MAKING MY MUSCLES PROUD!

ARCHIVED (10/13/21)𝚁𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚘 ... 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚊 𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚝! ☼ mobile navigation here. ☼ penned by sami; private, affiliated with toa.

[leicestersbeast]

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐁.

soliegis​:

            northwest on their map points them deeper into the plateau, where the cluster of homes and meager farmland disperses into flat, rocky uplands that seem fitting for the simple burial grounds of a village — he’d estimated that the area might be their site earlier, surveying the surrounding landscape for signs of disturbance, human or otherworldly. ( which he’d found — tracks and evidence that the land had been passed through, but several days old and not telling enough of anything more than that, which matched with local claims that the last sighting dated not yet a week ago. )

            turquoise lifts at the mention of zombies — what would have been a bedtime tale to frighten children not two years ago. the dessicated ashes of their reality still trail in the motes of his memory between disbelieving truth and fiction. and their origins… no, he wants nothing else to do with the shells of the living; nothing good ever came of them. ❝ if the dead are walking, then this village has more on its hands than some empty graves. things like that don’t happen without reason. ❞ the trusted spear strapped across his back is both a reminder and an assuring brace. ❝ but if it comes to it, i have some experience with them. ❞

            he doesn’t let that sit for long. ❝ if there are no other leads, then we’ll have to resort to vigils. let’s gather the others and make preparations near the gravesites. ❞ they had bothered the people here long enough.

                                                        ——   ☀   ——

            altitude and the sparsity of alpine air robs spring of its enlivening warmth, and he’s grateful that they hadn’t come earlier in the year, though even this is a temperate balm compared to the glacial cold of the sojourn into faerghus two months ago.

            the moon has risen high, an off-white, elegant sliver of a thing, by the midwatch hours when he stirs easily to the footfalls of the one who’d come to wake him. all around, nature has long since withdrawn into that dreamlike stretch of night, and it’s into its deep and apparitional hush that he rises, suppressing a yawn and rousing himself to vigilance. upon the small hill’s crest that overlooks their rustic cemetery sits that student’s burly outline once more, at the latter half of his watch that ephraim would now share.

            recollection takes a moment. he’s never been good with names. ❝ raphael, right? ❞ steps come to slow beside the other, eyes sweeping out and below across the pale-phantomed expanse of dark as though in bated breath for a glimpse of shambling corpses, flickering shapes disturbing the gloom. ( silhouette of a body, suspended on a hook— )

            he shakes his head. ❝ any movement? ❞

“THERE’S NOT BEEN A SINGLE thing out there—yet, anyways. But, yeah, Raphael. S’good to meet you.” Raphael only knows the other in passing, but remembers his name well enough he doesn’t ask to clarify again.

(If he forgets, he’ll ask. If he forgets, there’s probably something else going on that knocked it right out of his head, anyway. No one’s real mad if you forget their name ‘cause of a sudden zombie uprising at yonder graves, or something.

—Not that he’s, like, planning to forget anyone’s names.)

Standing watch has never particularly bothered Raphael much, even if it’s an idle sort of job. Trying on the length of his focus, too. Not so much easily distractible as much as he tends to grows wary when left staring at nothing for time on end. 

New scenery either has the ability to make it go down smoother—for the benefit of getting to fix sights on something fresh, interesting to take in for the first time—or make it worse, left at unease for the unfamiliar landscape. The plateau manages to occupy some mid-ground between both of those. 

Like every other uninspiring flat of land in Fódlan but somehow it’s coloured distinctly wrong by all the going’s ons. Possibility stands that, if they weren’t here to watch out for grave-robbing-zombie(?)-crooks, Raphael’d like the moonlit expanse a heck of a lot more.

As is... “I kinda figured that something’d’ve have to happen by now, but it’s real still out there. Might be a long night’a vigil, sir.”

Cords in his neck, muscle down to his shoulder blades, tense. He could blame it on the air, which still feels cooler than he might like. Not so bad, having just emerged out of winter—anything warmer than the mountains chill can almost be balmy, now. Likely more to do with wandering thoughts, and—

“—Hey, did’ja mean that? Earlier, I mean. What you said about havin’ dealt with zombies before.” That’s something Raphael doesn’t really know what to make of. An unshakeable sort of thing to just say, and Ephraim hadn’t lingered on it, and with other things to see to, Raphael had put it out of mind until he was left staring at a humble collection of headstones. 

