It's been over a year, so I wanted to give another attempt at drawing Velle's sprite in the style of the Arcana. (Link to last year's)
Feels closer this time, but not quite there ✨ Guess I'll try again later. For now, enjoy their only-slightly-ominous bio, courtesy of @/the-splatterlite's fabulous template 🩵
I've gotta figure out how to render where Lucio's arm is pressed against the glass... because that's an effect I've never tried to color before x_x wish me luck.
“Change of Heart” - a sketch I like but will never finish.
I’ve mentioned in the past that I thought it was a little silly that the ghostly Count Lucio never planned to betray the Apprentice. That moment in The Star’s Labyrinth would have been the perfect time for Lucio to change his mind, in my opinion.
Here he is, alone with his thoughts again after three years of solitude as a ghost, and Lucio feels it more keenly now than he ever did before thanks to the fingers laced between the claws of his gauntlet. Somehow, Velle is maintaining the magical shield against the cold even in their sleep.
“I’ll keep watch,” he had offered, though he regrets it almost immediately. Velle falls asleep within moments, the exhaustion of the past day—has it really only been a day?—painted clearly in the lines on their face. He’s left alone amidst the high stone walls of this dreadful labyrinth.
There’s nothing to distract him now.
They saved him. First from his confinement to that dusty old wing of the palace, and now from the Devil himself. And the insult of it all is their complete lack of ulterior motives. He’s not sure if Velle is aware of just how much they shared with him when they offered their blood for the spell to return his human form. But he’s aware. Painfully, constantly aware. The bright flash of genuine concern he felt from Velle as the two of them knelt in chains at the Devil’s feet had caught him entirely off guard. Concern, not for themself, but for him. No one worried for him—about him, maybe. About what he could do to them or for them.
After feeling that, he’s at a loss. He wants to live! He deserves to live. But does the cost really have to be Velle’s life?
And it’s jarring to think, that had the Devil been just slightly more agreeable, had he not gone on the offensive right away, Lucio would have tried to bargain Velle’s life away. Without remorse or hesitation. What would he have felt from them, then? Disgust? Anger? Would they have turned their bright, beautiful magic on Lucio instead?
Even worse is the realization of his victory. His plan was a success: the apprentice is utterly charmed by him, just as he intended. He’s won, he’s tricked them, and the victory tastes foul.
Something I had written up several months ago and never posted. Just wanted to share it here in case anyone was still interested or wanted to use it for their own Apprentice or anything 🩵
It's all under the cut!
The Aquatic Research Institute of Vesuvia, or ARI
Functions as both a hospital/rehabilitation center and as a public aquarium. (Visiting the public-facing tanks is entirely optional for all Merfolk.)
Merfolk tend to stay there either as patients or as doctors/researchers themselves. There is also a sort of anthropological/cultural exchange aspect to it since Merfolk only recently (within the past fifty years) made their existence known to humankind in any official capacity.
Some merfolk visit like it's a tourist attraction. They show up and stay a few days to gawk at the landfolk through the glass before heading home.
Asra Alnazar, PhD, Head of Research (Historical Division)
Age 27
Child genius; has several college degrees.
His parents disappeared 20 years ago, he’s been following in their footsteps ever since. He wants to finish their research (trying to unravel the mystery that is the origins of Merfolk and their magic).
For the longest time he was funded by his university and spent time traveling the world studying various aquatic phenomena, but after Velle gets cursed, he applies for a position at ARI and befriends Nadia Satrinava (who introduces Asra to an oddly familiar-looking Mer named Julian) as he tries to find a cure.
Asra thinks Ilya is dead until he finds him years later when he begins working at ARI. Ilya (who goes by the alias Julian while at the ARI to keep his human life private) doesn't seem to recognize Dr. Alnazar and thinks they're meeting for the first time. Asra doesn't correct that assumption.
Ilya “Julian” Devorak, Captain, MD (unlicensed)
Age 34
He's cursed to go back and forth between human and merman every couple of months, and waits out his transformation at the aquarium until he can return to his human life and job. The time between transformations is changing (less time on land, more time in water). He worries that one day he won't turn back.
