#wip: mutant inquiries

[mysticstarlightduck]

Incorrectly Described OCs Tag

I don't know if this was done before, but I was inspired to make this by the "Badly Summarized WIP Tag" (:

Rules: Describe your OCs (personality-wise) as badly and weirdly as you possibly can

I'll go with some OCs from my WIP Mutant Inquiries for this one.

(Main Cast)

Becca Sillvers - middle kid with daddy issues and strong feral gremlin energy, basically becomes a computer virus after accident and has an overall bad time before deciding to pick a fight with the world

Cory "Diamond" Blythe - has only the power of anime, glitter and vodka on their side. basically made a deal with this world's equivalent of "rumpelstiltskin" (but not really) and regrets life choices.

Luka Stormme - guy with anger issues becomes vigilante during business days after a couple boxing classes. is the "soccer-mom" to his cousins and his friends when he's not fighting crime

Cass Holborn - dropout with a bunch of explosive chemicals in his garage builds underworld empire while successfully failing, but somehow managing, to raise sister

Nydia Tainnen - unstable ballerina with severe childhood trauma decides to become an assassin and give a middle finger to the government

Matthias Harke - runaway tries to keep his friends out of trouble when they decide to mess with the worst people possible, ends up having to take the lead.

Samantha Holborn - troublemaking teen who never learned the meaning of "none of your business" and had too much free time sneaks somewhere she should not be and causes chaos

Jym Callister - over-caffeinated insomniac takes up computer hacking as a way to avoid his problems and just be a menace

Alexey Morikov - cat parent who only wanted to mind his own business and read must get back into the fray after a bunch of unsupervised teens bring the problems he'd successfully been avoiding now knocking on his door

Killien Lux - government experiment and supersoldier develops sentience and starts developing free will while making it everybody's problem. is also a knife

Keilly Phaedre - is the Only Remaining Braincell tm of the team and is completely done with life

(Antagonists)

'Signor' Teague - pathetic guy with severe ego problems, who thinks he's the big man. would be the type of person to unironically listen to those bullsh1t "alpha male podcasts" and take notes like it's an essay

The Mutant Control Agency - bunch of "Karens and Kevins" in fancy suits with lethal weapons and a warrant to chase people around + practice illegal experiments in the name of ✨""""a brighter future""""✨

PHANTOM Industries - big tech company that thinks they're so hip and cool, and are the ones sponsoring the karens above. gives off big "13-year-old playing fortnite and threatening other players" vibes.

Tagging (gently, with no pressure): @oh-no-another-idea, @writernopal, @tabswrites, @rickie-the-storyteller, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @little-peril-stories, @clairelsonao3, @jay-avian, @forthesanityofstorytellers, @aziz-reads, @doublegoblin, @gummybugg, @junypr-camus, @olivescales3, @saltysupercomputer @unstablewifiaccess, @late-to-the-fandom and @lassiesandiego

[mysticstarlightduck]

Hello! :D

Topaz: What is the main conflict of your wip?

Thank you so much for the ask, @i-can-even-burn-salad! I'll answer this one for all my WIPs!

The Tag Game!

Enchanted Illusions: A corrupt secret society seeks to cause another civil war between humans and mythical creatures, whilst murdering those who find out about this true intention. The main characters must stop them and expose their machinations before the chaos in Ansburke gets out of control.

+ BONUS - Augustus, the book's resident necromancer, must face the dire consequences of his deal with the Deamon Deathbringer, as he is torn between his past choices and his newfound love. He needs to make a decision and find a way to break his deal, but any wrong step may put his and his loved one's souls in danger

Of Starlight and Beasts: A scorned Queen seeks revenge on the realm she blames for the death of her lover, but this goal of hers has long since become tainted by her wish for conquest as she became just as murderous as those she battled in the past, generations ago. The main characters must stop her dark magic from conquering and destroying their land for good.

Realms of Loss: A continent divided into two kingdoms, after the fall of the Old Gods, has been trapped in a centuries-old war against one another for centuries - battling for power and survival as the Celestials' power wanes. When this war awakens an insane dead god and puts into motion a crooked prophecy, the "Chosen" prince must fight his fate and prevent both kingdoms from destroying each other.

Tales of Wilted Flowers: A group of outcasts, shunned, forgotten and betrayed by society throughout their lives, find themselves as the only ones willing to take a stand against a sadistic dark sorcerer and the corrupt royal family of the kingdom Wenhorn. In order not to die or meet a terrible fate, these unlikely heroes must stop their kingdom's "beloved" King from bringing back the magic of a long-since banished spellcaster.

