#wip: enchanted illusions

[mysticstarlightduck]

Six Sentence 'Monday'!

This was supposed to be a Six Sentence Sunday post, but since I missed the tag yesterday, here goes "Six Sentence Monday" instead! Thank you for tagging me, @pluttskutt!

This snippet is also what I like to call: Augustus snaps and shows their pursuers precisely why he was once called the Soulsnatcher (It's slightly more than 6 sentences, I think, but it wouldn't make sense without context!)

[...] Augustus laughed, frustrated, nearly manic with rage, as the thugs surrounded them yet again. This mercenary had just hurt the only person Augustus truly cared about, and now still had the gall to try and mock them - this was the final straw over an already hellish week, and it was really, quite absurd.

He whirled backward, so fast that Harriet was surprised she didn't hear anything snap in his neck. He glanced at her injured arm for a moment, worry written in his features, before steeling himself and walking slowly towards the approaching mercenaries, despite them scrambling to reload their pistols.

When Augustus spoke again, his voice was much deeper, and garbled, and the sarcastic smile on his lips looked more than slightly off "Well, I'm going to enjoy this - it seems it's been a while since someone taught you the proper meaning of bloodshed!" The summoning mark shone around his wrist and the mercenaries fired, only for the bullets to stop mid-air. The necromancer glared at them, expression turning deathly serious. "You should've left us alone when she gave you the chance" [...]

Tagging (gently): @little-peril-stories, @oh-no-another-idea, @rickie-the-storyteller, @illarian-rambling, @i-can-even-burn-salad, @clairelsonao3, @doublegoblin, @talesofsorrowandofruin, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @kaylinalexanderbooks and OPEN TAG

[rivensdefenseattorney]

Stella Character Profile

(WIP)

Basic Information

Name: Estelle Alina Eos Solana

Race: Fairy

Age: 21

Gender: Female (She/Her)

Height: 5'9 (176 cm)

Unique Features

Skin shimmers in sunlight

Tanned Skin

Background & History

Education: Alfea Interdimensional College of Fae

Year: 4

Concentrated Study: Diplomacy & Leadership in Fae Realms

Minor Studies: Enchanted Visual Arts | Diplomatic Negotiation Strategies | Elemental Combat Techniques

Favorite Class: Artisanal Magic in Visual Arts

Birthplace: Kingdom of Solaria, Illumina

Relationships

Family

Father: Radius Solana

Mother: Luna Solana

Uncle: Celsius

Step Mother: Countess Cassandra

Step-Sister: Chimera

Fiancé: Thoren

Friends

Bloom/Flora (Winx Best Friends)

Sky/Helia/Nabu (Specialist Best Friends)

Love Interests

Brandon

Personality Traits

Extroverted - Talkative, witty, and almost never run out of things to discuss. Happiness and satisfaction stem from the time she spends with the people she enjoys being with.

Impulsive/Spontaneous - May act on impulse and make decisions quickly. Enjoys living in the moment and is comfortable with unplanned adventures.

Showy - Every day is a performance, and Stella loves to put on a show. Loves to experiment with new styles, and constantly finds new ways to stick out in the crowd.

Strengths

Observant -  Natural when it comes to noticing real, tangible things and changes.

Charismatic - Has a magnetic personality that draws people towards her.

Bold - Not one to hold back, Stella doesn't mind stepping outside of her comfort zone when no one else is willing.

Weaknesses

Sensitive - Can be very vulnerable to criticism. May feel like she's been backed into a corner, sometimes reacting badly.

Poor Long-Term Planner - Rarely, if ever, considers laying out steps and consequences.

Unfocused - Anything that requires long-term dedication and focus is a particular challenge.

Fears

Heights

Darkness

Skills & Abilities

Excels in Light and Shadow Magic

Proficient in creating and dispelling illusion spells

Proficient in defensive hand-to-hand combat

Can see through most illusion spells

Can see color auras around others

Hobbies & Interests

Manages her social media presence

Designs clothing

Shopping

Hosting Social Events

Running

Making smoothies and face masks

Quirks & Habits

Follows a vegetarian diet

Color blind at night

Never seen dressed casually

Gets a spa treatment at least once a week

__________________________

Winx Rewrite Master Post

Stella's Playlist

[cr-noble-writes]

WIP Whenever

I was tagged like two weeks ago by @otemporanerys but I didn't have anything from WIPs that I could actually share at the time. But I do now!

Anyway, outside of exchange and bang fics, Baldur's Gate 3, The Dark Urge, and Durgetash kind of have me by the throat at the moment.

Light Act 3 spoilers, The Dark Urge spoilers, Gortash POV. Nothing shippy or explicit at this point, just a Durge trying to figure out who Gortash was to him

Gortash relaxes only incrementally after reaching the confines of his Upper City villa. Having the rumors that his old partner does, in fact, live confirmed put him in a better mood than he’s been in in some time. It is, however, tempered by the knowledge that Calamity has neither memory of himself nor memories of their prior association. He’d seemed different in a way Gortash can’t quite identify. Perhaps it’s the company Calamity has taken to keeping. Or perhaps Orin truly had destroyed him as thoroughly as she believes.  He doesn’t bother with candles as he enters his bedchamber. He could pace the room blinded and in his sleep if necessary. Gortash has a meticulous catalogue of the placement of furniture, soft gold silks, and heavy black velvets that adorn the room in his mind. Even the hints of crimson that remain as a testament to Calamity’s influence before Orin dug her claws into things that did not belong to her are burned into his memory. His nascent anger is harder than usual to tamp down as he shucks the Cloth of Authority and drapes it over the back of the chair at his desk.

