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homesteadchronicles · 3 years

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Character Description Challenge (ft. The “A Cycle of Seals” Cast)

Last night, my friend @ayzrules (who is unrivaled in edits and graphic design, be sure to go check her out) posted a prompt challenge to our Discord server: “describe your character’s appearance without mentioning color” and/or “show us how your character looks through interaction rather than description”. I decided to go for broke and tackle both in one go, featuring a handful of the A Cycle of Seals cast.

Since it turned out so well, I wanted to share it with you all, as I have undoubtedly starved this blog for original content.

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“Oblige an old woman her shallow wish,” Old Gurtrune pleaded. Shining eyes stared unseeing at the ceiling. “Tell me: my grandchildren…what do they look like now?”

Oeden stopped dead in his tracks. Old Gurtrune, as the locals likened their ancient matriarch, had not beheld the beauty of Edenfell since before Oeden’s own birth. Would she remember hues? Would she remember shadows?

His mother had once tasked him with explaining color to a blind client, a failed venture for sure. Now, faced with the impossible once more, Oeden wondered: how do you describe what one has never seen?

So he did what had always worked: look to them, at them, for answers.

Royan stood tall - too tall, this tangle of giggling limbs - as a guard against the encroaching darkness. Warden steel hung off his body in ill-fitted lumps. He had yet to touch the sword at his hip. No soldier’s armor could disguise the pacifist inside it. He hugged his cloak of woven fur, the Godewine wolf enshrouding him in its everlasting protection, tight against the slightest wind. Wide eyes swept the horizon for signs of an imminent snowfall. No predator’s skin could disguise the pup beneath it.

But Oeden need not depict the armored mask this picturesque society plastered overtop of his body. Gurtrune would want to know the son inside, the wick within a silver suit awaiting illumination.

His hair shone like sunlight against the night sky. Each lock entangled itself amongst the stars, weaving constellations together in radiant array. They wove downwards, tugged the stars with them, until they met lips split in careless bliss. That practiced delight birthed dimples that pushed back his freckles like a fortress wall against scattered forces. Even Eirwyn’s Breath - her exhaled aurora reaching out overheard - held no candle to his light.

And then Eirys came, the match to his wick.

Slender fingers still sticky with balm embraced her brother’s iron-clad arm. One poked him in the nose. Another prodded at his hip. By the pout in her lip, Royan must have laughed off her compassion. What an unfortunate expectation - no one ever listened to Eirys until they needed salvation.

Whatever treatment she intended for her bruised sibling she now stuffed into the satchel at her hip. Oeden remembered every vial and vessel crammed therein, its contents spilled onto his bed as his medicine woman worked her ineffective magic. The faith healers of Norire, it seemed, allowed their princess to forgo the stuffy uniform in favor of more girlish garb so long as she retained their supplies. What did Eirys mind? Blood and earth dirtied the rim of her skirts either way. “Best to look beautiful,” she once assured him. “Better to keep the patients eyes away from their own bodies.”

She shook her head in reluctant surrender. Royan’s mane might have mingled amongst the stratosphere, but Eirys’ took a torch to the heavens. The waves of his hair bowed beneath her wild locks and the sky, too, succumbed. Each strand flowed like a comet crashing into orbit, a shooting star to wish upon.

How he wished to run his hands through it. How he wished no dying hands had.

Oeden understood the damage that marred their otherwise-unblemished facade. He had noted the twitch of Royan’s hand when the Timekeeper’s Seal stung his wrist, memorized the callouses Eirys had accrued from amputating her impaired protectors. The world and its Cycles had stolen perfection from them.

Yet, their brilliance never dimmed.

Together they - the only source of warmth in all Norire, in maybe all of Edenfell - turned towards Oeden and deigned to smile. One look set his cheeks to burning, his heart ablaze with affection. He needed these people. These renegades of resplendence. These arsonists in darkness.

One look and Oeden knew what Gurtrune needed - no, deserved - to hear.

“They are a light,” Oeden answered at last, “when the rest of us cannot see.”

#writeblr #original writing #my writing #writing excerpt #writing prompt #writing #writers of tumblr #writers on tumblr #writing things #writer things #write #writer #writers #a cycle of seals #oeden sincairn #royan godewine #eirys godewine #gurtrune godewine

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homesteadchronicles · 4 years

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KINGDOM COME: Writing Excerpt (”Down the Path of Penance”)

Another night of inspiration, another piece released. Albeit much shorter than my last excerpt, this touches on an important subject: the dichotomy between the newfound prince and the once-princess. The intent here was to work on their dynamic, balancing between the bickering and bantering siblings often switch between on a dime, and divulge more of this nation’s mysteries.

Did it work? Let me know! For now, kick back and read on...

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EXCERPT DETAILS:

PROJECT: Kingdom Come CHAPTER: Royan VII (The Undying) CHARACTERS: - Royan Godewine: Norian prince, knight captain, reluctant heir to the throne - Sigrid Godewine: Former princess, adoptive sister to Royan, daughter of the now-deceased king SETTING: - The Path of Penance: The primary street leading from the city gate to the Waymaker Cathedral at the capital’s heart - Almsgard: A fortress city built into a mountain that serves as the capital of Norire - Norire: One of the seven kingdoms who lost their king in the last war CONTEXT: - On the morning of a nationwide memorial service for their fallen king, Royan and Sigrid prepare to transport the casket down the Path of Penance

CONTENT WARNING(S): Referenced Character Death

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Had it not been for the diadem weighing down his own hair, Royan would not have realized: Sigrid had traded her veil for a crown.

