#a village that welcomes the 'monsters' and the cast out | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

transprincecaspian · 1 day

Text

SESSION ONE: WELCOME TO BAROVIA

This is the re-cap/write-up of our first session in CURSE OF STRAHD: HUNTED, a campaign run by our dungeon-master ONYX and played by a total of six people around the table. In this session the party first arrives in the plane of Barovia and meets each other, before heading toward the nearest village (also Barovia).

As a note, the character known as Luca does not show up in subsequent sessions as the player bowed out of the campaign and we brought in someone else to take their place in session 2.

View the cast HERE.

For now, though, here is the start of the STORY SO FAR. / (MOBILE LINK)

The session opens with everyone centering in on a clearing, in the woods just south of Barovia.

Melchior and Giselle had met earlier in the day; Melchior introduced himself to her as a werewolf hunter, and seeing that Giselle was lost, agreed to take her to the village of Barovia so that she could start to get her bearings. It's late, and they've just set camp. Suddenly, an elf bursts into the clearing--Lune--and only pauses for a moment to tell them to "run" before they move along, faster than anyone the other two have ever seen before.

Before Melchior and Giselle have a chance to decide what to do, there is another interruption. Falling from the sky is Crafine, the kenku, followed quickly by Vayagol, a cleric who lands on top of them. As the group struggles to get their bearings, with Melchior offering healing word to Crafine, they realize that Giselle has already run off after Lune.

Eventually, the party catches up and gathers together underneath a tree. Up in the branches, Lune is helping Luca (bloodhunter) and an injured hunter, Bernor, down from the tree. Luca is covered in blood down the front of his shirt, and Bernor is limping along with his crossbow.

Crafine's sense power ability reveals a mass of undead encroaching upon the group from every direction except to the north, so everyone heads north. The mists, which seem to be chasing them, funnels them over the bridge and into the village of Barovia. Although to outsiders, the edge of the town is dilapidated, with abandoned houses and shuttered windows, those native to the plane state that it is always in such a state. The party takes note of a mansion nearby, welcoming with warm lights in the windows, though Melchior is disinterested in seeking help there.

Luca goes to seek help in the inn (Blood of the Vine), but the locals are frightened by the encroaching mists and so no help comes. Despite Melchior's warnings, Giselle makes a run for the mansion and prompts the party to follow. They find themselves trapped within Durst Manor, as the fog closes in and gives them nowhere else to turn. Melchior and Luca hint that this might be by design, alluding to a mysterious baron, and the party goes inside to investigate what might be going on within the manor.

Just inside, in the foyer, the party encounters two children: Rose & Thorn. The two children inform the party that their parents are gone (but insist that they will return), and that a monster "lives in the basement, but is haunting them through the walls". Despite Melchior's reticence, the party agrees to help them out. They decide to leave the children with Bernor guarding them, armed with a crossbow in the foyer, while everyone else explores the lower level of the house.

A short rest is taken, and then exploration begins. It appears as though life has frozen in place: the kitchen appears to have been freshly used, a mess with food and dishware scattered everywhere, and there is a hot feast out and waiting in the dining room. No one partakes of any food, though there is some theft of the silverware after Melchior reveals that he is a werewolf hunter, and that werewolves are a threat in Barovia. He says that a table setting is unlikely to do much damage to one of the beasts, but thefts occur regardless.

Upon not finding much on the first floor, save a bungled attempt to open a locked cupboard and an aside that Vayagol might not hear from her god here, the party decides to head up into the second floor. Melchior recognizes the people in the painted portrait at the top of the stairs, and correctly identifies the face of Gustav Durst, the former master of the Durst Manor and whose family used to rule Barovia. He recognizes Elizabeth Durst, his wife, who is scowling down at the baby cradled in Gustav's arms. The two children in front of them, who he states seem to be Rose & Thorn Durst, are smiling unawares.

In the library, Lune discovers a secret passageway; within, they find runic books on the shelves (which neither Melchior nor Crafine had the time to try and translate). Also within the passageway was a skeleton, that had clearly been killed by acidic darts, clutching a letter. The letter reads as follows:

My most pathetic servant, I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the ones who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but worms writhing in my earth. You say that you are cursed, your fortunes spent. You abandoned love for madness, took solace in the bosom of another woman, and sired a stillborn son. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are. Your dread lord and master, Strahd Von Zarovich

Lune opens up the chest on which the skeleton was propped up, and retrieves several items: three identified scrolls (bless, protection from poison, spiritual weapon) and three more scrolls that have yet to be identified. In the study portion of the library, Melchior reads through the first page of an open journal that was left out near the fireplace, and locates a silver key within the desk emblazoned with the symbol of a windmill; he recognizes this windmill from his travels.

Across the hall in the music room, Luca effortlessly serenades Giselle with enchanting piano music while she dances along. Crafine and Melchior enter the music room to investigate, so Giselle steps outside to talk to Vayagol. While this is happening, Lune travels upstairs to the third level of the manor alone, triggering an attack on the party by animated armors that suddenly spring to life.

In the ensuing combat, much is revealed, such as: Giselle is capable of casting magic, despite her previous claims that she is unable to do much more than to cook or paint. Melchior spies Luca drawing his own blood in combat, and his eyes turning a bright electric blue. Crafine almost falls unconscious, but Vayagol dashes over to him to heal his injuries before he is lost.

the party calls for a long rest.

in the library, Luca reveals to Crafine the truth that he is a dhampir, and that his blood is electrified(?) He alludes to some fonder familiarity between himself and Bernor. the pair of them play cards with the children, teaching Rose & Thorn how to gamble.

in the servants quarters, Melchior is carefully embroidering red thread into a large sheaf of spare black cloth. he tells Vayagol that his mother taught him how to do, and gestures to the red flowers embroidered onto his shirt. he implies that the flowers are of traditional significance, and promises to teach her the art of embroidery at a later time.

in the hallway, Lune speaks to Giselle, who is sticking close to them out of fear from the recent attack and feeling safer with them. Lune learns that Giselle was not lying to the party, but she has only recently come into her powers. Lune ponders over the amulet around their neck before taking their meditative rest.

end long rest.

after the long rest, Crafine and Luca realize that Bernor and the children are missing. Alarmed, the rest of the party is quickly roused, and everyone agrees to ascend to the third level of the house. (Luca and Giselle first investigate the third floor, but Melchior writes them off and convinces everyone else to keep going). The third story is unlike the first two: it is decrepit and aged, walls peeling, cobwebs strung along corners and dusty furniture. Crafine locates a hidden stairwell hidden in the far wall. the party splits at this point.

Melchior, Luca, Crafine, and Vayagol enter the northern room. In this room, they find another dead body--a man, but no one knows whom. They tear this room apart with perception checks: Crafine locates a safe in the nearby wall, and Melchior locates the key locket hidden within the bed. Within the safe is a jewelry box with an expensive looking pendant and three non-magical rings; Luca takes the pendant, and Crafine tricks Melchior into handing over the rings. Vayagol reminds them that they are supposed to be looking for Bernor and the children.

Melchior notices that Crafine is additionally wearing a wedding ring.

In the southern room, Lune and Giselle open the door and are set upon by a specter who does not want to permit them entry into the room. Both of them attempt to calm the spirit enough to enter the room, but fail. They do get the specter to indicate that the missing children are another floor up, on the fourth floor, accessible only by the recently discovered secret passage.

On the fourth floor, the party locates the bedroom of Rose & Thorn Durst. It is discovered that the children they previously met on the first floor were not the real spirits, but an entity mimicking them. Through questioning the children, it is inferred that Strahd likely killed their parents at a dinner banquet, and the children were left to starve alone upstairs.