Weirder things have happened, maybe, but even if that constant refrain there’s not any weirder thing that’s happened Raphael can really point to, right now. He glances sidelong at the other, squints through the dark. “Just... Can’t imagine what’d bring that about, is all.” He hopes they don’t find out.

[leicestersbeast]

ignatzlandscape​:

A Fairly Good Time

After the mission last month (timeline shenanigans not withstanding) Ignatz needed some time off. All the emotions he had to process tired him out, and sometimes he had to explain it to someone who stayed behind so he could remind himself “yes this happened, what the fuck,”

Thankfully Ignatz’s best friend didn’t go on the mission, leaving Ignatz to explain his emotions to someone who had no idea about what happened.

“Goddess, I’m so glad you stayed behind,” Ignatz finished his venting to Raphael. The two had decided to go to the carnival to help the two alleviate stress before classes started. They were walking side by side, exploring the many stalls that were lined the path. “Wait,” a sudden realization hit Ignatz, “I’ve just been talking about my problems without letting you speak. What a friend I am,” he sighed as he lowered his head.

“How could I make it up to you?” Ignatz muttered to himself before being drawn in by the smells coming from a nearby food stand. “That aroma… it’s drawing me in. How about I buy us some food? It’s the least I can do,”

@leicestersbeast

THE MONTH BEHIND THE ACADEMY’S sure an exciting one. Raphael’s not sure if he’s sorry he missed out on all the opportunity—good training, he figures, the sort of stuff that went on—or if he’s a little relieved, however selfishly. The latter is a feeling much more fleeting. Hard to be happy to be out of the action when everyone’s got a lot on their shoulders after the fact.

A silver-lining: Ignatz talks freely, seems happy for an ear yet unexposed to the month behind him. Way easier to sort through stuff when someone wasn’t there, sometimes. Get all the thoughts out by explaining it in full, then find a way to stack it all back together, into something that makes sense. 

(Or nearly makes sense, anyway. Raphael’s still not sure he quite knows what happened last month, all in all.)

“Ya don’t have to make anything up to me just for talking! Listening’s the easy part, you know,” Raphael says, sincere, “And someone’s gotta catch me up on everything, I feel roads behind now!”

Dismissal of a peace offering already made, however, he finds himself circling back when the peace offering itself is clarified. “—Not that I’d say no to eating something,” which feels obvious, and Raphael’s already half-sniffing at the air to discern what it is Ignatz’s spotted. Archer-eyes have always been sharper than his own, though it’s hard to miss the aroma. “I could go for food! I bet it’ll make the recap go down easier, anyhow, if there’s still more to say.”

[leicestersbeast]

soliegis​:

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐁.

          evening climbs slowly in the thin heights of the rugged west, where sleepy mists and the last of winter cling to distant rounded highland peaks brushed dark with swaths of spine-like conifers. after the day’s long march from their settlement further down the valley, weariness has begun to seep among their number, hindered further by the arrival of spring’s soporific warmth. yet night was precisely when they couldn’t afford to rest.

          brionac plateau marked their position upon the map unrolled between his hands, and within it the pinpoint of a nondescript upland village some distance from the nearest major territory. it’s no wonder it’d taken so long for their distress calls to be answered; apparently, they’d been sending missives to their region’s governor for many weeks since the first of the disturbed gravesites had been discovered. he knows well the hierarchy of a regent’s task list, and mere rumors of troubling shapes and spirits in the night are difficult to muster the manpower to attend. but perpetrators, whether human or otherwise, would be put to rest soon now, with any luck. selfishly, he hopes it turns up more interesting than a petty crime, or a protracted prank. it seems like a waste to have come all the way out here for little more than exercise.

          among those he’d been sent with stood one tall, brawny young man more than twice some of the others’ size, who’d seemed to outgrow the academy’s student uniform and for whom he’d developed a liking despite never speaking. not once since their departure has he heard a complaint out of him, nor seen him rest before everyone else. it’s he who approaches now up the crest of the incline, descent of sunset casting his broad shadow across the tawny grasses, to which ephraim greets with a nod. ❝ what did the villagers have to say? ❞

          the pattern of incidences had been scattered and by appearances random, with the locals further scrambling their stories out of human fear for the murky figures they had claimed to see. he had hoped that careful subsequent questioning would unearth more information around which they could plan their approach, or at least build some expectation of what they might encounter. it was all well and good to wait until nightfall and stride up to the gravesites to keep vigil over the interred, but given the morale and momentum of their group, he’d thought it best to attempt a more strategic plan before resorting to their most straightforward option, yes, if not their most unenviable.

