Facets in Bloom: Synopsis + Cast
An overview of the setting, cast, and plot.
SYNOPSIS
Filamina Magnolia has always dreamed of being one of the prestigious Viridian Knights, and with her adoptive father’s instruction, Mina begins the journey towards making that a reality. When her training finally pays off, however, she finds it not nearly as glamorous or important as she hoped, utilized as little more than a lowly tavern guard. But when her commander sends her to the village of Liatris, Mina is given the chance to prove herself - slay the dragon tormenting the area, for the good of Ophloxis.
Lilac is the guardian of Liatris, the last remaining after her sister Larkspur’s death and her other sister Hyacinth’s departure. An alchemist and chirugeon beloved by the small village, Lilac looks after the village and the surrounding Liatris forest - after all, as a dragon, it was her duty to keep her territory safe. With the forest enchanted to ward away unwanted guests, Lilac lives her days in simplicity - until one day, she finds a wounded knight bleeding out in her forest. Despite knowing the danger they could cause, Lilac’s kindness overrides her sense.
Mina awakens in a small, kind village - and is stunned to discover the person who saved her was the same dragon she was sent to kill. Unable to bring herself to harm the person that saved her life, Mina instead endeavors to learn the truth of the world - and in doing so, pledges herself to Lilac…and effectively all of dragonkind. While the two women grow closer, however, things change with the appearance of Carys and Rhodri, two redheaded runaways fleeing from a past desperate to catch up with them…
CAST
Filamina Magnolia - Better known as Mina, she was orphaned from a young age, left to fend for herself in a city that didn’t care whether she lived or died on the streets. Things changed when she was adopted by Lucas, a young Viridian Knight who immediately captivated the young girl and she made it her mission to become a hero just like him. For all her dedication, however, Mina doesn’t really strike one as a knight at a first glance - she’s crass, boisterous, and fairly relaxed, simply taking life as it stands. Underneath her carefree facade, however, is a woman who has complicated feelings about her upbringing and her deceased adoptive father, and she wonders now if it was right to train as a knight during the years she should have been allowed to be a child. Mina always wants to do what’s right, but never knows how to define what that means - perhaps because she hasn’t figured out it isn’t binary. Mina’s easygoing nature makes it easy for her to talk with Lilac.
Lilac - The guardian of Liatris, Lilac is an amethyst dragon and is at once warmhearted and deeply guarded. She smiles easily and is fairly sociable, but she tends to keep strangers at arm’s length. Deeply perceptive, Lilac is the perfect person to cry on - if she likes you, that is. Despite her sociable veneer, she’s surprisingly sharp tongued and has a bit of a crabby, no nonsense attitude, though she knows when to rein in those tendencies. As a dragon, she suffers from emotional extremes under duress and despite her damndest to act otherwise, at the end of the day, Lilac simply is a bleeding heart for those the wants to protect and would do anything to protect them - even if it meant protecting someone intending harm on her. Lilac’s crabby nature is the exact kind of thing she hoped would ward people like Mina off, but deep down, she’s fond of the other woman.
Carys - A quiet, soft spoken young elven girl, with strange eyes and stranger powers. She was found alongside her brother in Liatris forest, the two being attacked by a strange chimera of a creature, and much like her brother, she speaks little of her past. In reality, Carys is the result of decades of attempts to create a perfect life form, one capable of wielding the magic of Ophloxis and the fae realm beyond it. Carys, due to her upbringing, has difficulty emoting and struggles to identify her wants and needs as things she actually wants or needs. She also gets sick easily, much like other elves, and she’s able to draw magic out of her surroundings in the form of an eidolon - a magically summoned construct - characterized by the blue roses that dot its form. She’s called her eidolon “Biscuit” for reasons that only seem to make sense to herself.
