#i don't think they'd necessarily be SCARED of ghosts or whatever

[pan-de-queer]

found some of my old text with my uni best friend and now 100% believe this is something kara and nia would say to each other in the supercorp ph uni au lmfao

like!!!! kara canonically believes and worships Rao so spirits wouldn't even be all that high up on her Give A Fuck list! and nia is dreamer so she probs believes in stuff like that in general hahaha

not sure who'd be who but for kara and nia, i think the setting would be best in palma (hall, in guerrero theater). like imagine kara or nia helping out one of the productions for that theater and the other says they need to give the other person something for the paper, and one's like

person a: meet u in pino?

person b: okay i'm gonna help out the [prod] in guerrero first tho

person a: oki!

person b: you can go with me if you want! extra help is always nice

person a: tbvh i've never been in guerrero and i am scared of it

person b: no the actors are off it isn't haunted today

person a: that... doesn't make me feel better hahahahaha

[wings-of-ink]

hello! sorry for the incoming macabre ask:

you said you liked ghosts, which made me think 👻... do spirits of the dead exist in the GC universe? what’s ROs’ stance on ghosts? (who’s going to get outed as a scaredy cat?) also, if it isn’t something we’ll get to see in the story, what do funerals look like? do people usually get buried or cremated? are there any special ceremonies?

i’ve read whatever i could find of your (delicious) worldbuilding but i need more; i’m hungry!!

I wouldn't say that's so macabre, as long as we're not killing off the ROs or the MC, we're good! 

This is a fun subject, really!

The people of the GC universe have varying ideas of what happens after death - sort of how we do irl - but the most prevalent belief is in reincarnation. They don't necessarily ascribe to remembering past lives or anything, but they don't think the soul of a person just vanishes after, and that it's sort of "recycled" back into the world. There are some that think the souls of the dead return to the gods they served - sort of powering them up and becoming a part of them.

Funerals in the world can be big events depending on the person - whole towns may be involved. Most people are cremated in pyres. Loved ones stand watch and speak to the departed one last time. They say goodbye or even air grievances - and it is firmly believed that the dead actually hear or understand everything that is said at their funeral. The smoke is sacred - a representation of the soul departing.

Families usually handle the body of their loved ones with any traditions passed down from within. Otherwise, you may see healers or midwives assisting. Since some are still followers of the gods, there may be something specific to those practices that they'd want done. For example, if they follow the Deities of the Stars - their service would be held at night. If they worshiped Casimir, they'd have a really really big pyre and likely be burned with a weapon. Some families simply bury any ashes or bone that remain, keep them in urns, or actually use them - mixing into a clay to make a memorial pottery of some sort. There are a few regional traditions as well. Those in the north may leave ashes at the tops of mountains. Those in the south sometimes take ashes out to sea. The middle province doesn't really have anything quite like that - burying ashes is the favored tradition.

MC's mother was burned on a pyre according to Dov's family tradition. He's from a nomadic people that burned the dead after placing a loaf of bread in their hands (often the departed's favorite kind) - sort of like a last meal. The pyre itself would have the departed's name etched in it and sometimes mourners would write sentiments to burn with them. Kip and Dov made promises to see that MC was cared for. They buried her ashes among the roots of the tree where she was found with her baby.

Spirits exist - more so known as demons - but they are not believed to be the spirits of the dead. They are their own entities but instead of being corporeal, they're magic. Demons can take possession of the living, but in the current world, this is quite rare. Gods nearly eradicated demons (at least the ones most dangerous to people), so they're a rarer find, and are drawn to strong magic and even emotion. This is why the Fields of Desolation are not pleasant. 😁 (Guess where you're headed later, teehee)

Since ghosts as we know them aren't really a thing they would know about, the ROs attitude towards demons:

Oswin–unnerved

Zahn–scared shitless

Duri–fearless (and dumb)

Rune–trying really fucking hard to not look scared

???--annoyed

Thank you for the fun question Anon! I love that you're interested in the fabric of the world. I'll try to pop this in the codex as well. ^_^

[amethystunicorn2727]

Unicorn Academy - Honorary Siblings

Chapter 1

September 28, 2023 (When the story takes place.)

