"So glad it's the weekend...there's far too much to do and not enough time in the day." A shake of his head and a long-suffering sigh accompany his words. "But most of me just wants to sit back and just enjoy this day. Can I just pass up on being responsible today?"
"There's not too much to it, but it's also been a practice that's been passed down through my family for generations. Maybe that's why I'm so good at it, as you say. But the quality speaks for itself, doesn't it? Mother's Day is coming up, would you like a gift for a mother in your life? We make chains, goblets, tables, all kinds of things."
"There's only a month and a half left until the premiere and I refuse to have to read the subtitles to translate. I want to be as fully immersed as I can possibly be when Sunday nights arrive. Now, are you gonna help me, or do I have to study myself?" Sam looks over the top of his screen at the person sitting across from him and grins. "Besides, what better reason to learn another language? No one said it couldn't be fictional."
welcome to marina, CARISSA MARGRAVE ( female, she/her ) ! they are a THIRTY-FOUR year old WITCH who resides in TOWER HILL. They work as a BARKEEP and are said to look a lot like LIGHTS. People around the island find them to be BUBBLY and LOVING, but also FLIGHTY and EASILY ANGERED. what do you think?
“If there’s one thing I’m gonna do it’s get into trouble. If there’s two things I’m gonna do it’s get into trouble and have fun while I’m doing it.”
Carissa Morgana Margrave was a whirlwind from the time she entered the world. To hear her tell it, from the time she was old enough to have desires for the future, all she wanted was to make her mark on the world, to be heard, to be seen, to be remembered. Her older brother Harrison would often describe her as the “epitome of our family name”, because she carried herself even from small as a leader. Always willing to get into adventure, always willing to explore, always willing to make the moves that, while she probably shouldn’t, made for the most fun for her. As a result of her adventurous nature, Rissa is often sporting at least one bandage or another, covering up some mishap or scrape that she’d been a part of.
To look at her, one wouldn’t know that Carissa grew up affluent, at least not from first glance, because she isn’t a showoff. While she is capable of dressing in an upscale fashion and can hobnob with the best of them, her outward appearance and attitude denotes a friendly, compassionate soul with a penchant for sticking her nose in others’ affairs. However, her family, much like her cousin Caden’s, are descended from British nobility, though not nearly close enough to be royalty. Moreso close enough to be around royals. Being a noble’s younger daughter, Rissa was less pressured to be certain of her future, knowing that if anything, her parents had certain things decided for her from a young age. She went to the best schools, was surrounded by influential people, and had access to opportunities that most her age would never see.
Of all the professions Carissa would choose, though, bartending was not what either of her parents were expecting. Granted, they were not as high-maintenance as other wealthy parents could be, but they still expected something a bit more close to home than that. Regardless, though, they supported Rissa’s ambitions, especially once it began to be more lucrative than they expected. Despite the worldliness of her career, she was very responsible with her money, not wanting to depend on the goodwill of her parents and their fortunes to support her for the rest of her life.
Fast forward to moving to Marina, it was not a decision she expected to make, but when she heard that her younger cousin moved with his little family, she had to follow behind, especially once she heard that it was an island with few residents. Of course, she also had to make sure that her baby cousin was being taken care of, because despite the fact that he was (so far) a good dad, she also knew her cousin Caden could fall into situations that overwhelmed him quite easily. Not to mention, she was one of the closest witnesses to how toxic his relationship with Cayla’s mother could be…she wasn’t about to watch her baby cousin suffer for that.
Add'l Details:
Carissa is partially possessed by an ancient entity that draws its origins from the beginnings of her family. The partial possession allows her minimal shapeshifting abilities (cosmetic, mostly) but also gives her access to knowledge of things long past, though she still has much to learn in order to control what she knows and how it affects her.
Carissa weaves magic through many things, but her favorite forms of spellcasting involve her bartending and - surprisingly - singing. Though she's still learning how to do both of those things.
welcome to marina, MALCOLM O'CONNOR (male, he/him) ! they are a TWENTY-EIGHT year old WOOD ELF who resides in PROSPECT HILL. They work as a BLACKSMITH and are said to look a lot like KEITH POWERS. People around the island find them to be HEALTH-CONSCIOUS and RESPECTFUL, but also WORKAHOLIC and PEOPLE-PLEASING. what do you think?