The Last Wrath: As the Secret Court, a bloodthirsty cult that feeds off of the souls and magic of common people, returns after a long time being considered only legend, some specific individuals find their personal goals tied to not only surviving both the war between the power-hungry Morosyn Empire and the Free Realms, but also preventing this ancient court from "rewriting history in blood."

Mutant Inquiries: In a cyberpunk, near-future dystopia, mutant super-powered teens face a conspiracy involving an authoritarian government, illegal human experimentation by the PHANTOM Industries, and the truth about their own mutant existence. They become vigilantes in order to expose the truth, but find that there is much more at stake than just sticking it to authority and that their own lives are on the line.

Supernova Initiative: The most wanted intergalactic thief must steal a top-secret experiment, that was lost to so-called zealots in a faraway system, to evade being imprisoned after breaking into the Junction's most secure vault. Meanwhile, diplomatic relationships between factions and galaxies grow strained.

Lies Untold: Two brothers must race against time to evade their kingdom's royal "inquisition" after the King makes their little sister a target to be captured. In their attempt to stay alive, being hunted down while their land faces the punishing wrath of a curse that was very much the King's fault, the siblings also must face their family's past and make the right choice.

[mysticstarlightduck]

OC in 15 or less Tag

Thank you for the Tag, @cowboybrunch (here)! <3

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

I'm doing half of this for my OC Cory Blythe, from Mutant Inquiries, and the other half for Augustus Grimmure, from Enchanted Illusions for this tag!

Cory Blythe

"Listen, douchebag, I'm far too sober to deal with whatever this bullshit is right now and I'm already running late for my fucking job - by the way, I'm far more scared of my boss than I am of you. So how about you go mug someone else and I don't stab you with these heels?"

"And you seriously thought involving 'Miss Trust Fund' over here in our mess was a good idea? No! You just signed our early death certificate." [...] "Why? Oh my god, I don't know, Becky... maybe because her infamously overprotective dad is the CEO of a fucking multimillionaire enterprise and you just dragged his only daughter to the middle of a conspiracy?! I don't care if she wants to help! That's Violet Villarosa, for fuck's sake. We're dead now, we're so dead - I'll have a closed casket for sure."

"The more I live, the more I realize I might be the sanest person in this group of idiots. And that scares me."

"Are any of you going to explain why there's a random dude bleeding out in my brand-new car? No? Okay then."

"Becky," [they take a deep breath] "My best friend, my surrogate sister, the caffeinated cutie-pie of my life, I say this in the most polite way possible - I'd rather be waterboarded with lava than hear that plan ever again."

"Teague, let's make one thing very fucking clear - I'm following my side of the contract, so you can do whatever you want to me in the meantime. But my friends - my family - they're off limits, and if I ever find out you sent any one of your thugs after Rebecca or any of them again, it'll be the last goddamn thing you do. I don't care if you're the head of the mob, or if I'll be food for the fishes afterward - you're not the only one here with a pocketknife, fucker."

"I call dibs on the fluffy socks and the cereal!"

"Look, just because I'm not a mutant like you guys doesn't mean I can't seriously fuck somebody up with a shotgun. Now, one of you might want to take the wheel of this car 'cause I'm about to do just that."

Augustus Grimmure

Augustus felt rejuvenated - like he’d just woken up from a nice nap, adjusting his bloodstained dapper suit and glaring at the now soulless corpse. “Oh -" He looked down, noticing the crimson splatters on his coat "That’s just nonsense! Look at this, it's all ruined and covered in blood! It was my new suit! How dare he stab me.”

"My, my, it's a great deal of a fall from up here. I'm not so sure about this anymore, Hattie-" He looked over the speeding train's railing, turning to Harriet with a shaky, nervous chuckle. As he did, he noticed the outline of the two goons clambering into the wagon behind them, guns ready. "Oh, well, as some say - ladies first!" Before she could say anything, Augustus pushed her over the railing - summoning a portal beneath her. Two bullets flew past the spot where she'd just been standing, instead lodging themselves in the young necromancer, who jumped into the portal just before it closed.

