#like julian from the arcana with his plague doctor mask

[imbadatnicknames1]

like what's the deal here

somethin about my favorite characters in media wearing masks

[greyspirehollow]

They will return with more disturbing facts ! [Request]

request by @plushtoad

Pairing : Quaestor Valdemar x Liam (my mc) - Platonic ! Fandom : The Arcana visual novel Warnings : disturbing facts? (like two, because I'm too lazy to do research)

Summary : How does one try to get closer to an unhinged surgeon? Try and be creepy yourself !

It had started during the years of the Red Plague. Liam had just become Julian's apprentice, and he'd been warned about Valdemar multiple times.

But that didn't stop the necromancer from wanting to be friends with them (or at least get them to warm up to him somewhat). And so, like any kid that is told 'don't do that', he did exactly that.

Although he took his time... He'd observe from afar, and take mental notes during each interaction he'd have with them ; their mannerisms, what they'd talk about, etc, etc... And the plan in his head seemingly started taking shape, and he couldn't help a mischievous smile from playing on his lips (even if it was hidden by his plague mask).

One day, he spotted Valdemar working on one of their corpses -as usual-, and he stood in the doorway for a moment. Liam then approached them, standing on the opposite side of the operation table. They didn't look up from the body. "Yes?" they inquired nonchalantly. Liam stayed silent for a few seconds, then just -

"Did you know, according to cannibals, the tastiest part of the human body is the palm of the hand?"

silence. They blinked, looking up at him, trying to comprehend just why Liam had just said that. Had he come here simply... for that? Their brows were subtly furrowed, and Liam stood there in the uncomfortable silence for probably a hot minute. However, he soon dashed off ; "Until we meet again !" accompanied his escape. Valdemar watched him go, a little more confused. After standing in silence for a hot minute themselves, they went back to the corpse with a little shrug "well, that's nice to know...."

Unbeknownst to Liam, he'd soon get a taste of his own medicine... The following day, he was getting done with a patient's diagnosis under Julian's supervision, when the plague doctor went to order files in his office. The necromancer was left alone for a few minutes ; but that was enough. He felt someone's breath right at his ear and stiffened. "Did you know, it's actually your bone marrow that fabricates your blood cells..." Liam's mouth opened in a silent gasp, as Valdemar's words echoed in his brain "nooo..." he whispered, drawing a chuckle out of the demon "until we meet again~" they said ; "you can't just do that !! you can't- come back here!!" before leaving the poor magician all too aware of his bones, despite his protests.

From then on, it became a casual inside joke between the two of them, as they tried to out-creep the other (even though Valdemar constantly won), much to Julian's despair. But Liam's plan had worked, in the end : Valdemar had warmed up to him.

Three years later, when they saw him quite literally come back from the dead only to investigate on Dr. 069's possible involvement in Lucio's murder they were... Surprised. And ready to investigate. They'd approach him while he was in the library, and well, he hadn't seen them coming.

"...did you know" they started, making him jump and turn around. There was a brief bit of silence before they went on "...that according to cannibals, the tastiest.." "...the tastiest part of the human body is the palm of the hand" the necromancer finished, a flicker of recognition flashing in his eyes he smiled and chuckled "I have a feeling we're not exactly strangers, Quas... Quaster..." ; "Quaestor Valdemar" they confirmed, nodding, the smile on the necromancer's face widening. Liam chuckled and shook his head "you gave me a real scare ! I thought you were about to skin me alive ! -That can be arranged -No don't-"

Even if Liam didn't remember the whole context of their "friendship", they had to admit, he wasn't exactly a nuisance.

[stariisoda]

Arcana Themed Kandi Bracelets (PART 1)

The Main Six! (Left: Asra, Julian and Nadia/Right: Muriel, Portia and Lucio

Guess who got into Kandi making? Me. Wanted to make some Arcana inspired singles (cause that's all I can make lol)

So I went with the most obvious characters:the ones you can date in game.... Duhhh....

(I'm gonna make more, maybe the courtiers next???)

(Read for more photos and explanation)

Asra: I chose a heart charm that has a smaller heart inside of it for... Obvious plot reasons. Then the teal and purple because I think teal is their favorite color? I think? And purple because that's what I see when I think about him. Star beads because magic. Also, the little white tri-beads kinda look like bones from the side, so take that as you will.

Nadia: I picked an owl charm for her because it could either represent Chandra or The High Priestess. Her colors are mainly her color palette, and most of the beads are pearlesent.

Julian: There wasn't a raven, but this bird that kinda looks like a hummingbird? Whoops, I just couldn't find anything else that reminded me of him. So the bird is supposed to represent either Malak, The Hanged Man or a plague doctor mask (the beak is long lol) This one is pretty plain, having black beads in the back and two ab finish black beads in the front. And the red.

Muriel: You can't really see it in this angle, but I picked a house charm, because it reminds me of his little hut in the woods. Also Muriel's a home body. Used the tri-beads again for the same purpose as Asra. Chose big blocky letters because it better suits his vibe. And then more earthy tones, with the black ab beads for his cloak.

Portia: A cat charm to represent either Pepi or The Star. Star beads because The Star. Then the rest of it is just her color palette. (Don't know a whole lot about her, sorry)

Lucio: I picked a crown charm because... Because he's the count. Also it's so ugly, I honestly dislike his bracelet, despite him being my favorite character. I chose those awful gold beads because, let's be honest, Lucio would love that. Picked them because they were kinda over the top. (Originally was going to use the same letter beads as Asra and Nadia.) Uses small red beads and two faceted yellow beads at the front (looks like gems). The rest is his color palette, although it's mainly ab, pearl and glitter colors other than the red, which is solid. I made his bracelet ugly on purpose because he would probably have something like that. (Oh, he has his necklace haha)

Them all laid out together

Then all of them on my arm

Anyways, that's it for now! If you stayed to read all of that, thank you! I liked trying to come up with meanings behind them and designing each one.

I'm aiming to do the courtiers next 👀

[lunastarhawk]

Villainous Thing

...A rewrite of Julian and Altheia's (second) first meeting. Named after the song Villainous Thing by Shayfer James.

A melodramatic fugitive doctor breaks into a magician's shop, and finds more than he bargained - or rehearsed - for.

I tripped and 3.6k words fell out.

Sort of a WIP Wednesday post, as it's part of an ongoing collection of rewritten scenes that I'm writing in whatever order I feel like (not a full route rewrite, god no), but the thing is less of a wip and more of a therapy for when I need a self-indulgent break from grappling with plot in ToM. Literally just shoving Julian and Altheia into scenes they talk about in ToM.

Excerpt

“Strange hours for a shop to keep.”

Her heart pounded, adrenaline shooting to her limbs.  The voice was masculine and low, but it wasn’t threatening.  She swallowed her reactive fear as she turned her head and her eyes, enough to see the counter, half expecting an intruder to be rifling through the day’s takings.  But there was no one there.

“...Behind you.”

She spun, and it took her eyes a moment to see him there, in the shadows beside the curtain over the door to the back room.  He was tall, dressed in black, and as he stepped out of the shadows she saw his face was covered by a beaked mask, the kind worn by plague doctors.

Altheia was determined not to let him see her fear, couldn’t give him the upper hand of thinking that creeping up on her would scare her into… whatever it was he wanted.

So she said,

“We’re closed, actually.” 

The intruder hesitated, apparently surprised by the response.  He drew himself up a little taller, put his hands on his hips so that his elbows pulled at the long coat hung over his shoulders, like some kind of dark peacock.

“Are you?  Good, good, well it makes no difference to me… I’m not here to make a purchase, shopkeep.”

“You’re not?”  Altheia knew full well he wasn’t, but needed to keep him talking, stalling him as her mind raced.  Her throat was dry, and she crossed her arms over her chest to bury her trembling hands from sight.  She called on her magic, tentatively, watching his face, unsure if he could sense it.  “Well, since you’re here, maybe I could tempt you with some jade seed?  End of the day stock, you see.  Special offer.  Two for the price of one.”

The stranger stammered behind the mask.  As Altheia talked, her magic extended towards him, seeking his aura.  It wasn’t strong… he wasn’t a magician, it seemed.  Or he hid it very well.

He altered his stance again, leaning forward slightly on one booted foot.  Altheia couldn’t help but notice the sheer length of his legs as her gaze was drawn there, slender but lean muscles with a feline strength.

“I’m not interested in your wares, shopkeep,” he snarled.  “This is the witch’s lair, is it not?  Where is the witch ?”

Altheia was torn between anger and laughter.  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard any magician be referred to as a ‘witch’ - it was a slur, but one that had largely fallen out of use, except for amateur plays at the community theatre.

She took a step forward, narrowing her eyes a little.  Her magic found his aura.  She tried to sense a reaction, but couldn’t see behind the mask.

“Which one?”

The stranger was visibly taken aback.

“Which what?”

“Which witch?”  Altheia cocked her head to the side.  “I’m a magician, and so is my master.  Which of us are you after?”

He huffed, and then drew himself up as he laughed.  “Your master ?  I see he has taught you his tricks!”

She shrugged.  “Some.”

Despite affecting nonchalance, Altheia’s mind whirled.  He was looking for Asra, and though she couldn’t guess his intention, by his demeanour she was glad that Asra wasn’t there. 

“You’re very annoying,” he muttered.

Altheia sniggered.  “I’ve been called worse.”  She let her voice take on an innocent lilt as she stepped towards the counter, not taking her eyes from the glassy red discs on his mask.  “If it’s Asra you’re looking for, he’s not here.  I could take a message…”

She reached across the counter towards a notepad and pencil.  

“No-no-no, no need for that…”

The man lurched forward and slammed his hand down over hers, pinning it to the counter, his tall figure looming over her.  She leaned back as far as she could against the counter; the man’s thigh and hip brushed against hers, his body so close that his fragrance washed over her, leather and musk.  They froze.

Her magic surged as she felt his aura, restless and unfocussed.  Though the aura spoke of latent potential, he was no magician.  He was also no danger.  There wasn’t a single malevolent spark within it.

