#Ghiasuli

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Do the people look like lizard folk from dnd or is it more humanoid?

Also since they are reptilian do they have specific places for sun bathing/warming up? Like have they made up for some of their needs in their architecture?

(This all sounds super cool omg i might have to deep dive this blog)

The alternate forms commonly used by Anryuu look more or less "human", yep! Their ability to shapeshift develops early in their youth, and they end up spending most of their time in their secondary forms as a matter of convenience, social decency, etc.

However, there are some indications of species that stand out even in an Anryuu's secondary form: Dzlethians retain the horns on their head, Ghiasuli have pointed ears, and Giants (a theorized sub-species/relative of the Dzlethians) have both the horns on their head and a second pair located near the lateral end of the clavicle.

As for body temperature, Anryuu are likely mesotherms! This category includes lamnid sharks and leatherback sea turtles, which generate sufficient body heat through body size/surface-volume ratio and/or muscle activity to not be truly "cold-blooded". So nope, they do not need sunbathing accommodations. (Disclaimer: I may change this idea as I do more research on the subject.)

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For an upcoming ask game.... 

Anryuu Epic Antagonists

Zaire Xavier Odiar — The major problem who initially seems like a harmless eccentric, but soon inserts himself into the worst of everything in sight. His goal is to resurrect his ancestor, Phantasmagoria Odiar, and cause chaos by her side. 

Wendigo Ratched — The leader of the corrupted Daryan Science Division, now known as Wendigo Works. A power-hungry tyrant of her organization who’s on a constant search for knowledge and power. Her goal is simply to achieve as much as possible. 

Libitina — A former Daryan military commander and the one to resurrect Amarabeth in an attempt for the throne. A major racist who believes that Daryans are the only species that should be allowed to live... and a terrible “mother”. 

Amarabeth — The supposed “lost princess” of the Daryan throne. Actually a Resurrection Statue created by Libitina as a means to get power. A spoiled brat who thinks that the world revolves around her and that other people have to bow to her will. 

Cassius — Since he’s terrified of death, his goal is simply to live forever. This is accomplished through a “Life Machine” that extends his lifespan by draining it out of other people. A paranoid, desperate man who uses his charisma to trick others to stay by his side. 

Delphi Novus — The former Dzlethian queen, killed in battle by Aracaan. A mad queen who twisted everything in her and her son’s favor. More or less drove the country into the ground through her selfish, ill-advised choices and need for control. 

Ellionette Dragomir — The highest-ranking person in the Dzlethian military and Delphi’s former best friend. A cruel woman who only cares for power and revenge... and will use her children to do it. Her goal is to finish what Delphi started.

Rosencrantz Dragomir — Ellionette’s oldest (and least favorite) son. Viciously jealous of his younger brother and desperate to get into his mother’s good graces. A nasty little bastard who would do anything to be loved. Violent, temperamental, and obedient only to mommy. 

Phantasmagoria Odiar — Her only goal in the world is to cause chaos. If you accept the consequences of your actions, you can do whatever you want, right? Lives for her own enjoyment with no concern for anyone or anything else in the world. 

Juno — A raging yandere with a sister complex whose immortality powers have allowed her to live for almost a thousand years. The one thing she cares about is being by her adopted sister’s side... forever. Works with Wendigo in a symbiotic relationship. 

Solaris Milomir — The highest-ranking person in the Ghiasuli military. His goal is to marry the crown princess and use her to take control of the country for his own gain. Arrogance is his defining trait, and he wants respect and power more than anything. 

Lucian Sylvius — A Daryan nobleman who has a similar goal to Solaris. However, he’s less picky. Involved with some generally sketchy shit, including trafficking. Just wants to be powerful and admired. A truly pathetic coward underneath it all. 

Malachi Everald — One of the current candidates for the Dzlethian throne. His mother was killed by Delphi and he’s out for revenge. An immature child who doesn’t understand how deep he’s getting himself into, or the consequences of his choices. 

Lilura — A shapeshifting magic-user who amounts to a conman, offering to grant people’s “wishes”. Actually just a sadist who thrives off of giving hope... then yanking it away. Appears cute and harmless, but is remarkably slippery and hard to pin down. 

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Map time! This is... probably nowhere near "complete", but the general layout of all three countries (divided by the rivers) and locations of major cities/ritual sites is here, at least! :D

(Upper left is the Daryans, right is the Dzlethians, and the lowest area is the Ghiasuli)

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So the Anryuu's base forms are dragons. Do you have any headcanons for what type of dragons they are? Like, are the Daryan, Dzlethian, and Ghiasuli different types of dragons (eastern vs western, wrym vs wyvern, etc)? Or do they share common anatomy?

I have art! It is not exactly good art, but it's good enough! >3>

Ghiasuli —> Daryan —> Dzlethian

Ghiasuli are the "tallest", but they're nowhere near as sturdy/solid as Daryans. Their limbs are thinner and they don't have as much muscle mass, but they have large ribcages and massive wings that make them the best fliers of the three.

Daryans are a similar shape, overall, but much thicker/stockier than Ghiasuli. Their wings are proportionately smaller, and not designed for long periods of flight.

Dzlethians are the odd ones out. They're more lizard-like in general anatomy, and have two sets of wings instead of one. They're meant for traversing thick forests and steep mountain areas, so being small and agile has been a historical advantage.

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oooo ok maybe more about the starlight sect that temperance is in??

