@hermite-reversed here. i have a non-apprentice oc named Cassander (he/him) -- he's Valerius's son. Young, relatively rich, has a lot of influence in high society. Pretty hedonistic and uncaring of the problems of "lower" society, similar in a lot of ways to Valerius, but it's not because he thinks they "deserve" it or anything, he just doesn't really care about anyone outside of his own diversions.
After the Count's death, Valerius was busy trying to keep the city afloat and he was largely left to his own devices so he decided to study "spirit summoning" -- a type of magic that involves communing with the dead for insight and advice. He also has experience working with restless ghosts who haven't moved on, that type of thing. It's basically his hobby that he does to mix things up/spite his father/occupy his time with something entertaining (he's always bored). Cassander has an arrogant and high-class tone of voice, and won't pay attention to you unless you have something he wants, in which case he will absolutely turn on the charm.
The spirit summoning is not well known, and even if you find out about it he's not just gonna do if for anyone who asks. There has to be something in it for him (this goes for just about anything, actually. He lives in a world where social currency like favors are everything)
Do you have any headcanons for how the main six would interact with him? What their relationship with Cass would be (friendly? antagonistic? something else?), or what they would think of him? (PS if you want more info on him, i've done some posts about him under the tag #oc: cassander)
Heyo! Thank you thank you for your patience with this one! I read about Cass on your blog, and I have to say - what a fascinating character! I hope I did a bit of justice... lmk if I missed anything tho! Ya'll should go check it out! 🙆🏻♀️
Also, are there any fics with your OC's?? 👀
The Arcana Headcanons 「OC Cassander」
Asra is generally put off by those who are hedonistic. It’s a strong reminder of the person that nearly took his parents, friends, lover, and life away. However, Asra is also fairly perceptive of people, and they know that Valerius is no walk in the park. Surely, that would have an effect on Cass, and Asra has the decency to take the time to learn what that effect is before making a judgement.
At the end of the day, I see Asra deeming Cass as complicated. They realize that a lot of his nature is due to nurture, and they wonder what he would be like in an environment that wasn't so tainted. They admire Cass’s journey with identity and representation, as that type of battle is no easy feat. It greatly reflects Cass’s inner strength.
The spirit summoning is certainly fascinating, and that would be a strong bonding point for the two of them. Asra wholeheartedly supports and aids Cass in his work, but not simply for magic’s sake. Despite their passive nature, Asra finds it mildly amusing that his magic antagonizes Valerius. Asra is Nadia’s ride or die, and they don’t appreciate the headache Valerius has caused for her. Plus, Asra is always ready to fact-check someone who dismisses a magician.
Hedonism is Julian’s antonym. I’m sure that the doctor would offer his medical services for free if he could. In fact, I think that there have been many times where Julian has pinched a penny from his own pocket to treat the needy. However, that’s not to say that he and Cass can’t get along.
Julian is astonishingly patient, and his inquisitive nature allows him to view differences as an opportunity to learn. He knows the South End has been wronged by officials like Valerius, and he knows that kind of societal rot doesn’t distinguish between friend or foe. He’s sure Cass has a story to tell about what he’s seen in that world.
Julian also knows a rogue when he sees one. There is a rebellious spirit in Cass that’s promising of an adventure. While Julian has little intent on taking part in Cass’s world, he has full intent in dragging Cass into his.
“The heart of Vesuvia is in the South, did no one tell you that?”
The one drawback is the magic. Necromancy blatantly scares Julian…
Nadia may not be as close to Cass as the others, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t friendly. The distance is partially due to her professionalism towards Valerius. The two don’t have the best history, and she doesn’t want to open up an unnecessary can of worms. Nonetheless, she knows what it’s like to live in the public eye, and it feels callous to leave Cass alone in that endeavor.
Another reason for the distance is Nadia’s caution towards being used. She’s certainly learned how to deal with Valerius, and the apple doesn’t seem to fall far from the tree. She’s able to manage Cass’s attitude without offense, albeit she wants to establish something real. A part of that would be standing up for him when he’s not in the room. If someone wants to come for his identity or profession, they’ll have to get through her first.
She’s wary of his magic, but she’s not totally opposed to it. It’s simply out of her realm of expertise. She supposes that the magic could aid in healing the death that’s permeated the land, and she would perhaps offer Cass an official role in the palace to remedy that. There must be spirits afoot in the realms, and she thinks they should have a fair chance at life just as much as the living.
Not his cup of tea, and he’s certain that he’s not Cass’s cup of tea either. Muriel treats Cass like he treats the rest of society - you stay there; I stay here.
Logically, he knows that it’s wrong to hold Cass to sins that he didn’t commit, but Muriel was used and abused by high society, and that’s just a really hard memory to shake. Plus, I feel like the Kokhuri were very mindful of the dead. While helping spirits to move on sounds nice, Muriel knows that a lot of necromancy has hidden agendas. Given the crowd Cass frequents, it would be hard to convince Muriel that his intentions are pure.
It's a constant moral tug-of-war within Muriel. As a result, I think a relationship would be neutral, but nonetheless hard to establish. However, Muriel is like that with most people, so - what’s new? 😅
Ah - she wants to fix him.
Admittedly, Valerius & Co. drive her up the wall, but Portia is able to compartmentalize her sentiments without directing them towards his offspring. With a heart made of gold, she saw through Cass’s exterior without much effort, and she knows that deep down he has a strong potential to be more than his father made him out to be.
Good people and good food never did anyone wrong, and perhaps a bit of change will help Cass see the world in different colors. She treats him like family in hopes that the warmth will defrost the facade. Depending on Cass’s reception towards all this, there could be a bit of butting of heads. Portia is persistent, and her love is full. It could seem suffocating to someone who isn’t used to it, or it could seem like she’s trying to use him for favors.
If he can handle her, then I can see the two being strangely compatible. She has many questions about his magic… sooo many questions… lots and lots of questions. If Cassander is bored, Portia will certainly find something to fill the time.
Depending on what lore you follow… this could get awkward if you headcanon the “Lucio/Valerius Affair”. It’s no judgement if you do btw! I just think that it would alter the dynamic, as Lucio may keep more of a distance. That situation was ✨ messy ✨. However, Lucio is ‘messy’ incarnate, so I don’t know how far or how long he’d distance himself. I think Lucio is naturally drawn towards Cass.
Lucio knows how to play society, and he admires the game that Cass plays himself. He’s tempted to see Cass as a bit of a protege. However, it’s hard to shake off the toll this lifestyle dealt him, so at the end of the day, Lucio would prefer to stay on the straight and narrow. This could also become a problem if they both end up trying to play each other, but again… Lucio is a mess. I could see him finding an allure in those types of shenanigans.
Lucio certainly relates to the rebellious, free-spirit within Cass, and he would want to see that blossom in ways that he didn’t. I see the two being close, but as for the magic - no thanks. Lucio’s had enough of the afterlife for one lifetime.
