#teo-linh

[furys-mercy]

Character Roster & LFRP

While this blog is largely dedicated to content surrounding my main, August Mercer, I do share drabbles and screenshots that feature my other characters as they exist in his world. So, I thought I would take the time to make a roster so people would know a bit more about the characters themselves. 

Character Roster

This currently only features the OCs that I regularly play and does not incorporate NPCs I have created for story arc purposes or characters that have been retired to position of NPC. I plan to add them later. I’ve left them out for now because I thought I might also use this post as a sort of LFRP and only wanted to offer information on characters I am willing to active play. 

I’ve been having some issues drumming up in-game RP lately as my RP groups have largely moved to Discord only as their lives are quite busy and prevent them from regularly logging in. Which is totally cool, but I am hoping to get back into some in-game interactions. So, if you’re interested, know someone who might be, or know of some open RP groups, link shells, or discords feel free to poke me!  Interested in: »» In-Game RP. »»  RP Linkshells. »»  RP Discords. »»  LGBTQ+ Friendly RP groups and RP partners. »» Narrative and consent based RP. I prefer narrative RP to rolling and would enjoy communicative partners that want to write collaborative story arcs. »» Character Development / Character Driven Stories. »» Short and Long term interactions. »» Magic RP (Including but not limited to warding, rituals, or taking on an apprentice) with Mercer, Teo, and Kishar.  »» Magitek RP (Including but not limited to prosthetic orders or maintenance, brainstorm buddies, or taking on a smithing apprentice) with Mercer. »» RP on the First with Teo or Mercer. »» Ishgard RP and Contacts for Mercer and Sebastian. »» Investigations! Anyone looking to hire someone to look into an aetheric oddity, magical item, or general mystery. Both Mercer and Teo work for Aetherflow Investigations and are happy to lend aid.  »» Any other hooks we might be able to come up with.

Not interested in: »» Discord/Tumblr RP. »» Crunchy combat systems or lots of rolling. »» Casual ERP. How to contact me: »» Feel free to message me here on Tumblr, contact me in-game on August Mercer, Teo Linh, or Sebastian Vairemont or reach out on Discord (Weezled#9715). »» I am available for RP most nights starting at 7 PM CST until around Midnight CST.

[teo-linh]

Blood of the Beast

The Viis moves to perch on the edge of the pool table, facing the small gathering of friends and acquaintances. “It is not mine own story that I bring before you, but rather one told to me by my Ahmah.” He crosses his legs in front of him and rests his hands gently on his knees. “I remember the scent of sandalwood and ash as if it were only yesterday when she sat before the hearth and gifted it to me.” A strand of white hair dips into his eyes and he bows his head. “And it is a similar way that I gift it to you. So that you may share in keeping her memory alive.” When his head raises there is a darkness to his vivid purple eyes. “There is a beast that stalks the banks of Tusi Mek’ta. Whether he is drawn to the waters by birth or by bondage, no one knows. Many believe him a descendant of the Fuath. The blue of his skin lends credence to their claims, but the horns that sprout from the top of his head and the wings that unfurl, tattered, and feathered, from his back only bring about more questions. Is he cursed? Corrupted by the light? Touched by a world not our own? No one knows. Not those who tell the stories around their fires nor those who have called him forth from the depths seeking succor, aid, or to merely satiate their own curiosity.” The lights in the room seem to dim and flicker almost like firelight. The shadows appear to dance towards Teo as he speaks. Is he doing that? “It was aid my Ahmah sought. She had heard the tales herself. Stories of how the beast might grant wishes to those of both pure heart and motive. And so, she packed her things and made the pilgrimage, bringing gifts of tea, poultices, and tinctures. Anything she could think of that might foster enough good will for him to grant her what she wanted most.” He finally brushes the stray bit of hair from his face. “For she and her husband had been mated for some time and still found themselves without a child. She had prayed to every god both old and new. She had used every herb and every spell she could learn or concoct. All to no avail. Their home remained silent and the cradle empty.” “When she arrived, she arranged her offerings all in a neat row at the edge of the lake, just close enough that the water might lick at them, but not soak them through. To give him a taste of what it was she offered.” He remains still, hands on his knees. “Moments bled into one another until a near bell had passed. Perhaps the tales were false. The songs she had heard sung of him were nothing flights of fancy, invented to scare and entertain.” Teo begins to hum a sad little tune. His voice is breathy and his pitch wobbles. He does not sing well, but that he will do anything the story requires. The shadows continue to reach for him, coming closer and closer as he reaches crescendo. “She sang them through, letting her voice rise and swell for it was not as if there were any around to hear her. Or so she believed.” The shadows snapped back to their rightful places suddenly. It was jarring enough to give anyone a little spook. “Until a second voice joined hers. An eerie harmony to her melody sung through a mouth of razor-sharp teeth.” “He sat, perched among the leaves of a nearby tree, water dripping from his iridescent black feathers. Why had she called upon him? What demands did she wish to make?” Teo shook his head. “She had no demands. Only hope. Hope for a new life. On that he did not seem willing to give her.”