“What a suitably gaudy home you’ve made for yourself, Archduke.” Gortash’s fingers tighten over the top of the chair, but he otherwise has the sense not to show how much the familiar voice startles him. “Nearly as meretricious as the title itself.” Gortash ignores the fear that curls in his stomach, instead allowing the slow spread of a smile across his mouth as he turns to face his uninvited guest. The tiefling lounges like a lion, lazy from the hunt, in a plush chair near the window. A sliver of moonlight glints off the purplish-black scales that mark the draconic blood that runs in his veins, and glowing yellow eyes stare with an intensity so familiar as to be nearly unbearable. Perhaps he has not changed so much as Gortash initially believed. “However did you manage to find yourself here, my dear assassin?” “For all your apparent paranoia,” Calamity begins with a graceful shrug of his broad shoulders. He flicks his wrist, and the candles on a nearby candelabra burst into flame, casting a dim orange glow across his blue skin. “You’ve forgotten to defend against the simplest of illusions. Your tin army cannot see invisible things.” An oversight Gortash will have to correct poste haste. It is difficult to maintain his composure. The man he knew would have pressed his advantage rather than reveal himself so quickly. He crosses his arms over his chest and arches a brow, projecting far more confidence into his voice than he feels. “If you are here to kill me, darling, I feel duty bound to inform you that I am not so easily slain.” Calamity’s mouth widens into a vicious grin. Gortash can see the white of his sharp teeth in the candlelight. “If I were here to kill you, I would already bathe in your blood.” “Enlighten me, then.” Gortash suppresses the shiver the words send crawling up his spine. “Why have you come?” His expression is as inscrutable as ever, an unnerving level of perfect calm. Even the enchantment woven into Gortash’s cloak had never quite matched him with the extremity of Calamity’s control of his emotions. Most of them, at least. It’s a surprise when the calm falters, breaking to a brow furrowed in confusion. “What am I to you?”

Like and subscribe if you want to follow my descent into madness lmaooooooo (sorry its early and I haven't even finished my first cup of coffee yet)

Anyway, no pressure tags: @imbiowaresbitch @nickelkeep @bleuzombie @rowanisawriter and @rotschopf-thedrow

[vivifriend]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by the lovely @thequeenofthewinter 🩷 Thank you. I feel like I've pestered my friends enough today, so no extra tags. XD (If you don't agree with me, feel free to post what you're working on and tag me! ^_^)

Have some more from Copper's chapter. (Snowflake's Chance)

Leaning back slightly on the bench, they watched Erik move toward them, tilting their head slightly as they studied his aura. I can already see glimmers that suggest his power is going to increase. I wish I knew how I knew that though. Maybe it would help me turn this off.

He hesitated a few paces away, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Serana said you don't mind if I sit by you?" he asked.

They inclined their head. "Have a seat."

He smiled, sitting on the bench, CuSith laying next to him, resting his head on his paws. "Hope you don't mind CuSith," he said.

"The only thing we need to worry about with him is how we're going to get him into Markarth," they said, studying the hound. "Somehow I don't see as many people there being accepting of his appearance."

"Serana and I have been exploring magic with Vice," he said. "She says it looks like I should be able to mold Illusion and Alteration pretty easily. That I should be able to figure out a disguise spell for him with enough practice."

They nodded slowly, looking over the rope in his aura. Wonder if it'll change color when he starts training his magic, or if it'll stay that dark. "If you get into Enchanting, you could see about affixing a spell to his collar."

"Serana did say that was another option. But I'm not sure how comfortable I am with Enchanting. Working with souls...," he shuddered.

"Most soul gems are animal souls, just have to stay away from black soul gems," they pointed out, glancing to see that Sarlfi and a three younger werewolves had entered, all four of them speaking animatedly with the group in the center, noting absently that the one in the trio with the strongest aura seemed to be arguing the most and shook their head.

"What is it?" Erik asked.

"Sarlfi said that these three have been too brash during training. I'd wager the ringleader is that one since he's the one arguing loudest, and has the strongest aura."

"Like goats," he said.

"Goats?"

He nodded. "Yeah, you'll see the same posturing in young goats. They'll rally around their chosen leader and make trouble for their boss goat. Usually the boss goat has to knock em down a couple times to get them to see sense."

One of the trio turned bright red and Copper bit back a snicker. I'd say at least one of them heard us.

After a few more seconds of arguing, the trio turned toward their bench, making their way over. The ringleader was a lithe Imperial man who looked a couple years older than Erik, the other two a Nord and a Bosmer around the same age.

"So, why aren't you part of this demonstration?" the Imperial demanded.

Copper studied his aura curiously, noting with interest that his power seemed to have capped while the other two hadn't come into theirs fully yet. "Leg injury," they said cheerfully. "And Erik's still a novice."

He hmphed, moving to stand near their side of the bench, side-eying CuSith a bit uneasily. 

"Goats?" the Bosmer asked, staring at Erik. 

"Sorry, first thing that came to mind," he said faintly, fiddling with his tunic hem.

[afoolandathief]

Countdown to NaNo, Part 4/4: Some more characters ...

Two days till NaNoWriMo! I'm not sure how ready I am for it, but for my last post, here's some more characters in Something Wicked:

Violet Anouilh

A hedgewitch living in a ranch outside Las Vegas with her mother, Marie, where they care for monsters and other supernatural creatures in need. Her powers specialize in plant and fungal growth. Likes: Jade Shaw. Dislikes: Caz Mraz

Ruby Hall

Jade's best friend and a witch working at a casino as a magician's assistant. The real trick? She's a master of illusions and the magician in question is her rabbit and familiar, Domino.

