#i cant make up stupid little species specific to one (1) guy

[tfw-no-tennis]

mtmte liveblog - 2012 annual

iirc the annual takes place between 7 and 8, or something. whatever, im gonna go for it

shifts in art style always throw me off phewwww

i cant remember what theyre doing but i find it really funny that first aid is there squaring the fuck up to punch shit

ah yes of course how could i forget the time they shrunk down to fight tiny robots in ultra magnus’s head. a comic classic 

poor magnus lmao

HBJSDKFBSHJFDHJSD HIS TERRIFYING SMILE HAUNTS MY NIGHTMARES. LOVE IT

love the continuation of magnus’s law-vision

the fact that everyone is dunking on magnus for smiling ONCE hvbhjdksbfjks

rewind and chromedome ough

i feel like cyclonus spends 90% of his early mtmte screentime staring broodingly out of windows lmao 

tg so precious

lmaooo i love the flashes of rodimus saying ‘til all are one’ All The Time

rodimus just wants to be like his dad ok

rodimus telling drift to go meditate or something vbhjfdbhdsjkf

i love rodimus calling magnus out on referring to himself in the third person lmaoooo but also I'm like Oh I See That [eyes emoji]

wish i had emojis on the computer sigh

lmao so the circle of light is a bunch of pacifists With Big Ass Swords

them betting on how long it'll take rodimus to say ‘til all are one’ vbkjsdhbfjhkhsdf

damn so ambulon rlly did switch sides late in the game 

cyclonus is here!! being an emotionally closed-off fool as usual 

nooo rodimus let tailgate speak

cant believe rodimus graffiti’d tailgate

drift, immediately: rodimus is FUCKING POSSSESSED 

ratchet: ok, no, 

godddd everything abt the galactic counsel here is so funny. ‘its big - its grey - its taxpayer funded’ hvbkjshdbfjkdf and the fact that their ship is called ‘the benign intervention’ lmaooo

also DAMN that is a BIG ASS SHIP 

‘a fleshling in a stupid hat’ i love rodimus and his irrational hatred of hats

magnus comin in CLUTCH with the dry-ass clauses shit 

rewind vhjbdskfbaksdfn ‘the sub-section 7 defense - sneaky’ ily

tailgate hvbhjadkfbjskdf its ok that you don't know what's going on

also tailgate serves a vital role in the story as the audience insert character (or w/e its called), bc he’s often confused which allows for handy exposition that we the audience also need lmao 

i find it so interesting to see how the cybertronians are viewed by the rest of the galaxy - we don't see a lot of aliens but its always fascinating when we do, because of COURSE they’re mostly gonna think of the cybertronians as destructive and war-like when that’s what they’ve been up to for 4 million years 

ooof swerve :( swerve is one of those characters who you’re like ‘haha he’s funny’ most of the time but pretty often he’ll have startling moments of like, deep pain about life or w/e, and you’re like Oh Shit and then you kinda move on, until finally the swearth arc hits and it all comes together. what I'm saying is that this is some nice building towards that 

HGDSBJFKJSJBDF THERE IT IS THERE IT ISSSSSSSSSS

THE PANEL WHERE REWIND IN ALT MODE CAN FLY FOR SOME REASONNNNNN

i fucking love that shot so much. does everyone see this. rewind is a GIANT FUCKIN FLASHDRIVE and he’s hovering ominously thru the air. like, what happened to all the biz from issue 1 or w/e where his husband was roasting him for having a non-mobile altmode? if he can fucking HOVER than Actually rewind is the fucking coolest, no contest 

or like, is the implication that they all teleported there (having switched to alt mode along the way i guess?) and rewind is just like, suspended in midair? bc that's what the speed bubble text implies, but it also totally looks like they're just travelling across the area and rewind can levitate

anyways. that panel has always cracked me up lmaoooo

rodimus calling the council ‘fascists’ hvbhduifbjsdjfajskf sir i love you 

GODDD and there's the joke payoff from a few issues ago - rewind, facing front, hearing drift transform behind him and not only being able to tell its drift without looking, but also being able to tell that drift is upset, JUST like chromedome said he could....fucking PEAK i love that type of payoff humor

ooof and more swerve introspection. i mentioned earlier but i fucking LOVE how this series showcases the extremely wide range of reactions/coping mechanisms that everyone has towards the endless war finally being over - and swerve really nails it here: confusing peace with happiness, and assuming that everything would automatically be better after the war is over, when in reality you still have to work just as hard to build shit rather than break it

also i adore the horror of a guy who is half-embedded in the wall, his face stuck in a rictus of terror & death, waxing philosophical about how peace is about the freedom of choice, and how they should all just feel lucky to have survived...oof, that's very specifically ironic coming from you, dude 

but i do love the little characterization we get here for ore, a character who is literally already dead and has so far been used as a plot device pretty exclusively, but we still get to know little things about him here, and how HE feels about the war and the current peace, etcetc. it really makes the story and characters seem believable, like every character has a story even if we don't take the time to see it 

