The Muse

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Bumping this in case anyone else might be interested in joining. Still accepting new characters :)

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: The Alchemy Chamber & The Village Square

"You really ought to take better care of yourself." Eris heard from the corner of her study, where an apparition resembling her eldest brother stood, arms folded across his chest. The brunette looked up from a journal full of scribbled notes, a brow raised. "Oh?" She set the journal down on a desk, giving her full attention to the being that had been conjured from her own magic.

"Your dedication to your work is admirable, but it's excessive. It's pointless, you know. You should look after yourself while you still can," Her brother advised, gazing down upon her judgmentally. "Perhaps consider finding a partner, settling down, and doing something more fulfilling with your time... This," He gestured towards her desk cluttered with books and paperwork, his brows furrowed in concern. "isn't worth sacrificing your well-being for."

"Tsk." With a swift motion, Eris swiped her hand to the left and dismissed the illusion, the visage of her brother dissipating into the darkness. "My illusions are becoming too vivid for comfort," She mumbled to herself, glaring back down at her journal as she ruminated on what her brother's apparition had said. Though merely a product of her magic, the apparition echoed her brother's words perfectly. Summoning his likeness often annoyed her, the magic weaving its way through her memory and presenting him in the way she remembered him. However, it also brought her comfort and companionship during the times she needed it the most. She felt so displaced in Dawnhaven, and at times like a fraud, but at least she could conjure up her brother to feel at home again. It was a tether to her past, a reminder of home when she felt adrift.

Refocusing on the journal, Eris delved into the notes that Prince Flynn himself had written. He had taken it upon himself to personally interview each of the blight born that had been taken under their jurisdiction, meticulously jotting down details for her to analyze. He had done this at her request and, thankfully, he had obliged. While she found the mutated humans fascinating, she couldn't shake her underlying fear of them. The stories she'd heard back in Aurelia had been horrifying and there was no telling what they were capable of. So far things had been fairly calm surrounding the blight born in town, which made her slightly more comfortable around them, but she wasn't quite ready to conduct in-depth interviews with them by herself. Flynn's assistance had been invaluable, yet as she struggled to decipher his handwriting, she wondered if she should start doing the interviews alongside him instead.

Feeling the need to clear her mind, Eris set aside the journal and left her study. "I'll be back later," she informed the other sages, who barely glanced up from their work in response. "Goddess be with you," they called back, their focus quickly returning to their tasks as she passed by.

Stepping out of the Alchemy Chambers, Eris was greeted by the brisk chill of the eternal night. She closed her eyes, savoring the sensation as it tingled against her Aurelian skin, unaccustomed to such temperatures. It felt oddly refreshing, and she took a moment to relish it beneath the glow of the full moon and the gentle serenade of crickets from the forest beyond the village's edge. As she opened her eyes, Eris caught a glimpse of snow flakes gently drifting down from sky. A smile graced her lips as she extended her palm, watching the delicate flakes dissolve upon touching her warm skin. This was her first time having ever seen snow at all. She wished her brother could have seen it with her.

As the gravel crunched underfoot, Eris glanced up to see a familiar figure making his way toward the tavern."Sunni," She called, her soft voice easily piercing the quiet of the night. She did not know the man well, but she had heard of him when they both lived in Aurelia. He had a reputation of his own, just as she did. Moreover, being the Prince's closest friend, he exuded a certain level of trustworthiness to her. Prince Flynn, from what Eris could tell, seemed to be a man of integrity, so she assumed that he would keep similar people in his inner circle. "Any news on when that shipment of Emberbloom might arrive?" She inquired as she approached him. Two weeks prior, she had requested Emberbloom, a native flower to Aurelia that had potent healing properties that she intended to test on blighted objects.

Without thinking of her footing, Eris' foot caught underneath a tree root that protruded from the ground. With a startled squeak, Eris stumbled forward and found herself tumbling headfirst onto the gravel path in front of Sunni. Just barely managing to break her fall with her hands before her face hit the dirt, Eris took a breath to figure out what had just happened to her. Hands stinging in pain and her cheeks flush with embarrassment, Eris hopped back up onto her feet. "Uh... Sorry about that." she laughed nervously, struggling to meet Sunni's gaze as she dusted her hands off on her dress.