"Well, you could attack us, boys, and I'll merely consume all your souls - string by string, painstakingly severing the cord between your life and afterlife until you're all empty husks. You know who I am, and what I can do to mercenaries who threaten people I hold dear." His eyes glowed in the dark, the mark on his wrist causing the mercenaries to stumble back in shock, as shadows swirled around him. "Now, are you sure this is a wise decision to make in the name of your boss, a man who was too lazy to even come get his own hands dirty?"

"I can't tell you more about it, love." He shook his head with a dejected smile, clutching his own arms in a vice grip. "About my deal, about the Deathbringer and what I did. I can't. It's, no - they're just too dangerous, and I made a mistake. I fear it... it won't end well."

"For some reason, I don't think your cousin likes me very much, Harriet." Augustus spoke under his breath after Vincent stormed out, a playful but somewhat serious lilt to his words, concerned. [She replies "It's not about you, per se. Vincent doesn't really like anyone"] The necromancer chuckled. "No, this seems so very personal."

"My grandma used to bring me to this place, when I was a kid." He mused, fiddling with the blue flower between his fingers, before placing it inside the book. "For a lonely commoner kid with a strange magic that everyone was afraid of, these dusty books were paradise. A world where maybe I really could be anyone."

"May I have this dance, darling? We may as well enjoy this uppity evening on our own terms, before anyone makes it otherwise."

Tagging - @oh-no-another-idea, @dreaminggoblin, @mitchell-nihil, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams,@yet-another-heathen @talesofsorrowandofruin, @thetruearchmagos, @writernopal, @i-can-even-burn-salad, @clairelsonao3, @little-peril-stories, @memento-morri-writes and @saltysupercomputer

[mysticstarlightduck]

Last Line Tag

I've been tagged by some folks recently for this one so, after checking my notes, here it goes!

@little-peril-stories here

@writernopal here

@autumnalwalker here

I've been writing some POVs from Mutant Inquiries, a superhero story that's a spinoff from my other main WIP, Open Secret Files, to relax, and I'm just really loving where this story is going!

Becca looked up and was met by a tall, blond-haired person, covered in glittery makeup, golden earrings, and a fuzzy red faux fur coat, who was staring at her with a mix of shock, outrage, and confusion, eyes narrowed.

Tagging - @oh-no-another-idea, @stesierra, @tabswrites, @rickie-the-storyteller, @doublegoblin, @forthesanityofstorytellers and @pluttskutt

[mysticstarlightduck]

WIP Drinking Tag Game!

I was tagged by @kaylinalexanderbooks for this one (here)! Thank you for the tag!

Since I already did this tag game for Enchanted Illusions (my current main WIP), I'll do this one for Mutant Inquiries!

Take a shot (don't actually do this tho) when:

1. Cass Holborn stresses about money or nearly grounds their entire vigilante group to keep them from doing something truly stupid.

2. Becca and Cory act like two unsupervised gremlins and do something they absolutely should not do, like becoming informants for a vigilante in investigating the mob (which happens to be a group led by Cory's corrupt boss)

3. Killien Lux has an identity crisis and copes in the most unhealthy and unhinged ways possible

4. Alexey regrets his entire life choices and wishes he could just be alone at home, enjoying a good book with his cat, instead of fighting the government

5. Samantha refuses to understand what "don't do it" means and does it anyways

5. Matthias gives the benefit of the doubt to someone he should not

6. Someone hotwires/steals a flying car/shuttle and it goes horribly wrong

7. Nate sets something on fire. On purpose

8. Violet's home life proves just how chaotic it can be throughout the entire story

@dreaminggoblin, @mitchell-nihil, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams,@yet-another-heathen @talesofsorrowandofruin, @thetruearchmagos, @winterandwords, @i-can-even-burn-salad, @clairelsonao3, @little-peril-stories, and OPEN TAG

[mysticstarlightduck]

blorbo blursday! 🐕 - you got a blorbo that's loyal to a fault? that will stand up for their friend/cause no matter what anyone else thinks? share!

Yay! Thank you so much for the Blorbo Blursday Ask, @pluttskutt! Sorry for the late reply, things were crazy busy over here yesterday, so here we go! (:

You got a blorbo that's loyal to a fault? That will stand up for their friend/cause no matter what anyone else thinks?

YES. In fact, I think every single one of my WIPs has a character who is like that in some way or another. It's one of my absolutely favorite character tropes/archetypes!

Let's take a look at a few of those from my WIPs Enchanted Illusions, Tales of Wilted Flowers, and Mutant Inquiries! I'm really excited to answer this ask!

