Grimoire Gaming

SoS: Semblance of Suburbia

@Undine

Of course, all are welcome to apply! Go ahead and show us them characters! :)

Rosa Clare Academy - Cryptid Haven and School of Learning 2.0

Hello all, I swear I am not dead. I will get a post up for Kiara this weekend. Inspiration is not coming easy with her lately, and I am busy, so my sincerest apologies!!!

SoS: Semblance of Suburbia

@Sakurasan Of course you can talk relations! You can do so here or in pm, or on the fancy discord chat that @Universorum set up. The link is on here in a few different posts I think, I don't have easy access to it on my mobile.

Treewit Psychiatric Hospital for Adolescents

{ N I K O L A I }

Day 1 // Stranger in a Strange Land

I am startled awake by the rambunctious, loud clapping of the same woman who kept peeking in the room all morning. When exactly had I even managed to fall asleep? All night they had sent people - most likely techs of some sort - through the ward to check my room in what seemed like fifteen minute intervals. I don’t know if this is because I’m new… or if this is normal practice, but between that, and the squeaky noises the plastic mattresses had made every time one of us moved, I didn’t really get much sleep. To be quite honest, I haven’t voluntarily slept much at all in the past month.

August 4^th, 2016. That was the day that I voluntarily decided that I wanted to sleep forever. I was done pretending to be a boy ...a girl ...alive. I was simply done pretending to be anything at all. Yet here I am, distinctly not sleeping forever, not even sleeping through the night. I had never really thought much about the divine before - my parents aren’t religious, and my grandparents only slightly are. Of course, I thought about it that Sunday night, telepathically sending in my heavenly RSVP to whoever might be listening. But now, as I stare up at the ceiling from my top bunk as my two very obviously boy-shaped roommates stir in their own beds, I am now certain of divine existence. You see, I actually did die on August 4^th, and because the Almighty Shepherd could not accept a sheep that was neither black nor white into His flock, I awoke in Hell.

So, let us begin day one in Hell. We’ll call this day one, because I arrived at Treewit Psychiatric Hospital yesterday evening, and that doesn’t really count as a full day. I was only introduced to my roommates Rafael and “Sacha” so far, and they are both quite good looking and, as previously stated, quite masculine as well. My mother had politely informed the desk clerk of my pronoun preference when they had referred to me as her ‘son’ at check in, but they still assigned me to this room per their chromosome-based gender policies. One point for Hell, zero for Niki, I guess…

Raf is the first to get out of bed and, because I was informed that there is a tight schedule to be followed here, I blink the sleep from my eyes and follow suit. A bit like a lost puppy dog, I literally follow him out into the hallway, a few paces behind as to not seem too obvious about it. Rafael heads toward the closet at the end of the hall and plucks out a box with his name on it. Scanning the rows of labeled boxes, I find one labeled ‘Zabrecky’ with a crisp, fresh sticker and take it off of the shelf. Inside it lies a few basic hygiene products, which I take with me to the unisex bathroom. At least there is a gender neutral bathroom here. One point for Hell, one point for Niki, nice.

I brush my teeth and apply some deodorant for the day before looking into the mirror above the sinks. The 'mirror' is a large metal sheet, not glass, and it is solidly bolted into the wall - most likely to keep freaks like me from carving themselves up like a Thanksgiving turkey. I looked down at my arms, both covered in horizontal dashes in various stages of scarring. My left arm has the newest addition, a fresh pink line from wrist to mid-forearm that makes the whole collection look like a gruesome set of train tracks. I pull down my shirt sleeve and hope that I have more long-sleeved clothing to wear around here before looking back in the mirror.

Apparently, I am not yet allowed a comb or brush, as there is not one in the box. Perhaps we are expected to bring our own, but I didn’t really get to stop home on my trip from medical hospital to psychiatric hospital. As such, I am forced to finger-comb my dirty blonde, sleep-wrecked locks into something slightly more presentable. Plagued with dark circles to contrast my newfound pallor, I decide that I look appropriately ghastly for a dead person, and leave the bathroom before the mirror can really sink it’s claws into me. I’ll shower later if they let me, I prefer nighttime showers anyway.

After returning my hygiene box to the closet, I follow the foot traffic of other patients to the dayroom. People are being called out by name and receiving medicine cups with various pill cocktails. My wide eyes must make me look as lost I feel, or perhaps just very new, because the nurse meets my gaze and asks ”Nikolai… Zabrecky?”, pausing in between to look down and confirm the name on their paperwork. I nod up and down quickly, rather than saying ‘yes’ out loud. I am handed a cup with a single pill in it. Upon inspection, it is light green and oval-shaped, with ‘25’ and some random letters stamped into it. I have no idea what it is, but I swallow it just the same, and can’t help but think of that Ramones song... I wanna be sedated. Yeah, that sounds about right. Whatever it is, maybe it will help me get some sleep.