Part of Between the Deep Blue Sea and the Devil on AO3 :)

[gamerbot-22]

How I Think the Red Plague Works and Presents Itself

DNI

So I mentioned in that HC request that I was going to make basically a fake research paper on the Red Plague and it's effects because there's genuinely like. Little to no information about the symptoms aside from the red eyes and hands in canon. So this is that paper!

CW: Discussion of both irl and fictional pandemics, concept art of the Red Plague, death in general. Also spoilers! For like all of the routes!!!

Overview

So going off of the knowledge we have (came from bugs, the name, the mask Julian wears as a doctor, etc.) the Red Plague is pretty clearly based on the Black Death/Bubonic Plague which ravaged most of Europe in the 1300's (and still exists in other areas of the world but let's not dwell on that part.)

If you want the history of the Black Death in Medieval Europe I would actually recommend Watcher's "Life During the Black Death Pandemic" video which can be found here, but to sum up, the Black Death is a bacterial condition that comes in four different varieties (only three could be diagnosed during the pandemic in the 1300's,) with the most common and survivable type being the titular bubonic variety.

Transmission

So the Black Death has three ways of spreading: Bites from infected fleas (i.e. fleas carrying the bacteria Yersinia pestis,) contact with infected fluid/tissue (the example the CDC gives on their page on Black Death ecology is skinning and eating an infected rabbit,) and contact with infectious droplets caused by the pneumonic variant.

The only two transmission types we see in Arcana canon is bites from the red beetles and contact with the dye that is made from those same beetles. Personally I think that use or exposure to the beetle dye is similar enough to that infected fluid/tissue way of transmission. Like inhalation of the dye itself or wearing fabric that was dyed with it while there's an open wound on the body or using it to rub your face is enough to cause an infection.

Symptoms

Symptoms of the Black Death include:

fever

headache

chills

weakness

painful lymph nodes (buboes) near the infection site

abdominal pain

shock

possible bleeding into the skin and other organs

appendages like fingers, toes, and nose turning septic and dying

cough

bloody/water mucous

and looking at the symptoms of the Red Plague we can start to see even more similarities:

art source: The Arcana fandom wiki page "Red Plague"

As we can see in this image drawn by the developers, similar changes in the physique occur. Instead of septic fingers and puss-filled buboes, we have red pigmentation around joints (fingers, knees, shoulders,) orbital socket, lips and within the sclera. The only thing we know about this pigmentation is that it begins in the eyes and spreads outwards, so seemingly there's no change regarding infection type or method. There's also no explanation as to what the pigmentation is. It can't be blood, as that would just result in extensive bruising which appears black under the skin, not red. There also seems to be no evidence of the eyes being irritated or vision being impaired so it’s probably not a direct eye infection either. This can probably just be chalked up to the fact that this is a ✨magic plague.✨

The infection also seems to ravage any stores of fat or muscle on the patient, causing even a warrior like Lucio to become gaunt and frail. A deep cough is also a symptom Lucio exhibits, but it's unknown if he had that symptom due to his prolonged infection (Lucio had the Red Plague for several months while others died of the plague within days or weeks,) but given the spread of the Red Plague throughout Vesuvia I'm willing to bet that most patients developed a cough.

Doctors

The doctors of the time wore plague masks resembling birds, and these masks have basically become the symbol of the Black Death ever since.

image source: Wikipedia article "Plague doctor costume"

You might remember that Julian Devorak wears a similar mask:

Image source: The Arcana: A Mystic Romance App

This style of dress was thought to be effective in keeping doctors safe from the plague but I couldn't find any evidence to back that up for irl cases. My guess is it was just the covering of almost every inch of the body that kept the infection from spreading, as there was no easy way for a doctor to consume infectious fluids or make direct contact with infected patients. In the game this seemed to be an effective enough style, probably for the same reason.

Both masks are stuffed with a mix of different materials called Theriac (and I highly recommend you look here for a list of all the crazy shit that made up Theriac,) but in-game Julian only mentions that his mask is filled with herbs without listing any specific items. The reason for the Theriac was because of the popular "miasma" theory of the time, which suggested that it was bad air that caused the plague, and not the bite of a flea or eating infected meat.

Although Julian is the only plague doctor we see in his uniform, I think it stands to reason that most of if not all doctors employed by Lucio wore uniforms similar to what Julian wears.

Quaestor Valdemar is also seen wearing a more modern style mask around their nose and mouth. This less extravagant mask makes sense as Valdemar seems much more interested in doing autopsies than actually curing and interacting with a living infected patient that might cough infected droplets on them.

Image credit: The Arcana fandom wiki page "Valdemar" Treatment for the Black Death irl varies wildly, but by far the most popular way to try to cure the plague was a process called bloodletting, which was done by a doctor either cutting a specific part of the body and letting the blood run out or by attaching leaches to buboes and just letting them go at it. We can see references to leeches in The Arcana, as Julian is openly interested in them and often suggest using leeches as a way to tend to infection.

Death and Graves

During the Black Death Pandemic between 1347-51, an estimated total of between 75 to 200 million people died of the infection. It's unknown how many people died of the Red Plague in The Arcana but it clearly was enough as there are several mentions to people just dying in the street before they can make it to quarantine on the Lazaret.

The aforementioned Lazaret is an island in the ocean right outside of Vesuvia that was used specifically as a quarantine hospital, although that was short lived and the place basically turned into one big mass grave where the bodies of the infected were burned and the ashes were spread on the beaches.

In real life, bodies were disposed of in mass graves. Harrowing text from the time describes how no priests or services were provided for these mass graves, and if an entire family was killed by the plague it was extremely difficult to find someone willing to go bring the bodies outside the city for burial.

In Conclusion

So I guess my point here is that the Red Plague in the Arcana behaves very similarly to the Black Death irl, albeit with a few differences in origin, transmission, and symptoms.

I guess this entire post was kind of redundant but the Arcana brainrot is strong and this was the only way I could get rid of it. And it's nice for me to have a recourse to refer back to whenever I end up having to write characters infected with the Red Plague.

[iwannawritelots]

Fictional characters that give me gender envy, a report by Cinna iwannawritelots

Happy pride 2022

(This isn’t NSFW but I do mention sex a couple times because I’m a little hoe)

Link

namely Breath of the Wild Link since that was my first Zelda game, but pretty much all the adult Link variations do this. I like to make my hair do what his does. I also have earrings like his blue hoops they’re super fun but a pain in the ass because I have to remember to take them off so I don’t wear them often.

Barbatos

from Obey Me! … He’s just so gender. I love him, he’s my blurbo. I want to be him and I want to fuck him, smooch him, cuddle him… I want him to be real please and thanks. I also would like his gender. I was high key considering getting a similar haircut to his for a while but I like my hair long and my hair is too curly to do what his does lol. I might end up doing an ombré similar to his tho. I also wanted to be a butler in my teens for a while lmao. I also paint my nails like his sometimes hehe

Felix

from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Long haired angry magic sword man??? Yes. Hand over his gender right now. I want to be able to cut through my enemies transphobes and look like a hot slice of man okay? Okay. I did dye my hair to match his and I’m planning on doing it again because I honestly like the color. My eyebrows aren’t very dark though so it kinda looks weird -3-”

Julian

from The Arcana. I want to steal his wardrobe. His plague mask makes me go ballistic I love it. Also the cloak jacket thing??? I kinda wanna fuck him too but honestly it would probably be a ruse to steal his clothes. If stealing his gender required I become a doctor I couldn’t do it tho lol I am too stupid for that.

I would continue but honestly the rest of them would be Obey Me! characters so I’ll spare anyone who dared to read this lmao. Feel free to add onto this with your own if you want.

[salsdemise]

i hope u are doing well, love! <3

do you have any headcannons for the arcana characters if you still write for them :) ?

(also have you read the new tale??)

Ahusgd im doing great anon ty :D i just got my hair done (its been like a week now lol) and im feelin good<3

I hope ur doing good too btw <3 I havent read the new tale bc i am fucking poor but i still love writing for the arcana holy shit

Only wrote for julian, asra and lucio bc i couldn’t think for the others :) also ignore how julian’s are kinda romantic i love him :)

HCS for arcana characters<3

Julian(my fave<3)

-he talks with his hands. Talking bout something he likes? Frantic waving and hand motions -also stims by hand flapping and shaking if he’s excited

-usually when hes out in public, he’s got his arms crossed as a way to keep himself from stimming or getting over-excited -idk i feel like julian is easily excitable about a lot once you get close to him

-he fucking SNORES. You cant tell me otherwise. He fucking snores so loud you will think about suffocating him. (from someone who has slept in the same room as someone who snores hella loud)

-has no idea where to put his hands at any time whether its on you or in general, if you like hug him or something he’ll be awkward as fuck for a while and then he’ll just fall into it.

-goes fucking stupid for morning or late night cuddles

-a walking meme sometimes. Especially with his plague doctor mask

-jumpy as shit.

-also an idiot at times. We all know this

Asra<3

-slightly talks with his hands

-not as rapidly or excited as julian, but still uses them to put emphasis on stuff

-he dances like a tipsy dad prove me wrong

-unless it’s actually dancing yk :)

-surprisingly giggly

-says something stupid and starts laughing at his own joke

-baker vibes

-also makes some good tea

-he takes care of his cards and stuff(bf added this one)

Lucio: bf helped with these lol @leonkennedyiscool

-obsessively polishes his arm and shiny stuff

-might have his makeup tattooed onto his face

-if its not it takes hours to do it bc he’s specific

-he’s super fucking picky

-never on time unless the event is after 2pm.

-if he isn’t there an hour or two before the event starts he’s there an hour or two after.

-”It’s 5:05, Noddy, we can’t leave now!” -also knows the plague is following him and it makes him germaphobic

-cleans up everything

-kinda shows affection through making sure stuff is clean?

