#rothberg

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

Here There be Monsters: Creature Basic Intros (Part 1)

Fireweed/Misha

Navka, she/her.

A Creature formed from the memory of a deceased human and allowed to "re-live" her life for a hundred years, Fireweed's original self starved to death in the burnt remains of her hometown. She never was that person, really, but the memories feel real.

Quiet, reclusive, and silently pessimistic, Fireweed generally has a poor opinion of everything and everyone around her. She's afraid of suffering, and yet, it's impossible for her to let injustice against others slip by. Despite appearing reserved and self-centered, she cares about others far more than herself. She's soft-hearted and highly compassionate underneath it all.

5'2. Short, scrawny, and bony. Messy, shaggily cut, dull blonde hair with white tips (at first). The color later changes to light gray with blonde tips. Unhealthily pallid skin, perpetual dark circles under her eyes, and a constant melancholy scowl. Deep, raised, raw scars covering her back from her shoulders to her tailbone.

Red Sky

"Kami", she/her.

An unknown type of being that only qualifies as a Creature for lack of a better term. Incomprehensibly powerful, she was sealed for centuries as the only means of keeping her destruction in check... and it's unknown how she's now being controlled.

Perpetually serene and eerily calm, Red Sky is the picture of unfeeling elegance and inhuman composure. However, she has a dangerous appetite for destruction and a complete disregard for the lives of other living things, both barely kept contained. Entirely immortal, she knows she'll outlive everything that holds her back now, so she's content with biding her time and allowing the Mages their inconsequential pretense of power over her.

5'11. Tall, willowy build with long limbs and a narrow torso. Elegant, eerily symmetrical features, and always wearing a serene smile. Azure eyes and light skin, with a beauty mark to the side of her mouth. Straight, silky, crimson-red hair that falls almost to her knees. Perfect posture and graceful movements.

Larkspur

Puca, he/him.

A shapeshifting Creature of ambiguous morals and a troublesome tendency for mischief. While he's not malicious, he's also not particularly attached to any human standards of "good" or "bad". Aloof and disconnected in a polite, unassuming sort of way.

Polite, unobtrusive, and seemingly mild-mannered, Larkspur presents the image of an intelligent and capable, yet gentle and unambitious person. Beyond that, though, he's a fickle troublemaker who prioritizes entertainment over sticking to any particular morals. He'll help others when it suits him, but he'll just as quickly act only for his own benefit and amusement.

5'7. Slight, unassuming build, with careful posture and a way of always fading into the background. Fair skin, fine, almost androgynous features, and a charming smile. Deep, forest-green eyes and dark brown, chin-length, straight hair, usually worn parted neatly down the middle. Dresses sharply.

Makhaira

Manticore, she/her.

A powerful, human-eating Creature who lived as something of a nomad before joining the Organization. Far older than her carefree personality makes her seem, a playful, passionate front hides a surprising amount of wisdom and strength.

Outwardly a passionate, upbeat person with a rather rough demeanor, Makhaira is one of the more pleasant Creatures... at least on the surface. She values her strength and dislikes allowing herself to act on her innate, violent instincts, but while she's generally friendly and approachable, she's capable of a frightening amount of damage when something earns her ire.

5'4. Short, stocky build with heavy muscle and wide shoulders. Dark, warm-toned skin, hazel-green eyes, and expressive, intense features. Thick, golden blonde hair worth close-shorn on one side, and long and wild on the other, with two thin braids (one red, one green) twisted amongst the fluffy mess.

Rothberg

Lesser Grossman, he/they.

A Creature with the unfortunate ability to influence human minds and warp their contents. This ability goes out of control when he's stressed (which is often), and he despises the harm he causes others... if only because it means that he's hated.

Anxious, timid, and distinctly spineless, Roth is cowardly and high-strung despite his intimidating appearance and devastating abilities. He dislikes conflict and drawing too much attention, but his constant stress only brings negative effects upon anyone who gets too close. His innate nature thrives on suffering, but he's too weak-willed to act on those instincts often, if at all.

6'8. Tall, spindly build with awkwardly lanky limbs. Sharp, narrow features, dark eyes, and a permanent expression of nervousness etched into his face. Dull, dark purple hair kept in a slightly shaggy and overgrown bowl cut. Anxious, tense posture; always hunching and shrinking into himself as if he's trying to hide.

Skorpion

Rakshasi, she/her.