Instead, her eyes darted around the village, soon finding the silhouette of a winged man sitting atop the tavern roof, outlined by the moons radiance overhead. She knew immediately that it was Pleiades, a blight born man whom she had been avoiding for some time. If he had been paying attention, he certainly would have seen her clumsy mishap. The thought only deepened her blush, causing her to promptly return her focus on Sunni. "The Emberbloom.. it's, uh, quite important... you know," She stammered, her smile strained as she attempted to downplay the incident. "For healing purposes... and all..."

---

_{Interactions: Sunni @The Savant
Mentions: Pleiades @The Savant}

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Just posted our new lead researcher into my post on the character tab :)

Realms of Sun & Shadow

@The Savant is the header creation Master haha

Realms of Sun & Shadow

@amorphical Go right ahead! :)

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Just an update here as well: I've added "Story Notes" to the first post of the Character tab and will be adding world lore as well. I'll let you guys know when that gets updated :)

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: Village Square & The Tavern. Time: 10am

Octavia left the Lunaris royal guard with an aching suspicion in her stomach — my father must have sent them to report back. She could not think of any other reason why the guards would be sent here. There were dangers, yes, but she knew her father. He always had double-sided intentions with anything kind that he did. Quickly making her way to where she assumed her husband would be, the princess of Lunaris had slightly pink cheeks from frustration.

When she saw her husband, she felt a tinge of relief, but an overwhelming amount of all the other emotions. “Flynn,” her voice came out more desperate than she wanted it to sound. “Did you know my father was sending royal guards?” Those words popped out of her mouth before she could even think. They were not what she initially wanted to say, but it opened up a conversation with them at least.

She wanted to talk about her list, how not one-fourth of it was completed, and it was the list for the winter. It should have been completed around today. Everything on the list wouldn’t be completed for another month. She was worried about the Aurelians and she was specifically worried for Flynn and Sunni —- be that she might interact with them the most. She was still worried about the harsh winter presenting itself at their doors.

"There you are." Flynn's expression was fraught with worry as he heard his wife call to him, "Are you okay?" Ignoring her question for the time being, he put his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her to face him as he looked her over, as if the royal guards might've harmed her. Even under the glow of the torches that lined Dawnhaven's streets he could see that her face was flushed which made him even more worried than he already had been.

While he had been searching for her, and that military unit sent by her father, Flynn's mind raced with scenarios of why the King of Lunaris would possibly send a group to Dawnhaven without Flynn and Octavia's knowledge or consent. They had been granted full autonomy of this land and yet it was being intruded upon by Octavia's family already. Did the King intend to use this as a way to control them? To keep Octavia and Flynn in line? To watch them and report back? To intimidate Flynn? To take matters into their own hands if Flynn and Octavia did not find a cure or have a child fast enough? Each scenario he thought of was more unsettling than the last. Knowing Octavia was just as skeptical of her father as he was of his, Flynn's concern for her safety was at the forefront of his mind.

“Depending on your definition of fine, either way, but currently mine is not. Do not trust them. I wrote to my father asking for seamstresses or the common folk he mistreats to come help with construction and he sent his personal royal knights,” She did not quite ask her father like that in the letter. It was worded more professionally and vaguely than that. Her eyes glanced at Flynn’s hands on her shoulder and her body tensed slightly though she had to remind herself. Sunni told her to try and warm up. Flynn isn’t that bad of a guy. — He is allowed to touch you. It is fine. — Her thoughts ran through her head as she closed her eyes to help her think.

Her blue’s opened up, “Do not trust them. Those guards will report anything and everything back to my father. True or false. Be careful what you say to them. I fear that he sent them because of the blight born in Dawnhaven. He had immoral and horrendous plans to slaughter those people out of fear,” Octavia only knew of her father’s possible plans when she snuck into his study to see what he was up to. She was nosy, especially with her parents' mysterious activities. Her father especially intrigued her when his statements would be indirect and avoid giving her answers.

“They sent Adonis Cowain, he was supposed to be the head of those plans for my father,” Octavia was most concerned about that man. He was charming and attractive, tall, and someone that people were intimidated by along with instantly respecting with blind eyes. She didn’t care for his lackeys either. The princess had suspicions, worries, and no good feelings about their arrival.