-would speak latin or some old fucking language

-overall uppity but he cares a little under that<3

-burns easily.,,

[naturedust]

The Arcana characters during the Covid-19 pandemic: Part 1 (Asra, Julian, Valerius)

hi everyone! i felt really happy whilst writing this. in each set of headcanons, the apprentice lives with that character! i don’t specify if there’s anything romantic or sexual going on between them though. this is VERY detailed, i’m still writing out muriel, nadia, portia, and lucio’s headcanons so they’ll come in part 2 <3 i hope you enjoy!! AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27529276/chapters/67324228

Asra

asra hosts weekly magic workshops (covering very very basic magic) with the apprentice over microsoft teams 💻 each workshop has a small fee, with all proceeds going to local vesuvian charities like mask suppliers, and food banks (who he tries to donate extra food to every week) supporting the poorest amongst their population. it was the apprentice who first suggested he do this, on a day he was feeling really afraid in the face of the pandemic.

i think he has days when he feels really helpless and trapped – and it runs a little deeper than cabin fever and restlessness. other than the pain he’d experience if he lost the apprentice again, being unable to do things freely is the worst situation he can think of... as much as asra prioritises the apprentice’s mental health, he doesn’t practice emotional expression a lot. he truly strives to be there for the apprentice and even when he remembers how they suffered after coming back...asra only cries silently at night when they are asleep – when he knows they can’t hear him. 

that’s part of the reason why he’s always seemed so mysterious in the game — growing up without his parents meant that he learnt to push down his fear and put on a brave face... and one of the reasons why he goes on trips without much explanation is to escape reality for a bit. he lets his vulnerability show only on the worst of days (like the day the apprentice died). on days where asra feels really afraid of the world and defeated, the apprentice takes over his shop duties and brews much more lapsang souchong than usual to comfort him. so much that even passerbys outside the shop are caught in the smokiness of it! unlike the red plague, every community in the world is affected, and there is nowhere for asra to escape to. this includes nopal. after vesuvia’s Covid-19 situation gets better though, he and the apprentice stay there sometimes as a mini vacation of sorts and it brings him peace 🏜

asra’s leading an effort to make high quality masks more accessible to vesuvians. in fact, that local mask provider i mentioned earlier is his initiative. he set it up after seeing people buy all the beaked plague doctor masks (the PPE of vesuvia) that actual working doctors need access to. he would never admit it but, when asra thinks about the doctors, julian is the first who comes to mind. anyways, the masks asra designs are stunning. he spends tireless nights testing their 3-ply efficacy, and they aren’t just plain blue or white – there are intricate details imprinted on them through his magic 🔮 

i think asra would also be really into coming up with new herbal concoctions for customers, after he notices how tired people look from being indoors all day – for example, he’s developed an immune system-boosting drink that’s a gorgeous swirly purple colour 🍶 it’s similar to traditional chinese medicine. also he only uses ethically sourced, 100% local herbs (by local, i mean from nopal and the tarske forest, where muriel helps him collect wildflowers and herbs!!)  🌿 he uses spells to counter the toxicity of his favourite belladonna flower and it becomes a superfood staple of his concoctions

he goes out every couple of days just to gather herbs and ingredients for aforementioned concoctions, always prioritising the ones he makes for the apprentice and always making those sweeter, taking more time to create colourful depths in them that resemble galaxies. asra also makes particular effort to bring back a wide range of fruits from his local trips as it always cheers the apprentice up 🍈

asra invents the most effective, affordable, environmentally-friendly, non-toxic and skin-friendly hand sanitiser and because this magician is the sweetest person ever and cares much more about people’s lives than making a profit during the pandemic, he shares the recipe online for free & magicians all around the world recreate the hand sanitiser for their local neighbourhoods. he’s since been featured in a couple of “Top 10 People You Should Follow” lists in business magazines and there’s an online petition with over 200k signatures calling for his nobel prize nomination lol. asra insists he doesn’t care about fame but when the apprentice laughs about these recognitions, they always notice asra’s eyes crinkling

asra would also become a lot more active on his youtube channel. that’s right, he’s always had a youtube channel, he’s just had a million hiatuses because of all his adventures. he has around 20,000 subscribers (and a similar amount on instagram...his feed is colourful and full of pictures depicting his travels, the shop, and above all, the apprentice). since he’s decided to stay at the shop with the apprentice – who is actually a little more vulnerable than others to viruses, because of their “reborn” form – he has the time to post weekly videos again. i think asra wouldn’t want to show his face in any of the videos, and not on his instagram either... and it’s got nothing to do with his self-esteem – he just wants the focus to be on what he’s doing rather than how he looks. the videos vary from very domestic vlogs with titles like “what two magicians do in a day” to packed af guides like “🐍 SPELLS TO REFINE AT HOME 🐍” & “crystals that can calm you during these times” and his wildly popular “carving crystals i mined: in real time” ⏳ the apprentice is a permanent fixture in all of them <3 viewers always assume they’re together and whether they are or not...that’s for you to think about ;)

asra is big on healing crystals and gemstones. like really, really big on them. he always makes sure to inform his customers and audiences that they are alternatives and not substitutes, and that sicknesses need real medicine & they can’t just wear a crystal in place of a mask (bc that’s happened before and he felt so guilty for carving and selling the crystal in question) what’s strange is, even though he usually sources his crystals from other countries during his travels, there seem to more than ever all around the shop and the apartment upstairs..

when the apprentice asks about it, it turns out that asra goes mining alone in nopal! he doesn’t really like to mine the actual desert as he’s only ever dug up gold and silver there. one time, he accidentally stumbled upon a cave at the edge of nopal and – ever the curious wandering magician – he ventured deep within it and found amazing crystals and gemstones everywhere 💎 he never mentioned it to the apprentice because he always thought it was too dangerous for them to go, until they remind him it’s dangerous for him too. from that day onwards they go looking for crystals every weekend together :’)

if asra was living alone, he would be fine with just wearing a mask to go outside. but since he lives with the apprentice – and especially after what happened during the red plague – he’s not risking ANYTHING. he wears aviator goggles and eco-vinyl gloves when he’s in the market, just to be extra safe, though when he’s out foraging he takes off his mask because there’s usually no one else there & it’s way too humid. the apprentice likes to make fun of how steampunk he looks & the way the big goggles make his hair extra poofy  🤍 

Julian

julian is on the frontlines of the vesuvian pandemic response. with his experience as a doctor – specifically, a frontline doctor during the red plague who discovered the cure (!!!) – he is revered by new doctors and nurses, most of whom are volunteers. when the pandemic first begins, there aren’t formal hospitals or medical schools set up in vesuvia, so he has to make do by reopening his clinic in the centre city, as an alternative to valdemar’s one in the palace – which, quite frankly is the stuff of nightmares for most of the population

as you know, julian is universally loved by the vesuvian people... so the waiting list of the hospital branch he works at is ALWAYS full. patients always report how gentle and attentive he is and how comforted they feel in his presence. even though he has to wear a hazmat suit and the plague doctor beak mask, he is known for visiting the most severely affect Covid-19 patients and holding their hands in their last moments.

the apprentice brings different flowers to put inside his beak mask every day (this is a headcanon that i’m pretty sure originated from the writer telanaris on AO3!!) to give julian some small comfort amongst all the death and suffering he’s witness to every day. they go out to the tarske forest or even to nopal with asra, or sometimes alone. because julian mentioned wolfsbane was his favourite flower once, the apprentice picked some without knowing that they’re poisonous. long story short, they blacked out and woke up in his clinic with an extremely worried julian nearly in tears launching into a self-blame monologue, about to black out himself from staying by their side the whole night

i also think julian would be featured in the news a lot and sometimes pretty randomly. he gives official weekly Covid-19 updates on the main vesuvian tv news channel – though the apprentice stands in for him after the first two weeks (he tries very hard to refuse their help because he doesn’t want to burden them, even though they assure him they actually want to relieve him of at least one of his burdens since he’s a full-time pandemic doctor – and because he almost fainted from exhaustion the second time. the apprentice kindly, but sternly asks him to take care of himself too, as he does everyone else)

he would just be on the news in general too...his random acts of kindness would go viral on social media – “Vesuvian Doctor Helps Elderly In Race for Toilet Paper.” ❤️ “Local Doctor Delivers Groceries for Struggling Families.” and his “grandmothers” in nevivon always get excited when they see him on the news and send letters to congratulate him (much to his embarrassment). julian would also go viral on twitter. one photo of him has 100k retweets: “oh my fcking god i just rounded the corner and there’s this really fucking t a l l man handing out free bottles of sanitiser. i don’t need to see him under his plague beak to know he’s hot af HELP” and the apprentice would retweet it saying “so proud of my bf” and the internet would go wild over this comment. it’s up to you to decide if they’re actually together or not hehe bc who knows the apprentice might’ve meant best friend 🤷🏻‍♀️

he sets up a youtube channel with no profile picture or description to upload a single video... “How to PROPERLY use hand sanitiser!” and all the comments are just about his looks and voice 😚 it reaches cities outside of vesuvia and because the hand sanitiser in the video is locally made (by asra!) it quickly becomes sold out by either those who don’t know how to do magic or people without access to the products being replicated by other magicians... because a lot of them actually marked up the price :(  + even communities that are afraid of magic buy it because asra’s detailed method and julian’s instructive marketing combined are that effective. a power couple... in another life, perhaps 💫

julian would then be invited to do a city-sponsored video guide on how to wash your hands (the idea is helmed by nadia, of course, who recognises the usefulness of his newfound fame). not only would he be extremely exhausted from full-day shifts, he’d also be overthinking to the point of hyperventilation before filming starts – but he surprises the apprentice with how professional and clear he is in the videos. a true thespian at heart, instead of happy birthday, he improvises on set and sings an old tune from nevivon instead as he washes his hands for 20 seconds 🌊 lemme just say...his hands also go viral lol. also, julian could be a tik tok star if he wanted to. he’s certainly got the moves for it, and can easily achieve the e-boy vibe – plus, he’s gone viral on there several times already!

even though julian doesn’t seem to care when he’s in danger, he’s very meticulous when it comes to the apprentice’s safety. living through his second pandemic and working with patients first hand means that he is very aware of how severe the situation is. every morning he prepares a 99:1 water:bleach ratio spray to spray his shoes when he comes home. he refuses to even touch the apprentice (for fear of passing on anything from the clinic) before he’s taken off his mask, thrown it away safely – then showering and washing his hair thoroughly.