He lost his eye at some point in his past as a sailor, but it grew back when he transformed for the first time and now has a red sclera (to keep Julian's design consistent; who knows if I'll ever think up an actual reason besides that). He still wears the eyepatch when he's human because it's easier than explaining "ah, yes, I'm cursed and now my right eye looks like something out of a horror movie.”
Pasha “Portia” Devorak, Head of Security (ARI; Public Division)
Age 31
“Gee, Ilya sure is gone for a long time on those voyages for his work. I wish he’d at least call.” (Meanwhile: Ilya is living practically in her workplace under the alias ‘Julian.’ “Sorry, Pasha!”)
Nadia Satrinava, Head of Research (Magic-Sciences Division)
Age 40
Experienced magician and mechanical engineer. She began studying the ruins of old Mer temples in her early 20s since they contained some of the most fascinating puzzles, architecture, and spellwork she had ever encountered.
She’s the leading authority on any and all curses and old, forgotten spells.
She volunteered to help Julian after her sibling, Nazali, found him drifting, confused and half-starved, in the Prakran Gulf.
Lucio (Montag Morgasson), Patient at ARI, On the lam
Age 39
Causer of problems; bringer of chaos.
Literally it’s all his fault. He messed with the ancient power that, according to legend, allowed his tribe to walk into the sea when the land was no longer hospitable to them. He did this not only once (first, to gain the power he thought would help him enact a coup and take power from his parents) but twice (again, when Morga was catching up to him years later). The second time, he caught Velle and Julian in the crossfire, causing them to become exposed to the ancient spell and summoning the storm that ultimately pulled Julian overboard.
He may be responsible for the disappearance of Asra’s parents, too. Who knows? I sure don’t.
The only plague following him around is his (rightfully angry) mother, bent on avenging her husband's murder and punishing her son for his actions. And so, Lucio isn't really in any hurry to leave this convenient safe place where nobody recognizes him as Montag Morgasson.
He doesn't think Velle turning into a merperson would be a bad thing at all, and at some point makes their symptoms a lot worse by (playfully) dragging them into the tank with him. This is what causes Asra to hate him beyond just a general clash of personalities (even before he finds out about Lucio's hand in Muriel's loss).
Muriel (...just Muriel), Hermit
Age ???
Guardian of the Temple that Lucio keeps messing with. The two of them have a history of violence, but this latest fight left Muriel scarred and grief-stricken after Lucio killed Khamgalai, Muriel’s only remaining family.
He saved Asra once, when Asra was 18 and was just starting to adventure into more dangerous parts of the ocean. Ever since then, Asra has made a point to visit him and ask about his magic and the history of Merfolk. Muriel doesn’t hate it…
Asra comes to him for help after Velle gets cursed. Muriel knows more about this old magic than almost anyone else. He gives Asra a talisman for Velle to carry that will slow the effects of the spell. This is how Velle manages to go two years without transforming.
Lovell “Velle” Morandi, Research Assistant (Historical Division)
Age 30
Is the epitome of “What the hell, this was just supposed to be an internship.”
Literally, they applied for the position of Asra’s assistant about six years ago to get a credit for a degree they weren’t particularly enthusiastic about, and the two of them clicked so well that Velle kept agreeing to accompany him on trips any time Asra called, even after Velle had graduated and settled down in their hometown.
Their dream is to take over their mom’s flower shop and live quietly, but their dad insisted they go to college first just to get them out of their hometown and help them experience the world a little bit. They worry that Velle would regret staying in one place their whole life.
Velle isn’t much of an adventurous spirit, but Asra is one of their dearest friends and they understand enough of the science and equipment that they’re indispensable to him (since he doesn’t want to take the time to train anyone else).
After the trip to the Southern Sea and the curse, Velle has to move to the distant country of Vesuvia and work at ARI in the big city while Asra looks for a cure. Velle is just hoping to return home after this is all done…