Noticing the way Octavia glanced at his hands, Flynn released his grip on her shoulders and took a step back to give her some space, clasping his hands behind his back instead. "I agree, they are not to be trusted." His eyes moved past her and looked towards the home that had been built for one of his trusted advisors who was, in fact, a blight-born himself. "I will have Orion keep an eye on them, discreetly." He looked back towards Octavia then, his green eyes meeting her blues. "They will have no place here should they step out of line even once. I will see to it."

Although Flynn did not yet love her, he was still concerned for Octavia's safety and wellbeing. He took his oath to her very seriously, even if they had been forced into it. She had been somewhat cold to him in the two months they had been married, but he didn't blame her. Octavia had been thrown away like a pawn by her family, just as Flynn had been. Not only that, but she had been dragged to this place in the middle of nowhere to create a town by her new husband who did not offer her a say in the matter before making such a decision. He sympathized with her and felt guilty at the same time, but he always struggled to find the words to communicate that with her.

Just then, Flynn noticed a small white speck float from the sky and land softly atop Octavia's dark hair. He looked up towards the sky, the full moon illuminating the dusting of snow that was beginning to fall. "Oh, look at that." He smiled, ignorant to what the snow truly meant for how quickly the climate would begin to change in Lunaris. "I've never seen the first snowfall of the season before."

Octavia could not help her sigh of relief hearing her husband be stern and forward on the matter. It eased her worries a little bit. She was worried for the blight born and she knew how negatively her parents viewed the cursed ones. They were still people. “Thank you. I appreciate it,” It gave her a little more securing faith in her husband. She was not used to him or this whole situation — marriage and starting their own settlement. It was overwhelming.

Then his attention seemed to go somewhere else and she followed his eyes up. “Snow?” she whispered as if she had never seen a fleck of it in her life. That caused the sinking feeling of what she came to Flynn for in the first place before the guards interrupted her little mission. “Snow.” Her voice was panicked.

“That’s the reason I was trying to find you in the first place. I had a list that was to be done before snowfall. Before the first day of winter, Flynn. It’s not even a third done… The winters are harsh and unforgiving. My father would let people suffer and die for he believes only the strong should survive and that creates a prosperous society. I need to bother Mister Emberani as well,” She began to rub her temples in a tad bit of stress. She was frustrated —- not necessarily at anyone but everything. The material shipments she set up with Sunni were running behind. “People will surely die if we do not prepare for the winter. It is supposed to be the harshest winter in at least two decades,” Octavia mentioned as she stared up at the moon with wide eyes and a sadness in them. “People will die,” She sounded so certain of it.

Flynn's playful smile fell as Octavia became visibly stressed, his brows furrowing with worry once more. He listened to her intently, feeling the panic that was beginning to exude from her. Although he knew that the Lunaris winters were harsh, it was clear that he and his kingdom must have underestimated it if Octavia was so concerned. Flynn had been making preparations for winter, but he thought things were going well and that they would be supplied enough to make it through. Clearly, his wife thought otherwise.

"I will send word to my contacts in Aurelia to send supplies immediately." He replied, his mind churning with ideas of how he could speed up the process. "Sunni will be able to help..." He glanced past Octavia to look at the tavern that had been built, sure he would find his best friend there. "...I think." Sunni was reliable when people needed him - most of the time. He was very well connected within the merchants circle as well, which would help. There was no telling whether his family would actually help him with this task or not. Perhaps Sunni could do more for them.

"We won't let people die." He assured her, though he wasn't quite sure if he believed himself yet. At the very least, Flynn wouldn't stand idle and watch people die like their fathers would. "These people followed us here willingly..." He looked around the village square, at the cabins and shops that were being constructed and the small handful of people who walked along the dirt and gravel streets. "I'll have them sleep in our own home in the warmth and eat our food before I let them die."

Seeing his playful smile fade caused a neutral expression to overcome his wife’s features. She didn’t mean to ruin the mood. That was something she felt like she was good at when it came to her new husband. Her eyes fell to her hands that had managed to fold into each other. “Thank you… I know that I have been an issue when it comes to my demands. I just want to make sure there are minimal casualties and issues. If the winter gets bad. Supplies will not make it through the mountain passes,” Octavia felt like she needed to explain herself a little. Being stressed along with the forced marriage had rattled her, placing her into a defensive position, but she was being encouraged by Elara to ease up on the prince of Aurelia.

