#magical detective necromancer

[sinclairmaxwellao3]

Sneak Peek at my original novel Thaumaturgy! <3

'The Umbra was as soothing as the sun could be stifling. It was a cool, safe place, away from the dangers of the world. I was as familiar to the shadow as it was to me. I had spent thirty-seven years in this place, after all, despite my apparent youth.

                        When I was a child, my papochka told me about how people used to believe that necromancers like us were born in the dark, in the Umbra. They believed that we were the scions of death and mystery. They thought that we were spontaneously birthed out of shade seemed preposterous to me, like a child's nightmare fantasy. I personally thought we were more closely related to demons and witches, if I had to make an inference. My father didn't seem to believe the story, but none of our other kith appeared to put much stock in it either.

                        I had been born when my papochka was at the mature age of seven hundred and fifty-three. We didn't age much, true, but it was notoriously difficult for our kind to reproduce. Bodies built for dying weren't geared for giving life. The governments listed us as Endangered Beings. “Being” was a classification created for the more humanoid creatures that traversed this world because the bureaucrats considered calling us a “species” a preternatural faux pas. Some thought we were no better than the animals they slaughtered for meat. Whichever side of the argument you fell on, with only a scant thirty-one of us in the world, we received certain...political considerations. Thanks to an admittedly overzealous politician, five years ago we were granted Diplomatic Immunity, on par with foreign diplomats or the representatives from the United Planer States (or out of earshot of said representatives, UPS). The extra perks certainly did not endear me to our dear Lieutenant McCoy, however. It was his belief that it gave us too much power, too much leeway to abuse the very law that had given us those benefits. It was my opinion that if someone murdered me, I had the right to eat them.

                        The aphotic atmosphere had washed away all of the tension of the night and the urge to just curl up and take a nap was strong. In this place there was no floor or sky, only the ongoing, eternal shade. It was a world behind worlds, the space within spaces. One only needed to picture the place they wished to go and then give yourself over to it. I came out into the easy familiarity of our home office, stepping out of the shadow of the doorway. Thaumaturgy Security and Investigation was an interesting melding of an invention workshop, occult store and an office cubicle. On one side, we had Eliann's tinkering space and our supply storage where we kept ritual supplies and items as well as ingredients to bind living, warm magic to cold steel and circuitry.'

The Thaumaturgy Trilogy is available on Amazon and Kindle under the name C.L. McReynolds! <3

[felassan]

MEET: The Veilguard [source]

"RECRUIT DISTINCT COMPANIONS Rally a team of seven companions, each with rich lives and deep backstories. These are characters to befriend, and even fall in love with. Among them, an assassin, a necromancer, a detective, each and all bringing their own expertise and unique abilities to the fight. Harding This dwarven scout has a big heart, a positive outlook, and a ready bow – as well as unexpected magical powers. Davrin Bold and charming, this Grey Warden has made a name for himself as a monster hunter. Now, he cares for a young griffon. Bellara A Veil Jumper obsessed with uncovering the secrets of ancient Elvhenan. Bellara is focused, creative, and romantic. Taash A dragon hunter allied with the Lords of Fortune, Taash lives for adventure and doesn’t mind taking risks. Lucanis An expert assassin for whom the Antivan Crows are a family business. He is poisted & pragmatic, but lacks social skills. Emmrich A necromancer of Nevarra’s Mourn Watch, this well-meaning scholar comes complete with a skeletal assistant; Manfred. Neve A cynic fighting for a better future, both as a private detective and a member of Tevinter’s rebellious Shadow Dragons."

[source]

[bioware]

To begin our Companions Week, let us first reacquaint ourselves with the Veilguard.

Lace Harding - The Scout [Caption: Harding’s skills with the bow are unmatched - her arrows can stagger enemies and shred armor.]

Davrin - The Warden [Caption: Fiercely loyal, Davrin brings his enemies down hard with a combination of mighty attacks, teaming with his griffon, Assan, to keep their companions out of danger.]

Bellara Lutare - The Veil Jumper [Caption: Bellara manipulates the Fade and uses electricity and control magic to support her Companions and diminish the powers of their foes.]

Lucanis Dellamorte - The Mage Killer [Caption: Lucanis stylishly deals necrotic damage in battle with his dual-daggers, while supporting his companions with potions and buffs.]

