#sepulchre (oc)

[decidueyedreamer]

A 400x400 of @giratina-and-the-skys-bouquet’s OC Sepulchre! This is my first time drawing Giratina, so I hope I did them justice!

[casketsanctum]

desiccated and decayed

[royalfirefly]

psst I wanna hear about your OCs👀💚

Oh?

Here's a crash course on some of the faves then!

The majority of my main/fave OCs come from the same world called Selcouth and are gods that are cat people!

Muerto is the God of Death of this world. He's 13 years old, anxious, distrustful and sassy. He likes cats, sushi, dark chocolate and MCR. He's a lousy ruler of the Underworld, but that's just what happens when you make a child king of the afterlife.

Sepulchral is also a god of death, specifically what we would call the grim reaper. His job is to bring human souls to the Underworld. He's extremely empathetic to the dying and dead humans he encounters everyday, and seeing their suffering takes a toll on his mental well being. He copes with coffee, keeping mementos from some of the souls he reaps, and by taking things from the mortal world that he knows will make Muerto and the other Underworld gods happy.

Pixel is the God of Technology. They love to tinker with electronics such as computers and phones and likes building robots and gadgets from anything they can get their hands on. They also enjoy coding and building roller coasters! They really have the range. The book at the end of their tail is filled with blue prints and ideas because they have ADHD and their brain never stops. Gotta write down everything as it pops into their brain!

Selcouth is a huge world that i've been world building for over a decade now so there's a lot I can say about it and a lot of fully developed OCs within it that I could talk about for hours. But I'll leave it at these three for now! Thank you for asking about my silly guys!

[harpysagas]

My new blorbos Sepulchre the Reaper from @blightsending and Harpykit the Timberclanner from @forgotten-elegy

[giratina-and-the-skys-bouquet]

[calmcoldevening]

Eric x reader, but with him being a vampire. It's up to you if you'd like both characters to be vamps, or perhaps the OC could just be his lover and willing meal, from time to time... 😉🖤🩸🖤

Vampire!Eric Draven x reader

Tw: mention of death, maybe blood, murder, angst

(This is like a part 2 for this ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗)

Ps: english is not my native language, so sorry for misspells. I had inspiration to write this little angst. I wrote it to the song on Spotify . Just let me know if someone of you want the second part (and if yes write what would you like to say him (: )

You have just moved to a new small town away from the hustle and bustle of megacities. Surprisingly, you quickly found a place to live and settled in a small house, beautiful and cozy. After unpacking all your things, you decided to explore the new city a little. After all, you've been living here for quite some time, haven't you?

And here you are standing in front of a large mansion, made in the likeness of a certain Gothic style. The massive building is decorated in dark colors. Large windows with a pleasant view of a surprisingly well-kept garden with bushes of blood-red roses; a dark pointed roof with neat tiles; dark gray walls of the mansion with peeling paint in some places. In front of your face were massive doors made of dark oak with a neat intricate engraving on them. Something like snakes.

You take a deep breath, gathering your courage, and slowly open the door. It doesn't give in right away, the old hinges squeak disgustingly. And here you are inside. There is a huge corridor with a large staircase directly opposite the entrance. The interior is decorated in black and red tones, in places you can see elements of silver or gold. Huge paintings in gold frames hang on both walls of the lobby. They depict some important people with menacing faces, but the text in the captions to the portraits is not legible. It's a language you don't know. A huge chandelier with burning red candles hangs on the ceiling. Even the flames on them seem scarlet. And although it's only early autumn outside, it's surprisingly cool in the mansion. It's almost sepulchral cold.

The eyes ran away from such Gothic beauty. Your heart was racing in your chest in anticipation. Something about this place was painfully familiar, as much as it was, which caused an unpleasant shiver down my spine. You definitely knew this place for sure.

Your feet carried you through the high halls by themselves, showing all the beauty of the old mansion. All these decorations, statues, tapestries over elaborate frescoes and candles gave you goosebumps.

You were here in a dream. Often your childhood dreams were accompanied by mindless walks through this empty, cold castle.

Your hands are clasped behind your back, and your feet are shuffling on the burgundy carpets with a quiet noise. There was not a soul around, and crows were cawing in the distance. But you weren't scared, not a bit. Something inside you said you were safe. And then you would find a tall mirror in a silver frame with rose inserts in the hallway. You felt everything at that moment, but you didn't control your own body. Leaning closer to the mirror, you saw everything except the face. Your fingers were gently tucking your hair behind your ears. After that, the palms gently slid down the red fabric, knocking the dust off the dress, the nails lightly tapped on the metal spokes of the corset. And at that moment, someone else's stronger arms were wrapped around your waist. You giggled while the stranger pulled you to his chest, kissing your neck.

"You're still beautiful, my rose.."

You are instantly pulled out of your memories by the same cawing of crows, once peacefully sitting on the branches of a tall tree near the estate.

You're on the second floor. It's like you're walking straight somewhere in slow motion, and numbers are flashing in your head. One, two, three, four. You walk with amazing precision around the wooden planks creaking on the floor, hidden under the palace. Your body seemed to know all the answers. This part of the estate was particularly dark, and there was no light in the hallway at all. It's strange, but it's daytime. It's only at the end of the corridor in one of the rooms that you notice a dim glow. You're going there.

It was one of the darkest rooms. The dark curtains were tightly closed, not letting in a single ray of sunlight. Candles stood on a desk in the corner of the room and a few on the floor, here and there. It seemed that the owner of the estate did not need lighting at all, but only showed someone the way. To you. At that moment, you notice a large velvet armchair with a man on it. The stranger was sitting in front of a large portrait almost the entire wall. Was there... you in the portrait?

You swallow nervously and hug yourself, taking an uncertain step closer. There are hundreds of rushing thoughts in your head, but none of them brought you proper comfort at that moment. My heart is pounding in my chest. The stranger seemed to notice you, the atmosphere in the room instantly changed, but he did not pay any attention to you, instead fixing his gaze on the portrait. His head rests on his arm in a bored manner, and you notice an open bottle of wine with a half-empty glass next to him on the table.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? I mean the painting."

The man's voice is like a bolt from the blue. His hoarse, slightly rough voice seemed to come from the very depths of his chest, giving you goosebumps. It took you a few moments to gather your courage together and answer him.

"..yes, it is."

"There's a whole story behind this simple painting," he intones, seemingly staring out the window. His movements are unreadable. But the tension in the room was palpable. And yet, it seemed to you that a stranger was watching your every move, "Would you like to hear this story?"

Your answer was silence. He probably just needed someone to listen to him.

"It's not an easy story, it doesn't have a happy ending, like in your vanilla fairy tales. Life is far from a fairy tale," he begins with a slight grin, "You see, this picture shows not an ordinary woman, she is special. Special in everything. She was the love of my life.."

At this point the man stops. Perhaps he was thinking, or it just hurt him to remember all this.