Her eyes glanced up and a slight warm smile appeared on her face, a little twinkle of hope in her eyes, “I know everyone has been trying their best to help. I feel bad for bothering Mister Emberani all the time. He looked exhausted last night when he came to see me,” She had Sunni in her room last night when they were talking about shipments and dates of arrival. She was requesting more from him as well though she had noticed the dying expression on the man’s face. He was working himself into the ground.

“Thank you for supporting our people,” She felt like he needed to be thanked even if it felt weird to do so. Octavia understood that if she felt so stressed that Flynn was probably feeling even more stressed about his own duties. Gaining enough courage in the moment during these words, she went to reach for his hands, but they were behind his back. That was when she anxiously tucked them under the midnight blue and maize shawl that she had around her shoulders. Trying her best to make it look like she was adjusting her clothing instead of reaching for his touch.

A wave of guilt washed over Flynn as Octavia explained herself apologetically, making him wonder what he had done to make her feel like a burden, or if it was her family who had always made her feel like a burden. "You are never an issue. You are my future queen and you shall make any demands you please, even of me." He replied with the smallest hint of a smile before his expression turned serious once more. "I should have consulted with you earlier... I.. I'm very sorry." He bowed his head respectfully, staring at the dirt beneath their feet, where small flecks of snow were beginning to collect and quickly melt.

Flynn lifted his head again, a smirk on his face now. "You should never feel bad about bothering Sunni, either. He bothers me all the time." He joked of his friend, glancing towards the tavern. "In fact, why don't we bother him now? I think it's time I return the favor."

Reaching out his hand, the Prince waited to see if she would oblige him and entwine her fingers with his so they could walk hand-in-hand to the tavern. "Shall we?"

Octavia and her younger sister were considered burdens onto the royal family of Lunaris by their father. He wanted sons. His first born was Octavia, then his second was Sylestar, and then years later their younger brother was born. The favorite child. When Flynn reassured her that she could bother him and make her demands, she really didn’t know how to respond, so a somewhat forced smile appeared on her face before she glanced away. It was difficult to navigate how she should interact with the man in front of her. With the experience of her own father, along with hearing about the king of Aurelia, and how the majority of father’s appeared to be — she was fearful that Flynn was hiding another side of himself.

“No, do not apologize,” she commented while anxiously dusting off her clothing to flatten it out upon her body. She was thinking, “Everything will get here sooner and later. The list will be completed but I hope it is completed before the brunt force of winter starts,” Octavia was worried about the majority of the list not being completed by the time the snow started getting heavy and dangerous.

A light laugh left her when Flynn said Sunni bothers him, “I believe he bothers quite a few people,” The redheaded man even bothered her at times. He was energetic and sometimes she couldn’t handle the hyperness of that man. “I suppose we can,” her blue eyes went towards the inn that was built. It was a nice place for how small the town has been.

Then she noticed his hand was reached out to her in an offer. Octavia seemed to stare at it for a few seconds as if she was considering a few things. Her eyes glanced up to his greens. Her eyes glanced down to his hand again before she cautiously reached out. The woman seemed so on edge when it came to touching the man. As she hesitated, she began to pull her hand back, and her face almost looked serious as if she was making a bigger decision than holding hands.

Octavia finally made a decision and her hand fell into Flynn’s, “We shall,” She replied quietly but her eyes didn’t meet his, she seemed to look at their hands more than anything, as if she was having plenty of conversations in her head.

When Octavia finally slipped her hand into his, a flutter of nervous energy surged through the Prince. Her touch was soft, and her hand felt so much smaller compared to his, yet their hands seemed to fit perfectly together. The initial contact was both exhilarating and nerve wracking, but Flynn felt like he had finally made a positive step in the right direction with his wife. For the first time, he felt that there might be hope for them.

"After you, my love." Holding the door to the tavern open for her, he decided to try out a pet name, uncertain of her reaction but bolstered by his recent success at hand-holding. Glancing inside the tavern, he noticed the military unit seated at the bar. His playful demeanor quickly began to dissipate as he realized the importance of maintaining his princely persona, especially in their presence.

Octavia couldn’t stop her expression from twisting when the man referred to her as — my love — she wouldn’t necessarily say that title fit, not yet. Forcing down the little rumble of a comment she wanted to say, a smile was forced to her lips, and instead of saying what she initially thought, she let out, “Thank you.” Before she entered the inn which was livelier than other times she had stepped into the building.