“These gifts were not enough, he said. For he, too, could mix moss with herb and stone. He did not want for what the land already gave him. What did she have that he did not?” Teo flips his left hand over on his knee and with a hastily muttered word in an unknown tongue purple flames consume his fingertips. “She showed him the fire that danced in her heart and the wind that brought forth her dreams. The water that soothed all pain and the stone that made each step sure. She offered each on unto him and he took them all in turn, leaving her with only her hope, her tinctures, and the promise now shimmering upon both his skin and hers. The physical manifestation of a bargain well struck. She would have her heart’s desire. She only need go home and wait for it.” The fire in Teo’s palm is suddenly snuffed out. “And home she went, bubbly and bright and awaiting what it was that she wanted most in the world.” “Bells turned into days and days turned into months. She and her loved aged. Wrinkles set into her brow. Her hope began to wane.” Sadness seeps into his eyes. “When the sineaters claimed her mate as they had so many, she knew it to be lost. She was alone. No love. No hope. No magic. There would be nothing for her in this life. She had nothing left to give to the beast and nothing to show for her sacrifice.” “It was a moon or maybe two after she lost him, that mine own mother arrived on her doorstep…” His voice his thick with sadness, but he continues. “She was unwell. Her condition had taken quite a toll. My Ahmah did everything that remained in her power to heal her. To give her the chance at the life and the hope that had been denied so many.” The Viis sucks in a deep breath before continuing. “Alas, there was nothing to be done. Even with her magic, the outcome would have been the same. A fact I grew up knowing, but she could never be convinced of.”

He looks down at the floor for a moment before looking back to the group. “You see, I was many things to my Ahmah. As she was many things to me. I was her hope. I was her grief. I was her guilt. I was the child bought with blood from a beast.”

[furys-mercy]

OC Tag Game

Favorite OC: It’s really hard to choose. Mercer is my main and therefor gets the vast majority of my brainstorming and plotting. That said, I really enjoy writing for Sebastian and his current arc is probably my favorite I have going on. If I was forced to pick I would chooser Mercer. But only because I have been playing him for so long and he’s been through so much and has grown into a character I am really proud of. 

Oldest OC: Liyaya Liya. My original main in XIV RP. She grew from a baby adventurer with little knowledge of the world to a shrewd business woman. She’s now the NPC owner of Aetherflow Investigations and doesn’t get much in the way of actual screen time, but I do still love her so very much. 

Newest OC: Marcette de Lamoreaux. She was originally intended to be an NPC in Mercer and Sebastian’s stories that would eventually either die or be otherwise defeated. But, the more I wrote her, the more I loved her. And not because she is a good person. No, no. She’s awful. But there is something delightful about her inner monologue. I can’t wait to get some more RP on her after I come back from haitus. 

Meanest OC: I think it is a tie between Marcette and Sebastian. Kishar might also come into play here, but she’s more aggressive and less outright mean. The Vairemont siblings, however, have barbed tongues. Both of them. Sebastian has the ability to be nicer than Marcette currently does, but he can also be more venomous than her, depending on the situation and how his words might best benefit him and his plans.  

Softest OC: Teo-Linh. This one isn’t particularly close. Don’t let the void taint fool you. Teo is my soft and fluffy little man who is far too curious for his own good. Which has gotten him to trouble in the past and will continue to, but all from the perspective of being helpful and friendly and just all around good. 

Most Aloof/Standoffish OC: Kishar Sepelire. She’s a voidsent. Enough said, really. 

Dumbest (Affectionate) OC: Sebastian de Vairemont. I love this boy, but his (now crumbling) faith in the aristocracy and his place within it just makes me want to bang my head against a wall. 

