#dryad max mayfield

[hazardworld]

A response to @feministfandomgeek ‘s comment; the response was too long to be a reply :)

This is a part of my Monster Town series. Part one can be found here

Most monsters can be categorized in one of these three categories:

Humanoids

Humanoids look identical or nearly identical to humans. Any powers they have maintain their form.

Robin- Ghost; when she “goes ghost” her general shapes stay the same, even though she’s invisible and can go through surfaces

Will/Johnathan- Banshees; when they scream, their scleras turn black and their irises turn yellow. Otherwise, they look the same

Glamorists

Glamorists have a generally humanoid shape, but with noticeably inhuman features. Because of this, they have to wear glamours (think TOH galderstones) to cover up. Glamour charms usually last up to 1-2 years, which means they must find a local witch to renew it (The more specialized to them though, the better) before it fizzles out.

Eddie- Witch; pointed ears, fangs (top and bottom), purple slightly-glowing eyes (color varies per witch, and is the color of their magic)

Max- Dryad; moth wing-like ears, blunt fangs, clear “blood” (sap), (if one looks close) bark-textured skin

Lucas/Erica- Vampires; pointed ears, dark claw-like nails, double sets of fangs (top only) crimson glowing eyes (color varies vamp to vamp)

El- Angel; large white feathered wings, halo light she can summon at will

Shifters

Shifters usually have two forms (but can have more) and can generally shift at will anywhere between any of those (depending on species-specific restrictions). Their monster form is considered their “natural form,” as if their human form is like a physical glamour.

If shifters spend too long completely in human form, they’ll spontaneously shift back to natural form, as well as other species-specific side effects. In order to stop this, many shifters will “half shift” to a humanoid form with monstrous features.

Steve; Siren- his parents coaxed him into a masochistic habit of “binding” his form to the point where he’s used to and doesn’t realize he’s unhealthy

Dustin; Werewolf- his mom formally taught him how to form shift, but Steve got him more comfortable with it and taught him half-shifting

Argyle; Shapeshifter- his human form is his natural form, with his second form being “the unknown”

Nancy and Mike are humans descended from Valkyries. Because of this, they have extra insight and can physically comprehend magic like monsters. Nancy is also really good at persuading people to tell the truth.

Because Hawkins is a monster town, Glamorists don’t need to wear glamours, and depending on their natural forms, Shifters can half shift or go fully natural without weird looks or persecution.

[hazardworld]

MONSTER TOWN PART 3 IS OUT YAYYYY

Worldbuilding/Part 1/Part 2/Part 3

One should never underestimate the amount of (prey?)drive Dustin Henderson has for research, because as soon as Robin mentioned finding out about Steve’s powers, he’d scampered off muttering to himself that there just had to be books about sirens somewhere in the mansion.

15 minutes later, he’d come back with one book about the size of his torso. It looked extremely heavy, and if Dustin didn’t have the supernatural strength to assist him, Eddie was sure he’d have been crushed by it.

Dustin plopped it on the floor with a loud bang, and a cloud of dust flew up from the sudden movement.

"Whoa," Eddie gasped amid coughs, "Is that what runes usually look like? I can’t see past it," 

The book’s top and bottom edges were bound in ancient-looking, swirly silver runes. Normally, instead of seeing the runes themselves, they’d show themselves to Eddie in shimmering (magical) purple text, but these were just still silver symbols he couldn’t decipher. 

He noticed the magic aura surrounding the book was drawn particularly to the edges, which Eddie recognized as a lock mechanism after Dustin and Robin tried many times to get the damn thing open.

Steve perked up as the book was tossed aside to what seemed to be the last time, and safely bound it in his arms. Something connecting Steve to the book vibrated low in Eddie’s ear.

"Steve, you know what this book is, don’t you?"

Steve and Eddie made nervous eye contact as Dustin and Robin slowly turned to them.

Steve sighed.

"When the sirens were first developing, there was a king and a queen," Steve set the book to his side, and by his tone, Eddie realized the topic wasn’t necessarily a light one. 

"They had 4 children, and at each child’s birth they were given a large book, a book to imprint their magic into to benefit future generations. It’s said all sirens are descended from the 4 "Originals," as they’re called, and most families keep books to honor them. This—"

"Is your family’s," Dustin finished, but Steve shook his head.

