#tales of rheio

[contes-de-rheio]

For the wip title game: I'm very intrigued by The Living Library! That sounds very cool and I don't think I've heard about it before!

I may have mentioned it in passing, but it would have been very easy to miss.

The setting comes from the influence of xianxia dramas I watched (including The Untamed and Word of Honor), except for the core concept of the Living Library. I've wrote a few scenes, including what would be the epilogue, but I don't intend to develop it beyond what it is, because my understanding of Chinese culture is limited, and seen through the prisms of Japanese and Korean cultures. In short, it would require a ton of research, which I'll never have the time for. But I'll detail here the main bones of the story.

The Living Library is a being born from concentrated magic. It exists in a specific location, but no one seems to remember where its siege actually is. In any case, it still can manifest itself in a number of libraries, and always take the form of a young lady made of clay (though notably taller than any human being). The libraries in question are all set in the mountains around a vast valley, and under the watch of "cultivators", whose clans are more or less allied together. The Living Library is precious because it can store every written (or drawned) document that comes in its circle of influence, which is extremely wide (trace a circle that would fully encompass Mongolia and you'll get the idea).

As for the story, everything started with an Emperor who wanted to become immortal. He sent his armies to find the Living Library, conquering a ton of land and destroying many lives. He also set to destroy any other being made of concentrated magic, mainly to disrupt the way of life of the people from conquered lands and guarantee his undisputed authority. At some point, the Living Library decides it's enough, and seeks the help of the one living person she knows to be able to create new beings like her. It just happens to be a retired general who served that emperor.

The epilogue takes place when that general, now a very old man, rebirth the last being the Living Library instructed him to.

In addition to the cultivators and the emperor's army and court, the people of the valley are also mentioned. We never see them, but, since consider foreigners who come on their land as trespassers, they set violent magical traps to keep people at bay. Obviously, my characters, despite their initial intentions, end up forced to cross over the valley, and face a number of these traps, including a river that goes like that scene in lotr:

To end this, I'd like to mention that even without the influence of xianxia, the Living Library would feel best fit for a setting influenced by Chinese culture, as records compiled by Chinese dynasties have been a tremendous source of historical information.

[karkkidoeswriting]

BEAR CASTLE CYCLE

Valeri Cor Mantgamia

Main Character | 24 | Ethnicity: Cerfi | Captain of Imperial Cavalry | he/him | #valeri

Eventually he spoke. "To be honest, I have hard time imagining you afraid." Valeri made a dry chuckle. When was he not afraid? When was he not frozen in fear by the everything and everyone around him? Always looking over his shoulder. Always dreading every word he spoke. There was an easy answer to his own rhetoric question. In the middle of a battle the terror melted. He was still afraid, but it was different. His mind went blank and his body just moved. There was no doubt. It didn't make much sense, to fear death the least, when it was the closest. There is no fear in present.

Valeri is the second youngest child of the Duke of Cabalusia. When the Bear Castle was conquered and the Mantgamias were defeated in the civil war, Valeri managed to escape with his youngest sibling, Fiolev. They ended up in Amari, the capital of the province of Víren, where they assumed new identities under last name Iolean. They were very poor as most orphans in Amari, where income gaps are massive. Valeri was eventually forced into the army, to serve the same empire, which crushed their clan. He despised it, but he was good at it and quickly rose in rank, securing safety for him and Fiolev. It has taken him to wage wars for the empire, left him with chronic pain and trauma and strained his relationship with Fiolev, who would rather go homeless again than get left behind if he would go to another war. But he would do anything to make sure Fiolev was safe, even if Fiolev would hate him for it, even when his idea of safety is flawed.

Valeri has no future. For the past 13 years he's only been surviving and making sure Fiolev survives. He has no aspirations beyond that. He has risen ranks in the army, but he doesn't care about that beyond the more security higher position affords, he just tries to survive and make sure people around him survive to the next day. He sure fantasizes of reuniting with Faerathos, of opposing the imperial family, of returning home to Cabalusia, but he has no illusions that these fantasies have any realism behind them. Sometimes he even fantasizes of having a life, getting married, having several children. But he has no future. Until, he meets his exiled uncle, Ignatus, on a campaign. Ignatus is working with the empire's enemy and promises to take Valeri and Fiolev into exile with him, so they can get out of the enemy territory and wage war on the empire. It finally gives him hope and a goal. But things get more complicated, when he is given another mission by an imperial general, that could give an opportunity to sabotage the Imperial agenda in a significant way, but would put him in even more dangerous position, not less.