And so he gets up. His strong but neat figure floats smoothly towards the window, holding his hands behind his back. The man is wearing strict black trousers and a slightly rumpled white shirt. You notice a dark, worn raincoat resting on the arm of a chair. Black wavy hair falls carelessly over the man's broad shoulders.

"I think you've noticed that I'm not an simple person. Or rather, I'm not human at all. So, a creature with such a weak appearance. And I'm not nearly as young as this body may seem."

You take a careful step closer, placing your palm on the back of the chair in the hope of grounding yourself. The material is pleasantly warm and rough.

"..I don't remember the exact year when my journey with this woman began, and I think it's for the best..."

"You don't like remembering her?"

"It would be correct to say that I would like to forget about her," the man takes another breath, then continues, "But I can tell you how it ended and why I will never forget her. We met completely by chance, it happened at a simple city holiday. But I will always remember those big eyes shining with happiness. I fell in love with her instantly, my soul wanted to spend the rest of eternity with her. But the girl didn't know that I was a vampire. And yet, we ended up together anyway. Two incompatible worlds: the world of light and joy and the world of darkness and night. After all, I was going to propose marriage to her.."

The man's voice sounds strangely indifferent and monotonous, even calm. Although you can see how his body tightens a little during the story.

"..and she got sick right before the wedding. The doctor said she wouldn't live a week. There was terrible medicine at that time, and I was young and naive, I didn't know what I could do about it. The only option was to turn her into a vampire.. But I was selfish. I was afraid of losing her light, her warmth. Her humanity. If she became a vampire, she would lose herself. And I watched her die. She was dying in my arms. This young flower of light was fading right in my icy embrace. And yet, she kept telling me about a bright future... She was so stupid. Or too smart to realize the edge of death. Until her last breath, she loved me, she accepted that I was a vampire. Although.. She probably knew about it from the beginning. A smart girl. And she wanted a child with my eyes so much."

Finally, the man turns to face you. You immediately notice the poverty of his face and the redness of his eyes shining in the semi-darkness, like a predator's. They slowly evaluate you from head to toe. There is a slightly creepy smile on his lips. But you feel strangely comfortable, not even flinching at the intensity of his gaze.

"I was devastated and insane. It was the most intense grief in my entire eternal life. I killed too many people that year. Not to eat, to numb the pain. All the victims had their throats chewed out and their bellies ripped open. All the bodies were in the town square, the residents were afraid to go out into the streets," a slight smile plays on his face, "The servants began to fear me, their master. I locked myself in the mansion for years, just staring at this portrait. And no one else in this city has heard about me, and meanwhile the residents have a new horror story for kids: the bloody Count Eric Draven."

The man pauses for a moment, taking a few steps forward. His hand touches your cheek. His cold touch burns.

"I loved her more than my life.. and now you. It's like fate is playing with me, opening old rotten wounds."

Eric's words are full of despair and sorrow, and you can see how his eyes are almost filled with tears, but he restrains himself.

"I'm a simple little human who was interested in seeing an old abandoned mansion.." you say with a bit of fear, trying to distance yourself from the unpleasant cold of his skin.

The man comes, grabbing your face and burying his long fingers in your hair, squeezing slightly.

"But you look exactly like her! Face, voice, movements.. It's like she's talking to me through you. And here we are again, dear Y/N.."

A sad smile slides over the pale face. Your body tightens when he unmistakably calls your name. Your heart tells you to snuggle up to his gentle touch, hug this lonely, strangely dear man, but your mind screams the opposite.

"Answer me, am I going crazy..?" This time his voice sounds on the verge of tears and you can see how his hands are shaking.

"..I don't know."

"You don't know... Please don't leave me again. I've been waiting too long. You made my dead heart beat and now you're taking this long-awaited life out of it again. Please, my rose.. Give me a chance, you'll remember everything. I will show you our world anew, I will teach you how to love me.. please."

[linashirou]

I Know is a little bit late for the SundaySnippet, but I really want to talk about the things I'm doing. I was tagged by @fangbangerghoul and I really want to say that I love to see your work and when you tag me! As always, if you want to tag me in something, please feel free to do it!♥

In regards of writing matters; I'm making a full investigation about word politics and tensions in 2017, for the next TEC chapter. I discarded my old draft (from February 2023) but keeping some ideas I need for the plot, so making this chapter will take me more time than I thought. For Sapphire Hearted, I need to end the Idea, but I have a draft already ♥. Can spoiler that a friend's oc will be mentioned, but I have to send the draft first, to know if this person agrees. if isn't, I will change the character's name.

And for The Bad Ending, I want to share a new Snippet:

" It was when I lifted my gaze and could dazzle at Hal's reddened face, battling his demons. And now that I have seen that scene in my mind over and over again, I understand more things that I did not perceive at that moment.

- Arisen…

His weak, trembling, and pathetic voice.

How wrong I was…

- You were too slow, Hal.

- Damn it.

I saw him clench his hands; a smirk on my face was my response.

- You have no salvation. When will the day come when you tell her the truth?

His sepulchral silence outside, his mental struggle, noisy like a waterfall.

- I can't believe it. She had literally offered herself to me…

I opened my eyes, incredulous.

And Meryl's one too.

After so long, he openly accepted it.

- It was about time, Hal. How long will you wait? - I incited.

- And what the hell do you expect me to do, Snake? -he growled- I'm a pawn! Do you intend to be the one to explain to me what the hell I'm feeling? Because if so, here I am!

I stood up, lunging in anger against him, letting him see how big and imposing I was against his delicate nature.

- You have no salvation, Hal. I suggest you take the opportunity when you can. Because the next time she asks, I'll say yes, my friend…

It was necessary. It was imperative to press and distress him to act, but it does not free me from the guilt of not doing it sooner. Things would have been so different…

- Don't you dare… Snake… She doesn't belong to you.

A crude and hard laugh, belittling his character, seeking to distress him.

- Then do something, damn it! Tie up those pants you wear and do something!

- You have never understood anything with your muscle head! How her presence is so pleasant and intoxicating to my being! How my heart and mind wander in the uncertainty of desire and duty!

- Prove it. Leave me speechless and show me how wrong I am, Hal. Do you think it's mere coincidence that she has three sentient and willing pawns? Have you never questioned it? Or is that as far as the intelligence you claim to have goes?

Now I see your face, Arisen. Have you understood the reason for my monologue? In that split second, I had the answer, without giving the weight it deserved.

Neither Hal, nor Meryl, nor myself. We were not normal. Willpower, empathy, and audacity were a common denominator.

He gritted his teeth, showing the fire in his eyes.

- How you enjoy this, don't you? Leaving me in shame…

- Come on, Hal. You are so damn shy. The tent is on the other side… Or do you want me to play the role of the one who regrets it and take the place that you say it belongs to you?

- Over my dead body… Snake. Just watch me.