Although their king left no widow in his wake, Norian culture dictated that the next of kin would instead take up the mourning wear in their parent’s stead. For Sigrid, it meant swallowing her pride and slipping into a gown as gray as the grave. Like the smoke of a funeral pyre, Royan thought, the echoes of their childhood history lessons coming back to him now. Like the ash left behind in the fire’s wake.

The image of Sigrid in steel and silver had become such a common sight that this dress seemed all the more drab in comparison. Even the wolf pelt draped about her shoulders could not salvage her visage. What did it matter? The absence of a veil left few eyes looking elsewhere.

“You know,” Royan said, with an upward gaze and upturned lips, “this is the one time I can say ‘no one wants to see your face’ and you don’t have the right to beat me up. You’re sort of stealing my thunder here!”

Sigurd snorted. “No one would be staring at your ugly mug either way.” Her horse chose then to swat him with its tail, in unspoken cahoots with its caretaker. “But if you mean the veil, I won’t be wearing it.”

“Oh, now I see,” Royan replied, propped up against the makeshift casket. “You have a death wish!” He slapped the stone beneath him until it sang in agreement. “Good thing there’s room: we’ll have to squeeze you in. If Mom doesn’t throw you to the wolves herself.”

“She might have,” Sigrid agreed, “had it not been her idea.”

“...pardon?”

“Your mother decided to send a message: that it was time our kingdom moved on. For five years now, they’ve stood still, waiting for some savior to say they can keep going without their old king.”

His sister turned to him, perhaps for the first time that day. It must have been, for how else would he have missed the conviction and contrition, each smoldering like embers in her eyes? “Haven’t you noticed? Noticed the...the nothing in them!? How their tears freeze before they leave their face, hands numb to the ones they hold. Our people have forgotten how to feel, Royan!”

Sigrid confronted the crowd awaiting their grief-stricken royal, defiant and dignified. “I won’t deprive them of a princess in pain. No, they will see what it means to weep and walk forward.” In a whisper, almost too soft to be anything but a prayer, she said, “I only hope they follow in my footsteps...”

And then, she pressed on.

#writing excerpt #original writing #amwriting #my writing #creative writing #writeblr #writeblr community #writers of tumblr #writers on tumblr #writing #kingdom come #royan godewine #sigrid godewine

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homesteadchronicles · 4 years

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Kingdom Come: Writing Excerpt (“A Baptism by Blood”)

With my hiatus nearing its inevitable end, I’ve found myself looking for a means make writing natural again. Not having done so for a long time left me feeling anxious whenever I wanted to wipe off the rust and write my heart out. Thus, I want to try something new: writing prompts.

These won’t always be canon, these won’t always be excerpts from the actual project itself. They’re glimpses into the past, into the could-be future, into alternate timelines. They are what will allow me to expand my imagination and hone my skills until I feel confident transforming my outline into a draft once more.

For now, enjoy a snippet into the pasts of two protagonists: Royan and Oeden. Before friendship, before prophecies, before princehood...before the Vault.

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EXCERPT DETAILS

Project: Kingdom Come Timeline: 5 Years Before Book One’s Beginning Character(s): Oeden “Halflife” Sincairn, Royan Godewine, Sigurd Godewine, Elyk Sincairn Content Warning: Blood, Warfare, Character Death, PTSD

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The battlefield drank the felled king’s blood with vampiric patience. Each inch of soil sat agape, holes dug from the rush of boots and hooves sitting open like anxious mouths awaiting dinner. Common bodies could not satiate this thirst - the ground hungered for a royal feast.

Oeden could taste it, too. His tongue, his lips, his fingertips: each bore the gravemaker’s stain. Blood had baptized him, a life of innocence laid to rest. He had expected to die somewhen in this war. He had not considered death could take his youth but leave his life.

Royan, however, had not just lost life - he had taken it. And it, in turn, took its toll on his soul.

Hundreds of soldiers, Norian or otherwise, encircled them like a carrion banquet. Anointed armor lay entangled between the mangled limbs of their unnamed assailants. Whoever wished them harm had done well to ambush them. Swords, arrows, the clash of steel and Seals: all an unexpected prelude to this newfound cemetery.

How had they survived when so many a knight met their end? I almost didn’t, Oeden realized. I wouldn’t have, if not for Royan.

Their king, however, had not his nephew’s fortune. Sigurd Godewine, once seated on the Frozen Throne of Norire, now sunk into a basin of bone and snow. The lance that stole his life still sat lodged in his torso, its tip stretching upwards as though it might break through this bodily barrier at any moment and continue its skyward course.

Yet, of the innumerable bodies of knights strewn about, none looked half as bad as the only survivor amongst them.

Royan shivered from a cold no winter could summon. His hands gripped the spear that pierced his uncle’s chest, the very thing that felled his family now allowing him to stand. What armor of his remained intact would soon rust from gore. Most remained in place, despite the casualties - a lost plate strap, the misplaced bracer.

But even through the blizzard, Oeden could see the shine of magic thrumming from Royan’s bared skin. He could feel it, the power a song that beckoned him. Oeden ignored the summons and approached Royan.

Mumbled apologies - or were they prayers? - fumbled from his mouth into unhearing ears. Noticing an unexpected presence, Royan spun about. Blue eyes froze upon recognition of a friend, a glare thawing into gladness. His knees buckled, tipped, spilled onto spoiled dirt.

Royan crumbled, but Oeden caught him.