love cyclonus posing coolly 

kinda love how clear it is that drifts whole hippy schtick is just a front to cover his anger, and a tool to make him seem like an approachable, upstanding autobot

drift dramatically monologuing while pointing his sword at the sky is extra funny with everyone else just staring at him doing this

cyclonus why are you grabbing at the edge of the hole you're falling into, you can LITERALLY FLY, 

magnus finally getting some appreciation for being The most law abiding guy like, ever 

genuinely forgot abt the whole metrotitan plot that happens here 

GOD when rodimus is like BRAIN QUEST TIME and then we smash cut to them at the brain ‘six minutes later’ vhbhkudfjbjksf i live for that shit 

also that would be even funnier animated which further proves that we need an mtmte/ll animated series, please, somebody, 

HBDSJKFSHDJF REWIND IS SO FUCKING FUNNYYYYYY you cant even tell if he GENUINELY didn't think cyclonus could talk or if hes just being a dick but either way? comedy gold 

oh i adore the flashbacks being in a different artstyle, especially one that's so retro 

i love rewind being a history geek, and cyclonus passionately explaining cybertronian creation theory

HHHH i fucking LOVE the myth/lore stuff like....a lot of franchises tend not to dwell in this type of mythology, you tend to get The True Version Of Events, but this kind of explanation rocks bc it totally sounds like the kind of religious mythology that naturally develops based on a species’ progression

and drift and ratchet’s very opposing and polarizing views certainty do make for interesting perspectives, tho i feel like the story sometimes leans too much towards ratchet being ‘more correct’ bc, logic! or something idk i feel like i used to have a couple mild opinions on this but i don't remember

and its funny bc i am, irl, an atheistic medical professional who believes in science above all else - essentially just like ratchet. but i feel like the narrative portrayal skews a little more in his favor than i’d like, despite that 

skids just out here being a bummer, completely unprompted. cant even blame you tho dude 

hhhhhh chromedome talking abt rewind ;_; 

and when he says ‘maybe there’s someone out there who can save your life, too’ and cyclonus is there....hhhh

god i fucking LOVE drift and rodimus’s entire relationship. the layers...the LAYERS!!!

OH HEY ITS THOSE ROBOTS SKIDS FOUGHT 

ah, inconvenient laser time!

ok i fuckgin love how cybertronian’s brains look just like the planet cybertron. that's so fucking great 

of COURSE brainstorm brought his shrink ray 

truly i love the convo between ore and swerve, especially overlaid onto everyone fighting 

oof, the themes and plot threads of this annual are all so nicely tied up (which is something i love abt mtmte, especially early on when the story is smaller), with swerve now choosing to disobey an order from rodimus

oh yeah, the circle of light! that's who you've been looking for this whole time basically! 

and then the ending, hearing that magnus smiled (willingly!) :) i love it

rodimus’s profile says ‘finds it difficult to sit still’ bc rodimus is an adhd icon

lmao i feel like over half of my sentences in this recap - and in most of my recaps - contain ‘i love it’ or ‘i love how-’ or some variation upon that theme. I'm predictable 

anyways - the annual! i love this issue. its really long which is cool and i feel like it does a lot to flesh out the setting and lore, and even the characters as well. also, as i said above, it does an excellent job telling an exciting and well-contained story, with solid story beats throughout and plot threads that emerge and get resolved all within this issue, even while leaving plenty of stuff up for future resolution. that's the Early MTMTE Special, and i adore it. tho i will say I'm glad we’ll be getting back to the regularly scheduled art style, bc this one didn't really do it for me 

[antivantulip]

ME:A Countdown Ryder Meme

Days 30-18

ORIGINAL POST

So I'm late to this meme but I really wanted to do it to help me flesh out my Ryder!! :3c Under the cut because I'm behind a few days oops~

30 Days: Will you play SisRyder or BroRyder first? Why? How does your Ryder define their gender?

SisRyder! Just because I have more ideas for her background & personality. Also I'm just coming out of playing the Witcher 3 and to be honest, I'm quite tired of playing a guy for over 150 hours so there's that. However I'll most likely end up doing a Bro!Ryder playthrough as well after. I usually start out with a female OC because they’re easier for me to identify with and roleplay as. For those reasons her pronouns will be she/her (unless I change my mind later haha).

29 Days: What is your Ryder’s name? Why did you pick this name - is there a meaning or origin story behind it? Do they go by any nicknames? What would you name their sibling, father and mother if you were able to choose?

My Ryder goes by her nickname 'Midnight' in-game but her real name is 'Medina'. It's a codename she received during her sniper training for the Pathfinder program. Her combat style very much incorporates stealth tactics and her teammates claimed that she 'could perfectly hit a target in pitch darkness from miles away'. One day her brother started calling her that too, and it just sort of stuck. Their father is the only one who calls her by her real name. If I could name her bro, I'd probably go with Kalem. I'm fine with their dad's name.