The nurse instructs me to be weighed before I head to breakfast. The hospital has some kind of fancy scale that keeps me from seeing the result of me standing on it. The tech measuring my weight doesn’t say anything either, they just scribble it down on their clipboard, which is honestly fine with me. I don’t really want to know anymore… not yet, at least. I am informed that I must check in to be weighed every morning and night before meals. Great. Two points for Hell, one point for Niki.

There is a small crowd of patients, my roommates included, waiting to be lead to the cafeteria. The clapping lady has to keycard swipe us into the hallway and proceeds to shuffle all of us little sheep into a mostly straight and single-file line towards our destination. I quickly grab the first tray of food that I can and dart towards an unoccupied table. If I am lucky, it will remain unoccupied. As the resident stranger in a strange land, I am well aware of the fact that it probably won’t remain that way for long - this isn’t my first time being the ‘shiny new thing’, after all. Once sitting, I take the time to study what is actually on my tray. It is pretty standard breakfast fair and doesn’t look wholly unappetising. I don’t really feel like eating it, but the two staff members circling the room like sharks make it seem like that isn’t really an option here. Ehh, three points for Hell, one point for Niki.

As predicted, I did not remain alone for long. A tan girl (Ivana) quietly sat a comfortable distance away and stared down at her plate of food, looking equally disturbed by it. She doesn’t greet me or even directly look at me, which is ideal, really. Now another girl (Eva) and my roommate, Raf, are here, and they sit even closer, smiling. I keep my eyes down and swallow a bite of sausage. My nerves make the bite go down hard, so I chase it with some juice, avoiding eye contact in the hopes that they won’t say anything. And, because they do eventually say something, we are now at a score of four points for Hell, one point for Niki, and it isn’t even 9 AM of day one yet.

Spectral Voices

Clayton Anthony Bennett

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.:| Clay | 36 | Single | Homosexual | Male |:.

.:| A P P E A R A N C E |:.

Handsome. It doesn’t matter who you ask, it is almost universally agreed among Clay’s peers that he is one incredibly handsome man. Clayton generally keeps his hair shaved close to the scalp with a matching stubble-length goatee. A straight white smile shines in lovely contrast with his warm, mocha complexion. Clay is of African American and Filipino descent, the latter being mostly evident in his eyes, which sit below perfectly maintained eyebrows.

Having done a decent amount of modeling as a child and teenager, Clayton mastered the gaze, or ‘smeyes’, as Tyra Banks coined it, at an early age. Even when engaging in everyday conversations, Clay’s posture and expressions are always camera ready and captivating. Clay’s clothing choices are simple, yet fashionable. He wears dark-wash jeans and opts for plain, solid colored t-shirts that are just tight enough to display all of his hard work. In the colder months he adds equally fitted blazers, sports coats, and leather jackets into the mix. Through the combination of a strict, healthy diet and a balanced workout regime, Clayton has a finely-tuned muscular physique. His sculpted form is not only aesthetically pleasing, but useful and sometimes necessary in his line of work.

.:| P E R S O N A L I T Y |:.

Clayton is a people person, simply put. The man could and would chat up a pole if there wasn’t another person around to talk to. Clay is an extrovert in every sense of the word, preferring to keep conversation flowing even if, especially if, it ends up revolving around him. If there is an awkward silence, he will fill it. When walking through or standing in a room, he tends to stick to the center of it. If he sees a group of people chatting or hears of a social event, he will almost always join in.

Though Clay may be a conversational commander, it never comes off as bragging or offensive in any way. His confident smile is contagious, and he seeks to make everyone feel included in a group by figuring out what they like and starting up a conversation about that. If other people don’t have anything to add, Clay is more than happy to talk about topics that he likes and is passionate about.

For the most part, Clay is a very likeable man - those who would say otherwise are the ones that have seen Clay’s ugly side. He struggles with honesty, the white lies of his childhood grew and bled into his adult life in much more toxic ways. This dishonest nature has led to the downfall of many of Clayton’s intimate relationships, which goes hand-in-hand with Clay’s other major struggle: commitment. Whether it be a relationship, a job, or a house… Clayton bores easily. He is very aware of his noncommittal ways and is actively trying to combat them. Clayton dreams of meeting the one, and settling down with them, perhaps even raising a family, but he almost always runs from or ruins any chances at reaching this goal. Clay hopes that a fresh start at Lakewood Summit will be enough to make an honest man of him.