“Royan? Listen to me,” Oeden pleaded. When his requests went unheard, he yanked his liege’s helmet towards him. “Look at me, Royan. Not at him. At me.”

Royan’s gaze flickered away but once. He met Oeden’s eyes without thanks.

“There you are.” Royan’s face did not mirror the smile in Oeden’s tone. “You see me, right?” A pause, and then a nod. “Then hear me: I know you want to stay, think you need to, even, but we must leave. Now.”

His eyes followed a red tear trailing down the metal helm. Before there be no more blood to spill. The teardrop dripped off of the visor, both boys watching its descent, until it rippled across the back of Royan’s hand. Crimson waves could not drown the truth beneath: a Seal had surfaced on his flesh.

Not an hour ago, that skin had remained devoid of defect. Now, the Timekeeper’s mark made its home on his hand. Had it always been lying dormant within him? Or had Sigurd done something to awaken it in his last moments on earth?

Oeden would have lingered in his dread, had that Sealscarred hand not lurched forward to clutch at his cloak. It searched for an escape Oeden could not provide.

“What do I do?” Royan asked, his voice a quiver. “Everyone will know what I am. They’ll want to make me king, Oeden!” He screamed the word as though it were a curse. “I can’t hide it, can’t ignore it, can’t discard it.” He sobbed: a single, broken howl. “I’m...trapped.”

Oeden knew all too well of such bindings, had borne invisible shackles that chained him to pariah-hood since conception. He refused to let another life be lost to unwarranted imprisonment. “Not if I can help it”.

One hand ripped a strip from his cloak. With the other, Oeden sought a weapon. A knife, a sword, anything would work. The only solution within reaching distance - as Royan made no motion to rise - came attached to the once-king’s corpse: Sigurd’s clawed gauntlet.

Before Royan could protest, Oeden had unbuckled the straps that kept the armor intact. You’ve already doomed his future, Oeden thought with a spite he was glad only God could hear, at least spare his present. One last tug and the gauntlet came free.

Oeden did naught but mumble an apology as Royan stared on with muted confusion. This might hurt, he thought, and swung the gauntlet across his master’s hand.

Royan scrambled backwards with an unseemly yelp. For a beat, the fear of betrayal ran rampant across his face.

Oeden waved the fabric like a white flag. “Trust me.”

Whether out of need or desire, Royan obeyed. The prince bowed in submission as his squire bandaged his hand - an unthinkable act elsewhere. But in the aftermath of battle? No one cared for class, race, creed. Those that outlasted death clung to the living with blind desperation.

As the treatment neared its end, Royan whispered what might have been a word of gratitude, if Oeden had not awaited the inquiry.

“...why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Oeden sensed from his lord’s blank stare that this trauma had overridden his survival instinct. “You can’t keep this a secret forever. But for now? Making it look like an injury will let you avoid suspicion long enough for us to - God willing - get back to Almsgard unscathed and out of enemy territory.”

“No, that’s not...I meant...” Royan fumbled, biting his lip. He seemed a child all the more then, somehow lost in a war zone. “Why, as in, ‘why are you helping me?’”

Oeden could have laughed, should have, even. What a ridiculous question! Oeden’s very existence as a squire meant ensuring the survival of his liege. Sure, they had never shared an intimate bond before, but that did not annul his duty. His occupation aside, who would not seize the chance to have the Northern royalty indebted to them - especially one as persecuted as he?

But the truth? That confession confused him, frightened him. But it spoke to him of a kindness he had not seen in all of Norire - a kindness, he hoped, could become consistent.

“You saved my life,” Oeden reminded him, “or have you forgotten already? Given the choice between protecting me and protecting your uncle, you came to my aid. Couldn’t tell you why you would do something so stupid - something I cannot, might I remind you, ever hope to repay. But I’d say I owe you this, at least, don’t you think?”

“I wasn’t looking for a refund...”

That sincerity warmed the frozen corners of Oeden’s heart. “Be that as it may, I’m indebted all the same.” He rose to his feet, dragging Royan’s weakened form along with him. “But we can decide on debts later. For now, we need to find the other survivors.”

If there are any, he thought. The battle’s gruesome nature left little guarantees of finding life amongst the carnage. Sealed God, if you’ve ever listened to me, let Lord Elyk have lived. Oeden didn’t dare imagine his mother’s reaction should she learn her husband died. She did not deserve to lose anything else.

The boys stumbled about the bodies, avoiding the ravens that had already begun their scavenging. They dared make no further noise, lest the survivor they see be an enemy in waiting. Oeden noticed Royan searching every face, some making his own fall.

These are his men, Oeden realized. His servants, his soldiers. Lifelong friends and family. All to save a king he damned...a king he might become.

When they had thought their search fruitless, Oeden heard a faraway cry. In the distance, obscured by sleet and mist, stood a host of knights. Two men, arms outstretched and voices raised towards them, awaited their arrival: Knight-Commander Magnus and Knight-Captain Elyk.

Our fathers live, Oeden thought, and the relief was enough to set him sprinting. Elyk did likewise, bounding towards his son until he could scoop him up in his arms. Oeden did not swallow his laugh or roll his eyes the way he would when his father embarrassed him elsewhere. Elyk did not think of dignity or disguise his affection for the sake of his men’s approval. Here, now, all that mattered to them both was that they had defied the odds. Their family had outsmarted death.

When both their breaths had been spent, Elyk placed Oeden back down, a kiss pressed to his forehead. “Thank the Seals you’re safe...”