"Not just that. Here," Steve stuck the book out in front of him, grazing his hand above the front cover. Eddie could see the book’s magical reaction to his hand: it was as if the runes seemed to glow under his skin. "I’m a little rusty, but…lje paɾ lə sɑ̃, yni paɾ lɛspɾi," Eddie watched as—similar to when Steve used sirenspeak—a puff of magic escaped his mouth. Almost like a vacuum, it got sucked into the lock of the book.

The runes glowed, and Steve opened the book. Inside was a magic handprint on the first page of pale green parchment (yes, parchment). It was signed with a name Eddie couldn’t quite see with some of the runic script below it.

"It’s the book of Melusine, the second child married off to a land-dwelling family,” Steve pointed to the name as he spoke, “Most land-residing sirens descend from her, but…" Steve shrugged towards the book.

"You’re a direct line, holy shit," Robin finished, and Steve shrugged again.

"I mean I guess, yeah,"

“You guess?” Dustin exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. “Steve, you’re like a prince or something! This is proof of your actual royalty status!”

“Atlantie is a democracy,” Steve quickly corrected, and Dustin shrugged.

“So? You could go to them with this book and show proof of heritage!”

Suddenly, the four turned as the door clicked open. In the doorway stood Lucas and Max, Lucas with a basketball in his hands.

“Sorry, sorry! Max was over and I wanted to shoot hoops but we’re obviously interrupting something and—“

“What’s that?” Max pointed to the book, raising an eyebrow. A shit-eating grin spread over Dustin’s face.

“Oh, it’s Steve’s secret siren heritage magic book.”

“What?” Lucas commented, turning his head slightly as he closed the door behind him. Max had already sat herself frown within the circle, and Lucas was making his way over.

“Steve didn’t tell us he was a siren prince, and this is the book proving it,” Robin clarified. Instantly, Max shot Steve a glare, and Lucas gaped.

“Wait, shit, seriously?”

Steve sighed. “I’m probably more of a Lord or something but yeah, they aren’t entirely wrong,”

"So all this time, you’ve never been human?" Lucas exclaimed, and Dustin immediately pointed at him.

"That’s exactly what I said!"

"Steve’s a Prince?" Max asked. Eddie knew she’d ask clarifying questions later in private, if at all.

"Lord!"

"Yes!" Robin exclaimed. "This book goes back to his direct original royal ancestor!"

"Can we see your natural form?" Lucas asked excitedly, bouncing up and down slightly from his position. Steve sighed and nodded, getting up and heading to the patio to shift for the third time that day. Lucas and Dustin followed excitedly.

Then it was just Eddie, Robin, and Max.

"So…" Eddie broke the silence a few minutes in, after it was clear from the cheers and splashes outside that the three would not be going back in.

"Eddie, you like Steve, right?" Max asked bluntly, and Eddie panicked.

He was not out to Max yet.

It wasn’t that he didn’t think she was trustworthy or that she wouldn’t support him, it was just…it felt weird coming out to the kids so soon, especially when Eddie had no clue how half of them would react.

"Yeah, yeah I’d say we’re friends," An incriminating crimson tinted his cheeks, and both Max and Robin smirked.

"You fell for a siren," Robin mocked playfully. "A siren,"

"A very pretty siren…" Eddie sighed, crossing his arms dramatically as if he was a little kid.

"Oh, definitely," Max agreed, and Eddie and Robin both immediately looked at her.

Had Max seen siren Steve before?

No.

(Maybe?)

"Isn’t today the first day you know about him being a siren?" Robin clarified, and Max nodded once.

"Yeah, but I saw that chest hair at Lover’s Lake," Eddie choked on his spit, "absolutely gorgeous,"

“It wasn’t half bad...” Eddie agreed, giving Max a small smile.

Robin fake gagged. "Ugh! Disgusting, men," Max turned to Robin and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you…?"

"Lesbian? Yep." Max’s eyes widened, and she smiled, nodding her head.

"Sweet, good t—"

"WE’RE CALLING THE REST OF THE PARTYYYYYYY," The conversation was immediately stopped by Dustin and Lucas bolting through the main room over to the kitchen phone, screaming with glee.

Part 4!