        ☀   //    @leicestersbeast​

GHOSTS AND GHOULS DON’T BOTHER Raphael all that much. In theory. He’s never had to test the theory, but figures if he has to here, now—over this—that’s not such a bad reason to confront the is or is nots of the ether.

The story’s real unnerving, to be sure. Graves turning up empty when they’re not supposed to be’s never gonna bode well for anyone, most of all the families and villagers that preside over those resting places. Raphael never minds gathering information. Talking to folks is easy, setting them to ease is part of the task, nestled in. This time, it feels him with a creeping discomfort. Wordless understanding is shared between villager and student is a startling familiarity with how important these sites are, how much of an ache it sets forth in those who have lost loved ones to see them disturbed. 

(—In the countryside of Leicester, there’s two humbly marked places that Raphael knows well from tending, visiting. Needless to say, it strikes a chord to listen to the villagers while gathering information to get their wits about them on what’s to be done.

The walk back up doesn’t do much in terms of helping Raphael sort through the information, sifting for the most important.)

“Said it mostly seems like the trouble’s coming from the northwest’a here,” Raphael supplies, a start. “Honestly, no one seemed like they had much more to say about anything other than what we know already—graves being bothered.”

A beat, gloved hand rubbing slow at the back of Raphael’s neck, nodding to himself. Any other time he might be inclined to enjoy the scenery. The plateau’s nice, far as places they get sent to goes. Task at hand sours it, though. Boots scuff against the ground as Raphael stands just downhill from Ephraim—why’d anyone go digging through the earth looking for trouble?

He continues, “Lady I was talking to figures it’s some kinda—zombies?—undead-was-dead folks risen again, or something like that. I’m not really sure why zombies’d be bothering other graves though. Getting outta one seems like a hard enough time, let alone turnin’ around and digging up another...”

[leicestersbeast]

☼ 𝙼𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙷𝙻𝚈 𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙸𝚃𝚈 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙲𝙺𝚂!

𝙹𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷: Passed [ 𝙷𝙸𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚂! ] 𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷: Missed the mark! [ 𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶! ] 𝙹𝚞𝚕𝚢 / 𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝙿𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝙰𝚌𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍: 8 ⇢ 8! [ 𝙽𝙾 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴! ]

❝ Turns out if you go off and train hard in the mountains, it’s real difficult to keep track of the time... and days! And, you’re bound to be way too sore to do any of your school-y stuff when you get back!!             ...Still gotta catch up and do it, though.                                               Just... trust me on that one. ❞

ooc— after july’s hiatus, august somehow managed to be an even busier month for me. i’m very very sorry i’ve been gone, but my masters dissertation is now submitted and i am freed from its all-consuming claws—thank you for everyone being patient!! obvs i’ll just be dropping whatever threads i had prior to my disappearing act. i’ll continue working through the kindly sent headcanon asks throughout september. in turn, i’d REALLY like to start up some new interactions and threads now!! i don’t have any particular plots/monthly missions i’m chasing after, so if you want to do something and just need a pal... feel free to hmu here or on discord!! (: ✨

[leicestersbeast]

lilac :   what was your muse’s childhood like ? how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ?

“𝚆𝚎'𝚍 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚑𝚒𝚍𝚎-𝚊𝚗𝚍-𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚔 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚜, 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚠 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚘 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚏𝚏 𝚝𝚘𝚘!” | 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚜.

DURING CHILDHOOD, Raphael had exposure to a bit of 'both' worlds—the excitement of exploring the bustling centre of Derdriu's mercantile boroughs and a little rubbernecking at some fancy estates.

His parents maintained a humble but stable merchant business. While their base of operations was situated in the heart of Derdriu, their company had dealings throughout the Leicester Alliance on small, steady contracts that often saw them travelling throughout the Alliance. Their family home was located in Derdriu, above their shop; as such, Raphael spent much of his youth set loose upon the mercantile boroughs of Derdriu.