28 Days: Are you going to use the default appearance or create a custom Ryder? If custom, describe your Ryder’s physical appearance (hair color, eye color, skin color, height, weight, facial features, any scars or tattoos, racial origin, etc). If you have art and/or a face-claim, feel free to add them here

A custom Ryder for sure!!! Midnight naturally has shoulder- length black hair that she dyes dark blue (haven't decided if she dyes all of it or just the tips yet BUT YKNOW). She only originally did it because her bro always teased her that she never did anything fun/unique with her appearance (she doesn't have tattoos, piercings, wears little make-up, no jewelry) but ended up liking it in the end and decided to keep that look. Since I love projecting onto my OCs, she and her brother will be mixed - half white, half central-asian. Don't have a face/body claim yet but she's quite short (5'3) and not overly muscular (seeing as she was mostly preparing to be a scientist, not a marine). Her brother is the one who has a lot of tattoos, an ear piercing, and is quite stocky since he did a lot of physical training to be a soldier.

27 Days: Are you going to use the default appearance for Ryder’s sibling or customize them? Describe your ideas for their sibling’s and father’s physical appearance. 

Already answered that in the previous question oops. I'd like to customize Bro!Ryder to look as much as his sis, if that option is available. I actually don't mind default Dad's appearance tbh? The only thing is, I figure he'd have a lot more scars thanks to his long and colourful military career. I figure Kalem would try to match him in that too.

26 Days: Do you have a specific class profile or mix of class profiles in mind for Ryder?

Stealth, long-range, and tech skills are the way to go for Midnight. I don't know if the classes will be the same in Andromeda or not but based on the previous three games, she'd either be Adept or Engineer. She will definitely have that Tactical Cloak, Overload, and Hacking abilities ready. Kalem, on the other hand would definitely be a Soldier or Vanguard class.

25 Days: Describe Ryder’s favorite combat style. Bioware call Peebee a “gunslinger” and describe Liam as a “close-range fighter” - how would you describe Ryder’s combat role/strengths? What are some of their favorite biotic/tech/other abilities?

Midnight is stealth and tech expert. She doesn't act rashly but considers carefully her every move. She's also resourceful and will use her environment to her advantage if she can. Since she isn't super strong she will probably have to rely a lot on her learned knowledge of her enemies' weaknesses. She prefers long-range guns and only resorting to close-quarter combat if she knows she can use her Tactical cloak and one-shot the enemy. She doesn't take unnecessary risks and she isn't reckless like her brother (or at least at the start of the game, we'll see how/if that will change as she grows into her role as the leader). She won her local science fair by building a robot when she was little and her love of robotics persists to this day. You will usually see her hack other machines or set up a turret to help her out.

24 Days: Which squadmates do you think will best compliment Ryder’s combat style? Alternatively, who do you plan to take out most in the field?

Hmm, since we haven't had a chance to get to know the companions yet, I really can't say for sure! I do kinda feel that she and Vetra would get along really well on the battlefield. Cora too probably? But I'll most likely rotate who she takes with her on missions so I can get to know them all better.

23 Days: Which weapons or category of weapons will Ryder prefer? Describe their favorite loadout.

Midnight's first love is a sniper rifle but she will most likely try to switch to another weapon so she can be on the front lines with her squad. She hates the idea of just sitting back in relative safety while her teammates put themselves in danger (it's a matter of honour, I guess) so she will train real hard to get good with other weapons (plus a sniper rifle is heavy af). I can see her choosing light pistols, also energy weapons (I think they showed in the trailer? cant remember their name) and maybe assault rifles. No for shotguns tho.

22 Days: Will Ryder craft? What are you most excited about crafting? Do you have any names in mind already for weapons?

I'm not too excited about crafting but my Ryder would definitely be :'D I can honestly see her crafting weapons and developing armour plans in her spare time, or when she has a lot on her mind. She likes to keep her hands busy. She'd be the kind who evaluates her team's combat skills and would develop weapons for them to boost their efficiency or accuracy. Also, she...often has insomnia and can't sleep so I can see her staying up all night and getting carried away crafting stuff for her team or herself. She'd need help naming her weapons tho - she gives them standard, boring names like 2K-501 but her bro would be the one to name them something ridiculous like 'Demolisher'.

21 Days: What are Ryder’s personality traits? Describe 5 strengths and 5 flaws.

Midnight is very hard-working and once she sets her mind on something, she gets it done. It can be a bad thing, however, since she tends to overwork herself a lot. She's a great planner and prefers to use her mind and diplomacy to solve problems and only resorts to violence if there's no other way. Because of this, however, she's a very inexperienced soldier who's not used to being a leader. She joined the Andromeda Initiative mainly to keep an eye on her brother, to keep him safe. Kalem's really the one who wanted to be the hero and lead the team but instead his sister was chosen, and as much as he loves his sister it was a bit of a blow to his ego. Whereas her brother is a rule-breaker, Midnight likes sticking to a routine or a strict set of rules. She isn't above questioning orders from her superiors, however. It's kind of her nature to question everything...she's very inquisitive and curious about everything. She was studying to be a scientist so learning about history or other species is absolutely fascinating to her. But because she is an inexperienced leader & soldier, she can get emotional during battle and do stupid, reckless things. Her brother teases her that he's rubbing off of her.