Lila Brown

Caz's ex and a werewolf with a past. She and Caz had a wild time in the 90s and 2000s, but something happened since that led to her not speaking to Caz beyond a few sentences.

Amber and Ember Byrne

The Byrne twins operate a funeral home in a strip mall in Las Vegas, serving as a front for selling all manner of ingredients to other witches. With Everett "Ember" Byrne's fire magic and Amber's necromancy, they make a formidable pair indebted to Theoris Myrina since the late 80s. Which brings us to ...

Theoris Myrina

Jade's former mentor and head of the Southwest Coven, which Jade was a part of until she made a deal with a vampire. According to the Byrne twins, Theoris is making some big changes due to some influences back east.

Kenneth Brooks

A detective on the verge of retirement trying to solve a series of seemingly unconnected homicides and disappearances. Old-fashioned cop not afraid of old-fashioned policework — such as blackmailing Caz and Jade to do his dirty work for him.

Amelia [redacted]

Caz's last girlfriend, who left him after interpreting his secretiveness and strange habits as signs of a drug addiction. Caz is determined to win her back (but if he happens to date some others along the way, including a rich Fae prince, what’s the harm?).

Post 1/4, Post 2/4, Post 3/4

WIP: Something Wicked

Status: Draft 3.5 (rewrite)

NaNo profile: afoolandathief

NaNoWriMo 2022 Goal: Maybe 50K? we'll see

WIP taglist: (ask to be +/-): @author-a-holmes, @avian-writes, @captain-kraken, @ceph-the-ghost-writer, @digital-chance, @diphthongsfordays, @drippingmoon, @ellierenae, @enchanted-lightning-aes, @faelanvance, @fearofahumanplanet, @flowerprose, @frankiestfrank, @houndmouthed, @joaniejustwokeup, @leiwritess-moved, @mjayatlas, @outpost51, @purplezebraproductions, @rhymingteelookatme, @somealienquill, @thegreatobsesso, @thelaughingstag, @vylequinnewriting, @writing-is-a-martial-art

[rainpebble3]

WIP ... Some day...

So we're probably closer to Friday... but I've been tagged in WIP Wednesday by the incredible @thequeenofthewinter and @dirty-bosmer. I'm slowly, slowly starting to chip away at the masses of OUTSTANDING chapters to catch up on and I've been hammering at a little bit of Layers of Snow and Ash. It's been tricky and chances are this snippet will be severely chopped and tidied before the next chapter is ready.

I'm so late to WIP Wednesday and I have no idea who has been tagged already or not so... if you see this and haven't posted a WIP yet, this is my invitation to you.

Today's screenshot represents me trying to write this chapter and Nera trying to cope with all the new people in the college.

<3

Chapter 12 - The Tour

From their position in the crowd, Nera and Brelyna were barely close enough to hear Master Ervine. Her voice was nearly lost on crashing waves of several footsteps. The fragile, icy shell that had sealed the courtyard earlier was well and truly shattered by the morning sun as flaming rays of sunlight bathed the layers of frost on trees. Nera nearly fell into the person in front of her as the group abruptly stopped next to one of the magical light fountains.

“You will have noticed this, as well as the several others around the college, I’m sure. We ask that you do not touch these. In simple terms they channel the magic being used here, keeping it safe and stable. Any interferences could result in catastrophic consequences…”

“Like another great collapse?!” a tiny voice squeaked.

The group turned to the speaker while Master Ervine pulled her lips together in a tight line. The person, an elf, blushed, turning their olive skin pink and they quickly pulled their hood down over their head. The only thing that could be seen of their face were swirling, thorny tattoos coating their chin like a beard.

Master Ervine cleared her throat. “I won’t lie, it’s certainly a risk. This college currently has four hundred mages studying and working here. It takes a vast amount of energy to accommodate this power.”

Nera’s eyes widened. “Where are they all?” she blurted out and felt the eyes of the group land on her. She nearly apologised for speaking out of turn but a quick look from Brelyna saved her. She was a Maryon now. She could ask any questions she wanted.

“You have Master Neloren to thank for that,” Master Ervine said. “He is our Master of Illusion and has helped enchant the college to be capable of sustaining large groups of students while maintaining a tranquil environment. Now if there are no further interruptions…”

Nodding, Nera ignored the group until Master Ervine started walking onwards. Brelyna nudged her with a silent glare but too many people were crowded around them. Saying anything was impossible so Nera settled for a subtle shrug. She winced as one of the Argonians stepped on her foot, however she had no way to tell if it was a harmless mistake of someone crushed in a small group, or a deliberate attack. She shook herself. This wasn’t Windhelm. There would be no attacks.

Master Ervine led them across the courtyard and stopped outside of the Lustratorium. “Before we enter, I must let you know, there are some plants in here which may be considered dangerous, they will not harm you unless you try to disturb them. Please do not touch anything.”

Silent mutterings of agreement rose from the group. Nera gasped as she was shoved forward, stuck in the current of flapping robes and stamping boots. She hurried forward, avoiding the harsh slap of a tail and ended up behind the crimson clad battle mages.

Entering the Lustratorium was intoxicating. Her eyes watered as soon as her feet crossed the threshold, her nose burned as a hundred types of pollen wafted over her. She wasn’t the only one affected by the plants and several mages coughed, wiping their eyes on their sleeves. Master Ervine looked over her shoulder and smirked.