Malcolm was a regular kid, for the most part. Born to hardworking parents - one a blacksmith, the other a lawyer - Cam lived the life of the average son of two successful individuals. It wasn’t perfect, but it was comfortable. While his mother would be away on one case or another, his father would be in the smithy on their estate, doing one masterwork or another. One would think that the call for blacksmiths would be much lower in the 20th and 21st centuries, but in Aberdeen, there was always someone who wanted some sort of work done, since tradition was still proud and strong in the centuries-old locale. The trade of smithing was passed down through generations of O'Connors, Malcolm’s father Patrick being the latest in the line, but everything he did, he passed on to his son, showing him the ropes of their family business.
Mal was also a lucky child, plain and simple. His parents, Patrick and Alicia, were afraid they couldn’t have children after many tries - and the occasional failure - to successfully conceive. Once the doctors had confirmed to Alicia that she was pregnant, the O'Connors did everything in their power to make sure that the baby to come - boy or girl - would be the happiest child in the world. And in a lot of ways, they succeeded. Patrick never wanted for anything, whether it was for work or for play, Patrick was provided for. And he certainly never wanted for love, even if his parents couldn’t give him siblings. Who needed siblings, after all, when you were friendly with all your neighbors’ kids? And on top of that, in their family, there was always someone coming over, whether it was a grandparent or two, or some cousins or some random family member you hadn’t seen in years. There was never a lonely day in the O'Connor household.
Even when the family moved to Marina, the O'Connors built a strong relationship with all their neighbors, and their trade allowed for a niche to be filled on the island that didn’t exist before. Malcolm and his father work daily on all sorts of projects, and even expanded their trade to other sorts of crafting. Malcolm just wants to spend his time crafting and making people happy, and whatever comes along with it, he’ll enjoy that as well.
Add'l Details:
Building is in O'Connor blood, thanks to their elven heritage. Those who were not blacksmiths became carpenters or shipwrights or any other sort of builder one could think of.
welcome to marina, STEFAN SALAZAR ( male, he/him ) ! they are a TWENTY-NINE year old SELKIE who resides in PROSPECT HILL. They work as a CHEF/RESTAURATEUR AT CARIBBEATZ and are said to look a lot like ALFIE ENOCH. People around the island find them to be PERSONABLE and TALENTED, but also STUBBORN and IMPATIENT. what do you think?
Stefan was born in the port town of Jacmel, Haiti in 1994. Jacmel was a comfortable town and a comfortable existence for Stef; when your father is a fisherman, all you do is grow up working hard to make sure that there is nothing in the way of a good haul except nature, which meant that every morning from the time he was old enough, he spent helping his father prepping his skiff to go out in the Sea, threading nets, setting up lines, all the necessary prep work. Stefan was basically raised by the docks, same as his father, and his father before him, and his father before him. The Salazars lived and died by the sea, it was said, and no one in the family did anything to disabuse people of such a notion.
The depth of that connection to the sea was borne of the Salazars' magical heritage, consigned to legends going back to the Revolution. The Salazars are a family of selkies, and the island nation was perfect for them, and they protect it with their lives. Many historical Salazars are lauded as heroes of the Revolution because of their defense against the French, and their guarding of the island nation continues to this day, even if individual members travel elsewhere to live.
Stef always had dreams, though, and they extended past the borders of his island home. He aimed high, wanting to become a restauranteur, so that he could bring the food of his homeland to others. Haitian food was still rather scarce in the States, though he was starting to see it popping up more and more often. He still wanted to make his own mark, to bring the Salazar name to prominence once again. He moved to New York - as it was one of the easiest places to move to from Haiti - and went to culinary school, graduated as quickly as he could, and then went to work in the nearest Caribbean restaurant he could find. He knew it wouldn’t be simple to start a restaurant fresh out of school, so he had to start from the bottom.
