esotericas

"WAHOO!" Said Galina Georgina, now officially Mistress of the Wardrobe at the ripe old age of seventeen. She bustled over to her mother's office, and proudly shoved the missive in her face. @ibiou "Mamej- look, mamej! Yam the youngest Mistress of the Wardrobe ever!"

Galina Georgina LOVES dancing!!!

Self Portrait. Manon Yvaine Godunov. Oil on canvas. 1938. •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• It is the depths of a long, long winter. There is no wind to whistle through eaves, or crickets to chirp. The night is still and cold and silent. The halls of the Alchemist are still and cold and silent. There is a letter delivered by a bone-white owl. It is still and cold and silent. The letter lands on the desk of one ALYONA RHETTA SVIATOVNA GODUNOV. It is addressed to her. The handwriting is familiar. •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• ALYONA: I am dead. You will find my body on the north shore of the river. You may say what you wish about how I passed. I have not decided how I will do it. I leave you my library. A key is enclosed. FIND MISCHA. Do not seek if you do not wish to know. M.Y.G. P.S. “FORGIVE ME. FOR ALL THE THINGS I DID, BUT MOSTLY FOR THE ONES THAT I DID NOT.” •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• “THIS IS NOT WHERE OUR STORY ENDS. THIS IS ONLY WHERE IT CHANGES” – Erin Morgenstern, The Starless Sea •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────•

AGREED!!!!!

Galina Georgina sat down at her desk with a hum, scanning over the list of events. She then set to penning a brief note in dark blue ink. When it had dried, Galina enclosed both the note and the flyer in an envelope, and sent it off.

୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯ *:･ﾟ PUBLISHED BY THE HAESENI LEDI COMPANY *:･ﾟ⎯୧ VOL V, RELEASED 10 OF TOV AG YERMEY, 501 E.S. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ TAKE A PEEK AT Melisende’s latest sewing project, a series of matching outfits for her friend Sonya! Each outfit is custom-tailored, but they are designed to mesh together, so they’re perfect for a group. Bidding closes: IMPORTANT NOTICE! Mina -> USD conversion rates have been updated, for fairer pricing. More information at the end of the pamphlet. ANTI-SNIPE: For all bids placed within 15 minutes of auction closing, bidding on that item will extend by thirty minutes. This will only apply once. 50% OF ALL MINA proceeds will be donated to the Holy Hearts Foundation. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ AS AUTUMN DRAWS TO A close, and the winter ball season dawns in Haense, Melisende’s sewing room is up in a flurry while she works to design new dresses for all of her friends to wear. They must have the best of the best, and she is devoted to providing it. First on her list is Sonya, who she dresses in warm, vibrant jewel-tones, and traditional Raev courtwear, along with some more modern, masculine cuts, for the more low-key events. Matching Sets: Sonya 1 starts at 80 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Matching Sets: Sonya 2 starts at 80 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Matching Sets: Sonya 3 starts at 80 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Matching Sets: Sonya 4 starts at 50 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Matching Sets: Sonya 5 starts at 50 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ To convert a bid from mina to USD, simply divide the previous mina bid by 10, to produce the equivalent bid in USD. Once a bid has been converted to USD, it can not be converted back. Available USD payment methods: PayPal Venmo Regardless of currency, all bids must be at least 10 mina (or equivalent in USD) over the previous! This does not apply to starting bids. 50% OF ALL MINA proceeds will be donated to the Holy Hearts Foundation. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ WISH TO MAKE A PURCHASE? GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Enquire with the Haeseni Ledi Company, information below! BIDDING FORMAT: IGN: DISCORD: SKIN: AMOUNT: [ MAKE A NEW COMMENT FOR EACH BID, DON'T EDIT ] Published by and signed by, Her Ladyship, GALINA GEORGINA ALYOVNA GODUNOV, Master of G.O.A.T.s, Head Designer for the Haeseni Ledi Company, President of the Holy Hearts Foundation, Assistant to the Master of the Wardrobe