His appearance is quite imposing. He is tall (though not compared to many others in his family), strong and a scar on his lip has given him a permanent scowl. There is also a feral rage just below the surface at all times, ready to burst. But beneath that there is constant anxious terror that drives him and abundance of barely repressed emotions. He operates best when he has a clear goal and clear commands to follow, so when he is thrown in a situation, where everyone has conflicting commands for him, where he's not sure what's right and wrong anymore, or who to trust and who to follow, his barely maintained surface won't be enough to hold him together.

The Oldest | The Second Oldest | The Second Youngest | The Youngest

Tag list under the cut! Let me know if you want to be added/removed!

I'm finally finishing this post for Meet the Character Monday held by @bardic-tales / @creators-club , thank you!

BCC tag list: @siarven @worldbuildng @emilyoracle @frvnwrites @kainablue

@writingrosesonneptune @contes-de-rheio @faelanvance @outpost51 @dotr-rose-love

[writeblrfantasy]

Do you like queer political fantasy?

Enemies to lovers lesbians? A weaving plot? Dramatic gays?

Allow me to introduce THE LOVER WITH FIVE NAMES, my second published novel! It will be released early 2024.

The blurb:

For centuries, the Ancients have had the sacred duty of choosing an emperor to rule the lands. After her family was massacred, the last remaining Ancient Herra employs someone to help her choose: the Nameless Lover, a man who can effortlessly slip into the hearts and beds of anyone he desires. For years, he has seduced the sovereigns of the lands to find the best fit for emperor. One candidate remains, a handsome young king who the Lover soon finds himself truly falling for. Herra��s plans go awry when another man seeks to become emperor by force, a charge headed by an unwilling general and his loyal captain Arthur. While the Lover wrestles with duty versus truth, Herra finds an unlikely ally in the woman who massacred her family, and Arthur discovers his destiny. The truth of the late emperor’s murder begins to unravel, exposing a web of treachery across the lands. A tale emerges of estranged family, unlikely romance, and a lost ring lying in wait that will change the course of the continent forever.

I'm excited to announce more information as the time approaches. For now, I just want to drum up excitement about this book!

LOVER TAGLIST (LMK TO BE ADDED/REMOVED) @magic-is-something-we-create @47crayons @ashen-crest @woodhousejay @transmasc-wizard @worldbuildng @ettawritesnstudies @mcximilians @contes-de-rheio @void-fireworks @extrabitterbrain @pressedpapyrus @willowiswriting @houndmouthed @stormharbors @snowinks

GENERAL TAGLIST: @worldbuildng @muddshadow @nikkywrites @47crayons @directionoftime @myhusbandsasemni @chayscribbles @magic-is-something-we-create

[writerfae]

Facts about Aiden

because I don't talk about him enough

he was born in winter, January 16th to be exact

the village's doctor actually said Aiden wouldn't survive the winter because of his too early birth but he made it

you see he's always been a lil fighter at heart

as a toddler he got sick more often than other kids and he hated it because his mom never let him go out play with his brother then

he had a rabbit plushie as a kid (yes he still keeps it, no he doesn't tell anyone)

when he was too little to learn archery yet he was always bummed about not being allowed to go with his dad and Henry

during the times his brother and father were away Aiden and his mom spent a lot of time together, she took him to the market and cooked with him and played in the garden with him

sometimes she bought him sweets to cheer him up

also yes Aiden is actually a really decent cook because he often watched his mom

I never really talk about his relationship to his mother, i realized, but he was very close to her too

because he used to be sick so often Ranva always worried about him

when he was a baby there was a time she was so afraid he wouldn’t survive the winter that she always had him near to make sure he’s okay

so naturally she always had an eye on her youngest

little Aiden always liked getting hugs from his family (and giving them. he wasn’t the strongest child but his hugs sure were the strongest)

Aiden can't stand loud noises

that's why as a kid he was scared of thunder, now he isn't anymore but storms still makes him uncomfortable

though he can read, he always preferred people (especially his brother) reading to him instead

he can recite one of the tales his brother used to tell them by heart

Aiden learned archery from his father and from Henry, but he's the one among them with the most talent

he's not always the best with social cues and a bit awkward, but he's such a nice and good-hearted boy

he'd really like to have more friends

and everyone should trip over their feet trying to befriend him honestly, because he's a good friend (just ask Hazel and the old lady he visits regularly)

Aiden doesn't know it but he's what people call a Seer, and a very strong one at that

his crow pendant was a gift from his parents to his birthday and he always wears it

.