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.:| H I S T O R Y |:.

Clayton was born to a wealthy Southern Californian couple on July 9th, 1980. Clay’s father, Elijah, was a best-selling romance novelist while his mother, Chesa, was primarily a model, but also a small-time television actress, featuring mostly in daytime dramas. Given his parents’ professions, Clayton and his twin sister, Claire, grew up wanting for nothing. They attended private school together and in the 3rd grade, Chesa used her connections to kick off the children’s own modeling careers.

Modeling wasn’t really proposed as an option, but both the Bennett children enjoyed it none-the-less. Being a closeted homosexual up until college, modeling gave Clayton the confidence that he needed to thrive in school, despite the secret that he kept hidden deep inside. Clayton obviously didn’t have too many girlfriends, but his good looks, charismatic charm, and position as halfback on the football team netted him popularity in high school. Claire, however, was less fortunate. She had plenty of boyfriends and popularity, of course, but the pressures of the modeling industry led to her developing an eating disorder.

Claire spent the majority of her senior year of high school being treated at an inpatient care facility for anorexia nervosa and anxiety disorder. Seeing the negative effects that the beauty industry had had on his twin sister urged Clayton to quit modeling before graduating high school. Even when Claire was released and recovering, Clay never looked back to modeling. He had instead been accepted at San Diego State University’s School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, where he eventually earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis on a fitness specialist career track.

It was during his time at SDSU that Clayton finally felt comfortable enough to come out to both his family and friends. Elijah wasn’t warm and receptive about the news that his son preferred men, in fact he became much more cold and distant after the news, but his mother was far more accepting, being that the model had a few GBFs herself. Claire had given him the biggest hug and said that she had always known, twin ESP and all, and that it never made her love him any less. Once out, Clay had a new boyfriend almost every year in college, but none of them really stuck for the long term.

When Clayton graduated with his bachelor’s degree, Chesa was able to use her acting connections to get Clay’s foot in the door in Hollywood. Clayton had no interest in acting, he instead put his degree to use by becoming both a personal trainer and bodyguard-for-hire for the rich and famous. He was paid handsomely to stand by in tailored suits and look appropriately brutish and menacing whilst guarding his primarily young, female clientele.

In ten years time, Clayton had grown his private business into a significant source of wealth. He had made a name for himself and rubbed elbows with the right people in order to climb in social status. In 2013, Clay became the personal trainer of the indie movie movie star heartthrob, Jason Hayes. Jason was Clay’s highest profile client to-date and, over the first few months of their relationship, the lines between business and pleasure had been crossed. Oh, there was pleasure, and there was lots of it. Jason was openly and proudly bisexual, so their romantic relationship quickly became a public one.

The press loved the couple, constantly watching and snapshotting their outings together, including Jason’s romantic proposal to Clayton in Cancun. It was the picture perfect moment… and the picture perfect life, or so it seemed. Jason doted on his fiance, they even moved in together in Hayes’ Beverly Hills mansion during their year-long engagement.

Jason often had to leave the state or the country whilst filming, which left Clayton with a lot of time to himself - a lot of time to make mistakes. When Jay wasn’t wrapped up in work, he was frenzied with wedding plans. The publicity and commitment caused Clay to grow flakey - not that he would ever show that in his photo-ready demeanor. For someone with no interest in acting, he was certainly quite good at it. It was during one of Jason’s many filming excursions that Clay had made his first mistake - Bradley French. Clayton continued to make this mistake again and again, very careful to keep the affair out of the public eye. As it turns out, it is much easier to dodge the paparazzi than it is to keep the prying eyes of your fiance in the dark.

When Jason learned of the affair, he immediately called off the engagement. Clayton moved out of their Beverly Hills home the next week with the promise that neither of them would talk about what happened. Too much of their personal lives had already been made public, this did not need to be. All of this happened three months ago. To this day, there has been no official statement on the reason for their separation. There are rumors, but none from significant sources. Clay has since cut ties with Bradley and everyone else close to the situation. The deal on his new home in Lakewood Summit closed just last week, and Clayton is currently in the process of moving in. Clay is hoping to let sleeping dogs lie and have a fresh start in the pleasant suburbia that is Lakewood Summit.

.:| O C C U P A T I O N |:.

Clayton is a personal trainer and a celebrity bodyguard for hire. Personal training is the career that Clay is much more passionate about, and it is also the one that takes up the majority of his time and brings in a steady stream of income. The bodyguard job is a bit less consistent. When a foreign or young celebrity comes into town that requires accompaniment in addition to or in the absence of their own security, Clayton is one of the names in the business that they hire for the duration of their stay. Clay also is hired for back-up security on high profile celebrity events. These jobs and placements tend to bring in a lot of money, but are inconsistent and infrequent in the grand scheme of things.

