#titus paradiso

[zwy01]

Original Noble Clan + Clan Leader OCs!!!

Yay!! Super excited to introduce my fourth original clan, the Paradiso, Clan of Miracles and Wisdom!

About a month ago, I introduced three original clans: the “Volo”, Clan of the Healers, the “Pyradros”, Clan of the Sun and Fire, and the “Ceresthalassa”, Clan of the Earthshakers. It’s time for a fourth one yayy!!!! p.s. I have the links to my other original clan introductions at the end of this post, so feel free to check them out later!

Again, these characters aren’t necessarily exclusive to a specific/fixed setting. They can be interpreted as headcanons that exist/fit in the canon storyline, characters specific to my Millennium AU, characters that exist by themselves and don’t fit anywhere,…etc. Anything really, as I do want them to have some flexibility. So feel free to interpret them as whatever makes the most sense to you. Personally, I see them as existing in both the canon storyline as my headcanons, and in my Millennium AU. In this post I’ll be (mainly) approaching and discussing them in the context of my Millennium AU, though there will also be some references to canon/pre-canon events of my interpretation.

For context, age-wise Titus the Clan Leader is somewhere between Gejutel and Lagus. So older than Gejutel, but younger than Lagus. In terms of title/position, Titus was appointed as Clan Leader either during or even before the Previous-previous Lord’s (Raskreia’s paternal grandfather, another OC of mine) reign. He’s old! Currently, he is still active as Clan Leader in Raskreia’s reign, so technically he can be grouped with the current generation of Clan Leaders (aka Raskreia’s peers). He simply loves his job too much to retire, which makes him Doris’ refuse-to-retire buddy, lmao. Titus’ twin daughters and heirs Anastasia and Anabella are actually younger than Raskreia and my other original clan kids (Azurine, Rufus, Marina), and possibly even younger than some of Raskreia’s peers. Titus just kind of had his kids super late, just like Lagus and Doris.

The Paradiso Clan is a bit of an unusual one. They are the only non-combat based noble clan in Lukedonia. You have the Mergas, who are more focused on defense, and the Volo, who specialize in support such as buffs, debuffs, healing… etc. but in the end they can still fight pretty impressively when it comes to offense. The Paradiso is a completely different case. Their clan simply has nothing to do with fighting at all. Just nothing. They aren’t interested in fighting, and can’t fight even if they tried. Well, they can do the simple stuff. Nothing fancy. Basic moves such as punches and kicks, and small aura beam blasts, sure. But that’s pretty much it. This puts them on the very, very bottom of Lukedonia’s power scale when it comes to raw power. On the surface, this may seem like a great weakness, and maybe even something abnormal, but the reason behind this is much deeper.

The Paradiso were never meant to fight in the first place. None of its clan members receive any combat training in their education and upbringing, as opposed to basically all the other clans, to whom learning how to fight is both essential and mandatory. Instead, the Paradiso are interested in something else. Rather than wasting effort on things that would never become their forte, they invest all their time and resources in improving themselves and thriving in the way that aligns with their clan’s specialty the most. Since the very beginning, starting with their first ever Clan Leader, the Paradiso’s role in Lukedonia is to preserve. Specifically, the safekeeping of all kinds of knowledge, including but not limited to: old and new noble traditions, the rise and fall of noble factions, the beginning and end of eras, the reign of each and every Lord and their respective beliefs and leadership approaches, transcribing works of literature/language/philosophy etc. And this goes beyond just knowledge passed down within their own clan. The Paradiso keeps records safe on behalf of the entirety of Lukedonia, which includes the work and traditions of all noble clans.

It doesn’t stop there. While the priority of the Paradiso’s preservation work is centered around information inside Lukedonia, they are avid collectors of all kinds of knowledge. They are enthusiastic fans of folklore, fables, poetry, drama, fantasy, legends, biographies, memoirs, journals, cookbooks, and much more. Authors of the works they collect could be anyone. Nobles, humans, occasionally werewolves, and maybe even supernatural beings and creatures. As long as it’s interesting, the Paradiso are in. They welcome to their collection great works from around the world, and are always seeking for new ones to fuel their love of knowledge. In addition, many of their own clan members are established authors and creators. While these noble creators usually don’t publish their works outside of Lukedonia for non-nobles to read, occasionally, they’d trade a book or two with a human/werewolf creator as a means of obtaining knowledge. Usually, the Paradiso would buy works from members of other races with money or things, but every now and then one of them demands “an exchange of equal value”, so they exchange book for book. After the Paradiso get their hands on a new book, they would go home to Lukedonia, gather one of their many teams of scholars, analyze the material, transcribe it a couple times, then store some of the transcribed copies and the original in safety somewhere in their vast library tower. Their collection of books is ever growing. Truly the deeds of the clan of wisdom. As for the Paradiso’s special ability, since they can’t fight, their strength manifests in a different way. They aren’t called the “walking libraries” for no reason. Aside from their innate love of knowledge, they are born with the talent of being able to very quickly and thoroughly dissect and master any material presented to them. They learn much more efficiently, and can retain and recall information at a much higher rate than others. Analyzing literature is easy and fun for them. They are very creative and innovative with words, and they even speak in a very poetic and melodic manner.

Going back to record keeping on behalf of others. Of course each and every clan does a good job of passing down traditions and knowledge to their own descendants. Sure, they can manage by themselves. You might think, why does Lukedonia even need a whole clan, whose job is keeping extra copies on everything for everyone, to work behind the scenes? Firstly, the Paradiso exists to preserve, because that’s what they’re meant to do. They cover everything they can possibly get their hands on, from beginning to end. This extends to all types of knowledge that had ever existed and ever will exist, so traditions and history of other noble clans simply get grouped in there. Secondly, this serves an extremely important purpose in the worst case scenario where a clan perishes completely and all their records somehow disappear alongside them. It could be due to an unfortunate event of a total massacre done by an outsider, or a deliberate, malicious attempt by a Clan Leader whose goal is to destroy and end both them self and their whole clan. Whatever it is, in the extremely unlikely chance where there is no one left in a specific clan to provide knowledge and other crucial information essential to restoration, complete records that still exist thanks to the Paradiso’s safekeeping can then be used to restore the clan and help them get back on their feet, and eventually return them to what they once were. In a way, this is like the Paradiso keeping the ultimate backup plan for everyone in case something terrible happens. This effectively prevents any clan from perishing completely, whether by external or internal threats, or both. Specifically internal, in case a Clan Leader goes insane and tries to sabotage their entire family.

This applies to the line of Lords as well. If for some reason one Lord fails them all, the Paradiso have complete records of all the Lords before them, which could be helpful as a reference, analyzing what were and weren’t successful, and where to make adjustments from then on. While this doesn’t guarantee whoever’s on the throne will actually listen, it’s better than nothing.

For the above reasons, the Paradiso are never expected to fight or provide aid in battle. In fact, they are urged to avoid ever getting caught up in one, and evacuate to a safe place if there is a threat. This is because if the Paradiso die out, it means that Lukedonia’s last resort has died out as well. The safekeepers of knowledge must hang on no matter what. In a way, the Paradiso symbolize hope. To guarantee their safety, somewhere along the line of Lords, one of Raskreia’s ancestors decreed that Paradiso Clan Leaders and their heirs must each be assigned a team of elite bodyguards made up of powerful nobles. Usually, the bodyguard teams consist of members from different clans, and each team has around twenty members. Their job is to protect Paradiso CLs and heirs from threats. The bodyguards keep an eye on the surrounding and put anyone in proximity under surveillance, help the Paradiso evacuate to safety in an emergency, and fight on their behalf in life-threatening situations, even if it means sacrificing themselves in the process. These bodyguards are ready to give up their lives at any moment for the Paradiso. All of them are volunteers, and while they may have different reasons for becoming a bodyguard, they are completely devoted to their job.

Regarding the Paradiso’s place in canon. During the invasion of Lukedonia, as soon as Lord Raskreia was aware of the presence of Lagus and the traitor nobles, she ordered Titus, his daughters, and their clan members to immediately evacuate to safety. That’s why they never made an appearance. They were being guided to safety by their teams of elite bodyguards. The Lord also ordered them to hide and not come back until the traitors are eliminated and all threats are cleared. Though, before the Paradiso finished evacuating, the traitors were taken care of, so they stopped evacuating and settled back to where they were before. No harm was done to them but it sure did give them a massive heart attack. Titus recalls heating up his tea and getting comfy on his couch and ready to read a new book and all that, and then suddenly everyone was panicking and his bodyguards literally picked him up and started running towards the secret passage that hadn’t been opened since eons ago. Not fun.

Now that’s the backstory on the “wisdom” part of the Paradiso, Clan of Miracles and Wisdom. What about “miracles”?

That is, aside from being the guardians of knowledge, the Paradiso are also wish-granters. Granting wishes, making the impossible possible, turning crisis into opportunity, performing miracles … those are just a few ways the humans describe what the Paradiso do. Or, what they think the Paradiso can do.

What they don’t know is that the truth is much more complicated. The thing is, there is no such thing as a miracle. Everything is always, always set in a balance, and the universe intends for it to stay that way. What the Paradiso do is simply changing up the order of things in which they are perceived to happen, and in the end, it all cancels out. The difference is while the humans don’t know about the truth behind this “wish granting”, the nobles do. The nobles understand that ultimately there is no gain, and that all they can possibly get from “wishing” upon the Paradiso is temporary relief and happiness in the present while greater misery and disappointment await in the future. For this reason, virtually no nobles ever ask for a “wish” from the Paradiso, because they know how it truly works. Ask for something that’s not meant to happen, pay the price later. It’s a fair trade. Think wisely before you ask for the impossible. The nobles merely use the word “miracle” as a way to address the Paradiso out of respect and admiration for their preservation work of Lukedonia, as well as appreciating them for being a symbol of hope.

But this is a different situation with humans, who very much believe that these weird, seemingly omnipotent red-eyed gods really could perform miracles. And these humans are always begging for more. Many previous Paradiso Clan Leaders couldn’t say no to these helpless humans, and they eventually gave in to the begging. There are a lot of examples throughout history. Human A wished to become super rich, the Paradiso granted it, human A got their desired pile gold and grand castle, only for things to “balance out” later where they lose all their gold, and their castle collapses to a precise meteorite strike while they’re gone, and they’re back to exactly where they started. Human B wished to cure a loved one’s terminal illness, the Paradiso granted it, Human B’s loved one became free of illness, but one year later, human B’s other loved one gets the same exact illness. Human C wished for their rival to get in an accident and lose a limb, the Paradiso granted it, human C’s rival’s left leg indeed got crushed in a carriage crash, but human C’s left leg gets ripped off by a predator several weeks later. The motivation behind the wishes didn’t matter. Whether it stemmed from the desire to do good or evil, whether it was out of selflessness or selfishness, etc. it all balances out in the end.

The Paradiso’s power simply changes the order of things happening, not the things themselves. It’s an odd ability, yes, but it exists. Objectively, this “miracle performing” power simply is. If you add one now, you subtract one later. It eventually goes back to zero no matter what. The nobles all understand this. However, this is where it gets tricky. The humans refuse to believe that their so-called “wishes” have consequences. They always, always believe that they are an exception, that luck will always be on their side, that their wishes are so great and meaningful they will, and must, bypass the laws of the universe. They always say they won’t regret it, and that they’d be willing to do anything it takes for a wish to come true. Apparently, that’s not true. When they eventually realize that wishes get balanced out and they have to bear with the consequences, every ounce of gratefulness they previously had will turn into hatred and vengeance. False gods, is what some humans started to call the Paradiso. Evil beings who intend to cause misery by granting the illusion of happiness and satisfaction, dumping them in hell after giving them a taste of heaven. And so on. The Paradiso never claimed to be gods, nor did they ever ask to treated as such. The humans just decided to do that on their own, until they didn’t want to anymore. Anyways, things got ugly real quick. At one point tens of thousands of humans gathered together to declare war on the “false god” nobles. Though, no real harm was done, as the nobles had mind control powers after all. They made the humans forget about all that had happened. After this situation was quickly resolved, the Paradiso Clan Leader at that time declared that from then on, their wish-granting power should never be used on humans again. They are only allowed to interact with humans to trade knowledge and books. Only books, no wishes. Fast forward to several generations later, Titus, the current Clan Leader, follows this philosophy. He would also teach this same philosophy to his daughters and warn them about the dangers of the unpredictable human mind. One century they would put up statues of you, declare themselves as your followers, pray to you every day, and even kill members of their own kind to offer as “tribute”, centering their entire lives around you. In the blink of an eye, they would destroy and burn those very same statues, and seek revenge on you. Unpredictable indeed. Luckily, thanks to mind control, the humans don’t remember the Paradiso as their loved and hated wish-granter gods anymore. Curiously, there are a few surviving records by ancient human scribes on certain pink-haired gods of miracles. In the present day, modern humans just study these works without being too serious about it. Titus thinks it’s mildly amusing.

Before I introduce their Soul Weapon, I’ll explain the mechanics of their wish-granting skill a bit more. It happens supernaturally as part of their weird noble powers. This power applies to mundane things as well. Say you got unpleasant bowel moments? Go to a Volo and ask for some herbs. It could take some time for the herbs to kick in, but you’d actually be cured, and your guts won’t upset you anymore. Go to a Paradiso and “wish” your inconvenience away? Well, the symptoms disappear within a millisecond and you’re seemingly cured, eeeeexcept a few days later those same exact bowel movements “return”, perhaps by chance at an even more inconvenient timing. Same intensity and duration and all that. And say you wanted to ace an exam but don’t have the time to study, or don’t want to study, and on average, you’d score a 70 out of 100. Go to the Paradiso and “wish” for a 100 on your next exam. You’d indeed score a 100, but for the exam after that, you’d get a 40.

