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wiltingdecay · 2 years

Note

I humbly request you share the demon rowan thoughts >;3c

[rubs my evil little hands together] hehehe >:)

above the cut is random trivia, below the cut is all the backstory i have planned so far with regards to how i think rowan would end up going down the path to becoming a demon in vesuvia's court. cw for some body horror, descriptions of violence and manipulation of a child ahead.

rowan keeps their birthname in this au (still drops their surname though), so i'll be referring to them as ruadhán throughout the rest of the post!

they have their first audience with the devil on their thirteenth birthday, as a gift from lucio and the courtiers. it's here where they end up making their very first deal.

the deal is that ruadhán will have complete and total control over his magic, and never destroy anything or hurt anybody without meaning to ever again, in exchange for a piece of his soul.

(but what they didn't know was that compromising their soul would in turn compromise their morality. as promised by the devil, ruadhán will never hurt anyone they don't want to hurt ever again... but once they've made the deal, once part of their soul is gone, they find that wanting to hurt people comes much, much easier to them than it used to).

the chain that represents this first deal is wrapped around his neck.

out of all the courtiers, he's probably closest with vulgora and valdemar. vulgora is the one who deals with the vast majority of ruadhán's training, and they end up becoming very fond of him. they're legitimately proud at how powerful a demon he becomes when he grows up. very much a "my little baby, off to destroy people" kind of relationship. valdemar is less obvious with their fondness towards ruadhán, and they would still sell him to satan for a single corn chip, but they do care for him in their own unique way. as the oldest demon of the bunch, they end up sort of taking him under their wing to teach him all they know, and about how powerful he could become if and when he sacrifices all of his humanity as they did.

less close with volta and vlastomil because he doesn't see them as often and they're frankly just less interested in him, but they take him hunting a lot once he starts developing his demon form.

his relationship with lucio is... complicated. at no point have they ever liked him as a person, but they care for him and see him as a kindred spirit of sorts, and vice-versa. they're loyal to him out of gratitude and, particularly after they start making deals, will do mostly anything he asks.

on his twenty-first birthday, he's presented with his red beetle brooch and formally introduced into vesuvia's court. his official title is court mage, and he does perform these duties well, but it's mostly just a cover. his true job is similar to that of an assassin, if assassins dealt in arson and violent storms and blowing people up or turning their bodies inside out, rather than poison and suffocation and slitting their throats while they sleep.

as a relatively young demon, his human form/disguise doesn't yet look all that out of the ordinary, or different from how he looks in all other universes. he's noticeably taller (somewhere around 6'7 or 6'8), with greyish and somewhat sickly-looking skin and sharper facial features. his eyes are a bright gold instead of green and appear to be glowing, and bear slit pupils like all the other courtiers. his teeth and fingers are also noticeably pointy. similar to how the other courtiers wear headgear to cover (presumably) their horns/animal ears, ruadhán always wears high collars to hide the seam on their neck.

their true form is that of a headless centaur with the lower body of a red deer. they "reveal" it by ripping their own head off and allowing their human skin to fall away. despite their head not being connected to their body, ruadhán can still speak through it. they also have extremely enhanced vision in this form, from being able to see clear across the country/in pitch darkness to having eyes that can see through solid objects. they also use the spine of their human form as a weapon. they are at their most powerful in this form, being able to effortlessly destroy anything and anyone in their path.

the jumping-off point for this au is that ruadhán was not raised by their aunt gráinne after being exiled to vesuvia; their entire maternal family had already left, sometime after spada died and lucio rose to power. ruadhán was alone in the city and, with returning home not an option, became one of the many orphans living on the streets.

they spent about a year being a street child, probably falling in with asra and muriel like in all the regular timelines. but due to the trauma of being exiled and forced into homelessness in such a strange and hostile new city, ruadhán's magic continued to be unstable and destructive to an even greater extent than previously. as embittered as they were with how absolutely shit their life had turned out, ruadhán barely cared anymore, and had no qualms about lashing out, causing damage and hurting people in their own defence. this would eventually lead to them gaining notoriety as, well, "that crazy street urchin girl who lights people on fire".

(ruadhán never killed anyone here, though!)

(that comes later :))

so one day everyone's favourite horrible bastard man lucio catches wind of this notorious street urchin girl who lights people on fire, and goes "hey that sounds sick, i LOVE the idea of lighting people on fire, i would get along great with her"

it helps (or doesn't help, depending on your perspective) that the devil is lurking about and is very, very interested in ruadhán's potential as a servant due to not only the power they already possess but their connection to the tower, and he's sure to make this fact known to lucio and the courtiers.

ruadhán is eventually tracked down by lucio and vulgora to be brought back to the palace. completely NOT on board with this, they put up a valiant fight; but magic or no magic, they're still only eleven years old and no match for their opponents. they're knocked unconscious and taken away. asra, muriel and the other street kids presume them dead.

after waking up in the palace, ruadhán is initially terrified that they're about to be locked away or executed; they've heard plenty of stories about what lucio does to people who cross him (they were, after all, a friend of asra's; they know all too well how he ended up on the streets). so needless to say they're not expecting lucio to tell them that he's very interested in the power they possess and how much stronger he thinks they could become in the right hands.

his hands.

he offers them a deal; ruadhán will work for him from now on, and study and train to improve their abilities for both his and their own benefit. in exchange, he assures ruadhán that they will never be deprived of food, clothing, shelter, attention; they will never want for anything ever again.

ruadhán is... suspicious, to say the least! they know lucio is a bad person. they don't trust him as far as they can throw him. but they're all too aware of the fact that a refusal will most likely not be accepted... and, well, free food is free food. they ask for some time to think about it.

lucio, though irritated that they didn't immediately jump to say yes, accepts, and insists that ruadhán stays in the palace as his guest until they agree come to a decision.

as distrustful as they are, ruadhán is still an eleven-year-old child who has been abandoned and left to rot by the rest of the world; who has been starved of any kind of positive attention, or affection, or even just validation that they can be helpful and useful and that they don't inherently ruin and destroy everything that they touch. they are vulnerable, and with these vulnerabilities so raw and exposed, they are easy to manipulate.

and if there's anything outside of his combat skills that lucio excels at, it's manipulation.

(i sort of have a very rough plan for everything that happens next, but i haven't yet figured out How it's all going to happen, so that's it for now! hope you found things interesting so far <3)

#asks #anonymous #demon rowan au #dullahan ruadhán #rowan aisling

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apprentice-lex · 4 years

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Thank you so much, dear anon! That’s incredibly kind of you 💜 It’s no trouble at all, and I would also like to use this opportunity to wish all my lovely followers (and the wonderful Courtiers fandom) happy winter holidays! ✨ Best wishes from Valerius, Valdemar, Volta, Vlastomil, Vulgora, and myself!

Winter holidays with your favorite Courtier(s) under the cut; enjoy! (sfw, fluffy, and long)

Valerius

He is familiar with holiday celebrations, but... why would you want to spend the holidays with him? He still has trouble believing you want to spend this time with him, aren't you meant to spend it with your loved ones, friends and family? Surely, someone better than him, someone who deserves your time more. He won't say it out loud, of course, but it's obvious from his careful, hesitant behavior that he expects you to tell him to go away. Before he met you, he would of course receive invitations to holiday parties, but he'd inevitably spend the holidays shut in his study, working, secretly envying all those people who were well-liked enough for someone to want to be around them. And now you're here, with that genuine smile and that look in your eyes that tells him he's worth it and you want to be around him and he just doesn't know what to do with that. Everything must be perfect. The decorations you put up together, the food you make... he's such a perfectionist that you have to stop him in the middle of decorating, take his hands in yours, and tell him to stop worrying because, yes, you want to be there with him and he is someone you care about deeply. He'd blink the tears away and try to salvage what remains of his dignity with some wry comment. But, from then on, he is much calmer, you catch him genuinely smiling - so often as no one can remember him smiling before. He commissions artists to make sure your decorations are the most beautiful in Vesuvia; some whisper that even the decorations in the palace are lackluster compared to yours. Some of the palace cooks are whisked away with the promise of much higher wages. But what surprises you the most is the evening he invites you to his estate, and there isn't a servant in sight; just Valerius alone, putting the final touches on decorations. He turns around when you enter the room, smiles, and wordlessly holds out an ornament for you to take - an invitation to help him. Of course, you happily accept. Later, he takes you to the kitchens, and for the first time ever you see Valerius try his hand at cooking. Of course, it's rather disastrous, but filled with laughter and spilled flour and icing sugar in your hair; but when it's late in the evening and you and Valerius twirl around the dimly-lit kitchens to some unheard song, laughing together, a smudge of icing on his cheek and a spoon still in his hand - but the look in his eyes is one of deep, genuine happiness - you realize that this is it. There's no other way you'd rather be spending the holidays. Tomorrow, you'll be seeing all your friends and, knowing Valerius, there will doubtlessly be a pile of outrageously expensive presents waiting for you... but tonight, just the two of you, seeing this side of Valerius no one else gets to see, the two of you dancing like this with nothing to distract you but firelight and candles and the smell of cookies in the air... that's the best gift.

