sapphic_spidy

It's not true. 

How can it be true?

How can it be true?

No, no, he isn't gone, he's not, he can't be, it's too soon, they never got to-

There were no letters. There was nothing. There was nothing. 

And for the first time ever, Kiva feels truly broken.

How can it be true?

He wasn't even old. 

He was supposed to grow old. They were supposed to watch him grow old. They were supposed to be there for him.

Was he in bad health? Was part of it their fault? Should they have reached out?

Dimitri, Dimitri, their second friend. 

Sure years passed with little contact, but years mean little to an elf.

They feel so stupid.

Kiva wails. 

It's not fair. It's not fair.

They never got to say goodbye.

The Naya Barakat. It's a cup of sliced onions. Cry. Cry now. 

The Sermi. No matter how many times you drink it Arthur keeps refilling it you can't get rid of it it just keeps coming back oh god oh no oh no

The Vicnan. A straight glass of rum but you get punched in the face when it's handed to you. 

Ice Water With Lemons: The lemons have will'o inside of them. Thanks Obok. 

"You should take care of yourself well. Do not find yourself in the wrong crowd, no matter what."

"This doesn't end with Naya's death, Sydney."

"No- where is she? Cormath, Kaethul?"

"You both lost family today."

Sydney knew before he got the letter. Athri told him.

"I'm not asking for your forgiveness Syd. But you deserve to know the truth."

And he did. He knew the truth for a while. But he couldn't accept it. She was changing, she wasn't the Naya he once knew, even if he still loved her. He knew it. But accepting it... That wasn't possible.

He was angry, he was seething, he wouldn't let himself stop moving, writing, running, thinking. Because he knew if he did he would do what Veluc told him not to do. Find himself in the wrong crowd. 

He doesn't know what happens now. What he will become. But he will not become someone Naya wouldn't have been proud to have as a brother. He won't.

You are a good man, I know this, you have always been good. 

He breaks down. He breaks. He sobs, screams, throws a bottle at the wall. A bottle he refuses to drink from, if he starts he won't be able to stop, and that's not who he'll be. 

Stay good.

He will, he will, he swears he will. 

There's no point in vengeance, he won't lose himself to that, he won't lose himself, he swears it, he won't.

Naya, his first family in over a decade, who never gave up on him, even when it would have been easy. The sister he never had, the sister he always wanted. Naya. Oh, Naya. He thought she'd be there. Always be there. How stupid. He knew things were going downhill years ago, when Naya was told to call off her dog, and he backed down, he did, because it was for her, and he'd do anything for her. 

He can't accept the bad. He won't think of Naya as bad. Because she wasn't. Maybe it was a mercy she was killed before she could really change fully. 

He thinks of his last memory of her. Holding together his still broken wrist until he could get proper medical attention, joking with him. Being there. Being alive. 

He will cling onto those memories. 

Maybe he'll see her face again.

She will always be there, even if she's gone.

Her gifts to him. Her letters. He holds them all, now, reading all of her words, all of them. 

His sister is dead.

He adds another hash to the bone of his naginata. 

Four now, for the family he has lost. 

Goodbye, Naya. 

------------

Somewhere far away, aging hands receive a letter.

Katherine feels a lump in her throat. One of the three people she ever felt she belonged with.

Maybe- maybe they can make her into a ghoul! Maybe... so a part of her can remain. Maybe... 

Naya's words are... the only thing that have ever made her second guess herself. Her choice. Not even his biting words, or his doubt, or her abandonment made her wonder if she did the right thing.

But it is too late to go back.

Maybe we can make her into a ghoul... Maybe I can convince him...

-------------

Castien does not receive a letter. 

Castien never knew Naya. 

Adya forgot to pay her rent again, he thinks, going on about his life as usual.

Sydney grips the letter he found, reads it, then tears it to shreds, seething.

Juniper really doesn't understand anything, does she? He thought highly of her for so long. 

There's so much he doesn't know, but he knows his damn sister.

How could Juniper do this to her?

Anger? Maybe? He doesn't know. But Naya never had a choice, that's what he knows. Naya knows what it is like to lose a child. She wouldn't do that to someone for no reason. And now, just when things were looking up, Juniper had to go and ruin everything. It's all ruined.

Kiyoshi's involvement doesn't surprise him. But Naya's is complicated. He knows that- but not everyone does. 

Impulsively, he grabs a piece of paper himself, but before he can write he tears that up too.

Damn it, damn it. Why shouldn't he?

Because he could make things worse. Because Naya already didn't trust him with the full story, because she knows him. And he knows her. 

Naya may never be safe again.

Maybe Juniper shouldn't be either. 

