who are the dragons for the "Love is some kind of punishment" post? and why did you choose them for that autogenerate pic? /eyes emoji
EEEEEHEHEHE SO XANTHIA AND CAMIR! this is going to be so long
For Xanthia, she was previously Pentes' wife! The two were married in order to unite Pentes' kingdom with a country that would merge with his own, and she had been the firstborn daughter of this country's previous leader. Because Pentes himself is an immortal, and he LOVES himself some consistency, Xanthia was granted a shared immortality upon this marriage in order for her to be his wife for eternity. Which wasn't exactly something she had wanted at the time, but over the first couple of decades of their marriage she grew to genuinely love him as at the time Pentes was good to his people, and in turn good with her.
But. Pentes isn't a good man. He is the physical embodiment of mud, the Lord Alluvium specifically, and was given his sentience by pure exposure to King Norve, who was very pissed when he was digging underneath the Scarred Wasteland. He inherited this anger and the want for power that King Norve had wanted at the time. So, after their multi-decade-long honeymoon phase, Pentes began to try and gain more and more power by taking over the land around him. Much of this land is actually where the Quarantine Zones are in the Scarred Wasteland now, and if he could overpower someone, he would do it without hesitation; so the peak of his rule expanded for this entire area and then some. Xanthia didn't like this.
The Thing about Xanthia is that she's very straightforward and blunt about her opinions. She thought this drastic expansion was unnecessary and greedy, and would only hurt their people in the long run, which was NOT something Pentes wanted to hear. For most of these expansions, because she loved him so much, she kept her mouth shut and did what she could behind his back, but it wasn't much because (motions to the mud part) he quite literally had eyes everywhere there was dirt.
She would become more defiant though the more it started to affect their kingdom negatively. Pentes was solely concerned about gaining power, for what he never knew, but he knew he needed it and wanted it. He was becoming more and more aggressive, more arrogant, and while to the outsiders perspective his kingdom might have been thriving through this, the reality was that it was tearing apart the inner councils and that the kingdom was very near collapse. So Xanthia decided she had QUITE enough of it and finally, publicly, denounced what Pentes was doing.
Pentes to the public eye took the speech she made gracefully. He acknowledged what she had qualms with, and announced that he would make a formal speech in return, and address any problems his people might have as well. but well actually he was pissed as hell.
The Thing Is Though. he couldn't just kill her. she honest to god wanted to rest, so it wouldn't scare her to threaten to take her immortality. On top of that, it would ruin the image that his kingdom was Fine Actually for the Queen to suddenly die in some way, so soon after she made a speech against him. So he keeps her alive. but he doesn't keep his people alive, and that is what hits her the hardest. Before they married she was in schooling to become a doctor, and was notorious for helping those around her no matter their status/relevance.
The title of Bell is one held within King Norve's Council. The Bell is a warning signal, to take on the dress of the Bell is to announce that there imminent danger that is unavoidable, and no one will escape the incoming tragedy alive, and typically this dress is given by King Norve himself and the title holder will act as a messenger. Each Bell title holder usually has its own moniker, and Pentes' title would come to be the Blood-Ridden Bell. Six months after his response to Xanthia's claims and soothing his kingdom, he very suddenly has an "outburst of magic" after donning the Crown of Pins* that leads to a very violent slaughter of a GOOD portion of the inner kingdoms people. His end goal was to devastate Xanthia so horribly that she fell into a deep depression, and become something malleable for him to manipulate-- because she has power of her own! While she's wasn't a god like him, she was becoming one through exposure to him, and she could've very easily be turned into a living weapon just like King Norve himself.
But she doesn't devastate like he intended her to. After "coming back to his senses" and "realizing what he had done", Xanthia is already making moves to leave this kingdom. Of course she's in pain about what had just happened, but she knows Pentes after well over 200 years of being married to him, and knows that he is just Too Powerful to have an uncontrolled outburst like that. His power is well cultivated and precise, but he didn't account for the fact that Xanthia knew him so intimately as she did-- because while she loved him, he didn't love her fully. She was a prop for his kingdom, and he believed her to be just as knowledgeable about his power as his people. But she is insanely smart! And Again! Loved Him Deeply! so she would pay attention to these things!
