Alight With Passion

Independent Fantasy OCs || Private + Semi-Selective || Multi-Verse + Multi-Ship || Penned by Bryn

[nobleburn]

Hi, I’m Bryn (she/her), I’m 31, longtime tumblr rp veteran, thanks for stopping by! This blog features a pair of D&D/fantasy OCs. I’m multi-ship and multi-verse, OC-friendly, all those nice things. My Rules are here, as is my Muse List, my Verses Page, and my Mun Page. Please enjoy your stay!

[nobleburn]

two very different nikos by my friend Yuramoonbow

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(recently got a commission of the best/worst girl in a few different outfits. Art by NaimlyArts)

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how can one Terrible Girl be so Insufferable art by da3iann on twitter

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(Timeskip Niko? Timeskip Niko. Art done by my wonderful friend, the inimitable Yuramoonbow)

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art of a sparkling girl by cikenugets

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a little meme redraw done for my by my friend Fou regarding a conversation I had with a friend who unfortunately doesn't RP anymore. Still, in all universes, Nikolette is telling a cashier that Dimitri asked for no pickles.

[nobleburn]

pov she is laughing at you or you have angered her pick your poison

[gzeidraws]

Commission for @shinkotori of their FE OC Nikolette!

Please don’t repost unless you’re the client

[nobleburn]

the first piece of art ever commissioned for Niko, by my dear friend Yuramoonbow. it all comes from this, babyyy

[nobleburn]

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[foldeux]

Now, Mercedes is pious. Her palms rest against one another, perfection’s prayer that seems to open the very gates of heaven and whisper yearnings to the goddess herself. Dorothea knits her brows, curls her lip at the mere thought. Her presence in the church is blasphemous, a mockery of religion– but it is in the holy space that there is a clergy-led choir, and to lend her voice was a no-brainer.

Without the belief in a single word of the hymns that fell from her lips in dulcet notes and feigned faith, Dorothea falls to the organ’s mercy, the soles of her boots wandering with the rhythmic sway of her body. The final note lingers above the stained-glass window – tall, from the ceiling to the carved-stone monument dedicated to Sothis – and she breathes in.

The organist must hear her praises! The gospel demands fragility and precision, and every touch of the alabaster keys rang in the spaces between her ribs. As she steps down from the riser, Dorothea looks to the young woman sat in the organ’s bench: Adrestian royalty turned Faerghan. A worthy rival, if that is indeed what the Goddess chooses to ordain; so, under the pretense of cautious observation, she approaches.

And blinks. Though her Mittelfrank fame precedes her (and, yes, it does feel like a firework bursting in her chest, maiming her heart’s ventricles until the sensation becomes a burning love), she does nothing to obscure it: why, any attention is positive attention, if one tilts their head and closes their eyes. “You don’t have to do a thing,” but the mask corrects its position and her irises spell guarded, however impish the smile on her plump, rosy lips, “I simply wanted to compliment you on your performance – quite stellar!” Her compliment is infused with lavender and honeysuckle, genuine, for the most part. “With my voice and your production, we may make this choir into something spectacular.”

Because, somewhere below the stress-fractured bones and elastic sinew, Dorothea endures with the thought that others may find music an escape, a tender blanket on the coldest nights. But that’s enough heartache. “What’s your name? I’ve seen you with the Blue Lions, but we haven’t become acquainted.” with one swift movement, she swings her leg over the bench and sits beside the girl, separating several strands of brunette locks over her shoulder.

A single, lithe finger presses down on a key, a dark note filling the empty space between them. “How long have you played?”

[nobleburn]

Though her father's overprotective nature had kept Nikolette from Enbarr, and the opera house by extension, the stories of Dorothea's skill and beauty had no trouble reaching her ears even in Western Faerghus. Once upon a time, when she had first begged her parents to allow her entry to the Officer's Academy years ago, it had been a dream of hers to slip away to the Adrestian capital on holiday and perhaps catch a performance. Delayed as her matriculation had been, she'd lamented her inability to see for herself whether the Mystical Songstress was indeed as peerless as everyone said. Yet now, seeing her in person standing so closely, there was no room in her mind for such doubts.