That's all my brain was capable of coming up with on my own (maybe it's cause of my cold but maybe I'm just uncreative), but I gladly answer questions about Aiden if you have any 🙈

tag list: @gr3y-heron @soupopoireau @harinawa @vibinwiththehomies @elisabethrosewrites @charleeyy @violetcancerian @that-one-potato-blep @annoyingwritingtrash @stardustspiral @thewalkingnerdx @abalonetea @andifthestarsweretodie @myhusbandsasemni @contes-de-rheio @rhikasa @phantasticdomains @thegirlwithnonickname @marewriteblr @kimblewrites @writingbyjillian @write-for-your-life2 @deadlycupid @nora-theteawriter @ladywithalamp @the-writing-avocado @writing-is-a-martial-art @bloodlessheirbyjacques (ask to be added or removed)

[contes-de-rheio]

Is it madness to have written the first draft of an epilogue of a story I haven’t written at all, nor know if I’ll ever will?

[contes-de-rheio]

Some magic vows are deeply binding in Tales of Rheio universe. The way you word the vow, while invoking the names of gods (Astrallyé and Wido mainly), can have huge consequences as to how you may break them or not. Only the Oath Breaker, a sorcerer who became a godess, could break an unbreakable vow, but she doesn't grant her favor just because one asks.

Kain Fontaine once pronounced an unbreakable vow linking himself to Feid Familier and any of her legitimate heirs, knowing perfectly he wasn't linking himself just to her blood relatives, but to anyone she would see as a "legitimate heir" of hers. Also, the vow may bind him beyond his own death (I haven't decided yet if it will).

Lenandel also pronounced a vow of loyalty to Trélyse Charlevis, his queen, while he was her acting regent as she was on the battle front. Only Trélyse or death could release him.

Unbreakable vows, in general, but especially when they reduce a sorcerer to serve someone else's will, are taboo, forbidden or seen as a deviant act among most cultures. The risk of magic being misused as a consequence is a rightful fear, as history has shown. The Oath Breaker got her name from breaking oath which were rendering a sorcerer ever so powerful. The only way to vanquish them was to first break the oaths.

Are there binding vows or sacred oaths in your world?

@worldbuildingwedasks

[karkkidoeswriting]

Fun Fact Friday - Cúén cor Faélci

He got into revolutionary politics through lesbianism. As a 17 yo he had a lesbian phase so he got into lesbian poet circles, where he met all kinds of lesbians - working class, republican, revolutionary, Cabalusian separatist. He also met trans masc people and quickly realized he was a) not a woman b) not into women.

He's really good at archery, including horse archery. He won archery contests as a teenager. They have guns so archery is basically a sport of the nobles, not used in warfare. Cabalusian nobles use archery for hunting too. He's also a very good marksman with rifle.

He has conspired with his sister, who along with her husband are also Cabalusian separatists, to keep the fact that he's been infiltrating the Virénian army for several years hidden from their mother and the rest of the clan. His mother thinks he's living with his sister and studying poetry in Virén. He also hasn't told his mother he has yeeted the teet (had top surgery), and he's not sure at this point how he will do that.

He's very pretentious about poetry and literature. He's kinda pretentious in general. He hates popular literature, and especially Julie noé Maupin, who among many things (opera singer, fencer, infamously hot lesbian) is a writer, who writes very popular very fun chivalric romances, which every self-respecting pretentious literature enjoyer thinks are trashy.

He has an on-and-off affair with Aerich, the leader of the separatist group he's part of. On and off, because since he's infiltrating the army they are regularly separated for multiple months and can't have any correspondence either, since Aerich is very much a wanted enemy of the empire. Faélci has said to Aerich that he's free to have other affairs while he's away, but in reality he's stressed that Aerich will fall in love with someone else. He would not admit that under torture, because being in love is very embarrassing and being jealous on top of it is even more so.

Aerich calls him "Little Wolf" (Faénie in Cerfi) because Cúén means wolf cub in Cerfi. It makes Faélci extremely soft and weak when he does it so casually (especially when he says "my Little Wolf"). He would not admit that either under torture.