And say you wanted to dry your laundry but don’t want to put it in the dryer? “Wish” for it and your basket of laundry over there would be dried magically. However, the next time you use the dryer, it would malfunction on the first cycle and you’d come back to discover that your clothes are still wet. Basically, you never save effort or time. You can’t possibly cheat around it. It’s just a matter of now, or later. For this reason, some nobles think this skill is hilarious and they often use it as a form of entertainment, in a game of truth or dare when one of them loses a bet. Just harmless, funny stuff. Titus the Clan Leader thinks it’s hilarious as well but of course as a role model he can’t openly say that in front of the others, lol. But he knows that they know, and they know that he knows that they know. In the end they aren’t humans and actually understand how wishes work so it’s just another day for them.

Soul Weapon: Liebe. A book. Emits a light pink aura. Its wielder can choose to hold it or have it levitate on its own. Its front and back covers are black, and have no text on them. Its book corners are golden, and its ribbon pink. Its pages are white and seem to be blank, though it’s actually covered in text which usually only its wielder can read. If anyone else tries to read it, they see nothing unless Liebe’s wielder gives the okays. No peeking, fellas, sorry. Somehow, the pages seem to never run out no matter how much writing goes in there. That’s because the “text” isn’t actually ink on paper, it’s a SW after all (duh) and it’s almost alive in a sense. The text can appear and disappear, and move around at its wielder’s will to display whatever its wielder wants to read. The pages can flip on their own and the bookmark moves as well. Strange, fascinating little SW it is.

Liebe’s wielder can use it to do a variety of things. Firstly, it can instantly display text from any other book at any given time, as long as that other book was transcribed/written by a fellow Paradiso clan member. From the very first book written by the very first Paradiso CL to the newest addition by a young Paradiso apprentice scholar? Yup, every single one of them. That’s what makes it so powerful, its innate connection to essentially their clan’s entire history of knowledge. This may sound a bit invasive considering how some clan members may not want their CL to read everything they write, so to be polite, the CLs always ask people before using Liebe to view their work. Most clan members are very happy and even honored to have their works read by their beloved CL. Yes, even those private gossip diaries, lmao. Liebe’s wielder can also write in it directly. And by writing I don’t mean actual ink on paper. It could be, but doesn’t have to be. CLs can speak their thoughts out loud, or even just think inside their mind with the idea of having Liebe record it, and boom it’s in the book. There are many ways to “write” in Liebe. Titus thinks it’s hilarious to watch the others look super confused when he tells them he’s writing but then they see that he isn’t “doing” anything and nothing seems to appear on the pages anyway. He just likes messing with them lol.

Secondly, Liebe can be used to grant wishes. Specifically, “greater” wishes that would be history-changing, legend-worthy miracles by humans standards (p.s. nobles don’t think of wishes as miracles because they understand how wishes work, they simply refer to them as “time transactions” in a very symbolic way. As for the less grandiose stuff, smaller wishes etc. can be granted without Liebe, by both CLs and heirs, and ordinary clan members). However, due to previously mentioned incidents with humans, the CLs no longer use this aspect of Liebe’s powers anymore. In the past, humans used to refer to Paradiso CLs as “the gods with books” for a good reason.

Thirdly, Liebe can be used to speak with the deceased. Specifically, nobles who have entered eternal sleep, if their souls are still out there somewhere. This is a great and terrifying power, of course, one that cannot be used casually or even revealed at all. That’s why no one else except for the Paradiso CLs themselves know about this skill because of the dangers it may bring, if the others find out. This is the only thing that the Paradiso omit from their library of knowledge. Titus’ predecessor only told him about this before they passed down Liebe to him, and Titus himself is keeping this a secret from his twin daughters until one of them becomes CL. Liebe lets its wielder speak with the deceased through its connection with the deceased’s souls. If Titus wanted to, he could speak with the predecessors of any clan, whose souls now reside in their descendants’ SW. Usually there is no reason to and ultimately it’s no good because the risks of getting lost and emotionally caught up in the past exist. But for those who died by forced eternal sleep for whatever reason, the Paradiso CL can connect with them and offer them solace and help them feel peace for once and all, if they should have any regrets and lingering feelings. Titus was the one who comforted and guided Seira and Regis’ predecessors after they were murdered, and the traitors CLs after their deaths as well, but since it’s a secret, he can’t tell anyone. Meanwhile the other content and fulfilled souls would rather be left alone so Titus doesn’t bother them, so this aspect of Liebe’s skill is almost never used. (For clarification this only applies to noble souls. Liebe can’t talk with dead humans/werewolves. Liebe also can’t talk with devoured souls like those who fell to Dark Spear e.g. Gradeus)

Lastly, Liebe’s wielder can use it to forcefully retrieve information out of any living being. Like literally going deep into someone’s mind, sucking out everything they know from the moment of their birth to the present. It can then display the retrieved knowledge on its pages and add it to its library as well. This spell can be cast without consent and is extremely invasive, and the recipient has a 30% chance of dying after the process because forcefully dissecting and pulling out contents of a person’s soul does irreversible damage. The Paradiso are generally nonviolent and against unnecessary deaths so they never use this skill because doing so is considered evil and taboo. As much as they love to learn, they aren’t desperate enough to do that, and they have their morals too. For a non-combat based clan, this is probably the closest to an “offensive” skill there is. Other than that, Liebe being called a SW is already weird enough considering how it isn’t even remotely close to a typical weapon. Titus jokes about this too. Well, he insists that him knowing your embarrassing cringy secrets IS a weapon so.

The Paradiso cover an impressive amount of territory in Lukedonia. They have countless libraries scattered throughout the land, big and small. These libraries are always supplied with plenty of paper and ink in case one of their clan members feel a sudden spark of inspiration and just want to get straight to writing. Titus and his daughters do have a manor which serves as their main residence, but they don’t actually live there much. They spend most of their time in the Paradiso library tower, Minerva, a wonder of more than 500 floors. There they have everything they need to live comfortably, so they don’t live in their actual home. As splendid and grand as Minerva is, it’s actually quite cozy so they think of it as their “true” home. Also stairs. A ton a stairs. You just keep getting stairs. More stairs after stairs. Titus claims it’s a good workout. The other clan members, maybe not so much lol. But it’s worth it! Minerva’s top floor is open to the sky and there blooms a single supernatural cherry blossom tree. Its trunk and branches are made of iridescent crystal and its glittering petals fall like snowflakes, disappearing just before they touch the ground. The Paradiso’s supernatural owls also reside on this floor. Sometimes they’d also visit the other floors to help scholars retrieve and shelve books.

And time for the character introductions!

Titus Paradiso: the current Clan Leader. A visibly older man with prominent wrinkles on his face and hands. Quite short and his daughters tower over him. Has a very cute and friendly-looking face, and is always smiling. Basically the sweet grandpa that everyone loves. Raises his bushy eyebrows when he spots something interesting, or as a greeting when he sees someone. Eyes are extremely expressive. His beautiful, curly pink hair looks like a combination of a cotton candy cloud and a cherry blossom tree in full bloom. His hair is actually so soft, if you run your fingers through it, it’d almost feel like touching a cloud. His twin daughters made his beard ribbon bow tie for him when they were children, a treasure which he cherishes very much and has worn ever since. Affectionately calls his girls “Sia” and “Bella”, and loves to pat them on their heads even though he’s kind of too short to do that anymore since they’re too tall for his hands to reach. He’s just so proud of them, hehe.

Titus is a jolly, lively, happy-go-luck man beloved by all for his pleasantness and knowledgeability. He is often referred to as “Professor Titus” by the people of Lukedonia. Titus is a humble man and he has never claimed to be a professor nor he does he think of himself as one, but since everyone loves him that way, he reluctantly accepts the title. He’s super flattered though. He still thinks he has a long way to go and much yet to learn before he deserves to be referred to as such, but the truth is he very much is the most eligible person in the entirety of Lukedonia to have the title of Professor. It’s just a way the other nobles show their appreciation for him. Not really having anything to do with this title but rather just a coincidence, he has his own lecture hall in the Paradiso library tower Minerva and teaches all kinds of subjects there. Ever since his days of youth, he’s been doing research, writing books, transcribing ancient texts, composing poems etc etc. right there in that space of his. After he took over as CL, he started teaching there as well.

Non-Paradiso noble guests are allowed to freely enter and leave Minerva as long as they don’t venture into the “clan members only” off-limit floors, so Titus always has a lot of guests. Some are diligent students who have come to listen to his lectures and take notes from him, some are just curious, some think this is a nice location to go on a date with their partner. A few regulars even come here just to nap. Titus doesn’t really care about what you’re here for as long as you don’t talk too loudly and keep the noise level to yourself. As for Titus’ lessons, he doesn’t really have a fixed schedule or curriculum or anything. Actually, nothing is planned. He could be quietly reading a book on a couch by himself or something, then boom he feels the motivation and he’d get up and teach a full-course lesson right away. Just like that. He never schedules these lectures, and they are quite spontaneous, so his devoted students are basically tower hermits who live there full time and wait for his random but phenomenal lessons. You can see why the others all call him Professor Titus, lol. He still insists he has a long way to go, though. Man doesn’t even know how amazing he truly is. His daughters insist that he should be proud of himself and boy, he’s SO happy to hear that from his beloved girls!

Titus is a very interesting person by himself. He smiles, giggles, and laughs a lot. Even something slightly funny can make him break into laughter and gleefully clap his little hands. Being older than a lot of the population means that he sees them as kids, and he loves kids, so of course he’s going to find the things they say and do to be cute. Kiddie shenanigans. Titus also moves around a lot, so he’s either fidgeting or playing with something in his hands. Could be his beard, a pen, chocolate bar wrapper, anything really. He was super delighted when Ludis’ daughter Susanna gifted him a toy once. “Rubik’s cube… is this what you call this little thing? Ho ho, thank you, kiddie! It’s amazing!!!! I love it!!! Eeeeeeeee!!!!!”, he exclaimed. He’s been playing with it ever since and stores it in his beard, weirding people out when they find out that’s where he keeps it. His excess energy is also obvious when he walks. In fact, he’s almost always skipping around on his feet like a little kid. He’s kind of clumsy though, so sometimes he’d trip and fall. Not helpful when your tower is literally full of stairs. He gets by just fine. Titus also hums to himself a lot, whether he’s organizing books in his tower, reading something, or walking around. Could be humming to the tune of a human detergent commercial, lol. If someone asked a Paradiso clan member where their CL is, they’d point to one of their bookshelves and Titus is right there, with a book in one hand and a back scratcher in another, happily humming and skipping around from aisle to aisle checking for incorrectly shelved books. Are you here for a lecture? Well great, because I’m about to give one in ten minutes!! See you at the lecture hall!! Truly a sweet, funny grandpa. If you manage to answer all his questions correctly, maybe he’ll give you a lollipop, lol.

Titus also has a few distinct hobbies. First of all, he’s an excellent winemaker in his spare time. He has his own vineyard and he gives names to every plant. Lady Violet, Curly, Sir Bubbleton, etc. He loves them dearly. He works closely with Leona Pyradros and Doris Ceresthalassa to cultivate delicious grapes of all sorts. The wine he makes is heavenly. In my headcanon all nobles are naturally immune to several types of poison and alcohol is one of them. They can’t get drunk even if they want to, so alcohol is more like flavored water to them. Nevertheless it still tastes absolutely amazing to them so it’s a drink loved by all. Titus has like dozens of wines. Each of them has a distinct flavor and he’d host parties with them. Out of all his types of wines, his two most prized ones are named after his beloved girls, whom he loves more than anyone else in the world. His wines are so famous that even werewolf Lord Maduke is rumored to be a huge fan and imports them regularly (in my headcanon Maduke hates nobles but he loves their alcohol. He knows what the fine stuff is. He doesn’t want to admit that he has an entire cellar full of that stuff lol). In general, if Lukedonia needs human money for some reason, wine exports is a way to do that. Titus’ other hobby is ink making. Your typical black ink, blue ink, green ink, pink ink, glittery ink, metallic ink, ink that changes color with temperature, ink that is invisible until you shine a specific light on it, etc. anything really. He loves to craft ink and even his intricate little ink bottles are tailor made. He totally has “Zephyrus Volo slipped and landed on a cactus and his kids had to pluck the thorns from his bum” written in his super fancy glittery pink ink, in super fancy and elegant Lukedonian cursive, in his gossip journal. Hey, something that funny deserves to be remembered with style and pizazz, so. No one can stop him, lol.

P.s. in present day Millennium AU Titus travels to the outside world a lot. His clan no longer granting wishes for humans doesn’t mean that he has to avoid them altogether. He can’t fight so his team of 20+ elite noble bodyguards always accompany him on his trips. And carry his things for him. And help him make maps of the best donut and milkshake shops. His job is still the same, buying books from humans/werewolves and occasionally trading them. He’s very up to date with the latest, trendiest things, so he even has a whole book on modern memes. After he gets home he’ll get one of his clan members to transcribe all that so he can look at funny memes on his book SW Liebe, lol. Trendy grandpa. You’d never expect Titus to flip around his SW and show you a meme. What an honor!

