#river baccay

[a-charm-of-witches]

River Baccay

A child of the foster care system, River Baccay has every reason to wear a chip on their shoulder—and they did, once. That was before Alice and Summersend; before friendship and family, love and support. Since taking up an apprenticeship with the current Warden of The Tanglewood, River has built a life for themselves that they once could barely dream of. They don't take kindly to anyone threatening it's (to them) precarious balance, or the people they've come to call their own.

Age: 19 Birthday:  3rd of February, 2176  Zodiac: Aquarius Signature Colour: Cerulean   Powers: Water/Ice manipulation, Healing, Alchemy, Personal Minor Shapeshifting

Personality: River is a champion of all things big and small which they feel have been neglected or otherwise pushed aside. They don’t tolerate bullies, and have little patience for those who display little patience with others. This is in part a reaction to their own history of grudges and anger, which they haven’t quite mastered. That said, River is doing their level best to change themselves for the better.

Appearance: Tall with dark golden brown skin and thick dark hair. Masculine!River keeps his hair in a floppy, Don Bluth bowl cut, while Feminine!River currently keeps hers in a pixie cut (this may change. Some elements of the characters’ appearances are still evolving.) River is very trim and muscular from their work on the farm, and prefers dressing in well worn work clothes; primarily jeans, old T-shirts, and steel toed boots. 

Witchmark: River’s witchmark takes the form of scale-like “tattoos” that wind around their bodies. These markings are very light, almost unnoticeable against their skin until they utilize their magic; at those times the tattoos take on a blue glow.

Hobbies: River is a guitarist and a singer. They would love to play in a band, but don’t feel like they have the time to devote to any band of serious ambition. They’re still heavily involved in the local indie music scene. They also have a tendency to take animals in for rehabilitation, with a particular affinity for reptiles. 

Some Random Facts:

+ The most travelled of the cast, though not by choice. + Doesn’t fully understand their natural gifts, instead relying more heavily alchemy. + Is a sponge for random facts and information they find interesting, but didn’t do very well with traditional schoolwork. History is their favorite subject, and one they can get rather heated about.

ETA: Decided to redo the images. I’ll get this whole mood board thing one day.

[a-charm-of-witches]

Hi! How ROs would react to MC that likes domestic stuff? Makes them lunch, leaves little love notes, loves to bake and stuff. Take care!

Ooooo this is an interesting one. I’ve never actually considered a homey type MC.

River: Is very domestic themselves, albeit not in the same ways (they are more hand crafts, household chores, and carrying your bookbag to school--metaphorically speaking) Their love language would be highly compatible with a domestically inclined MC. I imagine that, together, they would give everyone cavities from the overwhelming amount of domestic bliss radiating from their general vicinity. It would be very 1950s-sitcom-esque, though only in the more pleasant ways.

Val: Thinks it’s absolutely adorable. While they’d probably say things like “of course, I know you couldn’t help yourself. I deserve only the best,” they’d be really touched and cherish every note left. They’d absolutely fawn over every little detail, and make sure the MC knows how amazing they are at everything they do.

Natsuki: It takes a while for Natsuki to realize these gestures are meant as a kindness and, no, the baked goods aren’t laced with poison. Once they come to terms with the fact the MC isn’t actually attempting to murder them in a deceptively docile fashion, they begin to reluctantly enjoy it. They might eventually reciprocate in the form of homemade jellies, jams, and preserves.

Henry: The surest sign of Henry’s trust is that they’re willing to let you into their kitchen. An MC who not only can cook, but likes to, would find the world’s most willing (and voracious) partner in Henry. While they might not need the MC to feed them, they would absolutely melt at the MC’s desire to do so, and offer to make lunch for each other from then on. 

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Finally! A proper and complete portrait of M!River. :D I’m experimenting a little with my art, but I’m liking how it came out for the most part. Going to try and do F!River before we move on to one of the others next Wednesday. I’m pretty slow with portraits like this (as opposed to my more cartoony sketches) but I’d like to get something more significant done for the others since I’ve focused so much on Puddles, here.

[a-charm-of-witches]

Love this WIP, and Alice is such a cool character I already wanna know more about her^^ (RIP my heart my MC was honest with her about how much their mother talked about Alice and :c ) If you feel like it could we get some RO's reactions to someone mistaking them and MC for a couple?