At that moment, the embers burned as much as now, Arisen. His legs were rigid trunks that raised a trail of dust in their wake. Meryl and I exchanged looks, sharing a conspiratorial smile. Her red hair shone with the yellow light from the campfire.

- Do you really think he'll make it?

- I don't know, Meryl. But one thing is certain: the night won't be boring…

And it was obviously the truth: an open field, a delicate fabric tent. Even the slightest sound would be heard by us.

- Do you want to bet? - she asked.

- Only if you want to lose, Meryl.

We bet 10,000 crystalsrift. The interest in knowing how this would resolve demanded that we keep our lips sealed…

Hal's long fingers moved the improvised fabric door: she was on the ground, with her back to the entrance.

I have good memories of our camping trips.

She liked to sleep with all of us together, just as you can see puppies huddled together in search of warmth.

It had something that was endearing and charming. The one who was always most attached to her was Hal, of course.

With the night movement, more than once, Meryl or I ended up snuggled next to her. And it was not a matter of importance, it was so natural for all of us that no one questioned anything.

So I presume that he must have lain down behind her, snuggling close."

[inogart]

Hello there! My name is Irene and I'm a painter-illustrator and comic book artist from México that does horror & fantasy focused art. I draw a few OCs and also fanart because it's fun!

I have two horror comics Nene's Bedtime Stories and Root of Sepulchre (ongoing) Webcomics: TAPAS | WEBTOONS

SUPPORT: Patreon | Ko-Fi PRINTS and MERCH: Prints | Teepublic | Redbubble FIND ME: BlueSky | Cara | Insta | Youtube

For commissions this is a simplified list but you can contact me for more information and prices. I also have a listing on my Ko-Fi!

INFO: Ko-Fi Commissions CONTACT: inogart@gmail.com

You can send me an ask over here too for more info or just for whatever questions you have about my art :)

A little warning for my art, I draw body horror quite often. I tend to tag it as #bodyhorror.

[theravenchild]

A Light in the Dark

Part 1

Following the events of In the Shadow of the Study, Hellendil finds himself wanting more than just friendship with Sebastian. (Includes partial rewrite of quest events, mentions of OCs and location not actually present in the game)

Pairings: beginnings of Sebastian x male MC

Warnings: Pain, Trauma/PTSD, Unrequited Love/Pining, Angst

Word Count: 6042

---

"You'll have to cast it on me, then," Hellendil replied. 

"Are you sure?" Sebastian asked, concerned, but relieved they'd easily made the decision.

"We don't have any other choice, Sebastian.  Either you cast it on me or we all die here, as Ominis said."  Hellendil looked over his shoulder to Ominis who was pacing in the far corner of the room, his arms folded across his chest, shaking his head.  The Ravenclaw felt awful for dragging him into this.  First he had lied to Ominis to try and save face for Sebastian who'd brought him to the Undercroft without his knowledge, and now he would have to relive the pain his family wrought with the Cruciatus Curse.  But there was no turning back now.  They were trapped in Salazar Slytherin's twisted game.    Hellendil turned his attention back to Sebastian.

"All right then.  Are you ready?" 

Hellendil nodded, gritting his teeth.

Sebastian lifted his wand and leveled it at his friend. "Crucio!" he cried as he waved his wand and the spell jolted forth into Hellendil's body.  Letting out a hiss and a cry of pain, the new fifth year crumpled to the ground, grasping at his stomach and curling into a fetal position.  Nothing could have prepared him for this agony, as all the neurons in his body fired at once clenching muscles he never knew existed.  

In that same moment, the door blocking the way forward dissolved and the cold, sepulchral air of the Scriptorium rushed in.  Sebastian looked to the yawning maw of the Scriptorium then back at Ominis who had flinched when he'd cast the curse.  Not only had he flinched, but he'd clamped his eyes shut and the tight muscles around his neck and face told Sebastian that he'd clenched his jaw as well.  His heart sank.  He was here with them looking for an answer to help his twin, but had hurt both of his closest friends in the process.  Turning back to Hellendil, he knelt down beside him, "Are you all right?"  He cautiously reached out his hand to touch his downed companion's shoulder.  Hellendil winced, his senses still overloaded by the curse.  Sebastian quickly pulled back and looked to Ominis again, "What do we do!?"

Ominis released a shaky breath, "We just have to wait it out.  It shouldn't be much longer, though it will feel an eternity to him.  As soon as we're able, we need to get out of here."  He threw his arms up in the air and began pacing again, "I knew this was a bad idea!  Why did I let the two of you talk me into this, again!?"

"Calm down, Ominis," Sebastian coaxed as he rose.  "I didn't kill him, none of us are going to die here AND we found out what happened to your aunt.  It is a shame, but her efforts got us here and the Scriptorium is no longer lost to the ages!  There has got to be something here that can be of use."

"Sebastian, stop!  Don't you dare tell me to calm down!  You, of all people!  I confided in you about what I went through as a child!"  He paused, trying to rein in his outrage before speaking again, "I honestly don't know that any information is worth what the Dark Arts will do to your soul.  And what will this information we find lead to?  Hmm?  Something darker and more dangerous I'd wager.  And when does it end?"  Ominis took a deep breath to calm himself, "We've gotten this far, so you should see what you can find, but promise me you won't continue down this dark path."  He placed his hands firmly on Sebastian's shoulders and squeezed. 

Sebastian stared into his pale eyes, "I have to do what's best for Anne, Ominis," he muttered, lowering his eyes.  He knew he couldn't make that promise.

Before Ominis could respond, Hellendil let out a groan and raised himself up onto his knees.  Taking the opportunity to evade Ominis, Sebastian turned from his grasp and kneeled down to attend to their companion, "Are you all right, Hellendil?"

"I'm fine," he replied hoarsely, even his vocal cords had been strained by the curse.  Though the pain had subsided, there was still a twinge remaining.  His pulse throbbed in his ears and he could still feel the muscles firing, though with less strength and urgency.

"Come on then, lets get out of here," Sebastian replied, gesturing to the open door before marching through.  "There has to be something here that can help Anne."

Ominis approached Hellendil and held out his hand, "Need any help?  I don't want to touch you if it will make it worse."

Hellendil winced at his knowing comment and looked at him sheepishly, "I'm sorry you had to witness that, and to have involved you.  And I apologize for asking you to do it.  I-I should have known better, but Sebastian can be so convincing."

"I should have known better where Sebastian is concerned," he shook his head.  "And you're right, he is too good at swaying others to his cause."  He sighs before continuing, "But what's done is done.  No use dwelling on it.  Now, do you want my help or not?  I think we've lingered here long enough."

"Thank you, Ominis," he acknowledged as he reached for his hand and Ominis pulled him to his feet.  "Can I lean on you?  Just until I'm sure my legs won't give out on me."

Ominis nodded and Hellendil draped his arm across his shoulder.  Together they crossed the threshold into the Scriptorium.  

"Ominis," Hellendil spoke his name softly, "I'm so sorry that your family would use such an awful curse against you.  I can see now why they call it unforgivable."

