#rookfest

I asked @rookanis-de-riva to write what an invitation to the ball from Lucanis to Rook could possibly look like, and they did an incredible job of filling that hole that is in my heart. There's a longer version that they might upload onto their AO3.

Rook would like to thank y'all for playing in this year's Rookfest 2025 Lighthouse Tourney! ⚔️

What an incredible (and extremely dangerous) night! We loved seeing everyone's brackets and having hours long discussions over who would emerge victorious from this year's battle royale.

And now...without any further ado, we'd like to share the final tourney results, including the first-ever Lighthouse Tourney Champion!

👉 BONUS: Tourney scrapbook & Rook hype song playlist also found below!

For day 7 of @rookfest COME DANCE WITH ZALAN!!!!!

I posed some art dolls with an app and sketched them in so you have your choice with a smaller or bigger body! Anyone can dance with this man and of any skill level, trace right over it or erase the base and draw your own. Draw a stick figure in the base’s place even! I promise you I will giggle and kick my feet no matter what you draw!

He’ll dance with friends, lovers, family, even enemies alike lol 💜

Hi, friends! The fine folks that put together @rookfest asked if I wanted to help spread the love for all our Rooks. So, with a little help and a lot of research, I found seven words for you to slip in to your works if you feel like it. If you haven't checked out the wonderful world they're putting together for us to celebrate in, you can click here to learn more! Cynosure - Day One: Rook Introductions Noun • Ursa Minor or Polaris, the North Star, used as a guide by navigators. • That which serves to guide or direct; a guiding star. • Something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration.

Avocation - Day Two: Hobbies/Interests Noun • A calling away; a diversion. • A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit. • That which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation. • Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.

Days 3-7 are below the cut!

Hello, and happy Rookfest! I'm feeling colorful today! 💜 What is your favorite color(s)? Do they have a special significance, or just personal preference? And bonus question! What vibes would you give off when meeting someone new?

Time for everyone's favorite show that isn't on TV, with no prizes and free beer, hosted by the Lords of Fortune!

Isabela: Alright everyone! We know why we're here, right!

Everyone: YEAH! ~ whooping and hollering in the background

Turvi: It's the free beer! ~ more hollering, with a lot of sloshing mugs clanking together

Gladius: I have no idea, but I'm still happy to be here!

Isabela (aside): You did get a free drink though, right sunshine? Just sit, answer everyone's questions and look pretty.

Gladius: That's why I'm happy! Besides all of these gorgeous people, of course! winks broadly and blows a kiss to the audience

Everyone: raucous cheering followed by several roses and a couple sets of underwear tossed up on to the stage

Isabela: All right, none of that yet! You need to tell people about your self. Well, you need to answer some questions. That someone has definitely written down somewhere for me to ask.

Isabela: It's time for your favorite game and mine, Get To Know Rook! Where you ask stuff, Rook answers, and we maybe all get a little drunk!

Mateo: A LOT DRUNK!

Everyone: more raucous cheering

Part 1 here

Myrna’s voice rang over the arena as what looked like student Watchers wheeled out two ornate chests. They set them up at opposite sides of the combat area. “Our first construct: from Professor Aranach’s seminar cohort and commanded by Watcher Siobhan - ‘Silent But Deadly!’

“Gas!” chimed in Manfred.

“Indeed,” said Myrna, her tone as level and serious as always. One of the teams in the arena was carefully unlocking the chest they had positioned in the arena. A dark haired woman in watcher robes standing behind them. As the chest opened, the woman held out her hand and made a beckoning motion. A shimmering green cloud of gas floated out of the chest. The sharp eyed could catch glimpses of small specks moving around inside of it. “According to the notes submitted by the designers, this construct is a host of reanimated beetles held within a responsive cloud of grave gas - one of many byproducts of natural decay - possessed by a Spirit of Creativity. Watcher Siobhan, any comments?”

Siobhan smiled, practicing moving the cloud and its little winged occupants around a small space in front of the open chest. “The beetles are mummified Buzzing Scarabs. A fascinating choice! Unusually fast flyers for Scarabaeidae. And such a novel concept - I appreciate that this will be a wonderful story to tell later!”

“Yes!” said Manfred.