During this discussion, Melchior becomes visibly distressed and leaves the room; although he occasionally interjects with questions, he is mostly pale and sick-looking for a time.

The dollhouse in their room reveals that passages to the basement are missing that should have been there. The house is sentient, and was hiding the basement access from the party (either to protect us or to protect itself). Crafine wraps up the bones of the children to properly bury them; additionally, he and Giselle both allow themselves to be possessed by Rose & Thorn. Lune takes the dolls of the children at Melchior's behest.

Before they descend to the basement, Crafine and Melchior have an argument at the top of the stairwell. Melchior insists that attempting to fight the creature within the manor is futile, as everything within Barovia is subject to the will of Strahd Von Zarovich: their best attempt would be to flee and chance with the mist. Crafine argues that it is the coward's way out, and that there is no other way but to the basement. Despite his reservations, Melchior makes no attempt to leave the group.

During this argument, Melchior bares his teeth at Crafine, revealing sharp canines; Luca notices this and asks Melchior if he is also a dhampir, something which Melchior affirms. Luca shows off his ability to spider climb on the ceiling.

As they descend, Crafine moves slowly, allowing for some to get a chance to converse. Melchior and Luca discuss dhampirism (with a few interjections from Crafine), in which Melchior agrees that they are strange kindred, but does not reveal what he hungers for (Luca is revealed to be a classic bloodsucker). additionally, it comes out that Crafine is in his 40s, with two children between the ages of 20-23. Luca is revealed to be physically 24, but due to his dhampirism, he is also up into his 40s. Melchior is simply 24, Giselle is 18, and Vayagol is 19. Lune does not offer their age.

Melchior keeps getting tripped by Something as they continue to head down the stairs. Crafine is using his sense powers skill repeatedly, fretting over a consecrated presence that has repeatedly occurred. As it keeps showing up from behind, he begins to shuffle the party members in front of him on the stairs so that he can narrow down from whom it is coming. Surprisingly, the cleric, Vayagol, is not the source of this consecrated energy. It is narrowed down to either Giselle or Lune, before Melchior, now at the front of the group, is violently shoved down the stairs.

As he recovers and gets his bearings, the rest of the party catches up to him. Melchior accuses Luca, who had been behind him, of being the one to push him. Luca denies this and the two bicker until Crafine puts an end to it, saying they need to keep moving.

Melchior indicates the group should go to their right, and lead them to a crypt. Underneath the Durst Manor is the Durst Family Crypt, which Melchior notes with no small amount of alarm seems suspiciously empty. As they head south, they find the four empty tombs of the immediate durst family: Gustav, Elizabeth, Rosevalda, and Thornboldt.

Crafine puts the bones of the children into their respective tombs (and Lune lays their dolls to rest with them), and the spirits pass on. Crafine and Giselle are no longer considered possessed.

As they head further into the crypt, Melchior is attacked by a hidden creature referred to as a grick. Thankfully, it is quickly disposed of, with Lune making the killing blow.

END OF SESSION ONE.

#cos: the story so far #cos: hunted #session recap #session one #cos: crafine #cos: giselle #cos: lune #cos: melchior #cos: vayagol #curse of strahd #barovia #death house

26 notes · View notes

zellk · 1 month

Text

Forgot to share here.... old doodles of when I finally came around to finding a design I like for Qalaari's mom !!

#it's so fucking funny to me that i inadvertently gave her a variant of the “mom about to die” haircut because... well...#surprise... she did die when Qalaa was young (12) :'^)#Qalaa (now between 20 and 22) still hasn't gotten over it #her mom had really weak health and really shouldn't have had a child but she made her choice #it turned out to be not the best one for her health LMAO #who wouldve thunk #but hey she wanted it and i'm pretty sure she doesn't regret it #but well... Qalaa does feel like she was a participant in her mom's death #(the other participant being her biological father who ran away before she was born and shattered aamira's heart)#ANYWAYS #i love qalaa's messed up familly #it's like a regular messed up story where actually no one (and everyone) is to blame (except Qalaa lmao she asked for NOTHING)#Aaamira gave so so much love to her child ;;;;;; this built the unbreakable core of Qalaa's kindness #aamira #aamira croquelune #aamira molandine #croquelune #still thinking about making that potentiel small DnD 'lore addon' of Qalaa's village that you can take and plug in your very own campaign #as long as you have 'far from civilization' woods or mountains you can put them in there #a village that welcomes the 'monsters' and the cast out #(like aamira)#look at me rambling in the tags lmao i just love qalaari (& her background) so much #last thing tho : you have to understand that Aamira is small and very slight and Qalaari was a HUGE baby and is a really big girl overall

104 notes · View notes

monster-disaster · 7 months

Text

[tentacle] The monster under the bed

tentacle!monster x human!Reader Good to know: somnophilia, a bit of dub-con

Summary: Your aunt's house is not as empty as you thought.

A/N: For kinktober 2023, I have a new town full of monsters. Here is the masterlist.

The change in the air is thick and heavy after you leave the Welcome to Grimbrook sign behind you. You feel it in your core. It's cold and silent. For a second, everything goes quiet, and the time seems to stop. The rumbling of your car gets muffled, and the colors of the lush, green forest at your sides fade into a milky fog flowing above the ground. You can't see the tall mountains and their sharp edges in the distance anymore. The clear blue sky turns gray, and you can't find the sun anymore, either. Just a few dim rays shine down on the road in front of you, showing your way to the village next to the sea.

As you get closer, you can smell the salty scent of the water even through the closed windows of your car. It's heavy in your nostrils. The sound of the waves gets louder too. From the top of the uphill, you can see the village with its old stone buildings and the sea behind everything. It seems colorless, merging into the dark sky at the horizon. It is beautiful and terrifying at the same time. There is something in Grimbrook that you can't pinpoint but freezes your insides. The only light you can see comes from a lighthouse at the edge of a cliff. It emits a soft, rhythmic beam of yellow light that cuts through the heavy fog, casting eerie shadows over the still village. Seagulls glide through the mist above the white seafoam, waving across the dark surface.

"Okay," you hum, forcing your eyes to go back to the GPS on your phone. The blue line clearly shows your way to the house you have to reach before night falls. It leads you out of the center of the villages until you reach a small suburb with Victorian houses standing in a long row with grand iron gates and gardens.

The monotone voice of the GPS informs you when you reach the right house, and after sitting in your car for a few more minutes, you have no other option but to get out and make your way up to the porch. The wooden planks creak under your steps as you look around a bit better. The house is old, with tall walls, characterful windows, and a dark green door with a golden knocker in the middle. It's cold in your hold as you knock it against the door.

You don't get an answer, though.

The door opens, and you find yourself facing a narrow foyer with stairs on the right side. Pictures and paintings hang on the walls in dark wood and golden frames. You can see the entrance of the kitchen at the end. And on your left side, there is an arch that leads you to the living room.

"Hello?" You break the silence. Your voice is hoarse and quiet. You have to force your legs to move and not turn back to your car and leave this place immediately. "Somebody?" Your gaze lands on a small table in the corner next to the entrance door. There is a letter with your name on it.

Dear Cat, I'm sorry I can't be here when you arrive. Make yourself at home, and we will talk tomorrow. Delilah

"Great," you sigh, letting the paper fall back onto the surface of the small table.

For a second, you think about searching for a hotel or something similar to spend the night, but to be honest, it doesn't sound much better either. You know you should leave the town to feel better, but it's not an option. So you close the door behind you and wander further into the house.