✩ FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ALCHEMIST: ✩ ✩ AN INTRODUCTION TO ALCHEMICAL THEORY ✩ VOL. I •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• PUBLISHED ON THE 2nd OF The Deep Cold, 1947. BEING, BY NATURE OF ITS NAME AND WRITING, A RECORDED DIALOGUE BETWEEN TEACHER AND STUDENT ON THE BASICS OF ALCHEMICAL THEORY, PUBLISHED FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTRODUCING THE CONCEPTS AND IDEAS HEREIN TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. •───•✩•───• [!] THIS DOCUMENT CAN NOT BE USED TO TEACH ALCHEMY TO THOSE WITHOUT A VALID [FA]. IT IS PURELY FOR FLAVOR WHEN TEACHING. [!] •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• MAGISTRA: What is Alchemy? DISCIPULUS: If I recall, it is to the material world as the magic is to the divine. And not conquered - navigated. M: One, no, two, yes. Magic is taking divine power and using it in the material or emotional worlds. Alchemy is transforming the material into the emotional, and using those pieces to create something material again. It is fundamentally transformative. It does not add or remove matter or energy from the universe. Magic, however, often does, because the Void, and the Aengudaemons are not from within our universe. They are external - divine. Yes? D: Yes. Transformative rather than additive. M: Good! The fundamental goal of Alchemy, do you remember what it's called? Magnum Opus, or Azoth. The Magnum Opus takes a different shape for every soul who pursues it, but at its fundament, the goal is the same: To surpass Alchemy, by means of Alchemy. To fundamentally create, or to fundamentally destroy. It is impossible, and yet its impossibility is what makes it so desirable. It is not so much a literal goal, as it is a metaphorical one - transformation of the soul. Regardless, that sort of thing comes much later down the line. But I want you to keep it in mind, as you learn. D: Intangible objective: kept in mind. M: Why do you want to learn Alchemy? D: I suppose just for the sake of knowing, really. M: Knowledge is power. Why do you want power? D: It’s in Descendant nature. Life short. Do much. M: Dig further. Why do much, when do little easier? D: Nobody remembers those who do little. And to be remembered might be to live a little longer, even after death. M: Precisely. Compared to the Creator, or the Universe, or all of Time, our lives are infinitely short, and infinitely meaningless. Even Elven ones. It is the fundamental desire of all Descendantkind to be remembered. Now, we have established why you want to learn this. There are two kinds of Alchemists. Have I spoken on this before? D: I don’t believe so. M: There are Potioncrafters, and there are Alchemical Philosophers. I don't need to tell you which one I am. Potioncrafters are concerned with the physical acts of Alchemy. The making of potions, salves, salts, et cetera. Alchemical Philosophers are concerned with the theoretical. I couldn't care less about herbs and bottles. It is Alchemical thinking that I care for. Nobody, to your earlier point, is going to be remembered for brewing Tanglefoot. D: Cookbooks are cheap. Teachers are a rarity. M: So, we carry on. The processes of Alchemy parallel the traits of the two halves of the Magnum Opus. First, you must destroy. You must break your reagents down into their component parts. That is what we will begin with. Consider every reagent like a structure made of bricks. It is whole, but if you take it apart, you may re-use the bricks for another purpose. These bricks are called Symbols. The bricks come in five colors, and thirty-eight shapes. The colors are called Signs. The thirty-eight shapes are each of the various Symbols. 'Balance,' for example. D: That’s a lot of bricks. M: Yes. You do not need to learn them all right away. It comes with time. The shapes correspond to the specific function of each Symbol. They can function both metaphorically or literally. Light may make something glow, or it make enlighten someone. Yes? D: Metaphorical and literal. It’s language! M: Exactly. The colors, the Signs, are correlated to the five elements. Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Aether. If the Symbols themselves are the words, the Signs are the intonation. They change the meaning in more abstract, vaguer ways. When you're trying to figure out what Symbols you may get from a certain reagent, the general pattern is that the Sign will be determined by its environment, and the Symbols will be determined by the reagent’s functions. A reagent will generally contain anywhere from two to four different Symbols, in varying amounts. D: Environment to the Sign, Symbols to the function. Generally. M: Generally. When speaking about specific Symbols, the Sign is treated like an adjective. For example- Earth: Vigour, or Aether: Swiftness. The process of taking the reagent apart is called Extraction. There are five methods of Extraction, depending on the Sign you wish to produce: Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Mundane. Aether does have its own means of Extraction as well, but it's almost exactly the same as Mundane. For any given reagent, it can be Extracted either according to its Sign, or by the Mundane method. Using the Mundane method will remove the Signs from the Symbols. D: Mundane or elemental, got it. M: Most recipes use primarily or entirely Mundane Symbols. But you may encounter elemental ones, so I'll teach you all the Extractions. They are all different, but they all serve the same purpose: to purify the reagent. They break it down into its separate parts, and the Alchemist sorts the Symbols out from the waste. The wheat from the chaff. In the later steps of brewing, these pieces are reassembled into something new. Next time, we'll learn Extractions. For now, I will leave you with your first homework assignment. D: Homework, excellent. M: Find as many Alchemical reagents as you can - at least three - and try to figure out what Symbols they might contain. Make sure you know why you think they are what they are. You do not need to be correct. The thinking is more important here. D: Justify the work, even if I’m not sure of the answer. M: Don't justify. Just be sure you're able to recount your thinking, like we did with why you wanted to learn Alchemy. You are not trying to convince me. Just to observe your own thought process. D: Do the work for the sake of figuring out how I do the work. M: It will be difficult. But once you learn to think like an Alchemist, there is nothing else like it. •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• BRIEF NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This homework assignment is useful to minds of all sorts, and can be adapted to work outside the Alchemical classroom. It is purely to urge the student to examine the world around them in detail, and to investigate their own modes of thinking. •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• ✩ SCIENTIA POTENTIA EST ✩ ✩ KNOWLEDGE IS POWER ✩ •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• Signed, MARISTELA “LADY ALCHEMY” FIYEM’LIYU, Lady of Deguis, Celestial Trustee, the Star Lord, •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• •─────────────────────•✦•─────────────────────• ✩ WHAT WRITES HISTORY IS THE POWER OF IDEAS. AND EVERY MOMENT OFFERS THE POTENTIAL TO WRITE SOMETHING NEW ✩

BIDDING IS CLOSED!!! I'll dm u guys tomorrow morning :)

୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯ *:･ﾟ PUBLISHED BY THE HAESENI LEDI COMPANY *:･ﾟ⎯୧ VOL IV, RELEASED 9 OF WZUVAR AG BYVCA, 499 E.S. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ TAKE A PEEK INTO the Ledis’ wardrobes, as conflict brews outside of Haense, and purchase your favorite outfits for yourself! Bidding closes: NEW! ANTI-SNIPE: For all bids placed within 15 minutes of auction closing, bidding will extend by thirty minutes. This will only apply once. 50% OF ALL MINA proceeds will be donated to the Holy Hearts Foundation. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ AS THE SNOW SWIRLS on within the Valdev gates, murmurings of discontent emerge beyond them. Brita and Giles don their armor to train for battle, Sonya prepares for her combat medic training, and Eunica gathers herbs in the woods, to help tend the wounded. Northern Front: Brita starts at 100 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Northern Front: Eunica starts at 60 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Northern Front: Sonya starts at 100 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Dimitri version also available! [ Pants or skirt version available for both types ] Northern Front: Giles starts at 100 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Melisende version also available! [ Also comes with a visor-down version ] ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ A COLLECTION OF DESIGNS that didn’t quite make it into full Haeseni Ledi collections, now available at a discounted price! Offcuts 1: Brita starts at 40 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Offcuts 1: Eunica starts at 40 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ To convert a bid from mina to USD, simply divide the previous mina bid by 20, to produce the equivalent bid in USD. Once a bid has been converted to USD, it can not be converted back. Available USD payment methods: PayPal Venmo Regardless of currency, all bids must be at least 20 mina (or equivalent in USD) over the previous! This does not apply to starting bids. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ WISH TO MAKE A PURCHASE? GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Enquire with the Haeseni Ledi Company, information below! BIDDING FORMAT: IGN: DISCORD: SKIN: AMOUNT: [ MAKE A NEW COMMENT FOR EACH BID, DON'T EDIT ] Published by and signed by, Her Ladyship, GALINA GEORGINA ALYOVNA GODUNOV, Master of G.O.A.T.s, Head Designer for the Haeseni Ledi Company, President of the Holy Hearts Foundation

THE ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧☨✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧☨✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ESTABLISHED 7 OF JULA AG PIOV, 498 E.S. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧☨✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ AS THE CANONIST WORLD falls into turmoil and fear, it becomes clear that now is the time when charity and kindness are most needed. It is my joy and honor to announce the institution of the Holy Hearts Foundation on this day, 7 of Jula ag Piov, 498 E.S. It is the mission of the HHF to distribute the wealth of the nobility of Canondom to those who need it the most; the un-housed common folk, who in this season of snow and hunger are at risk more than ever, and the artists of Canondom, who are few in number, and are in need of encouragement. THE HHF PLEDGES TO distribute all of its funds (as of this release, 500 mina in total) to those groups in need on an application basis. For utmost transparency, every Saint’s month the HHF will release full documentation of its funding, expenditure, and donations. In partnership with the Haeseni Ledi Company, the HHF will host periodical charity auctions, wherein 100% of HLC profits will go directly to the HHF. Alongside this, 50% of mina profits from standard HLC auctions will be directed to the HHF.* These transactions will be recorded in the quad-annual report. *: [OOC:] Charity auctions will be mina-only. Only the mina profits from non-charity auctions will be counted towards the 50% rate. USD or other IRL currency will not be included, for obvious reasons. Join the HHF Discord server here! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧☨✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Encouraged to apply are the following: 1) Those un-housed people in need of financial assistance for tax payments, the purchasing of food, or suitable clothing for the recent unholy blizzards, or otherwise in need of money may apply for funding with the HHF. Also welcome are those families who are willing to foster and care for orphaned children. (Those families, however, will be subject to background checks and other measures to ensure the safety and good care of their fostered children.) 2) Those artists actively producing creative works, who would seek out support in order to create more art, may enquire similarly. Preference will be given to artists creating Canonist works,** but funding will nevertheless be distributed to all. All forms of art are welcome, regardless of medium. 3) Clinics or healers who actively care for their clients, but are unable to secure governmental or private funding in order to pay for training and care. 4) Any others who feel their needs are in accordance with the HHF’s mission but do not fall within these two groups may also enquire. To apply, simply fill out the following form: **: Those being, works depicting Canonist Saints, Canonist history, or Canonist ideals. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧☨✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Those wishing to donate their own funds, collaborate with the HHF on charity events, or otherwise work with the HHF, may enquire at the address below: Holy Hearts Foundation Mission Statement: TO BRING WARMTH, HEALTH, AND SECURITY TO THE DOWNTRODDEN, AND TO UPLIFT THE MINDS AND SOULS OF CANONDOM. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧☨✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ signed by, Her Ladyship, GALINA GEORGINA ALYOVNA GODUNOV, Head Designer for the Haeseni Ledi Company, President of the Holy Hearts Foundation

Galina Georgina seethes over not being the eldest daughter of her family, and therefore not being permitted a Hauchmetvas. It was criminal, honestly...

୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯ *:･ﾟ PUBLISHED BY THE HAESENI LEDI COMPANY *:･ﾟ⎯୧ VOL III, RELEASED 8 OF MSITZA AG DARGUND, 496 E.S. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ MEET DIMITRI AND GILES, the two new additions to the Haeseni Ledi lineup, and take a peek at the brand new Stay Warm Collection, designed to protect your Haeseni Ledi dolls from the bitter cold. Bidding closes: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ DIMITRI IS ARGUABLY THE most relaxed of his friends, with a low-key, easygoing attitude. He spends most of his time working on his family farm, but when he’s not digging in the dirt, he’s happy to join along with his sister Sonya and her friends’ adventures, and is usually one for a good-natured belly laugh whenever something goes wrong. The Meet Dimitri outfit comes free with your purchase of the Dimitri doll! They can be found in the following Haeseni Ledi outlet stores: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ UNLIKE HIS BEST FRIEND Dimitri, Giles is definitely the most hyperactive of his friends, even moreso than Brita, his fellow squire. He has a fondness for bright colours, good company, and loud music, all of which mean that he and his sister Melisende get on like wildfire. When he isn’t annoying her head off her shoulders, they’re the ideal event-planning duo, and are known to host the best parties in all of Haense. The Meet Giles outfit comes free with your purchase of the Giles doll! They can be found in the following Haeseni Ledi outlet stores: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ THERE IS A CHILL in the air, and a foot of snow covers the Valdev square... Melisende, Sonya, and their two brothers gather inside the tavern, hiding from the freezing cold of the outdoors... Stay Warm: Melisende starts at 60 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Stay Warm: Sonya starts at 60 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Stay Warm: Dimitri starts at 60 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! Stay Warm: Giles starts at 60 mina. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ To convert a bid from mina to USD, simply divide the previous mina bid by 20, to produce the equivalent bid in USD. Once a bid has been converted to USD, it can not be converted back. Available USD payment methods: PayPal Venmo Regardless of currency, all bids must be at least 20 mina (or equivalent in USD) over the previous! This does not apply to starting bids. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ WISH TO MAKE A PURCHASE? GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Enquire with the Haeseni Ledi Company, information below! BIDDING FORMAT: IGN: DISCORD: SKIN: AMOUNT: [ MAKE A NEW COMMENT FOR EACH BID, DON'T EDIT ] ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Published by and signed by, Her Ladyship, ALYONA RHETTA SVIATOVNA GODUNOV, Editor in chief of the Haeseni Ledi Magazine Her Ladyship, GALINA GEORGINA ALYOVNA GODUNOV, Socialite Prodigy, Little Pink Ledi, Prinzenas of the Ferns, Head Designer for the Haeseni Ledi Company

(I lied this is my last comment) I find this SUPER interesting, because I really agree, and I wasn't expecting to! My main, Manon, spends a lot of time with children. She is a teacher, and one who specifically mostly teaches children. I like to interact with characters a few times before deciding whether to teach them, just to be sure I know whether I like the rp, and whether Manon likes the kid. As of right now, two of Manon's students are girls, and four are boys, and I think it's for the reasons you talk about here, though I can't say for sure. I also find "gremlin" personas really annoying, and I really dislike the people who play kids that act either like babies or like miniature adults. More on that later. I wonder, though, if this is the fault of the players or the fault of the, for lack of a better word, "system"? As I observed on Galina, I just... feel like I have less opportunities on her. I'm not a military person, I don't PVP and I don't CRP if I can avoid it. The list of things left to do feels much shorter, and I feel less welcome in the spaces that do present other opportunities. (For example: I might be less inclined to join the church, given it's almost entirely men. Or I might be less inclined to get into politics, which are also almost entirely male-dominated. What does Galina have in common with these people? Not much! The lack of women in those spheres is enough to give me second thoughts about joining them. What if that's because they treat women badly? I don't want her to be treated badly... and so on.) It's definitely somewhat of a self-fulfilling cycle, where female children are given less opportunities, so their players turn towards other niches of kid rp, and then the stereotype forms that that's just 'how female child personas are,' and so people are less inclined to present them with opportunities, and then people are less likely to play female characters with those sorts of aspirations... blah blah blah, you get the point. Do I have less female students because less women want to do nerd RP? Do I have less female students because I am somehow biased against their RP? Do I have less female students because women don't feel welcome in nerd RP circles, and so don't bother to try? I really don't know. About adults playing children being "weird:" that's one of those things that I will never begrudge someone for disliking and avoiding. Never. Some things just aren't fun for people, and that's cool! I do think, however, as someone who does do kid rp, there's a lot more to it than being an immature chaos gremlin, at least for me. Like I said in my previous comment, I do kid rp for, basically, the backstory. A lot of my focus on LOTC is in developing specific, unique characters, and playing through their childhood is really fundamental in developing them this way. After a conversation with a friend of mine, I realized not everyone looks at kid rp the way I do. So here's how I look at it. At least consider this, for those of you who do rp children and for those of you who might someday rp with them: People are people from the moment they are born. Children are, yes, generally less knowledgeable than adults. They are less informed about the world, and about how to be a person, and about things like "God" or "Kings" or "vocabulary." But they are still people. People, for example, generally do not get more or less smart over time, they only lose or gain knowledge. I have been as smart as I will ever be since I was a baby, but I will gather knowledge as my life goes on. Identifying the difference between intelligence and knowledge can go a long way in making a child persona not feel like a baby, a mini-adult, or a caricature. The way I look at a persona's "age" (in terms of how I rp them) is less about numbers, and more about the knowledge they have gained, their experiences, and thus the innocence they have lost. This takes different forms, and is why I am so passionate about playing personas as children! This early knowledge and these early experiences can be totally fundamental to shaping a person, if you let them. At least for me, it's not about "pretending to be a child" it's about telling the beginning of a story (arguably the most important part!) Looking at a child persona as.. just a kid, I think, is pretty harmful to their depth of character, especially when it's your own persona. It makes them feel flat, but they're not! They're people, just.. inexperienced ones. So.. anyways, that was long-winded. I totally agree that grown adults playing kid-babies, kid-adults, and chaos gremlins are primarily annoying, and also slightly weird. I do feel that, like.. it's okay to think things are weird? Just because I'm not comfortable with something doesn't mean it's hurting anyone. I can always leave. So I think that's something to keep in mind, too. But I understand that it does color one's perception of rping children, and that people will be less inclined to rp with kids going into things. I don't want to seem like I'm telling people to rp with kids, or rp kids. But I do want to remind folks to give people a chance, before deciding their rp isn't for you. And I do also want to remind people to consider not just the surface level, in situations like this! "I rp with female kids less than male kids because more female kids are annoying" is a pretty shallow view, and it ignores a lot of the complexities at play. Again, not to say you should rp with people you don't want to. But.. just think about why. Seeking to understand things is really fundamental to improving them. Anyways, I'm actually done now. Peace out yall.