20 Days: What first impressions does Ryder tend to give people? Do they have any ‘odd’ or specific mannerisms, habits or other quirks? How do they present and carry themselves?

Midnight can seem serious and strict at first. Once she's given a mission, she becomes very focused, almost fixated on it. To really get to know her, you need to catch her off-guard, probably off the battlefield when her tactical mind isn't whirring and trying to plan 3 steps ahead. She handles diplomatic/political issues with ease but can be really awkward in personal social situations and is still struggling to be the charismatic leader she is expected to be. Despite all her knowledge and training she can be really naïve and as a result, ends up being a very easy victim to teasing (which her brother does all the time). Despite everything, she cares deeply for her teammates and her family and would go to any lengths to protect them. She's very good at controlling her emotions and can stay calm under pressure but gets completely overwhelmed when matters of the heart come into play :')

19 Days: Where would Ryder fall in the classic Paragon/Renegade morality system? What would their D&D alignment be? If you know their personality type in any personality typing systems (such as MBTI and Enneagram - you can find various type descriptions and tests using Google), feel free to add and discuss them here.

HOO BOY Midnight is definitely Paragon. At the beginning of the game, she starts out as a Lawful good which changes as the game progresses. I'd say her true self is somewhere on the neutral spectrum. Again, she starts out as INTJ (The Architect) and as she warms up to her team and grows into her role, becomes ISFJ (The Defender). Her Enneagram is Type 1: The Reformer.

18 Days: What qualities does Ryder like and dislike in other people? Are there any things they particularly appreciate or can’t stand?

Midnight hates disorder/chaos and she isn't really fond of surprises, since she likes to plan and be prepared for anything. Reckless, headstrong, aggressive or overly close-minded people who refuse to listen she'd have a hard time dealing with as well. She doesn't like insubordination either as it makes her feel incompetent as a leader. She admires idealistic, just people, those who are willing to do anything - even sacrifice themselves - to save others or do the right thing. She also admires humour and charisma, since she kinda sees herself as lacking those at the moment. Loyalty means everything to her, as well.

[childrenofathoria-rp-blog]

◆Out Of Character Information◆

Names/Ages: Cas, 30 & Emery, 29 Preferred Pronouns: She/Her, She/Her, Timezones: EST Desired Character Connection: Kali & Killian Ravenswood

◆Character Information◆

(1) Any changes or comments? Would you like to list their sexuality at this time?

(Cas) Kali will use she/her pronouns, and her sexuality will be open.

(Emery) Killian will use he/him pronouns, and he is bisexual

(2) Why this connection?:

Cas has always picked up these brooding, tarnished characters in the last four years of roleplaying and she needed to branch out this season. Kali is a bio she never would usually be attracted to play, and that is why she wanted to attempt it. This will also be the first female character she has tried to write in Athoria – so lots of new experiences! What she likes about her is that Kali is brilliant with her magic for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because of her family ties. Cas enjoys playing bios with a proud heritage in magical families and the witch she played last season had a rich family experience in this regard. There is something very special about her that Cas is looking forward to exploring, especially with the library being this hall of mysteries that she’s opened up for people to attempt to get through. Cas has a lot of muse for what all the rooms will be and just what her family is protecting and how it’s affecting her now that she believes her brother is in a magical coma for work that scared her.

For Emery, Killian started out as a piece of Kali’s bio (who was written well before the Season Five launch) but after discussing the direction of the roleplaying regarding specific SPECIE revelations that we wanted to do in-game, we decided to have him as a playable character. Emery has never played a witch before, wee! Plus, writing darker elements to personalities has always been a favorite. Killian will be digressing in game but it’ll be a subtle discovery for people close to him to find out, and that will be sad and feelsy and emotional for Kali. Emery is really good at writing and expressing the mental part of corruption, which is what Killian’s bio is all about.

Being sisters IRL, we can dive into their relationship well into game. Being an admins sister super team, we have to think about the story as a whole over our individual characters sometimes. These two bios may look a certain way from reading them, but know we have lots of things planned for the main plot to aid our members big time!!! 