After four years of working in one of the fastest-growing restaurants in New York City, he was called into a meeting with his head chef, who told him that he was expanding to another location on an island called Marina and that he wanted Stef to head the crew out there. Ecstatic for the opportunity and feeling blessed to make this move, he agreed, and made his way to Marina Island, where he’s now been working and leading the second location of CaribbEats for three years. He’s awaiting the next part of his journey, looking ahead to what is to come.
Add'l Details:
Stef's selkie heritage makes him more protective of his personal home, but also the waters around Marina as well.
welcome to marina, SAMUEL WILLIAMS ( male, he/him ) ! they are a THIRTY-SIX year old CAMBION who resides in HYLAND PARK. They work as a MASSAGE THERAPIST and are said to look a lot like CHARLES MICHAEL DAVIS. People around the island find them to be PLAYFUL and PROTECTIVE, but also DEVIOUS and MALICIOUS. what do you think?
Samuel was born to a young single mother - Angelique Williams - in the early days of November 1987. With his mother still being in high school - and an upper-class oldest daughter to boot - the standards for her life were high and having a son was not in the cards for her, at least it wasn’t supposed to be. However, his grandfather was far more accommodating of the situation than anyone expected him to be and so he was raised with the silver spoon that came with being a Williams of the Hamptons. Many of the families in that area knew each other, so it didn’t take long for everyone to find out that 17-year-old Angie Williams had a baby out of wedlock and it was the talk of the town, especially when no one had any answers as to who the fathrer was. Then there came cover-ups, hush money, and a whole lot of good PR. Ultimately, the Williams - especially Angie and her baby Sam - were the ones to come out the best in the situation.
Despite the scandal of his birth, Sam was never held back in the community as he made it his goal - encouraged by his mother and grandfather - to be as friendly as possible to offset any stigma that may have come from the circumstances of his birth. He was respectful to his teachers, incredibly studious, and one of the most charming young men to grow up in the Hamptons. By all accounts, Sam was the perfect young man. However, underneath there was a level of fury that he kept suppressed, most of the time.
Sam wasn’t an idiot; he noted the stares and heard the whispers about his mother. He knew that people were judgmental, not just because of the circumstances of his birth but because of the color of his skin and the development of his family fortune. “New money”, he would hear, “upstarts”, “outsiders”, as if their family was not just as old if not older than some of the others in the area. If not for a certain pair of friends he made while growing up, he certainly would have allowed his rage to get the better of him. Though truth be told, sometimes Tamika Daniels and Aislynn Meadowes, friends that he would stick by for the remainder of his time in the Hamptons were more enabling than anything else. Tamika was the one person that encouraged his more devious nature, allowing him to expose parts of himself that he preferred to keep hidden. Aislynn brought out his more protective nature, appealing to the part of him deep down that craved affection and validation outside of the home. When it came time to leave the Hamptons to pursue his greater goals in life, he never forgot either girl, and kept in contact as much as he could. They shared their highs, lows, and milestones until he left the Northeast.
Sam was determined not to allow the wealth of his family or the privilege that he came up to enjoy become a hindrance to his future. Especially when he knew that privilege came with a price all its own. He insisted on leaving behind his family money to go to college on his own, where no one knew his name. He knew that he couldn’t escape his privilege altogether; after all, he comes from the Hamptons. But he could at least achieve on his merits. He attended Howard University in Washington, DC - studying Physical Therapy - before going on to open a massage therapy parlor in the nation’s capital. His drive opened doors for him to serve much of the DC Metro area by opening up multiple locations in Southern Maryland as well as Northern Virginia.
The move to Marina Island was borne of a desire to finally settle down and hopefully start a family. Though he still kept up with his relatives back home in the Hamptons, he rarely visited to avoid the tensions that still came about whenever he was around. It didn’t diminish any of the love he had for his family and few friends from there, however, and holidays would still see him make his way up to Long Island to see his home and old friends.
Add'l Details:
Sam is unaware of his cambion heritage, though he does have limited awareness that he is more, in a sense. He can feel the thrumming power beneath his skin, he's long been aware of his lack of emotional attachment, and once he reached adulthood, his access to telepathy unlocked, allowing him to improve his talents with massage therapy much more than the average masseur.
Not knowing his heritage stems also from not knowing his father - though his father is aware of him, and keeps an eye on him from afar. Perhaps we may see more of his demonic heritage in future...