Enchanted Illusions.

Augustus Grimmure - the crew's resident necromancer (and Harriet's boyfriend that no one is supposed to know about)! Surprisingly, behind his dark magic shenanigans and utter disregard for his enemies' lives, Augustus is a highly loyal person to those who prove themselves worthy of it. He considers his friends as family and holds them in very high esteem. But I'm talking dangerously loyal - he wouldn't hesitate to immediately obliterate and slaughter anyone who even remotely poses a threat to his friends, with very little regard for his own safety - because hey, even if he dies, there's a 50/50 chance his magic will just bring him back stronger.

Damien Daemitya - a.k.a Evangeline's Dad. That man is committed to his family, 100% (arguably) the best divorcee dad in Ansburke. He's a very powerful man in the city as well and would do anything to make sure his family is safe and sound, even if it means disobeying his duties to the sorcerer's council, threatening his rivals/"making problems disappear", or taking the fall for his daughter's public mistakes/screw ups during her investigation (especially publicity-wise).

Agatha Greenwoods - She believes that honesty and loyalty are the basis of any worthwhile relationship, having been raised with a strict sense of justice - which is unsurprising, given she's the daughter of two of the most renowned detectives in the city. Agatha would absolutely stand up for her friends - or any underdog for that matter - regardless of the consequences or what other people may think of them, especially if they're being treated unjustly. Despite her initial distrust, Agatha can form strong attachments very quickly, even without other people realizing it. She just wants her friends to be happy and okay! She is also absolutely relentless in her steadfast commitment to her ideals and "cause" - which includes her mission to bring down the Hemlock Society.

Tales of Wilted Flowers.

Neoma'ka Ornasi - Loyalty is her code of honor, her rare currency with which she shows her affection. Only a precious select few can earn it. She may be a bit of a brute who loves a good bloody brawl more than most things, but if she gives you a slap on the shoulder and tells you "she's proud to fight beside you", she means it (at this point, it's basically her way of saying "I love you"). That girl would go to the ends of the earth and back at a moment's notice with those she considers her siblings-in-arms, no questions asked. She would also tear apart anyone who thinks otherwise.

Micah Rook - Micah may be a thief, but he has a softer heart than most and trusts incredibly easily - so much so it is surprising he's lived this long, especially in his line of work. He has loyalty to spare, and takes the saying "honor among thieves" very seriously. Sure, he may swindle you out of all your coins during a card game, and annoy his friends relentlessly, but when the moment comes and they're in most need of help, he's right there beside them, no matter the stakes.

Lorelai Wildwood - She knows what it is to be an outcast and have no one to turn to, and doesn't want her friends to ever few that way. Lorelai has an endless stream of second chances to give and will stick by and trust those she loves, even when that's an objectively dangerous and stupid thing - but correct, she's no fool- to do at first (ahem, Xarian and his past-). She's not naive (though she might have some attachment issues she's working through) but rather is willing to face the risks if it means her friends are safe.

Mutant Inquiries.

Cory "Diamond" Blythe - They get can attached real quick given the right circumstances and position of the moon, okay? It just depends on the person and their mood at the moment. It's both a character flaw and their greatest strength. When they found Becca (at the start of the story) in trouble, they didn't hesitate to help her and become quite possibly her most loyal friend in the story - even when she gets involved in a dangerous conspiracy and their lack of mutant powers makes him be in even more danger. No one messes with their crew. And anyone who does will have a 20-something-year-old menace running after them, likely on heels, with a switchblade.

Alexey Morikov - He is the definition of "taking secrets to the grave". He's not one to devote his ideals and self to a cause - he's done it before, and look where it got him- but that doesn't mean he can't extend his affection and loyalty to people he cares about, much to his chagrin and against his best efforts. He's like a stray cat who will hiss if you get too close and get sad when it doesn't get cuddles. Despite his "I don't give a damn, do whatever you want with your life, see if I care" attitude towards his friends, he cares immensely. The team, unfortunately, only finds out just how loyal he is and how much he does care when he gets kidnapped by the Agency - and promptly makes the agents' life hell by not telling them a thing about his friends until he's rescued.

Samantha Holborn - A team leader at heart, she built their little mismatched friend group of vigilantes on a foundation of loyalty and trust, of always being there for one another. She is highly idealistic - no price on this earth could sway her from her goals or change her mind from her beliefs, being steadfast and stubborn to an unimaginable degree.