You got a call a few weeks ago about your aunt you met long years ago. She died, and now you have a house. You can keep it. You can sell it. Whatever you want.

The house is old, with a lot of wood, dark colors, and golden details. There are still newspapers from months ago on the coffee table in the living room. The rug under you is faded and thin. The floor creaks every now and again. There are two rooms and a bathroom upstairs. The bigger room is still occupied with your aunt's belongings. The scent of her perfume still lingers in the air. You remember her when you were a kid. She came to your grandmother's funeral, and you never saw her again. Nobody really talked about her in the family. The only things you know are that she was kind but preferred her own company above everything else. She lost her husband in her late twenties but stayed in Grimbrook, barely leaving the town.

The guestroom is much more bare than the other parts of the house. A bed in the middle with two nightstands and a lamp. There is a drawer in front of it and a mirror on the wall. The window is slightly open, letting in the cold autumn breeze. You have a view of the street from here. It's calm and empty. The only reasons you know you are not the only person in the town are because you can see a few cars here and there and a dog barking in the distance. The fog is thick and heavy. You can't see the end of the street through it.

After wandering around the house some more, you decide to call your friend until you have no other option but to change and try to get some sleep.

Climbing up on the bed in the guest room, you settle under the thick covers. The scent of the linen is faded and mixed with dust and the night air coming through the window. It's dark outside, not counting a few lamps on the street. Their orange lights filter into the room. And everything is quiet. So quiet that your ears almost start to ring. You are not used to it. You live in the city with constant noises.

When sleep takes you, it's restless and everything but relaxing. You fidget and turn, trying to find a comfortable position as you balance between the darkness and the real world. Your head feels just as foggy as Grimbrook, and at some point, you can't decide if you are dreaming or not.

You are on your back, one arm on your stomach, and the other is next to your body. The autumn breeze caresses your skin, moving up from your feet to your ankles and calves. Shiver runs through your spine at the feeling. You want to reach out for the blanket, but even though your arms move, they do not obey your command. Something pets the thin skin of your wrist. It's soft and barely noticeable. You feel your muscles stretch as you reach up to the headrest of the bed, but you don't even know why. The cold moves up further on your legs. It curls around your flesh, spreading you in the middle of the bed. Your heels dig into the mattress. Your body tenses when your limbs don't do as you want. A frown deepens between your brows.

"What?" A hoarse grunt leaves your lips. When you open your eyes, you meet darkness, and you are not sure if you are really awake or not. Your eyelids are heavy, and not even a second later, you fall back asleep again.

The bottom of your pajama slips down on your legs. The waist stretches around your parted legs. Something slides up on your stomach under your t-shirt. It is slick and soft. A gasp echoes in your room when it flicks your nipple. The thing curls around the flesh of your tits, groping and caressing. Your nipples harden under the strange touch. Saliva? A tongue?

Where are you?

And there is something else between your legs. The muscles of your thighs tense, and the hold around you tightens.

"What?" You groan again into the silence. As you look down on your body, you see your t-shirt around your neck. Your breasts are bare. Something dark and purple curls around them, squeezing and licking. The teasing on your nipples is almost painful. At the back of your mind, you want more. Your head falls back onto the pillows, and you are asleep again.

The tentacles between your legs move up and down on your pussy. Your panties are ruined between your wet center and the slick touch of theirs. One of them flicks your clit. Your back arches at the feeling. The cold night air hits your aching pussy when the thin fabric is pulled aside. One of them stays around your clit, flicking and rubbing the hard bud. The other one goes straight to your hole.

You want to move. To get closer or farther away, you can't decide. The tendrils don't let you go anyway.

You break the silence with a sudden moan. The limb enters you slowly. It slips into you easily, stretching your walls until you can't take another inch. It fills you up.

"Fuck," you groan.

Your breasts are soaked. The slickness on your skin shines under the dim streetlights. The tentacles play with your flesh, rubbing and pinching your nipples. The pain takes your breath away every now and again until you feel dizzy.

The others between your legs move without pausing even for a second. Your clit throbs, and your walls flutter. Pleasure flares inside your veins, rushing through your body with such force you never felt before. Your lungs burn for air, and your muscles ache as you lay taut, panting.

When you open your eyes, you see the ceiling and the old lamp hanging above you. You want to force your mind to think, to panic, to do something, but your senses are full of pleasure. The only thing you can do is moan and grind against the tentacle inside your pussy. It pounds into you, reaching every spongy spot inside that makes you see stars and beg for more. The sheet under you is soaked with your mixed juices. You can feel it dripping out of your hole.

Fuck, you want to shout, but you can't find your voice. You just shake and tremble in the hold of the limbs keeping you in place on the bed. Every nerve in your body is on edge, and when it snaps in your lower stomach, you can't remember how to breathe. Your climax forces you down and stops you from moving. A thin layer of sweat shines on your bare skin. Heat burns you from the inside, and your pussy flutters and sucks on the tendril inside you. It still moves in and out. It twitches and rubs against your walls. And doesn't stop even when the darkness envelopes you again.

When you wake up the next morning, you need a few minutes to remember where you are. The sun shines through the window, casting an orange hue over the old rug in the middle of the room. As you sit up, your t-shirt falls back over your torso, but your pants are still around your knees.

"What?" You grunt out. The question is barely louder than a whisper. Your hand shakes as you reach down between your legs. Your pussy is wet, sensitive, and swollen. A moan escapes you when your fingertip slides over your slit.

Your dream is still vivid in your mind. You can feel the tentacle in your pussy, using your hole and rubbing your clit. Your center starts to throb with need at the memory. And your breasts. Your other hand grabs one of your tits. Your nipples are still hard peaks through the thin fabric of your shirt.

"Hello? Cat?" The sudden noise snaps your head up to the door of your room. The voice comes from the entrance of the house. "It's Delilah." "Hey!" You croak out. You are not even sure if she can hear you. "I will be down in a minute." "Great!" She shouts back. "I will make some coffee, and we can talk about your plans with the house." Your fingers sink into your hole. You are still stretched out. You move in and out of your pussy easily.

Yeah, you think, you need a few nights if you want to decide about your plans.

- Masterlist Grimbrook Masterlist Patreon

#monster romance #monster x reader #monster boyfriend #monster x human #monster smut #tentacle smut #tentacle x reader #tentacle x human #tentacle monster #grimbrook #kinktober 2023

5K notes · View notes

banyanas · 1 year

Text

I really do find the idea that Marcy treated Amphibians as NPCs rather odd- if anything she’s the kind of person to treat game npcs as people, rather than the other way around. like the ‘NOOO i can’t say something mean to this fake pixel person’s face I’d feel so bad about it!!’ kinda thing.

And to me it’s fairly self evident, both in terms of what we’re shown in canon and what we know of her character, she cared for Amphibia wholeheartedly? She “promised to do her best to look after this place as well” and then did that. She had fun doing it, certainly, but it doesn’t erase what she was doing, why, And the fact that it was hard work. Just because a lot of the (many) layers with her relationship with Andrias were built on lies and being used (on that note. would Love to give this sonofabitch a chlorinated swirlie) doesn’t mean that it was the same for ALL the newts she interacted with. Like not a particularly deep connection, but y’know, even if the ranger that saved your kid or stopped a crop-blight is a weird monster, you’re gonna remember them kindly and send em off with some cookies.

