#minerva the exiled mage

[adastra121]

Minerva the Exiled

I made the magic mentor/exiled Senobium mage from my Touchstarved Alchemist!MC Jin's backstory.

Pronouns: She/Her Birthday: January 7 Height: 5’10 (178 cm) Personality: Cold, calculating and ruthless in her quest for knowledge Likes: Reading, solving puzzles, tea, coffee, late night walks, new discoveries Dislikes: Injustice, stagnation, messiness, stupidity, insomnia, the unknown, Monsters Fatal flaw: Overwhelming need for control over everything Other: She prefers to travel by land because she gets seasick. Quote: "You are my legacy. For better or worse."

More about her below:

Minerva was once a promising student of the Senobium. She was not Highborn and she was no prodigy, but she worked hard to become a master of magic and had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She left her broken home in Lowtown and never looked back.

At a young age, she performed on the same level as some of the more experienced mages.

But as Minerva grew older, so too did her disdain for the elite magic academy and the powerful leaders within it. She became disillusioned with the institution and sought to bring about change.

She was exiled from the Senobium because she didn’t share their views. Locking knowledge away from the people. Using Monsters for their own ends — power, injustice — when they were meant to be the last bastion of humanity.

She does share their questionable ethics, however. She probably would have captured Vere and learned everything she could about him through careful experimentation. But after she’s learned everything, there’s no use for creatures like him in their world.

She theorizes that Fogfall, the apocalypse, is a disease. The Senobium’s ultimate goal should be to find the cure.

The Senobium leashes and enslaves Monsters, where their main focus should be to study them, find ways to harness their power so they will not depend on them for as menial tasks as Soulless hunting.

“You believe collaring one means we have power over it? You say he is of more use to us alive than dead. So why not make it so that we no longer need him?”

The Senobium should strengthen humanity, not stagnate it. It should certainly not make humanity more vulnerable to the apocalyptic horrors that surround it.

And worse still, the Senobium hoards knowledge that could help the less fortunate.

The Senobium has become more interested in wealth and status, temporary achievements — where is the search for knowledge? For answers? For salvation?

Minerva is coldly altruistic.

She has a very strict moral code, so much so that she is willing to give up everything for what she believes in — power, status, love. If she has to, she’ll burn the world and rebuild a better one from the ashes by herself.

Deep down, she is lonely. She’s resigned herself to a path of solitude, it is but a natural consequence for pursuing a greatness, not only for herself but for the future of mankind.

But Jin truly was the most important person in her life. She saw much of her younger self in him. She believed — hoped — that they would one day cure the world of Fogfall.

She holds herself to very high standards and so expected the same of Jin. Perfection was the minimum, not an accomplishment to be celebrated.

She knew she was hard on her apprentice, but she believed she was justified. She was training him for a world that would not be kind to someone like him, a cross between human and monstrous — Jin had to pick a side, and if he chose to be monstrous, well…then the world would have to be cleansed of him, too. She only hopes to guide him in the right direction so it does not come to that.

Besides that, she truly believes every criticism she has of him. Jin is weak, naive, sensitive, shortsighted, emotional, dangerous to people…She wouldn’t be wrong for pointing all of it out to him — she is simply stating the facts. He can control how he reacts to that, and he can control his next steps to better himself.

Because of his curse, he bears a heavier burden than most. Minerva believed he shouldn’t ever forget that. He should always fear the monstrous part of himself — that’s how he’ll avoid hurting others. He should always be on guard against himself.

She saw him as an abomination and ensured he did as well. Minerva believed that she had acted appropriately for his reality. Regardless of her fondness for the boy, he was cursed. And if he truly wanted to be more than his monstrous parts, he has to accept that he’ll constantly be making up for that evil, dangerous part of him. In order to do that, he must always be aware of it, he must never forget that he is inherently dangerous.

She taught Jin that respect is earned and one’s worth is proven. Minerva never owed him any kindness yet she gave him food, clothes, magic, and a home — so he owes it to her to ensure that her kindness was not wasted.

Minerva is not good at dealing with feelings, whether it is other people’s or her own. Her coping strategy is just to repress everything and channel it into action. She expects the same from those around her.

She saw Jin as too sensitive for his own good. His bleeding heart prevented him from realizing his full potential.

Of course, he is free to do as he wishes, as any fully autonomous individual — he should just remember that all his mistakes come at a greater cost — but if he’s going to allow his emotions to rule his thoughts and actions, he shouldn’t expect her to take him seriously. It is beneath her to entertain him when he gets like this.