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 ? for mariana, and hollyhock : how strong is your muse’s sense of ambition ? what’s something they strive for in life ? for sterling :3
"I look at my parents' marriage and I can see why people think marriage is for love. But to say it's strictly for love, especially in this economy, is pretty dumb. If you could have all the love ever and not get married, people would do it. Being single is not economically feasible. Let's be so for real right now. And as for whether or not I wanna be married...maybe someday."
"The future is everything. I want someday to have a family of my own, but also to be fiscally and emotionally centered, so that I can live a happier life. But don't tell anyone about that."
[ bloody mary ] what would they do if they only had one week left to live? for quincy, and [ blue lagoon ] how do they typically react when faced with something they fear? for amaya :3
"One week to live? Taking my kids wherever they want and spending it with them. They're all I have to live for right now, so they'd get the last seven days of my life."
"When I'm afraid, I'm gonna be the stereotypical preacher's daughter and go pray, actually. 'God has not given us a spirit of fear,' it's one of my favorite scriptures."
There was only one reason he would be at an event like this and it was to keep an eye on his twin sister. His gaze shifts in her direction, shaking his head as he raises his glass up to his lips to take a sip. He doesn't understand what the fuck she's thinking by being here. Honestly, it pisses him off a little. "Seriously? Why the hell would someone want to get married in the middle of all this shit?"
"The only thing I can think of is that they think it's worth it," Sam shrugged as he approached Kai, a wry grin on his face. "After all, what better way to say 'I love you' than to tie yourself to another in holy matrimony for the rest of your life, however short or long that will be? At least, that's what they say. Then again, it might be a paranoia response too. Whichever it is, it's their lives, eh? We're just here for the food."
Aurora approached with two glasses, offering one out as she took place besides them. "I told them to surprise me." she said with a grin, much too proud of herself for doing absolutely nothing. "This place just looks amazing! Everyone looks so dreamy and enchanted. Don't you think?" Rory took a sip of her drink and scrunched her face at the taste, "Maybe I should have requested something sweet."
Mal reached out for the glass with a smile and took a sip. It truly was stronger than expected, but perhaps that's what they all needed - a nice stiff drink to get their minds off of everything. "It's almost like something out of a movie or a book or something. Whoever decorated definitely deserves a lot of credit, and perhaps a bonus too. Maybe we should get their business card from the happy couple."
Of all places where Dante would prefer to be in the moment, a wedding party did not make the cut. But he was supposed to keep on going. Show face, and enjoy the company of all those friend's who much like him had been lucky enough not to get murdered like the rest. His patience had begun to run thin. His sadness turning to answer easily; Pure rage just blinded him thoughts from time to time but he had to stay composed. "I think I'm about parties-out." he said, loosening the knot of his tie, "Never thought I'd see the day."
"It's really difficult to want to celebrate anything with all this madness around here. I mean, I get it, can't let the bad overcome the good, but...when does it move from coping to outright denial?" Mal was still unsure how to feel since learning of Saige's murder. Between that and learning that Mido was leaving once he was more healed, it was hard to feel like things would ever be the same. Because it wasn't, not really. "Though I guess life is too short is how they feel? I dunno."
"I told you it was tasty!" Hyo made out through a full mouth of pineapples dipped in chocolate, "I don't know why people love strawberries so much with chocolate when pineapple is the clear winner in this battle. Don't you think?" She extended her plate out once more after popping yet another chunk between her lips.
"Probably because strawberries are the usual choice...but this pineapple...something just hits different about it. I think you've given me a new dessert choice. But I blame you if I become an addict. It's too perfect a combination of sour, sweet, and bitter." Ari plucked several more pieces of chocolate-covered pineapple from the other's plate. "And all it took was coming to a wedding reception."
"Come on, do it with me." He stopped his dancing long enough to reach over and guide their arm movements to mimic his own. Taer had drank a little more than normally, but what else was there to do at a wedding? Specially when you held no plans of driving after. "That's it. Show me what you've got!"
"I'm not entirely sure I can move my arm that way, but I'll certainly attempt it," Quin was amused by the other man's movements but it was a wedding reception, so why not have as much fun as he could?