Thanks for feeding my rep/comment farm guys 🫡 it's been good. In all seriousness, thank you again to those of you who have provided their own honest opinions and experiences! It's been really interesting to see that my own experience hasn't been universal. I wasn't expecting it to be, but I honestly hadn't expected to be in what seems to be a minority. Here are a few observations I've made based on these comments: - People who play entirely or almost entirely female characters tend to feel ostracized or left out in some way (especially non-men playing women) - People who play characters of both genders generally feel more accepted & welcomed on female characters (especially non-women playing women) - People who play entirely or almost entirely male characters generally haven't observed or experienced any differing treatment (especially non-women playing men) RE Alasdair & Galina being kid personas: I do understand that people don't always like rping with kids. I tend to start my personas as children because I RP to tell stories, and IMO childhood is super fundamental to, like.. the makeup of a person. You can't escape your childhood. That said, I totally get that loads of people don't like talking to them or rping with them, or have had bad experiences, and I know that that's true going into playing those characters. I implicitly filtered this into my expectations when going on these Tours, but I realize I didn't state it outright. I wonder if some aspect of escapism is what causes the differing feelings of acceptance? At least in my reading of these comments and the responses I've gotten in DMs, a fair amount of the people (like Squak, and some folks I've spoken to 1on1) who feel more welcome on their female characters are not women themselves. Maybe getting to be someone else makes the experience of RPing more immersive, and therefore better in some way? I don't know. I think the points about the niche-ification and niche-ness of groups are super fair. That wasn't something I'd considered going into this, and I totally should have. The playerbases for Lemon Hill and Adria are obviously different, as are the rp-styles and locations. In my head I considered them similar because the people I ended up rping with at Lemon Hill were largely also people I rp'ed with in Adria- which isn't terribly surprising, considering the personas broke off from Adria in order to found Lemon Hill. Also, of course, people will tend to RP with people that they already know. The levels of interaction from strangers remained starkly different, though, seasoned players and noobs alike. I think my intention remains true, and I plan to follow through on this myself, as I've been doing all of today, reading people's comments. Just.. think about this stuff a bit. I know I'm guilty of, to Squak's point, judging characters based on their surface and choosing which ones to interact with based on my assumptions about them. Some of that is necessary, and some of that isn't. Everyone needs to work on that, me included. I plan to! Anyways, this will be my last comment. Thank you guys for sharing :)

These are all absolutely good critiques- I don't really have the braincells left to respond in full to all of you guys, and I'd rather not give y'all something poorly thought-out, so I'm going to hold off on writing a full response for now. I do totally hear you all, and I agree that the gender bias idea is not nearly the only thing at play, nor is it, most likely, the primary cause of these two different experiences, and I do definitely agree that it's not a perspective that's always conducive to the most "immersive" RP, however I do feel that considering things like that are important for fun RP. I won't go on more now, but thank you for the thoughts, it's been interesting to hear all the different perspectives. Interestingly, RE: OOC treatment, I've heard from multiple people that my experience is the inverse of theirs!

All of this is super fair. I didn't go into this intending to do an experiment. If I had, I would have done all of what you suggested re: consistency. I just happened to do this same thing again, and noticed that it felt very different this time around. And I specifically agree about interacting with child personas; if I had been intending to do this scientifically, I would have had them be the same age. But I know I, and at least a fair amount of others, would still consider 12 a "child," and thus label rping with them as "child rp." I never, however, said anything about family RP! Neither Galina nor Alasdair are geared towards family RP, and I was never seeking that on either of them. So I think there you're sort of misrepresenting me. In regards to gender bias being harder to perceive through a screen, I pretty firmly disagree. I think emotion is harder to perceive, but people's beliefs and biases almost always come through in their writing, even in subtle ways. I'm also not looking at specific individuals here, I'm considering more the general experience in a community I had, which makes it a lot harder to get to know every single person OOCly. Lastly, I'm not a woman, and "a female" is grammatically incorrect! That's only used when referring to animals. I really appreciate the thoughtful response, and I'm totally not going into this expecting people to agree with me. I just wanted to start a conversation here.

A) One tasteless persona is not enough to totally discount their experience RPing women, especially considering they didn't even mention said persona. B) That may be so! I don't have any information on the gender stats of LOTC, so I won't comment re: proportions, but it's still people's responsibility to make folks feel welcomed. Calling it the "monke brain" reason takes responsibility away from the players, when it is very much still up to them.

