MULTIPLE THREADS - yeah!
BACKTAGGING -  absolutely, yes.
THREADJACKING - i'd rather not, please ask first.
FLIRTING - for sure! it doesn't have to go anywhere.
HUGGING -  shan is a big hugger!
KISSING - they'll probably be down, tbh.
HITTING - please ask first.
INJURING - please ask first.
KILLING -  no.
MINDREADING - please ask first.


PREFERENCES - I am a shameless shipper, I love writing shippy things and fluff, and I'm not at all opposed to smut. That said, I'm equally as happy to write gen interactions and plots. Shan absolutely needs and wants friends! I'd prefer to keep things friendly, as writing antagonistic and conflict stuff kinda stresses me out. That's not to say there can't be conflict, just that I'd like it to be sort of a controlled and easily solved kind of situation. Adventures and other kind of random-ish situations are fine, as well. Anything on the cracky side (body swaps, transformations, and the like), I'd prefer to plot first.

They aren't tied to any specific canon, though I'm happy to modify where applicable for cross-canon play. I'm at least passingly familiar with lots of canons, and also happy to play where I'm less familiar, so long as there are wikis or whatever where I can get a grasp of the main setting. Shan can be adjusted to fit in almost any setting but he mainly exists in a modern-day world, often one where magic is apparently real.

WRITER INFO - Hey, I'm Des (rhymes with mess). I'm in my late 30s and I have a bunch of little idiot OCs (and some idiot canon characters) that I'm excited to throw into various situations for my amusement. My timezone is USA EST, and my tagging speed can vary from quick boomerang tags to a snail's pace. That said, if you're ever waiting on something from me, feel free to DM. Also feel free to ask for my Discord. I'm very shy, but also very accessible.

OPT OUT - If you're not cool with having Shan's magical abilities affect your character, please let me know here. I will always do my best to avoid any situations that appear god-moddy, but if by chance anything happens that you're not cool with, know that you are always welcome to tell me, and I will either adjust my reply or we can drop, whatever you're comfortable with. His magic can affect people's emotions and the environment around them. This will never be used with malice, as Shan just isn't that kind of person. If anything, it'll be by accident, or they'll be trying to cheer up or otherwise help someone. He's every bit as fun to write without the magic stuff, so opting out is really no big deal if that's what you prefer!

I've now overloaded this journal with my ramblings, so I'll shush now. If you've read any of this at all - thank you! <3

Name: Shan Witter.
Legal Name: Shane Tyler Witter.
Age: 20- or 30- something.
Sexual Orientation: Pansexual
Gender: AMAB, gender non-conforming.
Pronouns: He/Him, They/Them.
Hometown: Outside of Cleveland, OH.

Physical Description: Curly, dark brown hair and brown eyes; about 5'8" tall; slim to medium build, slightly muscular and moderately athletic; varies from clean-shaven, to stubble, to a full beard. He dresses causally for every-day wear, but often wears light makeup and paints his nails. When performing, their style gets more flamboyant, depending on where he has a gig. They love to dress up and show off when the opportunity arises. This includes flashy costumes and heavy stage makeup, as well as dressing in drag. They have no tattoos, nor any notable scars, but they do have one piercing in each earlobe.

Upbringing: In their early adulthood, Shan learns that they were kidnapped as an infant from his birth parents, taken to be raised with another family. This family was deeply religious, involved in the LDS faith. He had long felt like an outsider and was shocked to learn the truth - it was the final straw in convincing him to break contact with both his 'family' and the church. The one person from his childhood that he keeps in contact with is Becca. They'd grown up as cousins, but now are more like close friends, since they're technically not related.

He knew from a young age that he Wasn't Straight, and as he got into his teen years he knew he Wasn't Totally A Guy, but he never explored or discussed these feelings outside from conversations with Becca as a teen. She had been more open about her sexuality, which made him feel safe to come out to her. Having to hide so much in his formative years had an effect on him, in that now they're determined to not feel shy or ashamed about being themselves. After finally getting out on their own, they attend Pride events and frequent other Queer spaces, including performing gigs when they're able to.