"Just be glad you weren't the one to cast it.  The guilt of casting is even more unbearable than the pain and something you will never forgive yourself for.  I don't know how Sebastian is holding up so well."  He could hear Sebastian ahead of them and above, rifling through papers and moving objects as he searched for something of value to his cause.

The chamber was dimly lit.  Ahead of them, up front and center, was a large statue depicting Salazar Slytherin himself, flanked on either side by a curving staircase leading to the upper level.  Chests and pottery, covered in hundreds of years of dust and cobwebs, were pushed to the corners of the room.  Beneath the likeness of Slytherin sprawled a large, intricately carved desk covered in books and papers where Hellendil spotted something of interest.  "To your left, Ominis, about 30 degrees and five paces," he directed, as the strength began to return to his legs, "there's a desk full of scrolls with a large tome atop it.  Perhaps it's important."

Ominis nodded again and the pair moved in the direction indicated.  As they approached their destination, Hellendil let go of Ominis and grasped the cluttered table for support, "Thank you again, my friend.  I think I'm all right now, if you'd like to help Sebastian or look for the exit."

Ominis pulled out his wand and gestured in the direction he'd heard Sebastian last, "The sooner we get out of here the better."  With that, he headed toward the stairs to the upper area and disappeared out of sight.

Hellendil lifted the cover of the tome, gently blowing away dust and carefully turning the pages.  A spellbook.  He didn't recognize the spells, but they didn't look like good news. "I may have found something," he called up the stairs.

"Brilliant!" Sebastian's voice floated down to him.  "What is it?"

"Some sort of spellbook." 

"Slytherin's spellbook!?  Bring it here!"

Hellendil closed the book and tucked it under his arm, heading upstairs to join his companions.  As he reached the landing, another spasm shot through him, stopping him in his tracks and he hissed through gritted teeth.  The others rushed to his side grasping his shoulders.  "Are you all right?" Sebastian asked for the third time.

Hellendil nodded his head, handing the book over to him.

"Something's not right, Sebastian," observed Ominis, concern in his voice.  "The effects should have ceased by now.  We need to take him to Nurse Blainey."

"I'm fine, Ominis, really," Hellendil reassured.

"No, you're not," Ominis argued, tightening his grip on the other boy's shoulder.  "If this continues and is not treated properly, it could become permanent and you'll wind up with debilitating pain for the rest of your life.  We can't take a chance on this!"

Sebastian's free hand found Ominis' shoulder, "All right, Ominis.  But first I'm taking him to the baths.  A hot soak may be enough to soothe the lingering aches.  I know it does wonders for me after a tough duel."

Ominis furrowed his brow, but gave in, "You must promise you'll come get me straight away if it doesn't work.  I'm just as involved as you in this insanity, and I won't have Hellendil suffer permanent injury because I allowed you two to convince me this was a good idea."

"Yes, mother," Sebastian gibed as he turned to place the tome on the nearby pedestal to page through.

Ominis rolled his eyes and took a deep breath, "Don't start, Sebastian.  It's our friend's health and well being on the line, not some game!  Can't you see the hypocrisy of searching for a cure for Anne, while allowing a friend to be crippled by your own curse!? I need you to promise me now!"

"Okay, okay!  I promise, Ominis."

"I won't let him forget," Hellendil assured him.

"Good,"  Ominis breathed a sigh of relief.  Perhaps the newest member of their group had at least a little sense.

As Sebastian searched the tome, Hellendil noticed a curious note on a small desk in the back of the room.  He approached the desk and gingerly lifted the centuries old parchment, looking for anything that might be of use to his friend.  The document, written in the hand of Salazar Slytherin, was not encouraging.  He spoke of pure blood superiority and the unmitigated use of dark magic.  Of the cowardice of his colleagues, a dark secret hidden for one of his bloodline and a great threat to those not of pure blood. 

Hellendil could hardly believe what he was reading.  He knew that Hogwarts history was not without its blemishes, that blood purity was a preoccupation of many in house Slytherin and that the house produced more dark wizards than any other, but it was something else entirely to see it written out in the hand of one of the founders.  It had him reeling.  Ominis was right.  They were unlikely to find anything here that could cure Anne of her curse.  Only more dark magic.  He set the parchment down and his stomach churned at the revelation.  He didn't want to see any more of this place.  "Have you found anything yet, Sebastian?"

"I think I have, but I'm going to take the spellbook with me and have a closer look later."

"Good!  Then we can finally get out of this wretched place," Ominis was more than ready to wash his hands of the Scriptorium and everything in it.  "The exit's this way," he indicated and led the way through a hidden passage behind a primitive carved face.  

The trio emerged from a door near the entrance to the Slytherin dormitory.  "Ominis, would you mind taking the spellbook back to the dorm?  Hellendil and I should go to the baths straight away.  That way, if it doesn't work, we should still have plenty of time to get him to the hospital wing."

"Of course," Ominis agreed and reached out his hands to receive the tome.  Sebastian promptly handed it over, and he tucked it under his arm, inside his robe.  "Before we go our separate ways I need you to swear we will not continue this foray into dark magic.  It is not going to help Anne and will likely only serve to make things worse."  

"I understand your concern, Ominis.  I just need to follow this lead.  You want Anne to get better don't you?"

Ominis knew Sebastian was trying to manipulate him into agreeing with him, and paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.  "Of course I want to see Anne well again, Sebastian, but this is not the way.  What good will it do Anne if you get yourself killed, or worse?" 

"Just trust me, Ominis," Sebastian answered noncommittally, placing his hand on his shoulder and staring into his eyes.  Before Ominis had a chance to respond, Sebastian turned to Hellendil, "Let's go before the pain returns.  It's best if no one else has to find out about this."

"Lead the way, Sebastian," he said with a nod. As they moved past their frustrated friend, he patted his shoulder, "See you later, Ominis." 

The pair quickly disappeared up the stairs leaving Ominis behind shaking his head.

"So secret baths, Sebastian?" Hellendil asked, raising a curious brow at him.

"Secret baths," Sebastian echoed.  "Not a lot of people know they exist, and most who do are sixth and seventh years who were told by someone ahead of them."

"So, how did you come to know about them?  Was this another of Ominis' secrets?"  He looked back down the stairs where they'd left their friend. 

Sebastian smirked and spun around to face him, walking backward toward the floo flame at the top of the stairs, "Not Ominis this time.  I happened to be tailing someone when I discovered it.  The why isn't important, but I'd followed him from the clock tower courtyard until he reached the bathrooms.  I was on a mission, so I snuck in behind him, keeping my distance and staying close to the door.  I watched as he entered a stall with an out of service sign, odd, but I waited.  Several minutes passed and there was no sign of him finishing, or doing, his business for that matter, so I got impatient and peeked beneath the stall door and he was nowhere in sight!  It didn't make any sense.  I opened the door to find a passageway behind the privy, which led down into the baths.  I could hardly believe it!"