“You get used to it.”

Somehow Master Ervine was able to speak over the coughs and sneezes of the new mages. They passed plants from different corners of Tamriel and Nera resented being pushed forward, longing for a chance to stop and admire the flowers. Especially when Master Ervine mentioned alien flora and leaves from Morrowind.

[cee-grice]

It's Worldbuilding Wednesday, so I thought I'd start introducing some stuff about my WIP's world :))

The topic of today:

🔮 The Magic System 🔮

ITS PHYSICALITY

The magic in this world exists as a physical element—one that can be used as a unique energy source. The element itself is called magia and it's entirely quantifiable, if not always easily. It's further separated into two categories: pure and impure. Impure magia is what casters are able to use to perform magic whilst the pure kind remains unreachable to them. Not all impure magia is the same, however; it's pure magia that's been, basically, tainted by magical creatures, and thus it has different essences in its composition. This doesn't affect how casters are able to use it, but it does have different kind of effects :)

ITS USAGE

To perform magic means, in practical terms, to command magia. This is achieved in mainly two ways: by casting and enchantments. Casters are able to manipulate the impure magia in the air to bend reality to their will, although that's much easier said than done. One, they need to have a magia conductor on their person as otherwise they'd be just as successful at commanding magia as commanding oxygen; two, understanding the laws of physics you wish to manipulate is crucial in actually, well, manipulating them; and three, use of magia often results in adverse physical effects, so how much one is able to do magic varies from person to person and their physicality. There are three types of casters: mages, priests, and freecasters. Mages are essentially academics—they learned how to perform magic through studying at a magical academy and were awarded a license by it to use it. Priests, too, study the science to an extent, but most of their capabilities come from the deities they pledge their devotion to. Through them, they're able to manipulate magia in ways inaccessible to mages, such as for limited healing, divination, and more. In contrast, mages are generally more adept at the more usual categories, such as charm, transmutation, illusion, and others. Freecasters are usually magical creatures that are intelligent and skillful enough to manipulate magia using their own bodies as a conductor. This ability sometimes extends to venemagiks of their kind, to which we'll get to in a sec :) Other than casting, people are also able to make use of magia by enchantments. Basically, any item than can be written on can be, technically, enchanted. You do this by inscribing sigils onto the object that, when activated, are able to soak up the magia in the air and work together to give the object (or area) certain magical qualities. This is also usually only available to mages or priests as it's an entire field of study on its own and you need a very specific kind of material to active the enchantments.

ITS EFFECTS

There's a whole thing about magical creatures and spirits and how they depend on magia to survive, but that's gonna be for a different post lol. For now, we're gonna talk about people that are most affected by magia—venemagiks. As magia exists in the air all around, people are always breathing it in. Usually, it just harmlessly passes through their bodies. As a child is developing in the womb, however, they're much more susceptible to outside influences :) What we get as a result are venemagiks, a human with magical creature traits. What kind of magical creature depends on the impure magia's essence as well as what the child's body is more susceptible to. In short, though, the more magical creatures of a certain type are in an area, the more venemagiks of that type will be born. As far as traits go, they can vary intensely. A venemagik of a reptilian type creature might just have some scales on their arms, or they might have a lizard head and breathe fire. It's a wide spectrum, basically. For some, it's inconsequential or maybe even helpful, whereas for others it can be life-threatening (for example, a venemagik of a kind of water creature might have both gills and regular lungs and neither might suffice).

And that's pretty much the basics, I think ! A strongly condensed version, if you will haha

Tag list (let me know if you want to me added or removed): @writerfae, @tate-lin, @iriswords, @sternenmeerkind, @thecrookedwriterspath, @pure-solomon, @moonshinemagpie, @arowanaprincess, @scribe-of-stories, @thesorcerersapprentice

[i-can-even-burn-salad]

Magic Inspiration Tag

I was tagged by @writingmoth <3

And I am gonna tag @verkja and @starlit-hopes-and-dreams and @dont-touch-my-soup if you want to!

Rules—share the inspiration/s for the magic system in your WIP

That's a very good question. I have a rather soft system that I just make do whatever I need in the moment. After letting this tag game rot in my drafts for ages, I think it's mostly video games.

Elemental magic (fire, earth, air, water)

Healing magic (gotta have a healer)

Necromancy (just for the aesthethics™, no raising dead)

Illusions and glamour

The games I play most (elder scrolls, guild wars, some jrpgs) contain a couple of those. Mechanics as well. The games I enjoy most have a slowly replenishing mana pool, so that's kinda how it works. Enchanting objects/objects with magical properties are also a common thing.

Fun fact: In so many games, water = healing, which really fucked me over once I moved a tiny bit away from the game concept :D

There's probably many other sources as well, but I can't remember. I read a lot and I played a lot and some parts of it are 20 years old.

[angsty-prompt-hole]

Character Introduction: Miscellaneous Villains

WIP: Primarily A Hero’s Call and it’s sequels, but many of these villains appear in other stories as well.

Since the Dimension Jumpers saga is sort of structured like a Monster of the Week television series, I have a lot of villains who float around and make appearances throughout the series. I figured I’d introduce some of the fun ones since I talk about them a lot.

The Ringmaster: Owner of the Circus of a Thousand Names, a traveling circus where things aren’t always what they appear to be. The Ringmaster is a dimension jumper who decided to use his powers to commit crimes, and to sate his hunger for raw meat. He has the ability to create very powerful illusions, one of which is his human disguise. In reality, he is a humanoid lizard creature known as a vraska, from a dense jungle world. He is one of the major recurring villains of the series and tends to be arrogant, bloodthirsty, and cruel.