having grown up in nevivon, i like to think that julian is really environmentally conscious, especially with regards to the sea. he used to go diving in the sea to retrieve trash, and as a young man he made a habit of going to the docks every weekend to remove plastic containers and wires from around the necks of salt seals 🌫. so, no matter how tired he is, when he comes home to the apprentice, julian never forgets to snip the ear loops of his surgical masks in half, as he knows sea creatures can get caught up in them. i’m sure he makes a second youtube video at some point to talk about this issue. tldr julian is an environmental activist <3

Valerius

so it’s been a long while since valerius was freed from you-know-who. his personality has definitely changed a lot since then... he’s back to his old and real self (which we never really saw in the game) 🌄 he works side by side with nadia now, not only as colleagues but also genuine friends, and he oversees the health department. he sets up dozens of hospitals and more general clinics in and out of vesuvia, consulting experienced doctors in vesuvia like julian as well as officials from neighbouring countries and states. as a side note, valerius is actually a very humble person and the most attentive listener you will ever meet. people from neighbouring governments & royal households admire him immensely as a result <3

out of everyone, i think valerius would be the most careful during the pandemic. during the red plague he witnessed lucio’s illness up close and it’s had a profound impact on him. he worries about the apprentice, a lot. more than anyone who knows him expects him to. he’s always the first to notice and remind them if their mask is falling down their nose, or if they’re about to rub their eyes with unwashed hands. you will never catch him forgetting to wear a mask or touching his face at all when he’s outside. he takes the time to use disinfectant wipes to clean everything he brings back home one by one, and though valerius is adamant it’s not the apprentice’s responsibility (because most of the things are usually files from the palace he has to go through before the next morning or things he brings back from the market) the apprentice always insists they want to help out :’) so it becomes a nice daily evening ritual, sitting together on the floor after returning from the palace, cleaning their things in silence together 💜

speaking of things he buys, valerius loves the marketplace. he discovers it one day by accident when looking for a bouquet of 🌹 red roses 🌹 to bring back for the apprentice, who was particularly upset that day after helping valerius out at the new hospitals and not being able to help any of the patients as much as they would have liked with their magic. when valerius stumbles across the marketplace, he is absolutely amazed by the colours and smells that surround him. he spends a lot of his free time and lunch hours looking through jewellery stalls – especially hairpins and hair sticks. 

anyone looking at him would be able to see how much care valerius puts into maintaining his hair. because he washes his hair every day (to avoid bringing any Covid-19 related germs into bed), and because being free from you-know-who has made him a lot more open to magic... not to mention because he actually lives with the apprentice now 💜 i think valerius would also consult asra about magical hair masks and conditioners, to keep his very long and thick hair healthy and soft, despite washing it every day.

he knows from accidentally overhearing asra a long time ago that the apprentice loves pumpkin bread, so he asks around for hours until he finally finds the baker’s stall 🍞 it takes hours because valerius is really bad with directions and gets lost a few times... it doesn’t help that he’s distracted by all the different foods and jewellery that he’s never seen before (he picks up a nice ring for the apprentice, and yes he’s so attentive and familiar with jewellery that he guesses their ring band size correctly). from that day onwards, once or twice a week, he wakes up a little earlier than usual to sneak out of his estate and buy the bread, so that the apprentice can enjoy it – freshly made, warm, and their favourite – for breakfast 🥣

yes, he has an estate (this mr. darcy-like headcanon is from jane_ways on AO3!!) and he treats his household employees very well, offering paid leave for all of them so that they can stay with their own families. in their absence, he proves to be an incredible cook, albeit a little rusty because he hasn’t cooked anything substantial since being under you-know-who’s influence and because he’s been too busy at the palace to eat anything that isn’t catered. 

due to social distancing, the apprentice and him eat in a lot more – valerius is very ambitious and soon moves past making homemade dishes... he cooks blown out, elaborate dinners and prepares creative and (visually) beautiful packed lunches to bring to work 🍴 whenever the apprentice has to work late he brings them dinners inspired by the colours of the shop that day – he is hesitant to admit it, at first, but he’s always admired the crystals there, and he is often inspired by them in his food presentations. asra is ever perceptive and gifts him a few (polished amethyst because he used to be an insomniac, black tourmaline and selenite to keep you-know-who at bay 💎) soon after the apprentice frees him from the curse

i really see valerius as someone who against all expectations is really into hands-on work like welding and carving – things that can get messy. he’s slowly trying to get rid of it, but since he first started working at the palace he’s maintained a very prim and posh appearance. he really loves to weld jewellery like rings and earrings. before the pandemic began, he took a few classes in the marketplace – classes which are on hiatus now, of course. he's set up a little studio in his estate and wears a blacksmith’s apron and goggles and everything. it’s honestly quite the sight. whenever the apprentice is working longer hours at the shop making potions with asra, he goes into the studio to continue his projects. some of the ones he’s proudest of are: the pure-silver wine rack, the gold headbands and rings he makes for himself – and then for the apprentice too when they keep “borrowing” his – and his favourite of all is his first ever project: the cast iron skillet that took him over a week to weld. he hand engraved the apprentice and his initials onto its handle <3  you don't need to read any of this as a romantic gesture, because friends can definitely do the same!

i like to think that prakra managed the pandemic especially well, and that valerius sits down to have zoom calls with queen nasrin to discuss ways the two places can collaborate and help each other 👑 she becomes his mentor of sorts, as he’s still relatively young and inexperienced when it comes to governing a city-state like vesuvia. when nasrin visited nadia before at the palace, she was not a fan of valerius at all and was just as wary of him as nadia was. however she becomes very fond of him as a result of their collaboration, and even starts to see him as a son ❕ other than the apprentice, nasrin would be the second person valerius talks the most freely with. initially he is very reluctant to share anything about his life, let alone his past before landing the consul job – but he eventually opens up and nasrin plays a role in helping him move past his failures (his eyes are opened after the apprentice frees him, and he feels immense shame from how he didn’t lead vesuvia very successfully in nadia’s absence)

[aceoftrashies]

AAA IKR,, related fun fact, theriac (the concoction/mixture that plague doctors used to stuff their masks with) was mostly comprised of 20 to 70 different components- sometimes more- ranging from certain flowers, herbs and whatnot, to- and I kid you not- viper’s flesh, wine and opium. But you better believe I’m gonna immediately focus on the main allergy-inducing mf’s (sage, saffron, rosemary, flower petals, cinnamon, myrrh, etc.) I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if our favorite pirate and plague doctor tried to make his own theriac, too, only for it to- predictably- backfire horribly,,

And same tbh,, despite all of Julian’s theatrics, I get the feeling Lucio is bound to be the most cartoonish in his bs- though I find it kind of endearing, I can’t imagine dealing with his drama irl ahsvHSV,,

-♠️

I never knew they used opium, I was only told herbs,,

But yeah, in The Arcana setting, he could make something with those and it, as you said, backfires.

I imagine he sneezes into his mask and goes like; "EWW IT'S ALL OVER MY FACE NOW" or something. XD

Lucio is (and always will be) a dramatic boy-- even more than Julian! (you heard that right folks) so I think it makes sense.

[timetravelingshark]

So what exactly is this "The Arcana" you keep reblogging stuff for and what's it about? I am curious.

Okay, so I haven’t played it too much yet (I’m only like a fourth of the way through Julian’s route and that’s it, RIP) but the gist of it is that it’s a visual novel where you can romance six different characters. It’s set in a fantasy world, primarily in the city-state of Vesuvia, which is based off of Renaissance Venice with some definite Middle Eastern and Indian influences as well. Tarot is an overarching theme in the stories: the main character, each love interest, and all of the supporting characters have different cards from the Major Arcana that represent them and give insight into their character. The Major Arcana has some pretty interesting forces at play within the world and greatly influence the story. There’s a chance of getting a good, aka Upright, ending, and a bad, aka Reversed, ending. It all depends on the choices that you make while playing.

The main plot is that your character, who is a magician in training (in this world, magicians can actually use magic and are considered very valuable) who is summoned to the palace by the Countess Nadia. She tasks you with finding out who exactly is responsible for the murder of her husband, Count Lucio, who was burned alive in his bed on his birthday three years ago. (What a way to go, yeesh.) The lead suspect is a man by the name of Julian Devorak, who was the head doctor for the palace and treated many Vesuvians during a horrific outbreak of plague within the city a few years ago. He confessed to the murder before disappearing, but his guilt may not be so set in stone..... You’re assisted in the investigation by your somewhat flighty but extremely talented and mysterious Master, Asra, and Portia, one of Countess Nadia’s most trusted servants. A few other very interesting figures pop up along the way, each giving their side of the story of Lucio’s death.

Along the way you meet a cast of amazing characters, all of whom have really awesome designs and fun, unique personalities. I’ll describe the love interests below the cut because holy SHIT I ended up writing way more than I originally thought and also while I haven’t played many routes this is what I’ve picked up from browsing the tags.

First: Asra Al-Nazar

Your Master and one of your dearest friends. Very enigmatic and a man of few words, and is definitely one of the more subdued and laid-back love interests. He tends to disappear for bits of time to places unknown and has a deep understanding of magic and the magical realm itself. He’s got History™ with many of the major players in the story and knows more than he lets on. He’s very Somft™ to the Apprentice and cares about them greatly. Just generally a very sweet if mysterious guy. Lotta people really like him and for good reason.

Countess Nadia

The widow of Count Lucio and the ruler of Vesuvia. She’s very poised and generally keeps a cool demeanor about everything. She’s a very competent ruler and loves her people. Has, hands down, some of the absolute BEST outfits in the game. Like this girl ALWAYS looks good, and like a wealthy aunt, is always willing to make her loved ones look good, too. Very intelligent and crafty, and loves horseback riding and music. Doesn’t care much about the class of a person, and rather their talent and character. However, like all people, she does have flaws. She holds grudges for a very long time and holds them with a white knuckle grip. She’s also extremely reserved and finds difficulty in trusting people, expressing herself, or making herself vulnerable. Like Asra, is very Somft™ with the Apprentice and is very easy to simp for. 

