Throwback Thursday

How Elias discovered his gender identity

Elias, in his original form, was a D&D character (dual class bard/ranger, for those interested). He was actually introduced as the son of my previous D&D character, Cira Dawn, who had survived three campaigns prior and deserved to be safely retired with all her loot so she could take care of her lil baby.

Becoming an oracle of a significant temple (a development that I kept in her story when I moved it into the Muunfel project) gave her a stable place to call home, but it also meant many visits from all kinds of importan people. Elias grew up meeting dignitaries, gods, vessels of gods, royals, and the like. It was a very accepting household, though he saw his fair share of trouble growing up there. His mother’s importance made him the target for more than one kidnapping attempt, but Cira Dawn can and will move mountains for her baby, so it never stuck.

Elias grew up confident and well-loved, but still he set out on his adventures to see the world and figure out his own place in it (all with his mother’s enthusiastic support). This is, more or less, how he ended up with his original D&D party.

Fast forward to the thick of the Plot. One of the other party members, a very pretty cleric, had gotten kidnapped. She was being held hostage in a warehouse, and part of the rest of the party’s plan for attack was to create diversions. Elias’ diversion, since he could shapeshift, was to transform into the likeness of their kidnapped friend to make the bandits think she’d escaped her cell.

Sometime during this mission, it clicked. The form, presenting as female, worked well for Elias, and she was almost reluctant to shift back.

After that, more shapeshifting and experimentation occurred. Elias learned that he is a man sometimes, a woman others, and neither or both on some occasions. He’s very fortunate to be able to play so freely with his presentation, too.

Fun fact: Sometimes, when presenting female, she changes her name to Elisa to match and thinks she’s the cleverest about it. For agender/nonbinary days, El is a suitable name for them. However, Elias is fine with his given name as a general way to refer to him.