After finding out about his kidnapping, Shan decided maybe they should try and find their birth family. He and Becca have spent hours pouring over reports of missing infants, even checking some death records just in case, but to no avail. All of the paperwork to identify him is seemingly legitimate; legally he is Shane Tyler Witter. Growing up he'd always been called Shane, and after leaving home he makes the switch to Shan (rhymes with ran). No particular reason aside from preferring it over Shane.

Personality: Shan is pretty easy-going. He gets along with people easily, even if he's sometimes socially awkward. They aren't the most intelligent, but they make up for it with enthusiasm and an eagerness to please. Often, he will refer to himself as a 'himbo' or 'thembo' with absolutely no shame; they're not afraid to own who they are. He generally believes on treating everyone with kindness, and at times this can result in him being a bit of a doormat. It's hard for Shan to stand up for himself, let alone for others. Their temper rarely shows, but when it does, it's a dark and brooding anger. It's mostly lacking in action, instead coming through with sharp words and insults.

They drink somewhat frequently, mostly socially as he does plenty of gigs in bars. Occasionally they partake in cannabis. He might be curious to try something more psychedelic, just to see what effect it has on his creativity, but nothing harder than that.

Ultimately, Shan wants to be seen as a Good Person. They want to be reliable and trusted, and they're very much a People Pleaser. He may enjoy some light teasing of friends and loved ones, but he's never one to go out of his way to hurt anyone - he'll always make sure he doesn't go too far with his razzing.

He's a bit of a romantic at heart, and finds himself crushing on anyone he finds remotely attractive who is nice to him. He'll take any excuse to serenade someone, seeing music as a useful skill with which to charm people and make friends - and sometimes attract lovers. They're a little promiscuous, one might say a little hedonistic. Shan is here for a good time, for sure.

Talents: From a young age, they've been obsessed with music of all genres. They weren't allowed much television growing up, but since more often than not they listened to music with headphones, their parents didn't really limit what they listened to. His parents let him learn piano at church, with the intention for him to play during services. Considering he wanted nothing more than to make music, he was happy to accept these terms. It paid off, as in time he was rewarded with guitar lessons, and he learned percussion with his school band. He's a talented singer as well, performing both in church and at school. In high school, Shan joined Drama Club, where he was cast as the lead in a couple of the plays the club put on.

Adult Life: Despite their big dreams of 'making it' as a musician, Shan isn't quite there yet. They have plenty of regular gigs, and they occasionally make some decent money in tips by panhandling in parks when the weather is nice, but they're not a household name by any means. Every now and then the bar or cafe regulars from his gigs might recognize him, though, and that always makes his day.

The gigs aren't always enough to make ends meet, so they often have to take up part time jobs in retail or entry-level office stuff. A few times, truly desperate, he's performed sexual favors to pay the bills. That isn't something he does too much, only as an absolute last resort - not out of any shame or apprehension, but mostly because he tends to resort to selling his body on pure impulse without much thought. He doesn't mind sex work, in truth, it just isn't in the forefront of his mind as a main means of income because he's so focused on trying to make music his career.

Magical Abilities (when applicable): Shan is a Bard, in that the music he plays can have magical effects on his surroundings. This includes the environment around him, physical objects, as well as people. These powers are in their infancy, and depending on the setting/timeline, he may not even be aware he's doing it. Though when he comes to realize what he can do, he's as careful with it as possible. The last thing Shan wants is to hurt anyone, physically or mentally. It's possible his powers could lean into coercion territory, even without his meaning to do so - this is part and parcel with them learning how to control their magic. With more practice, he could very well learn to use music to cast proper spells and control the effects of what he's playing.

(Note - there isn't any specific rule set I'm taking his powers from, I'm just making this shit up as I go along. It's a fun aspect of his character for me to write, it isn't by any means central to his existence.

Second Note - I will probably be adding to this post as I think of more stuff. Shan is very much a work in progress.)