Bear Castle Cycle Masterpost

Tag list under the cut! Let me know if you want to be added/removed!

BCC tag list: @siarven @worldbuildng @emilyoracle @frvnwrites @kainablue

@writingrosesonneptune @contes-de-rheio @faelanvance @outpost51 @dotr-rose-love

And tagging @creators-club @bardic-tales for creators club!

[pheita]

New Home New Troubles Part 12

This story has some heavy topics such as miscarriage, sudden infant death, oppression of various minorities, poltergeist-like spirits, and domestic violence.

Tagging @ashen-crest @adie-dee @abalonetea @cometworks @viskafrer @vivian-is-writing @kainablue @contes-de-rheio @writingamongther0ses

Oddly enough, it reassured Lyran a little that even Sojan thought it was all strange. At the same time, they entered the pub. The bar room was empty except for Mithelia, who stood at the bar with a steaming mug in her hand, her eyes closed, enjoying the warmth. "You're early, fellas." "You're an early bird, too," Lyran countered, amused. "Occupational hazard..." She set the cup down and hugged first Lyran and then Sojan. With a nod, she gestured toward the fireplace. They were only halfway down the few steps there when Lyran heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw Ylva coming toward them from the stairs. She had her hair tied in only a simple braid and wore a plain dress of thickly woven wool with embroidery that looked faintly familiar to Lyran. He knew somewhere he had seen this kind of embroidery before but could not grasp where. His gaze went to Sojan, who had also looked, and got the next puzzle to ponder. The look on Sojan's face was familiar to him. It was that mixture of awe and fascination that Lyran got to see when they were alone more often than not. The question, however, was why Ylva triggered that look all of a sudden. "I knew I heard you."

Whether her cheeks were rosy because of the cold, or because she was embarrassed about something, it was hard to say. She walked between them and took a seat next to Mithelia. As if Lyran hadn't come with questions before, he clearly had more now. Gratefully, he accepted the mug of tea from Mithelia and stretched his legs by the fire. "That's better." "You walked, didn't you?" asked Mithelia with a mixture of laughter and gloating. "I didn't see it froze in the night." Ylva's laugh could only be heard softly, but it was there. "You better watch your surroundings. I thought you had hunter training." Lyran licked his lips with a smirk. "I might as well pass that on to Sojan." Sojan raised his hands defensively. "I don't mind the cold so much yet. Stramsa'gonil knows different temperatures." "That's true again." Lyran nodded in agreement, as did Mithelia. "So, why did you want to see us?" he asked at last. The brief look exchanged between Mithelia and Ylva did not escape him or Sojan. "I'm afraid we have a problem with Liriel." "We've noticed that, too," Lyran replied cynically. "I thought you trusted her?" Sojan inquired. Mithelia took a deep breath and pressed her lips together. "I did. The Free Guild did. But she's been acting strange since she came to you, and don't even get me started on the whole Ylva thing." Inevitably, everyone's mood darkened. The crackling of wood in the fireplace was the only thing that could be heard in the room for the next few seconds. "What are we going to do?" In the end, it was Sojan who asked the most important question. "Can Arritit do all this on her own?" inquired Ylva. Lyran frowned. Arritit was strong, probably the strongest mage he knew, but whether she could do it alone even he didn't know. "If it were possible, Ari would have suggested it already," Sojan explained thoughtfully, "I'm afraid we need Liriel." "I was afraid of that." With a nod, Mithelia stood up and retrieved something from behind the counter. "Lyran?" "Yes?" A little startled him out of his thoughts. Mithelia had some letters in her hand. "You were in the archives yesterday, weren't you?" He just nodded. She handed him the letters and sat down again. "These are the letters from Mother that she left me. Maybe you can make more sense of some of the sentences than I can. After Hedanro's tales, I started to wonder." Lyran snorted. "You also noticed that Mother was very old for a human when we were born." A surprised grumble came from Sojan. Ylva, on the other hand, looked as if she didn't want to be there right now. "That's it," Mithelia confirmed, "If I've done the math correctly, our parents were married for about thirty years and Mother was already over a hundred when they met." Ylva leaned forward and looked at the siblings with a questioning face. "Tilly, you don't want to say what I think you want to say." Mithelia reached aside and took Ylva's hand. "I'm afraid so. Either Hedanro only told half of it or doesn't know himself. If Mother was as frail as a child as I think she was..." "Then it will have been hard for her to sustain a pregnancy," Sojan finished the sentence, "Ari will either hang us head first from the roof for this or demand I don't know what." Lyran watched Ylva as something clearly started rattling in her head. Her gaze went to Sojan a few times, then to Lyran, and in between to the fireplace. "We have a serious problem." Surprised at Ylva's statement, Mithelia looked at her as if she had gone mad. Lyran had an idea where she was going with this. "We need your power to give Arritit and Liriel a chance, but three memory demons on the spot could lead to complications.” Fortunately, Lyran sat in an armchair, so he let himself fall backwards. "This is a huge problem," Mithelia confessed, "Now what?" "I'll have to sit down with Ari. If anyone can keep the dangers small, it's her." Sojan's hand was a welcome anchor to keep Lyran from feeling like the ground was pulled out from under him. From the other side, Mithelia placed her hand on his wrist and gave it a quick squeeze. A slight smile made its

