The red art blooms and life ends...
to the tempo of a heartbeat .
❝ Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose?
That the luckiest man who walks on this star is the one who finds... true love?
I would cross oceans of time to find he who I long to be with.
I would wait for him by the Sea, where we may talk freely and build our castles in its depths. ❞
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LAHABREA'S BABYGIRL
CRYSTAL ♦ ZALERA
❝ Your spatter's a tapestry ! ❞
DOCUMENTS .
designation : hesperos
age : late 40s to early 50s , younger than lahabrea by 2-4 years (dependent)
race : amaurotine
classification : vrykolakas-attuned hemitheos on a bad day
gender : transmasc , he/him
height / build : 7ft 0in , athletic build , doubles in height and muscle when transformed
orientation : homosexual , homoromantic , polyamorous
nameday & sign : june 6th , gemini
bio family : eos ( mother ) , cephalos ( father ) , phosphoros ( younger brother ) , all deceased
found family : erichthonios ( son ) , hegemone ( sister ) , agdistis ( sister )
PERSONA .
despite appearances and occupation, hesperos is a kind and timid man who often keeps to himself and has confidence issues. however, he also harbors a fearlessness towards the creations as he approaches them with gentle compassion. he, too, treats his warders much the same as he considers them equals. no beast is treated inhumanely within asphodelos's walls. as such, hesperos will do everything in his power to ensure his warders are safe and the concepts in asphodelos are unharmed, even at the risk of his own life. he is highly intelligent and innovative, able to think quickly in high-stress situations and approach them calmly, while gifted with the patience of a saint. once under hephaistos's influence, his twisted mind - something akin to tempering - made him a cruel and cold individual with little to no regard for warder or beast alike and his love for lahabrea warped to obsession.
PHSYICALITY & AILMENTS .
hesperos is nearsighted in one eye, and farsighted in the other, which can only be remedied with his glasses; without them, he may as well be blind. his body is a map of scars from his work of caring for dangerous beasts. one noticeable scar is an almost diamond-shaped puncture on the right side of his chest and back from his own sword, which manages to stand out among the surrounding burns that indicate the injury may have been cauterized. additionally, he experiences aether sickness and happens to be quite clumsy.
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EXTRA .
voiceclaim : dracula from netflix's castlevania , tyrant swain from lol for his transformation
playlist : ♫ ( spotify ) , laha/hesp ( spotify )
occupation : keyward of asphodelos
profession : red mage / sage hybrid , proficient in the bladework of a reaper
psyche : autism , depression
hobbies : researching , gardening , alchemy , baking , cooking , playwrite reading
familiar / creations : nosferatu , bats
transformation : something of a finch and horned owl hybrid mixed with a vrykolakas
ACHIEVEMENTS .
hesperos created nosferatu when erichthonios was still an infant, fashioned entirely from his imagination so he could have a familiar to help with watching the young boy. once inspired by the vrykolakas he was instructed to study at the akadaemia, he began creating smaller simplified versions of the beast: bats. he equipped them with abilities necessary to detect aetherical disturbances and alert others nearby. they are also able to scout for people who are hurt, trapped, or in distress to apprise others of their location. once his concept was approved and their application could be used in elpis (and later pandæmonium), he upgraded nosferatu to act as an information hub to relay messages from the bats directly to him, no matter the distance.
FIGHTING STYLES & ABILITIES .
before becoming a hemitheos, hesperos did not fight often despite his skill. he was more of a pacifist, willing to take the brunt of a beast's attack if it meant the creature could be subdued with minimal harm. once properly armed with warding and interment techniques, hesperos finds himself able to take a more forward stance while avoiding a fight altogether. in truth, he almost never summoned his sword and only did so to keep certain concepts at a distance... or if he had no other choice but to fight back. as a keyward, he would sometimes disorient beasts by changing the environment around them instead.
once corrupted, hesperos became more aggressive. he uses his battle prowess and magical capabilities to the fullest extent without holding back. merging with the vrykolakas allowed him the ability of aethersight, where he can see the aether of living beings at the expense of his physical sight. to a degree, he has also become keen to echolocation.
additionally, hesperos has knowledge in healing magicks and has studied hemomancy against the warning of his peers. while he doesn't use the latter often, it works wonders for emergency situations; unfortunately, it's used in ways unintended once he's corrupted.
hesperos's parents were two very well-known amaurotines: eos was the woman who created elpis and all its facilities, thus making her its chief overseer before hermes. her husband cephalos, on the other hand, came up with the idea of having people dedicated to naming the concepts. when hesperos was born, they introduced him to beasts very early; this instilled a fondness for these beings as a child, which was carried with him his entire life. when he was about four years old, his parents brought phosphoros into the world. when the boys were old enough and their parents were busy, hesperos took on the duty of watching his younger brother.
during his time in the akadaemia, hesperos focused his studies on concept care and medicine. while not magically inept, he lacked the creativity to excel at creation magicks. he was additionally clumsy, soft-spoken if not mostly quiet and introverted, and known to lack confidence; bluntly, he was the complete opposite of his brother who quickly stepped into the spotlight. hesperos misspent his youth with his nose buried in tomes; his superiors often left him unattended in grand libraries and archives to grasp at any knowledge or spell he could, which allowed him to stumble upon and learn techniques uninterrupted. most of his expertise with alchemy and hemomancy came from reckless experimentation, but he deemed these skills necessary for wanting to aid the creatures temporarily - or sometimes permanently - housed within elpis.
while hesperos grew and remained in elpis, unable to abandon the creatures he'd cared for since their conception for some, his younger brother chased work in amaurot. having studied alongside athena and hephaistos both afforded him unique acquaintanceships and, later, connections. when the two became romantically involved, and erichthonios was later born, hesperos would find himself the occasional babysitter. needing to keep the child entertained and safe as he worked, hesperos came up with the concept of nosferatu to be the young boy's companion and overseer in hesperos's temporary absence. although uncertain of his ability to be responsible for a child, hesperos treated erichthonios as though he were his son.
once pandæmonium was built, hesperos was tasked with overseeing concepts transferred from elpis to the hellish depths to be locked away forever. although he did not agree with the decision, he was the most equipped to handle these beasts and keep them calm during the moving period. recognized for his familiarity, athena offered him the position of her final keyward. although wary at first, she assured him that he'd be assigned to the topmost layer and would handle concepts he had already handled to start. accepting her proposal, he greeted his warders as not beneath him... but as his equal. he curated an environment where all would be treated with kindness and encouraged to pursue their interests so long as they didn't conflict with work.
with athena's sudden passing, and agdistis being the only one privy to the truth behind this situation, the keywards found themselves tasked with caring for erichthonios in lahabrea's absence. the three agreed amongst themselves he would be assigned to asphodelos if only to ensure the best possibility he could evacuate safely - or be forcibly cast out - in case of emergency. hesperos took up the task of mentoring young erichthonios, and acted as a father figure no matter if he was seen as such or not. he truly did love erichthonios as though he were his son.
as the years went by, and athena's passive influence on the keywards finally marinated long enough to make a difference, hegemone released hephaistos from his confinement. the newly free chaos took the form of lahabrea's older self and preyed on hesperos first, able to take advantage of the keyward's love and warp it into vile obsession and devotion. his corruption was long and painful, mind and body twisted into something unthinkable. his essence had been merged with the very creature he once studied, and he attempted to find a cure in the fleeting months of mental clarity he had as he spiraled and memories became unclear. all the while, he kept his transformation a secret from erichthonios and the warders as best he could. in this time, he had drained many concepts of aether to sustain himself, and eventually completely drained his own younger brother of aether on accident. with his final semblance of self hanging on by a thread about to snap, hesperos rounded up his warders and imprisoned them for their own safety, and was satisfied with knowing erichthonios had made a run for the exit before hesperos lost himself completely.
the internal struggle for control commenced, even as hesperos ensured his own stage was set. as the battle came to an end and he refused to take his defeat and face imprisonment, hesperos's clarity returned long enough to choose death and ensure he would bring no harm to anyone ever again. as his corrupted essence began to fade, nosferatu's secondary use came into play as it absorbed hesperos's soul and aether with it. the familiar fled to a hidden corridor in asphodelos, and did what it could to keep hesperos alive long enough for lahabrea's arrival. once he was discovered barely alive, he was given proper medical treatment and aetherotherapy. his critical condition left him in a coma for three weeks' time, and control over pandæmonium had been recovered by then.
with hegemone now granted the title of chief keyward, hesperos was offered the option to take over abyssos which he declined. his work continued in asphodelos as he continued his recovery, seeking to make amends for his actions even though he was not himself. he would often hinder his recovery by overworking, keeping busy one way or another as a distraction. once the final days were upon them, hesperos was among the first group of people to sacrifice themselves to zodiark because he wanted to help save the star lahabrea so dearly loved... but also wanted to try and ensure erichthonios had a future to look forward to, even if that meant hesperos wouldn't be there to see it.
Interpersonal Connections
LAHABREA / HEPHAISTOS .
hesperos and lahabrea studied together when they were teens. although lahabrea was miles ahead, he was someone hesperos looked up to and would ask for advice or insight. his love for lahabrea developed early on, and he pined for the man for... basically his whole life. even after everything, including pandæmonium's events and lahabrea remerging with hephaistos, hesperos's feelings never changed. when they finally agreed on pursuing something of a relationship, they took things slow and cautious to help one another heal from what athena had done to them both.
ATHENA .
an acquaintance - perhaps even a friend in hesperos's eyes - he also knew as a teen. athena's brilliance was something hesperos grew envious of, knowing he could never be as intelligent or creative as her. when she and lahabrea got together, he continued to support her. when pandæmonium was built, he worked for her. when she was killed for what she'd done, hesperos hadn't known until long after erichthonios had grown. even then, with all that he knows now, he could not bring himself to completely hate her and wonders if he had known sooner... would he have been able to save her from herself?
ERICHTHONIOS .
having known erichthonios since he was very young, hesperos had always seen the boy as a son. even if the sentiment was not shared, nothing would change how he felt. in a way, hesperos secretly spoiled him; after all, he had learned to bake and cook so he could make all of erichthonios's favorite treats and meals. after the events of pandæmonium, hesperos is terrified that a rift between him and erichthonios formed due to his behavior. ridden with guilt while wanting to mend any wounds between them, hesperos keeps his distance and lets the warder come to him first. he walks on eggshells, and hopes his timidity will not make matters worse.
ELIDIBUS / THEMIS .
first impressions certainly are not the best on this one, but if erichthonios intends on being "just really good friends" with themis... then hesperos is willing to try and start over or prove he isn't the horrible man themis was introduced to. at least he can try this much for erichthonios's sake, even if they do not get along all the time.
HEGEMONE .
although not related by blood, hesperos and hegemone share a chaotic siblingship. she brings out the worst in him, and is the only person in all of pandæmonium that can make his usual put-together demeanor crack and draw a petty yet sarcastic man forward. while their antics are never genuinely malicious, they do seem hostile to anyone not privy to their usual banter. hesperos, especially, may surprise those used to the collected and gentle man they know. in the end, he sees her as a little sister and will always deeply care for her. she often likes to tease him about her being his senior despite him being older. stop her from giving him weed she grows. please.
AGDISTIS .
also not related by blood, hesperos sees agdistis as a younger sister too. their siblingship, however, is very mellow without any chaos at all. they often sit together and share harmless gossip over a cup of tea, or discuss the new concepts that will be transported from elpis and placed in pandæmonium.
HERMES & METEION .
with pandæmonium being below elpis, hermes and the keywards all have connections with one another. however, when lahabrea and athena got together, hesperos and hermes were in a brief relationship that ended as quickly as it began. hesperos left to work in pandæmonium, affording him no time to visit hermes... thus making work meetings between them awkward. as for meteion, hesperos adores her and sees her as something of a daughter. after all, they're both bird adjacent; they are, in some ways, part of a flock.
EMET-SELCH / HADES .
i don't have anything deep to say about this other than the fact that they aren't really friends but they get really annoying about theater together and it's all hythlodaeus's and lahabrea's fault for introducing them.
Alternate Universe Directory
simply click the images and they'll take you to a page dedicated to the au. the details within them are up for discussion and altering to better fit a roleplay scene.
DOCUMENTS .
designation : hesperos altima
race : ascian
occupation : advocate of the arts , convocation of fourteen , keyward of asphodelos
profession : red mage
BRIEFING .
after recovering from his hemitheos affliction, hesperos continued in his position as keyward and oversaw asphodelos. however, as yet another retired from their position in the convocation, a seat needed to be filled. it was by lahabrea's recommendation that hesperos came up as a potential candidate, which he only accepted to offer his talents in ensuring the star's safety. once the final days were upon them, hesperos was among the many other amaurotines lost; once again, it was lahabrea who rose hesperos back to his rank as altima to help restore their star. hesperos, however, does not become a player on the board until after lahabrea is killed by thordan.
PERSONA .
when he rose to the seat of altima, he hardly changed. but when he became an ascian? he ended up being such an annoying piece of shit you just wanna punch him really hard for it. everything is a performance to him: the star, his stage. the people, his muses. and he's pulling the strings. every interaction is pre-written in his head; while his predictions are usually correct, able to lead them down his premade path through subtle manipulation, coercion, or force, one misstep from the script and he writes in a spontaneous death act. he is no stranger to gore and body horror, either. i mean... he's seen the horrors of pandæmonium and its creatures. let's just say the final days, being resurrected, and dealing with the grief of losing erichthonios and (eventually) lahabrea gave him a vivid imagination for concept creation. i'm talking... classic theater themes but full of flesh, bone, blood, and sinew. all that good stuff.