Before I introduce the Paradiso twins, I want to talk about them together first. Anastasia and Anabella were born after the combined soul fragments of Titus and their other parent split into two. This is a “complete” split, and it isn’t too uncommon. That’s how identical twins are born. In a “complete” split, the resulting now-separate soul fragments are stable and whole on their own. Nothing to worry about, no need to do anything. Just congrats, you thought you were having one kid, now you’re getting twins. In this case, each parent donated only one soul fragment, aka two total, but they got two kids instead of one. Usually, two kids require four total soul fragments, three kids require six total, etc. (P.s. Garyth and Alethea are technically twins. However, their split was incomplete and unstable, and Alethea was going to die, as she was the tiny, tiny piece that broke off from Garyth. This had never happened before in all of recorded history. In this emergency Regis had to offer an another soul fragment to Alethea’s which shortened his lifespan even more, but it saved her in the process. Garyth’s birth was normal but Alethea’s birth was delayed as the stabilizing took a long while so she is technically her elder brother’s much younger twin. I’ll elaborate on this in the future. Anyways)

The Paradiso twins are eerily similar. No one except their parents and Seira could tell them apart before they changed their hair and clothes to be more distinct. They move and speak in the same way, complete each other’s sentences flawlessly, everything like that. If they speak at the same time you’d just hear echos of the same thing, so whenever they’re seen together, one of them does the talking for the two of them. These twins even have a secret language consisting of tongue clicks, finger snaps, and eyelid movements that no one else understands except for themselves. They developed this language when they were toddlers and they still communicate like this when they don’t want others to know what they’re saying. Fun stuff. Sometimes they’re even unaware that they’re speaking in this secret language, and have to consciously switch to a normal spoken language, or when someone kindly reminds them. Whoops, didn’t mean to be rude there. Excuse us.

Regarding the twins’ other parent. It’s a secret for now, hehe. All I will say is that their other parent is one of Titus’ bodyguards. Probably not a surprise either. This character I have yet to reveal, so stay tuned lol.

For now, no one knows who will become Paradiso CL after Titus. Both of Titus’ heirs are competent and eligible for the position. It just depends on which one of them is more interested. For now, they aren’t too concerned with it. They don’t really care. Whoever doesn’t become CL will definitely have the privilege of more free time, so. Either way, time will tell.

Anastasia F. Paradiso: Titus’ eldest daughter, the older twin, and one of his heirs. Anastasia is the more pragmatic of the twins. She prefers to deal with things in the most efficient and logical way. She is also her father’s assistant and is seen by his side more othen than her younger sister. She manages the communication part of the work when it comes to other clans and nobles, representing her father when he is busy with something else. For this reason, people assume that she will become Paradiso CL after him and inherit Liebe. Though, that is just speculation and Anastasia dislikes how people give her little sister Anabella less credit than she deserves. Anastasia is basically only a millisecond older than Anabella yet she treats her like a baby lol. Anastasia is very serious about taking care of Anabella and watches over her even after they’ve grown up. She’d brush her little sister’s hair, ask if she’d forgotten anything, etc. the big sister stuff. When these two hold hands, Anastasia is always the one holding Anabella’s hand. Anastasia’s hobby is making books from scratch. She sources her own leather, paper, threads, etc. and it is a tedious craft, but she enjoys the process very much. It’s like meditating to her, just like how her father enjoys making ink. Her other hobby is poetry composition. She does have a mischievous side where she’d talk in rhyme and only rhyme in a conversation with another person just to annoy them. She thinks it’s hilarious. Apparently she inherited Titus’ mischievous side, lol. Anastasia eventually settles down with Seira in the far future in my Millennium AU.

Anabella F. Paradiso: Titus’ youngest daughter, the younger twin, and one of his heirs. Anabella is the more idealistic of the twins. She isn’t a typical dreamer but she is more open to ideas that her older sister Anastasia wouldn’t consider. Anabella likes to think outside the box and sometimes, that works better. She’s also more flexible when it comes to new approaches to old ways. Because of their differences, the sisters are perfect for working with each other. While big sister Anastasia does more work centered around communication in public with their father, Anabella prefers to work behind the scenes. She manages the storage room, updates catalogues, imports books, etc. stuff that seem less significant on the surface but are equally important in making sure the clan runs smoothly. Anabella does get a bit embarrassed when big sister Anastasia treats her like she’s so much younger, but she appreciates the sentiment and it feels nice to be taken care of. Anabella’s hobby is also winemaking, just like her father, except she uses some unconventional ingredients: body parts of supernatural creatures. Dragon’s scales, griffin’s talons, pegasi feathers, anything with magical properties she can get her hands on. Of course she obtains them with consent. Hey Mr. Scissors, it’s molting season soon, right? Can I have your shell once you’re done? Etc. The alcohol she makes is… impressive but it is an acquired taste so might take some getting used to. Her other hobby is writing science fiction. She publishes her own novels in the human world under a pseudonym and every single release is a big hit. They’re about to get movie adaptations too, so she’s excited about that. Anabella eventually settles down with one of her bodyguards, just like her father.

And that’s it for now! Check out my other original clans here!

[ajoytobeheld]

Philadelphia 29/3

March 30th, 2009

Day One off tour…jesus christ, i wrote “off” instead of “of”…things have got this bad already? Anyway, we woke in New Jersey. I don’t understand why we stayed in NJ, the day before and of the Philly show. It meant two pretty long journeys, desperate to pee, but WHO AM I to question the judgement of a tour manager. Especially one so fine as Joe Puleo. Actually, come to think of it, I think he insinuated we’d get robbed if we stayed nearer to the gig, or something like that.

Some Notes:

Previous Philadelphia experiences of ours had been quite lame. One show at an awful club where we got our spare tyre stolen (fair enough Joe), and another at Johnny Brendas, which was an okay, if uneventful, show, but sadly in an area where there was not a lot to do. Fishtown?

South Street was really cool.

Great falafel from some place called ‘Chickpeas’. Turned on the old English charm and got some free fries given to us. Never seems to fail (even if it’s never intended).

HAIL STORM!

Repo records was really cool. First time I went in they were playing Swans, and then the Fever Ray album. I got the Mi Ami record, which I have yet to listen to, but the stuff I’ve heard on their myspace is rad. They’re touring the UK soon, and OBVIOUSLY we’re away on tour ourselves so have to miss it. Sob.

Best of all in this store…I found an illegal Los Campesinos! bootleg DVD. I think this means we’ve made it. It was a (n actually very good recording) of our show in the little room at Amsterdam Paradiso last year, ingeniously entitled “Knee Deep In Amsterdam”. I need to get a camera so I can capture these incredible moments.

We finally got to play with Ponytail. We’ve been trying to do a show with them for a long time, and it often seems the best way to see a band you want to see is to work out playing a show with them. They were really lovely, friendly guys and their show was awesome. So tight, and intricate and fun.

Also, we met up with Sky Larkin for what Katie informs me is our 4th tour together. Two UK, one mainland Europe, and now the US of A. We played, like, our 8th ever show with Sky Larkin. In Bradford. It’s so great that we’ve journeyed through this so-called Music Biz together, BFFs.

Speaking of which, Patrick and Ian G of Titus Andronicus made the trip to see us. They say they’re touring the UK again soon, and I THINK we’re even gonna be home to see it, so they’re totally coming to stay with me at my Mum’s house. Party times.

Two beautiful people brought us food. Young Griffin brought us oatmeal cookies and a blueberry cake that I’ve not allowed anybody to eat yet, because it’s too pretty to spoil (and I want it to myself) and a really cute girl who brought us animal-free Pumpkin cookies. I think we have the nicest fans in the world.

FINALLY…I think I’m gonna try to not get drunk for a week. I feel pretttttty rough today and if I was less wasted I might have more interesting things to talk about. We’ll see…

[mythvlogie-archived]

𝑨𝑹𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑻𝑰𝑹𝑬𝑫 𝑶𝑭 𝑳𝑰𝑽𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑨𝑴𝑬 𝑩𝑶𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬? do you need to recharge? would you like to do it in one of the most luxurious, all inclusive resorts of the caribbean? surrounded by idyllic beaches and a bustling nightlife, cancún’s most exclusive resort opens its doors for you. at 𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑹𝑨 𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑫𝑰𝑺𝑶 you will find relaxation by the white, soft sand beaches and crystalline sea. our resort offers lavish villas for your needs, as well as installations for your enjoyment. try our signature drinks at the bar, or wind down at our world-renowned spa. and if you’re looking for adventure, you may try our offered activities such as diving, hiking, windsurf, among others, with our experienced instructors and the utmost security. does this seem appealing to you? then book a flight right over! we at riviera paradiso can’t wait to welcome you!

tl;dr: this is a small, chill group about staff members and guests of cancún’s most lavish resort.

application:

( fc. gender. pronouns ) — FIRST LAST is a AGE IN LETTERS STAFF MEMBER/GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for AMOUNT OF TIME IN LETTERS, and they’re a PROFESSION. the reason why they came to cancún is REASON WHY THEY CAME. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is FAVORITE ACTIVITY AT THE RESORT. their personal style is reminiscent of 2-3 aesthetics. i hope they stick around for a while! ( ooc alias. pronouns. timezone. url )

guidelines:

no godmodding and no ooc drama. open to mutuals. muns and muses must be 21+, respecting the five year age bend rule for fcs. you’re allowed up to two muses, and it is encouraged for them to be diverse.

guests & staff (12/12 muns):

( zendaya. cis female. she/her ) — JUDITH HALLIDAY is a TWENTY FOUR YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO YEARS, and they’re a BARTENDER. the reason why they came to cancún is BECAUSE SHE WANTED A CHANGE FROM HER ROUTINE. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is BINGO NIGHT. their personal style is reminiscent of crocs on sand, laughing until your belly hurts & enjoying the simple things in life. i hope they stick around for a while! ( ron. she/her. gmt -3. mythvlogie )

( logan lerman. cis male. he/him ) — ANDREW WELLS is a TWENTY NINE YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO WEEKS, and they’re a WRITER. the reason why they came to cancún is TO WIND DOWN FROM HIS LIFE IN THE CITY. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is SUNBATHING NEXT TO THE POOL. their personal style is reminiscent of decrepit paperbacks, staying up all night to meet a deadline & knowing not to take yourself so seriously. i hope they stick around for a while! ( ron. she/her. gmt -3. mythvlogie )

( camila morrone. cis female. she/her ) — SOFIA MARTINEZ is a TWENTY THREE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO YEARS, and they’re a BARTENDER. the reason why they came to cancún is TO GET DISTANCE FROM A CHEATING EX. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is SURFING. their personal style is reminiscent of sneaking out at 2 am, doing things out of spite & always being ready for an adventure. i hope they stick around for a while! ( bela. she/her. gmt-3. drunkenloved )

( broderick hunter. cis male. he/him ) — TITUS WALDEN is a TWENTY SIX YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO WEEKS, and they’re a GOVERNOR’S SON / MODEL. the reason why they came to cancún is TO GET AWAY FROM GOSSIP AND THE SPOTLIGHT TRYING TO GET TO HIM. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is HIKING. their personal style is reminiscent of a cold and detached aura, passionate kisses lingering on one’s neck & seeing the clouds from a private jet. i hope they stick around for a while! ( bela. she/her. gmt-3. drunkenloved )

( bruna marquezine. cis female. she/her ) — CLARA DOS SANTOS is a TWENTY THREE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for THREE YEARS, and they’re a DANCE INSTRUCTOR. the reason why they came to cancún is GET AWAY FROM HER MOTHER. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is DIP HER TOES IN THE POOL BEFORE ANYONE IS AWAKE. their personal style is reminiscent of sheepish shrug after winning, dancing alone in your room at midnight & scrunchies. i hope they stick around for a while! ( barbie. she/her. gmt-3. sncflwers )

( xavier serrano. cis male. he/him) — MICHAEL LIBERATO is a TWENTY THREE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for ONE WEEK, and they’re a FAIRLY KNOWN ACTOR. the reason why they came to cancún is RESEARCH FOR A ROLE WHILE PRETENDING TO BE HIS TWIN BROTHER. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is GRABBING SOMETHING TO EAT AFTER THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED. their personal style is reminiscent of falling asleep on facetime, skinny dipping under a starry sky & too many tabs. i hope they stick around for a while! ( barbie. she/her. gmt-3. sncflwers )

( madelyn cline. cis female. she/her ) — SOPHIA ANDERSEN is a TWENTY-THREE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO YEARS AND A HALF, and they’re a SURF INSTRUCTOR. the reason why they came to cancún is FOR A CHANGE IN SCENERY FROM HER NORMAL LIFE. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is PLAYING HER GUITAR AT THE BEACH AT NIGHT. their personal style is reminiscent of messy salt water blonde hair, the orange glow of a sunrise & blankets on the back of a truck. i hope they stick around for a while! ( jules. she/her. gmt-3. seremity )

( hande erçel. cis female. she/her ) — YASMIN SELIN is a TWENTY SEVEN YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for THREE WEEKS, and they’re a FLORIST. the reason why they came to cancún is ENJOY HER HONEYMOON EVEN AFTER BEING LEFT AT THE ALTER. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is LOUNGING AT THE POOL. their personal style is reminiscent of sun light beaming through the curtains in the early hours of the morning, lipstick print on a diner napkin & stacked golden rings. i hope they stick around for a while! ( jules. she/her. gmt-3. seremity )