Valdemar

They're not usually one to celebrate - or pay attention to - such silly things as human holidays. They have far too much to do. But for you? Oh, for you they'll try their darnest to make these the best holidays ever. And what does Valdemar do when they feel they're unprepared? They read, of course. At first, you are surprised to find a book on "DIY decorations" among their medical encyclopedias, but you ascribe it to their eternally curious nature. However, it doesn't stop there. The week after, you find one on woodworking, one on paper sculptures, and a cookbook, of all things. When was the last time you saw Valdemar eat? You decide to confront them. They don't even try to hide what they're doing from you. Instead, they seem so proud to explain in detail the various projects they started; their smile wide and sharp, their crimson eyes glittering with inhuman focus and poorly subdued joy. It's not the holidays, you realize, it's the fact that they're doing something for you. They do need a bit of guidance; catching them poring over a book and muttering "hearts, yes, easily done, I do have several no one is using anymore..." you have to explain it's paper hearts, and not actual ones, but they're a fast learner. And they do so enjoy planning, so their staff all receive a detailed schedule and meticulously thought out arrangements, what pieces of furniture go where to make room for decorations, what times the meals are to be served... They approach the whole affair like they're planning a siege, stockpiling food and giving orders for their estate to be decorated like they're planning its defenses, and not holiday decorations. All the while they wear that wide smile and that obvious joy in their eyes; it's endearing, if eccentric. So, instead of stopping them, you join them, the two of you become a a force to be reckoned with, extending your efforts to the palace. When it's time for the holiday meal, everyone shows up - and you realize that the usually solitary Valdemar extended invitations to all your friends and loved ones, because it would make you happy. So as you sit at the table together, you hold their hand and smile at them, which they return. When you have a moment to yourselves, they wordlessly hand you their gift - it is a book, with a neat, dark cover; you open it to see pages of narrow, orderly writing. It takes you a moment to recognize their handwriting. You have no time to read it with all your friends around you, sharing food and happily talking. But you see enough to understand - they gave you their journal, started on the day they met you. People misunderstand too often, thinking that because the outward displays of affection aren't as prominent in your relationship, it is somehow lacking. Those people couldn't be more wrong. In your hands, you hold pages upon pages of all the things Valdemar loves about you. You are surrounded with the proof of their affection, their dedication. "Volume one," they explain, their eyes lingering on the tome in your hands before they settle on your face, and their sharp smile widens with sheer joy. "The first of many to come." And tucked between the final pages, crafted with otherworldly skill - a little paper heart.

Volta

The changes to the Procurator's personality in the few weeks leading up to the winter holidays are... alarming. Where you'd once be invited to almost every meal - and several picnics - throughout the day, these few days she's been... reclusive. "Otherwise occupied," her servants tell you. Worried about the Procurator, you resolve to confront her and find out more about what has been keeping her so busy. You are a guest at her estate so often that the staff treats you as if you lived there... and maybe you do, with how much time you and Volta have been spending together... but you wander the long, cluttered hallways without anyone questioning your presence there. Her staff - mostly comprised of cooks and other kitchen staff - are busy with the upcoming meal. They always are. But Volta is nowhere to be found... until you hear the familiar sound of her footsteps from a long-disused hall. Covered furniture looms in the semi-darkness - the fireplace is the only source of light. Chests and shelves and piles of clothing from ages past, from every corner of the world, fill the otherwise cavernous room. And there, amidst all those things, is Volta - her dress is stained with paint, and she is running an unfinished, gold-embroidered, translucent shawl through her hands with an anguished expression on her face. You call her name quietly and she almost jumps - like you'd caught her doing something forbidden. You do not have to insist much - she shares everything with you willingly, so she shares this, as well; try as she might, she could not find the perfect gift for you. So, she tried making one. Slowly, you take in the chaos around you - half-finished portraits, done by the Procurator's own hand. Half-finished garments, hundreds of hours of focus and effort gone into the stitches. Half-finished poems and unfinished recipes, sculptures half smooth lines and half rough clay. "Nothing," she confesses, her smile tearful and trembling as she looks up at you. "Nothing is good enough. And there is no time, anymore." Wordlessly, you embrace her; she'd spent so, so many hours crafting, sewing, painting, creating with you on her mind. You were, judging from her attempts at art all around you, her sole muse almost from the day she met you. None of the works are expertly made, but all are clearly made with love. Uneven brushstrokes of a loving hand, after all, make for a masterpiece much greater than a loveless heart could ever produce even if it belonged to a master artist. Embracing her, you realize that Volta had already given you a rather priceless gift; her love, her loyalty; and, through her art, countless hours with nothing but you in her thoughts. She has given you her trust. Her hope. Her heart.

Vlastomil

He starts worrying nearly two months in advance. Others fail to notice, but you notice how the Praetor has become distracted, sweeping papers off his desk when you enter his study, stopping on your walks to talk with merchants. It becomes clear what this is about, when you enter his study in search of him one day - he isn't here, but the window is open and the wind carries several sheets of papers right to your feet. You pick them up, scanning the neat, looping script in his handwriting, and the world spins when you realize this is a list of gifts - every single thing you mentioned you wanted, even in passing, no matter how ridiculously expensive. Usually, you'd not pry into whatever you come across in his study, but this? You have to confront him about this. You bring it up that evening, while you're having tea, and the moment you pull the paper out, his silvery eyes widen anxiously, darting from the paper in your hand to your face. He's... afraid? What could Praetor Vlastomil possibly be afraid of? With much - gentle but firm - insistence, the story comes to light: yes, he has been keeping a list of all the things you mentioned wanting, and yes, he commissioned and ordered many of those things, because he absolutely cannot find a gift worthy of you, and oh, he thinks you deserve the world. Besides, he isn't really... used to celebrating holidays, with people not usually wanting to be around him... Taking his hands, you smile and you explain to him that you don't need those things, that you need him. He's at a loss for words. But the next day, you find out from palace servants that the Praetor announced he would be unavailable all throughout the winter holidays - because he is spending them with you. And indeed, you spend those days at his estate - the decorating and cooking has all been taken care of by the staff, as Vlastomil wants no distractions. He wants to share all his hobbies with you, and he wants to learn all about yours - as well as to try new things together. You try your hand at painting, at playing the piano - Vlastomil spends more time holding your hand than playing - you read a book together in the evenings, and you make sure to pick a hilariously inappropriate play just to see him blush reading his lines. It finally sinks in what he's doing - your gift-related plea was heard, and what Vlastomil is trying to do is give you something that can't be bought. The things he is adamant you deserve - his time, his attention, his care. He is sharing with you endless gardening tips and worm care trivia because he wants to share with you all those fundamental things that make him, well... him. And he wants to learn about you. In truth, you've never seen the Praetor so vulnerable, so open, so enthusiastic; his smile so genuine and the look in his pale eyes one of sincere adoration. Of course, you still received way too many expensive gifts, but the greatest one? Curling up with him under a blanket, in front of the fireplace, with a book in his hands and a faint blush on his cheeks every time he looks at you as he reads a line where the hero speaks of love. He repeats that line. But this time, he puts the book away.