A human-eating Creature made for destruction and brutality, with a limitless appetite and a matching craving for violence. Her impulsive pursuit of such pleasures are only restrained by the Mage who sealed and thus controls her abilities.

Rather than thinking about her actions, Skorpion does whatever is fun in the moment. She's highly aggressive, easily provoked, and even her definition of "playing" is far too rough for anyone's liking. Violence is the only thing she knows— whether cruelty or affection, she filters the world through pain and brutality. She's living by her instincts alone, though, not any sort of hatred for others.

6'4. Tall, broad-shouldered build, all lean muscle and visible strength. Ruddy-hued, warm brown skin, red eyes with black sclera, and viciously sharp teeth. Hip-length, coal-black hair with a thick, somewhat fluffy texture, usually worn in a high ponytail. Shockingly agile, and always sporting a ferocious grin.

Magnolia

Rex Vampiris, she/her.

The highest level of the three vampiric species, and more than a little arrogant because of that. While her human appearance is lovely and her behavior is well-controlled, she's a predator at heart... and every so often, that shows through.

Poised, direct, and well-mannered, Magnolia comes across as a refined, confident lady who knows exactly what she's capable of. While she can be haughty and overly particular, she's also practical, grounded, and surprisingly honorable. Despite her ladylike, dignified exterior, she has a short temper underneath it all, and is prone to snarkiness and petty behavior.

5'7. Stocky, curvy build with a soft, feminine shape. Fair, pink-toned skin, bright, yellow-green eyes with long, thick lashes, and sweet, doll-like features. Thick, wavy, pale rose-pink hair, reaching past her waist. Prominent canine fangs that stick out over her lower lip. Takes care of her appearance, always presentable.

Suu

Merman (kind of), he/they.

A merman-like Creature of uncertain species. Guesses range from "water spirit" to "river god", but even he doesn't seem to be too certain... or care too much. He and Omen' are from the same island, and have been close friends for decades.

Simply put, Suu is stupid. Simple-minded, laid-back, and generally oblivious, he floats through life doing whatever he pleases and caring little for any consequences. It's as easy to make him happy as it is to earn his ire, but his emotions are fickle and fade away like the tides. He doesn't like to think about difficult things— and he tends to isolate himself through sheer disinterest in most of it.

6'6. Slim, lanky build that holds far more lean muscle than it appears. Angular features that hover between pretty and slightly inhuman; perpetually slitted eyes and a broad grin with too many teeth. Shoulder blade-length, sleek, inky black hair that's left loose and untrimmed. Swaying, eerie movements.

Omen'-On-Nu

Kapre, he/him.

A tree giant from a remote, isolated island, which he shares with Suu. The two have been close friends for decades, although their opposing personalities often lead to bickering. Since he enjoys company, he's glad to be under the Organization's employment.

Jovial, easygoing, intellectual, and carefree to a fault, Omen' is the kind of person who favors philosophical thinking and deep conversations over too much action of any kind. He's generally social, but has a particular weakness for women, especially those who share his interests. He dislikes unnecessary conflict, yet has a secret fondness for lighthearted tricks.

6'1. Dark, thick hair kept fairly short, with a well-groomed, fluffy beard along his jaw. Deep, forest-green eyes that glow like embers when in low light. Rugged, handsome features, laugh lines around his eyes, and a jovial grin that eases any ill mood. Strong, solid build with heavy muscle, thick limbs and torso.

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH MY CHARACTER?

Rothberg

1. a trait they have too much of (ex. too much pride = arrogance)

One of Rothberg’s defining traits is his paranoia. He has a lot of it. Because of both what he is and his innate personality, Roth is an anxious wreck. He worries about anything and everything, and has a bad tendency of assuming that everything that goes wrong is somehow his fault. Any little sign of trouble has Roth stressing about everything that could possibly go wrong— and doesn’t calm down easily. It seems that he’s always worried about something, even if it’s small. His paranoia also takes the form of being afraid that the world and other people are conspiring against him, which can lead to even more problems than the general anxiety usually plaguing him. 

2. a trait they don’t have enough of (ex. too little pride = insecurity)

A trait that Rothberg has is a worrying lack of is control. This doesn’t refer to control over his environment, however— it refers to himself. With Roth’s powers, he needs to be able to control them properly. If he can’t or doesn’t, he’ll hurt the people around him without fail. And as it is, Roth relies heavily on other people to keep his powers in check. He doesn’t know how to control himself and keep from damaging the people and things who get too close. When he’s stressed or emotionally unstable (which happens near-constantly), he loses all control of himself and the walls that usually hold back his powers. And even though he despises these moments more than anything, he doesn’t have the confidence or self-responsibility to properly try to stop them. He leaves it up to other people instead. 

