Records of the Caenum Watchers: The Blood Moon Specter, Part 1
Whumptober Day 13 TEAM AS A FAMILY | Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part."
Whumptober Prompts List | Masterpost
Tales from Valaria Masterpost
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Fandom: Original Work
Words: 800
Tag List: @fourwingedsnake @whumperofworlds @pigeonwhumps @mr-orion @scaewolf
@the-ellia-west
CW: imprisoned, chained, arguing, swearing, worry, past trauma
A/N: I started a new series. Post Magician's Bait, my vision for Records of the Caenum Watchers is an episodic fantasy mystery series featuring Luc Epsilona, Reese Takari, and Damian, crown prince of Caenum on various adventures up and down the River Torrent.
While investigating a series of murders, the Watchers and their charge are kidnapped for reasons unrelated to their case. Or is it?
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“This is all my fault.”
“For the last time, Luc, you had no way of seeing this coming.”
Luc scoffed, the chains binding him to the wall rattling as he shook his head. “I can trace the exact trail of decisions that led to this point. If just one of them were different, we would not be here.”
“Celestials…” Damian groaned, “how many times must I repeat myself before the words get through your skull? You. Didn’t. Know. And even if one of those decisions were different, how do you know we wouldn’t have ended up here anyway?”
“Don’t ask me to see the damned big picture. And don’t you dare say that we are supposed to be here.”
“I wasn’t going to, but now that you mention it—”
“Your Highness, with all due respect, shut the fuck up.”
Damian narrowed his eyes at the Watcher. They were chained to opposite walls in the same cell underneath who-knows-where by who-knows-what. Luc stared at the cuff on his wrist, as if looking at it would force it to unlock, jaw clenched, hands curled into fists.
No matter how much Luc insisted otherwise, their current predicament was not his fault. If anything, it was Damian’s. He'd been the one to insist on accompanying Luc and Reese out of Caenum to investigate a string of murders. He had wanted to step away from city life for a little while, and being with a Watcher and his apprentice-who-insisted-she-was-not-an-apprentice seemed at the time the safest way to do that.
How could they have known they would get kidnapped barely a week into the journey?
“You’re worried about Reese, aren’t you?”
Luc glanced at the cell door, a thick wood slab full of splinters. “They didn’t put her with us,” he muttered, “Why didn’t they put her with us? Are the cells segregated? Is she with other female prisoners? Do they want her for something specific? Celestials, I don’t know what they’re doing with her.”
“You think they know about… y’know….” Damian’s eyes flicked to the cell door, uncertain if anyone was outside listening. If their captors didn’t know about Reese’s heritage, it would be best if they didn’t find out.
“It would explain a lot,” Luc said quietly. He ran a hand through his hair, the chains rattling ominously. “I know some of the people involved were never caught or identified. But as far as I know, we’re nowhere near Zariya. Unless they fled out towards the Torrent when the operation was shut down.”
He hissed through his teeth, eyes on the floor. “I hope they don’t. I really hope they don’t. She doesn’t tell me everything, but from what her father and de Silv said…” the blood suddenly drained from his face. “Oh celesitals… de Silv’s going to kill me if he finds out I let this happen.”
“De Silv?” Damian asked quizzically. The name sounded elven.
“Octavian de Silv. An elf who rescued her five years ago from the people who’d kidnapped her due to…” Luc gestured vaguely, indicating that he also suspected listeners. “He and I have a… complicated history. He had been missing for over a decade when he showed up at my office in Caenum when Reese and her father moved back there. He explained her situation, and asked me to take care of them as a favor.”
“Why couldn’t he do it?”
“Didn’t say. He disappeared shortly after. I haven’t seen or heard of him or his partner, a hunter by the name Draven Cozenson, since.” Luc sighed. “I swore that I’d keep her safe. And I did that by keeping track of her and training her to use that knife of hers. Which led to her following me on investigations, which led to me teaching her forensics due to her asking questions. And now everyone thinks she’s my apprentice.”
Damian raised an eyebrow. “‘Thinks’? So she’s not actually your apprentice? I thought you two were joking about that.”
“Ugh…” Luc slumped, five years of exasperation and exhaustion etched across his face. “Unofficially?”
“What does your own mentor think?” Damian asked, smirking.
“When I figured out what was happening about two years in, I sent him an apology letter for all the stress I put him through. He finds the whole thing hilarious.”
Damian chuckled. “She can handle herself. I’m sure she’s doing just fine. Perhaps she already escaped and is currently looking for us.”
“I wish I could share your optimism.”
“I can be optimistic enough for the both of us.”