Taash - The Dragon Hunter [Caption: Blunt and straightforward, Taash is a mighty warrior, who wields dual-axes and breathes out flames, igniting enemies with draconic fury.]

Emmrich Volkarin - The Necromancer [Caption: Emmrich summons forth spirits of the dead to both entangle and hinder his enemies and heal his companions.]

Neve Gallus - The Detective [Caption: Neve uses her talents as an ice mage to freeze and slow enemies, stopping them in their tracks.]

[dalishious]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Familiar Faces and Factions

The trailer for Dragon Age: The Veilguard has dropped, and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s like a new breath of life has entered my lungs!

Within the trailer, we now have confirmation of who our seven companions are going to be, and among them are a few familiar faces from the book Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights. We also have some name-droppings of a couple factions featured in the same book and the comics, Dragon Age: The Missing. So, here is what knowledge is established about these faces sand factions.

Neve Gallus & The Shadow Dragons

Neve Gallus was first introduced in the Tevinter Nights story, “The Streets of Minrathous”. She comes off as a no-nonsense and a little intense kind of person. Neve is a Tevinter mage who works as a private investigator. For example, if someone wants some detective work done but doesn’t want the public to know, they would hire Neve. On occasion, she’s even been hired by the templars, who act like just regular cops in Tevinter – and yes, that includes their corruption and primary goal of simply protecting the elite – but Neve prefers to work alone because of that corruption, and has a personal grudge against the order for taking bribes to cover up crimes.

Neve has a prosthetic leg below the knee, made of dwarven-crafted metal.

In The Missing, Neve says she is friends with the Shadow Dragons. In the article shared by EA, as of The Veilguard, she is officially a member. The Shadow Dragons are a group of concerned Tevinter citizens who help those in need. This includes supporting escaped slaves, for example.

Emmrich Volkahrin

Emmrich Volkahrin was first introduced in the Tevinter Nights story, “Down Among the Dead Men”. He is a necromancer from Nevarra, and therefore naturally a member of the Mortalitasi – specifically, a professor in the Mourn Watch. The Watchers serve as elite guardians of the Grand Necropolis. Emmrich is on the eccentric side, personality-wise, but kindly and informal.

Emmrich has a skeleton assistant name of Manfred, who helps him with different office tasks. He also has friends in Myrna, a fellow Watcher, and Audric, a dead guardsmen who looks after the library.

Lucanis Dellamorte

Lucanis Dellamorte was first introduced in the Tevinter Nights story, “The Wigmaker Job”. He is the favourite grandson of Caterina Dellamorte, First Talon (leader) of the Antivan Crows. As such, he was raised from birth to be the perfect assassin in a ruthless and torturous environment, knowing only cruelty from his family. This has led to him feeling less like a person and more like a living weapon – and he is treated like one by everyone who knows of him. He has “the Demon” as a nickname.

I know a few people are curious about the “mage killer” title in the trailer. Rest assured that Lucanis specifically kills evil blood mages. In his own words: “If someone wants to pay me top coin to kill a bunch of racist blood mages—who have it coming—I’m not going to complain.”

Where his cousin Illario has a “silver tongue” as Lucanis puts it, he himself is a lot blunter. His reputation of a killer is spotless, except for one small problem: He has a heart under all that black leather.

Lucanis and Illario get along quite well, except for the fact that Lucanis is destined to be the next First Talon, after Caterina dies. Illario wants the job far more than Lucanis, but Lucanis isn’t sure he’s capable of making a decision for himself that goes against the wishes of the Crows.

The Veil Jumpers

The Veil Jumpers were first introduced in The Missing #3. They are a group made up of primarily Dalish elves, though also inclusive of other folks of any walks of life willing to help, working to try and control the new threats within Arlathan Forest. The forest has become a ground of chaotic magic, with the Veil so thin that time and place is jumbled together. Thus, the Veil Jumpers move in and out of the spots that bleed into one another.

The Veil Jumpers do have a headquarters called “The Sanctum”, but we know nothing else about it.

The Lords of Fortune

Despite the Lords of Fortune being mentioned in more than one Tevinter Nights story, as well as the show Dragon Age: Absolution, we don’t know a lot about them. The only concrete information provided is that they are a loose group of people who collect trinkets and glory. They come out of Rivain. They typically wear a lot of their collected trinkets like badges of honour. That’s really all there is, so I can’t wait to learn more.