(3) Interpret this connection:

Twins in medieval times always seem to hold this special place in our game. We imagine it’s hard enough with childbirth, but to bare two is pretty incredible. We think they share a profound magical yin and yang in a classic troupe way. Kali contains a light that’s hard to miss. Her magic is of alteration whereas Killian is of illusion. They are both branches of mental magics, yet they are so vastly different. I think they are best friends above siblings, and them teaming up produces remarkable results. Their heritage and weight of responsibly do not seem to show on either of them which I think is a rare form in Athoria. Usually, progenies or legacies carry this burden of their makers or parents in a negative way, and yet these two are more curious, prideful, and above all... damn good at their roles! I think it’s that piece that will allow us to move a lot of central plotting around in Athoria, especially with Magic Guild connections and Thieves Guild to give our members opportunities to explore that aspect of Athoria too.

(4) Interpret these characters individually:

(Cas) Kali is a mirror to her profession. I feel as if people will have a challenging time getting a proper read on her, often falling for her charms and be enthralled by her magic to give her a natural upper hand in some situations. I want to play her as mysterious as possible, never entirely giving herself away and yet finding a thrill in the new dangers of her job that she often gets herself into trouble. I think she will have an edge of snark and saltiness to her that will be hilarious to write and will add a lot of depth to her character when she’s engaged with other supernaturals.

She will be highly involved with the Guild, and I’d like her to be respectable enough even to teach some of the younger students. Some headcanons I have stem greatly from the Ravenswood Library and what exactly their family have been doing there. The building its self will be small in stature on the outside and located on the same island as the Temple of Vasu. But once you walk through it will be grand beyond belief. Almost like stepping through a portal to another place altogether– which is mildly accurate.

The Ravenswood Library is located in Miervaldis and is the largest source of literature there is to offer in the entire country. Even those teachers at The Magic Guild tend to keep secret treasures hidden away inside the establishment. Although a large section of the library is open to the public, Ravenswood is mostly warded to keep people out instead of in. The library consists of hundreds of rooms of varying sizes. Some citizens of the country purchase rooms in exchange for safe keeping of their secret literature.

Some parts of the library don’t exactly exist in any one location as a layer of protection for such things. Kali will have a magical key that she can use on any door to step into specific rooms in the library for quick access. This key won’t limit her need for travel because it is dangerous to use with potential enemies around. Using the key grants her entrance but anyone else who uses that door while she is in there at that moment can have access to that particular room well. This key cant be used by another because it requires Kali to know the room to enter. She will prefer to travel with said items back to the actual library to avoid anyone evil entering her place– even if it’s a place of riddles and traps.

I believe when she was little she often found herself lost in the labyrinth of the library, both done on purpose and because she’s too curious for her own good. Her family is lovely and proudful, but a little strict in her learning which comes from their pride. Punishments for her getting into minor trouble transpired by making her organize large rooms that had experienced magical turbulence causing many tombs to fall from the shelves or to work on designing new defenses on particular chambers. Such tasks would take her months to complete, and she’d often sneak her friends in to help her which inspired her current reasoning for letting those worthy to come in and explore.

This all contributes to her exceptional alteration magic, barely needing a wand to summon what she needs or to lift objects with her mind at her current age. Because of her face claim being in Shadowhunters, I will probably write about her having runes on her skin as another element to her magic. Using those to summon creatures to aid her. Her magical growth will not contain any elemental magic less the soul branch. The telepathy will be the ‘scariest’ form of her magic, and one that offensively will be quite dangerous even to herself.

Kali’s main weaknesses personality wise will be her unwavering curiosity. She wants to learn and is exceptionally brave to the point most probably believe she stupid when this is far from the truth. If the Ravenswood’s didn’t contain this personality trait, the library wouldn’t be as grand as it is now. It is a 'give and take’ for their family’s success. The vampires in Brailston are very intriguing to her mostly because wants to see if she can weasel her way into the Ivory Tower to check the place out and maybe learn something about these creatures who once lived in caves of all things. She loves the King greatly, and if he believes in these species, she will too.

She is pretty gullible when she doesn’t mean too. If someone tells her some gossip, she will probably believe it– even if it’s pretty out there because she has seen the most absurd things in her life, especially with the grand secrets of the library. Though she can read people very well, she can’t help but always wonder the why even if she picks up on it. If someone is lying to her for example, instead of calling them out on it Kali will just run with it just to see where they are going to go with such a tale. Some of her greatest adventures have begun because of a boasting man in need of proving something unimportant to her and Kali won’t ever turn down an opportunity to learn anything about any really– anything.

Kali has a hint of sadness in her that comes out when she spends too much time alone and usually requires a friend to drag her out for some fun or to mother her back to proper health. She’s an ugly crier, and those closest to her laugh at her for it before forcing her into a snuggle session. When it’s late at night while reading you can see glasses on her nose; her sight is declining with every passing year from too many nights pouring over literature, and Kali can’t use any more magic to help it. She nerds out on anything involving space and the sky, wanting to believe the stars can map out the truth or that something 'more’ lives beyond what they see here. Of anything in the world– she wants to see the Realm of the Seven Isles at least once. That– or her brother again.