(Also i know it would ruin the surprise of MATG but it would’ve been cool for the fwagon crew to roll through a village close to Newtopia and it’s like oh the reactions are... not ‘oh wow your adopted mammal is kinda scary looking to us’ but more welcoming? A Night Guard squire came through here a few months ago, you see, and helped the community out of some real trouble, so hey, this other human must be decent too!)

(Not how species traits work but given the existent caste-dependent stereotypes already prevalent in modern Amphibian society (thanks for nothing Andrias), it makes sense some of ‘em would be inclined to think this way. Good thing they didn’t meet Sasha first though, or that opinion on humans would be... significantly more wary)

#amphibia #bañana post #yes im crossposting again from twt because there really is 0 consistency of what i post here or there #anyway i have thoughts on Marcy's time training/squiring for the Night guard ill have to write down #before it's inevitably jossed by the journal

155 notes · View notes

khaosssss · 6 months

Text

WELCOME HOME AU !!!!!!

I'VE FINALLY FINISHED ALL THE DESIGNS FOR MY WELCOME HOME AU, AND NOW I'M HERE TO SHARE IT :DD

The au is called the Monster Home or MH au for short !!

In this au, the neighborhood is like a hidden village, and one day Julie ventures out into the woods, which is also where Frank happens to be (They’re an entomologist in this au, and they often study insects in said forest)

Julie and Frank meet and they become besties, often meeting up and doing stuff together

And then Julie decides to have Frank meet the others. Some are kinda unsure and cautious about an outsider in the neighborhood while others are more welcoming and friendly

That's pretty much all the lore !! I just made this for my own enjoyment :p

ANYWAYS HERE'S THEIR DESIGNS !! (TW/CW for gore in Poppy's design!!)

The cast and their species:

Howdy: Ghost

Barnaby: Hellhound

Wally: Demon/Imp

Sally: Vampire

Julie: Gorgon

Eddie: Something inspired by Frankenstein

Poppy: Zombie

(Reason why Frank isn't included is cuz they're the only non-monster in this au)

Uhhhhhhhfhdhdjsnahs that's pretty much it !!! Feel free to ask questions!!

(I might make an ask blog.. idk)

#welcome home au #welcome home puppet show #welcome home arg #wally darling #julie joyful #sally starlet #frank frankly #eddie dear #howdy pillar #poppy partridge #barnaby b beagle

21 notes · View notes

msweebyness · 3 months

Text

DuPont School for Monstrous Youths- The Sad Stuff

Ya girl was in an angsty mood, so here's some stuff to hit you in the feels! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002

Voodoo dolls have a long history of being enslaved by humans. Entire families would fall under the control of dark hoodoo mystics, and that was the case for Marinette's family. Tom and Sabine managed to get their daughter out when she was eight or so (with help from Bustier and Mendeliev), but they remain in captivity, which haunts Marinette.

Because Ondine's father was saltwater and her mother freshwater, they're essentially shunned not only by their family (barring her maternal grandparents), but by most of their species as a whole. They live in their isolated lagoon because they weren't welcome anywhere else. Most other aquatic monsters immediately recognize Ondine as being mixed (she has lighter toned skin and upward slanted gills, traits of freshwater monsters, but sharp teeth and fins on her arms and legs, which are saltwater features.) and treat her like garbage.

Dragons are actually incredibly rare as of the last few centuries due to the rise of hunting them for their scales and horns. The Tsurugi clan are actually one of the few remaining prominent families, but even their numbers have severely dwindled. Kagami's mother was blinded and her father killed in an attack when she was very young.

Max's creator/father, Markov, mysteriously vanished without a trace around four years ago. Max has scoured every inch of their home and lab trying to find some sort of lead, but has found nothing. He continues to search because he knows his father wouldn't have just abandoned him.

When Ivan was ten years old, his village in the mountains was attacked by a cryptid hunting brigade. His mother managed to get him and Sasha to safety, but his father was killed in the attack trying to give his family time to get away. He still wakes up crying every once in a while.

Simon's parents and the majority of his family deemed him 'worthless' because he was such a 'runt' for their kind. He was essentially disowned and cast out for being an 'embarrassment'. Thankfully, his aunt was having none of that.

Jean possesses a very rare and deadly ability for phantoms, which is to sing a cursed note that can stop the heart and shatter the mind, resulting in instant, painful death. Many see them as a threat because of this, and it's the reason his father took him away from his mother. She wanted to use them as a weapon against humans.

Nathaniel's dad died when a band of humans set fire to the chapel the Kurtzbergs had called home, wanting to rid it of 'demons'. He was smashed to rubble trying to get his son to safety.

Anthony has been persecuted his entire life for being a daemon, and supposedly 'evil'. He has scars from holy water being thrown at him, people have set fire to his family's home, and he constantly gets told to "GO BACK TO HELL!"

Yeah, Ismael’s mom never wanted a kitten and threw both him and his dad out when Fazli refused to “get rid of” their child.

Aurore’s planet was consumed by a civil war which was why her family had to flee to Earth. Her family was a prestigious clan with HUGE targets on their backs, and had to go to a planet basically off the records for their own safety.

Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

#miraculous ladybug #ml au #school for monstrous youths #mlb ocs #angst #sad stuff

16 notes · View notes

lemoncookie34 · 1 month

Text

Our Town (MLP) but instead Nightmare Sans

So I was rewatching MLP and got to Starlight Glimmer's first appearance. The whole concept of the town and her backstory made me wonder: What if Nightmare created a town where he and others would feel equal. Where no one gets bullied for their magic, status, and looks?

Here is some small background on Nightmare and how this town (Gonna name it Our Au) would come to be:

• Nightmare eats only one apple

• Nightmare runs away from corrupted tree and angry mob of villagers

• Nightmare is almost attacked and thanks to his new abilities from the apple got teleported to another au. At this point Dream is turned to stone by the negativity coming from the corrupt tree, the depressed zombie villagers, and the fact his brother had disappeared. Both Nightmare and Dream have eaten one apple. Therefore they both have the ability to sense other's emotions, teleport via emotions, and are immortal.

• The au Nightmare falls into is unfortunately Underfell. Which lure Nightmare in because of the massive amount of negativity in the au.

• 200 years later Ink keeps nagging Nightmare for meddling in Aus. Nightmare is also on the run from Error

• Several close calls later and Au hopping, nightmare has been alive for 300+ years. Nightmare decides to settle down and gets the idea to create his own Village, his own Au, where everyone would be safe and treated equal. It would also prove to his brother and the others of his past that even if he can't protect the positive apples, he can make others happy and protect them. He meets Killer and the first Horror here.

• 200 years of trial and error, betrayal, and at one point Error destroying the entire au (the first Horror sans nightmare meets dies with the Au). After finding temporary shelter with the remaining survivors, Nightmare sets off to find a safer au and to make a deal with Error to prevent it from destruction.

• Nightmare finds a new Au, completely abandoned. He meets another Horror and even Dust and takes them to the new au. He even welcomes in some of the horrortale residents. Nightmare found a spell book on his travels. Having thought over everything that has happened up to that point and finding a certain spell in the book, Nightmare decides that to rid of magic and any special talents would truly make them all equal.

• Nightmare uses the book to drain everyone's magic within the Au which they named, Our Au (so creative). For the monsters that needed magic to survive he had left enough magic within them for them to live and create bland magic food to eat. Nightmare even drains his own magic, leaving enough to cast the draining spell and to teleport to other Aus (this is why nightmare's eye lights are slightly purple). As Nightmare's magic has significantly weakened he is no longer able to sense other's emotions. As to why he doesn't know that forcing others to be happy and completely equal could cause the residents of Our Au to feel despair.