[mysticstarlightduck]

8. 🧢 CLOTHING: What is your MC currently wearing in the most recent scene of your WIP?

Thanks for the ask!

I'll go with some characters from Supernova Initiative and Scrapyard Boys (a spinoff to my WIP Mutant Inquiries)!

SUPERNOVA INITIATIVE:

Jack Tithus - In the most recent scene that I worked on for that WIP (that scene being a part of the 5-chapter/episode backstory act), Jack is wearing a worn-out, black leather jacket, a simple white T-shirt, old combat boots, grey jeans and his trinket necklace.

Kye Thalax - I still haven't reached the scene where he is first introduced in this WIP, but when I do reach that scene, Kye is going to be wearing a pitch-black coat with an also pitch black long-neck shirt, dark grey pants, and spy shoes.

Gabi Ophyria - In her first scene, which also happens to be the most recent scene I have of her, she is wearing a black bomber jacket with multicolored, neon ornaments, leather boots, multiple bracelets of different colors, fingerless dark grey leather gloves, white jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

SCRAPYARD BOYS

Valen - He is wearing a ripped denim vest (short-sleeved), an old black shirt with the logo of his favorite punk rock band, ripped-up jean pants, worn-out red sneakers, and a bunch of resin/plastic bracelets.

Saoirse - She is wearing an oversized yellow hoodie, a stripped purple and grey shirt, a choker with the biohazard symbol etched onto it, high-neck white sneakers, and grey sweatpants.

Max - She wears a fun T-shirt with a blue flannel longsleeved shirt over it, black jeans, boots, and some assorted necklaces and keeps a beige leather jacket on her backpack in case she needs it.

Supernova Initiative Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@saturnine-saturneight @diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cakeinthevoid, @clairelsonao3, @sleepy-night-child

@thepeculiarbird

Let me know if you'd like to be added!

[mysticstarlightduck]

9. 🔥 CANDLE: Describe the main conflict in your WIP.

Thank you so much for the ask, @kaylinalexanderbooks! I'll go with Supernova Initiative, and Scrapyard Boys!

SUPERNOVA INITIATIVE (genre: sci-fi/space opera) In a distant galaxy ruled by a pseudo-utopic governmental regime (which is actually much more dystopic than anything behind the scenes), a young intergalactic thief and his crew end up captured and forced to carry out a heist for the government that they were rebelling against.

While that main conflict is going on, there are also a few important background conflicts/subplots such as :

Jack Tithus, the leader of the crew, ends up forced to become a test subject to the sadistic and highly immoral Director, a scientist who is the head of the Junction's bioengineering and sciences department. Jack struggles to keep this deal a secret from the others while enduring torturous experiments, while also trying to successfully help the team carry out what is quite possibly the most dangerous heist of their lives.

Deimos Soll, Jack's adoptive brother and estranged best friend, grapples with feelings of guilt over the events that led him to leave the crew some years prior - after which he was kidnapped by a mad warlord, escaped, and was forced to make a deal to frame/set-up the crew in exchange for protection against his pursuer. He struggles between the wish to keep himself safe/have revenge on his former captor, and the need to make things right with his siblings.

Kye Thalax, Artemis's former childhood friend turned rival, searches for a way to undermine the Khosmonians as a personal way to get revenge on his absent mother, who betrayed his father and left him to die over a political cause. His morality is tested, however, when he realizes that he wants to keep his newfound 'found family' safe, and that he'll have to find a way to win this war against his corrupted mother without losing the friends he cares for so deeply.

etc

SCRAPYARD BOYS: (genre: superhero, cyberpunk dystopia) A spinoff to my other WIP Mutant Inquiries, set in the same world, during practically the same time period, this WIP follows the story of a troubled youth named Valen, who runs away from the government before he can be sent to a superhuman training institution after the suspicious death of his beloved mother, a journalist who tried to expose the criminal schemes of the city's high and mighty. In the lower streets of the dangerous, crime-ridden city, Valen meets a group of other orphans, runaways, and overall misfits who become like family to him, and as he grows into a brash teenager, unafraid to start and win fights to get what he wants, Valen and his friends start investigating the secrets behind the city's superhuman elite, and the horrific truth the city's government wanted to hide. Honoring his mother's legacy, Valen intends to bring this system crashing down.