(Emery) A trope that I found that could fit Killian would be the “Not as you know them” one, specifically on this page. The trope talks about a character that leaves for a little bit and comes back slightly different. Though they are still a “good guy”, circumstances have sort of twisted them around so they aren’t exactly the same as they were before. I think this is a good and fun way to view the relationship between Killian and Kali, and also with the Library in general. Killian will be returning to his home after five years of being out in the country while this whole time, Kali and, let’s face it, the rest of the magical community, thought he was chillin’ in a coma due to a head injury. When he comes back, Killian is not the same, but there will be cute and specific parts of his personality that will be; like his passion for magic in general, his passion for the library and his sister, and the fact that the Ravenswood legacy means everything to him. We also have to remember that Kali noticed his change in behavior before he left, so it will be interesting to see what parts of him that SHE believes is different, new or changed, versus what is really going on inside his head.

Killians magic was probably really playful as a kid. He didn’t really take it too serious, I don’t think, until he was in his early teenage years and realized that Kali would get the library over him. He wasn’t and isn’t resentful of that – let’s be real, she’s obviously more qualified – I just think that he had an “oh crap” moment when thinking about his future in general, his personal legacy and reputation, and it was then that Killian realized he had to sort of start digging his own path. Finding the demonic tome will be both his blessing and curse, just how it’s stated that the legacy was that way for him too. Killian only sees things as black and white, good or bad, right or wrong. Gray is not a common color in his pallet. Killian’s magic is based on illusion and enchantments, and he does well at potions (not really nerding out on herbs or plantlife, just being able to enchant liquids or bring out natural remedies in potions. I don’t really see Killian sitting around crushing rosemary and going into the forest to pick flowers). I want to play off of a blacksmithing background but not with him forging new weapons, again just sort of enchanting and improving what is already created. For example, Killian would be able to take a pair of gauntlets and beat them a bit to enchant them with a spell, but he wouldn’t sit down and create the gauntlets himself. Killian’s enchantments regarding weaponry, armor or clothing will be really Skyrim heavy like increasing speed, stealth, aim, power, etc. This opens up connections for merchant traders, traveling in general (which is a heavy part of his teenage years), viable reasons to be in a thief’s guild, and so forth. Killian’s illusion magic is sort of creepy when he’s not using it for “fun”. I can picture Killian getting into some rough situations out on the road or with the guild and not exactly coming across as the innocent little redhead that people might think he is. I can see Killian planting disturbing thoughts into peoples heads that cross him, but doing so subtly. I think that Killian enjoys a longer type of end-game rather than immediate results. 

With The Emerald Hand, Killian is glad that he found some people that are okay with him being a weirdo sometimes. I imagine that sometimes they find him passed out on the docks and they just leave him there as if it’s normal. Then other times I think that certain relationships in the guild will bring out better, stronger qualities in him. Even though Killian will be returning back to Miervaldis very soon at the beginning of his story, he’ll still have these relationships with the guild members since he still won’t be telling them who he really is. (more explained in interview question)

Killian would have grown up knowing about Franco Athor and Nathaniel Athor and I think that as long as the monarchy doesn’t start changing a bunch of crap in Miervaldis then he’ll be fine with their expansion. Being a thief’s guild member is not exactly a good profession when your King is cracking down on laws. This might be motivation for Killian to also go back home. I also will headcanon that Killian has been locked up several times in the jails. Whoops!

I guess the bulk of Killian’s story comes down to this demon summoning tome he found. Let’s be clear that this was on accident. Killian had every intention of getting rid of the thing but of course it’s gotta be cursed, right? As admins, we really try to bring out certain elements of the game that are important to moving forward with the plot of the roleplay, so I have a lot of background noise and muse for what this curse could do to Killian moving forward. But writing outside the lines, this curse is basically taking over Killian’s personality and mind, literally, it WANTS him to perform the spell to raise a demon. As far as we know, this has only happened ONCE in history (not including the little demon familiars that the darker mages have), and it was one of the original demons from Hell (vampire stuff!). I’m not getting into this directly due to playing a character already that has been fucked by this situation, but it’s just a friendly and fun thing to keep in mind. With the tome in general, I get muse sort of like Tom Riddle’s diary from Harry Potter. The tome is fucking with Killian, and it probably won’t stop until Killian gives into the curse. It’s pretty sad. Killian is loosing his magic due to this thing, he lost his home and his family, he had to resort to thieving to survive, and oh yeah…he’s still losing his magic. If Killian doesn’t give into the curse then I think that he might die tbh. What better reason to go back home?

◆ Interview Questions ◆

(Cas) (1) What do you think your twin was working on that was so dangerous? Do you really think their head injury was random?

“Oh look at you being all nosy and curious,” Kali snickered, tapping her pointer fingers together in front of her face while she thought of a decent answer. “I haven’t been into all the rooms of the library, and I grew up in the place. I don’t think it was random– nothing is as far as I can tell.” She rolled her eyes. It would be difficult to hide how this conversation was bothering her, so she simply let a soft frown wilt her lips. “I have time– well. I hope the magical coma will give me time actually to find the room he was in. I am certain when I work it out some of my questions will be answered.”