Julian Devorak

The man I’m currently simping for. And yes, you can smooch the accused murderer! He’s a very tall goth doctor who cares way too much and has a massive guilt complex that he hides under a mask of drama and suaveness. Very much a protector type and would do absolutely anything for the people he loves. This man tries not to worry the people around him but at the same time probably survives off of like an hour of sleep and caffeine and he really looks it. He likes being very smooth and cool but if you throw him off his game this boy gets FLUSTEREDDDDD it’s great and hilarious. Kind of has Flynn Rider vibes. Love him to bits. (Can you tell that he’s the only character whose route I’ve played so far???) He wants to find out who killed Lucio, and why. (Minor spoiler: he doesn’t know if he did it or not and would rather like to find out) Feels as though he’s failed everyone he loves and can swing between joy and melancholy very quickly. He’s also ridiculously self-sacrificing. Despite all this, very loveable.

Portia

Nadia’s most trusted servant and also my homegirl. Very sweet, bubbly, and snarky, but is also a total ride or die. Very loyal to Nadia, but will side with the Apprentice over her on certain issues. She knows pretty much everything that goes on in the castle and all the secret nooks and crannies. She lives in a little cottage in the middle of the palace gardens alongside her kitty, Pepi, where she has a huge garden full of fruits and vegetables and flowers. She’s definitely a cottagecore type girl. Also pretty adventurous and willing to go do crazy shit if need be. She’s rather secretive, though. Her personality is quite a bit like my own, which is probably why I don’t really have her on my to-romance list, but I’ll still do her route to satisfy the little completionist gremlin that is my brain.

Muriel

Count Lucio. Or at least, his ghost.

Ah, the BEEG BOI. At a whopping 6′10, he’s the tallest and most muscular of all of the love interests, so if you’re into that Muriel is absolutely your man. He’s very stoic and grumpy, and almost always has a furrowed brow, even when he’s happy. Very much a hermit and likes to keep away from civilization and society. Underneath it all, he’s very gentle towards the ones he loves and especially loves animals and nature, especially dogs and his beloved chickens. Seriously, this boy loves his chickens. When he smiles it’s absolutely adorable. Kind of afraid of his own strength but has no qualms about using it if necessary. Don’t piss him off, he’s scary when he’s angry. Like Nadia, holds a grudge for a long time and is again, very antisocial.

And lastly (and most surprisingly),

Ah, this trainwreck. He’s such an asshole, but such a loveable asshole. Full of himself and with a flair for the gaudy and dramatic, he’s one hell of a piece of work but with the Apprentice’s help becomes an actually good person. Despite his vanity, cruelty, and pettiness, when he decides he likes you, you’re one of his people and he’ll love you wholly and move the heavens and earth for you. Still kind of holds a flame for Nadia despite everything, which is actually really sweet, fight me. He’s kind of got a hero complex and runs headfirst into things without thinking and desperately needs someone to hold him back by the collar at all times because while not pure of heart, this man IS dumb of ass. His facial expressions and dramatics are absolutely hysterical and he’d rather die than admit it but he’s such an ugly crier and it’s hilarious and also very endearing. He’s also kind of in denial about being actually dead, and instead refers to his state as a ghost as being an “Oopsie” and that he’s “Just stuck >:(” He actually doesn’t know who killed him, but is determined to find out. Underneath his pomp and circumstance he’s actually pretty vulnerable and super lonely and could probably do with some hugs and actual human connection. As I said, he does become a good man, or at least a better man, but it takes work on both his end and yours. A pretty divisive route among fans. I’ve personally played the first two chapters of it and honestly I really love him. At the same time, I’m pretty sure if I met someone like him IRL I’d try to strangle him, so there’s that. He’d probably be into that though, the kinky bastard.

So yeah! There’s the main characters and a bit of the plot. Sorry for such an essay but I really wanted to explain all this since you were curious (^^;) I’d definitely recommend playing it, I've had a lot of fun! 

(Also, tip: the scenes that you can buy with coins are just little add ons and treats for the player- the game is very explicitly NOT pay to win and what matters when it comes to getting a good or bad ending is what non-paid dialogue options you choose while interacting with them.)

[poetic-emptiness-fanfic]

When the Sun Goes Out (Echoes of the Past 13: Aftermath)

I’m a little late with this (that’s what you get, when you leave your school work for the last minute), but here it is! I hope you like it!

Characters: Hande Kuura, Helena Kuura, Sardar Gul, Asra Alnazar, Julian Devorak, Muriel, Nadia Satrinava, Azita Torkan (mentioned) & Sargon Hakimi (mentioned)

Content warnings: mention of blood & hallucinations

Words: ~2 550

@arcana-echoes

Hande is sitting at her writing desk. She can feel the nausea creeping in and her red eyes keep staring at the piece of parchment in front of her. How to tell a person that you're dying, especially when he's probably going to blame himself for it? It doesn't help, that the person has become so close, so dear to her... She doesn't want to hurt him, but it'd hurt more if she didn't inform him. Trying not to cough blood on the paper, she carefully writes, corrects and writes again. Finally, she's satisfied and transcribes the final version. But then, how to end the letter?

”Remember not to give up” – no, too demanding...

”I will never forget you” – ugh, too cheesy and depressing...

Hande becomes frustrated – she doesn't have much time and there's still so much to do. Without thinking, she writes a sentence she had kept close to her chest for months: ”I love you.”

Hande stares at the sentence. What is she thinking? She can't just blurt that out to her teacher! Especially not in a letter where she confesses, that she's going to die! Way to go, Hande: you failed at your promise not to give your heart to anyone and now you're going to die, how great... And why should she embarrass Julian, he surely isn't feeling the same – why would he? Hande rises from her chair, takes the letter and goes to the kitchenette. She opens the stove and puts the letter in it. ”Azar, I need you to burn it,” she whispers. The stove salamander does as told and flames start eating the parchment. Hande watches it burn and then returns to her desk. She starts over again, now knowing a proper ending for her letter...

Julian is standing in front of his office desk, reading a letter with a familiar handwriting. His hands are trembling slightly, but he doesn't seem to realise it.

-- It's been an honour to get to know you; I will warmly recall your kindheartedness, your fascinating stories and your harebrained jokes.

Thank you for everything and be well!

Yours truly,

Hande

No. No. Not Hande... Julian reads the letter again, but it's not dated – so unusual for Hande. Well, if she thinks he's going to leave her just die alone at the Lazaret, she's wrong. Julian grasps his coat and mask and heads to the docks. Since he's a doctor, he doesn't need to persuade an oarsman to take him with the patients to the Lazaret. Without hesitation he strides inside the main building and notices a nurse serving as an attendant. ”Good afternoon. How can I help you?” greets the nurse. Julian gulps and approaches them, trying to sound like a person with authority, ”Good afternoon. May I inquire about one of your patients, Hande Kuura? I'd like to see her, if you will?” The nurse then opens a big journal and starts to leaf through it. Well, at least they keep records of their patients... Julian thinks. After a while the nurse's finger stop at a certain point of a page and she stares it for a moment. Julian doesn't like the fact he's not able to read the nurse's face because of the mask they're wearing.

Suddenly the nurse breaks the silence, ”I'm sorry... I triple-checked it, but there isn't but one Hande Kuura in our records. She has died, almost a month ago. The exact date is 18th of January.” Julian freezes to his place, speechless.  No, no, no... This isn't real, this is just a bad dream and he will soon wake up. He actually pinches himself, but he feels the pain... Shit... ”Oh... uhm... Okay. Well... I must get going, thank you for informing me,” and with that he turns on his heels and leaves the building. He takes the first boat that goes back to Vesuvia and then wanders to the Palace like a zombie. The doctor doesn't see, hear or feel anything. Suddenly he notices he's in a library, at his desk. He sits down, takes of his mask and starts to fiddle his fingers, staring at the wood and papers laying around on it.

”Doctor Devorak? Are you alright?” a silky voice asks. Julian startles and raises his gaze. ”C-countess Nadia! I didn't notice you are here!” he exclaims and stands up hastily. Countess Nadia watches him with worried expression on her face, ”Please, you don't need to stand up for me.” Julian tumbles back to his seat and starts to tremble slightly. Nadia repeats her question about Julian's well-being, to which he just waves, ”I'm fine, really. I'm having the time of my life...” He sounds way too cheerful – almost hysterical – and Countess Nadia notices it. ”Please, doctor... I can see you are not fine. I know we haven't talked a lot, but unlike my husband, I hope you find me trustworthy. I have seen, how hard you're working to find a cure for this disease.” Julian's trembling gets worse and he clenches his hands into fists. He doesn't dare to meet the Countess' gaze, but mumbles, ”She... Hande... My apprentice... She... She's dead...” Julian sniffs and without a warning tears start to flow along his cheeks. ”My... Hande is dead, she's dead... My gods, SHE'S DEAD!” Now he covers his face with his hands and the only word his outburst could be described, is bawling.

The Countess remembers Hande. Wasn't she the daughter of that architect who designed her bedroom and contemplation tower? Her parents clearly loved her very much, and it seemed she was their only child. Nadia covers her mouth with her hand – she really feels sorry for Hande, her parents and the doctor here. He clearly cared about her, too. Nadia isn't sure what to do – she doesn't know Julian very well – so she puts her other hand on his shoulder and pats it comfortingly. ”I'm so sorry... She really was a remarkable young woman...” Nadia whispers. Julian just keeps trembling and crying, unable to stop. Hande is dead, and it's your fault. She died alone in that horrible place and you didn't even bother to check on her sooner! The woman you claimed to love is dead, and you kept it all to yourself! She died abandoned, thinking no one cared for her, although she meant the whole world to you! Much of a catch you are, ditching the people you claim to care for... Why are you alive, while she died, although it should be the other way round? You pathetic coward, you didn't deserve her and now she's dead because of you! My darling, dear Hande... I'm so sorry...