Supernova Initiative Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@saturnine-saturneight @diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cakeinthevoid, @clairelsonao3, @sleepy-night-child

@thepeculiarbird @the-golden-comet

Let me know if you'd like to be added!

[mysticstarlightduck]

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

- for OC(s) of your choice

Thank you so much for the ask, @diabolical-blue!!!! I'll go with some characters from Supernova Initiative, Mutant Inquiries, Song of Thorns, and The Forgotten Ones!

🙌 - How many siblings does your OC have?

Jack (Supernova Initiative) - Jack has one biological younger sister, Cassiopeia, whom he raised on his own ever since he was a teenager. He also has an adoptive brother, Deimos Soll, who was his best friend as a kid but then drifted away once they grew up before they reconciled.

Tarrant (Song of Thorns) - Tarrant has no siblings but he has two cousins (twins) with whom he has a sibling-like bond. Their family was pretty screwed up, so they only really had each other to rely on.

Elodie (The Forgotten Ones) - Elodie has an older sister named Raine, and two adoptive siblings, Sasha and Ilya. They were all street urchins, who became friends by chance and family by choice.

Nydia (Mutant Inquiries) - Nydia had a twin brother named Skylar, and they were both famous and successful ballet stars during their teen years, but he was killed by one of the villains of the story, which started her revenge arc.

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

Jack - (I answered that here) 💕

Tarrant - Awful, just plain awful. His parents were some of the worst people in his life, who mistreated him viciously and abandoned him at the first chance they got. He was adopted by his aunt, but after she died it was just him and his cousins against the world. To make matters worse, years later, Tarrant discovers that his parents sold his soul to a local Warlord - which forced him to work for that man as a spy and entertainer, lest his soul would be destroyed and his cousins killed. So yeah. Horrible parents, horrible.

Elodie - She never knew her mother, but she knew her father. He was a kind man, and a loving parent to her and her older sister. He was a former soldier, who had left the army after being accused of treason. He (and his children) ended up having to live on the run because of it, and when Elodie was seven years old he ultimately was killed by his former "comrades".

Nydia - Her parents were distant and narcissistic - not necessarily in an extremely abusive way, but in a way that their love was conditional and they were only truly 'happy' with her when she and her twin accomplished something they deemed 'important enough'. They weren't really the emotionally present sort either. And especially didn't give her the support she needed when she needed it.

[mysticstarlightduck]

For a WIP of your choice: 7. 👠 SHOES: What is transportation like in the world of your WIP?

Thank you for the ask, @dreaminggoblin! I'll go with Supernova Initiative, The Forgotten Ones, and Scrapyard Boys!

Supernova Initiative:

There are lots of different forms of transportation in this WIP's setting. Spaceships/starships, flying cars, hoverbikes, submarines, boats/ships, animal mounts, and a whole lot of other different kinds of transportation that are specific to some alien planets in the story!

The Forgotten Ones:

This WIP is a medieval high fantasy and thus has pretty much the "standard fare" medieval forms of transportation: horses, carriages, carts, walking, and ships/boats. But it also has some high fantasy forms of transportation, namely dragons and other giant mythical creatures.

Scrapyard Boys:

Since Scrapyard Boys and Mutant Inquiries (different WIPs, same world) takes place in a recent future setting with some cyberpunk/dystopic elements, the transportation in this WIP is actually very similar to our modern modes of transportation, except slightly modified to fit a cyberpunk future setting - there are bullet trains, cars, and other forms of public transportation, but there are also flying cars, flying trains, etc. There are planes, bikes, motorcycles, everything we have today, but made futuristic!

[mysticstarlightduck]

🧶 - Do they do any arts, crafts, or creative hobbies?

Thank you so much for the ask, @zackprincebooks! Sorry for answering late, I was a tad too busy yesterday!

I'll go with Masen Mavven (Of Starlight and Beasts), Quinn Aurellen (The Last Wrath), Cassiopeia Tithus (Supernova Initiative), Aiden Idrellios (Song of Thorns), Thaddeus Lockhill (Enchanted Illusions) and Alexey Morikov (Mutant Inquiries)

🧶 - Do they do any arts, crafts, or creative hobbies?

Masen Mavven - Masen is a bard! And a very good one at that. His songs are known far and wide, and his talent with the lute is undeniable. He also knows magic and can enchant people with his songs, which he uses in order to steal from the crowd without being noticed.