The Starlight Sect is an international organization whose operations center around providing medical aid to Anryuu of all three species, with a specialty in prosthetics. It's not affiliated with any country, its members are of all scale colors and species, and it's allowed to function with minimal interference by any government because of the vital services it provides. Regardless of what war or external conflict is happening at the time, the Starlight Sect runs as usual.

However, there's another side to the seemingly benevolent organization. The Starlight Sect also functions as a massive cult with an ideology centered around "purging the flesh" and transforming living bodies into machines. Making advanced, highly functional prosthetics is their way of preaching what they practice— though, fortunately, they're not inclined to force anyone into sharing the belief that disposing of one's physical body is the way to an ideal existence. Despite their disinterest in keeping their side practice secret from the rest of the world, the services the Starlight Sect provides are too valuable for any nation to try to intrude.

The leader of the group is a Ghiasuli woman named Stand-Fast-On-High Eskhatos, who currently has progressed further into "purging the flesh" than anyone else. Stand-Fast-On-High's organic body has been reduced to her head, heart, and the parts that connect the two, while the rest of her functioning is composed of an advanced machinery system similar to life support. Although she's normally confined to her "control room", she's capable of piloting a separate, mechanical body outside of it for short periods of time.

Stand-Fast-On-High's way of leading the group is relatively benign. She's not interested in conflict or power struggles— simply progressing the Sect's mission while providing medical aid to as many people as it can reach is perfectly satisfactory to her. However, if anyone should try to threaten or provoke the Starlight Sect, her more firm methods of leadership would quickly become clear.

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Test Subject: Neptune Bio

Name: Test Subject Neptune

Species: Ghiasuli

Race: Bluescale

Role: A Test Subject of Winterkill Works, formerly from the Ghiasuli side of the border. Relaxed to a concerning degree, he doesn’t seem to be concerned with any of the disturbing happenings around him. His power is one of two given to the Test Subjects that didn’t backfire. 

Affiliation: Winterkill Works

Gender: Male

Age: 19

Height: 6’3

Appearance: Neptune is a tall, thin man with a lanky, narrow build. His skin is tanned from time spent out in the sun, his eyes are the same blue as a cloudless sky, and his features are gentle and relaxed. Light blond hair falls to around his shoulder blades (with the lower half of it dyed a bright, shimmering turquoise by Apollo), and his bangs are kept pinned up. 

Personality: Neptune is, above all, slow-paced. He’s relaxed to the point of detachment from the world around him, seemingly lost in his own head at all times. Aimless and lacking ambition, he’s content to merely lie around and let his life pass him by, uncaring of what he misses. He moves at his own pace even if it inconveniences others, but while he’s far from apologetic, he doesn’t go out of his way to cause trouble or distress. Those who approach him are met with open, unguarded kindness, though, and he’s the type who tolerates a bit too much from people before he’ll fight back. Secretive, he doesn’t voice the things he thinks about, preferring to let his inner world remain a mystery to everyone, his true thoughts much the same.

Positive Traits: Neptune’s laid-back nature can be a benefit to him. He rarely gets caught up in stress or anxiety, and has a particular sense of confidence that comes from just plain not caring about much of anything. He’s generally an approachable, pleasant person; someone who’s easy to talk to and easy to trust. Being around him often drags others into his pace, bringing a sense of calmness to otherwise tense situations. He’s extremely psychologically resilient and good at helping others as a result. 

Negative Traits: At the same time that it’s his greatest asset, that laid-back nature is Neptune’s biggest flaw. His apathy hurts him more than he realizes, especially in terms of a lack of connection with other people and a lack of control over his own life. He’s utterly aimless, having no hopes, goals, or dreams outside of things that he fully believes are impossible. In the end, he’s the type to do nothing but lie around and daydream about better things while never actually trying to improve the situation he’s in. 

History: As a teenager, Neptune worked on a ship at a particular Ghiasuli lake. He loved the water and open sky more than anything, but a lack of money and means to live eventually drove him to accept an offer from Winterkill Works to become an experimental subject, which required him to leave the country and his job on the ship along with it. He’s never had family or friends that he was close to; just himself and the two-part world that he adores. Leaving that is what he regrets the most, out of all of it. 

Relationships: Neptune is generally tolerated by the other Test Subjects. Venus finds him particularly troublesome, though, and Apollo considers him a dear friend— they’re the only two Ghiasuli present, after all. Neptune himself is open to interacting with whoever approaches him first. He won’t go out of his way to make friends or form relationships, no matter how much he enjoys company when someone does find their way to his door. 

Interests: Neptune likes the sea and sky, long naps, and being able to do what he wants. He dislikes feeling trapped, getting caught up in conflict, and being lectured or scolded. The only thing he’s done since becoming a Test Subject is lie around in his room and sleep the days away. 

WW Role: As one of the specially selected Test Subjects, Neptune was given a particular experimental power. In his case, it was superhuman resilience— in the sense that his healing is accelerated, his needs for food and water are drastically lowered, and more. He’s one of two Test Subjects whose power didn’t backfire, and he feels some level of guilt over that. 

Miscellaneous: Neptune loves the ocean; despite how dangerous it is, the sight of it fills him with incredible joy. The blue in his hair is from Apollo; it’s grown out since the surprise “gift”, and he’s been too lazy to cut off the still-colored parts. People tend to assume he’s older than he is, for reasons he’s never been able to figure out. He greatly dislikes the weather of the Daryan country, especially how dry and windy it tends to be. He insisted on having his room’s ceiling painted to look like the sky he so fondly remembers so that he always has that familiar sight to look up at when he wakes. 