Dumbest (Derogatory) OC: Marcette de Lamoreaux. She thinks she’s brilliant. She thinks she plays the social and political game like a master. And everyone around her is just wondering how many times she will have to lose and be put in her place before she realizes. So far, she hasn’t. And she’s lost a lot. 

Smartest OC: Mercer. His abilities in both arcanima and engineering stem from the fact that he is, at his core, a walking calculator. He’s always had a love of complex maths and as he got older he found ways to utilize that interest leading him to his current career path and skillset. One could argue that Teo’s encyclopedic knowledge of very esoteric magicks might rival Mercer on this question, but as Mercer also has knowledge in that area, I think he wins. 

Horniest OC: It’s a tie between Mercer and Sebastian.  

OC You'd Bang: I’m probably just going to answer this as the character I find most attractive, personally. Which is still a hard question to answer since they are all pretty good looking, but I have a major weakness for cravats and waistcoats. So, Sebastian wins here. 

OC You'd Be Best Friends With IRL: Teo-Linh or Liyaya Liya. They both love books, plants, and history. I think we’d have a decent amount in common and get a long pretty well. 

[teo-linh]

See the wild burnin' in your eyes Feel the dark turnin' into light Playing with magic, it's automatic We're not the monsters in your dreams

[teo-linh]

𝒪𝓃 𝒯𝑒𝑜'𝓈 𝒜𝒷𝒾𝓁𝒾𝓉𝒾𝑒𝓈:

𝐵𝓇𝒾𝑒𝒻 𝐸𝓍𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃:

Teo’s current condition is something that most certainly deserves a post all it’s own. I hope to write something up to further elaborate on that in the near future. Currently, I will just give a brief explanation to give context to the ability descriptions below. 

Due to certain circumstances, Teo is currently playing host to another of the shards of Icarus. Kishar, the shard from the 13th, has a long and interesting story that culminates in her being subjugated, trapped, and possessed for longer than she is even capable of remembering. Now free of her oppressor and short a body she has taken up residence inside Teo as their souls called to each other. While she is not a voidsent, she is of the 13th and the flood of darkness and the ensuing imprisonment she faced resulted in her being aspected heavily towards darkness.  As she resides within Teo, a twin to his own soul, her aspect has shifted his somewhat. They also share much of their skills and knowledge with each other, which has also played a part in altering Teo’s skill as a healer and elemental mage into something that is quite different and to the undiscerning eye may, in fact, appear void-like. Or perhaps like something that might be wielded by other dark entities. 

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝒷𝒾𝓁𝒾𝓉𝒾𝑒𝓈:

Dark Fire – A ball of dark purple fire coalesces around the end of Teo’s staff before being launched at his target, singeing them before vanishing.

Dark Aero – Purple winds that appear as if they might be comprised wholly of shadow whip around Teo before being unleashed in the direction of his target. They linger, creating a sickly haze and perhaps attempting to impair his target’s line of sight and mobility.

Dark Eruption – Teo raises his staff high, letting out a guttural cry as a pillar of dark fire erupts atop his target with such force that the purple flames splash onto any nearby enemies. 

Dark Flare – A growing mass of dark aether swirls above Teo’s intended target. He thrusts his staff forward and releases the spell allow it to burst outward licking meaning to melt both the armor and skin of his enemies. 

Caustic Distortion – Teo throws his hands out on each side of him commanding the aether around him. It seems almost as if time stops for a brief moment. Shadows appear to crane towards him as he releases the spell. Wounded allies feel a tingling sensation as minor wounds being to knit back together. Nearby enemies, however, find their armor and weapons showing more age and wear than would be expected, leaving openings for his allies to capitalize upon. 

Ephemeral Distortion – With a swing of his staff swirls of purple coalesce around his allies, eventually fading from sight almost as quickly as they appeared. It would appear that the effect does nothing until something attempts to break through the established barrier. Weapons, projectiles, and even hurled fire slow down just enough to allow for adjustments and less damaging impacts of party members. 

Temporal Shift – With one hastily muttered word in an unrecognizable tongue, the gem in Teo’s staff glows a sickly purple and time seems to speed up around his target for a split second. Bruises heal and small cuts knit back together leaving the target of this effect with tingling feelings or, perhaps, some minor pain. 

