#zena moralis

[laylaraptis]

In what way will Zena become powerful? 👀

Like, does she have powers of her own?

Zena does indeed have powers of her own. She has the same abilities that all Mundus Rimor have: to interact with the walls between worlds and use weak points to travel between them, as well as within a world (so, a bit like teleportation, except she and all the others can't do it like a blink in the air -- they literally have to walk/fall/jump/climb through these weak points, and they come out the other side. There's a lot more detail to this, but that can wait for the book). Mundus Rimor also have a certain skill with tracking (as you might have seen me demonstrate the start of in a draft), more in the sense that they have internal compasses and are tethered to the places of their birth which helps guide them (i.e. their own kind of true north). If magic is something that evolves in a species (well, I am my own worldbuilder, so I guess I can say it does), then this way to find home (and sometimes to track/find their own kind) is an evolutionary survival skill. But those are about the limits of that ability. I don't want Rimor to be able to track anything and everything, that just makes the powers too convenient, and there are also a number of rules for travelling between worlds, which are explained in Bones Of A God.

Because of certain decisions Zena makes throughout the series, her powers begin to manifest in a more rare fashion. The meaning of her full name, Zenaida, is a clue to that. It's not all that significant plot-wise, just something cool to look forward to!

Edit: also, most of her power is not in terms of, well, powers. These abilities are one aspect of her as a Mundus Rimor, and her eventual ability to wield weapons another, but power is also an interesting topic where Zena is concerned because, at one point, she has to cheat her way into it. More on that in the later books though ;)

#zena moralis #zena moralis powers #bones of a god #mundus rimor #moralis series #ms

[manawari]

( @tleeaves I wrote you another Zeronimo fic! Yep, it's their theme song — Maroon. I can't get through the song without picturing Geronimo and Zena dancing barefooted in a dark room. Seriously, you have created such magnificent characters that they became one of my otps that constantly invade my head! So, THANK YOU for making them exist in your universe 🫶 )

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Maroon

pitter-patter, pitter-patter. . .

Her heels clicked against the waxed wooden floor, sending subtle echoes in the thick air of silence that weighted on her shoulders. The curled edges of her hair bounced even in her gentle gait. The party down the floor was bright and lively, though Zena thought she must get away, using her drained state as an excuse to be released from the crowd.

She did quite enjoy the event, yes. But there was a part of her that felt like a missing piece, begging to be completed. Zena could only question herself what could that be be so she would try and find a way to search for that "piece".

Lost in her thoughts, she found herself being lost as well. With only dim lampshades guiding her through the hallways, the shadows were still unrivaled, considering how she wasn't meant to be here, but to mingle with the people.

Her room was probably just around here. She was sure she had not locked it since none of her belongings were worthy to be stolen. So, Zena just fiddled with each doorknob until she found the one that was unlocked, but to her dismay, none was a success. Which door was she again? Damn these doors that had no numbers in front. . .

Her ankles had begun to ache, which only increased her boiling ire, so Zena had been desperately holding onto her string of patience. She loved her dignity to much to not allow herself do something so shameful such as screaming in frustration in the middle of a quiescent place.

As if the gods had finally pitied her, her hand found a door that was not unlocked. She twisted it and pushed it open to drag herself inside. At last, she was in her—

This was not her room.

Even if there was no light, the nebulous shine from the moon gave her the glimpse of her surroundings. The room she had stumbled upon was wider than her own, there was no bed — or any kind of furniture, and there was a balcony that stood across her, with a silhouette of a man in the center.

"Crap!" Zena whispered to herself. She turned around to leave the room when she heard someone call her voice.

"Zena?"

She halted. Zena swung her head over her shoulder. "Geronimo?"

Geronimo? He was here? How. . . ?

"Why are you here?"

Zena chose to ignore the question. "How did you know it was me?"

"I can recognize you in any tone." He said. "I am no big of a fool as you think."

"Of course," grumbled Zena.

"So, why are you here?" Geronimo said his question again.