Connotative Description: A relaxed, yet apathetic man, detached from the world, who does nothing but dream of better things. Lacking connection and purpose in his life, he’s reached a point of giving up on ever having more.

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Test Subject: Apollo Bio

Name: Test Subject Apollo

Species: Ghiasuli

Race: Yellowscale

Role: A Test Subject of Winterkill Works who’s been given the ability to see the feelings of others in the form of colored auras, and who’s often distrusted as a result of this power. Lighthearted in a way that makes him a ray of sunshine to some, but downright annoying to others. 

Affiliation: Winterkill Works

Gender: Male

Age: 23

Height: 5’9

Appearance: Apollo is a decently tall man with a solid, sturdy build. He’s naturally muscular, with handsome, rugged features, and fast-growing stubble that he tries to keep maintained. His hair is golden blond and always kept immaculately styled, his eyes are bright, yellow-toned green, and he goes to a lot of effort to look less masculine and more “pretty”. 

Personality: Apollo is generally upbeat, friendly, and laid-back in the kind of way where he shrugs off the world’s negativity with apparent ease. Seemingly impervious to the horrifying things going on around him, his constant cheerful demeanor is either seen as a welcome bit of happiness in an otherwise dark world, or as the irritating ignorance of someone who doesn’t understand reality. However, Apollo is aware of a lot more than he lets on. Focused on aesthetics, appearances, and his own ideal of “beauty”, he wants to present himself in a way he can be proud of— and that means intentionally tuning some things out. He’s somewhat self-centered (in a carefree, harmless way), but still kind to others in ways that benefit him.  

Positive Traits: Apollo is one of the more pleasant to be around people in Winterkil Works. While he’s not without his flaws, he’s at least social, friendly, engaging, and most often in a good mood. He’s open about his feelings, especially the things that bring him joy, and takes great pleasure in sharing that joy with others. His high standards come with the dedication and willingness to work for what he wants. At least outwardly, he’s a near-perpetual optimist with a solidly hopeful outlook on life. 

Negative Traits: Apollo is selfish, and a bit too carefree. While he does genuinely want to bond with others and make them happy, he struggles to understand that not everyone enjoys the same things he does, or that not everyone wants to be involved with him at all. He’s vain, fussy about his appearance, and somewhat self-absorbed because of it. His carefree nature can easily be his undoing, as he often doesn’t think before he acts, something which has frequently landed him in trouble in the past. 

History: Apollo came to the Daryan country to meet up with a friend and stay with them for a while. Unfortunately, an argument caused the arrangement to fall through, and he was left stranded. Under threat of being removed from the country (much too early for his liking) and with the promise of entertaining and beautiful things, he was recruited into Winterkill Works. He didn’t exactly think the decision through, though, and has since realized that he got himself into quite a serious problem. 

Relationships: Apollo is plenty friendly with most of his fellow Test Subjects. That friendliness is not often appreciated. It’s partially because of his ability and partially because he comes on much too strong, but Neptune is one of the few who actively enjoys Apollo’s company. Still, Apollo doesn’t give up. He remains pleasant and open to the other subjects’ company... despite many of them being less than ideal to spend time around. 

Interests: Apollo likes bright colors, beautiful things, and spending time with others. He dislikes unnecessary conflict, feeling ugly, and any kind of rejection. His interests include fashion and maintaining his personal appearance, and attempting to socialize with his fellow Test Subjects. 

WW Role: As one of the specially selected Test Subjects, Apollo was given a particular experimental power. In his case, it was the ability to see people’s feelings and intent in the form of colored auras. Of course, this power came with a cost— there’s no way to turn it off, and it’s slowly making his vision deteriorate. People also distrust him because of what he knows about them.

Miscellaneous: Apollo tries to wear bright colors and nice clothes whenever possible— it was his (insistent) idea to give the Test Subjects more fashionable, customizable uniforms. The colors he now sees make the world more beautiful, but no matter how much he boasts of that, they’re not worth their price. He gets along well with Neptune, mostly because Neptune is too laid-back to be bothered by much of anything. His appearance is naturally quite masculine, and he has a lengthy, elaborate personal grooming routine meant to keep himself looking as “beautiful” as he prefers. 

Connotative Description: A flamboyant, friendly man with a love of aesthetics and beauty. Upbeat to an almost irritating degree, he’s both obliviously carefree and unintentionally self-centered. 

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for the ask game... i really like knights. are there knights in anryuu?

Many. XD

The various Guard (pretty much fantasy military) characters all qualify as knights to some degree, I'd say! The bios are a bit old, but here are the ones for the Palace Guard and the Royal Guard, which are the Daryan and Ghiasuli ones, respectively.

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Nightshade Kovachev Bio

Name: Nightshade Kovachev

Species: Ghiasuli

Race: Yellowscale

Role: An Assistant-rank member of Winterkill Works, who works directly under Silverbell. Despite their chipper exteriors, he and Foxglove are only there to watch their boss inevitably crash and burn. He lives to see people suffer, and enjoys the sight of chaos and misery more than anything else.