Noticing the military unit and personal guard of her father, she tensed, though her eyes shot other places. She was looking for Mister Emberani though she could not spot him in the common area. Her eyes glanced by her husband before they took a second look at him. He was tense as well — The guards must be bothering him. Maybe I shouldn’t have warned him like I did… — Her eyes glanced up to his face before moving around the room a little more.

"Good Morning." Flynn greeted as he stepped forward, his voice resonating with a deep timbre that commanded attention and respect without the need for raised volume - a lesson instilled in him by his father. "Welcome to Dawnhaven. I've just been informed of your visit." He looked at each of the three faces that sat at the bar, trying to gauge what sort of people they might be beyond the surface. "Do you intend to stay long? Shall we have cabins arranged for each of you?" He questioned, each word carrying a weight of authority to it, though Flynn was attempting to be cordial with them while assessing their intentions.

---

_{Interactions: @PrinceAlexus
Collaboration with @The Savant}

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: The Alchemy Chamber

“So you say you are from Aurelia?”

“Yes.” Kira eyed Prince Flynn, sitting across from her on an expertly crafted wooden chair that resembled more of a throne. It's elegance contrasted sharply with the troubled times that the world faced and she found herself wondering why the prince would have such luxurious things made for him here. Were the Aurelian's truly so ignorant? It made her embarrassed to admit she had been born in Aurelia.

The Prince took a feathered ink pen into his hand and wrote down her answer, nodding his head in understanding as he pulled a candle light closer to his paper in order to see more clearly. “How long have you lived in Lunaris?”

Kira's glowing orange eyes narrowed in on him as she questioned why he was trying to pry into her past. What did this have to do with her blight-affected state? She had agreed to let him research the blight in exchange for sanctuary, but that didn't include a lesson on her own personal history before the blight. “Your Kingdom let me be taken from my home as a child and did nothing. Why does it matter?” She stared him down with fire in her eyes. “Now what else did you have to ask me about my affliction? Not my history.”

“I... am very sorry to hear that.” The prince frowned, meeting her eyes and holding her gaze for a few brief moments. Kira could hear his heart rate quicken, but he did not look away. When she saw the sympathy in his eyes, she pulled her eyes away and looked around the room filled wall to wall with books and scrolls. The Prince turned back to his paper and wrote something down before returning his attention to her, “When did you first notice you had been poisoned by the blight?”

“Pain.” She glanced down towards the ground, the images of her last few hours of human life dancing in her mind. “There was a lot of chest pain. I struggled to breathe.”

Flynn scribbled down what she said, a frown plastered onto his lips. “And how long did this last?”

“Two days... at most.” She returned her attention to what he was writing, spotting a note he had written in between his questions. "Subject is hostile towards personal questioning."

“And then?”

“I began to cough blood. I could no longer keep water or food down.” She closed her eyes as she remembered the fear she had felt during her last moments alive. Laying in her cabin in excruciating pain, blood dribbling down her lips and onto her clothing, cold and alone. “This lasted about another two days. Nearly everyone in the village had already been gone by the time it got to me.”

“And what of death? What do you recall from it, if anything?” Flynn's pained expression portrayed his inner struggle of repeatedly asking these questions to her, his discomfort evident as he diligently wrote down each word.

“Hmm...” Kira allowed a slight lift at the corners of her lips, a faint hint of a smile barely emerging. “It was... nice. I was numb. There wasn't any pain left. It felt like mercy and I was grateful.”

Flynn met her eyes for a moment, surprised by her answer. “What of your rebirth?”

“Confusion.” She recalled awakening in a pool of her own blood, the night's eerie silence broken only by the singing of crickets in the stillness of the village - now a cemetery. “I was also...” She hesitated, her gaze drifting towards his neck, where the pulsing of his jugular caught her attention. “Very hungry.” She met his eyes again, the hint of a smirk forming on her lips. “And not for roasted venison, which I use to love.” She watched the Prince write everything down, his eyes glancing up at her with intrigue. “The village reeked of blood. It was the only thing I could focus on...”

Knock Knock Knock

"Sire? I have a message." A mans voice from the other side of the wooden door.

“Come in.” Flynn called back, placing his pen down. The guard, dressed in Aurelian green and gold colors, entered the room and gave Kira a once over before turning his attention to the Prince.