"What's so special about these baths?  Couldn't we just use the one at the dorms?"

"Oh, you have no idea what you're missing, my friend," Sebastian replied, clapping a hand to the other boy's shoulder.  "Just wait 'til you see it.  We just need to take this floo flame to the clocktower and we're nearly there."

Sebastian wasn't kidding.  After emerging in the clocktower, they crossed a very familiar bridge and, upon entering the building and descending a flight of stairs, turned left down the hall.  Hellendil could see the sign on the door ahead of them.  "Isn't this the haunted lavatory?"

"It is, but that's no problem.  Although, perhaps that's why so few know about it."  Sebastian pushed the door open, trotting ahead to an out of service stall.  "It's this one," he called, then disappeared behind the door.  Hellendil followed, stepping carefully into the dark passage in the back of the stall.  A hall in the passage sloped downward and doubled back.  At the bottom, Sebastian was waiting for him.  "You still doing okay?" he asked as Hellendil came into view.

"Okay, yes, but a little sore and my muscles are still twitching."

"Well, we've made it.  What do you think?"  He stepped away from the entrance, allowing Hellendil full view of the facility.  It was big.  Much bigger than the small stalls and tubs located at the dorms.  A row of cubbies filled on both sides with clean white towels partially blocked a large, heated Roman style bath with benches interspersed around it.  Beyond the bath was the doorway to a shower room.  The sound of running water splashing off of tile alerted them to the presence of another bather, but otherwise the baths were empty.

"This is incredible, Sebastian!  How is it that everyone doesn't know about this?"

"Some of us are good at keeping secrets," Sebastian winked.  Hellendil looked at him incredulously.  "What!?  Look, I've only told Anne, Ominis and now you about it, okay?"

"If you say so, Sebastian," he heckled, but the amusement was wiped from his face as another wave hit him.

"Not good!" Sebastian frowned as he clutched Hellendil's shoulder again. "Let's get you in the bath before Ominis has my head for casting that curse on you."

Hellendil nodded and straightened as the wave subsided.  The two hurriedly moved to the cubbies, selecting towels and undressing before sliding into the inground bath.  It wasn't terribly deep, but deep enough to cover up to their shoulders when sitting on the step down into the water.  The water was quite warm and Hellendil could feel the tension melt away as the heat soothed his strained muscles.  He let out a sigh of relief as he leaned his head back against the edge of the bath and closed his eyes.

"Better already?" Sebastian commented at his friend's relaxed pose.  He sat perpendicular to his companion, and rested his arms on the edge behind him.

"Mmmhm," Hellendil hummed out an answer.  "You were right, Sebastian.  Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet.  It was several minutes between your last two attacks.  We should stay at least a few beyond that to make sure.  I do hope I'm right though.  I really don't want to have to explain all this to Nurse Blainey and Professor Weasley.  And I'll be done for if my uncle finds out," he groaned and looked up at the ceiling.

Hellendil looked over at him, "So you get into these situations often?  Into trouble I mean."

"Not if I can help it.  I try not to get caught anyway.  You should have seen Anne, Ominis and I when she was still healthy.  She might have been the biggest troublemaker of us all!  Now she's holed up at my uncle's all the time because of this damned curse…"  Sebastian's demeanor turned dark as he thought about Anne's condition.  There had to be some way to help her.  He just had to find it.

"I would have liked that.  To have met you all before.  And I truly am sorry about what happened to your sister, Sebastian.  I'll do what I can to help you find an answer.  It's already too late for me to avoid Ranrok and Rookwood's ire, so looking for clues to help Anne can't hurt."

A sad smile brightened Sebastian's face, "Thank you, Hellendil.  It means a lot."

Hellendil smiled back and nodded before sinking into a slouch, allowing the hot water to lull him.  He had no idea just how much tension he had been holding since that eventful first day of the school year.  He knew this place was going to come in handy throughout the year.  

The two of them sat in silence for some time before Sebastian broke it.  "All right, I think that's enough for me.  I'm turning into a prune," he said, stretching out his arms and letting out a groan.

Hellendil chuckled, "I'm sure I am too."  He lifted his hands to take a look at his wrinkled fingertips.

"Are you feeling okay?  I imagine you would have had a spasm by now if it hadn't passed."

"To be honest, I haven't felt this good since before the school year began.  I think I really am good this time."

"Brilliant!  While we're here, we should probably shower before heading back to the dorms."

"Sounds reasonable," Hellendil agreed.  They grabbed their towels and headed to the showers.  Hellendil undid his braid to wash his hair since it was already soaked anyway.  It felt so good to be rid of all the dirt they'd picked up exploring the dusty Scriptorium.  What a day, he thought.  There hadn't been a dull moment since that first day at Hogwarts.  He took pleasure in the quiet moment, running his fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp and listening to the pitter patter of water splashing off of tile. 

"Oi, you almost done?" Sebastian called from near the doorway when he'd finished. 

Hellendil shut off the water and wrapped one towel around his waist, drying his face with the other.  "I am," he replied, following Sebastian back to the cubbies where they had stashed their clothes.

"I feel much better now," Sebastian commented as he rubbed his hair dry with a towel.  "Wonder what they're serving for dinner tonight."  

Hellendil stopped and watched him.  In fact, he couldn't take his eyes off of him.  While they had been friends since the beginning of term and hung out regularly, dueling or making trips to Hogsmeade for supplies or the odd butterbeer, he'd never really looked that closely at Sebastian.  But standing here with him now, he couldn't help but realize his attraction to him.  "Sebastian, you're beautiful," he breathed without thinking.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at him, a confused look on his face.  "Huh?  What are you on about?" he questioned.

Hellendil faltered as he realized what he had done.  A deep fear of losing one of the best friends he'd made here washed over him.  He could feel his cheeks burning and quickly turned away hiding his embarrassment. He released a shaky breath and mumbled, "Forget I said anything." He paused, "But I-I just thought you should know."

Sebastian stared at him.  What did he mean by that!?  He watched him as he absently dried the same spot over and over with his towel, his long hair, freed from the braid, grazing the middle of his back and dripping water down his backside and onto the floor.  When Sebastian realized he was staring, he shook his head and hurriedly dried himself, throwing on his dirty clothes and heading toward the exit where he stopped in his tracks.  He expelled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.  He couldn't just leave it like this.  He looked back at his companion, unsure what to say.  "I'll see you later, Hellendil."

The words stung as Hellendil tried to come to terms with what had just happened.  He turned his head in Sebastian's direction but couldn't bring himself to look at him.  "See you," came his melancholic reply.  

The tone of his voice struck Sebastian like a graphorn charging right into his chest and he paused another moment before disappearing into the passageway. 

Hellendil couldn't stop the tears from coming as he heard Sebastian's footsteps fade.  His body shook with his quiet sobs.  What is wrong with me, he thought.  Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut?  The dejected Ravenclaw didn't even notice as another classmate entered the room.