She has insomnia and uses the nights she cannot sleep to further her research. As a child, Jin would try to keep her company as she worked, but he’d always fall asleep before her. She would sing lullabies to him as he slept. When he grew older, whenever Jin found her awake in the late hours of the night, he would prepare her some calming tea.

Minerva won’t ever admit that she needed Jin as much as he needed her. I don’t think she actually wanted to be a mother so much as she wanted a legacy. She did not ask for nor want a child, but she also could not let him go — both for the potential wealth of power and knowledge his curse offered but also because she’s been alone for a long time. It was nice to have someone unconditionally on her side.

And Minerva probably enjoyed the validation that came with someone who looked up to her, saw her as their whole world. After years of having her beliefs ignored and shunned by the Senobium, it was nice to have someone believe in her, listen to her.

She saw so much potential in this small child. If she could shape it into true power, guide him to greatness, perhaps she, too, could be great.

Her MBTI is INTJ

Zodiac sign is Capricorn

Enneagram is 1

And here's her full character design! I wanted to put in the deep blue since Jin's colour scheme is predominantly purple, and one of his routes is Ais, so it'd kind of be like he's at a crossroads between his past and his potential future.

I think I ended up making her resemble a stained glass window at a cathedral, which kind of works with her past as a Senobium student/cleric.

I have also made a character playlist for her:

“Wanderer’s Lullaby” by Adriana Figueroa

“Angry Too” by Lola Blanc

“Judas” by Cage the Elephant

“Empire” by Beth Crowley

“I Will Not Bow” by Breaking Benjamin

“Warrior of the Mind” by Jorge Rivera-Herrans and Taegen Earley

“Lilith” by Halsey ft. SUGA

“Perfect” by Alanis Morissette

“My Goodbye” by Jorge Rivera-Herrans and Taegen Earley

“All That I’ve Done for You” (Tangled deleted song)

"The Family Jewels" by Marina and the Diamonds

“君はできない子 (Kimi wa Dekinai Ko)” by Kikuo

“Letters Goodbye” by Veralia

[petyabhaldurra]

Prompt #1: Foster

[Many years ago in the Royal City of Rabanastre.]

Rehearsed joy and cheer filled the promenade and square below the balcony. It had not been long since Petya was plucked and placed within this household and their expectations of her were already extensive. The Junitus, a proud enough Garlean family that had not climbed the ranks of the military, but instead stuck to the duties of public servants and the like.

"We write laws and enforce them in such a way for the good of the people, Petya. It is not about conquered and conquering, but rather peaceful assimilation. When you train a hound to heel while on a leash, it is for its safety."

But we're not mutts or animals, thought the fledgling mage. As bold as her thoughts and retorts could be, the child never dared to voice them. She kept hearing conquered, annexed, assimilation, and the like without a clue as to what they meant. Of course, she thought she knew what it meant. It was the Bangaa forced to work to exhaustion, the exile of Rabanastrans from their homes in the North End, it was the soldiers patrolling and keeping curfews, it was --

"Are you listening, Petya?"

The fledgling mage widened her eyes, trying to speak but instead sputtered out nothings so she answers with a nod of her head. That woman, Minerva, her mother only by law, placed a hand upon the young girl's shoulder as she sighs softly and gestures to the crowds which gathered to watch the imperial cavalcade through the Palace Square.

"I'll not repeat this a third time, so listen and observe," Minerva then paused to clear her throat before continuing.

"I'm hoping to raise you as one who shall become an inspiration for all annexed citizens. To remind them of the positions they can yet acquire; to foster hope in them. Even if it be through envy."

The peacock brings her hand to her mouth, stifling a soft chuckle with attentions elsewhere as the fledgling mage squirms. How can I do that? The fledgling mage was a free citizen of the lowest rank, but only due to nepotism and the weight of her family's name, Bhaldurra. A weight that became binding and crushing as their reputation soured over the many summers of Dalmasca's occupation. To have one member of the staunchly rebellious Bhaldurra be fostered by Garleans, to take their name, to be placed upon a pedestal made fellow patriots wonder if the family had become turncoats to the cause.

The fledgling mage was not aware of what word to use to describe it, but the peacock woman certainly said many honeyed words but didn't mean them. She felt used, a pawn, and wondered when she might be tossed away; whether that be a quicker outcome through obeying or rebelling.

"Return their smiles, Pet. Show them the position in which to strive for."

There were no smiles to return from what Petya saw, nor even envy. To those who looked at her, it was of pity, disdain, or apathy. A people worn. A people broken. Others watched the imperial cavalcade with a quiet fear, for they knew just how the machina would be used to deal with uprisings.

And yet, the fledgling mage spied a flame yet kindled among few scattered about the spectators who yet seemed willing to fight another day. It was an inspiration. However, for herself, that hope not just for the kingdom, but for freedom still blossomed in the hearts of her compatriots. The battle was not lost yet.

