as you might know from our previous plot drop, octavia is getting STRONGER. her spirit is fueled by hatred and anger, and you could call her a poltergeist with a vengeance, and the longer she remains unsettled, the more power she has and the more effect she can have on the everyday world. em ( christian bosch / othello ) recently posted a great SELF-PARA that really demonstrates this effect, and i recommend reading it because it will come up in plot points later. that said, octavia is going to start having influence on your character’s lives.
so, that brings us to our fourth task. it is NOT a self para...it is a thread ! with octavia herself. she’ll be visiting your characters and providing key information, but this is also a way to develop your character’s relationship with octavia. get to know her a little, but keep in mind – she is not the same octavia that she was in life, and she is not so naive...she has had life stripped from her, and her primary motivation is REVENGE.
octavia’s blog will be active through the month of april. so, that’s how long you have to interact and do your thread. every muse can expect a starter from her posted in the next week or so, sporadically – and perhaps not too lengthy because i am writing fifteen of them. CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW HER BLOG.
– PLEASE LIKE THIS POST ONCE YOU HAVE READ IT. ( i won’t post your starter until you do. )
hi everyone ! just wanted to check in and say hey, THANK YOU. i know a number of you need hiatuses due to corona-related things, and i just wanna say how much it means to me that you’ve decided to stick with this. this group has seen the dash ebb and flow quite a bit, and it’s been amazing to find a group of people that have stuck through it all. i’ve been having some back pain issues that have made it hard for me to be on the dash for long periods of time, but i promise i’ll be sticking this out ‘til the end as long as there’s the muse.
u guys are truly one of the most welcoming, inspired groups of writers and it is so exciting to be your admin and work through this plot together. this is your reminder to take care of yourself, put your needs first, and keep me in the loop when you’re struggling and need some space. love u all !
as the event winds to a close, the police have been taking stock of all of the interviews they’ve gotten from members of the imperium society, comparing careful notes that have lasted not only the duration of that evening, but the entire semester. everyone’s testimonies have uncovered a new motive, one that was right in front of their faces the entire time, but muddied by accounts of abuse, red herrings in evidence, and biased statements from peers...and murderers. not to mention that the person they plan into custody really doesn’t fit the profile of a MURDERER.
there is one person whose name comes up the MOST TIMES when asked. everyone sees the cops arrest and take VALENTINE VEGA into custody, and you think they must have something because that’s not a girl that you arrest lightly. however, her father’s involvement with the case against the prestons provides a perspective that’s just too strong to ignore, and if octavia preston can dig up blackmail on the vegas through some intense internet searching, obviously the government’s resources can do the same thing. luckily, valentine has two lovers that she can conveniently throw under the bus, because let it be clear – she did the plotting, but she NEVER got her hands dirty. but will she find another scapegoat or will she point the blame at the real culprit ? only time will tell, but it’s ticking down rapidly.
and once again, the antics of the imperium society have ruined yet another festival as everyone somberly heads back inside and awaits what will happen the next morning. a cool chill racks the building of escalus house, but octavia visits no one that night. perhaps her silence speaks louder than her words.
general, you know, crisis stuff. but hi everyone ! as you know, shit’s crazy. everyone has a LOT of personal things going on, the world is in crisis, it’s all in disarray. with so many people on hiatus, i’ve been struggling to keep up with motivation for this group especially because everyone’s character is so important and i want you all around for plot drops and things i have planned. naturally, that’s impossible lately, and while it’s been awesome to see some of you so active on the dash, my muse also wanes when there’s some of you i seriously miss !
so, what am i going to do ? spectre is going to become a CLOSED GROUP. honestly, everything is getting so intense and interconnected with the plot and octavia drama it’d feel strange to welcome new people in at this juncture, and i really don’t have the energy to do the big acceptances that this group has generated in the past. it does not spark joy. so, you know, your activity is up to you and i hope that you will all be responsible for yourselves in
a) informing the group when you’re taking time off. since there won’t be ‘activity checks,’ just let people know, either on discord, on the dash, or both. no need to get into specifics of what’s going in if you’re not comfortable, but if people won’t get replies from you, they should know about it. getting like 5 activity updates and hiatus requests a week has been...crazy disheartening for me to keep up with anyway.