She sighed and began to make her way toward him, her heels tapping against the floor in a louder reverberation. "I was searching for my quarters. I've lost every energy I had in the party."

"That is very alike you."

"Is that an insult or an agreement?"

Geronimo chuckled deeply. He turned his head to the afar, the wind brushed against his face that caused his curls to bounce. "I came here to relish the cold air. The population in the main hall was making my lungs tight, but I can still hear the music which had somehow kept me to linger in this quiet and empty room."

Zena concurred. In their spot in the balcony, the violins and pianos still sang from the ballroom, interlaced with a chorus of laughter in the guests. The lights stretched to the outside, thus became the only place that was bright, unlike here — cold, empty, and dim.

The moon, however, it was big and brighter in its natural glow. Faint specks of stars dusted throughout the midnight blue sky.

"May I have a dance, Ms. Moralis?"

It was an abrupt shatter of silence. Zena glanced at Geronimo again. "Pardon me?"

"There is only the two of us here. It will be a shame if we stay in silence." Geronimo reached out his white-gloved hand to her.

"I. . . " Zena stared at it, though she had already raised her hand, albeit in reluctance. "Are you sure?"

Geronimo simply nodded his head.

Inhaling, Zena joined their hands together. Geronimo set his cane aside and gently tugged her closer, only then to feel a sharp bite of pain in his right foot. Zena winced at the grunt he had released.

"I'm very sorry!" She said. "Here, let me to take these shoes off."

It was so embarrassing. More embarrassing than the idea of screaming in the middle of a hallway. Without letting go of his hand, Zena removed her feet from her black heels and kicked them aside, allowing her naked feet on the cold floor. She shivered. Then, she noticed Geronimo too was taking his loafers off and then nudging them aside. Caught up in her mind, Zena suddenly felt Geronimo's other hand on her lower back, it urged her to jut her chin up to meet his gaze.

Geronimo turned their bodies around and placed his left foot forward, which Zena instinctively moved her right foot back as she had a steady grip on his shoulder. Good thing all those lessons from Florence had been paying off. Zena had never danced with anyone in her whole life, so having her first dance with none other than Geronimo gave her apprehension.

They danced with no shoes, inside of an empty dark room, and the hem of her bushy maroon dress brushed against his trousers. The edges of her hair lightly caressed the hand on her back. Their joined hands felt as though their emotions had become connected, due to how Geronimo's relaxed demeanor had erased her jittery away and Zena was now feeling nothing, but the moment itself.

The moon watched their waltzing figures. Their shadows narrowed across the floor smoothly as Geronimo sent Zena spinning in the air before pulling her back to him.

"You are beautiful." He said amidst the silence.

Her heart fluttered at the unexpected remark. Zena cleared her throat and pursed her lips together. "You seem very confident in your choice of words, Nimo."

"Of course," Geronimo spun her again. "I do not need sight to know how beautiful you are, Zena. Your brilliant mind, and the great determination that is burning innately in your kind heart are enough for me to define what beauty is."

Zena blushed this time. Terribly.

Geronimo, a reserved and grumpy man, had made her heart weak twice in a row. He was a lad who always flashed blunt looks at the people around him. People would complain how unapproachable he was, but to Zena, she was the only person who could see beyond his walls. Not even his long-time comrades. She witnessed his tears, his brightest smiles, his contagious laughter, and even the skeletons in his closet.

"You are. . . You are beautiful too." She said to him.

No, that was not enough.

If anything, Geronimo was sculptured by the heavens. A perfect embodiment of a man she had ever encountered. His features were sharp, yet would soften once his reddish lips curved into a smile. His eyes, ever so icy, would melt when love was filled within them. His skin was smooth and calloused in some areas. His scars, secluded behind his clothes, were tales in his skin, each carrying a different story.

His voice. . . Zena had never heard a voice so comforting until she heard his when he was soothing her after a nightmare. His tongue could be armed with the sharpest words, yet he could say the most sweetest words ever to be heard — or maybe it was just her?