"A unit from Lunaris has arrived, by order of the King. They have pledged themselves to the Princess."

Kira noted a flash of annoyance pass through the emotions on Flynn's face, though he composed himself quickly. “Very well. You are dismissed.” The guard bowed to the Prince and left the room, once more leaving Kira and the Flynn alone. “I apologize for the interruption. We shall have to pick this up at another time.” Flynn stood and walked towards the door, gesturing for her to exit ahead of him.

Kira nodded and left the room at his request, trying her best to ignore the pulse at his neck. Recalling her past had made her hungrier than she preferred to let herself be around humans. “I must go find my wife, but I will meet with you again. I appreciate your time, miss Rykker.” The Prince locked the door behind him before turning back to Kira, bowing his head to her, and swiftly left the Alchemy Chambers.

Kira watched the Prince leave before turning her attention back to the Sage who had been examining her physical changes before Flynn had arrived. She glared at him as he read through some type of scroll. If she had less restraint she might've felt like having him for a snack tonight. Fortunately for him, Kira valued this refuge she was allowed to live in.

Realms of Sun & Shadow

First Day of Winter | 40 Degrees Fahrenheit | Clear Skies

<sub>“My Dearest Son,

I hope this message finds you in good health, for my heart aches with worry and grows greater with each passing day that I do not hear from you. Your father and I pray each night for your safety, goddess willing. Your absent presence has left a void here in the kingdom, not gone unnoticed by your loving siblings. They struggle to fill the shoes you have left to fill, but they shall try evermore.

Tell me, son, how are things in Dawnhaven? How fares your new bride? Have the Goddesses blessed your union with the gift of a child yet? Is she treating you with the respect and devotion that befits a Queen? I have heard many tales of the savage ways of the Lunarian people, but I pray the bond between you two grows stronger with each day. May you both be united in love and purpose.

Remember that you are always in our thoughts and prayers, and that I await your response with great anticipation. Until then, be safe.

With all my love,

Viviana Astaros
Queen of Aurelia”</sub>

Flynn sighed as he ran his thumb over the emerald green wax seal that adorned the envelope, his mothers initials imprinted in brilliant gold lettering. With a shake of his head, he crumpled the letter in his fist and carelessly tossed it onto his desk. Flynn had been deliberately avoiding communication with his family for two months now, despite his mother’s efforts. The day he married the Princess of Lunaria, far from the kingdom he once called home, had been the last day he had spoken to his family. The next morning he and the Princess began their journey to the new settlement, Dawnhaven.

His thoughts drifted back to that fateful day, to the cold calculation in his family's eyes as they offered him up as a sacrificial pawn in their futile attempt to appease the church and find a “solution” to the blight that plagued their lands. The memory left a bitter taste in his mouth, a constant reminder of who his family truly was. Selfish cowards. Had they truly cared for him they would have never entertained such an idea. It was a betrayal, plain and simple.

Flynn knew, deep down, that his father never truly believed the prophecy spun by the church. Yet, despite his doubts, the King had offered up his first born son's life without a second thought. His mother, strongly devoted to the church, had been eager to lend her unwavering support to the high priestess, her faith in the prophecy unwavering. In her eyes, Flynn and his bride-to-be should have been thankful to serve such powerful roles and willingly sacrifice their life for the survival of humanity.

As he gazed upon the crumpled letter, Flynn couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness mingled with resentment and anger. “With all my love…” He mocked in an exaggerated and annoying feminine tone, making a face and rolling his eyes.

Knock knock knock

Flynn cleared his throat as his eyes darted up to the closed door of his study. “Yes? You may come in.”

“Good Morning, your Majesty.” A blonde servant girl from Aurelia entered his study, bowing her head and curtseying. “The first test subject of the day has arrived. She awaits you in the Sage’s Alchemy Chambers.”

“Ah, of course. Thank you, Greta.” He smiled and stood from his desk, “I shall meet them at once.” The girl smiled, bowed again, and left to attend to her other daily tasks around the large cabin he had built for the Princess and himself.

Leaving his study, Flynn hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering on the stairway that led up to his bedroom with the Princess. She had still been sleeping when he went to his study in the morning, and now, as he stood at the exit of their cabin, he pondered if he should let her know where he was going and…. give her a farewell kiss? The mere thought made him cringe. The Princess thus far had been ice cold to him, even more frigid than he imagined the people of Lunaria to be. He did not think she would appreciate his presence, much less care what he would be up to for the next few hours.