( aisha potter. cis female. she/her ) — MARNI VENTURA is a TWENTY FOUR YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO MONTHS, and they’re a VLOGGER. the reason why they came to cancún is TO FIND THEIR TRUE SELF. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is SPA SERVICES at the resort. their personal style is reminiscent of dancing when no one is watching & color coordinating outfits based on your mood. i hope they stick around for a while! ( han. she/her. est. lovties )

( dylan o'brien. cis male. he/him ) — COHEN CAMARCI is a TWENTY FIVE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO YEARS, and they’re a BEACHSIDE BARTENDER. the reason why they came to cancún is "GOOD VIBES". if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is STAFF TIKI PARTY NIGHTS at the resort. their personal style is reminiscent of salty hair tucked beneath a baseball cap & the sound of a boombox blaring don't worry bout a thang. i hope they stick around for a while! ( flora. she/her. est. twinflamd )

( cierra ramirez. cis female. she/her ) — VICTORIA CASTILLO is a TWENTY FOUR YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for THREE WEEKS, and they’re an ACTRESS. the reason why they came to cancún is TO GET A BREAK AFTER FEELING CAREER-RELATED BURN OUT. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is TAKING YOGA CLASSES. their personal style is reminiscent of freshly applied lip gloss, the sound of acrylic nails aggressively typing on a phone screen & inebriated giggles after a few rounds of drinks. i hope they stick around for a while! ( jay. she/her. est. neighbovrhood )

( lennon stella. cisfemale. she/her ) — CELESTE OLIVIER is a TWENTY TWO YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO MONTHS, and they’re an HEIRESS. the reason why they came to cancún is TO HIDE OUT WHILE HER FAMILY IS INVESTIGATED FOR FRAUD. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is TANNING BY THE POOL AT THE RESORT. their personal style is reminiscent of blood red lipstick applied in stained mirrors, perfectly manicured figers shuffling through dirty money & fake smiles in family photos before returning to silence for months on end. i hope they stick around for a while! ( l. she/her. est. solutiions )

( jamilla strand. demi girl. she/they. ) — MACKENZIE ‘KENZIE’ MALCOLM is a TWENTY THREE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for THREE MONTHS, and they’re a HAIR STYLIST. the reason why they came to cancún is TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is THE ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST BUFFET. their personal style is reminiscent of designer handbags, new hairstyles every week & and dark skin glimmering in the sun. i hope they stick around for a while! ( kris. she/her. central US. velvctelvis )

( olivia dejonge. cis female. she/her ) — LORELAI PANKOW is a TWENTY TWO YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO YEARS, and they’re a SKATE PHOTOGRAPHER. the reason why they came to cancún is BECAUSE SHE DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR RENT. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is SWIMMING DURING SUNSET AT THE RESORT. their personal style is reminiscent of sun kissed skin, the scent of cigarettes & scuffed up knees. i hope they stick around for a while! ( sophie. she/her. cst. summcrshcndy )

( dylan minnette. cis male. he/him ) — WILSON CLARKE is a TWENTY FIVE YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO WEEKS, and they’re a BAND MANAGER. the reason why they came to cancún is BECAUSE HIS BAND FIRED HIM RIGHT BEFORE TOUR. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is 'KICKIN’ AND DRINKIN’ IT’ at the resort. their personal style is reminiscent of poorly written verses, a throbbing headache & the stench of weed. i hope they stick around for a while! ( sophie. she/her. cst. summcrshcndy )

( isabella jones. cis female. she/her ) — MARCELINE 'MARCIE’ BLANCHARD is a TWENTY THREE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for ONE YEAR, and they’re a YOGA INSTRUCTOR. the reason why they came to cancún is TO PAY OFF HER STUDENT LOANS. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is MORNING MEDITATION ON THE BEACH. their personal style is reminiscent of perpetually sun kissed skin blossoming a brand new array of freckles every other day, the ever-present aroma of briny air and rosewater spray & a dog-eared and annotated copy of the uninhabitable earth. i hope they stick around for a while! ( candice. she/her. cst. gildedwoes )

( désiré mia. cis male. he/him ) — ALEXANDER ‘LEX’ LUCIUS is a TWENTY TWO YEAR OLD GUEST at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for TWO WEEKS, and they’re a QUASI-PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDER AND ARTIST. the reason why they came to cancún is IN THE HOPES THAT A BOOZY BREAK MIGHT REIGNITE HIS PASSIONS AND INSPIRE HIM TO CREATE AGAIN. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is THE PRACTICALLY BOTTOMLESS POOLSIDE MARGARITAS. their personal style is reminiscent of the faded remnants of concrete burnt knees and elbows on full display, blaming the mirror you accidentally cracked for your shit luck and your zodiac sign for all those shit decisions & dried paint flaking off along the length of ring-clad fingers. i hope they stick around for a while! ( candice. she/her. cst. gildedwoes )

( cindy mello. cisfemale. she/her ) — DYLAN OLIVIERA is a TWENTY THREE YEAR OLD STAFF MEMBER at the riviera paradiso resort. they have been here for ONE MONTH, and they’re a WAITRESS AT THE NIGHT CLUB. the reason why they came to cancún is TO SAVE MONEY FOR GRAD SCHOOL. if you ask them, they’ll say their favorite part of their vacation is SNEAKING INTO THE POOL AFTER IT’S CLOSED. their personal style is reminiscent of lighting sparklers and leaving a glossy kiss on the birthday boy’s cheek, phone constantly at 1% & catching a glimpse of her dancing to 60’s rock through her open window. i hope they stick around for a while! ( sage. she/her. est. heavvnsiighs )

taken fcs: zendaya, logan lerman, camila morrone, broderick hunter, bruna marquezine, xavier serrano, madelyn cline, aisha potter, dylan o’brien, cierra ramirez, lennon stella, jamilla strand, olivia dejonge, dylan minnette, isabella jones, désiré mia, hande erçel, cindy mello

reserved fcs: none

[gundembuca]

Buca Efsanedir Buca KızılÇullu Su Kemerleri

Kaynak : TC. Kültür Bakanlığı İzmir’in Buca ilçesi bugün Şirinyer olarak bilinen Kızılçullu (Paradiso) Mevkisinde bulunan Melez Çayı üzerindeki su kemerleri İzmir’e Aydın yönünden girişte dikkati çekmektedir. İzmir Kadifekale ve çevresinde kurulan ilk şehre su taşımak amacı ile MÖ 133-MS 395 yıllarında, İmparator Agutus döneminde Romalılar tarafından yaptırılmıştır. Gaius Sextillius Pollio Aquaduct’ü olarak da tanınan bu su kemerleri kesme taştan ve tuğladan iki sıra halinde olup, duvarların işlenmesinde Roma harcı kullanılmıştır. Harcın içerisine büyük ölçüde yumurta akı katılmıştır. Böylece kemerlerin dayanıklılığı sağlanmıştır. Kemerler iki sıra halinde üst üste yapılmıştır. Ortadaki kemer diğerlerinden daha geniş ve yuvarlaktır. İki kenarlarında kesme taştan selyaranlarla desteklenmiştir. Diğer kemerler daha küçük ölçüde olup, hafif sivridirler. Kemerleri Bizanslılar, Selçuklular ve Osmanlılar da onararak kullanmışlardır. Su kemerleri günümüze iyi bir durumda gelebilmiştir. Kaynak: AntikSymrna Smyrna’ya ulaşan bilinen dört su yolu bulunmaktadır. Bunlardan ilki antik kaynaklarda da konu edilmiş olan Akpınar Su Yolu idi. İmparator Titus zamanında, gelecekteki İmparator Traianus’un babası M. Ulpius Traianus Eyalet Valisi olduğunda, İ.S. 79-80’de, Zeus Akraios Tapınağı’na ulaşan bir su kemeri inşa ettirdiği bilinmektedir. Aynı kemer daha sonra İmparator Traianus döneminde eyelet valisi olan L. Baebius Tullus tarafından, İ.S. 110-111’de, onarılmıştır. Bu suyolunun Akpınar Su Yolu olduğu ve Kısık’ın hemen doğusunda yer alan bir kaynakdan getirildiği sanılmaktadır. Bu kaynaktan çıkan su önce kuzeye yönlendirilerek Seydiköy Tren İstasyonu’nun bulunduğu noktaya ulaştırılmış, ardından bundan sonraki güzergahı net olmasa da suyun buradan Bozyakaya doğru bir yol izlemiş ve buradan Değirmentepe’deki tapınağa ulaştırılmıştı. Su yolunun tapınağa kadar olan yolculuğunda zaman zaman kapalı kanallar, zaman zaman da su kemerleri kullanılmıştı. Smyrna’ya su ulaştıran su yollarından bir diğeri, Buca Su Yolları veya Osman Ağa Suyu olarak adlandırılan su yolunun Yeşildere’yi (Meles?) geçmek için kullanılan su kemeri İzmirliler tarafından Kızılçullu Su Kemerleri olarak bilinmektedir. Bu noktada Yeşildere üzerine kurulu iki su kemeri yer almaktadır. Kızılçullu Su Kemerine su ileten su yolunun Buca’nın güneyindeki Kaynaklar-Kozağaç başlangıcını oluşturuyordu. Su yolu Buca-Şirinyer demiryolu hattı üzerinden bu kemerlere ulaştırılıyordu. Suyun kaynağından Yeşildere’ye kadar olan yolculuğunda en dikkat çeken unsur 21 metre yüksekliğe ve 120 metrelik uzunluğa sahip olan Kızılçullu Su Kemeri’dir. 3 katlı bu su kemerinin Osmanlı dönemine kadar kullanıldığı, ancak kemerin üzerindeki kanallarda biriken tortuların temizlenemeyecek hale gelmesinden sonra bu kez güneyine iki katlı yedi kemer açıklıklı ikinci bir kemer yapılmak zorunda kalmıştır. Bu kemerleri aşan suyun Kadifekale’nin* batı eteği boyunca Kemer-Basmane yönünde kente ulaştığı öngörülmektedir.

  Read the full article

[sanoiro]

What we care about most here is Marcus tattoo. It says semeti-

Now either I’m wrong and it’s the common phrase Ut sementem feceris, ita metes Meaning, you shall reap as you have sown. Spoken by Rusca according to Cicero in De Oratore II, 65 or what we also see in Job 4:8 and Galatians 6:7.

Or that is tattoo uses a Latin word which in that case we are limited to: Semetipse: 

Definitions (accordint to my favourite site)

1) (intensive)

2) he himself, she herself, it itself 

3)they themselves (pl.)

Age: Latin not in use in Classical times (6-10th centuries) Christian. 

The above means that this word was used in a Christianised form.... Oh, Goodie... 

But at the same time, it appears in Titus Livy book History of Rome in the phrase Ne ignorando regem semet ipse aperiret quis esset. Titus was born BC and died about a decade after the birth of Christ... 

The phrase is taken from the 7th verse(?) but I included the 8th because it is an interesting one... 

[7] Arrived at the camp, he took up his stand in the thick of the crowd near the royal tribunal. It happened that at that moment the soldiers were being paid; a secretary who sat beside the king, and wore nearly the same costume, was very busy, and to him the soldiers, for the most part, addressed themselves. Mucius was afraid to ask which was Porsinna, lest his ignorance of the king's identity should betray his own (the phrase ne ignorando regem semet ipse aperiret quis esset ), and following the blind guidance of Fortune, slew the secretary instead of the king. 

[8] As he strode off through the frightened crowd, making a way for himself with his bloody blade, there was an outcry, and thereat the royal guards came running in from every side, seized him and dragged him back before the tribunal of the king. 

Now I’m not sure the writers knew of that book or that there is a Mucius there... *cough*Marcus*cough* but poor Mucius made a mistake... He didn’t kill the king but the secretary 

Anyway, that story is well known even today but is probably based on a myth and not History. What is left from here is the famous reply of Mucius when he is caught “I am Gaius Mucius, a citizen of Rome. I came here as an enemy to kill my enemy, and I am as ready to die as I am to kill. We Romans act bravely and, when adversity strikes, we suffer bravely."

As a final note, I’ll just copy paste this:  Dante Alighieri refers to Mucius and the sacrifice of his hand within the Divine Comedy. In Paradiso Canto 4: 82–87, along with St. Lawrence, Mucius is depicted as a person possessing the rarest and firmest of wills.

[ask-the-4-horsemen]

Lychee, blueberry, cranberry, and papaya?

Lychee: Satin or Lace? Famine: Lace~War: SATIN!!Plague: Satin. Death: Lace.

Blueberry: What did you goes as for Halloween?Famine: A post surgery Barbie doll~War: A PIRATE!!!!! Plague: They Tried To Get Me To Wear A “Sexy” Nurse Outfit, I Went As A Plague Doctor Instead. Famine: Yeah and it cost me $5 too~Plague: I Didn’t Tell You To Place Bets. You Did That All By Yourself.Death: Schrödinger’s cat…basically two face but cat version.

Cranberry: Morning, Noon, Dusk, Or Night person? Famine: Noon~ its lunch time~War: MORNING OF THE END FOR THE ENEMY!!!! Plague: Night, It’s When I Get The Most Done.Death: Dusk…it’s pretty…and not many people are out and about making my job easier….