[ no tws; under a read more for length! ]

During periods of heavier (literally) work, Raphael would work alongside his parents or assist where possible with friends of the family. Often, little jobs could be exchanged for food or snacks, which was always a nice incentive. Although his responsibilities were mundane physical tasks like loading, securing, and unloading wares at various destinations, the trade off—seeing so much the Leicester Alliance, meeting so many interesting people—was a reward itself, and so Raphael never much minded the hard work despite being young at the time.

Outside of assisting with the mercantile work, Raphael had a starkly average, happy childhood. His family was a tightly knit unit, with strong ties to their community. He attended modest schooling but hard little interest in the actual lessons, and was always more inclined toward days spent outside and playing with friends.

AS HE’S GROWN, Raphael has come to cherish his childhood and holds it fondly in mind. Best memories stem from playing with friends of his age. Naturally, memories of his parents are safely guarded with attempts to preserve the details—their faces, their voices, their personalities—from the fade of time.

Childhood generally came to a screeching halt with their passing, with new responsibilities to shoulder, but Raphael still honours the good memories and times he had as a young boy and not let the hardship jade him. Most of all, he does what he can to not lose sight of what lessons he learned during childhood. His mothers strong work ethic and staunch drive for fairness, and his fathers ethos of strength though compassion, have continued to be incredibly formative touchstones.

The bonds that he formed during his earlier years similarly remain important to Raphael. Though many of them have been lost connections over passing years bringing change—from closing the family business and selling their estate, to enrolling at the Officers Academy—the feelings remain. Prior contacts, mostly other mercantile families, are firmly rooted in Raphael’s mind as positive connections.

No longer of their world, he tries to honour the dedicated work ethics, community connections, and virtue of sharing burdens where possible as informed by old family friends.

[leicestersbeast]

willow :   how does your muse handle sadness   &   depression ?

“𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚊 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚍𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜, 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚛. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚜 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝’𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝙸 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜.” | 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚜.

LONG STORY SHORT, Raphael doesn’t really handle depression so much as he subjugates it entirely. Prone to looking for distractions from anything that’s upsetting him too deeply, a clear preference is maintained for doing anything and everything that’s uplifting, all-consuming, or physically exhausting to distract the mind—bonus points if it’s all three.

That said: day to day typical sadness isn’t subject to the inklings of toxic positivity and hustle-to-distraction coping that have a hold on Raphael. If he’s feeling sad or upset about something that's smaller or fixable, he’ll try to honour the feeling of sadness or discomfort before taking steps to resolve and improve the circumstance. Crying is also a good release sometimes, and he hardly shies away from it for any multitude of emotions or circumstances.

TLDR; Fixable things aren’t worth wallowing over, and unfixable things need only be laid to rest, so that one may keep pushing ever onward and upward to security, safety, and ensured survival.

[read more tw: mention of familial death, depressive moods.]

Any depressive periods Raphael has experienced are linked to the passing of his parents in 1177, and the subsequent difficulties experienced while trying to provide his younger sister, Maya. The struggle of working-class survival is taxing and exhausting as it is—doubly so when you have a young girl depending on you. However talentless he was for running a merchant business, wallowing wasn’t an option and he did his best, but the grief is compounded when you're constantly met with failures that worsen your uncertainties.

Nonetheless, it turns out setting out to do tangible work constantly to try continually provide is an excellent replacement for feeling out depressive moods.

Often, Raphael doesn’t slow down in his efforts in training toward knighthood and securing a safe future for his remaining loved ones enough to check-in and feel the lasting pain of losing his parents so suddenly. He's quite stable and steady, and his modus operandi of distraction through doing has worked consistently.

[leicestersbeast]

fern :   does your muse believe in magic or cosmic forces ,   or are they more likely to think their life is ultimately a matter of their own control ?  

“𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚒𝚜 … 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎, 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚖𝚎!” | 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚜.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, Raphael is a believer who is not all that interested in the supernatural or cosmic forces.

Raised in a household that was only loosely (read: culturally) religiously observant, his perspective and practice of the Teachings of Seiros are really that of a working-class commoner. Raphael has a healthy respect of the Goddess and her many blessings to the land, but it’s ultimately tempered with a healthy ‘kind of busy working to survive for all that pomp and circumstance of deep deep deeeeeep devotion, but it seems lovely!’ relationship with the cosmically divine accepted throughout Fódlan. 