b) if you leave, your character becomes an npc. people can talk about them as they wish, so – iskra/cleopatra will be a nonplayable character that you can use or mention in passing. if you are super not comfortable with that, then let the group know when you’re leaving.
so, will this group last ? if you want it to ! we’ll keep trucking along as normal, i’ll follow my calendar of events, and we’ll see what happens. if the dash flows, it flows, and if goes stagnant, that’s just our world lately. the dash hasn’t been dead at all, so of course, we’ll have our wacky founder’s picnic event TOMORROW as planned. you can use it like a little clean out for your threads and drafts and start FRESH !
hi everyone ! the fact that we’ve been open basically two months is so exciting to me, you have no idea how happy it makes me to still be going strong, especially because there’s still SO MUCH in store. thanks to all the amazing members who have stuck by this with me and a huge shoutout to everyone new who has really jumped into plotting and given this their all. to celebrate this very important shakespearean day, i’ve written three new skeletons into our plot with important roles to play. if you’re around lurking and have been hoping to join this group, i’m hoping you’ll take a chance on these because the only people more excited about them than me are our members, who are really looking forward to welcome some new players and drama in ( they helped me write most of the new connections. ) without further ado, please go check ‘em out !
hi everyone ! a couple of OOC housekeeping things ! essentially, i know it’s tough all around and i want to introduce some fun self-care stuff and give you some quick updates.
a number have messaged me on discord with status updates, which i appreciate. i’ll be doing an activity check TOMORROW, so if you need longer than that, please request an official hiatus through the main.
finally, this weekend we’re having a spectre sleepover – of sorts. virtually. we’re going to have an OOC ask meme weekend. i’ll be sharing some memes on the inspo blog later, but i’ve done this in another group and it’s pretty fun !
and finally, MOVIE NIGHT ! unfortunately, netflix has no shakespeare OR dark academia classics, so on SATURDAY NIGHT at 7:30pm est i’ll screen...perks of being a wallflower on netflix party & share the link in the discord. totally optional but a stress-free activity hopefully.
ofc, participation in this stuff is optional, but i figured we could just goof around this weekend and whatever.
congratulations ! welcome to spectrehqs ashcroft university. under the cut is a list of acceptances. thank you so much for applying & i’m so excited to start writing with you. please take a look at our checklist and send your account within the next twenty-four hours.
in addition to welcoming you, i’ll take this moment to point out that we are in the midst of a plot drop. you’re welcome to lay low and simply plot and join in on honesty weekend and pick up when the school-wide lockdown ends, but it also might be fun to get tossed into the thick of it ! up to you, we’ll catch you up to speed if you have any questions.
cassius: ilana martin-king written by jessie.
i don’t know if i’ve cried so fucking much reading any of these applications thus far, but holy fucking shit. ilana’s story is not really a roller coaster, but more of a downward spiral, huh ? you breathed such life into not only her character, but into the characters of her mothers that god, my heart broke every painful step of the way for them. you said it best: this is not a villain origin story. but even if it were, i still would’ve been rooting for ilana every step of the way, she’s just that fucking compelling, and i could feel her attitude, her personality, her ambition, and her resentment shine through with all of your writing. her voice seemed to flow so naturally in the letter and i loved the details of each individually headcanon that seemed to connect so well to the story itself ! ilana is just so fucking INSPIRED, i think, and i feel like you took this basic skeleton and you just...you turned it into an entire story of its own that i just genuinely enjoyed reading, i’m literally so excited for the rest of the group to get their hands on your intro...they’re going to be just as pumped as i am, i’m sure.
hamlet: talbot griffith written by colleen.