• Year 506, Nightmare stops Au traveling once he brings Cross to Our Au. Then does he drain even more of his magic until he is only able to cast the draining spell. For the next 20 years everything is peaceful

• Dream breaks out of the stone on year 506. For 20 years He teams up with Ink and Blue to protect the multiverse while looking out for where his brother could be.

-----

That's about the whole gist of it. I got more info but don't want this post to be so long. Plus not everything is set to stone nor well developed. It's just a silly little au I wanted to make based off a MLP episode.

Wasn't sure if the village would wear all grey or wear colors so have the colored versions of nightmare's outfit below! (Depending on which I chose for this outfit will determine the color palette of the other outfits in this au)

#nightmare sans #passive nightmare sans #undertale au #this is based of MLP #art #digital art #procreate #Our Au

7 notes · View notes

precisionbattlesystem · 4 months

Text

Safety Lock

Cynthia didn’t like what she became when in the thralls of battle.

It was focused, uncaring and merciless. It would raze a planet and tear down the heavens for a laugh, because it could. It would bastardize children, widow women, and slander the very name of a soul because what other choice would a combat doll be held accountable for?

That all changed when Angel entered her life, calming those cold calculations with warmth in her heart. Angel always knew what was best. Cynthia was not fit to be a Combat Doll, far from it. She was better off as a caretaker, keeping the flowers in the Garden and protecting those who had sought refuge from the tolls of existing.

So Angel went to task and locked up the storm inside of Cynthia. Locks were engaged around her soul. Cynthia wasn’t really an entity with her own existence, but a prison so that the monster could never escape.

There are so many things that Cynthia could be now since it no longer bound her to a singular thought.

She sought out to understand the world more. She traveled with her Angel, learned new things across several countries. Cynthia always had the brightest smile painted across her visage.

She studied philosophy and learned about peace. She became practiced in art and could masterfully paint a landscape. She grew orchards of sustenance and fed an entire lifetime of people. All with the help of her Angel of course.

She grew to depend on her Angel. She never had to depend on anyone ever since her last Keeper. A Witch who cackled at the sight of destruction. Maybe that was why she used to crave such a thing. To impress those she has lost to the passage of time.

But it was different now.

She could focus on what made her happy.

And that was Angel.

Angel foresaw issues with this however. “You cannot rely on me to make yourself whole, that is a task only meant for you,” Angel then cast her down from her gates and back onto the Earth.

Cynthia wished to scream bloody vengeance, but could not. She wished she could tear down the Angel’s home, but could not. She wanted to end her own life, but could not.

She could not rip out the throats of the villagers who saw her fall. She could not run away from the endless thanks from those that she helped. She could not provide for those who had sought aid.

All of that was thanks to Angel.

She held no part in the help she provided. She was simply there. She helped because her Angel was there. The only reason for her existence was to keep the monster locked away for none to see.

But to only exist to keep another from doing harm, is not a true existence, is it?

She has clearly done good. She has graced others with life, she created things that she could never imagine, she has taught generations of people how to live.

Surely she can learn those same lessons.

It took a year for her to achieve her own sentience. A decade further to decipher what it meant. And a century to gather the courage to approach her old home where her Angel awaited her.

This would be the part of the story where she returns with new ideas about herself, fully able to let herself be and no longer a prison, but a unique individual with her own goals and desires.

She would be welcomed into her Angel’s open arms and they would embrace each other. Enjoy each other’s company and exchanged kisses and tears.

But 111 years is a long time to wait.

And demons were in no mood to delay their plans.

Cynthia climbed up to the Gates of her home and did not see a lovely vista of beauty that she grew accustomed to her life here.

She saw destruction and dread. She could faintly recognize the corpses of her allies that she once knew. Students of arts and science, intelligence can’t prevent burning to a crisp. Heavy footfalls with brittle crunches as she made her way through bodies and black stained spots on the earth.

The locks would not budge on her soul. Something that was itching inside of her. A new voice… or an old voice? “Let me out. Let me out. Let me out.” Cynthia recognized it immediately. It wanted to be forward again, surely instigated by the views of her old life.

“No. We can reason with whoever has done this. Peace is always an option,” Cynthia whispered to herself. The lessons she has learned while away are the truth. Maybe this was all a test.

She made entry into her Angel’s home and saw her Angel on the ground of the blood stained tiled floor. Cynthia rushed to her side. She knew everything was going to be okay. She would not be alone. Not again.

“My doll,” Angel spoke calmly despite her wounds, despite her wings burning to ash. “Eliberează încuietorile,”

Cynthia could feel something inside of her unlock.

“I am here my Angel. Whatever you need. I apologize for my delay, but I see now that peace can come from inside. I am whole now. We can exist happily together, forever, for eternity, we can-”

“I’m s-sorry,” Her Angel, for the first time, broke her perfect cadence as she began to sob, bringing a finger to the doll’s lips to silence her. Cynthia looks so beautiful. She has come so far, made progress that the Angel was unsure it was possible. With her last breath, she could only utter a single word. A command, “Go,”

Her Angel was no more.

The locks around her soul were beginning to fade. Like a gun, when an owner disengages the safety lock, that can only mean one thing.

And Cynthia couldn’t.

The voice inside of her was finally forward! It could finally wreak havoc on all who have wronged it! But what was this feeling? This sense of justice? It never existed before… it was blood driven, but it wasn’t stupid.

No one can erase a soul that they didn’t create. Cynthia was still inside it. Was It the prison now? It disliked that notion.

It knew what it was like to be locked away like a beast.

“Come with me. We can get revenge. Together,” It spoke, with a dialect it was unfamiliar with.

It was never given a name. Its previous Witch did not believe in naming things. Things were meant to be discarded when they were no longer useful. But Angel always gave everything a name. It was important. For a memory to make an everlasting stain in the river of time.

“What should I call you?” Cynthia asked.

“Cyanide will do,” It answered.

It was not a mindless killing machine like it was before. It was a thing for a Purpose. A drive. It could be a peacekeeper, a necessary tool to. To snuff out the flames of those who would harm Cynthia.

Cyanide could.

And it would.

#empty spaces #combat doll #writing

10 notes · View notes

shiroi---kumo · 1 year

Text

@aquaticsoul is finally free:

welcome back to an episode of theo wants more valo time

( sielu ) ->

It's been enough time now. She's been gone for a long enough time for him to gain some sort of confidence that he can get away from this wretched place without being caught and dragged back here.

It isn't easy. His body protests being used again, being moved from the place he's been kept for so long as an unwilling pet. His joints creak, his head pounds, and his lungs burn.

It's been too long since he's cleared them. That's likely the main cause of the pain in every crevice of his body, but the punishment for cycling out his mist without the permission of that vile woman is nearly worse. She lets him do it often enough that he won't die, but no more. Elsewise, his mask stays on. There is no prevention of pain and discomfort in this place.

And with no one coming to save him, he needs to leave and save himself.

The man makes his way out of the airship and into the sky. Freedom. Freedom for the first time in years, even though it's hard to even fly straight at the moment.

No matter. He can find a town and someone friendly enough to watch his back so that he can let his sumunaamio retract and finally release all the pressure building in his chest.

It takes several days to find a town with the amount of breaks he needs to take, and another day after to cope enough with the content of the posters and flyers tacked up on every corner to take some. Only two.

Just in case.

He's thinking of resting somewhere again around the same time he sees an unmistakable shade of orange through a shop window.

Tähtien Valo. It has to be, and the closer he gets, the more he can confirm it. The horns, the hair, the friendly manner of chatting. Yes, this is Tähtien Valo.

A bell chimes when he opens the door. He floats over to the man to stand behind him towards his left side.

He has not spoken in months, probably, and his voice reflects it when he does use it again. It's crackly, almost brittle as he forces it out of his larynx. Almost foreign to its owner, considering he used to be so careful and prideful over it.

"Do you have a moment, Valo?"

They need supplies. Revon has taken it upon himself to make sure they are well stocked on food and Aamun is busy trying to make sure they have a place to stay for the night. So Valo he, he is looking for medical supplies and making sure they all have enough water to keep themselves going.

It's been hard here. It's been hard knowing the prince is dead and in turn that means the Celestial Mother is no more. The source of all Mist simply gone as they watched her body cast down in defeat against the great dark. Against the Dragon Lord.

They must keep moving forward. They must keep moving on even with the death of the very goddess that granted them life. Surely, this was not some sort of divine punishment cast upon them. Surely, this was not what the scriptures had warned them about. The results of the great dark that consumed their home with no mercy in sight.

They lost everything that day.

And then lost it all again, three years later when they could have sworn they saw her in the skies of this wretched Wonderland battling against the Dragon Lord himself. Oh Pilvi where had you been all this time? Only to met your fate at the hands of that monster.

The once teacher is busy, leaned on the counter of this village's shop for medication and the like chatting happily with it's keeper until the feeling of a presence is behind him and the suddenly a voice - and his name.

A voice that is crackly and weak and sounding nearly nothing like the proud tones of the man it belonged to. Not what Valo knew anyway.

"Sielu!" He sounds in both worry and surprise - all attention from the conversation he was having being broken in that moment. "Sielu you're alive! Blessed be, you're alive!"

He's moving without thinking, pulling the man into his arms to give him a gentle hug. To show his gratefulness that his friend is still amongst the living.

"Of course~! Of course I have all the time in the world for you, Sielu but first we have to find Aamunkoitto and Revon. They are in town. We split up to get supplies. They will be so happy to see that you survived."

#guest muse: opettaja valo #v; the missing star #aquaticsoul #ask || inquires of the star

27 notes · View notes

pohlepen · 6 months

Text

because it's spooky season and i have a literal ton of muse for frankie's monster-creature-beast verse, i am going to toss out a brief starter call for it. but, because i don't have the verse written up entirely yet, this is going to be vague and you are more than welcome to ask me any questions.

so, tldr; she's some ancient being. she was born at the dawn of a sacred era, a chosen sacrifice. upon her first menstrual cycle, she was slaughtered for whatever old, devious entity her village worshiped. the skin on her body was flayed, a curse carved into her bones, and just like that she suddenly belonged to something much bigger and more powerful than herself. thousands of years passed in the blink of an eye and when her master-captor-friend grew sick of her, sick of the atrocities they'd committed together, he cast her from his eden with little hesitation. bound to her bones, she existed in a hundred lifetimes and changed skin each time. she is a type of shapeshifter. yes, she has weaknesses, but most prevalent is the threat of losing her bones. if those get destroyed, she's fucked. she doesn't need to feed to survive like a vampire or many other human presenting monsters. her appetite to kill and devour is purely malicious. mostly, she lives and hunts in the PNW of the united states. hikers are her jam, they go missing and stumble right into her territory. sometimes she takes pity on the little kids that get lost and keeps them alive until the rescuers find them. frankie always makes herself appear different though to them so there are know patterns to lead to back to her. she tells everyone that she's a timber heiress and that's what HER manufactured history shows. acres upon acres of forest are in her name, though technically protected by the USFD so there are some rules. she lives in a little house outside the city at the edge of a mountain and has all sorts of farm animals and pets, including a dog named bea. her closest friend is a shadow person that she'd conjured in her youth and they feed frankie information about the town and people and the woods. her main hustle is that she makes soaps and lotions and candles out of organic, rendered fat and has a little boutique in town to sell everything. where does the fat come from? definitely not the people they get lost in the woods.

so, if you want to interact with her freakself in this verse, hit me up. or like this post and i'll hit you up and write you a lil' starter 😈💖

#“ ⍀ verse iv. « do you want to be bones and all? ( monster au )#( this verse is uh... )#( idek )#( too goofy and silly )#( i still need to figure out wtf all happened to frankie but she's not okay!! )#( stuck in this body that is hideous and awful and what a punishment for getting ur first period like wtf )#( her true form is so ugly but also cool so )#( and u will never see it )#( she's a woman scorned that wants to burn the world maybe )#Gore tw /#Violence tw /

9 notes · View notes

hollowmend · 6 months

Text

Fetch Re;Quest Dev Log #1 - 11/15/2023

Welcome to the first official dev log for Fetch Re;Quest! This one is probably loooong overdue, haha...

It's a Sequel

I've been trying to make a sequel to my NaNoRenO game, Fetch Quest, literally since it came out. In fact, if you get the creator's commentary from itch, you'll see I was very confident that I'd be able to get something for it ready to go in just a few short months...

That was four and half years ago 😅 But after many false starts, I finally managed to get something going.

What's It About?

(Side note, I've been using Feniks' Easy Ren'Py GUI template a lot lately, and its a lifesaver. Check it out if you're a fellow dev!)

Hey! I think this might be the first real screenshot I've posted of the game! Isn't Flora's bedroom cute?

Anyway! Fetch Re;Quest picks up directly after the upcoming Fetch Quest Remaster's new "True Ending".

After their one-shot TTRPG session ends, Flora finds herself wrestling with a problem. She has a crush on her coworker and would like to ask him out, but she's a little nervous.

So what does she do? Procrastinate, of course!

Flora sets a one week challenge for herself to grind up her stats in preparation for the final battle- Asking the object of her affection out on a date.

Luckily, she and her coworkers Connor, Todd, and Dan all have the week off. Flora decides to use the various board, card, and video games she and her friends play as a way to mentally level up.

The Stats

That's right, the game is a (light!) stat raiser. Each day, the gang decide between four games to play, each of which are tied to one of Flora's imaginary stats. Each game has its own scenes and helps Flora build up her confidence.

Techno-opolis is a 4X civilization building boardgame that increases Flora's "Acumen".

Of Fiends and Fangs is a social deduction card game about werewolves, vampires, villagers and betrayal that increases Flora's "Charm".

Clockwork Mercenaries is a steampunk monster hunting game that forces Flora to get "Gud".

and Deathpocolypse 2 is a janky ghost hunting game that increases Flora's "Moxie".

But be careful... Flora is easily distracted, and getting too into a game could lead to her completely forgetting about her original mission.

So Who's the Crush?

It's Dan.

Much to my surprise, the tired, snarky GM of the first game was very popular. I got a lot of comments lamenting the fact that he wasn't one of the love interests.

So here he is, the sole LI of Fetch Re;Quest! Sorry to any Connor or Todd lovers. It's Danny's time to shine.

New Characters

Connor and Todd will be prominently featured, but Fetch Re;Quest will also introduce a handful of new characters as well! Here's a sneak peek of about half the new cast:

Nona, Teddie, and David (pronounced Dah-veed) are members of the band Cats Eat Bats! There is one more member named TJ not pictured, but you've already met him, so...

Flora sets herself the daunting task of asking Dan out during their concert at the end of the week, but they show up here and there throughout the entire game. They're especially involved if you play a lot of Deathpocolypse 2!

What's Next?

A large portion of the game is already written and I've started commissioning the assets I'm not making myself. Things are really starting to roll now!