Quinn Aurellen - Being a high-profile courtesan to the noble court of the Morosyn Empire, Quinn often does not have time to pursue his artistic hobbies, but nevertheless he is a very talented painter and likes to spend his free time drawing nature and mystical creatures. He is also quite good at drawing and wanted to pursue a career as an artist before becoming a prisoner of war.

Cassiopeia Tithus - Cassie is good at making street art - which she used to do as a pre-teen as an act of rebellion against the Junction but also to make her home moon just a bit more beautiful. She is also a very creative inventor capable of creating almost any kind of robot imaginable along with other gadgets.

Alexey Morikov - Living in a cyberpunk dystopia, Alexey likes to find beauty in unexpected places - a habit that keeps him from feeling depressed. Due to this, Alexey has a passion for photography and always has a camera near him. He also like gardening (only flowers) and baking.

Thaddeus Lockhill - Thaddeus does journalling, which he uses to figure out his plans against the villains and also relax. He also knows how to dance the waltz and ballroom dances quite well, but he only does so if he needs to blend in on a masquerade or something.

[mysticstarlightduck]

OC Origins Tag!

Thanks for tagging me, @kaylinalexanderbooks (here)!

Let's go with Valen Cassidy (from Scrapyard Boys) and Kye Thalax (from Supernova Initiative)!

Rules: talk about the origins of the names and personalities (and maybe even the design?) of a couple of your OCs!

VALEN CASSIDY

Valen is actually inspired by a couple of things! Firstly, I was thinking about making a Mutant Inquiries (one of my WIPs) spin-off for a while now, and I wanted the MC of this spinoff to feel different from the soft, gentle, easy-going, and introverted MC of Mutant Inquiries (Matthias Harke). So I kinda did a 180° and went with a more aggressive, brash, anger-prone, impulsive, extroverted character - kinda the antonym of Matthias. Valen was also, initially, inspired by some side characters from some of my favorite TV shows and movies, as I thought "Hm, it would be interesting to have a character like that as an MC rather than a side character", so here some aspects of Valen's initial design and personality were born and then developed into something unique. Valen's journey of learning to heal and grow as he learns to channel his energy onto more productive and healthy coping mechanisms rather than succumbing to his anger issues, and learning to be calmer, is also rather cathartic. I think that's one of the reasons why I love writing this character so much!

KYE THALAX

Kye originally wasn't in the first version of Supernova Initiative's first draft, like at all. However, as I started developing the final versions of an outline for this WIP, I started to realize this story needed a tad more internal tension in the main crew and that Artemis' character needed a foil since he is going to become more relevant later on in the story. So, I came up with the character backstory and personality for Kye. In some ways, his story mirrors Artemis' own, while also opposing it:

both were raised by their fathers and witnessed their brutal deaths as young kids, but while Artemis is somewhat at peace with his father's fate and doesn't actually want revenge, rather wants to keep his father's memory and legacy alive, Kye never got over it, and became a bitter and dangerous person whose mindset is almost completely zeroed in on revenge.

while Artemis' mother was actually caring and well-intentioned (she spent nearly a lifetime looking for him after she lost track of him as a teen and never intended to have left him, and eventually does reunite with him now as a grownup and spends most of her arc making it up for her absence), Kye's mother was actually a vain, cruel, warmongering woman who only cared about her political cause and destroying the Junction (she is also directly tied to the very much untimely death of Kye's father, and was a pretty toxic/abusive partner even before that).

Artemis's personality is withdrawn, angsty, sarcastic, brash, funny, overprotective, warm, and fiercely loyal. Kye's personality is dangerously seductive, emotionless to strangers, sharp but oftentimes too literal, awkward, unpredictable, cold/calculating plus his loyalty is weak and fickle. They are pretty much antonyms to each other in every way despite being similar in other ways.

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart, @ray-writes-n-shit

@the-golden-comet, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams and OPEN TAG

[mysticstarlightduck]

WIP Memes!

Behold! Some memes made for Supernova Initiative and a bonus few memes I made for my new Mutant Inquiries spinoff, Scrapyard Boys!

Memes under the cut! Please reblog/reply with feedback!

SUPERNOVA INITIATIVE

SCRAPYARD BOYS

Supernova Initiative Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@saturnine-saturneight @diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cakeinthevoid, @clairelsonao3, @sleepy-night-child

@thepeculiarbird

Let me know if you'd like to be added!

[mysticstarlightduck]

For the pride asks!

