forged family

What is an empire with none fit to inherit? Bruno, averse to lionesses even for the sake of heirs, has been "blessed" with only daughters by a god he will never believe in. Though the cubs he finds may resemble the perfect mixture of his face and that of the ones he loves, no such cub will prove male-sexed. Perhaps said god has an ironic sense of humor – perhaps he is merely unlucky in this. Regardless, when Bruno comes upon a haggard lioness in the wilderness barely grasping at life, he is not inclined to save her. The babes tucked at her side are too cherubic, perfect ringlets cupping perfect, boyish faces. They are not his, but there is nothing to mark them as such. Only he and the lioness in the wilds know the truth of their origins, and dead women tell no tales.

TWO of two available

upbringing
Bruno is formal, rigid, and domineering. While he will delight in the boys' successes, his love languages are keen observation and constructive criticism. His approval will be earned by diligence to the family, obedience, and feats of skill. He will (try to) emphasize that the brothers stay close and rule as joint kings one day, motivated by his own rocky relationship with his brother to prevent the Stärke kingdom from splitting yet again. Neither is ever specified to be the elder brother, and Bruno will encourage them each to lean into their own strengths to become stronger together.

They have four older sisters between Bruno and Tai, and while they are practically old enough to have parented the boys themselves, it is clear that Bruno gives the boys far more weight as potential heirs. It should be noted that he has previously adopted a son before, Freckle, though his inheriting was never discussed and he has been offsite for a good while. It is possible that they will have other influences in their lives, either from @Tai should he return as Bruno's unspoken partner, or should something more develop with @Lachesis since he's joined Firnen, or from any other Stärkes who may join. It is likely that they will have plenty more half sisters going forward, and Bruno could even adopt more boys who could prove future competition for an inheritance.

the cubs
Names — Roland/Rolland, Varik, Silvan, August, Florian – German names
Surname — Stärke-Rike
Pride — FR Royalty
Half-Siblings — @Clove @Dalila @Nyoka @Silke
Physical Traits — See the below designs, meant to look plausibly related to Bruno




to apply
Please share an idea of the cub's personality and what loose plans you have for their dynamic with Bruno, their brother, and/or their family and pride. Please specify which of the designs you are applying for, or if you are open to either.

Players will be picked Nov 4th

* Please note I may end up getting nervous and scrapping this idea, and if I do it's for story arc reasons and not a reflection of the apps

adoption clause

By applying for a cub, you agree to be active with them as a character. Though adopted, these cubs are intended to be just as integral in plots as any genetic cub. While I will not try and steal anyone’s developed character, I ask that you consider adopting them out if you no longer wish to play them later in their life, too.
Cubs should not be on green pvp until they are at least 1 year old. You agree by applying to ask for permission for plots that may drastically affect the lives of the parents (wars, trespassing, cub death, kidnapping, maims, etc) within the first year.

well fuck.

AUGUST STARKE-RIKE

BARBARIAN & BEATNIK
LAWFUL EVIL

as a cub —
angelic, cherubic, venomous
Youthful innocence and the costume of golden grace, August learns from a very young age that appearance is important. It can be the difference between getting away with it and getting a beating. A liar, a deceiver who would happily throw anyone under the bus. August is competitive and brash, but only on his terms and only behind closed doors.

There is an absolute obedience to his father, but often August will use it as a screen for bad behaviour in his youth. He wouldn't dream of misbehaving and showing his father up, he wouldn't dare besmirch the name of Starke-Rike. Often the only person he is concerned about pleasing is his father, though the weight of expectation and rigid parenting can chafe a little.

He is nosy, opinionated, cunning and careful with his words and it is uncertain whether this is nature or nurture. With his brother he is the most comfortable and does not feel the need to constantly present the image of a well-behaved child. Often his brother will get the brunt of August's emotions, but only because he is a safe place, a co-conspirator. His relationship with his father at this age is very much something of fear-worship - August learns very quickly how far to push Bruno and only very rarely toes the line.

as a teen —
the manipulator
In growing, he learns how to manipulate with more success and with it comes the rush of power in having deceived. Concerned a little more with reputation, with how others perceive him and knowing that it could all crumble with the twitch of a whisker, August seeks to gain control over others. Whether that be a physical, emotional or moral leverage, he has absolutely no qualms about exploiting those around him. It is subtle, however — never an outright threat, at least not in public.

With wild hormones and the natural growing tension most males experience, August will experience the most mistakes in his adolescence. Then again, how else does one grow? Slip ups in his growing mask are usually attributed to bursts of anger and the golden boy can become quite explosive. He strives to be the best at what he does, but only in a small area — he is not overly ambitious at this age and is happy enough to concentrate on the lessons Bruno delivers, to train hard with his brother and leave it at that.