Oeden curled further into his father’s embrace, but his gaze ventured beyond them to hover over Royan’s hand. No one is safe anymore...

#writing excerpt #my writing #original writing #writing #writeblr #write #writer #bookblr #author #drabble #kingdom come #oeden halflife #royan godewine

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homesteadchronicles · 4 years

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⭐ ?

Thank you so much for sending in a star! I explained in my first post but I hadn’t realized that I reposted that ask game soooo I didn’t understand the flood of stars in my inbox LOL but now that I put two-and-two together, I’m down to answer! Sorry for the wait.

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I’m going to give a very basic fact about one of my main characters (for those who aren’t familiar with my work), and then expand on it a bit for those avid followers o’ mine who need more!

Royan Godewine possesses a Divine Seal known as the “Timekeeper’s Seal” on his right wrist. With this, he can - to a minor degree - accelerate the flow of time in objects and humans he comes in contact with. This can create a variety of different outcomes: binding up a wound, eroding a rock, sprouting a seed, etc. However, Royan oftentimes does not think through why time’s flow should not be interrupted. For example, causing flesh to reseal could help someone with a bad cut not lose any more blood or it could cause the blood to clot, a bone to be stuck somewhere unhealthy, etc. because the rest of the body did not yet reset itself. A seed might germinate or it might die, depending on how much water and other nutrients it has at the time he touches it. Thus, he uses his power sparingly.

But what you might not know is that, unlike others bearing a Divine or Profane Seal, Royan was not born with his. His instead surfaced after his miraculous survival in an ambush that killed his uncle, the former king of Norire and previous bearer of the Timekeeper’s Seal. Records of those obtaining Seals later in life are few and far between, and the reasons for these circumstances even less clear. Some believe trauma can activate an inherent Seal in someone’s bloodline. Others believe it is divine intervention or contact with a spiritual entity that can bestow supernatural power. And then there are some theories, darker ones, that delve into unspeakable practices one must undergo to obtain one...

His ex-fiancee in Al-Hasan has always been suspicious about where her once-love magically obtained his, seeing as how her own Profane Seal had always been there to taunt her...

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Send a ⭐️ to my inbox to learn one fun fact about (one of the various) main characters in my WIP novel, Kingdom Come!

#writeblr #writing #writers of tumblr #writers on tumblr #ask game #ask #my character #my oc #original writing #my writing #royan godewine #kingdom come #krisseycrystal

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homesteadchronicles · 4 years

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Happy STS! 😊 How would your characters in their current state react if they were introduced to their original, baseline character concepts? Would they be different enough that it’s like meeting someone completely new, like meeting an uncanny doppelganger, or somewhere in the middle? I’m always a sucker for seeing how characters grow and develop not only within the course of the physical story, but also how they change and evolve as you go about writing them.

You know, I almost said I was done with STS responses for now...but I have to answer this! What a phenomenal question. Thank you so much for sending this in!

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This is the first incarnation with Briggid, so I’ve decided to instead show her all the drafts where I decided she didn’t need to exist. She wasn’t amused.

Eleazar is disgusted by the fact that I have now given him what used to be his father’s name. But at least he’s a lot more likable and has a personality distinguished from the other protagonists! I’ve given him much more snark and attitude, and shifted his position to something his current iteration would vastly prefer.

Poor Solomon would just be so confused. He would wonder why I could not settle on a race or an age for him. I don’t think he’d even recognize his older counterparts! Heck, this now-military commander was once a pacifist. But at least he was always respectable.

Here’s the thing with Royan: he didn’t start off having any powers whatsoever, and you didn’t have much of a reason to root for him. You’d think he’d be grateful for that, but no - he doesn’t want powers, unlike literally everybody else. So I clearly cannot please him. But at least I gave him a more suitable hair color and also made him lovable instead of moderately tolerable.

Oeden would be surprised how little his past incarnations have changed in terms of personality and occupation, but how vastly they have changed in literally everything else. He went from white to mixed, from brunette to redhead to auburn-haired, from having eighteen hundred plotlines to a controllable amount. He’d probably thank me, because this poor boy had waaaaay too much going on for a while there.

Medea would be SO mad at me. This girl has had so little change from her original incarnation because I knew exactly what I wanted to do with her from the beginning. But her OG self had two powers - Life and Death - whereas she only has death now. Her current self would kill to have both! But that’s why I took it from her. OP, please nerf.

Farukh’s actually stayed pretty consistent, too. The only thing that’s changed ten thousand times over is who his lover actually ends up being. This man has slept with half of Al-Hasan at this point. I think it would be one of the few things to unnerve him, sadden him even, to realize all the people who could have loved him if things had gone differently.

Kasumi might disown me as an author because I somehow made her family issues even worse than in the older drafts. I didn’t know that was possible, but I did. She did keep her butterfly motif, though! And she’s gotten more powers than just “good at spying”, so that’s a plus.

I definitely killed off Carmila’s mom at some point, and she still hasn’t forgiven me. At least her newest incarnation isn’t as serious and stuffy as her old ones! ...but she’s a little more childish and temperamental, so.

#storyteller saturday #sts #ask #thescreamingtwenties #kingdom come #briggid the inquisitive #eleazar #solomon #royan godewine #oeden halflife #medea brahim #farukh #kasumi of the shadow #carmila ramos

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homesteadchronicles · 4 years

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Happy STS! Your characters are sorrounded by their enemies: how do they escape? What would be their weapon of choice, if any?