Aaaa jfjgjf it's always great to hear how much people like Alice! :D as to the LIs... I will assume this is obviously before they're a couple, but that they are friends to some extent.

River would flatly correct the mistake, no harm no foul, and so far as they're concerned the conversation is over... until that night as they lie awake mentally reviewing every conversation they've ever had with the MC, trying to decide if they've led them on in any way and of they should clarify the situation or just ask them out for real, but they're Alice's grandkid and they already live together so wouldn't that be awkward? And oh fuck they just might want to ask them out anyway, why didn't they realize that before?!?!

Henry would grin, put an arm around the MC and proceed to act the part of a possesive and proud partner until or unless the MC told them to knock it off. This act would include a lot of unnecessary touching, of course, though nothing too intimate. And they'd keep telling themselves they're doing this because it's fun and funny, and it makes the MC squirm in a way that's just too adorable to ignore, or conversely because the MC plays into it so well that it might as well be true.

Val would clarify that they aren't together, then proceed to flirt shamelessly (in an exaggerated, dramatic fashion) with the MC saying things like "our stars align so well even the blind can see we should be together," and be a generalized cheeseball as long as the MC lets them. Of course, if the MC were to play along they might get a real date out of it.

Natsuki would protest awkwardly and emphatically that they are not together, and how dare this person be so presumptuous as to assume. Furthermore, how dare you ask anybody such invasive questions? It's not your business if they're dating, though they're obviously not, but even if they were Natsu wouldn't answer because they have principles!

[a-charm-of-witches]

Which tarot card do you think best represents each RO (plus Alice)?

Soooooo. This one has been sitting in my inbox for a hot minute! Sorry about that, but I wanted to take some time and really think about it, and to brush up on my tarot. It’s been a loooong time since I’ve done anything with the cards.

Anyway, this is a really interesting idea, and while I’m not 100% on each of these, it has been really interesting to sort them out.

That said, I reserve the right to change these if Tarot ever makes it way into the canon. (That isn’t currently planned, but things can happen.)

River:  I was really torn between Justice and the Emperor for River, but the Emperor fits better at the moment, in all it’s positions. River is very much a leader type, who strives toward projecting stability, confidence, and a sense of capability in themselves.  They are often brave and bold, but (as in the Reversed position) sometimes give in to their more immature past self.

Valentine: The Sun card. I'd rather not explain this one just yet, but it has to do with the energy they have and it’s downsides.

Natsuki: Surprising no one, The Hermit. Natsuki is independent literally to a fault.

Henry: The Lovers, possibly with a side helping of the Three of Wands, but I wanted to limit myself to the major arcana or I’d never settle on anything. Henry is easily the least... dramatic of all the ROs, in terms of starting a relationship with them. They wear their heart on their sleeve, for better or worse, and are eager to leap into the opportunity if it’s presented.

Alice: Temperence. Alice can be an absolutely wonderful grandmother, if you let her. She wants to trust the MC, and she wants to let them have the room to live their life within rather wide boundaries, but that’s also part of the problem. Sometimes she can let situations run on a little too long without bothering to step in.

[a-charm-of-witches]

yes hello i'm already weak for river, can we get some facts about them?

Oh absolutely, anon! Let's see...

+ River's birthday is feb 3rd, making them an aquarius

+ They're heavily into the local indie music scene

+ As part of the above, they absolutely have a fake id which they acquired specifically to get into bar concerts

+ They do drink, but not to excess or in public venues

+ They play guitar. They've made a habit of playing and singing for Alice's sheep when they're sick or going into labor.

+ River adores animals in general, and vastly prefers thier company to crowds of people

+ They're a bit of a history geek (if that weren't obvious) but didn't do terribly well in a school environment... more due to a lack of trying than capability.

+ Unabashedly pro-pumpkin spice

Lol i feel like I'm bordering on spoiler territory with some of these so we'll leave it here~~

[a-charm-of-witches]

Literally no one has asked me this but because it just hit my brain, RO DnD classes:

River: Cleric main, possibly Cleric/Paladin multiclass (though i’m not sure what the point would be, there.)

Valentine: Bard, (maybe a bard/rogue if we’re going for fighting style)

Natsuki: Druid

Henry: Barbarian

[a-charm-of-witches]