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.:| H O B B I E S |:.

{{ Fitness - From eating well to cardio, strength training, bodybuilding, and reading up the latest studies and articles, Clayton’s greatest passion and lifelong hobby is fitness. }}

{{ Club Sports - Although Clayton is brand new to The Summit, he will soon be joining the Lakewood Country Club as both a member and a local personal trainer for the gym. As a member, he will be participating in the usual club sporting activities, namely tennis and golf. }}

{{ Socializing - Clayton will quickly make himself a household name in the community, hopefully only in a positive way. If there is an open invite social event or outing, he will join in if he is able. Once Clay is done unpacking some of these boxes, he hope to make the rounds and gain a new group of friends. Socializing in this new location full of wealthy beautiful people is sure to net him a few new PT clients as well. }}

.:| R E L A T I O N S H I P S |:.

Claire – sister – The twin bond never really goes away. Although their lives have lead them to different places and paths, Clayton and Claire are still very close and call each other at least once a week. Moving to Lakewood Summit was actually Claire’s suggestion after hearing about the latest scandal.

Chesa – mother – Clay get along with his mother well enough. Although Clay recognizes that she can be controlling and naive, she raised him and his sister in as loving and supportive of a way that she knew how. Chesa and Clay talk less often than he does with his sister, sometimes only on a monthly basis.

Elijah – father – Clayton’s relationship with his father is the most strained of the three. Although the man is a romance author, he has never been a warm and loving father. He doted on his wife, provided for his children, and disown his son for his gayness. As far as their father-son relationship is concerned, it could have been much worse, but it should have been better, in Clay’s opinion.

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Spectral Voices

Grace Ann Morris

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.:| Grace | 29 | Married | Bisexual | Female |:.

.:| A P P E A R A N C E |:.

The only thing about Grace’s looks that could ever be described as average is her height, as she stands at a solid five feet, four inches. She keeps her figure a petite 105 pounds by attending tri-weekly zumba classes held at the Lakewood Country Club. Her signature makeup looks are rosy lip shades, rouged cheeks, and subtly lined lashes that are naturally long and feathery. Grace is also blessed with an endlessly smooth complexion, high cheekbones, and touchably soft facial features.

As a professional woman, Grace is almost always well-dressed. The Morris family isn’t nearly as wealthy as the majority of Lakewood’s residents, which dictates a tight budget for clothing expenditures. Through thrifty practices and bargain shopping, Grace has accrued a stylish and chic wardrobe that gives even the most exclusively designer-labeled yuppies a run for their money. Of course, being young and naturally gorgeous does give her a big lead in terms of appearances.

.:| P E R S O N A L I T Y |:.

Grace is the quiet girl, the nerdy bookworm that everyone always assumes to be a shy introvert. The opposing truth is obvious to anyone that knows Grace; spending time with others is how she reenergizes and finds purpose in life. Even with reading - a typically solitary activity - Grace prefers doing so in a group setting, so that she can openly discuss themes and theatrically act out her favorite scenes.

Kindhearted and beautiful, Grace has a smile that lights up a room in more ways than one. She is a good listener and friend, the kind that people always go to when they need a shoulder to cry on. Because of her maternal personality and professional training, these people tend to leave her presence feeling uplifted and enlightened, which in turn brightens her own mood.

The young mother’s biggest fault is her reaction to the stresses of life. In moments of high pressure or times of personal struggle, Grace shuts down. She internalizes problems until they fester and explode out of her, sometimes lashing out and hurting those closest to her. At her worst, she is irritable and snippy with everyone until she does whatever needs to be done to get out of the stressful situation. Once the task is complete, or the crisis averted, Grace comes back to her normal self almost instantly.

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.:| H I S T O R Y |:.

“The American Dream” - at least that was what Mr. and Mrs. Yoo had in mind when they moved to the States from Incheon, South Korea in the late eighties with toddler-aged Gracie. Father Yoo held a PhD in molecular biology and had just accepted a position at Helix Biomedix - a Washington-based company specializing in bioactive peptides. Mrs. Yoo raised Grace as a stay at home mother for a short time before obtaining the proper local certifications to get a job in nursing.

Through the combined income of a doctoral research scientist and a registered nurse, the Yoo family earned enough to own a comfortable 4 bedroom home in Woodinville, Washington. The household priorities were as follows: God, school, passion - in that order. With strong Christian values, Grace was raised to attend church each and every Sunday that she was in good health.

When young Gracie proved that she could earn straight A’s without so much as breaking a sweat, her parents then laid out a selection of extracurricular options for her. ’Idle hands are the devil's workshop’, after all, and the Yoo’s wouldn’t want their daughter to ever grow bored and become so idle. The option that the little girl chose, naturally, was dance.

As a child, ballet was Grace’s life. She ate, slept, breathed, and dreamed dance - once her homework was complete, of course! Grace began travelling in middle school, performing tear-jerking recitals in exciting locations other than her own boring hometown. In high school, she began experimenting with other styles of dance, which is when she fell in love with salsa and hip hop. This trade off from the soft classics to a more modern, hard, and fast beat held long into college and present day.

Despite her parent’s wishes for her to become a doctor or a lawyer, Grace attended the University of Washington as a psychology major. Ever the studious girl, Grace latched on to the subject for it’s scientific foundation, but it was the human connection that truly kept her enthralled. Grace absolutely loved people. She was brought up with the ideals that her heart was supposed to reflect the light and love of Christ. While her ‘religion’ had fallen to the wayside in college, the message of kindness and love, and the need to help others, never left her heart.

It was at the end of Grace’s sophomore year in undergrad when her fellow ZTA sisters had finally convinced her to take a ‘study break’ and go to the local AEP fraternity mixer. This was the first college party that Grace had ever attended and, to this day, she thanks the heavens that she did! Brian Morris’ charming charisma and darling baby blues swept her off her feet that night. She had had a few secret boyfriends in high school, as well as a girlfriend in college, but Brian was her first ever truly serious relationship.

As it worked out, Brian would be her first and only college relationship. While Grace might have turned down the lawyer path, Brian planned to do just that upon graduation, and so, very reluctantly, Grace’s parents eventually accepted him as their beloved daughter’s boyfriend. This approval didn’t come until his acceptance letter from Harvard Law did, of course. The young couple had planned a short getaway to Washington’s pacific coast in the summer following their undergraduate graduation. It was here that Brian got down on one knee and proposed to Grace with the pacific ocean as a romantic backdrop. The ring was a cheap yellow gold with the tiniest chip of a diamond that he promised would someday be replaced by something grand, but none of that even mattered as she was excitedly jumping up and down in the sand squeaking “YES!YES!YES!”

The future Mr. and Mrs. Morris had a long engagement, as both planned on travelling to Massachusetts to further their education in the autumn following the proposal. Brian attended law school at Harvard while Grace worked towards her PhD in counseling psychology at Boston University. With their respective schools being only a 15 minute drive apart, the betrothed were able to get a small apartment together in the city. The closest-sized shack had a beat up oven that unevenly cooked most meals and a fussy sink that flooded that bathroom at least twice a month, but it was affordable and local, so the couple made it work for the four years that they lived in Boston.

As graduation present to the couple, Grace’s parents surprised them by gifting them ten thousand dollars to go towards their wedding budget in addition to the five grand that Brian’s parents offered. The couple used this obscene amount of money to fund a lavish beach wedding on the very same sands that Brian had proposed at, which was followed by a fully catered, open bar reception at the nearby resort and casino.

The Morris’ moved into a small apartment close to home in Washington following their wedding. Brian busied himself with making connections in the world of law, while Grace worked as an adjunct psychology professor at the local community college. The newlyweds accidentally became pregnant within the first year of their marriage and Grace gave birth to Elena Marie on July 20^th, 2013. It was in this year that Brian landed his first major job as a lawyer, which the young family had to relocate to California for. The family of three rented a small two-bedroom house while Brian worked his tail off and Grace raised Elena at home. In 2014, Brian had climbed the ranks in his companies and gained the connections that got the Morris’ the house that they currently live in at Lakewood Summit.

The past two years at The Summit have been a wild ride. The expenses of this new lavish lifestyle were hard to keep up with but, thankfully, the guidance counselor position at Lakewood Academy opened up in 2015 and Grace’s education and credentials, combined with being so local, made for an easy and immediate hire once she passed the PRAXIS. With their finances stabilized and the future ahead, the Morris’ intentionally tried for their second child and Grace gave birth to Brian Daniel Jr just one month ago.

.:| O C C U P A T I O N |:.

Grace works as the sole guidance counselor at Lakewood Academy. As such, she acts as a therapist, counselor, course scheduler, and career coach for children from the ages of 5 to 18. Helping students with their mental and emotional health and seeing the teens get into their dream colleges through her guidance and assistance are the most fulfilling parts of her job, but also the most stressful. Grace is currently on paid maternity leave while she cares for her newborn son and is set to return to work in a few short weeks.