So he scrambles. He's apologetic to his peoples and seems to be deeply ashamed of what he's done and immediately goes to repair what's been lost to the best of his abilities, even putting in significantly more work to rehabilitate everyone in the kingdom and bring back people to the inner kingdom. But Xanthia is missing. and people notice this quickly. But he never gives a proper statement as to what happened to her, because truthfully, for a very long time he genuinely didn't know-- only that she was definitely still alive.
This ofc pisses him the fuck off even after King Norves gives him the little Bell promotion in titling him the Blood-Ridden Bell, because while he has technically gained power, he could've had a LOT more power if he had kept Xanthia and turned her into the weapon he wanted her to become. But alas.
So, Xanthia is exiled from Pentes' rule, and in turn is exiled from the Vermin Court, which pins a very large target on her back if she is to be rediscovered by the wrong dragons of this court.
Right now, Xanthia is actually taking shelter under Anura's eye in the Clan of Phrauge, and has been since the Clan was first originated. Not many within the clan actually know who Xanthia is at length, just that she's an immortal doctor and was said to have known Anura when he was the Clans leader. Pentes, as of the present storyline, is actually aware of this and visits Xanthia VERYYYYY very downlow.
It's usually to taunt her. She is still sickeningly in love with who Pentes was before he become who he is now. She always seems to be in a state of mourning of this version of him, and it doesn't seem like she'll stop mourning him anytime soon, especially when he visits her. Some days he'll come to her and basically lovebomb her into confusion, other days he'll be cruel and accusatory, threatening to expose her to those who want her dead for abandoning him, etc etc etc. It's really bad. Anura unfortunately isn't in high of enough rank for his actions to sway Pentes any, and because he is still affiliated with the Vermin Court he can't completely keep Pentes out of his clans boundaries-- especially not without exposing the fact he is still alive to his own clan.
So. Xanthia is just very tired. She'll always love who Pentes was, and he will always dangle this over her head.
*- Crown of Pins: This was a crown made by some of the first organized Religions around the Plaguebringer, specifically when she was still known as Jhortanas to the common people. It was worn by religious leaders while performing rituals in order to communicate with her, and became a weapon of destruction after being imbued with ancient plague magic. King Norve stole this crown after running off on his own, and gave it to Pentes to form his physical body. Pentes only brings out this crown when he intends to do mass destruction, ie, the Blood-Ridden Bell Murder.
Now. 1. imagine if i had this in a bio. 2. Camir's situation is. significantly less convoluted. HELP.
Camir Moreno is the second husband of "Arianwyn" Craftwood aka Crafty, but the two divorced somewhat recently and on less than neutral terms. It's rumored that the two had children and that well he didn't get custody, but given that the Craftwoods are so vigilant about keeping their family members anonymous within reason, no one actually knows if there's actually any kids. But
Camir grew up with Crafty in the burrow market. For as long as he can remember he's been in love with her. He fell for her REALLY hard and continued to love her throughout a shit ton of Burrow Market Tragedies:tm: and even the War of Flies which VERY much fucked up things for them. but hes also a narcissist and has a shit ton of his own problems and while the love he has is genuine, he never actually got along with her that well?!?!?
They had conflicting interests for the Burrow as they both climbed in leadership. They had conflicting customers, ethics, literally everything, and it came to a point where he very legitimately questioned Why he loved her, but came down to like 'heh i just like women who stand their ground' which like. sure whatever.
he was very difficult to deal with in marriage, and the only reason why they even married was for political gain. The Morenos and Craftwoods on the surface are very influential families in the Gabbro (old city in phrauge) and having these families come together would only bring each other customers. The second this shit was proposed Camir agreed. But it took craftwood a LOOT of hefty talking into because she had actually, previously, been married to fucking Patriarch Feir (guy who made Bawkrya the Patriarch with no warning) which is A BIG DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! and that marriage obviously led to divorce as well, and she just didnt want to waste her time with more political marriages (and also she was preoccupied banging women and sopping wet men (neither of which is camir))
but she would relent. and immediately regret.