***

Days are still quite cold in Karnassos, but little by little the weather is warming up. Both Sardar and Helena have taken a day off and try to relax. There hasn't been any letters from Vesuvia for a few months, but Sardar and Helena have assumed, that their daughter is so busy with apprenticing that she hasn't any time to write. Knock on the door, it must be the post. Maybe this time there will be a letter from Hande. Sardar goes to open, thanks the mailman and goes back to the living room. Just a couple of letters from work and then probably some commission for Helena... Oh. And a letter in a handwriting he doesn't recognise. He sits on a pillow, opens the letter and starts to read.

15th February 836, Vesuvia

Dear Mrs. Kuura & Mr. Gul,

It is my deepest sorrow to inform you, that your daughter, Hande Kuura, has passed away on 18th of January 836. She came down with the Red Plague without anyone knowing, and traveled to the Lazaret, Vesuvia's quarantine island for the sick, by herself. Her body was cremated and buried on the island.

My deepest condolences to you. I can only imagine how great your suffering is, and I must admit, I hoped I didn't need to contact you to give you bad news – Hande always spoke so highly of you. I was her teacher at medicine, and I'm devastated to lose such a radiant person.

The reason I write to you this late, is that I only found about her passing yesterday. I was asked to go working to the Palace a few months ago, and then Hande took care of my clinic near the South End. I'm ashamed to admit, that I was so busy with my work, I didn't have time to check on her, and when I finally was able, it was too late. I'm so sorry for not taking good enough care of your daughter, my apprentice – that is one of my greatest regrets.

During her time as my apprentice, Hande was hardworking and compassionate – my patients grew very fond of her, and she proved to be a magnificent colleague. Over time she also became a good friend of mine. I know this isn't going to replace your loss, but your daughter fought bravely to help the others until the end. I'll send her belongings to you later – I hope they'll bring you even a bit of comfort.

I promise I'm doing my best to find a cure for this disease and to prevent it spreading outside of Vesuvia. I'm so sorry I couldn't save your daughter.

Yours respectfully,

Dr. Julian Devorak

Sardar just stares at the letter. Hande, her brave firstborn... Gone? His hands start to tremble and tears to flow down his cheeks. ”Na¹... NA!” he cries desperately. What has he done wrong to lose his children, both of his darling little girls? ”Darling, what's wrong?” Helena asks and comes to the living room to see her husband in tears. Sardar can't answer, but raises his hand a little to show the letter. A bad feeling takes over Helena's body. Hesitantly she takes the letter and reads. The letter drops from her hands. At first she just stares at the floor where the letter lies, but then she walks to her studio and closes the door behind her.

Helena leans on the door, trying to process what she just had read. Hande. Dead. All of her children gone, because of that cursed city and its incompetent leader... She had somehow managed to keep herself together, when Salma died, but now they're both dead and that's just more than Helena can bear. She slides down the door until she slumps onto the floor. She starts rocking herself and grabs her hair with her hands, almost tugging. Helena feels like she's a 6-year-old girl again, when his father had to tell her and her siblings that her mother is never going to wake up again. Helplessness... Tears start to flow down and she can't stop them. A howl escapes from her mouth and when the heaviness inside her starts to feel overwhelming, she shouts, ”PERKELE²!!!” Tugging her hair and cursing she bawls, only her clothes as her company.

After a while Helena hears a knock on the door. ”My love? Please, can I come in?” Sardar asks, sounding unsure. He has heard Helena's outburst and has never experienced her acting like that. It breaks his heart, and he doesn't want her to grieve alone. After a moment he hears Helena move and then the door opens. Helena looks horrible, but Sardar surely isn't any better with his swollen eyes. Carefully Sardar steps in, looking at his wife. Helena looks back, and they both can sense the desperation from one another. Sardar manages to give Helena a lopsided smile and opens his arms to her. Slowly Helena goes to her husband and hugs him back. They both start to cry again and slide onto the floor. ”Let it come out, my love,” Sardar sniffs, ”The world is testing us, but we'll survive this, together...”

***

2 weeks later

The home of Sardar Gul and Helena Kuura is filled with people, but instead of happy chattering, the atmosphere is quite grim. Everyone wears black and talk very quietly. Since Sardar and Helena didn't have a body to bury, they decided to organise a memorial service so that everyone who knew Hande could have an opportunity to bid her farewell. The couple had answered to Julian's letter and sincerely thanked him for informing them and for his kind words. They had also invited him to the memorial service, but unfortunately Julian couldn't attend – his work kept him extremely busy and the whole Vesuvia was closed, so no one could leave the city. Still, he sent Hande's parents a bouquet of sunflowers, Hande's favourites. When they opened the package, the sight of the flowers made Sardar cry from affection, and now the flowers are displayed next to a painting of Hande Sardar had made himself.

Many of their neighbours, Hande's former teacher, Azita and Helena's whole family has come to the event. All of them were shocked to learn Hande had died trying to save the plague-ridden city. Even Sargon asked if he can attend and Hande's parents agreed – although Sargon and Hande hadn't talked to each others in years, Sargon still had been Hande's friend before their break-up. Sardar and Helena are serving halva, Forestian pasties³, gravlax and sandwich cake. People are taking turns, sharing some memories of Hande – especially Azita's speech is very moving. The ceremony is very beautiful and respectful, but still, all who have been close to Hande, are wondering the same thing: how can they carry on without Hande, now that soon they will all have time to concentrate on their grief, and nothing else?

***

It is so strange. With her gone. She was like a sun, warming and radiating to even darkest of places. And still she just wilted away... Just like the others... Bleeding and hallucinating... And I saw it. She didn't even recognise me. It never happened before. She recognised me even after all those years... She was always so kind to me. Not afraid of me even as kid. Don't know why. She healed my wounds and gave me food, although I was a scary gladiator. After she became friends with Asra... Still, she didn't shut me out. And I still was jealous... I was so stupid... Even when Asra left, she took time to visit me. Even when she was exhausted, she came and brought food... I didn't deserve it... I had to dig her grave... See how her remains were just dumped there... It felt so wrong. She deserved better. I think I miss her, but I can't show it... Must stay strong. I can't inform Asra, I don't know where he is. His heart will break when he finds out...

***

March 836

”Thank you, my friend,” Asra smiles to the Beast and gives it water chestnuts. He's in the field and the familiar silhouette of Vesuvia looms in the distance. Home. Asra's been gone for over a year, but now he's ready to return. Return to Hande. Hopefully she's forgiven him... He needs to visit the shop first – Muriel can wait a little longer. He takes a deep breath of the fresh air and starts to walk to the town determination in his steps. I'm sorry I ran away, Hande. Don't worry, I won't make that mistake again.

TRANSLATIONS:

¹ ”No”

² A curse word in Hongas, usually translated as ”damn it”

³ a fantasy version of Karelian pasty

If you want to read Azita’s speech, it can be found here.

My AO3

[the-yelling-cave]

the arcana on halloween

julian: *extravagantly dresses up as......a plague doctor! goes around to every house possible and gets as much candy as he can in his mouth as he’s going around.*

asra: *dresses up as gruesome as he can, which with his magic is pretty gruesome. scares portia and julian to the point of screaming. gets a kick out of terrorizing lucio as much as he can*

nadia: *holds some type of ball for the evening and dresses as fancy as she can. her costume is similar to the high priestess which she’s trying to go for. almost can’t breathe from laughter when asra gets lucio to scream like a little girl*

portia: *dresses up as something cute “im a mouse duh”. steals and gets enough candy to last until thanksgiving if she doesn’t eat it all that night. ends up stealing julian’s plague mask and hiding it in a chandelier somewhere*

muriel: *doesn’t celebrate it except by leaving offerings for the dead and the forest, all of which are gone the next day*

lucio: *dresses up as a sexy [insert thing that shouldn’t be sexy]. he even dressed up as a sexy dog one year and everyone called him a furry, to which he threw his tail at his dogs to play with. it got torn to shreds in 3 minutes. gets scared shitless by little kids in creepy masks. (and asra)*

[viviae]

From the 25 lore asks! I, III, IX, XVI

I’ve done a few of these asks before so I’ll just be linking to them and including Sidereus/Nadia because I decided to make him romance Nadia as well. Also I know I have an ask sitting from you about original lore added I just haven’t done it yet because its uhhh. a lot I’ve done AKLNDAKNSD ;3;

I.) How did your MC and their LI first meet?

Celica/Asra: Celica and Asra actually both first met when they were both very young, their parents were both friends but after Celica’s parents died and a few years later Asra lost his parent’s they didn’t keep in touch and neither of them remember each other. Other than that they meet the “canon” way of running into the Masquerade as Celica was an apprentice to her cousin Sidereus they returned to Vesuvia to visit her aunt and revelry. Celica didn’t have a mask because she didn’t plan on celebrating until Asra sold her one and she spent the night enjoying herself but keeping that charming merchant in mind. 

Celica/Portia: Celica briefly pre plague was aware of who Portia was because of her friendship with Julian that developed during the plague and he had a small picture of Portia he carried around with him and she got to see her. Other than that her first meeting with Portia is a little different in her story than canon but Portia eventually got the nerve to enter the magic shop and Celica helped her look around the goods and there was a lot of tension. Also maybe thinking about Celica offering Portia glimpse to look into the past of the dead as a necromancer free of charge but the spell failed due to Celica losing some of her necromancy knowledge and Portia had no idea what to look for in the spell.

Celica/Julian: Celica met Julian as the plague started off. She was at a local graveyard trying to calm the spirits there and Julian was paying his respects and monologuing and angsting. She had to hide her necromancy from him quickly, but she learned he was a doctor that was investigating the plague and this led to her getting the idea of using her magic to help the plague and the fight between her and Asra.