Affiliation: Winterkill Works

Gender: Male

Age: 17

Height: 5’2

Appearance: Nightshade is a tiny young man with a delicate build. His hair is a dark, blue-hued shade of purple, chin-length, and worn in a curled-in bob with two small twintails separated from the rest. His eyes are bright gold, his features are youthful and distinctly androgynous, and he’s almost always seen smiling. To mimic his boss, he often wears dark red lipstick. 

Personality: Nightshade is a mystery to everyone around him. Upbeat and seemingly carefree, he’s entirely oblivious to the dangers around him so long as he’s having fun. Foxglove is his partner in crime, and despite some temporary alliances, the two are really only loyal to each other. He and Foxglove exist solely to watch other people suffer in the most entertaining ways possible, favoring their own entertainment over anything, including their own safety. He’s a rather fickle, shallow person who easily finds himself bored with routines, needing new, exciting things to stay contentedly entertained. While he can focus on fun things for a short time, he quickly loses interest in anything that doesn’t provide a near-constant thrill.  

Positive Traits: Despite all of his worse traits, Nightshade is an easygoing optimist who’s rarely in a sour mood. He’s chipper, good-natured, and relatively friendly, though that friendliness is superficial at best. He’s highly adaptable, quick-witted, and good at keeping a level head in crisis situations... although, this is largely because he’s rarely worried about his own safety. Easygoing and easily entertained, he’s content to follow the flow of his life and enjoy whatever happens to come his way. 

Negative Traits: Nightshade’s hot-and-cold tendencies may be his worst trait. While he’s enthusiastic and excitable in the short term, he gets bored of things quickly and abandons them when they’re no longer entertaining. He’s a disloyal, untrustworthy person who will turn on his allies the second something else appeals to him more, and his warped fixation on chaos and suffering only makes him harder to be around. He doesn’t take anything seriously, even when it’s to his own detriment to be so carefree. 

History: The only person who knows anything significant about Nightshade’s backstory is Foxglove, and she keeps the information well-guarded. The two of them much prefer being unknowable enigmas, mocking attempts to learn any solid details about them. While there have been a few theories, the only things that are for certain are that the two have been very close for a very, very long time and that they don’t care to let anyone else in on the secrets of why and how their disturbing duo was initially formed. 

Relationships: Foxglove and Nightshade most often prefer their own company to that of anyone else. Nightshade is slightly less outwardly social than Foxglove, but he’s prone to taking interest in others more easily. Most people are disturbed by the two of them, though, and it’s obvious that they feel no need to make other friends. Of course, Nightshade finds himself most fixated on others when their suffering would be amusing to watch. 

Interests: Nightshade likes Foxglove, entertaining ways for people to suffer, and exciting situations. He dislikes routines, emotionless people, and anything that bores him. While he’s technically supposed to be assisting Silverbell, the reality is that he doesn’t do a whole lot for him.

WW Role: As an Assistant-rank member of Winterkill Works, Nightshade’s job is to assist a chosen Super Executive however they may require it. He and Foxglove serve under Silverbell, but their superficial loyalty conceals the fact that they’re only there to watch his cons crash and burn. Just like their boss, the two of them don’t do much of anything that has any real value.

Miscellaneous: Despite looking similar enough to Foxglove for people to often assume they’re siblings, Nightshade isn’t actually related to her. As far as anyone knows, they’re just unnervingly close friends. Their similar appearances mean that they can often pass for each other, though. He tends to follow Foxglove’s lead when it comes to big decisions— beyond that, he also tends to be a little too reliant on her, and a little too attached. While he liked Silverbell at first, his boredom with their target is quickly growing. He hopes Silverbell will come to ruin soon, so they can move on from him.  

Connotative Description: A fickle, easily bored sadist who lives for chaos and watching other people suffer in entertaining ways. Disturbingly close to his closest friend, Foxglove, who he resembles to an eerie degree.

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Foxglove Kovalenko Bio

Name: Foxglove Kovalenko

Species: Ghiasuli

Race: Yellowscale

Role: An Assistant-rank member of Winterkill Works, who works directly under Silverbell. Despite their chipper exteriors, she and Nightshade are only there to watch their boss inevitably crash and burn. Witnessing chaos is her driving motivation, regardless of her personal safety or well-being. 

Affiliation: Winterkill Works

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Height: 5’2

Appearance: Foxglove is a tiny young woman with a delicate build. Her hair is a dark, red-hued shade of purple, chin-length, and worn in a curled-in bob with two small twintails separated from the rest. Her eyes are bright gold, her features are sweet and youthful, and she’s almost always seen with a peppy grin. To mimic her boss, she often wears dark red lipstick. 

Personality: Foxglove is a mystery to everyone around her. Chipper, carefree, and seemingly unbothered by the dangerous world around her, she and her partner in crime, Nightshade, exist solely to watch other people suffer in the most entertaining ways possible. While she comes across as cheerful and almost childish, she’s a sadist with a love of others’ misery and a disturbing lack of concern for her own safety. She has no particular loyalties to anyone or anything (outside of Nightshade, that is), content to live her life wandering from place to place in search of entertaining things. Impulsiveness is a bad habit of hers— she’s prone to getting carried away when she’s invested in something, with a single-minded focus on her target.

Positive Traits: Foxglove, despite all of her unfortunate tendencies, is a relentless optimist. She has an upbeat personality, cheerful nature, and a perpetual smile that are borderline indestructible, no matter what kind of unpleasant circumstance she ends up in. She’s free-spirited, adaptable, and fairly easygoing, preferring to take life one step at a time rather than thinking too far ahead. Calm in a crisis, she’s quick-witted and capable of wriggling her way out of dangerous situations with ease. 