3. a trait they express in the wrong way

Despite sincerely wishing for friendships and connections, Rothberg behaves in a way that displays the opposite. He keeps his distance from everyone around him out of a combination of paranoia and intense fear of hurting them or getting hurt. While he can’t be described as “social” or “kind”, Roth does have a legitimate desire for relationships with other people— he’s just terrible at showing it. The most notable case of this is his interactions with the manticore, Makhaira, who he has romantic feelings for... and expresses these by avoiding her out of fear. 

4. a trait they’re ashamed of

Rothberg is ashamed of many things about himself. In fact, almost everything he does gives him some sense of shame. And yet, one thing that stands out above the rest is when he feels like a monster. When he hurts people accidentally or sees the horrifying results of the abilities innate to his species, shame unlike anything else consumes him. He’s filled with guilt and self-loathing for the damage he causes, and on top of that, the constant lapses of control leave him painfully self-conscious of everything he can and does do wrong. Roth is scared to be around other people because he’s afraid of hurting them. Even though he’s a Creature, he doesn’t want others to see him as a monster for what he is and what he can’t change. 

5. a trait they’re not ashamed of (but maybe should be)

Answered here!

6. a bad habit

Rothberg has a very bad habit of assuming that everything bad that happens around him is somehow his fault. When other people have problems, his anxiety leads him to the conclusion that he did something to cause it. This is in part because of how often his powers go out of control— since the main effect of them is causing people extreme mental distress and physical symptoms that accompany it, when those around him feel sick or show strong negative emotions, he instantly jumps to the conclusion that he caused it without knowing. This ends in repeated apologies, excessive panic, and eventual isolation for fear of accidentally making things worse. 

7. something they do that hurts themself

In addition to his paranoia centering around accidentally hurting other people, Rothberg also has a bad tendency of believing that other people are out to get him. He’s a coward who’s afraid of being hurt, so he’s easily convinced that others want to cause him harm. This is also part of why he tends to isolate himself and avoid people, and it’s another major cause of his extreme anxiety when forced to interact. Roth tends to assume the worst of people, always thinking that they want to hurt him in some way or another, be it because they want to target someone weak or because they want to hurt him before he can do the same to them— in his mind. This paranoia can also lead to Roth lashing out, and in the worse cases, it causes his powers to activate. 

8. something they do that hurts others

Rothberg has a problem with expecting other people to solve things for him. At the same time that he isolates from everyone around him and refuses to open up or get close to anyone, when someone does force their way into his life, he clings to them in a dangerous way. Once he believes that someone wants to help him, he begins to rely on them for far more than he should. For example, with his mage partner, Sinclair, Roth places almost all responsibility for keeping his powers in check on her. Because Sinclair helped him in the past and showed the ability to contain him (to some degree), Roth came to believe that she both has to and will always continue to do the same. He idolizes people and sees far too much good in them, convincing himself that if they’re a good person, they’ll help him no matter what. 

9. a reason (or excuse) they haven’t improved on any of the above

Rothberg is convinced that he’s so weak that there’s nothing he can do to fix himself. When it comes to the accidental activations of his powers, of course he can’t control them. He’s such a pathetic, helpless excuse for a Creature that he could never dream of containing them on his own. With most of his problems and personal failings, Roth’s self-loathing takes over. He’ll insist that he’s too weak to do anything to change himself, and that he’s so inherently bad and monstrous that there’s no point in trying. A lot of the reason why he doesn’t try too hard to improve himself falls back on this logic, which hinders him massively in his life.

10. a way that they are improving on any of the above!

However, Rothberg has one friendship that’s helping him... to some degree. While his feelings for Makhaira are the most positive he has, Roth is also so scared to approach her that it doesn’t do him much good. Instead, it’s his relative closeness to another Creature, Larkspur, that helps him the most. Larkspur is a Puca— a Creature that fluctuates between doing good and harm—, and because of both Larkspur’s ability to aid and bless the people around him and his fondness for pranks and doing minor harm, he’s able to get through to Roth to some degree. Larkspur is someone who Roth can feel comfortable around. He both shows Roth that someone who’s “evil” isn’t necessarily all bad and shows that even people like the two of them have the capability to do good things as well. It’s a beneficial friendship. 

Questions from here!

