If youâre looking for a serialized queer novel featuring a Roman inspired fantasy world with the tiniest dash of Arthurian legends, reverse harems of the why choose variety with six individual love interests to choose from, a nonbinary protagonist, the ability to effect the story via periodic polls, and a murder mystery, I have what you want right here.
In my attempt to write a book â or two, lol â I have decided to post the rough draft on dedicated blogs on Tumblr! As of right now, my current plan is to delete the draft once the final is finished and ready to be published. All deleted scenes will be compiled in a new post as wellâ if I can get away with it.
This blog is dedicated solely to the serialization of the story âRoman Holiday,â but will also feature behind the scenes notes, worldbuilding, and the ask box is always open to whatever questions or advice that anyone may have! If youâre interested in more personal or silly posting, along with status updates as to where I am at writing certain chapters, follow my main writing blog @gorbo-longstocking
If youâre interested in my other serial work, go follow @rigged-ee
Status: being outlined and worldbuilt, standby for the first chapter in a month or so
Summary
The Queen was dead, the Empire was in mourning.
Coincidentally, Verrie Adelberry arrived, not too long after. The queenâs body had not yet grown cold and they had started to make quite the name for themself. Verrie did not journey the vastly spanning roads of the Empire, nor did they travel to the capital by any normal means. It was almost out of a myth. One second there was naught more than empty air, and the next, they were careening out of the sky as if they had been kicked out of the heavens by the gods themselves.
Adorned in clothes that none had ever seen, with an accent that none had ever heard, and nonsense spilling from their lips, it was no wonder why Verrie was thrown at the widowed rulerâs feet and declared a murderer. For there was no other explanation for Verrie, with their strange name and even stranger mannerismsâ nor would there be any for the bodies that would begin to pile up since their arrival.
Unbeknownst to all, Verrie was no traveler, or god, muderer, or anyone in this strange world of their own free will. They were from a modern age, and they would have to prove their innocence by whatever means necessary.
That was easier said than done considering that they were being held hostage deep in the bowels of the Imperatorâs dungeon.
Features
- Set in a fantasy world based heavily on the early Roman Empire, with small aspects of Arthurian legends, you play as a person from the modern era thrust into this world for reasons unknown. The gods here are terrifyingly real here, though Verrie does not know that just yetâŠ
- Involve yourself in the story by participating in periodic polls that last about a week each. Due to this, writing will be slower than my other project while waiting for the polls to close. One such decision will be the chooce of four different backstories for the main protagonist, all of which will assist, and hinder, them in their sleuthing in various ways. Verrie can be a starving artist with an endearing sense of creativity, a savvy and charismatic salesman, a deeply empathetic psychiatrist who understands the human mind, or a a cryptozoologist who is no stranger to the weird, wacky, and wild.
- Follow Verrie as they befriend, or make an enemy of, the palace denizens in their search for clues.
- Will Verrie modern knowledge with those in this fantasy world to help advance their civilization and save their hide, or hide their origins out of fear of suspicion. No matter what you choose, there will be consequences.
- The gods are real and they demand fealty. Verrie will bisit temples, partake in rituals, and make sacrifices to certain gods in order to aid their quest.
Romantic Options
The King: Seisyll Aurelius Caesari
Playlist (WIP)
A young king, barely in his twenties, who always seems to have a smile on his face and a dreamy demeanor. Those in his periphery would describe him as an airhead, those who know him personally look at their king with⊠fear? Seisyll has a love for pretty, broken toys, his chambers filled to the brim with his childish collection. Only Seisyllâs daughter, the young Caris, has known his true smile.
Seisyll has curly blond hair that twists into pretty ringlets almost effortlessly. His red eyes are more often compared to rubies, but it is not uncommon for them to be noted as the color of freshly spilled blood. Seisyll has a lean and muscled build with hair that curls at his nape. His laurels are silver so as not to hide within his golden tresses.