Papaya: What song describes your aesthetic? Famine: The McDonlands theme song~ or alternatively Whipped Into Shape from Legally Blonde is always good~War: 7 NATION ARMY BY THE WHITE STRIPES GETS ME PUMPED!!!! Plague: The Hanging Tree By James Newton Howard Is Nice To Listen To When Doing Experiments, Or When I Don’t Want To Listen To Voices A Starry Night From Ristorante Paradiso Is Always Nice.Death: Death of a Bachelor is always nice….;)……Also O Death by Ralph Stanley but covered by Jennifer Titus (it’s the supernatural version basically)….

[zwy01]

Noble OCs - Anastasia’s bodyguards

Paradiso nobles can’t fight at all. Their clan is the only non-combat clan in Lukedonia. For this reason, Clan Leaders and heirs are protected by bodyguards at all times.

This time I’ll introduce five bodyguards from Anastasia Faye Paradiso’s team of more than twenty.

For complete info please check out the link below:

I also introduced what the bodyguards do exactly in a previous post so here’s the context (highly recommended):

The characters!

Topaz Agvain: Captain. Belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Topaz is practical and flexible. She gets along with all of her subordinates and often asks for their opinion on matters before making final decisions because she believes that a good leader is part of the team and not just someone who gives orders from the top. Her subordinates sometimes even try to remind her that she’s their captain and they’ll listen to whatever she orders of them, but she insists on gathering everyone’s input. Even Topaz occasionally forgets that she is their captain.

Topaz is the youngest captain to ever exist in the entire history of Paradiso bodyguards. She’s even younger than Anastasia whom she serves. The nobles think she’s too young to be the captain of a Paradiso bodyguard team, but they later understand why she is in such a position because she does an excellent job. Perhaps her flexibility is due to her age since she doesn’t see things the way the older generations do, and it’s probably for the better. Not everyone needs to be a Primavera.

Topaz is committed to protecting Anastasia, but back then she didn’t apply as a bodyguard because she truly felt passionate about being one. Her parents pressured her into it. Directly serving the Paradiso as a bodyguard is extremely prestigious and they wanted their daughter to aim for it. Topaz loves her parents, so she put aside everything she had been working for up until now and gave up her dream of becoming a diplomat to train herself instead. Her application was a success and she eventually landed herself a spot in Anastasia’s team. Topaz went home to share the good news with her parents. Instead of being proud of her, they screamed at her, because apparently if she were more competent, she would’ve been placed into Titus’ team instead. Serving the Clan Leader means much more than serving one of the heirs, they said. Topaz was devastated and shut herself inside her room and cried nonstop for a whole week. Soon, she left home and started working. Things didn’t get better even after she separated herself from that environment. She’d tear up whenever she thought about how her parents responded to her achievement that they forced her to work towards in the first place. Her coworkers didn’t understand why this girl seemed so sad, but they didn’t ask in order stay polite.

Topaz admires Anastasia and broke into tears when the latter asked if she wants to be friends, since they’ll be seeing each other around quite a bit from now on. Anastasia noticed how her newest bodyguard seemed a bit somber and wanted to offer her comfort. Topaz eventually explains her situation to Anastasia and laments how she threw away her dreams to impress people who she thought loved her back, and admits that she can’t quit either because there is nowhere for her to go back to anymore. Anastasia sits down next to Topaz and reassures her that the Paradiso will be her new home now, and promises that she’ll always be here for her, not just as whom she serves but as her companion as well. Topaz starts crying even more. Anastasia and Topaz are great friends in the present day.

Topaz entered the team as an ordinary member and rose through the ranks very quickly. She became vice-captain within a few months, and got promoted to captain in two years. Topaz is an all-rounder fighter and boasts impressive offense and defense.

Topaz’ weapon of choice is a glaive.

Otieno Blerster: Vice-captain. Belongs to the Previous Lord’s generation.

Otieno used to be captain, and now he’s back to being vice-captain. He saw the potential in Topaz and suggested to Anastasia that they should switch with each other because he had a feeling that the young girl would do a great job. Anastasia approved, and Otieno is vice-captain once again. It’s nice to have the youngsters be in charge because they know better than most people these days. Besides, it’ll be great to get to chill a bit because captain duties have gone to someone else already. He’s not going to say that out loud though.

Otieno volunteered as a bodyguard because he had a debt to repay to Titus. His parents regretted having him and often neglected his needs, and never hesitated to tell him that he’s unwanted. They called him names and even told him that he’s the reason for their shortened lifespans despite being the ones who decided to have him in the first place. Otieno left home early because he didn’t feel safe there. From a young age, he had been all alone and had to fend for himself. Titus noticed a sulking Otieno loitering around in Minerva and concluded that this young boy seemed like he had no place to go. Titus didn’t ask any questions and personally instructed one of his Keepers to find a place for the boy to stay inside the tower. It didn’t take more than an hour for them to make arrangements. A very surprised Otieno receives a key to a nice, cozy room of his own. A safe place that belongs to him. There’s no one to yell at him or tell him he’s an eyesore here. Titus then showed himself and greeted the boy, and told him that he can stay here for as long as he wishes. Otieno is forever grateful and promised Titus that he’ll repay his kindness one day. Titus just chuckled and walked away humming.

Otieno kind of just helped around the library until Titus’ twins were born, and the Paradiso needed two more bodyguard teams. Otieno saw this as his opportunity to repay Titus and immediately took action. Otieno trained himself rigorously and eventually qualified as a Paradiso bodyguard and joined the team. His specialty is his impressive long-ranged senses and his role is to be on lookout for everyone. He is excellent with his bow and arrow and never misses anything he shoots at.

Otieno adores Anastasia and he watched her grow up. As a kid, she used to ride on his shoulders while grabbing onto his bright blonde hair. He carried her around when she got tired from playing and read books to her when she felt bored. To this day, Otieno keeps a small ocarina fastened around his waist because Anastasia loves listening to him play the instrument.

Otieno’s weapon of choice is longbow.

Naranja Elenor: Member. Belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Naranja is smart. While Captain Primavera from Team Titus prefers the old fashioned “pick him up and run” approach for evacuation drills, Naranja is more innovative. She sets up invisible teleportation circles all over Lukedonia for Anastasia to use if there ever is an emergency. They’re idle until Anastasia decides to activate them, and they are designed to respond to her aura only. This is a safety measure to prevent anyone else from using them in case someone tries to abuse the system for whatever reasons. This makes evacuation drills so much easier and faster because no more running around everywhere. Of course, that’s an option too, though it’s the last resort. Titus is envious when he looks at his daughter’s team, while Primavera just comments on how magic is “unreliable” and the best way to get to safety is by running. That’s just Primavera’s prejudice against magic in general and she blames it on young people “taking too many shortcuts”. What she doesn’t know is that Anastasia’s team practices the classic run-for-your-lives drill as well. Of course Naranja is aware that having both is an option. Duh. The more the merrier.

Hand-to-hand combat may not be Naranja’s specialty, but she’s very good at figuring out how to set up her magic for the greater good. That’s how she got recruited without being a melee expert. Naranja is so grateful that their Captain Topaz is very open-minded and never nags anyone when she is uncertain about something. Well, the average age of her team members is much lower than that of Primavera’s, so of course they would be more welcoming of creativity.

Naranja volunteered as a bodyguard simply because she liked it as a career choice and it’s optimal in every way. Don’t have to work in a big group akin to mini society, don’t have to work alone either. The perfect balance for someone like her. Besides, her talent for magic circles will be useful. Anastasia seemed like she’d be a nice boss too. Naranja is very picky about who she works for and won’t easily compromise this aspect of her preferences. Anastasia is friendly and reasonable, and Naranja likes her easygoing nature. A good job and a good boss, who will say no to that.

Naranja tries her best to not looked tired but maintaining her teleportation circles does drain quite a big chunk of her energy. Anastasia is aware of this situation and tells her loyal bodyguard that it should be okay to turn off her magic for a bit. Naranja refuses and insists that they need to stay alert at all times, and keeping the magic circles there is her job. Anastasia just stuffs Naranja with candies and cakes as her way of showing appreciation for her employee’s dedication.

Naranja is also very good at offensive spells. She can blast holes into mountains if she wants to. She’d gladly do so if Anastasia orders her to “clear the path”, though that probably won’t happen because it’s unnecessary. Eh, who knows, maybe Anastasia would like to watch the sunset for a few more minutes and getting rid of the mountain ranges blocking out the light is the way to go about it.

Naranja doesn’t carry a weapon because her magic is her weapon. But, she sometimes uses one too, and her weapon of choice is darts.

Jaakob Landegre: Member. Belongs to Gejutel’s generation.

Jaakob used to be a member of Titus’ bodyguard team but the latter transferred him to Anastasia after she was born. Jaakob’s a great person and an expert at his job, so Titus entrusted him with giving a “head start” to his daughter’s team. This means that Jaakob is Anastasia’s very first employee, and all of the other bodyguards were recruited after him.

Jaakob is the oldest person of his team. He’s the odd one out by age and everyone calls him “Grandpa Jaakob”, and he’s quite happy with it. Primavera thinks this is inappropriate and she insists that members should call each other by their full names because that’s the standard protocol. If that’s how she wants to manage her team, then so be it. Topaz isn’t going to enforce this rule on her subordinates and Anastasia agrees with her. Anastasia likes it when her bodyguards are casual with each other because she sees no need to be so strict with sticking to old traditions. If everyone is family here, of course some affection will come through. Even Anastasia calls Jaakob “Grandpa” and treats him as she would with her real grandfather if she had one. Jaakob adores the youngsters and refers to them as his kids. He doesn’t have any kids of his own and he’s more than happy to figuratively adopt his younger coworkers.

Jaakob is always smiling. His smile never changes. It’s impossible to tell if he’s happy, neutral, or upset. He even smiles as he’s bringing down an enemy. Speaking of which, Jaakob is great at offense. He is capable of fighting off multiple strong enemies on his own and never wastes any of his moves. He only aims for the vital parts and gets the deed done very quickly. He doesn’t even wipe his enemies’ splattered blood off his face after he finishes them off and just waits for it to dry up and fall off on its own. No one has seen Jaakob kill anyone as there hasn’t been a situation or emergency where it was necessary, but they’re all curious. Jaakob recounts tales from the old days when he accompanied Titus on their journeys through the more dangerous areas of the world in search of rare literature, and describes in detail how he mercilessly eliminated the enemies that stood in their way. Cool Grandpa Jaakob.

Jaakob is alert and walks in front of Anastasia whenever they are going somewhere, though that’s also because Titus tripped himself all the time. Poor Grandpa Jaakob thinks that Anastasia will trip herself just like her weird ol’ dad. It’s okay, Anastasia has a way better balance. Jaakob is still very cautious and he’s always ready to catch Anastasia if she falls. He’s just worried for her. Aww.

Jaakob’s weapon of choice is a longsword.

Haizea Mergas: Member. Belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Haizea is quite shy. She stammers a lot and needs to try seven to eight times before she can successfully say “Yes Captain” without any pauses or breaks. Captain Topaz is very understanding and lets Haizea know that she can just do a hand gesture instead and that’ll substitute for a verbal confirmation. Topaz doesn’t want to stress out her subordinate by making her mentally rehearse her sentences over and over again because it’s simply unnecessary. Again, Primavera would be judging Topaz for being too lenient. As long as Haizea is comfortable, who cares? It’s not like they admit members based on verbal eloquence.

Haizea is sweet. She’s constantly checking in with her colleagues and asking if they need help with anything. Her fellow bodyguards care for her as well and would remind her that they are of equal rank so she doesn’t have to tend to them as she would with a superior.

Haizea volunteered as a bodyguard because she is in love with Anastasia. They met as children when Haizea visited Minerva with her parents and a very enthusiastic Anastasia held the shy girl’s hands and showed her around. They became best friends for the day. As of today, Anastasia doesn’t remember meeting Haizea, but the latter can recall the memory as if it was yesterday. Haizea tries to ignore her growing feelings for Anastasia to no avail, and ultimately decides to follow her heart. All she desires is to stand next to her childhood crush. Haizea is aware that Anastasia likes Seira, and she’s fine if Anastasia never returns her feelings. She’ll just guard her love from a distance and wish for her happiness. That is all she needs to be fulfilled. Haizea’s favorite flower is cherry blossoms because they remind her of Anastasia.

Haizea is very good with barrier spells. Her barriers can withstand attacks from all members of her team combined. She also makes small portable barrier charms for her colleagues and Anastasia to carry around. These barrier charms are single-use and active themselves automatically in the presence of danger.

Haizea’s weapon of choice is a mace.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for future posts!

[zwy01]

Noble OCs - Anabella’s bodyguards

Paradiso nobles can’t fight at all. Their clan is the only non-combat clan in Lukedonia. For this reason, Clan Leaders and heirs are protected by bodyguards at all times.

This time I’ll introduce five bodyguards from Anabella Fleur Paradiso’s team of more than twenty.

For complete info please check out the link below:

I also introduced what the bodyguards do exactly in previous posts so here’s the context (highly recommended):

The characters!

Santiago Drosia: Captain. Belongs to Gejutel’s generation.

Like Jaakob from Team Anastasia, Santiago used to be a member of Titus’ bodyguard team but the latter transferred him to Anabella after she was born. Santiago’s a great person and an expert at his job, so Titus entrusted him with giving a “head start” to his daughter’s team. This means that Santiago is Anabella’s very first employee, and all of the other bodyguards were recruited after him.