way onto his face. "Thanks, guys." "That's what we're here for," Sojan whispered. "Then shall we," Mithelia spoke louder than before and stood up, "Wait? I'll come with you. I've got some questions for Arritit, and we're family after all, so there's no harm in getting to know each other better." The agonized groans from Sojan and Lyran only brought out a mischievous grin in Mithelia. "Maybe I should come too...", Ylva mused aloud. Lyran looked at Sojan, who had that look on his face again. Actually, Lyran was not a jealous man, but this started to irritate him more than he wanted to admit. She stood up and immediately Sojan was beside her. In his mind, Lyran reminded himself that he was not a jealous man. Ylva approached him and they each stood just a step apart in a triangle in front of the fireplace. Lyran looked at Ylva, waiting. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Sojan's gaze was still on her. Ylva looked up first at Sojan, since she was more than a head shorter, and then at Lyran. It was easy to see that her breathing was going harder than it should. This close in front of her, he could see the embroidery more clearly, and it finally occurred to him where he knew it from. The type was clearly as common in Bes Arden, but the pattern was a family pattern. Hidden in the geometric embroidery was the family crest of Ylva's family. The realization had just drilled through his mind, and he understood why Sojan looked at her with such fascination, when Ylva unexpectedly huffed and turned her head away a little. "Fuck." Neither Sojan nor Lyran got to ask what was wrong with Ylva, as she had already pressed herself between them and placed her hands on the backs of both of their necks. She pulled both of them down to her so that they only had to speak softly. "I'm going to have to find a new home, but fucking shit, you two are driving me crazy. For weeks, I've been told to watch you guys for Tilly and ..." "So?" growled Sojan, laughing in her ear. "I don't know what you guys are doing to me, but ... fuck if I don't get these fantasies out of my head soon I'm going to go crazy." Slowly, Lyran understood what was going on and smirked mischievously. He turned his head a little so that his lips would touch her ear as he talked. "The real encounter will drive you crazy for sure," he purred in her ear. Ylva collapsed a little. Clearly, her knees had given way under her. Sojan caught her with an arm around her waist, which didn't make it any better. The sound Ylva made was a little stifled, but unmistakably a mixture of surprise and arousal. Sojan slowly lowered her into the chair she had claimed earlier. His amused glance at Lyran made up for the last few minutes. "Is it all right again?" asked Sojan anxiously. Trying not to laugh caused Lyran to make a strange squeaking sound. Sojan looked at him with narrowed eyebrows, but Lyran just shook his head. "It'll be all right in a minute," Ylva replied with a dirty look at Lyran. For reasons, he couldn't explain himself, he was already thinking of ways to annoy her a little with this knowledge for the next two days. "If you want to go, you'd better hurry!" shouted Mithelia from somewhere further inside the house. Still slightly wobbly on her feet, Ylva stood up and tried to get to her room as quickly as possible without running. "You had to do that now?" asked Sojan with laughing eyes. "You started it, finjat." Whatever Sojan wanted to answer remained in his head. Instead, he tilted his head with a questioning look. "Started?" "You know what your deep humming does to other people," Lyran jokingly accused him. "Only to certain people, as far as I know." Lyran could not understand Sojan's confusion. "By the Great Mother, how can you be so old and so stupid?" muttered Lyran while pinching the root of his nose. "I don't think it's stupid to only do it to certain people," Sojan grumbled as low as he could. A comforting shiver chased through Lyran's body. "We'll work that out at home." For a split second, Lyran wondered if he was starting to rub off on Sojan, or if

Sojan just hadn't let that side out until now. Whatever it was, it made Lyran wish it was all cleared up quickly, and then Sojan would get to taste what he'd just done, and if he didn't walk right for days after that.