MC Name:

         sapphic_spidy

Character's Name:

         Sydney Fiyem

Character's Age:

         46

What feat(s) will you be learning?

         Alchemy

Teacher's MC Name:

         hypedangel

Teacher's RP Name:

         Gnarla'Vukh

Do you agree to keep Story updated on the status of your feat app?:

         Yes

Have you applied for this feat on this character before, and had it denied? If so, link the app:

         No

Are you aware that if this feat is shelved, it will be unavailable to use?

         Yes

Lesha had not spoken to him in many years.

She deemed him a lost cause at the time. Too pious, to patriotic. It would come as a shock if she knew he was married after all. 

She feels no sorrow that he is gone. But it is a shame. It really is a shame. He was fun, in his own way. He had initiative. Potential. He accomplished things. He seemed like a decent enough person.

Lesha has a new plaything now. 

Still.

She does wonder if Radmir ever learned how to dance.

Sydney reads the missive, frowning.

He'll try to look for them, once he makes sure his brother isn't being held captive. Again. For a seventh time. 

Kiva, whose teacher is long gone, leaving them stuck stagnant, considers this. They have no reason to not believe what is said.

Civil, peaceful, they like those terms.

This isn't a demon masquerading as an orc trying to show them something. These are.... well, they're good people right?

There's nothing to fear, right?

Once Sydney finds out about this, he'll prepare to steal 700+ pieces of bread from the Ferrymen.

Again.

"Hey, Gnarla, have y'ever killed a demon?"

-----

Sydney doesn't know yet. 

But if he did, he would celebrate.

Finally, his family is a step closer to being free. 

He has no idea how he evaded Sermi. Sermi who, over a decade ago, before it all went wrong, suggested they get to know each other, make a game of it. She guessed wrongly, about his motivations, about him. 

Syd, if he knew, would regret that he hadn't been a bigger threat. That he had done more than spread whispers about her location. Sermi hurt his family, in more than just one face. 

Sermi tried to break her, time and time again. Sermi tried to take him, when he was hurt and desperate to do something. And all Sydney could do was whisper. 

-----

"I want to ask her about her pretty white cat."

He heard the kid whispering to the other woman, he followed him, he knew where Sermi was. And yet, he only whispered to a few people. Could it have been ended sooner, had he brought them to her? 

-----

"She lives here. But you didn't hear that from me."

"'Course not." 

He wanted her gone. Out. Of his place, of his town, where he felt safe after decades of endless fighting. 

And now, she was.

If Sydney knew, he would celebrate.

A man from Skjoldier sits in Cormath, not a clue what is going on. A man who escaped a village that turned him away when he was young and full of mistakes.

He never saw a witch. He never had to. No one saw the witches. No one knew much about them for certain. The whispers stretched them to have far more power than they did. 

They all told the stories differently, none of them entirely accurate. Not one didn't exaggerate at least one thing grossly.

The man's village was not important enough to be named. It did not matter to anyone outside of it. It may not even exist anymore. Maybe he is the only one who is still alive. 

It's sad, really, how little he truly knows of Skjoldier. How little he knows of the witches. How little he knows of anything. He doesn't know what it's like in the citadel, what it's like in the woods, where the witches hid. He doesn't know anything beyond his little village. The only time he left it was when he stowed away to come to Aevos. 

All the man from Skjoldier knows is the fear that was hammered into his heart.

He has no clue what is going on...

And maybe he never will. 

It's not as if he knows much of his homeland anyways. 

Katherine's hands shake.

She's angry. Why is she angry? Why is she furious?

John would hate her now. But should she really try to care? Everyone would hate her now. Everyone. 

But not a word? Not a letter? Not an attempt? He flaked on her- flaked- and favors a son who called him crazy- called her crazy. Maybe she is crazy. Crazy to hold these grudges from childhood. But damn it, she's mad. 

And lonely.

And, probably, soon to be homeless. 

Why. Why? Did she ever think she could have family. 

It was set in stone the night before her 18th birthday. They were not her family. She was a burden, someone who could not even be considered a Galbraith. Who had no room on any family tree. 

Katherine remembers when John was kidnapped like it was yesterday. The fear and panic each and every night he didn't return- the anger that no one could bring him home. She loved him then.

She doesn't love anyone now. 

She hopes the whole house burns.

Irene? Like... like that Irene?

Sydney's eyes widen, then he grins.

She couldn't hide forever, could she. 

What is it she said to him? What's wrong? Or was it, Is something the matter?

He can't publicly say what she is...

But he can anonymously write to John. He's sure John would appreciate the knowledge. 

Sydney didn't know her. He only knew her as someone associated with the ferrymen- that immediately put them at odds. Still...