Santiago is a nice guy. He insists on everyone calling him “Santi” and has nicknames for all of his subordinates. Like Primavera, he sometimes repeats things a lot though he never does it to nag anyone on purpose. He just forgets that he has said something already, and blushes and fiddles with his hands when his team points out that he’s repeating himself. They don’t mind because they know that Captain Santiago’s just emphasizing what he thinks is important, and they appreciate him for looking out for them.

Santiago is fairly mild and non-confrontational. Perhaps this is extremely weird for a Paradiso bodyguard considering how their mission is to eliminate anyone who poses a threat to whom they serve, but the real reason behind Santiago being so conflict-averse is… Anabella! Anastasia, who is Anabella’s older twin sister, is the more pragmatic of Titus’ kids. While Anastasia would prefer no bloodshed at all, she does see it as necessary if there ever is an emergency because her safety is the priority. That’s why they have bodyguards in the first place. On the other hand, Anabella is the more idealistic of the twins. She thinks of killing the enemy as the last resort instead of the standard procedure. If talking it out works, then definitely try it, she thinks. Besides, she kind of does hate seeing blood. She doesn’t say those exact words out loud because it’ll interfere with her bodyguards’ job, but everyone is aware of the truth. This defines how Santiago manages his team because he wants to make Anabella as comfortable as possible. To be honest, Santiago is just as merciless as Jaakob when it comes to getting rid of enemies. But, if that’s not what Anabella wants, then he’ll change his approach. After all, guarding her mental wellbeing is just as important as her physical wellbeing. For this reason, he instructs his subordinates to only kill when there is no other choice. Or, they can just do the deed a little further away to prevent Anabella from noticing. She doesn’t have to know. Grandpa Santi has it all figured out.

Santiago loves dehydrated treats. Beef jerky, dried mango, banana chips, shredded coconut, etc. Anabella adores Santi so she always brings a lot of snacks from home to share with him and the other bodyguards. Santiago is very polite and thanks Anabella and tells her that she doesn’t have to do this for them, but he accepts her gifts in the end because he knows she’s doing it because she’s sweet. Anabella loves seeing Grandpa Santi’s joyful, wrinkly smiles when he’s eating something tasty. Sometimes Santiago would be chewing on a piece of jerky and he’d joke about how he’s “devouring the flesh of Anabella’s enemies”. Oops, forgot that Anabella is right there. Luckily she didn’t hear him. His subordinates think it’s funny. Then they’d tell him there’s something stuck in his teeth or beard, and he’d blush before picking it off.

Like all captains of Paradiso bodyguards, Santiago boasts impressive offense and defense. He gives one-on-one lessons to his subordinates and claims whoever beats him in a duel gets to take his place as captain. Well, they’re in for a challenge, because it’s no easy feat.

Santiago’s weapon of choice is a pair of rapiers.

Lluvia Tradio: Vice-captain. Belongs to the Previous Lord’s generation.

Lluvia is always up to something. She dislikes how Anabella is “too merciful” towards enemies they should eliminate right away. Lluvia is smart enough to not let her thoughts show through and on the surface, she agrees with Anabella. She even praises Anabella for being so kindhearted. To be honest, getting rid of threats immediately will save all of them from future headaches. It’s called “nip it in the bud”. As much as Lluvia wants to let Anabella see things logically, she keeps her lips sealed. Anabella gets to decide things here, as she is the one they serve. Lluvia respects the hierarchy. She has brought up her concerns with Captain Santiago, though. Santi agrees with Lluvia and the sentiment is shared. Not just between captain and vice-captain, but among all the bodyguards as well. Santi just shakes his head and expresses that as long as Anabella wants them to stay that way, they have to. Lluvia nods silently. Well, if that’s what Anabella wishes for, then so be it.

Lluvia is excellent with curses. Her talent for magic manifests in the form of wide ranged area-of-effect spells. She is capable of casting spells somewhat similar to Lagus’ infamous Blood Mist. Not exactly the same thing, but close enough. Lluvia can use this skill to make her enemies appear as if they’ve fallen asleep, except they’re actually wide awake and in excruciating pain, just that they’ve been completely immobilized so they can’t show their struggles at all. Lluvia never actually had to use this spell before, but it’s a nice one to have. Who knows, might come in handy one day. If they’re ever in a situation where they need it, Lluvia will just tell Anabella that she forced their enemies to go into a “deep slumber”, and now everyone can escape to safety and they don’t need to hurry either because the threats have passed out on the ground. That’ll only be half of the truth, of course, because either Captain Santiago or Vice-Captain Lluvia herself will gesture to the other bodyguards to kill their enemies once Anabella is far enough away from the scene to not notice. While this is fundamentally going against Anabella’s wishes, Lluvia believes that having her best interests in mind is a form of true loyalty. She doesn’t need to have Anabella’s approval. She just needs to guard her master from a distance and protect her as she should.

Lluvia doesn’t carry a weapon because her magic is her weapon. She never uses weapons.

Icarus Pyradros: Member. Belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Icarus looks like he’s constantly in deep thought. His team thinks he’s reflecting on himself because he’s always resting his chin on his fingers and frowning slightly. Anyone would assume he’s busy with serious matters in his mind. In reality, his head is nothing but empty. He isn’t dumb, he just spaces out. Icarus is simply staring into the distance. Captain Santiago praises Icarus for being such a thoughtful and hardworking team member, and tells his other subordinates that they should all learn from him. Icarus just nods while they all look at him in awe. After all, he can’t ask why they’re admiring him for no reason. He doesn’t know either!

Icarus volunteered as a bodyguard for a fresh start on his life. He used to be an interrogator and torturer until that took a toll on his mental health and he could no longer see himself in that kind of work environment. There was an opening for a Paradiso bodyguard position, and he took the opportunity. Besides, it’ll be nice to be around people instead of working alone or with one other person most of the time.

Icarus agrees with his Captain and Vice-Captain on how Anabella is a bit too nice to her potential enemies. His superiors have come to the conclusion that he will be the one to do the deed after another bodyguard distracts Anabella and helps her out of the scene. After making sure that she won’t see or hear anything, Icarus will go forward and slaughter the threats. You can count on him to leave none alive. Perhaps due to Icarus’ previous job, he has the habit of striking at the most pain-sensitive parts of the body when he’s dealing with enemies. He’ll make sure he inflicts as much agony upon them as he can. He doesn’t even realize that part of his mindset from his interrogator days has carried over to his new job. Everyone is merciful when compared to Icarus. The last thing people witness before their deaths after being tortured for so long is their reflections in Icarus’ empty eyes while he’s holding his weapon up high and muttering “I’ll send you back to the sun”.

Icarus’ weapon of choice is a flail.

Heidi Kertia: Member. Belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Heidi is energetic and curious. She has to constantly make an effort to not get distracted when she’s on the job, which is hard to do because everything just seems so interesting to her. One of the bodyguards’ jobs is to simply follow Anabella around. If she wants to sit by the lake, they’ll clear the area for her and stand next to her as she’s enjoying herself. If she wants to visit a friend, they’ll monitor the room, entrances, and hallways as she’s having tea time. Except in Heidi’s case, that’s easier said than done because she fascinated by everything Anabella does. She wants to catch a glimpse of the book Anabella is reading. She wants to listen in on Anabella’s conversations with her friends. She wants to have a taste of the macarons Titus packed for Anabella. Heidi knows she must retain her professionalism, so she doesn’t actually do those things. She dreams of it, though.

Heidi volunteered as a bodyguard because one of her relatives used to work for the Paradiso as a bodyguard. It’d be so cool if she could become one too, she thought. Her family is always talking about it, and she couldn’t help but be curious. That curiosity would grow into passion and before she knew it, she’s finished training herself and got accepted into Anabella’s team. It all happened so quickly. Heidi is more than excited for her new life, and her parents are very supportive of their daughter. She could’ve had a comfortable life at home being spoiled rotten by her loving parents, but she wanted to challenge herself. And so it began.

Heidi isn’t exactly an expert when it comes to hiding her thoughts and emotions. Her inquisitiveness is written all over her face and Anabella is more than perceptive enough to notice the sparkles in her bodyguard’s eyes. Anabella would invite Heidi to come join in on her activities. Heidi is of course overjoyed. Usually, that’s not allowed because a bodyguard is supposed to strictly stick to their job and purpose. Santi and Lluvia are quite okay with Anabella breaking the protocol for Heidi, and for a good reason too. This just means that Heidi can be the distraction or the “bait” to divert Anabella’s attention when one of them or Icarus goes ahead and kills the enemy. Heidi is very much aware of her captain and vice-captain’s plans. She’s very happy to fulfill her role as the distraction, and the three of them have a secret hand gesture between them where either Santi or Lluvia gives Heidi the cue and she goes bother Anabella while they deal with the rest.

At some point, Heidi and Anabella fall in love because they’ve bonded so much. Anabella is very excited to introduce her cute bodyguard girlfriend to everyone. And Heidi? She’s so happy she could ascend to heaven right now. Titus just chuckles that his daughter is a chip off the old block. His children’s other father, Harald, is one of his bodyguards after all. Seems like dating your bodyguard is the newest trendy thing!

Heidi is very fast and agile, and her job is to examine their surroundings and scan the area for suspicious activity. She’s the eyes and ears of her group.

Heidi’s weapon of choice is a pair of daggers.

Walela Ru: Member. Belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Walela is one of the very few bodyguards who genuinely agrees with Anabella about avoiding conflict whenever possible, though it’s not because she dislikes seeing blood. She actually kind of likes it. Walela is just weighing all of the possibilities and she thinks whatever yields the least consequences is the most reasonable. Fighting back and possibly losing one or many of the bodyguards does more damage than simply running away to safety. They can always devise a plan and go back to track and eliminate the enemy once they’re fully prepared. Gather in bigger numbers, notice their allies, familiarize themselves with the area first… it could be anything. Finding replacements will be difficult as it takes centuries to train a bodyguard to this level. Plus, you don’t have to think about replacements if you never lose anyone.

For this reason, Walela dislikes the overwhelming “I’ll die for Anabella” mindset of her colleagues. Walela is willing to sacrifice herself for Anabella as well, just that she simply doesn’t like the way it is worded. Showing their loyalty and dedication is one thing, implying that everyone is somehow incompetent or underprepared therefore might possibly die at any moment is another. They’re pretty hardy. They’re well-trained and experienced. Speaking as if some of them won’t live till next week is invalidating everyone’s hard work, Walela thinks. Well, it won’t be helpful to say that out loud, so she doesn’t and just keeps her true feelings to herself.

Like Sonata from Team Titus, Walela volunteered as a bodyguard to obtain immunity from the Lord. She respects the Lord yet can’t help but sense something strange coming from her. Walela eventually does genuinely warm up to Anabella, though the benefits of immunity from the Lord is on her mind nonetheless. She won’t ever resign for as long as Anabella is willing to keep her on the team to have that immunity stay effective forever. Walela knows her options well. It benefits everyone, so what’s bad about it? Anabella gets a strong bodyguard, and Walela can ignore the Lord’s problems. A win-win situation for everyone.

Walela is an outstanding melee fighter and her area of expertise is close ranged hand-to-hand combat. Her job is to quickly subdue any enemy that comes forth while one of her colleagues delivers the finishing blow.

Walela is thinking about challenging Santi for the position of captain one day. It’ll take a lot of practice, but she feels positive about it.

Walela prefers to not use weapons and favors using her bare fists to fight, like the werewolves. She does carry brass knuckles on herself, and will use them when she sees fit.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for future posts!

[zwy01]

Noble OCs - Titus’ Bodyguards

Paradiso nobles can’t fight at all. Their clan is the only non-combat clan in Lukedonia. For this reason, Clan Leaders and heirs are protected by bodyguards at all times.

This time I’ll introduce five bodyguards from Titus Paradiso’s team of more than twenty.

For complete info please check out the link below:

One of Raskreia’s ancestors decreed that Paradiso Clan Leaders and their heirs must each be assigned a team of elite bodyguards made up of powerful nobles. Usually, the bodyguard teams consist of members from different clans, and each team has around twenty members. Their job is to protect Paradiso Clan Leaders and heirs from threats. The bodyguards keep an eye on the surrounding, put anyone in proximity under surveillance, help whom they serve evacuate to safety in an emergency, and fight on their behalf in life-threatening situations, even if it means sacrificing themselves in the process. These bodyguards are ready to give up their lives at any moment for the Paradiso. All of them are volunteers, and while they may have different reasons for becoming a bodyguard, they are completely devoted to their job.

All bodyguards are purebloods. In my headcanons, “pureblood” is roughly the equivalent of “strong enough and qualified to inherit the clan’s soul weapon and become Clan Leader”. If an heirless Clan Leader dies, the clan’s soul weapon and title of Clan Leader would go to the next most qualified pureblood. That’s how strong they are. By volunteering to join a Paradiso’s bodyguard team, they are forfeiting their rights to succeed their clan.

All purebloods are welcome to apply. There are two steps in the selection progress. Volunteers submit an application form to the Lord and the Lord picks the first round of candidates. Then the Lord makes a list and sends it to the Paradiso Clan Leader and their heirs, who get the final say in which candidates makes it to their teams.

The Paradiso bodyguards only have to answer to the one they serve. This implies that they can directly ignore even the Lord’s orders without any consequences. This is interesting because in a way, while the bodyguards offer protection as part of their job, they’re also under protection by gaining immunity from the Lord’s prosecution.