Rhodri - A bright, sociable young human man, Rhodri is Carys’s older brother and fully dedicated to protecting her at all costs. Though he speaks little of his past, the truth is that Rhodri is one of the first experiments - though he was a direct copy of the person before him, his father opted to shift his research into creating the perfect lifeform. Rhodri transitioned when Carys was still small and though, technically, he is more or less just an older clone of her, he considers her a sister. In direct contrast to his little sister, Rhodri has little actual magic, making up for his deficiencies with magic runes he’s able to etch into weaponry, having accidentally stumbled into the old arts of the spellblades.
ALLIES
Orchid Whitethorn - An amethyst dragon living a quiet domestic life, Orchid has never aspired for greatness or adventure, content to simply harvest honey and run a small business and inn alongside her husband. Still, greatness lies in her blood - not only does she carry Silena’s power within her - but unbeknownst to her, she is also Lilac’s twin sister, the two separated and hidden away at birth in order to hide the power they carried. When the two finally meet, Orchid gives up her power to empower her sister - but is happy just the same to have a sister at all.
Illyrian Whitethorn - An elven man who wandered into the fae realm when he was young, Illyrian rejoined an Ophloxis completely unrecognizable to the one he left. Though his time within the fae realm left him with chronic health issues and a frail constitution, it blessed him with incredibly powerful healing powers. A healer and astronomer who can divine the future, Illyrian carries himself through life like he’s always exactly where he needs to be at any given moment - whether or not that’s actually the case is something everyone else will have to figure out.
Phoebe Whitethorn - Once one of the many failed experiments to create Carys, Phoebe was considered one of the lucky ones, having not been consumed by the hivemind. She was assigned to an abandoned lighthouse and told to open a void gate, a portal that would allow her father to siphon magic from the chaos beyond Ophloxis, an act that Phoebe dutifully carried out, even though she knew it would kill her. She was stopped by Hyacinth - and through her meeting with the topaz dragon, learned the value of her own life. After her father attempts to kill her, Phoebe saves Carys and the others and expects to die - only for Carys and Illyrian to save her life instead. Orchid and Illyrian adopt her and name her Phoebe, and though she has lost most of her magic, Phoebe has begun learning healing from her father.
Kyrhielle Scintillis - Rhielle is a recent graduate from Alcea Academy, a prestigious magical school. As one of the few able to harness the power of iridescence, the remnants of Ophloxis’s magical powers, Rhielle was extremely gifted, able to understand in a magic few others could match. A prodigy and a genius, she graduated early - and set off to find a purpose for the power she had. After healing the elderly Whitethorns, Rhielle dedicated herself to healing the wounds of the world - only to return to the Whitethorn Inn several months ago, happily welcomed as a wayward friend might be. But the truth is, Rhielle has lost her memory of the past 5 years, as well as a decent portion of her powers…
VILLAINS
Jolon - A dark mage obsessed with power all his life, his quest for it began after he murdered his mentor, Etienne. After killing a woman several years later, something about the death of that woman sent Jolon into a tailspin, desperate to revive her for a reason he does not understand. From these experiments came Rhodri, a perfect clone - but one that no longer suited his needs. Jolon quickly became obsessed with creating a lifeform capable of wielding all forms of magic and throughout decades of testing and creation, finally happened upon Carys. His plans were thwarted by Rhodri, however, and in the meantime, Jolon has taken to experimenting on himself, turning himself into something not quite human and not quite dragon…
The Roots - Failed experiments that Jolon deems useless enough return to The Roots, the name for the hivemind he has created. It is, in essence, a living magical battery, one powered by his countless clone children. Even if Jolon does not see them as sapient, however, the fact is that they very much are - and that they are trapped in a neverending cycle of misery, one their father purposefully generates to make his own magic more potent…
The Silent - Clones not completely useless, The Silent are unstable lifeforms, but useful as eyes and ears all across Ophloxis. Used primarily as fodder, these red robed, silent, masked mages are sent when Jolon needs the manpower necessary for his ends. Though they lack speech, they are capable of thought - and as such, are deeply aware of the fact their time is limited. They disappear on death.