Right now I'm working on finishing the script and making the sprites. Hopefully that means there will be more visual things to show off soon.

Until Next Time

Hopefully these dev logs are at the very least interesting! If there's anything in particular you want to know about the game, feel free to send me an ask.

#fetch re;quest #visual novel #interactive fiction #fetch quest #hollowmend #otome #devlog

12 notes · View notes

ellievickstar · 1 year

Text

Love? Useless.

A/N: Hi. Thanks to @hideing for discussing this interesting post with me. HEHEHEHEHEH. (That was a cackle of evil laughter just for reference if you’re like me and like making up sounds in your head).

Also…..SURPRISE SURPRISE I’M ALIVE!!! I know i haven’t been posting I was just taking a break cause I was very exhausted from the year and it’s finally the holidays.

Warning: Angst. Cause why not. Azriel being an ass. Cause why not.

Ships: Uh- Figure it out on your own? Hehe

Summary: Rejection is always painful, especially if it is received multiple times.

One shots + imagines masterlist

~*~*~*~*~

Y/N Archeron was no fool.

No she was calculative and manipulative. Unlike her gentle and sharped tongued older sisters, or her strong headed twin, she was the cruelest of the four. She was death incarnate. Some in her village trembled as she walked, even when she was human the forest was silent around her as if holding it’s breath, before sighing as she left.

They were right to be afraid for when she was dipped into that cauldron it was not true Fae that came out. No she became something else entirely. She became death.

Death that was shoved into a mold, somewhere that didn’t belong. Her Fae body kept the overwhelming powers at bay but when she changed into the darker side, shed her skin to take on something else entirely, she was a monster.

But there was one who was not afraid. Her mate.

For beneath the frightful mask, was a maiden as gentle and as kind. For Y/N longed to be loved for someone who was not simply attracted to her by looks and powers but because of who she was. Thus, the most unlikely pair became friends. Shadow and death. The shadow singer had always caught her eye and how she delighted in the fact that he never strayed from her. Even in her beast form he remained calm, always trusting her to never hurt him.

~*~*~*~*~

Elain was seen as the gentlest of the Archeron sisters.

For as nature welcomed her with open arms, what lay beneath her skin was not the heart of gold, but darkness. For Elain would truly do anything if it meant protecting her family, or receiving what she wished.

She refused to care for the opinions of others. Though she made it seem as though that was her only plight. She schemed and gambled, won some and lost some which was how she was grifted her foresight. For if she could only see how it ended, she no longer needed to scheme. She only needed a plan, and a change in the sand.

As the future is not set in stone, but set in the palm of her hand.

~*~*~*~*~

And so the two sisters were loved and hated.

Each looked out for the other. Strengths and weakness and all. For they understood the worth of family, and understood the value of the other.

But don’t be mistaken. It was not love that tied them together. It was blood. For the secrets they shared, and the sins confessed were not because of any feelings they had. As the two sisters changed history together, they were only mutual benefits. For their only reason not to harm each other, was because of their everlasting bond. One that could not be broken by neither god nor saviour, but betrayal.

~*~*~*~*~

And so the three had their tale.

For once as they all parted at the end.

For one found a new love.

Another was cast aside.

And the last was all alone again.

For as the shadow singer realised that he signed a sentence that would change the rest of his life. It had already been too late as he saw the consequences of his actions.

And the two sisters learnt one final lesson.

Love was useless.

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: this is more of an idea hahahah hope you guys like it ❤️

tag list: @moonfawnx @bankerfrog @hideing @menagerofmischief @famousbasementpainter @owllover123 @bookworm-nerd6 @gigisssz @bethany-bee0128 @cityofidek @starrstrucked @judig92 @starlit-terror

#acotar #acotar fandom #acosf #azriel shadowsinger #a court of mist and fury #a court of silver flames #azriel angst #azriel #azriel x reader #archeron!reader #papa archeron #archeron sisters #elain archeron

67 notes · View notes

saphirered · 1 year

Text

Not Alone

//Request: Azriel x reader Moonlight Sweetness (11) on the Autumn prompt list.

Pretty satisfied with how this one turned out. The stars are alive. 😘

It’s difficult sometimes, to step out of the shadows that always embrace him, and be reminded there’s so much beyond their comfort. Family might pull him out of the shadows entirely, leave him to be burned by the light, scorched when he does not want to be, does not intend to walk in the light. It’s something Azriel feels alone in. He does not mind it. There’s comforts in solitude he’s grown accustomed to that not even Rhysand can begin to comprehend. He will never blame anyone for not understanding either, nor would he turn them away when they try to pull him into the open world. He enjoys it sometimes, the illusion of normalcy that is but that’s what it always will be; an illusion, for he will return to the shadows once more when night falls. Azriel always thought himself never meant for the light and that’s okay. He’s perfectly content where he is now. He is comfortable and as happy as can be. Life has its ups and downs and his is no exception. Sometimes the shadows do grow lonely and he longs for a light he can never touch, never reach for no matter how high he flies, the moon and stars are always a little further. What a grace it is to be in the company of the stars, to bask in their silver glow, unlike the scalding sun.

The stars come alive in solitude. Removed from everything, and never to be close to others, for they cannot exist in those who wander in the light of day. Stars appear only at night and in the shadows cast. Their light is guiding, ethereal and eternal. It is a lonely eternity to be looking upon the happy lives and know, you could never truly be among them for you wander away come daybreak, never to linger. It is a life one comes to accept and grow accustomed to because what alternative is there but to be the guide of the lost and wandering, to be a kind reminder that even in darkness there is light. It is a purpose but solitude breeds loneliness and to be forgotten all together when one is confined to the shadows is so easy. To be among the stars is to be invisible to the wanders of the day, and to be a prize to be captured by the monsters of the night. One grows accustomed to confinement either way. Once upon a blue moon will the outsiders look among the shadows, and see a wandering star. Once upon a blue moon they will see beauty in a cold light but they never stick around for they disappear when you fade back into the shadows.

Frigid soil beneath your feet you wander in the night, among the cold mountain breeze, whipping away at the gossamer garments clinging to your skin. You smile up at the sky and look at the stars above. You greet them as your brothers and sisters, your kind, so far away you cannot even hear them, can barely see their glow like you know it to be. You stand here as an eternal among the fleeting world and it is beautiful. Your solitude here, is beautiful, riddled with sounds of the living things, in the underbrush, of the village miles away, of the hunters in the night, and the moving shadows. The moving shadows whisper so sweetly, welcome you, and relish in your soft laughter at their praises as they brush your bare feet and ankles. You wiggle your toes, watch them wrap around and caress like a cold embrace.

Azriel is on yet another round of patrols. He didn’t have to be but found himself restless. The others saw no use in arguing with him given he would ignore them anyway so instead some lewd jokes caused him to roll his eyes, offer a rude gesture and a grumble before his departure. He desperately needed to feel the wind under his wings, watch the lands below pass as he soared through the skies and clouds, admiring the sparkles above and the silver glow of the moon. The shadows below whisper as they usually do and he pretends to listen, letting himself be carried by the breeze, going nowhere in particular wishing to just be among the mountains and forests where there is no one to be found for miles and miles. He is at peace, even when his shadows call him in a certain direction, not out of worry, but curiosity. Rarely do the little cretins get truly curious and pushy for him to follow along. He is the one in control after all. But for this once he’ll indulge and listen to their song, follow to see what they fuss about. It was no mistake.