what you brought to hamlet was something totally different and totally unexpected. i think it’ll be a shock to our dash, since most of our hamlets have been quite similar, but i am fond of the newness of your portrayal ! i was so drawn in by your ideas, that talbot didn’t and doesn’t resent octavia, he adores/d her, and that he actually has an amicable, healing relationship with his father ( well, even if there’s something in it for t, of course. ) essentially, talbot, just like lysander, is different than the media’s portrayal – and everyone’s perceptions. i love your juxtaposition – talbot has the rage, the lack of control, while lysander was calm and controlled in comparison. i think this in itself will cause interesting conflicts within the group and it begs so many more questions. your character pretty much makes me wish that we did have a playable lysander because i would just die to see their dynamic and the family drama between them come to life on the dash. we’ll find ways to do this still, of course. don’t worry.
horatio: mara kim written by danny.
i don’t know how many apps it’s been, but this one’s the charm, and trust me, it didn’t come easy !! mara is definitely a whirlwind of drama and trauma, i almost don’t know where to start. i think my favorite thing was the way you weaved in the connections so seamlessly and how you really capitalized on what her time was like being sent overseas to an american school and...alongside that, mara’s lifelong search to BELONG, to find a kindred spirit, to feel understood. mara is a hybrid in the society, coming from poverty and a broken home, but...also coming from new privilege and money. in a way, she can relate to everyone, which is so dangerous because she’s wicked smart. i love her attitude mixed with her dreamy mentality and love of classics, which i guess is what dark academia is all about. but god, what a fucking mess this one is, truly.
mercutio: alexandre preston written by olivia.
oh, holy shit ! you had me hooked right from the aesthetic and name analysis, god i’m weak and desperate to learn more about this fucking asshole. not to mention, before i get into anything else, you have such a way with words, i love the way your descriptions just painted pictures for me, it was hard not to get swept up in the entire concept. i felt like i got such an understanding of the sibling bond with the prestons – it really broke my heart when xandre found out about tavi’s baby, and how hurt he was that she didn’t tell him – because she should know that he, of all people, would understand. not to mention his understanding and admiration for her ( and the acknowledgement that maybe, she should’ve been the preston heir ? and i oop – ) can’t stop thinking about your letter: I’ll watch over Wolfie. Of course I will. I’ll get him piss drunk at that club you mentioned last time we talked, bring a few lines and a bottle of dom all just for you, gorgeous. gonna love this asshole on the dash, too. let’s fuckin go.
congratulations ! welcome to spectrehqs ashcroft university. under the cut is a list of acceptances for cordelia & titus. thank you so much for applying & i’m so excited to start writing with you. please take a look at our checklist and send your account within the next twenty-four hours.
cordelia: belinda moreno written by naz.
i know it’s not about the fcs but your fc choice ? immaculate, i had to stan ! one aspect that really resonated me was belinda’s motivation to get things perfect, why she felt like there was no room for mistake – not just her background, but the fact that she always has to compete with these fucking rich kids and work twice as hard as them to get where they are. plus, her reason for being invited to the society ? world chess championship ? the symbolism there was *chefs kiss.* i love that she is a crusader for the truth in all of this and it’s exciting to add new characters that really want to defend lysander until the end – that’s always fun to add to the mix. your body might have left but your soul is stuck with me – oof ! all the little details, the fact that’s a queen fan, the reason behind her psychology degree, etc. really brought belinda to life for me and i’m excited to see more of her.
titus: roman rothschild written by mar.
i screamed at the very first line...the cruel irony of roman himself being an accidental pregnancy ? my god ! but roman’s biography is littered with little ironies like that, like how his family stumbled into money with the irony of his last name. i think what you really did with roman was bring the unexpected; with his dreamy, poetic side, his love of tragedy, the ENJOYMENT he gets out of the ghostly visits ? also i loved the juxtaposition of him being inspired by characters like ponyboy curtis AND draco malfoy ? the RANGE !!!!! and oddly enough, i see it all. and thank you for including so many details, like the stories of his tattoos, his six-year-old goldfish, crying into octavia’s final library book...i lingered on these bullet points for so long and i fell in love with ro a bit. that ‘eat the rich’ pin is the cherry on top, truly. i’m starting to ramble so much but the letter at the end...u not only nailed his voice but i was literally tearing up by the time i got to the i love yous at the end. fucking ruin me, jeez. & i hope you’ll share your playlist w/ the group bc those are some bangers !