The Whispered - Though Whispered have more stable lifeforms, their magic is difficult to control - as such, these blue robed mages are deployed to cause areawide damage and are not expected to survive once their magic is deployed. Some whose magic is less volatile are sent to create void gates, though this too will end with their demise, due to the size of the gate.
The Viridian Knights - Though the world knows them as the noble Viridian Knights who rid the world of Vesicaria’s menace, the truth is that the Viridian Knights began simply as jealous humans angered by the magic they lacked. They slew Vesicaria, using the mighty dragon’s gem core to imbue them with magic, before setting their sights on any emerald dragons they could get their hands on, painting it as a crusade against those of Vesicaria’s kin. In recent years, they’ve turned their eye to any dragon they can find, desperate to harvest their power and have their status grow all the stronger for it.
OTHERS
Larkspur - An older sapphire dragon, Larkspur had been a dear family friend of Lilac’s parents - and as such, was entrusted with Lilac and Orchid when the young dragons were born. Though Larkspur’s instructions were to separate the children far away where they could be safe, after entrusting Orchid to an elderly couple, Larkspur could not handle leaving a young child without guidance a second time, choosing to raise Lilac herself. Though Lilac regarded her as an eldest sister, Larkspur was more or less her mother - and she died a decade prior, for reasons only Hyacinth knows.
Hyacinth - A traveling topaz dragon, Hyacinth crossed paths with Larkspur shortly after Orchid was given up, and what began simply as pity at Larkspur’s intense guilt became a desire to see the other dragon to safety. By the time the two reached Liatris, however, they found themselves as a strange family - and so Hyacinth stayed, happy to play the role of older sister. After Larkspur’s death, however, Hyacinth grew distant - and eventually left Liatris 5 years ago.
Cyrus - A wolf faunae, Cyrus was the previous alchemist of Liatris and taught Lilac everything she knew. He was old, older than Larkspur, and died when Lilac was fairly young. She had regarded him as a paternal figure and her alchemical lab was one she inherited after his passing.
Lucas Magnolia - Mina’s adoptive father, Lucas wasn’t really the kind of person one pictured when they thought of a Viridian Knight - he was mild mannered and somewhat spineless, seeming to carry some kind of regret that plagued him until the end of his days. While he loved Mina dearly, he did train her as a knight from a young age, depriving her of a childhood she desperately needed - something she still has complicated feelings about.
Gladiolus - An emerald dragon, the core of which is within Mina’s armor. Mina first meets Gladiolus’s spirit with Lilac’s help - and after learning of his tragic circumstances, pledges herself to Gladiolus and Lilac to right the wrongs that have been enacted on dragonkind. In response, Gladiolus has granted Mina some of his strength and magical prowess.
Coral - A purple jade dragon, Coral had never known life outside her undersea city, born long after some dragons hid in the ocean alongside the sea faunae, Coral dreamed of reaching the surface world and learning of life away from the seas - and one day, decided to go do just that. When she was about to broach the surface, she came across a drowning prince and saved his life. In time, the two fell in love and married, Coral happily becoming a princess beside her love. But what was supposed to be a fairytale ending suddenly changed when she awoke one day and her husband’s kingdom had been turned to ice, along with everyone in it outside her. Heartbroken but determined to make things right, Coral set out traveling to search for a way to undo the curse…
Galien - A kindhearted prince loved by his people and hated by his family, Galien’s birth was considered an omen - after all, he’d been born with snow white hair, the curse of his family’s lineage. Believed to be a curse to his family at worst and an illegitimate heir at best, Galien lived his days isolated from others, a lonely upbringing that didn’t match the kind, princely smile he always wore. Though he initially intended to be lost at sea, Coral’s kindness and selfless love gave him a new lease on life and it wasn’t long before he fell in love with her. Though their time together was cut short, Galien is only frozen, not dead…
WORLD INFO
Ophloxis is the world in which Facets in Bloom takes place on.