"Well, I don't know about that," came Nikolette's quiet answer once she'd regained her voice, paired with a faint shaking of her head. Modesty ill-suited her, as a general rule. Those shrinking violets who responded to every compliment with deflection or denial were insufferable, and in her estimation far more arrogant than they'd admit, as though they knew what constituted behavior worthy of flattery than whoever had so graciously praised them. No, it was better to project confidence at all moments, and both to give and receive commendation with assurance. Still, faced with someone brimming with musical talent, Nikolette struggled to see her own playing as anything other than a clumsy second child - beyond what a casual practitioner could handle, but far short of a master's skill.

Even so, there were appearances to keep up, and it wouldn't do for Nikolette von Brandt to cast so hesitant a shadow. "That is," she said, clearing her throat, "thank you for the kind words, though I'm sure the Church's usual accompaniment will best suit the choir going forward. I'm merely filling in on short notice. However, should the need arise, I'm not averse to doing so again." Though, speaking of the Church of Seiros, no one had come to hurry her away. Then, there was no harm in availing herself of the organ further, no? Dorothea certainly seemed to think so, leading Nikolette to push back her blonde tresses before joining her back upon the bench.

As a child, Nikolette had learned to play the piano from tutors, of course. Her family's estate had been bursting with them - as the only child of a wealthy family, Crest-bearing against all expectations, her father had spared no expense in her education. Some she'd liked, and others she hadn't. Above all, she'd preferred sitting alongside her mother, plinking at the keys in accompaniment, casting sideways glances after each few notes in search of approval. This felt rather like that, she thought.

Well, not entirely. She had far better understanding of the components of music these days, such that her own additions wouldn't be mere guesses. She could layer a G, B, and D beneath the F# that Dorothea had played, transforming the lone note into a more aesthetically-pleasing Gmaj7 chord. "I'm Nikolette von Brandt, heir of Duke Brandt of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. I'd ask your name as well, but, I suppose you need no introduction, mm? No, I'd hoped to attend one of your performances, however, it seems the chance has passed me by." And then, a Dmaj7. "As for how long I've played, I've been taking lessons for over a decade, but to hear my parents tell it, I was composing quite a cacophonous din at the estate for some time before that."

[foldeux]

#CHANTEUSI ━━━ literate, independent, private single-muse for dorothea arnault of fire emblem: three houses/hopes.

i write when i want to, and when i have time. i like introspection, complicated plots/au's, and using too many words to make much sense. please don't interact if you're under twenty-one, or you want to tell me how to run my blog. dead dove, do not eat. too old to tag, please mind where you step.

carrd.

[nobleburn]

@chanteusi

Busy as she was with the considerable responsibilities that came along with being such a peerless young noble, it wasn't in Nikolette's character to offer herself up unnecessarily. Were she directly asked by her professor, or Prince Dimitri, she'd naturally oblige, but when it came time to call for volunteers for mucking out the stables, weeding the grounds, or working in the kitchens, she was nowhere to be found. It was all well and good for the Officer's Academy to sell the commoners on some high-minded ideals of equality, but to actually expect any nobles to follow through? Well, that was quite the bridge too far, wasn't it?

This, however, was a special case. In the absence of the church's arranged organist - through a sudden illness, as she understood it - someone would need to fill the position during the schedule choir practice. It had been Nikolette's hope, upon putting herself forth for consideration, that Prince Dimitri might have been there to see her play, and perhaps afterwards might compliment her on doing so. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be in attendance, and she quickly realized that there was little time or opportunity for gazing over the assembled students if she wanted to perform the intricate arrangements preferred by the church at any acceptable quality.