(Religious indulgence is something of a privilege of time, energy, and access. He would identify himself as a believer if asked, but keeps his personal practice and relationship with the cosmically divine casual, relegating his belief to something contained more to tacit acts, thoughts, and daily ritual.)

Often, Raphael doesn't place weight in superstition and has only a casual concern for matters of individuals being inclined toward good and bad luck. He sees that as being in flux, rather than fixed, and often is more inclined to trace it to actions and behaviour rather than anything nebulous, divine, or other abstract cosmic forces. To be lucky or unlucky is more just a turn of phrase, for Raphael, rather than a state of permanence.

Still, he doesn’t place a lot of stock in cosmic forces as shaping the life course into something fixed and unwavering, a predestined story ahead of each individual. If there is an ultimate cosmic plan of the Goddess, he’s not so sure the one he has been given is a nice one—and so, it’s more comforting, ultimately, to imagine that the Goddess kindly allows for change and control of ones circumstance to remain in the hands of the living.

It’s also difficult not to believe in magic and cosmic forces much greater than humans alone, considering how insular Fódlan is in its beliefs, and further still the presence of mythical beings, miraculous occurrences, and monstrous beasts roaming about. As such, Raphael doesn’t decry or reject anything outright, and he tries to keep an open mind. 

(—Magic, of course, is a different story entirely. Raphael believes in fully because magic class is hard and he has been personally victimized by it.)

[promptfairy]

❥     𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒    [   𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙿𝚃𝚂    ]   .

headcanon prompts with questions based on plants   &   what they represent in flower language .  happy roleplaying !!  ♡

abatina :   is there anything in life your muse has changed their mind about over time   (   due to becoming more educated on the topic ,   certain experiences  ,   etc .   ) ,    or that they   would   change their mind about under certain circumstances ?  

acanthus :   is your muse deceptive ,   or willing to lie or deceive to achieve certain means ?   why or why not ?   

aloe :   how does your muse handle grief ?

amaryllis :   what is something or someone that your muse takes pride in ?   how do they express that pride ?   

anemone :   how does your muse view the world ;   as a cruel   &   unforgiving place ,   a land full of wonders ,   or something in - between ?  where does that world view come from   (   what experiences ,   life lessons ,   etc .   ) ?  

angelica :   where does your muse draw inspiration in life ?   what motivates them ?

apple blossom :   how does your muse go about expressing or not expressing their sexuality ?  

bachelor’s button :   does your muse actively seek romantic companionship ,   or cherish the liberties of being single ? 

basil :   does your muse have a love - hate relationship with anyone or anything ?

bay tree :   does your muse seek glory   &   accolades ,   or do they favour a simpler ,   more personal life ?  

begonia :   how cautious is your muse ?   are they prone to noticing red flags ,   or paranoid to the point of untrusting most everyone ?   why or why not ?  

belladonna :   how does your muse respond to silence ?   do they take comfort in soundlessness ,   or seek to fill the void with noise ?   

bluebell :   does your muse learn from their past ,   or are they prone to repeating the same mistakes ?  

carnation :   what is your muse’s relationship with their gender ?   how do they express or not express this relationship ?  

chamomile :   what is your muse likely to take away from a painful experience ?   are they one to be haunted by adversity ,   or to use what they’ve gone through to become stronger ?  

chrysanthemum :   how does your muse express romantic love ?  how do they feel about love as a concept ?  

daffodil :   is your muse one to be loyal in relationships ,   or are they likely to quickly move from one bond to another ?

daisy :   did your muse ever feel as though their innocence had been lost ?   what moment in their life could be described as the end of their innocence ?  

edelweiss :   what was the bravest moment in your muse’s life ?  are they known to be courageous from then on ?  

fern :   does your muse believe in magic or cosmic forces ,   or are they more likely to think their life is ultimately a matter of their own control ?  

forget - me - not :   has your muse ever forgotten something that is or was important to them ?   are they afraid of forgetting things like that ?  

gardenia :   is your muse one to confess romantic feelings early on ,   or to conceal them for long periods of time ?  

gladiolus :   describe a moment from your muse’s life that they will never forget .

goldenrod :   does your muse believe in luck or fortune ?  why or why not ?   where do they believe these things come from ?  

heliotrope :   does your muse believe in soulmates ?