[olessan]

EA press release for Dragon Age: the Veilguard

In this next chapter of the critically-acclaimed saga, players will step into Dragon Age’s newest fully-customizable hero, Rook, battling on the front lines alongside an extraordinary cast of heroes known as the Veilguard.

• Bellara, a creative and romantic Veil Jumper obsessed with uncovering ancient secrets. • Davrin,a bold and charming Grey Warden who has made a name for himself as a monster hunter. • Emmrich, a necromancer of Nevarra's Mourn Watch who comes complete with a skeletal assistant, Manfred. • Harding, the dwarven scout, returns to the fray as a companion with her big heart, a positive outlook, and a ready bow – as well as unexpected magical powers. • Lucanis, a poised & pragmatic assassin who descends from the bloodline of the House of Crows, a criminal organization renowned throughout Thedas. • Neve, a cynic fighting for a better future, both as a private detective and a member of Tevinter's rebellious Shadow Dragons. • Taash, a dragon hunter allied with the Lords of Fortune who lives for adventure and doesn't mind taking risks.

[the-veil-jumper]

The Gang's All Here...

Davrin, a bold and charming Grey Warden who has made a name for himself as a monster hunter.

Taash, a dragon hunter allied with the Lords of Fortune who lives for adventure and doesn't mind taking risks.

Bellara, a creative and romantic Veil Jumper obsessed with uncovering ancient secrets.

Emmrich, a necromancer of Nevarra's Mourn Watch who comes complete with a skeletal assistant, Manfred.

Lucanis, a poised & pragmatic assassin who descends from the bloodline of the House of Crows, a criminal organization renowned throughout Thedas.

Harding, the dwarven scout, returns to the fray as a companion with her big heart, a positive outlook, and a ready bow – as well as unexpected magical powers.

Neve, a cynic fighting for a better future, both as a private detective and a member of Tevinter's rebellious Shadow Dragons.

[ Source, edited to be in order of the picture ]

[rookinthecrownest]

Yeah idk I’m just imaging Lucanis & Rook’s daughter dating in the future.

Imagine her parents have each killed a god. And an Archdemon. And two blighted high dragons.

Her aunt and uncle are the Fifth and Seventh Talons. Dad was former First Talon. Also has a demon who wouldn’t hesitate.

Mom and Dad are besties with one of the best detectives in Tevinter so if you fuck up there’s nowhere to hide. And a Grey Warden who has a Griffon at his command.

She studied magic in the Necropolis under the personal tutelage of one of the most well known and well regarded Necromancers to ever grace the Mourn Watch, Emmrich Volkarin.

And you’re just there, sitting at their dinner table, sipping coffee nervously, staring at the many decorative (one hopes) daggers on the wall. One looks like it has a Wyvern head for a hilt.

Whats that convo gonna be like, I wonder.

[theplotmage]

Murder Mystery Tropes with Paranormal Fantasy, Horror, Whodunit and Slasher for Writers

The Detective - The main investigator of the crime, possibly with a supernatural edge.

The Red Herring - False clues or suspects designed to mislead.

The Locked Room Mystery - A crime committed under seemingly impossible circumstances.

The Butler Did It - A classic misdirection where a seemingly minor character is suspected.

The Femme Fatale - A seductive woman with potential hidden motives.

The Alibi - Evidence of suspects' whereabouts during the crime.

The Gathering of Suspects - Bringing all suspects together for the final reveal.

The Amateur Sleuth - An ordinary person drawn into solving the mystery.

The Police Inspector - A professional law enforcement officer involved in the investigation.

The Mysterious Stranger - A new arrival with unknown motives.

The Hidden Motive - Characters with secret reasons for their actions.

The Unreliable Witness - Witnesses with contradictory or biased testimonies.

The Hidden Clue - Seemingly insignificant details that are key to solving the mystery.

The Confession - A character admitting to the crime, often under false pretenses.

The Final Twist - An unexpected revelation at the end of the story.

The False Confession - A confession made to protect someone else.

The Cover-Up - Characters attempting to hide their involvement in the crime.

The Intimate Setting - A small, closed environment where everyone is connected.

The Victim's Secret - The murdered person had a hidden past or secret.

The Revelation Scene - The detective explains the solution to the mystery.

Paranormal/Horror Elements

The Cursed Object - An artifact tied to the victim that brings misfortune.

The Haunted House - The murder site known for ghostly occurrences.