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.:| H O B B I E S |:.

{{ Dancing - Grace took ballet lessons growing up and now enjoys zumba for the fitness as well as a means for releasing pent up aggression and energy. Dance has been and always will be one of Grace’s greatest passions.}}

{{ Reading - Attends the Lakewood Summit Book Club run by Hadrian. Grace also frequents the local bookshop just outside the gates. Reading is her escape from the stresses of reality and she often keeps at least three ‘for leisure’ books on hand in her office at work. }}

{{ Wine - Yes, wine can be a hobby if you try really hard. Grace isn’t an alcoholic by any means, at least not if you ask her, but a fine merlot sure does one good when it comes to de-stressing. This hobby often goes hand in hand with reading and the book club - they should really call it the Lakewood Summit Book and Wino Club. }}

.:| R E L A T I O N S H I P S |:.

Brian Daniel Morris – husband – College sweethearts, they have been married for four years.
Elena Marie Morris – daughter – This rambunctious and adorable little girl has been the light of Grace’s life for the past 3 years.
Brian Daniel Morris Jr. – son – One month old Brian Jr is still too young to have a developed relationship with his parents, besides one of complete and utter affection, and constant care.
Princess – pet – The Morris’ bought this pup for Elena’s second birthday. She is a loved and adored member of the family, and Elena named her, of course.

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Spectral Voices

Margaret Elizabeth Williams

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.:| Maggie | 65 | Married | Heterosexual | Female |:.

.:| A P P E A R A N C E |:.

Margaret stands at 5’8 and weighs 140 pounds. She keeps her figure trim by following a strict exercise routine, making use of both the track at North Park and the gym in the Country Club. At 65 years old, Maggie is showing definite signs of her age. She must continually dye her hair a cornsilk blonde to counteract the stubborn grey beneath. Her eyes are accented by crows feet from years of laughing or scowling, not many are sure which she did more of. Wrinkles also line Margaret’s mouth from her long time habit of pinching her lips to smoke cigarettes.

The wardrobe of this ex-celebrity is about as hard to describe as she herself is. Margaret has a flair for the dramatic and can be seen in fluffy boa-like scarves, elaborate hats, and full-on sequined, bedazzled get-ups… or, she will wear simple, slimming black dresses, classy strings of pearls, and sensible shoes. Regardless of whatever outfit of the day Margaret is wearing, it is clear that the woman proudly comes from a place of wealth and elegance.

.:| P E R S O N A L I T Y |:.

Most residents of Lakewood Summit know Margaret Williams as the friendly old woman that greeted them upon arriving to the community. She is ever the loving and supporting wife, mother, and grandmother, often seen doting on her loved ones at the local parks and gatherings. With her thick southern drawl and her attendance of church every Sunday morning, most assume that she is a kind-hearted, god-fearing woman. For the residents that have only met Margaret in these circumstances, that is all they know.

Beneath the guise of the innocent elderly lady act, Margaret is ruthless and opinionated. She has her beliefs and thoughts on certain subjects, and she will stick to them until the bitter end. In her younger years, she was subtle in her judgements. Now, she wears them like a badge of pride. If she likes a person, they will know it… if she doesn’t, well, they may or may not know it. Keeping up appearances is very important to the woman and a person’s social status will play a big factor in whether or not she publically displays her distaste with them. Her gossipy tongue may occasionally slip and spread dirt regardless of social status, especially if the story is juicy enough.

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.:| H I S T O R Y |:.

Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Margaret has her roots in the deep south. Her 1950s Alabama upbringing heavily influenced her passions for cooking and homemaking. Maggie was a studious girl, passing all of her classes with flying colors. In the winter of her junior year of high school, Margaret met the love of her life - Stephen James Williams. Their romance lasted through high school and on the day of graduation, Stephen asked Margaret to be his wife.

Neither Margaret nor Stephen’s parents came from money, so the couple had a relatively small wedding in 1969. The newlyweds had saved up enough to road trip to Florida for their honeymoon and spent a few weeks enjoying married life before Stephen left to join the marines. During his time with the marines, Stephen fought in the Vietnam War, often sending letters back to his love. To this day, Maggie has a wooden box containing each and every letter - wrought with spelling errors, but full of love.

Margaret spent her lonely years as a military wife keeping up a small two bedroom home with the combination of her husband’s pay and what she made dressmaking and hemming clothing. Stephen returned home after five years in Vietnam do to an injury that he sustained. Once Stephen was nursed back to health, their life together truly began.