hibiscus :   how does your muse view the gentler ,   daintier things in life ?   as things worth preserving   &   caring for ,   or things only bound to wither   &   disappear ?  

holly :   how strong is your muse’s sense of intuition ?  are they aware of it ?   do they ever fear that it is only paranoia ?  

hollyhock :   how strong is your muse’s sense of ambition ?  what’s something they strive for in life ?  

hyacinth :   is your muse athletic ?   does it come naturally to them ,   or have they had to work for their physique and/or skill ?  

hydrangea :   how much does your muse value communication in their relationships with others ?  are they prone to being misunderstood ?

iris :   if your muse could convey one last message to someone they have lost or left behind ,   what would it be ?  

ivy :   what are your muse’s views on marriage ?   do they believe it is something strictly for love ,   or an institution rooted in business   &   social benefits ?   do they desire or have they desired to be married ?

lavender :   how easy is it to gain your muse’s trust ?  once their trust is broken ,   how might one go about mending it ?  

lilac :   what was your muse’s childhood like ?   how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ? 

lily :   how does your muse view their mother ?  

lotus :   has your muse ever felt as though they’ve been reborn ?  have they ever desired the feeling of a fresh start ,   or a better understanding of themself and/or the world around them ?  

magnolia :   describe your muse’s relationship with nature   &   the natural world .  

marigold :   is your muse prone to jealousy ?  how might they handle envious feelings ?  

mint :   does your muse view themself as virtuous   &   moral ?  what do these words mean to them ?

nasturtium :   describe your muse’s relationship with their birthplace ,   or homeland .  

oak :   who would your muse consider the strongest person they know ?  

pansy :   does your muse often reflect on their own actions ?   do they ever think a lot about the past ,   and what they could have done differently ?

parsley :   describe a holiday your muse enjoys ,   and why they enjoy it .

peony :   what would a   ‘  happy life  ’   look like in your muse’s eyes ?

poppy :   what comforts your muse ?

rhododendron :   is your muse receptive to warnings   &   advice given by others ?

rose :   how much does your muse value other people ?   do they wish to have many friends ,   lovers ,   and/or associates ?   are they an easy person to love ?

sage :   what is your muse’s legacy ?   what do they want to be remembered for   &   what might they actually be remembered for ?  

salvia :   is your muse possessive over people or things that matter a lot to them ?  how do they express that possessiveness ,   or lack thereof ? 

snapdragon :   is your muse merciful ?  why or why not ?

southernwood :   how seriously does your muse take themself ?   do they prefer a solemn   &   intellectual atmosphere or do they delight in jokes   &   banter ?  

sunflower :   what brings your muse the most joy in life ?  

tulip :   how does your muse view people in general ?  

violet :   how does your muse respond to betrayal ?

willow :   how does your muse handle sadness   &   depression ?

zinnia :   how has the loss of fallen comrades and/or loved ones affected your muse ?   has it taught them anything or given them any new perspectives ?

[leicestersbeast]

☼ 𝙼𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙷𝙻𝚈 𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙸𝚃𝚈 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙲𝙺!

𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷: Passed [ 𝙾𝙽 𝙷𝙸𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚂! ]

𝙿𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝙰𝚌𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍: 7 ⇢ 8!

𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚅𝚈 𝙰𝚁𝙼𝙾𝚄𝚁: E+

There’s just a piece of paper stuck to Raphael’s dorm-room door, attached by way of a large fork. On the page there are random ink blots, as though someone pressed too hard into the parchment with their pen. Amidst them, it reads, ❝ I heard the mountains are real good for endurance training!                                   So, that’s where I’ll be if you wanna come join me.     ...At least, ‘til I run outta big enough boulders! ❞

ooc— hanging on semi-hiatus but able to lurk a little at least while raphael (checks notes) learns from the stone giants of fódlan, or something ✨

[leicestersbeast]

☼ 𝙼𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙷𝙻𝚈 𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙸𝚃𝚈 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙲𝙺!

𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷: Passed!

𝙿𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝙰𝚌𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍: 6 ⇢ 7!

𝙶𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚜: C+ ⇢ C+! [𝙽𝙾 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴.]

❝ So... Many... Hoorse-do-o’vres... So... Many... Snacks... 

                                            P h e w ! I’m beat! ❞

ooc—pretty busy month ooc here friends! ✨ so, raphael will see you on the other side of his snack coma !!!