[contes-de-rheio]

In the universe of Tales of Rheio, some sorcerers can see the future (or the past, or the present), but generally with limited reach.

The most frequent way is dreams. They can be provoked by using trance, but the most efficient visions are generally the ones you let emerge by themselves. Most people consider these visions as messages of the god(s), so not something to take lightly.

Transcribing these dreams in writing is one of the most difficult tasks, and has lead to a number of prophecies making little sense, or being too convoluted/symbolic. Though some argue, this might be caused by the visions being dreams, and like them, being too fleeting to be accurately remembered.

In Jamaedo, these sorcerers brought the dynasty Choo to the throne and maintained it for a few centuries. Predicting the future to bent it to their will. But their misjudgment of who was the best prophet also ended their reign.

As for way of trance, different cultures and regions have different ways, though drums are very frequently used. In Aqualos, focusing on water ripples is another common method.

How do people in your world predict the future, whether through formalized systems like tarot and tea leaves or folk traditions for determining something like a baby’s sex, or anything in between? Do people generally believe in these practices, or scoff at them? Are there any forms of divination that require formal training or initiation to practice?

-

Thanks for the submission!

Afficher davantage

[shrewful]

Settings: Home, Part One

World Halve: Veralon

Haelian or Vezuvaelian: Haelian

Colors: Yellow and Gold

Home is the oldest of any civilization. The countless stories within their vast underground libraries span the course of thousands of years, not to be overshadowed by the tales within their ever-rich oral tradition.

And yet, despite all their knowledge, a mystery still remains; one single phrase defines Home -- defined everyone at some point in time, as all people can trace their familial lines back to Home;

Give and receive.

In generosity, plenty is found. This doctrine lies at the heart of their society, but its author is unknown. These three words would grow them, destroy them, define them -- it would be scrawled on the walls of their empire, called into the wind that travels across the plains, etched into the graves of those who’d fall in its name.

Some theorize the author was simply lost to time. Others insist that it need not’ve been written at all.

In any case, the generosity of the Homefolk took two forms; the Time of Open Palms and the Time of the Beckoning Hand.

In Open Palms, the Home saw its people turn their gaze to other lands. Home gave each what it needed to find and found their own fledgling empires, seeing them off like a proud mother. But, as generations passed, one young empire after another came back to Home, asked for more, received more, but crucially forgot to give.

Soon Home had nothing left to give. The far-away empires, now forgetting their roots, jeered at their phrase; Home’s desolation proved that giving did not lead to receiving. Home’s riches remained in the bellies of men in tall castles, their shadows cast over subjects too weary from hunger to look above.

Then came Hael, and the Time of the Beckoning Hand began.

Hael looked out at the starving Homefolk, now doubting their doctrine, and made a decree; Home had given enough. It was time for the rest of Veralon to give as they did, and when all peoples gave, all would receive. Either by sweet word or swift blade, they came to the gates of the young empires and made their demands; give food to the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give safety to the endangered, and when the time comes, you will receive all that you need.

Hael would become Haelius, King of Kings, and over the course of his campaign, supply routes ran across Veralon like veins. If a kingdom was in need and could not help themselves, the excess of a better-off kingdom would be supplemented -- and, if that better-off kingdom would ever find themselves in need, they would receive the same help they’d given before. When the dragons rose to power, the connections Haelius’ grew between the nations is what allowed them to succeed.

Now, Home maintains those connections. From the center of Veralon they watch over the land, soothing feuds and aiding disasters wherever they may fall, the stalwart arbiters of peace and justice. Give and receive and know that whoever you are, no matter how lonely, Home offers itself to you if you offer yourself in return.

@contes-de-rheio @shadeshadow234

[esbarrison-writing]

Brenton “Brent” Rob Harley | Aesthetic

“Let me tell you a story about a boy who could see stories in the smoke.”

His name is Brent Harley. And he’s a storyteller.

As a boy, he was branded with the “black stamp”, the marking him as one of the lowest members of society - with gray colorless eyes and a knack for telling stories, the Order sees him as a threat. The brand has left him discriminated against his whole life.

The Order has taken everything from him: his freedom to love replaced with a binding betrothal, his desire to work replaced with denial, and his choice to be replaced with uncertainty. 

