Mysticstarlightduck - ✨majestic✨

Trick or treat!

Trick, trick - you've been tricked, bamboozled even!!! 😈

Duck duck duck...trick or treat!

Treat, treat, treat! 🎃

Thank you for the Ask, @doublegoblin!

Have some neat worldbuilding facts about my current WIP - Tales of Wilted Flowers! (:

THE WORLDBUILDING FACTS:

There are 6 ancient families, known as the Sovereign Houses, that are said to have held incredible power in the lands of Ravaryn, after the Sentinels defeated the old gods - now known as the Banished. It is said that - initially - the role of these powerful families was to protect different kingdoms of the realm from ever falling under the sway of the Banished again. Now, however, many years later, they mainly exert political power over the nations of Ravaryn from behind the scenes, with some feuds and alliances to spare.

In the world and lore of the continent of Ravaryn, the humanoid creatures called "vampires" are actually blood-drinking (vampiric) faeries, who are extremely powerful as their magic comes from the life essence extracted from blood. Arista Bryar, one of the main characters of the book, is a half-vampire.

The Lydean Sea one of the most mythical places in all of Ravaryn, with many legends and tales about its strange waters covered by iridescent mists and filled with dreadful monsters. Most tales are true, and still, many secrets remain about this unique body of water - where only the bravest sailors dare to go.

The main kingdoms of Ravaryn are: Wenhorn - one of the biggest and most powerful kingdoms in the realm, as well as being the home to the descendants of the Sentinels of the past; Allanar - a mainly elven and fae kingdom, being within the ancient lands of both these civiizations; and Thysfire - a smaller, slightly more backwater, kingdom, mostly known for its magical exports and an age-old feud/dislike towards Wenhorn. But there are many others, just not as relevant to the main story and initial political conflicts within the Book 1 of Tales of Wilted Flowers.

I know I’m late to the party for this ask game, but in the spirit of Halloween, I simply couldn’t miss out! So…

Trick 👻 or Treat 🎃?

Treat! 🎃

Thank you for the ask, @elshells!!!

Have a snippet from my WIP, Enchanted Illusions! It's a funnier one (at least I hope)!

(This is the scene where Evangeline, daughter of one of the most powerful sorcerers in their city, meets her soon to be vest friend - when Ambrose clumsily tries to steal a priceless artifact from her mansion)

"Who are you?"

The young man jumped at her unexpected question, almost falling to the ground. While he managed to regain his footing, all his tools around him fell to the floor with a loud clatter. He cringed.

"Uh, I - um" He [Ambrose] frantically looked around, as if wanting to rewind time to the moment before he'd screwed up. He continued quickly, stumbling over the words to fill the awkward silence. " - can we just pretend you never saw me and that this never happened?"

Evangeline narrowed her eyes, taking a step closer, while still clumsily brandishing the fire poker with both hands. "Nope."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, both teens awkwardly staring at each other - admittedly with difficulty, as the only light source was the moonlit creeping in from the window left ajar.

"Fine." Ambrose broke the silence, holding both hands up, placatingly and stepping away from the pedestal beside him "What do you suppose we do now?"

She tilted her head. "You could start by explaining to me what you're doing in my house. In the middle of the night, inside my father's room of spells."

Ambrose smirked, with a little flourish of his hands. "Ambrose Prosper. Part-time antiquarian, aspiring adventurer. A pleasure to meet you again - we've met before, I'm the apprentice at that clock repair shop..."

Evangeline stared at Ambrose for a long moment, before recognizing him. She recalled the awfully clumsy clerk running around the shop, almost toppling a stack of priceless machinery. "I knew you looked familiar."

He continued. "As for adressing the uh... dragon in the room..."

Ambrose paused, considering how to say the words he was about to speak, before blurting it all out in one breath. "I've been hired to steal the artifact currently standing on the pedestal right behind me. Hired by a.... very intimidating sorcerer, if that makes it any better..."

"Oh, okay. Of course. So you're a thief now. A magicless human one. And not very good at it either, given our current... stalemate. About as threatening to me here as a fruit fly."

Ambrose smiled, awkwardly nodding. "Yep, pretty much."

She sighed. "If this is what you want to do for a living, how have you even survived this long? "

"I have literally no idea. Luck?"

[...]

TRICK OR TREAT

OH MY GOODNESS THAT DRAWING IS ADORABLE!!!!!!

Thank you for the ask, @gummybugg!

I wasn't sure what to give you as an answer to this ask, but eventually, I decided to post this! It's a snappy lil' snippet from Tales of Wilted Flowers (mostly a dialogue exchange between Xarian and Caladin that I really liked!)

Context: After escaping a series of rather life-threatening events, the team (at this point consisting of Xarian, Lorelai, and a couple of their friends) settles down to camp overnight, and a rather brutally honest rant takes place.

"So let me get this straight - a false King, a scheme from the most ancient sorcerer Houses, and a wrathful Banished." Caladin began, tapping his knee with the back of his knuckles as he listed their current misfortunes, half-heartedly, sitting on a fallen tree at the edge of their camp. "Remind me why I have anything to do with this, again?"

Lorelai cheerfully turned towards him, ready to answer, but Xarian was quicker to interrupt. He was done with Caladin's carelessness.

"Well, for starters, you did take out a squad of mercenaries - very loudly - with a power that I've only seen once in my entire life. In front of that whole village, and the Royal Guard. I want to know why you - a human - hold such magic and why." As Xarian got up and all but paced around the clearing, Caladin listened on with clear disinterest, as if more busy sharpening his sword than paying attention.

The fae scowled, exasperatedly teleporting the sword halfway across their camp with one flick of his wrist, putting the blade far away from Caladin's distracted hands.

Earning an annoyed glare from the young human, Xarian continued answering through a bitter laugh, vitriol barely hidden behind his calm explanation.

"And, of course, since you made the decision to save me and my friends, a decision which - by all means - you weren't obliged to make, you're now wanted in all corners of the kingdom, same as us." Xarian gestured widely, between them both and the others, who were watching his explanation with a mix of concern and awe.

"Your only real shot at making it out alive is seeing this mess - a mess that you're currently a very important part of - through to the end. Unless, of course, you fancy getting a very private tour of the gallows, when the royal soldiers inevitably catch us all, my not-so-dear friend." He paused, now muttering under his breath, through gritted teeth. "That is if you don't make me completely lose my patience and do something incredibly stupid, like killing you before the King ever does. Is that a good enough reminder?"

Caladin's mouth formed a thin line, the words dawning on him rather quickly. There was a moment of very awkward silence before he nodded quickly. "Yep, reminded. No need for extreme measures."

Xarian sighed, stopping right in front of Caladin. "Thank you." These two words were forced behind a smile, quietly coming through his exasperation, but the intention was - mostly - the same as always.

🎃Trick or treat!👻

--@oh-no-another-idea

Trick, trick, trick!