Vulgora

"You LIGHT THINGS ON FIRE? I LIKE THIS!" You smile with endless patience and more than a little amusement. "You light candles, Vulgora." It's been like that ever since you expressed the desire to spend the winter holidays with them. No wonder - Vulgora lived and breathed battle. And so, all the efforts they put into decorating and preparing for the holidays were just that - war. "Our decorations shall be a thousand times more brilliant than Nadia's." When they first made that solemn promise, their gauntleted hands clenched into fists and their golden eyes narrowed, you did not take it seriously. The next morning, you woke up to the entire estate covered with decorations - Vulgora elected to decorate instead of sleeping. The same thing happened with food - they were standing in the middle of the kitchens like an avenging angel, hands on their hips, issuing commands to the kitchen staff like a general on the battlefield. The large ladle they brandished like a weapon made more than a few of the servants wince, and you were at the very least grateful the ladle wasn't sharp as you gently pried it from their hands, laughing. Vulgora set out to give you the best possible holidays with single-minded determination, and they ran their estate like a monarch would run an army. You could do nothing to stop them - not that you wanted to - so you elected instead to follow them around, laughing good-naturedly at their unshakable determination. When the holidays finally arrived, passers-by would stop to look at Vulgora's estate in open-mouthed wonder - they seem to have acquired almost every single decoration available in Vesuvia. The stockpiles of holiday food were probably enough to feed a small army, and you could do nothing but laugh at Vulgora's brilliant, sharp, proud smile as they presented their accomplishments to you. Well, the holiday meal could always be moved from the palace to Vulgora's estate, you mused. That winter - with you at their side - was the first one Vulgora didn't spend alone. As the last guests said their goodbyes you found yourself alone with Vulgora; they took your hand to lead you out onto the balcony, crisp night air stinging your cheeks, but Vulgora's cloak was warm around your shoulders. There, they wordlessly handed you yet another gift - a box, beautifully carved and made from some dark red wood. The blade it contained wasn't a surprise, as beautiful and masterfully made as it was, breathtakingly expensive, its hilt decorated with gold and rubies. What surprised you was how well it fit your hand, how incredibly light it was - and yet by merely holding it you could tell it was deadly. It was a symbol as much as it was a weapon. The laughter, their bluster, was gone; replaced with something you couldn't quite define - a quiet determination. You gazed into Vulgora's golden eyes, understanding dawning on you. They didn't need to speak. You shared the silence in the falling twilight. But you understood what the blade in your hand meant. They were the blade, and you the hand that wields it. They were the will and you the purpose which drives it. You were their hope now. Their why. Without the other, both of you would feel so woefully incomplete, now that you knew there existed another who felt like the other half of you. Tugging their gauntlet off, they quietly intertwined their fingers with yours.

#Arcana imagines #Courtier imagines #Courtier headcanons #Consul Valerius #Quaestor Valdemar #Procurator Volta #Praetor Vlastomil #Pontifex Vulgora #Valerius x reader #Valdemar x reader #Volta x reader #Vlastomil x reader #Vulgora x reader #my writing #answered asks #food cw #I still have a few WIPs but this was a time-sensitive one #thank you for the kind words once more anon #also Vlastomil will always be my baby

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butdidmarlenacomebackhome · 3 years

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✨hcs for the courtiers reacting to their s/o wearing their trademark outfits✨

i think i did a pretty decent job at keeping this gender-neutral, let me know if there is any mistake/room for improvement. i'd love to hear your feedback 👉🏻👈🏻

🍷consul valerius

• blushes hard

• "what a presumptious lack of decorum" said while still blushing, therfore only half-hearted

• desperately tries to hide how much he likes it but his eyes permanently glued on you kind of betray him

• the only thing he loves more than himself & his status is you, so imagine how utterly smug would he be about seeing you in his attire (not that he'd ever openly show it!!! it wouldn't be proper of him 👀👀👀)

• if you follow him around/he catches sight of you while going about his day, any hope to get things done is thrown out the window

• he's definitely not staring at you during the courtiers' meeting, his eyes just happened to focus on the general area where you're standing/sitting

• at the end of the day will literally leave you a note on your bed saying you can keep the clothes, you're welcome ("my wardrobe can afford to lose a spare, while yours could definitely use something fashionable for a change")

• spoiler it's just a roundabout way to say he wants to see you wearing his clothes again & more often 👀

• from that day on, will go out of his way to gift you jewelry, clothes, accessories matching to his own and fully expects you to always wear them

🍖procurator volta

• blushes like crazy & her eyes literally fill with stars & sparkles,, almost cries bc of what she perceives to be a clear display of affection

• "mc!!! you look!!! absolutely!!! gorgeous!!!" in modern!au would definitely tell you you look like a snackkk but to be fair she thinks you're gorgeous on any normal day

• follows you around the whole day & shily holds your hand, she loves the idea of the two of you making your way through the palace in matching outfits

• normally she'd be pretty quaint but with you by her side reassuring her of your love so openly,,, she's just over the moon my friends 🚀🚀🚀

• thinks her clothes suit you better than they'd ever do on her, but on a side note she also probably thinks anything would look good on you (the precious baby ಥ_ಥ)

• she's also pretty honored to have you dress like her, it's like a public love declaration & it makes her all fuzzy to know you're not embarrassed of her

• she'll literally convince you to stop for snacks every 15 minutes tho & no matter what you're doing or what business you're attending to, you just can't resist her puss in boots eyes & decide to join her every single time

• at the end of the day, she hugs you (I hc her loving pda but rarely initiating it bc she's too shy, so it's a bit of a shock to suddenly receive a hug from her in the middle of the castle hallway) & thanks you for the wonderful day. snuggle with her in bed. do it.

tw. for slight nsfw-ish in next one but it's literally just an allusion that's barely even there + like 1 swear word

🐞pontifex vulgora

• does a double take, like they probably were just storming the hallways going off on a tangent about how tHERE'S NOT BEEN A SINGLE FIGHT IN DECADES AND THEY'RE SO WILLING TO START ONE WITH THE FIRST ONE THEIR EYES LAND ON- and then their eyes land on you and they have to check again to see if they'd actually seen what they think they've seen

• and holy shit do you look hot

• the gauntlets on you? the armor attire? yes ma'am please and thank you

• 100% will tease you at first

• "WHAT IS THIS? HAVE YOU FINALLY FALLEN OFF THE COUNTESS' GRACES NOT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD YOUR OWN CLOTHES ANYMORE, MAGICIAN?"

• when you scoff & tell them you'd go get changed, they phisically S T O P you

• "I DIDN'T SAY YOU COULD GO, MAGICIAN. ARE YOU BACKING OUT OF YOUR OWN DECISION? IF YOU'RE NOT A COWARD YOU HAVE TO STICK TO IT, PET"

• proceeds to drag you wherever they go to show you off & always finds a way to keep their hands on you (they prolly also start carrying you on their shoulder at some point)

• will probably try to convince you to fight because you "have to look the part", your call if you want to humor the smol anger issues gremlin or not

• at the end of the day, they'd unabashedly ask you to keep the gauntlets on for later 👀

💉quaestor valdemar

• “oh what do we have here?”

• dr uwu is already more or less accustomed to seeing you in medical gear given the amount time you spend together in the dungeons (loveliest place for play dates mind you) but seeing you in their clothes is indeed something new

• a little confused at first but they got the spirit

• might tilt their head when they see you at first, then circle around you with that little cute smug smirk on their face to inspect you throughly and take you in from all angles [ I'm looking: respectfully 😌 ] just like a cat

• MOST IMPORTANTLY!! you know how they got those two cute bandaged silly cones on their head right??? there's no way you could get those to stand upright so you just kinda bandaged your head & gave up on trying to replicate the exact look but,, dr uwu notices & they're like ay no capt'n this ain't gonna fly here

• “now, now little magician we simply can't have that. a job half done is only half the fun after all” and they actually!!! make you sit down!!! reach out behind you!!! and start working on the bandages!!! braiding your hair!!! tucking them in!!! giving you their trademark cape!!!! yes i'm melting as i write this

• they too would appreciate having you around just to observe everyone's reactions to you both casually walking through the palace (shockingly) or in the dungeons while wearing matching clothes

• power couple tbh you'd have fun intimidating & unsettling every poor soul unlucky enough to encounter you on their path

• “are you having fun, my little magician? you seem to amuse yourself quite easily”

• at the end of the day if you ask nicely they may accept to lend them to you some other time you can tell they actually had quite a bit of fun too even if they don't say so out loud

🐛praetor vlastomil

• “s/o! what a lovely sight for sore eyes!”