The Vengeful Spirit - The ghost of a previous victim seeking revenge.

The Demon Possession - Indications that the victim or suspect was possessed.

The Shapeshifter - Rumors of a creature changing forms, adding confusion.

The Supernatural Detective - An investigator with paranormal abilities.

The Blood Moon - A rare celestial event coinciding with the murder.

The Psychic Medium - A medium providing cryptic clues from the spirit world.

The Ancient Ritual - The murder tied to a forbidden dark ritual.

The Disappearing Body - The victim's body vanishes, leaving eerie evidence.

The Doppelgänger - A sinister double causing confusion and fear.

The Possessed Doll - A creepy doll inhabited by an evil spirit.

The Time Loop - The murder repeating itself in a time loop.

The Night Terrors - Horrific nightmares providing clues to the murder.

The Sinister Prophecy - An old prophecy predicting the murder.

The Evil Twin - A malevolent twin emerging, complicating the investigation.

The Necromancer - A character raising the dead to manipulate events.

The Shape-Shifter - A creature changing forms, difficult to track.

The Forbidden Book - A dark magic tome found at the crime scene.

The Mysterious Fog - Supernatural fog hiding crucial evidence.

The Living Portrait - A portrait that moves, providing eerie clues.

The Witch's Familiar - An animal linked to a witch, influencing events.

Slasher Whodunit Elements

The Masked Killer - The murderer hides their identity behind a mask, creating fear and mystery.

The Final Girl - A trope where one girl, often resourceful and strong, survives the killer's rampage.

The Isolated Location - The setting is cut off from the outside world, increasing tension and fear.

The High Body Count - Multiple victims are killed throughout the story, each death more gruesome than the last.

The Survivor's Guilt - Characters who survive the killer's attacks feel intense guilt and paranoia.

The Urban Legend - The murders are connected to a local legend or myth that many believed to be just a story.

The Creepy Warning - A strange character gives a foreboding warning about the danger that lies ahead.

The Phone Call - The killer taunts the victims or the detective with eerie phone calls.

The Chase Scene - Thrilling sequences where characters are pursued by the killer, creating high tension.

The Brutal Weapon - The killer uses a distinctive, often gruesome weapon, like a machete or chainsaw.

The False Safety - Characters believe they are safe, only to find out the killer is still near.

The Dark Past - The killer's motives are tied to a traumatic event in their history.

The Power Outage - A sudden loss of power plunges the setting into darkness, heightening fear.

The Split Up - Characters decide to split up to cover more ground, often leading to their doom.

The Hidden Lair - The killer has a hidden lair where they plot and prepare for their attacks.

The Betrayal - A trusted character is revealed to be an accomplice or the killer.

The Fake-Out Death - A character appears to be dead but later reveals they survived.

The Booby Traps - The killer sets traps to catch and kill the victims in inventive ways.

The Creepy Clue - An unsettling object or message left by the killer, serving as a taunt or clue.

The Frantic Escape - Desperate attempts to escape the killer, often through dangerous or narrow paths.

Occult Fantasy Elements

The Magical Artifact - A powerful item with dark magical properties, central to the plot.

The Enchanted Forest - A mystical forest where occult rituals and creatures reside.

The Coven - A secret group of witches or warlocks practicing dark arts.

The Prophecy - A foretold event involving dark forces and mystical events.

The Secret Society - A hidden group with its own occult agenda, influencing events from the shadows.

The Sorcerer - A powerful magic user who may be an ally or an antagonist, often dabbling in forbidden magic.

The Occult Creature - Beings like demons, dark fairies, or shadowy entities that play a role in the story.

The Cursed Bloodline - A family with a dark curse affecting their fate, passed down through generations.

The Forbidden Spell - A dangerous spell that holds the key to solving the mystery or defeating the antagonist.

The Hidden Realm - A secret world or dimension that characters can access through occult means.

The Quest for the Dark Grimoire - A journey undertaken by the characters to find an important book of dark magic.

The Ancient Rune - Mystical symbols that provide clues or have magical effects.

The Time Portal - A gateway that allows characters to travel through time, often tied to occult practices.

The Occult Warrior - A skilled fighter who protects others using magical abilities and knowledge of the dark arts.

The Healer with Forbidden Knowledge - A character with the ability to heal using dark or forbidden magic.

The Shape-Shifting Demon - A being that can change its form at will, adding layers of deception.