This has never stopped Brent from being kind though. Despite the stigma around stories, he still finds time to gather children and ignite their imaginations with tales. He continues to help his sister and mother. And will never fail to help old Madame Gonzo organize the market, or the lovely Bria Smidt pick flowers in the garden. 

Yet, when he meets an odd woman dressed in black, he has a chance to finally be something other than a vagrant - a mist keeper.

But is it worth giving up his life to become one? 

[The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice] [Brent Tag] [Art Tag] 

Tag List: As always, let me know if you’d like to be included or removed <3

@adie-dee​ | @writersloth​ | @inexorableblob​ | @writingwordsanddrawingpictures​ | @ladywithalamp​​ |  @indecentpause​ | @tourneyofashvara​ | @i-rove-rock-n-roll​ | @kainablue​ | @itsmadea​ | @contes-de-rheio​ | @wronglanemendes​ | @kajsaschubeler | @allthepettyart​ | @abalonetea | @ohlooksheswriting

[contes-de-rheio]

The chimeran crown of Lorn Charlevis.

Lorn Charlevis was the first king of Aqualos. He killed all the last chimeras living in the valley he settled in with his people.

It is said his crown was made with the claws and teeth of the mythical animals. No one really knows when it disappeared, or even if it ever existed. But one thing is sure, it is no longer part of the crown jewels collection of the Charlevis dynasty.

What are the most famous lost treasures of your world and how were they lost?

[writerfae]

Facts about Henry in honor of his birthday

I wanted to do at least something for him so here it is

he has a little birthmark on his jaw

as a child his favorite animals were bees

his favorite holiday is Samhain

he can sing (and that pretty good actually)

contrary to Aiden, Henry can’t really cook

Henry used to make up fairy tales and stories to tell Aiden when they were kids and Aiden loved them

him and Aiden have always been close but there was a phase where Aiden was a toddler where he followed him around everywhere

the things he misses from his life in the human world are his family and his mother’s garden (also his friend Hazel, but she and her mom pretty much count as family to him anyway)

he loves reading, a lot of his free time he spends in the library

his favorite book is the fairy tale book Milan once gifted him, he still has it

when he came to faerie he studied the history of fae because it had always fascinated him

he even started learning a bit of old fae language

Henry is an archer, but since he absolved a royal guard training he’s also a good swordsman

as Callan’s husband he’s not only the consort of the Willow court but also responsible of looking after the royal guard

Callan always asks him about his opinion before making a decision because he trusts Henry’s judgement

his closest friends at court are his guard Valentin and Behn, Callan’s advisor

he once went on a quest to find the well that can turn mortals to fae

he asked Callan’s father for his blessing before he proposed to Callan

him and Callan are pretty much soulmates (yes the concept of soulmates exists in my world’s fae realm)

after his mother’s death he kept her necklace and later gifted it to Callan for their wedding

boy struggled with some self worth issues at times but Callan managed to snap him out of it every time

he keeps writing letters to Aiden but doesn’t ever dare to send them to him

Kara, Aiden’s crow, keeps him updated on how Aiden is doing

Henry can have a really calming effect on people if he wants to, though he often uses this power unconsciously

oh and yes, he’s indeed a fae

there’s still some other secrets regarding him that I haven’t told on here yet 👀

tag list: @gr3y-heron @soupopoireau @a-ray-of-moonshine @quill-of-doom @harinawa @vibinwiththehomies @elisabethrosewrites @charleeyy @iced-ginger-tea @hell-yeah-fantasy @violetcancerian @that-one-potato-blep @annoyingwritingtrash @stardustspiral @shipdest @writingqueensworld @imintheunderworld @thewalkingnerdx @abalonetea @andifthestarsweretodie @fictional-semantics @cordaks @kpmccolgan @deekshablogs @myhusbandsasemni @magsiswritingnow @a-box-without-hinges @meiyanaalexia @contes-de-rheio @rhikasa @phantasticdomains @thegirlwithnonickname @marewriteblr @kimblewrites @daisylincs @treesandwords @writingbyjillian @write-for-your-life2 @deadlycupid @yejidoesthings @nora-theteawriter @ladywithalamp @the-writing-avocado (if you want to be added or removed from the tag list let me know!)

[contes-de-rheio]

For lack of time to focus on one story, I've decided to write a very self-indulgent connected scenes, that I sincerely hope will never be published, except maybe for its (edited) epilogue.