• one word: e c s t a t i c

• def appreciates the gesture and gets quite vocal about it,, this worm baby will shower you with compliments and attention all day

• prepare yourself to be paraded around all day while vlastomil stops random servants just to say things along the lines of “look at my gorgeous s/o, aren't they just lovely?” cue love struck gaze towards you

• he ignores whatever response random servant #143 comes up with & quickly moves on

• you know what time is it??? time to visit your babies!!! the wormies would be so happy to see you!! I hope you're not squeamish he will prompt them to show you some love too

• probably urges you to keep your head high and be confident as you walk arm in arm to remind the peasants where they stand (beneath the soles of your shoes) together <3

• probably takes you for a carriage ride to show you off some more & stare flippantly at peasants

• will fix any slight imperfection every 2 seconds, like tilting your cape so that it doesn't hang too low nor too on the side & if he's close enough he'll give you a smooch or two too istg this man has no chill

• at the end of the day he whines sm because he doesn't want you to take off his clothes,, if you manage to convince him you actually have to get changed be prepared to be BOMBARDED with requests for you to do it again for the rest of your life

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eveningcatcher · 4 years

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Courtiers believing MC died

Volta

Volta’s food dropped out of her mouth as she heard the terrible news. Is it true? No, it can’t be. Their beloved MC can’t be dead. There is just no way. She stood up from her dining table and went to visit MC. However, as soon as they saw Asra crying in the shop, she got a bad feeling forming in her stomach.

“Where is MC?” Volta innocently asked Asra, “Are they still sleeping?” she asked, knowing how much MC enjoyed good rest.

“Nobody told you?” Asra asked her, feeling only pity for her.

“All of them are lying to Volta, right?” she asked, feeling tears form in her eyes.

Asra didn’t know what to say, they just shrugged, hugging Volta.

“Stop crying Asra,” Volta said coldly as she tried her best not to cry, “MC is fine. They promised Volta that they’ll go to a bakery together.”

“Volta…” Asra stared at her blank face, “Go check for yourself.”

“Volta will,” she said as she broke the hug, going upstairs to MC’s room.

“Volta is sorry that she went in without knocking,” she started apologizing, “But she has heard about some terrible, terrible rumours!”

She waited for MC’s reaction, however, she received nothing. MC didn’t even flinch.

“MC,” she mumbled as her lips were shaking, “MC, wake up. It’s not funny…” she started sobbing as she gently held MC’s hand, shaking it from time to time, “Please, wake up.”

She waited and waited, but MC didn’t move. Asra finally went inside of the room, somehow forcing Volta outside.

“Volta, we should hold a funeral,” Asra started explaining.

“What, no!” she protested through tears, “We can’t! What if, what if MC wakes up?”

“You know very well MC won’t do that…”

It seemed that Asra’s words finally got through her. She calmed down a bit, “Please give Volta more time to think about it…” she begged Asra.

“Fine,” Asra said as they went downstairs, giving Volta some space.

She didn’t go inside the room, she didn’t have the heart to do so, instead, she said in front of the doors, crying over all of her mistakes. How did MC die? Did they eat some bad food? Did someone do this to them? All of this made her feel so, so guilty. She didn’t focus enough time on their dearest MC, instead, she only spent her time eating and eating… and now that MC is gone, she truly regretted not spending more time with them. She walked left and right in front of MC’s room, imagining all of the things she missed just because of her hunger. Speaking of hunger, it was killing her, but she tried her best to suppress it by biting on her nails. She can’t always turn to hunger for everything, she needs to sort this on her own.

And so she spent three whole days weeping over MC’s death, trying to come up with something, anything that would return them. She even thought about making another deal with the devil, despite how much she hated the thought of it. Thankfully, Asra stopped her from doing so, reassuring her that that’s not what MC would have wanted. After a whole week passed Asra visited Volta once more in her estate.

“We have to hold a funeral for MC.”

“No! Volta is not ready yet!” she cried out as she bit on her nails in frustration.

“Volta,” Asra started talking as they took her hands out of her mouth, “Let MC finally rest. You have to move on.”

“But, but I miss them,” she said as she burst into tears.

“I know,” they reassured her, “I miss them too, but you can’t leave MC’s body to rot in a room. Let’s give them a proper funeral, alright?” they asked as they brushed Volta’s tears off, “We’ll do it together.”

After she calmed down for a moment, she wanted to say something, but she still couldn’t, so instead, she just nodded in approval. As soon as Asra left her gloomy estate, Volta laid on her bed, thinking about everything. She knew that she had to be strong, if not for herself, then at least for MC. Right. They wouldn’t want to see her in this state. She’ll be strong for MC… she will. Just as she was about to leave her bedroom and walk into the hallways, MC stood right in front of them.

“Wh-what,” Volta stared at them feeling tears running down her cheeks.

“No, Volta, please don’t cry,” MC said as they gave her a tight hug, rubbing her back. Just like how Volta remembers it.

“You, you’re still, still,” Volta tried her best to form a coherent sentence through her sobs as she nuzzled her head in MC’s chest, “But I, I tried to wake you, and you, you.”

“Shh,” MC said as they gently pat Volta’s hair, humming a melody only the two of them knew, “I’m sorry for making you worry. It was never my intent to hurt you. So, wanna go to that bakery?”

Vlastomil

Vlastomil has just been cleaning his beloved worm's rooms when he sensed something unusual. MC's soul was nowhere in Vesuvia. How odd, they didn't tell him they went to travel. But MC would always inform him if they were away, plus, they were supposed to visit him today. He realised that something was wrong so he decided to investigate himself.

He took the carriage and, along with Wiggler, decided to visit MC. Soon enough, he was in front of MC's little shop. The doors were locked but that wasn't much of an obstacle to Vlastomil. He quickly unlocked the doors, looking around MC's shop. Everything seemed to be fine but it was only until he saw MC laying in their bed, not breathing at all that he let out the screech of horror.

"MC..." he called out as he put Wiggler down, "MC, what's going on?" He asked once more as he touched their cold hands.

How could this happen? They weren't sick, he would have known for sure, so there was only one answer - they were murdered. But why? Who would have wanted to do any harm to his dearest? They were harmless! As far as he knew, nobody hated MC. Wait, were they murdered because, because of him? Could it be that somebody killed MC because they wanted to hurt Vlastomil that way? Those bastards! He'll find them and he'll make them pay for it! He quickly scooped Wriggler and took one last glance at MC, before they paid one of their colleagues a visit.

"Good morning Praetor," Valdemar responded coldly as they greeted Vlastomil, "What brings you here, I wonder?"

"Tell me who did it?!" He demanded.

"Who did what?" Valdemar asked, tilting their head.

"Who killed MC?!?"

"MC is dead?" They asked as they thought for a moment, "Oh, would you look at that, their soul is not amongst the alive," they trailed off, "Sorry for your loss," they quickly responded as they trailed off once again, wanting to return to their mansion.

"How can you, how can you be so cold?" He asked, not believing Valdemar's words, "Tell me, tell me who killed them."

Valdemar was silent for a moment, until they finally responded, "I don't know."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY YOU DON'T KNOW???" he shouted, getting more and more irritated, "You're death! You should know that!"

"How do I explain this simply enough so that even the likes of you could understand it..." Valdemar said, frowning. Just before Vlastomil wanted to say something, Valdemar raised their hand, continuing "MC isn't amongst the alive, but neither are they amongst the dead. However, if you would like to know a bit better, I could dissect-"

"No, no, no, NO!" Vlastomil interrupted Valdemar, "You won't do a thing to MC!"

"But think about all the science I could do with that body of theirs," they mused, "I have never had a specimen such as them..."

"Just shut up!" Vlastomil responded, furious, "You were useless!" With those words, he left.

Once he was in his carriage he started thinking of someone, anyone who could have murdered MC... why were there so many people on the list? He knew he had enemies, but now that he had listed them all he realises how incredibly big that list is! Oh, it could have been anyone! Why did his poor MC have to pay for that all? If only he had paid a fraction of time to them... Why weren't there any guards around?

He sighed, trying to come up with something, anything he could do. However, the more he thought about it he realised that there was no way he could do anything. He went home, feeling just a little bit better when he saw his babies. Knowing very well that it's not good for worm's health to be surrounded by negative energy, he went straight to work, trying their best to take good care of them. However, as soon as he cooked them food, a choking feeling of guilt took over him. Isn't he abandoning MC this way? It just... feels wrong to enjoy the precious time he spends with the worms when MC is...

For the first time in decades, he asked the servants to take care of the worms for the rest of the evening. When it was bedtime for the worms he didn't even go to sing them a lullaby.

It took him 2 whole weeks to come out of his bedroom. At first, he didn't do much, he just checked on the state of their precious children. But as more and more days passed, he would stay longer out of his room, enjoying the company of his precious little children who missed him dearly. Months have passed and people thought that Praetor got over their lover's death. He was busy with his usual duties, he would feed the worms, clean them, redecorate their rooms, oh, and also he would do his duties as Praetor from time to time.