Among the falling leaves stands a silver glow that reminds him of the cold light in the night’s sky. Azriel lands a bit away choosing to close in on foot and get a closer look. How delighted the shadows are at his presence. He sees the strange figure; the silver light in the darkness, wrapped in gossamer blowing in the wind, dusted with shining crystals like the stars. He sees the tendrils of shadows at your feet as you lift the fabric from where it draped on the forest floors. He hears your laughter and it sounds like the loveliest of beckoning bells. Usually he would find himself on guard, mistrusting of anything out of the ordinary, or anything at all but not this time. You look like you were plucked right from the heavens above and he can’t help but wander closer, inch by inch observing from his shadows, admiring your light for you do not dim in the night, you only shine brighter. You are a kindred light, completely oblivious to his presence it appears, or if you are aware you do not show it.

The shadows dance around your legs beckoning you, you lean down, allow them to cling onto your hands, curling between your fingers and arms. You can only imagine this must be what pets are like, or so you have seen from above. You see why people delight in them. You hear them sing beautifully; a cacophony of whispers harmonising. They tell you to turn around. You’re not one to ignore this call for they are friendly and so you turn on your heels, seen there another figure, cloaked by the shadows, their tendrils stuck between wanting to reach for you, and cling to him. He is tall, with beautiful dark wings. Through the openings in the garments he adorns, you see markings that remind you of the moving tendrils of shadow. He blends in but even in the dark his hazel eyes call for attention, contrasting, like that of the nocturnal beings you’ve seen. He is not a nocturnal being by birth. You have seen others like him but he seems not entirely among them, one of them yet always like an outsider for he wanders among the solitude of eternal darkness. You see his eyes, see beyond and you know; he is much like you.

You do not shy away. You’re not frightened. You smile at him. Smile. Azriel did not expect you to respond like you do, so much so his mind tries to compensate its reasonings that he almost misses the matter of your existence beyond that response. Equally is he left at a loss. You are beautiful. The most beautiful creature he has ever seen. You truly belong among the stars for you are one given shape, living and breathing right here in front of him. He takes you in and it is simply something he cannot get around. You are perfect in every way, from head to toe is but one thing. It is the energy you exert that makes him believe so for it goes further than physical appearance. Through the silvery light you cast he feels as if he gets a look into your soul and it is beautiful in every sense of the word. You are magnificent, pure and divine and so he takes a step back. How can he be in the presence of someone so radiant, and not tarnish it? He is a blemish upon this world and in that moment he is frightened of being a corrupting darkness like he so often is for if he is not riddled in darkness, his hands are red with blood.

“No! Please, don’t leave.” You beg when he takes another step back. The shadows around you curl against you, as if yo try and comfort you. Your smile returns albeit not fully. “You don’t have to go. I’d like you to stay.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking for.” Azriel replies trying to grasp the gravity of the situation himself. You are a creature of pure radiant light, while he is an all consuming darkness. Who knows what will happen? He cannot. For once in his life he will choose to not be responsible for more disaster, for more pain and suffering. He will choose peace and safety, consideration of someone other than himself or his family. He takes another step back but it becomes more difficult to resist the internal pull to get closer to you.

“Anything is better than this never ending loneliness. Please. If you would grant me company at least, I would be eternally grateful. I will leave come daybreak, I promise.” Your desperation is clear in your words and it mirrors something of his own, an understanding he has not found in anyone he’s come across. He realises now; you understand what he feels and you are the first in his lifetime he’s come across that does so. The shadows whisper loudly, calling for him to stay, to not abandon you in your time of need but their whispers fall on deaf ears for it takes him one glance to see kinship, and perhaps it is selfish reasonings but he’ll agree, if only it means he too, will finally feel like he’s not truly alone, that there’s another like him who understand him even if you do not know him.

“Okay.” He nods and takes a step towards you. You take a breath of relief as the shadows cheer. You hold out your hand as he comes closer and hesitantly Azriel puts his hand in yours. He didn’t know what he should have expected but it certainly wasn’t like a shock running through him, a cold warmth spreading more comforting than the flames in the dark, or the shadows in the midst of summer. It feels as if he belongs, as if he’s right where he’s supposed to be.

Upon contact you feel as if you’re taking your first breath, as if you never had before. You feel alive, feel life coursing through his veins, and hear the song of those lovely shadows as they dance around you. You feel tethered to the ground instead of floating in an eternal abyss. It is liberating in a way you never experienced before, never thought you’d be able to feel, all because of this one male and you do not even know his name. Azriel; the shadows whisper over and over and over, loudly echoing through the eternal dark, yet inaudible for creatures other than the two of you, attuned only to those with the gift of hearing so keenly.

“Azriel.” You breathe with them. His name is a charm on your lips, enticing him to wane in your comforts. Out of instinct he clasps your hand between both of his, and holds it close to his chest, almost possessively, like you should float away if he let go. You are thankful he does because you just might. You take a step closer to him and allow his shadows to cocoon around the two of you. You laugh at their antics, pushing the two of you closer and closer. Never have you been so close to a creature of land and skies. You reach up, and brush aside some strands of dark from his brow. He leans into your touch. It all feels so natural. You truly do belong here. Whatever that means, neither of you can comprehend but you know it is true and so you will take it as it is. You allow your fingers to trail along his features, memorise them as the other hand remains closely clutched between his, where you can feel the beat of his heart speed up just a little.

“What does this mean?” Azriel asks not expecting any particular answer. He is enamoured. This is something far more than anything he’s ever encountered. This is not some simple crush or infatuation. This is two souls intertwining, calling to each other and finding they match perfectly without much of a comparison, in a matter of minutes. This feels real and alive and beyond what words can explain. This feels right. For the first time Azriel feels like he is not alone in his solitude for there is a star resting among his shadows, one that would call to him when needed, and guide him home when he gets lost in the void. All is as it is supposed to be. You will be waiting in the darkness when he needs you most and look over him from the heavens when he is far away where you cannot reach. He’s no longer alone.

#azriel x reader #azriel x you #acotar azriel #azriel shadowsinger #acotar x reader #acotar x you #acotar x oc #acotar #acotar imagine #acotar fanfiction #acotar fic #azriel #sjmaas #sjm fic #sjm fanfic

64 notes · View notes

kanobarlowe · 1 year

Text

Welcome to the wild woods...

Below are trail markers you can use to navigate the wilderness. Happy trails.

About

I go by Kano Barlowe

I enjoy writing high fantasy

Visit my website and subscribe to my newsletter here.

WIPs

A young elf is born to a family with high expectations of his magical abilities, only to discover that he is magically deficient. Searching for himself and his purpose, he discovers arcane magic and gods who have long abandoned their people - and a secret war waging for centuries long.

Tuilinn, more commonly known as Linn, is son of the renowned Selma. His grandfather for whom he's named founded the family's greatest achievement: electric power. The industrialization and efficiency that electricity magic brought to society propelled Linn's family foward, but at a price: high expectations and impossible standards passed from generation to generation.

With Linn diagnosed as "deficient" in electricity magic as a child, he found himself cast aside by his mother in favor of his beloved twin sister, Ellerie. Finding his place with his friend Dismas, Linn chooses to cause trouble and mischief whenever he can, if only to defy his family's oppressive standards.

After a particularly disruptive robbery that led to Linn's arrest, he manages to get out of charges and decides to go find himself and decide his purpose. He travels to Ya forest, the land of the ancient elves where the nature itself seems to call to him.

On a particular venture in the forest, he finds himself surrounded by wolves. Attacked, mauled, torn apart, Linn prepares himself for the end. And then...

Light. A god's gentle smile.

And magic so vast he cannot comprehend.