"Ah!  Hello there, Hellendil," came the cheery voice of Amit, "Fancy meeting you here!"

Hellendil turned to look at him.  "Hi, Amit," he answered solemnly.

Amit noted the tear streaks reflecting the light on his face coupled with his tone.  "Are you all right?" He asked with concern.

Hellendil snuffed his nose then dried his eyes with the towel.  "Yes.  I'll be okay."

"Let me guess.  Girl troubles?"

"Something like that."

"I am sorry, my friend," he patted his shoulder.  "But you shouldn't worry.  There are plenty of fish in the sea as the saying goes, and you are quite handsome.  You'll find the right one."  He smiled kindly at him before heading over to the cubbies.

"Thanks, Amit," he called after him.  Amit truly was one of the kindest people he'd met since his arrival at the school.  He was glad they were both in Ravenclaw house together.  He sighed and began drying again.  He needed to get back to the dorms and change before heading to dinner.  If he could even bring himself to eat.

—

Since dropping the spellbook off in their dorm room, Ominis had been waiting in the common room for Sebastian to return, pacing by the fireplace.  He hoped he'd made the right decision in allowing Sebastian to take Hellendil to the baths instead of taking him straight to the hospital wing.  When he heard the familiar pattern of Sebastian's footsteps approaching, he turned toward the stairwell and pulled out his wand.  But the footfalls didn't stop when they reached the common room, instead making a beeline to the dorms. Odd, he thought.  He waited a few minutes and when Sebastian did not reappear, he made his way to the dorm.

Sebastian was pacing back and forth and mumbling to himself.  "What did he mean by that?  Beautiful!?  Bloody hell!"  He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.  He hadn't even changed out of his dirty robes yet.  

Ominis heard his pacing even before he reached the room.  When he arrived, he leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms, "I'm going to assume our friend does not need to be taken to the hospital wing urgently since you didn't even stop to look for me in the common room." 

"Oh, hello Ominis.  No, the baths worked.  I came back to change, that's all."

"That is not all.  I could hear you pacing all the way down the hall.  What's going on?  Did something else happen?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Sebastian…" his tone was unyielding.

Sebastian looked at him, an agitated look on his face, but Ominis' pale eyes bored into him.  "Fine!"  He threw his arms in the air and pulled Ominis into the room, closing the door behind them before sitting on the edge of his bed.  He wouldn't look at him.  "He told me I'm beautiful!  Who tells a man he's beautiful!?"

"Hellendil apparently." Ominis couldn't help but chuckle, "This is what you're so agitated about?"

"This is why I said I didn't want to talk about it!"

"I'm sorry, Sebastian.  It just seems so trivial in light of everything else we've dealt with today.  So… What did you say to him?" 

"Well, I asked him what he meant and then he told me to forget about it!  That he thought I should know.  How am I supposed to take that!?”  He raised his arms again before throwing himself backward onto the bed.

“Well, I certainly can’t help you with regard to your looks, Sebastian, you’ll have to find someone else for that.  But I’d venture a guess that he can already see you’re a good person and you care deeply.  You care so much that you’re beginning to lose yourself trying to find a cure for Anne.  I’d say giving everything for the sake of a loved one is probably enough for someone to consider you beautiful.”

Sebastian sat back up and gave Ominis a look, “Are you bloody serious right now?”

“Deathly.”

Sebastian grunted and threw himself back again, "I can't believe we're having this conversation."

Ominis chuckled again, "What?  You never thought anyone could find you beautiful?"

"Shut up, Ominis!"

"I'm only trying to help," he couldn't keep the smile out of his voice.  "You're being such a baby about this.  I think he likes you and you're afraid of what happens next.  What if you like him back?"

And there it was.  Laid out plainly for him by his closest friend.  The one person who could read him like a book.  He was fuming, but he knew it was the truth.  He lay there in silence, arm's crossed and staring at a split board in the bunk above his.  Until today, he'd never even considered the possibility of courting another man.  After all, there were plenty of pretty girls in their house alone.  Why would he be interested in another boy?  But the image of Hellendil standing at the baths in just the towel, hair undone and dripping down his back rushed back to him.  He closed his eyes in an attempt to shut it out, to no avail.  He wasn't ready to admit that he found his friend beautiful as well.

His introspection was interrupted by Ominis' voice, "Have I struck a nerve?  I don't think you've ever been this quiet, Sebastian."

He hoisted himself up on his elbows, a disgruntled look on his face.  "You know, none of this really matters anyway.  He's been courting Elvira Dougherty since he bested me in Defense Against the Dark Arts.  I've gotten myself worked up over nothing."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Ominis, she's only one of the most desirable girls in our year.  I could hardly believe he had the audacity to ask her to be his 'study partner' the first day of classes.  Anyway, I'm sure we would know if they stopped seeing each other."

"If you say so Sebastian.  However, he is four years behind on his studies, so it's not surprising he would ask someone to help him catch up on his first day.  You can't blame him for picking someone in his own house either, she's likely not failing any classes and they can use the common room to study after curfew."

"The prettiest girl in school though?  I know you're good at reading people, Ominis, but I can't believe there was no ulterior motive there."

A wicked grin crossed Ominis' face, "Are you jealous he didn't pick you?"

Sebastian glared at him incredulously, "Really, Ominis?  You're being such an imp right now.  Maybe I am a little jealous that he had the nerve to ask her when we've been in class with her for four years already."

"All right, Sebastian.  I'm done teasing.  But you will have to think about all of this and talk to him sooner or later.  He seems a good sort.  You shouldn't avoid him just because of this.  I think he deserves closure.  And honestly, he's the only one who can truly tell you what he meant.  Everything else is just speculation."

A sigh escaped Sebastian's lips, "You're right Ominis.  He's been a friend thus far and he does deserve to know where we stand."  He paused, "I shouldn't have left him like that to be honest, but I really didn't know what to say."

"Then think about it and talk to him tomorrow after charms class.  Simple as that.  Anyway, you ought to change if you plan on it, or we're going to be late for dinner."

Ominis turned to leave, but Sebastian called after him, "Ominis!"  He turned to face him again.  "Thanks."

A soft smile lit his features for a moment and he answered, "That's what friends are for, Sebastian.  I'll wait for you in the common room."  Sebastian returned a smile and nodded, though he knew his friend wouldn't see. 

Ominis continued on his way, closing the door again behind him.

—

Hellendil used the floo network to return to the Ravenclaw common room and hurried back to his dorm, in an attempt to avoid conversation.  He hung his cloak on the coat rack as he entered and began to change, unbuckling the leather cuirass and tossing it over the back of the desk chair.  He sat down on the bed to remove his boots and his thoughts drifted back to Sebastian.  He could no longer hold back the flood of emotions.  As his boots hit the floor, he immediately rolled over, curled up on the bed and wept into his pillow.  