However, the only thing that was inside of his head was MC and, no matter what he did they were always in his thoughts. It almost seemed to him like they kept on living in his head. Every morning he would almost greet them in his bedroom, ask to have another plate for MC and so on. Even though he seemed like a normal, sane person, to some of his servants he seemed like a madman who was just about to break.

And all of them were right. One morning he came inside of the staff's room, demanding to take 'the charlatan' out.

"What are you talking about sir?" One of the younger maids asked him.

"There is some awful, terrible person in the guest room acting like MC. How disrespectful. Who let that bastard in?"

"But Vlasty," MC said as they walked into the room, "It is me!"

"Shut up! Don't you have any shame?!?" He walked straight up to MC, ignoring the staff's gasps.

"But, can't you recognise me?" MC asked, feeling their eyes getting glossy from the tears. They stared at the staff with the hope that one of them might help them, but instead, they did the opposite. All of them silently left, giving MC a pitiable look.

"MC is dead! Dead! And you are over here pretending to be them!" He started crying in rage," What did you hope to see? Stupid, disgusting human!" he wanted to say more but he stopped as he stared at MC crying.

MC didn't like to be seen crying, so only a few saw them do it. First, it was just silent sobs, once a bit more time passed their tears started to roll down their cheeks. They covered their mouth with one and cleaned their tears with the other.

Vlastomil stared at them in shock. Slowly he extended his skinny hand to them. MC didn't flinch, they just nuzzled their head closer to his hand, enjoying the touch they so craved for.

"It's me," MC said as they let Vlastomil hug them, showering them with gentle butterfly kisses all over their face.

"It... it is you," he nodded as he put his head on theirs, "I... I was so... so devastated. Don't you ever, ever do anything like this again."

"I promise."

Vulgora

This isn’t real. This is not real. It just can’t be. MC can’t be dead. They were doing just fine yesterday, they even asked Vulgora if they wanted to go to the red market together. So, they can’t be dead. Asra’s just saying bullshit.

“Do you think I’m dumb?” Vulgora asked Asra, pissed.

“How many times do I have to tell you to understand?” Asra asked Vulgora, getting frustrated as well, “MC is not breathing…” they stopped talking as they felt their breath getting uneasy as they finally burst in tears.

Vulgora just watched Asra cry as they had to reconcile with the truth. Once Asra has left their estate, Vulgora felt an inhuman amount of rage pile up. Immediately they started breaking things, throwing chairs, ruining tapestries, tearing paintings and overall ruining everything that was in their way.

It was only when they snatched a sword, ready to tear another one of their paintings that they stopped. This was the dagger MC gave them for their anniversary… They gently traced with their gauntlet the message that MC carved in the handle: ‘For many great victories that are about to come.’

Damn it. Damn it all… How could they let this all happen? Even though Vulgora had all of the power that they wanted, they still couldn’t protect MC. How? Do they have to make more deals with the devil? Will that help? Who are they trying to fool, of course, it won’t. Vulgora failed and it was too late to try and fix their mistake.

Unlike the rest of the people who were at Mc’s funeral, Vulgora didn’t cry. They just couldn’t. Deep down they still believed that MC was alive, even when they took a look at MC’s body. The funeral was done and Vulgora couldn’t recall anything that happened. They went back to their estate, completely silent, laying down on their bed. Who knows how long they’ve spent just staring at the ceiling, not thinking about anything else but MC. A couple of days have passed with Vulgora staying in their room, trying to get over the fact that MC’s dead. As soon as they would believe that they’re truly over it, a choking feeling of grief would take over them, resulting in Vulgora reacting in the only way they knew – violence. By the time they were over the fact that MC was dead their bedroom looked unrecognizable.

Vulgora, however, didn’t give a shit about that. They just left the room, breathing in some fresh air but then, out of nowhere, MC stood in front of them. No, no, that can’t be, MC is dead. Is someone trying to mess with them? They felt rage build up inside of them again and before MC could say anything Vulgora marched in front of them, ready to kill the ‘imposter’.

“Vulgora, what are you doing?” MC asked as they nearly dodged the sword’s blade.

This bastard. How dare they impersonate MC. Don’t they have any respect?

“Vulgora, it’s me,” MC called out.

“NO, IT’S NOT!” Vulgora shouted as they tried their best to get to them. Gosh, why are they so hard to kill?

“Please stop it. You’ll hurt me.”

“THAT’S THE POINT!”

MC realised that at this point Vulgora will kill them, so they started talking about anything that would prove MC’s identity, “I, I gave you that sword last month, remember?” as soon as they’ve noticed Vulgora softening a bit they continued, “For many great victories that are about to come. That’s the message I carved,” after Vulgora stopped swinging with their sword, MC continued, “You said how I carved the ugliest ‘f’ that you’ve ever seen. We were in the Rowdy raven and you got into a fight with some woman and you nearly used the sword on her. I had to intervene or else you would have killed her.”

“It…” Vulgora stared at MC for a moment, their eyes sparkling with joy, “It really is you!” they shouted as they hugged MC as tight as they could, “You bastard, you had me worried sick! You have to tell me how you pulled that off!”

Valerius

“What are you talking about?!?” he asked the maid who brought the news, feeling the glass of wine shatter in his hands, “Do you think you’re being funny?”

“Sir I was just-” before she could explain herself Valerius lifted his hand, gesturing her to shut up.

“I don’t believe you. There is just no way! They were doing perfectly fine yesterday!” he commented as he left his estate, visiting MC.

As he was riding the carriage he thought more about the statement that maid made. MC can’t be dead, right? He felt tears form in his eyes just by thinking about the possibility. No, he thought as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, MC can’t be dead, they were just fine yesterday. I need to stop making drama out of this. I haven’t cried since I was a kid, I won’t do that now.

He cried. He cried like a baby. With loud sobs, tears that just wouldn’t stop rolling down his cheeks and uneven breaths, he stared at MC’s lifeless body. He – how. Just, how? How could this happen on MC of all people… Wait, what’s that on their body? With shaky hands, he touched the back of MC’s shirt. It was all bloody. Someone tried to kill them!

All of the tears that he was about to spill because of MC were replaced by rage. Who did this? Who would have thought about this? It doesn’t matter who it is, he’ll have them hanged. No, he’ll do something much, much worse to them. He nearly left the room, almost forgetting why he was there in the first place. Right, MC should have a proper funeral.

And so they did, only days after Valerius found out. Of course, the funeral was a tad bit too extra, but Valerius didn’t give a fuck. He just stared at MC, not knowing what to say. When it was time to give MC things they could use in their life on the other side, Valerius calmly waited for everybody who wanted for others to put in their things – some of them gave money, others put on some herbs, spare clothes, scented candles that they knew MC was fond of and so on. When it was Valerius’ turn, he put down a little box right next to MC’s hand. It was an engagement ring. All of the money he spent on MC’s funeral was saved for the wedding. He was so excited at the thought of MC spending the rest of their life with him… and now it all fell into the water.

He took one last glance at MC’s emotionless face. Whoever did this to them is done for.

Once he got back home he wasted no time. He called his people, promising them a huge sum for finding the culprit. Once all of them left his mansion, he thought for a moment. What if someone hired an assassin to kill MC? He changed his mind. If that were the case, the assassin will be left without a scratch only if they tell him who hired them to kill MC. Then all hell will break loose.

Weeks quickly turned into months and Valerius was on the same spot as before. No matter how many professionals he hired, neither one of them could come to anything. Great… just great.

He concluded that trying to find the culprit was meaningless at this point. With a loud sigh, he flopped himself on his bed, staring at his engagement ring. Had someone told them that all of this would happen, he would have spilt all of his wine on them, calling them an idiot. But now that all of this unravelled he had no clue how to feel about it, nor what he could do. MC was dead so he should at least return one of the rings, but he couldn’t. It just felt like he would completely abandon MC if he did that. He put on the ring on his finger then dropping his head on the pillow as he stared at the ceiling. He knew damn well he will never be able to love anyone like he loved his little witch…

He would have lamented a bit more had he not heard someone open the door. Lazily, he took a glance at the person, wanting to tell them to leave him alone, but he stopped. MC was the one who opened the doors.