Negative Traits: Impulsivity is debatably Foxglove’s worst trait. While she’s capable of dedicating herself to a single task, she has a bad habit of letting her excitement get the better of her when something catches her eye. Poor at thinking through consequences, she’s usually much more concerned with her own entertainment than the risks she’s taking. She lacks loyalty, empathy, or any kind of emotional connection to others, and in the end, is a self-centered person ruled by her twisted fixation on suffering. 

History: The only person who knows anything significant about Foxglove’s backstory is Nightshade, and he keeps the information well-guarded. The two of them much prefer being unknowable enigmas, mocking attempts to learn any solid details about them. While there have been a few theories, the only things that are for certain are that the two have been very close for a very, very long time and that they don’t care to let anyone else in on the secrets of why and how their disturbing duo was initially formed. 

Relationships: Foxglove and Nightshade most often prefer their own company to that of anyone else. Foxglove is generally friendly to the people around her— but she’s maintaining the bare minimum of social decency. The reality is that she finds most people terribly boring, and has no interest in them outside of watching their lives come to ruin. She doesn’t want to have friends beyond the one person who understands her best of all. 

Interests: Foxglove likes Nightshade, the suffering of others, and chaotic situations. She dislikes boring things, pessimistic people, and having to think through complicated scenarios. While she’s technically supposed to be assisting Silverbell, the reality is that she doesn’t do a whole lot for him.

WW Role: As an Assistant-rank member of Winterkill Works, Foxglove’s job is to assist a chosen Super Executive however they may require it. She and Nightshade serve under Silverbell, but their superficial loyalty conceals the fact that they’re only there to watch his cons crash and burn. Just like their boss, the two of them don’t do much of anything that has any real value.

Miscellaneous: Despite looking similar enough to Nightshade for people to often assume they’re siblings, Foxglove isn’t actually related to him. As far as anyone knows, they’re just unnervingly close friends. However, looking so much alike means that they can often impersonate each other. While her impulsive habits make it rather unsafe, she tends to be the bigger “decision maker” between the two of them. Something about her past seems to cause her distress, but that’s the most anyone knows. She likes Silverbell more than Nightshade does, mostly because she’s not bored with him yet. 

Connotative Description: A twisted sadist who loves nothing more than watching other people suffer in entertaining ways. Disturbingly close to her closest friend, Nightshade, who she resembles to an eerie degree.

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Silverbell Albescu Bio

Name: Silverbell Albescu

Species: Ghiasuli

Race: Bluescale

Role: A Super Executive-rank member of Winterkill Works. A con artist who snuck into the organization by taking credit for other people’s work, only to find himself in much too deep to safely escape. Self-important and manipulative, his arrogant behavior covers up how terrified he really is.  

Affiliation: Winterkill Works

Gender: Male

Age: 25

Height: 5’6

Appearance: Silverbell is a fairly petite man with a slight build. His hair is straight, pale enough gray to almost be white, chin-length, and worn with one of his bright blue eyes covered by his long bangs. He’s beautiful enough to be called androgynous, with fine, pretty features and a perpetual mocking smirk. He often wears makeup, especially red lipstick and black eyeliner.  

Personality: Silverbell has made a life out of being a con man, and his personality suits that profession well. He’s deceitful, self-serving, and has no moral qualms about tricking people for his own benefit. Prideful and more than a little overconfident, he has a bad habit of overestimating his capabilities and getting into trouble for it. Despite all his bluster, he’s only gotten as far as he has by claiming other people’s achievements as his own, and the deep-down knowledge that he’s a fraud is a constant source of stress for him. He’s a coward at heart, afraid of anything that would require him to put in actual effort or put himself at risk. That said, he’s also highly charming, socially skilled, and charismatic, which makes others believe him. 

Positive Traits: Silverbell’s best trait is his ability to drag people into his lies. He’s charismatic and quick-witted enough to spin complicated tales with ease, and the average person will fall for his tricks every time. Social intelligence is his strong suit; he’s uncomfortably skilled at getting people to like him when he turns up the charm, a talent that he uses to its full extent. Despite his cowardly tendencies, he can think fast in a crisis and make snap decisions with surprising rationality, no matter how panicked he really is. 

Negative Traits: Silverbell is a truly underhanded person. He always has his own interests in mind, and no matter how charming he acts, his pretty words are meant for nothing but to get himself ahead. He’s lazy, weak-willed, and a complete coward, but arrogant enough to only realize his unwise decisions once he’s in too deep to save himself. In a lot of ways, he relies on other people far too much; always using those around him like stepping stones to get where he wants to be, never acting on his own merit. 

History: Silverbell started out as a regular Ghiasuli con man. He made his way into the Daryan country once his dishonest acts started to catch up to him in his homeland, and wound up targeting Winterkill Works while there. Unfortunately, he soon realized he was involved in something far bigger than he ever intended to be and is now trapped in a potentially life-threatening situation because there’s no way for him to back out. He’s terrified of what would happen if anyone found out that all of his accomplishments were lies.

Relationships: Silverbell tries to keep his distance from most of the people at Winterkill Works. He’s too scared of being found out to let his guard down, and his assistants, Foxglove and Nightshade, are the only too who know the truth. Around others, Silverbell acts charming and composed, yet irritatingly arrogant and often somewhat antagonistic. He feels like he has to keep up his egotistical front to prevent anyone from suspecting the truth. 