Happy STS to you, too! This is such a fun question, especially for a gaming nerd like me. I admit to having envisioned a video game of my novel once or twice...or a thousand times over.

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Royan von Godewine’s means of escape would be to defend until he has an opportunity to flee. Royan is not a man of murder. He has seen enough death and wants to cause no more. Thus, he would rather knock out his enemies or rush through them than run them through with a blade. He wields a sword and shield, but more for defense than for destruction.

Oeden’s means of escape would be to debilitate the enemy. While his stepfather - Knight-Commander Elyk - has trained him in basic combat, it’s not where he excels. But he knows how to read people, and how to counter them. Oeden prefers polearms, like spears or quarterstaves - especially so he doesn’t accidentally touch his opponents and spawn an unwanted prophecy.

Medea Brahim escapes by pushing through the enemy line. If she can’t coerce them to join her side (not by flattery, but by seeing how inevitable their defeat is), then she will carve a path herself. While Medea wields a golden gauntlet on arm she can use to slash at her enemies, she vastly prefers utilizing the Seal of Death on her opposite hand. One touch from that will drain the life force from her enemies.

Farukh (Slave #400K)’s means of escape? Beating each of them to a pulp. You can’t expect to challenge this man and have him walk away from a fight! That’s not how he rolls. He might not kill everyone on sight - unless they’re part of the corrupted master caste - but he’ll teach them a lesson. Farukh wields a scimitar and a whip: weapons used by formers Convictors who were forced to punish their fellow slaves.

Carmila Ramos’ means of escape is bribery. Carmila has no weapon, no special powers. If she cannot hide between a hired hand or escape upon the open seas, she will sweet talk and sell her way out of there.

Kasumi’s means of escape would be through the shadows. As a member of the aptly-named Shadows, Kasumi can utilize the Earthfont runes on her flesh to slip in and out of shadows at will. All she would need to do is pop from the shadow one enemy casts over her to the shadow cast behind another enemy and - voila! While she does not enjoy it, she’s not afraid to take another’s life: being an assassin oftentimes requires it.

#storyteller saturday #sts #ask #thewalkingnerdx #kingdom come #royan godewine #medea brahim #oeden halflife #kasumi of the shadow #farukh #carmila ramos

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homesteadchronicles · 4 years

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Happy Storyteller Saturday! Do you have an OC that would eat food if it fell on the floor?

Okay, this one’s hysterical...mostly because I know exactly who would do this. Thank you for including me in the festivities! I’ll be sure to send an ask your way in just a moment :)

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I absolutely have someone who would do this: Royan would eat any food from anywhere at anytime. Not because he’s particularly gluttonous, but because etiquette has never been his forte. Sure, he can act all civil and princely or whatever when he needs to. But if he’s just hanging around with friends? All bets are off. Who cares if that mutton fell onto the dog’s back? They spent a week hunting for it! Besides, fleas are a good source of protein.

Of course, that’s not to say everyone just accepts this. Oeden would likely try to snatch and trash anything he’s shoving down his gullet that’s overly unsanitary. His elder adoptive sister, Sigrid, had, once upon a time, just stared in astonishment. Now, she has given up her shock and her attempts at berating him to simply hide her face in her hands and pretend they’re not related. His younger sister, Eirys, will giggle the whole while long, while his youngest sibling, Callahan, cheers him on. Meanwhile, Ciaran - the middle child - just stares judgmentally from a corner and asks why he had to be included in this family at all.

#storyteller saturday #ask #ask game #pluttskutt #kingdom come #royan godewine #he's a hot mess and i love him

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homesteadchronicles · 4 years

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Happy Storyteller Saturday! Glad to see we’ve both survived the holidays! Which of your OCs have grown the most this past year?

Right!? I wasn’t certain I would be able to for a hot minute there 😂 but we made it! WE WON! Happy to see you celebrating too - I’ll shoot you an ask as soon as I’m done with this!

I’m not certain whether you meant “which OC of yours has grown the most in the last year in-universe” or “which OC of yours has grown the most in 2019″, so imma do both!

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For in-universe year? That has to be Medea Brahim, without a shadow of a doubt. Most of the other characters have considerably regressed within the past in-universe year: Royan neglects his duties out of depression, Kasumi forsakes her identity, Carmila loses her social standing, etc. But Medea? Medea become a literal goddess to her people because of the war. While she technically ascended to pseudo-godhood five years ago, she has only accepted her role more and more as time progressed.

Medea shared in the suffering everyone endured after the end of the last war. However, whereas others allowed their grief to drag them down, she used her sorrow to propel her onward. She has become ambitious, driven, just (in her mind) - an unstoppable force of passion and self-worship. Now, that’s not to say her personality is a shining example of righteousness. Girl’s got some serious self-reflection to do if she plans on becoming a proper goddess to her people.

For real life year? Gotta give it to my boy Royan. Royan has undergone some serious changes in development throughout the last year. Between what he starts out as and what he eventually becomes - as a knight, as a prince, and as a person - has escalated to a point I didn’t imagine it would. I feel like a proud dad, watching my kid start as a scared, weak child and become a man willing to go against his fear and challenge the status quo. He’s got a special place in my heart, and I really hope you all learn to love him and his adventure into adulthood :)

#storyteller saturday #ask #ask game #kingdom come #medea brahim #royan godewine #conspiramo

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homesteadchronicles · 5 years

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Night, Archer, and Mage from the themed asks for one character from each WIP.

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Knight: How does the character prefer to protect themselves - physically, with armor; verbally, with sharp words; spiritually, with prayers; magically, with wards; etc.?