“But… how?” he stared at them in disbelief. There is no way…

“It’s… complicated,” they said as they put some things on the floor. Once Valerius took a closer look, he realized that MC was wearing the clothes someone gave on the funeral. Looking down on the floor there was a small pouch with money, some scented candles and everything else people gave them at the funeral.

“So…” Valerius concluded with a chuckle, “You’re haunting me. First the witch, then a ghost,” he stopped for a moment, not knowing what to add, “How… diverse.”

“Val,” MC said as they walked up to him, sitting right next to him,” You know very well that’s not true.”

“Right. Ghosts would be a bit too much, no?” he laughed, ”My mind is just playing tricks on me...”

MC stared at him with tears in their eyes. They never thought this could break him so much. “Val, I love you very dearly and you know that.”

He was silent for a moment as he stared at their glossy eyes.

“But for the love of Gods please get a grip. This is nothing like you. I didn’t die, I never did. It was a ritual but it got out of hand. That’s why I looked dead for so long,” after explaining it all, they gently put their hand on his cheek, giving it gentle scratches.

At first, Valerius irked away from their hand. The whole hand was warm, except for one part which was cold like a… metal. He grabbed their hand. There, there is the engagement ring. Nobody knew about it and the ring was designed specifically for them.

“It, it is you,” he trailed off as he hugged them, “I, I was so worried.”

MC hugged them back as they buried their head in his chest, “I know, I’m so sorry.”

For a moment they were like that, enjoying each others company. Then, it hit Valerius.

“So, you,” he started talking but didn’t know how to word his sentence. He was supposed to propose to them in a different matter.

MC understood what he wanted to say. “Yes, Val, I’d love to be your spouse.”

Valdemar

They couldn’t believe their eyes. MC was laying in their bed with no colour in their cheeks, no breath escaping their lips. Once Valdemar walked closer and was unable to feel their heartbeat they were sure. MC is dead.

How could this be? Why didn’t Valdemar feel any change? They’re a literal embodiment of death, yet they couldn’t feel MC’s life slip away. How did they even die? They did a check on MC three days ago and they were perfectly healthy.

They knew that if they wanted to find an answer they’d have to perform an autopsy. Swiftly, they put MC’s lifeless body on one of the tables, taking the scalpels they kept in MC’s home. As they carefully cleaned the scalpel, they took a glance at MC. Not yet; they can’t cut them open just yet. They put the scalpel down and did a quick check up on the body. There is no bleeding, no sign of violence, nothing. As soon as they opened their eyelid and seen MC’s lifeless eyes stare back at them, they backed off of MC’s body, a realization hitting them once again – MC truly is dead.

Damn it all! Why couldn’t they convince MC to make a deal with them? They should have been more persistent about it! Had MC made a deal with them, none of this would have happened… But now there is no way for them to return MC! They can’t make a deal with the devil – their whole soul already belongs to him, neither can they find a new body for them – the Fool’s body was one of a kind. For the first time in centuries, they feel helpless. What are they going to do? They never thought that the death of a human could disturb them so much… They turned away from MC’s body, sitting in MC’s favourite chair.

It was pretty obvious that they won’t dissect their body, even though the thought amused them when MC was alive. MC deserves a proper funeral. And so the funeral was held. Valdemar thought about not inviting anyone else, but, despite not wanting to, they told Asra. It was only fair for them to be there as well. Once everything was done Valdemar went back to their estate, still trying to process everything. MC is dead and Valdemar doesn’t even know how they died. Maybe they should have done the autopsy after all… No, now is no time turning back, death of a mere human shouldn’t haunt them for the rest of eternity.

This was nothing but a little obstacle in their eternal life… right, just a little obstacle. It’ll all go away after a couple of weeks. They were so, so wrong. Months have passed and they couldn’t stop thinking about MC. It got so extreme that they continued with the habits – they still drank tea at the usual time, albeit they did it alone there was still another cup of tea on the table as if Valdemar expected for MC to come soon.

After a while, they realized that their behaviour just isn’t rational and that they won’t get over MC as soon as they thought they would. How… bothersome. They sat down for a moment, trying their best to think of how they’ll get over MC, because letting time do its thing didn’t go well so far. Oh, look, MC is standing right in front of them, great, now they even started hallucinating.

“Valdy dear, what’s wrong,” MC asked them as they walked closer, “You look terrible.”

“Whose fault is that?” they responded brashly.

“I,” MC stared at them for a moment then hugged Valdemar, “I, I’m sorry, I couldn’t tell you why I did that.”

“Do not worry,” they started as they smelled MC’s hair. Oddly enough, it smells like dirt. That’s not how they remember it, “People usually don’t know why they die,” they simply stated.

“But I didn’t die.”

“Yes, you did,” they protested, getting a bit tired of the way their mind played tricks on them, “What do you want to say, that I buried you alive?”

“Actually,” MC started, “That’s exactly what you did!”

To this regard, Valdemar didn’t know what else to do but laugh. “So, you’re saying that a person with no pulse and no soul in their body can be alive?” they kept on laughing.

“If you don’t believe me, take a closer look at me!”

For a moment, Valdemar listened and looked at MC. Their hair was dirty, their clothes were covered in dirt. Could this be MC? Valdemar grabbed MC’s hand, pressing it lightly. There, there is a pulse! Wait, what is it they’re sensing? Could it be… it is! It really is MC’s soul!

They looked back at MC in the eyes, responding casually: “Take a bath. After that, tell me everything.”

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nikodoesstuff · 4 years

Note

The courtiers with a serial killer Mc! Not creepy at all, actually seems pretty sweet and polite but turns out to be a sadistic spawn of Satan (?

Warning:

kinda disturbing? Also, thanks for the ask!

Valerius

One time he actually walked in while mc was “dealing” with one of his enemies

Well, he knew that mc was suspiciously nice, but a SERIAL KILLER??!

After all that he’ll avoid mc for m o n t h s

He’s scared for his dear life

“Valerius, I am not going to harm you.”

“Uh huh of course, I know you want to gain my trust for my political position and then backstab me. Literally.”

*sigh*

It will take a long time to regain his trust, like almost a year or so

Once mc proves they really mean no harm to him, he will ask them why they do all that

Will try to reassure mc that violence of such level is unnecessary

After that he will walk in on mc doing the same thing

*sigh* “Mc, we’ve talked about about th- oh hi Tybalt, good to see you here.”

“Do you want me to stop or-“

“Well, I think you should put him out of this misery.”

“Just say that you want me to get rid of your enemy, Valerius.”

“Just get this over with already. Our Countess would like to see you at the meeting.”

Vlastomil

He’s not scared of mc hurting him, he’s scared about his c h i l d r e n getting hurt

He won’t let mc close to his worms

“I don’t care about your worms, they’re not even that interesting t-“

he didn’t even let them finish

“HOW *DARE* YOU MY BABIES ARE THE MOST ADORABLE AND INTERESTING CREATURES-“

Mc just wanted to say that they’re not interested in hurting them but oh well-

After they explain that to him he’ll be soo relieved

Later he will even let mc handle his worms

Oh, and about that “serial killer thing”? He really doesn’t care as long as they don’t try to kill him or his worms

He will actually help mc get away with everything they do only if they give them the bodies afterwards, so the worms could have some nice lunch

Yeah that’s quite disturbing how he’s willing to help

Volta

When she finds out about that she starts overthinking a lot

Is mc using her in some way?

Is she just a pray?

What if they try to kill her?

She’ll legit cry

Like a lot

But then will confront mc about it

“No, Volta, even for me you are too precious to hurt.”

Well that was relieving

But she’s still not fine with this killer thing at all

Will ask mc to stop, or at least do those dirty deeds less (*killing rate drops to zero*)

Also she gulps nervously every time mc reaches for silverware during meals, which is kind of adorable?

Mc will play with those knives just to scare poor Volta

I swear this angel will get traumatized after a single meal with them

Vulgora

They never even suspected a thing about mc being so sadistic

They can relate to the blood thirst thing though

But they don’t really get why they would kill some random plebeian just for fun

They will challenge mc to a fight just to see how good they really are (mc never showed them the true power they possessed)

They admire mc after that

They will even insist on teaching them more combat moves

Once mc is trained well enough they will bring them to various battle just to fight alongside them, which is pretty romantic

Will definitely invite mc to the coliseum or any fights they witness

Mc: That guy doesn’t even know what he’s doing! JUST BEHEAD HIM ALREADY YOU FU-

Vulgora:

Vulgora: I think I’m in love-

Valdemar

Oh they knew

They knew e v e r y t h i n g

They’ve seen mc dispose of bodies countless times, and those bodies were always fun to investigate afterwards

They are pretty chill with mc being the way they are, they see no danger

No one in their right mind would try to harm them anyway

They actually ask for the bodies once mc is done with them

If mc asks to watch them perform vivisection, they would be happy to oblige

Vivisections really bonded them

They will even let mc use one of their tables for their “needs” as well

Valdemar: Magician, are you here? I saw bloo- Oh lord.