[o-pleiades]

CANON DIVERGENCE ON THIS BLOG:

Regarding her exile from Sabertooth, please do not refer to it as a perverted thing, when she was told to strip. Jiemma doing this is a form of humiliation. We have seen that he uses this tactic to remind people very severely of their mistakes, as he did to Minerva in her youth. It was an act of harsh conditioning. Nothing more. This served to ensure Yukino would never make that mistake in the future, and by exiling her, he essentially told her: but you will never make a joke out of my guild again.

Yukino stayed in the Royal Guard following her exile for 14 months. She did not immediately return to Sabertooth, even though Jiemma was no longer the guild master. She was still hurt; not because no one stuck up for her ( she did not expect anyone to, and she would have stayed out of it herself had it been another ), but because no one bothered to reach out to her. The only people who comforted her were Natsu & Lucy, who did not even know her prior to the games. They didn’t need to go out of their way, but they did. It served to give Yukino perspective.

She didn’t offer up her keys to Lucy. She’s emotionally attached to her Celestial Spirits. ( Yes, even Ophiuchus ).

Yukino did not attend the ball. She was on guard-duty. The scene with everyone fighting over her did not happen.

By extension, the Welcome Home Frosch bit did not happen in my canon. She wasn’t with Saber, and even if she were, Rogue would .... NEVER ?? Titty-grab anyone...?

Yukino was not there to welcome Minerva back post-Tartarus.

Yukino rejoins Sabertooth just a couple of months before the events of Twin Dragons of Sabertooth.

She is a bit reserved following her comeback, and although she’s friendly to everyone, she still hasn’t really let anyone in. She still has some unresolved issues with her guildmates that she keeps to herself. She prefers to not be confrontational.

The crucifix scene did not happen. It doesn’t exist. Sabertooth were growing exhausted from extended fights & being outnumbered. Fairy Tail mages arrived to help them, and together, they won that fight.

Rahkeid’s magic does not do to them what it does in canon... That orgasm shit? Nah. Maybe... it causes pain, or paralysis to anyone who has committed actual atrocious sins ( such as murder ). I don’t know. But I’m scrapping its canon effects.

[scholarsscribbles]

Your benevolent GM has prompts! #17 for Clan Landonidas/the Flaviuses, pls

17. a description of your OC’s family by a future historian

(imagine the thedas wikipedia page... italics are fake links)

Early Life

Samuel Leonidas was born Flavius Raphael Celus Samuel Fabius, to the Fabius family in Tevinter. The Fabiuses have always been a well-established house, with land around Perivantium and Quarinus, and connections to the antivan Agnellis dating back to the Blessed age. Flavius’ parents were an arranged match between the Fabius family and the Rossinis of Vyrantium, and were assassinated in 9:29 Dragon by their political opponents, leaving behind three sons.

Flavius is reported as having never gotten along with his parents, or his eldest brother Aetius, being strongly opposed to their views on the rights of elves and their views on slavery. These tensions eventually cumulated in the magisterium incident (see below) that motivated Flavius’ exile from the Tevinter Imperium.

Flavius’ parents left him the manor house Tempestas Tecta near Perivantium in their wills; this house became an important safehouse for escaping slaves and mages seeking refuge from the southern chantry; see the free marches railroad for more details.

.....

Later life and family

After ending the inquisition at the winter palace and tracking down and stopping the renegade apostate known as Solas, Samuel returned to Denerim to focus on his family life and running the Waking Sea printing press. During his time at the inquisition, he and his husband Landen adopted two children, Nesryn and Minerva, and they adopted a third child, Arren, shortly after Samuel’s return from the winter palace. The Leonidas’ family’s time was split between Denerim and Sothmere, because of Samuel’s duties running the printing press and their family connections now living in Sothmere, but this transitioned to living full-time in Sothmere in 9:50 Dragon when Nesryn officially took over the running of the Waking Sea printing press. Samuel is reported to have spent the rest of his years in Sothmere living quietly with his husband, providing medical help to the residents of the village, and aiding tutoring the local mage children in their abilities.

Arren Leonidas learned his father’s ability to shapeshift into a griffon, and was instrumental in the founding of the griffon corps, a force of mage shapeshifters that were key in controlling the 6th blight. Minerva Somneary became a vital diplomatic mediator in the qunari-tevinter ceasefire in 9:57 Dragon; details of that and her other achievements can be found on her own page. Nesryn Somneary was a powerful spirit mage, and published a number of songs lost to time amongst a number of other important historical documents in her time as the head of the Waking Sea printing press.