Interests: Silverbell likes making money, seeing others be impressed with him, and maintaining his looks. He dislikes any kind of hard work, getting caught in a lie, and Daryan culture, as a whole. In his current situation, most of his time goes toward trying to fake some level of productivity at his job.  

WW Role: As one of the Super Executives at Winterkill Works, Silverbell has a specialized role designed to make the organization run smoothly— and his is the vaguely defined “supervising productivity”, a job that he created for himself in the hopes it would cover up his utter lack of actual skill. The only thing he does is make it look like he’s accomplishing anything significant.

Miscellaneous: Silverbell met Foxglove and Nightshade just a couple of years ago. The two of them agreed to follow him and “help”, but their agreement came with the promise that they’re only really there to watch the chaos when he inevitably fails. He’s masqueraded as a woman before for his cons, and he pulls it off surprisingly well. Despite his original intentions of making money, Winterkill Works turned out to pay far less than he’d hoped. Daryan culture is perpetually a shock to him— he hates it and wants nothing more than to return to his home country where people make sense. 

Connotative Description: An underhanded con man who dug himself in far too deep when he attempted to scam his way into Winterkill Works. His self-serving attitude is only matched by his cowardly tendencies. 

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Winterkill Works: Basic Character Intros (Part 5)

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

RANK: Assistant

Foxglove Kovalenko

Ghiasuli

Silverbell's assistant. Along with Nightshade, she's there to watch her boss inevitably crash and burn. Her origins are entirely unclear, and she seemingly exists only to revel in whatever chaos goes down around her. Despite their similar appearance, she's not at all related to Nightshade— they're merely coincidental friends.

Chipper, carefree, and seemingly unbothered by the dangerous world around her, Foxglove hovers somewhere between an enigma and the ultimate annoyance. She's stuck with Silverbell for quite a while out of a desire to see when his schemes come crashing down, but she makes it very clear that she has no loyalty toward him. Her borderline sadistic tendencies are all too apparent.

Nightshade Kovachev

Ghiasuli

Silverbell's assistant. Along with Foxglove, he's there to watch his boss inevitably crash and burn. Like Foxglove, his origins are a total mystery, and all he seems to care about is observing the greatest amount of chaos possible. While the two look like they could be twins, he's not related to Foxglove in the slightest.

Like Foxglove, he's an upbeat, carefree person who doesn't invest himself in anything but the best sources of chaos and suffering he can find. He's less intense than her, however, and his sadism is far more subtle and contained. The two of them have been a duo for years, and have followed Silverbell recently because they want to watch his downfall when his lies eventually catch up to him.

Biological Hazard

Daryan

Korose's assistant. A former experimental weapon of a particular insurgent group, she's the oldest of the triplets. Despite being siblings, they view themselves as one person spread across three bodies. Biological takes the most assertive role among them and tends to speak, act, and think in the other two's place.

Being raised as child soldiers-slash-living experiments did massive damage to all three's mental states, and Biological lives their beliefs the deepest. She takes refuge in the bizarre things they were forced to believe, intentionally dehumanizing herself so she doesn't have to face the reality of how broken she is. While she acts the boldest of the three of them, she's in a perpetual state of fear.

Chemical Hazard

Daryan

Korose's assistant. A former experimental weapon of a particular insurgent group, she's the middle of the triplets. She has the most doubt about their so-called single-person identity— not that she voices it for fear of upsetting her siblings' worldview. Highly submissive, she goes along with whatever Biological wants.

Being raised as child soldiers-slash-living experiments did massive damage to all three's mental states, and Chemical developed a fear of thinking for herself from it. While she rationally knows the truth of their existence, she's too afraid of her siblings' reactions to ever try to fight what they've been taught. She blocks out what she knows is real so she doesn't upset the fragile balance they have.

Physical Hazard

Daryan

Korose's assistant. A former experimental weapon of a particular insurgent group, he's the youngest of the triplets. Eerily quiet, he never seems to think for himself, instead simply accepting whatever his older siblings decide. No one quite knows what he's thinking... or if there's anything at all going on inside his head.

Being raised as child soldiers-slash-living experiments did massive damage to all three's mental states, and Physical seems to have fully shut down from it. He doesn't talk, doesn't make his own choices, and barely responds to anything or anyone. It's safer for him to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself, so he makes himself be nothing but a silent shadow of his siblings.

Kayori

Dzlethian

Cindarosa's assitant. A mutated Dzlethian who's caught between his human and dragon forms, he's kept by his boss as one of her "children". While she cares for him, Kayori is also a captive being placed under intense study by the rest of Winterkill Works. He lacks any personal autonomy and is treated like a freak show attraction.

For the most part, Kayori has given up on ever being his own person. He's known little but being kept in a cage and studied, and he's rationally aware that he wouldn't be able to live normally even if he wasn't no better than someone's pet. He's defeated and hopeless, but not particularly resentful of his situation; there's nothing he can do about it, so hating it would be pointless.

Kitana

Daryan

Cindarosa's assistant. While she started out as a normal Daryan, an incident in which she was brutally tortured broke her mind and left her body horribly disfigured. Cindarosa took her in after that and cares for her as one of her own "children", since by now, Kitana has a near-feral mentality where she's incapable of fending for herself.