Luc exhaled slowly, eyes on the door again. “If you insist.”
Thanks to @inseasofgreen and some other people from ages ago for the tag! I got tagged a couple times a while ago but I had an internet blocker on my phone and laptop for reasons and it wouldn't allow me to use the site. But I figured it out and can use it now!
Rules: use this headcanon generator to make headcanons for your OCs! Then talk about how accurate they are.
I'll do this for the crews in The Hunter, the Myth and the Cure and Magician's Bait.
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Draven will go feral. Watch out.
He can, will and has gone feral. He argues that doing so has been helpful in his line of work.
Octavian had an emo phase.
coaeovmaroinvoiarnboj can he even have an emo phase? Or perhaps he is in an eternal emo phase.
Reese likes to eat straight coffee beans.
pfffffft if she thought it would caffeinate her faster she would.
Damian desperately needs a hug but doesn't know it and refuses to ask for one.
Given the shit he's gone through? Accurate 100%.
Luc could easily survive The Hunger Games.
I mean Luc in The Watcher and the Thief is young enough to qualify and he has the skills to pull it off. Physically, he would survive. Mentally is a whole different story, but that's true of all the victors so he's not special.
Natali is a theatre kid.
With that dramatic flair? Absolutely. I'd like to put forth to the jury that all magicians/Stalkers are theatre kids at heart.
@illarian-rambling did this thing recently where she took the Knights Radiant Quiz for her ocs. Thought it was cool so I'm doing it too lol.
The Legend of Orian Goldeneye:
Jas: Willshaper (81%). Considering what her motives are in the story, this tracks nicely.
Killian: Skybreaker (78%). I feel he'd be more of an ancient order Skybreaker, operating within his own moral code with an understanding of how rules are imperfect.
Orian: Edgedancer (77%). It kind of fits his personality, and he would love to slide around.
Henrik: Skybreaker (74%) and Stoneward (74%). Man was born to be a Skybreaker, he's a garrison captain after all. Stoneward also fits him, as a soldier.
Diana: Lightweaver (74%). She is a musician, her morals can be questionable, and she disagrees with Henrik about many things.
Azura: Lightweaver (57%) and Elsecaller (57%). She is very much into the subterfuge aspect of the Lightweavers. She's also decent at tactics, a theme of the Elsecallers, and dreamshaping is somewhat similar to moving through Shadesmar.
Morpheus: Elsecaller (63%). Very similar to Azura, but he's much more on the cautious side.
Tales from Valaria:
Octavian: Windrunner (77%). Like me! And it also fits his role in The Watcher and the Thief, though by the time The Hunter the Myth and the Cure comes around it's changed drastically.
Draven: Willshaper (73%). He does what he wants, doesn't really care for rules but he does have his own moral code.
Reese: Lightweaver (62%). I'm not too sure about this one, mostly because her morals align closer to a Willshaper or Edgedancer in my opinion. But she does tend to hide her true self from others.
Luc: Windrunner (78%). Fits his morals and his job, he's quite protective.
Hector: Windrunner (79%). Same as Luc, makes sense since he's Luc's mentor, but I'd say Luc has a little bit more Skybreaker in him than Hector.
Damian: Edgedancer (70%). Bodes well for Caenum to have a heir that cares for his people. He was also willing to give up his freedom if it meant his captor didn't get what she wants, so he's fairly selfless.
Kaira: Lightweaver (57%) (Also -20% for Bondsmith apparantly???). She's very good at deception, but that's the only thing that would be Lightweaver about her. Personally I think she'd be a better Elsecaller, due to her search for power.
Rift: Elsecaller (54%). I don't know how he got this one, he has average wisdom and intelligence is his dump stat. But he would definitely make good use of Shadesmar (for "borrowing" purposes).
(Forsaken: The Doomed City):
Rowan: Elsecaller (74%). Makes sense, he's fairly cautious, he's the leader of the group (not very good at it), and he's willing to do anything to get what he wants.
Victoria: Windrunner (63%). She definitely likes working in a team, and is really attached to and protective of those she cares about, to the point where she'd do anything to save them.
Ollie: Truthwatcher (81%). Considering their powers make him a great spy, fueled by his natural curiosity, this fits.
Sam: Stoneward (61%). She's the group's tank, the most reliable out of all of them, and fairly optimistic.
Whisper: Elsecaller (70%). What is with my villains and getting Elsecaller? Is it because they all seem to be selfish bastards who do anything for what they want? (Nevertheless this does fit him).
Damian: I literally cannot believe I let you talk me into this.
Reese: I literally said “I have an idea,” and you just went along with it without question.