Royan Godewine, from Kingdom Come, wears his humor as an armor against intimacy and conflict. When an issue arises, he makes a joke of it. When he feels himself wishing to say something sentimental, he will instead tease the target of his affections. Royan has a real issue allowing himself to be vulnerable, both because he’s scared of the potential rejection faced when baring his soul and also because he’s frightened to face the true problems within himself because he does not believe he has the ability to overcome them. Much easier to make a mockery of life than to let it - and the people that occupy it - make a joke of you, right?

Arthur Pendragon, from Nevermore, uses his portion of the Eternal Record as a protection against the unknown. His constant fear of what’s to come has him poring over every page he can find of the endless possibilities for the future. He believes that, if he knows what will happen, he can either stop it or make it come to pass. Thus, he has internal peace, and can navigate himself out of any problem he might face. But this is simply false hope, and he is just one player affecting the world’s story, and he cannot keep up with the ever-changing nature of the Record. Thus, he always feels the need to protect himself from everything and anything - because he’s seen how every path plays out.

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Archer: Does the character prefer to keep their distance from others, or would they rather remain up close and personal with people and/or their problems?

Farukh, from Kingdom Come, is about the most direct male you can imagine. He says what’s on his mind, speaks from his heart, and isn’t afraid of what others may think. Thus why most of his comrades have rallied around him: because there is no hidden agenda or duplicitous falsehoods to fear in him. But unlike Oeden, whose words are laced with an inconsiderate harshness to those who have angered him, Farukh speaks to others as equals. Even to those he hates, he believes they are worth his honesty. This honesty isn’t just name-calling and character-bashing. Even an enemy can be spoken to with respect. But Farukh does not hold back from addressing problems either - oftentimes, as his culture would enforce, through violence. You may learn that Farukh admires your strength with a blade just as quickly as he might use his own to cut your throat.

Shadowhand, from Nevermore, is an interesting case with this because she knows she needs to deal with her problems, but she does so through underhanded or behind-the-scenes means. She would sooner send a shadow to assassinate her target or a messenger to deliver her demands than come face-to-face with someone she’s in conflict with. Even still, she could handle her own in combat. But interpersonal problems? Facing familial strife or a hurt between friends? It’s nigh impossible to come out of her shell long enough to do so. Her persona, Shadowhand, can face tribulations, overcome trials, conquer obstacles! But she, Mun Ha-neul, herself? Mun cannot hope to solve a single issue.

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Mage: Does the character believe they have ever had a supernatural encounter? If so, describe it. If not, describe what their ideal encounter would be.

Carmila Ramos, from Kingdom Come, is a woman who does not believe in the very magic she has witnessed work before her eyes. You see, in the world of Edenfell, the primary God has been sealed away for centuries! The only magic one sees would be from legendary heroes or those of the occult - and there’s where Carmila’s connection comes in. For after her family’s fall from nobility, she sought out the truth of the rumors pertaining to the swamp witch. And in a hut in the marshes of the Evelian mainland, Carmila made a deal with the devil’s servant. One that has cost her dearly, one that has afforded her a small fortune, one that she still regrets, one that whose repercussions she has not yet seen in full.

Gallivant, from Nevermore, is a man who has witnessed a miracle. Or, rather, Miracle - the Godmother of Newfable. Although the Author of Newfable supposedly disappeared, Gallivant believes Miracle to be divination incarnate. And with her powers to supply others with supernatural abilities, it’s difficult for most to refute him! His alleged devotion for her has caused him to place her on a pedestal no mortal can uphold. However, none can convince him that Miracle is anything less than a literal, living goddess.

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Thank you so much for participating in this week’s Author Thursday ask game! If you would like to submit a question from the Fire Emblem Themed Ask Game, please feel free to do so!

#ask #ask game #fire emblem ask game #ravenpuffwriter #sorry this took so long #there were so many characters to ask for!#nevermore #kingdom come #farukh #carmila ramos #royan godewine #gallivant #arthur pendragon #shadowhand

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homesteadchronicles · 5 years

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“Die For You” Tag

Thank you to @dirtypuzzle for the tag! This was a genuinely amusing one to think about. Also, I JUST tried to find you last night, only to realize you changed your username. Perfect timing!

“Then Perish”: Medea. She’s the Goddess of Death, did you expect anything else? She understands the need for sacrifice, as do her soldiers. Half the kingdom says this to her every day. But death is not as grievous a thing in Al-Hasan as it is in other cultures. To die a glorious death serving your goddess? That’s the best way to go, and Medea’s all too happy to help you get you there.

“You Will”: Oeden. He’s literally a prophet, you guys - he could actually foresee you dying for him. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not happy about it. But defying fate hasn’t exactly gone well for him thus far.

“Please Don’t”: Solomon, ever the paternal figure, just wants all of his children to stop fighting and get along. In truth, he’s fought in wars before, seen plenty of men lay down their lives for him. He understands the cost, but he no longer sees the point in the price tag.

“Cool”: Farukh and Carmila. Farukh would probably give you a high five and welcome you to the club of misfits that also swore their probably-overager promises of fealty to him. Carmila’s much more cold about it. She sees it as an asset - someone to trade, to barter, to expend if need be. You’re a resource now. But this would change dramatically if her brother, Cesar, or her lover, Emerico, said this to her. She would never let them die for her.

“I’d Die for Your First”: Kasumi and Royan. Kasumi’s occupation entails that she lay down her life for her mother, the Exalt, if need be. Think like the Secret Service, but in a fantasy world...with ninjas. If her mother would ever say this to her (unlikely), she would automatically respond with this. Royan? Oh no, he’s spurred almost entirely by the innately competitive nature of the statement. While not exactly the same as the prompt requires, he would almost immediately scream back “NOT IF I DIE FOR YOU FIRST!” and then realize the implications of his statement about three minutes too late.

Tagging: @paladin-andric, @bluemartlet, and @thewingwriter - if you’d all like to participate! If not, no pressure.

#tag #tagged #tag game #die for you tag #dirtypuzzle #kingdom come #medea brahim #oeden halflife #solomon #farukh #carmila ramos #kasumi of the shadows #royan godewine

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homesteadchronicles · 5 years

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26, 27, and 36 for the hurt/comfort asks? Your choice of character!

26. How do they say ‘I love you’ without using those words?

I just did this one for Carmila, so let’s go with Farukh! Why? Because he’s the complete and utter opposite of Carmila.

Whereas Carmila prefers to put her money where her mouth is (literally) by providing a loved one with her time or a specialized present, Farukh couldn’t pick a gift for someone if his life depended on it. Then again, Carmila would rather die than publicly display her love for someone, while Farukh would worship his special someone onstage if it meant making their day.

Farukh is unashamed in his affection towards others, be it platonic or romantic. For his friends, a clap on the shoulder, a pat on the back, or a playful nudge are all commonplace occurrences in meetings, training sessions, and even when simply passing one another by. When it comes to lovers, however, Farukh is surprisingly tender with his affections. All the rough patting on the back or shoving around is replaced by brushing the hair away from one’s face, a steady hand on one’s cheek, the press of soft kisses on one’s neck. People expect him to be rough and tough with his love, but Farukh takes extra care with those he truly loves. He values them, cherishes them. He has hurt plenty of people in this world - no need to add another to that list, let alone one he loves so deeply.

27. Do they have a favorite comfort food?

D’aww, this is such a cute one! Hmm, I haven’t ever considered this one before, but lemme think on it for a few of my protagonists.

For Oeden, his mother’s homemade, Southern-style meals would win his heart. As the ingredients for Evelian dishes (rice, beans, bananas, etc.) would not be commonly stocked in Aeonor, any chance he can get to stuff his face with Southern food would be heaven for him. Nadielle would undoubtedly do anything in her power to secure the necessary ingredients when she knows Oeden has gone through a difficult season in life.

Carmila wouldn’t have grown up on homecooked meals like Oeden, and would likely consider dishes he likes (such as rice and beans) to be “commoner’s food” - which is true. Nadielle was no noble in the South, so her recipes reflect that, and Carmila’s mother was no chef. What Carmila remembers most from her aristocratic childhood was a small stand outside the Meridian palace that sold some sort of cinnamon-coated nuts, fresh roasted and smelling like heaven. She’d beg her father for money to buy them any time she’d leave the palace. Now, she can scarcely find them anywhere, but when she does, it feels like coming home again.

Royan is a meat and potatoes kind of boy. Were he and his family and/or men to hunt an animal, he’d love nothing more than to have it cooked for dinner so he and his teammates could feast on it together.

Kasumi’s not a big eater, to be honest, but she does have one weakness: honey-glazed green beans. Her family eats relatively healthy meals, to which Kasumi does not complain, but the sweetness of this is a rare treat for her. She always sneaks some of these home from a merchant’s stall when coming home from missions, as a reward for herself, for she knows she will not find a reward awaiting her at home.

Medea and Farukh are harder. Medea would want something sour, for sure. Farukh would be spicy - maybe curry? I’ll need to dwell more on those two…

36. Where do they feel most comfortable?

Every time I get a question along these lines, my mind immediately goes to Medea because her’s is plot relevant, but I’ve answered her’s a million times over so let’s do something different: let’s do Carmila’s brother, Cesar. He’s an important recurring character, especially in her storyline, and y’all don’t know a whole lot about him yet.

For anyone unaware, Cesar Ramos is the older brother of Carmila, one of our seven central protagonists in Kingdom Come. His primarily role throughout book one is to serve as the blacksmith of their trading corporation, crafting the accessories, armor and weapons for Carmila and Rico to then sell. However, Cesar was not always a smith. Before he returned home to his family, Cesar had enlisted in the Evelian army - and made decent headway within it. While he knows his place is now with his family, he never feels more at peace then when he is somewhere that reminds him of his days in the military.

Where would this place be, you ask? Why, on the sea! The Evelian army is, of course, a naval fleet, as Via Evelis is situated amongst various islands. Cesar spent months at a time on the open ocean, yet he has never once tired of the smell of salt water, the call of seagulls, or the ever-lingering threat of scurvy. His sister and wife never see him smile wider than when he’s on a ship - and truly, they rarely see him smile at all, his lips set almost permanently into a vague frown. It warms Carmila and Lucia’s hearts to see the giddy little boy bubble out of Cesar when they take to the sea together.

Thank you so much for submitting this ask! I always appreciate everyone’s participation in Author Thursday. If anyone else would like to participate in Author Thursday, you can submit questions from the Hurt/Comfort Ask Game to my inbox throughout the day!

#author thursday #ask #ask game #ask the author #replies #conspiramo #carmila ramos #cesar ramos #oeden halflife #royan godewine #kasumi of the shadows #farukh

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homesteadchronicles · 6 years

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Kingdom Come: Political Lore (Aeonor, the Northern Fortress)

The Current Royal Family: The royal family currently includes Magnus Godewine, second-born son of the former Palatine who inherited the throne after his younger brother, Sigurd’s, death. His wife, Isolde Godewine, acts as his queen.

