astrunaria

[astrunaria]

CHANDLER LORE

Guess who I DID ITT

Had to do it to them on my last day of school

IMPORTANT TO READ FIRST

BACKSTORY

Abandoned on the doorstep of Saint Briar’s Cathedral as an infant, despite being constantly surrounded by nuns and other such religious figures during his upbringing, Chandler always felt a little isolated as he compared himself to others. Most of his time was spent in the cathedral, learning the ways of being a follower of Aurelia, or within the local convent so that the nuns could keep watch over him. It didn’t leave him with much space to roam the city outside and get to know the world. He’d try playing with the children who stopped by the cathedral occasionally, but when he joined their games… Something always shifted. Like his presence somehow changed things. Connecting with others never really was easy for him, but he learnt to never let it show. People were just being judgmental, after all; That was what Chandler came to realise as he grew older.

Things would begin to change, however, when he one day decided to hide within the gallery where the organ was located. He’d hoped nobody would find him there, but he was sorely mistaken when an exhausted looking man turned up. He’d guessed correctly that it was Mr Gagné, the Cathedral’s organ player whom he’d never really seen before. There were scales hidden within his beard, that’s the first thing Chandler remembers noticing. A mutant, just like most of the others at the Cathedral. Strangely enough, he didn’t seem too bothered by his presence. The man just plopped down onto the seat without a word, and started preparing himself for the service that was to begin within the next hour. Chandler couldn’t help but watch on, curious. The organ had personally always fascinated him. He had always thought of the sound as Aurelia’s voice singing through a sort of piano (at least that’s what the nuns had told him as a child ). This was like an exclusive look behind the scenes.

It was only after a short while that Mr Gagné finally spoke up. “Are you alright, lad? You’ve been there a while.” “Oh… Yes.” Chandler sat up, saying the first thing that came to mind. “.... Organ’s lovely.” The player grinned in return, as he shifted his head slightly to look at the boy. “What’s your name, boy? I think I’ve seen you around these parts before, down there in the nave with the others. Yous a regular?” “Chandler, sir. I live with the nuns. I help out with the choir too whenever needed.” Gagné only seemed fond in return, a twinkle in his eye as  “Ah, choirboy, that’s it! You come for the music then?” Chandler’s eyes drifted over the organ. A look at the organ, getting to know it… That wouldn’t be too bad. Music was always a balm to his soul.

And thus, Chandler’s organ playing lessons began. The two would meet as often as they could during the week, with Chandler sometimes being able for the mass after he got good enough. If he wasn’t being taught by anyone, he’d be spending hours hunched over the piano by the nuns’ living quarters, much to their dismay.

Now, Chandler was never one to really care too much about magic. Yet, over time, he began noticing odd occurrences as he played. At first, the people around him entering a peaceful state as he played didn’t feel so offputting; at least before he noticed how they acted after. How calmer they were. Too calm. How the sick and accursed who’d come by to the cathedral seemed far better, and occasionally even healed after visiting a mass while he had played at. Something was different about his music playing, that was certain. And knowing his cathedral’s history, it felt like there was one clear answer as to why: Witchcraft.

He decided to go ask Mr Gagné if he knew anything on the matter. He headed towards the crypt near the cathedral he knew that he frequented, and waited for him there.

He arrived soon after. Not wanting to disturb the man while he mourned, he waited behind a nearby tree. He snuck a look at the grave… If you could call it that. A pile of rock, crumbling underneath moss on the far right of the crypt, just hidden from view. It could’ve been a century old, maybe even more. It was difficult to say with the light. After a long moment, Chandler approached Mr Gagné at the entrance. He seemed to have known this was coming. In response to Chandler’s accusation he asked “So I’ll assume you’ve been taught about the Catharsis?”

Mr Gagné was a witch. One who’d been taught by a descendant of a Catharsis member, no less. Everything clicked; All this time, he’d also been learning magic. Before he could ask further, Gagné fell to his knees, wheezing. Coughing out blood. What… What the hell? Chandler fell with him. He didn’t remember him showing signs of sickness, Chandler would have been able to tell. He’d seen plenty of ill people come to the cathedral to pray for Aurelia’s blessings, especially recently.