The Knight: Cynwrig Primus Gabini
Playlist (WIP)
Noble, brave, chivalrous, these are all words used to describe Cynwrig. He is the Kingâs most trusted soldier and his personal guard, one of the only people entrusted to the princessâs safeguarding. The Knight will protect all who ask, and save all who need it, he is the most perfect of his order. So perfect that it is hardly a surprise to find that it is all an act. There are very few that Cynwrig truly cares about, his public persona created to make those select few smile. Deep down, he is a neurotic control-freak with an innate disdain for humanity.
With a mane of auburn hair that is tied in a low ponytail down to his back, occasionally, there will be braids from the princess looped within. Standing as the second tallest romantic lead, Cynwrig a perfectly groomed face, not a hair out of place. He has a small waist and his eyes are a sweet, seafoam green.
The Oracle: Tineus Awen Decembris
Playlist (WIP)
Always wearing a shit eating grin, Tineus knows your fate, and he will use this knowledge to tease you until you begin wondering how much trouble you would get in if you bashed a religious figureâs face in. He relishes in the immunity of his station, making an effort to terrorize rather than help. Playful to a fault and a terrible gossip, Tineus is as much a slave to the gods as Verrie is. To someone who always knows the truth, this mystery Verrie is spearheading is enough to drive him insane. Will they forgive him for taking it out on them?
Though it is not often that one ever gets to see the eyes, nor their delicate features behind his moth wing mask, Tineus has eyes a striking shade of gold. In his gray hair is a pair of golden moth clips, denoting their status as oracle. Tineusâ hair is short and straight, though two long, thin braids trail down his back and down to his ankles, as is traditional. His body is slight, almost fragile, like the insect he seems to embody.
The Inquisitor: Carmen Flameni
Playlist (WIP)
Carmen is a painfully social awkward man who almost always seems to be sweating profusely. He can barely get out a word or two in most conversations before fleeing back to the dungeons that he calls home. Only there does he feel powerful. In those darkened halls, Carmen and his instruments are what is worshipped as a god, not the divine who exist in the Heavens above. This power, what he lacks in all other aspects of his life, is intoxicating. If he takes out his frustrations on criminals, who would have half a mind to stop him? He is only doing his job after all.
Whipchord lanky with a hooked nose and silver eyes, he has black hair with a single ivory streak running from his temple. Moles dot his face, two under his eye and another on his chin. Carmenâs hair is long and unruly, almost reaching his backside. His eyes are narrow, though whatever hawk-like severity he carries is stifled by his incesssnt stutter.
The Executioner: Ignatus Elegansi
Playlist (WIP)
An utterly terrifying force of nature, Ignatus is never without his hood. He is a massive wall of flesh, with a quiet stoicism that puts all on edge. What keeps people away is the pride that he takes in his work, the lack of fear that he exhibits as he nails criminals to a cross, or takes off a head with an axe. No amount of screaming, begging, or pleading will make Ignatus sway. He is rough by nature, even his affection stings. Rumors say that there are grievous scars upon his face, ones that denote that, once, he had barely clung to life. Perhaps this debt is what keeps him in service to the King.
Considering that he is always adorned in his robes, there is very little hope to know Ignatusâ true appearance.
The Jester: Merfyn Lunari
Playlist (WIP)
A bit intense, especially for his occupation, Merfyn is high-strung and a bit of a cynic. He believes himself to be above this occupation, but there is not much left for him aside from a life of peasantry if he were to leave. He is rather serious with a dry sense of humor, so while he makes a fool of himself, and others, for entertainment, it never amuses him. In all honesty, he is rather bland, if not for his duties in the dungeon alongside the inquisitor. That is work that Merfyn much prefers. Screaming is far more melodious than laughter.