I do want to get to all of them but there are more than sixty of them and that’s way too many so I’m cutting it down to fifteen total for now. Five for Titus, and five for each of his twins.

The characters!

Primavera Ceresthalassa: Captain. Belongs to Gejutel’s generation.

Primavera may seem a bit overbearing and anxious, but she’s just doing her job as the captain. Regular evacuation drills are never fun for anyone but they’re essential for building muscle memory. Trying to navigate your way out during a real emergency will be hell. That’s what Primavera keeps saying over and over again, and she’s probably right. Titus complains about the drills whenever it’s time for practice because he can’t run fast and his old bones are going to “fall apart”. Primavera tries to convince Titus to exercise more to no avail. He just keeps sitting on his bum all day reading books and he only stands up when he’s teaching. He claims that his “zoomies” count as exercise. Primavera just sighs. She ultimately gives up because Titus keeps tripping during the drills and that’s never a good thing in case he really needs to run for his life, so at some point she orders her team to just “pick him up and run”. Titus is smiling because he gets to chill during drills now and all he has to do is look cool while they carry him around like a sack of potatoes. He even waves and blows kisses at the other bodyguards while one of them is piggybacking him. Primavera is always frowning and begging Titus to please be serious because being in a life-threatening situation isn’t funny at all. Titus just chuckles that having a sense humor is one way to face impeding doom, and hey, if he gotta go, he’s gonna immortalize his charm. Primavera is speechless and informs her vice-captain Harald that if she unexpectedly dies from a “brain hemorrhage” one day, he’ll have to take over because Titus is driving her crazy. If she dies, she hopes she’ll die protecting Titus from harm but maybe that won’t happen because his weirdness will be the cause of her entering eternal sleep before an enemy even shows up. Everyone knows Primavera’s just saying things, because she will never actually quit. They all understand how committed she is to protecting the eccentric pink-haired man.

All of Titus’ bodyguards are ready to sacrifice themselves for him at any moment. Primavera takes it to another level. Her subordinates have never seen her take a break. She’s either on the lookout for Titus or she’s training herself. She’s always ready to respond to her team, but she never brings up anything about herself. She doesn’t talk about her family, hobbies, lovers, why she volunteered as a bodyguard in the first place… no one really knows who their respected captain is. When they ask, Primavera would reply that she is no one, and her sole identity and purpose is being Titus’ bodyguard. They want to chat with her, but there is nothing to talk about. Primavera isn’t trying to be distant on purpose, she’s just completely dedicated to her job and that’s all she sees.

Primavera’s weapon of choice is a trident.

Harald Siriana: Vice-captain. Belongs to Gejutel’s generation.

Harald is a much more relaxed person when compared to Primavera. He agrees with his captain and thinks that everyone should train rigorously as well, just that he doesn’t voice it because he trusts that his subordinates understand their mission at heart and don’t need to have him repeat it to their faces all day long. For this reason, the team tends to approach Harald more because he’s less scary even when they really should be going to Captain Primavera instead. Harald is okay with it. Primavera is too busy nagging Titus to notice anyway.

Harald is a gentle person. He praises his subordinates when they’re doing a good job, especially when they show improvement in their skills. Primavera often tells Harald that he should stop with the praise because they’re just doing what they’re supposed to do, and he’s spoiling them by being too nice when he really should be disciplining them instead. She reminds him that they’re not his friends; they’re his subordinates. Harald just smiles and says “Yes Captain” and bows. To this day, Primavera still has a hard time believing that her esteemed vice-captain is such a big softy, but she has to give him credit because he does an excellent job of managing their team. Perhaps thats why he’s vice-captain. Despite their differences, Primavera and Harald do get along very well and never argue with each other. Titus comments on how they’re “carrot and stick”. Harald’s the carrot, and Primavera’s the stick.

Harald gives Titus personal space while Primavera gives him none. He’s just as alert as his captain, but he doesn’t overwhelm Titus with his presence. There’s no need to. In a way, Harald is Titus’ shadow. Always there, but very subtle. He even suppresses his own aura because he thinks Titus will be more comfortable that way.

Due to Harald’s pleasant nature, Titus is able to relax a bit more. Titus adores his loyal “shadow”, and Harald is fond of his “Professor”. At some point, the two of them fall in love with each other and they share their first kiss under a cherry blossom tree. Perhaps a spark developed into passion. They already see each other everyday since Harald is a bodyguard after all. Sometime later, Harald offers his soul fragment to Titus and their twins Anastasia and Anabella are born. The twins adore their “Daddy Harald��� just as much as he adores them, though Harald sees himself more as their subordinate than their father. He bows to his children when greeting them because they’re higher in rank than him. He insists on being formal with them even when Titus tells him not to. The twins would giggle and Titus would gently shove his beloved in their direction so he can finally “go over there and just give them a big ol’ hug”. Curiously, Primavera is quite positive about Harald and Titus’ relationship. She probably thinks it’s a good thing that they’re lovers because that means Harald gets to watch Titus even more closely. Typical captain logic. Harald just replies “Yes Captain” to whatever Primavera says.

Harald’s weapon of choice is a nunchaku.

Sonata Loyard: Member. Belongs to the Previous Lord’s generation.

Sonata doesn’t talk much but she’s always staring at something. Most of the time she’s watching her captain and vice-captain while she anticipates an order from one of them. Or, she’s looking at Titus. Sonata has a very fast reaction time and she’s a good reader of subtle body language cues, especially when it comes to Titus. She can tell when Titus is tired of Primavera’s nagging and when she concludes that he wants to leave, she whispers into his ear and asks if he wants her to tell her captain and vice-captain that she’ll take over for now. Titus is more than happy to have Sonata rescue him from Primavera’s nonstop lecturing.

Sonata is one of the nobles who applied as a Paradiso bodyguard without actually wanting to be one, at least in the very beginning. She just didn’t like how the Lord gets to decide things for everyone, and wanted to free herself from the Lord’s control. The Lord wasn’t a bad person at all, but Sonata wanted to take precautions nonetheless. Well, she had her reasons. Sonata was neutral when Titus approved of her and gave her a spot in his team. This was a job to her, nothing more. She’s only here because she can benefit from having immunity from the Lord, or so she thought. Sonata was certain that she wouldn’t get too involved. Turns out she was wrong. Even she eventually warms up to the goofy grandpa, and now her loyalty to him is genuine. Sonata would die for him just like any of her colleagues. Titus has been aware of the early Sonata’s true intentions all along and he sometimes teases her about it. She’d blush hard and stutter while reassuring him that she’s truly willing to serve him now and he doesn’t have to suspect her anymore, well, the immunity is undeniably nice too. Silly girl, Titus never suspected you in the first place. He picked up on it before he even let her in on his team, and he probably admitted her because he had his own curiosities to fulfill. Grandpa knew. That’d just embarrass Sonata even more when Titus brings it up.

Sonata’s weapon of choice is a series of short daggers strapped all over her body.

Echidna Kravei: Member. Belongs to the Previous Lord’s generation.

Echidna is quite chatty. You’d think she’s here for Titus’ as a professional entertainer, but no, she is in fact one of his bodyguards. Her rather cheerful nature often ends up disguising her cold and ruthless side, which comes out when she’s around unfamiliar people. Echidna thinks everyone who isn’t one of Titus’ bodyguards is a threat to him and often wonders if she should get rid of the suspicious looking people on the spot. Titus has to remind her that it’s okay, she doesn’t have to go on a killing spree, he won’t die that easily.

Echidna volunteered as a Paradiso bodyguard because she is a huge fan of Titus. As a child, she was one of Minerva’s regulars and admired the intelligent and charming Titus Paradiso, whom she called “Professor Teddy Bear”. He does kind of look like one though. Back then Echidna also saw Titus’ then-bodyguards on a regular basis and thought it would be so cool if she could be one of them when she’s older. Echidna trained day and night for centuries and eventually gets her dream come true. Titus hired her when one of his older guards retired. To Echidna’s surprise, Titus actually remembered her as the enthusiastic child who always asked questions and stayed after lectures to learn more. Echidna was overjoyed and bawled on the spot, to Captain Primavera’s horror because no way Titus recruited a “mentally unstable crybaby” as one of their members. A weird first impression for sure, but soon Echidna manages to prove to her captains that she is competent and suited for the job.

Echidna has memorized a map of all of Titus’ favorite places to get human food. She’s the one who goes and buys his donuts and milkshakes when he has cravings. Well, they can’t send anyone else because they’re too dumb to understand human money. Echidna loves her team and always gets extras for all the bodyguards, and she knows that Primavera is interested in having a bite as well even if she tries not to show it. Echidna was able to win over Primavera with a well-timed chocolate marshmallow donut.

Echidna’s weapon of choice is a barbed whip.

Igor (Gradeus’ clan): Member. Belongs to the Previous Lord’s generation.

People respect Igor as one of the elite Paradiso bodyguards, but they’ll never believe how he actually ended up as one. It wasn’t even Igor who submitted the application form. He never volunteered. Back then, his friends thought it would be funny to submit an application for him as a prank, because he is rather lazy and does nothing all day. He’ll never get chosen anyway, they thought. It all became clear when a very confused Igor received a notice telling him that Titus Paradiso has summoned him for final selection.

Congratulations? Summon?? Paradiso who???What bodyguard???? While Igor was furious with his friends’ prank, he had no choice but to show up. Igor appeared before Titus and the latter took a liking to the young man and he was hired immediately. Well, thanks guys, now I’m stuck here and can’t spend my days in leisure anymore. Then Igor remembered that he could just treat this as a game. Yes, yes, a game. When he’s bored, he’ll just tell Titus that his application was a mistake and resign immediately and go back to lazing around. Wonderful. Except years have passed and Igor never once voiced the truth. He actually kind of enjoys this new lifestyle. It’s like he has found his purpose. His friends wanted to prank him, and while he has every reason to be mad at them, they indirectly gave him the opportunity to find something to be passionate about. Igor was a bit surprised when Titus once casually remarked “Hehe, seems like you haven’t decided to quit yet.” That old man is quite perceptive. He knew.

Perhaps Igor didn’t quit because his team almost feels like family to him. His parents weren’t exactly nice to him and he had a rather shitty childhood. He navigated through life alone and barely made it. Igor had been a lazy bum up until he joined the Paradiso bodyguards. In a way, he sees Titus as his grandfather. Igor is one of the members responsible for carrying Titus during drills, and he’s very happy to do so.

Igor’s weapon of choice is an axe.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for future posts!

[zwy01]

Noble OCs - Paradiso

More OCs from one of my four original noble clans, the Paradiso! They are the Clan of Miracles and Wisdom and their current Clan Leader is Titus Paradiso, whose heir is undecided at the moment but both of his twins Anastasia Faye Paradiso and Anabella Fleur Paradiso have the potential. Their clan’s soul weapon is book Liebe.

For complete info please check out the link below:

(Just a quick note, everyone is a noble here. There are no hybrids. In my headcanons “pureblood” and “non-pureblood” are just terms that nobles use with each other to broadly describe how affiliated someone is with their own clan. And I say “broadly” because there is much more to it and I think it deserves a post of its own. For now “pureblood” can be seen as a “strong enough and qualified to inherit the clan’s soul weapon and become Clan Leader” and “non-pureblood” as “an ordinary clan member” kind of thing. And being either has little to do with lineage and more of just the individual itself. Again, definitely posting more on that in the future)

Straight to the characters.

Kronos Paradiso: Pureblood. Uncle of Roctis Kravei. Alive in the present day, belongs to Gejutel’s generation.

Kronos oversees floors 1 to 100 of Minerva, the Paradiso Clan’s library tower. He’s part of a team that takes care of the tower, but he’s not exactly a protector or defender per se; neither are any of the nobles of his rank in Minerva. One unique characteristic of Paradiso nobles is that none of them can fight, which includes the Clan Leaders. They’re the only non-combat based clan in Lukedonia. This would mean that Kronos and his colleagues are more like figurative guardians than literal knights. Minerva does have knights as well, just that it’s not what Kronos and his colleagues do. Kronos is a member of the “Keepers”, a team of five high-ranking Paradiso Clan members whose job is to monitor the floors they’re assigned to. As one of the Keepers, Kronos’ job is to maintain a list of who comes and goes, report any incidents, assist the scholars and tend to their needs, kick out the troublemakers, ensure that everything is in order, etc. Each Keeper is also the leader of their own team of Paradiso nobles, the “Pages”. Pages assist Keepers with theirs tasks. Kronos is responsible for giving orders to his team of 143 Pages. Pages report to Keepers, and Keepers report to Titus. Kronos has been a Keeper of Minerva since his youth. He is the second longest-working employee of the tower, only to have his record beaten by a fellow Keeper named Varduhi, who is Titus’ aunt.

Kronos patrols his floors regularly and checks in with all of his Pages one-to-one. Being in charge of the busiest bottom floors also implies that Kronos is the one who greets and guides the guests at the main entrance. It’s not a requirement in his list of tasks, but he nevertheless took up that role because he is an extrovert and enjoys being around people. As a result, Kronos is the most occupied Keeper. Excluding the clan-members-only exclusive areas, Minerva is open to guests at all times and Titus encourages nobles from all over Lukedonia to come visit his library tower because it’s always nice to learn something new, and they probably have more books than there are stars in the sky. Kronos completely agrees with his Clan Leader and always tries to convince nobles to visit their Paradiso spectacle. Feeling a bit bored? Come to our tower and read a book! One of our scholars returned from a trip to the snowy mountains and brought back a new collection of werewolf legends if you’re interested; they’re up on the shelves of floor 87. Want to be surrounded by people but don’t want to directly interact with any? Great timing, Professor Titus is about to start one of his lectures on Pangu Ceresthalassa’s chronicles. There’s still space in seating area but it’s going to fill up soon, so better hurry! Want to go on a date but can’t find the perfect location? There’s a nice, cozy corner on floor 42, just keep it down so the scholars don’t get distracted by the noise; poetry analysis is a great romantic bonding activity too! Please, come in, you won’t regret it. Our Pages will be very happy to help.