Temporal Sympathy – Darkness pools around the feet of Teo’s target. Translucent tendrils flick back and forth at a rapid pace showing the quickening of time. More severe wounds being to stabilize. Bleeding ceases and scabs form in mere moments as the target’s healing is accelerated. While Temporal Shift causes mere tingling, Temporal Sympathy targets more significant wounds and moves to stabilize them, causing brief bouts of pain that scales with the severity of the injury. 

Corrosive Haze – A purple haze clings to Teo as he mutters something unintelligible under his breath. With a flick of his staff the haze coalescence around his allies (or ally) creating a corrosive cover between them and their opponents. Should weapons, armor, or projectiles come in contact with the haze they begin to atrophy. Rust builds on blades, leathers fray, and arrows seem to rot. Once again creating openings for his allies and reducing incoming damage.  Jolt from the Dark - As his party member slips into unconsciousness, Teo slams the end of his staff into the ground. There is a brief rumble before dark levin encompasses his target, delivering just enough shock to rouse the heart and return them to their feet, still weary and wounded, but further from death's door.

[teo-linh]

Oathsworn

The hands that weaved the working into the cold stone were familiar.  He knew them—that tiny scar on the third knuckle of the left hand, the freckles that peppered them from far too much time spent beneath Norvrandt’s persistent sun.  They were his.  And yet, they weren’t.

Stop.

His hands persisted in their work, unabated by the command.  Smudges of metallic ink and chalk stretched from his fingers to his wrists, and more joined them as their betrayal continued.

Stop.

His lips were traitors, too. They sat silent, pursed into a thin line, focused on the task at hand.

Please. Please, stop.

“Begging is unbecoming and ill-suited to one of our shared soul.”  His duplicitous lips curled into a mocking sneer.  “Do try to live up to your potential, dear Teo, lest I be forced to do it for you.”

Kishar.  It was not a question; it was an admission of fear and a startlingly comforting realization.

You need not threaten me, sister of mine own soul. I bear you no ill will.

“I do not make threats, child of light,” she replied.  “I make oaths.”  Under her control, his fingers moved with a grace he had never known them to possess. The series of complex knots and unfamiliar runes was both beyond his skill and beyond his comprehension.  He began to wonder how she could possibly manipulate his very flesh better than he could, but she interrupted his train of thought.

“And it is not your will that concerns me.”

He knew of whom she spoke.

No harm will come to you. I will not allow it.

“You will not allow it?  You, a child born to light?  A child of no more than twenty turns?”  A derisive laugh escaped his lips, reverberating through the cave beyond.  “Save your hollow words. I do not require your protection.”

Perhaps not. But you will find that you require my cooperation.

Their hands stopped moving.  Tremors wracked their shared fingers as they were tugged back and forth between the wills of warring masters.

A biting snarl leapt from parted lips as Kishar pushed back against his onslaught.  The sound grew to a frustrated howl when she found him immovable.

You think me a child, fine.  I shall not argue.  But to think me so insignificant as to be beneath your notice, or worse, beneath your heel… no.  I will not bend for the sake of your pride nor your vanity.

“My vanity? It is not hubris with which I act. It is…”  She stopped, refusing to let the words become reality.

Anguish, he said, answering for her.  The word echoed within the halls of their shared mind as both sat in silence, waiting for the other to relent.

It was Teo who spoke first.  His words were calm and collected, bearing his usual poetic lilt.

It was not only your voice that spoke those words.  It was not only your voice that swore to break their chains.  I willingly joined your chorus.  I willingly swore your oath.

He eased his grip, and in response, she eased hers.

“You swore no oath to me.”  She corrected as shared hands set back to work, completing what little was left of the ritual circle.  “You pledged your service to Aralu.  To Ashmennon.  To all else who would listen, but you thought not of me.”

A wave of guilt washed over him. She was right. His words had been for others rather than for himself, but she, while a match to his soul in all possible ways, was not truly a part of him.

I swear to you, sister of my heart, twin to my soul, I will fight your fights, break your chains, and recover those who lost to you.  As if they were mine own kin.

Her lips tugged up in a sly grin.  “I accept your oath, child of light.  May we be forever bound in the pursuit of knowledge, freedom, and justice.”

[teo-linh]

𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝕴𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖚𝖘 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚑𝚎'𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝖍𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖊𝖗?

[teo-linh]

                ℑ'𝔡 𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔡𝔦𝔢 𝔬𝔫 𝔪𝔶 𝔣𝔢𝔢𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 𝔩𝔦𝔳𝔢 𝔬𝔫 𝔪𝔶 𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔰