#tw au

Yes, I've changed a few things. Such as including 2 MC's, essentially. One dropped in NRC and one in RSA. Both end up in NRC anyways. A few characters have changes to their stories and behaviours.

For Rollo, his changes include: being born a fire elemental, and was the one responsible for his brother's death. He despises unnatural talents/the manipulation of life unnaturally, and magic because of it. He became someone prone to volatile emotions due to his elemental nature; and habors a particular hate for Malleus and Idia.

He is the chosen of one of Sage Island's Legendary Artifacts: The Bell Of Solace.

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For Idia, his changes are many.

He and his family are from a bloodline derived from Hades, and this has not only made him a demigod, but a being born with a divine task, regardless of his personal will. Though the bloodline has gone on for some time, so the power gained from it does not falter for each generation born.

Idia is fluent in Greek, both modern and ancient. You could also communicate with him in various types of code, including morse, or textile braille. He can speak common, but he does have an accent, similar to all the others.

Idia's personality changes depending on his situation.

He can be a functioning, sardonic and clever person if he has a codependent with him; such as Ortho. This can also occur when he's in one of his manic emotional swings, where Idia flips from various emotions rapidly; and often may not process the previous before the next mood comes.

Around those he knows but does not care for, he akin to a reluctant, grumpy and complaining teenager. Getting him to do anything he does not wish to do for them requires them to reach out to Ortho most of the time.

When with his romantic partner, Idia is shy, clingy, and a sub leaning switch. His switch flicks if someone is willing to kneel and worship him.

Changes to Idia's physical aspects?

I kept most of him how he was: the pale skin, the natural pigmentation around his eyes and lips, his sharp teeth, eye color, and spiritual flame hair. A few small changes are that his tongue is blue, his eyes glow in the dark, and he sports no body hair. Other changes were in regards to more intimate aspects of him. His dick being far above average for humanoids, with a frosted blue tip, and his cum having a unique glow and texture like lava lamp gel.

Idia's 'curse' presents itself as an internal heat that can cause problems for not only himself, but also others, and his immediate environment. To condense it for you: he can easily burn, heat exhaust, or suffocate someone.

However, with the physical bodies of the "Shrouds" essentially being burnt from the inside out: these descendants do not live long lives. As the power in their blood isn't meant for mortal bodies: it feeds on their magic akin to a withering curse, it is lessened if negative energy (blot) is present.

The descendants rely on tech infused foci to cast a majority of their more demanding spells in an attempt to prolong their lives. An example of this is the skull device frequently carried by Idia.

Once their curse has singed through the magic reserves, it begins to burn away at their body; which, as you can guess, leads to a painful death. Despite generations of research, no cure has presented itself. Only desperate methods of trying to withstand a little longer, or trying to breed children with high magic reserves.

His father is currently in the last years of his life, and relies upon a life support suit. His mother wears a similar suit without the support so her husband doesn't feel alone. Idia will be forced to take over Styx as Director immediately after he finishes his degree from NRC if his father gets any weaker or dies.

It will also be around this time that he will be forced to locate either a marriage partner or a surrogate to continue the Shroud bloodline.

Additional story tidbits:

-Ortho is a soul-bound AI, and the first of his kind, created by Idia during a lengthy period of manic guilt. This was inspired by the Soul Coin powered machines from D&D's Descent into Avernus. These Soul Coins possess the soul of someone who has died, and are burnt to power a device. In Ortho's case, his soul was collected and trapped within the core of his new body. It displays as a flickering blue flame around where a heart might be in a normal body. Forging this new version of Ortho was when Idia learned he could physically handle souls with his own hands. The body's memories are all forgeries crafted by Idia, and the body itself is powered by the soul contained within it.

-Idia's mother originally had 2 children, him and Ortho, in an attempt of "The heir and the spare". This did not go well.

-Idia was responsible for a burn related injury to Shady's right hand. The wound was never healed properly due to the situation it occurred in. When he'd corrupted. Idia tried to burn her hand off of him when she reached out to save him from falling thousands of feet into the Underworld. The injury was handled much later, but her hand isnt what it used to be.

-After the events of Idia's corruption, in exchange for not erasing the memories of everyone who was present; a deal was made of mutual blackmail for all who agreed to it. Silence for silence.

-Idia and Shady have an agreement about what to do for a potential future outcome. Both keep it a secret from others around them, for now.

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For Jamil, his changes were also quite drastic.

A majority of his whole shtick is based on a slew of things I was inspired by. From D&D: the Yuan-ti (scale design). From Mythos: Medusa/Gorgon, and Naga. From Fiction: the ebook series "Naga Brides", and the manhwa "Beauty and the Beasts" also heavily impacted how I wanted to portray some aspects of his behaviour(s).

In the Au, Jamil is a naga.

While Jamil is fluent in Arabic, he has a serpent's accent about him. He can speak Common somewhat comfortably. He learned to cast a language spell upon himself to hide his serpent accent after Shady taught it to him.

Similar to D&D lore for the Yuan-ti, the reasoning behind his servitude to Kalim is due to naga's being specifically bred/kept for serving those who fostered them (think like a service dog- or raised in captivity only slave).

They are often trusted with a variety of tasks their master is too lazy or busy to accomplish, and aren't allowed to select their own mates. They are also instinctively monogamous, bonding only once to the female (or male) they coil with and mark. If a pair wants to test their compatibility, they can use other methods of intimacy without commiting to penetration. This may also mean dosing the others venom.

Unfortunately, their fertility rates are low due to being a species stunted for so long. They are also a laying species, so their young hatch from eggs- if they survive. Most naga will call their sleeping space a "nest" and their home a "den".

His situation came with physical changes.

Similarly to the merfolk, Jamil relies on potions to maintain a bipedal and more humanoid appearance.