Sophia lead the gang along a trail, with Valentina and Isabel attempting to take the lead. Making their way to a grove with a pool of water in the middle, the kids let their unicorns rehydrate as Ava and Layla unpacked their picnic. But even on what was supposed to be a relaxing lunch, one of the unicorns was on edge. Leaf, Ava's unicorn, kept swerving her head around, as if waiting for something to appear.

Ava - "Aw, what's wrong, Leaf? You got a case of the jumpies!"

Sophia - "You alright, Leaf? You look like Rory when we tricked him into thinking there was a ghost in the barn."

Rory - "I didn't think there was a ghost! I told you, ghosts aren't real! Besides, I only reacted that way to make sure I could protect you girls from the possible danger!"

Isabel - "Right..."

Sophia - "Anyway, maybe she'll feel better once she gets something to—"

The sounds of branches breaking caused the group to go silent. Leaf got riled up and stood at the front of group, and not even Ava was able to calm her down. Whatever it was, Leaf knew that it was dangerous, and they had to get out of there. Before the unicorn riders could guess what the mysterious creature was that's stalking their picnic, the creature shows itself to be a unicorn. A light yellow pelt, similar to Leaf's but a little more golden, with a golden horn at the top of his forehead. His mane was dark purple, also like Leaf's, but with coral and magenta stripes, and piercing green eyes. His most noticeable feature though was the two feathers that were kept behind his left ear.

Sophia - "Woah! Isn't he a beauty!"

Ava - "Aww! He kind of looks like Leaf!"

Isabel - "And look at the muscles on him! That's one strong unicorn!"

Sophia - "Hey there, big guy. It's okay."

Sophia attempted to approach the unicorn, only for him to rear up in anger, causing her, along with the rest of the gang, to jump back in surprise. Leaf jumped in front of Sophia, neighing desperately at the angry unicorn, as if pleading with him to let them go. Quickly mounting their unicorns, the riders decided it was best to make a run for it. And they were right, because as they checked behind them, they realized the unicorn was chasing them throughout the woods.

Rory - "Guys. Run. Now."

Sophia - "Everyone, get back on your unicorns!"

Isabel - "Don't have to tell me twice!"

Valentina - "And I thought Cinder was fierce!"

Sophia - "Run!"

Despite their efforts, the gang wasn't able to throw off the aggressive unicorn, and they were getting tired. Leaf, who seemed to know a shortcut, cut in front of Wildstar and lead the riders and unicorns down a path that, for some reason, the mysterious unicorn wouldn't cross. Giving one final huff at the riders, the unicorn ran off, leaving everyone confused and scared.

Layla - "I'm sorry, but what was that?!"

Ava - "Poor Leaf, are you alright, girl?"

Rory - "That unicorn did not like us!"

Valentina - "Oh, really?! You think?!"

Sophia - "Not the time to be sarcastic, you guys!"

Isabel - "Let's just get back to the stables and away from that guy!"

Ava - "I don't think this is something we should move on from. Leaf knew that unicorn! I know she did, it's like she was trying to communicate with him!"

Sophia - "Ava's right. But right now, the unicorns need a good rest and grooming. We'll talk about it in the dormitory, but for now, let's get these guys back to the stables."

Layla - "Good idea."

Despite the agreement they had made about discussing the unicorn, the riders found themselves all thinking about how he was so aggressive and violent. Cinder wasn't necessarily the nicest unicorn at the academy, but he never went out of his way to intimidate someone. But this new unicorn was so territorial over the grove, and Ava could tell by the way Leaf was acting, that this wasn't just a rouge unicorn that they'd forget about tomorrow. Ms. Primrose and Ms. Furi walk into the stables, causing the six students to loose their focus on the previous events.

Ms. Primrose - "Good afternoon, students! I have some important tasks for you today! I need you guys to make sure that Unicorn Academy is spotless for tomorrow!"

Sophia - "What's going on tomorrow, Ms. Primrose?"

Ms. Furi - "We'll be having a new student joining us, and she'll be arriving by dawn tomorrow. This potential student is of high background and bloodlines, so we need to give our best impression."