[karkkidoeswriting]

BEAR CASTLE CYCLE | Tale of the Soldier

Cúén Cor Faélci

Secondary Character | 24 | Ethnicity: Cerfi | Lieutenant of Imperial Cavalry | Separatist spy | he/him

Faélci is the lieutenant of the other troop in Valeri's squadron and his least favourite person. They have despised each other ever since their time in the military academy. Though Valeri knows him as Fechín cor Faélci, a traitor to Mantgamias.

Fechín was Cúén's cousin, until he died and Cúén stole his identity. Faélcis are the ruling clan in the southern mountains of Cabalusia, but Fechín's branch of the clan sided with the empire during the Cabalusian civil war, opposing the rest of the clan. Fechín's father, younger brother to the count Faélci, Cúén's father, killed the count and took his title leading to a bloody feud inside the clan. It culminated eight years later when a few of the Mantgamia loyalists of the Faélci clan sacked their own ancestral castle and murdered the new count Feálci and his family as vendetta for the civil war. Cúén used the opportunity to steal his cousin's identity and join the military academy as his cousin.

Lady Riona was Cúén. She's dead now too, only to be worn by Cúén when the situation requires it as a costume just like he wears Fechín.

Cúén is a revolutionary and a trans man. As Riona he's a noble lady, but as Cúén he's who he really wants to be, a separatist fighter. The separatist group he's involeved with are not Mantgamian loyalists, in fact they are anti-monarchists, who want as little to be ruled by the Mantgamias as they want to be ruled by the empire. They call themselves Cabalusian Liberation Army. They have a foothold in several mountain villages of the south, where they wage guerilla warfare against the empire. Cúén is a rare noble in the Liberation Army, which mostly consists of peasants, who lost their homes during the civil war, making him one of the few of them who had a direct way to become an officer. So with his cousins identity, unlikely to be linked to lady Riona, he is the perfect man for the job of infiltrating the army to gain access to information and weapons.

Cúén has a sharp tongue and a sour attitude. He often plays the role of a hateful aristocrat to fuck with Valeri, whose playing the role of a peasant. Even though it goes against his deeply held convoctions. Still playing that role is easy, he does after all despise Valeri. Valeri, who he knows is Valeri cor Mantgamia, the son of the late duke Julius cor Mantgamia, who still joined the imperial army despite everything. Valeri doesn't even have the excuse of spying for the separatists (yet). Cúén is not a idealist or an optimist, not like Aerich, the leader of the Liberation Army, who manages to always hold on to his idealism regardless of the odds. Still he continues the fight, tired from insomnia and pessimistic about the future, if only for being so stubborn. His isolation amon the aristocratic military class who represent everything he fights against, away from his comrades, intensifies the struggle. Especially being away from Aerich, who's pure hopefulness can cut through his cynicism, and who he is desperately in love with.

Tag list under the cut! Let me know if you want to be added/removed!

BCC tag list: @siarven @worldbuildng @emilyoracle @frvnwrites @kainablue

@writingrosesonneptune @contes-de-rheio @faelanvance @outpost51 @dotr-rose-love

[contes-de-rheio]

Astralonease, the inhabitants of Astralone, or more precisely here of Astraloné, are known to be for most of them gifted with magic.

While they live in the southernmost known city of our continent, and thus should face the coldest cold in winter, their homes, and even their streets stay warm even in the midst of blizzards.

Achieving such miracles has been a work of a few generations of winter encouraged by the foundators of this nation, as all came from kinder climates. But their exil to escape Ketal and his armies led to some of the most ingenious magical creations. To reproduce living conditions familiar to them, they crafted intricate seals of magic and learned to store magic in aboundance in smaller and smaller objects without breaking.

Though their genius cannot be discarded, it is impossible not to note the disapproval frown thus miracle raise in every Niensherian visitor. They do not joke with altering climate as they know first and foremost it can lead ti the greatest disaster. Their desert is, after all, the consequence of mishandled magic.

Happy Worldbuilding Wednesday!

So, at least in the northern hemisphere, winter is approaching. So tell me about the preparations for this season in your world(s)!

How does the population prepare to handle the cold? Are there any activities or rituals for this moment? do they go skiing

Tell me everything!

@worldbuildingwedasks

(it works like this still yes? man i've been out of the loop for a long time lol)