He worries. Who will they say killed her? Will spreading his suspicions be enough? He doesn't want the blame to fall on Celia'nor- he's certain it wasn't their fault that she passed. He has friends in Celia'nor, even if Arthur doesn't get that, and Veluc thinks he should keep his neck out of trouble.

Syd thought he was over this. Over worrying about Iolas every time something happens.

He's not. 

Someone is dead, and all he can think about are Iolas and Ariane. 

The "anonymous malin" who did nothing more than skim the missive chuckles.

"Malin. Not quite, m'friend. Not quite." 

Sydney is suddenly VERY glad he didn't sign with his full name. Juniper knows his contribution, and that's all that matters. 

MC Name:

         sapphic_spidy

Character's Name:

         Fo'lithren

Character's Age:

         26

Character's Race:

         Human

What magic(s) will you be learning?

         Necromancy

Teacher's MC Name:

         Velkuzat

Teacher's RP Name:

         Serthekhur

Do you have a magic(s) you are dropping due to this app? If so, link it:

         No

Do you agree to keep Story updated on the status of your magic app?:

         Yes

Are you aware that if this magic is shelved, it will be unavailable to use?

         Yes

Sydney, quite frankly, is not surprised. He simply blinks. He doesn't trust Sermi for her word, but this seems... relatively accurate. 

As selfish as it is, though, he likes his position, even though he only ever accredited it to Athri, never Yera. He can't exactly speak out against her either, or it'd undo the years of trying to seem harmless. 

Sydney is not a traitor. He does not plan on being a traitor. But he decides to ignore this altogether until the situation with you-know-who, mister "shadows and destruction of all who you love," the thing that may end up having to be the get-along-shirt for Caelia and Balian, is overwith.

MC Name:

         sapphic_spidy

Character's Name:

         Kiva

Character's Age:

         37

Character's Race:

         dark elf

What magic(s) will you be learning?

         Bardmancy [S + W]

Teacher's MC Name:

         Godwin

Teacher's RP Name:

         Aujy

Do you have a magic(s) you are dropping due to this app? If so, link it:

         N/A

Do you agree to keep Story updated on the status of your magic app?:

         Yes

Are you aware that if this magic is shelved, it will be unavailable to use?

         Yes

Little Caeso is so confused. He is six. 

Little Caeso remembers the carnage and shudders. The feeling of the heat pressing against his face, looking at his pater covered in blood...

He's just glad his family is okay. 

MC Name:

         sapphic_spidy

Character's Name:

         Sydney Fiyem

Character's Age:

         36

Character's Race:

         Human

What magic(s) will you be learning?

         Kani

Teacher's MC Name:

         Whatasithuation

Teacher's RP Name:

         Athri'annyer Tinuviel

Do you have a magic(s) you are dropping due to this app? If so, link it:

         No

Do you agree to keep Story updated on the status of your magic app?:

         Yes

Are you aware that if this magic is shelved, it will be unavailable to use?

         Yes

On 2/29/2024 at 4:56 PM, satinkira said:

It’s basically an informal rule, where the only holdout is homophobia for some reason – we don’t permit real-world racism, but we permit homophobia.

This is such a good point that I hadn't even considered. I completely agree with banning homophobia rp. There's nothing i can say that hasn't been said already, and I know that anything I say will just get me mocked in the Minitz discord again! But the point is that... that's true. Yes fantasy racism exists IRP but it's not the same as actual real life racism.

Beyond that I just think that there's a reason people don't like hearing the same harmful narratives they hear in their daily lives from their families and government nearly word for word in Silly Block Game. The point of it being uncreative is so true too! And I know that a lot of the homophobia rpers are the same ones who aren't fond of magical or alchemical roleplay, so the points about realism won't matter much to them, but it rings true as well. 

I have a lot of thoughts on this but it's late and I doubt people will read this far down anyways. Thank you for saying this. As a lesbian, I really do not want to hear the same homophobic sentiments I heard from my entire extended family on an almost daily basis in LOTC.

It [edit: homophobia rp] doesn't add anything and will only have negatives. It will only upset players. It will not make for good RP. 

"Classic Canonists.." Sydney shakes his head in pity. "They don' want anyone t'be happy. 's all about control."

------

"It's all about control." Katherine shares a similar sentiment. 

Her hands shake. She's confused. 

Her faith is cracking. The God who never cared for her will not be allowed to continue to make her feel this way.

Something's not right.

Sydney knows what he saw. He knows the knowledge they allowed him to leave with unthreatened and unharmed. And, by their leagues at least, unemployed. 

Haus, working with darkspawn? He can't help but grin. He doesn't doubt the truth of it at all. He knows more than many ever had the chance to. And they let him live.