Kronos’ enthusiasm and love for Minerva also shows up in his reluctance to take days off. Titus is very generous with vacation days and while he appreciates Kronos’ dedication, he wants his employees to have fun too. To Kronos, work is fun. Titus then has to kick him out and order him to “go get a breather”, because he won’t step outside otherwise. Kronos is one of the tower hermits, which is what the nobles call Keepers, Pages, scholars, and anyone who has their own place of residence outside Minerva but is so obsessed with their career that they basically just live inside the tower full-time instead. Kronos sometimes gets sad about having to put a pause on his work, but he understands that his Clan Leader is ordering him out of good will.

Kronos’ hobby is reading autobiographies of other nobles. Minerva accepts them from anyone who is willing to submit one, so new ones are constantly coming in. Kronos thinks reading autobiographies is a way to “befriend” other people even if they’re no longer alive. These friendships, despite metaphorical, transcend time and space. Kronos is currently reading an autobiography of a Mergas knight from the ancient generations. When he’s done with that, he’ll read one by a Landegre butler. Then he’ll pick another one from the new batch his Pages have collected recently. Kronos plans to write one for himself so future generations can “befriend” him. Maybe he should get started soon because he’s old. Well, he always jokes about he looks younger than most people his age because reading smooths wrinkles. The secret is brain power. It’s magic!

Kronos is currently single and thinks about dating once he retires. Who knows when he’ll actually retire because he’s been saying that for years but he never actually does it. Someone set this workaholic grandpa on a date.

Fyodor Paradiso: Non-pureblood. Older brother of Tomomi Paradiso, cousin of Yamuna Pyradros. Alive in the present day, belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Fyodor is a young scholar. His area of expertise is comparison and analysis of the reigns of past and current noble Lords. When he is done with his current research, he plans to do a thorough study on the motives behind each traitor noble’s deeds as well as the dynamics between them as a group. Fyodor understands that this is a bit of a sensitive topic, but he wants to commit to it nonetheless. He believes that there’s more than meets the eye, and he’s probably right. There just has to be, even if Lord Raskreia doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about admitting it. Perhaps his fellow scholars would agree with him, but quite a few of them don’t feel comfortable voicing it. On the other hand, Titus is quite supportive.

Fyodor plans to interview people who knew the traitors to gather clues. It could be their family, friends, acquaintances, maids, knights, anyone. And he’ll narrow it down so he gets every single one of them. This will be difficult to accomplish since some of them may refuse cooperation out of fear of being associated with the traitors, but Fyodor still wants to try. He needs to gather every last clue for his research to happen. This applies to territory outside Lukedonia as well. Fyodor is willing to pack his bags and go on a solo quest to search the ends of the earth for traces of evidence if he has to. He’s already thinking about what he should do once he gets to werewolf island to ask about Ignes Kravei, a traitor noble who worked for the notorious werewolf Lord Maduke as a scientist before she died. If Fyodor does embark on this journey, he has to do a lot of preparation beforehand because he has never stepped outside of Lukedonia before, let alone interact with werewolves. He might also have to learn how to be around humans, because he thinks there are remnants of the traitors’ deeds in the human world and they too will be valuable puzzle pieces. It’s going to be a big project either way. Fyodor hasn’t taken any action yet, but he has already begun to think about it. He isn’t in a hurry, but evidence will fade with time, so he has to make up his mind sooner or later. For now, he’ll just keep working on the history of Lords. Besides, his little sister Tomomi needs him; she’ll grow anxious if he’s not present, so it might be better to stay. Her wellbeing is more important than his vision of a fulfilling career. Fyodor won’t go if she tells him not to. He’ll still think about it every now and then, though.

Fyodor likes to exercise in his free time. As a Paradiso, he is weaker and less durable than other nobles, but that won’t stop him from going on a long jog in the forest. It’s a good way to shake off stress from work.

Fyodor is rumored to be the partner of a certain Volo researcher who is studying lifespan loss reversal.

Varduhi Paradiso: Pureblood. Aunt of Titus Paradiso. Alive in the present day, belongs to Lagus’ generation.

Varduhi is a Keeper and oversees floors 401 to 499 of Minerva. She’s been a Keeper since before Titus, her nephew and Clan Leader, was born. She currently holds the record as the longest serving member of the library tower. Titus and Auntie Varduhi have an ongoing joke between the two of them and they’re casually betting on who is going to retire first. He’s old, she’s even older. Varduhi is confident that she’d still be a Keeper by the time either Anastasia or Anabella succeeds Titus as Clan Leader. Just try her. Well, time will tell! Aunt and nephew are close, as Varduhi was the one who watched young Titus whenever his parents were too busy. Varduhi has no children, and her nephew’s twins are like grandchildren to her.

Varduhi is not as busy as Kronos even though both of them are Keepers. The higher you go, the less people there are. Varduhi is in charge of Minerva’s top floors, so she gets to chill a bit while Kronos is always on his feet. Still, being a Keeper is no easy job for anyone. Varduhi is glad that she doesn’t need to do what Kronos is doing with all that guest reception business near the main entrance on the first floor. Perhaps it’s due to her age or simply part of her personality, but being subjected to unnecessary periods of prolonged contact with others annoys her. Varduhi’s Pages know to not waste her time and just get to the point. Report, and leave. She also dislikes it when they come to her for insight on “trivial” matters that they could’ve dealt with on their own, but she tactfully deals with it by telling her Pages that she trusts their judgement, and while they should fully utilize that judgement, they are still welcome to come to her if they think her intervention is required for an emergency. Varduhi is calm and practical, though she can come off as cold sometimes. People might be scared of her at first, but they end up appreciating her for who she is. Varduhi is very no-nonsense when it comes maintaining certain standards. She thinks Titus and Kronos are too lenient towards incompetence from subordinates. Varduhi is focused and efficient, and expects that from her people well. If she catches one of her Pages slacking off, she’d demote them or even fire them on the spot. Grandma doesn’t give second chances. If they show that they don’t have what takes to be here, they’re out. How can they even call themselves a Paradiso if they aren’t ready to serve Minerva to the best of their ability? This means no daydreaming, no gossiping, no workplace dating. Varduhi has a strict zero-distraction policy. As long as they’re here for work, they can’t zone-out. For this reason, many of her Pages are envious of those who work under the four other Keepers because none of them are as extreme as her. At the same time, working under Varduhi has its perks, especially for those who share her sense of organization and responsibility. Titus jokes that they’ll all resign if she keeps being mean to them. Auntie just replies that she has standards. It’s called professionalism, sweetie.

Varduhi likes to bake in her free time. While she does most of her baking at home, she also has an oven on floor 473 of the tower. That’s where she makes pies, cakes, muffins, and cookies when she’s free but too lazy to go home. It’s mostly for making goodies for Titus and his twins because she adores them, but sometimes she’d also be in the mood to reward her Pages for a job well done. If Varduhi is feeling generous, she might even bake for all the scholars on her floors. Free treats for everyone!

Varduhi’s partner is an unnamed Tradio.

Isolde Paradiso: Non-pureblood. Niece of Esther Volo, lover of Calytrix Agvain, and mother of Urokai Agvain. Alive in the present day, belongs to somewhere in between Gejutel’s and the Previous Lord’s generation.

Isolde is a retired Page who worked under Varduhi. She started out as a scholar but never really found her one true passion despite spending centuries jumping between different areas of interest. Ultimately, she decided to work as a Page instead because she felt like she was more suited for assisting scholars rather than being a scholar herself. Before Isolde made her career change, she was one of the record keepers who focused on preserving traditions on behalf of the other clans. She did most of her work on the Agvain Clan.

Isolde enjoyed working under Varduhi as a Page. Like Varduhi, she is very no-nonsense and thinks that the Pages under the other Keepers treat Minerva like a circus and don’t take their jobs seriously enough. Isolde is convinced that the only truly qualified Pages are the ones under Varduhi, who is the only competent Keeper.

To Isolde, her coworkers who got demoted or fired by Varduhi for workplace dating deserved it very much because it is unacceptable to put your own love life above being ready to serve the scholars and Minerva at all times. It doesn’t matter if they weren’t busy at the moment; work is work and that should be the number one priority. That is, until the charming, adventurous, and passionate Calytrix Agvain starts visiting Minerva.

Isolde just assumes that Calytrix comes here to escape from her clan members who are looking for her. Minerva is a good choice for hiding because they’d never guess that their Clan Leader reads. Calytrix catches a glimpse of Isolde and instantly falls in love. She thinks this pink-haired woman’s scrunched up frowns near her nose are so cute, and loves how attentive she is to the scholars. So beautiful and kind. Calytrix knows how Varduhi manages her Pages, so she flirts with Isolde whenever there’s an opening because she doesn’t want to get her fired for violating the zero-distraction policy.

At first, Isolde would run inside the clan-members-only exclusive areas to escape from Calytrix whenever she sees her coming because all she does is flirt. Isolde only goes back outside when she thinks Calytrix is gone, but then the latter would pop out from behind a bookshelf and now she’s stuck because attending to guests is the polite thing to do as a Page. Calytrix is smart, so she would ask Isolde to introduce her to… poetry, or whatever is on the shelf right here because Varduhi is walking this way so must appear busy to not get Isolde kicked out. Isolde actually ends up getting praised by her Keeper because she must be doing such a good job for the honored Agvain Clan Leader to become a regular at Minerva. She even rewards Isolde with the position of “Spine”, which is a Page who leads their own small section of ten other Pages. Well, an accidental promotion is still a promotion. Varduhi then tells Isolde that she should continue to serve the Agvain Clan Leader when she visits. Calytrix and Isolde basically get to be around each other without needing to be secretive anymore. Calytrix develops a genuine love for poetry, and the ever-so-distant Isolde eventually returns Calytrix’s feelings. Sometime later, Isolde offers a soul fragment to Calytrix and they have their son Urokai. At this point, Isolde has retired from being a Page because she’s intrigued by Calytrix’s passion for life and wants to explore the world for herself with her beloved. They coparent Urokai as casual lovers and friends, and visit Minerva together as a family bonding activity. Varduhi sometimes gives treats to her former employee’s son as well.

Isolde currently writes fiction and non-fiction novels as a hobby, but she only picks it up when she’s in the mood. No one knows how she’s doing now. Isolde doesn’t seem to go outside anymore since Calytrix and Urokai have died. If her lover’s death broke her, then her son’s death crushed her.

Isolde lives in solitude and most likely won’t date anymore.

Tomomi Paradiso: Non-pureblood. Younger sister of Fyodor Paradiso, cousin of Yamuna Pyradros. Alive in the present day, belongs to Raskreia’s generation.

Tomomi is a young scholar just like her older brother. Her area of expertise is modern human culture. That’s a very vague way of putting it, because what she actually researches is… memes! Yep, those things human post on “social media” and send to each other. Many of the older Paradiso scholars view these so-called memes as inferior to the more traditional and sophisticated ways of expression. It works but lacks elegance. Tomomi would like to disagree. The whole point of memes is that they’re simple and straightforward. They evolve and adapt just like any other form of media. Tomomi believes that the cultural significance behind memes should even be studied as an art form. Surely the nobles can make use of such an efficient method of transmitting ideas to each other. Why work hard when you can work smart? At some point Titus overhears Tomomi arguing with an elderly scholar about how memes deserve a permanent place in their library’s records, and he promptly shows her his full support. Titus is very curious about this “new art form”, and everyone could see his eyes light up. He tells Tomomi that she should totally go for it and how much he is looking forward to enjoying the fruits of her labor. Boom. Hah, take that, you oldies. Even our Clan Leader agrees.

Tomomi is the master of humans memes. She analyzes them, adds them to her tree diagram of “meme evolution”, and transcribes them by hand for Titus to enjoy. Titus’ book soul weapon Liebe can instantly display content from any other book at any given time as long as it was written by a fellow Paradiso clan member. That’s exactly what Tomomi is doing here. She feels great about being her Clan Leader’s primary supplier of endless entertainment. The others can be jealous about Titus showing levels of enthusiasm he has never shown before in any of his researchers.

Tomomi works on the same floor as her older brother Fyodor because she likes to stay close to him. She knows that he’s thinking about leaving Lukedonia to pursue his research one day, and dreads the time when it comes because she doesn’t know what she’ll do when he leaves. If she can’t convince him to stay, then she might just leave with him. While Tomomi would prefer to stay inside Lukedonia, she does have some curiosity about the outside world, so going on a quest with her brother doesn’t sound bad at all. Maybe she’ll even get to enhance her own meme research in the human world. Who knows.

Tomomi has a crush on an unnamed Page who is responsible for her floor. His Keeper is one of the more lenient ones like Kronos, so the two of them get to have small talk quite often.

(Fyi Keepers can’t interfere with each other’s management. They also can’t give orders to another Keeper’s Pages, only their own. Their power is limited to their assigned sections)

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for future posts!