Geronimo met many people before her. But deep inside, Zena wished to be the one by his side for eternity. Perhaps not eternally, but enough to linger her existence in his mind.

She chose him.

. . . And she hoped to be chosen by him.

"Nimo?"

"Hm?"

Zena smiled. Oh, how she always loved his reaction whenever she said his nickname. "Can we— stay like this for a little longer? Even once this dance is over, I'd like to share at least a few minutes with you."

"I'll stay as long as you wish, Zena," Geronimo said, like an oath.

In the end, Zena rested her hand on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She was no longer cold, shrouded in the heat radiating from his body and the arms he had around her figure, and she knew Geronimo must be feeling her heartbeat as well. She smiled longingly.

If there came a time that she would lose him, know that Geronimo would never lose her.

#moralis series #zena moralis #geronimo ms #zeronimo

[zauvjek-svoja]

najskuplja je ona zena na koju niste morali potrositi ni dinar da biste je impresionirali …

#najljepsi citati #balkanski citati #ljubavni citati #citati o zivotu #ljubav #citati o ljubavi

[comonblancechance]

Draga moja Dubravka!

Mama te nije zaboravila! Mama te mnogo voli! Ovim pismom zelim da doprem do tebe I da te pronadjem I da se sve ovo jednom zavrsi. Godine su ostale za nama ali nisu mogle da ugase tu ljubav majke prema svome detetu. Ako sebe prepoznas u ovome pismu razmisli dobro o svemu! Tvoje pravo ime je Dubravka I dali smo ti ga onoga dana kada si se rodila,21.Avgusta 1973. godine. Mozda je tvoj datum rodjenja bas 01. Novembar 1973. godine ili neki blizu njega, jer tada su nam saopstili kada smo ocekivali da dodjes u nas dom, da si iznenada preminula. I ako su nam rekli sve to mi nismo nikada verovali u to da je istina. Znali smo dase tu nesto desilo, ali nismo ni pomisljali da poverujemo da je to istina. Vremena su bila takva da se moralo sve prihvatiti kao da je tako I nismo smeli preduzimati nikakve postupke da probamo nesto izmeniti. Prolazile su godine a sa njima  su se menjali I uslovi zivota, tako da smo dobili priliku I mogucnost da jos jednom mozemo da sve proverimo u vezi tebe. Posebno kada smo uvideli da postoje mnogi slucajevi kod nas slicni nasem I da je veliki broj dece nestao na slican nacin kao ti. Ja sam sve preduzela da dodjem do svih potrebnih dokumenata I tako pred Sudom dokazemo da si negde ziva I takodje kao mnoga deca, oteta od majki, I ti si oteta od mene. Tako da sada zelim da ti saopstim da prvo na sta treba da obratis paznju jeste datum tvog rodjenja koji je verovatno 01. Novembar ili neki blize tome, koji je lazan! Drugo na sta treba da obratis posebno paznju je tvoje srce I osecaj da nikada nisi pripadala onima gde se sada nalazis, a posebno stanje tvoga srca I duse koje se uvek osecalo prazno I da mu nesto jako vazno ne dostaje! A toje prava majka I porodica od koje si oteta! Mozda si I ti krenula u potragu za nama, kada su ti lazni roditelji pod pritiskom prljave savesti morali priznati da oni nisu tvoji pravi roditelji. Sto bi bilo jako dobro I pomoglo jos brze da me pronadjes. Jedno znaj da te mama mnogo voli I da sve ove godine nisu nista uradili da nas odvoje! Znam ti si danas zena od 49. godina ,mozda imas I porodicu, ali znaj da nista od toga ne moze odvojiti pravu majku od svoga deteta. Osim mene imas tvoga brata koji je osam godina stariji od tebe, snaju troje velike divne dece koj isu danas ljudi sa svojim porodicama. Necu vise o detaljima ali ono sto je najbitnije da ti pomognemo da nas pronadjes smo ti rekli. Ako sebe prepoznajes u ovome pismu javi mi se, mama ce biti mnogo sretna da se sretnemo I ovo zavrsimo jednom za sva vremena! Javi se u inbox I lako cemo dalje da uspostavimo nas kontakt. Mama te mnogo voli I zeli ti reci da ocekuje uskoro da te vidi! Dragi Bog neka te cuva I pomogne ti da me lako pronadjes!