Isabel - "I'm confused. I thought the freshman class was already full."

Valentina - "And why is this new student so important that we have to put off riding to clean the academy?"

Ms. Primrose - "Well, we were thinking of keeping it a surprise until tomorrow, but it'll probably be best to tell you now. We ask that tomorrow, you greet this student with the same respect that you give to your fellow classmates, but until we have her approval, we all need to address her by her proper title."

Rory - "Title? What is she, a princess? Haha!"

Ms. Primrose - "Actually, she is. Our new student joining us tomorrow is none other than Princess Talulah Fairchild, of the Eqeoneian Kingdom! Isn't that exciting?!"

Students - "...WHAT?!"

Valentina - "Hold on! You're telling me an actual princess will be coming to Unicorn Academy?! This is huge!"

Ava - "Ooh! I've never met royalty before!"

Layla - "But isn't Eqeoneian closed off from the rest of the world? I learned about the kingdom in my old history class, and my teacher said the royal family doesn't trust anyone outside of the island."

Ms. Primrose - "That's true, but we trust that we'll have the king and queen's permission for their daughter to attend our school, as long as they're notified in advance."

Ms. Furi - "Besides, I can't see the princess making it off the island without the entire kingdom knowing of her departure."

Isabel - "I heard the princess loves riding! She'll probably run circles around you, Valentina!"

Valentina - "Hmph! Well, if I were to expect any real competition, it would have to be from someone so regal as Princess Talulah!"

Sophia - "Don't worry, Ms. Primrose! We'll make she feels right at home here!"

Ms. Primrose - "Thank you, Sophia. I trust this will be a historical moment for Unicorn Academy!"

Ms. Furi - "You'll all be assigned different tasks throughout the day, and you'll receive your first ones after lunch. Make sure to keep your energy today. We have a lot to do before the princess gets here."

Ms. Furi - "Sophia and Valentina will be in charge of the welcoming committee."

Valentina - "Yes! Thank you, Auntie! You won't regret this!"

Sophia - "You can count on us, Ms. Primrose!"

Ms. Furi - "Isabel and Layla will be in charge of organizing and dividing the work between students, as well as preparing the unicorns."

Layla - "Organization is my specialty! Don't worry, Ms. Furi, everything is going to be organized perfectly! Ooh, I can't wait to get started!"

Valentina - "Make sure that the unicorns are spotless, you two! They need to look their best for the princess. We all do."

Isabel - "I see you looking at me!"

Ms. Primrose - "Anyways, Ava and Rory will be in charge of decorating the front of Unicorn Academy to make it as warm and welcoming as possible. Princess Talulah probably has high standards for what's given to her, so we have only one chance to impress her."

Ava - "Yippee! You can count on us, Ms. Primrose! We'll have the place looking friendly in no time!"

Rory - "Yeah, what she said!"

The teachers left the students to finish grooming their unicorns, who made their way to the main hall to gather and discuss their assignments. Everyone was excited to hear an actually princess was attending Unicorn Academy, but it left some of them on edge about making a good impression. One student wasn't that concerned though, ready to give his input to the group.

Rory - "I wouldn't sweat it. I mean, who wouldn't like it here?"

Valentina - "Maybe so, but we still need to give it our best."

Sophia - "As much as I hate to admit it, Valentina's right. The princess isn't gonna be a normal student here. She's probably used to higher standards."

Ava - "Aw, but that doesn't mean she'll be rude! Maybe she's really nice!"

Layla - "Not much is known about the kingdom of Eqeoneian, only that the royal family has cut off all contact with the outside world. All that's known is there are three princes, and one princess. There isn't really any credible source to interpret their personalities."

Isabel - "Come on, she can't be that bad if she rides horses! Unless she's anything like Valentina."

Valentina - "I heard that!"

Rory - "I wonder if she likes pranking people. I need a scheming buddy!"

Valentina - "I don't know whose sake I should pray for if that's true, mine or yours!"

Isabel - "Whatever! Come on, I'm starving!"

Rory - "You said it! Let's go!"