Mc: Oh, Valdemar! I didn’t think you’d come so soon, I-

Valdemar: On my favorite table? Really?

Mc: I’m sorry…

Valdemar: *sigh* Just clean it up properly after you’re done. And Devil forbid I see you do it on my table again.

#ask series #the arcana #the courtiers #consul valerius #valerius #praetor vlastomil #vlastomil #procurator volta #volta #pontifex vulgora #vulgora #quaestor valdemar #valdemar

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evarcana · 4 years

Note

3, 4, 7 & 17 for Codex prompt.

Thank you so much for the ask! After plenty of head scratching, here is what we’ve got:

3. a report written by your OC’s teacher or mentor

From the old journal of one reputable Prakrian scholar:

“Brilliant student gifted with one of the most passionate and curious minds I have ever seen. But what is wrong with the attitude of hers?

NB: the next time I see her, speak to her about not taking on other students (especially those whose ideas she thinks are “not rational”) as if it was a battlefield. This puts off too many of them from attending my lectures.”

4. a letter from your OC to their love interest

Dear husband,

I have firmly decided that I don’t love you anymore. On the contrary, I detest you. You, mean, selfish man, who is good for nothing but drinking wine. You have not even written to me yet, you do not love or at the very least respect your wife. You know so well how happy your letter would make me, and you cannot even write six lines of nonsense.

I dare ask you, what keeps you so busy on your diplomatic visit, my dear Consul? What urgent business prevents you from writing to the woman who has always been so good to you?

Where is that love that you promised me? Who is this new lover who takes up all your time? Valerius, I am warning you, you are staying there for another week, I may as well pay you a surprise visit.

But I have to confess, I am concerned that I have not heard anything from you yet. Now, go and write four pages to me, but write only nice things that will fill my heart with happiness and joy.

I hope that before long I will be in your arms again.

Your E

To the reader: if you are surprised at the tone of this letter, don’t worry Ev is just playing and the story behind it is known only to two of them. I can assure you that she does not suffer from the mood swings.

7. someone describing a time your OC hurt them

“Oh my, I only wanted to introduce her to my new worm! Yes, yes, it was a surprise... I didn’t know that my baby would wriggle its way from my hand and land right on Ev’s lap”, Vulgora sees Vlastomil crying in the palace’s corridor.

“Oh worms, so painful”, he bends forward, tears of pain falling from his eyes.

“HAH YOU DWEEB! Did that girl just punch you in the kidney ?!”

“Worse...she went straight for my...erm naughty bits”, he whimpered.

17. a description of your OC’s family by a future historian

“Panopolis dynasty included many prominent alchemists but became mostly known for their mercantile trade.

Orest Panopolis was a wealthy merchant, explorer and writer. The records show him being a member of Macawi trade guild, though some resources suggest that he participated in at least 4 other guilds. With his business specialising in the rare magical ingredients, fine art and valuable antiques, he was focused on exploiting the international trading opportunities and was reported to be the preferable supplier of the number of powerful aristocratic and even royal families from all across the three seas. He was also one of the few merchants who successfully established trade with the isolated nation of Firent.

His wife Erine was the personal physician of the Papess of Firent.

Their only daughter’s marriage to the Consul of Vesuvia most likely significantly strengthened the family’s status.”

#the arcana oc asks #evpanopolis

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immiebee · 5 years

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Lucio Wonders 2

(Hey it’s me ya girl. Again, don’t take this post as a: I Know All. It’s just my usual rambles.🍄✨)

Now first.....Vlagnagog Death. After slaying the Wyrm Lucio poses the same as he did in his favorite portrait. This to me says he feels like he is showing that he can conquer death. He didn’t let death take him before as he clearly tells us before he didn’t die, it was an OOPSIE.

That being said the Death card doesn’t mean death. It means a chance to change, rebirth. So him posing like that symbolizes (to me) that he still hasn’t learned anything. Also, he has no remorse for killing his tribes “God” which leads me to believe that at least since Lucio was born, that everyone in the tribe turned their back to the old ways. Which is interesting....(maybe the Heirophant realm will eleaborate more in the future????).

“Just a flesh wound”.........For being somebody who cares about their looks, Lucio doesn’t mind getting roughed up a bit. I’m not sure if it started on a fan base or the Devs said Lucio doesn’t like his scars and feels weak from losing his arm.

That being said coming from a war tribe I would think that having scars and battle wounds was like a badge of honor. I mean who are you going to pick a fight with?: baby face boy or holy mother of god! he’s only got one eye and half his head caved in and he’s ready to throw down over spilled beer!?

That being said, in Muriel’s Route, Morga has no issue telling Muriel and MC, “Here are weapons now spar, bitches. You’re gonna learn today.” I mean I believe that Morga was all for letting Lucio get hurt as a child (to a certain extent). How are you going to learn how to block a blow or come back from a hit if everyone is always pulling their punches? And with Vlagnagog slashing Lucio’s face and he just brishes it off when MC tries to help.

Avalanches? Cliff? Icy Waters?........This last update we see that he’s had a rough childhood and a pretty traumatic past that he hasn’t told us completely. (That being said, it does NOT let him off the hook for the bad things he has done.)

In Asra’s Route we are victorious when Lucio tries to cross an icy lake only to be drug down by ‘creatures’. But avalanches? Cliffs? What exactly happened to our boy?

I know that Julian was the doctor to operate on Lucio and remove his arm. But with Lucio yelling about Cliffs, Icy Waters, Avalanches has me wondering how DID Lucio lose his arm? Going back to early paragraphs, it doesn’t phase him to get bloody and hurt and Morga/the tribe seems like they had the motto: Pain is a good teacher. But what happens when one is by themselves and gets hurt? I feel like he would think of himself a failure (everyone was right, I couldn’t make it on my own) if he couldn’t take care of himself when his whole life everyone told him he was weak and to grow up.

My Theory: Lucio didn’t loose his arm in a great battle. Instead he lost it due to carelessness or a natural disaster such as an avalanche. I mean have you seen the movie 127 Hours? But maybe his dogs went for help. I mean Lucio says Mercedes has always been a Daddy’s Girl so can you imagine her staying by his side while waiting for help. What if Julian and Nazali came across him with Merchoir’s help?

And finally, Vlastomil/Justice......Like the Death card, Justice is also a potential for rebirth. Instead of just turning your life around though, it also deals with the consequences of your choices. Fight, Flee, or Panic.

I LOVED the option to put our foot down and verbally bash Luico when he blamed the entirety of the plague on Vlastomil. No. No....NO! Your choices led to this outcome. There is no way to dodge around this bullet.

That being said: Justice is firm, but fair. Yes you will be punished, but you will be able to grow from mistakes that you had made. And for Lucio he can either continue to run from it.....or learn from it.

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Feel free to add anything! I love listening to others opinions on our glorious Count!🍄✨

#the arcana #the arcana lucio #count lucio #lucio wonders

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starblazerm31 · 4 years

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Apprentice Questions

My answers to the wonderful list by @pumpkunbread.

Featuring Azalea Nevra @apprenticeazalea

1. Where is their favorite place to hang out in Vesuvia? Why? Azalea likes to hang out in the Marketplace. She loves to watch the different kinds of people who come through there. Wealthy, poor, locals, and visitors all come to the Marketplace. Azalea loves to hear stories and laughter floating through the air.

2. How does your apprentice feel when they are called a witch? (Offended? Shrugs it off? Likes it?) Azalea does not like being called a witch. It's not what she is. She appreciates those who like the name, but she doesn't feel like it fits her. And it doesn’t help that it seems to be a slur for magicians in Vesuvia.