The Enchanted Weapon - A weapon imbued with dark magical properties, essential for defeating the antagonist.

The Book of Shadows - A book containing powerful spells and rituals that characters seek or use.

The Dark Oracle - A seer who provides cryptic prophecies and guidance, often with a sinister twist.

The Elemental Forces - Characters or creatures that control the elements (fire, water, earth, air) through occult means.

[wearethekat]

Anticipated Upcoming New Releases

Anticipated by Me. Asterisk for titles where I haven't read anything by the author previously (ie sounds cool but unvetted)

*Hammajang Luck, Makana Yamamoto (14 January). In a far-future world, a thief is approached by the partner who betrayed her for one last job just after getting out of a prison planet on early parole.

*Death of the Author, Nnedi Okorafor (14 January). Recently unemployed Zelu starts to write a new science fiction book, as the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur.

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales, Heather Fawcett (11 February). Book three of a series, in which Emily deals with the repercussions of being engaged to a faerie king.

*But Not Too Bold, Hache Pueyo (11 February). Novella. Sapphic retelling of Bluebeard featuring a giant humanoid spider.

Wooing the Witch Queen, Stephanie Burgis (18 February). Romantasy in which an evil sorceress queen gets catfished by a disguised imperial archduke pretending to be a librarian in a gaslamp setting.

*Greenteeth, Molly O'Neill (25 February). The legendary Molly Greenteeth teams up with a local witch to defeat an evil pastor.

The River Has Roots, Amal El-Mohtar (4 March). Novella. Two sisters living at the edge of Faerie tumblr into trouble when one of them takes a faerie suitor.

The Tomb of Dragons, Katherine Addison (11 March). Reportedly actually coming out this year! In book 3 of the series, Thara Celehar investigates a case involving an old cemetery and a miner's group.

A Gentleman's Gentleman, TJ Alexander (11 March). Alexander sticks their nose into the Regency genre with this t4t lord/valet romance.

Idolfire, Grace Curtis (11 March). One woman searching for a last chance and another woman looking for redemption travel to a sleeping magical city.

*Murder by Memory, Olivia Waite (18 March). A sci-fi mystery novella set on a generation ship, where a ship's detective investigates a mysterious murder.

*Aunt Tigress, Emily Yu-Xuan Qin (18 March). Reformed monster Tam investigates the murder of her aunt in Chinese folklore inspired urban fantasy Canada.

A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennett (1 March). Sequel. Our Sherlock Holmes coded detective investigates the disappearance of a treasury officer with the help of her trusty assistant in a complex secondary fantasy world.

Don't Sleep With The Dead, Nghi Vo (8 April). Vo returns to the fantasy Great Gatsby setting with this novella from the POV of Nick Carraway post-novel events.

*The Gentleman and His Vowsmith, Rebecca Ide (15 April). An accidentally falling in love with your wedding vendor by during your arranged marriage book, now with a locked mansion murder mystery.

Advocate, Daniel M Ford (22 April). Book three of a series. Insufferable lesbian necromancer Aelis is summoned back to the capital to investigate an accusation against her former teacher.

Saint Death's Herald, CSE Cooney (22 April). Sequel to my particular favorite Saint Death's Daughter. Lanie Stones must contain her murderously ambitious (and dead) great grandfather before he conquers the world.

Brighter than Scale, Swifter Than Flame, Neon Yang (6 May). Emissary and dragon hunter Yeva is sent to a nation that worships dragons to seduce their queen. Novella.

Drop Dead, Lily Chu (6 May). Rival journalists Nadine and Wesley spar for the scoop on a reclusive author-- until she dies suddenly, and the executor grants them both three weeks to study her papers together.

Ascension, ST Gibson (13 May). Sequel to Evocation about the contentious urban fantasy wizard polycule.

The Incandescent, Emily Tesh (13 May). A professor at a magical academy deals with some troublesome demons. (I'm VERY excited for this one)

The Starving Saints, Caitlin Starling (20 May). After a six month siege, a castle is freed by a group of cultlike saints. As the castle descends into cannibalism orgies, can three women find a way to save themselves?

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association, Caitlin Rozakis (27 May). Ordinary parent Vivian has to rapidly adapt to the world of magic schools when her kindergartener is bitten by a werewolf.

The Mercy Makers, Tessa Gratton (17 June). Criminal heiress Iriset uses her ability to create magical disguises to infiltrate the palace and free her father, insinuating herself into the lives of the emperor and his sister in the process.