The church organ itself was only vaguely familiar to her, differing from the piano housed at her family's estate in numerous small ways - enough, coupled with the faint anxiety of the occasion, to render slightly clumsier than usual her gloved hands. A time or two, her fingers stumbled over the keys, dragging the melody a moment behind, or sharping a note better left unsharped. Still, on short notice, it wasn't entirely unimpressive, was it? After all, she was clearly a cut above the average hobbyist. Most nobles with any musical skill treated it simply as another obligation - as important to an elegant, well-rounded education as statecraft or wearing one's fashions correctly.

As the allotted hour of practice ended, and the members of the choir began to disperse, Nikolette touched her fingertips against her face, deftly handling any sweat that might have beaded at her temples. No, she took her studies in music more seriously than most of her station, and surely that had come through in her playing. Besides, had she not attended, there would have been no choir practice at all! Even the most disciplined of choirs would endure a mistake or two rather than that. Mm, she thought to herself, tugging tight at the ends of her gloves, and then smoothing any creases or wrinkles that may have formed upon her uniform during her prolonged seating. Once she'd ensured that not a single blemish marred her appearance, Nikolette turned and stood, expecting to swiftly return to her dormitory and perhaps think about how best to practice for the next time.

"!!!" Instead, she found herself face-to-face with another student, such that she jerked backwards in surprise with less grace than she would have liked. Certain other students outside of the Blue Lions house were known to her, naturally, but Nikolette didn't make a habit of learning the names and faces of commoners unless it was vital. However, Dorothea Arnault, the acclaimed Mystical Songstress of the Mittelfrank Opera Company quite clearly qualified as vital. "Ah, hello. Er, it's Dorothea, isn't it," she said, as though she weren't already entirely sure of the other girl's identity. "Is there something I can do for you?"

[nobleburn]

Independent D&D/Fantasy duo-muse RP blog. 18+, multi-ship, multi-verse, OC-friendly. Please like and/or reblog if you’re interested in interacting. Rules || Muse List || Verses Page || Mun

[nobleburn]

(final round of Lünenberg lore, also cobbled together from old posts/discord conversations)

Because Lünenberg was founded out of necessity during a war by followers of different gods living in different sub-regions of the area, there was no unified language for its early citizens. As such, modern Lünenbergish is a creole between two different languages at that time, with vocabulary from others. Literacy is high and things like spelling and grammar are very standardized. However, though the component languages that were spoken by the early peoples that made up Lünenberg are no longer living languages, and are only known by scholars and linguists, they do still influence the modern language in terms of pronunciation and accents.

Regional accents in Lünenberg are typically quite pronounced and are stratified both by region and social class. A Lünenberg native can usually tell within a sentence or two approximately where another speaker is from, and generally what their upbringing was like. Because of these regional differences and a desire not to privilege institutionally one interpretation over another, the country plays loose with 'official pronunciations.' For example, Nikolette pronounces the nation's capital of Kathédrale as "kah-tay-drah-luh" while someone from a different region or socioeconomic class might pronounce it closer to "kah-thay-drull." Names for people can be similar. The 'tt' in Nikolette's name are aspirated consonants, but whether they would be pronounced as such without her saying so or introducing herself first depends on the speaker.

A curious result of this national quirk, with loose pronunciation rules but very strong grammar and spelling rules, is that citizens develop a strong written voice, and place a higher emphasis on the written word than most. Reasonably high-quality papers and inks are available at every price point, and it's expected that most families keep them both in supply. The national courier system is very reliable, and it's common for friends even in the same town to exchange letters relatively frequently. There's an old-fashioned sentiment that a friend or lover who prefers only to speak has more interest in hearing their own voice than either understanding or being understood (Nikolette writes often, but she absolutely is levied with this critique from time to time.)

There are many holidays in Lünenberg. Some are regional, some of them shift in the calendar (the reigning Empress/Emperor's birthday, for example) and others are declared year-to-year by either the Empress or the Church. There are, however, three national holidays that can be marked upon a calendar ever year at exactly the same points.