A HANDFUL OF OBSERVATIONS ABOUT LOTC’S GENDER BIAS OVER THE COURSE OF the past year, I have now played two human personas as children. It is one of my longtime traditions that, whenever I feel ‘stuck’ with the story of a persona, I’ll take them on a ‘Grand Tour,’ where I do my best to visit every other nation on the continent with that persona, until one of them clicks. I am now doing this for the second time this year, on my current child persona Galina. I noticed, however, that the experience of this Grand Tour was completely different to my previous one, on my last persona Alasdair. Some differences between the two, for full clarity. These do not explain away all of my experiences, but they are important to note: Alasdair was male, Galina is female. Alasdair was twelve on his Grand Tour. Galina is nine. Alasdair was much shyer, and never spoke unless spoken to first. Galina is very energetic and outgoing, and frequently starts conversations. Both personas were dressed well, and did not appear akin to orphans or anything similar. See skins below. Alasdair’s Grand Tour experience was remarkable: I wandered into Adria as my first stop on the Tour, sat down, and people almost immediately began RPing with me. He was invited to spar with another child, offered food, and generally ‘taken in,’ all by players who were complete strangers to me. His shyness was accepted, and people still spoke to him even when he didn’t speak first. The same day he arrived, he had not only been offered a wardship under the Duke, but also invited to join the local Knight’s order, and given a place to stay without him needing to ask for one. My experience on Galina has been vastly different. She began her tour in Whitespire, during high activity hours; nobody spoke to her without her speaking first, I had to instigate almost every RP encounter she had, save for one. That one was instigated by a friend, and thus can’t really be counted, since they already knew me. Besides that one conversation, however, every one of Galina’s interactions had to be started by me. She was passed off from one person to another, and was generally deemed too young to be travelling alone. After a series of these handoffs, Galina ended up in Lemon Hill, where she was given to a member of the monastery there to watch. She was offered a place to stay only after she stated she wished to remain in Lemon Hill, and was.. generally left to spectate affairs. Again, she was ignored unless I instigated RP. Lemon Hill has a distinctly more adult population than Adria did when Alasdair arrived, which was then home to quite a few children his age, so some level of this lack of inclusion no doubt comes from her lack of peers, but the difference was definitely noticeable. Alongside being ignored, Galina was treated as generally “fragile.” She was advised repeatedly not to travel alone, and every adult she met insisted that she be accompanied wherever she went. Some of this can be ascribed to her age, of course, but even as a nine-year-old, Alasdair was generally presumed to be competent, and to not need protecting. While playing Alasdair I was assumed to be male OOCly. People defaulted to male pronouns, and spoke to me like I was a man. While playing Galina, I experienced the opposite. I’m fairly neutral on how people refer to me, but these biases are clearly still present OOCly, as well as IRP. I was swiftly welcomed into Adria both OOC and IRP, and yet it took me at least a few hours of wandering and “handoffs” before Galina received any sort of welcome anywhere. Nobody yet has even asked her name. When I was perceived as male OOCly, I was frequently invited to things; people commented on my skins, asked my opinions on their writing pieces, and invited me to join VCs and game nights. That has been significantly less the case in my history of playing female personas, and thus of being perceived as female. This isn’t some big formal research project, and I don’t have massive concrete conclusions to draw from this. These observations also can only really speak on the biases within the population of Heartlands RPers, but I do still think it’s worth sitting down and considering how you interact with people, especially strangers, and consider what draws you to interact with them. Misogyny is still totally rampant on LOTC, especially in the subtler, harder-to-identify ways. I have spent most of my three years on this server feeling unsure of my position in the nations I RP in, and wondering if I belong, but that anxiety has only ever arisen when I play female characters. Again, I don't have a big huge conclusion to make here, I'm too tired for that. But think about it, at least. TL;DR. Consciously think about your own biases, whatever they might be. Also make an active effort to make your women feel welcome. They need it. Also, I wish to say: I mean NO ill-will towards any of the people I have RP’ed with on Galina, they have all still been very welcoming and friendly. I just wanted to put my experience out there, to hopefully give people who don’t play characters of both genders an understanding as to what the other group’s experience is, and ideally to encourage people to really examine their own treatment of others. – ESO

Galina Georgina's skygod gets tendonitis...

୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯ *:･ﾟ PUBLISHED BY THE HAESENI LEDI COMPANY *:･ﾟ⎯୧ VOL II, RELEASED 4 OF TOV AG YERMEY, 495 E.S. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ TAKE A PEEK AT the special Haeseni Independence Collection, and celebrate the nation’s upcoming birthday with themed Haeseni Ledi outfits! These outfits are placed at an auction, so bid well! Bidding closes: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Brita’s Independence Dress starts at 75 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Eunica’s Independence Dress starts at 75 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Melisende’s Independence Dress starts at 75 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Sonya’s Independence Dress starts at 75 minas. Bid by writing to the Haeseni Ledi Company! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ THE VALDEV SQUARE IS alive and humming with activity. Haeseni Independence Day is approaching, and everyone is eagerly awaiting the upcoming festivities. Merchants hang up banners outside shopfronts, drag carts into the square, and begin collecting anniversary-themed goods to sell. Melisende sits at the corner of the square at her easel, paints in hand. She watches the flurry of colour and activity in the square with an attentive eye, waiting for just the right scene to depict... There! In the middle of the square, Eunica and Sonya build a fire, while Brita hauls logs for them. The fire has just struck alight, and Eunica leaps into the air with glee. Melisende nods to herself, and swiftly sketches the scene before it leaves her memory. This, she decides, is what Haense is: a warm fire, her joyful friends, and four beautiful dresses. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ WISH TO MAKE A PURCHASE? GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Enquire with the Haeseni Ledi Company, information below! BIDDING FORMAT: IGN: DISCORD: SKIN: AMOUNT: [ MAKE A NEW COMMENT FOR EACH BID, DON'T EDIT ] Published by and signed by, Her Ladyship, ALYONA RHETTA SVIATOVNA GODUNOV, Editor in chief of the Haeseni Ledi Magazine Her Ladyship, GALINA GEORGINA ALYOVNA GODUNOV, Socialite Prodigy, Little Pink Ledi, Prinzenas of the Ferns, Head Designer for the Haeseni Ledi Company

୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯ *:･ﾟ PUBLISHED BY THE HAESENI LEDI COMPANY *:･ﾟ⎯୧ VOL I, RELEASED 16 OF TOV AG YERMEY, 493 E.S. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ MEET BRITA, EUNICA, MELISENDE, and Sonya, the first four dolls to be released by the Haeseni Ledi Company! Play a fun quiz to learn which girl you’re most similar to, and find information on where to purchase the dolls & their accessories. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ OF THE HAESENI LEDI quartet, Brita is easily the most adventurous; she’s outdoorsy and loves to play physical games. She’s currently a Squire under one of the Haeseni Knights, and she couldn’t be more excited for the day her Trials will come! Despite her tomboyishness, Brita enjoys calmer activities too, and she spends most of her free time in the library, reading adventure stories and dreaming of her own future escapades. The Meet Brita outfit comes free with your purchase of the Brita doll! They can be found in the following Haeseni Ledi outlet stores: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ UNLIKE THE RAMBUNCTIOUS AND playful Brita, Eunica is arguably the gentlest of the group. She’s most often found in the woods attempting to befriend the forest creatures, or else she’s in her bedroom in Woldzmir, sewing dresses for herself and her animal friends. When her friends do convince her to do social activities, she’s happiest on the dance floor, swaying to music only she can hear. The Meet Eunica outfit comes free with your purchase of the Eunica doll! They can be found in the following Haeseni Ledi outlet stores: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ALTHOUGH HER FAMILY ISN’T originally Haeseni, Melisende fits right in with her fellow Ledis. When she wants to, that is. She’s the real fashionista of the group, fascinated with expensive fabrics, wild hairstyles, and fancy jewellery. Her interests aren’t wholly material, though! Melisende also spends her days painting portraits of the members of the Haeseni high society, and her artwork hangs on the walls of many a noble keep. The Meet Melisende outfit comes free with your purchase of the Melisende doll! They can be found in the following Haeseni Ledi outlet stores: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ SONYA IS BY FAR the most bookish of the Ledis, and although she’s usually happy to join in on her friends’ adventures, she’s just as happy to be studying the Scrolls and the natural sciences. She has a passion for learning, and dreams of one day becoming a famous scholar, or perhaps even an Alchemist! In the meantime, Sonya eagerly practises her writing skills, and someday plans to record and publish the tales of Brita’s future heroics. The Meet Sonya outfit comes free with your purchase of the Sonya doll! They can be found in the following Haeseni Ledi outlet stores: ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Take this short quiz to figure out which Haeseni Ledi most suits your temperament! It’s a rainy day outside. You... A: Go find a mud puddle to splash in B: Settle inside with a mug of cocoa and a good book C: Hope you don’t get your dress dirty D: Study the clouds and their shapes You’re at the tavern. What do you order? A: A cup of warm goat’s milk B: A steaming hot bowl of borscht C: A lemonade D: A mug of herbal tea Your friend asks you to play a game outside. You suggest... A: Axe throwing B: Hide and seek C: A scavenger hunt D: Gathering herbs It’s your friend’s birthday! What do you bring them? A: A map, leading to a secret treasure B: A bouquet of flowers, tailored to their personality C: A piece of handmade jewellery D: A board game for the two of you to play Which Haeseni value is most important to you? A: Strength B: Loyalty C: Honesty D: Intelligence What word best describes you? A: Excitable B: Kind C: Warm D: Thoughtful Which colour palette appeals to you most? A: Sky blues and sea greens B: Springtime pastels C: Jewel tones D: Dark, earthy browns and greens If you got... Mostly A’s, you’re most like Brita! Mostly B’s, you’re most like Eunica! Mostly C’s, you’re most like Melisende! Mostly D’s, you’re most like Sonya! ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧𓅂✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ WISH TO MAKE A PURCHASE? GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Enquire with the Haeseni Ledi Company, information below! Published by and signed by, Her Ladyship, ALYONA RHETTA SVIATOVNA GODUNOV, Editor in chief of the Haeseni Ledi Magazine Her Ladyship, GALINA GEORGINA ALYOVNA GODUNOV, Socialite Prodigy, Little Pink Ledi, Prinzenas of the Ferns, Head Designer for the Haeseni Ledi Company

"Holy WOW!" Said Galina, upon receiving her invitation. "Ea have to go."