(2) Have you gotten into trouble out on the road before? What happened?

Kali winced subtly, catching fingers across her bangs to brush them from her lashes to hide her surprise. “Ah well– ” she smirked a devilishly wide grin, threading her hand on her hip to give the other her full attention. “There was this one time during a snow storm that an avalanche slipped down the mountain and blocked one of the roads near Grimsby. I guess it could be viewed as a 'scary experience.’” A teasing snicker accented the button shape of her nose as she wrinkled her face in amusement. “We couldn’t use our brooms because of the wind, and so we decided to stay in town– it creeped me out a little. Always felt like eyes were on me but it was terribly fun.”

(Emery) (1) What do you think would happen if you gave into the urge to summon the demon as its written on the tome?

“I can’t imagine that it will be good?” Killian’s response is more sarcastic and obvious than it is informative. “Anything with the word ‘demon’ in it, relating to it, involving it is not exactly something that you should be a part of. Why do you think most mages aren’t best friends with the vampires? Maybe because they were created by some slimy, other worldly hell creature that slipped through the fabrics of our realm? And for what? To create monsters that kill on innocent people? That have infiltrated our government?” Killian’s eyes roll slightly. Even though he feels the lack of magic within his veins he still manages to pretend that its not affecting him. “I have the tome, its better that way. I’m a Ravenswood and guess what? Ravenswoods aren’t known to give in so easily,”

(2) What aspect of the Thieves Guild do you find the most promising? Surely you have your reasons for joining up?

“I was a treasure hunter before I was a thief so what’s the difference, really? Treasure hunter, thief, treasure hunter, thief...” Killian weighs the two aspects in his hand like a scale. “We either found a bunch of stuff to bring back to the Library or convinced people to give up stuff that we wanted. So when I say “convinced”, I admit…my mother had a very suave way of getting what she wanted. After leaving that behind, it only made sense to keep finding treasure. The Emerald Hand offered that to me, plus they didn’t ask a lot of questions. They didn’t even know I had magic until recently. Imagine the look on Ivar’s face. Of course, Aerion always knew…but then again, Aerion was something else altogether,” Killian smirks. “Oh right, so an ulterior motive you ask? I wouldn’t be a Ravenswood if I didn’t have one,”

◆ Dual Application Interview Questions ◆

(Cas) (1) Question One: If you could change one thing about Killian, what would it be and why?

“Oh! He was such a brat!” she pointedly lifted her cup in the air as if to toast said statement though a faint tear fogged her vision thinking about her brother. She swallowed her emotions just enough to speak openly. It never dwelled to let strangers know the Ravenswood’s had something so tragic happen to them. “You know it’s all his fault that I can settle still for so long? He never stopped, always ambitious he wa– is. Well, if I had to change anything I’d tell him to remind me why he loves me so. Maybe if he thought about me and what he did– he’d not have been so foolish.”

(Emery) (2) If you had the choice between sacrificing yourself or sacrificing Kali for a greater cause, what would you do and why?

“I’m already fucked, so this is easy to answer,” Killian’s eyes narrow. “Nothing is more important than continuing the Ravenswood legacy. With my magic deteriorating, and after leaving for five years, after hurting my sister and my entire family, I wouldn’t deserve anything over her. I’m not being a martyr, I’m just saying that if it came down to me or her, it’d gladly give up whatever I had left to make sure that it was Kali who continued on,”

(Cas) ◆ Writing Sample: ◆

“Oh no–” Kali paused her steps to peer down at the dampness spreading across her heaving chest. The water dripped on the cobblestone in a symphony of vexation, dramatically seeking out neighboring books thrown about the floor. She blew a strand of wet hair clung to her cheeks with a frustrated stomp of her boot.

“Dammit– you are the worse you know that!” she whipped her head around to look at the troll who perched themselves on the edge of the doorway laughing hysterically that they got her. Kali didn’t draw her wand to punish the troublemaker, only huffed as she turned on her heel to walk farther into the small room. Objects lifted up into the air around her wordlessly, books seemingly tethered to strings moved from the floor and back on their respected spots on the shelves. She cleaned the room up while water soaked beyond her bodice and uncomfortably dripped along her collarbones and down her back to trap droplets in her boots.

“You were supposed to get Major you know? I thought we had a deal,” she knew that she was speaking to herself. The troll might understand her language a little bit because the creature had made a mistake to follow her into the place when she used her key outside Leeds. But now the troll was magically trapped here and not for the better might she add. Kali could take the time to unbind them from this room, but after five years she was getting used to the little troublemaker pulling pranks like they just did.