The Sacréelicht Festival is much beloved by working-class citizens for it runs five days straight in the mid-summer, granting a welcome reprieve from labor. The festival honors the gods of light who helped save the nation from the elemental titans, and involves a number of events such as public feasts, games, and large art demonstrations involving candles, torches, or magical light.

Vaincresprit is an autumn holiday that reenacts the war that led to Lünenberg's founding. Theater troupes act out scenes of battle, while children dress as elemental beasts and are playfully bribed with pastries or sweets to take their mischief elsewhere. It's said that the monsters of Lünenberg stir at this time of year, and soldiers, hunters, and students at the Royal Academy are dispatched to defeat any that pose a threat to the people.

Schwurgießen is a winter holiday where the citizens celebrate the covenant sworn between the first Empress and the gods of light, by swearing oaths to each other. Historically, people of means would cast these oaths in as bronze tablets, but that has long-since fallen out of favor. Instead, people of all classes write each other letters (often with special Schwurgießen-exclusive expensive ink and paper), making promises and swearing to uphold them. These can be quite lengthy, and one is expected to write many of them. In Nikolette's case, she probably writes about a dozen letters each year between family, friends, her friends' families, and her fiancé, most of which run at least four or five pages.

In order to encourage them to take their oath-casting seriously, children are often given gifts if they've lived up to the previous year's oaths, though this is largely a formality and nearly all children receive gifts regardless of their behavior. Recently, it's become fashionable for young adults to exchange Schwurgießen gifts as well, in addition to their letters, particularly among close friends or romantic partners.

[nobleburn]

(More Lünenberg Lore underneath the cut, mostly cobbled together from random posts/discord conversations)

The capital city of Lünenberg is Kathédrale. It's a well-sized city best known for its striking architectural style that emphasizes both height and natural lighting. Columns and piers, flying buttresses, stained glass windows, and elaborate towers and flèches are common on important churches, government buildings, and wealthy estates. Even more utilitarian buildings often include a small tower with a spire despite lacking a practical purpose. In some cases, those towers are entirely decorative, with no way to access them from inside the building at all.

Most noble families maintain a smaller home in Kathédrale's Imperial Quarter, and then have a larger estate somewhere else, though in Nikolette's case, her family estate is near enough the city that her father can easily commute. Beyond that, one can find most amenities typically on offer in a large city, with particular distinction awarded towards Kathédrale's market district. Owing to the country's affinity for magic, the market at Kathédrale is renowned by mages for easy access to spell components and magical items.

The Lünenberg Royal Academy is housed only a short distance from the city proper. Typically, the children of nobles attend for either two or three years somewhere early in their young adulthood, typically entering the Academy around the age of 20. Children of foreign diplomats and dignitaries are also invited. It's also possible for commoners and foreigners to apply, though their acceptance is contingent upon multiple rounds of testing. The Royal Academy is considered the premier institution of learning in Lünenberg, designed to set its students up with strong skills in economics, policy-making, leadership, personal combat, and magic, among others.

Beyond Kathédrale, the second most-prominent city in Lünenberg is Saint-Henrik, a naturally-fortified city on a lake, near the eastern mountains. Visually, it's far less flashy than the capital, with sturdier buildings of wood and common stone. Despite that, the city has a long and storied history involving two of Lünenberg's "Great Mages" - the eponymous Saint Henrik, and the wandering archmage Kreszentia. As such, in addition to its reputation as a hardy, industrious city, Saint-Henrik houses the Kreszentian Institute of Esoterologics. The Institute nurtures magical talent in mages of all backgrounds, particularly those whose interest lies in research and private work.

To the north lies the nation of Vønerisia, Lünenberg's biggest regional rival. Power is split in Vønerisia between an elected senate and a monarch. The two nations have long had a somewhat-frosty relationship, though tensions have noticeably risen in recent years as Vønerisia has increased its military presence along its southern border for reasons unknown. Public opinion in Lünenberg favors diplomatic solutions, though a notable minority wishes to meet (perceived) aggression with aggression.