"Sebastian," he murmured, as tears rolled from his shuttered eyes.  Why did I say anything?  Why couldn't I wait until we knew one another better?  Is there something wrong with me?  He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, the knot in the pit of his stomach making him feel sick.  This shouldn't feel like the end of the world, he thought, and yet…  

He didn't understand why it was affecting him so profoundly.  After all, as far as he knew Sebastian hadn't rejected his friendship and nothing had changed beyond him being aware of his attraction to him.  An attraction he'd only just realized himself.  He'd never felt this way regarding another man before.  He'd had crushes on girls both here and at his previous muggle school.  In fact, he'd asked Elvira to be his study partner not only because she seemed a good fit, being intelligent and excellent at dueling, but he thought she was pretty as well and hoped they might become closer.  But there was something different this time.  

Maybe it was the way Sebastian had trusted and opened up to him so quickly.  He didn't have to take him to meet his family in Feldcroft or lay bare his worries about his twin's condition and his uncle's inaction regarding it.  He didn't have to share his knowledge or the secret hideout Ominis had shared with him.  He could have let him take the fall when Peeves discovered them in the restricted section, but he took the punishment as his own.  They'd grown incredibly close in such a short expanse of time.  Sebastian already meant so much to him and he never realized it until today. 

The yellowing rays of the fading sunlight danced across his pillow as he lay there, his damp hair soaking through his tunic and bedding along with his tears.  His stomach growled alerting him to his hunger, but the sickness over Sebastian had not yet passed and he really was not interested in entertaining anyone in the great hall after what had happened anyway.  He shifted into a more comfortable position, his breaths shaky, and silently worked to steady his breathing and calm his mind. 

He opened his eyes when he heard a rap at the door.  The windows were dark and he realized he must have fallen asleep.  He rubbed his eyes and called out, "Yes?"

The door creaked open and the voice of Amit floated over to him, "May I come in?  When I didn't see you at dinner, I decided I would save a pasty for you."  He held up the pastry wrapped within a linen napkin.  "I hope you like them, I thought I recalled seeing you eating them before.  And I can go get you some tea from the common room if you like?"

"Come in, Amit," he replied as he sat up and turned to face him.  He was quite disheveled, hair sticking out and frizzy from air drying without being brushed.  The back of his tunic was damp and made him shiver as cold air seeping through the windows hit him.  He stood and pulled the covers around himself before sitting back on the edge of the bed. "How have I warranted such a thoughtful friend as you?" he wondered, giving him a warm smile.

Amit wandered over to the bed, sitting next to him and handing over the wrapped pasty.  "We Ravenclaws need to stick together, my friend.  You've done much for the benefit of the school and our classmates since arriving here, so why shouldn't we be friends?  I'm sorry about what happened to you earlier.  Would you like to talk about it?  I find talking very helpful, myself."

A sad smile appeared on Hellendil's face, "Thank you for the offer, Amit, you're very kind.  I'm just not ready to talk about it."  He dropped his eyes to the floor.  He'd decided to try being optimistic about the situation.  That maybe Sebastian was as surprised as he was by his admission and needed time to think.  But it didn't mean he was comfortable talking to anyone else about it.

"Well, when you are ready to talk remember that I am here," Amit squeezed his shoulder before getting up to go.  "Would you like me to bring you back tea for your dinner?"

"Thank you, Amit.  I'm fine.  I know where to get it if need be.  Have a nice evening and don't worry about me."

Amit nodded in acknowledgement before continuing on his way, "Take care, my friend."

As the door shut behind Amit, Hellendil ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to push it out of his face and sighed as they caught in knots that needed to be brushed out.  He rose, placing the pasty on the nearby desk while he retrieved his brush.  It was past time for some self care.

[thelurkershideout]

Just gonna stream of consciousness brainstorm here a sec

So Fjora is my Thieves Guild OC, she's also probably my longest existing OC. She was born in Riften, met Brynjolf when they were both young and formed a friendship, then ran away from her terrible home life and studied to be a bard in Solitude before coming back to Riften years later.

I've been thinking a lot about those early days in Riften recently, and I know that Fjora never met or knew Gallus or Karliah before the events of the quest line. But like, what if they knew her?

What if they were aware of this little girl who clung to the edges of rooms and crowds on instinct? This girl who is already a natural at hovering just out of sight as a defense mechanism? She is clearly lonely, and there's something just WRONG. They know they can't approach her directly, she's too young to join the guild and her family has too tight of control over her for them to approach anyway. BUT they have a relatively new recruit only a few years older than her, fresh from the Gold Coast (this is my attempt to explain the "Lass") who needs to start socializing with the locals so he gets better at his job.

So Gallus gives Brynjolf a gentle nudge. "Just try to talk to her." Maybe under the guise of teaching him how to gather information. "She's always watching people, I wonder what she knows?" Brynjolf is awkward, he hasn't mastered his charm yet, but the quiet giggle from the girl who sits under the docks when it rains is promising.

Snow Veil Sanctum happens shortly after Brynjolf first speaks to Fjora. Years later Gallus's spirit isn't quite sure why, but the young woman who enters the Sepulchre is familiar and he feels hope return to him.

[casketsanctum]

burial shroud

[royalfirefly]

Tagged by @everysinglepheel

Post a screencap of your lockscreen photo and a screencap of the last/current song listened on Spotify/YouTube, as well as the last photo of a celebrity that you saved in your phone.

Lock screen is art of my OC Sepulchral as a skydancer from Flight Rising that I commissioned from @rotclaw last year! It's been my lockscreen for over a year now. I love it so much.

And I've been listening to FOB's newest album on repeat for the last week haha.

And... I don't really have any celebrities saved on my phone. But Leon from Resident Evil counts right

[accidentalmistress]

I swear I am still working on writing stuff, just not very often of late 😅 I do have 1,800 words written of the first fic with Jakob and Balthasar, two new OCs from the world of Vibrahnem (where Accidental Mistress takes place). I really want to get that fic finished soon, but I'm also still figuring out how much of their story I want the fic to encompass and what I might break off into a separate fic. Anyway, here's a little sample of what I have written, featuring Jakob:

"He smothered another fit with the cloth before blowing his nose into it. At work he was a habitual stifler in the sepulchral quiet of the Archives. Though dust was blessedly not among Jakob's myriad allergies so far as he knew, the Archives were so thick with it, and it was so inescapable, that he would be far more surprised if he did not sneeze at some point during his work each day. That stifling habit bled into his time at home, but this allergic tickle was so intense that he knew continuing to stifle would only serve to make matters worse for him."

[giratina-and-the-skys-bouquet]

psst I have ocs. Woulda thunk it.

[fourgods-nobrakes]

So in the comments on Blessed with Security (mind the tags), @caiusmajor brought up what an effective recruiting video they'd made, and one thing led to another and eventually I was sitting there chinhandsing at two OCs who'd gone renegade for kink reasons so they could be happy together. Today I couldn't get them out of my head so I wrote a ficlet nobody asked for about them settling in with their new allies.