In the beginning, there was nothing - and then suddenly, there was chaos. Amidst the cosmos and chaos, magic, hope and divinity coalesced, creating Oleacea, a goddess who bloomed in the harshest of circumstances. With her almighty power, she became a sacred tree, her consciousness entering a deep slumber as she brought life to the universe, and there Oleacea remained as a beacon of life, magic, and purity in the vastness of darkness. From Oleacea, the florae were born - plant beings grown from the mighty divine tree, meant to serve their goddess's will. From this tree, nine fruits began to sprout - nine realms, nine worlds that began to slowly form.
The first world came to be known as Ophloxis.
It began as nothing - a realm of chaos, not unlike the chaos that surrounded Oleacea. As the world grew, Oleacea filled the world with earth and stone, sky and water - a place to hold life. With its lands formed, the fae were tasked with creating its guardians - and they found the earth a suitable base to do so. The fae pooled their power together to create Ophloxis, the opal dragon. From her, the mother dragon, she bore six daughters - Calliandra, the ruby dragon, Strelitzia, the citrine dragon, Lindera, the topaz dragon, Vesicaria, the emerald dragon, Torenia, the sapphire dragon and Silena, the amethyst dragon - but Ophloxis herself lost her form in creating her daughters. With the last of her strength, she poured her magic over the sterile lands, filling it with magic and life, effectively becoming one with the world. The florae, reminded of Oleacea and her slumber, chose to honor Ophloxis, naming the new world after her and her sacrifice.
The six dragons, known as the Scions, were sent to the new world, sent to be the guardian pillars of the races that would flourish there. As the races of the world slowly came to be, countless other dragons were born from the six sister dragons, all honorbound to protect humanity. As the sapient races flourished and magic began to be harnessed, all was peaceful. Ophloxis thrived on its magic and the world's wellbeing caused the fae realm to be well cared for in turn. Humans populated the world, as did others - faunae and elves, both warped by the fae realm, dwarves, birthed from the most intense of climates. Humans sought to create their own dragons, creating the kobolds, and as dragons and other races intermingled, Gemblooded began to arise, those who carried draconic traits.
But humans, those gifted without innate magic, began to grow jealous of the dragons, the root of their woes. And it was from there that evil began to sprout...
RACES
Humans: Your standard humans. Humans can be found in every town, and are known for their determination and resilience. It is believed that all races outside dragons and fae harken back to humans in some manner, as humans were meant to be the clay in which the rest of the world formed.
While all in Ophloxis have aptitude for magic, humans seem to have the weakest link to it. This seems to not be the case nowadays, as high ranking Viridian Knights harness incredibly powerful magic. Where humans lack natural magic, however, they have learned to manipulate the magic of the world to their liking, making wizardry a popular choice for those wishing to harness magic.
Humans live to be about 100 years old, give or take.
Dragons: Dragons began as a gift from the fae realm. Though their true forms look like the dragons of lore, the reality is that dragons are highly potent concentrations of magic, their true form being a gem core that comprises their being. Ophloxis, the opal dragon, was the progenitor, and her body became one with the land after she gave birth to her brood. Her daughters were Calliandra, the ruby dragon, Strelitzia, the citrine dragon, Lindera, the topaz dragon, Vesicaria, the emerald dragon, Torenia, the sapphire dragon and Silena, the amethyst dragon. From her daughters, countless other gemstone dragons were birthed…
Dragons are the guardians of Ophloxis and are sworn to defend all life - when the other races turned against them, dragons could not bring themselves to seriously harm those they were meant to protect. Even after Vesicaria’s death and the formation of the Viridian Knights, dragonkind could not harm them. They chose to go into hiding instead. As their magic is continually siphoned from the land, dragons have no need of food or sleep, merely partaking in such things because they enjoy to.
Dragons live until their magic runs out - in their true form, this can last thousands of years, but disguised as humans, their lifespan is drastically less so, topping off at about 150 years, due to always needing to keep using magic - a simple matter of the magic siphoned from the land not being enough to replenish the magic constantly in use. When they pass on their terms, their memories are dispersed to the earth, so other dragons may learn from them. However, if a dragon is killed before their time, their soul is trapped within their gem core, dooming them to an existence where they cannot pass on and also cannot regain their physical form.