Nefeli/Muriel: Nefeli met Muriel when she was visiting Vesuvia under the guise of a ‘cultural’ exchange since Lucio had an interest in Hesperia due to his prior connection with Sidereus. So she was a honored guest and there was a special gladiatorial tournament set up to show off “the best of Vesuvia” despite Hesperians hating violence and murder. Muriel won the tournament and Nefeli was in such a state of mental unrest at the time and being around her mother she didn’t really care about what was going on or the violence. So while her mom was busy yelling at Lucio about the entire thing she noticed Muriel had some splinters of wood in his hair and tried to get it out. He freaked out due to not being used to physical touch at all and she snapped out of it and got in trouble but Muriel remembered her.

Sidereus/Lucio: Sidereus met Lucio when Lucio was a mercenary traveling. He had just left Hesperia for the first time and was given the job of many sorcerers of his skill to hunt down magical oddities and return them or neutralize them if they can. Sidereus was given a task of tracking down something that kept traveling in the vicinity of Vesuvia (that was actually Lucio but neither of them would realize until much later that Sidereus has pretty much had the job to kill Lucio his entire life) but he had no survival skills and almost died as soon as he stray away from towns and other locations. Lucio found this dying magician on the side of the road who was offering his assistance in exchange for food so for a short time Sidereus was in service to Lucio. They had a very short lived fling with the beginnings of emotions but when Lucio asked him to fight at a battle Sidereus refused, they fought, and he left.

Sidereus/Nadia: A few years after meeting Lucio and before she married Lucio they met. Sidereus had met Nadia while she was on a diplomatic mission and they’re paths crossed as Sidereus had a job tracking down a cursed object. Nadia was eager to leave the boring court room and unravel the mystery and her foresight involving magic proved to be much more helpful than he originally thought. And he did find himself interested in the determined headstrong princess and although nothing deeply physical grew between them beyond praise and a kiss he found himself wishing he’d meet her again. They’ll meet up again at Lucio and Nadia’s wedding.

III.) Where in the Arcana world map does your MC come from? What was their life like there?

(Link)

IX.) Does your MC ‘borrow’ clothes from their LI or vice versa? If so, what is their favourite garment that they’ve ‘borrowed’ and won’t ever return?

(Link)

Sidereus/Nadia: Well Nadia has let him into some of her private wardrobe despite him not exactly fitting... but that’s half the fun. Nadia soon starts to pick up on some of his fashion sense and they do indeed bring veils into fashion come the autumn season.

XVI.) Who are your MC’s closest friends? How did they meet? 

All my oc’s don’t really... have friends. They are all very sheltered socially and their friends to be with the main six if any.

Celica: Celica is friends with Julian against her own will despite bullying him constantly. Nadia and Asra are also her friends. And while she despises Lucio he is aware of him

Nefeli: Friends with Asra and Nadia but wishes she was closer to Portia. Has a weird friendship with Julian due to him being a fan of her work and she kind of.... doesn’t know who he is.

Sidereus: Friends with Lucio, Nadia, and Julian. Very bad terms with Asra due to his own fault of taking advantage of Asra’s grief and Portia doesn’t trust Sidereus as far as she can throw him

[atypicalacademic]

Nurlan Samal- A widowed innkeeper on the brink of a discovery.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, Devorak- and that’s no sorcery- not the kind you hate, anyway.”

Pronouns: She/Her

Nickname(s): Nur, Nura

Age: 32

Occupation: Innkeeper and Actress at the Community Theatre

LI: Julian Devorak

Favourites: Marigold, Kahwah, Pita and Chili Beef

Patron Arcana: The Sun

Zodiac Sign: Leo Sun, Capricorn Moon

Familiar: A fire salamander called Jalan

Magical Specialization: Pyromancy

Masquerade Costume: Pheonix

Physical Appearance: Light brown skin, mid-back length black hair with bright yellow streaks, strong jaw, full lips, and lilac eyes. 5′7″, voluptuous build with wide hips and strong, muscled upper arms. Amputee (knee disarticulation)- lost her left leg as a child in an accident- uses a pair of wooden crutches that she gets regularly enchanted from Asra to improve it’s ease of use, mobility, protection and comfort. She wears a full face of makeup, and what she can’t afford, she tries to mix up with dyes. Is never seen without her bright red lipstick and thickly applied kohl. Behind the lipstick, her lips and teeth are a little stained from her long-term smoking. Dresses in bright colors- has a chant to the Sun Goddess tattooed just below her rib cage. She wears a nose ring, three earrings on each side, and has her bellybutton pierced. 

Background in a nutshell: Nurlan’s family had moved from the Southern Steppes to Vesuvia before she was born (Pyromancy had been commonly practiced in her old tribe- though her own family weren’t big on the practice- Nurlan showed incredible aptitude from the start- her family taught her the basics- she’d approached Asra for a little more- she’s still figuring her way around it). She’s lived in the city all her life- they’d struggled to make ends meet- working their way up from nothing to managing to secure a space for their inn, Hardy Nook, at South End. Her family belongs to a monotheistic religion called the Maddhis,  who engage in the worship of Madeira, the eagle-headed Deity of the Sun. Faith is a very important part of Nurlan’s life- she’s actively involved in the prayers, rituals, festivals and community services undertaken by Maddhis in the Temple District and all over Vesuvia. At the age of 27, she married her sweetheart, Aida, who ran the little tea-shop where the Community theatre used to be. They lived right opposite the Doctor’s clinic in South End, and he’d taken a great deal of liking to Aida’s smoky tea. Unfortunately, as many Vesuvians did, Aida succumbed to the plague, the epidemy abruptly ending their short but blissful married life, leaving Nurlan ravaged and torn apart with grief. But she powered through, knowing that life must go on, throwing herself into what’s left of it with breathless passion. The tea-shop was closed- and she enthusiastically agreed when her fellow citizens when they approached her about the Community Theatre. Exploring her passion for acting really helped take her mind of her grief, gave her something else to focus on (she copes through distraction). There is a mystery that troubles her, though. She remembers nothing of the Masquerade when the Count died. The day had been wiped entirely from her memory, and she’d tried to explain it away on drunkenness or lapses in memory- all she remembers is waking up in the forest the morning after, dried blood on her dress and her hands. 

Fun Fact: Nurlan’s a fan favorite at the Community Theatre- her best role? That of the murderous Doctor Devorak in “The Count’s Last Masquerade.” All that long hair’s a bitch to get into the perfect auburn wig, and the plague mask is a little itchy on the nose- but her bluster more than made up for that discomfort. She’d had a little crush on Julian for ages- apologizing profusely when she spilled cigarette ash on to his wanted posters- for ruining a gorgeous face like that. When she first gave him a sample of her performance, her muse had been beside himself with elation- clapping and cheering and flailing and swooning- “You make a better man of me than myself, my dear!”

Now they’re the thespian it couple of South End- playwrights often pair them up- the mush gets a little sickening, but the audience doesn’t mind- they’re just- so cute.

[the-arcana-but-saucier]

(via https://open.spotify.com/user/x3q9pcau1lxkahl7prswt5g6n/playlist/3GG6dzSe8hP9msdZvdvwJZ?si=pNIMILroSAuKbdRVyG2hsw)

Hi everyone! I do not come empty-handed to this blog... indeed, I have some songs for your soul. They may dare to delight, but what is the story behind this playlist other than its link to everyone’s favorite plague doctor...?

Poetry aside, hello! I’m Tex, owner of this domain (call me what you want, I don’t mind ^^). I’ve recently been enjoying The Arcana, romancing Julian (he’s my fav, sorry Asra <3), and thinking of all the fan-content I could produce while the game is still my current hyperfixation.

So to start me off running, I carefully crafted a playlist full of songs that lead you on a path through Julian’s heart as he battles his demons and ends up falling head over heels for the player. (Bearing in mind I’m trying to unlock all his secret scenes so I haven’t actually finished his storyline yet. No spoilers!)

Below you can find a short explanation of why I included each song. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

1. Killer by Crazy Lixx

This song sets out what the player knows about Julian at the start of the game: he’s a murderer on the loose, a villainous man running from his crimes, covering his face with the mask of a plague doctor. Scary stuff!

2. Blood On My Name by The Brothers Bright

This one covers how Julian feels about himself at the start. He’s afraid of what he might have done, afraid of himself, and facing the fact that he may well end up in the gallows. Deep down he wants help, but with the whole world seemingly after him, where in Vesuvia could he find it...?

3. Plague by Tris Mikal

It has ‘Plague’ in the title so I thought it was appropriate. General self-deprecating feel. What? Not all of these were thought out in such depth. I do my best.

4. Heaven On Hold by Bryce Fox

Julian feels like a dead man walking. With death knocking at his door and whispering his name from your deck of tarot cards, it seems he’s always minutes away from the afterlife, but never quite getting there.

5. I Need A Doctor by Martin Vide (Remix)

Obligatory meme song about doctors (were you around for all the animation memes they made of this one?). Had to be included. Chose a remix version because the rap lyrics are A) horrible to listen to and B) don’t really fit with the theming I previously laid out at all. Case closed.

6. Living Dead by Marina

Another one about how Julian is walking the line between living and dead. He’s surviving but not really living. Nice little reference to birds and therefore his ‘familiar’, Malak the raven. Touches upon his blossoming feelings for the player very briefly.

7. Whiskey Tango by Jack Savoretti

I promise we’ll get out of the ‘Julian wallows in self pity’ songs soon... this one describes how he feels like he’s stuck, unable to make right what he’s done wrong. He pushes the player away by lying to them and keeping secrets, and yet needs them desperately, running towards the light even though it only leads him further into the darkness.

8. Flesh by Simon Curtis

Hey, it wouldn’t be a Julian playlist without getting sufficiently spicy, would it? (Don’t play this one in the car with your mom...) Inspired by the secret scene backstage in the community theatre (Book VII - The Chariot, Chapter 2), this one dives straight into Julian’s affinity for pain and how for him, it’s also deeply pleasurable. This middle section of songs describes the sexual tension between Julian and the player and the fact that he is probably (definitely) a sub...

9. Bad Romance by Halestorm

Didn’t want to use the original because I feel rock/metal suits Julian a little better than modern pop, plus the singer’s voice is slightly deeper. This one describes the player’s feelings for Julian (and perhaps Julian’s feelings for the player, depending on which way you swing it), and the tantalizing world of danger he offers the player, seducing them into a romance that could put both of their lives at stake. Sexual tension so thick you can cut it with a knife (and we both know he would love that...)