In between training, fighting, honing his skills and growing, August develops a somewhat lazy streak that was certainly fuelled by his desire to have others do things for him. Why would he hunt for himself when he could allow others to do it for him? When he could simply call in a favour and have it delivered to his door. The more he gets away with, the worse he gets and whether his father will stand for such behaviour is yet to be seen. Regardless, there is an indolent edge to teenaged August.

as an adult —
the great pretender
It all culminates in the façade — the carefully constructed veneer of politeness, of casual interest and easy smiles that hide the cruelty within. A male who can roll with the political punches, who can present himself with plenty of charisma and even kind words on occasion. But beware the golden-crusted mask, beware the great pretender. A selfish, greedy creature — someone unafraid to take what he wants and hoard it. He is capable of sharing only with his brother and to some extent his family.

Ambition grows, for his family name and their standing in Amaryllis. Fiercely loyal to his blood, August is determined to contribute to a name that is respected (feared) within the upper echelons of Amaryllis society. It is unknown whether he is capable of anything so soft as love — but in bucket loads he possesses vanity and the desire to be worshipped by others is something that solidifies into his adult years. Perhaps it is simply validation that he requires, but are you really brave enough to try and delve into his motivations?

code by scorpixia♡︎

crying throwing up

Applying for cub two, fine with either design.

Ulrich Starke-Rike
Bard/Medic
Neutral Evil

silver tongue, manipulative, calculating, insincere, loyal, energetic, passionate, charming

Dreams twist into shadows as Ulrich finds his way through life. As a cub, he constantly asks “why,” though not in the empty way some might. No, he wants the information and intends to use it. Ulrich will never outgrow his curiosity. Instead, this will pair with a natural talent for storytelling. He’s happy to gather all the facts and then twist them, passing on whatever information he deems useful to others. The rest of the information he keeps to himself, hoarding it the way a dragon does its gold.

Ulrich’s loyalty to his brother is unwavering as they grow up. They are meant to be a pair, a match, two parts of a whole. This may lead to some codependent tendencies, but time alone will tell. As for their father, Ulrich will begin with a loyalty built from some uncertainty and fear. He won’t wander from Bruno’s teachings, but will test the waters before he starts questioning those. As Ulrich grows, he will learn where boundaries are and just how much he can get away with. He’s a charmer when he wants to be. This will lead to a proclivity for lying. Why tell the truth when a good story is so much better?

Upon reaching maturity, Ulrich will find a drive for work. He wants to keep busy, keep moving, and keep his body moving just as much as his mind. This lion’s thoughts are rarely at peace. There’s always another job to do, another tale to tell. There is always something going on and Ulrich will gladly stick his nose into everyone’s business to get to the bottom of things and ensure he (and his brother) end up on top.

EITHER CUB DESIGN --> I have a preference for the second cub but either is just fine.:)

BOTWULF Stärke-Rike;
Paladin/Ambassador.

PERSONALITY THOUGHTS:

--> Botwulf will be a practice in opposites: he will observe the strictness of his father and learn of his father's reputation-- the reputation of the lineage he carries -- and thus he will try to make himself a sociable beast. Picture a strong man, broad in shoulder and with a high-raised chin. Confidence in his stride. Yet, he smiles, warm and inviting. It is a mistake to mistake Botwulf for soft, to think him a rebel against his father, his line. No-- Botwulf simply has adapted to what he will perceive as a weakness of his family (not that he would ever tell). They're all so... stern. Of course, those who believe he is different than the rest will discover this is far from the truth-- often when it is too late to stop themselves from falling into place in his plans.

--> As a youth, Botwulf will want to emulate his father. What Botwulf will not know, however, is that he will emulate his father in more ways than one: Botwulf will lack the vocabulary to express a truth about self and gender, and instead, will repress these thoughts. Where his father hides his sexuality with anger and emotion, Botwulf hides his true expression with a clench-toothed smile and spikes of frustration that emulate the worst of his father's piques of wrath.

--> Botwulf, as an adult, holds himself with pride. He does not become a lecher or layabout, but becomes a warrior, stoic and fierce, a mythological hero in the way he handles himself in battle. Botwulf will flash toothy grins to the women who observe his brutality and see the wonder in him. Altruistic towards his family and friends, Botwulf is a steadfast companion, but he will be very much concerned with representing his family line.

--> With his brother, Botwulf will remain forever loyal. He will support his brother eternally -- in public. Any doubts the boy has will be expressed in private, where lessers cannot see. He will always strive to present a unified front with his brother, so that others find no weaknesses to exploit.

--> While not bloodthirsty, threats to his brother, father, nieces, nephews, cousins-- any of his relatives-- prove enough to drive Botwulf into a fury. He is devoted to the blood, to the family, to the father who raised him with exacting purpose. In this way, Botwulf is the perfect weapon because it is so easy to forget that he is one.

--> Bruno will discover that Botwulf is always attempting to push himself harder during youth and training. Botwulf will want to find his father's boundaries, his points of pride, his expectations -- and then exceed the expectations. Failure and rejection will weigh heavily on Botwulf, and the boy will make himself bleed to earn his father's pride if he must. Loyalty will sink deep into him. The objective of ensuring another split does not happen will have been utterly achieved, at least with Botwulf.

I would like to offer the boys to @Druid and @vermin :) they have been found here

Thank you so much to everyone for your interest! Again, Bruno is bound to have wisp cubs in the future, or perhaps even adopt more sons.