Chandler led Gagné to a nearby bench, asked him to wait, and sped off to get help at the cathedral; But once he returned with a nun, it was already too late. Mr Gagné was already gone, growing cold, hunched over a small puddle of his own blood. It instantly felt wrong. This couldn’t have been a natural death. No way. Not like this.

Time passed steadily after that. In all his unease, Chandler gave up playing for the church, but studied in his free time away from others using whatever he could get his hands on to try and understand his powers better. To conceal them safely. Rumours began spreading about him being a healer as frequent church goers began to notice the fact that they didn’t seem to be recovering anymore, but he denied it all. Never again, he swore to himself. It wasn’t right for someone like him to have that kind of power. In return, fate had a rather interesting plan for him.

It was the end of a mass one day when he was approached by an unfamiliar face. A calm, elegantly-dressed woman with strikingly dark eyes like voids whom he didn’t think he recognised at the service. There was something… Different about her. Something which made him feel something a little difficult to exactly pinpoint. Before his mind could wander any further, she spoke up.

“Are you the young man they say creates magic from his melodies?”

Sisters, not this again. Chandler was about to politely decline until…

“If that rumor you seem to be keeping as a secret is true… I have a proposal for you.”

NOTES/MISC FUN FACTS

He’s become good at hiding his awkwardness, might even sometimes come off as a little sly but they don't know how socially anxious my bro is

Music hyperfixation fr

Hums/sings to himself when he’s sure nobody’s around, I can imagine maybe he sweeps the floors of the cathedral alone in the evenings and when somebody walks in he freezes up

He probably boogies to music every once in a while too when nobody’s watching he loves music soo much

My gut says he’s the kind of guy to like burgers

Feeds the strays in the back of the church (likes them more than people these days)

[astrunaria]

HARK!!! THOU HATH BEEN RELEASETH FROM THE CLUTCHES OF HELL!!!

[astrunaria]

struggling to figure out how to word the last part of Chandler's backstory so BRIEF interlude to draw the oc of one of my friends for her

[astrunaria]

I'M SO CLOSE TO FINISHING CHANDLER'S BACKSTORY I CAN FEEL IT RAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[astrunaria]

just spent WAYY too many hours trying to design a gyaru oc but I'm not sure if I even like her 😭😭

[astrunaria]

Trying to decrease my character bookmarks but the way I keep adding to them because I keep remembering mutuals I need to attack 😭😭

[astrunaria]

Lilith from @hoyokiii for artfight that I like give your characters lore you nincompoop

[astrunaria]

tried finishing chandler's backstory today

[astrunaria]

ENOUGH

@astrunaria

Just thought maybe I should finally post this

Ehe ehe

[astrunaria]

alternate kinuyo because I wanna use my motivation on my kids SOMEHOW

[astrunaria]

I was having a convo w a group of people in like a dimly lit room today and I was staring at the people's faces mentally studying the light and I swear I had an ephiphany on why those semi realism artists do the blue in the corners of the eye thing

[astrunaria]

my hand slipped and I made another banger I'm proud of...

oc is Kadence by RomerosJoker on artfight

[astrunaria]

follow my bro.

Decided to join artfight thanks to @astrunaria and did not take the thumbnails seriously but I maybe will just casually upload characters throughout since this is my first artfight

If you want to follow me then go ahead! https://artfight.net/~WREN_LEIKK4TZ

[astrunaria]

love how I said I wasn't gonna be that active for af but i've been on the GRIND these last few days

[astrunaria]

not gonna post every artwork attack I do for af maybe but OH MY GOD. THIS IS MY FAVORITE ONE I'VE DONE YET

oc is Clover by disabledabilitymaybe on artfight!

[astrunaria]

GENSHIN'S GONNA LET US MAKE CUSTOM CHARACTERS???

I CAN FINALLY PUT LUCULIA IN GENSHIN

[astrunaria]

me because I KEEP ACCIDENTALLY MARKING MY ART FIGHT STATS WRONG.