COMBAT ANALYSIS .
unfortunately, it matches his personality. much like his savage fight, there are acts. his swordsmanship is a dance, his magic is the special effects, and everything goes according to the song he's composed in his head. and yes, he'll hum it the whole time. someone acts off key and he issues correction. i mean, folks. you don't want to fight him because he's really fucking annoying about it. but unlike most ascians, he isn't just slinging magic at you; his fight is like choreography, like a play and he is not opposed to destroying some village or piling bodies in a courtyard to fabricate a stage. he's also the guy to pop up unannounced when it's least expected or wanted just to throw a concept or two at you to fight.
DOCUMENTS .
designation : dr. emilianus lux abendstern
age : 54
race : garlean
gender : transmasc , he/him
height / build : 6ft 3in
orientation : bisexual , male-preference
occupation : former chief medicus of the xith legion , sharlayan researcher
profession : sage
BRIEFING .
serving as a field medic under solus's legion, emil was subjected to the dangers of war. he used his expertise in alchemy to aid his medical capabilities, as healing magic was difficult for him to grasp and use for the long term. when he was severely wounded in battle, emil was submitted as a test subject to test organic magitek enhancements which irreparably warped his magic. instead of painlessly mending wounds, his magic had begun to sacrifice the patient's blood to reform bone, muscle, and skin cells; this process was very painful, and had killed patients. as a result, he defected from the empire and traveled to sharlayan in search of a means to undo the curse put upon his magic.
PERSONA .
have you ever met a man so hard to read that you may as well be talking to a cement wall? ever wanted to feel like the company you're keeping is akin to watching paint dry? that's what emil's like. he doesn't talk for... reasons. honestly he prefers to keep to himself, and always seems to be working. being garlean has its perks, as in most eorzeans don't want to talk to him anyway. and while he's an accomplished scholar with plenty of knowledge and intelligence under his belt, he only seems keen on sharing any of it with people he likes. some consider it petty, but he's a very private man who also doesn't emote often... so you just usually get a blank stare/glare no matter the situation. but once you get to know him and worm your way into his personal bubble? oh boy does he come to life and show a genuinely gentle and kind-hearted individual.
PHSYICALITY & AILMENTS .
emil suffers from extreme forms of ptsd and has become selectively mute as result of it. the few times he does speak is when in very trusted company, or during emergency situations. the bones in both of his hands have been replaced entirely with magitek, which causes coordination issues and tremors. the gloves he wears are weighted and helps with steadying his hands; it is very rare to see him without them on.
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Curtain Call !
hello! name's omen. i'm 25+, gay, transmasc-nb ( he / they ), and in the EST timezone. the next paragraph(s) below may contain spoilers for endwalker / pandæmonium.my hesperos is canon-divergent in the sense that he does not die and instead survives his altercation with the wol. he receives treatment for hemitheos reversal, and continues his work as the keyward of asphodelos. once the final days begin, hesperos is among the first wave of people to sacrifice themselves to zodiark in an attempt to save their star... unless we were to explore a different au for his end.additionally, i write hesperos as though he is 100% in love with lahabrea and this is not up for debate. in the circumstance of events following pandæmonium's story, i consider hesperos and lahabrea to be a couple. i also write hesperos as a father figure to erichthonios and will not ship them under any circumstances. i also have written interpersonal relationships between hesperos and other npcs.with this in mind, connections established in my personal canon will not be forced upon other players unless they express interest beforehand. i require prior discussion and consent from all parties involved.
YES ✓
★ dialogue only, casual, or multi-paragraph. i flex based on my partner's preference.
★ third person only. sorry, i just can't stand second or first in a rp context unless it's dialogue of course.
★ pre-established connections are ok. shipping also ok ( friends only ). just ask first for both.
★ dark themes regarding blood and gore in detail are okay. ask before exploring character death.
NO ✘
★ people below 21 in general. i make some exceptions, but not often.
★ erp focus is not the intent of the character, and lahabrea players do not get a free pass.
★ racism, sexism, lgbtphobia, & general prejudices are not allowed.
★ i take a hardline stance against the proliferation of pedophilic themes. pro-ship/anti terms mean nothing.
★ forcing your personal canon on me. i won't do it to you, so i expect the same courtesy.
NOTES ✎
★ i have autism and ( probably ) adhd. i'm prone to getting distracted often and i'm slow to reply at times.
★ chronic depression kicks my ass 90% of the time, all i ask for is your patience and understanding.
★ discord writing is nice, but i only feel comfy giving it to people i know.
★ the rp tag almost never gets used, so shoot me a tell. if it's important, twitter dms may be better.
art on first page done by @waste__cat.