Eva Wickerath/The Hag: The Hag is a mysterious figure dressed like a plague doctor who has a love for unhinged science experiments of all kinds. Once a scientist working for [REDACTED], Eva was subsequently used as one of the test subjects, and ended up with a whole host of strange new mutations, including a massive scorpion-like tail that she can wield like a weapon. She also has dimension jumper powers, and she is a prominent figure in the interdimensional black market.

[insert references here]

Rictus Almaris and Mavera Rains: Eldritch entities that were somehow confined to human vessels, which has driven them kind of mad (especially Rictus but don’t tell him that). They are constantly moving from world to world looking for a way to escape their fleshy prisons. They also appear in almost all of my other stories in some way because Rictus keeps deciding he was there in some capacity.

Keeo Chispeche: A character that I adopted from @isa-ghost​ and an absolute gremlin, Keeo was sold to the Ringmaster (or perhaps stolen by him) a long time ago. He is a living doll with enchanted eyes that allow him to switch bodies with anyone who makes eye contact with him. He also has a set of jewelry which give him different powers, most of which he stole from the Ringmaster. He has a ring that allows him to move between worlds, and an amulet that allows him to bring inanimate objects to life. Much like the Ringmaster, he is arrogant and believes himself to be better than everyone else, and he abuses the hell out of the powers he has.

[insert reference here]

Xavier Fralick: A demon descendant of the fallen angel Asmodeus, and an incubus, Xavier likes to stir up a little trouble every now and then. While not as malicious as many of the other villains, Xavier is cunning, seductive, and he loves to have control over everyone around him, and he will often go to great lengths to see what kinds of people he can enthrall.

[perlen-gold]

It’s Wednesday, my talented and multifarious artist friends! 

Be you painter or writer, quill-wielder or brush-enchanter, whether you feel small and insignificant or strong and comfortable, come forth and show us your uniqueness! Too impassioned? Watch me recite Schiller, hehe...  💜 Happy WIP Wednesday, friends! 💜 🥰 Tagging @cleverblackcat​ @aidanthecryptid​ @kourvo​ @rakshadow​ @raflesia65​ @roguelioness​ @barbex​ @noire-pandora​ @bluewren​ and @daggerbeanart​ and EVERYONE HERE who feels like sharing!  💗

Harder Fenris grips the chain.

Legs thick as grown men, bent and angled as claws of twisted tree trunks, a myriad of haphazard oil-black eyes staring off them.

Huge as a cathedral.

A bloated body, swollen, lanced with enormous claw-pointed spikes and inflated to immemorial  tremendousness.

Colossal as a mountain.

Inbetween, a many-spiked, many-armored, many-jawed huge head rolling and swaying with the rhythm of its darkness-exhaling pulse.

And eyes, eyes, jet-black, sable-gulping, pitch-staring eyes all over the heinous abominable creature.

“I see.”

Behind the lance-legs the distended sack of a belly is sagging, its enormousness twitching with a lacerated flow of blood as well as a jerking in two of his half-shredded legs.

Fenris is staring up at it, at this fell monstrosity, his chin no longer lifted toward the creature but his eyes burning from under the strain of his brows. His lips are drawn back. His lower teeth are bared. With a jerk Fenris spits out its stench, wiping his blood-bathed face with his torn forearm. The stench of the colossal creature’s bowls is smarting on the tip of his tongue.

“Perhaps I should tremble before the mighty slave.”

The voice is a cruel weave, a melodious rasp curling with silent amusement  soon deepening, soon cusped with a blood-gilded, Tevene-tendriled hue.

“I am not a slave,” Fenris replies, his shout almost lashed away by the monster’s whipping darkness. Chains and shackles winding round his ankles, wrists and throat, he stands, muscles stricken with tautness. “But tremble you should, demon.”

Laughter as the chasm-chiming of the underworld’s deepest bell.

“You would dare me? There is nothing for you to fight for, serve. But what if I told you I could grant you all I harbor and all you have ever sought, Leto? Who knows, I might give you the life that made me strong, stronger than a thousand others before.”

Under the iron-fingered collar blood rushes into Fenris’ throat.

“Where is Hawke?”

The greed-ridden voice strikes like a bloody grin, the beastly monster swelling with it.

“Ah … did you fall for my illusion, little Leto?” The relishing sound of a smacking smile. “He screamed until his bones parted with his flesh. ”  

A thrumming surges through the darkness around, rising within the smile-curling voice almost like fury swelling with the bloodied mass of the hideous creature’s body. 

“I quashed his body, I tore him limb from limb and I devoured his crunching bones and all that remained of him.”

Fenris almost falls.

But there is no depth below him to fall anymore.

Where would he fall upon, after all?

Hawke is dead.   And he is here.

Fenris cannot stay. He cannot save him. He can never meet him again, one last time.

Hawke is dead.   And he is here.

Fenris has always known it. Has always felt it, felt the shadows to be truer.

His ache for Hawke breaches his week muscles, raising a scent form the blood-wet-ground. Memories, all of his memories of Hawke well up as a king tide in winter, the crash of a dam – the purple-golden fly of his laughter – the honey-laced dance of his chuckling eyes – the cynical rise and sarcastic fall of his hands, the provocative ride of his shoulders, the longanimous curl of his smile, his decisive stride and calm-ascending anger, his candid quickness and intentional silliness – the brush of his voice – the flavor of his embrace –

There is nowhere to fall anymore.