10. Poison (Radio Edit) by Groove Coverage

Completely going against what I said last time and using a pop cover of a rock song (oops!). This song describes the tension on Julian and the player’s relationship due to his dangerous lifestyle and how they both want more of each other but rarely get the chance. The player should heed Julian’s glaring red flags that he may well end up hurting them, and Julian is poisoned by the player’s peppy attitude and refusal to let him self-sacrifice so easily, and tries in vain to drag himself down into the darkness again, pulling away from the player at times.

11. Can’t Help Falling In Love by Pentatonix

Something soft and sweet to offset the sexy tunez previously - Julian finally opens his heart up to the player and lets them in, despite all his instincts telling him it’s a bad idea to get someone he cares for involved in his dire affairs.

12. Believer by Imagine Dragons

This one speaks of pain again, throwing a sly wink in Julian’s direction due to his masochistic nature and also speaking of how the player is helping him to overcome his struggles and how they’re the face of his future and the blood in his veins. The player helps Julian to believe in himself and believe that he can have good things and deserves to live.

13. Nothing To Lose But You by Three Days Grace

Returning to a slightly darker place with a renewed interest in falling into death’s steely grip, Julian struggles with how the player will feel about his death, should it occur. He has nothing left to lose except the player themselves and it’s obvious that it pains him greatly to turn away from them again and face the gallows smiling. He admits how deeply his feelings run for them and how they’re the light of his life.

14. Don’t Let Go by GENTRI

A final song to bring this thrillsome playlist to its conclusion, and something a little different in genre - this song comes from a place of vulnerability for Julian. I imagine he so desperately wants to ask the player for their help, scared of himself and the future, and when they finally have him, he clings to them tightly: “I love you. Don’t let go now.”

And that brings us to our conclusion! Please let me know what you think! What songs would you have included, and did I do a good job picking these ones out? Many thanks for listening/reading and I hope you enjoy getting all the feels for this loveable red-haired rogue.

[where-the-wind-is]

A Little Birdy Told me

The Arcana

Masterpost

Chapter 1

You wake to the sound of ringing. 

In the Quaestors facility, the relentless clang of the heavy metal mallet on the iron bell is the only mark to distinguish the morning from the evening. Every sleeping medic rises immediately to begin their shift. Every working medic trudges to their cots the moment the first bell tolls. The people, the gears of the underground facility, turn flawlessly and robotically every morning and every evening for the shift change. They are more a machine than a workforce.

To be late to bed is to miss precious hours of rest for their weary bodies, to be late to rise is to forfeit rest hours for the following three days. Such is the penalty for impeding progress, or so the Quaestor decreed. 

Doctors had the mercy of independent research time, two hours a day where they could stay in their offices and escape the nightmare of the facility. They were the important ones, the rest of the medical staff the castle held captive were not so graced.

You aren't given the privacy of an office, you sleep in dormitories of 30 people to a room. The jobs are gruellingly repetitive at best, and stomach-twistingly vile at worst. Charting the patients symptoms, sorting and cataloging human remains. You aren't qualified to do the skilled work of the nurses. You are just an apprentice, there to lend a helping hand.

You were training to be a doctor, once upon a time. You were an apprentice under the well known Doctor Devorak, but that was...months ago.

You trudge on without him, going numbly from shift to sleep. Repeating the cycle each day without fail. You aren't upset, no matter how demeaning the lifestyle or soul-crushing the work, in the end you chose this. You stay so that your contribution might help end the plague destroying the city you were born in. 

Vesuvia, your home, was dying around you.

Shove

You’re almost knocked to the floor with the force of the others pushing past you. In your thoughts you’d stopped walking, eyes glued to the ground. The seemingly endless line of peers push past, unseeing, to continue their clockwork march. You stare in complete loss at the stream of marching shoes and beaked faces.

What...what do you do now?

You’d marched the exact same steps to do the exact same job every single day for months, there's a terrifying moment where you can't move. You freeze, completely incapable of deciding where to go or how to get back in line. Your attention is drawn by a small cry behind you.

Turning slowly, you readjust your mask to peer into the small cage, just barely large enough to house one person.

“Where am I supposed to go..?” the small voice is hardly above a whisper. Your gaze fixes on a small boy, eyes dyed the familiar red of the plague. His thin frame is crouched on the floor of his cage and he points a frail finger to an inconsequential spot on the tiled floor. You stare at the spot on the floor where he points for a moment before looking back to him. 

“You stay there” you respond dully.

“I don’t know where I’m supposed to go…” He repeats wearily. You're desensitised by this point to the late-stage delirium of the patients, still the unseeing desperation in the boys eyes makes you falter. Kneeling to the floor you use the softest, most sincere voice you can muster.

“We’re here to help you little friend, is there anything I can do for you?” 

“Can...I need the…” The child makes a ‘c’ with his hand and closes his eyes, fighting through his confusion to put words to his wants. “The...cold in that bucket…” He finally decides. You smile sweetly as the boy gestures again to something that isn’t there.

“Would you like some water, sweetheart?” You translate the cryptic request with practiced ease. The boy's scarlet eyes focus momentarily, seemingly relieved you know the words he can't remember. With a nod you move to fetch a cup for the patient.

He drinks the water happily and in a scratchy voice says.

“You...thank you...you’re a good one here” before weakly tapping the end of your beak-like mask and curling back up. You smile softly before taking the cup with gloved hands and looking for a place to rejoin the line.

You do the same work in the same line every day. No weekends, no downtime, you hadn’t even seen the sky, but you're choosing to do this. You chose this. If your contribution can stop the plague one death earlier than if you hadn't helped, then it will be more than worth it.

So when you hear the bell you rise, and when the others march you march, and when they tell you to work you work until your mind goes numb and you forget your own name. You work until you can no longer tell the difference between yourself and the hundred other people working alongside you. Marching in the same line.

Because you chose to suffer this, so others may not have to.

The draw? 

Today is simply determined to pull you from your forced routine. Perhaps only a few hours into the work shift you are pulled away and put in a group of other medical staff. Before you stands an impatient looking doctor, in his hand is a tin can that rattles as he shakes it.

Months ago Dr. Julian Devorak abandoned the facility, leaving his most important patient without a primary physician. Vesuvia’s "beloved" Count Lucio demanded to be seen daily by a doctor to assess the progression of the plague within his system. With the absence of his regular Doctor, Quaestor Valdimar had attend to the Count each day. 

That was only a temporary arrangement, the Quaestor had more important things to do, so a draw had been set up to determine who would be the counts physician going forward.

Needless to say no one wanted to draw the black stone from the can.

But that's for doctors, there must be some mistake. You're only an apprentice, you have no place in the draw. Looking around wildly you notice you are not alone, a few other apprentices and helpers stand among the doctors in the group. All of which are looking around in similar confusion, all of which also began training around the same time you did.

Another sharp rattle from the can draws your attention back to the matter at hand. You'll draw a regular stone, you think to yourself, willing it into existence. You'll draw a normal, uninked stone and you'll go back to your unassuming work. The can passes slowly around the room, each person present drawing a stone and holding it in their closed fist. Unaware of the color.

With a breath you close your eyes and summon the magic you remember. Your body practically sighs at the familiar thrum of power in your veins, a power you hadn't had the need or permission to use in a long time. Holding out your hand, eyes still closed, you feel the cool tin of the can settle in your grasp. Passed on by the shivering CNA to your right. Reaching into the can you feel around the small, round shapes. Feeling the energy through the magical currents in your fingertips.

You focus hard on the feeling of comfort, a draw such as this leads fate down diverging paths. You focus on the future you want and find the stone that will give it to you, gently closing your hand around it. Pulling your hand out you open your eyes and pass the can on, releasing the breath you were holding.

You listen dully to the rattle of the can as the rest of those present pick their stones. The one clasped in your hand is almost perfectly round like a marble. It's hard to feel texture through your thick, protective gloves. None the less you're certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, you'd drawn the right one.

After the can is returned, people immediately begin looking at their stones. Sighs of relief fill the room as people look upon their ordinary grey lumps. A sinking feeling bubbles in your throat like overboiled stew as you stare at your closed fingers. You begin to think you may have played yourself. Prying your fingers open you try to feel surprised at the sight of the ink black stone in your palm.

In the end you're not too shocked, after everything else this might as well happen.

Shaking your head you advance through the crowd to the impatient doctor holding the empty can.

"Excuse me?" Your voice is smaller than you want it to be, broken from disuse. The doctor eyes you with disinterest, noticing the black stone you brandish.

"Oh so it's you."

"Yes but I'm not a doctor." You insist as they try to walk away.

"Due to short staffing the requirement has been waived" they wave their hand lazily as they speak. "You trained under 069, a routine check should be a walk in the park for you. Apprentice or otherwise."

Opening your mouth to speak you quickly think better of it. Controversy is harshly punished in a place like this, instead you nod and move to gather your equipment. You'd heard many a horror story about the demanding Count, but none of them first hand and you'd definitely never met the man in person.

Standing before the one person elevator to the upper castle floors you can no longer imagine why someone wouldn't want the black stone. You were leaving. Just for a few hours a day, a few precious moments outside the prison of a workplace was happily worth having to interact with Count Lucio. A wide grin hurts your cheeks as you ride the rising contraption.

Stepping out you feel the oppressive air of the facility lift off you like a weighted blanket. You breathe no fresh air through your beaked mask and you feel no sun or breeze through your heavy smock and gloves. But just knowing the facility is beneath your feet, practically forgotten, is euphoric.

No one speaks to you as you make your way through the halls. Many servants abruptly change paths to avoid you. That's fair enough, you suppose, your uniform can be a bit unsettling. The dried asters in the break of your mask were severely withered by now, you wonder idly if you'd be able to find fresh ones.

The Counts wing of the palace didn't just seem empty, it seemed abandoned, avoided even. Was this man really that obnoxious? Opening the door with a small creak you step inside.