This isn't the muster for a Crusade, not yet, but it's part of the planning and reviewing forces. That part's familiar enough. The unfamiliar part is the hulking, ominous, almost living bulk of the Vengeful Spirit around them, the greasy taste of the warp lingering everywhere, the gruesome livery on the black armor of their comrades. 

Alekos and Patrokar's own armor is stripped of all its old signs of rank, the aquilas on their chests cracked and tarnished, the plates of their armor painted an uninterrupted flat black. They haven't earned any new honors—if that's even the word to use here—since they met the heretics they've fallen in with. Alekos pulls on Patrokar's leash until the chain is taut, as if that could reassure them both.

The doors slide open before them and they step through into the sepulchral gloom of Lupercal's Court. Alekos' hearts are pounding. Verrhast has said they're part of the warband after they proved themselves on that last raid, but part of him still expects to be a gruesome sacrifice.

Monstrous creatures in deformed terminator armor, presumably the infamous Bringers of Despair, stand guard around the edges of the room. The hair on Alekos' nape prickles at the awareness of them.

But they're overshadowed immediately as another man steps forward into the light, his archaic terminator armor baroquely ornamented, his right arm bearing a power claw too big for any normal Astartes to wield, his scarred face proud and terrible. His presence is dizzying in its power, in its threat. "Verrhast," says Abaddon the Despoiler, his voice a rumbling growl even without vox amplification. "Good to see you again." He reaches out with his left hand, and Verrhast clasps his wrist in greeting.

"My brother," Verrhast says. "My Warmaster."

That seems to be the cue for the officers of the warband to salute; Alekos and Patrokar follow suit. There's a twinge of guilt in Alekos' gut but he doesn't let it get the best of him. They've already committed to this. They chose to be selfish, to live for each other instead of dying for the purity of the Imperium.

The Despoiler and Verrhast talk for a few minutes about what they've done recently, what the warband might expect for the next Crusade—only in the most general terms, nothing resembling a real briefing yet—and then the Despoiler's gaze sweeps over the rest of Verrhast's men, catching individuals' eyes and acknowledging them in a way that reminds Alekos of the Chapter Master reviewing honored troops. Then he looks over in Alekos and Patrokar's direction.

"And these are your new recruits?"

"They are." Verrhast turns toward them. "Can't believe what a good recruiting pitch that pict feed is."

"Desires that have no release build up an impressive amount of pressure," the Despoiler says. He paces toward them, slow and deliberate. His inhuman gold eyes flicker between them, taking in the leash, seeming to read everything about them in the lines of their faces and their defaced armor. "You're Alekos?"

"I am," Alekos says. "Lord," he adds, unsure what the correct style is but very sure he shouldn't omit one entirely. He's meeting the eyes of the Despoiler, the Warmaster of Chaos. The Archenemy. Who smiles at him, gently amused and only incidentally dangerous. Alekos struggles against the instinct that tells him to kneel, and at his side Patrokar gives in to it.

"I'm flattered that you would leave my uncle's service to join our brotherhood here, but I confess I'm curious. What would you say drives you?"

The room is as quiet as possible given the presence of a dozen active suits of power armor. Alekos measures his words. "My bond with my oath-brother," he says quietly. "We were taught obedience, but when the Inquisition threatened him, I found the lesson no longer stuck." Patrokar reaches up to rest a hand on his, and he clasps it in his own.

"Brotherhood is a powerful bond," the Despoiler says approvingly; he, who is infamous through the galaxy as the avatar of cruelty and the rejection of loyalty. "I hope your newly found brothers will merit a share in that devotion." He looks down at Patrokar then. The Talon that has slain demigods coaxes Patrokar's chin up gently; Alekos makes himself stay still. "And you. Found a man you'd follow through hell and heresy, have you?"

"Yes, lord." There's not a second of hesitation, and Alekos' hearts feel warm.

The Despoiler nods; Alekos can't read his expression. "Then watch his back with everything you have."

"Yes, lord," Patrokar says fiercely, his back straightening.

The Despoiler turns away. "That's introductions taken care of," he says to the rest of the warband. "Now let's talk about how you're going to bleed the Corpse God's dogs."

[ceph-the-ghost-writer]

Hi Ceph! OC Birthday as for Renato - gift, envelope, & music!

Thank you for the asks, and for feeding Renato's need for attention <3

🎁 Gift: What sort of presents would the other characters get them? Which gift would be the favorite? Least favorite?

Mergus, his maker, used to pick out presents consisting of hard to find goods when Renato was still a human. CDs, vinyl record players, a Gameboy color (phones and computers didn't make a real comeback until decades after the break). Shoes, clothes. Comics, books. Renato stopped paying attention to his birthdays soon after becoming a bloodborn, but Mergus still gets him gifts now and then when he sees something his fledgling might appreciate.

Isaac wouldn't bother the first couple of years after meeting Renato (and who could blame him). But once things improve between them somewhat...he'd very awkwardly start offering small things. Decorations for Renato's fishtank, interesting seashells he found, vampire-related novelties. Eventually, Isaac would work up the nerve to give him something fancy like cologne (Elfy would help him pick it out and lend moral support). Renato would treasure each of these above all other gifts.

Ollie, Renato's ex-girlfriend, has gotten him the same thing every year since they broke up: a rotting fish stuffed into his belongings. This year it's going to be a halibut left in his car. Renato hates this for obvious reasons, but especially because he knows it's coming yet can never seem to prevent it.

Dorian would get him a wide variety of things that they just happened across and thought he might like: little paintings or figures of Catholic saints, sea creature art, ships in bottles, and, of course, coats/jackets.

Ben's gifts tend to be, hm, quite personal, and can be left at that when in polite company.

Kinslayer would reconstruct a pleasant or sentimental memory in vivid detail for Renato in his dreams. This would be done in secret and they would never let on they'd had any hand in this whatsoever.

✉️ Envelope: Who would be on the guest list for their birthday party? Who would get left out and why?

In no particular order:

Tesoro (Renato's goldfish and the real guest of honor in his eyes)

Isaac

Dorian

Elfy (who insists on bringing the drinks)

Kinslayer and their friends (Renato is actually terrified of what so many psychic vampires in one place might do, but is more terrified of offending them by not extending an invitation)

Desmond, Micaela, Ben, and the whole damn Olympia group of bloodborn

Tilda

Ursula von Trier and the Council of the Sepulchral Lamp (similar situation as with Kinslayer and co.)

Larry Hart and the wereshark community

Ceph (if they promise to behave themselves)

Ollie (despite the rotten fish thing he does still love her)

Mergus, Hawthorne, Mayer and the rest of the Unseen Hand wouldn't get invited. You know, on account of the whole betrayal and trying to kill one another thing.

🎶 Music: Being sung a birthday song. Yea or nay?

People celebrating him being alive? Yes, he'd like some more of that please.