But he can burn, burn, and burn one last time and be consumed by it, and he can fight and kill what wrested him from him with his hatred and yearning and pain, all that is left of Fenris, of Leto, of him.

He can burn the pyre one last time before he follows him.

(Excerpt from ‘Pyre’)

[that-angry-noldo]

Don't you want to be alone?

[Tol-in-Gaurhot snippet; Sauron and Finrod in the same room, goes as well as you'd expect. CW torture, torture mention.]

Finrod was alone.

It was exhausting: being chained in the small room (why would he even design a room this small, what was wrong with him), alone, away from his companions. Chains gritted into his skin, leaving ugly marks and scars; Finrod trashed uselessly, without the hope of breaking them - just to feel something.

He stilled, trying to steady his breath. The torch flickered again.

He was sure the room was swarmed with enchantments; there was no other explanation why the torch burned but didn't light the darkness around, why would the shadows start moving and whispering whenever he would try to focus on it. He was sure about it, even though the poison he was given made it painful to even think about magic, much more use it (he discovered it quickly after trying to tend to Edrahil's many wounds - the fire burning from inside out, leaving him curled on the ground from the pain).

He threw himself out of the memories, focusing on the torch again, shadows looming in his peripherial vision.

"I know you're here," he growled, tensing immediately, his eyes becoming sharp, trying to catch the sight of a fallen maia.

He didn't fear Sauron. (He did. His mind would betray him, would left him trashing against his restraints at the mere memory of the fire burns and wips and knives soaked in poison whenever the loneliness would become too much, and Finrod bit his lip - he felt he might've drowen blood).

Sauron laughed quietly, hidden in the darkness of a cell. "Of course you do. I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

The torch flickered one last time. The light vanished.

Finrod felt his breath catching in his throat, panic building in his chest. Two orange eyes sparked in the darkness, looking at him with a cold curiosity. "Are you enjoying your stay, Noldo?"

Finrod pursed his lips, invoking every bit of pain, hatred, rage, trying to surpress the fear he felt barely looking at his captor. Sauron tilted his head, his eyes gleaming dangerously.

"I asked a question, dog."

Finrod clenched his teeth.

Sauron hummed.

The eyes disappeared.

"Is this really the hill you want to die on, Noldo?" Sauron whispered, looking him sraight in the eye, standing right before him and Finrod flinched because there was pain and he was screaming and his throat hurt but so did his chest and his spine and-

He growled, snapping from the illusion, baring his teeth and clutching his chains. Sauron laughed.

"Look at you, so unwilling to obey. There's just me and you in this room, Noldo, but I can change that. You sure would use some company, wouldn't you?"

Finrod freezed. Sauron's eyes sparked with satisfaction.

(Finrod didn't move when the maia placed his fingers on his shoulder, when they started to grow impossibly hot, not quite hurting him but keeping him on edge nonetheless).

"They're quite stubborn, eleven of them. So settled on not giving out who you are. What did an elf, as great as he might be, do to deserve such faithfulness?"

Finrod tried to close his mind, but Sauron's whisper was already inside; he saw Hilie sitting in the corner, hugging herself, her body bruised and wounded, trembling and sobbing quietly; Yurro and Tyalmo, tied up, eyes trained on eachother, feeling the other's pain more than their own; Nyardo, scowling as another whip landed on his spine-

Beren, spitting blood on the floor-

Edrahil, Edrahil, full of rage and of anger, screaming and shouting and trashing against his chains, and Sauron smiled.

"So he's the dearest to you, then," he crooned, stepping back, and Finrod gasped for air, his mind going no, no, no over and over again. "That was so easy, Noldo. I expected more of you."

"Don't," he whispered, the first words leaving his lips in who knows how long. "Don't."

Sauron stopped. "Ah, so you do talk."

"Don't," Finrod repeated. "He's not-"

"You're right," Sauron said, his eyes gleaming, satisfied. "Maybe, I should take care of you first. Let you have a taste of everything he will go through. Maybe you wouldn't be so selfish i you knew what he would endure, don't you think?"

Finrod thinks of Edrahil, and of Beren, and of everyone else, and lowers his head.

~

He lies on the ground, body trembling, blood splattered all over the floor, tears streaming down his face.

Sauron takes his chin with his fingers, forces Finrod to look at him.

"Now, what do you think? Will your precious friends be so devoted to you to endure this?"

Finrod is silent, the only sound being his higged breath.

Sauron smirks, and turns around.

"Get the angry one ready," he orders, and Finrod feels his heart drop. "This Noldo over here is very eager to see his friend."

[mysticstarlightduck]

OC In Three!

I was tagged by @thepeculiarbird for this one, here! Thanks for the tag!

I'll go with my OC Sam Delaways, from Enchanted Illusions, for this one!

Also, have 3 songs that fit his vibe!

1. Brother - Needtobreathe

2. My Petersburg - Anastasia

3. Ditmas - Mumford and Sons

Tagging (gently, no pressure): @lassiesandiego, @clairelsonao3, @little-peril-stories, @rickie-the-storyteller, @crowandmoonwriting, @sam-gladee, @writernopall, @oh-no-another-ideaa, @hrmkingizzy, @jasperygrace, @tabswrites, @littleladymab, @kaylinalexanderbooks , @tabswrites @i-can-even-burn-salad, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams and @blind-the-winds

[furtiveseal]

@lutiaslayton tagged me to share the last seven lines of my current WIP, which I wasn't expecting but very much appreciate <3 (also go check out her stuff if you're into Professor Layton she does a bunch of really really cool things including a great fanfic, translating a bunch of the Japan-exclusive content, and hosting a website with a bunch of stuff)

The closest thing I have to a WIP right now would be Wild Magic and Wilder Witches, my The Owl House-inspired TTRPG project built around improvised magic and dicebuilding. It's still very much a work in progress (I've barely started working on chapter 2 of the 7 I planned on writing for the core book) but here's a sneak peek of the latest thing I wrote (a bit more than 7 lines admittedly, I'm putting it under the cut because this is gonna be long):

Mana types

In order to cast any spell, you will need mana, raw magical energy that emanates from the Isles.