Zalan exchanged looks with Gladius, both clearly trying not to laugh or devolve into the obvious fart jokes.

Turvi and Xi had no such compunctions. Xi quietly made a pffffft sound while Turvi giggled.

“A ball of gas!” Turvi said. “Do you think it smells?”

“Absolutely,” said Xi. “And is that actually allowed? To fight with a fart?”

“It is,” popped up a voice as Sabi slid into the seat behind Turvi. “The rules are robust, but allow considerable flexibility, particularly in this and the novelty tiers.”

Xi smiled at Sabi. “I thought you were working!”

“I am,” she said smoothly, opening a tidy leather folder with a pile of papers inside. She looked at Turvi. “A little wisp told me you might be interested in a disclosure dispensation - with geographical and situational constraints, of course.”

At Turvi’s politely confused look, Sabi continued. “That is - that you might want to be able to talk about this when you leave.”

Turvi grinned and held out his arms to hug Sabi, waiting for her nod before grabbing her and rocking them back and forth. “Yes! That's amazing! You are the best!”

In front of them, Cara was chatting with Cyri. “I like them being carried out in the fancy chests, but there should be music too. Something ominous or dramatic, right? To get the audience amped up for the fight.”

Cyri didn’t look convinced. “I’m just wondering how exactly a ball of gas is going to cause any damage.”

Down in the arena, Myrna continued. “And our second construct for the Ultralight Match, from Professor Markus’ cohort and commanded by Watcher Rowena - ‘The Pyre Starter.’

“Bones,” said Manfred, solemnly, as the second chest was opened by the student watchers and a white haired elf who looked like she was trying to not pay too much attention to the large crowd. What looked like a cloud of dust sprang out of the chest at Rowena’s urging. 

“Animal bone dust, collected from the pyres of local farms located in the outskirts of Nevarra City and possessed by a Spirit of Utility. The original proposal was for the use of ash from funerary pyres, but that was deemed potentially disrespectful as we seek to honor all approaches to the care of the honored dead,” said Myrna. “Watcher Rowena?”

“Ah,” Rowena looked around, standing tall in spite of her obvious nerves. “I am honored to assist in this beloved ritual. I hope I don’t disappoint. I do appreciate seeing a novel use for bones that are no longer intact.”

Vorgoth raised their hands high. “PREPARE!” Bursts of green and purple flame shot up from the corners of the arena as they dropped their hands, signaling the start of the match. 

Both mages fell into their battle stances, magic flaring around them as they directed their constructs into the fight. The audience cheered, waving banners and signs. The students responsible for the builds standing along the edges of the arena were among the loudest voices.

Hugo watched the opening moves with half his attention as he finished bargaining with the skeleton attendant for some of the souvenirs. A commemorative banner. A noise maker that looked like a small hollow box with runes on the top, and a light up orb that flashed different colors. Ilene nudged Jericho, gesturing to Hugo’s bounty as he tapped the noise maker and it made an obnoxious buzzing sound.. “Alchemical or magical?”

Jericho tilted his head to the side, focusing for a moment. “The box is magical - amplification runes tied to Ruckus spirits in the Fade, I think.”

Gemma nodded, watching the fight. “That definitely sounded like Ruckus.” 

Jericho continued. “The lights though? I’m not really getting anything from that, so it's probably alchemical.”

Ilene’s face lit up.

Below, the beetles in their gas cloud circled the twitching bone dust, sending what looked like small zaps of electricity towards the other construct. The bone dust shifted, letting the zaps fall into suddenly appearing gaps. It then twisted and swirled, reforming in the shape of a spear and stabbing into the cloud of gas. One of the beetles was impaled, but the spear lost much of its shape as a cloud of dust blew off it upon making contact with the enchanted gas cloud. 

The two constructs separated, swirling back to their respective sides of the arena. Nona, standing near Myrna and Manfred, made a gesture and small runes lit up along the floors. 

Manfred hissed happily. “Traps!”

Myrna nodded. “Constructs need to show their flexibility and durability in a variety of situations. Master of the Arena Nona, what manner of obstacles have been manifested for this match up?”