While only Cindarosa knows her exact history, Kitana used to be part of a bandit gang. She was captured by their enemies and tortured past the point of sanity, and regressed to her current mindset to protect herself. Some level of consciousness remains, but she doesn't behave much like a person anymore, partially due to the perpetual levels of pain she's in from her old injuries.

Lux Dunn

Dzlethian (Giant)

Ethereal's assistant. Part of a virtually unknown race of (so-called) mutated Dzlethians known as Giants, her background is unclear, as is when she left her kindred and entered Daryan society. Because of her unusual appearance, she's forced to be somewhat reclusive and perform her duties to Ethereal from the shadows.

A stoic, serious person with a negative outlook, Lux believes that Ethereal and her power are the only true good in the world. She has a worshipper-like relationship with the girl, and somewhat tensely cooperates with Whimsy for Ethereal's sake alone. She's aware that she's an outcast from the rest of the world— and refuses to give away any specific details about her race and where she came from.

Whimsy Del Rayo

Daryan

Ethereal's assistant. He grew up as part of a "backwoods cult" that had him thoroughly indoctrinated. After it disbanded, he was alone and confused by the real world... until he met Ethereal. Currently, she fills a deity-like role in his mind and worldview, where his life revolves around serving her and fulfilling her goals.

An eccentric man by all standards, the strange beliefs he developed while growing up still deeply linger. Whimsy is the type who needs something to cling to— if he doesn't have some kind of authority figure to see as a near-god, he doesn't know how to function on his own. He's easygoing and generally peaceful, but can turn violent when he believes it's "justified" in some way.

Verne Laska

Dzlethian

Ymir's assistant. The younger sister of Blaine and Ymir's former gang leader, she was taken in by the two of them after her brother was killed. Soon after, she developed an illness of her blood that turned terminal, and the three of them wound up with Winterkill Works in an attempt to find a cure that could save her.

Despite growing up around violent and morally dubious people, Verne is surprisingly pleasant. She's a good-natured young woman who's trying to live her life to the fullest since deep down, she doesn't have a lot of hope that Blaine and Ymir will be able to cure her. She loves the two of them dearly, though— despite their many bad traits, they've been by her side for most of her life.

Avya Sobol

Daryan

Ardemis's assistant. Originally a child slave from the White Slums, Winterkill indirectly purchased him for use in her organization. While he seems more pathetic than anything, he has unusual magical capabilities that make him valuable for her to study— not that she's told him anything about what he's really worth.

Shy, skittish, and highly pessimistic, Avya has been through horrible things for most of his life so far. He doesn't remember his family or where he's from; all he knows is being mistreated and kept as property. Despite being terrified of anyone with the slightest power over him, he's also a highly resentful person who'd love to take revenge on those who have hurt him for so long.

[anryuuepic]

I was wondering about the economy’s of each kingdom is either of the kingdoms super wealthy and others super poor?

The Ghiasuli kingdom is the worst off by a good gap. Their country is the smallest and has the least resources/population, so they tend to be on the weaker and poorer end of things among the three. While the Ghiasuli did have significantly more power in the past, currently, they're usually at a disadvantage compared to their two larger, more powerful neighbors. During the 300-Year War, in particular, they got caught up in the conflict between the other two and suffered economically for it. And of course, this historical disadvantage has left the country bitter and resentful toward those with more.

The Daryan country may be the most directly powerful of the three, but it does tend to hover around the same level as the Dzlethians. Daryans by far have the most land, resources, and people, and the sheer size of their country (and its large amount of usable land) means that they have a natural advantage over the other two. However, while they have a lot of power, most of their people aren't particularly wealthy— mostly due to the recurring problems with organizing society and maintaining any form of order.

The Dzlethian nation is probably the wealthiest. While they have a smaller population and far less usable land than the Daryans, they also have a higher focus on monetary gain and keeping a thriving economy. Dzlethians have a very organized and controlled society, and while the lowers castes in their system tend to suffer, the upper ranks may very well be the most wealthy and well-off of "normal" people in any of the three countries. However, their military might often pales in comparison to the Daryans, meaning that, despite their prosperity, they're not as likely to be victories in direct conflict.

[anryuuepic]

more worldbuilding questions hehe: matriarchal / patriarchal societal systems? which societies/races/clans view mercy and kindness as strength or weakness?

Matriarchal/patriarchal

Dzlethian society is female-ruled. They have a strict caste system with a queen on top, and common households are led by a matriarch as well. Males are generally treated well and have a good degree of rights, but they're not allowed to have much social power or control over their lives. Their system is highly culturally embedded, and deviations from it are seen as unnatural and wrong.

Ghiasuli society is male-ruled. However, their structure is "softer", in the sense that it's considered "for the greater good of the species", not something as innate or unquestionable as the Dzlethian way of doing things. Ghiasuli females tend to have slightly more control over their lives than Dzlethian males, but standards for their treatment are lower, and far more are outright abused.

Daryans don't have a dominant sex in their culture. Rather, they hardly see gender as a factor at all. Their determination of power is based on lineage and ability instead, and their culture doesn't have any particular distinction between male and female roles— which has been a subject of much disagreement with the other countries.

Mercy and kindness

Ghiasuli are the most likely of the three to see mercy and kindness as strengths— though it's in a very self-serving way. Their culture involves a lot of social strategizing and putting on a polite, presentable mask, so behaving kindly and mercifully in ways that benefit oneself is definitely seen as a good thing. Being kind, forgiving, and tolerant of others is important in their culture, but it's a surface-level practice that involves the balance of looking good and still protecting your own interests above all else.