With hair a deep shade of black that it almost appears blue, straight and never a hair our of place, Merfyn complimemts this with dark pools in wide eyes. His skin is a dark shade of brown, colored deeper from the sun as the King often has him perform outside. Merfynâs hair is shaped into an unflattering bowl cut around his head, a fashion he shaped after priests of the God of Duty. Itâs almost as if he had a different path in mind before he was set upon this oneâŠ
Warning: Transphobic thoughts, language, and beliefs associated with the time period of Ancient Rome will be prevalent. Read with caution if this will effect you negatively.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter Two
Carmen paled at my expression, though he did not leave. He shifted from foot to foot and peered down the hall. Satisfied with what he saw, he shut the door with his free hand as he slowly stepped deeper into my cell. âYou are angrâ angry with me.â
âYou tortured me!â It ripped from me before I could stop it. âAn innocent man!â
âI am certain there is, uh, some crime that you have committed.â At my furious glare, he shrunk in on himself, his voice rising in pitch. âAll have, if must you knâ know. Consider yourself absolved.â
The thought of lunging at him crossed my mind. Taking a chunk out of him as he had done to me felt particularly vindicating. Maybe I would even lodge one of my canines in his forearm, proving to this wretched man that he should have had me entirely de-clawed before he came crawling back.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
The queen was dead. The Empire was in mourning.
Coincidentally, Verrie Adelberry arrived, not too long after. The queenâs body had not yet grown cold. Verrie did not journey through the vastly spanning roads of the Empire, nor did they travel to the capital by any normal means. It was almost out of a myth. One second there was naught but empty air, and the next, Verrie was careening out of the sky as if they had been kicked from the heavens by the gods themselves.
Adorned in clothes that none had ever seen, with an accent none had ever heard, and nonsense spilling from their lips, it was no wonder why they were thrown at the widowed rulerâs feet and declared a murderer. For there was no other explanation for Verrie , with their strange name and even stranger mannerisms.â nor would there be for the bodies that begun to pile up after their arrival.
Unbeknownst to all, Verrie was no traveler, or god, murder, or anyone in this strange world of their own volition. They were from a modern age, and they would have to prove their innocence by finding the true culprit.
That was easier said than done considering that they were being held hostage deep in the bowels of the Imperatorâs dungeon.
Artist (+Likability, +Creativityâ a morbid little free spirit)
Psychiatrist (+Empathy, +Medical knowledgeâ a little too accepting)
Salesman (+Charisma, +Bargainingâ maybe conartist is more accurate)
Cryptozoologist (+Deduction, +Survival skillsâ kind of a weirdo)
Voting ended onJul 15
Veronica âVerrieâ Adelberry has found themself involved in a criminal investigation where they are both the head detective and the prime suspect: the murder of the queen. Trapped in a fantasy world that resembles Ancient Rome, which of these backstories would you prefer for them to embody?
The Artist: A free spirit who left home to chase their dreams. To be more specific, Verrie paints. Beautiful landscapes, stellar portraits, expansive murals, their creative mind never stops running. They enjoy making for the sake of others, often using handmade gifts as a method of endearment. Their true passion lays with art stretching into the grotesque, horror is Verrieâs specialty, though they are careful to read the room when sharing what they make.
The Psychiatrist: Years of schooling has led to Verrieâs first year of spearheading their own practice. Of course they would wind up in a fantastical version of Rome barely a few months in. Still, they were at the top of their class, with a chemistry undergrad. This knowledge could help them advance this civilizationâ or maybe just keep them alive. Their empathy knows no bounds, as with their understanding of the intricacies of the human mind. This has led them to be a tad too accepting of truly unhinged behavior.
The Salesman: Charismatic and suave, Verrie knows just what you need and how to get you to buy it. Theyâre even able to talk themself out of the trouble they get in when their product inevitably blows up in your face. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a slightly slimy and morally bankrupt demeanor that puts off the more discerning eye. Still, Verrie can squirm themself free. Usually. Toting a colorful and utterly ridiculous history, would you believe this Rome thing isnât even the craziest thing thatâs happened to them?
Cryptozoologist: Even as a kid, Verrie was trekking through the woods in search of bigfoot of the Jersey Devil. Whether it be camping or hiking â and after a few stints lost in the woods, Verrie is virtually unkillable! Though, they would rather not test that anymore than they already have. A world of gods and dragons, this is like a dream come true for Verrie, and already they have their theories about what all of this means. Unfortunately, this dorky enthusiasm doesnât translate well to social skills.
More information regarding plot and characters can be found: HERE