[leicestersbeast]

Elincia slipped the card into the basket and left it outside Raphael's dormitory. The basket itself was made of dark wicker, decorated with an orange bow and fine green ribbon. Inside where a selection of cured meats and smoked cheeses, some of which appeared to have been imported from outside Fodlan. The accompanying note read, "Happy birthday, Raphael! I hope these are to your liking. Many happy returns, Elincia."

❝—Man, is all this for me!? Even after whacking you with that snowball!? Not that I'm about to complain or refuse or anything, but, gee, I'm gonna have to work even harder to pay back all your kindness!!❞

[leicestersbeast]

Lorenz has a hunch his classmate might not appreciate the immaculate wrappings that house his gift, but care has been given nonetheless: a paper package folded to fan out when opened, and (by his own noble standards) a rather understated bow of rich violet with thin golden stripes accenting it. "I do not believe these would survive a courier trip to Derdriu to share with your sister, but I know the name of a confectionary up to par, should you want to share. Happy Birthday, Raphael."

❝—Whoa, this stuff looks real fancy, even the paper's all posh! Thanks, Lorenz! I bet if I ran fast enough I'd be able to get 'em to Derdriu for Maya before they went gross, but... I think I'll just eat 'em instead!❞

[leicestersbeast]

A loud thump; a gigantic roasted haunch lands across the desk. You don't have to look twice to know that it's from one of those giant birds that stalk Fodlan. Ike gives Raphael a knowing nod, dusting off his hands. "You know what's good. Here. Got the cooks to spice it up a little, too."

❝—Alright! You've got great taste, Mister. Thanks—too bad there's not enough to share... But that just means I'll get'cha back on your birthday!❞

[leicestersbeast]

—↳snow it goes! || continued from here || @ignatzlandscape

ignatzlandscape​:

Ignatz couldn’t help but laugh, of course Raphael would want to build the biggest snowman. “Alright, I’ll try my hardest!” 

Ignatz stepped back to look at the base that Raphael had started. It was already the right size for a normal snowman, but they weren’t making a normal snowman, they were making a strong snowman. 

“Well, normally I would say this looks like a good base,” Ignatz started, before looking up at his friend, “but this is a Raphael snowman so it needs to be a lot bigger in order to support the weight.” Ignatz normally would try and temper Raphael’s expectations, but even he wanted to see how big this snowman would get.

“How about you get that as big as you possibly can, and I’ll start making smaller snowballs for when the base is finished?” Ignatz suggested, and soon the two were hard at work.

Taking a short break, Ignatz had realized that he never asked how big Raphael wanted the snowman to be. “So how tall should this snowman be?”

“Hmm... S’gotta be waaaay bigger than me by the time we’re finished up, at least, ‘cause it’s no fun if it’s just the same size as a normal person!” There’s added range with the two of them working on it, too! Ignatz’s plan saves a ton of time already as Raphael continues working on the base, other components underway already.

He continues, “I figure that the base should be able as big as I can manage to keep rollin’ around and adding snow to! So, I’ll just keep on going ‘til I can’t give it anything else!”

Maybe a bold declaration, though Raphael’s already made the base fairly sizeable. Nothing’s ever gained backing down from a playful challenge like this, anyhow—and even Ignatz seems prepared to make the snowman-strongman of the ages.

“Imagine how big it’d get if we could use all the snow in the lodge! I wonder how long it’d take to roll this thing around and pick up all the stuff that’s not frozen through...”

[leicestersbeast]

↳breaking the ice! || continued from here || @ceaselessblade

A flat, inscrutable stare is the reply. The stick of smoked bacon held between fingers is raised squarely to point at Raphael. “You’d get sick.” Ike takes a bite out of the bacon, chewing.

“…But you don’t seem like the type to be worried about that.” Pausing to place a finger on his chin, Ike ruminates. There are stories of those of Zihark’s training (Perhaps Hana’s?) that a trained warrior must sustain themselves under great pressure to temper their mind, and that may be given by the rushing downpour of water. Is this the same? Well, there’s only one way to find out. Getting up, Ike dusts off his fingers, setting down the satchel of rations to his side. “Well, why not? Let’s get going, big guy.”