“I will bring you blackberries from the Ancient Forest if you promise me the next time Major comes– you get him and not me!” this time her wand teasingly pointed at the troll who laughed again and enthusiastically nodded as if it understood her. “I’d shake on it, but I don’t really trust you–”

Kali keened in exaggerated poses as if exhausted, but if she was honest the unexpected bath had woken her up– how many days had she been in these clothes anyway? Kali knew she contained a terrible habit for overworking herself, but she had a savior in more ways than one today to tear her away from it. She looked around to see the rest of the room clean up and strolled back out with a sweet smirk on her lips. A faint glow left her fingers, igniting runes along the bookshelves in a selective warding.

“I know you get bored– but don’t touch my books anymore,” she hummed while exiting the chambers of this part of the library and moved into the main entranceway. An archway was being decorated with roses when she walked in, and the scent was overwhelmingly beautiful. Her friend waved cheerfully then eyed her soaked state with a concerned furrow. Kali waved the worry off.

“The flowers are beautiful–” her friend’s gaze tore from her back to their work; working intricate wand movements to appear as if they were painting them in place. Earth magic always amazed her.

“Yes– they appear so, but their scent will put someone to sleep if they are not supposed to be in this room. It will be fun to see how they get around it.”

Kali threaded her fingers together in excitement, her wand cradled between and vibrated in awe upon her tiptoes.

“That is lovely! I wish I could do earth magic–” she reached out to pluck a white rose setting it behind her friend’s ear. “You always do such lovely work– I should visit the Hallowed Oak sometime this week. Bring you lots of flowers from the Gardens.”

They blushed, and Kali secretively relished the effect.

“I left a talisman there you know–” “Oh yeah? So we could just teleport right in,” Kali mused, and their friend nodded already knowing what she was going to suggest.  

“Don’t you want to change out of those wet clothes?”

“What? Oh no! I needed a bath anyway, it will dry. Let’s visit Sinder! Maybe they will smile seeing me like this–”

“Alright– if you say so… but we need to collect some stuff while we are there– and it’s getting dark so we shouldn’t stay long,”

“Oh come on–” Kali had that dangerous look about her now, the one that grabbed hands and dragged them into places they really shouldn’t be going into and yet they always did. “I’ll protect you–”

“I didn’t doubt you could!” her friend flustered but relented with their palm out. “Come on then miss 'I’m not scared of the dark,’”

Kali grabbed their hand, and with a faint 'pop’ the two teleported to the gardens.

(Emery) ◆ Writing Sample: ◆

It should have been a good day. Normally it would have been. Working with enchantments and discovering new and improved weapons from the many stashes that were sealed away inside of the massive library was always a favorite pastime of Killian’s...if he could unlock a new room that his mother had sealed and picked out new armors or blades to wield, it would be the best day. But today was not a good day.

The library was quiet save the obnoxious screeching sound coming from the broadsword that Killian dragged down the hallway. In the public area of the library, visitors covered their ears, mumbled in disagreement under their breath. Some even ventured to shush him, scold him, to be quiet! Can’t you see we’re reading, here?! The tip of the heavy sword left a winding trail behind him that he’d need to cover up. If that wasn’t enough, when Killian reached the main vestibule, his arms gave out from the weight and he tumbled to the ground, the hilt of the broadsword in his hands collapsing with him. The sound echoed throughout the many, tall walls.

“Kali?!” he yelled pathetically for his twin sister. “I’m stuck…this fucking sword…I’m stuck!”

Killian shook his hands holding the hilt of the blade, hoping the release his grip this time. It was a spell gone wrong…a witch’s nightmare. How was he supposed to know that the sword had already been enchanted?!

Killian moaned in annoyance. Perhaps this was the universe’s way of letting him know that a broadsword would not be good for the road. Killian had always stuck to smaller, stealthier weapons that were engraved into the runes on his skin; dual wield knives, throwing stars…maybe the broadsword was a bit too showy.

Glancing around, the young teenager noticed the new archway of roses leading into one of the rooms. There was a friend of Kali’s that practiced a bit of earth magic, someone that she trusted enough to poke around the library. Maybe she was there and could help him with his…problem. With another groan, Killian used the broadsword to help him to a stand, then dragged the bulky weapon (that was nearly the size of himself) over to the archway.

“Hello?” He called inside the room first, hoping not to disturb anyone. When no one answered, Killian decided to take a chance on entering the room against all sort of intuition. He passed under the roses, barely noticing their special scent. Pushing the door open with his back, Killian noticed the beautiful allure of the room; the large, white pillars that were homes to birds nests and acorns, squirrels and another small, annoying critters. Various books and scrolls were scattered around the walls and next to a comfortable looking armchair. He wondered whose room this was and where they were, and were disappointed that no one in that damn library seemed capable or able to help him disengage his own enchantment.

With a roll of his eyes, Killian turned to head back out to the library. He sneezed, unable to cover his nose; his face wrinkling into an unattractive scrunch. His eyes became watery and heavy…

“What the hell…oh no,” he sneezed again and did his best to lift the sword above his head, ready for attack if it were to come. But it was short-lived. The spell from the roses took its toll and Killian fell backwards with a loud snore…asleep.