A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace, Emily Skrutskie (24 June). Two redshirts unexpectedly don't die in a fantasy apocalypse after a band of plucky heroes intervene, forcing them to contemplate their one last night stand.

The Memory Hunters, Mia Tsai (29 July). Secondary world academia about using memory magic powers for archaeology.

Hemlock & Silver, T Kingfisher (19 August). A retelling of Snow White from the point of view of a healer trying to cure the poisoned princess.

[officialdaydreamer00]

Necromancer!?

in which clothes dye ate through your gloves and now people questioned if you really had magic

characters: first years || second years || third years

content: silliness detected at *checks time* 7am bc i woke up with the brainworms still wiggling around, inspired by the picture below, reader isn't yuu and reader's gender isn't specified, reader has cool af long black nails bc i said so

🏷️ @identity-theft-101 @siren-serenity @dove-da-birb @minimallyminnie @cookiesandbiscuits @thehollowwriter @cave-of-jade @enigmatic-pers

Ace Trappola:

"prefect?? i thought you said you didn't have magic??"

"??? i don't?? it's- clothes dye."

"oh."

literally how your conversation went

thinks it's super cool how it gives you a mysterious and lowkey dangerous vibe

would believe you if you said you actually use black magic, no questions asked

Deuce Spade:

"are your hands okay, prefect? it's not poisonous or permanent, is it? :("

"it's not, deuce. thanks for the the concern though."

"if you say so."

actually worried about your health

also lowkey thinks your hands look so cool

Jack Howl:

confused and worried wolf noises.

are your hands okay?? is it permanent??

also worried that the dye was harmful to your health

calms down a bit when you said it wasn't but still a bit concerned

Epel Felmier:

thinks it looks sick as hell

the nails really completed the vibe, really mystical and dangerous and cool

a bit concerned that the dye on your hands was so pigmented

hopefully it's not a permanent thing because that would be harmful to your hands

but hey if it was permanent, you got yourself a really sick tattoo!

Ortho Shroud:

his system was not computing this

baby is confused how you even got the dye through your gloves

the one you asked if the dye was removable

he is still computing ways to help you

also thinks your hands look really cool if you don't think about the potential harmful aspects of the dye

remember to reblog if you like my works! ^-^

[we-do-bones-bracket]

Round 5 Match 2

Propaganda:

Harrowhark Nonagesimus (spoilers)

She is THE bone lady. The supreme bone lord. Her entire shtick is bones, as corroborated by multiple other characters throughout the books. She can literally do things with bones that no other necromancer is capable of, and that's before she [spoiler-fueled power upgrade].

Our girl decorates with bones. She gets turned on by growing someone a new bone arm. She's the greatest bone magician there ever was. She's so good with bones it makes god nervous.

she's a necromancer, specifically a bone adept and my god does she love bones. she can make skeleton armies out of powder and puppet dead people so that they look alive. she grew one of her frenemies a new arm just right there on the spot because why not. she's also super edgy and wears black all the time and i love her

Made soup out of her own marrow to make skeletons explode out of someone's stomach. Noone is doing it like her

She does bones, motherfucker.

WE DO BONES, MOTHERFUCKER

Skulduggery Pleasant (spoilers)

he's so we do bones he brought himself back from the dead. AND THEN changed his name to skulduggery to match with his skeleton lifestyle better. he's irish. he used to be great at motivational speeches but now he sucks so bad at them. his skull isn't actually his skull it's someone else's. he wears bespoke suits. he drives a variety of classic cars. he is an incredibly powerful wizard, but also just has a gun that he uses. he can speak Irish Gaelic. his ribcage HAS been used as a xylophone. he's 444 years old.

He's a skeleton in a formal suit and hat. He's a detective. He both carries a revolver and throws fireballs at people. For a long time the accepted reason he was a skeleton was "he's just to ornery to die". He wore someone else's skull for a while, complained that it was noticeably uglier, and was correct. He's sassy enough to trade insults with a teenage girl on a regular basis. How can he not win.

He's literally a living skeleton that does magic, is a detective, and drives around in a cool car. Vote for him

Walking skeleton noir detective, no one is doing bones like this guy.

[crystalsofaequarin]

In the Kingdom of Aequarin, magic and technology go hand in hand with the use of beautiful luminous crystals.