There are 6 types of mana, and all but one of them are associated with a specific type of magic.

Wild mana is the purest form of mana as it exists before coming into contact with anything else. True to its name, it is ever-changing and hard to consistently use, but its nature allows it to be used for any type of magic.

Elemental mana is mana transformed by contact with raw elemental forces : fire, water, wind and earth, but also rock, thunder, snow, sand and ice. Elemental magic allows one to both conjure and manipulate the elements, shaping them into whatever form is needed or combining them into a powerful, if unstable, spell. By itself, elemental magic is ephemeral, and even solid constructs will rarely last more than a minute unless the caster is focusing on them.

Life mana is mana that was changed by the primordial force of life that permeates all living things, plants and creatures alike. Life magic lets its users bend the laws of nature, growing plants in the blink of an eye and bending them to their will, temporarily giving physical form to mana by summoning animals, healing wounds in a matter of seconds or transforming one’s body with claws, wings, gills or anything else they might need. While the plants created by life magic can often keep existing long after their original spell was cast, animals and other types of sentient life, along with bodily transformations, are harder to stabilize and will turn back into mana if not given proper care and focus.

Illusion mana was shaped by dreams, nightmares, and the way all living beings experience the world through their senses. Through illusion magic, Witches can make you see and feel things that aren’t there, producing illusions both frightening and enchanting, manipulating senses by changing something’s color, smell, taste or texture - sometimes turning things invisible -  or even getting directly involved with dreams. Illusions are volatile by nature, but take very well to efforts to keep them active.

Creation mana is the most stable of all the mana types, as it was changed by contact with physical matter and Witch-made things, as opposed to those born of the Isles. Creation magic allows one to manipulate the essence of creation itself, bending its rules via teleportation, the modulation of gravity, changing the size of objects, or turning mana into solid matter, whether ephemeral constructs of pure crystallized energy or permanent items and materials. The spirit of creation can also be imbued into items to animate them so that they may pursue their specific purpose on their own. Soul mana is mana transformed by the souls, thoughts and spirits of the sapient denizens of the Isles. Soul magic is powerful and dangerous, as it lets one get in direct contact with their and other’s souls, allowing for wordless telepathic communication, mind control, siphoning the very life force of another being through vampirism, or harnessing strong negative emotions into spells meant exclusively to kill or destroy. Soul magic also isn’t limited to the realm of the living, as it can allow Witches to interact with the spirits of the dead, or emulate a soul to reanimate a corpse temporarily.

If you liked that, I post updates about the project under the "seal makes a ttrpg" tag, but be warned that progress is slow and inconsistent.

Anyway, I'm not entirely sure who amongst my mutuals has a WIP of any sort, so I'm just gonna tag @spiderkunst, @raph-lachouette and maybe @iknaenmal too, but if you weren't tagged and have stuff you want to share please do and tag me so I can see it!

[ariadne-mouse]

🔮(illusion), 🐛, ⏰, 🔨 for your lovely ask meme !

Hi there! :) I answered ⏰ in another post [here], but here are the others:

🔮 Make up a title on the spot based on the asker's word/theme and briefly describe what the fic would be about.

the gentle charm - Caleb is trapped in a magical illusion or enchantment where his parents are alive, and Essek has to break him out of it. It's painful because Caleb is very happy there and initially doesn't recognize Essek at all.

Title taken from Letitia Elizabeth Landon:

Break not on the gentle charm In which night has bound me, Wherefore, wherefore should I wake To the cold world around me?

🐛What is your longest fic title? And your shortest?

Longest: multitudinous echoes awoke and died in the distance 

Shortest: A Weird Soup 

🔨 Do you have any working titles you'd like to share that didn't make it to the final posting?

I am discovering in trying to answer this question that I did not retain the draft titles for my finished works and have forgotten most of them 😂 so instead, take the list of possible titles for one of my WIPs, the sequel to multitudinous echoes:

echoes intertwined (original working title)

beneath the reverberant branches (next line from the poem that multitudinous echoes is from, fitting for the fact that it's a sequel)

Essek's Horrible Terrible No-Good Involuntary Vacation

Sometimes, self care is putting something ridiculous in your list of potential titles😌

[ask me something about fic titles!]

[stayarmytinyzenmoa-l]

Witch for Hire [Masterlist]

Witch AU, Magic AU, Supernatural AU

Genre: Light Comedy, Mild Drama

Pairing: Multiple Groups & Witch!Reader

Summary: You are a witch of high regard, after graduating one of the most prestigious academies and making quite the name for yourself, you have decided to pursue solo work. Being a witch for hire, you often find yourself in precarious situations.

Y/N Pronouns: Not Specified

[NCT Masterlist] | [Other Groups Masterlist]

Notes: Yeah so I ended up planning to make Black Magic and Midnight Illusion parts of a bigger series and, hence, With for Hire! Anyway please enjoy this series or mini series hehe

Disclaimer: Please remember that this is an AU and a work of fiction, obviously the idols mentioned/written about in this story would never partake in these actions. The idols mentioned in this work are meant to be seen more as face claims rather than the actual idols themselves.

