which I've never seen but have absorbed some information about), since her magic type is to summon and equip various weapons and incredibly fanservice-y armours to fight with. That influenced the direction I decided to take Chris' magic in, minus the fanservice (sorry Hawk).

What magic and familiar would your character choose for themselves?: I don't really think Chris has any arguments with what she got. Though sometimes she does think a familiar that doesn't talk might have been nice. XD
Anything else?: "Holly" isn't her real name, but one she chooses to go by because most non-Holly Elves can't pronounce the sound a single drop of dew makes as it falls from a blade of grass in the light of the rising sun. I was hoping this might come up in RP but since it hasn't so far I'm just putting it out there. XD

lore dump time

Chris Lightfellow | Suikoden III