Ruby > Fire
Citrine > Lava
Topaz > Earth
Emerald > Air
Sapphire > Water
Amethyst > Storms
Other gem dragons exist outside of the six listed above - the above lines are the progenitor lines. The only “rules” are that they are themed after a gemstone and named after a flower (or flowering plant). Dragons do not need to reproduce sexually - as their forms are composed of magic, they can simply siphon off some of their magic to create a new dragon - but some choose to do so.
Florae: Less of a single species and more of a catchall, florae are those of the fae realm. As befitting of their name, they are all plantlike in species and appearance, from pixies and sprites to dryads, giants and otherwise. The dragons that fled Ophloxis entirely reside in the fae realm. Florae care deeply for the world of Ophloxis and truly wish for dragons and the rest of humanity to get along. Lately, however, something has been siphoning away magic from the fae realm - and this is having strange consequences for the world of Ophloxis as well…
Florae live ancient lives - some easily into thousands of years. Much like dragons, when they pass, their memories are dispersed into the earth, allowing other florae to gain their memories.
Faunae: Humanoids with the traits of animals, faunae are classified by three different clans - land faunae, who take on traits of land based animals, sea faunae, who take on the traits of dolphins, whales and sharks, and sky faunae, who take on the traits of birds. It is said faunae developed in places where fae magic was strongest - though this seems not to be the case any more, as faunae exist the world over now. Faunae have ties to elemental magic - land faunae can control earth magic, sky faunae can control air magic, and sea faunae can control water magic.
Faunae live about the same lifespan as humans.
Kobolds: Lizardlike humanoids with the same emphasis on gemstones, kobolds began as an attempt for the people of Ophloxis to create their own dragons. However, the lack of concentrated magic meant their attempts were…more miniscule than expected. Kobolds grow from gemstones planted into the earth encased in enchanted clays - when they finally form, they are only a fraction of the mighty dragons they mean to be. Kobolds have vestigial wings, but are unable to fly and though one would expect them to feel inferior to dragons, kobolds simply enjoy the simple delight of being born. Though kobolds were considered a failure by their creators, kobolds have taken it upon themselves to birth their successors and it’s said a kobold creation ceremony is a beauty to behold. Kobolds continually siphon magic from the earth, just like dragons do, and thus also have no need to eat or sleep. Unlike dragons, however, they cannot change their forms.
It’s unknown how long kobolds live, due to their artificial creation.
Dwarves: Dwarves are believed to have been forged in the most extreme climates - from the heart of a volcano to the heights of a snowy mountain to the depths of the ocean floor, dwarves take on the traits of the places that birthed them. They have a friendly relationship with kobolds, both being earthen races, and dwarves pride themselves on their smithing skills, said to create weapons that could kill even a god. Dwarves wield fire magic and have passionate personalities to match.
Dwarves live as long as their passions and purpose drive them - for some, this could be decades, for others, this could be centuries.
Elves: Commonly referred to as “bloomed ones”, elves are not a traditional race - rather, they are a term given to those whose beings have been warped by fae magic. This manifests as pointed ears in humans, but has been known to affect other races similarly. They have a connection to fae magic as a result, able to channel the elements and call upon fae spirits.
Elves live slightly less than whatever race they were born as - their aptitude for magic gives them a much weaker constitution, meaning sickness can affect them easily and much more disastrously.
Gemblooded: Much like elves, they are not a traditional race - rather, it is a term given to those who have the traits of dragons, like scales, horns, a tail and claws. As dragons hid themselves among humanity, their intense concentration of magic has slowly warped those around them, causing them to manifest draconic traits - though there are also plenty gemblooded who have draconic traits the old fashioned way as well. Dragons typically hide themselves as gemblooded individuals.
Gemblooded live slightly longer than the lifespan of whatever race they were born as. They do not gain magic they can use from their gemblooded traits, however it has made them much sturdier as individuals.