They made the marriage work just long enough for her to get some important contracts that she wanted out of the marriage, but she very quickly handed him the divorce papers the second she knew she could safely break off the marriage w/o severing what she built Off of the marriage. and Camir found this really insulting. Because again, he really liked her! he's had a fascination with her since he was like fifteen! but he absolutely didn't have the words to express this, and didn't feel like it was necessary to do such because oh you're my wife now.
But, he perceives anything she does that he doesn't like as something to spite him and is generally very petty about the divorce, and Quite Literally has beaten the FUCK out of someone for bringing it up in a manner he didn't like. On the surface, he holds an amicable relationship with her, but its something he Has to do as they're both burrow masters.
anyways he was just in love with the idea of her that he made in his head that is absolutely nothing like what Crafty's actually like as a person, and she is very well aware of this. The marriage isnt the first time he's brought up his feelings for her. Hes just one of those guys that cant take no for an answer
to Craftwoods delight though, Xidorn aka her sopping wet man her little rabid ring dog her sweet cinnamon apple, ends up getting a hit on Camir and kills his ass after provoking him during a VERYYY large fighting tournament in the death rings. They both coordinate his assassination even getting vasyl in on it, and uhhh i havent planned anything beyond this but camir gets whats coming for him.
What good is a druid with no purpose? A mere cat that lays about basking in limited sunlight through a shuttered window.
Her stay had been longer than planned, attempts at finding a new place to live proving difficult in a city full of new refugees. While grateful for the temporary living space at the Heart of the Raven, Xanthia grew restless. Ready to have a space truly her own, a small hide away from the life of responsibility she held within the ranks of her guild.
She'd simply vanished, only coming out of hiding when she deemed necessary. Occasionally the large vibrant blue cat might be seen playing with the children, the patience of a saint as they tugged on her tail or tackled her with their rough housing.
The tavern was quiet, most of the residents and guests having taken to their homes for a much needed rest. Her favorite spot by the hearth ripe for the taking, with ease she settled onto the rub before the open flame.
She'd never ment to vanish completely, no doubt worrying the large lightforged male she'd grown so fond of. Fhaliona had located her with ease, occasionally stopping by to check in on her leader, always a face of concern that the druid was slipping from her once carefree demeanor to a much more solemn mindset.
Curling her tail around her, she sighed, ears twitching to pick up those around her before she settled in to doze off.
Ooc: just a small update, she is still residing at the Heart of the Raven Inn. Residents and guests may see her glowing blue cat form prowling around or lazing about. Feel free to use her as background characters if you need.
You never realize how much the word "home" weighs on your mind until the place you have labeled such is gone. The burning of my "home" left me little more than scars and memories and a pair of pauldrons that may well be the last remaining "living" branches.
Their enchanted leaves change with the season but never die, the last of their autumnal colors withering away for a bareness indicative of the coming winter.
I find myself touching them often, wishing I was "home" and safe in its branches once more. A peace and calm I have yet to find again.
I cant help but peer down at the worn key in my hand, Ashraen's insistence that I accept a place to sleep having won. For weeks I have spent my nights aiding others, prowling the tiled pathways within the cathedral, the sounds of anguish, pain and suffering constantly berating my ears. The smell of tears...not easily forgotten. When there was no more need for my calming presence I was asked to leave. Just another refugee in a cruel and heartless world.
Sleeping where I found safety, high in trees, curled as small as I could manage beneath shrubs and porches. Just yesterday I fell asleep and King Wrynn's grave only to be woken by angry guards who chased until I was deemed lost.
Here standing outside a room purchased in haste for me, I find myself unable to push forward. What even was a bed any more?
The world sees a happy, joyful and generous druid. Spend more than a day with me and you'll find that for the most part, this is accurate and honest. But while I present as oblivious and carefree, I am a duality. Give me time alone and the wistful longing for home will drag me under.
A folded note slipped in desperation. A quiet plea for help when I cannot help myself. A gift, a key, I have no hope of repaying.
The lock clicks open and I find myself staring at what must be the most expensive room in the inn. As soon as the door is closed behind me, the soft linens atop the bed envelop me and for the first time in what feels like forever, I am "home".