With a heavy sigh, Flynn tore his gaze from the staircase and left the cabin. Although it had been over six months without the sun, it still caught him off guard each “morning” when the sky overhead was dark and full of stars. Perpetual darkness had begun to wear on him, like many people, and he longed for the sun’s comforting warmth and golden rays against his skin. Yet, amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope flickered within him. He clung to the belief that, somehow, without sacrificing his own life, he could restore the sun to its rightful place in the sky.

Just a short walk away was the Alchemy Chambers, a place that Flynn had built for all the sage’s that would join them on this journey. Here is where they would study the blight and it’s effects on the environment and people alike. Though their efforts had yet to yield any revolutionary breakthroughs, each day brought new revelations, each research subject a stepping stone towards understanding the blight.

The Prince’s decision to take in the blight-born had been highly controversial, but in two months it had already provided a plethora of new information about how the blight could warp and manipulate the very essence of one's being. If nothing else, it at least had shown people that some blight-born were not all monsters. Some could restrain themselves and be integrated into society once more.

As Flynn entered the Alchemy Chambers, a low guttural growl broke through his thoughts. In the center of the room, an old sage holding a pair of pliers stood before a red-headed woman with glowing eyes. The sage froze in fear, holding the pair of pliers up.

“You will not be putting those anywhere near my fangs.” She hissed, glaring daggers at the old man.

“Thormar,” The Prince smiled sheepishly as he approached the two, “That is quite enough for the day. We do not need to remove body parts.”

“Y-yes, sire! Of course.” The old man put the pliers down on a steel table, bowing to the Prince. The woman looked to the prince, eyes of fire still glaring.

“My apologies, Kira. Seems I came just in time.” He awkwardly laughed, trying to diffuse the situation. She did not return his laugh. “Erm… right… well, why don’t you follow me this way?” He gestured for her to follow him into another room where he intended to take notes about her condition and hear her story, just as he had for many other blight-born refugees in Dawnhaven. Begrudgingly, she followed.

Realms of Sun & Shadow

---

The Aurelians

Prince of Aurelia: Flynn Astaros	Advisor to the Prince: Orion Nightingale	Lead Sage (Researcher): Eris Hightower	Aelios High Priestess: Tingara Tomae
Inn Keeper: Syraeia Leela	Herbalist: Kira Rykker	Minstrel: Nyla Zafria	Healer: Aurora Halliwell
Doctor: Céline Moreau	Gardener: Gadez Paladice	Merchant: Ayel Raunefeldt	Aelios Priestess: Ranni Soleil
Champion of Aelios: Dyna Soleil	Sage: Nathaniel Stormlight	Alchemist: Anora Raunefeldt	Bard: Aldrick Corveaux

The Lunarians

Princess of Lunaris: Amaya Selu	Handmaiden to the Princess: Elara Moonshadow	Royal Guard: Adonis Cowain	Hunter: Ivor, The Wild
Scout: Willis Philips	Royal Guard: Persephone Laconia	Seluna High Priestess: Katherine Sorrowind	Scout: Valthyr Naffron
Royal Guard: Daphne Athenus	Scout: Vellion Hurst

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_{Current Moon Phase: Full Moon | Current Weather: 35 Degrees, gentle snowfall, cloudy skies | Current Time: 12pm}

_{• The sun has not risen for six months now and people live in eternal darkness.
• Dawnhaven has been established for two months but is still currently being built and expanded upon.
• The Prince and Princess have been married for two months and immediately began their journey to settle in Dawnhaven.
• The beginning of the story starts on the first day of Winter.
• Without the sun, the Aurelian's have very limited use of their magic. They can use it but it is greatly decreased in strength and will cause them to fatigue very quickly; only spells in short duration can be used without consequence.
• Blight-born can withstand the blight without complications and are much more resilient to the cold than humans are.
• The Queen of Lunaris has been pronounced dead. The King has taken a new wife, whom is already with child.
• Eris has made a discovery that Willis' blood reacts to light magic and becomes like a compass, always searching out blight.}

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<sub>Click here to view interactive map

TBD - I'll be working on this and will let everyone know when I update :)</sub>