The village of Shimmer Mist is a small town filled with necromancers and dark magic users. While the rest of Aequarin lives in relative comfort and peace, Shimmer Mist is a place few dare to venture.

You assume the role of a detective being tasked with uncovering the mystery behind an unusual string deaths plaguing your town.

You journey to the Capitol seeking aid for your investigation when you receive news of Lord Belfry, the mayor of Shimmer Mists' death. You are sent back with a group of companions to assist in your task to catch the murderer before they strike again.

Soon, you realize that beneath the surface of seemingly isolated deaths lies something far greater than anyone could have imagined. Just how deep does this mystery run? Will you be a good enough detective to solve it? The fate of Shimmer Mist, and maybe the entirety of Aequarin, lies in your hands.

Customizable MC.

Choose your clothing style

Romance and befriend your fellow companions.

Build unique relationships with companions.

Decided how you feel about the town and people of Shimmer Mist.

Choose your magic color and weapon.

Save your village...or don't?

DEMO

Celdrine Wynmire | The Healer (F)

Celdrine is a kind and joyful soul. She is rarely seen without a smile. She loves to help people and is the ultimate optimist.

Appearance: Long light green hair, blue green eyes. Lightly tanned skin with small freckles on her face.

5'5"

Magic/weapon: Yellow magic, uses an intricately crafted staff.

Style: Frilly

ISFJ

Birthday: March 20th - Pisces

Carmine Garnet | The Knight (M)

Carmine is quite and serious. His loyalty can't be matched. Though he can be intimidating once you get to know him you see how much he is willing to do for the people of Aequarin and his fellow companions.

Appearance: Long fiery red hair. Fair skin and piercing green eyes.

6'2"

Magic/Weapon: Red magic uses a broad sword.

Style: Functional/Stylish

ISTJ

Birthday: January 2nd - Capricorn

Artemis Krane | The Scientist (M,F,NB)

Artemis is intelligent and can come off as cold or aloof. They always think with their head and never let emotion cloud their judgment... usually.

Appearance: Glasses and lavender eyes purple hair. F and NB Artemis have long hair usually pulled back. M Artemis has short to medium length slicked back hair.

M: 5'10"

F/NB: 5'7"

Magic/Weapon: Purple magic uses a lance.

Style: Travel/Comfort

INTJ

Birthday: November 18th - Scorpio

Kaelin Novus | The Merchant (M,F,NB)

Kaelin is a a former monster hunter turned merchant. They are fairly well known through the Kingdom and incredibly popular in the Capitol. They are charismatic and generally kind. They love a bit of gossip though.

Appearance: Medium brown skin, deep amber eyes. M and NB Kaelin have long locks. F Kaelin has long goddess braids.

M: 6'

F: 5'6"

NB: 5'9"

Magic/Weapon: blue magic uses long sword

Stlye: Elegant

ENFJ

Birthday: July 26th - Leo

Nym Solaris | The Watcher (F)

Nym was born with very little magic much to her families dismay. With the help of crystal bodily enhancements such as her left eye which has had a crystal lens implanted in it, Nym has exceeded everyone's expectations of her. Nym is very smart and reclusive, she can be quiet and a bit standoffish at first, but is a generally kind-hearted person.

Style: Functional stylish

ISTP

Birthday: September 13th - Virgo

[felassan]

"Bellara, a creative and romantic Veil Jumper obsessed with uncovering ancient secrets.

Davrin,a bold and charming Grey Warden who has made a name for himself as a monster hunter.

Emmrich, a necromancer of Nevarra's Mourn Watch who comes complete with a skeletal assistant, Manfred.

Harding, the dwarven scout, returns to the fray as a companion with her big heart, a positive outlook, and a ready bow – as well as unexpected magical powers.

Lucanis, a poised & pragmatic assassin who descends from the bloodline of the House of Crows, a criminal organization renowned throughout Thedas.

Neve, a cynic fighting for a better future, both as a private detective and a member of Tevinter's rebellious Shadow Dragons.

Taash, a dragon hunter allied with the Lords of Fortune who lives for adventure and doesn't mind taking risks."

Companion information from EA. [source]

[ardentblossomings]

Neve A cynic fighting for a better future, both as a private detective and a member of Tevinter's rebellious Shadow Dragons.

Emmrich A necromancer of Nevarra's Mourn Watch, this well-meaning scholar comes complete with a skeletal assistant; Manfred.