If Raphael’s gonna be honest, thought of any ice-dunk-conditioning goes out of mind momentarily when pointed at with food. Maybe it’s ‘cause it’s cold up here and the body naturally wants to stock up, but Raphael swears he’s gotten even hungrier than usual while hanging out at the lodge. Could be all the running around in the snow, too, but...

“Alright! I figure if we muscle through it, we won’t have to worry about getting sick afterwards or anything anyway!” The quick agreement is enough, for now, to snap Raphael back into the previous train of thought.

Besides, surely the lake would be better blocked off if you really, super weren’t supposed to be using it for anything. This is an important test of strength, body and mind, anyway.

That’s what Raphael’s reminding himself, anyway, when Lake Navar’s actually in view. Somehow it manages to even look colder than the rest of the lodge’s surroundings. Steeled nerves, though—worth it, for it’s actually true that it helps!

"Guess we’d have to actually get through to the water first though if we’re gonna dunk in it...” Raphael rubs at the back of his neck in thought. “Figure it’d just give if we smashed it, yeah?”

[leicestersbeast]

↳(n)ice save! || continued from here || @verseandrhyme​

“In what realm, here or otherwise, do you believe there exists even the remote chance of me being able to “yank you back up” should you fall?”

Though her tone is flat, her expression is downturned as Mitama remains determinedly immobile on the ice. Her arms are spread wide, as though that will give her any chance of improving her balance as she glares daggers at her wobbling, shaking feet below her.

How she ended up on the ice in any form is beyond her. How she was expected to assist someone with the ice was laughable.

“When I die I want a simple funeral.” She mumbled, glaring off at the distance. The bank was so far away now… “No fanfare, no great preaching…ideally I would be cast off in a pyre and removed entirely from this…I am a good person who deserves a good life in whatever comes after this, not-”

Her ankle abruptly leaned to the side. Mitama squeaked and flailed, but managed to remain upright. “I hate this!”

“Whoa, c’mon now, don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself with the whole funeral planning!?”

Granted, the more she wobbles around, the more Raphael kinda gets the concern. He’s not feeling all the steady himself, though ankles and knees have managed to stay where they’ve gotta to keep upright.

A careful maneuver to inch a bit closer on his own skates, then a sturdy hand around her upper arm to keep her from failing any more, lest that be the downfall rather than actually trying to move. Better to not get disheartened before making any real progress, here.

“Don’t worry about pickin’ me back up, if it’s gonna stress you out. I’ll probably be good to go once I get a feel for it again! But this is supposed to be fun! I bet once you get the hang of it and move around a little, you’ll like it even! You just get to glide around and look at stuff!” Which is the goal; the scenery around them is pretty, and Raphael’s confident they can both get over the wobbly uncertainty of a how-to. 

Raphael mulls a moment, then offers, “What if I just guide you around for a bit? I can use your shoulders for balance, and then all you’d have to do is stand there then! No funeral rules needed then! And if I fall, I’ll go backwards so I don’t even squish ya.”

[leicestersbeast]

↳snow it goes! || continued from here || @ignatzlandscape​​​

Ignatz panicked when he heard Raphael call his name. Even though they have been friends since they were kids, Raphael’s enthusiasm never stopped surprising him. The two were complete opposites.

After calming down, Ignatz jogged over to where Raphael was, who was already starting to form the base of the snowman. “Yeah, that would be fun!” Ignatz smiled. Besides, their snowman wouldn’t be any worse looking than the other snowman that had already been built.

“Alright! This’ll look great with the two of us workin’ at it—we can make him real huge! A snowman like no one’s ever seen!”

The snow’s perfect for packing and sculpting out of so they can get real creative with it! While Raphael’s eye for aesthetics has never been as refined or carefully trained (try as he may have, once upon a time) Ignatz will be able to pick up that slack.

Raphael takes a step back to look at the base he’s started, dusting the snow off of his gloves. “You can be the creative director, and I’ll do all the grunt work of packing the snow down so it’s real sturdy, yeah? It’ll come together in no time!”

He can see it already: a snowman that towers over even him, and twice as strong. They’ll make it so tall that Raphael’s gotta stand on his tip toes to bestow the finishing touches—that Ignatz has to stand up on his shoulders to, even! A real testament to the snow’s raw power! A symbol of winter’s strength!

The smile he turns toward his old friend is infectious. “Where should we start?”