[tleeaves]

Moralis - Bones Of A God for the WIP Game please! :D

'Geronimo was pretty sure she did not have an umbrella unless she had taken to stashing things in The Night Tailor for whatever reason. Considering her odd behaviour, he would not put it past her. Nevertheless, Zena coming outside with him was not part of his plan.'

Excerpt from Chapter Three of Moralis - Bones Of A God.

Once again tagging @manawari

#wip #very late I'm so sorry

[najmilija-od-svu-djecu]

Ta zena bila je kao.... Kao nekakvo penkalo od zlata, ali nema u sebi ni kap mastila. Izgledala je upravo, kako jedino moze i mora da izgleda. Kao neko koje citav svoj zivot prozivio za druge. Jedno ogromno srce koje je moralo da upije snagu iz svega ostalog u tijelu, da bi se napajalo i postojalo. Ovaj razliveni akvarel gore na licu, neprijatno je ispreplijetao sve te silne bore... Sad su se tako hororno spajale i presjecale kao da simbolizuju i proklinju sve staze kojima se hodalo. I jos vise, sve puteve koji se nisu morali ukrstiti spojivsi se, a ukrstili su se i spojili su se.. Sve je ta rupa gutala. Nagonski je spustila ruku na grudi, kao da ce time zadrzati srce, prepuno a prazno, da ne iskoci i ne eksplodira razbivsi se od pod, noseci u zaborav citav jedan zivot nacinjen od tudjeg baruta. Sad je ne bi bolio ni metak iz pistolja. Samo taj poslednji samrtni trzaj necega sto vec dugo, tako umarajuce zivi na aparatima, moli, vapi da umre.. Smrt. Sasvim iskonska stvar. Lako cemo sa njom. Ali zato samrtni trzaji.. Blazen je kraj, kad nastupi upravo zbog njih.!!

Pitate se otkud ove price??🤔 Eee, pa znate sta, izmedju svega ostalog, prohtjelo mi se da povjerujem jednom MOM snuu!!👌👊👊👿

aidakasumovic

[laylaraptis]

120 days

It's been a week already? Full clarity: I only added 200 words to the count, so we sit at around 4,700. Progress is progress, blah blah blah, and so on. Had a lot going on. Really looking forward to when I'll have more time and mental space to dedicate to my novel. In the meantime, here's some song associations I have with my characters (and the series).

Moralis series - Hourglass by Set It Off (if it had a theme song, this would be it).

Zena Moralis - Lion by Saint Mesa, I'm Born To Run by American Authors, Whatever It Takes and Bones by Imagine Dragons, Blood // Water by grandson, Centuries by Fall Out Boy, Just a Man by Jorge Rivera-Herrans.

Geronimo - Geronimo by Sheppard, Geronimo by Aura Dione, Immortals by Fall Out Boy, Liar by The Arcadian Wild, Dancing in a Daydream by Roses & Revolutions and Weathers.

Comment any characters you're curious about or if you'd like further explanation on any of the songs! Until then, I'll hopefully be writing more.

#deadline challenge #moralis series #bones of a god #geronimo ms #geronimo #zena moralis #moralis series music

[laylaraptis]

Oblivious!Zeronimo be like—

Echo: are you two together?

Geronimo & Zena: no.

Echo: then why are you holding hands?

Geronimo: it was an accident.

🥺 They hold hands on accident, it's whatever. Doesn't mean anything.

Also! I want to take this opportunity to mention: Geronimo and Zena definitely have Something Going On, but Zena actually has multiple love interests throughout the series. Guess, if you can, or just ask questions!