Last Updated: 13 September 2022

Status: Incomplete

Black Magic

Pairing: NCT 127 & Reader

Summary: In which a group of nine vampires enlist in your services. However, they have a peculiar request. They want you to turn all nine of them human.

Status: Complete

[Ao3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Chapter 1 | {TW: Language, Use of Witchcraft, Blood Mention, Mentions of the Supernatural}

Chapter 2 | {TW: Language, Use of Witchcraft, Blood Mention, Mentions of the Supernatural, Minor Sacreligious themes (not really)}

Chapter 3 | {TW: Language, Use of Witchcraft, Blood Mention, Mentions of the Supernatural, Minor Sacreligious themes (not really), Minor Gore, Occult Themes}

Midnight Illusion

Pairing: Demon!Na Jaemin & Reader

Summary: In which a mishap with the nine vampireslands you in a unique situation in which an uninvited guest has made himself comfortable.

Status: Incomplete

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Chapter 1 | {TW: Language, Use of Witchcraft, Blood Mention, Mentions of the Supernatural, Minor Sacreligious themes (not really), Minor Gore, Occult Themes}

Note: Below are WIPs I have planned for the series, but they are subject to change and may not even be written at all. The pairings may also change, but in the moment of story boarding it looks as so:

Crimson Honor

Pairing: Vampire!Yangyang & Reader

Summary: In which a newly turned vampire struggles with new desires, all of which, for whatever reason, center on a specific witch.

Status: WIP

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Verdant Charm

Pairing: Witch!WayV & Reader

Summary: In which a witch in training meets their first rival and soon to become long time friend.

Status: WIP

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Stygian Hex

Pairing: Cthonic!BTS & Reader

Summary: In which a disgraced gods seeks help from a disgraced witch.

Status: WIP

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Auburn Eclipse

Pairing: Cursed!Yeonjun & Reader

Summary: In which an old friend seeks help from a compassionate witch to rid him of a curse thought to be unbreakable.

Status: WIP

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Gilded Enchantment

Pairing: Witch!Baekhyun & Reader

Summary: In which a heralded witch seeks help from his shamed companion for the most unlikely of reasons.

Status: WIP

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Azure Hour

Pairing: Witch!Taehyun & Reader

Summary: In which our main witch meets their match.

Status: WIP

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Dyed Promises

Pairing: Vampire!ATEEZ & Reader

Summary: In which a coven of vampires seek the truth themselves and like what they see, much to the dismay of another coven.

Status: WIP

[AO3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

[plavi]

Alchemy, Quill, and Reading!

So, since I'm actually trying to develop Julei as a standalone character, not tied to an existing series (although where she originally came from), I'll answer the question for both TES (based currently in Skyrim) and some of my original musings (which are still a wip btw).

Alchemy: Which ingredients do they most often collect and how successful is their potion brewing?

📜TES Julei:

She most often collects flowers, fungi and insects from the local flora and fauna that is around her (easy to come by), though one plant she has the most interest in is the Nirnroot (she was a student of Sinderion) and she’ll go out of her way to harvest it. And, unlike the infamous DB stuffing their mouth with Giant's Toes and what not, she learns the ingredients' properties through trial and error at alchemy station.

When experimenting, it is not often successful, but that's also her goal as she wants to learn more from them. However, when wanting to make a specific potion, she has a 90% successful rate. She mostly brews healing and resistant potions.

She always has a herbal near by to check the ingredient’s properties, just in case. As well her own notes if she finds or discovers something new.

🌺OG Julei:

She has an interest in botanical alchemy (might expand). She also collects from the local flora and fauna, but if she needs something specific and rare, she won’t hesitate to venture into more dangerous areas to retrieve it.

She also swims and dives underwater to collect hydrophytes. (I have one idea tied to this where she accidentally starts a myth of a lake monster because of her appearance there and possibly involving illusion magic.)

She has her own garden where she grows her plants.

She is still learning and discovering, so her potion brewing is not always successful.

Quill: How much writing does your muse do? Do they keep any journals or have they published any books?

📜TES JULEI:

Julei writes a lot, actually! She never published a book, unless enchanting magic scrolls counts as “publishing” as she was often commissioned to write down the daedric incantations into a scroll. However, she was only able to enchant low level spells as her enchanting skill is low.

She keeps a personal journal in which she writes about her day, her thoughts and feelings. Sometimes the journal would have side notes of ideas that would pop up for new combat moves, illusion spells, alchemy ingredients or anything else that intrigues her (as well as some doodles). She would later transfer her ideas to her separate notebook dedicated to in-depth research.

🌺OG Julei:

Same here, she writes a lot. Keeps a personal journal as well as a notebook on her research.

(W.I.P.) I see her as possibly being a historian or an archeologist. She tried to publish a few articles on some of her archeological findings, but they denied it by regarding it as “pseudoarchaeology”. (I’ll leave it at that for now lol)

Reading: Can your muse read, if they then what’s their favorite book?

📜TES Julei:

Yes, she can read! She's a fast reader and is able to understand its content quickly. She can also read Tamrielic, Dunmeris and Daedric alphabets, and only a little of Jel and Yoku. She loves to read history and fiction. Her all time favorite (fictional) book is "Silence".

🌺OG Julei:

Yes! She's also a fast reader and understands the book's content rather quickly. Her favorite subjects are on history and biology (need to expand).

She also likes to read fiction.