3. Do they have a familiar? Why did you choose that animal? How did they meet? Azalea's familiar is a female white raven named Corva. I chose a white raven because 1. I didn't see any other apprentice (at the time I started Arcana) with one, and 2. I just LOVE white ravens. They. Are. GORGEOUS. Please take some time to research this fascinating animal. Azalea met Corva shortly after the events of the main storyline. About six months later. She is in the Marketplace getting some groceries for dinner that night when Malak swooped over her; cawing, very upset. Azalea followed him to a dim alley where she saw a beautiful white raven laying on the ground with a broken wing. Azalea took the raven home and cared for it. She found out that it was a female by doing some research. The two of them bonded while Azalea was caring for her, and once she was strong enough to fly again, she refused to leave. So Azalea, being the nerd she is, named her "Corva" after the term "corvid" which is what the scientific term for a raven is.

4. Are there any of Nadia’s sisters your apprentice would like to hang out with? Natiqa. She and Azalea could get into so much mischief together!

5. What is their opinion of each of the courtiers? Valerius - He's a jerk. Pure and simple. Valdemar - He gives Azalea the major creeps. She doesn't like to be around him. Vlastomil - He is so ANNOYING. His voice especially. Vulgora - ...She talks more than just a big game. Volta - She's so pitiful!!! Oh, Azalea would hug her if she wasn't worried about being bitten.

6. What did they do while at the clinic? Azalea tended to the children. It was absolutely heartbreaking because children never survived and were usually the first ones affected by the Plague. But Azalea read stories to them, talked to them, and did little magic tricks to keep their spirits up. She made sure that they knew that someone truly cared for them.

7. What are their tasks around the shop? What can they make? Azalea preps the herbs and reagents for the day's stock. She also makes most of the potions that the shop sells. She tends to leave the readings to Asra since he's much better at it and is a great showman. She is very good at "trick" potions; like the drinks that make you levitate.

8. Describe their daily routine (wake up, chores, tasks, visiting who, etc) Azalea wakes up around 5:30am. She makes some breakfast and tea, bathes and grooms, and then does some prep work for the shop: chopping and grinding herbs, setting fresh herbs out to dry, setting/checking on simmering potions, bottling potions that are ready, dusting the shop. She opens the shop around 8am and closes at 5pm. After work, she will visit with Selasi in the Marketplace, pick up a few loaves of pumpkin bread, and head off to visit someone. The evening will typically end up either with her going home after visiting or taking the visit elsewhere, like to the Rowdy Raven. After that, Azalea will run home (via the rooftops, of course), relax with a lavender bath and then head to bed.

10. Describe their magical abilities. What are they best at? Worst? Azalea is very potent with lightning. She is skilled at directing and controlling the electrical current, as well as utilizing lightning's explosive power. (Think Ixion from FFX) Her most impressive skill with lightning is when she uses it to create a shield around herself. She is protected inside, but anyone approaching from the outside will be struck.

Her worst magic is with water. Since it is an opposing element, she isn't rather strong with it.

11. How do they get along with all the animals in the game? (Faust, Malak, Chandra, Pepi, Inanna, Camio, Melchior and Mercedes) Azalea gets along well with the other animals. She respects them and lets them always approach her first. She is soft in her tone when she speaks to them, and she is gentle with her pets. She also treats each animal as an individual, since...well...they are. She knows that Melchior likes rough belly rubs. But Mercedes does not. Chandra is a dignified bird, so Azalea speaks to her reverently. But she baby-talks Pepi. She talks to Faust in whatever way she pleases, and Faust doesn't mind. She speaks to Malak and Corva like old friends. She is soft and calming when she talks to Inanna. She yells at Camio a lot.

12. Did they have a certain opinion about the palace and court before the events of the game? Did it change? Azalea didn't know much about the palace or the city court before the game. She just sort of accepted them as being there and being the masters of the city guard. Her opinion did change since she got to have a good taste of it for two weeks. She came to see the heads of the city simply as people too. They had their problems and their flaws, just like everyone else. And just like everyone else, the bad ones got taken care of. She didn't get into politics, because she finds it both boring and infuriating.

13. How do they feel about traveling in the realms? (Nervous? Excited? Other?) She was nervous the first time. She just didn't know what to expect. But every other time after that brought excitement to her. Not just in exploring the magical realms, but being able to study and teach herself there without worrying about damaging the shop or wherever she happened to be. She watched her own magical gate grow and become her own little paradise. When she struck out to explore the realms on her own, she learned so many amazing things that she had dared not even dream of.

14. Where is their least favorite place in Vesuvia? Why? The Flooded District. It makes her really sad. She heard tales of how amazing of a place it had been and then...it just wasted away.

15. How did your apprentice feel about Asra leaving all the time? Taking care of them? About Asra taking care of her...Azalea always felt so very grateful. He put up with so much during that time, and she knows that she owes the person she is now to him. As for him leaving all the time...she was terrified at first. She didn't know where he was going or if he was coming back...if he was angry at her for some reason. She had started to regain her feelings for Asra while he was caring for her, but when he started to leave...she lost them. It got to the point where she just wasn't surprised when he would announce his sudden departure. She wouldn't worry anymore...he would be back soon enough. But the constant abandonment she felt from him...for her, it killed any chance that he could have had at getting her back.

16. Name one thing your apprentice wants to see happen, or say to someone. Azalea wants to see Asra and Portia get together. It is her OTP and she wants it to happen so badly. She also wants to call Valerius a "thundercunt" to his face.

17. What is the outcome you see happening for your apprentice and their significant other? For Azalea and Julian: A long happy life filled with adventure and the hunt for knowledge! Julian becomes a well-respected Doctor, and Azalea becomes a university professor and a writer. And they have two awesome kids: Nora and Rylen For Azalea and Lucio: A long happy life filled with ASS-KICKING and growth. Whether or not Lucio remains count, they strike out into the world and visit many places. They fight monsters threatening villages, they fix a famine, they find a portal into an alternate dimension... They end up with two amazing kids: Darien and Etoile

18. What would drive your apprentice so far as to strike a bargain? If there was absolutely no hope at all and her loved ones were in mortal danger.

19. At this point in the game, do they care more about recovering the rest of their memories or living as they are now? Azalea knows she can't get those memories back...and even if she could, they could change who she is now. She likes herself. So she is just happy to live for the now, not the then. She got the basic info she needed...her parents' and aunt's names, what they were like, and how they died. She doesn't need any more than that.

20. Would they be up for another Masquerade despite all that has happened? New outfit theme? Oh yes. Despite all that went on, the Masquerade was amazing to Azalea. She definitely wants to come back next year. And for her outfit, she's thinking stellar. Nebulae and swirling galaxies. Yes.

21. What is their first reaction seeing their LI cry? Her reaction would be the same for either Julian or Lucio. Her heart clenched up and her chest felt unbearably tight. A horrible tickle played at her cheeks and she had to stop herself from crying as well.

22. Are they scared of what they have learned? Of the powers they have developed? Azalea embraces everything she learns. Now knowing that she has the body of an Arcana, Azalea sets to practice harder and more strenuous spells. She doesn't overdo it and she is cautious, but she finds out that her power has gotten hella strong.

23. Do they like snow? Have they seen it before? Azalea is not a fan of the cold, but she does love the snow. She likes how it muffles the sound of everything when it's falling. She likes the crunching sound it makes when you walk through it. She likes to look out on a large expanse of undisturbed snow during mid-day and watch the sunlight sparkle on top of it before clouds cover the sun back up.

24. A magic lamp is found in the shop, and a genie inside gives them three wishes. What are they? 1. unending bountiful seasons for the farmers and fishermen 2. a booming city economy 3. that ship Julian wanted

25. Are they still scared of the lazeret? No. That place has no meaning to Azalea any more. She died there. Any connection she had otherwise is nonexistent, and she refuses to dwell on it.

26. Do they have nightmares? Will it continue/develop after recent events? No, Azalea has rather undisturbed sleep. She makes dreamcatchers that keep the nightmares at bay. With her LI, she couldn't be happier.

27. What is the best thing their significant other could do to cheer them up? Azalea is a sucker for cake. Any cake. Cake is always a mood-brightener, no matter how sad she is. A good joke will work even more.

28. Describe what their magical realm gateway would be like? Azalea's gateway has three parts to it. The first part is a snowy forest cast in eternal twilight that gives the snow a pink color. Stars whirl overhead in the sky.

The path goes on and the snow melts and the forest becomes alive with fireflies.

And at the end, the forest clears out onto a sandy beach with a small cottage perched beyond the tideline. The water vivid blue, and stars and nebulae fill the sky above.

#azalea nevra #apprentice asks #the arcana apprentice

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