In the summer of 1974, Margaret and Stephen found out they were pregnant. Maggie had always wanted a family and was so very excited to have a little baby girl to dote on. Unfortunately for the young couple, Margaret miscarried in the third trimester. The miscarriage had a brutally negative effect on the pair. As such, they did not try to have another child for a few more years, and Margaret picked up her smoking habit and love affair with gin to cope with the loss.

When Margaret became pregnant a second timea few years later, it was a surprise. At first, it scared her deeply, but the pregnancy went smoothly and Stephen and Maggie were blessed with a handsome boy. David was their only son and was raised with the best that they could offer, and all the love in the world. The family of three lived a simple, happy, all-american life until the Fall of 1993 - when Margaret was contacted by a scouting agent from Hollywood. At the time, she was competing in the Alabama State Fair pie making competition. When Maggie was announced the winner, the scout asked her to host a local demonstration and her culinary talent and charisma charmed the masses. The rest, they say, was history.

Margaret, Stephen, and their teenage son David dug up their roots and relocated from Alabama to Southern California in the Spring of 1994. The move was traumatic, but exciting none-the-less. Working through beginning stages of the Food Network had been a more rough and daunting task than Maggie had ever expected. She loved her job, and the paycheck it brought in, but the amount of work she put in every week was exhausting. It was only through the supportive love of her husband and the ever-present flask of spirits in her purse that she kept her sanity through the years. There was also a time that Margaret dabbled in hard drug use, mostly cocaine. She didn't come clean to Stephen about this until some years after the fact.

Stephen and Margaret had accrued enough wealth to purchase a coveted six bedroom, four and a half bathroom home in Lakewood Summit in the Summer of 1997. It was in this home that they saw their son grow into the proud man he is today, and where they helped raise their lovely grandchildren. Margaret retired from her position with the Food Network in 2014 and has peacefully enjoyed the first two years of her retirement in the company of Stephen and her ever-growing family.

.:| O C C U P A T I O N |:.

Retired celebrity chef with multiple Food Network specials that ran for nearly 20 years, the most notable being “Meals With Maggie”. Her cooking style was distinctly southern with an emphasis on creating entirely complete meals, from hors d'oeuvres to desserts and cocktails. This career is what netted the couple a good portion of the money to settle into Lakewood Summit. In the time between high school and the launch of her cooking career, Maggie made a living as a seamstress and housewive.

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.:| H O B B I E S |:.

{{ Gardening - Maggie boasts not only the best personal flower gardens - she has won 1st place in the Lakewood Summit Flower & Garden Show for the past 5 years - but her husband and herself also meticulous keep up a fruitful vegetable garden on their property. Margaret was also the catalyst to the initiation of the Lakewood Summit community gardens project through her past involvement with the Homeowner’s Association. }}
{{ Cooking & Baking - Margaret did not have a career as a celebrity chef for 20 years for the fame alone, she genuinely has a love for all things culinary. If you just moved into the neighborhood, Maggie will be there with her freshly-baked chocolate cake, if you just lost a loved one, she’ll be there to the rescue with a week’s worth of casseroles, and the Academy bake-sales are always well-stocked with her artisanal confections. }}
{{ Sewing - Before becoming a celebrity chef, Margaret made her living as a seamstress. She learned needlework and quilting from her mother as a young girl and the hobby stuck. To this day, Maggie makes her own curtains and quilts as well as dresses for her granddaughter. There isn’t an official Lakewood Summit sewing club, but Margaret organizes events and lessons for the younger girls in the town who ‘don’t know what it means to be a wife anymore’. }}

.:| R E L A T I O N S H I P S |:.

Stephen Williams – Husband – High school sweethearts, lovingly married for the past 57 years.
David Williams – Son – Brief description of relationship.
??? Williams – Grandchild – Brief description of relationship.

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Spectral Voices

Nikolai Ian Zabrecky

^{Skin • Chameleon Boy • The End}

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"If you look in the mirror and don't like what you see,
you can find out firsthand what it's like to be me."

_{- MCR -}

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NAME }} Nikolai
NICKNAME }} Nik or Niki, these are prefered to Nikolai
AGE }} 16
DIAGNOSIS }} Gender dysphoria (while in and of itself not a mental disorder, the clinically significant anxiety and depression associated with dysphoria sometimes needs treatment) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder

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^{{{ EQUITABLE • INSECURE • OBSESSIVE • EFFEMINATE • ANXIOUS }}}

PERSONALITY }} Niki typically goes through life as a wallflower, quietly blending in with baggy clothes in muted colors. They don’t want to be noticed, not really. If someone does happen to notice them, that person will find a kind hearted and open minded individual, despite their brokenness, perhaps even because of it. Silent and introverted, Nik much prefers listening to talking, especially now that their voice has grown deeper - they don’t like to hear it out loud. Regardless of insecurities, listening to others’ thoughts and ideas and feelings has always been better than dwelling on one’s own struggles. The teen’s quiet nature can make them seem aloof and stoic, but they are by no means judgemental or closed off. Those closest to Niki know that Nik will fight more to support their friends than they ever would fight for themself. This combination of traits makes a Niki a hard friend to make, but a good friend to have and keep.

STRENGTHS }}

• Open-minded and receptive listener.
• Genuine and Honest
• Imaginative

WEAKNESSES }}

• Overly self critical - This sometimes manifests physically in the form of skin picking and other self-harming behaviors.
• Mirrors - Nik is either obsessively looking in them to analyze their reflection, or obsessively avoiding them in shame of their own appearance.
• Disordered eating - It would be easy to misdiagnose Nik with anorexia nervosa, as some patients with BDD often are, but Niki goes through bouts of complete avoidance of food as a means to cope with their discontent in their own body. It is not that Niki sees themself as overweight, it is the incessant recurring negative thoughts about their own body being imperfect and mismatched that pushes Nik to change it. As plastic surgery isn’t an option yet, eating is something that Niki can and does limit to alter their appearance.

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HISTORY }} It was obvious to Nikolai’s parents from a very young age that their son was different. On christmas he asked for both Tonka trucks and Barbie dolls. He would go outside and catch bugs and then come inside to play princess dress up with his sister. Kids can be like that sometimes, so his parents didn’t think much of it. The other children didn’t seem to mind, so why should they, if Nikolai was doing what made him happy?

When Nikolai was in late elementary and early middle school, things grew more complicated. The girls in his class started wearing make-up and giggling about bras and boys. Nik wanted to be like them, so he talked to his parents about this and, because they loved him, his mother took him the store and picked out some makeup and training bras. Nik proudly wore these things to school the next day.

At first, everything went unnoticed by his peers. The makeup was subtle, and the bra hidden safely under his shirt. Nik was confident and happy, feeling pretty, like he had always wanted to. This happiness was short lived, as adolescents tend to ostracize those who stray from the social norm. Niki dared to wear a dress after convincing his mother that it would be okay, that his friends said it would be fine. It wasn’t okay, and those ‘friends’ laughed at him. Nikolai was brutally bullied by his fellow students, physically by the boys and socially by the girls. He quickly became a social outcast, labeled ‘freak’ and ‘gay’ and whatever other unclever nicknames the kids had cooked up on any particular day.

The bullying grew so intense that Nik’s parents had to relocate so that their child could attend a different school and have a brand new start. Unbeknownst to them, it was already too late, the internal damage had been done. Nikolai had become a different person; Their once bright and colorful child had faded to grey. The criticisms of his peers had become his own, yet amplified. The older he got, the less he felt like a he… but not completely like she, either. They became they, and they became no one.

A new school did little to improve Nik’s quality of life. They went to class and did their homework, because they had to. They came home and sat alone in their room, avoiding parents and what few friends they had still managed to keep. Sometimes they would stare at the full length mirror behind their door for hours, a black sharpie in hand that they used to draw X’s above all of the flaws in their reflection. No one is sure when those markered X’s on the mirror turned into razor kisses on their skin, but they did. Niki intentionally picked out and wore baggy clothing to hide the scars and marks, and also to camouflage their body.

This downhill spiral of unseen psychological warfare and battles with self harm led to where these struggles unfortunately sometimes do lead. One month ago, Nik switched directions and intentionally cut deeper. Whether it was the sight of so much blood, or the sheer loss of it, Niki passed out almost immediately. They awoke in a hospital bed, confused and bandaged up with a very forlorn looking mother and father staring back at them. After a period of physical healing, Nik is currently being checked into Treewit for mental healing, and has yet to receive a bed assignment or meet any other patients.

OTHER }} Currently prefers they/their pronouns because their gender identity is still undefined.

_{FC: Stav Strashko Color: E9967A (DarkSalmon)}

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SoS: Semblance of Suburbia

I have finally finished my last character, Clayton. He is added to my initial character tab post. I apologize it took so long, life got busy, as it tends to do sometimes. I can't wait to get the IC started with @Universorum. Thank you all for your patience! <3

Treewit Psychiatric Hospital for Adolescents

@foxygen *sends vicious hate mail* _{Jk I love you to the moon and back}

I hope school calms down a bit soon, I miss you. Excited for this whenever it does start, no rush!