Aaron Overflow

Ok, did I really post my quick ref sketchbook pages before I finished Aaron’s? If so, here he is. I suppose I was waiting to finish Phoebe’s - since I technically have a Meret ref already - for the full Top Five. But I just don’t have the style to design Phoebe’s fashion, and keep eject buttoning it, so that post will sit in the “he started it, and one day…” file. Folks, I am so out of it right now I legit don’t know what I’ve shared and where, so I’m going with the option that gets a filler post up during the months of hell, when I just can’t think or focus.

Speaking of, here’s an Aaron from another project I couldn’t complete. (Yet?) It’s an “early quest -> late/post quest” series. At the moment my head is trapped playing out lots of scenes from the Aaron’s Gambit arc - when he used a rule exploit and tried to “cheat” his way to what he hoped would be a perfect quest victory - thanks to all the times I told myself “Don’t make waves; you’re strong enough to push through the blowback from the doc issues” when, spoiler alert, my body totally fell apart. (Cuz, haha, I’m not a mental toughness issue! It’s a real and documented over 9.5 years illness!) It’s spurred on some interesting ideas that I’ve played out in my brain - half of which are too serious/intense and would get cutting room floor’d, and half that may get better versions once my brain isn’t operating while fully saturated in trauma!

In the case of that sketch, I’ve had ideas of some final boss for the RPG that I felt may work better in the book version. (Aside: The “book” is the mental vault where I put all stuff I over-obsess on, cuz it’s useful time killing for me and overkill in any of the more commercial Momentum versions!) I’m not happy enough to voice the details, just that Aaron always dreamed he would strike the final blow and be the one who decided the fate of the future in that action! He gets the chance, but at immense cost, and in the end uses the gambit payoff exploit to instead help the team while PHOEBE gets the final blow. In doing so, book Aaron forfeits his big reward. Instead of being the one to shape history, he gives it up and stands in support as Nate takes the role. (He also gives up the “we count as one person to fate” part of his exploit that kept Rhenna on the team. Free of him, she ALSO goes on to big things. And of course Phoebe does to. Aaron Ronsiek: Feminist hero????) ((Meret’s dreams come true after the quest, but in a different flavor, and you gotta wait until I finish the dang series for it.)) So, yeah, gotta revel in the moment Aaron chooses humanity over his ego and selfish actions. Something about immense sacrifice to remain kind and open and hopeful is sticking with me!

At least he gets the girl? After being a dumbass about it for way too long at the start!