“TO SAY OF A MAN THAT HE WAS SAILING TO SARANTIUM WAS TO SAY THAT HIS LIFE WAS ON THE CUSP OF CHANGE: POISED FOR EMERGENT GREATNESS, BRILLIANCE, FORTUNE – OR ELSE AT THE VERY PRECIPICE OF A FINAL AND ABSOLUTE FALL AS HE MET SOMETHING TOO VAST FOR HIS CAPACITY.” T IS MIDNIGHT WHEN Alasdair awakes. Awakes is the wrong word. He has not been sleeping and so he does not so much awake as he does sit up and pull the covers off. The fortune-teller lies beside him, as fitfully asleep and as perfect and untouchable as ever. Alasdair wonders at the miracle of this. At the golden silk sheets and at the fortune-teller beside him and at the herbs bundled over their heads. He has wondered at his miraculous good luck every morning for the last twenty-odd years. There is an unpleasantness in knowing that this is the end of the wonder and the miracles. He stands over the sleeping fortune-teller for some time, watching. Learning his face and his posture and his breaths by heart. He must do this alone. He was always going to do this alone. Alasdair does not think about how he will fall asleep tonight, alone. He does not think about the jar of honey he keeps in his bag, or about the bar of pine soap, or about the wooden hyacinths in an old Carrion bottle on the kitchen table. His letter is short and to the point. He may be a musician but he has never been a poet. Out of all the letters he has written this one was by far the most difficult. He addresses it, To Fabian, my fortune-teller. There are many pages ruined with tears and smudged ink before Alasdair decides to use pencil instead. The door creaks when he slips through it, and it clicks softly shut behind him. He worries about waking the fortune-teller. He worries about waking Marian. He worries about waking Ramsay. The notes slide under their doors with the gentle whoosh of paper on worn wooden floors, and then Alasdair is outside. He does not like the city. He will never like the city. But it is better late at night, when all the tavern’s patrons have left and the streets are cold and dark. He has never been afraid of the dark. He does not mind the unknown. Even the incomprehensible, things like Magic and Fate and God, their unknowable-ness rests easy on his shoulders. The road is long. Alasdair walks with his bag over his shoulder, head upturned. The forests smell different here. Different from home. This place has never been home. As Alasdair walks, with nobody to speak to and nothing else to occupy him, he remembers. [OOC CONTENT WARNING: Flashbacks contain depictions of child abuse and self harm. If either of these will make you uncomfortable, don’t read.] LASDAIR HAS HAD HIS ship custom-built to look exactly like the one Anuraj showed him all those years ago with its grey sails and its round hull. He has planned this. All of this. He is meticulous and rigorous about his planning. Everything is just-so. The boat is designed for two but can be sailed by one and he is alone when he unties it and pushes it off from the docks. The sun is almost rising now and he needs to leave soon if he wants to beat the early morning fishermen. The sailing is as easy as breathing (sailing has always been as easy as breathing. it’s breathing that he has trouble with) and the winds are high once Alasdair gets out of the river and onto the open sea. He pins his maps down so they do not fly away and he sets a course eastward. He brings with him a battered lamp, a golden ring, a tambourine, and a box of ash. The water is easy and gentle in the small hours of the morning, and Alasdair has one final farewell. He pulls his dagger from its spot at his side and drops it into the depths. It has drawn more of his blood than any enemy’s blade and letting it sink to the bottom feels like release. Then the wind is in his hair and an early morning rain comes and spills golden drops onto his face. Alasdair cries with the sky. -=+=- IHYAAR IS NOT WHAT Alasdair expects it to be. He scatters Ardashir’s ashes and narrowly avoids a pair of theives in an alleyway. He purchases a jar of honey and a bar of lavender soap and a scarf made of golden silk. It is not the same but it is something. He does not take it off. He writes letters in every port he stops in. One to the fortune-teller, one to Marian, one to Ramsay, one to Roslin, one to Viviana.. the paper and ink are expensive and he does not know if they will make it back to Haense, but Alasdair does not break his promises. Mostly. There is a storm. Alasdair has not kept track of the days but his beard is overgrown and his hair is shaggy. It has been at least two months but maybe more like four. The waves are high, higher than he has seen before and he knows immediately that they will consume him. Alasdair lets it happen. -=+=- HERE IS A SHIP in the eye of the storm. Alasdair’s head is swimming and his mouth tastes of saltwater and the boat is half-sinking, but he catches a glimpse of silver-and-red hair at the helm and of grey sails above. The captain is aged by time and salt air but Alasdair looks at his sea-glass eyes and sees his own. There is someone with him. He calls out to them, waves his arms, and in a rush of saltwater and coarse old rope, Alasdair is on the decks of his father’s ship. He does not know what to say. He says nothing, just stares at him. (Almost seventy now, he thinks. If his maths are correct, but they usually aren’t.) Valdemar stares back and there is a moment where Alasdair thinks that he will not recognize him. He thinks that the scars and the tired eyes and the freckles are enough that his father will not know his own face. But then Valdemar says, “Al?” And that is enough. The day Alasdair Baruch leaves Haense, letters are distributed throughout the nation and across Aevos. They are directed as follows: To Fabian, my fortune-teller. To Ramsay, my son. To Marian, my Valerie. To Viviana, my daughter. To Lorina, my flower. To Roslin, my sister. [OOC NOTE]

୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧♡✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯ *:･ﾟ ABOUT THE CELEBRATING OF MY NAMEDAY *:･ﾟ⎯୧ AN INVITATION RELEASED BY ME, FOR THE ESTEEMED AND VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE OF INVITING PEOPLE TO MY NAMEDAY PARTY. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧♡✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ t is my Nameday soon. I want to have a HUGE big dobryful party, with all of everyone invited! Papej is writing this for me, say thank you Papej! (hank you Papej.) nyways, this is my party. If you are seeing this you should come. Everyone is invited. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧♡✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ ୨⎯ *:･ﾟ HERE IS THE INFORMATION ABOUT MY PARTY *:･ﾟ⎯୧ This is me. Mamej had it painted to celebrate my Nameday. want everyone in all of Haense and Balian and all the other places to come! I am turning five. It is going to be at MY HOUSE. (It’s in Valdev. I will show people where to go!) he theme is PRINZENASES and PRINZENS, so please come dressed as dobrytastical as possible. Come even if you can not dress dobry but dobry is better. apej and Mamej will make us sweets to eat and we will play games and have fun. Please also bring me presents if you can. I really really want a kitty cat. kay, that’s all. ୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧♡✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧ Her Ladyship, GALINA GEORGINA ALYOVNA GODUNOV, Socialite Prodigy, Little Pink Ledi, Future Prinzenas of Somewhere

"Mischa!" Called the Alchemist, sailing into her friend's office with a copy of the missive in hand. "This is lovely, you are a truly remarkable writer." When she had a moment to catch her breath, she gave the Astronomer a grin. "When are we making our map?" @Melpomenne