#geronimo #geronimo ms #zena moralis #zeronimo #echo (ms)

[laylaraptis]

127 days

Hello again! It's that time of the week. I honestly thought I did not make any progress since last week considering how busy things have been and the other tasks I've been focusing on, and I was prepared to report that with something slightly different to make up for it -- but the word count says otherwise. Last week I was a little over 4,000 and today we stand somewhere over 4,500. Progress is progress. As usual, here's a short snippet:

'“Geronimo.” She tried to hide the tremor in her voice. Zena could see red glistening on the man’s fingers. “I need your help.”

“You’re mad,” he said. “You stabbed me.”'

#zena moralis #geronimo #geronimo ms #deadline challenge #bones of a god #moralis #moralis series #boag quote #the dynamic between zena and geronimo is... an interesting one to say the least

[laylaraptis]

Which animals do you associate each of your characters with?

Love questions like these!! Because I actually put thought into animal associations when I make and write my characters, it's so fun. It not only has to do with visual traits and personality, but also plot-relevant symbolism. They're not major clues to anything, but sort of just fun add-ins? Part of the accumulative things that lay the path some characters go down? Also, not all of these of entirely significant symbolism, because some of these characters are were-creatures or half-creature or other folkloric beings and those influence associations.

Zena Moralis - bear (hint: this is why Athanasios takes the form he does when he reincarnates)

Geronimo - barn owl (note: his animal companion is Alfreda, the barn owl who just sort of hangs around)

Echo - scorpion

Florence Escoffier - fox

Kamali Wynn - cat

Esmeray Badawi - freshwater/river fish (if you had to associate her with a specific one, pick a species in Turkish waters. I don't have a set one yet, but she is from the rivers of alternate Turkey (for mermaid reasons)).

Dorian Nathair - sea serpent (...listen, it surely counts)

Siobhan Healy - swan

Bloodboot Mercer - wolf

Penelope Mercer - lynx

Sunita Vitaliya - crow

Shadow King - raven

Hektor Moralis - snake

Eamon Moralis - magpie

Hames Jespersen - gargoyle/dragon (okay, I know they don't count as animals, but they're very Him, so)

Quillon Romero - butterfly

Orna Healy - moth

Willa Healy - crocodile

Admittedly, this is a long cast, and there are yet more characters, but these are all the ones that have animal associations in my mind.

#moralis series #animal associations #zena moralis #geronimo #echo (ms) #florence escoffier #kamali wynn #esmeray badawi #dorian nathair #siobhan healy #bloodboot mercer #anthony mercer #penelope mercer #sunita vitaliya #shadow king #shadow king (ms) #hektor moralis #eamon moralis #hames jespersen #quillon romero #orna healy #willa healy #damn we got nearly the whole cast here

[laylaraptis]

113 days

This is a day late, I apologise, yesterday was a bit hectic. We left off with 4,700 words and currently the count sits at 6,100. Decent progress was made, not just in the main writing but also to the outline and planning, which I've had to tweak and refer back to so I can continue the story coherently. As usual, here's a snippet to celebrate:

'Geronimo was incredulous—and definitely overcome by strange shivering. “You broke into my house, stabbed me, threw a cushion at me, and clearly, you’ve been stalking me too! Now you’re asking if I’m fine?”

“Technically, I asked if you were okay. You do make a fair point though.”'

#deadline challenge #bones of a god #boag quote #geronimo #geronimo ms #zena moralis #drafts

[laylaraptis]

3243 Garnet Street

Here's a snippet since I've managed a decent portion of writing between last night and this evening. This is the first paragraph of Chapter Two: Rowan Tree.

'Emerging from the mists of the spring rain was Zena Moralis, black coat damp and her curling hair almost as dark. She flicked it out of her face. Her fingers hovered over the rusted letters, of which she could now roughly read, on the low stone wall that fronted the property: 3243 Garnet Street. Her expression did not change; it had a displeased weight to it and even her satisfaction at finding the place could not quite lift her spirits.'