The six students bid a temporary farewell to their unicorns as they went off to the cafeteria. Having made their way to lunch, Sophia and Ava pushed the food around their plates, still thinking about the mysterious unicorn. Rory, noticing their distress, flung grapes in their direction to grab their attention, which proved to be successful. Sophia was annoyed by his antics, but at least Ava found them amusing.

Rory - "Hey, think fast!"

Sophia - "Ow! Rory! What was that for?!"

Ava - "Mmm! Grapes!"

Rory - "Sorry, but you guys have been sitting there for the past five minutes without so much as a single peep! What's wrong?"

Ava - "Oh, sorry about that, Rory. I guess Sophia and I are just..."

Sophia - "We're worried about the strange unicorn we saw. What if he comes back?"

Valentina - "Sophia, I don't know if you remember this, but we have bigger things to worry about right now! A real princess is coming to Unicorn Academy! We need to be getting ready for her arrival!"

Isabel - "Yeah, but that unicorn was strange, Dude."

Layla - "I've read that some unicorns are more closed off than others, but none have ever tried to attack us! What if he comes to the academy?"

Sophia - "Something tells me that unicorn isn't coming within fifty miles of Unicorn Academy as long as he's alive."

Ms. Furi - "What's this about a strange unicorn?"

Students - "Aah!"

Ms. Furi had suddenly teleported with her unicorn to the students' lunch table, and her usual stern face was mixed with caution. Ms. Primrose came over as well, though her expression was much more relaxed than the former. Explaining the situation they had when going out with their unicorns, the students watched as the teachers went from curious to horrified in just a matter of seconds.

Ms. Furi - "...What do you mean a unicorn tried to attack you?!"

Rory - "Uh, exactly what we said? He just came out of nowhere and chased us out of the woods!"

Ms. Primorse - "This unicorn...did he have two feathers behind his left ear?"

Ava - "Yeah! And he looked a lot like Leaf! It's like she knew him."

Ms. Furi - "None of you are to go near that unicorn ever again!"

Isabel - "What?!"

Valentina - "Auntie, what's wrong?"

Ms. Primrose - "That unicorn is wild and strayed himself away from the rest of the herds. He's a wild and violent animal, with no desire for a rider or any type of companionship. Since his birth, he's been stubborn."

Ms. Furi - "And as for his similarities to Leaf, that's because he's her twin brother."

Ava - "What?!"

Layla - "You're telling us that the sweetest unicorn on this island is...that unicorn's sister?! His twin, no less?!"

Sophia - "That explains why Leaf got so anxious when he appeared."

Isabel - "I think she knew he'd attack us."

Ms. Primrose - "Regardless of his relation to Leaf, that unicorn is dangerous. If you come into contact with him again, you are to report back to the school immediately! He won't tread onto the campus grounds."

Rory - "Sheesh, with the way he ran after us, you'd think he woke up on the wrong side of the grass this morning!"

As the lunch bell ran, the teachers gave out the instructions to the students, and sent them off to work. Isabel and Layla managed to organize and clean the unicorns without any problems. Sophia and Valentina, while they had a few...disagreements, they finished the meeting and set up of the welcoming committee with only a few bumps along the way. The next day, Ava and Rory stood at the front of the academy, Rory polishing the statues while Ava and Leaf used plant magic to decorate the walls. Looking over to his left, he saw Ava running her hand through Leaf's mane, who decorated the base of a statue with flowers while looking around anxiously.

Rory - "You alright, you two?"

Ava - "Huh? Oh, yeah! Sorry Rory, I think Leaf's just a little shaken up about what happened."

Rory - "Don't worry, Leaf! That unicorn is far away from here! He's probably like me and doesn't like studying! Haha!"

Ava - "Haha! Yeah, try not to worry, Leaf! You heard him, that mean old unicorn can't get you!"

Ms. Primrose - "Hello, Ava and Rory! The entrance looks amazing, I'm sure the princess will love it! In fact, Princess Talulah will be arriving in just a few moments!"

Ava - "Ooh! You hear that, Leaf! The princess is almost here!"

Rory - "Then what are we waiting for? Come on!"

Rory didn't know anything about this princess, but he was excited to see if she was good at riding. And little did he know, he would grow closer to this new student than he ever thought he would.