Dzlethians are the most likely to see mercy and kindness as a waste of effort, if not an insult to others. Since their culture holds individuals to such high standards, being granted mercy would often be taken as condescending, not kind. They're far more fond of taking care of themselves and proving their power than being shown pity by others. Their culture also tends to encourage a sense of selfishness that would prevent such acts of kindness, in the first place.

Daryans have a more case-by-case approach. In some scenarios, there's no point in mercy and kindness. In others, those values are the right thing to do. It's highly up to individual choice and the situation whether those are seen as strengths or weaknesses— though if they're taken to an unnecessary degree, "weakness" would win out. Daryan culture is far more "go with the flow" than the other two, with far fewer unspoken social rules, so it's harder to pin down specific traits that would predominantly be good or bad.

[anryuuepic]

Ghiasuli Cultural Values: Part 1

Top Characteristics

Presentation

Social Status

Productivity

Charity

Summaries

1. The number one thing that matters in Ghiasuli society is how one is seen by the world. Looking good is far more important than being good, and proper social conduct is required at all times. It’s understood that people have two faces (the one they show others and the one they show themselves), and so long as one behaves properly, who they are behind the scenes doesn’t matter as much. It’s all about putting on the correct act.

2. Ghiasuli also highly value social status. One’s place in society is very important, and things like rank and title are paid careful attention to. Roles are very strictly defined in everything from occupation to gender. Having a high status is an important trait to have, and those with power in society are much more respected than those of lower positions. The way people are treated directly ties in with how they’re perceived by others.

3. Productivity is considered very important as well. However, this isn’t in the sense of creating things so much as it is being industrious and never idle. Sitting around and doing nothing is considered lazy, and it’s expected that people have something to occupy them as often as possible. This doesn’t have to be strictly “work”, though. Hobbies such as artistry, studying, and athletics are also considered productive uses of time.

4. While the nature of it is slightly complex, Ghiasuli value charity. This isn’t in the sense of giving money away. Instead, it means being kind, forgiving, and tolerant of others... at least on the surface. The dual-sided nature of Ghiasuli culture exists here, as presenting the image of charity means far more than actually practicing it. It’s important to appear to be a generous, open-hearted person while still guarding yourself and what’s yours.

[anryuuepic]

Ghiasuli Cultural Values: Part 2

Value Structure

1. Individualism vs. Collectivism

Ghiasuli are generally more of a collectivist society. Their focus is most often on obligations and making their society, as a whole, function properly. A lot of attention is paid to people’s roles in the world, and while they’re not overly invested in familial ties, they do care a lot about connections, loyalties, and how those things are perceived. They’re generally more social than Daryans or Dzlethians.

2. Power Distance

Ghiasuli society operates with a high power distance. The people in charge have distinct levels of power over those who aren’t, and it’s accepted that such a distinction is just how the world works. Social groups and ranks matter a lot and dictate a lot about one’s place in the overall network of their culture. Differences in power are seen as necessary for the better functioning of their social structure.

3. Uncertainty Avoidance

Ghiasuli have strong uncertainty avoidance tendencies. They don’t like unknown situations or changes in their ways, and they’re very resistant to the shifting of the times or other people’s points of view. Their culture tends to be somewhat nervous and controlling, often paranoid about the intentions of the world around them. They have a very strict society with an emphasis on following proper rules.

4. Orientation to Time

Ghiasuli are somewhere in the middle of this spectrum, leaning toward future-oriented. While they do show some concern for future events and long-term goals, they’re not as ambitious or far-planning as Dzlethians. They’re not particularly risk-taking or impulsive, though, and they do value considering long-term consequences. Patience and contentment are idealized traits, more so than being in a hurry.

5. Gender Equality

Ghiasuli have very poor gender equality. Females are considered to be distinctly lesser than males, and males have almost all of the control in society. Females are expected to be submissive and out of the way, and they’re not allowed to hold most of the significant positions in government or other important roles. It’s common for females to be mistreated, with males seeing little issues with these habits.

6. Assertiveness

Ghiasuli don’t have a particularly assertive society. They value an appearance of kindness and charity far more than one of competition or dominance. Ghiasuli prefer to look “civilized” and collected, not harsh or crass. They often look down on the other two species for not behaving the same as they do, holding a certain level of moral superiority over their more aggressive and intense neighbors.

7. Being vs. Doing

Generally, Ghiasuli are more towards the doing side of this scale. They prefer to be industrious and productive rather than idle or slow-paced. Accomplishments and achievements are valued, and performance is held in high regard. They have a strong tendency to focus on always appearing perfect in front of others, and often are considered two-faced for the harsh standards they hold their public faces to.

8. Humane Orientation

Outwardly, Ghiasuli have a high humane orientation. They appear to care a lot about fellow members of society. Most would assume that they’re very concerned with the well-being of others. However, inwardly, this doesn’t run as deep. Ghiasuli put on appearances of caring greatly about others of their kind, but their culture is more concerned with how they look than what acts they perform.

9. Indulgence vs. Restraint

Ghiasuli society is generally more restrained. They’re not fond of over-indulging or cutting loose, and they can be rather particular about keeping things in moderation. While they don’t exactly have strict rules against indulgences, it’s generally accepted that practicing self-restraint is preferred. Most of them will avoid heavily partaking in physical pleasures for fear of how they might look to others.