Lucanis An expert assassin for whom the Antivan Crows are a family business. He is poisted & pragmatic, but lacks social skills.

Taash A dragon hunter allied with the Lords of Fortune, Taash lives for adventure and doesn't mind taking risks.

Bellara A Veil Jumper obsessed with uncovering the secrets of ancient Elvhenan. Bellara is focused, creative, and romantic.

Davrin Bold and charming, this Grey Warden has made a name for himself as a monster hunter. Now, he cares for a young griffon.

Harding This dwarven scout has a big heart, a positive outlook, and a ready bow – as well as unexpected magical powers.

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Rally a team of seven companions, each with rich lives and deep backstories. These are characters to befriend, and even fall in love with. Among them, an assassin, a necromancer, a detective, each and all bringing their own expertise and unique abilities to the fight.

[Source]

[le-trash-prince]

I feel like I’ve been able to read so many speculative fiction wlw books in the past few years that I get a little frustrated when ppl complain that wlw relationships are always sidelined in stories. So I’m just gonna make a list of the ones I’ve completed, for posterity. There are so many interesting books out there and all of these deserve more attention.

To reiterate, this is speculative fiction (sci-if/fantasy) where the primary relationship is wlw.

Ash: Chinese and fae influenced retelling of Cinderella (+Huntress, a prequel)

A Restless Truth: historical magical murder mystery set on a Titanic sister-ship. This is the second book in a series but my favorite so far

Burning Roses: European fairy-tale/Chinese legend mashup featuring older ladies

Cinderella is Dead: YA fairy tale dystopia

Crier’s War: human x android enemies to lovers political intrigue

Even Though I Knew the End: supernatural detective noir, super quick and super fun

Gearbreakers: enemies-to-lovers with mecha

In the Vanisher’s Palace: Viet influenced Beauty and the Beast where the Beast is a dragon lady

Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom: middle school age mythological fantasy adventure, I wish I had this growing up

Labyrinth Lost: bruja fantasy underworld adventure

Last to Leave the Room: WFH doppleganger horror + toxic coworkers who hate each other (they really don’t)

Legends and Lattes: Simple and sweet DND inspired cafe AU

Once and Future: King Arthur but in space with ladies. Wish this one had been poly

Roots of Chaos series: high fantasy with dragons and so many queers.

Strictly No Heroics: the struggles of villain henchmen

The Abyss Surrounds us/The Edge of the Abyss: kaiju pirates, enemies to lovers

The Burning Kingdoms Trilogy: desi epic fantasy, enemies to lovers

Spear: Arthurian sapphics

Someone You Can Build a Nest In: shapeshifting monster falls for a monster hunter

The Locked Tomb: wlw necromancers in space. Enemies to ???

The Luminous Dead: spelunking thriller set on another planet—this one is fucky everyone should read it

The Memory Librarian: short stories set in Janelle Monae’s android world

The Mimicking of Known Successes: detective noir set on Jupiter—ex-lovers reunited by circumstance

The Red Scholar’s Wake: space pirates, enemies to lovers, human x spaceship

The Salvation Gambit: con-artists breaking out of a sentient prison-world ship

The Space Between Worlds: inter dimensional corporate exploitation, handler x agent mutual pining, this one is so underappreciated

The Witch and the Vampire: YA vampire x vampire hunter

This is How You Lose the Time War: everyone knows this one

We Set the Dark on Fire: YA Latine political intrigue, school rivals to lovers

If you have any others please add, I’m always looking to grow my reading list

[cswritesbooks]

Loads of people loved Dead Boy Detectives and Lockwood and Co (my beloved) and if you’ve wanted to read something that had similar vibes, I’ve got the books for you: The Undetectables and the upcoming sequel The Undead Complex (coming September 2024)!

be gay, solve crimes, take naps is our motto around here

in THE UNDETECTABLES there’s

magical forensic science

magical entomology

magical dioramas (for crime scene reconstruction)

resident ghost (in a cat costume)

sapphic yearning

witches, ghosts, trolls, vampires and faeries

chronically ill MC (fibromyalgia)

queernorm world (they put the gay into “be gay”)

a serial killer

and coming soon in THE UNDEAD COMPLEX:

zombies (and necromancers)

a tv studio revival (poorly run)

a dollhouse (mysterious)

more forensic science

more magic

even more gays

and more ghostly mayhem