While capable of casting transmutation magic to disguise the lingering remnants of his lineage, his humanoid form still leaves him with: reptilian eyes, a forked tongue, and fangs that extend when he opens his mouth or fold when he closes it. He also sports patches of scaled snakeskin across his cheeks, forehead, chin, collarbone, shoulders, arms, hips, and the length of his spine.

His natural form is, obviously, longer and larger.

For those who are curious, yes, he sports a hempenis in his true body. His upper cock is longer than the lower, but the lower is more sensitive.

From his hipbone upward, he has the body of a fit, tan middle eastern humanoid covered in patches of snakeskin. From the hipbone down, his tail is that of a Pit Viper with a dark onyx base and bloody scarlet patches. His nails are dark, pointed, and sharp. Though his mouth may seem somewhat normal when he speaks, Jamil's jaw can unhinge to a rather frightening degree, and he is capable of consuming food whole if he desires to.

He has the 2nd longest tongue of the cast, and uses it to read people and his environment. (And if comfortable enough, it can sometimes stick out and stay out.)

He is also venomous. Jamil's venom is something he can control, unlike a regular viperidae. So while he can bite without injecting, if he does, the potency can also vary. A low dose can result in temporary paralysis, but a full dose? That can lead to necrosis and respiratory failure. He isn't foolish enough to rely solely on his venom, either. Though he isn't designed to be as strong as a constrictor, he can and will attempt to crush a potential threat after inoculating.

His corrupted form is that of a Gorgon, similar to how he is presented in canon.

Changes to Jamil's personality were a few.

The only changes being that he had corrupted in his true form, and Shady had been clever enough to not be among those tossed out. It was during this period when Shady gained the gold anklets, bracelets, and collar she occasionally wears; items crafted by a corrupted Jamil to be shackles for her. They are engraved with that form's possessive ownership of her; for at the time he wanted to be assured she would not betray him when it became all too clear his hypnosis did not work on her.

When worn now, its sort of a private thing between them.

He remained with whatever of his usual traits I could manage to write accurately; such as being passionate about dancing, high standards for cooking, kuudere/tsundere attitude, catty jabs and sarcasm, tired/forced maturity, and a strong desire to have control/power over his life/situation/ or others.

Pre-corruption, Jamil was stressed and frustrated from his burdens and situation. He was neutral, sardonic, and frequently cold/distant. This did not mean he was above petty revenge or grudges, but he was mainly polite/serious. His subtle jabs would oft come out the left feild for those unprepared.

Post corruption, Jamil no longer holds his tongue. He speaks his thoughts and feelings, regardless of the opinions or reactions of others; save for a few exceptions, such as when he returns home with Kalim, or must save face in a particularly public manner.

He has begun to no longer restrict himself- nor his success- for anyone: at least, while they partake in NRC. This is something he and Kalim have discussed and reached an agreement on, but must still keep from their families.

On Shady's advice, and Kalim's insistance, Jamil has taken to teaching Kalim to care for himself. This also helps him have time to actually try to discover himself and address his own needs.

When his frustrations rise, he relies on either Shady or old, unhealthy repressive methods. He often gets anxiety or restlessness when he isn't preforming a task he was used to doing, for he still fears that this could backfire any day.

Relationship wise, Jamil was a slow burn for Shady.

Originally, she was pulled from The Dark Mirror by Kalim when his hand reached out to it during the dorm sorting; and the other boy had immediately assumed a connection before Jamil did.

Over the course of about 3 months, they warmed up to each other mainly via forced proximity, and mutual/subtle competition.

The pair came to quite an amusing understanding when she'd made the mistake of opening up to him first, during an emotional breakdown one night where she essentially trauma dumped on the poor guy. It gave him info on her psyche as well as blackmail.

With time, Jamil made her prove herself to be someone who watched, learned, adapted and improved. To be someone who wouldn't add to his burdens, but help carry them. To earn trust.

Over another month of this, and subtle/playful teasing, he acted on his first serpentine instinct -without realizing it- to possess and test her. This being his "kidnapping" of her and Grim (ch.4).

Rather than sending her away with the others into the desert, he kept her by his corrupted side; enjoying that she had been clever enough to pretend to be under his control to avoid his initial outburst, but willing enough to allow him to bind her once he discovered it.

After that, they were both certain of what they felt, but not what they could do with it. Mutual attraction, caring about each other, wanting them to do well and stay close was one thing.

With Jamil's situation, status, and his species; that would add to the stress of a relationship.

Shady not being of this world, and thus dubious about her security in remaining within it, was yet another weight hanging over them both.

Jamil's instinctual half has come to already recognize her as his mate, but he has not, and can not, voice such a thing aloud. At most, he affectionately refers to her as his "diamond" or "pain in his tail".

While they agreed they had feelings -however foolish, instinctual, or hungry- they refused to put a label on what they actually were, and they couldn't fully 'sleep together' either.

Shady would, gladly, but it's for everyone's sake that she can't. That and her anxiety over her permeance in their world is crushing.

Neither are very comfortable with over the top PDA, preferring to keep things light or between themselves in whatever private moments they can manage. They've found other methods of intimacy to get around the desire for it, but inability for Jamil to fully coil her. To an outsider, they seem like a pair of friends that annoy (affectionately) each other.

During the few times Kalim has dragged her with them back to his home, their interactions change even further. Their distance is respectful, as if there is almost nothing there at all. Though, unfortunately, his sister caught on after the Yosmite festival.

They are strangers to lovers. They annoy and support each other. 😂 They sometimes sleep together, but sex never includes a true coiling (yet).

Funny side tidbit: Kalim is the only character in my AU who was/is capable of taming Shady. He is also the only blatant bisexual character, for he holds affection for both his naga and his tigress.

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