Nona grinned, watching as the two constructs continued to zip around the arena taking shots at each other. One of the bone dust tendrils of ‘The Pyre Starter’ veered too close to one of the glowing runes and immediately started to burn. Two other tendrils immediately dumped themselves on top of it, smoothing the flame. “As is traditional for the Ultralight match, we have wind, flame, and ice runes.”

Ayanne watched as Sabi filled out the dispensation form for Turvi, quietly talking him through what she was doing. “So how do the rest of us get dispensations to talk about this?”

“There are unfortunately limits on the dispensations,” Sabi said apologetically. 

“Why?” asked Embria curiously.

“I know,” said Ghilasara. “These matches are entertaining and ridiculous but - undead are also a big part of Nevarra's military. This is a testing ground.”

Alectris nodded in agreement. “Like the war games Altus mages play in the tower.”

Sabi nodded. “Some of the techniques and constructs that debut here will be used as proof of concept for larger undertakings.” She scrunched up her nose. "It's ugly business, but the Watch has to be careful not to upset the nobility."

During this discussion, Ilene surreptitiously nudged Hugo, gesturing towards the souvenir sellers. “We need to get our hands on more of those. See what they can really do.”

Lilya frowned at Ilene before Hugo could reply. “No.”

Ilene pouted at her sister.

Lilya continued. “We’re guests here. You two can’t start dismantling the souvenirs in the middle of the matches.”

“Fine,” said Ilene. “I won’t go get any of the interesting alchemical baubles to pull apart.” As she spoke, she made meaningful eye contact with Zalan who grinned and silently slipped away into the stands.

Down in the arena, ‘Silent But Deadly’ sent a beetle out alone - ‘The Pyre Starter’ responded, pouncing on it and sending spikes of solidified bone dust into it to pull it apart. At the same time, Siobhan lined up her construct and sent it hovering above a rune, dropping another mummified beetle and a gust of gas down to ignite it. A burst of flame exploded taking beetle and some of the gas with it but sending out a wave of force which drove the Pyre straight back into an ice rune. A gasp went up from the audience as the bone dust cloud seemed to solidify.

Rowena frowned, curving her hand as the beetles and gas moved closer towards the seemingly frozen construct. With the crack of breaking ice, the construct slowly crept forward, jamming itself under another rune on the arena floor. It tilted the rune towards the Silent But Deadly as it closed in, activating a gust of wind that blew the air based construct back and into the flame it had previously ignited. 

The audience was silent, watching as Vorgoth glided out to check on the competitors.

"THE WINNER BY COMBUSTION: THE PYRE STARTER" they announced.

The crowd cheered, several Watchers and members of the Nevarran nobility exchanging money as they obviously settled bets. Siobhan and Rowena met at the center of the arena, bowing towards the announcers and the student builders who were collecting what was left of the charred beetle mummies and thawing their animated pile of bone dust. 

“I can’t believe that worked!” said Rowena.

“It was brilliant!” said Siobhan.

Vorgoth looked out over the audience. “PARTAKE IN BEVERAGES AND MERRIMENT AS THE ARENA IS RESET FOR THE NEXT COMBAT."

(to be continued ^_^)

Thank you to everyone who voted for the winners! <3 I had hoped to start rolling these out earlier in the week but getting sick derailed those plans. But hey - Rook week gets to live on 😂 Stay tuned for future installments! A special thank you to the spouse who helped me brainstorm the various constructs 💕

Owners of the Rooks (tagging part 1 and part 2 though I didn't get to everyone - we also have a few new Rooks in the mix <3 If there is anything in particular your Rook would want to ask about/explore/do feel free to let me know!)

@serensama @kogarashi-art @mythals-whore @sandcastlekings @himluv @cute-ellyna @davrinsleftpectoral @woundedsoul12 @blackwall-my-tiny-husband @kabsey @genjyoandgojyoandhakkai @serialsforbellara @bronzieinthedas @jukkaricity @jenn2d2 @flowersforthemachines @pixiedurango @sorcerousadventurer @handsignals @seaglassmelody @hedwigoprah

Thanks @rookfest for organizing this event!

I didn't have much time to finish this so here's a sketchy WIP of Kala Ingellvar's masquerade dress inspired by Renaissance Italian fashion and Mourn Watch aesthetics. You can see some of my reference images below the cut.