The first princess of Aeonor is Sigrid, followed by the first prince and heir to the throne, Royan. Their heirs, in descending order of age thereafter are: Prince Ciaran, Princess Eirys, and Prince Callahan.

Public Opinion of the Royal Family: The general opinion of the Northern royals remains mixed despite their recent rise in popularity. The death of Sigurd left the nation in mourning for a considerable period of time. As Magnus had previously declined the throne, his sudden ascension to power now seemed inappropriate in the wake of his brother’s death. For some time, the public shunned him as their ruler.

However, Magnus vowed to prove himself a worthy heir of the throne - and prove himself he did. Over time, he won over the hearts of his people with sound judgment and a sword of mercy instead of wrath. As much as Magnus proved himself on the battlefield, Isolde proved herself doubly as skilled in the courtroom. Her ideals would revolutionize the kingdom for the better - but they would endanger the stability and sanctity of the kingdom. Tradition could not be so easily erased. As such, she fell silent in the courtroom she was continually ignored within, instead biding her time. Yet somehow, the castle’s purses kept expanding and expanding without explanation.

Sigrid holds the heart of her people firmly within her grasp. To the public, she is everything that a ruler should be: well-spoken in court, well-versed with weapons, fiercely devoted to the Sealed God, and a protector of her people no matter the personal cost. Even should Royan ascend to the throne instead of Sigrid, the public will always love their princess.

Royan, however, suffers from the general disapproval of the people, as his father had before him. Whereas the people originally regarded him warmly, now he is confronted by the cool irreverence of disappointment. Having Eleazar name him the Shepherd - on top of his assumed inheritance of the throne - caused the people to have unrealistic expectations of their prince. As he continually failed to meet these expectations, the people believed in him less and less and in Sigrid more and more.

Ciaran remains the most mysterious of the royal siblings. His seemingly anti-social nature has left the public clueless as to what type of person he may or may not be. The paragons praise him, as he excels in the academic and political fields, just as his mother before him. However, the peasantry would never even recognize him if not for the sigil of his house sewn into every piece of clothing he owns.

Of all the royal siblings, the commonfolk hold Eirys in the highest regard. As she spends her time devoted to both her religious duties and to the peasantry of Almsgard, the people believe her to be a saint in the making. However, the nobility tends to look down upon her. Despite her flair for the fairytale lifestyle, she does not mind getting down and dirty in slums. She will speak to, embrace, and love anyone and everyone, regardless of their station - a notion that does not sit well with the paragons of Aeonian society.

Callahan remains popular with the common people of Aeonor. Being young and adorable has its advantages, after all. Most know so little about it him due to his youth, but find him as sweet and wholesome as Eirys herself. However, that is because they do not realize how little the castle staff likes him. The cooks might actually kill him should he ever try to steal from the kitchens again. He doesn’t mean to cause mischief as much as he does, but his troublesome antics have left him with few friends in Almsgard.

Royal Relations with the Theophanies: When Magnus ascended to the throne, True Theophany Eleazar welcomed him with surprisingly open arms. Eleazar had disagreed heavily with the ways Sigurd ruled, believing that brute force and blunt judgment did not a king make, and thus embraced his softer older sibling. When the public turned from Magnus and towards the Order, Eleazar intervened on Magnus’ behalf. His words softened the hearts of the public, pleading with the people to give their rightful ruler a second chance to prove himself. Without Eleazar, Magnus would have endured the scorn of his people until the end of his reign. Eleazar’s proclamation of Prince Royan as the Shepherd of their time came as a shock to the public, but after accepting Magnus, so too did they give their prince the same chance to prove himself.

For a time, the two cooperated peacefully with one another. However, in recent times, the two have been overheard...”debating” with one another. Over what matters, no one can say for certain. Even the castle’s maids fear the smiting of the Sealed God should they reveal anything else. While they remain friends, newfound tension has arisen where once only amicability reigned.

(Tagging: @khymnal, @novelistcore, @incandescent-creativity, @cog-writes, @madmooninc, @annabetchases, @lady-redshield-writes, @ivettaviolet, @aschenink, @taz-writes, @ava-burton-writing, @ally-thorne, @mustekissaotus, @theguildedtypewriter, @brimorganbooks, @firewritten, @pen-and-sword-writing, @breakeven2007, @cowberrry, @the-true-shadowmaster, @eternalwritingstudent, @worldbuildingwren, @merigreenleaf, @ratracechronicler, @duggarsetal, @lend-your-lungs-to-me. If you would like to be added to or removed from this list, please let me know in the comments or in the reblogs!)

#kingdom come #worldbuilding #worldbuilding wednesday #edenfell #lore #write #writer #writing #writeblr #writers on tumblr #royan godewine #sigrid godewine #magnus godewine #isolde godewine #eleazar #my wip #original writing #my writing #my novel

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homesteadchronicles · 6 years

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“Kingdom Come” Character Moodboard: The Seven Protagonists

A peasant pretending at nobility. A goddess dispensing salvation. A slave shattering his own chains. A shadow hiding behind her mask. A soldier wielding a shepherd’s staff. A priest praying against imprisonment. A refugee finding faith in a sinful savior. A beggar pleading the world to repent - before it’s too late.

May their kingdom come, their will be done, on earth: their heaven made hell