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

A trait they're not ashamed of, but maybe should be for the organization Creatures? Or just some of them if they're too many at once

That’s fifteen whole characters, soooo yeah, just some for now. XD Feel free to ask for the rest though!!

. . . 

Fireweed/Misha

Her bitterness. Fireweed is hateful of the world that hurt her, and she sees nothing wrong with this. She’s been fucked over by her life from the very earliest years of it, and because of that, she’s come to see everything around her in a negative light. She can’t trust anyone or anything, and she expects only the worst. And Fireweed thinks she’s justified in this. In her mind, there’s no reason why she’s not right about how awful she thinks the world is. But the reality is that she’s making herself look cynical and overly pessimistic, and nowhere near as “realistic” as she thinks. 

Rothberg

That’s a tough question. Rothberg tends to be ashamed of everything he does, so there’s not much about him that qualifies. He’s a ball of anxiety and paranoia, but he knows that’s bad. He’s difficult to be around, but he understands how much of a burden that is for others. He knows his powers are dangerous and disturbing, but he already hates himself for that. Rothberg doesn’t have a negative trait that he doesn’t feel shame for even as it is, so there’s not much of an answer here. His very existence is something he wishes he could change. 

Skorpion

Skorpion’s defining trait is her violence. She’s not ashamed of being viciously impulsive, brutally aggressive, and giving in to whatever cruel fancy enters her head... and she really should be. Skorpion comes off as a bloodthirsty moron who only thinks of who and what she can kill and eat. No one likes her, no one wants her around, and she’s not doing herself or anyone else any good by being the way she is. But Skorpion is so flippantly uncaring of how others see her that the thought of feeling shame for her actions has never even entered her head. 

Magnolia

In a way, Magnolia has issues with pride. She’s not exactly aware of it, but she has a tendency to see herself as better than those around her. Because of the type of vampire she is, she’s spent a lot of time viewing herself as more intelligent and civilized than many of her overall species, and the attitude kind of stuck. She has a bad habit of looking down on others and acting somewhat haughty, and most of the time, she’s either unaware of it entirely or finds it justified. And when she’s in a situation where she’s not superior, her temper runs short. 

Suu

His stupidity. To put it simply, Suu has never had to think very much. In the life he lived before the organization, he had no reason to consider anything beyond his river and his next meal. And because of that, he never bothered to. Suu is truly, genuinely stupid, and he doesn’t care a bit that he is. This trait can cause him quite a bit of trouble, as not thinking rarely does one much good in the world. He’s heavily reliant on Omen’ to help him get through life and handle the complicated things, and likely, Suu would be almost entirely helpless on his own. 

Omen’-On-Nu

The trait that Omen’ should probably be ashamed of is his carefree nature. It’s not to an extreme extent, but he does tend to be a little too relaxed for his own good. Aside from dealing with Suu, he’s a somewhat selfish person who goes at his own pace and doesn’t really think of others. He likes what he likes and dislikes what he doesn’t, and he’s not a fan of making long-term decisions or committing to anything too thoroughly. And Omen’ doesn’t really care if this attitude of his inconveniences others. He’s always lived for himself, so why should he change? 

Seraph

Their very existence would be shameful to anyone else. Seraph is an entity who seems to exist only to make others uncomfortable. The constant stream of lewd words and taunting comments that they spew would make any normal person’s face burn, but Seraph doesn’t appear to care a bit how obscene and annoying they are. If others dislike them, who cares? If they make people angry, so what? If they’re a constant spectacle, that’s fine! They’re self-centered and bold enough to have little sense of shame at all, even when they very much should. 

Hyakku

Her tendency toward self-pity and self-loathing is a problem that Hyakku doesn’t realize is one. In her mind, she has every reason to hate herself— and she’s somewhere between unaware of how annoying that is to the people around her and convinced that she deserves whatever scorn they feel. She sees herself in such a negative light that even the depths of self-hatred feel justified, and she often doesn’t realize that she’s having something of a pity party when she really shouldn’t be. Hyakku most often blocks out the good and only sees the bad. 

[malephic]

This essay needs to make like a Tom and Cruise

[inthenameofsephiroth]

Rothberg heavily promoted the romance as being progressive but he ended up making the same mistakes all these shows did. There’s something to be said about a man promoting a safe haven of sorts only to reveal his story is just as insidious as the other problematic relationship endings listed above. I don’t know him, never met him, but I wonder what got into his head to play with his audience like this? It’s cruel.

Audience Everywhere Article

[serunayn-blog-blog]

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