16. Did you ever change an oc's identity when they were already established? Why?

18. Do you prefer to give your ocs specific labels, or keep it unspecified? Why? If applicable, do you change their labels depending on circumstance?

Thank you for the ask, @eccaiia!

16. Did you ever change an OC's identity when they were already established? Why?

Not recently that I recall! Usually my character's sexuality or identity simply "clicks" as I'm developing them - I get a "vibe" from their personality traits or sometimes I just know it's difficult to explain. What does happen quite often is that I'll have developed a character and won't be sure of what their identity or sexuality is because it hadn't yet been relevant to the plot, but then I'll be writing the book and be like "heck yeah, this character is gay" or "this character is as asexual as me", or "this girl would have a gorgeous girlfriend", etc. It's typically that "click" moment I mentioned before.

18. Do you prefer to give your ocs specific labels, or keep it unspecified? Why? If applicable, do you change their labels depending on circumstance?

Usually my OCs don't have labels within canon - mostly because most of my WIPs take place in medieval settings where our modern labels would be out of place. All of them have a clear label or sexuality in my mind as I write them once they've been fully developed. But some do have labels (namely some characters from Supernova Initiative and Mutant Inquiries, which are both futuristic settings, so our modern labels fit right in). For example, there's a line in Supernova Initiative where Jack says "I'm Asexual"! (:

[mysticstarlightduck]

Happy STS! 😊 If you could visit any setting/location in one of your WIPs, where would you go? Why are you drawn to that particular place? What would you want to do there? 🗺️

Happy STS, Kate (@little-peril-stories)! Thank you so, so much for the ask! This is such a good set of questions!

(I'm working on catching up with my asks and tags, because my health has been one heck of a wild ride these past few weeks, so I'm slowly and surely coming back to being more active on Tumblr again!)

So let's start with this STS Ask!

If you could visit any setting/location in one of your WIPs, where would you go?

Ooh, this is a tough one! Since I've been working mostly on Enchanted Illusions (and Mutant Inquiries, but there are few places I'd actually want to visit in a near-dystopian cyberpunk future lmao) that's the WIP I'm going to use in this answer!

I'd definitely say that my top three, at least so far in Act 1 of the book, are:

1. the train rides from Ansburke to the other cities (for one, train rides in the middle of winter are highly atmospheric, plus, these trains are actually enchanted and have a lot of neat magical items and details to them. And these train rides are also the place of some pivotal moments for the main cast as well!),

2. Madam Olympia's Pastries and Baked Wonders, a bakery shop that is introduced at the beginning of the book - not only the magical sweets created in this shop are things I wish were real because they seem delicious, but the whole shop is like stepping into a unique universe of its own (plus the owner of the shop, the matronly faerie Madam Olympia herself is a wonderful character that I'd love to meet and I'd love to give her a hug and eat some pastries while she rambles about gossip),

3. the Hideout - Thaddeus' hidden hideaway in the city's catacombs, from which he conducts his revolution against the Hemlock Society and which becomes a headquarters for the main characters once they befriend him (I'd really, really love to visit this place in the story. For one, it is a giant underground system, almost like an underground "mansion/fortress" right underneath the city, which was built during the wars between humans and Myths and abandoned once it was over. Plus, it feels really homey, being a place of fun and reprieve for the main characters during their ongoing journey through the cities, and it also has some really interesting nooks and crannies about it that I can't spoil right now but can't wait to talk about!)

Some other "bonus" places I'd love to visit in this story are:

The Daemitya Mansion (because, let's be honest, it's one of the fanciest and most historic places in the entire city, and not only that is enough reason to want to visit, but the mansion has a whole maze of secret passages and hidden halls that only the Daemitya family know about, and those places are full of ancient secrets and magic, one only has to know the right password. Plus I'd just really like to be friends with Evangeline, lmao)

The "Fair" - it's the other side of the coin for Ansburke, a hidden undercity where the outcasts from above can be anyone and thrive, it's a haven for those unseen in the streets of the capital. It is a bit shady, and run by one of the most renowned vigilante guilds of the city, namely their leader Phoenix (Marcus Kallihan, who is an ally/friend of the main characters), but as long as you follow their rules and don't try to cause trouble, you'll have a great time. I'm a very curious person, and if I lived in Ansburke, I'd definitely like to pay this place a short visit - especially since it's one of the most mysterious and exciting places to be in the city.