#zena moralis #bones of a god #boag quote #moralis series

[laylaraptis]

If you are to give the series the "main trio", who would they be?

This question actually plagues me 💀 Because we have, of course, the main duo, and then we have The Muses (this group consists of Zena Moralis, Florence Escoffier, Siobhan Healy, and Esmeray Badawi), but if there was a main trio, that gets a bit tricky.

I would say Zena, Geronimo, and Kamali, except Kamali's presence is intended to primarily be in Book 1 and then crop up in cameos for the rest of the series. And even then, Kamali does not actually join Zena and Geronimo on their quests but is preoccupied with her own storyline (at least at this point in the planning and writing). In a previous draft, it started to look like the "main trio" might end up being Geronimo, Zena, and Siobhan, but that fell through.

Anyway, what might help is looking at this not from the book standpoint but the series. From there, the main trio turns into Zena, Geronimo, and Dorian Nathair, as key players and complicated companions. Dorian is quite an interesting character, he doesn't feature too much in Bones Of A God yet, but as time draws on, he becomes more important.

But, of course, I should have realised: the easiest answer to this is Zena, Geronimo, and Athanasios. That bear goes wherever Zena does. He's part of the group. No speaking lines but he's a legend.

It is, perhaps, possible that I am starting to realise I have too many characters.

All in all, it's kind of hard at this point to define a trio among this cast because everyone interacts with everyone differently and numbers are often kept even because it's as awkward for an author to write third wheels as it is being one. Geronimo and Zena spend a lot of time together and focused on each other, one way or another. They each have other friends, but scenes with both of them present tend to have them gravitating toward each other and makes it difficult for there to be a third person in order to create a "main trio". Plus, the main trios and groups tend to change book to book and depending on what quest is going on.

#moralis series #bones of a god #zena moralis #geronimo #athanasios #athanasios (bear) #dorian nathair #siobhan healy #esmeray badawi #florence escoffier #character groups

[laylaraptis]

99 days

Still very little progress. I've mostly been outlining in a bit more detail rather than writing because I want to make sure I don't wind up too lost for direction.

Time for colour palette associations!

Zena Moralis: blood red, navy blue, gold, jade green, black (it counts).

Geronimo: dusty orange, verdigris green, bronze, silver, sky blue.

Kamali Wynn: lavender purple, dawn muted blue, yellow, soft pink, deep red.

#deadline challenge #bones of a god #geronimo #geronimo ms #kamali wynn #zena moralis #colour association

[laylaraptis]

I just realized how "Not Letting Go" by Starlyte (ft. Harley Bird) hits my Zeronimo heart—

You caught me at the end of all my rope

Showed me all the light I'd never known

Every wall I built for years you broke

Black and white world, you're a whole rainbow

I'm not letting go

YOU'RE THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE TO HOME—

YOU'RE THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE TO HOME

The whole song fits them but that line is so Zeronimo coded. So them. Really hit hard when I first heard it when playing the song. I love that you find so many of these gems. I might need to get you to make a Zeronimo playlist one day 😂💕

#zeronimo #zeronimo music #zena moralis #geronimo #moralis series

[laylaraptis]

70ish days

Going on a bit of a break for the next three weeks. I may write in the meantime, but I will not be posting.

See you all on the other side. In the meantime, have a small snippet of a scene:

'Zena half-expected conveniently lit torches down in these tunnels, but instead she found the light seemed to just be a gas lamp mounted to the wall. They continued down some corridors, but not all. That’s when she noticed the rusting signs too.

“Wait… are we underneath the streets of Taaffeit?” she said suddenly, a little louder than intended.

Geronimo sent a sharp look in her vague direction. “Yes, now keep your voice down. Do you know somewhere we can go?” Zena could not believe her luck. “Follow my lead,” she whispered.'

#deadline challenge #bones of a god #geronimo #geronimo ms #zena moralis #boag quote #drafts